The Sufferings of Christ, Part 2 · Section 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. How Abrahams Faith was imputed to him for Righteouſneſſe.
Dialogu ABrahams Faith was imputed to him for Righteouſneſſe, becauſe by it he did receive the Fathers Atonement for his full and perfect Righteouſneſſe, becauſe he beleeved all this both in Gen. 11.31. and again Gen. 12. therefore God imputed that faith to him for righteouſneſſe, for by that faith he apprehended and received the Fathers Atonement, and applied it to his own ſoul, as an effectual remedy to acquit him from the guilt of all his ſins, and ſo by that means he became ſinleſſe, that is to ſay, iustified and righteous in Gods ſight.
Anſw. We deny that Abraham apprehended at all any ſuch Atonement, as the Dialogue teacheth, and it remaineth ſtill to be proved. I take it for granted with us, that faith doth not juſtifie us as a work; but objectively or relatively, that is, for the ſake of that which is beleeved. Though Abraham apprehended the Fathers Atonement by faith, it doth not therefore follow, that the Atonement apprehended was his righteouſneſſe. Abraham by faith apprehended Atonement or pardon of ſin, not as the matter but as the effect of Righteouſneſſe.
Atonement is frequently taken for expiation, noting both the cauſe and the effect, namely, both the Legal meritorious obedience of Chriſt, and the acquitting of us from the guilt of ſin. But ſo the Dialogue takes it not: becauſe it acknowledgeth no eſſential influence of the obedience of Chriſt (no not of its own Mediatorial obedience) into the being of our righteouſneſſe. Atonement according to the Dialogue is the pardon of ſin, to apply therefore Atonement as an effectual remedy to acquit us from the guilt of ſin, is to make atonement its own cauſe, and its own effect, that is, to make it before and after it ſelf. The imputation of Abrahams faith for righteouſneſſe doth plainly argue, that Abraham was made partaker of the righteouſneſſe of the morall Law, or Law of works by faith without works: 1. Becauſe no man can attain eternall life without fullfilling the Law, either in himſelf, or in his ſurety: Without the righteouſneſſe of the Law there is no life, Lev. 18.5. Deut. 27, 26 Ezek. 18.11. Gal. 3.10. 2. Becauſe the nature of righteouſneſſe conſiſts in conformity and obedience to the Law; you may as well ſay that a man may be learned without learning, or that he may be a man without a reaſonable ſoul, as to ſay there is a created righteouſneſſe without conformity to the Law. 3. Becauſe the Scripture ſaith the righteouſneſſe of the Law, that is, the righteouſneſſe which the Law requireth, is fullfilled in us that beleeve, Rom. 10.4. Moſt vain is the ſhift of the Dialogue endeavouring to avoid the ſtrength of this place by interpreting againſt text, context, and Scripture, thoſe words [Righteouſneſſe of the Law] onelyonly of the righteouſneſſe typified by the Ceremoniall Law, (which it wreſts to its own imaginary righteouſneſſe; that is indeed no righteouſneſſe but a non-ens, as having no eſſentiall matter, witneſſe the Dialogues enumeration of the cauſes) ſince the righteouſneſſe of the morall Law fullfilled by Chriſt was typified by the Ceremoniall Law; the righteouſneſſe of the Law is fullfilled in us, becauſe we by faith apprehend the obedience of Chriſt who fullfilled the Law for us:Perkins in Gal. 3. ſo M. Perkins with the reſt of the cloud of witneſſes, neither is there any other tolerable interpretation poſſible to be given; With the heart man beleeveth unto righteouſneſſe, Rom. 10.10. that is, unto a judiciall righteouſneſſe; upon beleeving we are judicially declared to be righteous with the righteouſneſſe of the Law, though not by the Law. That which was imputed to Abraham for righteouſneſſe was that which Abraham ſo beleeved, as that his faith for the ſake of the object thereof, was accounted unto him for righteouſneſſe; Imputing and beleeving are as giving and receiving: But righteouſneſſe without works, viz. the righteouſneſs of Chriſt (not pardon of ſin, which is the effect of that righteouſneſſe received, Act. 10.43.) was imputed unto Abraham for righteouſneſſe, Rom. 46. becauſe it is imputed to all that are bleſſed univerſally, whereof Abraham was an eminent one, therefore the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt was that which Abraham ſo beleeved, as that his faith for the ſake of the object thereof, was accounted unto him for righteouſneſſe.
Dialogu And in this ſenſe the Apoſtle Paul doth prove that Abrahams faith was accounted to him for righteouſneſſe, by a Teſtimony taken from David, Pſa. 32. ſaying, even as David alſo deſcribeth the bleſſedneſſe of that man unto whom God imputeth righteouſneſſe without works; ſaying, Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe ſins are covered, Bleſſed is the man to whom the Lord doth not impute ſinne: What other reaſon can any man elſe render, why the Apoſtle ſhould enterlace this teſtimony in this place, but to deſcribe unto us the true manner how Abrahams faith did make him righteous, namely, becauſe by his faith he did apprehend and receive the fathers atonement, by which his ſins were forgiven, covered, and not imputed.
Anſw. We readily acknowledge that Paul Rom. 4.3. proveth that Abrahams faith was accounted to him for righteouſneſſe out of Moſes Gen. 15.6. the ſcop of the Apoſtle in citing Pſal. 32.1, 2. is not to prove the perſonall juſtification of Abraham by faith, but to prove juſtification in the generall both of the Father of the faithfull, and all others to be by faith, and the reaſon why the Apoſtle cites the teſtimony of David Rom. 4.6, 7, 8. is to ſtrengthen his doctrine of juſtification by faith without works, which he having proved by the example of Abraham, proceedeth to confirm it from the teſtimony of David,: His argumentation or manner of reaſoning lying thus, juſtification is by imputation, therefore by faith without works: the not-imputation of ſin preſuppoſeth imputation of righteouſneſſe, ver. 6, 7. Evangelicall imputation of righteouſneſſe ſuppoſeth the righteouſneſſe that is imputed to be anothers ſubjectively and inherently, therefore to be applied as ours by faith. Touching Abrahams apprehending the Fathers Atonement by faith, and the imputing o… accounting his faith unto him for righteouſneſſe, we ſaw before; but that Abrahams faith was accounted unto him for righteouſneſſe in the ſenſe of the Dialogue, is by us ſtill denied, and diſproved, by you ſtill ſaid and not proved.
Dialogu. And thus after this ſort the Apostle doth bring in forgiveneſſe of ſin as an effect of juſtifying faith: for faith is the only inſtrument of the Spirit, by which ſinners come to be united to the Mediator in and through whoſe Mediation they apprehend, and receive the Fathers Atonement, pardon, and forgiveneſſe, for their full and perfect juſtification.
Anſw. If atonement, pardon, and forgiveneſſe be the effect of juſtifying faith, then they cannot be our righteouſneſſe, for that is the object of our juſtifying faith: Righteouſneſſe is before juſtifying faith as the object is before the act. Atonement is after it as the effect is after the cauſe; to ſay the cauſe and the effect is the ſame, is to ſay a thing is before and after it ſelf.
Dialogu. This was the only true reaſon why God imputed Abrahams faith to him for righteouſneſſe, namely, becauſe he beleeved in Gods atonement, through the mediation of the ſeed promiſed.
Anſw. We have ſeen before that Atonement was not, and alſo what was the true cauſe why Abrahams faith was imputed to him for righteouſneſſe. The Atonement of the Dialogue is not Gods Atonement, but a peſtilent fiction, to beleeve in it is to beleeve in an abomination.
Dialogu And it is further evident that this doctrine of a ſinners righteouſneſſe by faith was taught and preached by all the Prophets, as Peter affirmeth, for all the Prophets (ſaith he) do witneſſe that through the Name of Chriſt, whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins, Act. 10.43. that is to ſay, they ſhall receive remiſſion of their ſins for their juſtification by the Fathers atonement, procured by Chriſts ſacrifice of atonement.
Anſw. We are to diſtinguiſh between the righteouſneſſe of a ſinner and the remiſſion of ſins: Righteouſneſs is the active and paſſive obedience of Chriſt imputed: Remiſſion of ſins is the judiciall declaration of our diſcharge from the guilt and puniſhment of ſin; a part of our juſtification ſtrictly taken, and an effect of righteouſneſſe. The name of Chriſt is Jehovah our Righteouſneſſe, Jer. 23.6. according to which whoſoever beleeveth in him, how can it be otherwiſe but that remiſſion of ſins muſt follow as the effect doth its cauſe?
If then righteouſneſſe be the cauſe, and atonement or remiſſion of ſin the effect; To ſay again, Atonement is our righteouſneſſe, is to ſay the effect is the cauſe, that is to ſay, a thing is before and after it ſelf, that is to ſay and ſay again an impoſſibility without any probability.
Dialogu. And to this tenour the Apostle Paul doth explain the uſe of faith in the point of a ſinners juſtification, Phil. 3 9. and in Rom. 10.4, 6, 10. With the heart ſaith he man beleeveth unto righteouſneſſe. He doth not ſay faith is a ſinners righteouſneſſe, but that by it a ſinner beleeveth unto righteouſneſſe.
Anſw. A bare deniall eſpecially ſtrengthened with the reaſons thereof that are readily obvious out of the foregoing diſcourſe, is a ſufficient anſwer to your bare allegation of Phi. 3 9. The righteouſneſs whereof Paul ſpeaks, Rom. 10.10. becauſe it hath faith foregoing it, as is evident out of the words alledged, muſt needs be ſuch as followeth faith, and may be either underſtood of Gods declaration of the righteouſneſſe of a beleever in the Court of conſcience, or of the beleevers declaration of his righteouſneſſe unto others, as works are ſaid to juſtifie declaratively, which latter interpretation the context ſeemeth to favour: Paul doth not ſay, atonement is a ſinners righteouſneſſe, which is the queſtion, but he doth ſay, that viſible confeſſion, namely, externall profeſſion, worſhip, and converſation, is the effect of that faith which is accounted unto righteouſneſſe, and brings ſalvation, though it ſelf be inviſible and in the heart. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteouſneſſe, and with the mouth confeſſion is made unto ſalvation.
Dialogu And in this ſenſe all Sacrifices of Atonement are called Sacrifices of Righteouſneſſe, not only as they are the procuring cauſe of the Fathers Atonement for a ſinners righteouſneſſe, but alſo becauſe they muſt be offered in righteouſneſſe, Mal. 3.3. that is to ſay, in faith, becauſe poor beleeving ſinners do by faith receive the Fathers atonement for their full and perfect righteouſneſſe.
Anſw. This is in effect but what was objected and anſwered before.
Dialogu. And it is further evident that faith doth no otherwiſe juſtifie a ſinner but as it is that grace or inſtrument of the Spirit, whereby a ſinner is enabled to apprehend and receive the Fathers atonement, by the Apoſtles diſcourſe in Rom. 3.21, 22, 23, 24, 25. all which Verſes I will br efly expound unto you: Firſt, The Apoſtle in theſe words doth teach us the true nature of a ſinners juſtification, he cals it the righteouſneſſe of God; He doth not call it the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt but the righteouſneſſe of God the Father, becauſe the formall cauſe and finiſhing act of a ſinners righteouſneſſe or justification doth come down from God the Father upon all beleeving ſinners. A ſinner cannot be made righteous by the works of the Law, as the former verſe doth conclude: For by the Law men come to know themſelves to be ſinners, and they that are ſinners are ever ſinners in themſelves, therefore if ever ſinners can be made righteous they muſt be made righteous by ſuch a kinde of righteouſneſſe as it pleaſeth God the Father to beſtow upon them, and that can be no other righteouſneſſe then a paſſive righteouſneſſe proceeding from Gods mercifull atonement, pardon and forgiveneſſe.
Anſw. The righteouſneſſe whereby a ſinner is juſtified is called the righteouſneſſe of God, becauſe he is the authour of it; it is as much as called the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, Rom. 5.18. where it is called the rigteouſneſſe of one, which one is Chriſt. The imputation of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is the formall cauſe of our juſtification, and is the act of God the Father: The word Father not being taken perſonally, for the firſt perſon in the Trinity, but eſſentially for all the three perſons, God the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt; Becauſe all works wrought upon the creature are the works of the three perſons equally.
A ſinner is not juſtified by the works of the Law, namely, by works that we have done, Tit. 3.5. For to ſuch a work four things are requiſite, viz. that it be wrought, 1. By vertue of the grace of the firſt Covenant. 2. By our own perſons. 3, With exact obedience to the Law. 4. Under the promiſe of juſtification unto continuance therein. But yet a ſinner is juſtified by the works that Chriſt hath wrought, though not by the works that we have wrought.
If that Propoſition be abſolutely true, that they that are once ſinners are ever ſinners, then either the Saints in glory were never ſinners, or they are and ever ſhall be ſinners, and conſequently neither are nor ever ſhall be perfectly bleſſed, See Epheſ. 5.27.
Neither the juſtified perſons continuance to be a ſinner, which is the condition of all in this life, nor the dependance of juſtification upon Gods free pleaſure, nor the paſſiveneſſe of the ſoul in receiving juſtification, do at all inferre atonement, much leſſe the atonement of the Dialogue to be our righteouſneſſe. The good pleaſure of God is the cauſe why the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed, and not atonement is our righteouſneſſe.
Dialogu But yet the Apoſtle doth further deſcribe this righteouſneſſe of God, ver. 21. by two other circumſtances, 1. Negatively. 2. Affirmatively. 1. Negatively he ſaith, that this righteouſneſſe is without the works of the Law. He doth plainly affirm that the works of the Law have no influence at all in the point of a ſinners juſtice or justification.
Anſw. We are juſtified without the works of the Law, that is, without the works of the Law done by us, but not without the works of the Law done by Chriſt: We are juſtified freely, it coſteth us nothing,Buchan: loc 31. q. 16. yet we are juſtified juſtly, it coſt Chriſt the laying down of a full price.
Dialogu. He doth affirm that this righteouſneſſe of God whereby ſinners are made righteous, is ſuch a reghteouſneſſe as is witneſſed by the Law and by the Prophett. It is witneſſed by the Law, namely, by that part of the Law which did teach and typifie unto ſinners how they might be ſinleſſe by Gods atonement through their ſacrifice of atonement, as the procuring cauſe thereof, as I have opened the matter more at large already.
Anſw. Willet. in loc. q. 27.The Apoſtle in thoſe words by the Law, Rom. 3.21. doth not intend the Law of works, nor the Ceremoniall Law only, but the Law of Moſes. Moſes wrote of me, Joh. 5.46. The ceremoniall Law did not typifie our being made righteous by atonement, much leſſe by the atonement of the Dialogue, as it is to be ſeen in the anſwer of the places you referre unto.
Dialogu Faith it ſelf is not a ſinners righteouſneſſe, and therefore it cannot be accounted as a ſinners righteouſneſſe, in ſtead of the righteouſneſſe of the Law, as ſome would have it. For if faith were a ſinners righteouſneſſe no otherwiſe but in the place or ſtead of the righteouſneſſe of the Law, then faith could not justifie a ſinner any further then the Law would do, if it could be ſuppoſed that a ſinner could by any means attain to the righteouſneſſe of the Law, and then truly faith would be but a poor righteouſneſſe to cover a ſinners nakedneſſe. For if a ſinner could keep the whole Law in every circumſtance of it, from his birth unto his death, yet it would not be ſufficient to juſtifie him from his originall ſin.
Anſw. It doth not follow though faith is not, therefore atonement is a ſinners righteouſneſſe. None of us ſay that faith is a ſinners, righteouſneſſe, otherwiſe then relatively for the ſake of the object apprehended by faith; and ſo the Apoſtle ſaith expreſly, Abrahams faith was accounted to him for righteouſneſſe: Yea, the Dialogue, if atonement might paſſe for righteouſneſſe, acknowledgeth, that faith for the atonements ſake received by it, is accounted for righteouſneſſe. No marvell though the Dialogue denieth faith to be accounted a ſinners righteouſneſſe in ſtead of the righteouſneſſe of the Law; the righteouſneſſe of the Law being righteouſneſſe properly and truly ſo called, which the Dialogue ſimply denieth to have any influence into the matter of juſtification. There is no need unto meer juſtification that faith ſhould juſtifie a ſinner further then the Law requireth: yet faith doth not onelyonly juſtifie a ſinner, which the Law could not, Rom. 8.3, 4. but alſo juſtifieth him in ſome reſpects in a more excellent manner then the Law could have juſtified an innocent perſon.
Dialogu. If any Orthodox writer ſay faith juſtifieth in ſtead of the Law, their meaning is, we are made partakers of the righteouſneſſe of the Law Evangelically, that is to ſay, by faith, which we cannot be partakers of legally, that is to ſay, by works. The righteouſneſſe of Chriſt (in reſpect of which faith is ſaid to juſtifie) conſiſting both of originall righteouſneſſe and actuall obedience, juſtifieth us as well from originall as from actuall unrighteouſneſſe; We receive by faith the righteouſneſſe of the Law, namely, that righteouſneſſe which the Law requireth, Rom. 8.3, 4. And ſo Evangelicall righteouſneſſe, or the righteouſneſſe which is by faith, is given to us in ſtead of Legall righteouſneſſe. We are through ſin uncapable of the righteouſneſſe of the Law legally,Haec propoſitio, ſide juſtificamur legaliter intollecta cum papiſtis non eſt vera, ſed blasphema-correlative: autem accepta eſt vera. Urſin. exp. Cat. in the ſtead whereof we are made partakers of the righteouſneſſe of the Law Evangelically, without which we cannot attain eternall life.
Faith juſtifieth not properly as a work or quality, but relatively for the objects ſake, namely, the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt apprehended thereby. This Propoſition, We are justified by faith (ſaith Ʋrſinus) underſtood legally with the Papiſts, is not true, but blaſphemous; but taken correlatively, that is evangelically, it is true.
The true manner how the Law taught ſinners to get righteouſneſſe by faith: When a poor humbled ſinner brought his ſacrifice of atonement to the Priest to be offered for him upon the Altar, he muſt lay both his hands with all his might upon the head of the ſacrifice of atonement; This kinde of impoſition was ordained by God to teach and typifie unto ſinners how they must by faith rest and depend upon the ſacrifice of Chriſt as the onelyonly meritorious procuring cauſe of the Fathers atonement for their full and perfect righteouſneſſe.
Anſw. That he laid on his hands with all his might, cannot be proved, nor doth the proving thereof prove any thing of the Queſtion; Of it hath been already ſpoken in its proper place. The atonement of the Dialogue being diſproved, it is therewithall diſproved, That the laying on of hands typified their relying upon the ſacrifice of Chriſt for ſuch atonement.
Dialogu. Verſ. 25. Whom God hath fore-ordained to be a propitiation (or a ſacrifice of atonement) through faith in his bloud; The Apoſtle explains the matter by another ſentence, Rom. 5.11. by whom we have received the atonement. The Apoſtle doth imply three things in this ſentence. 1. That Chriſt is the Mediatour by whom ſinners do receive. 2. The main thing which they do receive by him is the Fathers atonement. 3. That the means or manner by which they receive the Fathers atonement, is the grace of faith.
Anſw. The Apoſtle Rom. 3 25. alludeth unto the Mercy-ſeat, Exo. 25.22. as appeareth by Heb. 9 5. where ſpeaking of the Mercy-ſeat in Exodus he calleth it by the ſame word in Greek which is uſed here, teaching us thereby that the Mercy-ſeat was a Figure of Chriſt by whom our tranſgreſſions of the Law are forgiven and covered: the Mercy-ſeat covered the Ark of the Teſtimony, that is, the Ark wherein was the Law, which was the teſtimony of Gods will concerning the duty of man.
The Atonement of which Rom. 5.11. is to be underſtood of reconciliation applied, according to the ſenſe of the latter reconciliation mentioned verſ. 10. and notes a change in reſpect of diſpenſation on Gods part, and a change in reſpect of ſtate, relation, and diſpoſition, on our part: See more Sect. 2. Chap. The Greek words are not the ſame, and may in reſpect of their ſignification, if we ſeclude the meritorious cauſe of atonement from atonement, be diſtinguiſhed as the whole and the part: his bloud ſignifieth his paſſive obedience, the meritorious cauſe of the forgiveneſſe of ſin, faith is the inſtrument by which we receive it; Atonement or remiſſion of ſins is a principall good received by faith, yet it is not righteouſneſſe. But the Dialogues atonement is neither principall nor leſſe principall, but a meer fiction.
Dialogu. Verſ. 25. To declare his righteouſneſſe by the paſſing over ſins that are past, through the forbearance of God.
1. God declares his righteouſneſſe toward ſinners by ordaining Jeſus Chriſt to be a propitiation.
2. By ordaining the grace of faith as the instrument of the spirit, whereby poor ſinners might be enabled to beleeve in the Mediators propitiatory ſacrifice, and receive through him the Fathers atonement for their righteouſneſſe.
Anſw. Then God declared juſtice as well as mercy in the forgiveneſſe of, or paſſing over ſin. A truth much oppoſed throughout a great part of the Dialogue; which contradiction had it been attended to, doubtleſſe the Authour would have provided againſt it by ſome Socinian evaſion, or miſ-applied diſtinction. The Fathers Atonement is received by faith, but not for our righteouſneſſe: This errour of the Authours eſpecially in his ſenſe is oft annexed unto ſome foregoing truth, or words that are capable of a conſtruction according to truth by a formall repetition of the queſtion, without ſo much as a threed of reaſon to hold them together. But I hope ſaying the ſame thing frequently and boldly, though ſometimes with the word, Therefore, inſerted without any tolerable inference of reaſon, is not enough to deceive the Reader.
Dialogu. And therefore juſtified perſons have need of new juſtice to their conſciences every day.
Anſw. Very true, if underſtood of the ſenſe of their juſtification; but not true, if underſtood in regard of a new Juſtification: Juſtification is an individuall act which receiveth not more or leſſe in reſpect of it ſelf, though in reſpect of the ſenſe of it it receiveth more or leſſe. Paul was as much juſtified the firſt inſtant of his beleeving, as he is now in glory: Becauſe the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt which is the matter of juſtification is the ſame.