8. According to our church, therefore, and the word of God, with which, on this head, she perfectly accords, our justifying righteousness is the meritorious work of Christ; which consisteth in a perfect obedience to the law, and a full satisfaction to divine justice; the one including what he _did_, the other what he _suffered_; and both, in inseparable connexion, constituting that glorious and “everlasting righteousness,” which the Mediator hath brought in, by his entire obedience to the death of the cross. This is called by our church, “the _merit_” of Christ, because when the dignity of his person is taken into consideration, it appears that an infinite sufficiency is thereby communicated to his obedience, and every part thereof; and that he possesseth an inherent power of meriting for others, or of _constituting_ others righteous, as well as being righteous himself. This he can only do, as being “God over all, blessed for evermore.” For, if he had been a mere creature, though his righteousness might be sufficient to justify himself, yet it could never have transferred a power of justifying others: because, it is repugnant both to reason and scripture, that _any created_ being, even the first-born seraph round the throne of God, should not only merit for himself, but also possess a redundancy of merits transferable to others. But that the Redeemer is possessed of such a power, is evident from the words of the apostle, “By the obedience of one shall many _be made righteous_.” Rom. v. 19. This argument proves, therefore, that Christ is _very God_, as well as very man: that there is a translation of merit infinitely sufficient in a sinner’s justification: and that the active and passive obedience of the Mediator, is, through the infinite dignity of his person, a _divine_ righteousness. Hence it is written, “This is his name whereby he shall be called, JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jer. xxiii. 6. And again, “We are made _the righteousness of God_ in him.” 1 Cor. v. 21.