A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to…

4. Hence it follows, that the Law is upon this account said to be fulfilled by us in believing. Such an assertion we find in Rom. 8. 3, 4. God sending his own Son, &c. that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, and chap 10. 4. for Christ i• the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth. Now this could in no kind sense be true, if it were not upon this account, viz. that ⟨p. 44⟩our Faith laying hold upon Christ, and closing in with him, doth, in so doing, embrace and receive as our own, legally, or in point of Law, the righteousness, which doth in all respects and degrees answer the whole demand of the Law from us; and that is both active and passive obedience: for it is certain that believing is not it self the obedience which the Law requires, and therefore it must needs entitle us to something that is so, else, though it might be looked upon as a new condition of life, in a new Covenant yet it could not be accounted as the fulfilling the condition of the old Covenant. In su•• Christ by doing of what we should have done, and by suffering of what we should have suffered, affords us something to take hold of for our clearing, and the Law matter upon which to proceed to justify us: for we are as defective in doing to acceptance, as insufficient for satisfactory suffering. Hence

4. Hence it follows, that the Law is upon this account said to be fulfilled by us in believing. Such an assertion we find in Rom. 8. 3, 4. God sending his own Son, &c. that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, and chap 10. 4. for Christ i• the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth. Now this could in no kind sence be true, if it were not upon this account, viz. that ⟨p. 44⟩our Faith laying hold upon Christ, and closing in with him, doth, in so doing, embrace and receive as our own, legally, or in point of Law, the righteousness, which doth in all respects and degrees answer the whole demand of the Law from us; and that is both active and passive obedience: for it is certain that believing is not it self the obedience which the Law requires, and therefore it must needs entitle us to something that is so, else, though it might be looked upon as a new condition of life, in a new Covenant yet it could not be accounted as the fulfilling the condition of the old Covenant. In su Christ by doing of what we should have done, and by suffering of what we should have suffered, affords us something to take hold of for our clearing, and the Law matter upon which to proceed to justifie us: for we are as defective in doing to acceptance, as insufficient for satisfactory suffering. Hence