each PERSON d1inNy. 317 that was fo united to him, fhould be an holy thing, compleatly holy ; was neceffary allo ; of which before. 2.] That the relation which this righteoufnefs of aria Math to the grace we receive from him, is only tins, that thereby, he was komr, fit to -do all that he had to do for us. This is the intendmentof the apoftle, Heb. vii. 26. Such an one became us, it was needful he Ihould be filchan one, that he might do what he had to do. And the reafons hereof are two. (I. Had he not been compleatly furnished with habitual grace, he could never have actually fulfilled the righteoufnefs, which was required at his hands. It was therein that he was able to do all that he did. So himfelf lays down the prefence of the Spirit with him as the bottom and founda- tion of his going forth to his work, Ifa. lxi. I. (2. He could not have been a compleat and perfe& facrifice, nor have anfwered all the typesand figures of him, that were compleat and without blemifh (a), but now Chrift having this habitual righteoufnefs, ifhe had never yielded any continued obedience to the law aflively, but had fuffered as coon after his incarnation, as Adam finned after his creation, he had been a fit facrificeand offering, and therefore doubtlefs his following obedience, bath another ufe befides to fit him for an oblation, for which he was molt fit without it. 2.) For Chrifl's obedience to the law of mediation, wherein it is not co- incident with his paffive obedience as they fpeak (for I know that expref- lìon is improper) it was that which was requifite for the difcharging of his office, and is not imputed unto us, as though we had done it, though the itarsnfopoaxam and fruits of it are ; but is ofthe nature ofhis interceflion; whereby he provides the good things we fland in need of at leaft fubfer- viently to his oblation and interceffion, of which more afterwards. 3.) About his actual fulfilling of the law, or doing all things that of us are required, there is fumedoubt and queftion, and about it there are three feveral opinions. 1.] That this alive obedience of Chrift, hatla no farther influence into our juftification and acceptation with God, but as it was preparatory to his blood-fhedding and oblation, which is the foie caufe of our juftificate- on, the whole righteoufnefs which is imputed to us, arifing from thence. 2.] That it may be confidered two ways, Fir/l, As it is purely obedi- ence, and fo it bath no other (late, but that before-mentioned. Secondly, As it was acconaplifhed with fuffering, and join'd with it, as it was part of his humiliaion, fo it is imputed to us, or is part of that, upon the ac- count whereof, we are juftified. 3.] That this obedience of Chrift being done for us, is reckoned graci- ouily of God, unto us, and upon the account thereof, are we accepted as righteous before him. My intendment is not to handle this difference in the way of a contro- verfy, but to give furls an underftanding of the whole, as may fpeedily be reduced to the practice of Godlinefs and confolation, and this I Ihall do in the enfuing obfervations. (a) Prxcipitur, Levit. xxii. 1o. ne efferent, pecus in quo fit O10 mum, Id ea corporls videm, 3 tom.. auAcing pr ge. euipa, unde Chriflus dictum dnvpr0', Weipatuu, oppouimr auteur OIai 5 í7íCO3 hoc eft, integrem, ibid. v. 19. ti ire, End. xü. 5. prxcipimr de agno p fchali, ut fit o»ti, id eft, integer, omnis fcilicet vidi expers. Idem prxcipimr de agnis jugis facrifich, Numb. xxviii. 3. quo iptanimirum radices Chridi taoquaan Maim przfiguratx fun,, Pleat. in Pet. i. 19. L 1 1 1 (r. That
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