5. Hence it was that, in many other places of his writings, but in this especially, he treats of these things with a greater earnestness and vehemency of spirit than ordinary. Thus, — (1.) On the part of
JUSTIFICATION AS DECLARED BY PAUL. SC5
Christ, whom he would exalt, he mentioneth not only the kuowledge of huTfi, but TO uTTsps^ov rng yvuidioig, — " the excellency of the know- ledge of Christ Jesus my Lord," — with an emphasis in every word. And those other redoubled expressions, " all loss for him;" " that I may win him;" "■ that I may be found in him;" " that I may know him,"- — all argue the working of his affections, under the conduct of faith and truth, unto an acquiescency in Christ alone, as all, and in all. Somewhat of this frame of mind is necessary unto them that would believe his doctrine. Those who are utter strangers unto the one will never receive the other. (2.) In his expression of all other things that are our own, that are not Christ, whether privileges or duties, however good, useful, excellent they may be in themselves, yet, in comparison of Christ and his righteousness, and with respect unto the end of our standing before God, and acceptance with him, with the same vehemeucy of spirit he casts contempt upon [them], calling them ey.uZa'ka, — " dog's meat," — to be left for them whom he calleth " dogs ; " that is, evil workers of the concision, or the wicked Jews who adhered pertinaciously unto the righteousness of the law, Phil. iii. 2. This account of the earnestness of the apostle in this argimient, and the warmth of his expressions, I thought meet to give, as that which gives lioht into the whole of his design.
6. The question being thus stated, the inquiry is, what any per- son, who desires acceptance with God, or a righteousness whereon he may be justified before him, ought to betake liimself unto? One of the ways proposed he must close withal. Either he must comply with the apostle in his resolution to reject all his own righteousnes.s, and to betake himself unto the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Christ Jesus alone, or find out for himself, or get some to find out for liim, some exceptions unto the apostle's conclusion, or some distinctions that may prepare a reserve for his own works, one way or other, in his justification before God. Here every one must choose for himself. In the meantime, we thus argue : — If our own righteousness, and the righteousness which is of God by faith, or that which is through the faith of Christ Jesus (namely, the righteous- ness which God imputeth unto us, Rom. iv. 6, or the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness thereby which we receive, chap. V. 1 7), are opposite and inconsistent in the work of justification be- fore God, then are we justified by faith alone, through the imputa- tion of the righteousness of Christ unto us. The consequent is plain, from the removal of all otlier waj^s, causes, means, and conditions of it, as inconsistent witli it. But the antecedent is expressly the apostle's : " Not my own, but that of God." Again, —
That whereby and wherewith we are " found in Christ " is that whereby alone we are justified before God ; for to be found in Christ
366 ON JUSTIFICATION.
expressetli the state of the person that is to be justified before God; whereunto is opposed to be found in ourselves. And according unto these different states doth the judgment of God pass concerning us. And as for those who are found in themselves, we know what will be their portion. But in Christ we are found by faith alone.
All manner of evasions are made use of by some to escape the force of this testimony. It is said, in general, that no sober-minded man can imagine the apostle did not desire to be found in gospel righteousness, or that by his own righteousness he meant that ; for it is that alone can entitle us unto the benefits of Christ's righteous- ness. " Nollem dictum." (1.) The censure is too severe to be cast on all Protestant writers, without exception, who have expounded this place of the apostle ; and all others, except some few of late, influenced by the heat of the controversy wherein they are engaged. (2.) If the gospel righteousness intended be his own personal right- eousness and obedience, there is some want of consideration in affirm- ing that he did desire to be found in it. That wherein we are found, thereon are we to be judged. To be found in our own evan- gelical righteousness before God, is to enter into judgment with God thereon ; which those who understand any thing aright of God and themselves will not be fi'ee unto. And to make this to be the mean- ing of his words: " I desire not to be found in my own righteousness which is after the law, but I desire to be found in mine own right- eousness which is according to the gospel," — whereas, as they are his own inherent righteousness, they are both the same, — doth not seem a proper interpretation of his words ; and it shall be immediately disproved. (3.) Tha,t our personal gospel righteousness doth entitle us unto the benefits of Christ's righteousness, — that is, as unto our justification before God, — is " gratis dictum ;" not one testimony of Scripture can be produced that gives the least countenance unto such an assertion. That it is contrary unto many express testimonies, and inconsistent with the freedom of the grace of God in our justifica- tion, as proposed in the Scripture, hath been proved before. Nor do any of the places which assert the necessity of obedience and good works in believers, — that is, justified persons, — unto salvation, any way belong unto the proof of this assertion, or in the least express or intimate any such thing ; and, in particular, the assertion of it is expressly contradictory unto that of the apostle, Tit. iii. 4, 5. But I forbear, and proceed to the consideration of the special answers that are given unto this testimony, especially those of Bellarmine, whereunto I have as yet seen nothing added with any pretence of reason in it: —