1 For the first, had he been sinful himself, he could not have made attone∣ment for sin, it was required that all the Sacrifices should be without blemish, Lev. 3. and 10 else it had not been accepted, as the Lord tells them, Mal. 1.8. all things defiled with sin are abominable to God, Heb. 7.25, 26. unlesse some attonement be made, now had he been sinfull, he had stood in need of Sacrifice for himself, and could not have been an attonnment for our sins, 2 Cor. 5. ult. he that knew no sin, was imputed a sinner for us, that we might be imputed righteous for his sake.
2 It was meet that he should be righteous, that he might be our Advocate, God hears not sinners, Joh. 9.31. the blind man was not so blind, but he could say so much, but God hears Christ alwaies, and we should have such an Advo∣cate, as should continually prevail with God, look at all the parts of his advo∣cation for us, and it is meet that he should be righteous.
1 He appears for us in the sight of God; and had he been a sinner, his person would have been odious in Gods sight.
2 He Advocates by pleading the merits of his own death, now how could it have been meritorious, had he dyed as a malefactor.
3 He gives us his name and his Spirit to use in our Prayers, now to use his name had been of no effect, if he had been a sinner.
4 He prayes for us, makes known his will to his Father concerning us, but this would do no good, had he been a sinner.
3 It is meet he should be righteous, that he might be our justifier, our justification is by his obedience, his righteousnesse is imputed to us, now his righteousnesse could not have been imputed to us, had it been imperfect, 1 Cor. 2.3.
Ʋse 1 It is a ground of much consolation to such as lay hold on Christ, and have him for their Advocate and Reconciler, for he is one that is just and righteous, and therefore fit to prevail for us, what hinders the joy of a Chri∣stian?
Object. 1 I much doubt the pardon of my sins, if I could be sure of that, I should be joyfull.
Ans. You have such a Reconciles as is Just and Righteous, and therefore will procure pardon for you.
Object. 2 But I am still unjust and unrighteous.
Ans. But your Reconciler is Just and Righteous, and it is not required that the reconciled should be righteous, but he that reconciles us, it is meet that he be righteous.
Object. 3 I cannot pray, my prayers are heartlesse and faithlesse, &c.
Ans. Well, but we have an advocate that is holy and just, and that prayes and intercedes for us, and we shall find the benefit of his Righteousnesse, though we fall daily into much unrighteousnesse, yet Jesus Christ our Mediator is righ∣teous.
Ʋse 2 To teach us to be Righteous, as he is Righteous, God would have us conformable to the image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. and that consists in Holi∣nesse and Righteousnesse, God would have us so to walk, that our Sir-name may be Justus, Righteous towards God, to give him his due, Righteous to o∣thers, to give them their due, and Righteous to our selves.
To be called Christians, and yet not to be righteous, is to be called Chri∣stians, and yet to be no Christians. Why are we called Christians, but because we are anoynted with the Unction of Christ? If a man professe himself to be a Christian, and is not Righteous, he is not a Christian, for he hath not the Spirit of Christ, and therefore is none of Christs; not but that we may fail, but it is required that the stream and bent of our hearts and wayes be to walk Righteously; we aim at Righteousnesse, though sometimes we misse the mark.
Ʋse 3 May quiet us, if we fear evil in well doing, why? Because Christ was most Righteous, yet he suffered much unrighteous dealing in a Righte∣ous