Fi-equently and seriously consider that the word answering this im- puting is in the Hebrew Chashah, and in the Greek Xoyi^eadat, of wliicli the sum, as the learned say, comes to this, that though the words in the general signify to think, to reason, to imagine, &c., yet very frequently they are used to signify to account or reckon, by way of computation, as arithmeticians use to do, so that it is, as it were, a judgment passed upon a thing when all reasons and arguments are cast together. And from this it is applied to signify any kind of accounting or reckoning ; and in this sense imputation is taken here for God's esteeming and accounting of us righteous ; ^ti^FT, signifies to reckon or account. It is taken by a borrowed speech from merchants' reckonings and accounts, who have their debt-books, wherein they set down how their reckonings stand in the particulars they deal in. Now, in such debt-books merchants use to set down whatever pay- ments are only made, either by the debtors themselves, or by others in the behalf of them ; an example whereof we have in the Epistle of Philemon, ver. 18, where Paul undertakes to Philemon for Onesimus, ' If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee anything, put that on my account ; ' that is, account Onesimus his debt to Paul, and Paul's satisfaction or payment to Onesimus, which answers the double im- putation in point of justification ; that is, of our sins to Christ, and of Christ's satisfaction to us, Ps. xxxii. 1,2; both which are implied, 2 Cor. V. 21 , * He made him to be sin for us ; ' that is, our sins were imputed to him, ' that we might be the righteousness of God in him ;' that is, that his righteousness might be imputed to us. The language of Jesus Christ to his Father seems to be this, 0 holy Father, I have freely and willingly taken all the-debts and all the sins of all the be- lievers in the world upon me ; I have undertaken to be their pay- master, to satisfy thy justice, to pacify thy wrath, to fulfil thy law, &c., and therefore, lo, here I am, ready to do whatever thou commandest, and ready to suffer whatsoever thou pleasest; I am willing to be reckoned a sinner, that they may be reckoned righteous ; I am willing to be accounted cursed, that they may be for ever blessed ; I am will- ing to pay all their debts, that they may be set at liberty ; I am will- ing to lay down my life, that they may escape the second death ; I am Avilling that my soul should be exercised with the most hideous agonies, that their souls may be possessed of heaven's happinesses, Ps. xl. 6-8 ; Heb. x. 4-9 ; John x. 11, 15, 17, 18 ; Kev. xx. 6. Oh, what wonderful wisdom, grace, and love is here manifested ! that when we were neither able to satisfy the penalty of the law, or to bring a con-
^ To impute in the general, is to acknowledge that to be another's which is not indeed his ; and it is used either in a good or bad sense, so that it is no more than to account or reckon. It is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and accepted for us, by which we are judged righteous.
234 NINE STBONG CONSOLATIONS THAT FLOW FROM
formity to it, that then Christ should interpose, and become both redemption and righteousness for us !
„ '^,?7'lu? ^1^^ i^^Puted righteousness of Christ, a believer may form up this fifth plea, as to all the ten scriptures in the margin, that refer to the great day of account :i 0 blessed God, thou hast given me to r ?t?'^,^h^. ^^'^ '^^diatory righteousness of Christ includes first the habitual holiness of his person, in the absence of all sin, and 'in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy andrequisite qualities; secondly the actual holiness of his life and death by obedience. By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the laiu,and by his passive obedience his voluntary mfferings, he satisfied the penalty and commiTuition of the Uw for transgressions, that perfect satisfaction to divine justice, in ivhatsoever it requires, either in wayofpuni^hina forsm, or obedience to the law, mxxde by the Lord J^Ls Christ, God ^^ir''\)i ^^^^«^^f/^i^ ^/^ covenant, as a common head, repre- n /f «^^,f 7.7/'^^ he Father hath given to him, and made Zer Zwlr/f. 7?'^''''' '^/'^^^: ^^"^ '' ^^'^^ righteousness that is im- ^^if'.fif^T' '''i}^'^J^'t^Mtion, andthis imputed righteous- ness of thy dear Son and my dear Saviour is now my plea before.thy fhTttCTi; /^P^t^d "ghteo^sness is the same materially S that which the law reqmreth. It is obedience to the law of God exactly and punctually performed, to the very utmost iota and tittle thereof. Witnout the least abatement, Christ hath paid the utter- Thatf fuSd ?if i ^h^.f-lf 1-g of the law for rigLousness! and
mic^M t ?n?fi IV^' ^r '^ ^^' ^."^^'^ °^^"^^' *^ ^^^^ intent that it might be fulfilled in the same nature to which it was at first given •
Tl f }l^}l Y^ ^^^l^^^^^ ^^°' ^^ ^1^ their names, and on all thei; Kfillp^ ^'^'' P ^^^' ^-H^ '^^ righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in them, Kom. vui. 3, 4.2 It is as if our dear Lord Jesus had said 0 blessed Father, this I suffer, and this I do, to the use
upi' m^tf r ^ "''\'^ ^^ '^T '^^^ ^^'^ ^^^^^-^ theirsoui: IT,^-' J may have a righteousness which they may truly
call their own, and on which they may safely rest, and in which they may for ever glory, Isa. xlv. 24, 25. Now it Wl never stand with the unspotted holiness, justice, and- righteousness of God to reiect this righteousness of his Son, or that plea that is bottomed upon-'Tt Oh the matchless happmess of believers, who have so fair so full and so noble a plea to make in the great day of our Lord Jesus » '
gt^e^^. But some may say, Wliat blessed fruU grows upmi this glorious tree ofparadise-yiz., the righteousness of Jesus Chfist tS IS imputed to all believers ? What strong consolations fiozvs frZth^ fountain the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ ? I answer, there are these nine choice consolations, that flow in UDon all believers, through the righteousness of Christ imputed to them^--
1. ±irst Let all believers know for their comfort, that in this im- puted righteousness of Christ there is enough to satisfy thejmtirof
" The righteousness which the law reauirpth nnnn t^o,-,, ^f j „ i- with that which the law requireth. ^ nghteousuess is the same materially
THE IMPUTATION OF CHRIST's RIGHTEOUSNESS. 235