There is weight in this case deservedly laid on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, as promised and given unto us; namely, the Lord our Righteousness, Jer. 23.6. As the name Jehovah, being given and ascribed unto him, is a full indication of his Divine person; so the addition of his being our Righteousness, sufficiently declares, that in, and by him alone, we have Righteousness, or are made righteous. So was he typed by Melchizedek, as first, the King of Righteousness, then the King of Peace, Heb. 7.2. For by his Righteousness alone have we Peace with God. Some of the Socinians would evade this Testimony, by observing, that Righteousness in the Old Testament is used sometimes for Benignity, Kindness and Mercy, and so they suppose it may be here. But the most of them, avoiding the palpable absurdity of this imagination, refer it to the Righteousness of God in deliverance, and vindication of his people. So Brennius briefly, Ita vocatur quia Dominus per manum ejus judicium & justitiam faciet Israeli. But these are evasions of bold men, who care not, so they may say somewhat, whether what they say, be agreeable to the Analogy of Faith, or the plain words of the Scripture. Bellarmine who was more wary to give some appearance of Truth unto his answers, first, gives other reasons why he is called the Lord our Righteousness; and then, whether unawares, or over-powered by the evidence of Truth, grants that sense of the words which contains the whole of the cause we plead for. Christ, he says, may be called the Lord our Righteousness, because he is the efficient cause of our righteousness. As God is said to be our Strength and Salvation. Again, Christ is said to be our righteousness; as he is our Wisdom, ⟨p. 428⟩our Redemption and our Peace; because he hath redeemed us, and makes us wise and righteous, and reconcileth us unto God: And other reasons of the same nature are added by others. But not trusting to these Expositions of the words, he adds, Deinde dicitur Christus justitia nostra, quoniam satisfecit patri pro nobis, & eam satisfactionem ita nobis donat & communicat, cum nos justificat, ut nostra satisfactio & justitia dici possit. And afterwards, Hoc modo non esset absurdum, si quis diceret nobis imputari Christi justitiam & merita, cum nobis donantur & applicantur, ac si nos ipsi Deo satisfecissemus. De justificat, lib. 2. cap. 10.
There is weight in this case deservedly laid on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, as promised and given unto us; namely, the Lord our Righteousness, Jer. 23.6. As the name Jehovah, being given and ascribed unto him, is a full indication of his Divine person; so the addition of his being our Righteousness, sufficiently declares, that in, and by him alone, we have Righteousness, or are made righteous. So was he typed by Melchisedec, as first, the King of Righteousness, then the King of Peace, Heb. 7.2. For by his Righteousness alone have we Peace with God. Some of the Socinians would evade this Testimony, by observing, that Righteousness in the Old Testament is used sometimes for Benignity, Kindness and Mercy, and so they suppose it may be here. But the most of them, avoiding the palpable absurdity of this imagination, refer it to the Righteousness of God in deliverance, and vindication of his people. So Brennius briefly, Ita vocatur quia Dominus per manum ejus judicium & justitiam faciet Israeli. But these are evasions of bold men, who care not, so they may say somewhat, whether what they say, be agreeable to the Analogy of Faith, or the plain words of the Scripture. Bellarmine who was more wary to give some appearance of Truth unto his answers, first, gives other reasons why he is called the Lord our Righteousness; and then, whether unawares, or over-powered by the evidence of Truth, grants that sense of the words which contains the whole of the cause we plead for. Christ, he says, may be called the Lord our Righteousness, because he is the efficient cause of our righteousness. As God is said to be our Strength and Salvation. Again, Christ is said to be our righteousness; as he is our Wisdom, ⟨p. 428⟩our Redemption and our Peace; because he hath redeemed us, and makes us wise and righteous, and reconcileth us unto God: And other reasons of the same nature are added by others. But not trusting to these Expositions of the words, he adds, Deinde dicitur Christus justitia nostra, quoniam satisfecit patri pro nobis, & eam satisfactionem ita nobis donat & communicat, cum nos justificat, ut nostra satisfactio & justitia dici possit. And afterwards, Hoc modo non esset absurdum, si quis diceret nobis imputari Christi justitiam & merita, cum nobis donantur & applicantur, ac si nos ipsi Deo satisfecissemus. De justificat, lib. 2. cap. 10.
