CAP. II. Containing eight other proofes that wee are justified by impu•…ation of Christs righteousnesse.

§. I.

MY sixth proofe shall bee out of Rom. 5. 19. As by* the first Adams disobedience, which wee call his fall, we were made sinners, that is guilty of sinne and obnoxious to death and damnation: so by the obedience of the second Adam we are made just or justified, that is acquitted from our sinne and condemnation, and accepted in Christ as righteous unto life.

The proposition is the Apostles. The assumption is in divers places confessed by a Bellarmine as I have shewed b heretofore, though some∣times to serve his present turne he doe deny it. But it is easily proved: For if both the guilt of Adams sinne be communicated unto us, and al∣so the punishment thereof be inflicted upon us, which is both our ori∣ginall corruption, and death it selfe besides many other calamityes, then is it to be presupposed that the sin it selfe is imputed to us. For if the sin it selfe had not been imputed, then as Bellarmine himselfe somewhere ar∣guesc, neither the guilt, nor the corruption had belong'd unto us. Again, things that are transient, when they are once past and gone, cannot bee communicated otherwise than by imputation. That transgression of Adam, as all other actions was transient, and therefore if it be deman∣ded how it being so long past and gone can bee communicated to us, Bellarmine truly answeareth, it is communicated unto us by generation, eo modo quo communicari potest id quod transiit, nimir•…m per imputationem: in that manner according to which that may be communicated which is transient and gone, to wit, by imputation. If it be objected (which was Bellarmi•…es prime argument for inherent righteousnesse) that through the disobedience of the first Adam wee were made sinners, by inherent unjustice: and therefore by the like reason through the obedience of the second Adam wee are made just by righteousnesse inherent. I an∣swere, that from Christ we have both d justification and sanctification, the former answering to the guilt of Adams transgression imputed, the latter answerable to the originall corruption by generation derived, but though wee have them both from Christ, yet not after one manner: Page  272 the former wee have by imputation, the latter by infusion. But of this place I have spoken heretofore at large.*

§. II. Our seventh argument. Whosoever is a sinner in himselfe, and so continueth whiles he remaineth in this life, cannot bee justified otherwise than by imputation. This I take to bee a most certaine and undeniable truth.

Or thus; The justification of a sinner is imputative, for to a sinner the Lord when hee justifieth him, imputing not sinne, imputeth righ∣teousnesse without workes, Rom. 4. 6. 8. The justification of c every Christian is the justification of a sinner, and so is called of all writers, bo•…h old and new, both Protestants and Papists.

Therefore the justification of every Christian is imputa∣tive.

The assumption of the former syllogisme is denyed by the Papists, but against the testimony of their owne Conscience, and against the common experience of all men, in all times and places. But this I prove it briefly. All that sometimes doe sinne, or have sinne abiding in them, are sinners, all men sometimes do sinne, and have sinne remaining in them, therefore all men are sinners, the assumption is proved by Iames the just, and by the holy beloved Apostle; including themselves in many f things wee offend all of us, and if wee say, wee have no sinne g wee deceive our selves and there is no truth in us. But that all mor∣tall men are sinners, I have sufficiently proved beforeh. Vnlesse there∣fore the Papists will say, they are no sinners, and that in them there is no sinne (which if they doe say, wee may bee bold to tell i them that there is no truth in them) they must confesse justification by imputati∣on of Christs righteousnesse.

§. III. Our eigth argument: To whom faith is imputed unto* righteousnesse, without workes, hee is not justified by workes, that is, by righteousnesse inherent, but by imputation of Christs righte∣ousnesse.

The former part of the proposition is proved by opposition of faith to workes in the question of justific•…tion, and by the testimony of the the Apostle, Rom. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The latter part is proved by the for∣mer: for if not by inherent righteousnesse, then by imputed: and if by faith and yet not by inherent righteousnesse, then not by faith in respect o•… it selfe, as it is an habit inherent in us, but in respect of the object, which it apprehendeth. Of which that is verified properly, (which by Page  273 a trope, viz. a Metonimy, is ascribed to faith: namely, that it justifieth and saveth, that by it wee have remission of sinne, and the inheritance, &c. that is, Christ received by faith doth justifie and save, &c.

The assumption in exp•…esse termes is delivered, Rom. 4. 3. 5, 6. 22, 23

Here Bellarmine confesseth, that faith indeed is imputed unto righteous∣nesse, and that is our righteousnesse (which confession doth not well agree with his assertions elsewhere, that faith doth but dispose unto justificati∣on, and that our formall righteousnesse is our charity, that faith is an habit of the Vnderstanding, but justice is an habit of the Will) But our glosse hee doth not allow; when wee say, by faith, that is, by Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith, because it is repugnant to the Apo∣stle for two causes. For first hee doth not say, Christs righteousnesse; but faith is imputed. Now faith is not Christs righteousnesse, but ours by Gods gift. Which notwithstanding is the maine doctrine of the Gospell, k revea∣ling the righteousnesse of God, that is, of Christ, who is God, from faith to faith, the righteousnesse l of God by faith, that is, which is apprehen∣ded by faith. For faith it selfe is not the righteousnesse of God which doth justifie or save us, but the instrument to receive Gods righteousnesse: and therefore doth not justifie or save properly, but relatively in respect of the object which it doth receive, that is to say, the righteousnesse of Christ, which doth justifie and save those which receive it by faith: and therefore when it is said in the Gospell more than once, thy faith hath saved thee, the meaning is, that Christ received by faith hath saved those which did beleeve in him, Act. 3. 16 it is said that faith in Christ had cured the lame man, but it is thus to be understood, that the name of Christ, by faith in his name did cure him. For we are justified and saved by a perfect righteousnes, which is of in∣finite value and merit, which is, not faith nor any other grace or graces inherent, but onely the righteousnesse of Christ. And yet because by faith wee are united to Christ, and by it are made partakers of his be∣nefits; therefore all the benefits which wee receive from Christ are attributed to faith, as elsewhere I have shewed: To faith, metonimical∣ly: but properly to Christ himself. His second reason: because the word im∣putare in this place, doth not signifie a bare reputing, but a reputing unto which the truth is answer able in the thing it selfe, as is plaine by these words, m Ei qui operatur, merces imputatur, &c. for it is certaine, that to him that worketh, not onely in opinion and conceipt, but truely and indeed the reward is due. Answ. This reason doth not prove our glosse to bee repugnant to the Apostle, unlesse he imagine, that wee hold the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to a beleever to bee not reall, but imaginary. And then by the same reason let him say, that the imputation of our sinnes to Christ, for which he really suffered and the imputation of Adams trans∣gression to his posterity for which they are really punished, was but imaginary. Howbeit there is a difference in the manner of imputing a reward to him that worketh, and of righteousnesse to him that belee∣veth for that, is ex debito: this ex gratia.

§. IV. Our ninth argument; Hee that is justified not by his owne Page  274 righteousnesse but by the righteousnesse of another, is justified by righ∣teousnesse imputed. But all the faithfull are justified not by their owne righteousnesse, Phil. 3. 8, 9. Rom. 10. 3. but by the righteousnesse of an∣other, this was fully proved and maintained in the whole third con∣troversie: for that which is but one mans righteousnesse cannot be eve∣ry faithfull mans owne by inherencie, but onely by imputation. The righteousnesse by which wee are justified is but the righteousnesse of one, Rom. 5. 18, 19.

§. V. Our tenth argument. There is the same matter whereby in∣fants are justified and others. But infants are not justified by righteous∣nesse inherent: for neither have they habituall righteousnesse, which consisteth in the habits of faith, hope, and charity, of which they are not capable, whiles they want the use of reason: nor actuall, as all con∣fesse, but by the righteousnesse of Christ, and that imputed. And there∣fore Ber•…d n saith, they want no merits, because they have the merits of Christ.

§. VI. Our eleventh argument. As Abraham was justified; so are wee, Rom. 4. 23, 24.

§. VII. Our twelfth argument: To those that are justified by faith righteousnesse in their justification is imputed without workes, that is, without respect of righteousnesse inher•…nt, Rom. 4. 5, 6.

§. VIII. Our thirteenth argument: whose sinnes are remitted by imputation of Christs satisfaction unto them, they are justified by im∣putation: for to be absolved from sinne is to be justified, Act. 13. 38, 39. where to have remission of sinne is to bee justified from sinne. So Rom. 4. 6, 7, 8. where the Apostle sheweth, that whose iniquities are forgiven, who•…e sinnes are covered, to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne, to them hee imputeth righteousnesse without workes, (where the Apo∣stle, saith o Bellarmine, ex non imputatione peccatorum colligit imputationem justitiae from the not imputing of sinne hee gathereth the imputation of righteousnesse,) them he justifieth, them he maketh blessed. So Luk. 18. 13, 14. when our Saviour would signifie, that the Lord had hea•…d the prayer of the Publican who had prayed for the remission of his sinne hee saith, he went home justified. But the sinnes of the faithfull are re∣mitted by imputation of Christs satisfaction to them. This the Papists themselves cannot deny. Or if they did, the whole Doctrine of the Gospell would confute them: which teacheth that Christ dyed for Page  275 our sinnes, that hee hath redeemed us from all our iniquities, that hee gave himselfe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a full price of ransome for us, 1 Tim. 2. 6. that hee gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor, Ephes. 5. 2. that in him God is well pleased and reconciled unto us forgiving our sinnes, 2 Cor. 5. 19. that hee is the propitiation for our sinnes, 1 Iohn 2. 2. that hee bare our iniquities, Esai 53. 12. that in his own•… body hee bare our sinnes upon the Tree, 1 Pet. 2. 24. that by him wee have redemption, p that is, remission of sinnes, that we are justified by his bloud, Rom. 5. 9. and by his obedience, verse 19. that God is just q in justifying a beleeving sinner and therefore forgiveth no sinne for which his justice is not satisfied. And his justice cannot be satisfied for our sinnes, being an infinite offence, as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth, but by a price or satisfaction of infinit valew, which can be no other but the perfect and al-sufficient satisfaction of Christ, which the Lord ac∣cepteth in behalfe of all those that beleeve in him, which is nothing else but to impute it to them: for if God should not accept of Christs sa∣tisfaction in the behalfe of those that beleeve, then in vaine had Christ dyed or satisfied for us. Therefore the faithfull are justified by impu∣tation.

§. IX. Hereunto the Papists have nothing to oppose but their owne erroneous assertion, (which is hereby confuted) that remission of sinne is an utter abolition, extinction, deletion of sinne by infusion of righteousnesse.

But as in the Law two things are to bee considered, the precept it selfe, and the sanction thereof denouncing punishment to the trans∣gressout: so in sinne there are two things to be considered, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 it selfe which is the transgression of the precept, and the guilt which bin∣deth over the sinner to punishment. The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is twofold: for it is part∣ly transient, which is the sinfull act or transgression it selfe; and partly immanent in the soule of the offendor, which is that macula or labes, the blemish, spot or pollution, which the act doth leave behind it: in re∣spect whereof, as Bellarmine teacheth, the transgressour after the act is gone remaineth formally a sinner. The guilt also is twofold; for it is either reatus culpae the guilt of offence or of offending God; and reatus paenae, which is the binding over of the sinner unto punishment. Now, God doth take away the sinnes of the faithfull both in respect of the fault and also of the guilt of punishment but not after one manner. He taketh away the guilt by remission of sinne: for in regard of the guilt our sinnes are debts, which debts God doth forgive when hee remit∣teth the punishment, and taketh away the guilt, which did bind us over to punishment, by imputation of Christs sufferings unto us: who as our surety did pay our debts for us. And because our Saviour fully sa∣tisfied our debt, therefore our sinnes, in respect of the guilt of death, are in our justification wholly taken away, and in that respect there is an utter deletion of them, as there useth to be of debts, •…out of debt bookes when they are satisfied. But when the Lord doth justifie a man, he doth impute unto him not onely the suffering of Christ to free him a paena & Page  276 reatu paenae, but also his obedience, that he may be constituted righteous and so freed also a culp•… & reatu 〈◊〉. For as touching the fault whe∣ther you meane the sinfull act which is transient, or the sinfull blemish remaining in the soule, which is a vicious disposition and pronenesse to sinne, left as the remainder of originall sinne, and increased by our owne actuall transgressions, as it is a fault and the offence of God bring∣ging with it reatum culpae, to a beleever and is not imputed to whom Christs obedience is imputed, but covered with the robe of Chris•…s righteousnesse, by imputation wherof he is not only freed from the guilt both of the punishment and of the fault, but also accepted as righteous in Christ: but as the macul•… is an habituall sinne, or sinfull disposition polluting the soule as a remainder of originall sinne increased by our actuall transgressions, it is not wholly abolish'd in this life, and much lesse at once, but it is mortified by degrees in those that repent of their sinnes, who day by day r are renewed in the innerman. As for those places, which Bellarmine alleageth to prove remission of sinne to be the totall abolition of sinne. I have fully answered heretofore s in the se∣cond question of the first controversie, shewing that divers of them are to be understood in respect of the guilt, which in remission is totally abolished. The other which are to bee expounded of the corruption, are understood of the cleansing and purging of our soules from them, either begunne in this life, or finished at the end of this life. For the death of the body bringeth with it in the children of God, the death and utter extinction of sinne. And therefore death which was brought in as a punishment of sinne becommeth a remedy to extinguish sinne. For whiles we live in the mortall body, sinne liveth in us: but when the body dyeth, sinne is extinguished.