306 ing it, or enjoining things inconsistent wi dictory unto its observation. In the la Mosaical institutions was abrogated and was not any positive law made for the but the constitution and introduction ship by the gospel inconsistent w it, deprived it of all its obligatory neither of these ways hath Go! of the original law of obedie recompenses of reward. No made for its abrogation; no. moral obedience either inc it. Yea, in the gospel it fulfilled. It is true, as was obse the instrument of a co so there is another rea. troduced another cov trary unto it. But ye.. facto' free all men 1. For unto the obligat. that the matter of or made by him wh it, and be suffic obliged by it. new law, doth i trary unto it, a were before For a covena rity; it beco with whom any, or free of the net chosen it, nant mad cept of. must we and pur new. in the f is abro Wherefore, * ME IB prome not Beatbough kal, or in a surere and the law rrures, as it and made . Hereby med in it, anese things are so God with respect ament according acceptilation, or as perfect, or in really and in truth epend on, and are the fering, and merits of that our weak and imit were perfect, and the ace absolutely perfect, is effects of the righteousmay on their account, and great endeavours that have A unto these things, they ...and imaginations of men that , nor do comply with the ... For to touch a little on the es no true believer, but hath as mad and conscience. principles, habits, qualities, short of a perfect compliance even as it required perfect obeat the nature of sin, and that in nered originally unto the breach therefore apprehend that its obstened, or derogated from in any is no relief for him, with respect unto s, or unto what it threatens, but by the Christ alone, who of God is made righte a. Wherefore, they do not rest in, or on of their own obedience, such as it is, to anut trust unto Christ alone for their accepta are both of them doctrinally untrue; for as ormer, 1. It is unwritten. There is no intimahe Scripture of any such dispensation of God rence unto the original law of obedience. Much en of our deliverance from the curse of the law by 1. but of the abatement of its preceptive power nothing 2. It is contrary to the Scripture. For it is plainly med that the law is not to be abolished, but fulfilled; to be made void, but to be established; that the rightesness of it must be fulfilled in us. 3. It is a supposition both unreasonable and impossible. For, 1. The law was a representation unto us of the holiness of God, and his righteousness in the government of his creatures. There can be no alteration made herein, seeing with God himself there is no variableness nor shadow of changing. 2. It would leave no standard of righteousness, but only a Lesbian rule, which turns and applies itself unto the light and abili. ties of men, and leaves at least as many various measures of righteousness as there are believers in the world. 3. It includes a variation in the centre of all religion, which is the natural and moral relation of men unto God. For so there must be, if all that was once necessary thereunto, do not still continue so to be. 4. It is dishonourable unto the mediation of Christ. For it makes the principal end of it to be, that God should accept of a righteousness unto our justification, inexpressibly beneath that which he required in the law of our creation. And this in a sense makes him the minister of sin, or that he hath procured an indulgence unto it; not by the way of satisfaction and pardon, whereby he takes away the guilt of it from the church; but by taking from it its nature and demerit, so as that what was so originally should not continue so to be, or at least not to deserve the punishment it was first threatened withal. 5. It reflects on the goodness of God himself. For on this sup position that he hath reduced his law into that state and order, as to be satisfied by an observation of it so weak, so imperfect, accompanied with so many failures and sins, as it is with the obedience of the best men in this world (whatever thoughts unto the contrary the frenzy of pride may suggest unto the minds of any), what reason can be given consistent with his goodness, why he should give a law at first of perfect obedience, which one sin laid all mankind under the penalty of unto their ruin? 22. All these things, and sundry others of the same kind, do follow also on the second supposition, of an acceptilation or an imaginary estimation of that as perfect, which is imperfect, as sinless which is attended with sins innumerable. But the judgment of God is according unto truth; neither will he reckon that unto us for a perfect righteousness in his sight, which is so imperfect as to be like tattered rags, especially, having promised unto us, robes of righteousness and garments of salvation. That which necessarily followeth on these discourses is, That there is no other way whereby the original, immutable law of God may be established, and fulfilled with respect unto us, but by the imputation of the perfect obedience and righteousness of Christ, who is the end of the law for righteousness unto all that do believe. CHAP. XII. The imputation of the obedience of Christ unto the law, declared FROM the foregoing general argument, another doth issue L justification before God, then is the imputation of the latter also necessary unto the same end and purpose. For why was it necessary, or why would God have it so, that the Lord Christ, as the surety of the covenant, should undergo the curse and penalty of the law, which we had incurred the guilt of, by sin, that we may be justified in his sight? Was it not, that the glory and honour of his righteousness, as the author of the law, and the supreme governor of all mankind thereby, might not be violated in the absolute impunity of the infringers of it? and if it were requisite unto the glory of God, that the penalty of the law should be undergone for us, or suffered by our surety in our stead, because we had sinned; wherefore is it not as requisite unto the glory of God, that the preceptive part of the law be complied withal for us, inasmuch as obedience thereunto is required of us? And as we are no more able of ourselves to fulfil the law, in a way of obedience, than to undergo the penalty of it, so as that we may be justified thereby; so no reason can be given, why God is not as much concerned in honour and glory, that the preceptive power and part of the law be complied withal, by perfect obedience, as that the sanction of it be established by undergoing the penalty of it. Upon the same grounds therefore, that the Lord Christ's suffering the penalty of the law for us, was necessary that we might be justified in the sight of God, and that the satisfaction he made thereby be imputed unto us, as if we ourselves had made satisfaction unto God, as Bellarmine speaks and grants; on the same it was equally necessary, that is, as unto the glory and honour of the legislator and supreme governor of all by the law, that he should fulfil the preceptive part of it, in his perfect obedience thereunto, which also is to be imputed unto us for our justification. Concerning the first of these, namely, the satisfaction of Christ, and the imputation of it unto us, our principal difference is with the Socinians. And I have elsewhere written so much in the vindication of the truth therein, that I shall not here again reassume the same argument; it is here therefore taken for granted, although I know that there are some different apprehensions about the notion of Christ's suffering in our stead, and of the imputation of those sufferings unto us. But I shall here take no notice of them, seeing I press this argument no farther, but only so far forth, that the obedience of Christ unto the law, and the imputation thereof unto us, is no less necessary unto our justification before God, than his suffering of the penalty of the law, and the imputation thereof unto us, unto the same end. The nature of this imputation, and what it is formally that is imputed, we have considered elsewhere. That the obedience of Christ the Mediator is thus imputed to us, shall be afterward proved in particular by testimonies of the Scripture. Here I intend only the vindication of the argument as before laid down, which will take us up a little more time than ordinary. For there is nothing in the whole doctrine of justification, which meets with a more fierce and various opposition; but the truth is great and will prevail. The things that are usually objected and vehemently urged against the imputation of the obedience of Christ unto our justification, may be reduced unto three heads: 1. That it is impossible. 2. That it is useless. 3. That it is pernicious to believe it. And if the arguments used for the enforcement of those objections, be as cogent as the charge itself is fierce and severe, they will unavoidably overthrow the persuasions of it in the minds of all sober persons. But there is ofttimes a wide difference between what is said, and what is proved, as will appear in the present case. 1. It is pleaded impossible, on this single ground; namely, That the obedience of Christ unto the law was due from him on his own account, and performed by him for himself, as a man made under the law. Now what was necessary unto himself, and done for himself, cannot be said to be done for us, so as to be imputed unto us. 2. It is pretended to be useless from hence, because all our sins of omission and commission being pardoned in our justification on the account of death and satisfaction of Christ, we are thereby made completely righteous; so as that there is not the least necessity for, or use of, the imputation of the obedience of Christ unto us. 3. Pernicious also they say it is, as that which takes away the necessity of our own personal obedience, introducing antinomianism, libertinism, and all manner of evils. For this last part of the charge, I refer it unto its proper |