Imputation of the Righteoufnef of chrifi. 3 3 I by his moft perfect Righteoufnefs. But it is Juftification and not Salvation that alone we difcourfe about; and that the works of Obedience or Righteoufnefs, have another refpe& unto Salvation, then they have unto Juftification, is too plainly and too often expreffed in the Scripture, to be 'mo- defily denied. And if this weak and imperfect Righteoufnefs of ours, be efteemed and accepted as every way perfe& before God, then either it is becaufe God judgeth it to be perfe &, and fo declares us to be moft juít, and juftifled thereon in his fight, or he judgeth it not to be compleat and perfe &, yet declareth us to be perfe &ly Righteous in his fight thereby. Neither of thefe I fuppofe can well be granted. It will therefore be faid, it is neither of them ; but Chrirl bath ob- tained by his compleat and most perfect Righteoufnefs and Obe- dience, that this lame and imperfect Righteoufnefs of ours fhould be accepted as every way perfect. And if it be fo, it may be force will think it belt not to go about by this weak halt, and imperfe& Righteoufnefs, but as unto their Juftification be- take themfelves immediately unto the molt perfect Righteouf- nefs of Chrift, which I am lure the Scripture encourages them unto. And they will be ready to think, that the Righteouf? nefs which cannot jsfifie it f If, but mull be obliged unto Grace and Pardon through the merits of Chrift, will never be able to juftifie them. But what will enfue on this Expla- nation of the Acceptance of our imperfe& Righteoufnefs un- to Juftification upon the merit of Chrift ? This only fo far as I can difcern, that Chrift hath merited and procured, ei- ther that God fhould judge that to be perfect which is imper- feC, and declare us perfectly Righteous when we are not fo, or that he fhould judge the Righteoufnefs Rill to be imper- fe& (as it is) but declare us to be perfeCly Righteous with and by this imperfe& Righteoufnefs. There are the plain paths that men walk in, who cannot deny but that there is a Righteoufnefs required unto our Juftification, or that we U u 2 may
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