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us by paying a most ample price.j 2dly, He has rescued us from the slavery of the devil by the most signal exertions of might and power.k 3dly, He has displayed incredible love in betrothing and purchasing the church to himself. See copious illustrations of these points by James Alting.*

XXXIX. With respect to our Lord's being born of a Virgin, this is an evidence of a holy and immaculate conception and birth: For these two consequences follow from his mother's virginity. 1st, That our Surety was not represented in Adam's covenant, since he was not born according to the law of nature, and consequently was not liable to the imputation of Adam's sin.7 2dly, That he could not be considered as existing in Adam, when Adam sinned; for he was not born by virtue of that blessing which God pronounced on marriage before the fall, and which was annexed to the old covenant," Be fruitful and multiply;"-but by virtue of a new promise subsequent to the fall, in which he is denominated "the seed of the woman," and appointed the second Adam, the root and head of the new creation.

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XL. This immaculate holiness of the conception and nativity of Christ, or, which is the same thing, this original purity of our Lord's human nature, tends without doubt to our advantage. It is a counterpart to that impurity and depravity of our nature in which we were conceived and born, and is intended to cover it. In

In Commentariis ad Rom. xi. 26. et in quarta Heptade Dissertationum, Dissert. iv. Sect. xv. et Dissert vi.

j Job xxxiii. 24. Mat. xx. 28. 1 Tim. ii. 6.

k Is. xl. 10. Mat. xii. 29. Luke xi. 21, 22.

1 Ephes. v. 29, 30.

7 See NOTE VII.

other words, it forms a part of that perfect righteousness of Christ, by which, in the capacity of Surety, he satisfied all the demands of the law in our place, and which is ours in all its extent. The law declares that no man is worthy of eternal life, but one that is holy in nature as well as in conduct. Since sin consists wholly in contrariety to the law, that corruption of nature which is born with us will not be sin, unless it be contrary to the law. But it will not be contrary to the law, unless the law, by a precept opposed to it, require holiness of nature in every rational creature as soon as born. Besides, Christ, as our Surety, performed every thing that the law of righteousness demanded on our account. For our sake, therefore, it behoved him to be born righteous and holy, according to the demand of the law; that he might cover our original sin with his original righteousness, and supply our want of original righteousness.

XLI. This assertion is not, as some have imagined, a novel opinion, or an error springing from our ignorance and temerity. The most eminent men in the Church, have formerly, according to holy writ, taught the same doctrine. We read in the Palatine Catechism, Quest. xxxvi. "What benefit do derive you "from the holy conception and birth of Christ? Ans. "That he is our Mediator, and that, by his innocence "and perfect holiness, he covers my sins in which I " was conceived, that they may not appear in the sight " of God." Gomar says;—" Of whose righteousness, "namely that of Christ, there are two parts, a habitual "and original righteousness of nature, and an actual "and perpetual righteousness of life. The former of "these is opposed to our original, and the latter to "our actual unrighteousness; and covers it in its own

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way, not by removing guilt, which is done by sufferings, but by supplying the want of an un "mished righteousness, which both the perfect jus "of God and the condition of obtaining eternal life 'quire from us; as our Catechism rightly teache "the answer to the thirty-sixth Question."* I do dissemble, that the accurate Gomar distinctly ascr the removal of the guilt of original sin to our Lo sufferings. Yet to cover sin, which Gomar, after Catechism, refers to the original righteousness of Ch is to forgive it. To forgive, is to remove guilt. popular language, too, that which supplies the wan original righteousness, removes, at the same time, guilt of original sin. If we are truly willing, in f with the celebrated Gomar, to speak correctly, we sl say, that the immaculate nativity of Christ did not t place without an emptying of himself, in which suff ing is involved. Cloppenburg also contends for same opinion in the following words: "We have sa "too, that this holiness of the human nature, wh "was perfect from its conception, and exactly holy 'cording to the divine law, interposes, by its me "betwixt an offended and infinitely holy God, a ❝sinful man, alienated from the life of God. For "appears that it is not without respect to this inher "holiness of Christ's conception and birth, which "the primary part, and the foundation, of his wh righteousness, that the Scripture pronounces the f lowing propositions: that he is made of God to righteousness; and that we have put on Christ

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Disput. xxvi. Sect. 16. He expresses the same sentime Disput. xxv. Sect. 22.

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"so that we are one in him,' that is, one new man." And after exhibiting the words of the Catechism at the thirty-sixth Question, he adds the following remark: "This answer is either not adapted to the Question, or "it speaks of the holiness of the conception and birth " of Christ. The latter supposition is most conform"able to truth."*

XLII. These sentiments in no degree preclude the necessity of the death of Christ in order to the expiation of sin, as well original as actual; which the Catechism elsewhere inculcates, and which we also devoutly maintain. We by no means intend, that this holy conception and nativity of Christ can suffice to cover the impurity of our nature, separately from the other parts of his obedience and righteousness. But we consider it as the first part of the entire righteousness of Christ; the efficacy of which, (if all the parts of the righteousness of Christ may be contrasted with the different parts of our misery,) ought to be referred immediately to our original sin, and to the supply of our want of original righteousness.

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XLIII. Without doubt, we should intermeddle preposterously with these sacred mysteries of Christian philosophy, were we not by pious and holy meditations to turn them to our own benefit, and to the glory of God in Christ. And, in the first place, we hence learn in general the divinity of our holy religion, which alone shows us that Mediator between God and sinners, in whom the conscience oppressed with the weight of its iniquities, and exhausted by the vain pursuit of remedies in other quarters, may acquiesce with security and pleasure. What human or angelical sagacity could

* De Instaurat. Hom. laps. Disput. iii. sect. 20.
Gal. iii. 28, comp. Ephes. iv. 24. Col. iii. 10.

have been able to discover things so hidden, so sublime, and so far surpassing the grasp of all creatures;-that the eternal Son of God should be born in time and become man, that he might be in condition to fulfil the law which was given to men, and, as their Surety, to undergo the punishment due to the offences of men ;— that he should even become one of mankind, that he might love and redeem them as his brethren and kinsmen;-yet born of a virgin, who knew no man, that he might contract nothing of that filth of human depravity, which is communicated by ordinary generation to posterity! How adorable do the wisdom, the holiness, the truth, the goodness, and the philanthropy of God appear, in devising, admitting, providing, and perfecting this method of our recovery! How do these mysteries satisfy the soul, thirsting after salvation, yet justly despairing of relief from all that could be done by itself, or by any other amongst men or angels! Here, here, at last, it perceives, what is to be found no where else in heaven or in earth, a way of reconciliation worthy of the perfections of the Deity, and safe for man. These, these are the tremendous mysteries of Christianity, which "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which "have not entered into the heart of man ;" which were

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kept secret since the world began, but now are made "manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, ac"cording to the commandment of the everlasting God, "made known to all nations for the obedience of faith."r

XLIV. In the second place, we ought to be dissolved in this unbounded love of Christ towards us. Who doubts that the excellence of the human race, even when the comparison is most favourably made, must yield to

4 1 Cor. ii. 19.

* Rom. xvi. 25, 26.

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