Wherefore, — (2./ Positively. /This imputation is an act of God " ex mera gratia," — of his mere love and grace; whereby, on the con- sideration of the mediation of Christ, he makes an effectual grant and donation of a true, real, pe7fect righteousness, even that of Christ himself unto all that do believe; and accounting it as theirs, on his oiun gracious act, both absolves them from sin and granteth them right and title unto eternal life./ Hence, —
5. In this imputation, the tiling itself is, first imputed unto us, and not any of the effects of it; but they are made ours by virtue of that
174- ON JUSTIFICATION.
imputation. To say that the righteousness of Christ, — that is, liis obedience and sufferings, — are imputed unto us only as unto their effects, is to say that we have the benefit of them, and no more ; but imputation itself is denied. So say the Socinians ; but they know- well enough, and ingenuously grant, that they overthrow all true, real imputation thereby. " Nee enim ut per Christi justitiam justificemur, opus est ut illius justitia, nostra fiat justitia; sed suflficit ut Christi justitia sit causa nostrse justificationis ; et hactenus possumus tibi con- cedere, Christi justitiam esse nostram justitiam, quatenus nostrum in bonum justitiamque redundat; verum tu proprie nostram, id est, nobis attributam ascriptamque intelligis,'" saith Schlichtingius, Disp. pro Socin. ad Meisner. p. 250. And it is not pleasing to see some among ourselves with so great confidence take up the sense and words of these men in their disputations against the Protestant doctrine in this cause; that is, the doctrine of the church of England.
That the righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us as unto its effects, hath this sound sense in it, — namely, that the effects of it are made ours by reason of that imputation. It is so imputed, so reckoned unto us of God, as that he really communicates all the effects of it unto us. But to say the righteousness of Christ is not imputed unto us, only its effects are so, is really to overthrow all imputation ; for (as we shall see) the effects of the righteousness of Christ cannot be said properly to be imputed unto us ; and if his righteousness it- self be not so, imputation hath no place herein, nor can it be under- stood why the apostle should so frequently assert it as he doth, Rom. iv. And therefore the Socinians, who expressly oppose the imputa- tion of the righteousness of Christ, and plead for a participation of its effects or benefits only, do wisely deny any such kind of righteous- ness of Christ, — namely, of satisfaction and merit (or that the righte- ousness of Christ, as wrought by him, was either satisfactory or meri- torious),— as alone may be imputed unto us. For it will readily be granted, that what alone they allow the righteousness of Christ to consist in cannot be imputed unto us, whatever benefit we may have by it. But I do not understand how those who gTant the righteous- ness of Christ to consist principally in his satisfaction for us, or in our stead, can conceive of an imputation of the effects thereof unto us, without an imputation of the thing itself; seeing it is for that, as made ours, that we partake of the benefits of it. But, from the description of miputation and the instances of it, it appeareth that there can be no imputation of any thing unless the thing itself be imputed ; nor any participation of the effects of any thing but what is grounded on the imputation of the thing itself Wherefore, in our particular case, no imputation of the righteousness of Christ is al- lowed, unless we grant itself to be imputed ; nor can we have any
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participation of the effects of it but on the supposition and founda- tion oif that imputation. The impertinent cavils that some of late have collected from the Papists and Socinians, — that if it be so, then are we as righteous as Christ himself, that we have redeemed the world and satisfied for the sins of others, that the pardon of sin is impossible and personal righteousness needless, — shall afterward be spoken unto, so far as they deserve.
All that we aim to demonstrate is only, that either the righteous- ness of Christ itself is imputed unto us, or there is no imputation in the matter of our justification; which, whether there be or no, is another question, afterward to be spoken unto. For, as was said, the effects of the righteousness of Christ cannot be said properly to be imputed unto us. For instance, pardon of sin is a great effect of the righteousness of Christ. Our sins are pardoned on the account thereof God for Christ's sake, forgiveth us all our sins. But the pardon of sin cannot be said to be imputed unto us, nor is so. Adoption, justification, peace with God, all grace and glory, are effects of the righteousness of Christ ; but that these things are not imputed unto us, nor can be so, is evident from their nature. But we are made partakers of them all upon the account of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ unto us, and no otherwise.