C H A P. 13. Mr. Baxter's opinion about Imput. examined. z 87 Righteous, becaufe of that Imputation , & therefor pronounced fuch in ¡unification : fo that now it is the objetlum formate, or the ratio form alit ob- leftiva of our ;uftification. lo. When he addeth ¿ that for it God maketh a Covenant ofGrace if thofe words mean, that in this alto Ch rift's Righteoufnefs is fain to be Imputed, then , it feemet h , iris equally imputed unto all Adam's ponerity : for with him , all are comprehended within this Covenant. But this were as much as to fay , it is imputed CO none in particular. Moreover , it may be thought that this is explicative of what went immediatly before : & fo Chrt[t's righ- teoufnefs shall be reputcathe true Meritoriús Caufeofour junification, in that it was the Meritorious caufe of the Covenant of Grace : now hereby the immediat ground of ;unification will be the Gofpel - righteoufnefs, he fpea- keth of , that is our performance ofthe conditions of the New Covenant of Grace; & Chrifl's Merites, Satisfaction & Righteoufnefs fhall beln(y a remote ground. But we fhall Chow hereafter., how groundlefs itofay, That Chrift procured t he New Covenant by His Merites & Satisfa Lion. I t. He faith , in which (i. e. Covenant of Grace ) Hefreely giveth Chrift, pardon if Life , to all that accept the g,ft, as it is. That all thefe are held - forth in the Lovenant, & that fuch as receive Chrift receive pardon and Life , is true. But what is that , to accept the gift , a; it is ? & w#aat is mea- `ned by this gift ? 1[2. He addeth, fo that the accepters are by this Covenant e Gift as furely jt!fli- fted and f aved by Chrs jPs kighteoufners, as if the h be ed d?' Satisfied them f elver. But this is not by vertue of amity immediat o t tat ,ghteoufnefs unto them, whereby they are looked upon as Righteous in the fight of God ; but by ver- tue of faith , whereby the gift is accepted , that is offered in the Covenant, which faith is indeed immediatly imputed to them according to him , & reputed their Gofpel - righteoufnefs, & they thereupon are reputed Righ- teous, & fo ;unified, as loch : for the Righteoufnefs of Chrift is only im- puted, in that it is reputed the meritorious cause of the New Covenant. 13. Though Chrift bath not merited , that we fhall have grace to ful- fill the Law ourfelves &c. Yet he will fay , that Chrift bath merited, that faith (hall he the Condition of the New Covenant, & confeque.utly , that we may (land before God even as the great Law giver , & to befo. e His Law alto , in that Gofpel- righteoufnefs (as he calleth it) of our own, which will lufifie us. 14. In end , when he faith, the Covenant ofgracedoth pardon ¿r. give right to Life forChraf's Merites , I fuppufe ( becaufe of what is already oblen ed) it is only upon the account that Chrift's Metites have purchafed this Covenant; & not bccaufe they become our Immediat Righteoufnefs, whereupon we are ;unified & have pardon : & he fhould rather fay, confnrme to what went before , that this Covenantduth Pardon & give Right to Life, for faith, our Gofpel - righteoufnefs, the condition thereof. There are my, Exceptions againff this fuppofed healing middle way; & the grounds why I cannot acquiefce therein as i he right way. He tels us again sag. 45. Note 3. That it is ordinarily agreed by Protefiants , that Chri fi's 2 1Z;gh- ä
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