Socinianism in the Fundamental Point of Justification Discovered, Chapter 1 · Doctrine – Preface
The contrary Doctrine of Socinus ▪ and his faction.
THough they grant that GOD is the chiefe efficient cause, and his free grace, mercy, and love, the inward moving cause; yet they erre in the impulsive and instrumentall cause, and make Christ and his righteousnes no otherwise meritorious, but by procuring that GOD should count faith in a proper sense, for righteousnes to them that beleeve, neither any other way an instrument of iustification, but by bringing faith to this honour, to be accepted for, or in stead of righteousnes.
Secondly they deny all causality of Christs righteousnes in justification, except onelyonly by way of efficiency: whereas indeed and in truth it is the matter about which justification is exercised, for what is justification but the communicating of that righteousnes to men, and the imputing of it, and declaring of them to be thereby righteous? the very name of justification signifies so much: and what is the forme of a justified man as he is righteous, but righteousnes? to imagine a righteous, and justified man without righteousnes, is as if one should dreame of a living man without life or soule.
Thirdly they deny the principall ground of justification, to wit, spirituall union and communion with Christ, which cannot stand without imputation of Christs righteousnes; for communion and union doe necessarily bring with them imputation. If wee have communion of Christs satisfaction and righteousnesse, GOD must needs judge and count them to be ours, for his judgement is according to truth. And faith which is an inferiour and subordinate meanes, they set up in the place of Christs righteousnes.
Fourthly as they deny the materiall cause of iustification, by reiecting Christs righteousnes from being the proper matter about which it is exercised; so also the forme or formall cause, even the mutuall communion, and reciprocall imputation of our sinnes to Christ, and Christs satisfaction and righteousnes to us, whereby it is made our formall righteousnes not inherently, but spiritually and imputatively, for they acknowledge no formality, but inherency.
Fiftly they deny the immediate fruit and benefit of justification, to wit that state of righteousnes, cleannesse from the guilt of sinne, and acceptation with GOD, wherein the justified are firmely established before GOD, and stand in his sight, which is the chiefe honour and prerogative of GODS Saints, and their greatest comfort in all their afflictions, and temptations.
Lastly, they take away the true end, and use of justification, to wit, the revelation of GODS infinite justice, mercy, bounty, and free grace; for they overthrow his infinite justice, while they teach that GOD by his soveraign power puts his justice to silence; and without Christs full satisfaction, made to it, for us, and made ours by communion, and imputation, doth accept our weake faith in stead of it, and makes himselfe as countable for it in all rewardes, as hee would doe for the perfect fulfilling of the Law by our selves, or by Christ in our stead. They extenuate and vilifie GODS mercy, bounty, and free grace; by setting up faith in stead of Christs perfect righteousnes, and making it the condition of the new covenant. For whatsoever is given or promised to us, upon a condition to be on our part performed, is not a gift of free grace and bounty. And when justice may bee turned out of doores, without a compleat satisfaction; there is nothing left for mercy wherein to shew the power of it. The infinite mercy of GOD doth appeare in this, that, when his infinite iustice required that wee should all be damned without a full satisfaction (which none could make but the sonne of GOD in our nature) and that performed for us, and made ours; Hee would give his onelyonly sonne 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 onelyonly way to eternall life, by overthrowing justification, which is the making and accounting of men righteous, by that onelyonly 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.