But surely the men, who urge this objection, either never read, or never understood, our LORD’s blessed discourse, wherein the doctrine of an imputed righteousness is so plainly taught, that he who runs, if he has eyes that see, may read.
Indeed our LORD does recommend morality and good works, (as all faithful ministers will do) and clears the moral law from many corrupt glosses put upon it by the letter-learned Pharisees. But then, before he comes to this, ’tis remarkable, he talks of inward piety, such as poverty of spirit, meekness, holy mourning, purity of heart, especially hungring and thirsting after righteousness; and then recommends good works, as an evidence of our having his righteousness imputed to us, and these graces and divine tempers wrought in our hearts. “Let your light (that is, the divine light I before have been mentioning) shine before men, in a holy life; that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your father which is in heaven.” And then he immediately adds, “think not that I am come to destroy the moral law: I came not to destroy, (to take away the force of it as a rule of life) but to fulfil, (to obey it in its whole latitude, and give the compleat sense of it.)” And then he goes on to shew how exceeding broad the moral law is. So that our LORD, instead of setting aside an imputed righteousness in his sermon upon the mount, not only confirms it, but also answers the foregoing objection urged against it, by making good works a proof and evidence of its being imputed to our souls. He, therefore, that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Prophet says in the words of the text, “The LORD our righteousness.”
But as Satan not only quoted scripture, but backed one temptation after another with it, when he attacked CHRIST in the wilderness; so his children generally take the same method in treating his doctrine. And, therefore, they urge another objection against the doctrine of an imputed righteousness, from the example of the young man in the gospel.
We may state it thus: “The Evangelist _Mark_, say they, chapter x. mentions a young man that came to CHRIST, running, and asking him what he should do to inherit eternal life? CHRIST referred him to the commandments, to know what he must do to inherit eternal life. It is plain, therefore, works were to be, partly at least, the cause of his justification: and consequently the doctrine of an imputed righteousness is unscriptural.” This is the objection in its full strength: and little strength in all its fulness. For, was I to prove the necessity of an imputed righteousness, I scarce know how I could bring a better instance to make it good.
Let us take a nearer view of this young man, and of our LORD’s behaviour towards him, _Mark_ x. 17. the Evangelist tells us, “That when CHRIST was gone forth into the way, there came one running (it should seem it was some nobleman; a rarity indeed to see such a one running to CHRIST!) and not only so, but he kneeled to him, (perhaps many of his rank now, scarce knew the time when they kneeled to CHRIST) and asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Then JESUS, to see whether or not he believed him to be what he really was, truly and properly GOD, said unto him, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is GOD.” And, that he might directly answer his question, says he, “Thou knowest the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not bear false witness, defraud not, honour thy father and thy mother.” This was a direct answer to his question; namely, That eternal life was not to be attained by his doings. For our LORD, by referring him to the commandments, did not (as the objectors insinuate) in the least hint, that his morality would recommend him to the favour and mercy of GOD: but he intended thereby, to make the law his schoolmaster to bring him to himself; that the young man, seeing how he had broken every one of these commandments, might thereby be convinced of the insufficiency of his own, and consequently of the absolute necessity of looking out for a better righteousness, whereon he might depend for eternal life.