this Righteousness with this Name we may without fear appear before the King executing Justice If any here reply we are Christians the Moral Law delivered by Moses obliges not us I answer I conceive it obliges all Christians the Scripture urges it upon them St. Paul presses the Romans though no Jews to love as the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.8 9. and the Ephesians though no Jews to honour their parents because it is a commandment with promise Eph. 6.2 St. James in his Epistle which is general to Gentiles as well as Jews would have them fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scriptures Jam. 2.8 The Matter of the Moral Law is perpetual and why should God put a temporary obligation upon it If the Moral Law bind us not then all the excellent Morals in the Prophets which are but as so many Commentaries on the Moral Law do not belong unto us and what a door will this open to overthrow the Old Testament I conceive therefore the Moral Law delivered by Moses obliges us Christians and I take it that our Church is of the same mind for I am sure she is too wise to command us to Eccho to an abrogated Law in such a devotional Prayer as that Lord have mercy upon us encline our hearts to keep this Law But however this opinion be touching the Moral Law as Mosaical without doubt whatsoever is Moral Naturall in it whatsoever is the pure Primitive Law of Nature must reach unto all and bind all all must answer to it and because it calls for finless Perfection nothing can answer it but the perfect righteousness of Christ and that made ours by Imputation 4. It is evident that the Passive Righteousness of Christ is imputed to us In Scripture the blood of Christ justifies us Rom. 5.9 purges the corjcience Heb. 9.14 cleanses us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 washes us from our sins Revel 1.5 And how can it doe these great things for us unless it be applied and made ours in particularâ— or how can it be made ours but by a particular Imputation sanguis Christi non haeret in nobis it is not subjectively in us but what ever it doth for us in Justification it doth as imputed to us Hence Christ is called a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 2.25 Faith receives the atoning Blood and God imputes it If there had been no first fundamentall Imputation of that Blood to us it could not have been said that Christ dyed for us more than for Devils That Blood shed could not have rendered us pardonable or justifiable upon Gospell-terms And if there be not an after particular Imputation of that Blood to us upon believing it cannot be said actually to justifie and wash us from our sins As shed for us it makes us pardonable and justifiable but no more till there be a particular imputation Without this it doth not actually justifie and wash us because it is not particularly applied and made ours Should we be justified or pardoned without this Imputation we should be justified or pardoned without that Blood made ours and by consequence without a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Satisfaction made ours in particular that Satisfaction without this Imputation being only in common to all pardoned or unpardoned and particularly applied to none Bellarmine himself confesses the Imputation of Christ's Passive Obedience Solus Christus saith he pro peccatis nostris satisfecit D. Justifiâ—◠〈…〉 illa satisfactio nobis donatur applicatur nostra reputatur cum Deo reconciliamur justificamur And why he might not as well have allowed the Imputation of the Active Obedience I see not save only because he would leave for our inherent Graces a room in Justification But because he allows not the Imputation of the Active Obedience Bishop Andrews is bold to tell him Sermon of Jâ—stisie That he spoils Christ of one half of his Name that is of that Name Jehovah our Righteousness And withal the Bishop urges thus against the Papists By what proportion do they proceed They cannot counterpoise an infinite sin but with an infinite Satisfaction and think they can weigh down a reward every way as infinite with a Merit to say the least surely not infinite Why should there be a recessary use of Christs death for the one and not an use fâ—â—â— as necessary for the Oblation of his Life for the other And again he saith This nipping at the Name of Christ is for no other reason but that we may have some honour our selves out of our Righteousness Hence Bellarmine saith Magìs honorificum est habere aliquid ex merito Rather than they will lose their honour Christ must part with a piece of his Name Thus that Reverend Man Let us therefore confess that all Christ's Righteousness Active as well as Passive is made ours by Imputation His Obedience like his seamless Coat all woven together of Love and Philanthropy from his first breath of Holiness on Earth to the last gasp upon the Cross should not be rent or divided but preserved entire for our Justification and Salvation 5. When we are justified before God it must be by a Righteousness either that of inherent Grace or that of Christ imputed to us We are not justified by the first our inherent Graces have all their spots and wrinkles of imperfection how faultring is our Faith How fluctuating our Hope How cold our Charity How much is there wanting of what ought to be in every one of them All of them are but in part and as it were in their first Lineaments none of them in plenitude or full measure answering to the Law they dwell not alone but alas there is a sad Inmate of Corruption a body of Sin dwelling under the same roof so that the purest actions of the Saints on earth come forth ex laeso Principio out of an Heart sanctified but in part and in their egress from thence gather a taint and tincture from the indwelling sin Quotidie stillamus super telam justitiae nostrae saniem concupiscentiae nostrae saith one Our concupscence like putrid matter is ever dropping upon the web of our weak little holiness If we walk not post concupiscentias it is very well Non concupisces which is a greater thing we cannot reach in this Vale of sins and sorrowes still the Flesh will be lusting and Corruption bubling up in the heart and can we think that such imperfect Graces should be the Matter of our Justification Again we have contracted many Guilts and every even the Least of them have a kind of Infinity in them because against an infinite Majesty and can our inherent Graces which are but finite things ever expiate or blot out those guilts No surely they cannot cover their own spots and blemishes but must pray in aid from the Grace and Righteousness of Christ to have them done away and is it imaginable that those Graces which want a pardon and
a part or share of it and as the Apostle speaks Eph. 4.7 Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. We may then conclude that the Fulness is in Christ's Person and say of him Hom. of Man's Misery as our Church doth He is the alone Mediator between God and Man which paid our Ransom he is the Physician which healeth all our diseases he is the Saviour which saveth us from our sins he is that flowing and most plenteous Fountain out of whose Fulness all we have received But saith the Author We may learn what this Fulness is by ver 14. We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth so that this Fulness is a Fulness of Grace and Truth and if we consult ver 17. we shall find that this Grace and Truth is opposed to the Law of Moses so that Grace and Truth signifies the Gospel To which I answer In the 14. ver we have only a description of the Person of Christ whose Glory is there set forth by being full of Grace and Truth not a tittle in it of the Gospel In the 17. vers we have not the word fulness but we have Grace and Truth opposed to the Law of Moses but how not as if under the Law taken in the whole Complex and Administration of it there were no Evangelical Truths or Graces this is evident for in the Second Commandment we have mercy for thousands Upon the renewing of the Tables we have God proclaiming himself in those stately Titles of Love The Lord gracious merciful longsuffering abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin In Deut. 30.6 we have the circumcision of the heart in the 37. Psal 31. we have the Law of God in the heart as the Character of a righteous man We have the holy Spirit in the Saints hence David siducially prayes Take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51.11 We have Job looking to his living Redeemer Job 19.25 Abraham rejoicing to see Christ's day Joh. 8.56 Abraham Isaac and Jacob embracing the Promises and looking to an heavenly countrey Heb. 11. and and to say no more all the Types and Shadows in the Ceremonial Law were a kind of veiled Gospel and pointed at Christ the great Center of both Testaments And hence it appears that in case the Law be never called Grace yet Evangelical Truths and Graces were not wanting under it But in that 17. vers two things are pointed out to us the one is this That the Evangelical Truths and Graces after the coming of Christ in the flesh though in Substance but the same were gradually far more excellent than before those Truths which under the Law were in Shadows and dark Resemblances after the coming of Christ appeared in Splendour and evidential Glory those Graces which under the Law were but as Drops and in lesser measures after his coming were as Showers and in greater plenty The other is this That Christ is in a transcendent manner supereminent above Moses though there were Grace under the Law yet Moses could not communicate it he could declare the Law or Doctrine but being but a Man a Minister he could go no further Just as John could baptize with water but then he was at his utmost Moses could no more communicate Grace then John could baptize with the holy Ghost and Fire but Christ dispenses more than meer Doctrine he communicates Grace it self Hence it appears that in that 17. vers there is more than bare Doctrine opposed to the Law and attributed to Christ I confess the Gospel to be the Charter and Medium of Grace but it is in the Royal hand of Christ to communicate it and that from his own Person He is a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins Act. 5.31 Moreover if all Grace and the fulness of it be only in the Gospel in the outward Doctrine and Declaration of Gods Will as the Author seems to hint what becomes of the influences of Grace What are the supplies of the Spirit of Christ Phil. 1.19 What the inward drawings and teachings John 6.44.45 What the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4.7 What the effectual working in every part which is from the Head Christ Eph. 4.16 All internal operations of Grace all vital influences from Christ must utterly cease the condemned Pelagius may come in and set up the very first and rudest draught of his Heresie which placed all Grace in Free Will and external Doctrine and the Orthodox Fathers which with might and main opposed him therein may be justly censured for doing so To the same purpose the Apostle discourses in Coloss 9.10 Mr. Sherlock For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ye are complete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled in him who is the head of all Principalities and Powers The expression is allusive and Metaphorical For God who is a Spirit cannot in a proper sence dwell bodily in any thing The Apostle's design in this Chapter is to perswade the Colossians to adhere to the Gospel not to be seduced by Jews or Gnosticks who talk'd very much in their canting phrase of the Pleromata to corrupt the Religion of Christ with Jewish Ceremonies or Pagan Superstitions and the principal argument he urges to this purpose is the perfection of the Gospel-revelation that in Christ that is the Gospel are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not in whom are hid but in whom are all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge that is who hath now revealed to us all those treasures which in former ages were hidden from the world upon this he exhorts them to be firm to the Gospel Vers 6.7 To beware lest any man spoil them through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditious of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ and then adds For in him that is in Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily So this must refer to the complete and perfect revelation of the Gospel which needs not be supplied by the Philosophy or Traditions of men To understand the reason of this phrase and the force of Argument we must consider that this is an allusion to Gods dwelling in the Temple at Jerusalem by Types and Figures which were the Symbols of his presence The Temple was Gods house the Mercy-Seat and Cherubims c. were the emblems of Gods presence he dwelt among them by Types and Figures and therefore instituted a typical and figurative Religion and this was an imperfect declaration of himself to the world But now God hath sent his son to tabernacle among us Joh. 1.14 The Deity it self dwells in the Temple of Christ's Body not by Types and Figures but by a real and immediate Presence and Vnion and therefore those revelations which are made by Christ are
neither without the imputation of these we cannot be entitled to them to our Justification Now that Faith justifies not absolutely and as our Act may appear In Justification there is a judicial proceeding and we must answer to something to the Gospel only or to the Law also if to the Gospel only then Evangelical Justification is in a way frustrative and not perfective of the Law there needeth only Faith to answer the Gospel and not perfect Righteousness to answer the Law But what saith the Apostle to this Having concluded Justification to be by Faith Rom. 3.30 he immediatly adds Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law ver 31. And how is this That Faith which answers to the Gospel receives that perfect Righteousness of Christ which answers the Law in every point Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth as we have it Rom. 10. Without this it is not at all imaginable how Faith or Justification by it should establish or complete the Law our sincere Obedience which flows from Faith can no more do it than imperfection can reach perfection Again if to the Gospel only then all the Pagans must needs be justified for they have nothing to answer unto not to the Gospel that is not reveiled to them not to the Law of Nature that is but the relicts and broken pieces of the Moral Law And if Christians who have the Moral Law in its entire perfection are not to answer to it then surely Pagans who have only some little Fragments of it need not answer thereunto and by consequence they must be recti in Curia before God But if as of necessity we must we must answer to the Law also then Faith as it is in it self and our Act cannot possibly justifie it being but a piece of the Law and that imperfect God who judgeth according to truth will not esteem those perfectly righteous who are not so indeed nor accept of a partial Righteousness for a total one If reply be made This is true when God judgeth Judicio Justitiae but not when he judges Judicio Misericordiae he in his condescending Mercy accepts of Faith in the room of total perfect Righteousness I answer this cannot possibly stand God's Mercy and Truth are never at variance his Truth will not esteem us righteous upon account of a partial imperfect righteousness and his Mercy will not condescend so far as to interfere with his Truth But when he esteems us righteous upon account of a perfect Righteousness which is not our own but Christ's then Truth and Mercy both shine forth Truth in that there is a perfect Righteousness to answer the Law and Mercy in that it is not our own but our Sureties But further If Faith be taken for a perfect Righteousness then it is lifted up into the room of Christ and his Righteousness If you say no Christ's Righteousness is the foundation of this acceptance of Faith I answer Then will it follow that Christ died not so much for Persons to justifie them as for Graces to elevate Faith above it self into the estimation of a perfect Righteousness and withal that Faith is our proper Righteousness in an immediate formal way and Christ but a remote Cause only much after the same rate as the Papists say Bona opera tincta sanguine Christi justificant Works are made the immediate Cause of Justification and Christ the remote Moreover it is to be remembred that nothing can be Instrumentum instrumentatum the Artificers Tools are not the House he makes the Hysops sprinkling of Blood in the Jewish Sacrifices was not the Blood of Christ Faith is not our Righteousness but the Medium to it Hence Phil. 3.9 we read of righteousness by faith it is not it self our Righteousness but a means to it Thus it appears that Faith in it self and as our Act justifies not therefore it justifies as it is that Evangelical Medium which receives Christ and his perfect Righteousness Thus the Reverend Hooker Faith is the only hand which putteth on Christ to Justification and Christ the only Garment which being so put on covereth the shame of our defiled Natures hideth the imperfection of our Works preserveth us blameless in the sight of God before whom otherwise the weakness of our Faith were cause sufficient to make us culpable yea to shut us from the Kingdom of Heaven where nothing that is not absolute can enter Thus our Church 2. Hom. of salvation The true understanding of this Doctrine That we are justified by Faith in Christ is not that this our own Act to believe in Christ which is within us doth justifie us and deserve our Justification for that were to count our selves justified by some Act or Vertue that is in our selves And in another place This Righteousness 1. Hom. of salvation which we receive of Gods Mercy and Christs Merits embraced by Faith is accepted by God for our perfect Justification But this is past all doubt Mr. Sherlock when it is confirmed by a Metaphor or two A Ring which hath a precious Stone in it which will stanch blood may be said to stanch it but the Virtue lies in the Stone Faith is the Ring Christ the precious stone all that Faith doth is to bring home Christs Merits to the Soul and so it justifies an invention I never met with before And again In the Body are Veins that suck nourishment from the Stomach Faith is a sucking Vein that draws Virtue from Christ Is not this plain that we are saved by Christ as the Body is nourished by the Stomach That of the Ring is no new or absurd invention Answer it was many years since used by Dr. Pomeran Melch. Ad. in Vita Georg. Anhalt in these words Vt Annulus magnò estimatur amatur propter gemmam non propter aurum sic dicitur fide justificari homines propter gemmam Filium Dei hanc autem gemmam fide amplectimur With this Similitude George Prince of Anhalt was much delighted Neither need the Author have found fault with that other Similitude of a sucking Vein all spiritual nourishment is drawn from Christ and that by Faith Now to make all clear Mr. Sherlock we may give a Philosophical Account why God chose Faith to be the Instrument of our Justification Because it is an humble Grace and gives the Glory of all to Free Grace If Repentance should fetch Justification from Christ a man would be ready to say This was for my Tears strange deserving Creatures these who can dream of meriting Heaven with a few tears But Faith is humble it is an empty Hand and what merit can there be in that Doth the poor man's reaching out his hand merit an Alms yes just as much as a few tears merit Heaven Faith is only a golden Bucket that draws water out of the Well of Salvation But why may not
Commandements shall be the Least in the Kingdom of Heaven if taken in rigore juris were enough to shut all men out of heaven it imports therefore that sincere Obedience is necessary to those who will go thither Again the Evangelicall Light brake out as it pleased the Father of Lights gradually and successively In Math. 16. Peter makes that famous Confession Thou art Christ and was by Christ called Blessed for it and a little after Peter as ignorant of Christ's Passion would have diverted him from it and for that was called Satan Christ's Passion was sure a most necessary thing vet he knew it not Further our Saviour tells the Apostles that It was expedient for them that he should go away why so Then the spirit should come which should guide them into all truth which should glorifie Christ which should take of Christs and should shew it unto them Joh. 16.7 13 14 15. Observe the Spirit was to open and display the things of Christ amongst others his blood and righteousness in their glory and true use to be made ours and now it is no wonder at all if imputed Righteousness be more fully laid down in the Epistles than in the Sermons of our Saviour Christ himself the wisdom of heaven reserved that fuller light till the descent of the holy Ghost Moreover we must distinguish between the necessity of Christs imputed righteousness in it self and the necessity of the knowledge of it Imputed Righteousness since the fall hath ever been necessary in it self no man was ever justisied without Christ's blood applyed to him and that application is made upon believing by way of imputation but the knowledge of it hath been more or less necessary as the Evangelical light hath more or less reveiled it St. Peter at that time of his confession was no doubt justified by Christ's blood and yet he then had not the knowledge of his passion Lastly it appears plainly that our Saviour warned his hearers not to trust in their own Righteousness Thus the Pharisee and the Publican are in the Parable set forth to those that trusted in themselves that they were righteous Luk. 18.19 The Pharisee boasts of his Justice Purity Sanctity The Publican cries out of his sins and begs for mercy and as our Saviour tells us went away jestified rather than the other So true is that of Prosper Melior est in malis factis humilis confessio quà m in bonis superbagloriatio To conclude I hope by these things it appears that neither our Saviour was unfaithful in his prophetical Office nor the Evangelists in giving us an account of our Saviours Doctrine It is worth the observing Mr. Sherlock that in all the New Testament there is no such expression as the Righteousness of Christ or the imputation of Christ's Righteousness we there only find 〈◊〉 righteousness of God and the righteousness of Faith and the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ which is 〈◊〉 strange Did the whole Mystery of the Gospel consist in the imputation of Christ's Righteousness that neither Christ nor his Apostles should once tell us so in express terms This is Bellarmine's own Argument Answer Hactenùs nullum omninò locum invenire potuerunt De just l. 2. cap. 7. ubi legeretur Christi justitiam nobis imputari ad justitiam But I hope our Author will not follow the sound and tinkling of words what if it be not in Scripture syllabically and literally May it not suffice to be there in Sence just Consequence Ratio divina non in superficie est sed in medullà The Author saith That there is no such Expression as the Righteousness of Christ but St. Peter tells us of the righteousness of God our Saviour Jesus Christ 2. Pet. 11 1 Again he saith That there is no such Expression as the Imputation of Christs Righteousness But St. Paul tells us That we are made righteous by Christs obedience Rom. 5.19 But I will say no more to this Objection because I have before proved Imputed Righteousness by Scripture That phrase Mr. Sherlock the Righteousness of God sometimes signifies his Justice Veracity or Goodness Rom. 3.5 but most commonly in the new Testament it signifies that Righteousness which God approves commands and which he will accept for the Justification of a sinner which is contained in the Terms of the Gospel Rom 1.17 For therein is the Righteousness of God reveiled Thus it is called the Righteousness of God Math. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness which is the same with the righteousness of his Kingdome Now the Kingdom of God signifies the State of the Gospel and the Righteousness of God or of his Kingdom that Righteousness which the Gospel prescribes which is conteined in the Sermons and Parables of Christ and consists in a sincere and universal Obedience to the Commands of God Answer The Righteousness of God is indeed that which he approves and accepts of in Justification but not that which he commands us to do no then we should not be justified by Christs blood Rom. 5.9 nor made righteous by his obedience Rom. 5.19 then the Apostle would not tell us of a righteousness imputed without works Rom. 4.6 Neither would he as he doth in that place exclude the Works of converted Abraham from Justification I say of converted Abraham for those words Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Rom. 4.3 were spoken of Abraham divers years after his Conversion as Dr. Ward hath observed Our Obedience is an Evidence of our Justification 〈◊〉 22. but till it can expiate sin and reach the top and apex of the pure Law it cannot be the Matter of our Righteousness before God Our Church places good Works after Justification and most exellently states Justification in three things Vpon Gods part his great mercy and grace 〈◊〉 of Salvation upon Christs part Justice that is the satisfaction of Gods Justice or the price of our Redemption by the offering of his Body shedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly thoroughly and upon our part true and lively Faith in the Merits of Jesus Christ which is not ours but by God's working in us Thus our Church leaving no room at all for Obedience In the point of Justification The Righteousness of God that which he commands and rewards is the Righteousness of Faith Mr. Sherlock or Righteousness by the Faith of Christ Now Faith in Christ is often ujed objectively for the Gospel of Christ which is the Object of our Faith and so the Righteousness of Faith or by the Faith of Christ is that Righteousness which the Gospel commands Thus Acts. 24. Felix sent for Paul and heard him concerning the Faith of Christ that is concerning righteousness temperance and the judgment to come vers 25. which are the principal Matters of the Gospel Thus obedience to the Faith is obedience to
the power of sin and that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Thus the Author to which I answer God sent his Son indeed into the world that we might be sanctified by his Spirit but that was not all he sent him that we might be justified by his Blood and Righteousness to which purpose it will be worth while to consider that place Rom. 8. The Apostle in the first verse sets forth believers men in Christ by two excellent things first by Justification There is no condemnation to them no though there be reliques of corruption in them as is imported in the seventh Chapter there is none and then by Sanctification which is in conjunction with the other they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And in the other verses he confirms both but inverso ordine first he confirms their Sanctification from the great Origen of it the holy Spirit The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death vers 2. The power of the holy Spirit hath subdued the power of sin and then he confirms their Justification from the sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience is to be taken in conjunction What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh vers 3. Their sins were condemned in the flesh of Christ there was an atonement made for them which certainly must relate to Justification from these sufferings of Christ with which his active obedience must be taken in conjunction the Apostle inferrs That the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us vers 4. The Law was not able to justifie us for want of a perfect obedience in us but God translated the impletion of the Law upon Christ Christ fulfilled all Righteousness for us Christ bore the wrath of God for us and these things being imputed unto us the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us But then the Apostle returns again to Sanctification and subjoyns Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit assuring us that those who are justified by the imputed Righteousness of Christ are also Sanctified and led by his holy Spirit This I take to be the meaning of the place But let us hear our Church treating upon this place in conjunction with other Scriptures r. Hom. of Salvation St. Paul saith Rom. 3. We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ And Rom. 10. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth And Rom. 8. That which was impossible by the Law in as much as it was weak by the flesh God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh by sin damned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit In these places the Apostle toucheth three things which must go together in our Justification upon Gods part his great mercy and grace upon Christ's parts justice that is the satisfaction of God's justice or the price of our redemption by the offering of his body and shedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly and throughly and upon our part true and lively Faith in the merits of Jesus Christ which yet is not ours but by Gods working in us So that in our Justification is not only Gods Mercy and Grace but also his Justice which the Apostle calleth the Justice of God and it consisteth in paying our ransom and fulfilling of the Law And so the Grace of God doth not shut out the Justice of God in our Justification but only shutteth out the justice of man that is to say the justice of our works as to be merits of deserving our justification And therefore St. Paul declareth here nothing upon the behalf of man concerning his justification but only a true lively Faith which nevertheless is the gift of God and not man's only work without God and yet that Faith doth not shut out Repentance Hope Love Dread and the fear of God to be joyned with Faith in every man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying so that although they be all present in him that is justified yet they justifie not all together These are the excellent words of our Church worthy without flattery be it spoken to be written in Letters of Gold but much more in the hearts of all true Christians We see here that there is in justification nothing on the behalf of man but Faith only no internal Holiness Repentance Hope Love Fear of God are in the justified but shut out from the office of justifying God's Grace and Christ's Righteousness are the great causes of justification But saith the Author Is there here any mention of Christ's Righteousness or the imputation thereof I answer Our Church surely thought so and we have his passive Righteousness expressed vers 3. and where that is expressed the active is implied This is clear when the Scripture saith That we are made righteous by Christ's obedience Rom. 5.19 It doth include his blood also and when he saith That we are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 It doth include his active obedience also so that the Scripture because it expresses justification by both and because it must be consistent with it self in expressing the one includes the other When therefore Rom. 8.3 his sufferings are expressed his active obedience is also included both therefore are intended and withall an imputation without which they cannot be profitable to us But saith the Author The Law could not do it that is the Law could not deliver from the power of sin I answer The Law could not do it of it self and without the Spirit of Christ but if that divine Spirit take the Law into its hand and write it in the heart I suppose there will be a New Creature But the Author saith That the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit vers 4. How can imputation come in here What pretty sence will this make of the Apostles argument I answer The sence is very clear the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us by Christ's Righteousness imputed to us and withall we to whom that is imputed walk after the Spirit the one is our Justification the other our Sanctification Both the Apostle proves to be in Believers and both consist very well together as appears from the first verse There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The No condemnation appertains to Justification and the walking after the Spirit to Sanctification and both stand very well together As to what the Author saith afterwards That there was no reason to abrogate Moses ' s