We do contrarily hold, that the material cause of mans justification is, the obedience of Christ in suffering, & fulfilling the law for us: but as for the formal cause that must needs be Imputation, the which is an action of God the Father accepting the obedience of Christ for us, as if it were our own. Reasons. I. Look by what we are absolved from all our sins, and by which we obtain eternal life, by that alone are we justified: But by Christs perfect obedience imputed unto us, we are absolved from all our sins, and through it we are accepted of God to eternal life; the which we cannot do by inherent holiness. Therefore by Christs perfect obedience imputed unto us, are we alone justified. This will appear to be true in the exercises of invocation on ⟨p. 157⟩Gods name, and also of repentance. For in tentation, and conflicts with sin and Satan, faith doth not reason thus: Now I have charity and inherent grace, and for these God will accept of me: But faith doth more rightly behold the son of God, as he was made a sacrifice for us, and sitteth at the right hand of his Father, there making intercession for us: to him, I say, doth faith fly, and is assured that for this his son, God will forgive us all our sins, and will also be reconciled unto us, yea, and account us just in his sight, not by any quality inherent in us, but rather by the merit of Jesus Christ. Rom. 5.19. II. As Christ is made a sinner, so by proportion such as believe are made just: But Christ was by imputation only made and accounted a sinner for us. 2. Cor. 5. 21. For he became a surety for us, and a sacrifice for our sins, upon which all both the guiltiness of Gods wrath, and punishment for us was to be laid. Hence is it that he is said to become ([Greek or Hebrew]) a curse for us: Therefore we again are made just only by imputation. III. The contrary to condemnation is remission of sins, and justification is the opposite of condemnation. Rom. 8. 33. It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn? Therefore justification is the remission of sins. Now remission of sins dependeth only upon this imputation of Christs merits. IV.
We doe contrarily hold, that the materiall cause of mans iustification is, the obedience of Christ in suffering, & fulfilling the law for vs: but as for the formall cause that must needes be Imputation, the which is an action of God the Father accepting the obedience of Christ for vs, as if it were our owne. Reasons. I. Looke by what we are absolued from all our sinnes, and by which we obtaine eternall life, by that alone are we iustified: But by Christs perfect obedience imputed vnto vs, we are absolued from all our sinnes, and through it we are accepted of God to eternall life; the which we cannot doe by inherent holinesse. Therefore by Christs perfect obedience imputed vnto vs, are we alone iustified. This will appeare to be true in the exercises of inuocation on ⟨p. 157⟩Gods name, and also of repentance. For in tentation, and conflicts with sinne and Satan, faith doth not reason thus: Now I haue charitie and inherent grace, and for these God will accept of me: But faith doth more rightly behold the sonne of God, as he was made a sacrifice for vs, and sitteth at the right hand of his Father, there making intercession for vs: to him, I say, doth faith flie, and is assured that for this his sonne, God will forgiue vs all our sinnes, and will also be reconciled vnto vs, yea, and account vs iust in his sight, not by any qualitie inherent in vs, but rather by the merit of Iesus Christ. Rom. 5.19. II. As Christ is made a sinner, so by proportion such as beleeue are made iust: But Christ was by imputation onely made and accounted a sinner for vs. 2. Cor. 5. 21. For he became a suretie for vs, and a sacrifice for our sinnes, vpon which all both the guiltinesse of Gods wrath, and punishment for vs was to be laide. Hence is it that he is said to become (〈non-Latin alphabet〉) a curse for vs: Therfore we againe are made iust only by imputation. III. The contrarie to condemnation is remission of sinnes, and iustification is the opposite of condemnation. Rom. 8. 33. It is God that iustifieth, who shall condemne? Therefore iustification is the remission of sinnes. Now remission of sinnes dependeth onely vpon this imputation of Christs merits. IV.
