Socinianism in the Fundamental Point of Justification Discovered, Chapter 2 · Confutation – Socinian position 2
The confutation of the false hereticall exposition of the Apostles wordes maintained by the Socinian faction.
FIrst whereas they hold that faith considered by it selfe in a proper literall sense, without consideration of the object, or laying hold on Christ, and his righteousnes, is counted to the beleever for righteousnes to justification, and GOD requires in and of us, no other thing for righteousnes, neither our owne workes performed in our owne persons according to the Law, nor Christs perfect righteousnes and fulfilling of the Law made ours by spirituall union and communion with Christ, and accepted of GOD for us. This I prove to bee false hereticall and blasphemous, by these arguments following.
First faith taken in a proper sense is a part of our conformity, and argument 1 obedience to the Law of GOD, which above all things requires that wee give honour to GOD by beleeving him and his word, and by trusting in him as our onelyonly rock, & the GOD of our strength, and salvation. They therefore teaching that faith in a proper sense is counted for righteousnes, doe teach that wee are iustified by a worke of obedience, to the Law performed in our owne persons, and GOD requires on our behalfe, no other righteousnes for justification, which Doctrine the Apostle utterly condemnes. Therefore their opinion and exposition is hereticall, and more impious then the Pelagian and Popish heresies concerning iustification.
Secondly that which was properly argument 2 imputed to Abraham, and is so imputed to true beleevers is righteousnes, so the Apostle in plaine wordes expresseth, verse 6. and 11. but faith in a proper sense is not righteousnes. For righteousnes is perfect conformity to the Law, as sinne is transgression of the Law, yea humane righteousnes is a mans keeping of the whole Law, and his observing to doe all GODS commandements with his whole heart all the dayes of his life, as wee read Deuteronomie 8.
Thirdly that which chargeth argument 3 GOD with errour and falshood, in his iudgement is blasphemous. This opinion that GOD counts faith for righteousnes, that is, thinketh, iudgeth, and esteemeth it to bee righteousnes, in a proper sense, chargeth GOD with errour and falshood in his iudgement. For faith is not any true righteousnes properly. Therefore this opinion is blasphemy, If they plead that GOD by his absolute soveraignty of power, may accept and repute that for righteousnes which is not true righteousnes: This doth but more entangle them and involve them in errour. For GOD and his soveraigne power are all one: as GOD cannot lye, nor make contradictories true, so his sovereignty of power, cannot either make that to bee righteousnes which is not, or truely iudge it so to bee. Neither can his infinite iustice bee satisfied without perfect fulfilling of his Law, nor allow any man to bee iustified without righteousnes, nor will his truth suffer him to count any iust who is not iust. Therefore by this base shift, and wicked pretence devised to hide, and cover their blasphemy, they do runne further into blasphemy, and make his soveraigne power, a tyrant and oppressour of his iustice and truth.
argument 4 Fourthly that opinion which taketh away, and denyeth the meanes by which GOD is revealed to be infinitely iust, mercifull and wise, and makes the satisfaction of Christ, and his perfect fulfilling the Law, a vaine and needlesse thing, is most hereticall, impious, and blasphemous. This opinion, that GOD by his sovereigne power can, and doth accept and count imperfect faith for perfect righteousnes, takes away the meanes by which GODS iustice, mercy, and wisdome are revealed to be infinit, yea it extenuates and vilifies GODS iustice, mercy, bounty, and wisdom, and makes Christs full satisfaction, a vaine, superfluous and needlesse thing. Therefore it is an impious and blasphemous opinion.
First that which reveales GOD to be infinitly iust is, that he cannot be reconciled to men that have sinned without execution of iustice to the full, and a full satisfaction made according to his iust Law, if not by men in their owne persons, which is impossible, yet by their mediator and surety, in their behalfe, and by him communicated to them, and made theirs, as truly as if they had fulfilled the Law in their owne persons. And though this satisfaction be of infinit value, yet it cannot profit them, nor actually merit for them till they be partakers of it truely, and really by spirituall communion. This is that meanes by which GOD is known to be infinitly iust.
Secondly, when GODS infinite iustice was so strict, that nothing could satisfie it, nor redeeme mankind, but a satisfaction of infinite value made for them. And when all the world was not able to find such a satisfaction; that his wisedome should finde one out, and have it ready before hand in her eternall treasures, even a full satisfaction performed in mans nature, by GOD the eternall son, and also the meanes to make it truely and really the satisfaction of every man truely beleeving, that is, by the Holy Ghost shed on them through the Sonne Christ, and making them one spirituall body with him. This reveales GOD to be infinite in wisedome.
Thirdly in that GOD the Father would in this case give his onelyonly begotten sonne, to be humbled in our nature, and to obey, suffer, and make such a satisfaction for poore miserable men, in that the sonne would willingly take all this upon him▪ to doe and suffer whatsoever iustice could require, and in that the holy Ghost, when this satisfaction could not otherwise profit men nor bee made theirs, doth not disdaine to take up for his constant dwelling, the earthly tabernacles of mens bodies, and to worke in them all graces needfull, to conforme them to Christ, and to make them sensibly to enjoy him with all his benefits. This most wonderfully shewes GODS infinite mercy, bounty and free goodnesse. And all these meanes which are manifested and maintained by our Doctrine of justification, this wicked opinion of the Socinians doth utterly take away. First it denies GODS justice to require mans communion of such an infinite satisfaction made by Christ for him: it treads GODS justice under foote by his soveraignty of power, and maugre justice, it makes mans imperfect faith to go current for righteousnes, and to be accepted for perfect righteouses, to justification. Secondly if GOD by soveraignty of power can beare downe justice, and make any weak and imperfect thing such as mans faith is; serve in stead of Christs full satisfaction and perfect righteousnes: Then hee might by the same power have appointed the sacrifice of a Lamb, or any cleane beast, or the satisfaction of any mere man, and so it will follow that the giving of his son to bee made man, was no point of wisedome, but a going farre about, and spending much, even Christs blood, when lesse might have served the turne. As for GODS goodnesse mercy and bounty, they are hereby made painted shewes and shadowes, yea needlesse prodigality, and Christs satisfaction is made vaine and superfluous. Therfore this opinion which brings in such impious consequences, is blasphemous and hereticall.
Fiftly, that opinion which overthrowes the sacraments of the Gospel, and takes away the true use of them, is heriticall, prophane, and impious. This opinion that Christs righteousnesse is not imputed to the faithfull, doth so. For the sacraments are seales of our union, and communion with Christ: Baptisme seales our engraffing into Christ in our new birth, by which we become one with him. The LORDS Supper is such a lively seale of our communion with Christ, in the benefits of his death, passion, and full satisfaction, expressed under the termes of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, that it is commonly called, the communion of the faithfull, when it is rightly received. But these Hereticks while by imputing faith in a proper sense, they exclude the imputation of Christs righteousnes to the faithfull, they deny their communion, and union with Christ, they take away the truth and the use of the Sacraments, for if the faithfull are regenerate, and by one spirit ingraffed into Christ, and united unto him, as Baptisme signifieth, and sealeth: and if they have spiritual communion with Christ of his righteousnes, and all other benefits which the LORDS Supper signifieth, and is thereof a seale to them: Then GOD whose judgment is according to truth, cannot but impute Christs righteousnes to them, and accept it for them, and account it theirs. They who deny GODS imputing of it do either charge GOD with injustice, and error of judgment in not counting, and iudging that to be theirs in which they have communion, and interest, or else they deny the union and communion of the faithfull with Christ, and make the sacraments lying signes, and seales of false things, and things which are not. Therefore their opinion is most abominable, profane, impious, and blasphemous.
argument 6 Sixtly, that opinion which is invented, and maintained by Heretiks, who deny the eternall Godhead of Christ, and tends mainely to perswade that there is no use of Christs being GOD, and man, in one person, is Hereticall and blasphemous. Such is this opinion of the Socinians, it is an invention of Haretiks, and tends to take away the use of Christs being GOD, and to perswade men that there is no necessary use of his being GOD, and man in one person. For all Orthodox Divines give this reasō, why it was necessary that Christ the mediator should be GOD in our nature, even that the obedience & suffering which he did under goe in mans nature, might be the obedience and suffering of GOD, and so of infinite value, and though of him alone, and but for a time, yet of more worth, then if all men in their owne persons had obeyed as much as hee did and suffered for ever in Hell. They teach also, that first for the removing of so great evils, as the infinite wrath of GOD, eternall death, and torment in Hell: and secondly, for purchase of so great a good, as is the state of righteousnesse, and of grace, and also of eternall glory in Heaven. GODS justice could require no lesse satisfaction, and righteousnes, nor be satisfied with any other, but that which is performed by him, who is GOD and man, in one person, that is the perfect righteousnes and satisfaction of Christ which alone by the infinite value which it receives from his God-head, is fit to remove so infinite an evil, and to procure so infinite a good to men▪ But the maintainers of this Socinian opinion by denying that GODS infinite justice stands in strength to exact such a satisfaction being over-ruled, and oppressed, by absolute soveraignty of power; and by teaching that mercy, and bounty run beyond reason, freeing men from all need of such an infinite satisfaction to be communicated & imputed to them, and justifying them freely without righteousnes, they do take away the use of Christs God-head in his mediation, and the causes, and reasons, for which it was necessary that he should be GOD as well as man: And in conclusion, in places where they dare be bold to disclose the secret thoughts of their hearts, they roundly deny Christ to be the Sonne of GOD, of the same substance with GOD the Father. Therefore this their opinion is most impious, blasphemous, and Hereticall: And indeed it is never found in Histories, to have been maintained by any but Samosatenian Heretiks, deadly enemies to Christs deity.
Lastly, that opinion which is builded upon an Hereticall, and blasphemous ground, and is upheld, and maintained by blasphemous arguments, which do shake, and even raze the maine foundations of true Religion, must needs be most wicked and blasphemous: and such is this opinion; for it is builded upon this blasphemous ground, that GOD by his soveraigne power may do and will, things contrary to his justice, that is, count and accept that for righteousnes, which is no righteousnes, nor worthy to be accounted an act of perfect righteousnes, for such is the faith of fraile man taken in a proper sense.
The arguments by which it is commonly maintained are also blasphemous, and wicked; to wit▪ First they argue, that Christs righteousnes is not imputed to true believers, neither can be made or counted theirs by GOD. Because Christs righteousnes is the righteousnes of another far different from them: and GOD cannot iustify one, by anothers righteousnes, and therefore we are not iustified by Christs righteousnesse, neither is it imputed in iustification. Now what is this but a denying of the union, of the faithfull with Christ, for if he be one with us, and we one with him, then are our sinnes made his by communion, and in him satisfied, and his righteousnes and satisfaction is made ours, and we thereby are pardoned, and iustified, by it as it, is made ours, and is not the righteousnes of a stranger, nor of one who is another so different from us, but that he and we are one spirituall body, and all his benefits are ours, and we have an interest in them, and possesse them, and enioy them; so far as every one hath need of them. As this argument tends to overthrow our union with Christ, so A. Wotton in a manuscript of essayes, doth professe that our union with Christ is onelyonly metaphoricall. Secondly, they argue that the righteousnes of Christ cannot be sufficient for the elect, nor counted to them for all righteousnesse which is in effect a denying of Christ to be GOD and man in one person, for if they acknowledg him to be GOD, they must needs hold that his righteousnes and fulfilling of the Law, is of more worth and value, then if all men in the world had fulfilled the Law, in their owne persons without failing in one point.
Thirdly, they argue that if Christ his righteousnes, and satisfaction be so made ours, and imputed to us that the Law may be said to be fulfilled in us, & we may said to have satisfied GODS iustice, in him our head, and by him our surety, then is there no place left for pardon, and free forgivenesse of our sinnes, for pardon and satisfaction are contrary. By which they overthrow the Doctrine of redemption, and of Christs satisfaction for us, and deny Christ to be our redeemer, and to have paid our ransome, and made a full satisfaction to the justice of GOD for our sinnes, contrary to the Scriptures, and the judgement and beliefe of all Christian Divines, who teach that Christ hath paid our ransome, is our foreign & foreign, and properly called foreign our redeemer. And though GODS justice exacted of Christ our surety a full ransome, and did not abate him the least farthing of our debt, yet we are freely pardoned, and have free forgivenesse, and are freely iustified by GODS grace, because hee did freely give his owne son to satisfy & fulfill the Law for us, & doth freely by his grace, and the free gift of his spirit unite us to Christ, and make us partakers of his satisfaction, & imputing his satisfaction freely to us doth for it freely forgive our sinnes, and justifie us. Fourthly while they argue that faith in a proper sense is all the righteousnes which the faithfull have for justification; and yet faith is not any formall righteousnes, by their owne confession, yea they deny that any formall righteousnes is required in justification; hereby they deny the Saints justified to be righteous contrary to the Scriptures which call them the righteous, and the generation of the righteous, Psal. 1.6. and 14.5. and the righteous nation, Isa. 26.2. and in many other places, which title GODS spirit would never give to them, if they were not formally righteous, by righteousnes, communicated to them after a spirituall & heavenly manner. For to hold as they doe, that men are justified and counted righteous without any formall righteousnes, which doth constitute and give being to a righteous and justified man, as he is righteous and justified, is a monstrous opinion contrary to reason.
Fiftly while they deny that the faithfull are constituted and made formally righteous by the obedience of Christ communicated, and imputed to them, which the Apostle in expresse wordes doth affirme, Rom. 5.19. and 8.4. and Rom. 10.4. they in heate of argument fall into the Pelagian heresie, and are forced to deny, that Adams sinne and disobedience is communicated and imputed to his posterity, so as that they are formally sinners by it. And rather then they will yeeld that infants which dye before they commit actuall transgression in their owne persons, are punished with death, because they are guilty of Adams sinne; they doe blasphemously affirme, that GOD being offended and moved to wrath, by the sinnes of parents, will out of the magnificence of his judgement, and rage of his iustice, destroy innocent babes with their sinfull parents, for terrour to others; which is contrary to GODS word, and Law which teach that children shal not dye for the sinnes of their parents, unlesse they bee partakers with them, either by communion and imputation, or by imitation and approbation. Whereas they bring for instance, that the children of Korah were destroyed with their father, though they were innocent, and not partakers in the sinne; herein they contradict the Scriptures, which expressely affirme that the children of Korah dyed not. numb. 26.11. For they undoubtedly upon Moses his threatning of sudden destruction, fled from their fathers tents and escaped, and onelyonly they perished who would not be admonished by Moses, to separate themselves from the congregation of Korah, but adhering to him were partakers of his conspiracy, and sinne of rebellion.
Sixtly when they to colour their heresie, proclayme Christs righteousnes to bee the meritorious cause of iustification, and yet deny communion and imputation of it to true beleevers; what is this but to hold that Christs righteousnes is meritorious to them, who have no interest in it? which being granted it, will follow, That Christs righteousnes doth merit for infidels and damned reprobates, and doth as much for the justifying of them, as it doth to justifie the Elect and faithfull. For true reason can conceive no cause, why Christ doth merit more, or conferre more to the justification of the elect and faithfull by his righteousnesse, then hee doth to Infidels and reprobates; but onelyonly this, that he communicates it to the elect, gives them a proper interest in it, and makes them truely partakers of it, so that it is imputed to them, and made their meritorious ransome: this while these men deny, they deny Christs righteousnes to merit any more for the faithfull, then for damned reprobates. And thus their bent is to set up Pelagian and Arminian free will, and to make this the onelyonly difference betweene them that are justified and them that are damned, that whereas both alike have equall share in Christs merits, and Christ hath merited as much for the one, as the other, and given as much grace for iustification: the one having power of free will doth use it, and will beleeve, and so is iustified by his faith imputed for righteousnes; the other will not use the universall grace given to him, nor beleeve, which he might doe if he would; and therefore is damned: which is a most horrible and abominable Doctrine, and hereticall opinion.
Lastly they argue, that as in the first Covenant, GOD required workes of the Law performed by every man in his owne person, and this was the condition which man was to performe for iustification, and eternall life, and so that Covenant was not free, but conditionall. So in the new Covenant GOD requires faith 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 Iohn ….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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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. VponUpon 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.