C H A P. :4. Rom. IV. Proved, not the i ;nptltatiQll of fàitfr 3'2 ted for or unto Right eoufnefs , or reckoned upon his fcore ; Yea it muff fo be , that it may rightly be reckoneri on his (core : And this is clear of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift y which becometh the beleevers by faith , and is gi- ven to him,& beftawed upon him,& fo madehis,by vertue of his union with Chrift through faith: His miitake lyeth here,that he taketh thefe words coun- ted forltighteoufnefs,to be every way the fame,with imputing to or befiowingupon, a perfon while as the formal difference is manifeft though the one inclu- deth the other , & Accounting unto Ri- ghteoufnefs doth in this matter , pre - fuppofe the Imputation or beflowing of that , which is counted to fuch an end.. Further, why may not his faith , denote the obieél of his faith , as our hope, or our love may denote the object of our hope & love ? And whence then shall there any nece4ltie arife to fay , that that object shall be truely & properly called his before the Imputation of it be made unto him , taking. this Imputation for bellowing , as he feemeth here to do ? but if Imputation be taken for counting on their fcore it prefuppofeth their intereft in the fame, prior in order of nature , ( as is faid ) & that molt manifellly. In the fourth place he faith. Though we should grant a trope in this place, by faith , its objetl should be meaned : Yet it will not follow , that the Righteouf- nefs of Chrift, should be here faid to be impute.i , but either God himfelf, or the,- proinife of God , f,r it ivat Goc he beleeved verf. 3. AnJ. hi that promtfemade' to Abraham, & which he beleeved ,. the fumme of the Gofpel was compre- hended, as Paul himfel f teacheth us Gal. 3: 8. And this promife was a bun- - dle of promifes , and therefore is called promifes, in the plùral number Gal.. 3: 16, 21. and was the Covenant confirmed of God in Chrifi verf. 17. &; the In- heritance verf. i$. & lifeverf. 21. which cannot be had without, a Righteouf- nefs Ibid. even the Righreoufnefs of Faith that was to come, to wit of Chrift' verf. 22, 23, 24. who is the only mediator verf. 2o. and is there exprefly cal led Chrift & was to be revealed. Hence they that have beleeved in. Chrift - Jefus & are baptized into Chrift , and have put on Chrift , and are in Chrift, & are Chrifes,ai e Abraham's feed & heirs according to the promife verf, 26, 2.7, 23, 19. And if fuch be Abraham's feed, Abraham mull have been fuch himfelf; that Father & Children may be of one Complexion; for the pro- mife , that he should be the heir of the world was net to Abraham', or to his feed , through the Law, but through the Righteou)'nefs of faith. Rpm. 4: 13. that is, thro:,gh the Rfghteouibefs of Chrift the object of faith, & who is exprefly called Faith Gal. 3:23 , 25. And it is added ltpm. 4: 14. for if they, which arm of the Law, be heirs, faith is made void , and the promife made of none effete : Faith , that may be, Chrift , the object of faith , is made void, & all the aftings of faith upon him are vaine & of none effeé , conforme to what the fame Apofïle fair h Gal. 2,:2I. If Rjghteoufnefs come by the Law, then Chrift" or dead in vaine. And as this Faith is made void, fo the promifes of this Faith , that was to come, are of no effect. Therefore the object of Abra ham' s Faith was Chrift , the promifed Meflìah & that Faith that was to co- me, and the Righteoufnefs of that Faith. He reckoneth up, in the fol- lowing words , to very little purpofe,. the feveralobje&s of faith from lobo, 3.: 16, & 5:46. & 2o.: 3.1. & sï 24. ßgm.10: g. I. Pet, t: 21. Pb. 12: 444 a joh ;.
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