found in the Scriptures, in express Terms. But then we have fo many full and clear Teftimonies in Scripture, to the Doctrine contained in that Propofition, that there can be no Reafon to call the Truth of it into Question. Thus Jer. xxiii. 6. This is the Name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our Righteoufnef-Rom iii. 25, 26. Whom God hath fet forth to be a Propitiation, through Faith in his Blood, to declare his Rig'teousness for the Remision of Sins,―to declare at this Time his Righteousness; that he might be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jefus.-Rom. v. 18, 19. Therefore as by the Offence of one Judgement came upon all Men to Condemnation: Even fo by the Righteousness of one, the free Gift came upon all Men unto Juli fication of Life. For as by one Man's Difobedi ence, many were made Sinners: So by the Obedience of One, fhall many be made righteous.-Rom. viii. 3. 4. God fending his own Son in the Likeness of finful Flesh, and for Sin, condemned Sin in the Flesh, that the Righteoufnefs of the Law might be fulfilled .-Rom. x. 4. For Chrift is the End of the Law for Righteousness, to every one that believeth.

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in us.-)

I Cor. i. 30. But of him are ye in Chrift Jefus, who of God is made unto us Wifdom and Righteouf nefs, and Sanctification, and Redemption.2 Cor. v. 21. That we might be made the Righteousness of God in him

I might have added very many more Texts of Scripture to the fame Purpose: But how can more be needful, to fatisfy any Man, in the Truth of our Fuftification by the Imputation of Chrift's Righte oufnefs, who attentively reads, and impartially weighs thefe cited Texts, without Prejudice against the Doctrine, or a Biafs to fome favourite Scheme?

-Let it be confidered, here we are expressly af fured, that Chrift is the Lord our Righteousness:

that

that 'tis by his Righteoufnefs we obtain Remission of Sins; that by his Righteoufnefs God is the Juftifier of him who believeth in Jefus; that by his Righteoufnefs we have Juftification of Life; and by his Obedience we are made righteous; that by his being fent for Sin, and condemning Sin, the Righte oufnefs of the Law is fulfilled in us; that he is the End of the Law for Righteoufnefs to the Believer; that he is of God made unto us Righteousness; and we are made the Righteousness of God in him.---Is it poffible, that the Doctrine I am pleading for fhould be expreffed in plainer and stronger Terms -The Word impute, or Imputation, is not indeed found in thefe Texts; but the Thing intended by it is plainly found there. Let that be allowed, and I fhall maintain no Controverfy with you about the Meaning or Ufe of a Word.-Let it be allowed, that Chrift has fulfilled the Righteousness of the Law for Believers; that his Righteoufnefs is become theirs; that they have thereby Remiffion of Sins, are juftified before God, and made righteous: Let thefe Things be owned, and it will not be of so great Importance, whether you confent to the Propriety of the Word Imputation, in this Cafe, or not. Now thefe Things you must allow, or deny the very Language of the quoted Texts; and by allowing thefe Things, you will allow all that is intended by those who plead for the Imputation of Chrift's Righteoufnefs. But why muft the Word Impute, or Imputation, be found Fault with? Be pleafed to read the fourth Chapter to the Romans, and obferve how often Righteousness is there faid to be imputed to them, that believe. Though the Righteousness there faid to be imputed is not exprefsly called the Righteoufness of Chrift, yet that is fully implied. For it was a Righteoufnefs whereby Abraham was Justified. (v. 2.) A Righteousness without Works. (v. 6.) A

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(v. 6.) A Righteousness, by which our Sins are covered, that the Lord will not impute them. (v. 6, 7.) A Righteoufnefs, by which God is the Father of all them that believe. (v. 11.) And a Righteousness, thro' which Abraham had the Promife, that he fhould be the Heir of the World. (v. 13.)-Now can any Man pretend to a perfonal Righteousness, which all thefe Characters are fairly applicable to? Or can thefe Characters juftly be applied to any other, fave the Righteoufness of Christ only?

I hope, by this Time, you are convinced, that the Scripture is not a Stranger to the Doctrine of Julipcation by the imputed Righteousness of Christ. I would therefore, Sir, intreat you to confider, it is of infinite Confequence, that you yourself be not a Stranger to that Faith, by which you may receive this Righteoufnefs, may have this imputed to you, and may, in virtue of this, be accepted (your Perfon and your fincere Performances) as righteous be fore God.

But I have been too tedious in my Answer to your firft Objection, I therefore haften to confider what you have further to object against this important Truth.

"Your Author ( you tell me ) argues, that if Faith "be imputed for Righteousness, unto the Juftifica❝tion of a Sinner, then CHRIST'S Obedience can"not be imputed to that End, unless our Faith "and CHRIST's Righteousness be supposed to be "the fame Thing: That there is nothing more e"vident, than that Faith (which is fo often faid

to be imputed for Righteousness, Rom. iv.) is "properly our own perfonal Righteoufnels: That "the Word Faith, (II) fignifies Faithfulness, as "well as believing, and includes evangelical Obedience in the Nature of it: That God deals with us as moral Agents, and imputes to us the Righ"teoufnefs which we perfonally have, and not "that which we perfonally have not."

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I take this to be the most plaufible, and the most weighty Objection against the Doctrine under Confideration that has ever been made: And it therefore deferves to be diftinctly taken Notice of. I fhall accordingly endeavour to fhew, that the aith which is imputed UNTO Righteousness (for so I think the Words fhould be rendered) does not include Obedience in the Nature of it. I fhall proceed to prove, that the Faith which is imputed to Believers unto their Juftification, is not their own perfonal Righteou/nefs; and then endeavour to make it evident, that if your Conftruction of thofe Paffages in Rom. iv. were granted, it would make nothing against the Doctrine of our Juftification by the imputed Righteoufnefs of Chrift.

I am firft to fhew, that the Faith which is imputed unto Righteousness, does not include Obedience in the Nature of it, confidering Faith in its Reference to Juftification, or (as fome express themselves) in its Office of justifying.-For, though a true and lively Faith has its Influence in purifying the Hearts and Lives of Men, and producing Obedience, yet itis of the very Nature of Faith, to exclude all Opi~ nion of Merit in ourfelves, to refpect the Promife of God's Mercy, and directly fend us to Chrift for Juftification and Acceptance with God, through his Merits and Righteoufnefs: So that justifying Faith, as ich, does not include in its Nature Works of Obedience.-I need not ufe many Arguments to prove this, the Apostle having in the plainest and ftrongest Terms declared it. It is the very Scope and Defign of the Apoftle's Argument in this fourth Chapter to the Romans, to prove, that we are juftified by Faith without Works. This was the Argument of the preceeding Chapter, which is confirmed and illuftrated in this, by the Examples of Abraham and David: For if Abraham were jufti

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fied

fied by Works, he hath whereof to glory ; but not before God: For what faith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for Righteoufnefs. Now to him that worketh is the Reward reckoned not of Grace, but of Debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that juftifieth the Ungodly, his Faith is counted for Righteoufnefs. Even as David alfo defcribeth the Blefjedness of the Man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works, Rom. v. 2. 6.

The Apoftle is here using a Variety of unanfwerable Arguments against the Doctrine I am now impleading. He argues, that if Abraham's Faith had included Works or Obedience in it, he would have had whereof to glory. All Works, all Acts of Obedience whatfoever, are formally our own, being done by ourselves; and therefore may be gloried of as fuch; but Abraham had not whereof to glory before God; and therefore Abraham's Faith did not include Works of Obedience in the Nature of it, confidering it as counted to him for Righteousness.He next fhews us, that if we had the Benefit of Juftification, as a Reward, upon the account of any Works, of any Obedience whatsoever, the Reward would not be of Grace, but of Debt: For by whatever Law, by whatever Covenant-tranfaction, a Reward becomes due to any Sort of Works or Obedience, it is however become due, and may be claimed as a Debt, upon the Performance of fuch Works or Obedience. Whence it follows, that no Sort of Obedience, either legal or evangelical, can be included in the Nature of a justifying Faith as fuch, if we are justified of Grace and not of Debt.

-He fhews us, that where Faith is imputed unto Righteousness, it is imputed to him that worketh not, that doeth no Works of Righteousness at all, dependeth upon none at all of his own doing, in

order