by Tefiimonie.r of Scripture. 429 with God; for without a Righteoufnefs, yea, that which is perfect and compleat, we never were fo, nor ever can be fo. In this eftate it is promifed that he (hall be our Righteoa fnefr, or, as the Apoftle expreflèth it, the end of the Law for righ- teoufof to them that do believe. That he is fo, there can be no queftíon, the whole enquiry is, how he is fo ? This, fay the moft Sober and Modeft of our Adverfaries, becaufe he k the efficient caufe of our Righteoufnefs, that is, of our perfonal inherent Righteoufnefs. But this Righteoufnefs may be con- fidered either in it fell, as it is an effect of Gods Grace, and fo it is good and holy,although it be not perfect and compleat or it may be confidered as it is ours, inherent in us, accom- panied with the remaining defilements of our Nature; In that refped, as this Righteorffnef is ours, the Prophet affirms, that (in the fight of God) we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteoufneffes are as filthy rags , Ifa. 64. 6. comprizeth our whole perfonal, inherent righ- teoufnefs. And the Lord Chrift cannot from hence be denor minated i ' rnr t'; The Lord our righteoufnefr, feeing it is all as filthy rags. It mutt therefore be a Righteoufnefs of ano- ther fort whence this denomination is taken, and on the ac- count whereof this name is given him. Wherefore he is our Righteoufnefs, as all our righteoufneffes are in him. So the Church which confeffeth all her own Righteoufneffes to be filthy rags, trays, in the Lord have I righteoufnefr, Ifa.45.24 which is expòunded of Chrift by the Apofile, Rom. 14. I I. r--0P-sr rnn'2 'ïg only in the Lord are my righteoufneffes ; which two places the Apoftle expreffeth, Phil. 3., 9. That r may win Chrifi and be found in him, not having mine own righteoufnef:r which is of the Law (in this cafe as filthy rags) but that which is through the Faith of chr , the righteouf- nefs which is of God by Faith. Hence it is added, in the Lord (hall the feed of ifrael be jufti jied , ver. 25. namely becaule he is, in what he is , in what he was, and did, as given.
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