The Foundation of God Standeth Sure, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. The Iustification of the Vngodly, by the imputed Righteousness of Christ asserted and proved.
HAving proved and vindicated the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction from the Cavils of W. P. The Doctrine of Justification by Christ's imputed Righteousness, doth evidently follow from it; for since there can be no Remission of sin (therefore no Justification) without Satisfaction to Gods offended Justice, as hath been proved; and since this Satisfaction cannot be given to God by Sinners themselves, and Christ only hath given it, which also hath been proved, there is no way imaginable how we can be justified, but by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him. As Christ was made sin for us, though Innocent, by the Imputation of our sin to him, for which he was condemned and punished: So we are made the Righteousness of God in him, though guilty, by the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us, whereby we are justified. And what other meaning than Iustification by Christ's imputed Righteousness can that Scripture have, which speaketh of the Blessedness of the Man, unto whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without Works, Rom. 4. 6. That this Blessedness spoken of, is Iustification, appeareth from the scope of the place which is to prove the Doctrine of Iustification, and the following words also do evince it, vers. 7. Blessed is the Man whose Iniquities are forgiven, &c. That this Righteousness is not a mans own is evident, because it is a Righteousness without Works, and then whose Righteousness can it be, but the Righteousness of Christ? and that this Righteousness is imputed are the words of the Scripture, therefore the proof is firm, that we are justified by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness. Unto which Scripture, I may add for the further clearing and Confirmation of this Doctrine of Iustification by Christ's Imputed Righteousness, this Argument grounded upon Scripture.
If there be no other way for Sinners to be iustified, but by Faith in Iesus Christ, then Iustification is by the Imputed righteousness of Christ.
But there is no other way for Sinners to be justified, but by Faith in Iesus Christ.
Therefore Iustification is by the imputed Righteousness of Christ.
The Consequence of the Major is evident, because Faith justifieth only with a respect to Christ's Righteousness without us called therefore Righteousness by Faith, distinguished from our own Righteousness, Phil. 3. 9. and how is this Righteousness by Faith, but as it is applied by us, and imputed by God to us through Faith; Faith cannot justifie as a work, because all works are excluded in the matter of Justification, therefore it must Justifie as an Instrument applying Christ Righteousness, which being without us, can be made ours no other way than by Imputation.
The Minor, that Sinners are justified only by Faith in Jesus Christ, is as clear as any Doctrine in the whole Book of God; it being the design of the Apostle Paul, to prove this expresly, in the first part of Epistle to the Romans, and in the second and third Chapter of his Epistle to the Galatians. How many times doth he say, we are justified by Faith without Works? and how strongly doth he Argue the necessity of Iustification this way, because of the universal Guilt upon Mankind, and deficiency of Righteousness inherent, therefore that they must seek for a Righteousness without themselves, which is Christs Righteousness, therefore that they can be justified only by Faith; which Faith he putteth in opposition to all works, not only of the Ceremonial and Morral Law; but also to all Works wrought in Faith (which are works still) such as Abrahams Works, and Davids Works were, who yet were not justified upon the account of any of their Works, that all Boasting might be excluded. Rom. 4. 2. And the Apostle telleth us plainly vers. 5. That God justifieth the Vngodly, no Persons being the Subjects of Gospel Iustification but as Vngodly, that is as having sinned, and as having no Works, no Righteousness of their own to procure Justification for them; The sence is that God findeth every one Ungodly, Guilty, Filthy, whom he doth justifie freely by his Grace, through the Redemption and Righteousness of Christ; but he doth not leave them Ungodly; where he removeth the guilt of sin, he removeth also the filth of sin, Iustification and Sanctification being inseparable Companions; and though Justification be altogether distinct from Sanctification, yet it is never without Sanctification; which if W. P's cloudy Brains had rightly apprehended, it would have given an answer, in the making of them, to most of his Objections, which he hath brought against this Doctrine, where he argueth from the Concomitant unto the Cause, and his deductions or most pittiful non sequitur's. I intended to have run thorow them all, and given particular Answers to them, but that Mr. Danson who is concerned to reply to something in his Book, Intendeth to answer him in this Point, and withall, to give a Synopsis of Quakerisme in other points (besides these three) Namely, their asserting: 1. Good Works to be the Meritorious cause of our Iustification. 2. That a State of Freedome from sin is attainable in this life. 3. That there is a leight in every Man, sufficient to guide him to salvation. 4. That the Scripture is not the Word of God, nor a standing rule of faith and life. 5. That there is no resurrection of the body. 6. That there is no need or use of Ordinances, Baptisme, Lords Supper, &c. The book he intendeth will be small, but the use of it may be great, (in this day when the Quakers are so busie to gain proselites) for the establishment of Christians in the truths and ways of God.
In W. P's conclusion, by way of caution, he teleth us, he doth not disown Father, Word, and Spirit to be one, but he disowneth them to be three Persons, which hath been proved out of the Scripture; that the Trinity (as he saith) hath not a foundation in the Scripture; that its original was three hundred years after Christianity was in the World, hath been proved to be false. What he speaketh concerning the Council of Sirmia, That the controversie concerning the Trinity should not be remembred, because the Scriptures made no mention thereof, is also falsely alledged; for by that very Council the Doctrine of the Trinity is expresly asserted as a chief article of the Christian faith; and the distinction of Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, plainly implyed in the Anathema, which was pronounced upon those that asserted they were but one Person; that which W. P. citeth is concerning the word foreign, in which this Council was heterodox, as it might well be, when so much influenced by the Emperor Constantius, who himself was infected with Arianisme. But W. P. should have looked into the Councils more ancient and authentique, than the Sirmian, namely the first Nicene Council, which condemned the Arian heresie, blasphemously denying the Son to be coeternal and coessential with the Father: the first Constantinopolitan council which condemned the Macedonian heresie denying the Deity of the Holy Ghost. The Council of Ephesus Chalcedon, who with other approved oecumenical Councils, generally assented to the Doctrine of the Trinity, and the Consubstantiality of the three Persons.
What W. P. further addeth concerning the occasion of Idolatry, is groundless; the scandalizing of Turks, &c. is no wonder, when the preaching of Christ crucified was such a stumbling-block of old. After he confesseth that Christ offered unto God a Satisfactory Sacrifice, and yet he denieth Christs Satisfaction and Justification by his imputative Righteousness; all which three Doctrines being Fundamental, established by the Word of Truth, W. P's attempts to subvert them are in vain, and have discovered him to be both a Blasphemer and an Heretick.
Since I began my Answer to W. P. there came to my hands a Pamphlet, subscribed by Solomon Eccles, styled The Quakers Challenge, wherein amongst others he challengeth me at two Weapons (as he calleth them) to Fast seven days and seven nights; and to Wake seven days and seven nights, and that hereby tryal shall be made who are in the truth.
Though the Pamphlet be ridiculous, yet I was unwilling to let it pass without any remark; and my Answer is, when the Lord hath appointed these ways for tryal of the Orthodox and Hereticks, I shall undertake them; but not finding any such Command, or Warrant in the Word to forbear Food or Sleep so long; but on the contrary, because it is a tempting of God, and a breach of the sixth Commandment, which requireth all lawful endeavors for the preservation of our own life, as well as the lives of others, therefore it would be a God-provoking sin, to endanger selfmurther by such Weapons. The Scripture Instances of Fasting many days together were miraculous, and not for our imitation; others I have heard of that have lived as many days together as he speaketh of, without meat, or drink, or sleep, but they have been distracted people, amongst whom this man deserveth to be numbred: and if I should answer him in the way he challengeth, I should be accounted by the sober as mad as himself. His Lie he venteth concerning me, is refuted already in my Narrative.