for us to satisfie in our stead and his holy spirit to unite us to his Sonne and to bring us to communion of his satisfaction Thus wee see that they shut up the doore of Heaven and stop that onely way to eternall life by overthrowing justification which is the making and accounting of men righteous by that onely righteousnes of Christ besides which there is not any other to be found sufficient and able to beare us out before GODS tribunall of justice Now let all true Christians well weigh and consider the difference betweene truth and errour life and death true Christianity and Antichristian infidelity for such is the damned Socinianisme before discovered And if any man in the midst of the light of the Gospell shining so clearely and discovering so plainely cursed heresie will be blind let him bee more blind still and if any will be filthie let them bee more filthie still And if any love not the LORD Jesus but hate and blaspheme his truth let him be Anathema Maranatha Amen THE SECOND CHAPTER OF Socinianisme Wherein the imputation of faith for righteousnesse in a proper sense is undertaken to be proved from the Scriptures and the interpretation of those Scriptures confirmed both by reason and authority as well of ancient as moderne Divines THE PREFACE WHat it is that should be imputed for righteousnesse in justification all the wisdome and learning under heaven is not so fit or able to determine as the holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures being the great Secretary of heaven and privie to all the wayes and counsels of GOD and therefore there is none to him to take up any difference or to comprimise betweene the controverters about any subiect in Religion All the difficulty and question is because though hee speakes upon the house top yet hee interprets in the eare all the Christian world either knowes or readily may know what hee speakes in the Scripture But what his meaning and intent is in any thing he leaves unto men to debate and make out amongst them To some indeed hee reveales the secret of his counsell the Spirit of his letter in some particulars but because these are not marked in the forehead therefore their apprehensions and thoughts though the true begotten of the truth are yet in common esteeme but like other mens till some stamp or superscription of rationall authority be set upon them to make the difference yea many times the nearer the truth the further off from the approbation of many and sometimes even of those that are greatest pretenders to the truth The Answere THe first part or speech is a solid truth to wit that no wisdome and learning under heaven is so fit or able to determine what is imputed for righteousnes in justification as the holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures But this truth he contradicts in the next words which follow immediately where he saith that the holy Ghost leaues his meaning and intent to men to debate which if it be true then men are to determine and to take up every difference about any subject in Religion This beginning with contradiction is very ominous and prodigious and from hence we may gather what we are likely to find in his ensuing discourse The rule by which men are to judge of the Spirits meaning is the stamp and superscription of rationall authority set upon them so hee here expressely affirmes and in this hee openly professeth himselfe to be of the faction of the Socinian and Arminian remonstrants who doe teach that the best judge of the meaning of the Scriptures is recta ratio that is their owne carnall reason rectified by the art of Sophistrie Againe hee affirmes that all the Christian world knowes or readily may know what the holy Ghost speaks in the Scripture If this be true then they are all taught of GOD and the Spirit leaues not his meaning to men to debate and to promise betweene controverters Here is another contradiction Hee proceeds yet further in his absurdities and tells us that the holy Ghost reveales not to all the Christian world but to some the secret of his counsell the Spirit of his letter this is a contradiction to that which went next before And whereas before hee saith that all the Christian world knowes what the holy Ghost speakes in Scripture that is all saving truth here hee saith that hee reveales the secret of his counsell but in some particulars thus in every thing he contradicts himselfe and like a lunatick broken out of Bedlam he raves first saying and affirming and immediately denying and gainesaying in the same things But yet a lunatick persons have high conceits of themselves that they are of noble and royall blood right heires to Crownes Kingdoms and Empires or if not the holy Ghost himselfe yet persons wonderfully illuminated and inspired by him And many times they will not utter their conceits in expresse words but tell you of such great persons and complaine of your blockish dulnesse and stupidity if you doe not presently discerne that they speake of themselves and they are the men So here doth this illuminated Doctor deale with us He tells us of some speciall ones to whom the Spirit interprets in the eare and reveales the secret of his councell the Spirit of his letter who are the true begotten of the truth and that hee takes himself to be a chiefe among these it appeares first by his undertaking to give a reason of the counsell and purpose of GOD in his former Chapter as I have there noted Secondly by his taking upon him here to determine this question which none but such illuminated ones can be able to do And hee breakes off his prologue with a kind of complaint and exprobration full of disdaine namely this that because they meaning himselfe and his fellowes are not marked in the forehead by the Spirit of illumination therefore their thoughts and apprehensions are yet in common esteeme like other men you see non sapit humanum nec est mortale quod optat till some stamp and superscription of rationall authority be set upon them to make the difference Here hee seemes in this last clause to take courage and to conceive some hope that by the rational authority of his new coined Logick of which he lately gave us a tast whē he told us that causes are opposit ex diametro therefore the efficient impulsive instrumentall materiall formall and finall causes of mans justification and salvation cannot all or the most of them concurre in one person Christ though GOD and man hee will make the difference knowne betweene his excellency and other mens ignobility and obscurity The last clause of his complaint wherewith hee concludes his Preface is an overthwart blow to some where speaking of those first begotten of the truth he saith yea many times the nearer the truth the further off from the approbation of many and sometimes even of those that are the greatest pretenders to the
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
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
truth A shrewd nip if you marke it to you learned Doctors Preachers of the Citie of London who are great pretenders to the truth and yet the nearer that hee is come to the truth and makes his unlearned followers able to see it to the bottom as he hath often told us the further off hee is from your approbation If hee be thus bold and ready to nip you who doe not approve his opinion it is no marvaile that his rude followers doe lay all slaunders reproach and aspersions on us who oppose him and charge him with Socinian haeresie and blasphemy whom they admire and proclaime to bee the great light of GODS Church in these last dayes Socinianisme Foure things there are especially which much commend an Interpretation when they are found in conjunction and establish it like that King upon his Throne Prov. 36.31 against whom there is no rising up First if the Letter or Grammar of the Scripture will fairely and strongly beare it 2º If the scope of the place will close directly and intirely with it 3º When the interpretation which is set up against it cannot stand before the circumstances of the text 4º And lastly when the judgement of able learned and unpartiall men are found in concurrence with it If these foure be sufficient to furnish out an interpretation with authority and power then shall wee need no more Scriptures to prove the innocency of our affirmative viz. the imputation of faith for righteousnes the truth of the negative inseparably accompanying it but that one Chapter onely Rom. 4. Christianisme IN these wordes hee makes his enterance into the disputing of the point before propounded to wit faith in a proper sense is imputed for righteousnes in justification which speech excludes the righteousnes of Christ from being the onely righteousnes by which being communicated and imputed to true beleevers they are justified and stand righteous before GOD. First he propounds foure things which when they are found in coniunction with an interpretation of any Scripture they commend and establish it as he saith like that King upon his Throne against whom there is no rising up Prov. 30.31 These foure things First the literal sense strongly bearing it Secondly the scope of the place concurring Thirdly the inconsistence of the circumstances of the place with the interpretation which is contrary Fourthly the Judgement of able learned men agreeing with it these I say may passe for current But whether that one place of Scripture in the interpretation whereof these concurre bee alone without more Scriptures sufficient to prove the innocency of an assertion which is agreeable to that interpretation is a question many interpretations seeme to have all these and yet are contradicted by other Scriptures as that place Hosea 11.1 When Israel was a child out of Egypt have I called my Sonne being interpreted of the Nation of the Israelites was borne up by the letter concurred with the scope and circumstances more then many contrary expositors and all the learned and able Jewes so understood it and yet the Gospell expounds it another way Mat. 2.15 The place of Scripture upon the interpretation whereof established by these foure things hee intends to build his whole dispute in this Chapter is the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans so that his proofes by which hee goeth about to set the royall Crowne which is due to Christ and his righteousnes on the head of mans imperfect faith are according to these foure things divided into foure rankes First he undertakes to prove that the Letter of that Scripture Rom. 4. doth beare up his interpretation to wit that faith in it selfe and in a proper sense is said to bee imputed for righteousnes in justification Secondly by the scope of the place Thirdly by shewing that the circumstances of that Scripture cannot beare the Doctrine of Christs righteousnes imputed Fourthly by the judgement and testimonies of able learned and unpartiall men But how poorely he performes his undertakings and how pitifully hee faileth in them wee shall in the progresse shew That his disputation is like to be very Illogicall we may gather from the foule flaw which appeares in his Logicke in this his first enterance where hee saith wee need no more Scriptures to prove the innocency of our affirmative viz. the imputation of faith for righteousnes the truth of the negative inseparably accompanying it but that Chapter onely Rom. 4. First it is against all true reason and Logicke that the affirmative should be innocent from untruth and that the negative which is opposed to it should have truth accompanying it If his affirmative faith is imputed for righteousnesse in a proper sense be true then the negative must needs be false to wit faith in a proper sense is not imputed But perhaps by the negative he doth not meane the negative of his affirmative but some other negative proposition the subject whereof is different from the subject of his affirmative His hatred and envy against Christs righteousnesse least it should get the Crowne from faith is so great that wee may well conceive that by the negative hee in heart meanes this Christs righteousnes is not imputed in justification which if hee doth wee cannot but blame him for speaking ambiguously which Logick in a disputation abhorreth But I leave his trifling and come to the ground and foundation of his discourse even that fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans on which he labours to build his hereticall opinion The words of that Chapter which seeme most to favour him are these Verse 3. Abraham beleeved GOD and it was counted to him for righteousnes and verse 5. To him that beleeveth his faith is counted for righteousnes and verse 9. For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousnes That the truth may more plainly appeare and the contrary falshoode and errour be made more fully manifest I will first lay down the true orthodoxe exposition of the words which is according to the common judgement of the most godly learned and judicious Divines of the best reformed Churches Secondly I will truely rehearse the corrupt exposition of the Apostles wordes made by the hereticke Socinus and his followers the Arminians and other fanaticall Sectaries unto which this adversary adheres and grounds his whole disputation upon it The orthodox exposition I will illustrate and confirme by the scope and circumstances of the rext and by arguments drawne from other Scriptures The corrupt exposition also I will prove to be false and hereticall And afterwards I will proceed to answer this adversaries discourse in every particular The true Exposition explained FIrst these wordes that Abraham beleeved GOD and it was counted to him for righteousnes are generally held to be improper and tropicall and that the meaning of them is not that Abrahams faith or act of beleeving by it selfe in a proper sense was counted to him for righteousnes but that the object of his faith even that
and beleeving which wee on our part must performe for iustification life and salvation And hereby they abolish the freedome of the new Covenant and make it a Covenant conditionall and not of free grace For what soever is covenanted-and promised upon a condition to be performed is not absolutely free nor freely given and so according to their Doctrine they that are iustified by faith are not freely iustified by grace whereas they plead Scripture for their errour and alledge that iustification and life is promised upon condition of beleeving If you beleeve you shall be saved I answer that this is a grosse and absurd mistake For every conditionall proposition doth not propound the conditition of a Covenant which the party to whom a thing is promised must performe that the promise may bee made good to him for such a condition whensoever it is performed makes the thing covenanted a due debt which the promiser is bound to give But oftentimes a conditionall proposition propounds the meanes by which a free gift is received or the qualification by which one is made capable and fit to receive and enjoy a free gift as for example it is often said in Scripture if yee will heare and hearken yee shall eate the good of the land and shall live and not be destroyed Isay 1.19 Ier. 26.3 and many other places If we love one another GOD dwelleth in us 1 Iohn 4. If we walke in the light we have fellowship one with another 1 Iohn 1.2 If we confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and just to forgive 1 Iohnâ— 9 If a man be just and do that which is right he shall surely live Ezech 18.5.21 In all which and the like places there is no condition of the Covenant propounded but onely the way and meanes to receive blessing or the quality condition by which men are made capable and fit to enjoy the blessing and somtimes the signes tokens and effects of them that are in a blessed estate And even so when GODS word saith If you believe yee shall be saved There is no condition of the Covenant propounded to be performed on our part for justification and salvation but onely the qualification by which GOD of his free grace doth qualify and fit us to be iustified and saved and the meanes by which hee enables us to receive righteousnes and to lay hold on salvation which is freely given to us in Christ. Vpon these particulars severally observed out of their owne words and writings I strongly conclude that this opinion being builded upon such a blasphemous and Hereticall ground and upheld and maintained by such blasphemous arguments must needs be most impious Hereticall and blasphemous Having already proved the Socinian and Arminian opinion to be most false and abominable I proceed to answere the particular arguments contained in this 2. Chapter which was by the Authors owne hand delivered unto me to be answered And because he and his followers shall not complaine of misrelating any of his words I will as I have done in the former Chapter first lay downe his owne words Socinianisme THe first argument brought to prove that faith and believing are in a proper sense Rom. 4. said to be imputed to the believer for righteousnes in justification and not the righteousnes of Christ. First the letter of this Scripture speakes what we affirme plainely and speakes no parable about it yea it speakes it once and twice yea it speakes it the third and fourth time and is not ashamed of it Abraham beleeved GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnes verse 3. Againe to him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted to him for righteousnes verse 5. And yet againe verse 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnes The same phrase and expression is used also verse 23.24 Certainely there is not any truth in religion not any article of our beliefe that can boast of the letter of the Scripture more full expresse and pregnant for it what is maintained concerning the imputation of faith hath all the authority and countenance from the Scriptures that wordes can lightly give whereas the imputation of Christs righteousnes in that sense which many magnifie hath not the least reliefe either from any sound of wordes or sight of letter in the Scripture Christianisme HIs first argument reduced into the forme of a syllogisme runs thus That opinion which hath the Letter of the Scripture more full expresse and pregnant for it then any truth in religion or article of our beliefe and hath all the authority and countenance from the Scripture that wordes can lightly give is certainely true This opinion concerning the imputation of faith in a proper sense is such Therefore it is a true and sound opinion That this imputation of faith may boast of the letter of Scripture and of all the authority and countenance that wordes can give hee proves because the letter of the Scripture speakes it once twice yea thrice and foure times to wit in this Chapter Rom. verse 3.5 22 23 24. to which I will adde a fift time verse 9. The more true that the proposition is the more false is the assumption wherein hee assumes most falsely to his opinion that which in no wise belongs to it and thereupon inferres a most false conclusion I answere therefore that his assumption is an heap of impudent lyes First the killing letter of the Scripture may give some countenance to it that is speeches of Scripture understood and urged literally which are spoken by GODS spirit tropically and in a figure This Saint Austin calls the killing letter because they who take the words properly and so urge them obstinately they slay their owne soules But the true literall sense of the wordes which are improperly literall will never give any countenance to this hereticall opinion as I have shewed before most fully 2 I cannot but accuse him here of most intollerable impudency in that he affirmes that this most Hereticall opinion hath more full expresse and pregnant testimony from the letter of the Scripture then any truth in Religion or any article of Religion and hath all the authority and countenance from the Scripture that words can give when as in all the Scripture faith is not once said to be imputed for righteousnes in a proper sense in all the word of GOD and is onely seven times said to be counted or imputed for righteousnes and that tropically while the Apostle useth the phrase borrowed from that improper speech which is spoken of Abraham Gen. 15.6 That when Abraham believed GOD he counted it to him for righteousnes For it is manifest that in this Chapter he altogether insists upon that speech and doth but repeat it six times and so likewise Gal. 3.6 Saint Iames also once useth it speaking of declarative justification to prove that Abraham was justified by workes Iam. 2.23 that is declared before men to be
no man can be legally justified but by his owne personall righteousnesse Evangelicall righteousnesse is CHRISTS perfect righteousnesse and fulfilling of the Law in the behalfe of all the elect and faithfull It was not the Law nor our works of the Law which moved GOD to give CHRIST to be our surety and redeemer but he of his owne free love and bounty gave Christ and Christ the Sonne of GOD out of his love humbled himselfe to become man and to fulfill the law for us Neither doe wee obtaine Communion of Christs satisfaction and righteousnesse by the workes of the Law but by the Gospell preached believed as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3.2 And therefore though Christ his righteousnes be a perfect fulfilling of all obedience which the law requires of man GOD did exact of him every farthing of our debt both in active and passive obedience and in respect of the matter and substance his satisfaction may be called after a sort legall and is so called by Luther yet as it was for us not for himselfe and performed by him our head not by every one of us in our owne persons and is received and applied by Faith not by our workes of the Law and is brought unto us by the Gospell not by the Law and is given to us freely by GODS grace not merited or procured by any thing in our selves so it is not legall but Evangelicall and GODS justifying of us and counting us righteous by it is not a proceeding upon legall grounds nor pronouncing us legally just as this calumniator doth either foolishly imagine or falsely slander and misreport our Doctrine Fiftly in arguing for his owne false and forged sense of the word Justification he hath three reasons all which are for us and prove our Doctrine not his opinion For if this make a sense of the word Justification good because it doth intimate the former guiltinesse of him that is justified as wel as it doth discharge him from all punishment which is his first reason then is our Doctrine of justification by imputation of Christs satisfaction for all our sinnes very good and sound for it intimates a guiltinesse in him who is to bee iustified as well as a discharge from punishment Secondly we doe not plead for our iustification any consideration according to the Law that is wee doe not plead our owne innocency nor satisfaction and righteousnes performed in our own persons but we plead more then somewhat done for us even all Christs obedience active and passive by GODS free grace communicated to us not obtained or merited by our works of the law Thirdly though the law iustifies no sinner but threatens the curse death and condemnation as the due reward of the transgressors of it Yet it iustifies all who are free from all sinnes committed against it and are made righteous by the perfect fulfilling of it to the utmost And therefore when the Gospell hath brought us to the Communion of Christs full satisfaction by which we are made free from all sinne and perfect fulfillers of the law in him our head as GOD doth forgive us our sinnes and counts us righteous so the law is no more against us 1 Tim. 1.9 but is witnesse for us that in Christ we are worthy of remission and iustification By this are manifest the grosse errours and absurdities which he uttereth in this first part of his preparative Chapter But that his ignorance in the Doctrine of justification may more fully appeare I will lay downe the severall significations of the words justification and justifying wherein the Spirit of God doth use them in the holy Scriptures First the word iustifie and iustification signifie making men righteous or constituting or seting them in the state of righteousnesse This signification is justified by several testimonies of Scripture as Rom. 5.19 Where many are said to be made or constituted righteous by the obedience of Christ even as by Adams disobedience many were made sinners and 1 Cor. 1.30 and 2 Cor. 5.21 Where Christ is said to bee made unto us righteousnesse and wee are said to be made the righteousnesse of God in him And Rom. 3.24 and 4 5. Where we are said to be iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ. And God is said to justifie the ungodly which cannot be meant of counting judging and pronouncing but of making them righteous by the Communion of Christs righteousnesse For to iustifie the wicked by judging and pronouncing them righteous without making them such is aoâ—mination to the LORD Prov. 17.15 And in this sense Preachers of GODS Word are as instruments under GOD said to iustifie many by bringing them unto righteousnesse and are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iustifiers Dan. 12.3 This iustifying wee may very fitly call radicall or fundamentall iustification This Luther and other learned Divines call actionem individuam because it is GODS action of communicating Christs righteousnesse in a moment and not by degrees successively and in it men are mere patients and do not worke with GOD no more then Adam did in GODS first creating of him upright in his Image Even regenerate Infants may thus be iustified and are iustified before they actually beleeve Secondly the word iustifie signifieth GODS iustifying of men by Faith that is his counting and reputing them righteous upon their actuall beleeving and his enableing them to feele themselves partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ and to enioy it by Faith in this sense the word is used Rom. 4. Where GOD is said to iustifie us by imputing righteousnesse and counting Faith for righteousnesse that is counting a true beleever a righteous person And thus the word is to bee taken where we are said to bee iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law The Apostle doth much urge and presse this iustification Rom 4 and Gal. 3. because though in this taken actively GOD onely acteth yet taken passively as it is received of us and we by Faith feele and discerne in what account we are with GOD and by beleeving enioy Christs satisfaction for remission of sinnes and for righteousnes wee may be said to worke with GOD by way of receiving as a begging hand doth in receiving gifts freely given and put into it This iustifying doth necessarily presuppose the former and doth assure us of it For the iust GOD whose iudgement is according to truth cannot râ—pute us righteous till we have communion of Christs righteousnesse and be thereby truly righteous And this Justification Divines call imputative It springs from the former as from the root and is builded on it as on the foundation Thirdly this word iustifie signifies a manifesting and declaring of men to be righteous and iustified and that three wayes First in foro conscientiae in the court or iudgement of our own conscience when a man being troubled in his conscience with the sight of his sinnes and his want of righteousnesse after humble prayer and poenitent seeking
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
one of his faithfull seed is here meant GODS setting of Christs righteousnes on every true beleevers skore and putting it on his account and judging counting and esteeming him no more guilty of sinne but perfectly righteous by that Evangelicall righteousnes which is called the righteousnes of GOD 2 Cor. 5.21 because GOD performed it in mans nature and the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4.13 and not of workes because it is applyed and enjoyed by faith Philip 3.9 For the confirmation of this exposition and iustifying of this truth wee need seeke no other arguments but such as may bee gathered from the Apostles owne words as in other of his Epistles so especially in this to the Romans argument 1 The first argument is drawne from the 2. Chapter of this Epistle v. 26. where this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifies to bee imputed or counted is first used by the Apostle in the very same phrase as here in this Chapter 4.3.5 9. If saith he the uncircumcision keep the righteousnes of the law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision By uncircumcision in the first clause we must necessarily understand a Gentile uncircumcised as learned Beza in his notes observes and that by a trope of speech which is called Metonymia adjuncti for with some reason it may be supposed that an uncircumcised man may observe the precepts of righteousnes contained in the law but it is against common sense to suppose that the fore-skin of any mans flesh not cut off should performe the righteousnes of the Law no man in his right wits will father such a senseles meaning upon the learned Apostle The same word in the second clause as Beza also well observes cannot with any reason bee thought to signifie the foreskin of mans flesh not cut off that is uncircumcision in a proper sense for that cannot but most falsely be reputed and counted for circumcision because they are contradictories one to another But here by a trope or Metonymie called Metonymia signipro re signatâ the word uncircumcision signifies the state of Gētilisme Neither doth it signifie that state barely considered by it selfe but as comprehending in it the righteousnes of the Law which the uncircumcised man hath kept and performed in that state as the wordes necessarily imply for the Apostle doth not say that uncircumcision simply but uncircūcision which hath kept the righteousnes of the Law shall bee counted for circumcision So that here is a Metalepsis or double trope to wit first uncircumcision put for Gentilisme of which it is a signe or adjunct and secondly put not onely for that state of a Gentile but also for the righteousnesse of the Law kept by the man in that outward state of a Gentile uncircumcised which is a Metonymie of the subject containing for the thing contained Yea if wee looke thoroughly into the phrase wee shall see that the state of the man uncircumcised or the man in that estate put for that which hee hath done and performed even the righteousnes of the Law By circumcision we cannot with reason understand the outward cutting away of the foreskin of mans flesh neither taken literally and carnally as the corrupt blind Iewes did take it for a worke of righteousnesse and obedience to the Law for justification The Apostle affirmes Galatians 5.3 that so taken it was an obligation by which the circumcised was bound under paine of cutting off for ever to performe the whole Law And for a righteous Gentile to bee brought under this bondage was no benefit but a miserable condition an ill reward of his keeping the Law Neither can circumcision be here taken sacramentally as it was an outward signe and seale of the righteousnes of faith and of mortification and all vertues of holynesse by which men are sanctified to GOD and become his peculiar people For Ishmael Esau and all the Sonnes of Belial in Israel even Elies wicked Sons and the rest were partakers of the outward signe and sacrament of circumcsion and yet being destitute of the inward grace signified their circumcision was no reward to them but was a witnes to condemne them But the circumcision here mentioned by the Apostle is an honour benefit and a good condition and therefore undoubtedly signifies the inward circumcision of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter so the Apostle doth expound himselfe verse 29. that is true mortification and sanctification The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be counted signifies here in a full sense judging counting approving accepting and using accordingly Now all laid together the meaning of the Apostle must necessarily be this without any contradiction That if a man uncercumcised do keep and observe with all holy endeavour the commandements of GODS Law and the righteousnesse thereof his state of Gentilisme and of outward uncircumcision comprehending in it a conscionable observing of GODS holy commandement shall be accounted and judged by GOD and by all who judge aright as it is indeed the state of mortification and sanctification which by the Prophets is called circumcising of our selves to the LORD and puting away the foreskin of our hearts Ier. 4.4 And this man though uncircumcised in the flesh and a Gentile in outward estate shall be counted of GOD for a true Israelite without guile circumcised with circumcision of the heart in the Spirit whose praise is not of men but of GOD. This sense and meaning of the words of this phrase is so cleare and manifest and so perfectly agreeable to all true reason that no man can deny it unlesse hee will set himselfe to rebell against the light And this phrase being the same with that which is made the ground of this dispute Rom. 4. where the same Apostle saith that faith and believing were counted to Abraham and so are to every true believer for righteousnes yea being the onely place in all this Epistle wherein the Apostle useth the phrase of imputing or counting except onely in this 4. Chap. and once in the 5. Chapter where hee saith sinne is not imputed it must needs give light to these speeches and words in controversie and as it hath the first place in this Epistle so it deserves to goe before as a guide to lead us to the understanding of the rest Wherefore if we will follow the Apostle himselfe and tread in the same steps after him being the surest guide and best expounder of his owne meaning we must by Abrahams believing by a Metalepsis or double trope with our learned Divines understand Abraham setled in the state of a true believer united by one Spirit unto GOD in Christ and having communion of his satisfaction and righteousnes which were of force and efficacy from the beginning to save justifie all the faithfull and to make GOD their reward And by faith imputed we must not understand faith by it selfe in a proper sense but the state and condition of a faithfull man and also that which faith
confidently affirme that there is not one Orthodox writer to be found since that time which ever held that faith in a proper sense is imputed for righteousnes and denyed the imputation of Christs righteousnes Servetus Socinus Arminius and the rest of their sect branded for hereticks are the onely maintainers of that opinion To his testimonies and his impudent boasting of the generall consent of interpreters I answere First joyntly and in generall That of all the testimonies which hee hath cited there is not one which either affirmes that faith taken in a proper sense is imputed for righteousnesse or denies the imputation of Christs righteousnes Moreover that all Divines who are the most zealous opposers of his interpretation may say the same words which he cites out of Authors and yet hold justification by Christs righteousnes imputed yea and in proving that truth may with good reason presse and urge the same words rightly understood Soe that a more odious example of folly and impudency cannot be shewed then hee here shewes himselfe by making his folly strive for Mastery with his impudency Secondly for the particular testimonies which he brings both out of ancient and moderne writers They say no more but what Saint Paul saith and wee all acknowledg and embrace for truth viz. That Abraham beleeving that in Christ and through his satisfaction GOD was become his reward was thereupon counted righteous and GOD counted faith to him for righteousnes and so are we all iustified not by our owne righteousnes of workes performed to the Law in our own persons but by faith laying hold on the righteousnes of Christ which is counted for righteousnes not in a proper sense but relatively as it comprehends Christ and his righteousnes which Calvin calls apprehending the goodnes of GOD and trusting in it First for Tertullians words I take them as he doth render and rehearse them and so the rest in order and will take a light view of them that wee may see his vanity in citing testimonies which make nothing for him but some directly against his opinion Tertulian Lib. 5. c. 3 against Marcion BVt how the children of faith and of whose faith if not of Abrahams for if Abraham beleeved GOD and it was deputed to him for righteousnesse and hee thereby obtained the name of the father of many nations wee by beleeving GOD are therefore much rather iustified as Abraham was And lib. de patientia cap. 6. Abraham beleeved and was deputed by him to righteousnesse but hee tried his faith by patience when he was commanded to sacrifice his sonne All this wee grant for here is not a word of imputing faith in a proper sense onely an affirmation that Abraham by beleeving obtained this at GODS hands that he was accounted and reputed to be in the state of a righteous man which we all professe Origen in Epist. ad Romanos Cap. 4. verse 5. IT seemes in this present place that whereas many beleevings of Abraham werk before now in this beleeving his whole faith was gathered together and so was reputed to him for righteousnesse and againe in the same place Abraham was not by GOD testified to bee righteous for his circumcision but for his faith for before his circumcision hee beleeved GODS and it was counted to him for righteousnesse If Origens meaning be as Beza gathered from these and other wordes in that place that Abrahams faith and all his acts of beleeving made up a perfect righteousnesse and conformity to GOD will and law then is hee in as great an errour as the Papists who set up iustification by a mans owne inherent righteousnesse and his testimony is to be abhorred But if his meaning bee that by his beleeving and not by his circumcision he obtained from GOD this testimony that he was righteous by a righteousnesse beleeved then he is full for us and against his interpretation Justine Martyr Dialog with Trypho ABraham not for his circumcision but for his faith obtained the testimony of righteousnesse for before he was circumcised it is said of him Abraham beleeved GOD and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Wee grant that Abraham beleeving GOD to bee his reward in Christ this faith was the evidence of his being righteous by apprehension of Christ and his righteousnesse and therefore by it he obtained a testimony from GOD that he was in the state of righteousnes And Justine Martyres words say the same and so he is cleare for us against them who make faith the righteousnes imputed in a proper sense and not the evidence of righteousnesse Chrysostome on Rom. 4.23 saith that the Apostle HAving spoken many and great things concerning Abraham and his faith saith wherefore is it written but that wee might learne that we also are justified as hee was because wee have beleeved the same GOD and on Gal. 3.6 For what was he the worse for not being under the Law nothing at all for his faith was sufficient to him for righteousnesse All this we grant For as Abrahams faith laying hold on GOD as his reward in Christ by communion of his righteousnesse was sufficient to him for righteousnesse so is our faith also sufficient for us to iustification because by it wee possesse Christs righteousnesse Augustine on the 148 Psal. saith FOr by beleeving wee have found what the Iewes lost by not by unbeleeving for Abraham beleeved GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse and on Psal. 140. for I beleeve in him who justifieth the ungodly that my faith may be imputed to mee for righteousnes and in his book de natura gratia For if Christ dyed not in vaine the ungodly is justified in him alone to whom beleeving in him that justifieth the ungodly faith is accounted to him for righteousnesse and in his 68. sermon de tempore Abraham beleeved GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse See that without any worke hee is iustified by faith and whatsoever was possible to be conferred on him by his observation of the Law his beleeving alone gave it all unto him where note that beleeving gives righteousnes and is not the righteousnes given in iustification Primasius on Rom. 43. saith ABrahams faith by the guift of GOD was so great that both his former sinnes were forgiven and this faith alone is said to be accepted before all righteousnes that is before all righteousnes of his owne not instead of Christs righteousnes For if it had not laid hold and possessed the full satisfaction of Christ it could not have gotten pardon of his sinnes Beda's words which he citeth concerning the faith which is imputed are onely these not every faith but that onely which worketh by love This is a certaine truth for no faith can bring to us a true sense and assurance of our communion with Christ but that which worketh by love Haymo on Rom. 43 saith Quia credidit Deo c. Because hee beleeved GOD it was imputed to him for righteousnesse