ïP 104 Some Arg. for the Imput. of Ch. Right. Vindicated. C H A P. I o; of the perfon , and not of either of the Natures alone ; & therefore mutt not be looked upon , as the A lions of a meer man, So that His ads of obe- dience , were the as of obedience of God- man , or of that perfon , that was God. He needeth not then tell us , that the Abfalute holinefr and Righ- teoufnefs ofthe humanity it f If was of nece j ary concurrence unto His obedience : for we grant it , and this flowed from the hypoflatical union : but that, which we deny is , That there was an Holinefs and Righteoufnefs in ads of outward obedience to the law requifite thereunto ; as if the humane Na- ture , by vertue of the hypoflatical union , had not been holy and harmlefs, antecedently unto thofe outward ads of obedience ; and fo had not been a fìnlefs and holy Sacrifice, ifHe had been offered up in His Infancy, or before He was in capacity to do any commanded ads. He needeth not fay ( as he Both pag. 204. ) that we conceive , that Chrift -man might have been righteous without doing the works of Righteoufnefs, which is all one , as to fay, that He might have been Righteous , though He had tranfgref ed; for not to keep the law , in thofe to whom the law is given, is nothing clfe, but to tranfgrefs. For we neither do , nor need aflert any fuch thing : for by vertue of the hypoftatical union , He was Righteous, and could not tranfgrefs, or do any thing contrary to what was impofed upon Him : but we fay , that by vertue of this union , as to Himfelf, the Humane Nature was not under the law, as we are; bu4 He was under the law , that He might fulfill it for others ; & not to fit and qua - lifie Him to be a meet Sacrifice , as if for this His Humane Nature had not been meet enough before. To this he faith , pag. 205. Let this Suppofition be admitted , that Chrifi had fufred in the womb , and that this Suffering of His had been fully Satisfactory; yet had He been as perfectly righteous, in this cafe ; and confequently had kept the lath perfectly, as now He hath done; for the law requireth of Infan s, during their Infancy, nothing but holinefs of Nature. I Anf. (I.) This is enou toconfirme what we fay, vi .T. That all His after atual obedience was not iecef ary to this end. (z) And betide though this holinefs of Nature was conforme to the law upon the matter, yet it was not a formal obedience unto the law, if we fpeak of Him in reference to Hirrafelf; for the Humane Nature had this Holinefs by vertue of the Hypotlatical union : and Chrifl, when the Humane Nature was firft conceived , was God -man ; and the per - fon was under no law; & fo was not under the obligation of any Inch law; but was made under the law , as Mediator; and fo , for us , and not for him - felf; nor itsi' any more to advantage, to except againe & fay, that Hi: meaning is not, that there war an abfolute neceffity, that he should keep the law, upon the fame termer , every wayes, which now He hat, done , as that He should performe the fame Individual cats of obedience , or the fame number of acts, in cafe He had been called to Puffer any whits fooner : hut that untill the very Inffant, in which He should fuffer , whether it were fooner, or later, He should in all things fúbmit himfelf unto the good pleafureofGod. For it doth hence fufficientlyap- pear , That all his after obedience , in all thefe particular alts, was not ne- ceflary to fit Him , as a Sacrifice ; & fo could not be neceflàry for Himfelf. And therefore feing He had been a fuflìciently holy Sacrifice , had He been offered up before the a &uàl performance of thefe commanded duties in the law, it is manifefi, that thefe duties were not required unto the end alleiged: but
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=