3 44 Objettions from Scripture anfevered. C if A r. i r, quires of men to their juflification, in lead of the righteoufnefs of the law. Therefore if God shai not impute , or account it to themfor this righteoufnefs , it would jland them in no Bead at all to their jut i fication ; becaufe there is nothing tt feful , or available to any holy , or Pavingpurpo fe, but only to that , whereunto God bath ajJigned it. If God in the NewCovenant , requires faith in Cbrsfl , for our juflificat:on, infleadofthe righteoufnefs of the law , in the old , 1S this faith will not pale in account with himfor f tch righteoufnefs , but hir command and Co- venant for beleeving, and the obedience it feif of beleeving , will both become void, ßi5' of none of d , the intire benefite ofthem being fufpended upon the gracious plea - Jitre (LT purpo fe of God , in the defignation of them AO their end. Anf. Whatever in- tereft , or place Faith bath , in the New Cos'. & in the matter ofjuflification, it bath it from Gods Cole appointment & defignation , & it is all that, which is now required of us , in order to our juftification , & entering into Cove- nant with God : yet unlefs we change & alter its true nature, and alfigne another place & power to it , that God bath the Crown is keeped on the head of the Mediator , & His Righteoufnefs isonly owned , received, pro- duced by the (inner, as it were in face ofCourt , & refted upon by faith, in order to juflification. But when faith is laid to be imputed for Righteouf- nefs; that is , when our ad of beleeving is made our Righteoufnefs, & faid to be fo accounted & efleemed by God ; & all this to shrit out the Righ- teoufnefs of Chrift , and to take away the Imputation thereof to us, as the only ground of our juftification , not only are the native & kindly aElings of juflifying faith deftroyed ; but the very nature & genius of the New Cove- nant is altered , & it is made tobe the fame , in kinde , with the firft Cove- nant , with this gradual difference , that the fill Covenant required full & pperfeft obedience; the fecondoneaftofobedience only, vi.t. Faith, asa Peppercorn (as fome fpeak ) in {lead of a great rent , Sc our whole Righ- teoufnefs : for no other Righteoufnefs will our adverfaries grant to be really imputed to us, fave what they grant of the Imputation of Chrift's Righ- teoufnefs only as to EffeEts, and thus they make the Lord to repute ( for that is the meaning of imputing with them) that to be a Righteoufnefs , which, zt belt, is but imperfect, & not every way conforme to the command of God , enjoining it. Whereby thus one imperfect a t of obedience, Faith, is made that, whereupon the wakened (inner is to ref( and lay his whole weight , & wherein he is to refuge himfelffrom the wrath of God, & which he is to holdup, as his legal defence, againft all accufations, coming in againft him : and all this ufe is to be made of faith immediatl r , in (lead ofChritt, &His Surety- righteoufnefs. \''hence we fee, that it is falfe to fay. (t) That iffaithjuflifetbany way, it mull ofnecefJity be by Imputation for righteoufnefs: For it luftifieth as the mean appointed of God, to lay hold on an Imputed Righteoufnefs, and to carry the foul forth thereunto The reafon added is vaine, for though it be all that God requires of men to their julti£cation, it is not thatRightçoufnefs, which is imputed unto Juftífica- tion , or the ground thereof ; but the Mean Inftrument of a foul's par - taking of that Righteoufnefs of Chrift -vhic he only ground , or formal objedi ve realen. (a) It is falte to fay , That if shall not account it to them for
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