CHAPTER YII.
Imputation, and the nature of it — The first express record of justification deter- mineth it to be by imputation. Gen. xv. 6 — Reasons of it— The doctrine of im- putation cleared by Paul ; the occasion of it— Maligned and opposed by many — Weight of the doctrine concerning imputation of righteousness, on all hands acknowledged — Judgment of the Refoi'med churches herein, particularly of the church of England — By whom opposed, and on what grounds— Signification of the word— DiflTerence between " reputare" and " imputare" — Imputation of two kinds: — 1. Of what was ours antecedently unto that imputation, whether good or evil— Instances in both kinds — Nature of this imputation — The thing im- puted by it, imputed for what it is, and nothing else. 2. Of what is not ours antecedently unto that imputation, but is made so by it — General natvire of this imputation — Not judging of others to have done what they have not done- Several distinct grounds and reasons of this imputation:—!. "Ex justitia;" (1.) " Propter relationem foederalem ; " (2.) " Pi-opter relationem naturalem." 2. "Ex voluntaria sponsione "—Instances, Philem. 18, Gen. xliii. 9 — Voluntary sponsion, the ground of the imputation of sin to Christ. 3. " Ex injui-ia," 1 Kings i. 21. 4. " Ex mera gratia," Rom. iv. — Difference between the imputation of any works of ours, and of the righteousness of God— Imputation of inherent righ- teousness is "ex justitia" — Inconsistency of it with that wliich is "ex mera gratia," Rom. xi. 6 — Agreement of both kinds of imputation — The true nature of the imputation of righteousness unto justification explained— Imputation of the righteousness of Christ — The thing itself imputed, not the eflect of it ; proved against the Socinians ......... 162
CHAPTER Vni.
Imputation of sin unto Christ — Testimonies of the ancients unto that pui-pose — Christ and the church one mystical person — Mistakes about that state and relation— Grounds and reasons of the imion that is the foimdation of this imputation — Christ the surety of the new covenant; in what sense, unto what ends — Heb. vii. 22, opened — Mistakes about the causes and ends of the death of Christ — The new covenant, in what sense alone procured and purchased thereby — Inquiry Avhcther the guilt of our sins was imputed unto Christ — The meaning of the words, "guilt," and "guilty" — The distinction of "reatus culptu," and "reatus poensc," examined — Act of God in the imputation of the guilt of our sins unto Christ — Objections against it answered — The ti-uth confirmed . . 175
VIII CONTENTS.
Page
CHAPTER IX.
Principal controversies about justification: — 1. Concerning the nature of justifica- tion, stated; 2. Of the formal cause of it; 3. Of the way whereby we are made partakers of the benefits of the mediation of Christ — What intended by the formal cause of justification, declared — The righteousness on the account whereof believers are justified before God alone, inquired after under these terms — This the righteousness of Christ, imputed unto them — Occasions of exceptions and objections against this doctrine — General objections examined — Imputation of the righteousness of Christ consistent with the free pardon of sin, and with the necessity of evangelical repentance — Method of God's grace in our justification — Necessity of faith uato justification, on supposition of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ — Grounds of that necessity — Other objections, arising mostly from mistakes of the tnith, asserted, discussed, and answered . . 205
CHAPTER X.
Arguments for justification liy the imputation of the righteousness of Christ — Our own personal righteousness not that on the account whereof wc are justified in the sight of God — Disclaimed in the Scriptures, as to any such end — The truth and reality of it granted — Manifold imperfections accompanying it, rendering it unmeet to be a righteousness tmto the justification of life .... 223
CHAPTER XL
Nature of the obedience or righteousness reqviired unto justification — Original and causes of the law of creation — Thcsubstance and end of that law — The immu- tability or unchangeableness of it, considered absolutely, and as it was the instmment of the covenant between God and man — i\.rguments to prove it un- changeable ; and its obligation imto the righteousness first required pci'petually in force — Therefore not abrogated, not dispensed withal, not derogated from, • but aoe«fflpliaUed — This alone by Chi'ist, and the imputation of his righteous- ness unto us ......... . 240
CHAPTER Xn.
Imputation i)f the obedience of Christ no less necessary than that of his sufi'ering, on the same ground — Objections against it : — First, That it is impossible — Manage- ment hereof by Socinus — Ground of this objection, that the Lord Christ was for himself obliged unto all the obedience he yielded unto (xod, and perforaied it for himself, answered — The obedience inquired after, the obedience of the person of Christ the Son of God— In his whole person Chiist was not under the law — He designed the obedience he performed for us, not for himself —This actual obedience not necessary as a qualification of his person unto the discharge of his office — The foundation of this obedience in his being made man, and of the posterity of Abi'aham, not for himself, but for us — Right of the liumau nature unto glory, bj' virtue of imiou — Obedience necessary imto the human nature, as Christ in it was made iinder the law — This obedience properly for us — Instances of that natui'c among men — Christ obeyed as a public pei'son, and so not for himself — Human nature of Christ subject unto the law, as an eternal rule of dependence on God, and subjection to him ; not as prescribed unto us whilst we are in this world, in order unto our future blessedness or reward — Second objection. That it is iiseless, answered — He that is pardoned all his sins is not thereon esteemed to have done all that is required of him — Not to be unrighteous negatively, not the same with being righteous positively— The law