C H A P. 7. 7uflif. through Cli. Right. cleared out of the o. T. 59 vity & plainnefs I can , lay down & vindicate the Grounds and Reafons of our Affertion ; and then take notice of their contrary Objections ; that this Truth may be made plaine & clear to fuch, as are concerned therein. As to our Grounds , I fhall firft beginne with Scripture Authority ; & hcre propofe our Reafons from the Old Teflament. Firfi The Firfi paffage to this purpofe, which I fhall take notice of, is Efai. 45 : 24. Surely shat one fay, in the Lord have I righteoufnefs , (or in the Lord is all righteoufne %s) to wit, forme : and this following upon what was Paid vers 22, look unto me , e be ye faved , the ends of the earth ; which was an Invitation & call to them , to actfaith upon Him , in order to their Salvation ; as the flung Ifraelites did look unto the brazen ferpent , in or- der to their recovery ; this looking being clearly explained by coming vers 24. Even to Him (hall men come ( and we know how frequently faith is held forth & expreffed by coming , in the Gofpel ) faith that hereby is pointed forth the rich Advantage , that fuch shall have who look & come to Him by faith, & fubmit unto Him heartily & cheerfully , imported by bowing'of the knee, & [wearing with the tongue , to wir. That they shall have a righteouf- nefs in I-lim; & this they shall avow & profefs : and this being exclulive of all others , as the Context cleareth , faith , that they should be brought to that , that they should renounce all other righteoufnefs what fomever, & reff on this God alone , who is the only God vers 22. 86: on His rigpiteouf- nefs ; for in Him they shall be made to look for it & that in rich aboundan- ce : And upon this followeth their juftification , & glorying in the Lord alone vers 25. In the Lord shall all the feed of Ifrael bejuflifed , d? shall glory. This paffage therefore doth clearly hold forth a juftification , through the righteoufnefs of the Mefiah , of the true & living God, laid hold upon & applied by faith , or owned & embraced , as their only righteoufnefs : & this righteoufnefs is not a righteoufnefs wrought in them ; for fuch a righ- teoufnefs is abouwndantly held forth by the word firength; but a righteouf- nefs made over 44e-r Beleevers, & which they owne as theirs, and reft upon. It is too narrow & fcanty an Interpretation, to limite this juflification, to the Lords vindicating of His peoples fincerity & Innocency, in ref pe& of their Enemies, at whofe hands they fuffered great things, and that unjufily ; & not to take in their Spiritual juf}ification , & delivery from the guilt of fin through faith in the Meflìah ; efpecially feing there is an Invi- tation going before to them , to lay hold on the Lord Mefl'ias by faith, ac- cording to the Gofpel Methode; and upon this followeth their glorying in the Lord conforme to what the Apoftle faith z Cor.11 t: 30,3 I. that the Lord Jefus is made of God Righteoufnefs to His people, that he that glorieth, may glory in the Lord. Nor is there any weight in that, which 7o. Goodwine, in his Treatife of ju- ftification Part. 2. pag. 129, i 3 o. alloigeth to infringe the authority of this Teftimony , to wit. That the meaning only is this , that they receive thefe fa- vourer , of the free grace and donation of God , by gefus Chrift. For , as the ex- preflions are more emphatick; fo all the circumftances of the Text, poinrr H z out
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