not be laid to their charge. Rom. 4.6.Even as David also describeth the blessednesse of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works. Philem. v.18.If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account. Rom. 4.4.Now to him that worketh, the wages is not counted by favour, but by debt. Here it hinders nothing, that righteousnesse imputed should simply note out a righteousnesse of grace and acceptation, whenas the word imputed joyned with others noting desert and debt, may signifie the cleane contrary. For example, when it is said, that Psal. 68.18.
Eph. 4.8.God gives gifts unto the sonnes of men, all understand a free bestowing of good things amongst them: but when he saith, Rom. 11.8.he giveth them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, eares that they should not heare: then albeit the word [giving] in it selfe promiseth some grace, yet being matched with such words, it hath a contrary signification to that which naturally it signifieth: when mention is simply of violent men, and of raveners or snatchers, by and by all that have judgement understand men of wicked life: But when it is said, that Matth. 11.12.the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence, and that the violent catch it away; it is easie to know, that this violence and catching falleth not into the lot of the wicked. Likewise the word profane, soundeth in all mens eares some foule and damnable thing: but when it is said, Matth. 12.5.the Priests profane the Sabbath and are guiltlesse, all know that it is no word of reproach.
But to reture to the matter, to impute is either to acknowledge that which is truly in one, to be his indeed, and to attribute it to him, or else to attribute that to one which indeed is not his. In generall it is to transcribe or transferre and put over the cause of any thing to any one. So Ulpian. in lege 1. parag. Item quæritur, de separat: Sibi imputent, quo minus idoneum fide jussorem acceperint; id est, ascribant & tribuant. Item apud jurisconsult. Imputare significat acceptum seu expensum ferre, ut imputare sibi debet, qui credulus fuit. Legum. 1. §. dolum ff, de eo per quem factum. To impute then is to ascribe a matter good or evill, or the cause thereof to any one, which he hath, or hath not. The imputation of an evill is two-fold, just and due, when the evill imputed or the cause thereof is in the subject to which it is imputed: so sin is imputed to him that hath committed it, and folly to him that hath not spoken that which is right, Job 42. 8. and the debt is imputed to him that undertooke to make payment, or givesatisfaction.
