314 Ron,. IV. Proverb not the imputation of faith. C n A n. Loo what fora Righteoufnefs this pardon of fins'is ? is it a Righteoufnefs perper- ly fo called ? But that cannot be, for all fuch Righteoufnefs confifteth in obe- dience ro the Law : therefore it muff be a Righteoufnefs improperly fo cal - led, & if fo., it cannot be called our formal righteoufnefs, as he faid it was. (4) When he faith , we are maderighteousrn jufificatioi, & yet will an Imputed Righteoufnefs, and his Remiffion of fins is not yet found CO be a proper Righteoufnefs the fenfe mull -either be Popish, or none at all. I shall not here adde other reafons Againft this Affertion,whereby it might be made manifeft , how dangerous this Opinion is, if it be pur in pray lice; & how it tenderti to alter the Nature of the Covenant of Grace : It may fuf- fice at prefent, that we have vindicated thefe few reafons againft it, & that we have found it, in the foregoing Chapter, inconfiftent with the doctrine ofgrace , in the New Teftament & repugnant to the Nature of Juftifica- tion , as declared & explained to us by the Apoftle : and that we shall finde it , in the next Chapter, without any footing in the Apoftles difcourfe Rpm. 4. which is the only place adduced for its confirmation. C H A P. XXIV. The imputation of Faith it felf is not Proved from Rom. IV. Pi", He maine , if Plot only ground , whereupon our Adverfaries build their Affertion of the Imputation of our ate of Beleeving , is Rpm. 4. where they tell us the Apoftle doth frequently & expreflyjfay , that Faith is imputed unto Righteoufnefs. We mutt therefore , in order The vindi- cation of truth , vindicate this place from their corrupt gloffes ; 1\& to this end we shall frfì show , that that can not be the meaning of the Apoftle, inthisplace, which our Adverfaries contend for.; & next we shall examine what they fay to enforce their Expofiriòn of the place. That the meaning of the Apoftle Rpm. 4. where it is laid Abraham beleeved God , and it was counted unto him for rìghteoufnefs & afterward his faith is counted for righteotrfnefr , and faith was counted to Abraham for rtghteeuffiefs dPc. is not that Abraham's .ad of beleeving was accounted the Righteouinefs, whereupon he was accepted, & was imputed unto him as a Righteoufnefs in order to his Juftification ; and confequently , that the at of Beleeving is now imputed to lieleevers for their Righteoufnefs; as Paid Servetus , Socinus & his followers , Arminius & his followers, Papifts, & others; that, I fay , this is not the true meaning of the place, may appear from thefe par- ticulars. i. If the at of,Beleeving be accounted a Righteoufnefs, it mull either be accounted a Perfeét Righteoufnefs, or an Imperfeét Righteoufnefs : Hit be accounted for an Imperfect Righteoufnefs, no mail can_be thereupon Jutli- fied;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=