SECT. II. Of the distinctions, or several divisions of Christ's Righteousness.
FOr the better understanding of Christ's Righteousness, we usually distinguish, that Christ's Righteousness is either that righteousness inherent in him, or performed by him; the righteousness performed by him, is either his fulfilling the Commandments, or his satisfying the curse of the Law. The same distinction is given by others in these terms, Christ's Righteousness is either his original conformity, or his active and passive obedi∣ence unto the Law: his original conformity, is that gracious inherent disposition in Christ from the first instant of his conception, whereby he was habitually conformable to the Law; and this original righteousness answered for our original unrighteousness; his active obedience is his doing of legal obedience unto the command, and his passive obedience is his suffering of punishment due unto us for our sins.—I shall yet a little fur∣ther enlarge this distinction of the righteousness of Christ, and give it in thus; viz. The righteousness of Christ is either negative (if I may so speak) or positive; by the ne∣gative I understand the absence of all sins and vices, forbidden in the Law; by the po∣sitive, I mean both a presence of all vertues, and duties, required to the perfect fulfil∣ling of the Law, as also a voluntary suffering of the penalty, to satisfie the commination and curse of the Law.
1. The negative righteousness is that which we call the innocency of Christ: we read often in Scriptures that he was both blameless and spotless. 1. Blameless, free in him∣self from all imputation of sin; to this purpose Christ challenged the Jews: Which of you convinceth me of sin? In all his life he was unblameable and unreproveable; and there∣fore now towards the end of his life he asks the people with whom he had conversed, Which of you convinceth me of sin? Spotless, free from all infection of sin; Peter calls him a Lamb without blemish, and without spot; and Paul, an high Priest, Holy, Harmless, and Ʋndefiled; one who never did evil, nor spake evil; he did no sin (saith the Apostle) neither was guile found in his mouth; one who never offended so much as in thought but was absolutely and in all respects 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with out all sin.