36' the Exception of john Goodwin; C H A P. 234 fore , if any work be accounted meritor ús , in this cafe , that muít be fo accounted , which is made the whole or Our Righteoufnefs , upon which we are jultified ;' & is faid to be the only Righteoufnefs , that is imputed to us , for that end , that we may be Juftified. Is not that beleeving ma- de our Righreoufnefs, & thereby declared to be no Iefs meritorious , than Adam's perfect Obedience would have been ? Argum. 3. That which maketh ',unification not to be of grace , cannot hand with the truth of the Gófpe!. But the imputation of Faith for Righ -, teoufnefs maketh Juftification not to be of Grace. S He excepteth, The Scripture Rill maketh a perfect continency offree grace with the - condition of faith Eph. z: 8. Rpm., 3: 2,4, 2,5. Nay the work. of beleeving it purpofely required, that the freenefr of his grace might have place Rpm. 4 :,16. How can agift be conceived to be more freely given , th.tn when nothing more is required , than that it be received : now beleeving isriothing el le, but a receiving of that righteou fnefs or justification , which God giveth in & with his Son teJus Chrifi job. is iz. Anf. Here are good words , but nothing to loofe the argument, for Faith , receiving a Righteoufnefs , or the gift of Righte- oufnefs , or the Atonement, or Chrift & his Righteoufnefs is but the ip1trument ( as it were ) of the foul , laying hold on, & in law prefenting ( to (peak fo ) the fidejuíforie- righteoufnefs of the Surety , Chrift , as the Righteoufnefs, uron the account of which , & for which alone , he is to be juftified. But beleeving , confidered in it Pelf, as our work, &ma- de to be our Righteoufnefs, & all our Righteoufnefs, & laid to be im- puted for our Righteoufnefs , is not confidered as a receiving ofagift of Righteoufnefs; ( which is diltindfrom Juftification , howbeit he confound them) but really is made a price in our hand, wherewith- to purchafe the gift of Juftification ; & the reckoning of this work to us ( which is our work) as our Righteoufnefs, in order to juftification, maketh Jullificati- on not of grace, but of debt , as the Apoftle argueth Room. 4: 4. & ma- keth our Jollification to be of works, & if it be of works, it is no more of grace , as the Apoftle afferteth mom. t is 6. The consideration of Faith, as the aft of the foul , receiving & laying hold upon a Righteoufnefs, or on Chrift, & his Righteoufnefs,' eftablifheth the Imputation of Chrifts Righteoufnefs ; but the Imputation of Faith , properly taken doth qui- te extrude it : & there two are made incompatible by our adverfaries; & the one is aßêrted , that the other may be denied; for which there we- re no necefiity if Faith were confidered , in the Scripture -fenfe as it ought to be, that isan Inítrument laying hold on & bringing in a Righ- teoufnefs from without even the Surety - Righteoufnefs of Chrift. So that this exception , if it be ingenuous, mutt overthrow the Poltion main- tained. Arg. 4.' That which miniftereth occafion to the flefh of boalling in it (elf, is not confonant -, to the tenor of the Gofpel. But the imputation of Faith for Righteoufnefs doth minifter occafion to the flefh of boaftíng Therefore &c. He exceptetb, Suppofe the ail of beleeving, which is fo imputed for righte- ouf nefs
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