Further, the Lord did also lead me into the mystery of the union
with the Son of God--that I was joined to him, and that I was flesh
of his flesh and bone of his bone; and now was that a sweet word to
me in Eph. 5:30. By this also was my faith in him as my
righteousness, the more confirmed in me; for if he and I were one,
then his righteousness was mine, his merits mine, his victory also
mine. Now, I could see myself in heaven and earth at once: in
heaven, by my Christ, by my Head, by my Righteousness and Life,
though on earth by body or person.
Let divine and infinite justice turn itself which way it will, it
finds One that can tell how to match it. For if it say, "I will
require the satisfaction of man," there is a man to satisfy its cry;
and if it say, "But I am an infinite God, and must and will have an
infinite satisfaction," here is One also that is infinite, even
"fellow" with God; fellow in his essence and being; fellow in his
power and strength; fellow in his wisdom; fellow in his mercy and
grace, together with the rest of the attributes of God. So that, let
justice turn itself which way it will, here is a complete person and
a complete satisfaction.
"The law," sayst thou, "must be obeyed." I answer, "Christ Jesus has
done that in his own person, and justified me thereby; and for my
part, I will not labor now to fulfil the law for justification, lest
I should undervalue the merits of the man Christ Jesus, and what he
has done without me; and yet will I labor to fulfil, if it were
possible, ten thousand laws, if there were so many.
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