Socinianism in the Fundamental Point of Justification Discovered, Chapter 2 · Answer 3 – Argument 8
Answere.
IN this third argument he undertakes to prove, that if faith were said to be imputed by a trope or metonymie, and that by faith were meant the object of it, yet Christs righteousnesse cannot be meant, because the object of that faith which is said to be imputed, is GOD himselfe, or the promise of GOD: But to understand, that by GOD is meant Christs righteousnes, would be not a trope or figure of speech, but a monster of speech. To which I answere, that Abrahams faith which was imputed, was a believing that GOD in Christ was his shield, and his exceeding great reward. Gen. 15.1. Now no man can in believing by a true faith separate the righteousnes, and full satisfaction of Christ GOD and man, from Christ himselfe. To beleeve GOD to be our reward is to believe that GOD is become our righteousnes, and so our reward; for the reward of blessednes is the reward of righteousnes, and is called the Crowne of righteousnes. 2. Tim. 4. So that the argument may be turned thus against himselfe. Whosoever truely believes GOD to be his reward, he believes that GOD is righteousnesse, and so Christ as he is IEHOVAH, his righteousnes. Abraham when his faith was counted to him for righteousnesse, believed that God was his reward: Therefore hee believed that God was his righteousnes, and so Christ as hee is IEHOVAH our righteousnes, was the obiect of his justifying faith. Secondly, he hath here one most grosse and absurd speech, which shewes either his palpable ignorance in Rhetorick, or desperat impudency. That is, that if one should speak of believing God, and meane believing Christs righteousnes; this were not a trope or figure, but a monster of speech. Here I will intreat him to tell me ingenuously whether he doth hold the Lord Christ (who appeared, and spake to Abraham, and the Fathers, and whom they believed) to be the true God. If he denyeth him to be the true God, then wee shall take him to be in all points of heresie a compleat Socinian: if hee grants that Christ is God, and his righteousnes performed in our nature, is the righteousnes of God and inseparable from his person; then hee who truely believes in Christ, and enjoyes him, must needs believe his righteousnes, and enjoy it, and to speak of believing in Christ God our shield, and reward, and to meane not his Godhead barely or his naked person, but his righteousnes also, and that he is IEHOVAH our righteousnes; this is but a metonymie of the subject, which non cane call a monster of speech, but hee who is ignorant in the grounds of Rhetorick.
Thirdly, in his denying, that Christs righteousnes is the object of justifying faith, he doth most openly contradict that which hee hath writ in the former Chapter, in the 6 part, where hee professeth that Christ and his righteousnes, is the object of that faith which is imputed; and if it doth not lay hold on Christ, it is not capable of imputation. His rehearsing of the variety of the objects of faith, mentioned in the Scripture, and denying Christs righteousnes to be any object, or thing beleeved: hee doth notoriously delude and gull his readers, and shewes great impudency; for what more often required in the Scripture to be beleeved, then that Christ is our true sacrifice for sinne, and our sacrifice of righteousnes, and that he is the end and fulfilling of the Law, for righteousnes to every one that beleeveth? yea, he gives himselfe the ly, and by his owne argument overthrowes his conclusion: For among the things which the Scriptures require that we should believe, he reckons Christ himselfe, and the doctrine of Christ, and the promise of Christ, the testimony which GOD hath given of his Son, and the resurrection of Christ, every one of which includes in it Christs righteousnes; for if wee believe in Christ aright, wee believe him to be the righteous servant of GOD, in whom his soule delighteth, who hath fulfilled all righteousnesse, is the end of the Law, for righteousnesse to every beleever, and is Iehovah, our righteousnes; such a one he was promised to be. The Gospel which is his doctrine, teacheth him to be such a one. The testimony which GOD hath given of him, is that in him we have eternall life, which is the crowne of righteousnes. His resurrection is the evidence of his righteousnes, and that the Law was fulfilled by him, and death therefore could not hold him captive: so that by rehearsing these as the objects of faith, hee confuts himselfe, and confirmes our doctrine. And lastly, he professeth vaine tergiversation, openly, by granting that Christs righteousnes is to be believed. But whereas hee saith that Turkes, and Iewes, believe not Christ, and yet believe his righteousnes; this is a monster in speech, sense, and reason; For how can a man beleeve that a person which is not is righteous, and that righteousnes may subsist without a subject. None can beleeve Christs righteousnes to be, as the Scripture calles it, the righteousnes of GOD, unlesse he believe Christ to be GOD. Some Turks acknowledg Christ to have beene a Prophet, but his perfect righteousnes performed to the whole Law for us, they do not believe. And the Iewes to this day blaspheme Christ and call him a lyar, an Impostor, a deceiver, and malefactor, justly crucified for his wickednes. And therefore in this argument he sheweth that his tongue and pen are applied to ly, and forge, to contradict himselfe, and to be constant in nothing but in holding obstinately his hereticall conclusions.
4 Argument.
FOurthly, that faith which is said to be imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse ver. 3. is that faith by which he believed in God, that quickeneth the dead, and calleth the things which are not as if they were. ver. 17. But the righteousnesse of Christ can in no tollerable construction or congruity of speech be called that faith by which Abraham beleeved in God, that quickeneth the dead. Therefore the righteousnes of Christ is not that faith which is here said to be imputed for righteousnesse.
Answere.
I Answere, first that a true believer may truely say, my righteousnes which I have in Christ is this, that I believe in God, who quickneth the dead, and graciously calleth and counteth me (who am not righteous in my selfe nor by my owne righteousnes) a righteous and justified person.
Secondly, that God did not quicken and raise up Christ, till he had perfectly fulfilled all righteousnesse, and satisfied the law for us as our surety. Neither doth hee quicken any dead but through his righteousnes and by his spirit communicating it to them, the debtor or his surety, layd up in prison, cannot be released, til the debt be fully discharged. And therefore Christs righteousnes is comprehended by that faith which believeth in God who quickeneth the dead, because quickning the dead, necessarily presupposeth their communion of the righteousnes of Christ, and under the name of that faith may by a metonimie be truely said to be imputed to justification.
5 Argument.
FIftly, the faith imputed to Abraham, ver. 3. is that faith wherein he is said not to be weak, ver. 19. and is opposed to doubting of the promise of God through unbeliefe ver. 20. But the righteousnes of Christ cannot be conceived to be that. wherein Abraham was not weak, neither doth the righteousnes of Christ carry in it any opposition to doubting of the promise, through unbeliefe, being a thing of a differing kind and nature from it▪ But betweene faith properly taken, or a firme beleeving, and doubting through unbeliefe, there is a direct and perfect opposition. And therefore it is faith in this sence, and not the righteousnes of Christ which is said to bee imputed for righteousnesse.
Answer.
I Answer, that though Christs righteousnesse bee a thing different from the beleevers faith: yet when the beleever by a strong faith, and without doubting possesseth Christ, and his faith doth spiritually comprehend in it Christs righteousnesse; then GOD counts it to him for righteousnes, that is, judgeth him a righteous man by communion of Christs righteousnesse, but doth not iudge his faith and Christs righteousnes to be one the same very thing. This argument is not to the matter. It may bee turned against himselfe thus. The more strong a man is in faith, and farre from doubting of the promise through unbeliefe, the more firmely he is united to Christ, and the more full communion hee hath of Christs righteousnesse, and with more reason may hee being so faithfull be counted righteous, and Christs righteousnes under the name of faith be imputed to him: This was Abrahams case he was strong in faith and doubted not, and therefore having firme union with Christ, and communion of all his benefits, GOD justly imputed faith to him for righteousnesse, and counted him so beleeving iustified, and righteous by Christs righteousnesse, and so in like case GOD will deale with other beleevers.
The sixt Argument.
SIxtly, that faith which was imputed to Abraham was that by which he was assured, that he who had promised, was able also to doe it, verse 21. and 22. But the righteousnesse of Christ is not capable of any such description as this, that by it Abraham was fully assured, &c. Therefore it is not that, which was imputed to Abraham.
Answer.
I Answer to this, as to the former. It is not to the matter, untill he first prove that the name of one thing, may not bee used by a Metonymie to expresse another, except these two things be both one, & the same thing; we wil deride such foolish arguments. Though Christs righteousnesse be not one and the same thing with faith: yet the more it doth assure us of the performance of GODS promise in Christ, the more closely it comprehends Christs righteousnes, and the more iust cause there is▪ that under the name of faith, Christs righteousnesse should be imputed by a Metonymie.
The seventh Argument.
SEventhly that which shall be imputed unto us, for righteousnesse is said to be our beleeving in him, that raised up Christ from the dead. verse 24. But the righteousnesse of Christ is not our beleeving on him that raised Christ from the dead, therefore it cannot be that, that is said to bee imputed for righteousnesse unto us.
Answer.
THere is no faith under the name whereof Christs righteousnesse may so fitly bee expressed, as that which is a beleeving on him who raised up Christ from the dead, for we cannot truely beleeve GODS raising of Christ from death, but withall wee must beleeve that GODS justice is by him our surety fully satisfied, and his Law fulfilled in our behalfe, and we being partakers thereof and enjoying it by faith, GOD may justly impute this faith to us for righteousnesse. Thus his arguments being all from his matter; are easily turned upon himselfe.
8 Argument.
EIghtly whereas the question, or point of imputation in justification, is handled onelyonly in this passage of Scripture (for those other places Gal. 3. and Iames 2. onelyonly mention it, but insist not at all upon any declaration, or explication thereof) it is no wayes probable but that the Apostle should speake somewhat distinctly, and plainely of the nature of it, otherwise hee might seeme rather to lay a stumbling block in our way, then to have written any thing for our learning and comfort. If wee take the word faith or beleeving so often used in this Chapter in the proper and plaine signification of it, for that faith whereby a man beleeves in Christ then the tenour of the discourse, is as cleere and full as may be, the streame of the whole Chapter runnes limpid and untroubled; but if wee bring in a tropicall, and metonymicall signification, and by faith will compell Paul to meane the righteousnesse of Christ, we cloath the Sun with sackcloath, and turne Pauls perspicuity into a greater obscurity, then any light in the Scripture knoweth how to comfort or to relieve. The word faith being a terme frequently used in Scripture, is yet never found to signifie the righteousnesse of Christ, the holy Ghost never putting this sword into that sheath, neither is there any rule of Grammar or figure in Rethorick, that knowes how to salve up the inconsistence of such an interpretation.