Concerning this person, the apostle afiirmeth that " his faith is counted for righteousness ;" — that is, he is justified in the way and manner before declared. But there is a difference about the sense of these words. Some say the meaning of them is, ihaX faith, as an act, a grace, a duty, or work of ours, is so imputed. Others say that it is faith as it apprehends Christ and his righteousness, which is properly imputed unto us, that is intended. So faith, they say, justifieth, or is counted for righteousness relatively, not pro- perly, with I'espect unto its object ; and so acknowledge a trope in the words. And this is fiercely opposed, as though they denied the express words of the Scripture, when yet they do but interpret this expression, once only used, by many others, wherein the same thiug is declared. But those who are for the first sense, do all afiirm that faith here is to be taken as including obedience or works, either as the fonn and essence of it, or as such necessary concomitants as have the same influence with it into our justification, or are in the same manner the condition of it. But as herein they admit also of a trope in the words, which they so fiercely blame in others, so they give this sense of the whole : " Unto him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith and works are counted to him for righteousness ;" — which is not only to deny what the ajjostle aflSrms, but to assign unto him a plain contradiction.
And I do a little marvel that any unprejudiced person should expound this solitary expression in such a sense as is contradictory unto the design of the apostle, the Avords of the same period, and
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the whole ensuing context. For that which the apostle proposeth unto confirmation, which contains his whole design, is, that we are justified by the righteousness which is of God by faith in the blood of Christ. That this cannot be faith itself shall immediately be made evident. And in the words of the text all works are excluded, if any words be sufficient to exclude them ; but faith absolutely, as a single grace, act, and duty of ours, much more as it includeth obedience in it, is a work, — and in the latter sense, it is all works. And La the ensuing context he proves that Abraham was not justified by works. But not to be justified by works, and to be justified by some works, — as faith itself is a work, and if, as such, it be imputed unto us for righteousness, we are justified by it as such, — are contradictory. Wherefore, I shall oppose some few arguments unto this feigned sense of the apostle's words: —
1. To believe absolutely, — as faith is an act and duty of ours, — and works are not opposed, for faith is a work, an especial kind of Avorking; hnt faith, as we are justified by it, and luorks, or to work, are opposed : " To him that worketh not, but believeth." So Gal. ii. 16 ; Eph. ii. 8, 9.
2. It is the righteousness of God that is imputed unto us ; for we are " made the righteousness of God in Christ," 2 Cor. v. 21 ; " The righteousness of God upon them that believe," Rom. iii. 21, 22 ; but faith, absolutely considered, is not the righteousness of God. " God imputeth unto us righteousness without works," chap. iv. 6 ; but there is no intimation of a double imputation, of two sorts of righteousnesses, — of the righteousness of God, and that which is not so. Now faith, absolutely considered, is not the righteousness of God; for, —
(1.) That whereunto the righteousness of God is revealed, whereby we believe and receive it, is not itself the righteousness of God ; for nothing can be the cause or means of itself; — but the righteousness of God is " revealed unto faith," chap. i. 1 7 ; and by it is it " re- ceived," chap. iii. 22, v. 11.
(2.) Faith is not the righteousness of God which is by faith ; but the righteousness of God which is imputed unto us is " the righteous- ness of God which is by faith," chap. iii. 22 ; Phil. iii. 9.
(3.) That whereby the righteousness of God is to be sought, obtained, and submitted unto, is not that righteousness itself; but such is faith, Rom. ix. 30, 31, x. 3, 4.
(4.) The righteousness which is imputed unto us is not our own antecedently unto that imputation : " That I may be found in him, not having mine own righteousness," Phil. iii. 9 ; but faith is a man's own : "Show me thy faith, and I will show thee my faith," James ii. 18.
(5.) " God imputeth righteousness " unto us, Rom. iv. 6 ; and
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tliat righteousness whicli God imputetli unto us is the lighteousness whereby we are justified, for it is imputed unto us that we may be justified; — but we are justified by the obedience and blood of Christ; " By the obedience of one we are made righteous," chap. v. 19; " Much more now being justified by his blood," verse 9 ; " He hath put away sin by the sacrifice of himself," Heb. ix. 26; Isa. liii. 11, " By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." But faith is neither the obedience nor the blood of Christ.