We are now arrived at that famous place,1 as by the offence of one judgement came upon all to condemnation; so by ⟨p. 476⟩the Righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all to justification of life; as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, Rom. 5.18, 19. The Apostle here uses two words, [Greek or Hebrew], or Righteousness; and [Greek or Hebrew], or Obedience; both these signify the doing of God's Will, which doing for its rectitude is called Righteousness; and for its subjection, Obedience, neither of them do properly signify suffering: Mere suffering, which is not spirited with a right and subjective mind, is not Righteousness or Obedience: The Apostle here speaks of Righteousness in general, and Obedience in general, and who may pare off ought, and say, it is not all Christ's Righteousness or Obedience, but some; especially, when that some, the passive, I mean, is less properly such than the active? and what necessity or cogent reason is there for doing so? The Antithesis in the Text evinces the contrary; Act is here set in opposition against Act, Christ's Obedience against Adam's Disobedience. Now, for what the Author alleges, I say, it is true, that of Christ's being obedient, Phil. 2.8. reaches down to his death, but it takes in all the Obedience ⟨p. 477⟩of his life; and that of Christs doing Gods will, Hebr. 10.7. extends to the Sacrifice of himself, but it comprises all the righteousness of his life too. It is true, that the Apostle in this 5. Chapter to the Romans, doth first speak of Christ's Death and Sufferings; but his active and passive Obedience are so near in conjunction, that the Apostle may in his discourse easily pass from the one to the other: Nay, as I before noted, when the one is expressed in Scripture, the other is implied; so that the Apostle doth not indeed pass from one thing to another, but only vary his Phrase. The Author himself confesses, That those expressions, his righteousness and Obedience, seem to take in the whole compass of his Obedience, in doing and suffering the will of God. And how doth the active and passive righteousness of Christ justify us, or make us righteous? Why, these procured that Gospel Covenant, whereby we are declared righteous, and rewarded as righteous.
We are now arrived at that famous place,1 as by the offence of one judgement came upon all to condemnation; so by ⟨p. 476⟩the Righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all to justification of life; as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, Rom. 5.18, 19. The Apostle here uses two words, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, or Righteousness; and 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, or Obedience; both these signifie the doing of God's Will, which doing for its rectitude is called Righteousness; and for its subjection, Obedience, neither of them do properly signifie suffering: Meer suffering, which is not spirited with a right and subjective mind, is not Righteousness or Obedience: The Apostle here speaks of Righteousness in general, and Obedience in general, and who may pare off ought, and say, it is not all Christ's Righteousness or Obedience, but some; especially, when that some, the passive, I mean, is less properly such than the active? and what necessity or cogent reason is there for doing so? The Antithesis in the Text evinces the contrary; Act is here set in opposition against Act, Christ's Obedience against Adam's Disobedience. Now, for what the Author alledges, I say, it is true, that of Christ's being obedient, Phil. 2.8. reaches down to his death, but it takes in all the Obedience ⟨p. 477⟩of his life; and that of Christs doing Gods will, Hebr. 10.7. extends to the Sacrifice of himself, but it comprises all the righteousness of his life too. It is true, that the Apostle in this 5. Chapter to the Romans, doth first speak of Christ's Death and Sufferings; but his active and passive Obedience are so near in conjunction, that the Apostle may in his discourse easily pass from the one to the other: Nay, as I before noted, when the one is expressed in Scripture, the other is implied; so that the Apostle doth not indeed pass from one thing to another, but only vary his Phrase. The Author himself confesses, That those expressions, his righteousness and Obedience, seem to take in the whole compass of his Obedience, in doing and suffering the will of God. And how doth the active and passive righteousness of Christ justify us, or make us righteous? Why, these procured that Gospel Covenant, whereby we are declared righteous, and rewarded as righteous.
- 1Answer.
