But not content herewith, he describes this work negatively, or adds an exclusion of what might be pretended to have a concernment therein. And therein three things are stated distinctly: — 1. What it is he so excludes. 2. The reason whereon he doth so. 8. The confirmation of that reason, wherein he obviates an objection that might arise thereon: —
1. That which he excludes is ivories: " Not of v/orks," verse 9. And whatworks he intends, at least principally, himself declares. "Works," say some, " of the law, the law of Moses." But what concernment had these. Ephesians therein, that the apostle should inform them that they were not justified by those works ? They were never under that law, never sought for righteousness by it, nor had any respect unto it, but only that they were delivered from it. But it may be he intends only works wrought in the strength of our own natural abilities, without the aids of grace, and before believing. But what were the works of these Ephesians antecedent unto believing, he before and afterward declares. For, " being dead in trespasses and sins," they " walked according to the course of this world in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind," verses 1-8. It is certain enough that these works have no influence into our justifica- tion; and no less certain that the apostle had no reason to exclude them from it, as though any could pretend to be advantaged by them, in that which consisteth in a deliverance from them. Wherefore, the works here excluded by the apostle are those works which the Ephe- sians now performed, when they were believers, quickened v^rith Christ;
JUSTIFICATION AS DECLARED BY PAUL. SGI
even the "works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them," as he exjiressly declared, verse 10. And these works he excliideth, not only in opposition unto grace, but in opposition unto faith also : " Through faith ; not of works." Wherefore he doth not only reject their merit, as inconsistent with grace, but their co-interest on our part with, or sul)sequent interest unto faith, in the work of justification before God.
Ifiue are saved hy grace, through faith in Christ, exclusively unto all luorks of obedience ivhatever, then cannot such works be the whole or any part of our righteousness unto the justification of life: wherefore, another righteousness we must have, or perish for ever. Many things I know are here offered, and many distinctions coined, to retain some interest of works in our justification before God; but whether it be the safest way to trust unto them, or unto this plain, express, divine testimony, will not be hard for any to determine, when they make the case their own.
2. The apostle adds a reason of this exclusion of works: " Not of works, lest any man should boast." God hath ordained the order and method of our justification by Christ in the way expressed, that no man might have ground, reason, or occasion to glory or boast in or of himself So it is expressed, 1 Cor. i. 21, 30, 31; Rom. iii. 27. To exclude all glorying or boasting on our part is the design of God. And this consists in an ascription of something unto ourselves that is not in others, in order unto justification. And it is works alone that can administer any occasion of this boasting: " For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory," chap. iv. 2. And it is excluded alone by the " law of faith," chap. iii. 27; for the nature and use of faith is to find righteousness in another. And this boasting all works are apt to beget in the minds of men, if applied unto justifi- cation; and where there is any boasting of this nature, the design of God towards us in this work of his grace is frustrated what lieth in us.
That which I principally insist on from hence is, that there are no boundaries fixed in Scripture unto the interest of works in justi- fication, so as no boasting should be included in them. The Papists make them meritorious of it, — at least of our second justification, as they call it. " This," say some, " ought not to be admitted, for it in- cludeth boasting. Merit and boasting are inseparable." Wherefore, say others, they are only " causa sine C[ua non," they are the condition of it; or they are our evangelical righteousness before God, Avhereon Ave are evangelically justified; or they are a subordinate righteousness whereon we obtain an interest in the righteousness of Christ; or are comprised in the condition of the new covenant whereby we are jus- tified; or are included in faith, being the form of it, or of the essence of it, one way or other: for herein men express themselves in gi'eat
362 ON JUSTIFICATION.
variety. But so long as our works are hereby asserted in order unto our justification, how shall a man be certain that they do not include boasting, or that they do express the true sense of these words, " Not of works, lest any man should boast ?" There is some kind of ascrip- tion unto ourselves in this matter; which is boasting. If any shall say that they know well enough what they do, and know that they do not boast in what they ascribe unto works, I must say that in general I cannot admit it; for the Papists affirm of themselves that they are most remote from boasting, yet I am very well satisfied that boasting and merit are insepara])le. The question is, not what men think they do? but, what judgment the Scripture passeth on what they do? And if it be said, that what is in us is also of the grace and gift of God, and is so acknowledged, which excludes all boasting in ourselves ; I say it was so by the Pharisee, and yet was he a horrible boaster. Let them, therefore, be supposed to be wrought in us in what way men please, if they be also wrought by us, and so be the " works of righteousness which we have done," I fear their introduc- tion into our justification doth include boasting in it, because of this assertion of the apostle, " Not of works, lest any man should boasf Wherefore, because this is a dangerous point, unless men can give us the direct, plain, indisputable bounds of the introduction of our works into our justification, which cannot include boasting in it, it is the safest course utterly to exclude them, wherein I see no danger of any mistake in these words of the Holy Ghost, " Not of works, lest any man should boast;" for if we should be unadvisedly seduced into this boasting, we should lose all the benefits which we might other- wise expect by the grace of God.