Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

ness, through the threatenings of the law, and that curse which every transgression of it, was attended withal. Hereby it was plainly and fully declared, that there must be such a righteousness provided for our justification before men, as would answer and remove that curse.

4. In the prefiguration and representation of that only way and means, whereby this righteousness of God was to be wrought. This it did in all its sacrifices, especially in the great anniversary sacrifice on the day of expiation, wherein all the sins of the church, were laid on the head of the sacrifice, and so carried away.

5. He describes it by the only way of our participation of it, the only means on our part of the communication of it unto us. And this is by faith alone. The righteousness of God which is by the faith of Christ Jesus, unto all, and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference;' ver. 22. Faith in Christ Jesus is so the only way and means, whereby this righteousness of God comes upon us, or is communicated unto us, that it is so unto all that have this faith, and only unto them, and that without difference on the consideration of any thing else besides. And although faith taken absolutely, may be used in various senses, yet as thus specified and limited, the faith of Christ Jesus, or as he calls it, the faith that is in me;' Acts xxvi. 18. It can intend nothing but the reception of him, and trust in him, as the ordinance of God for righteousness and salvation.

This description of the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel, which the apostle asserts as the only means and cause of our justification before God, with the only way of its participation and communication unto us by the faith of Christ Jesus, fully confirms the truth we plead for. For if the righteousness wherewith we must be justified before God be not our own, but the righteousness of God, as these things are directly opposed, Phil. iii. 9. and the only way whereby it comes upon us, we are made partakers of it, is by the faith of Jesus Christ; then our own personal inherent righteousness or obedience, hath no interest in our justification before God; which argument is insoluble, nor is the force of it to be waved by any distinctions whatever, if we keep our hearts unto a due reverence of the authority of God in his word.

Having fully proved, that no men living have any righ teousness of their own, whereby they may be justified, but are all shut up under the guilt of sin; and having declared. that there is a righteousness of God now fully revealed in the gospel, whereby alone we may be so; leaving all men in themselves into their own lot, inasmuch as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;' he proceeds to declare the nature of ser justification before God in all the causes 2016 ver. St-Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: whom God hata set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his hood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus.'

Here it is, that we may and ought if any where, to expect the interest of our personal obedience 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 foregoing 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 works from our justification, ver. 20. without distinction or limitation; 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 owa personal righteousness had in our justification before God, the first or second, or continuation of it, somewhat

other; or at least, made some mention of it, under the qualification of gracious, sincere, or evangelical, that it might e seem to be absolutely excluded. It is plain the apostle acht of no such thing, nor was at all solicitous about ....dection that might be made on his doctrine, as though ce the necessity of our own obedience. Take in evation of the apostle's design, with the circumthe context, and the argument from his utter

[ocr errors]

our own personal righteousness in our justiGod, 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 justification 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, are we 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,' &c. there might be an end of this controversy.

But the principal passages of this testimony must be distinctly considered. 1. The principal efficient cause is first expressed, with a peculiar emphasis; or the 'causa' poηγουμένη δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῷ αὐτοῦ χάριτι, “ 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 rý xáρiri avtoũ, 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 Swpear, 'freely,' which were needless, if it signify the free grace or favour of God. For both these expressions 'gratis per gratiam,' 'freely by grace,' are put together to give the greater emphasis unto this assertion, wherein the whole of 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 manner of its operation, it works freely. Besides, the grace of God in this subject, doth every where 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.

Having fully proved, that no men living have teousness of their own, whereby they may be jus are all shut up under the guilt of sin; and havin that there is a righteousness of God now fully the gospel, whereby alone we may be so; leavi themselves unto their own lot, inasmuch as 'al and come short of the glory of God;' he proce the nature of our justification before God in of it, ver. 24-26. Being justified freely through the redemption that is in Jesus Ch hath set forth to be a propitiation thre blood, to declare his righteousness for sins that are past, through the forbea declare, I say, at this time his righ might be just, and the justifier of t Jesus.'

[ocr errors]

Here it is, that we may and oug pect the interest of our personal ob lification or other, in our justifica if it should be supposed (which y tence of reason) that in the fore had excluded only the works of or as wrought in our own stre or as meritorious; yet havir from our justification, ver. tation; it might well be e so; that upon the full de nature and way of our jus should have assigned the own personal righteous God; the first or seco or other; or at least, qualification of gracio not seem to be absolut thought of no such t any reflection that mig it overthrew the neces the consideration of t stances of the conte silence, about our ow fication before God,

-

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

ea of that forth vouch special object by t bond of Christ, as that

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

the blood, or metama di Ing von

that gives us an eres da tes
stle. And for my part, i stal Te
how to express myself the

more express or signifcan. u ne
And if we could all but substre
the apostle; how, by what m
what causes, are we justified a
are justified freely by ins
that is in Christ Jesus, in
propitiation through fat 1 2 ---
an end of this controvers".
But the principal p

or sin, in which respect re justified through faith, y other graces or duties. ture to fix on the blood of od wherefore they are all hose who think otherwise, ace them into this context

of it, and perverting of its evasion yield our adversaries t by faith, not the single grace whole obedience required in the rks together. For as all works e excluded in the declaration of tion on the part of God Swpɛav rỹ is grace,' by virtue of that great be of grace, then no more of works: ore grace.' So the determination of ts act or duty whereon we are justified, Christ, is absolutely exclusive of all distinctly considered. Test in that duty. For whatever looks first expressed, with arist for justification, is faith, and nothing ηγουμένη δικαιούμενα the calling of it a single act or duty, I freely by his grace.' in to our preceding discourse about the naour justification, a ? faith. thereof. I shall no.r Roman church, namtranslation render grace of God, w cation, is inter that which c dwpean, free grace or fo

per grat

greater

our į

So

the apostle inferreth from the declaration f the nature and causes of our justification I of them farther illustrating the meaning and vords.

oasting is excluded; Tou our n kaynous; e. 27. Apparent it is from hence, and from what concerning Abraham, chap. iv. 2. that a great ast, of the controversy he had about justification, her it did admit of any κaúxnoiç or Kaúxnua in those e justified. And it is known that the Jews placed ir hopes in those things whereof they thought they boast, namely, their privileges and their righteousness. om the declaration made of the nature and causes of cation, the apostle infers that all boasting whatever is shut out of doors; ¿žekλelodŋ Boasting, in our lanis the name of a vice; and is never used in a good But kaúynois and raúxnua, the words used by the

« PoprzedniaDalej »