R The Lift ofFaith. 7. God hath both by his Covenant , and his Works, ever fince eenfuted that opinion ; and bath not dealt %vitb as as he would have done, ifwe had been the reputed doers and fair. ferers of it all our feives. For he hath made conveyance ofthe Benefits, by a pardoning and ¡unifying Law, or Promife ; and he gtaeth us additional pardon ofrenewed fins as we aft them, and he addech tbreaffnings in his Law orCovenant; and he in- fliaeth penairies ; yea Come that are very grievous, even the with-holding of muchof his Spirits help and grace ; all which are incontinent with that conceit ; nor would he fo have ofd us, ifwe had beenpetfet`dly innocent, and had fully fatisfied for our fins our Wires. 8. All men would have had prefe>vr pfOon of Glory, if God had fo reputed us the perfect meriters et it. For his Janice would no mote have delayed our re- ward, than denyedit. 9. All that arc laved would have equal degrees of bolinefs and happinefs, as well as of righteou fo fs, be- caufe all would equally be reputed the perfca fulfillers of the Law. And as no penalty could ever be juilly intlided otn them here ; fono degree ofglory could be denycd them here- after for their fin, or for want ofreefed righteoufnef>. so. The opinion of this kind of imputation, is a moll evident contra- di on in it Pelf For he that is itrmpatativcly a fat isfter for eat' his own fan, is therein fuppoled to be a firmer : And he Chit is imputatively a perfect innocent fulPer of tier Law, is thereby fuppotcd to need no fatisfad}ion to Jutice for his fun, as being imputatively no (inner. i i. By this all Chrills ficrifice and fatisfadion is made a work of needlefs flpercrrogation ; yes unj Afl, or rather impofiible. For if we perfeQly obeyed in him, ht could not fuller for our difobedience. ta. 11crtby pardon of fin is utterly denyed a for he that is reputatively no firmer, hath no fin to pardon. If they fay that God did ftrft impute the fitiefa ti-an for fn, then there was no room after for the imputation of perfet`À.`. obedience. We cannot feign God to receive all she debt, or juntaall the penalty, and then to fay, now I will eel em thee. one that never didfl deferve it. If they fay that he doth neither impute the obedience or the fwffering to us limply, and to all effcas, but in tantum ad bec, or fecundxm quid only; fo that we (hall be pardoned for his S f a fvff..ring, 323
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