words then these of Calvin for if a man bee not righteous in himselfe then is hee not righteous by faith in a proper sense for his faith in a proper sense is in himselfe But let us not bee too hastie to insult over his folly it may bee his impudency will catch at some other words of Calvin which do not so expressely contradict him but are more obscure and them hee will wrest and abuse to expound Calvins plaine words in a contradictory sense It is even so indeed for hee cites in the next place some more generall and obscure speeches of Calvin to expound his plaine words and to make them contradictory to themselves I have heard absurd fellowes derided for going about to shew obscurum perobscurius that is to make men see dark things through greater darknesse and for running as the proverb is out of GODS blessing into the warme sun But that any should goe about to make others see the sun when it shineth in full strength by the dimme light of a candle and to perswade them that the sun is the moone this is madnes deserves that the Lunatike Melancholike person so doing should be sent to the Iland of Hellebore there to inhabit till hee recover his wits And doth not he so who seekes to make Calvins plaine words to contradict themselves by citing words wherein he speakes neither so plainely nor so fully as in them But let us see those other speeches of Calvin which hee brings for this purpose one is that Christ by his obedience hath merited and procured for us favour with GOD his Father These words doe not prove that the imputing of Christs obedience and righteousnesse signifies the bestowing of the benefit of it on us that is GODS favour but shew clearely the contrary to that which he intends namely that Christs obedience is made ours and imputed to us because it procures to us the favour of GOD which we cannot enjoy nor appeare gracious in his sight unlesse wee bee cloathed with Christs rich robe of righteousnes and washed cleane from the guilt of sinne by his satisfaction imputed to us Another is Christ by his obedience hath purchased righteousnes for us the true and plaine sense of which wordes is no more but this that Christ by his obedience hath fulfilled the Law of GOD for us and we by that obedience are constituted made righteous as the Apostle expressely affirmes Rom. 5.19 Another is that when we are said to be justified by the grace of GOD and that righteousnes was procured by the death and resurrection of Christ these expressions import the same thing with those that Christ is our righteousnes that is by union with him and communion of his righteousnes which he purchased by his death and resurrection and which GOD graciously gives to us wee are justified Another is men having not any righteousnes in themselves they obtaine it by imputation that is neither a mans owne workes nor faith taken in a proper sense for a gift grace or worke in him can be his righteousnes but onely that which is obtained by imputation to wit Christs righteousnes apprehended by faith which when true beleevers have laid hold on then GOD doth account them righteous and in this improper sense GOD is said to impute faith for righteousnes Thus every speech of Calvin which he brings against Calvin himselfe is like a stone cast against a brasen wall and rebounds against the caster and dasheth out the braines of his hereticall opinion And therefore it was his safest course onely to tell us of more such passages but not to recite any more out of Calvin or other Authors For being seasoned with the salt of their owne interpretation they will prove gravell in his mouth choake him and if it be possible put him to shame and silence From Calvin hee comes home to the Homilies allowed in our Church and they by his owne confession teach that we are justified by the imputation of Christs righteousnes But to prove that by the righteousnes of Christ they meane faith taken in a proper sense that is as it is the gift of faith in us and the operation of it in us even our beleeving hee brings the words of the 11. Article of Religion allowed in our Church by Law viz. we are ac counted righteous before GOD onely for the merit of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith not for our owne workes or deserts where note that whereas the Articles send us to the Homilies as being very profitable plaine expositions of them hee on the contrary sets the cart before the horses to draw them after it Hee brings the text to expound the commentary or plaine exposition of it But hee gets no advantage by doing so for the words of the Article are very exact indeed and make much for us against his opinion they shew that the merit of Christ apprehended by faith is that for which wee are accounted righteous before GOD and that faith is not our righteousnes for then wee should bee accounted righteous for a grace in our selves and for a worke of our owne performed by us even our owne beleeving Oh but the Article doth not say that wee are constituted and made but onely accounted righteous True indeed the Article doth not speak of fundamentall justification mentioned Rom. 5.19 but of imputative justification of which the Apostle speakes Rom. 4 3. which necessarily presupposeth the other For GOD whose judgement is according to truth cannot judge and count us righteous till hee hath communicated Christs righteousnesse to us and by it constituted and made us righteous which when we by faith receive and apply by the assistance of his Spirit which dwells in us and makes us one Spirituall and mysticall body with Christ then GOD accounts us righteous and by our faith and believing we obtene as Abraham did this testimony from GOD that we are righteous as Iustine Martyr saith in the words cited in the next Chapter From the Article and Homilies hee proceedes to Musculus Luther and Chamier who though in their Doctrine they are opposit to his opinion as heaven is to earth yet hee snatcheth here and there some improper speeches out of their writings which hee wresteth to his purpose though they doe most plainely expound their owne meaneing to bee contrary to his mind The words of Musculus are these Faith is accounted for righteousnesse for Christs sake That is faith is accounted for righteousnesse and the true believer is counted a righteous man not sensu proprio nec per se sed propter Christum That is by reason of Christ and his righteousnesse whom the believer apprehendeth and by faith possesseth his righteousnesse and againe this faith ought to be esteemed of us as that which GOD purposeth for Christs sake to impute for righteousnesse to those that believe in him in which words Musculus folowing the phrase of the Apostle intends no more but this that wee
City to whom as yet I was unknown that I was a green headed novice carryed away with anger and passion rather then zeal yet divers of you my learned Brethren did judge otherwise of me and my labours and God blessed them and made them and your assistance of me therein powerfull and effectuall to the quelling of those errors and to the suppressing of them at that time by putting the Author of them to silence And now for 20. yeares and more they have been buryed in oblivion untill this new Adversary hath raked them up as coales out of ashes and out of a surreptitious Booke which the First Adversary had composed Printed beyond the Seas and procured to be brought in by stealth and sold underhand did bring them into the pulpit and from thence with a tumultuous noyse proclaymed them most confidently Now because I have sufficiently acted my part heretofore in opposing these errors and also divers of you have entered into the lists and with zeale and courage have begun to fight against the reviver of them I should have refrayned my selfe from further medling but because this common adversary hath singled me out and provoked me by a proud challenge to answere his writings I have once more undertaken to answer his challenge which Answer being sent to him privately might there have restâ—d if his most reproachfull and rayling reply full of lyes absurdities contradictions blasphemies and intollerable scoffes and reproaches had not forced me to send it abroad into the world to justifie it selfe from the rayling and slanderous clamours which he and his disciples and factious followers have raised against it I here commend it to your grave censure in hope that the goodnesse of the cause which herein I maintaine will cover mine infirmities and will stirre you up to perfect and finish what I have begun The Truth for which you shall fight is strong and will prevaile all power might glory and victory is Gods for whose cause you stand and our Lord Jesus Christ on whose perfect rigteousnesse you strive to keep the Crown hath all power given him in heaven and in earth To this God eternall and omnipotent and to his eternall Sonne our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and to the most holy and blessed Spirit three persons in one God I commend you and your holy and faithfull labours in my dayly Prayers humbly supplicating to his Majesty for this Grace that I may continue till death Your fellow Soldier and labourer in his Vineyard GEORGE WALKER THE ANSWERERS PREFACE To the first Chapter THE question which is propounded and the state and drift thereof laid down in this first Chapter is in the Authors own words this whether the faith of him that truely beleeves or the righteousnesse of CHRIST be imputed for righteousnesse in the act of justification In this question the imputing of Faith is opposed to the imputing of Christs righteousnesse for righteousnesse to justification which no Orthodox Christian durst attenâ—â— to doe at any time for the godly learned in the Scriptures and acquainted with the writings of Orthodox divines both ancient and Moderne from the time of the Apostles to this day doe alwayes joyne Faith with Christs righteousnesse in the act of justification and do never account them such opposites as doe the one exclude the other and cannot both stand together and be reputed for righteousnesse to beleevers in justification Though the Apostle doth oppose justification by faith to justification by works of the Law performed by every man in his owne person as two opposites which cannot stand together in GODS justification of sinners And this all true Christians receive imbrace and hold for a solid truth and a fundamentall article of Christian Religion Yet they abhorre and detest the opposing of Faith and Christs righteousnes in GODS imputing of righteousnes to beleevers and doe with an unanimous consent teach that in this justifying act of GOD Christs righteousnesse of which all true beleevers have communion is that which GOD in a proper sense is said to accept and repute for righteousnesse and Faith as it receives and applies Christs righteousnesse is said to be imputed but in an improper speech the name of the act being used to signifie the object which we see frequently in Scripture as for example Gal. 3.2.25 where the name Faith is used to signifie the thing beleeved that is the doctrine of the Gospell and Coloss. 1.5 where the name Hope is used to signifie the thing hoped for that is the inheritance and reward laid up for us in Heaven of which kind many more instances may be produced But as for them who have called into controversie the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and having propounded this question whether Faith or the righteousnes of Christ is imputed in the act of justification have set up Faith and thrust out Christs righteousnesse they have ever beene branded by all true Churches of Christ for pestilent Heretikes and enemies of GODS saving truth The first mover of this question was one Petrus Abilardus a pestilent and blasphemous Heretick who being full of the spirit of pride and error did in disputing and writing deny the communion of Christs perfect satisfaction obedience and righteousnesse and the imputation of them for righteousnesse in the justification of true beleevers This filthie wretch was gelded for corrupting and defiling of a Maid and for his blasphemous heresies Saint Bernard and the Bishops of France caused him to be excommunicated and condemned for an Heretike and his blasphemous books to be burned publikely The next instrument of the Devill after him mentioned in former Histories was Servetus that blasphemous Heretike who for heresies and blasphemies which hee dispersed as a vagabond in several Countries in divers books was by Master Calvin discovered apprehended at Geneva condemned and burned and dyed blaspheming Christ most horribly as Beza testifieth in vita Calvini The third notorious Heretike who in writing and bookes published did maintaine this wicked errour and by his Disciples dispersed it in Transilvania Polonia and other adjoyning Countries was Faustus Socinus whose blasphemous faction and sect still continueth and infesteth those Countries at this day The fourth Grand Master and propagatour of this heresie who brought it into Holland nearer unto us was Arminius He did first secretly teach and instill it into the eares and hearts of many disciples and afterwards did openly professe it as we read in his Epistle ad Hyppolytum de collibus wherein he confesseth that he held Faith to be imputed for righteousnesse to justification not in a Metonymicall but in a proper sense And although this and other errours held by him are condemned in the late Synod of Dort yet his disciples the Remonstrants doe obstinately persist in this errour though some of that sect would seeme to decline and disclaime it The fift perverse publisher of this heresie who first openly professed it in England and in manuscript Pamphlets and Printed Bookes
clothing of righteousnes wherewith the beleever is cloathed in his justification Justitiam morte resurrectione Christi acquisitam a righteousnes procured by the death and resurrection of Christ. This righteousnes of Christ may be said to be the righteousnes of a beleever in such construction of speech as the knowledge of GOD and of Christ is said to be eternall life Iohn 17.3 viz. in way of causality not in that formality of it and againe the righteousnes of a beleever in his justification may be tearmed the righteousnes of Christ in such sense as the favour of GOD in deliverance of a man out of trouble is called a mans righteousnes Iob. 33. verse 26. or as the nation and people of the Jewes are often in the Scriptures called Iacob they were not Iacob in the propriety of his person but in his descent and propagation so may the righteousnes of a beleever bee called the righteousnes of Christ because it is a righteousnes descended from it and issuing as it were out of the loynes of it What hath been affirmed and what hath beene denyed in the question wee come now to prove and demonstrate the truth of both 1 o From the authority of Scriptures 2 o From the grounds of reason as for the third way of proofe and confirmation by consent of Authors we shall not assigne a peculiar place for that by it selfe but interlace our other proofes occasionally with such testimonies as we have received from learned and judicious men for confirmation of our point to be discussed Christianisme THe second thing in this last part or passage is a profession of his meaning in denying Christs righteousnes to be imputed in justification First because he would have an adversarie for him to triumph over and least his admired sophistry should be idle for want of an opposite against which it might magnifie it selfe in the eyes of senselesse sectaries hee suffers Christs righteousnes to have a being and doth not deny it in it self but doth approve and establish it and so by good hap hee escapes one base absurdity in his disputing to wit denying of the subject of the question Secondly because he would have his competitor or corrivall to be of some great note the more to glorifie his victory over him hee doth not deny an absolute necessity of Christs righteousnes both to the justification and salvation of sinners we thanke him that for saving of himselfe from the hatred and skorne of the world he would grant so much of truth openly testified in Scripture Thirdly he doth not deny a meritorious efficiency or causality of Christs righteousnesse in respect of the justification of a sinner In this hee comes somewhat neere to us but I doubt it is not in sincerity and truth but rather in show to make the ignorant to conceive better or at least not to judge so hardly of his opinion for marke his slubbering and dawbing with untempered morter I verily believe saith hee that GOD justifieth them that are justified not simply or barely for Christs sake or for his righteousnesse sake but for the righteousnesse of Christ his death being taken into consideration with it here you see a plaine contradiction for Christs righteousnesse his death being taken into consideration with it is no more but his perfect righteousnesse because his active obedience without his passive obediēce to death is no perfect fulfilling of the Law so that here is a contradiction even an affirmation and negation of one and the same thing in one continued sentence The parenthesis also which hee inserts to trouble the reader is false and frivolous to wit for a man may doe a thing for his sake whom hee much loves and respects though hee hath not otherwise deserved it at his hands First let mee aske him what is his drift in these words It seemes to mee either to be wholly superfluous or to intimate that Christs righteousnes did not deserve our justification at GODS hands but that GOD out of love and respect to Christs person without the merit of his righteousnesse doth accept us and count us righteous Secondly let mee tell him that when a man doth any thing for another out of love without desert hee doth it for his owne loves sake and for the magnifying of his kindnes and free bounty and thus GOD did in giving his Sonne for us undeserving sinners But when justice doth stand up in strength and pleades for right as in the justification of sinners then a full satisfaction must come between love can no otherwise be rightly and lawfully shewed but by making a satisfaction or by apposing one who is sufficient to make satisfaction that no evill but good may be done to the party loved and respected and thus the case stands in justification of sinners Thirdly though a man out of his corrupt and carnall love may doe a thing for his favorite without desert or just consideration yea contrary to justice yet it is not so with GOD who is no respecter of persons in matter of justice and justification Hee doth never out of his free love decree to doe any thing but withall hee decrees and ordeines a just consideration why hee should doe it so that this is a frivolous parenthesis both false and from the matter In the fourth place hee sheweth what hee denies in denying the imputation of Christs righteousnesse viz. That GOD lookes upon a believing sinner and accounts him as one that hath done in his owne person all that Christ did in obedience to the morall Law and hereupon pronounceth him righteous so that he doth stand as righteous before GOD as Christ himselfe because righteous with the same righteousnesse and so GOD makes himselfe countable to him for such obedience imputed in as great matters of reward as hee would have beene for the like obedience particularly performed by himselfe In this expression of himselfe here is much calumny error and untruth First he doth calumniate and slander the true Doctrine of Christ professed by us concerning the imputation of Christs righteousnesse for no man in his right wits did ever hold that imputation of Christs righteousnesse to believers is GODS accounting them to have performed in their owne persons every act of obedience which Christ performed to the Law This is a manifest contradiction fitter for a giddy fancy to imagine then for any true Christian to professe The truth which wee professe is this that true believers being by that one spirit which workes faith in them united to Christ and made partakers of his righteousnesse and believing and applying by faith to themselves his satisfaction particularly are accounted truly righteous before GOD by communion and imputation not by legall performance in their owne persons And though the righteousnesse by which they are justified is the very same which is in Christ and which hee performed yet it doth not follow that they thereby are as fully righteous as Christ himselfe for he is originally righteous by
partakers of him and all his goods which being imputed to us are sufficient that wee may bee absolved before GOD and deemed righteous Confess cap. 4. ss 7. in notes on Romans 3.22.24 Secondly that faith sends to Christ for perfect righteousnesse to justification and that it assures us of salvation through his righteousnesse alone because whatsoever is in Christ is imputed to us as if it were our owne if so bee wee embrace him by faith The righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed hee describeth to bee the greatest and most absolute perfection of righteousnesse consisting in these two things First that he hath no sinne in him Secondly that hee hath fulfilled all the righteousnesse of the Law confess cap. 4 ss 8. in his notes on Rom 3.22.26 and Rom. 4.5 and 5.12 and Phil. 3.9 Thirdly hee sheweth that wee come to have communion of Christs righteousnesse by spirituall union and mariage with Christ. If saith he wee bee united and ioyned together into fellowship with Christ by faith nothing is more properly ours then Christ and whatsoever is Christs confess 4. ss 9. Fourthly hee pronounceth that it is no lesse then wicked blasphemie to denie the mutuall and reciprocall imputation of the sinnes of beleevers to Christ and of Christs perfect satisfaction to beleevers Lib. contra Anonymum de justificatione Fiftly hee affirmes that righteousnesse which iustifieth men before GOD must bee both a full satisfaction for sinne and also a perfect fulfilling of GODS commandements in every part on Rom 3.20 Our learned Whitakers in his answere to Campions 8th reason pagâ—8 â—8 and in the 8 Book against Duraeus pag 177.182 183. doth pithily dispute and stoutly maintaine the Doctrine of the righteousnes of Christ imputed which he proves to be the onely perfect righteousnes able to justifie us before GOD. Master Perkins also in his Golden Chaine Chap. 37. makes the translation of the beleevers sinnes to Christ and Christs righteousnes to the beleever by a mutuall reciprocall imputation the very forme of iustification Polanus in Syntagmate Theolog l. 6 c. 36. doth maintain the same dâ—ctrine with Luther Calvin MelaÌ„cthon Beza Whitakers proves every point fully by plain testimonies invincible argumeÌ„ts out of the holy Scriptures And in his Symphonia catholica he brings testimonies of the ancients affirming every article of our doctrine and in his Theses de iustifi hee shewes the consent of the most famous Orthodox Divines of the reformed religion since Luther As for Musculus and Junius whom hee brings as favourers of his errour with other later Dâ—vines let their owne writings speake and declare how wickedly hee doth abuse them in bringing their wordes to overthrow the imputation of Christs righteousnes Musculus on Rom. 8.4 expounds the Apostles wordes that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us to be meant first of all imputatively by the righteousnesse of another even of Christ which is also ours for wee are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones and Rom. 10.3.4 and by the righteousnesse which iustifieth beleevers hee understands Christs perfect righteousnesse imputed to us Also Iunius thes 35. and 36. doth affirme that the righteousnesse of faith imputed to beleevers is the righteousnesse which the Law requires performed by Christ differing onely in this that legall righteousnesse is every mans fulfilling of the Law in his owne person but this Evangelicall is the fulfilling of the Law by Christ GOD and man our surety and mediatour And for this Socinian hereticall opinion of faith imputed in a proper sense for righteousnesse in iustification No man can shew greater enmity against it nor with greater detestation oppose and condemne it then Paraeus in his commentary on the Romans and in other his workes Thus much for the vindicating of the best learned both Ancient writers and moderne Divines from the foule slanders most falsly belched out against them by this most impudent forger of false witnesses without any feare of GOD or shame of men And by their owne testimonies and plaine wordes rehearsed out of their owne writings I have made manifest their unanimous consent in the true Doctrine of iustification by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to true beleevers and of them apprehended and applyed by faith Now I leave it to all indifferent readers and zealous Christians to consider whether it bee not their dutie both to take heed to themselves and also to admonish others that they have no fellowship with so openly profest Socinian sectaries as this man and his followers are you see the Doctrine which they maintaine is wicked and blasphemous heresie And after many admonitions given by grave learned Divines divers publick coÌ„fuatations censures often passed in publique against this errour they still persist in their pestilent heresie and are more mad to disperse it then before And when truth cannot help them they flee for aide to the father of lyars and make lyes their refuge and in forging lyes they sinne being condemned of themselves even against their knowledge and conscience as the Apostle foretold of heretikes Tit. 3.11 How wilfully against the known truth and his owne conscience this desperate man hath proclaimed Luther Calvin Beza Musculus Iunius and others to bee of his opinion I have sufficiently proved if ever he hath looked into the writings of any of them his own eyes have taught him how opposite they are to his heresie But it is no new and strange thing for heretikes to sin being condemned of themselves when they are once subverted The Apostle hath foretold us that we must expect no better from such in that place before named Tit. 3 11. Now in conclusion I appeale to all Christian readers and desire their opinion and judgement in the particulars following First whether I have not in all this answere declared and expressed what I meane by the righteousnesse of Christ which I have proved to be imputed to beleevers for justification If I have made manifest by plaine profession that by the righteousnes of Christ I understand his perfect fulfilling of the whole Law of God and performing whatsoever the Law requires of man for righteousnesse even a full satisfaction made in mans behalfe to the Law of justice Then I appeale to the judgement of all reasonable men whether my adversary hath not most wickedly belyed me in word and writing for he hath both wayes charged me that I neither hold Christs habituall holynes and uprightnes of his humane nature nor his active obedience to the whole Law or any righteousnes of workes by him performed nor both these together to be the righteousnes of Christ imputed and thereupon he clamours against me that I hold and teach a righteousnes of Christ which never was in Christ I confesse I have ever taught and held That neither the habituall nor actuall righteousnes of Christ alone nor both together without his satisfaction of justice by bearing our sinnes and suffering the punishments due to them are a sufficient ransome to redeeme us nor a compleat and perfect obedience and fulfilling of the whole able to justifie us in the sight of GOD and to reconcile us to him Now to affirme that all three together are imputed is not to deny the imputation of the two first though they that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calumniators may so wrest the words Secondly whether hee who hath beleeved and preached and in writing maintained for 28 yeares last passed to this houre what hee in this answere hath professed held and maintained can without wilfull lying and more then Jesuiticall forging be reported abroad confidently charged for a turnecoat whom this Adversary by this his Socinian learning and Sophistry hath so confounded and convinced him that hee is wholly turned to be of the same opinion and hath vowed to maintaine his Socinianisme both publikely and privatly to the utmost of his power So this mans followers have reported and have withall added that so many as have come within his breath are all illuminated by him and being converted to his opinion do rejoyce in the light by which he hath shined into their hearts Thirdly whether this Answer to his Socinianisme be such that both it and the Author of it have nothing in them but words and passion and that herein hee is strangely and monstrously metamorphosed from a Minister of Christ into an Angell of darknes besmearing the brightnes of his face with the foot and grease of Hell that the words and phrases of this answere are the black Princes coine and there is little in it besides cursing and rayling For many such fiery darts hath this Adversary throwne against the Answerer in a scurrilous Libel fraught with lies forgeries absurdities contradictions and blasphemies and sent forth under the name of a replie which is also confuted by the Answerer and the filthynesse thereof so plainely discovered that all true Christians and modest men will say of it that the reciting of it is a full confutation From all such wicked spirits the GOD of truth defend his Church and People and grant a free passage to his Gospel and to his faithfull Ministers a doore of utterance that they may preach among all men every where the unsearchable riches of Christ. To this GOD of truth let us consecrate our tongues and pens and resolve with both to maintaine his truth by his grace and the assistance of his Spirit so long as strength breath and life shall last And to him let us give all glory now and ever Amen FJNJS December 8. 1640. Jmprimatur THOMAS VVYKES Epistolica Collatio cum Bertio pag 1. 2. Lib. con Anonymum Wotton de Reconciliatione 1 Cor. 2.12 1 Part. 2 Part. 3. Part. 4. Part. Ans. Answer Answere Answere
transgressor and doth pronounce him just The third is a Iudiciary sense lesse properly so called when a supreme Iudge by soveraignety of power doth acquit and absolve a man and remit the penalty of the Law which he deserves upon weighty consideration knowne to himselfe and doth deliver him and discharge him as if he were an innocent and righteous man The first Physicall sense he rejects and playes upon Bellarmine for reteining and using the word Iustifie in that sense And yet he himselfe immediatly acknowledgeth that GOD upon a mans Iustification begins to Iustifie him Physically by infusing into him habituall and inhaerent righteousnesse But this he saith is in Scripture called Sanctification The second sense he also disclaimes and in this dispute embraceth the third sense to wit that Iustification signifies GODS forgiving a man freely all that he hath done against the Law and his acquiting and discharging of a man from the guilt and punishment due by the Law for such offences not for any consideration which can be pleaded for him according to the Law but for somwhat done for him in this case to relieve him out of the course order and appointment of the Law His reason why he embraceth this sense is because he conceives Iustification to stand in forgivenesse of sinne which belongs to the Law in no respect at all In all this part and passage I find not one particle of solid truth but many grosse errors and falshoods for of all the three significations of the word Iustifie by him here named onely the first may passe in some tollerable construction but not in his sense for though GOD in the creation made our first Parents after his owne Image and similitude in perfect righteousnesse indued with a naturall and habituall uprightnesse conformable to his revealed will and Law and in this respect may be said to have Iustified that is made them upright as the wise Preacher saith Eccles. 7.29 GOD made man upright Yet whether this act of creation was a Physicall act of GOD or rather a voluntary act of his will of his wisdome and counsell and so may be called Artificial is something disputable As for the framing and making of the man Christ the blessed seed by the power of the holy Ghost pure holy upright and iust from his first conception this was a spirituall and supernaturall act and the holinesse and righteousnesse was a supernaturall gift given from above not introduced by naturall generation nor raised from naturall principles That making of men righteous in their sanctification which Bellarmine speaks of is not iustification in a naturall but in a spirituall sense For the spirit of GOD worketh those habits and graces of holinesse in men whom GOD hath begotten of his owne will in the word of truth And therefore when Bellarmine or Goodwin or any other call this a Physicall iustifying they erre grossely For if it be any iustification at all it is spirituall and morall But for my part I finde not that by the Spirit of GOD in Scripture any habituall holinesse of men begun in this life is called righteousnesse simply in it selfe But as the Saints regenerate and faithfull are called righteous in respect of their communion with Christ and participation of his righteousnes So their sanctity or habituall holinesse is called righteousnesse not simply in it selfe but by coniunction with the righteousnesse of Christ the head of the body which as it iustifies them by constituting and making them righteous so also it iustifies their rectified holy actions which they performe by the moâ—ions of the spirit and by Faith in Christ as learned Beza well observed and truth affirmeth Lib. contra Anonymum and their sanctification cannot be called iustification but by reason of coniunction with iustification in the same person For if it were possible for a sinfull man to be made perfectly holy and conformable to GODS Law in his owne person yet having formerly transgressed the Law and failed in many things â—his nâ—w conformity to the Law by reason of those sinnes and failings will prove a lame righteousnesse not fit to satisfie the Law and to be accepted for perfect righteousnesse to justification because if a man keepe the whole Law and faile in one point he is guilty of all Iam. 2 10. No righteousnesse can justifie which is not a perfect obedience and conformity of the whole man to the whol law in his whole life froÌ„ the beginning to the end Secondly that signification of the word Iustification which hee calls a judiciary sense properly so called is as he describes it a foolish fiction of his owne braine for never did any but a mad-man dreame of Iustifying sinners by a subordinate Judge absolving them from punishment according to the strict termes and rules of the Law for that were to give a false sentence and to pronounce a man free from all transgression of the Law and a perfect fulfiller of it in his owne person All our learned and Iudicious Divines doe hold that the full satisfaction and obedience of CHRIST being communicated and imputed to true believers they are absolved and have their sinnes pardoned and are counted and iudged righteous by GOD as men who have satisfied the Iustice and iust Law of GOD by CHRIST their head and surety not in their own persons which the Law in strict termes requires this is justification in the Iudiciary sense which is approved by the learned Thirdly that Iudiciary sense improperly so called which he approves allows in this dispute is an Hereticall and Socinian conceipt for so long as GOD the supreme Iudge of all the world is immutable and infinite in Iustice he neither can nor will dispense with his eternall iust Law in any iot or tittle but will have it perfectly fulfilled either by our selves or some sufficient surety in our behalfe and will forgive no sinner without a full suffering and satisfaction made to the Law in the same kind which the law requires though not in every mans person and this full satisfaction must be communicated to every one and made his owne by union with CHRIST his head before that GOD will iudge or account him righteous and pardon al his sinnes To imagin a somewhat in consideration whereof GOD forgives sinners and accepts them as if they were righteous besides the full satisfaction of GODS Justice and just law is to conceive GOD to bee mutable and not the same in his infinite justice at all times and to affirme it is Samosatenian and Socinian Blasphemy Fourthly in arguing against the second sense by him propounded he wrestles with his owne shadow and fights against a fiction of his owne braine and discovers his blindnesse and ignorance of the dictinction and difference betweene Legal and Evangelicall justification and righteousnesse Legal righteousnesse is the condition of the first covenaÌ„t of works and consists in perfect conformity and obedience to the law performed by every man in his owne person and
was in the first covenant and under the Law So all Divines hold both ancient and moderne The Conclusion THerefore upon mens beleeving GOD shall bee as countable to them to give them the same favour rewards and privileges that should have beene given unto them in regard of the perfect righteousnesse of workes and of the Law if they had fulfilled it First for his negatives heaped up in the proposition wherein wee have a narration of what he holds not if we lay them altogether they will conclude that faith is no way at all imputed for righteousnes for neither in respect of the subject in which the habit of it resteth nor in respect of the actes which man performes by it nor in respect of any thing which GOD by his spirit gives it in the production of it that is for no quantity quality or vertue in it nor in respect of the object Christ nor in respect of the life soule or forme which gives it the specificall being and subsistence so hee plainely professeth and besides these there is no other respect in which it may bee imputed as al reasonable men do know Therefore the conclusion is that it is not imputed at all But yet in affirming nothing but denying all respects which reason can conceive in faith and in roming from himselfe and us he kicks at us and by the way snarls and bytes at the truth For it is most certaine that faith is said to be imputed in respect of GODS production of it by his spirit and in respect of the object Christ and his righteousnes which it doth lay hold on and apply For the spirit of regenerarion being shed on us through Christ dwelling in us and making us one body with Christ partakers of his whole satisfaction doth worke iustifying faith in us and this union and conjunction which in order of nature goeth before faith and concurres to the production of it is the ground and reason of the imputation of it If Christ were not made ours and his satisfaction communicated to us faith could not truely believe in Christ nor truely apply his righteousnesse therefore the two last of his negatives are false and haereticall Besides it is not to be passed over in silence that here againe he contradicts himselfe and grants that Christ with his righteousnesse is the object of faith and laying hold on him is the life and soule of faith which hee utterly denyeth and disputes to the contrary in the next Chapter as I have touched before As for his assumption the sum whereof is that faith is imputed and accepted of GOD for righteousnesse upon the same termes that perfect righteousnes of works should have beene in the first Covenant This is Socinian haeresie in the highest degree so grosse and palpable and so openly and expressely affirmed by him that no salt of interpretation can keepe it from stinking in the nostrills of any true Christian. Here also wee may note his ignorance absurdity and nonsense for instead of shewing in what respect faith is imputed hee affirmes that hee holds it to be imputed instead of perfect righteousnesse of our owne workes and that it is in the new Covenant a condition answerable and every way as sufficient and availeable to procure all favours rewards and priviledges to us from GOD as the righteousnesse of workes was in the Covenant of workes and both here and in the conclusion hee makes faith as meritorious and as strong a bond to tye GOD and make him countable for all favours rewards and priviledges under paine of being counted a covenant breaker as the perfect fulfilling of the Law by every man in his owne person was in the covenant of workes and here doth more then give the right hand of fellowship to Popish justification for hee transcends them and makes GOD more obliged to men for them and more countable then any Papists ever did As for the testimonies which hee brings out of Ambrose and Calvin they are nothing to his purpose they onely affirme that as the Law was mans onely guide to salvation and the rule of righteousnesse in the old covenant So faith in the Gospel is the onely way to salvation in the new covenant and the meanes by which we receive the grace of GOD and the righteousnesse of Christ offered to us for justification and salvation Socinianisme SEcondly when we deny the imputation of Christs righteousnes in justification we neither deny the righteousnesse of Christ in it selfe we rather suppose and establish it neither 2º doe wee deny the absolute necessity of it both to the justification and salvation of a sinner neither 3º do wee deny a meritorious efficiencie and causalitie in that righteousnes in respect of the justification of a sinner but verily believe and conceive that GOD justifieth all that are justified not simply or barely for Christs sake or for his righteousnes sake for a man may doe a thing for his sake whom he much loves and respects though he hath not otherwise deserved it at his hands but for the righteousnesse of Christ his death being taken into the consideration with it why GOD should justifie those that believe in him But 4º and lastly that which we deny in denying the imputation of Christs righteousnesse is this that GOD should looke upon a believing sinner and account of him as one that hath done in his owne person all that Christ did in obedience to the morall Law and hereupon pronounce him righteous or which is the same that GOD should impute unto him those particular acts of obedience which Christ performed in that nature and property of them so that hee should stand as righteous before GOD as Christ himselfe or which is the same righteous with the selfe same righteousnesse wherewith Christ was righteous and so GOD make himselfe countable to him for such obedience imputed in as great matters of rewards as he would have beene for the like obedience personally performed by himselfe in a word this is that which we deny and this is that which we affirme concerning the righteousnesse of Christ in the justification of a sinner that GOD cloathes none with the letter of it but every man that believes with the spirit of it 1. that this righteousnes of Christ is not that that is imputed unto any man for his righteousnesse but is that for which righteousnes is imputed to every man that believeth a justified person may in such a sense be said to be cloathed with Christs righteousnesse as Pauls necessities were relieved and supplied by his hands Act. 20.24 these hands saith hee have ministred to my necessities Paul neither eate his fingers nor spun out the flesh of his hands into cloathing and yet was both fed and cloathed with them So may a believer be said to be cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ and yet the righteousnes of Christ it selfe not to be his cloathing but onely that which procureth his cloathing unto him and so Calvin calls that
which he beleeved to wit Christ promised for righteousnes and salvation was that which by GOD was upon Abrahams beleeving counted to him for righteousnes It was not his faith simply considered in it selfe but his faith embracing Christ promised and possessing him with his righteousnes and satisfaction which was reckned to him for righteousnes and as to him so to every one that beleeveth his faith is counted to him for righteousnes For all true beleevers who by faith lay hold on Christ the promised seed of Abraham and beleeve GOD to be their shield and exceeding great reward in him they are by one spirit baptised into one spirituall body with Christ united to him their spirituall head and made his lively members and sensible partakers of his perfect obedience righteousnes and full satisfaction for redemption remission of sinnes justification and perfect salvation and need not any more to seeke the reward of blessednes by the righteousnes of their owne workes performed according to the tenour of the Law by every man in his owne person but in the LORD Iesus Christ who is Iehovah Zid-kenu the LORD our righteousnes Ier. 23.6 and the end and fulfilling of the Law for righteousnes to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10.4 they have perfect righteousnes And in him GOD is become their reward and the lot and portion of their inheritance Psal. 16.5 And that gracious and free favour which GOD shewed to Abraham when hee beleeved in Christ promised and firmely without staggering applyed to himselfe the blessing promised being fully perswaded that GOD who of his free grace promised was by his power able to performe though by the course of nature and by reason of the deadnesse of Sara's wombe he himselfe seemed to bee and indeed was uncapable of that blessing The same hee will shew to all true beleevers who are Abrahams faithfull seed and children of promise that is as hee reckoned Abrahams faith for righteousnes so hee will count their faith to them for righteousnes that is he will accept and account them for righteous persons as indeed they are not for any workes of their owne nor by any righteousnesse performed according to the letter of the law in their owne persons but by the righteousnes which is through the faith of Christ and is called the righteousnes of faith because it is the righteousnes of Christ GOD and man given to them of GOD and of them apprehended and applyed by faith For being thus justified by faith and having communion with Christ of his full satisfaction and righteousnes GOD whose judgement is according to truth doth certainely judge and count them as truly they are righteous in his sight becomes in Christ their shield and exceeding great reward This is the Orthodox exposition of the Apostles wordes in this Chapter generally received by all both ancient and moderne Divines famous for learning and godlinesse The corrupt and hereticall exposition of the Apostles words made by Socinus and maintained by his followers the Arminians and other fanaticall Sectaries THey of the Socinian faction doe generally hold and obstinately affirme that Abrahams beleeving and his faith taken in a proper literall sense without any trope is here said by the Apostle to be counted to Abraham for righteousnes in stead of all righteousnes which either Abraham himselfe was by the Law bound to performe in his owne person or any surety could performe for him And in like manner to every one that beleeveth his faith is in a proper sense said to bee counted for righteousnes even his faith by it selfe and not the righteousnes of Christ with it This is their exposition And upon these wordes of the Apostle thus falsly and corruptly interpreted they build all their hereticall opinions and doctrines concerning justification of the faithfull before GOD namely these following First that faith as it is in every beleever even as it is inherent in him and is his owne faith and beleeving is the onely thing which GOD of his grace and mercy and out of his absolute soveraigne power and dominion is pleased to ordaine appoint and account for all the righteousnes which a man shall have for his justification though in truth and according to Law and the rule of justice it is not righteousnes being weak oftentimes and full of imperfections Secondly that the Spirit of GOD in these wordes of the Apostle did not intend or meane any communion of the righteousnes and perfect obedience performed by Christ to the Law as our surety and in our stead nor imputation of that righteousnes to every true beleever for justification nor GODS accepting of the faithfull for righteous by that righteousnes communicated to them and of them applyed possessed and enjoyed by faith By faith and believing they do not understand that applying faith which is a gift and worke of GODS Spirit in the elect regenerate and sanctified by which they do believe and are perswaded that they are in Christ and Christ is their head and they as lively members of his mysticall body have communion of all his benefits even of his full satisfaction and perfect righteousnes for justification and full remission of all their sinnes But by faith and believing they understand onely a confidence in GOD that hee will performe his promises made in Christ and an assent unto his word that it is true The tenour of which word and promises they conceive to be this That Christ in his pure unspotted humane nature hath by his righteousnesse suffering and obedience unto death meritted such high favour with GOD that GOD in honour to him is pleased to accept and account the faith of them that believe in him and rest on him for their Saviour for perfect righteousnesse and requires no other righteousnesse to constitute and make them in any sort formally righteous in their justification When they acknowledge that the perfect righteousnesse and satisfaction of Christ is the meritorious cause of our justification they do not meane that they are communicated to us and so apprehended and possessed of us by faith that we are thereby indeed and in GODS account righteous before GOD and justified or that they deserve and are worthy that GOD should so account us for them But their mind and meaning is that Christ by his righteousnesse hath merited that GOD for his sake and in favour to him should account faith to us for righteousnesse without either our owne workes of the Law or Christs righteousnesse imputed to us and made ours by communion And when they say that faith is imputed for righteousnes as an instrument they doe not meane as the instrument or spirituall hand applying Christ his righteousnes to bee after a sort the formall righteousnesse of the believer but that faith as it is the instrument by which the believer doth believe that Christ hath purchased this favour that his believing should be the only thing accounted to him for righteousnes so onely and no other way GOD reckons to him
disdaine to take up for his constant dwelling the earthly tabernacles of mens bodies and to worke in them all graces needfull to conforme them to Christ and to make them sensibly to enjoy him with all his benefits This most wonderfully shewes GODS infinite mercy bounty and free goodnesse And all these meanes which are manifested and maintained by our Doctrine of justification this wicked opinion of the Socinians doth utterly take away First it denies GODS justice to require mans communion of such an infinite satisfaction made by Christ for him it treads GODS justice under foote by his soveraignty of power and maugre justice it makes mans imperfect faith to go current for righteousnes and to be accepted for perfect righteouses to justification Secondly if GOD by soveraignty of power can beare downe justice and make any weak and imperfect thing such as mans faith is serve in stead of Christs full satisfaction and perfect righteousnes Then hee might by the same power have appointed the sacrifice of a Lamb or any cleane beast or the satisfaction of any mere man and so it will follow that the giving of his son to bee made man was no point of wisedome but a going farre about and spending much even Christs blood when lesse might have served the turne As for GODS goodnesse mercy and bounty they are hereby made painted shewes and shadowes yea needlesse prodigality and Christs satisfaction is made vaine and superfluous Therfore this opinion which brings in such impious consequences is blasphemous and hereticall Fiftly that opinion which overthrowes the sacraments of the Gospel and takes away the true use of them is heriticall prophane and impious This opinion that Christs righteousnesse is not imputed to the faithfull doth so For the sacraments are seales of our union and communion with Christ Baptisme seales our engraffing into Christ in our new birth by which we become one with him The LORDS Supper is such a lively seale of our communion with Christ in the benefits of his death passion and full satisfaction expressed under the termes of eating his flesh and drinking his blood that it is commonly called the communion of the faithfull when it is rightly received But these Hereticks while by imputing faith in a proper sense they exclude the imputation of Christs righteousnes to the faithfull they deny their communion and union with Christ they take away the truth and the use of the Sacraments for if the faithfull are regenerate and by one spirit ingraffed into Christ and united unto him as Baptisme signifieth and sealeth and if they have spiritual communion with Christ of his righteousnes and all other benefits which the LORDS Supper signifieth and is thereof a seale to them Then GOD whose judgment is according to truth cannot but impute Christs righteousnes to them and accept it for them and account it theirs They who deny GODS imputing of it do either charge GOD with injustice and error of judgment in not counting and iudging that to be theirs in which they have communion and interest or else they deny the union and communion of the faithfull with Christ and make the sacraments lying signes and seales of false things and things which are not Therefore their opinion is most abominable profane impious and blasphemous argument 6 Sixtly that opinion which is invented and maintained by Heretiks who deny the eternall Godhead of Christ and tends mainely to perswade that there is no use of Christs being GOD and man in one person is Hereticall and blasphemous Such is this opinion of the Socinians it is an invention of Haretiks and tends to take away the use of Christs being GOD and to perswade men that there is no necessary use of his being GOD and man in one person For all Orthodox Divines give this reasō why it was necessary that Christ the mediator should be GOD in our nature even that the obedience suffering which he did under goe in mans nature might be the obedience and suffering of GOD and so of infinite value and though of him alone and but for a time yet of more worth then if all men in their owne persons had obeyed as much as hee did and suffered for ever in Hell They teach also that first for the removing of so great evils as the infinite wrath of GOD eternall death and torment in Hell and secondly for purchase of so great a good as is the state of righteousnesse and of grace and also of eternall glory in Heaven GODS justice could require no lesse satisfaction and righteousnes nor be satisfied with any other but that which is performed by him who is GOD and man in one person that is the perfect righteousnes and satisfaction of Christ which alone by the infinite value which it receives from his God-head is fit to remove so infinite an evil and to procure so infinite a good to men But the maintainers of this Socinian opinion by denying that GODS infinite justice stands in strength to exact such a satisfaction being over-ruled and oppressed by absolute soveraignty of power and by teaching that mercy and bounty run beyond reason freeing men from all need of such an infinite satisfaction to be communicated imputed to them and justifying them freely without righteousnes they do take away the use of Christs God-head in his mediation and the causes and reasons for which it was necessary that he should be GOD as well as man And in conclusion in places where they dare be bold to disclose the secret thoughts of their hearts they roundly deny Christ to be the Sonne of GOD of the same substance with GOD the Father Therefore this their opinion is most impious blasphemous and Hereticall And indeed it is never found in Histories to have been maintained by any but Samosatenian Heretiks deadly enemies to Christs deity Lastly that opinion which is builded upon an Hereticall and blasphemous ground and is upheld and maintained by blasphemous arguments which do shake and even raze the maine foundations of true Religion must needs be most wicked and blasphemous and such is this opinion for it is builded upon this blasphemous ground that GOD by his soveraigne power may do and will things contrary to his justice that is count and accept that for righteousnes which is no righteousnes nor worthy to be accounted an act of perfect righteousnes for such is the faith of fraile man taken in a proper sense The arguments by which it is commonly maintained are also blasphemous and wicked to wit First they argue that Christs righteousnes is not imputed to true believers neither can be made or counted theirs by GOD. Because Christs righteousnes is the righteousnes of another far different from them and GOD cannot iustify one by anothers righteousnes and therefore we are not iustified by Christs righteousnesse neither is it imputed in iustification Now what is this but a denying of the union of the faithfull with Christ for if he be one with us and we one
way and what not Now that which GOD precisely requires of men to their justification in stead of the works of the Law is their faith or to beleeve in the proper and formall signification He doth not require of us the righteousnes of Christ for our justification this hee required of Christ himselfe that which hee requires of us for this purpose is our faith in Christ. Therefore to certifie or say unto them that the righteousnes of Christ should be imputed to them for righteousnes would fall short of his scope and intent this way which was plainely and directly this to make known unto them the counsaile and good pleasure of GOD concerning that which was to be done and performed by them to their justification which he affirmeth from place to place to be nothing else but their faith in Christ or beleeving whereas to have said thus unto them that they must be justified by Christ or by Christs righteousnes and withall not to have plainely signified what GOD requires of them and will accept at their hand to give them fellowship in that righteousnes For justification which is by Christ and without which they could not be justified had beene rather to cast a snare upon them then to have opened a dore of life and salvation unto them Christianisme His second way of arguing to proue his opinions from the scope of the place and the intent of the Apostle in this discourse of justification His maine argument reduced into forme runs thus The scope of the place and intent of the Apostle is to hedg up with thornes the false way of justification which lay through works and to turne men from it as also to discover the true way to them to wit what they must do and what GOD requireth of them to their justification and what hee will accept at their hands instead of the workes of the Law and that is it which he here saith is imputed for righteousnesse But faith and believing in a proper and formall signification is that which they must do and performe to their justification which also GOD requires of them instead of workes of the Law and will accept at their hands instead of them Therefore faith in a proper sense is here said to be imputed To this argument I answere First that in the first proposition there is some truth affirmed but immediately contradicted and many falsehoodes intermingled That the Apostles scope and intent is to hedge up the false way of justification which lay through workes and to discover the ture way we grant for truth But like a mad or drunken man he immediately contradicts the truth which he had affirmed and tels us that the right way is doing and performing something which GOD requires at our hands to our iustification And what is this but the way which lyes through workes For to doe and perform somthing required of us that it may be accepted of GOD at our hands to our justification is to seek justification by the way of working in the judgement of men that are sober and in their wits Besides this manifest contradiction I find also much falshood and evill meaning 1. In saying the truth that the false way lyeth through works that is works performed in obedience to the Law by every man in his own person which is the true intent and meaning of the Apostle he hath a further wicked meaning namely that our seeking after the righteousnesse of Christ which consists in his works of obedience to the Law is the way which lyeth through works to justification and therefore the false way And this he declares to be his meaning in that he immediatly after labours to beat men off from Christs righteousnesse Wherfore I justly tax him here not onely of blasphemy in calling the righteousnesse Christ who is the way the truth and the life and seeking justification through it a false way but also of stupidity and blindnesse in that he cannot see the difference between our seeking justification by the righteousnesse offered to us in the Gospel to be apprehended by faith even Christs righteousnesse and our doing works of the Law for our justification or Christs performing works of the Law in his own person For Christs righteousnesse as it was performed by himselfe was legall and according to the strict termes of the Law but as it comes to us by communion and is applyed by faith it is Euangelicall 2. In that he saith God requires somthing to be done of men for their Justification which God imputes to them and accepts at their hands instead of the works or righteousnesse of the Law Hereby he sets up justification by some thing which a man doth and performeth which the Apostle altogether opposeth in this discourse and his whole scope is bent against it and his whole intent and drift is to shew that we are justified not by giving or doing but by receiving that which is freely given of GOD and reputed for righteousnes even the righteousnesse of him who is GOD and is called therfore the righteousnesse of God Chap. 3.21 and 10.3 Hereby also he brings in a doing and performing of somthing by men which is accepted of God over and above that which the Law requireth which is a meere Popish fiction tending to dishonour the Law and to make it an imperfect rule of mans wel doing And withall he makes the new Covenant a condicionall Covenant and not of free Grace promising justification and salvation upon condition of mens doing In the second place his assumption wherein he affirms that faith and beleeving in the proper and formall signification is that which men must doe and performe and which God requires and will accept at their hands instead of works of the Law for justification it contains in it most grosse Socinian errour and much absurdity and untruth First in that he calls faith and beleeving a thing done and performed by men this is directly contrary to the Apostle who teacheth that faith is not of our selves but is the gift of God Ephes. 2.8 and that we of our selves are not sufficient to think much lesse to do that which God can accept but our sufficiencies of God 2 Cor. 3.5 and it is God which worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 so that faith and beleeving are not a condition performed by us to oblige God but a part of the Grace freely promised in the Covenant and given to us even the worke and motion of his Spirit in us Secondly in that he sets up faith instead of all righteousnesse and perfect fullfilling of the Law hereby he doth professe himselfe a Socinian Hereticke in plain terms and conspires with those Heretickes to overthrow the justice of God in our justification and to make Christs satisfaction vaine and needlesse as I have before shewed After his arguing for the imputation of faith he proceeds here in his second way of arguing as he did in the former