5 a Ofimputedht.0fFaith,?ufif.andMansduty : CHAP. Ix. whether Faith it [elfbe imputed for Righteoifnef ? yÍII. Lib. Hat do you but fubvert the Gofpel , when you put W faith inftead of Chrifi or of his Righteoufnefs ? when the Scripture faith that we are juflified by Chrifts Righteoufnefs Im- puted to us, you fay it is by faith imputed. P. Do you think any fober Chriftians here really differ e or is it only about the Names andNotions? Whichever it be ; t. Of the name, Is it not oft Paid that Faith is and (hall be imputed fir Righteoufnefs Rom. 4.22, 23,24. Jamess.23. Lib. Tes: Imutt grant the words, hot not your meáning. P. Where Both the Scripture fay, thatChriftsRighteou[lyefs is imputed to us? Remember that it is only the Name that I ask you of. Lib. Itfaith that Righteoufnefs is Imputed : and what Righteoufnefs san it be but Chrfs? F. I tell you ftill, it is only t'-ephrafe or words that we are firft trying. Are thefe the fame words [ Righteoufnefs is Imputed] and [ Chrifts Righteoufnefs is Imputed? ] If not, where are thefe latter words in Scripture e Lib. Grant that the words are riot, andyour words are. P. Then the queftion is, Whether Scripture phrafe or mans invented phrafe be the better and fafer in a controvertiblecafe t And next Whether you thould deny or quarrel at the Scripture laying, that [faith is imputed to usfor righteoufnefs] and not rather confute our mifexpounding it, if we do fo Lib. well, Let us examine thé fenfe then: what Righteoufnefs is it hutChrifis that isfirid'to be imputed to us? P. It is none but what we have from :Chrift : But the phrafe of im- paring fuppofeth it ours: And the meaning is no more, but that [we are reputedRighteous] : And the caufes are not included in the phrafe of [Imputing righteoufnefs to as]; but in the words before and after. As Imputingfin to us, (and not Imputing it) is but toRepute, reckon orjudge resfinners, orby fin guilty of punifbment (or not guilty) ; to is it here. So that it is fuppofed, a. That Righteoufnefs, that is, ThisRelation of be- ing Righteous, is the thing imputed: a.Chrifls Righteoufnefs is the me- ritorious caufe : 3. The Gofpel Donation is the inftrumental Caufe; 4. Our Faith inChrift is thecondition, and as fuch the fubordinate mat- ter necefláry on our parts. And that faith is imputed for Righteoufnefs plainly meaneth but this, that Chrift having merited and fatisfied for us, all that is now required on our part to denominate (or primarily con- ftiture) us Righteous , is to be true Believers in him, or true Char. ftians. And I further ask you, Do you thus paraphraCe the words [Faith, that is, Chr /s Rightesoofnefs, is imputed to us for righteoufnefs ? ] Lib. Tes: I do fo: becaufe the act is put for the ohjeet. P. Were it fo Paid buttoned and otherwife oft, you had fome colour for this : But when it is never laid [ Chrifts Righteoufnefs is imputed to us and fo oft laid [Faith is imputedfor righteoufnefs, ] how (hall ever the Scripture be underftood at this rate, if ftill by [ faith] it mean not faith
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