Doctrines and opinions concerning justification of the faithfull before God to wit First that faith as it is in every beleever a guift of God 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 sovereigne power and dominion is pleased to ordaine appoynt and account for all the righteousnesse which a man shall have for his justification though in truth and in strictnesse of the Law and according to the rule of justice it is no righteousnes being weake oftentimes and full of infirmities That the spirit of God by the Apostle in these words did not intend or meane any of the Communion of the righteousnes and perfect obedience performed by Christ to the Law as our surety and in our stead nor any imputation of that righteousnes to every true beleever for justification nor Gods accepting of the faithfull for righteous by their communion of that righteousnes applied possessed and enjoyed by faith By faith and beleeving they doe not understand that guift and worke of Gods spirit in the elect regeneraâ—e and sanctified by which they doe beleeve and are perswaded that they are in Christ and Christ is their head and they as members have communion of all his benefits even of his full satisfaction and perfect righteousnes for remission of all their sinnes and for justification and by this perswasion and beleeving they have a sweet and lively sence feeling and fruition of Christs satisfaction and righteousnes and rest on them as on the covering and propitiation of their sinnes and their righteousnes by which they stand righteous before God and are justified but by faith and beleeving they understand no more but a confidence in God that he 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 perfect humane nature by his righteousnes sufferings and obedience unto death hath merited such high favour with God that God in honour to him is pleased to accept and account the faith of them that beleeve him to bee a sufficient Saviour for righteousnes and requires noe other righteousnes to constitute them and make them after any sort formally righteous in their justification When they acknowledge that Christ his perfect satisfaction and righteousnes is the meritorious cause of our justification they doe not meane that Christ his satisfaction and righteousnes are communicated to us and by faith so apprehended and possessed that wee thereby are indeed and in Gods account righteous before God and are justified and they deserve that hee should so account us for them but this is their mind and meaning that Christ by his righteousnes and obedience hath merited that God for his sake should account faith to us for righteousnes without either our owne workes of the Law or his righteousnes imputed to us and made ours by communion and when they say faith is imputed for righteousnes as an instrument they meane not as the spirituall hand or instrument applying Christ his righteousnes to bee after a sort the formall righteousnes of the beleever but that faith as it is the instrument by which the beleever doth beleeve that Christ hath purchased this favour that faith should be the onely thing accounted to him for righteousnes The Orthodoxe Exposition I will prove and confirme from the wordes of the Apostle himselfe and other strong Arguments in the first place and afterwards will confute and overthrow the Hereticall Exposition The true Exposition defended FOr the right understanding of the Apostles wordes three things are first to be considered and explained First what is here meant by faith and beleeving Secondly what righteousnes is here meant Thirdly what is meant by imputation By faith in this place wee must not understand that naturall habit and power which is common to all reasonable men who upon their knowledge of things spoken or promised doe 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 promised tend to their owne good they rest upon them confidently and perswade themselves 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 guift 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 Iude 20. this faith agreeeth with the other in these foure poynts First as that is an habit and power of beleeving so is this secondly as that containes in it notitiam in intellectu a knowledge and notice of the things spoken beleeved so doth this And as that containes in it assensum in voluntate an assent of the wil so doth this also And as that faith when it goeth no further is called historical so this also And as that faith when it reacheth to good things promised to our selves particularly to apply them and rest on them hath also fiduciam in corde affectionibus a trust and confidence of the heart and affections in it so hath this also and is cald a firme perswasion trust confidence but they differ in divers things First that is a naturall power or habit This is spirituall wrought in men by the Spirit of God dwelling 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 enlightning the understanding the Spirit also enclines 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 the radicall grace and vertue of renovation 4. That hath for the object or things beleeved either naturall and worldly things onely or things heavenly and supernaturall seene and discern'd through the darke mist of naturall reason and assented to rested on with a carnall and unsanctified will and heart This hath for the object things supernaturall and heavenly and spirituall discerned by supernaturall light assented to with an holy and sanctified will confirmed to the heart by a spirituall sence and sweet taste of the things promised wrought by the holy Spirit in the true beleever apprehending and applying them But to come neere to the Text the
they deny that the faithfull are constituted and made formally righteous by the obedience of Christ communicated and imputed to them which the Apostle in expresse wordes doth affirme Rom. 5. 19. and 8. 4. and 10. 4. they fall into the heresie of the Pelagians and are forced to deny that Adams sinne and disobedience is communicated and imputed to his posterity and they are formally sinners by it And rather then they will yeeld that Infants which die before they commit actuall transgression in their owne persons are by death punished because they are guilty of Adams sinne they do blasphemously affirme that God being offended and moved to wrath by the sinnes of Parents will out of the magnificence of his Iustice destroy Innocent Babes with their sinfull Parents which is contrary to Gods word and Law teaching us â—hat Children shall not die for the sins of their Parents unlesse they be partakers with them either by communion and imputation or by imitation and approbation whereas they bring for instance that the Children of Korah were destroyed with their Father though they were Innocent and not partakers in the sinne here in they contradict the Scriptures which expressely affirme that the Children of Korah dyed not Num. 26. 11. for they upon Moses his threatning escaped and fled from their Fathers Tents in all likely-hood and onely they perished who would not be admonished by Moses to separate from the Congregation of Korah but adher'd to him wer partakers of his conspiracy sin Sixtâ—y when they for a colour of their heresie confesse in word that Christs righteousnes is the meritorio us cause of justification and yet deny communion and imputation of it to beleevers they fall into this horrible opinion That Christ by his righteousnes doth iustifie Infidels and impenitent Reprobates as much as he iustifies the elect and faithfull For if it be not communicated and imputed to beleevers in their iustification then have they no more interest in the merit thereof then Infidels and damned Reprobates it is onely meritorious and of worth value and sufficiency to iustifie them s it is to all mankind even to Infidels and what benefit a and merit of it they have it is by their owne free will making use of it which Infidels might do if they would for they have the merit of it as much as beleevers can have without communion and imputation of it Lastly while they argue that as in the first covenant God required workes of the Law performed by every man in his owne person and this was the condition which man was to performe for obtaining of life and that covenant of life was not free but conditionall so in the new covenant God requires in us faith and beleeving as the condition which we on our part must performe for Iustification and so for the obtaining of eternall life and salvation Hereby they affirme the new covenant to be a covenant conditionall and not of free grace for whatsoever is covenanted and promised upon a condition to be performed is not absolutely free nor freely given and so the faithfull are not iustified freely bâ—grace whereas they plead that iustification aâ—d life is promised upon condition of beleeving If you beleeve you shall be saved This is â—grosse and absurd mistake for every conditionall proposition doth not propound the condition of a covenant for that 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 yâ—â— will heare and hearken ye shall be saved and not destroyed your Soule shall live and yee shall eaâ—e the good of the Land Isay 1. 19. Ier. 26. 3. and 36. and many other places If we love one another God dwelleth in us Ioh. 4. 12. If we walke in the light we have fellowship one with another 1 Ioh. 1 7. If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgive 1 Joh. 1. 9. If a man be iust and do that which is right he shall surely live Ezek. 18. 5. 21. in all which and the like places there is no condition of the covenant propounded but onely the meanes and the way to receive blessing or the quality and condition by which men are made câ—pable and fit to enjoy blessing and sometimes the effects and fruites of them that are in a blessed estate and even so when the Scripture saith If yee beleeve yee shall be iustified there is noe condition of the covenant propounded to be performed on our part for iustification and salvation but onely the qualification by which God doth qualify us and fit us by his free grace to be iustified and saved and the meanes by which he enables us to receive righteousnes and to lay hold on saâ—vation which is freely given to us in Christ Vpon these particulars severally observed out of their owne wordes and writings I strongly conclude that this opinion being builded upon such blasphemous and hereticall groundes and maintained and upheld by such blasphemous arguments must needes be most impious hereticall and blasphemous Having already proved the Sâ—cinian and Arminian opinion to be most false impious and hereticall and blasphemous I proceed to discover the weakenesse and absurdity of Mr. Goodwins Arguments contained in the 2 Chapter of his Socinian discourse which he hath attempted to publish in Print as I heare which arguments Ī am challenged to answere and for that purpose he hath with his owne hand delivered them to me Against which I cheerefullie set my selfe and stand for the truth The maine ground upon which he pretends to build his Arguments by which he labours to prove imputation of faith in a proper sense for righteousnesse and that faith and not the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith is counted for righteousnes is the 4th. Chap of the Epistle to the Româ—ns Before his disputation he professeth that none by any wit of learning under Heaven is so fit to determinate what is imputed for righteousnes in iustification as the holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures and yet he saith he leaves his meaning and intent in many things unto men to debate which they onely can declare to whom he reveales the secret of his counsell and amongst these being the true begotten of the truth he seemes to intimate that he will prove himselfe to be one by some Stamp or superscription of a rationall authority set upon him though in common esteeme he be but like other men and the neerer he is to the truth the farther off he is from the approbation of many men greatest pretendeâ—s to the truth Though the rude multitude of his Disciples give just offence by proclayming him to be the great light of Gods Church revealed in these last times yet in him it
sheweth how this righteousnes comes to bee the righteousnes of beleevers and to bee so communicated to them that God doth iustifie impute it to them for iustification and accept as if it were their owne viz. by meanes of their spirituall union and communion with Christ by which they are made partakers of Christ and with him and in him possesse all his riches Sect. 10. and 20. and 23. This is the sum of Câ—lvins Doctrine concerning iustification briefly comprized out of his owne words in places before cited where the Reader may be fully satified Beza in the doctrine of iustification by faith doth perfectly agree with Luther and Calvin in all the former Articles First he saith that faith is not any such vertue as doth iustifie us in our selves before God for that is to set up faith in the place of Christ who alone is our whole and perfect righteousnes but faith iustifies as it is the instrument which receiveth Christ and with him his righteousnes that is most full perfection and we say that we are iustified by faith onely because it embraceth Christ who doth iustifie us with whom it doth unite and couple us that we may be partakers of him and all his goods which being imputed to us are sufficient that wee may be absolved before God and deemed righteous Confess cap. 4. Sect. 7. in notis Rom. 3. 2â— 24. Secondly that faith sends to Christ for perfect righteousnes to iustification and that it assures us of salvation through his righteousnes alone because whatsoever is in Christ is imputed to us as if it were our owne if so bee we embrace him by faith and what the righteousnes of Christ is which is imputed to us he fully expresseth and describeth to be that greatest and most absolute perfection of righteousnes consisting in these two things 1. That he hath no sinne in him 2 That hee hath fulfilled all the righteousnes of the Law cap. 4. Sect. 58. in notis Rom. 3. 22. 26. and Rom 4. 5. in Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 5. 12. Thirdly he sheweth that we come to have communion with Christs righteousnes by spirituall union and mariage with Christ ff saith he we be united and joyned together into fellowship with Christ by faith nothing is more proper ours then Christ and whatsoever is Christs Confess 4. Sect. 9. Fourthly he pronounceth that it is no lesse then wicked blasphemy to deny the mutuall and reciprocall iâ—putations of the sinnes of true beleevers to Christ and of Christs righteousnes to true beleevers in his booke of iustification against Anonymus Fiftly he affirmes that righteousnes which iustifies men before God must be both a full satisfaction for sinne and also a perfect fulfilling of Gods Commandements in every part in Rom. 3. 20. Our learned Whitakers worke against Campion in his answere to the 8. reason page 38. and against Duraus lib. 8. page 176. 177. 182 183. doth stoutly and pâ—thily dispute and maintaine the Doctrine of iustification by the righteousnes of Christ imputed which he proves to be the onely perfect righteousnes able to iustifie us before God Master Perkins also in his golden Chaine called the order of the causes of salvation and dâ—…tion chap. 37. makes the translation of the beleevers sinnes to Christ and of Christs righteousnes to the beleever by a â—…uall and reciprocall imputation the forme of iustification Polanâ—… in Syâ—…ate theologiâ—o Lib. 6. Cap. 36. doth maintaine the same Doctrine with Luther Calvin Beza and Whitaker and proves every point fully by plaine testimonies and invincible Arguments out of the holy Scriptures In his Symphonia Catholica he brings testimonies of Ancients affirming every Article of our Doctrine And in his Theses de justifie he shewes the consent of Orthodox Divines of the reformed Churches And that Mâ—sculus Iunius and other latter Divines are grossely abused by him who brings their testimonies to overthrow the imputation of Christs righteousnesse will plainely appeare if any be pleased to reade Musculus upon Rom. 8. 34. and 16. 3. 4. where he expounds the Apostles wordes of the fulfilling of the righteousnes of of the Law in us to be meant First of all imputatively by the righteousnes of another even of Christ which is also â—â—rs For we are flesh of his flesh c. And by the righteousnes of God he understands Christs perfect righteousnes imputedâ—o us Also Iunius Thes. 35. and 36. doth affirme that the righteousnesse of faith imputed to beleevers is the righteousnes which the Law requires performed by Christ differing onely in this that Legall is every mans fulfilling of the Law in his owne person but this Evâ—ngelicall is the fulfilling of the Law by Christ God and â—an our surely and mediator Thus have I vindicated the Godly learned both â—â—cioâ—â— and modern Divines from the soule slander most falsely laid upon them by this impudent forger of false witnesses and by their owne manifest testimonies I have made manifest their unanimous consent in the true Doctrine of justification by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to beleevers and of them apprehended and applied by faith Now I leave it to all indifferent Readers and zealous Christians to consider whether it be not their duty both to take heed to themselves and to admonish others that they have no fellowship with so openly profest Socinian Sectaries as this man and his followers are you see the Doctrine which they maintaine is wicked and blasphemous Heresie And after many admonitions given by divers grave and learned Divines and often publique confutations and censures passed in publique they still persist in their pestilent heresy are more mad to maintain and dispute it then before and when truth cannot helpe them they flee for helpe to the Father of lyers and make lyes their refuge and in forging lies they sinne being condemned of themselves even against their knowledge and conscience As the Apostle foretold concerning Hereticks Titus 3. 11. How wilfully against the knowne truth and his owne conscience this desperate man hath Proclaimed Luther Calvin Beza Musculus Iunius and others to be of his opinion I have sufficiently proved and if ever he did but looke into any of their writings his owne eyes would have taught him how opposit they are to his Heresie As for his rude impudent and unmannerly followers their owne lying and slanderous tongues proclaime their pedigree from the Father of liers Let this my answere by way of disputation and confutation be a witnesse to free from the false reports which they have dispersed even among divers who were eye and eare witnesses to the contrary viz. That Mr. Goodwin did confute and confound me of late when he came to performe the chalenge made by him or at least boldly undertaken upon the request of his Disciples who made and sent it to me and did so mightily convince me by the power of his Arguments that first he made me rage through anger and fury and after made both my Brother and me to yeeld and to confesse our former ignorance and errors and to embrace him as one sent from God to turne us from darknesse to light That 〈◊〉 promised and vowed to renounce my former Doctrine of justification if ever God would give me liberty and to Preach his Hereticall opinion that we besought him and all his Followers to joyne with us in thanksgiving to God for our Illumination by their Divine Doctor and in prayer for the Grace of perseverance in the light received These reports of us are in our eyes no other then if they had reported that truth was turned unto falshood and the Divell become the Father of truth From such Spirits the God of truth defend his Church and People and grant a free passage to his Gospel and to his faithfull Ministers a Doore of utterance that they may Preach among all men every where the unsearchable riches of Christ To that God of truth I consecrate my tongue and pen and do resolve with both to maintaine his truth by his assistance and grace so long as life breath and strength shall last and to him give all glory now and ever FINIS Romans 13. 7 8. Romans 2. 5 6. Vid Preface 2. 3. 4 1 2 3 4. Argu. Ans. 2. Arg. Ans. 3. Arg. Ans. 1. Arg. Ans. 2. Arg. 1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Arg. Ans. 4 Arg. Ans. 5 Arg. Ans. 6 Arg. Ans. 7 Arg. Ans. 8 Arg. A Arg. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Articles of Iustification saith that when we speake of iustifying faith it is to be knowne that these three obiects concurre which are to bee beleeved 1. the promise of the benefit that is mercy for remission or iustification 2. That the promise is most free which excludes our merits 3. The merits of Câ—râ—st which are the price and propitiation and a little after Faith doth not iustifie because it is a worke worthy by it selfe that is in a proper sense but onely because it receaves the mercy promised And again how shall Christ be our Mediatour if in iustification wee doe not use him for our Mediatour that is if we doe not feele that for him we are reputed righteous The Divines of the Augustin confession câ—ndemne Osiander who held that the righteousnes of faith was the essentiall righteousnes of God And also them who taught that Christ is our righteousnes onely according to his humane nature And in the Epitome of the Articles controverted by some they with one consent affirmed that the righteousnes of faith is remission of sinnes reconciliation to God and adoption to be Sonnes of God for the obedience of Christ only which by faith alone of meere grace is imputed to all believers Articulo 3. de fidei iustitia And this obedience of Christ which is imputed for righteousnes they affirme to be the obedience which hee performed both in his death and passion and also in his fulfilling of the Law for our sakes Ibid. Artic. 3. And concerning faith they teach that in iustification 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 apprehends and receives the free grace of God the merit of Christ and remission of sinnes and it resteth on Christs most perfect obedience by which he fulfilled the Law for us which obedience is imputed to beleevers for righteousnes Ibid. Artic. 3. Calvin is so zealous and so cleere and manifest in teaching and maintaining the Doctrine of Justification by the communion and imputation of Christs perfect obedience satisfaction and righteousnes that among Christians Calvins Institutions me thinkes the very Father of lyers the Devill himselfe should if not blush and bee ashamed yet in policy be afraid to call Calvin for a witnesse against it least all that heare him should hate him and hisse him for his open lying The Doctrine of Calvin concerning iustification consists of these speciall Articles laid downe plainely Institut lib. 3. cap. 11. First hee affirmes in plaine wordes that Iustification consists in remission of sinnes and imputation of Christs righteousnes Sect. 2. Secondly he shewes what he meanes by remission of sinnes sometimes he takes remission of sinnes 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 that the whole guilt of all sinnes both of omission and coâ—…ission is taken away and they are no more accounted nor appeare in his sight as sinners In this sense he calls remission of sinnes totum iustificationis in his Comment on Rom. 4. and totâ—m iustificationem whole iustification Instit. lib. 3. ca 8. 4. For indeed when the sinnes of 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 sinnes of omission by his active obedience in fulfilling the righteousnes which the Law requires which is the other part of Christs imputed satisfaction so that the Elect are now reputed as righteous men who have the defect which came by Omission supplied and have no more the sinnes of Omission imputed to them this is perfect and whole iustification as he truely calls it But sometimes he useth the word remission of sinnes in a more strict sense for that part of Gods act of communicating and imputing of Christs satisfaction which respects the passive obedience of Christ which takes away the guilt of sinnes committed but doth not supply the omission of righteousnes and in this sense he makes remission of sinnes but a part of iustification 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 out of his Institutions lib. 3. cap. 11. Sect. 2. Thirdly he constantly teacheth and affirmeth that there is no righteousnesse by which a man can stand before Gods Tribunall and be accepted for righteous in his sight but onely the full satisfaction and perfect righteousnes of Christ which he the Sonne of God performed in the nature of man for that which is not intire and absolute and without all staine and spot such as never hath beene nor shall be found in any meere man can never be accepted of God but is with him sleighted and vilified beyond all measure and whosoever prates of any righteousnes in mens owne workes or doings they have no true thought nor the least sense of the iustice of God but make a mock of it Institut lib. 3. cap. 12. Sect. 1. and 3. and 11. 26. Fourthly he affirmeth that man is iustified by faith when he is excluded from the righteousnes of works by faith layeth hold on the righteousnes of Christ with which he being cloathed doth appeare in the sight of God not as a sinner but as a righteous man Instit. lib. 3. cap. 11. Sect. 1. And in the same chap. Sect. 11. He saith Haec est mirabilis iustificâ—…i ratio ut Christi iustitia tecti non exhorreant iudicium quo dignisunt dum seipsos merito damnant insti extra se censeantur Fiftly concerning the Office of faith in iustification he teacheth that faith being in it selfe weake and imperfect and of no dignity or worth price or value is never able to iustifie us by it selfe but by bringing Christ unto us who is given to us for righteousnes it is not our righteousnes but makes us come with the mouth of the soule opened that we may be 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 be counted for righteousnes and therefore he saith that it is a foolish thing to mingle our faith which is onely the instrument of receiving righteousnes with Christ who is the materiall cause and both the Author and Minister of this great benefit chap. 11. Sect. 7. And in the 17. Sect. hee saith that faith is hereupon said to iustifie because it doth receive and embrace the righteousnes which is â—ffered in the Gospell Sixtly he affirmes that the righteousnes by which bâ—â—eevers are iustified and stand righteous before God is not in themselves but in Christ even his perfect obedience and righteousnes communicated to them by imputation Sect. 23. Lastly he
his servant that is Let him not thinke or judge his servant guilty nor deale with him or use him as a Conspiratour Sometimes it signifies by a Metonymie of the cause for the effect condemning and punishing an offence in a guilty person as he hath deserved and to deale with him and use him as hee is justly thought and judged to have deserved as 2 Sam. 19. 19. Shimei said Let not my Lord impute iniquity unto me he doth not desire that David would not thinke nor judge nor count his iniquitie to be no iniquitie that had beene against all reason but that for the satisfaction which he had made in coming first of all to the house of Joseph to meet David and to bring him againe to his Kingdome David would graciously pardon his offence and not proceed against him and punish him as justly and worthy of punishment Sometimes it signifies by a Metaphor to count one thing as it were another or no better then another or of the same value as Prov. 27. 14. where a flattering salutation or blessing given with a loud voyce is said to be counted a Curse that is esteemed no better then if it were a Curse Somtimes to use one as if he counted him of another Condition as Gen. 31. 15. where it is said of Laban that he counted his Daughters strangers that is used them as if he had counted them strangers and Iob. 31. 10. where Iob saith that God counteth him for his enemy that is afflicteth and plagueth him as if he counted him an enemy Somtimes the word signifies to skore up or to put upon a mans account or reckoning either the offence or debt which he himselfe runs into as Rom. 5. 13. where it is said that sinne is not imputed when there is no Law that is it is not â—o skored up that men are punished for it and it is not judged and punished in them or the debt which he takes upon him for another as Philemon verse 18. If he hath wronged thee or is indebted to thee put that on mine account that is impute and count it to me and set it on my skore Now the severall significations of the severall wordes being thus laid open I proceed more particularly to the true sense and meaning of every word in these speeches and to shew how far the speeches may be extended And first by Faith and beleeving which is counted to every true beleever and was counted to Abraham for righteousnesse I understand here according to the judgment of the most Orthodox Divines the true holy spirituall faith and beleefe which is before shewed to have bin in Abraham and which is proper to the elect regenerate and is said to be imputed to them for righteousnesse Bâ—righteousnesse is here meant Evangelical righteousnesse which is opposed to the legal righteousnesse of workes which is inherent in every man and is every mans fulfilling of the Law in his owne person even the perfect satisfaction and righteousnesse of Christ God and man â—uâ—mediator and surety which he the Son of God in mans Nature performed to the Law and which is apprehended by every true beleever and applied to himselfe by a lively saith and whereof he hath communion and is truely made partaker by his Spirituall union with Christ of whose mysticall body he is a member being Bâ—ptized and engrafâ—ed thereinto by one Spirit By the imputing and counting of that faith for righteousnesse to Abraham and to every one of his faithfull seed is here ment Gods setting of Christs righteousnesse on the skore and puting it on the account of every truâ—beleever and and his jâ—dging esteeming and counting them no more guilty of sinne but perfectly righteous by that Evangelical righteousnesse which is called the righteousnesse of God 2 Cor. 5. last ver. because it is the righteousnesse of God performed in our Nature and the righteousnesse of faith and not of workes because the faithfull obtaine and enjoy and apply it by beleeving and not by working the workes of the Law Rom. 4. 11. 13. For the confirmation of this exposition and justifying of this truth we need seek no further Arguments but such as may be gathered from the Apostles owne words as in other of his Epistles so especially in this to the Romans The first argument is drawne from the wordes of the Apostle in the second chap of this Epistle verse 26. where this word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as it signifies to be imputed or counted is first used If saith hee the uncircumcision keep the righteousnes of the Law shall not his uncircumcision bee counted for Circumcision by uncircumcision in the first clause we cannot understand the fore-skinne of the flesh not cut off it is most absurd and against common sense and reason to thinke or to suppose that it can or could performe and keepe the righteousnes of the Law but by vncircumcision is ment a Gentile not circumcised as Beza the most learned judicious and accurate Critik and searcher out of the sense of everyword and sentence in the new Testament doth expound the word and so we have in this word a Metonymie of the aâ—janct for the Subject The same word in the second clause as Bâ—za also well observes doth not here signify the foreskin or 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 the state and condition of him who is uncircumcised even the outward state of Gentilisme and here is another Metonymie of the same kind even the signe put for the thing signified yea it signifies not the state of a Gentile or uncircumcised man barely considered in it selfe but as comprehending in it the righteousnesse of the Law which the man uncircumcised hath kept and performed in that state as the words necessarily imply for the Apostle doth not here suppose onely uncircumcision but the observation of the righteousnesse of the Law in the state of uncircumcision and so here is a Metalepsis or double trope even a metonymie also of the thing conteyning for the thing contained that is of the Subject for the adjunct and also of the cause for the effect that is the man in the state of uncircumcision keeping the righteousnes of the law for the righteousnes of the law by him performed By circumcision we cannot understand the outward cuting away of the foreskin of the flesh neither â—aken literaly and carnally as the corrupt Jewes did take it for a worke of righteousnes and obedience to the Law for justification so it was an obligation by which the circumcised was bound under pain of cutting off for ever to performe the whole Law as appeares Gal. 5. 3. And for a righteous Gentile to be brought under this bondage was no benefit but a miserable condition neither can circumcision be here taken sacramentally as it was an outward signe and seale of the righteousnes of faith and of Mortification and
his owne sinne but ours not in himselfe but in us and in his 6. Sermon de verbis Apostoli God the Father saith he made him sinne that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him Behold here two things the righteousnes of God yet our owne in him not in our selves Leo the first in his 70. Epistle saith that by the innocency of one we are all made innocent and that by righteousnes derived unto men from him who hath taken mans nature upon him Bernard in his 190. Epistle saith 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 of the body is one Christ Also in Sermon ad Milites Templi he saith Death is made to flee away in the Death of Christ and Christs righteousnes is imputed to us And a little after he who hath willingly bin incarnate willingly suffered and beene willingly crucified will he keepe back his righteousnes onely from us And againe One man sinned and all are held guilty and shall the innocency of one viz. Christ bee imputed only to one Anselme in Rom. 5. saith that by the righteousnes of one comming upon all the elect they come unto iustification that they may bee iustified by participation of Christs righteousnes These with many other Testimonies which might be produced out of Ancient Writers from the Primitive times untill Luther doe abundantly shew that they all by faith imputed never dreamed of faith imputed in a proper sense but only the righteousnes of Christ apprehended by faith But to descend to Orthodox Writers of this last age since Luther It is well knowne that they generally held imputation of our sinnes to Christ and Christs satisfaction and righteousnes to us to be the forme of iustification by which beleevers are iustified Luther if wee may beleeve his owne wordes acknowledgeth that it was the Doctrine of Saint Bernard concerning justification by the righteousnes of Christ imputed and not by our owne workes which moved him first to loath the popish Doctrine and to grow into suspition and dislike of that religion And in his Commentary on the Galathians where he doth most highly extoll the righteousnes of faith and debateth the righteousnes of workes hee tels us that faith being weake in many of Gods Children cannot bee accepted for righteousnes of it selfe that is in a proper sense and therefore there is necessarily required imputation of righteousnes for justification in Gal. 3. 6. See further in the very wordes of Luther gathered out of his owne writings and digested into common places by Fabricius who cites the tome and page for every word and sentence which are these first concerning justifying faith he saith faith obtaines what the Law commands and what is that but obedience and righteousnes 1 Tom. pag. 32. And againe by Faith Christ is in us yea one body with us But Christ is righteous and a fulfiller of Gods Commandements wherefore wee all by him doe fulfill them while Christ is made ours by faith also Tom. 3. page 539. when Paul ascribes iustification to faith wee must of necessity understand that hee speakes of faith laying hold on Christ which makes Christ of efficacy against Death sinne and the Law Also 2. Tom. pag. 515. Faith settles us upon the workes of Christ without our owne workes and translates us out of the exile or captivity of our sinnes into the Kingdome of his righteousnes And Tom. 1. pag. 410. Sinne is not destroyed unlesse the Law be fulfilled But the Law is not fulfilled but by the righteousnesse of faith And page 437. To keepe the Law is to have or possesse Christ the perfect fulfiller of the Law And Tom. 4. Page 44. Faith iustifies because it apprehendeth and possesseth that treasure viz. Christ And Page 45. we say that Christ doth forme faith or is the forme of faith And Tom. 2. upon Genesis The laying hold on the promises is called sure and firme faith and doth justifie not as it is our worke but the worke of God These speeches shew plainely that Luther conceived Christ with his righteousnesse to bee after a sort the formall righteousnesse of the beleeverâ— though not formally inherent in him yet formally possessed and enjoyed by faith Concerning this justifying righteousnes Luther also teacheth that it is not in our selves but in Christ even his fulfilling of the Law for us made ours and imputed to us Tom. 1. page 106. By faith saith hee are our sinnes made no more ours but Christs upon whom God hath laid the iniquities of us all and he hath borne our sinnes and on the other side all his righteousnes is made ours for he layes his hand upon us And page 178. The righteousnesse of a Christian is anothers righteousnes and comes to him from without it is even Christ who is made unto us of God righteousnes so that a man may with confidence glory in Christ and say Christ his living doing and suffering is mine no otherwise then if I had lived don and suffered as he did as the Married man possesseth all which is his Wives and the Wife all the goods which are her Husbands for they have all things common because they are become one flesh and so Christ and the Church are one Spirit by faith in Christ Christs righteousnes is made our righteousnes and all his are ours yea he himselfe is ours And Tom. 2. page 86. The righteousnes by which we are iustified before God is not in our owne persons but without our selves in God because man shall have no cause to be puffed up with an opinion of his owne proper righteousnes before God And Tom. 2. page 385. A Christian is not formally righteous by reason of any substance or quality in him but relatively in relation to Christ in whom he hath true righteousnes Melancthon in Epist ad Rom. 8. 4. saith wherefore Pauls meaning is thus to be taken That Christ is given for us that we may bee counted to have satisfied the Law by him and that for him wee may be reputed righteous Although we our selves doe not satisfie the Law anothers fulfilling of it freely given to us and is imputed to us and so the Law is imputatively fulfilled in us and so when the Apostle saith that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes to every beleever that is he that hath Christ is righteous hee is reputed to have satisfied the Law and hee imputatively hath that which the Law requires And in chap. 10. 4. upon these wordes Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes c. he saith this is the simple meaning Christ is the end that is the fulfilling of the Law to the beleever and he who hath Christ that is beleeves in Christ is righteous and hath imputatively what the Law requires The Booke of concord subscribed by so many hundred Euangelicall Ministers of the reformed Churches in Germany in the