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nd　so　obtains　a　reward。　　And　observe　it；　righteousness；　justifying　righteousness；　consisteth　not　in　a　principle　of　righteousness；　but　in　works　of　righteousness；　that　is；　in　good　duties；　in　obedience；　in　a　walking　in　the　law　to　the　pleasing　of　the　law；　and　the　content　of　the　justice　of　God。

I　suppose　again；　that　thou　shalt　conclude　with　me；　that　justifying　righteousness；　I　mean　that　which　justifies　from　the　curse　of　the　law；　resideth　only　in　the　obedience　of　the　Son　of　God；　and　that　the　principle　of　grace　that　is　in　thee　is　none　of　that　righteousness；　no；　not　then　when　thou　hast　to　the　utmost　walked　with　God　according　to　thy　gift　and　grace；　yet　if　thou　concludest　that　this　principle　must　be　in　thee；　and　these　works　done　by　thee；　before　this　justifying　righteousness　is　imputed　to　thee　for　justification；　thou　layest　in　a　caveat　against　justification　by　grace；　and　also　concludest；　that　though　thou　art　not　justified　by　thy　righteousness；　but　by　Christ；　yet　thou　art　justified　by　Christ's　righteousness　for　the　sake　of　thine　own；　and　so　makest　justification　to　be　still　a　debt。　　But　here　the　scripture　doth　also　cut　thee　off：　　〃Not　for　thy　righteousness；　or　for　the　uprightness　of　thine　heart；　dost　thou　go　to　possess　the　land〃　（which　was　but　a　type　of　heaven）；　and　if　our　righteousness　cannot　give　us；　by　its　excellency；　a　share　in　the　type；　be　sure　that　for　it　we　shall　never　be　sharers　in　the　anti…type　itself。　　〃Understand；　therefore；　that　the　Lord　thy　God　giveth　thee　not　this　good　land　to　possess　it　for　thy　righteousness；　for　thou　art　a　stiff…necked　people；〃　Deut。　ix。　5；　6。

Gospel…performances；　therefore；　are　not　first；　that　was　first；　for　the　sake　of　which　God　did　receive　these　people　into　favour　with　himself；　and　that　was　a　covenant…righteousness；　and　where　could　that　covenant…righteousness　be　found；　but　in　the　Prince；　Mediator；　and　High　Priest　of　the　covenant？　　For　it　was　he；　and　he　only；　that　was　appointed　of　God；　nor　could　any　but　himself　bring　in　everlasting　righteousness；　Dan。　ix。　24；　25。　　This　is　evident　from　these　texts　last　mentioned；　it　was　not　for　their　righteousness　that　they　possessed　the　land。

Again；　As　it　was　not　for　their　righteousness　that　they　were　made　possessors　of　the　land；　so　it　was　not　for　the　sake　of　their　righteousness　that　they　were　made　partakers　of　such　a　righteousness　that　did　make　them　possess　the　land。　　This　is　plain　to　reason；　for　personal　righteousness；　when　by　us　performed；　is　of　no　worth　to　obtain　of　God　a　justifying　righteousness。　　But　if　it　be　of　no　worth　to　obtain　a　justifying　righteousness；　then；　it　seems；　it　is　more　commodious　to　both　parties　than　justifying　righteousness。　　First；　it　is　more　commodious　to　him　that　worketh　it；　and；　secondly；　it　is　more　commodious　unto　him　that　receiveth　it；　else　why　doth　he　for　it　give　us　a　due　debt；　and　so　put　upon　us　the　everlasting　justifying　righteousness？

Perhaps　it　will　be　objected；　That　God　doth　all　this　of　grace；　but　I　answer；　That　these　are　but　fallacious　words；　spoken　by　the　tongue　of　the　crafty。　　For　we　are　not　now　discoursing　of　what　rewards　God　can　give　to　the　operations　of　his　own　grace　in　us；　but　whether　he　can　in　a　way　of　justice　（or　how　he　will）　bestow　any　spiritual　blessing　upon　sinful　creatures；　against　whom；　for　sin；　he　has　pronounced　the　curse　of　the　law；　before　he　hath　found　them　in　a　righteousness；　that　is　proved　to　be　as　good　justice　and　righteousness；　as　is　the　justice　and　righteousness　of　the　law；　with　which　we　have　to　do。

I　assert　he　cannot；　because　he　cannot　lie；　because　he　cannot　deny　himself：　　for　if　he　should　first　threaten　the　transgression　of　the　law　with　death；　and　yet　afterwards　receive　the　transgressor　to　grace；　without　a　plenary　satisfaction；　what　is　this　but　to　lie；　and　to　diminish　his　truth；　righteousness；　and　faithfulness；　yea；　and　also　to　overthrow　the　sanction　and　perfect　holiness　of　his　law？　　His　mercy；　therefore；　must　act　so　towards　the　sinner　that　justice　may　be　satisfied；　and　that　can　never　be　without　a　justifying　righteousness。

Now　what　this　justifying　righteousness　should　be；　and　when　imputed；　that　is　the　question。　　I　say；　it　is　the　righteousness；　or　obedience　of　the　Son　of　God　in　the　flesh；　which　he　assumed；　and　so　his　own；　and　the　righteousness　of　no　body　else　otherwise　than　by　imputation。

I　say　again；　that　this　righteousness　must　be　imputed　first；　that　the　sinner　may　stand　just　in　God's　sight　from　the　curse；　that　God　might　deal　with　him　both　in　a　way　of　justice　as　well　as　mercy；　and　yet　do　the　sinner　no　harm。

But　you　may　ask；　how　did　God　deal　with　sinners　before　his　righteousness　was　actually　in　being？

I　answer；　He　did　then　deal　with　sinners　even　as　he　dealeth　with　them　now；　he　justified　them　by　it；　by　virtue　of　the　suretyship　of　him　that　was　to　bring　it　in。　　Christ　became　surety　for　us；　and　by　his　suretyship　laid　himself　under　an　obligation　for　those　for　whom　he　became　a　surety　to　bring　in　this　everlasting　and　justifying　righteousness；　and　by　virtue　of　this；　those　of　his　elect　that　came　into　and　went　out　of　the　world　before　he　came　to　perform　his　work　were　saved　though　the　forbearance　of　God。　　Wherefore；　before　the　Lord　came；　they　were　saved　for　the　Lord's　sake；　and　for　the　sake　of　his　name。　　And　they　that　were　spiritually　wise　understood　it；　and　pleaded　it　as　their　necessities　required；　and　the　Lord　accepted　them；　Heb。　vii。　22；　Rom。　iv。　24；　Dan。　ix。　17；　Psalm　xxv。　11。

7。　　Righteousness　by　imputation　must　be　first；　that　justification　may　be　certain；　〃Therefore　it　is　of　faith　（of　the　righteousness　that　faith　layeth　hold　on）；　that　it　might　be　by　grace；　to　the　end　the　promise　might　be　sure　to　all　the　seed；〃　Rom。　iv。　16。　　〃That　the　promise；〃What　promise？　　The　promise　of　remission　of　sins；　&c。；　might　be　sure。

Now　a　promise　of　remission　of　sins　supposeth　a　righteousness　going　before；　for　there　is　no　forgiveness　of　sins；　nor　promise　of　forgiveness；　for　the　sake　of　righteousness　that　shall　be　by　us；　but　that　already　found　in　Christ　as　head；　and　so　imputed　to　the　elect　for　their　remission。　　〃God　for　Christ's　sake　hath　forgiven　you；〃　Eph。　iv。　32；　For　Christ's　sake；　that　this；　for　the　sake　of　the　righteousness　of　Christ。　　Imputed　righteousness　must　be　first；　yea；　it　must　be　before　forgiveness；　and　forgiveness　is　extended　by　God　then　when　we　lie　in　our　blood；　though　to　us　it　is　manifested　afterwards。　Therefore　it　is　OF　faith；　he　saith　not　BY　it；　respecting　the　act　of　faith；　but　of；　respecting　the　doctrine　or　word　which　presenteth　me　with　this　blessed　imputed　righteousness：　　they　that　are　of　faith　are　the　children　of　faithful　Abraham。　　They　that　are　of　the　doctrine　of　faith；　for　all　the　elect　are　the　sons　of　that　doctrine　in　which　is　this　righteousness　of　Christ　contained；　yea；　they　are　begotten　by　it　of　God　to　this　inheritance；　to　their　comfortable　enjoyment　of　the　comfort　of　it　by　faith。

That　the　promise　might　be　sure　to　all　the　seed；　to　all　them　wrapped　up　in　the　promise；　and　so　begotten　and　born。　　That　it　might　be　sure；　implying　that　there　is　no　certain　way　of　salvation　for　the　elect　but　this；　because　God　can　never　by　other　means　reconcile　us　to　himself；　for　his　heavenly　eyes　perceive；　yea；　they　spy　faults　in　the　best　of　our　gospel　performances；　yea；　our　faith　is　faulty；　and　also　imperfect：　　how　then　should　remission　be　extended　to　us　for　the　sake　of　that？　　But　now　the　righteousness　of　Christ　is　perfect；　perpetual　and　stable　as　the　great　mountains；　wherefore　he　is　called　the　rock　of　our　salvation；　because　a　man　may　as　soon　tumble　the　mountains　before　him；　as　sin　can　make　invalid　the　righteousness　of　Christ；　when；　and　unto　whom；　God　shall　impute　it　for　justice；　Psalm　xxxvi。　　In　the　margin　it　is　said　to　be　like　the　mountain　of　God；　to　wit；　called　Mount　Zion；　or　that　Moriah　on　which　the　temple　was　built；　and　upon　which　it　stood；　all　other　bottoms　are　fickle；　all　other　righteousnesses　are　so　feeble；　short；　narrow；　yea；　so　full　of　imperfections；　for　what　the　law　could　not　do　in　that　it　was　weak　through　the　flesh；　Christ　did　for　us　in　the　similitude　of　sinful…　flesh。　　But　what　could　not　the　law　do？　　Why；　it　could　not　give　us　righteousness；　nor　strengthen　us　to　perform　it。　　It　could　not　give　us　any　certain；　solid；　well…grounded　hope　of　remission　of　sin　and　salvation。

Wherefore　this　righteousness　being　imputed；　justice　findeth　no　fault　therewith；　but　consenteth　to　the　extending　to　the　sinner　those　blessings　that　tend　to　perfect　his　happiness　in　the　heavens。

8。　　Righteousness　by　imputation　must　be　first；　that　in　all　things　Christ　may　have　the　pre…eminence。　　Christ　is　head　of　the　church；　and　therefore　let　him　have　the　highest　honour　in　the　soul；　but　how　can　he　have　that；　if　any　precede　as　to　justification　before　his　perfect　righteousness　be　imputed？　　If　it　be　said；　grace　may　be　in　the　soul；　though　the　soul　doth　not　act　it　until　the　moment　that　justifying　righteousness　shall　be　imputed：

I　ask；　What　should　it　do　there　before；　or　to　what　purpose　is　it　there；　if　it　be　not　acted？　　And　again；　how　came　it　thither；　how　got　the　soul　possession　of　it　while　it　was　unjustified？　or；　How　could　God　in　justice　give　it　to　a　person；　that　by　the　law　stood　condemned；　before　they　were　acquitted　from　that　condemnation？　　And　I　say；　nothing　can　set　the　soul　free　from　that　curse　but　the　perfect　obedience　of　Christ；　nor　that