Page:Believer exalted in imputed righteousness.pdf/16

 doctrine. And my firſt uſe ſhall be of information, in theſe few particulars.

1ſt, Is it ſo, that in a Surety's righteouſneſs, believers are exalted: then ſee hence, that whatever account the world may make of them as the droſs and off-ſcouring of the earth, yet they are dignified perſons in God's reckoning: 'Ever ſince thou waſt precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honourable.'

2dly, See hence, that the believer has no ground of boaſting. Why? Becauſe it is not in his own, but in Chriſt's righteouſneſs, that he is exalted: Boaſting is excluded ſays the apoſtle, ''by what law? of works? Nay, but by the law of faith.'' Rom. iii. 27. If it were by our own doings or obedience that we are exalted, we have nothing whereof to glory in ourſelves. There are three queſtions that the apoſtle aſks, which many ſilence all fleſh, and put all boaſters to an eternal bluſh, I Cor. iv. 7 'Who maketh thee to differ? What haſt thou that thou did not receive? Why doſt thou glory as if thou had not received it?' Let believers themſelves poſe their ſouls with thoſe or the like inquires, when pride begins to riſe in their breaſts.

3dly, See hence what obligation we lie under to the Lord Jeſus: Who, altho' he was the great law-giver, yet was content to be made under the law: though he was the Lord of life, yet humbled himſelf unto the death, to bring in that righteouſneſs by which we are exalted. He was content to be numbered among the tranſgreſſors, that we might be counted among the righteous: He was content to become ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God;