The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

The sixth thing is, why it was necessary Christ should be so conceived after such a wonderful manner, and with so much holiness and sanctification: I answer for two evident Reasons: for first, if his body had not bin most pure, it had not bin fit to be joined in personal union with the Word. And secondly, if he had bin conceived in sin, as other men are, he could not have bin a Saviour to us, because then he would have needed a Saviour for himself.

The sixth thing is, why it was necessary Christ should bee so conceiued after such a wonderfull manner, and with so much holines and sanctification: I answer for two euident Reasons: for first, if his body had not bin most pure, it had not bin fit to bee ioyned in personall vnion with the Word. And secondly, if he had bin conceiued in sinne, as other men are, he could not haue bin a Sauiour to vs, because then he would haue needed a Sauiour for himselfe.

The seventh thing is the time when the Virgin conceived, and that was immediately upon the speech of the Angel and her own consent to it: which was the twenty five of March, the day which is called the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary: and one may wonder why that day should not rather be called the day of the conception of Christ, then of the Annunciation of the Virgin.

The seuenth thing is the time when the Virgin conceiued, and that was immediately vpon the speech of the Angell and her owne consent to it: which was the twenty fiue of March, the day which is called the Annuntiation of the Virgin Mary: and one may wonder why that day should not rather be called the day of the conception of Christ, then of the Annuntiation of the Virgin.

The eighth point is, the effects of this conception in respect of us, and so the first effect is the hiding of the impurity of our conception from the sight of God, and satisfying Gods Justice for our original sin: for the holiness of Christs conception, is the first and chief part of the righteousness imputed to us: All his righteousness is ours, and so the holiness of his conception, in which he was qualified with all the habits of virtue or piety, might constitute perfect holiness of nature: All his righteous actions which he did in obedience to the law flow from these habits of virtue infused in his conception, and therefore I call it the first and chief part of the righteousness imputed to us, as that which covereth the unrighteousness of our natures, yea, after a sort it pacifies, and satisfied for our offence, and so begins his passive obedience to God: as the Apostle saith,