Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/74

 62 satisfaction. Unjust or undeserved, when the evill or cause thereof is not in the subject, as when a fault is imputed to an innocent, and punishment inflicted upon him that neither offended in his own person, nor undertooke to be surety for the offendor, 1 Sam. 1. 16. Gen. 38. 15. ''Plin. lib''. 8. cap. 1.

The imputation of a good thing is done three wayes, by right, grace and injustice: because law, justice and right is opposed to injustice and grace. But here it must be noted, that its one thing to say a man is reputed just, another to say, this or that thing is imputed for righteousnesse: a man is reputed just, but not imputed just; reputation is spoken of the concrete, imputation of the abstract: imputation is the cause, reputation the effect: Imputation by debt or right is, when that which is inherent in the subject, or due to it, is imputed, as wages counted of debt to him that worketh. But many things due cannot be said to be imputed, unlesse the word imputation be taken improperly for giving or acknowledgement; as we should improperly be said to impute glory to God for to give or acknowledge. Imputation by injustice is, when righteousnesse of quality or fact is imputed to an unjust man, and he is acquitted contrary to law. Imputation by grace, when righteousnesse is imputed to them that be unjust in themselves, and the guilty is acquitted, not of debt, but of grace, yet not against justice, but upon just and equall considerations. Righteousnesse also is put either for some one individuall righteous act, done after a manner pleasing and acceptable unto God, which is called the righteousnesse of the fact, or it is put for universall righteousnesse, which is either the matter of justification, or at least the thing required on our part to justification, and is called the righteousnesse of the person: which latter is here to be understood, as is more at large to be shewed hereafter. Now from all that hath been spoken it followeth.

1. That perfect and strict righteousnesse of quality or work inherent, is and ought to be imputed of justice to the subject in whom it is: but by gracious estimation it cannot be imputed in the place or roome of righteousnesse inherent: for what is accounted by grace, that either is not in the subject, or it is not really that in the roome and steed whereof it is accounted.

2. Works of righteousnesse done in faith after a manner pleasing and acceptable unto God, are of grace imputed to the doer for