Chapter III.

Our Righteousness Before God, Consists Solely In The Perfect Obedience And Merit Of Christ Jesus, And In The Remission Of Sin Apprehended By Faith.

As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.—Rom. 5:19.

As a skilful builder, when he is about to raise a lofty structure, takes care to lay first a deep and solid foundation, so the merciful and compassionate God, when he was to erect the high and everlasting palace of our salvation and righteousness, thought fit to lay the foundation thereof, in the depth of his mercy, upon the Person and office of his dear Son Christ Jesus, as on the true rock of salvation. This is the promise recorded by the prophet: “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” Isa. 28:16. This stone was indicated by Christ, when he declared to Peter, that “thereon he would build his church;” a church so firmly and surely sustained, that “the very gates of hell should not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18.

2. This was the rock and corner-stone, which was preached by the apostles Peter and Paul. 1 Pet. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:19. This is that marvellous corner-stone celebrated by the Psalmist, and upon which the 118th Psalm is grounded. Upon this foundation, God has been pleased to raise the whole structure of our righteousness, faith, and eternal salvation. But as God, our merciful Heavenly Father, has, on his side, placed the groundwork of our salvation and righteousness in the unsearchable depth of his mercy and everlasting love; nay, even in his beloved Son, and the paternal affection of his own heart; so he wills that on our side also the same be laid in the depth of our heart, and in the centre of our soul; in order that, through the divine light and power of faith alone (and even faith is solely the work of the Divine Spirit), the righteousness of Christ may be apprehended, and without any respect of our own works, whether antecedent or consequent, be freely imputed and appropriated to us. The reasons of this way of proceeding are as follows.

3. In the first place, that God by this means might cleanse and justify a man from within, and in the inmost centre of his soul: for as man is inwardly corrupted by Satan, and infected in all the interior powers of his soul, so it is but fit that his cure should be wrought from within, and that all the faculties of his soul should be restored to their former integrity and soundness.

4. Secondly, that our righteousness proceeds from faith only. This faith is wrought by God himself, and it stands entirely in his power (1 Cor. 2:5), being supported by it, and not by any human performance, or hypocritical action of men. Of this latter sort was the righteousness of the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20), who made indeed 169 a show of outward performances, but were little concerned about the reformation of the heart, and the inward recesses of the mind.

5. Thirdly, that our heart, soul, and spirit, renouncing human power and strength (upon which, through the temptation of the Devil, and the snares of self-love, ambition, and pride, they too much rely), might wholly depend upon Christ alone, and upon his precious merit and satisfaction. For from him alone flow the gracious remission of all our sins, and the whole train of graces consequent on it; Jesus Christ having abundantly satisfied for the sins of the whole world, and reconciled the Father to mankind.

6. Fourthly, that the righteousness of Christ, by faith, might be made our own. In order to the same end he also by his Word and Spirit begets this faith in our hearts, that thereby we may become actually possessed of this inestimable treasure. For this is the highest, the unspeakable, and inconceivably great consolation, that our righteousness is not the righteousness of a man, nor even of a saint or angel, but of Christ, and of God himself; “It is God that justifieth.” Rom. 8:33. Therefore if the whole world were overflowed with the sins of one man, yet would the righteousness of Christ be still more extensive and overflowing. For verily, he is “the Lord our Righteousness” (Jer. 33:16), and how can sin be more powerful than the Lord Jehovah? Would it be an insufficient satisfaction, thinkest thou, if instead of a penny which thou owest thy creditor, thou shouldest return ten thousand pounds? But such a price, nay, one infinitely greater, is paid with the blood of Christ, which therefore is called by St. Paul, “God's own blood.” Acts 20:28. So great and immense is the righteousness of Christ, conferred on us by faith, that thereby we are not only made righteous, but also righteousness itself. 2 Cor. 5:21. For, as it is not enough that a defiled infant be washed from its uncleanness, but it must also be wrapped up in clean apparel (Ezek. 6:10), so Christ not only cleanses us with his blood, but clothes us also with the garment of salvation, and covers us with the robe of righteousness (Isa. 61:10): which we have received from the hand of the Lord. This garment is called by the prophet, priestly or holy apparel; by David, “the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2); by St. John, “fine linen clean and white, which is the righteousness of saints” (Rev. 19:8); by the prophet Amos, “rivers of righteousness” (Amos 5:24); by St. Paul, “superabounding grace” (Rom. 5:20); and “exceeding riches of grace.” Eph. 2:7. All these expressions set forth that the righteousness bestowed on a penitent soul, is as great as God himself, and therefore beyond all human comprehension. Though in the state of innocency, our first parents had a complete righteousness in its kind, yet was it not so full and exuberant as that which we have obtained in Christ: for this righteousness and holiness, which we apply to ourselves by faith, is far more excellent than that which Adam would have left us, had he continued in his original innocency. So, too, the humility and obedience of Christ, as it was more perfect, so it was more acceptable to God, than the obedience and innocency of Adam; nay, a thousand such persons as Adam, could not have come up to the perfection of Christ alone. Adam would have transmitted to us indeed an hereditary righteousness, and thereby united us 170 with God; yet it cannot be denied, that our union, established with God in Christ, is much more noble and excellent than that which we should have derived from Adam: for Christ being made man, has in himself so cleansed and exalted human nature, that the primitive state of Adam is not at all to be compared with it. And as Christ retains his human nature to all eternity; so all believers continue in the same united to God; because Christ is wholly ours, and we are wholly his. Whatever purity the human nature hath obtained in general in His Person, is also transferred to the nature of each believer in particular. This will appear in the glorification of our bodies at the last day, when “they shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ.” Phil. 3:21. Nay, even in this life, it is said in faith: “Behold, thou art fair, my love” (Cant. 1:15); “glorious, not having spot or wrinkle” (Eph. 5:27): “the king's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought gold.” Ps. 45:13. In a word, our righteousness in Christ is no less immense than God himself; and if his depth may be found out, so will our righteousness. Whence all creatures, finding nothing that can be reproved in man, must stand as it were astonished, and cry out with admiration: “Who is he that shall accuse or condemn man, whose righteousness is the Son of God himself?” And this is that righteousness of faith on which we rest, as on an eternal rock, and which is a foundation that cannot be shaken. Of this we glory, in this we rejoice in time and in eternity. By this we are conquerors, and triumph over sin, death, the devil, and hell. By this we tread upon the lion and adder, and trample under foot the young lion and the dragon. Ps. 91:13.

7. Fifthly, an angel (who never died for us) cannot be the foundation of our righteousness, much less any man. The righteousness of man is but weak and inconstant; and if he should fall, “all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned” (Ezek. 18:24; 33:13), and therefore whatever is built thereon falls soon to the ground and comes to nothing. For this reason, our righteousness must have another foundation; a foundation, namely, which is firm and constant, and not liable to be shattered to pieces, though the “mountains should depart, and the hills be removed.” Isa. 54:10. “An everlasting righteousness must be brought in” (Dan. 9:24), so that “the salvation of the Lord may be forever, and his righteousness be not abolished.” Isa. 51:6. A most excellent, eternal, and sovereign Person, must procure an eternal and infinite good, by an immense and infinite satisfaction offered for us.

8. The sixth cause why God will have our righteousness to be apprehended by faith, is found in his truth and promise, on which our faith entirely rests, and by which God declared and promised righteousness to Abraham, and to all his faithful seed. Whence St. Paul argues, that “our righteousness must be of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end that the promise might be sure.” Rom. 4: 16. Upon this promise of grace, fulfilled in Christ, has God established our righteousness and salvation, as the same apostle in another place more fully asserts: “Even as Abraham,” says he, “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they 171 which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham: saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed (Gen. 12:3). “So then they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham.” Gal. 3:6-9. And thus “grace and truth are come by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17.

9. Seventhly, God has made his grace, and the merit of Christ, the foundation of our righteousness, that Christ alone may have the honor of it. Isa. 45:22-24; 53:11. “In him alone is our help.” Hos. 13:9. He is the beginning, middle, and end of our righteousness and salvation, so that “every mouth may be stopped.” Rom. 3:19. For we are “saved by grace through faith; not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8, 9. But if our righteousness were founded on our own works and merits, there would then be no room for grace, nor should we have occasion for mercy or pardon of sin, “for which every one that is godly doth pray.” Ps. 32:6. Moreover, there would be no place for humility, nor for the fear of God; neither would faith and prayer turn to any great account; yea, we should have no need of a Mediator, Redeemer, and Saviour. Christ would have then died in vain; and we should be obliged, both by an external and an internal obedience, perfectly to fulfil the whole law. We should remain under the curse, have fallen from grace, and have lost Christ; as St. Paul expressly testifies in Gal. 5:3, 4. So that the doctrine of justification by works, in the sight of God, is altogether inconsistent with the whole Scripture, both of the Old Testament and the New, and with our holy Christian faith.

10. In short, our salvation and righteousness are founded entirely upon the eternal grace of God, and the eternal Person and office of Christ; and in Christ alone we are made righteous, holy, alive, blessed, sons and heirs of God. The righteousness of Christ is ours, his goodness ours, his holiness ours; his life ours, his happiness ours, and lastly, the sonship and inheritance of Christ are ours; and so the whole Christ, both according to his divine and his human nature, is ours; (for God gives us the whole Christ for a Saviour, that he with his Person, office, grace, glory, and blessedness, may be wholly appropriated to us). That all this is our own, is our highest consolation, glory, praise, honor, love, joy, and peace before God and all the angels and elect; it is our sublimest wisdom, strength, might, victory, and triumph over sin and death, the devil and hell, the world and all our enemies. For which God be praised to all eternity! Amen.