A26923:508
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
Chapter 12 › Section 2: Of the Law of Mediation or Covenant with CHRIST.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 15. Though if Christ as a Creature had sinned, he had deserved Punishment, yet the supposition being of a thing impossible, by reason of the Union of the Divine Nature, it is improper to talk of any penal part of the Law that was given him: For penal Laws are for those that have need by fear to be restrained from Sin, or constrained to Duty; which Christ needed not.
§. 16. Christ's entire Righteousness (as before his exaltation) habitual, active, passive, elevated by union with the Divine Perfection, was his performance of the Condition of his Covenant with the Father: And his performance of that Condition was his meritorious Title to God's promised Effects: And that as it was one entire Righteousness or Condition performed: And our Justification and Salvation are part of those promised Effects: Therefore it is abusive subtlety to divide Christ's Performance into little Parcels, and then say, This Parcel is imputed to me for this use, and that for that use, and by one he merited this, and by the other that, when (though each part of his Condition or Duty had its proper reason, yet) it was only the entire performance that was the Condition of the Benefits, and so of our Justification and Salvation.
§. 16. Christ's entire Righteousness (as before his exaltation) habitual, active, passive, elevated by union with the Divine Perfection, was his performance of the Condition of his Covenant with the Father: And his performance of that Condition was his meritorious Title to God's promised Effects: And that as it was one entire Righteousness or Condition performed: And our Justification and Salvation are part of those promised Effects: Therefore it is abusive subtilty to divide Christ's Performance into little Parcels, and then say, This Parcel is imputed to me for this use, and that for that use, and by one he merited this, and by the other that, when (though each part of his Condition or Duty had its proper reason, yet) it was only the entire performance that was the Condition of the Benefits, and so of our Iustification and Salvation.