The second Royal Fort that Christians should have their eyes, §2their hearts fixed upon,1 whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine, or are clouded and obscured, is the Mediatory righteousness of Christ. Beloved, there is a twofold righteousness in Christ. First, there is his essential and personal righteousness as God: Now this essential personal righteousness of Christ cannot be imputed to us. But then there is, Secondly, his Mediatory righteousness, that is that righteousness which he wrought for us as Mediator, whereby he did subject himself to the precept, to the penalties, commands & curses, answering both Gods vindictive and rewarding justice. This is communicated to us, and made ours: by virtue of which we stand recti in curia, justified in God's sight. The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the matter of our justification. Now this Mediatory righteousness of Christ includes, First, the habitual holiness of his person in the absence of all sin, and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities. Secondly, the actual holiness of ⟨p. 360⟩his life and death by obedience. By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the Law, and by his passive obedience, his voluntary sufferings, he satisfied the penalty and commination of the Law for transgressions. Mark, that perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatsoever it requires, either in way of punishing for sin, or obedience to the Law, made by the Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, the Mediator of the new Covenant,2 as a common head representing all those whom the Father hath given to him, and made over unto them that believe in him. This is that righteousness that is imputed to us in justification. No other righteousness can justify us before the throne of God. Look, as Christ was made sin for us only by imputation, so we are made righteous only by the imputation of his righteousness to us; as the Scripture clearly evidences, 2 Cor. 5.21. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jer. 23.6. The Lord our righteousness. (A soul truly sensible of his own unrighteousness, would not have this sentence, The Lord our righteousness, blotted out of the Bible for ten thousand thousand worlds.) 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ Jesus is made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness, &c.
The second Royal Fort that Christians should have their eys, §2their hearts fixed upon,1 whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine, or are clouded and obscured, is the Mediatory righteousness of Christ. Beloved, there is a twofold righteousness in Christ. First, there is his essential and personal righteousness as God: Now this essential personal righteousness of Christ cannot be imputed to us. But then there is, Secondly, his Mediatory righteousness, that is that righteousness which he wrought for us as Mediator, whereby he did subject himself to the preceptt, to the penalties, commands & curses, answering both Gods vindictive and rewarding justice. This is communicated to us, and made ours: by virtue of which we stand recti in curia, justified in God's sight. The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the matter of our justification. Now this Mediatory righteousness of Christ includes, First, the habitual holiness of his person in the absence of all sin, and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities. Secondly, the actual holiness of ⟨p. 360⟩his life and death by obedience. By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the Law, and by his passive obedience, his voluntary sufferings, he satisfied the penalty and commination of the Law for transgressions. Mark, that perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatsoever it requires, either in way of punishing for sin, or obedience to the Law, made by the Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, the Mediator of the new Covenant,2 as a common head representing all those whom the Father hath given to him, and made over unto them that believe in him. This is that righteousness that is imputed to us in justification. No other righteousness can justifie us before the throne of God. Look, as Christ was made sin for us only by imputation, so we are made righteous only by the imputation of his righteousness to us; as the Scripture clearly evidences, 2 Cor. 5.21. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jer. 23.6. The Lord our righteousness. (A soul truly sensible of his own unrighteousness, would not have this sentence, The Lord our righteousness, blotted out of the Bible for ten thousand thousand worlds.) 1 Cor. 1.30
- 1Imputed righteousness seem• to be prefigured by the skins wherewith the Lord after the full clothed our first parents. The bodies of the beasts were for sacrifice, & the skins to put them in mind, that their own righteousness was like the fig-leaves imperfect, & that therefore they must be justified another way▪Imputed righteousness seem• to be prefigured by the skins wherewith the Lord after the full cloathed our first parents. The bodies of the beasts were for sacrifice, & the skins to put them in mind, that their own righteousness was like the fig-leaves imperfect, & that therefore they must be justified another way▪
- 2Osiander was of opinion, that men were justified by the essential righteousness of Christ as God, which opinion is largely confuted by Calvin in his Institutions.
