418 Imputat. of ariJh Attive and Pafiv. obedience. C H thing , b* two dìftinét parts of oné complcet effea : And therefore the mentioning of the one , in Head of the whole , proveth no confufìon , or fa= menefs , but tat her an infeparabinefs Which is yeelded. He moveth an objeétion againtt himfelf 4. 5. thus. How can God be raid. to impute a Righteoufnefs to a man , which never was ,nor ever had a being, no Righteoufnefs ( at leatc of that kind , whereof we now (peak ) having e. ver been , but that perfect obedience , which Christ performed to the Law ? This indeed isa very rational queflion ; for our Ainhor talketh much of an imputed Righteoufnefs , and never doth , nor yet can tell us , what that is , chat can deferve the name of a Righteoufnefs. Let us lieare, what he anfwereth. I. faith he. There is as exprefs dseampleet a Righteoufnefs intlse Law, as ever Chrif1 himfelf performed. Anf. But what Righteoufnefs is or can be in a Law , but what is there, by way of prefcription ? And who doubts of the pet fedion of this that acknowledgeth the perfection of the Law ? This is utterly impertinent to the purpofe in hand , wheré the queflion is of a Righteoufnefs confifting in conformity to the Law , and which muff be at- tribute ro man, to whom the Law is given ? And what if it be Paid (faith he) that God ; in remit on offurs, through Chri ft, from d9' out of the Law, impttteti, :a every van , that beleeveth , `itch a & çhteoufncf r , as is proper to him? Anf. To fay this , is to fpeak plaine non -fenfe : for what is that to furnish a man with a Righteoufnefs out of the Law ? Can a man be changed inui a Law ? or can arnan have any Righteoufne[s,prefi:ribed by a Law, but by thoughts, words, & deeds, bearinga conformity to the commands of the Law ? And how can meer pardon cattle this transformation ? can the pardon of murther , or of any prohibited act, make that at conforme to the Law? Pardon thus should be a Pelf deffroyer; for an ad, that is no tanfgrefiion of a Law, can need no pardon and thus pardon should make i felfno pardon. What he fubjoineth, bath bin fpoken to elfewhere. He giver h a e..aofwere , laying. Tò fay; God cannot impute a Righteoufnefe, which never had a being i, e, which never evas really 5 actually performed by any gran,., is to deny that he hath power to forgive fin Anf. This hath been & is ltill.denied ; it never hath been , nor never shall be proved , that forgivnefs of fin is the imputation ofa Righteoufnefs: Though he addeth from Rpm. 4: 6.,& = z8.&c. that it is the imputation of frith a kighteoufnefi., asconfrfleth not, nor is made up of any Won't! performed to the Lam by any man, which is but a iiighteoujnefi, that never had a.besng. dnf. This is but a plaine perverting of the Scriptures , ,which (peak only of works (in that exclufron ) done & per - formed by us, as the whole fcope , and all the circumfiances of the pafTages, demonftrate to any man , who will not willingly putout his owne eyes : and', it were a meer impofing upon the Underítandingsof the moil ordinary Rea -- der , and a- miferable mispending of time, to goe about the evincing of this, which . is fo obvious. , . But what defperat shifts. will nota wrong .caufe put men o ufe , who will not be truths captives.? His q; Conclusion cometh here alto to he confidered : 'It is this. He that ' ff .fatlly difcharged from hit frns, needeth no other R!ghteou fnefr, to give him Right' & ttletsn solife,Thisísasfalfeasthe..reft ;for the Law is,- 4o this &live: andpar- dots<
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