>< io The Covenant of Works. Our Evangeli- call righteouf- neffe is imper - fed. Chap. t 6. affent to it, as either of the former, and that is of thofe who do not only affert a perfonal inherentrighteoufneffe, as well as im.. puted againft the Antinomians But alfo affirme that this rich - teoufneffe is compleat and_ perfe&, which if it were meant only of the perfe &ion of the fubje&; (as oppofed to hypocrifie, dif- fimulation, or doubleneffe : implying that they do not only pre- tend for God, but are really for him, that they do not turne to him feignedly (as Ifrael was fometimes charged, j erem, 3. r o.) but with an upright heart,) or of the perfe &ion or entireneffe of the obje& (refpe&ing not one or only fore, but all command- ments), which is called a perfec&ion of parts, we might readily affent to it. The Covenant calls for fuch perfe &ion, Gen. 17. r. Walk before me, and be thou perfer, and many have their wit - neffe in Scripture, that they have attained to it, as Noah. Gen, 7.9" yob, Job r. r. Hezekiah, ifay 38.3, But a perfe &ion above thefe is maintained, a perfection compleat and full, k ighteoufne f e nifies, (as is Paid) a conformity to the rule, and a .conformity with a quatenus, cr an imperfetl retlitude is not a true conformity or re- elitude at all: imperfeEl righteoufncffe is not righteoufneffe, but un- righteoufneffe. It ú acontradit7ion in adjeao, though holineffe be acknowledged to be imperfe& in all refeat, where perfe= Ilion u expeaed in reference to the degree that it Jhould obtaine, or the degree which it Jhall obtaine, or in reference to the excel- lent al9jeEl about Which it is exerci(ed , or in reference to the old Covenant, or the direElive, and in fore fenfe the preceptive part of the new Covenant, in all thefe refp. as it is impede&," and righte- oufneffe materially confdered ú holineffe, and therefore thug imper. fell, but formally confidered, it is per_feEt righteoufneffe, or none, this not in relatiou to the old rule, but the nett Covenant ; upón this account they are charged to difcover groffe ignorance that ufe and underftand the word righteous and righteo.ufneffe , as they relate to the old rule, as if the godly were called righteous (befides their imputed righreoufneffe) only becaufe their fanai- fication and good works have fore imperfe& agreement with the Law of works ; This and much more to affert, a perfonal perfe& inherent righteoufnefîe, as is faid; all which, as it is here held out to me is new, and I mull c.onfeffe my felf in ignorance all over; I never took imperfe& righteoufneffe to imply any fuch contradï &ion, no more then impede& holineffe. Ifaiah, I .am lure,
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