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ing；　he　is　righteous。　　He　is　righteous　even　then　when　he　is　a…doing　of　the　very　first　act　of　righteousness；　but　an　act；　while　it　is　doing；　cannot；　until　it　is　done；　be　called　an　act　of　righteousness；　yet；　saith　the　text；　〃he　is　righteous。〃

But　again；　if　an　act；　while　it　is　doing；　cannot　be　called　an　act　of　righteousness；　to　be　sure；　it　cannot　have　such　influences　as　to　make　the　actor　righteousto　make　him　righteous；　as　the　Son　of　God　is　righteous；　and　yet　the　righteousness　with　which　this　doer　is　made　righteous；　and　that　before　he　doth　righteousness；　is　such；　for　so　saith　the　text；　that　makes　him　righteous；　as　he　is　righteous。

Besides；　it　cannot　be　his　own；　which　is　gospel…righteousness；　flowing　from　a　principle　of　grace　in　the　soul；　for　that　in　its　greatest　perfection　in　us；　while　we　live　in　this　world；　is　accompanied　with　some　imperfections；　to　wit；　our　faith；　love；　and　whole　course　of　holiness　is　wanting；　or　hath　something　lacking　in　it。　　They　neither　are　apart；　nor　when　put　all　together；　perfect；　as　to　the　degree；　the　uttermost　degree　of　perfection。

But　the　righteousness　under　consideration；　with　which　the　man；　in　that　of　John；　is　made　righteous；　is　a　perfect　righteousness；　not　only　with　respect　to　the　nature　of　it；　as　a　penny　is　as　perfect　silver　as　a　shilling；　nor　yet　with　respect　to　a　comparative　degree；　for　so　a　shilling　arriveth　more　toward　the　perfection　of　the　number　twenty；　than　doth　a　twopenny　or　a　threepenny　piece；　but　it　is　a　righteousness　so　perfect；　that　nothing　can　be　added　to；　nor　can　any　thing　be　taken　from　it；　for　so　implieth　the　words　of　the　text；　he　is　righteous　as　Christ　is　righteous；　yea；　thus　righteous　before；　and　in　order　to　his　doing　of　righteousness。

And　in　this　he　is　like　unto　the　Son　of　God；　who　was　also　righteous　before　he　did　acts　of　righteousness　referring　to　a　law　of　commandment；　wherefore　it　is　said；　that　as　he　is；　so　are　we　in　this　world。　　As　he　is　or　was　righteous；　before　he　did　acts　of　righteousness　among　men　by　a　law；　so　are　his　righteous；　before　they　act　righteousness　among　men　by　a　law。　　〃He　that　doeth　righteousness　is　righteous；　as　he　is　righteous。〃

Christ　was　righteous　before　he　did　righteousness；　with　a　twofold　righteousness。　　He　had　a　righteousness　as　he　was　God；　his　Godhead　was　perfectly　righteous：　　yea；　it　was　righteousness　itself。　　His　human　nature　was　perfectly　righteous；　it　was　naturally　spotless　and　undefiled。　　Thus　his　person　was　righteous；　and　so　qualified　to　do　that　righteousness；　that　because　he　was　born　of　woman；　and　made　under　the　law；　he　was　bound　by　the　law　to　perform。

Now；　as　he　is；　so　are　we；　not　by　way　of　natural　righteousness；　but　by　way　of　resemblance　thereunto。　　Had　Christ；　in　order　to　his　working　of　righteousness；　a　two　fold　righteousness　inherent　in　himself？the　Christian；　in　order　to　his　working　of　righteousness；　had　belonging　to　him　a　twofold　righteousness。　　Did　Christ's　twofold　righteousness　qualify　him　for　that　work　of　righteousness　that　was　of　God　designed　for　him　to　do？why；　the　Christian's　twofold　righteousness　doth　qualify　him　for　that　work　of　righteousness　that　God　hath　ordained　that　he　should　do　and　walk　in　this　world。

But　you　may　ask；　What　is　that　righteousness　with　which　a　Christian　is　made　righteous　before　he　doth　righteousness？

I　answer；　It　is　a　twofold　righteousness。

1。　　It　is　a　righteousness　put　upon　him。

2。　　It　is　a　righteousness　put　into　him。

For　the　first；　It　is　a　righteousness　put　upon　him；　with　which　also　he　is　clothed　as　with　a　coat　or　mantle；　Rom。　iii。　22；　and　this　is　called　〃the　robe　of　righteousness；〃　and　this　is　called　〃the　garment　of　salvation；〃　Isa。　lxi。　10。

This　righteousness　is　none　other　but　the　obedience　of　Christ；　the　which　he　performed　in　the　days　of　his　flesh；　and　can　properly　be　called　no　man's　righteousness；　but　the　righteousness　of　Christ；　because　no　man　had　a　hand　therein；　but　he　completed　it　himself。　　And　hence　it　is　said；　that　〃by　the　obedience　of　one　shall　many　be　made　righteous；〃　Rom。　v。　19。　　By　the　obedience　of　one；　of　one　man　Jesus　Christ　（as　you　have　it　in　verse　15）；　for　he　came　down　into　the　world；　to　this　very　end；　that　is；　to　make　a　generation　righteous；　not　by　making　of　them　laws；　and　prescribing　unto　them　rules　（for　this　was　the　work　of　Moses；　who　said；　〃And　it　shall　be　our　righteousness；　if　we　observe　to　do　all　these　commandments　before　the　Lord　our　God；　as　he　hath　commanded　us；〃　Deut。　vi。　25；　xxiv。　13）；　nor　yet　by　taking　away　by　his　grace　the　imperfections　of　their　righteousness；　and　so　making　of　that　perfect　by　additions　of　his　own；　but　he　makes　them　righteous　by　his　obedience；　not　in　them；　but　for　them；　while　he　personally　subjected　himself　to　his　Father's　law　on　our　behalf；　that　he　might　have　a　righteousness　to　bestow　upon　us。　　And　hence　we　are　said　to　be　made　righteous；　while　we　work　not；　and　to　be　justified；　while　ungodly　（Rom。　iv。　5）；　which　can　be　done　by　no　other　righteousness　than　that　which　is　the　righteousness　of　Christ　by　performance；　the　righteousness　of　God　by　donation；　and　our　righteousness　by　imputation。　　For；　I　say；　the　person　that　wrought　this　righteousness　for　us；　is　Jesus　Christ；　the　person　that　giveth　it　to　us；　is　the　Father；　who　hath　made　Christ　to　be　unto　us　righteousness；　and　hath　given　him　to　us　for　this　very　end；　that　we　might　be　made　the　righteousness　of　God　in　him；　1　Cor。　i。　4；　2　Cor。　v。　21。　　And　hence　it　is　often　said；　〃One　shall　say；　Surely　in　the　Lord　have　I　righteousness　and　strength。〃　　And　again；　〃In　the　Lord　shall　all　the　seed　of　Israel　be　justified；　and　shall　glory。〃　　〃This　is　the　heritage　of　the　servants　of　the　Lord；　and　their　righteousness　is　of　me；　saith　the　Lord；〃　Isa。　xlv。　24；　25；　liv。　17。

This　righteousness　is　that　which　justifieth；　and　which　secureth　the　soul　from　the　curse　of　the　law；　by　hiding；　through　its　perfection；　all　the　sins　and　imperfections　of　the　soul。　　Hence　it　follows；　〃Even　as　David　also　describeth　the　blessedness　of　the　man　unto　whom　God　imputeth　righteousness　without　works；　saying；　Blessed　are　they　whose　iniquities　are　forgiven；　and　whose　sins　are　covered。　　Blessed　is　the　man　to　whom　the　Lord　will　not　impute　sin；〃　Rom。　iv。

And　this　it　doth；　even　while　the　person；　that　by　grace　is　made　a　partaker；　is　without　good　works；　and　so　ungodly。　　This　is　the　righteousness　of　Christ；　Christ's　personal　performances；　which　he　did　when　he　was　in　this　world；　that　is　that　by　which　the　soul；　while　naked；　is　covered；　and　so　hid　as　to　its　nakedness；　from　the　divine　sentence　of　the　law：　　〃I　spread　my　skirt　over　thee；　and　covered　thy　nakedness；〃　Ezek。　xvi。　4…9。

Now　this　obediential　righteousness　of　Christ　consisteth　of　two　parts。　1。　　In　a　doing　of　that　which　the　law　commanded　us　to　do。　2。　　In　a　paying　that　price　for　the　transgression　thereof；　which　justice　hath　said　shall　be　required　at　the　hand　of　man；　and　that　is　the　cursed　death。　　〃In　the　day　that　thou　eatest　thereof；　thou　shalt　surely　die　the　death；〃　to　wit；　the　death　that　comes　by　the　curse　of　the　law。　　So　then；　Christ　having　brought　in　that　part　of　obedience　for　us；　which　consisteth　in　a　doing　of　such　obediential　acts　of　righteousness　which　the　law　commands；　he　adds　thereto　the　spilling　of　his　blood；　to　be　the　price　of　our　redemption　from　that　cursed　death；　that　by　sin　we　had　brought　upon　our　bodies　and　souls。　　And　thus　are　the　Christians　perfectly　righteous；　they　have　the　whole　obedience　of　Christ　made　over　to　them；　to　wit；　that　obedience　that　standeth　in　doing　the　law；　and　that　obedience　that　standeth　in　paying　of　a　price　for　our　transgressions。　　So；　then；　doth　the　law　call　for　righteousness？　here　it　is。　　Doth　the　law　call　for　satisfaction　for　our　sins？　　Here　it　is。　And　what　can　the　law　say　any　more　to　the　sinner　but　that　which　is　good；　when　he　findeth　in　the　personal　obedience　of　Christ　for　him；　that　which　answereth　to　what　it　can　command；　that　which　it　can　demand　of　us？

Herein；　then；　standeth　a　Christian's　safety；　not　in　a　bundle　of　actions　of　his　own；　but　in　a　righteousness　which　cometh　to　him　by　grace　and　gift；　for　this　righteousness　is　such　as　comes　by　gift；　by　the　gift　of　God。　　Hence　it　is　called　the　gift　of　righteousness；　the　gift　by　grace；　the　gift　of　righteousness　by　grace；　which　is　the　righteousness　of　one；　to　wit；　the　obedience　of　Jesus　Christ；　Rom。　v。　15…19。

And　this　is　the　righteousness　by　which　he　that　doth　righteousness　is　righteous　as　he　is　righteous；　because　it　is　the　very　self…same　righteousness　that　the　Son　of　God　hath　accomplished　by　himself。　　Nor　has　he　any　other　or　more　excellent　righteousness；　of　which　the　law　taketh　notice；　or　that　it　requireth；　than　this：　　for　as　for　the　righteousness　of　his　Godhead；　the　law　is　not　concerned　with　that；　for　as　he　is　such；　the　law　is　his　creature；　and　servant；　and　may　not　meddle　with　him。

The　righteousness　also　of　his　human　nature；　the　law　hath　nothing　to　do　with　that；　for　that　is　the　workmanship　of　God；　and　is　as　good；　as　pure；　as　holy；　and　undefiled；　as　is　the　law　itself。　　All　then　that　the　law　hath　to　do　with；　is　to　exact　complete　obedience　of　him　that　is　made　under　it；　and　a　due　satisfaction　for　the　breach　thereof；　the　which；　if　it　hath；　then　Moses　is　content。

Now；　this　is　the　righteousness　with　which　the　Christian；　as　to　justification；　is　made　righteous；　to　wit；　a　righteousness　that　is　neither　essential　to　his　God