Here it is that we ma}^ and ought, if anywhere, to expect the interest of our 2iersonal uhedience, under some qualification or other, in our justification to be declared. For if it should be supposed (which yet it cannot, with any pretence of reason) that, in the fore- going discourse, the apostle had excluded only the works of the law as absolutely perfect, or as wrought in our own strength without the aid of grace, or as meritorious ; yet having generally excluded all
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•works from our justification, verse 20, without distinction or limita- tion, it might well be expected, and ought to have been so, that, upon the full declaration which he gives us of the nature and way of our justification, in all the causes of it, he should have assigned the place and consideration which our own personal righteousness had in our justification before God, — the first, or second, or continuation of it, somewhat or other, — or at least made some mention of it, under the qualification of gracious, sincere, or evangelical, that it might not seem to be absolutely excluded. It is plain the apostle thought of no such thing, nor was at all solicitous about any reflection that might be made on his doctrine, as though it overthrew the necessity of our own obedience. Take in the consideration of the apostle's design, with the circumstances of the context, and the argument from his utter silence about our own personal righteousness, in our justification before God, is unanswerable. But this is not all ; we shall find, in our progress, that it is expressly and directly excluded by him.
All unprejudiced persons must needs think, that no words could be used more express and emphatical to secure the whole of our jus- tification unto the free grace of God, through the blood or mediation of Christ, wherein it is faith alone that gives us an interest, than these used here by the apostle. And, for my part, I shall only say, that I know not how to express myself in this matter in words and terms more express or significant of the conception of my mind. And if we could all but subscribe the answer here given by the apostle, how, by what means, on what grounds, or by what causes, we are justified before God, — namely, that " we are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood," etc., — there might be an end of this controversy.
But the principal passages of this testimony must be distinctly considered. First, the principal efficient cause is first expressed with a peculiar emphasis, or the " causa vporiyovfjuBvri'" AiKaiouiUbsvoi dc>}pi&v rp ahro\J xapiri, — " Being justified freely by his grace." God is the principal efficient cause of our justification, and his grace is the only moving cause thereof I shall not stay upon the exception of those of the Roman church,-— namely, that by rfi %a^/r/ ahrou (which their translation renders " per gratiam Dei"), the internal, inherent grace of God, which they make the formal cause of justification, is intended; — for they have nothing to prove it but that which overthrows it, namely, that it is added unto hupidv, " freely;" which were needless, if it signify the free grace or favour of God : for both these expres- sions, " gratis per gratiam," " freely by grace," are put together to give the greater emphasis unto this assertion, wherein the whole of
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our justification is vindicated unto the free grace of God. So far as they are distinguishable, the one denotes the principle from whence our justification proceeds, — namely, grace; and the other, the tnan- ner of its operation, — it works freely. Besides, the grace of God in this subject doth everywhere constantly signify his goodness, love, and favour; as hath been undeniably proved by many. See Rom. v. 15; Eph. ii. 4, 8, 9; 2 Tim. i. 9; Tit. iii. 4, 5.
" Being justified dojpsdv" (so the LXX. render the Hebrew particle D3n)^ — " without price," without merit, without cause ; — and some- times it is used for "without end;" that is, what is done in vain, as dupidv is used by the apostle, Gal. ii. 21 ; — without price or reward, Gen. xxix. 15; Exod. xxL 2; 2 Sam. xxiv. 24; — without cause, or merit, or any means of procurement, 1 Sam. xix. 5 ; Ps. Ixix. 4 ; in this sense it is rendered by dojpsdv, John xv. 25. The design of the word is to exclude all consideration of any thing in us that should be the cause or condition of our justification. Xdpig, " favour," abso- lutely considered, may have respect unto somewhat in him towards whom it is showed. So it is said that Joseph found grace or favour, X<^ptv, in the eyes of Potiphar, Gen. xxxix. 4: but he found it not dupidv, without any consideration or cause; for he "saw that the Lord was with him, and made all that he did to prosper in his hand," verse 3. But no words can be found out to free our justi- fication before God from all respect unto any thing m ourselves, but only what is added expressly as the means of its participation on our part, through faith in his blood, more emphatical than these here used by the apostle : Aojpsdv rfj alrou xdpin, — " Freely by his grace." And with whom this is not admitted, as exclusive of all works or obe- dience of our own, of all conditions, preparations, and merit, I shall despair of ever expressing my conceptions about it intelligibly unto them.