First, The distinction. What is meant by ' his own righteousness ? ' Either the false, superficial righteousness which he had as a pharisee, mentioned ver. 6, ' Touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless ; ' exact in legal observances ; or else any other righteous- ness that might be thought of, that standeth in opposition to Christ or in competition with him. It is not meant of the graces of the Spirit, nor of things that stand in a necessary subordination to hini. Well, then, any righteousness of our own, opposed to Christ, is excluded. But for the other part of the distinction, what is meant by the righteous- ness of God ? His gracious method or evangelical course of pardoning sin to penitent believers in the gospel, and accepting them to life in Christ. And it is called ' the righteousness of God,' because it is found out by God, and accepted by him, and given us by God. It is found out by God : ' Deliver him from going down to the pit ; for I have found a ransom,' Job xxxiii. 24. The way of satisfying God's justice by a ransom was not devised or found out by men or angels, but by God himself. And it is given us by God : ' For he is of God made unto us righteousness,' 1 Cor. i. 30 ; and 2 Cor. v. 21, * We are made the righteousness of God in him.' And partly because it is accepted by God. It is a righteousness wherein God acquiesceth, and which he accepteth for our absolution : Mat. iii. 17, ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' God is satisfied with Christ's obedience to the
42 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SeR. V.
death, as a perfect ransom for us, and is well pleased with those who make use of it, and apply it in the appointed way ; namely, the faith and obedience of Christ ; that is, being 'justified by faith.' We con- tinue to live by faith, and being married to Christ, do bring forth fruit unto God. Certainly with the righteousness of God we may appear with all manner of confidence before the throne of God, and look for all manner of blessings from him. The law which condemneth us is the law of God, the wrath which we fear is the wrath of God, and the glory which we expect is the glory of God, and the presence into which we come is the presence of God, and the righteousness by which we stand is the righteousness of God.
Secondly, The description of these different and opposite righteous- nesses. His own righteousness he describeth to be that which is by ' the law ; ' the other, the righteousness which is by ' the faith of Christ.' The meaning is, it is appointed by God, merited by Christ, and re- ceived by faith. Now these two are often opposed ; as Horn. iii. 21, 22, ' But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe ; for there is no difference.' So again, Eom. x. 3, l For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish, their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the right- eousness of God.' Where you see there is a perfect opposition between our own righteousness and the righteousness of God, the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith. The law may be taken two ways — either for the law of works or the law of Moses.
1. For the law of works, which required a man to be justified by a perfect sinless obedience of his own ; this is that which is often opposed to the righteousness of God by faith in Christ ; and against this doth the apostle reason when he reasoneth against justification by works or our own righteousness, as will be evident by two places : Eom. i. 17, 18, ' I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ ; for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith ; for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.' That is, the wrath and vengeance of God is denounced against those who are under the law- covenant, which they have broken in every point and tittle, in every table, in every commandment. There clearly the two revelations are opposed, the law-covenant in which the wrath of God is revealed, and the gospel-covenant in which the righteousness of God is revealed. The other place is Eom. iii. 20, ' Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in his sight ; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.' Take the illative particle, therefore, as it is a conclusion or inference drawn out of his former argument ; did he prove them guilty of the breach of ceremonies? No; but of moral duties. Take the reason subjoined, 'for by the law is the knowledge of sin ; ' question- less he meaneth the moral law as it was a covenant of works ; by that is the knowledge of sin, quoad natur am peccati, et inliozrentiam in subjecto, in respect of the nature of sin, and its inherence in us. To fallen man it doth not discover his righteousness but his sin. Now it is impossible for us to be justified by this legal righteousness. None