their ministeriall head that which they denie vnto the imperiall as they foolishly distinguish But not content with this they pleade further for themselues saying that there is no necessitie of the imputation of righteousnesse because wee are iustified by an inherent righteousnesse receiued from Christ by infusion this they labour to confirme by testimonie of Scripture principally out of Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one man many dye out of which place they reason thus As the imputatiue disobedience of Adam did truly print into the nature of man corruption and sinne and not putatiuely onely as they speake so the imputatiue obedience of Christ doth print into the nature of man holinesse grace and notiby imputation onely This argument they take to be so firme and so strong that it admitteth no answere which notwithstanding being well weighed is of no moment for if all were graunted nothing could be proued vnlesse it could be shewed that this righteousnes printed in our natures and resident in vs were that whereby a sinner is iustified before God which cannot be as is manifest by this reason That righteousnesse which must absolue and acquite a sinner before God must be absolute and perfect and in all points answerable and correspondent vnto the rigour and extremitie of the morall Law but our inherent righteousnesse is not such nay Psal 143.2 Dan. 9.18 it is imperfect in this life and therfore Dauid and Daniel durst not oppose it to the seuere examination of gods iudgement seat but renounced it and relyed themselues onely vpon the meer mercy of God merit of Christ and so haue the Saints of God done from time to time Paul 1 Cor. 4.4 Though he had a great measure of this inherent righteousnesse yet testifieth plainely that hee is not thereby iustified and S. Iohn telleth vs 1 Ioh. 3.11 that it is mingled and blemished with sinne in this life and if any man think otherwise he is no better then a lyar and an hypocrite But let all be granted which this place in shew of wordes and according to their interpretation will or can afford it serueth as much to stablish iustification by imputation as by inherencie yea and more rather by how much the cause is of greater force then the effect for as the imputatiue sinne of Adam was the cause of inherent corruption in mans nature euen so the imputatiue righteousnesse of Christ is the cause of inherent grace in the faithfull And now to take this weapon out of their hands which they haue drawne as it were to cut the throate of Imputation it may fitly be retorted vpon their owne heads on this manner As the imputatiue disobedience of Adam was sufficient to make all men guiltie and culpable of condemnation before God though it left behinde it no print or impression of corruption in the nature of man euen so the imputatiue righteousnesse of Christ is sufficient to discharge and absolue vs of this guilt though it should bring with it no inherent righteousnesse in vs. Ob. Further they reason for themselues out of Dan. 9.24 the righteousnesse of the Messias is an eternall righteousnesse but this imputatiue righteousnesse ceaseth at the end of this life ergo An. Though the act of imputation of righteousnesse ceaseth after death because there is no remission of sins this life ended yet the righteousnesse imputed abideth still and standeth a man in stead to discharge and set him free from all the sins of his life by-past which otherwise the Lord might require at his hands Againe it remaineth in an inseparable fruit and effect of it which is perfect holinesse to wit a conformitie of the whole man vnto the will of God Thus being destitute of Scriptures they flye vnto reason pleading for themselues in this manner Obiect Christ the second Adam did restore no more then the first Adam lost but the first Adam neuer had and therefore could neuer lose this imputatiue righteousnesse ergo Ans The proposition is false for Christ as hee was euery way farre more excellent then Adam was so he is far more liberall in conferring grace and in bestowing his gifts then Adam was prodigall in losing them and in depriuing himselfe and his posteritie of them and therfore vouchsafed many more and greater gifts vnto vs then Adam euer lost for first Adam neuer had iustifying Faith neyther indeede was it necessary in that estate hee beleeued in God but hee knew not neyther beleeued in the Messias but Christ hath vouchsafed vs this supernaturall gift of iustifying Faith Againe Adam had not the grace of confirmation and finall perseuerance and therfore being tempted sell though the free motion of his owne will but wee haue the second grace that is of corroboration whereby wee are preserued in the state of grace which is the priuiledge of the state of redemption before the state of innocencie Adam had power to haue stood if hee would but hee had no power to will that hee could but we by the blessing of God haue in some part both the posse and the velle insomuch as it is not possible for vs being once in the state of grace eyther totally to fall or finally to perish For the Assumption Adam had the same righteousnes for substance which we haue but not in one and the same manner Adam had it resident in his person by inherencie but wee haue it out of our selues from another by imputation Now being destitute both of Scriptures and reason they try another way if not to stablish their own supposed righteousnes yet to bring our doctrine of imputation into contempt and therefore they search their wits labouring by all meanes to fasten some grosse absurdities vpon it but all in vaine First therefore they reason thus If the righteousnesse of Christ be the righteousnesse of a sinner then euery sinner that beleeueth is as righteous as Christ and consequently a Sauiour both which are absurd the ground of this argument is because the selfe-same perfect righteousnesse which is in Christ both for parts and degrees is made his by imputation the which is necessary because the righteousnesse which iustifieth must be absolute and in all points answerable vnto the morall Law For the answering of this first consider the absurditie of this kinde of reasoning in the like instances If the light of the Sunne be the light of the Ayre then the Ayre is as lightsome as the Sunne and consequently the Sunne it selfe that is the fountaine of light and heate If the heate of the fire be the heate of a mans hand then the hand is as hot as the fire If the water of the fountaine be the water of the riuer then the riuer is the fountaine or as copious and cleere as the fountaine Who can endure to heare this idle and foolish talking for it deserueth not the name of reasoning nay whose eares doe not glow to heare it But to satisfie this cauill and sophistication more fully both the
reason thus The righteousnesse whereby a sinner is iust before God is eyther his owne or the righteousnesse of another but it is not his owne for the Apostle would haue said wee are made the righteousnesse of God in our selues and not in him and thus some of the auncient Fathers expounding this place say that it is not in our selues but in him not ours but his and Chrisostome saith that therfore it is called the righteousnes of God because it is without all staine and defect and therefore cannot possibly be inherent in vs wherefore we may safely conclude that this righteousnesse is not resident in vs but receiued from another and after a sort made ours to wit by imputation Obiect But it is excepted that it is absurd in reason that a man shold be iust by the righteousnesse of another euen as if a man should be wise by the wisedome of another or learned by the learning of another or liue by the life of another Ans This reason had some colour if the righteousnesse of Christ were personall and so limited and tied vnto him that it could not from him be deriued vnto others but it is so in him that it may be ours and conueyed vnto vs by imputation the reason is because Christ is a publike person representing all the Elect yea the roote and stocke of the Elect euen as Adam was the roote and stocke of all mankinde Looke as therefore the first transgression of Adam was not his alone but euery particular mans descending from him by generation euen so the righteousnesse of Christ is not his alone but pertaines to all the Elect being by faith vnited vnto him and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh And as the iuyce and sap which is in the roote of the tree is made the sap of the branches by participation euen so the righteousnesse of Christ being inherent in him as in the head is made the righteousnesse of the members by imputation And as the Lands and goods of one man are made ouer vnto another by deed of gift sale exchange or some like conueyance of Law both for title and vse euen so the righteousnesse of Christ by vertue of the free gift of God according to the tenure of the Couenant of Grace is truely and really conueyed vnto vs and made ours These two reasons are sufficient grounds whatsoeuer may be excepted to the contrary whereupon this conclusion may be raised that the sole imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ is the forme of the iustification of a sinner before GOD. Now followeth the third point viz. the answering of those obiections which are alledged to the contrary Ob. First of all it is replyed that Imputation is a conceit inuented and deuised by man not aboue fifty or sixty yeeres old not to be found in Scriptures or in the ancient and Orthodoxe Writers of the Church Ans To this many things may be answered first what greater impudencie and bold-hardinesse can there be then to contradict the manifest and expresse testimonie of Scripture for this very Imputation is beat vpon and repeated no seldomer then eleuen times in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes and it is as ancient as Abraham of whom it is said Gen. 15.6 He beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse not as the Papists falsely interprete it that Abrahams faith was so excellent that it deserued the infusion of habituall grace but Abraham by faith casting himselfe and relying vpon the promise of grace concerning righteousnesse remission of sins and life by Christ was iustified or his Faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Metonimia adiuncti that is what his faith apprehended became his righteousnesse by imputation Againe it is to be found in the best and soundest auncient Writers Hierome Anselme and Chrisostome vpon this place who though they doe not expresse the word Imputation yet vse it in effect saying that this righteousnesse is not in vs but in him as our sinne is not his but ours not in him but in vs and Chrisostome saith it must be without all staine want So Aug. in tract 3. in Iohn de Sp. litera ca. 9. 26. Bernard ser 62. in Cant. ser ad milites templi ca. 11. mors in Christo morte fugatur Christi iustitia nohis imputatur Many more testimonies might be alledged to this purpose but qui plura videre cupit legat Fulconem in responsione ad annotationes Rhemensium super hunc locum Let then the Rhemists mock so long as they will and call this a new no-iustice it is sufficient for vs that it is grounded on Scriptures and wanteth not the testimonie of the Church To proceede further Imputation is not a meere deuice but a very thing for it is a relation that is an ordination or application of that which the Logitians call the fundament vnto his terme or of the relatiue vnto his correlatiue for example In Imputation the fundament is the righteousnesse of Christ the terme is the person of the beleeuer and the relation is the mercy of God or the action of God mercifully accepting the perfect righteousnesse of Christ in the behalfe of the beleeuer Now this is not a fiction and if a relation be nothing how shall wee distinguish the persons in Trinitie who though they subsist all in one infinite vndiuided essence yet are three really distinguished by an incōmunicable propertie which is nothing else but a relation Again if a relation be nothing what shall be the internall forme of a Sacrament is it any other but a relation or proportion betweene the signe and the thing signified And if a relation be nothing many a man is vniustly adiudged and condemned to dye both in the Courts of men and in the court of Conscience before God for why doe men daily dye the death of the body and the death of the soule is it not because they are guiltie And if sin had not guiltinesse annexed vnto it as an inseparable propertie thereof men might at their pleasures breake and transgresse both the Lawes of God and of men and neuer be obnoxious to punishment for it is not sin but guilt that bindes ouer vnto punishment now what else is this guilt but a relation and if the imputation of Adams sin vnto vs be something why should not the imputation of Christs righteousnesse be also something and not a meere figment as they would make it Nay Relations as the Schoole-men speak though they be minimae entitatis yet are they maximae efficaciae To conclude this point behold what iniurie this Antichristian Synagogue doth offer vnto our Sauiour Christ the Pope forsooth by vertue of the keyes hath power to dispense and apply the merits of one man to another insomuch as all his Indulgences are imputatiue but Christ hath not this power What is this else but to deny vnto the Head that which they allow vnto the members and to giue to
sanctified and by the same iustice and no other for that which is imputed to iustifie is also infused to sanctifie and is inherent in vs at the least in the fruit and efficacie of it To explane this further the person who is iustified ceaseth to be a sinner in regard of guilt wholy and in regard of the corruption of nature also in part which though it be not altogether abolished yet it receiueth a deadly wound in the very act and instant and neuer raigneth after yea to proceede further at the very same time and in the same act hee is presently sanctified and therfore worthily esteemed and adiudged of God holy and iust presently I say in regard of all the parts and substance of holinesse which is afterward to receiue his accomplishment by degrees in this life and in death to be wholy consummate and finished Ob. Lastly they vrge and say that it cannot stand with Gods iustice to iustifie and absolue a sinner for Prou. 17.15 To iustifie the wicked and to condemne the iust both these are abhominable to the Lord. Ans Indeed to iustifie the wicked person and to acquite him in iudgement without all manner of satisfaction made eyther by himselfe or some other were iniustice But God which iustifieth the vngodly as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 4.5 doth acquite and absolue them for the all-sufficient satisfaction of Christ and they though they be wicked and vngodly before their iustification yet in it and by it they become righteous both before God and also in themselues in part * ⎠* FINIS A right godly Prayer made by Mr. Newhouse to be said either Morning or Euening as accasion shall serue changing some few words * ⎠* MOst mercifull and louing father in Iesus Christ we beseech thee to remoue all impediments which vsually hinder vs in this exercise of prayer quicken vp our hearts with feare and reuerence of thy Maiestie in feeling of our owne wants in a desire to receiue a supply of them from thee and in assurance to be heard of thee in all our suites and requests to put vp our praiers and supplications vnto thee O Lord our God wee doe here in thy presence acknowledge and confesse that we are of our selues most wretched and miserable sinners both in respect of the corruptions of our hearts as also the transgressions of our liues more particularly we doe acknowledge the infidelitie of our hearts whereby wee haue not yet learned to depend vpon thy prouidence for the things of this life nor vpon thy mercy for the saluation of our soules hence comes impatience vnder the crosse discontentation with our present estate doubting and distrustfulnes in regard of our saluation immoderate care and desire of the things of this life we confesse also the Atheisme and profanes both of our mindes and harts whereby all our thoughts and affections are estranged from thee and so glued fastened to the things of this world that wee can take more ioy and delight in doing our owne wills and in seruing our owne lusts then euer we would doe in seruing and obaying thee we acknowledge likewise the pride of our harts whereby wee doe exalt our selues in the vanitie of our owne conceits against thy Maiestie and aboue our brethren whom thou hast made far more excellent then our selues our security of the flesh whereby wee put away the day of euill and wrath farre from vs promising vnto our selues immunitie from all thy curses and plagues notwithstanding wee walke in sinne and in the stubbornes of our harts our vaine-glory whereby wee desire praise and commendation among men more then thy glory our selfe-love whereby wee loue our owne ease libertie peace carnall pleasures more then thy Maiestie more then our brethren our hipocrisie whereby wee content our selues with an outward name and profession of religion and holines before men not regarding the truth and power of godlines answerably our liues abound in all actuall transgressions against euerie one of thy commaundements we haue liued in the contempt of thy prouidence and haue not beene ashamed to commit sinne and wickednes in thy sight in the abuse of thy mercies and haue not beene drawen neerer vnto thee in the neglect of thy iudgments and fatherlie chasticements partly vpon others and partlie vpon our selues and haue not profitted thereby to true repentance and reformation of life in the profanation of all thy holy ordinances thy Word Sacraments this exercise of Prayer neither preparing our selues hereunto aright nor being conuersant therein with that care diligence conscience as we ought and therefore haue missed of that fruit of edification we might haue reaped by the reuerent and religious handling of these thy diuine ordinances in the abuse of thy creatures vnto intemperancy and excesse whereby we haue disabled our selues to thy worship and seruice to the duties of our particular callings Many other sinnes haue wee committed the least whereof if thou shouldest lay vnto our charge wee were neuer able to appeare in thy presence or to answer thee one of a thousand wee beseech thee to deale fauourably with vs as thou art wont to doe with thy children that call vpon thy name and seeke thee in the truth of their harts and in the middest of iudgement remember mercie open our blind eyes that we may come to a particular knowledge of our owne sinnes touch our hard and stonie harts that wee may sigh and grone vnder the burden of them being heartily displeased with our selues because therein we haue dishonoured thy name Stirre vp our hearts also that wee may hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse and after euery drop of his most precious bloud in him alone be well pleased with vs and for his merit and righteousnesse vouchsafe mercifully and freely to doe away all our offences wash them all away in the precious bloud of Iesus Christ and our hearts from the filthinesse and impuritie of them all Say vnto our soules thou art our saluation let thy holy and good spirit of Adoption cry in our hearts through Iesus Christ Abba-Father telling and perswading vnto our consciences by the inward testimonie of the same Spirit that our sins are pardoned and we stand discharged of them all before thy tribunall seate And because our faith is weake partly through the manifold corruptions that be in our hearts and partly through the innumerable transgressions that breake out into our liues we beseech thee to strengthen the same by the often consideration meditation and application of thy mercifull promises made vnto vs in Christ stirring vp our vnbeleeuing hearts to assent vnto and to apply the same that wee may receiue comfort thereby specially in the time of danger and distresse and namely in the agonie of conscience and in the houre of death And because there can be no greater enemie to true Faith then is carnall confidence and vaine presumption confound this hellish and damnable corruption in euery one of our harts
and worke in the same the contrary grace of thy holy Spirit namely true Humilitie whereby wee may acknowledge our owne nothing and may vtterly renounce and deny ourselues and learne onely and wholy to relye and depend vpon the blessed merit of Christ in matter of our saluation ascribing the whole worke and glory thereof to him alone and to no other thing And because all that are in Christ are new creatures and walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit wee beseech thee to renue vs in the spirits of our mindes and in the affections of our hearts enlightening vs more and more with true knowledge and vnderstanding in spirituall things and sanctifying our hearts to the loue and obedience thereof that wee may walke worthy of thee please thee in all things fructifie in euery good worke and increase in the knowledge of thy holy will Aboue all things set before vs thy holy feare imprint this grace of thine deepely in our hearts perswade vs effectually of thy presence wheresoeuer we doe become in secret or open place that wee may learne to make conscience of sinne and of euery euill way endeuoring to please and obey thee in all thy Commandements and euermore to preserue pure and vnblameable consciences before thee and before all men and that to the end of our dayes And because wee are at continuall warre against Sathan this wicked world and our owne damnable and fleshly lusts Lord help vs in this spirituall combate in all temptations when wee are most weake be thou most strong in vs together with the temptation grant an issue and an euasion teach vs to watch ouer our owne hearts and to keepe them with all diligent obseruation that wee be not any more circumuented of the wiles of Sathan or seduced through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Help our infirmities giue strength against our particular corruptions that in the very act of temptation wee may be able to resist and to ouercome that wee may haue as iust cause to praise thy name in our victories as wee haue had cause to be humbled and cast downe in our foyles And because it is the lot of thy Children in this world to be tryed sundry wayes Lord prepare vs to the dayes of tryall arme vs with spirituall patience to beare thy hand that wee may meekely and contentedly submit our wils to thy good will and pleasure howsoeuer it shall please thee to deale with vs onely teach vs to profit vnder thy rods of correction grant that we may learne hereby to deny our selues to forsake this world pleasures profits preferments of it to make vile and base account of them in respect of heauenly things to loue thy kingdome and thy righteousnesse desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ that sinne and the corruption thereof might be abolished and we might haue neere coniunction with thy Maiestie in thine owne kingdome Neuerthelesse so long as thou pleasest to hold vs here in this earthly tabernacle dissolue in our hearts the cursed workes of the Diuell confound the power and tyranny of sin daily more and more increase the Graces of thy holy Spirit namely Faith and repentance thy feare and thy loue humilitie and a good conscience with all other graces wherby thy own image may be renued in vs daily that the longer we liue in this world the nearer we may draw to thy Kingdome the greater strength we may haue against our owne sins the greater will and abilitie to serue and please thee in righteousnesse and new obedience Blesse with vs thy whole Church and euery member thereof be good and gratious to these Churches in England and Ireland giue thy Gospell a free passage euery where with all good meanes whereby it may be further published and maintained remouing all lets and impediments wherby the course and proceedings thereof are hindered and stayed for this cause be good vnto our gracious King the principall member therof blesse him with life honor confirme his heart in the truth of this holy Religion hee hath a long time professed and maintained against all the aduersaries thereof increasing his loue and zeale thereunto and his constancie therein and adding vnto his yeeres many dayes that he may be an ancient Father in this Church of thine a Patron an vpholder of thy pure and true Religion against all them that oppose themselues against it Blesse our gratious Queene the Prince and the residue of that Royall Progenie Be mercifull to the Honourable Priuie Counsell and the inferiour Magistrates of this Land blessing them with the wisedome of thy spirit from aboue that they may take counsell with thy word in all their enterprises and deliberations so as first they may conclude of those things which make most for the aduancement of thy Kingdome and Gospell and then for the peaceable and religious gouernment both of Church and Common-weale Blesse the Ministers of thy word and Sacraments increase the number of those that are faithfull and painefull double thy spirit and graces vpon them that they may goe in and out before thy people not onely in the light of pure doctrine but of holy and vnblameable conuersation that by this meanes many may be wonne to the knowledge and obedience of thy truth Be mercifull to the people of this Land confirme them that are called and strengthen them that they may continue stedfast in the sinceere profession and practise of true religion vnto the end those that yet wander and goe astray through sinne and wickednesse call them home in thy owne good time that they with vs and we with them may haue both hearts and mouthes enlarged to glorifie thy holy name Touch all our hearts with true Repentance from the highest to the lowest that thy iudgements present and imminent may be remoued preuented thy mercies still procured vnto vs and the posteritie after vs especially in the continuance of thy word and Gospell among vs for euer Lord be mercifull to all thine afflicted whether they be sicke vpon their beds or distressed in conscience for sinne or persecuted for thy name and truth or pinched with pouerty wanting those outward things which thou hast in great abundance delt out vnto vs relieue them according to their seuerall necessities strengthen them in their weaknesse comfort them in their distresse mitigate their sorrowes and extremities put an end vnto them in thine owne good time and turne them to their humiliation and in the end to their eternall comfort and saluation by Christ Be mercifull to our friends in the flesh and acquaintance in the spirit parents brethren sisters children seruants and all other for whom we are bound by any dutie to pray granting vnto them a supply of all graces needfull for their present state and calling and the finall saluation of their soules Haue mercie on vs now calling on thy name forgiue our sinnes and manifold defects in this holy dutie and accept at our hands this weake and imperfect obedience in Christ and giue vs thankfull hearts for all mercies receiued from thy bountifull hand that thou hast loued vs in Iesus Christ with an euerlasting loue before the world was and from loue hast chosen vs to life and glory called vs in time to the certaine knowledge of this our Election iustified and redeemed vs by Iesus Christ his death and resurrection sanctified vs in the inner man by his holy spirit that thou hast giuen vs Faith in thy promises and hope of a better life feare of thy Name loue of thy Maiestie zeale of thy glory loue and tender affection towards our brethren yea towards our enemies and those that hate vs patience vnder the Crosse strength against our particular temptations and corruptious Humilitie gentlenesse meeknes with many other gifts and graces of regeneration all which we acknowledge haue proceeded of thy meere mercy and goodnesse towards vs wee beseech thee to increase them daily more and more in vs and â—et vs not be negligent in the vse of all good meanes whereby they may grow in vs daily We doe also with all thankfulnes remember all temporall blessings concerning this life and the preseruation thereof our health libertie peace prosperitie and all outward things wee doe enioy this gratious gouernment with all blessings accompanying the same We thanke thee that thou hast sustained vs in great weakenesse relieued vs in much necessitie comforted vs in much distresse resolued vs in many doubts deliuered vs from many and great dangers and when wee were falling into them hast rescued vs with thine owne hand and preserued vs from many grieuous sinnes into which through the corruptions of our natures and Sathans temptations wee might haue fallen Make vs â—nfaignedly thankfull and teach vs to walke worthy of them and to testifie thankfulnes therefore not in word onely but by a conscionable walking with thee in all duty and obedience vnto the end Blesse vs this night keepe vs and all ours from all dangers grant vnto vs if it be thy holy and good will such a portion of rest and sleepe that thereby body and senses being refreshed we may rise vp in the morning cheerfully to glorifie thy name in the duties of Christianitie and in the works of our particular callings as thou shalt seuerally dispose of vs and giue vs strength and opportunitie and that by Iesus Christ In whose name we conclude our prayers as he himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father which art c. FINIS