Page:Believer exalted in imputed righteousness.pdf/8

 6thly, This righteouſneſs of the Surety is conveyed unto us by imputation, as is abundantly plain from many places of ſcripture, particularly Rom. iv. 6, 11, 12, 23, 24. God reckons what the Surety did in our room unto us; ſo that his righteouſneſs become as much ours for juſtification before God, as tho' we had obeyed the law, and ſatisfied juſtice in our own perſon. Now, this imputation of the Surety's righteouſneſs runs principally upon theſe two or three things. 1ſt, Upon the eternal tranſaction between the Father and the Son, wherein the Son of God was choſen and ſuſtained as the Surety of an elect world: then it was that he gave bond to the Father, to pay their debt, in the red gold of his blood; ſaying, Sacrifice and offering thou did not deſire; Lo, I come, I delight to do thy will. 2dly, It is grounded upon the actual imputation of our ſins unto him. The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. There is a bleſſed exchange of places between Chriſt and his people; he takes on our ſin and unrighteouſneſs, that we may be clothed with the white robe of his righteouſneſs, 2 Cor. v. 21. 'He was made ſin for us who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him.' 2dly.3dly. [sic] This imputation goes upon the ground of the myſtical union between Chriſt and the believer. When the poor ſoul is determined in a day of power to embrace the Lord Jeſus in the arms of faith, Chriſt and he do that very moment coaleſce into one body. He becomes a branch of the noble vine; a member of that body whereof Chriſt is the glorious head of eminence, influence and