that they were all caused to meet together on Him Esai 53 6. He therefore was made a Sacrifice for sin or dealt with punished as a sinner though no sinner inherently but only by Imputation for He did bear our griefs carried our sorrowes was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities Esai 53 4 5. to wit now imputed to Him by God reckoned upon His account who knew no sin in Himself inherently So are we made the Righteousness of God in Him 2 Cor. 5 21. that is have His Righteousness who is God imputed to us who were in our selves inherently sinners being in Him by faith are dealt with as Righteous The manifest scope of the place the plaine Import of the word must enforce this truth on all who are not more than ordinarily blinded with prejudice Secondly as Adam's posterity who were not existing when he transgressed the Law of God but were only in his loines federally comprehended with him in that covenant by God's voluntary disignation appointment so did not actually really eat that fruit which Adam did eat yet have that sin guilt so imputed unto them that it is really accounted theirs not meerly in its Effects for its Effects are not truely Imputed neither can be saied to be so for that natural contagion corruption of Nature which is truely propagated to the posterity all actuall trangressions the fruits thereof cannot be said to be imputed because they are really theirs inherent in them But that original sin which is the guilt of Adam's first sin is only it which can be imputed unless we mean such an Imputation whereby our actual sinnes which we commit are said to be imputed to us when they are laid to our charge we actually punished therefore to them who did not actually commit it in their own person by vertue of this Imputation they are accounted guilty of that self same sin therefore are dealt with punished upon the account thereof no less than if they had actually committed it themselves in their own persons no less than Adam himselfs was punished therefore So are Beleevers being by faith united unto Christ made real members of His mystical body now interessed in Him as His Children Brethren made partakers of His Righteousness have it imputed unto them for all ends uses as if it had been their own without any Imputation The reading of the Apostles discourse Rom. 5. from vers 12. forward to the end may satisfy any as to this whole affaire who will yeeld themselves captives unto Truth for upon this doth the Apostle found His whole discourse explication of the rich advantages had by Christ His Righteousness clearing illustrating the same by that similitude of Adam whom He expresly calleth the figure of Him that was to come vers 14. so asserteth that as by one man sin entered into the world death by sin so death passed upon all beâ—ause all did sinne so by one man Jesus Christ the second Adam righteousness ontered into the world life by it so life passed upon all that were in Him because they are righteous in Him or have His righteousness imputed unto them Nay in the following verses the matter is cleared with an advantage unto Beleevers in Christ. But saith he vers 15 16 17 18 19. not as the offence so also is the free gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God the gift by grace by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded unto many c. And so he goeth on to shew what how great things beleevers receive from Christ with no less Yea rather with much more of a certainety than the Posterity of Adam were interessed in what he did and therefore as judgment was by one to condemnation saith he so the free gift is of many offences unto justification if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they who beleeve or receive aboundance of grace of the gift of righteousness shall reigne in life by one Iesus Christ. And as the offence of one Adam was imputed unto all thereby guilt judgment came upon all making them liable to condemnation So by the righteousness of one Jesus Christ imputed to all that receive this aboundance of grace of the gift of righteouseess the free gift of justification cometh unto them reconciling them to God instating them for life And the ground reason of this is laid down vers 19. for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so were guilty made liable to judgment condemnation So by the obedience of one that perfect obedience to the Law that Christ performed opposite to Adam's transgression disobedience shall many be made righteous that is constituted righteous therefore dealt with as such through this imputed righteousness so justified made heirs of life for vers 21. he addeth as sin hath reigned unto death even so grace must reigne through righteousness unto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord. They then who will deny or oppose themselves unto this Imputation of Christ's righteousness must do manifest violence unto the whole discourse of the Apostle in this place Thirly Hence another evidencing ground of this imputation for as what is done by a publick person representing others whether upon one ground after one manner or another is accounted legally to be done by those who are represented they are dealt with accordingly as Adam was a publick person representing all his posterity that were to come of him by ordinary generation according to the ordination appointment of God So Christ of whom Adam was a figure was a publick person representing all whom the Father had given to Him for whom He had undertaken for whose sake He sanctified Himself Ioh. 17 19. become their Brother taking on their Nature Heb. 2 11 14. becoming like them in all things sin only excepted Heb. 2 17. comp with Heb. 3 15. Therefore He took not upon Him the Nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2 16. He was the Captaine of their Salvation vers 10. He is also made called the Head of the Church which is His body fulness Ephes 1 22 23. 5 23. Col. 1 18. and so He with His Church make up one mystical body whereof He is the Head Beleevers are members Thus there is a closs mystical union betwixt Christ Beleevers beyond any union that is in Nature whether it be that of Head members of Root Branches of King Subjects or of that betwixt Husband wife for all these are but dark resemblances of this Spiritual Union betwixt Christ Beleevers which is therefore compared unto these in part explained thereby for our better understanding of the matter but none of
satisfie that demand by dying the shameful death of the cross undergoing the wrath curse due to us for sin thereby making a more perfect Satisfaction unto the Sanction and threatning part of the Law than we could have done by lying in hell for ever more And by faith closeing with Christ resting upon Him as such a satisfying Cautioner Redeemer the sinner acknowledgeth the Law in all its force confessing himself a Transhressour and obnoxious to the Curse now presenting to the Law Law-giver the obedience Satisfaction of Christ whereby both its commands Sanction are fully answered resting thereupon as the only ground of his Absolution from the sentence of the Law for his guilt and of his right to the Crown which he formerly had forfeited 4. Here is another mystery That such as are unrighteous and Ungodly should be declared and pronunced Righteous In justification the person is declared not guilty of what was laid to his charge in order to punishment that juridically and so he is declared free from the punishment that the Accuser was seeking to have inflicted upon him and so is declared pronunced to be a righteous man though not one that hath not sinneth yet now one that is juridically righteous But how can this be seing every man and woman is guilty before God and is come short of the glory of God The mystery lyeth here as was said The righteousness of their Cautioner Christ is reckoned upon their score and is imputed to them they receive it by faith and so it becometh theirs for now by faith they are united unto Christ become members of His mystical body He being the Head and true Representative thereby He and they are one Person in Law being one Spirit as the Husband and the Wife are one person in Law being one flesh and as the Representer and Represented the Cautioner principal debtor and thus they have a true Interest in His Righteousness obedience to the Law which He yeelded not upon His own account being not obliged thereunto antecedently to His own voluntary condescension for us for as to His person He was God and so not obnoxious to any such Law imposed upon man who is in the way to the obtaining of a Crown as the end of his race yea nor was this requisite as to His humane Nature which by vertue of the personal union with the God-head was as to it self either in Patria and in possession of the State of blessedness or in a capacity thereto without working therefore And it is certaine that therefore His being made under the Law was for His owne people that in their room He might in the Nature of Man give perfect obedience to the Law and so make up a righteousness with which they might all become clothed by Imputation on Gods part by faith receiving it on their part and so be justified Hence-saith the Apostle by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Rom. 5 19. And thus are they who are unrighteous in themselves being Transgressours of the Law constituted righteous as to the Commands of the Law by the righteousness of their Cautioner As also they are though guilty in themselves obnoxious to wrath yet pronunced free and absolved from that charge by the Imputation of the Satisfaction of Christ made in His sufferings death who did bear our griefs and carry our sorrowes and was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed Esai 53 4 5. 1 Pet. 2 24. And his own self bear our sins in His own body on the tree 3. There is likewise a mystery here That the Imputation of the obedience and Righteousness of Christ doth not take away the Imputation of His Satisfaction nor make His Satisfaction useless of no Importance or necessity as Socinians imagine who cast the whole Gospel in the mould of their own corrupt Reason and understanding For they think if Christs Righteousness be imputed to us we are perfectly righteous and if we be perfectly righteous we have no sin if we have no sin there is no need of Satisfaction for our sin But they little consider that we are both guilty of the broken Law and also nothwithstanding obliged to perfect obedience It is unreasonable to think that Adam by his breach of the Law was exeemed delivered from any obligation to obey the Law sin doth not neither can dissolve that obligation otherwayes the best way of being freed from the Lawes of God or Man were to break them cast them at our heels We then being transgressours still under the obligation of obedience to the whole Law our Mediator and Cautioner must not only obey the Law for us to the end we may inherite the promised reward but must also make Satisfaction for the Violation of the Law to the end we may escape Gods Curse wrath threatned in the Law and due to us for the breach of the same Had we perfectly kept the Law we had then had no need of any Satisfaction for our breach thereof but being guilty of sin this Satisfaction and the Imputation thereof to us is absolutely necessary And though we need not nicely here distinguish betwixt this Righteouness Satisfaction in reference to the different ends and say that by His Righteousness imputed to us we have right to the Crown by His Satisfaction freedom from death which was the penalty of the broken Law for God hath joined both together for both ends what He hath thus joined together as we should not separat so neither may we nicely scrupulously distinguish but adore the wonderful wisdom of God in this contrivance and observing our necessity of both sweetly acquiesce in and thankfully accept of both But you will say if we be perfectly righteous by the Imputation of Christs righteousness what need have we of any more are we not possessed of right to the reward and being righteous are we not free of our sin I answer It is true indeed if we said that Christs Righteousness or compleet obedience was first imputed to us or if the Scripture gave any ground to say so there might be some coloure for this Exception but as the Scripture giveth no such ground so neither do we assert it Only we have need of both both are graciously imputed and received by faith yea we being sinners if we might speak of an order here Satisfaction must first be imputed that thereby we may be freed from the sentence of the Law which most presseth a wakened convinced sinner who is most anxious hereanent crying out How shall I escape the wrath and curse of God But as the Lord hath graciously and wonderfully knit the effects together so is the Cause Both Christs obedience and Sufferings were so woven together that they belonged both to made up His
the Union which beleevers have with Christ is the ground or their communion with Him in all things which He was made or God to be for them which their necessity called for among which His whole Surety-righteousness doth challenge a chiefe pâ—ace Nor would I argue from the Union communion in general but from such a particular Union and communion as is darkly shadowed forth unto us in the Scriptures by such and such similitudes such as the Union betwixt Man and Wife who are one flesh as Christ and Beleevers are one Spirit as the Union betwixt the principal debtor and the Cautioner and betwixt the publick Head and Representative and the Members represented as betwixt the Redeemer and the Redeemed and the like And to argue from such an Union for such a peculiar end to such a communion as we here plead for may stand against all his Exceptions pag. 195. c. Which are these following Except 1. The Major wants truth because a true and real communion with Christ may stand without His active obedience being made theirs by Imputation There is a real Union and communion between the head and the feet in the same Natural body yet is not the braine or the proper functions operations of the head made the braine or functions of the feet So between the Husband and the Wife yet is not the holiness strength and Wisdom of the Husband made over to the Wife by Imputation And. Similitudes go not alwayes upon foure â—eet and as these Similitudes come short of expressing the Union and Communion that is betwixt Christ and Beleevers so they are not apposâ—â—ely here applied for neither is the end of the Union and Communion between the Head and the Feet that the braines and operations of the Head should be communicate to the feet but that the head should use its proper operations functions for the good of the feet nor do the feet stand in need of any other thing from the head And thus also is it in the other Similitude as to the particulars Instanced yet in other particulars this last Similitude will come neerer to our business for though the Husbands Wisdom Holiness or Strength which are not communicable be not imputable to the Wife yet his Honour Riches can be are imputed or communicated for though before the Mariage the Woman was in a base condition yet being matched with on honorable person she partaketh of his honour and being before the marriage a person in debt her Husbands riches are so imputed to her that she may be is made thereby solvendo and freed from her Creditors pursuit and her Husband and she becometh one person in law he becometh chargable with her debt obliged to pay it So that as there is an Imputation or a real devolving by law of the debt of the Wife upon the Husband so his making payment Satisfaction for the same is by law accounted hers she is thereupon freed from all charge trouble from her creditours Except 2. The Major wanteth reason for there is no coloure of truth in it that that Union and Communion which beleevers have with Christ should of necessity draw after it the Imputation of His active obedience so that this obedience of His should become their formal Righteousness more than the Imputation of His Wisdom Power and Glory Ans. 1 If by formal righteousness he understand with Papists inherent holiness or righteousness it is nothing to the purpose for we assert no such Imputation 2 That the whole of Christs Surety-righteousness be so imputed to beleevers as that it becometh theirs so that they meerly upon the account thereof and clothed therewith may be and are repute and held to be persons just in the account of God so be justified in His sight is the thing we assert and that this doth necessarily flow from Beleevers Union with Him by faith and is a part of the Communion they have with Him and that upon a double account First because He became Surety and undertook their debt so was made under the law and obeyed and Suffered all that it could have demanded of them for this end and purpose that what He thus did suffered as a publick person or Surety might stand for them be accepted on their behalfe Secondly because their case and necessity called for this in order to their justification and Acceptance with God 3 His Wisdom and power are other waves improven and laid forth to their advantage according to the Nature of the thing and necessity Arg. 4. If there be no other principal End Reason or Necessity why Christ should fulfill the law but only that His obedience thereunto might be imputed to us for Righteousness in our Justification then is not the Imputation thereof to be denied But the former is true Ergo c. And sure if Christs obedience to the law was not necessary in respect of Himself it must have been performed upon the account of Beleevers and that principally and mainely for their Justification and Salvation and therefore for this end that it might be imputed unto them Against this pag. 197. c. He Except There are diverse other ends reasons and necessities to be assigned hereof Ans. This is not the maine thing that is here denied nor will all this help our Adversary unless it can be shown that those other Ends which we deny not are prejudicial unto inconsistent with that which we look upon as the chiefe as peculiar to Him as Mediator Surety standing in the room of His people who did mainely stand in need of this Let us now see the particular ends he toucheth 1. One reason saith he might be to procure the greater Authority deeper reverence to the Doctrine which he taught Matt. 7 28. Ans. 1 The Socinians upon the same account deny that His death was any proper Satisfaction for Beleevers and if this be a weak argument in their mouth it cannot be strong in the mouth of our present Opposites 2 This End is but subordinat unto and no way inconsistent with the principal End which we have mentioned 3 Though Christs Miracles had a more direct tendency to procure this Reverence than His Holy life yet neither the one nor the other were peculiar to Him alone for both the Miracles wrought by others such as Prophets and Apostles and their holy life had a tendency to procure Reverence and Beleef to their Doctrine And himself confirmeth this in the following words saying It is a truth of general acknowledgment that the holiness uprightness and unblameableness of the lives of Teachers have a powerful Influence into the consciences of Men to render them more observant awfull in their attention to the things which are taught by them citeing Mat. 2â— 32. Ioh. 5 35. 8 46. 1 Tim. 4 12. 2 Tim. 3 14. 4 We are to consider Christ as Mediator and Surety in what He did as well as
what one member of the body natural doth the whole may be said to do But not so in the mystical body the body of Christ cannot be said to have wrought miracles c. Ans. Nor de we asserte an agreement betwixt this mystical body a natural body in all points But yet as Christ accounteth Himself a sufferer when the members of His body are suffering as such So what Christ did as an Head to His mystical Body and Spiritual Kingdom according to the designation and appointment of God who made Him both King Lord must redound to their advantage according to their necessity and therefore what He did as a publick Head Representative must be imputed unto them who are of His Body were undertaken for represented by Him He saith 2. Though the benefite of what the head doth be communicated to the whole body yet what the head doth is no wayes to be imputed to hand or to foot Ans. The hand or foot needeth no imputation of what is done by the head but a community or political body and every member thereof needeth an Imputation of what is done for their good in their Law-place by their Head publick Representative And in this matter we look upon Christ as such an Head Against the Marriage Union betwixt Christ Beleevers mentioned as another ground to cleare this Imputation he saith 1. It is true the wife by marriage comes to be endowed with all that is her husbands but this endowing is no ingredient into the marriage it self but a fruit thereof so the right which a beleever hath to the Righteousness of Christ accrueth unto him by upon this Spiritual marriage and therefore it cannot be imputed to him The marriage must be first made up before the right be had unto this Righteousness Ans. If the right unto Christ's Righteousness accrue unto Beleevers by upon their Spiritual marriage with Christ this Righteousness must be imputed to them and reckoned upon their score or made over unto them as the dowrie is made over to the wife and reckoned hers upon her marriage We grant the marriage is first made up and that this is done by faith and yet at the very act of beleeving this Righteousness is imputed This marriage Union is first in order of nature but no time interveeneth betwixt this Union and the Imputation of Righteousness He saith 2. all that is the husbands is not every way the wifes nor for every use purpose but only in a way of expediency and beneficialness as his clothes are not hers to put on so the beleever must take heed of assuming the glorious rob of His Righteousness to himself otherwayes than in the benefite and comfort of it Ans. All that is the husband's becometh the wifes by Marriage for every use and purpose that her necessity calleth for and the nature of the thing admitteth as his riches becometh hers to her maintainance and to the paying of her debt and his honour becometh hers to the exalting of her to a Sutable state of honour even so must Christ's Righteousness become the Beleevers that his debt may be payed and he saved out of the hand of justice advanced to a state of life and have right to glory Obj. 3. Chap. 11. pag. 118. If God hath sufficiently provided otherwayes for the justification of his people He doth not impute this Righteousness of Christ for that end But God hath provided otherwayes for this end Which he thus prodeth He that is compleatly justified by having his sins forgiven is justified without this Imputation But a beleever is sufficiently justified before God by the forgiveness of sins Ergo. Ans. Though a person justified is pardoned yet justification includeth more than meer pardon of Sins Justification is the pronouncing and accepting of a person as Righteous and therefore the person so justified and accepted must be righteous and seing he is not inherently righteous he must be righteous by Imputation What he said to this purpose before Chap. 5. of his book to which he here remitteth us hath been examined already What he addeth here shall now be considered waving mens Sayings wherewith I purpose not to medle here He citeth againe to this purpose Rom. 4 6 7. to which we spoke above He supposeth that the Apostle here did intend a full description of justification But this he cannot clearly evince he forgetteth that the Apostle maketh mention of Imputed Righteousness and that not as one and the same thing with free Remission but as inseparable from it The Apostles designe was not to give here a full Definition or description of Justification it being Sufficient to the purpose he had in hand to mention so much thereof as did clearly irrefragably confirme the same viz. That the blessed state of justification is not brought about or had by the works of the Law yea as is said that very Imputation of Righteousness is not only included in the word blessedness by which this State of justification is expressed for a blessed man is one who not only is freed from guilt and punishment but hath also a right to the Crown and to the rich recompense of reward which is not had without a Righteousness but is plainly also expressed when he saith Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works Here is a Righteousness even a positive Righteousness mentioned and a Righteousness imputed and a Righteousness without our works of obedience to the Law Hence we need not assert any Synecdoche here or say that a part is put fot the whole which yet is no unusual thing in Scripture and might be admitted here even in this matter without any absurdity seing where one part of this business is mentioned the other is necessarily understood because of the necessary inviolable connexion that is betwixt them He saith further pag. 130. If forgiveness of sins be but a part and the worser half of our justification then when the Scripture saith we are justified by His blood Rom. 5 9. the sense must be we are justified by half through his blood but the better halfe of our justification must come another way for by his blood we cannot have his active Righteousness imputed to us 1. We use not to make such comparisons betwixt these things here called parts had in justification as to call the one the better part and the other the worser part both being requisite to make up our state of blessedness and necessary thereunto 2. When the Scripture saith we are justified by His blood the meaning is not we are justified by the half through His blood for half justification is no justification 3 Nor is the Reason added of any force for by blood here we may as well understand by a Synecdoche His active Righteousness as all His passive both being but integral parts of His Surety-righteousness emphatically expressed by His death or blood
Right to the reward as to this State whatever we shall conceive as the forme thereof it must be a Righteousness consequently the Righteousness of Christ imputed for sinners can have no other Obj. 12. If the meritorious cause of our justification be imputed unto us thon the Effects themselves of this cause may be imputed to us also so we may be said to have merited both our own justification salvation for if I may be accounted or reputed to have wrought that Righteousness which is meritorious why may I not be conceived as well to have merited Nay further if I may be conceived to have wrought that Righteousness in Christ whereby I am justified my self I may as well be conceived to have wrought that Righteousness by which the whole world is justified Ans. This is but a meer sophisme founded upon a mistake The consequence is false the proof thereof standeth only upon this rotten bottome That to say That Christ's Righteousness is imputed to us is to say that we are reputed esteemed or accounted to have done or wrought that Righteousness our selves whileas the true meaning of Imputation is this That the Righteousness of Christ is made over by grace unto Beleevers reckoned upon their score where by they are dealt with now no other wayes than if they had fulfilled all Righteousness in their own person Whence it is clear that the Effects cannot be said to be imputed to us but only that we partake of the Effects thereofs so far as our own Necessity requireth As the Ransom payed for the Redemption of so many captives is imputed to each of the captives in order to his owne Redemption to none of them as Redemption of others without this Imputation or reckoning it upon their score as the price of their Redemption no man could have right to the Effects thereof in reference to himself or could be redeemed thereby So that it is manifest that through the meritorious cause or the righteousnes of Christ imputed to us we obtaine justification Salvation but do not merite them our Redeemer Surety meriteth them for us we enjoy what He merited for our own happiness It is false then to say That by Imputation we are conceived to have wrought that righteousness in Christ whereby we are justified therefore it cannot but be most false to think That we may be conceived to have wrought that righteousness also by which others are justified for it was only our Head Husband Surety Redeemer who wrought it free grace imputed it to or reckoneth it upon the score of Beleevers Obj 13. chap. 18. pag. 165. If the active Righteousness of Christ be in the letter formality of it imputed unto me in my justification then I am reputed before God to have wrought that righteousness in Christ. But this is false c. Ans. Neither proposition is true The Major is denied unless by these word letter and formality he understand such an Imputation as we do not acknowledge his words would seem to import this for saith he in confirmation of the Major to have any thing imputed to a man in the letter of it is to be reputed the doer of what is so imputed to him And if this be the only sense of his proposition the conclusion maketh not against us for we asserte no such Imputation as inferreth such a Reputation Nay to say That God should repute things so were to destroy all Imputation for what God whose judgment is according to truth â—eputeth us to have done we must have done it if we have really done it be reputed to have done it by the Lord it cannot be said to be imputed to us in the sense we take Imputation for Imputation with us is of that which we have not or did not which God knoweth judgeth we did not yet is by Imputation so made over to us put upon our score reckoned upon our account as that we are as really made partakers of the Effects thereof that is of justification c. As if we had done it ourselves or it had been ours without before any Imputation Hence the beleever is made the righteousness of God in Christ not reputed or esteemed to have been the righteousness of God but now through the gracious Imputation of God through faith made to be so Hence we see that the proof of his Minor goeth upon the same Mistake if saith he I be reputed before God to have wrought Righteousness in Christ in my justification then is Christ in His Sufferings reputed before God to have sinned in me Ans. We say neither the one nor the other Christ did not sinne in us nor did the Lord repute Him to have done so But he was made sin by Imputation the guilt of sin being laid upon Him or our sinnes as to their guilt being caused to meet on Him Whence it came to passe that He suffered as really the punishment of sin as if He had sinned in us whileas as to His own person He knew no sin neither was deceit found in His mouth Obj. 14. pag. 166. If the Active obedience of Christ be imputed then His Passive is imputed also Ans. And why not If the death Sufferings of Christ saith he be imputed unto me then may I be accounted or reputed to have died or suffered in Christ. But this cannot be because in Christ we are justified absolved from punishment therefore cannot be said to have been punished in Him Ans. This whole Argument is of a piece with the foregoing Though therefore it be upon the matter answered already Yet we shall adde this word further That though in one sense it is false to say That we are reputed to have died Suffered in Christ viz physically yet in a legal sense it may be admitted as a truth that Beleevers who now by faith are in Christ of His Body are accounted reputed to have suffered in Christ their Head Surety Publick person therefore are now dealt with as such Hence they are said to be crucified with Christ to be dead buried with Him to be risen with Him Rom. 6 4 5 6. Ephes. 2 5 6. Col. 2 12. Yet it will not follow hence that in a legal sense Christ can be said to have sinned in us for we were not His Representative or Head Though the debtor may be said in Law sense to have paid his creditor in his Suretys payment Yet the Surety cannot be said to be contracting debt in the debtor for the debtor's deed cannot affect him untill he voluntarily submit himself to be Surety where may be after the debt is already contracted by the debtor And to say in this Law sense that Beleevers Suffered in Christ doth not weaken the ground of our justification absolution Acceptation Healing as is manifested above unless we turn Socinians then upon this same ground we
that neither is the phrase nor manner of such speaking any wayes agreable to the language of the Holy Ghost for still in the Scriptures wheresoever the word imputing is used it is only applied unto or spoken of something of the same persons to whom the Imputation is said to be made never to or of any thing of anothers Ans. Though it be true that some things are said to be imputed in Scripture unto persons which are or were theirs before the Imputation though that Instance of faiths being imputed to Abraham Rom. 4. which he adduceth doth not belong to this head as shall be evinced in due time whether it be good or evil as 2. Sam. 19 19 Act. 7 60. where this Imputation is deprecated So 2. Chron. 24 22. Gen. 30 33. Psal. 106 31. Yet it is also true that we read of an Imputation of Something that did not belong to or was not possessed by the person before the Imputation was made as when Paul desireth Philemon to impute to him what Onesimue was oweing and that he would reckon both the debt and the injury whereof Onesimus might beguilty upon his score and require it of him Philem. vers 18. Thus do Sureties take upon themselves what formerly was not theirs and so make that imputable to themselves which formerly was not so as we seen Gen. 43 9. 44 32. and the Sureties payment or Satisfaction according to what he voluntarily undertook is according to Law and equity imputable to be imputed unto or reckoned on the Score of the debtor to the end he may be dealt with by vertue of that imputed payment Satisfaction as if he himself had made the payment or given the Satisfaction And this is the very Nature End of this Imputation not that the person to whom the Imputation is made should be accounted one who had that before the Imputation was made but that the thing Imputed may become his to whom it is imputed and he thereupon be dealt with as now an owner possessor of that thing by Imputatioâ— Secondly he saith When a thing is said simply to be imputed as sin folly or righteousness the meaning is not to be taken concerning the bare acts of things as if to impute sin signified to repute the man to have committed a sinful act but to charge the guilt or demerite of sin upon his head of purpose to punish him for it Ans. This is true of such things as are either really or falsly by injustice supposed to be in the person before that imputation be made But notwithstanding hereof there is as we have seen as all acts of Suretiship do further cleare an imputation of what was not the persons before whereby the thing it self that is imputed is legally made over unto them reckoned upon their score thereupon they are dealt with as being now possessed of that which is imputed as when a person voluntarily becometh Surety for another as Paul for Onesimus Iudah for Benjamin first the debt it self is made their reckoned upon their score then they willingly undergo the consequences thereof that is the payment or punishment Thridly pag. 198. he cometh home to the point saying The expressions i.e. of Christ's Righteousness of Adam's sin are unknown to the Holy Gost in Scripture Ans. This is but the old exception of Bellarmin de Iustif. lib. 2. chap. 7. of the Socinians See Volkel do Vera Relig. lib. 5. pag. 564 565. who upon this same ground reject several other fundamental points as the Trinity others But we have already shown Scripture-proof enough of this matter himself in the following words granteth that there are expressions in Scripture concerning both the Communication of Adam's sin of Christ's Righteousness that will fairly enough bear the terme of Imputation So that all the difference betwixt him us is about the sense of the word Now we come to the matter He speaketh to Rom. 5 19 giving this for the only meaning thereof that the demerite or guilt of Adam's sin is charged on his posterity or that the punishment ran over from his person to them i a maine part of which punishment lyeth in that original defilement wherein they are all conceived borne whereby they are made truely and formally sinners before God Ans. But if that sin of Adam be imputed in its curse punishment the sin it self must be imputed as to its guilt else we must say that God curseth punisheth the posterity that is no wayes guilty which to do suiteth not the justice of God the righteous Governour of the world We do not say as he supposeth when he setteth down our sense of the words that that sinful act of eating the forbidden fruit in the letter formality of it an expression that on all occasions he useth whose sense is not obvious but needeth explication is excogitated meerly to darken the matter as it was Adam's own personal sin is imputed to the posterity but it is enough for us to say with the Scripture that by Adam's disobedience his posterity became guilty that all sinned in him therefore death passed on all that guilt was by that one sin to condemnation Rom. 5 12 15 16 18 19. so that the posterity sinned legally originally though not formally because not existing in Adam actually but legally originally became thereby obnoxious to the punishment threatned that is death both in body Soul here hereafter Whence it is manifest that punishment being relative to sin such as are punished because of sin must be sinners judged to be sinners so guilty before they be punished for sin Adam being the Head Root of Mankind God entering into Covenant with him as such therefore with all his posterity in him when he broke the Covenant transgressed all Mankind descending from him by ordinary generation being comprehended with him in the Covenant became actually partakers of that guilt so soon as they did partake of Nature actually being really guilty when existing they were justly punished But if this guilt were not imputed to them they could not be justly punished for it On the contrary he thinks they might be justly punished for that sin though not guilty thereof he laboureth to establish this upon three pillars 1. The demerite saith he sinfulness of that sin which had so many aggravations and in this regard was beyond the sin of devils that Adam had the estates of all his posterity in his hand knew that if he sinned he should draw all their souls after him into the same perdition Ans. But if by Adam's having the estates of all his posterity in his hand this truth be not included that his sin should become their sin they should be looked upon as guilty thereof chargable therewith how could he know that by his sin heshould draw the souls of all his
was a Super-Natural Political Head But he saith He was not actually such an Head to the Redeemed when He obeyed and suffered but as an Head by Aptitude office power Vertue Ans. It is true as to such as were not then Beleevers He was not a Supernatural Head actually that is by communicating actually Physical and supernatural influences of Spiritual life Yet He was as to all given to Him actually a Political Head or an Head in a Political sense that is by God's Appointment and His own voluntary undertaking He obeyed Suffered for them in their stead paying their debt answering for all that the justice the Law did require of them and so purchasing all Grace Glory for them to be certainely bestowed in due time In this respect that must be denied which he addeth n. 12. Therefore they were not Christ's members Political when He obeyed dyed for they may as well be said to have been then His members Political as some not yet within the sold but that were to be brought in were to hear His voice were by Himself called His sheep Ioh. 10 16. Whence I pray come the Iâ—fluences whereby they are made to beleeve if not from Him as their Political-head or Surety-head standing ingaged for them But possibly the ambiguous use of the word Political may occasione his mistake here A Natural Head saith he n. 14. being but a part of a person what it doth the Person doth But seing a contracted Head and all the members of his Body contracted or Politick are every one a distinct person it followeth not that each person did really or reputatively what the head did Nay it is a good consequence that if he did it as an head they did it not numerically as head or members Ans. Passing the Impropriety of the expression contracted head whereby it is like he meanes a Conventional Head I say Though a Conventional Head and all the members of that Body be every one a distinct person Physically Yet considered as such they are all but one person Politically in Law-sense so in Law-sense Politically as all lawyers know even Men of Common sense can acknowbedge every distinct Physical person is supposed to have done what their Political Head Representative hath done as such And though it be a good consequence that if the Head did it as an Head they in their in their Physical persons did it not Yet it were a ridiculous Consequence to say They therefore as Political Members of that Political conventional body did it not viz Politically not Physically or numerically Christ saith he n. 15. suffered obeyed in the Person of the Mediator between God Man as a subject to the Law of Mediation Ans. Though He suffered in the Physical Person of the Mediator Yet because Suffering obeying as a Mediator Surety He Suffered obeyed as a Political Head in a Political person 2. Though He was Subject to the Law of Mediation Yet by vertue of that same Law of Mediation He was subject to the Law under which we were both as to its Duty Penalty for Suffering obeying as a Mediator Surety He in Suffering obeying did pay out debt for He came into our Law-place Christ may be said saith he n. 16. to suffer in the person of a sinner as it meaneth His own person reputed used as a sinner by His persecutors as He was one who stood before God as Undertaker to suffer for mans sins Ans. Seing He was one who stood before God as an Undertaker for sinners not only to suffer for mans sin did he not suffer as a sinner not inherently but legally juridically and did He not represent and stand in the room of sinners as their Political Head Representative These things can not be handsomly with any shew of reason contradicted or denied Nay himself addeth n. 17. pag. 56. that Christ suffered in the place stead of sinners that they might be dâ—livered though in the Person a Sponsor Whence we see that though He suffered in the person of a Sponsor Physically taken Yet He suffered in the person of others Politically legally because He suffered as a Sponsor in their stead that they might certainely eventually be delivered not possibly only But then n. 18. he cometh to an Accomodation saying When we are agreed that the person of the Sponsor of every particular sinner are diverse if the word Person be here understood in a Physical or Numerical sense the word sinners be understood of the Elect only I agree and that Christ had not suffered if we had not sinned true that he as a Sponser suffered in our stead so bore the punishment which not He but we deserved adde also obeyed I agree If any will here in stead of a Mediator or Sponsor call Him our Representative say that He suffered even in all our persons reputatively not simpliciter but secundum quid in tantum only that is not representing our persons simply in all respects to all ends but only so far as to be a Sacrifice for our sins and suffer in our place and stead what He suffered we take this to be but lis de nomine And why is not His obeying also added But againe if He suffered as a Mediator Sponsor in our place stead He must needs have been our Political-Representative according as we use to speak and understand these termes so must have suffered in all our persons reputatively so far as was necessary to our Redemption Salvation for more we enquire not And seing this is what the orthodox assert Mr. Baxter is much to be blamed for troubling the church so long by his opposition hereunto his own new Notions He proceedeth n. 19. Christ did not suffer strictly simply absolutly in the person of any one Elect sinner much less in the millions of Persons of them all in Law-sense or in God's esteem God did not esteem Christ to be Naturally or as an absolute Representer david Manasseh Paul every such other sinner but only a Mediator that suffered in their stead Ans. Till we understand what is meant by these termes Strickly Simply Absolutly we cannot know well what to say to this We grant He suffered in the person of no Elect sinner so as to become David Manasseh c. Yet when He suffered in their stead as Mediator Surety both in Law-sense in God's esteem He did represent them did suffered what He did suffered as a Surety for them as representing their Persons in a Law-sense Politically simply absolutely to all ends necessary for their Redemption Salvation He addeth n. 20. God did make Christ to be sin for us that is a Sacrifice for our sins one that by man was reputed by God Man was used as sinners are deserve
Law of Innocency which we dishonoured broke by sin is perfectly fulfilled honoured by Him as a Mediator to repaire the injurie done by our breaking it Ans. The Law which the Devils dishonoured broke by sin was perfectly honoured fulfilled by the Angels who stood is therefore their Righteousness to be called the devils But he will say They obeyed not as Mediator True But then the ground of Christ Righteousness becomning ours must be some other thing than His honouring that Law by fulfilling it which we dishonoured by breaking But he saith Christ repaired the injurie done by our breaking it True yet 〈◊〉 there be no more that will not make His Righteousness ours because as is obvious ere this be we must have an Interest therein this obedience must be performed by Him a our Mediator Surety undertaking Satisfying the demands of the Law for us in our stead 2. In that saith he He suffered to satisfie justice for our sin Ans. Neither is suffering as such Righteousness Nor could He satisfie justice for our sin in by suffering if He had not done it in our stead as one Person with us in Law If Titius steal from Sempronius a 1000. Pound Maevius givius Sempronius a 1000. Pound upon some distinct account Sempronius receiveth no satisfaction for what Titius stole from him but if he come give it for Titius he be satisfied there-with then there is a Law Union oneness betwixt Titius Maevius whereby the Satisfaction given by Maevius becometh the satisfaction of Titius 3. He saith in that hereby He hath merited of God the Father all that Righteousness which we are truely the Subjects of whether it be Relative or qualitative or Active that is our right to Christ in union to the Spirit to Impunity to glory 2. the grace of the Spirit by which we are made holy fulfill the conditions of the Law of grace we are the Subjects of these he is the Meriter the Meritorius Cause of out life is well called our Righteousness by many the material Cause as our own perfect obedience would have been because it is the matter of that merite Ans. That Righteousness which he saith here Christ hath merited is not that Righteousness unto justification of life as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5 18. And which we have by the Obedience of Christ made ours by Imputation vers 19. whereof we are here speaking in respect of which Christ is said to be our Righteousness 2. Our right to Christ is not our Righteousness in order to justification nor is our Right to Impunity Glory that Righteousness but a consequent thereof 3. In respect of the Graces of the Spirit which follow justification do not preceed it Christ is called our Sanctification Mr. Baxter knoweth there is a difference betwixt Righteousness Holiness 4. The Meritorius Cause of our life is well called our Righteousness when it is Imputed to us put upon our score as the Ground of our justification Absolution upon this account only is it by many called the Material Cause 4. And also saith he Christ's jntercession with the Father still procureth all this as the fruit of His Merites Ans. Of Christ's procuring our holiness we make no Doubt but that upon this account He is called our Righteousness is denied for this is not His Obedience Righteousness whereby we become Righteous unto justification of life 5. And we are related saith he as His members though not parts of His person as such to Him that thus merited for us Ans. if we be related to Him as members in order to our partaking of His Righteousness Meritâ—s we must be parts of His legal Persons though not of His Physical Personâ— for by Members here I suppose he meaneth Members of His Mystical body or members of His Ransomed Redeemed body And head Members here make one Political body become one Political Person or one in Law-sense 6. And saith he we have the Spirit from Him as our Head Ans This is but what what was said before in the 3. place And this Spirit is given for holiness but Christ is our Righteousness as well as our Sanctification it is of His being Righteousness that we are speaking 7. And he is our Advocat saith he will justifie us as our judge Ans. His being our Advocat is the same with His Intercession spoken of in the 4. place 2. The Father will judge us justifie us by Him therefore God the Father shall be our Righteousness as well as Christ consequently shall have merited all for us by His blood Sufferings that in a more principal manner according to this Reason 8. And all this saith he is God's Righteousness designed for us thus far given us by Him Ans. But all this is not that Righteousness which God hath designed for us in through Christ in order to our justification nor that Righteousness by which we become formally Righteous in Law-sense thereupon are justified pronounced Righteous in the sight of God for this is Christ's Surety-Righteousness imputed to us none else can be it Lastly saith he And the Perfect justice holiness of God is thus glorified in us through Christ. And are not all these set together enough to prove that we justly owne all asserted by these Texts Ans. It remaineth to be cleared how the Perfect justice holiness of God can be said to be glorified in us through Christ if Christ's Righteousness Satisfaction be not imputed to us accounted ours Christ we be not looked upon as one Person in Law for all that is wrought in us is far from being answerable to the Perfect justice holiness of God because of its Imperfection And because Mr. Baxter doth not grant the Imputing of Christ's Surety-righteousness which is only answerable to the Perfect justice holiness of God unto us in all that he hath here said he cannot be said to owne all that is asserted by these Texts The 3. object is If Christ's Righteousness be ours then we are righteous by it as ours so God reputeth it but as it is But it is ours 1. by our Union with him 2. by his gift so consequently by God's Imputation To this he answereth 1. That he hath told before in what sense it is ours in what sense not Shortly here he giveth us his mind againe saying It is truely Imputed to us or reputed reckoned as ours but not in their sense that claim a strick Propriety in the same Numerical Habites Acts Sufferings Merites Satisfaction which was in Christ or done by Him as if they did become subjects of the same Accidents or as if they did by an Instrumental second cause But it is ours as being done by a Mediator in stead of what we should have done as the Meritorious Cause of all our Righteousness
sufficiat non est pallium breve quod secundum Prophetam non possit operireduos justitia tua justitia in aeternum te pariter me opertet larga aeterna justitiâ— in me quidem operit multitudinem delictorum i. e. Shall I make mention of my Righteousness Lord I will make mention of thine only for that is also mine because thou art made of God unto me Righteousness Is it to be feared that that one shall not serve two It is not a short cloak that according to the Prophet cannot cover two thy Righteousness is an everlasting Righteousness that large eternal Righteousness shall cover both thee me in me indeed it shall cover a multitude of sins Id. Dom. 1. post Octav. Epiph. Serm. 1. Veruntamen ut jam non sit quod causeris O homo contra inobedientiam Adae datur tibi obedientia Christi ut si gratis venundatus es gratis redimaris i. e. But that thou ô man should not have whereof to complean fore against the disobedience of Adam which he said before was imputed the obedience of Christ is given unto thee to the end that if thou be sold for nothing thou shalt also be redeemed for nothing Idem Epist. 190. ad Innocent Pont. Rom. Quid namque ex se agere poterat ut semel amissam justitiam recuperaret homo servus peccati vinctus diaboli assignata est ei proinde aliena qui caruiâ— sua ipsa sic est Venit Princeps mundi in Salvatore non invenit quicquam cum nihilominus innocenti manus injecit justissime quos tenebat amisit quando is qui morti nihil debebat accepta mortis injuria jure illum qui obnoxius erat mortis debito Diaboli solvit Dominio Qua enim justitia id secundo exigeretur homo siquidem qui debuit homo qui solvit nam si unus inquit pro omnibus mortuus est ergo omnes mortui sunt ut viz saâ— factio unius omnibus imputetur sicut omnium peccata unus ille portavit nec alter jam inveniatur qui forte fecit alter qui satisfecit quia Caput Corpus unus est Christus Satisfecit ergo Caput pro membris Christus pro Visceribus suis c. quod si dixerit Pater tuus addixit te Respondebâ— sed Frater men's redemit me cur non aliunde justitia quia aliunde reatus alius qui peccatorem constituit alius qui justificat a peccato alter in semine alter in sanguine An peccatum in semine peccatoris non justitia in sanguine Christi non convenit filium portare iniquitatem patris fraternâ— fieri exortem justitiae i. e. For what could man a servant of sin a bound slave of the devil do of himself to recover the Righteousness which he had once lost Therefore another is assigned unto him because he wanted his own the same is so The Prince of the world came found nothing in the Saviour when notwithstanding he put hands on the Innocent he lost those most justly when he held when he who owed nothing to death having received the injurie of death he did by right loose him who was liable to the debt of death deliver him from the Dominion of Satan for by what Right could he exact that the second time seing as it was man who owed so it was man who payed for if one he saith died for all then are all dead that to wit the Satisfaction of one might be imputed to all as that one did bear the sins of all Neither now is it found that one did the wrong another satisfied for the Head the body are one Christ the Head therefore did satisfie for the members Christ for his own bowels But if he shall say Thy Father bound thee over I shall answer but my Brother hath redeemed me why should not Righteousness be from another as guilt was from another one who made man a sinner another who justifieth from sin the one in the seed the other in blood Was sin in the seed of a sinner shall not Righteousness be in the bloud of Christ. It is not right that the Son should bear the iniquity of the Father be defrauded of the Righteousness of his Brother Idem Serm. ad Milites Templi c. 1. Qui peccati meritum tulit suam nobis donando justitiam ipse meritis debitum solvit reddit vitam sic namque mortua morte revertitur vita quemadmodum ablato peccato redit justitia porro mors in Christi morte fugatur Christi nobis justitia imputatur c. Qui nostram induit carnem subiit mortens putas suam nobis negabit justitiam Voluntarie incarnatus voluntarit passus voluntarie crucifixus solam à nobiâ— retinebit justitiam afterward ibid. Unus peccavit omnes tenentur rei unius innocentia soli reputabitur uni Unius peccatum omnibus operatum est mortem unius justitia uni viâ—am restituet Haud Dei justitia magis ad condemnâ—ndum quam ad restaurandum valuit aut plus potutt Adam in malo quà m Christus in bono Adae peccatum imputabitur mihi Christi justitia non pertinebit ad me i. e. He who took away the desert of sin giving to us his Righteousness the same by his merites paid the debt restored life for if death be dead life returneth even as sin being taken away Righteousness returneth Moreover death is banished away in Christ's death and Christ Righteousness is imputed to us c. He who took on our flesh underwent death thinks thou that he shall deny to us his Righteoysness He who willingly was incarnate willingly suffered willingly was crucified shall he withold his Righteousness from us?-one man sinned all are guilty shall the innocency of one be accounted only to one One mans sin hath wrought death unto all shall the Righteousness of one restore life only to one Shall God's Righteousness be more powerfull to condemne than to restore Could Adam do more in sin than Christ in good Shall Adam's sin be imputed unto me shall not Christ's Righteousness belong unto me Ambros. lib. 3. de Virginit p. 100. Omâ—ia Iesus est nobis si volumus Si vulnus curari defideras Medicus est Si febribus aestuas sons est Si gravaris iniquitate justitia est si auxilio indiges virtus est Si mortem times vita est si câ—lum desideras via est si tenebras fugis luxest si cibum quaeris alimentum est i. e. Christ is all things to us if we be willing if thou desirest to have thy wound cured he is the chyrurgen if thou burn with feavers he is a fountain If thou be burdened with sin he is Righteousnâ—ss If thou want help he is vertue If thou fear death he is the life if thou desirest heaven he is the
nobis communicat suam justitiam inter Patris judicium nostram injustitiam interponito sub ea veluti sub umbone clypeo a divina quam commeruimus ira nos abscondit tuetur ac protegit imo tandem nobis impertit nostram facit qua tecti ornatique audacter secure jam divino nos sistamus tribunali judicio justique non solum appareamus sed etiam simus i. e. In him that is Christ therefore are we justified before God not in ourselves not by our own but by his Righteousness which is imputed to us when now we communicat with him Being void of a Righteousness of our own he teacheth us to seek a Righteousness without ourselves in him when he saith he made him sin for us who knew no sin that is he made him a sacrifice for sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him By what Law By that of friendship which maketh a community of all things among friends according to the old well known proverb Being insert into Christ glued united unto him he maketh what is his to be ours he communicateth unto us his riches he interposeth his Righteousness betwixt the Fathers judgment our unrighteousness and under it as under a shield he hideth defendeth protecteth us from God's wrath which we had deserved Yea at length giveth it to us maketh it ours with which being covered adorned we may boldly saifly sist ourselves before the Tribunal of God and we not only appear Righteous but also are Righteous Ruardus Tapperus Tom. 2. Art 8. p. 36. Sicut Christo nostra scelera a Patre ob spontaneam eorum assumptionem corporis mystici intimam unionem imputantur ita ejus justitia quasi capitis nobis ejus membris ad justitiam viaâ—m aeternam imputatur i. e. As our iniquities were imputed by God unto Christ because of his voluntary assuming of them of the neer union of the mystical body so his Righteousness as head to us his members is imputed unto us unto Righteousness life eternal Yea Bellarm. granteth lib. 2. de justif C. 10. That Christ may be called our Righteousness because he satisfied the Father for us did so give communicat that Satisfaction to us when he justifieth us that it may be called our Satisfaction Righteousness And againe this way it were not absurd to say that Christ's Righteousness merites were imputed to us when they are given applied to us as if we ourselves had satisfied God So in Resp. ad 3. Arg. We are said to be the Righteousness of God not in ourselves but in Christ because he is our head what agreeth to thâ— head agreeth to the members not as they are distinct from the head but as they are one with it So c. 11. in Resp. ad Arg. 2. The similitude of putting on agarment may be saifly accommodat unto imputed Righteousness if one say we must put on Christ's merits some way be covered with them seek pardon of sins cap. 7. Arg. 4. he saith Christ's merits are imputed to us because gifted to us we may offer them to the Father for our sins because Christ took upon him the burden of satisfying for us of reconciling us to God the Father Thus he After Cardinal Bellarmin we may mention Cardinal Contarenus who is more orthodox here than any of them speaketh as plaine truth as any of the orthodox themselves can do for so doth he in Tract de Iustif. state the question Quoniam ad duplicem justitiam pervenimus per fidem justitiam inharentem nobis charitatem ac gratiam qua efficimur consortes divina naturae justitiam Christi nobis donatam imputatam quoniam inserti sumus Christi induimus Christum Praetat inquirere Utra-nam debeamus niti existimare nos justificari coram Deo id est justos Sanctos haberi i. e. Because by faith we obtaine a twofold Righteousness one inherent in us love grace whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature the other the Righteousness of Christ given imputed to us because inâ—ert into Christ because we have put on Christ It is fittest to Enquire unto which of these we ought to leane ourselves account ourselves justified before God that is looked upon as Righteous holy The question thus proposed he thus determineth Ego prorsus existimo piâ— Christianâ—egrave diâ—i quod debeamus niti niti inquimus tanquam rei stabili quae certâ—nos sustentet justitia Christinobis donota non autem justitia sanctitate nobis inhaerente hâ—c enim nostra justitia est inchâ—ata imperfecta quae impedirenon potest quin assidue peâ—cemus idcirco in conspectu Dei possumus eb hanc justitiam haberi justi boni quemadmedum deceret filios Dei esse bonos Sanctos Sed justitia Christi est vera perfecta justitia quae omnino placet oculis Dei in qua nihil est quod Deum offendat quod Deo non summopere placeat hâ—ac ergo sola re certa stabili nobis nitendum est ob eam solam credere nos justificari coram Deo id est haberi justos dioi justos Hic est pretiosus Thesaurus quem qui invenit vendit omnia quae habet emit illum i. e. I verily think that it is piously christianly said that we ought to lean I say lean as to a stable thing that shall certainly hold us up unto Christ's Righteousness given unto us but not unto the Righteousness holiness that is inherent in us for this Righteousness of ours is inchoate imperfect that cannot hinder us from ssinning dayly therefore we cannot for this Righteousness in the sigt of God be accounted just good as would become the Sones of God to be but the Righteousness of Christ is true perfect Righteousness which every way pleaseth God's eyes in which is nothing that can displease God doth not highly please him Therefore we must only leane to this certaine stable thing and beleeve that for it alone we are justified before God that is accounted Righteous and so called This is the Precious Treasure which who findeth he selleth all he hath buyeth it Yea this he confirmeth afterward by Experience saying Inde est quod pro experimento videmus viros Sanctos qui quanto magis in veritato proficiunt tanto minus sibi placent ac propterea tanto magis intelligunt se indigere Christo justitia Christi sibi donata ideoque se relinquunt soli Christo incumbunt â—â—c non obeam accidit causam quod facti sanctiores minus videant quam prius neque quia facti sunt animo dimissiori vel viliori imo quanto magis in sanctitate proficiunt tanto majore sunt animo tanto sunt perspicaciores i. e. Hence it is that by experience we see