The Formal Caife of Ji ßificaaió t. 313' whereby we may be freed from an Obligation to be juflifiecl by the Law, but by this Imputation of the Righteoufnefs of Chrift. (3) The Scripture which affirms that by the deeds of the Law no man can be jufled, affirms in like manner, that by Faith we do not male void the Law, but eflablifh it; that the Righteoufnej of the Law is fislfilled in srs ; that Chrift came not to de troy the Law, but to fulfil it, and is the End of -the Law for Righteaufner unto them that do believe. And that the Law mutt be fulfilled or we cannot be juftified, we (hall prove afterwards. (ç) We are not hereon juftified by the Law or the Works of it, in the only fenfe of that Propofition in the Scripture, and to coin new feof s or fignifications of it, is not fafe. The meaning of it in the Scripture is, that only the doers of the Law Pall be juflified, Rom. 2. 13. and that he that loth the things if it (hall live by them, chap. to. 5. namely, in his own per, by the way of perfonal Duty which alone the Law requires. But if we who have not fulfilled the Law in the way of inherent perfonal Obedience, are juftified by the Imputation of the Righteoufnej? of Chrift unto us, then are we juftified by Chrift and not by the Law. But it is fâzid, that this will not relieve. For if his Obedience be fo imputed unto me,_ as that we are accounted by God in yudg- ment to have done wat Chrift did, it is all one upon the matter, and we are as much juflified by the Law, as i f we had in our own proper perfons performed an unfnning Obedience unto it. This I confefs I cannot underftand. The Nature of this Im- putation is here reprefented as formerly, in fuch a way as we cannot acknowledge ; from thence alone this inference is made, which yet in my judgment Both not follow thereon. For grant an Imputation of the Righteoufneff of another unto us, be it of what nature it will, all Juftification by the Law -and Works of it in the fenfe of the Scripture is gone for ever. The Admiffion of Imputation takes off all power from the Law to juftifie; for it can juftifie none, but upon a high- S f teoufnefs
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=