The souls exaltation A treatiseThe soules exaltation A treatise

I have it not, I do it not, another hath it, another doth it, and it is accounted mine, and reckoned mine in course of justice. Now in the point of communication it is otherwise: because I have something, something is wrought in me, some qualities and habits; for it is not a moral thing, but a physical alteration by the power of grace implanted in me, which I have, so that imputation discovers two things. First, that I have no help in my self in what I have, or what I do. Secondly, it implieth that something which another hath and doth, it is in conclusion made mine, and I have ⟨p. 115⟩the benefit thereof, as well as if I had it, as well as if I had done it. It is an old comparison that Divines use, and there cannot be a better to express the full nature and the meaning of the point now in hand. Take a debtor now arrested, imprisoned, and he cannot pay the debt; another man comes, and will be his surety: now mark this, another man payeth the money, another man satisfieth the creditor in the behalf of the debtor; the creditor acquits this man, cancels all his bonds, lets him out of prison, confesseth he hath nothing to say to him, nothing to charge him withal, he is fully satisfied, he hath given him full content: why the debtor paid no money to the creditor himself, but because the surety paid it, therefore the payment is counted his, as if the debtor had paid it: this is the very nature of imputation. This I take to be the meaning of the first part of the Text, in which now a little I mean to trade: the Text saith, He is made unto is righteousness; that is, God in Christ doth justify a believer by way of imputation, though he hath nothing in himself, though he doth nothing of himself whereby to be justified in Gods account, yet God will justify him through the Justice of Christ imputed to him, and counted upon his score: so that imputation implieth two things. First, that a man hath nothing, can do nothing. Secondly, that he is justified by something, Christ hath, and hath done for him, the point then is clear, and that is this.

I have it not, I doe it not, another hath it, another doth it, and it is accounted mine, and reckoned mine in course of justice. Now in the point of communication it is otherwise: because I have something, something is wrought in mee, some qualities and habits; for it is not a morall thing, but a physicall alteration by the power of grace implanted in me, which I have, so that imputation discovers two things. First, that I have no help in my selfe in what I have, or what I doe. Secondly, it implieth that something which another hath and doth, it is in conclusion made mine, and I have