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Chapter 9
Other passages of the New Testament briefly mentioned,
which
plead
for this imputation of Christ’s righteousness.
There
are other passages of Scripture, beside these mentioned, in the preceding
chapter, and against which I find no exceptions made by Mr. Goodwine, in the
forecited book, which yet do with no small clearness and fullness of evidence
plead for the truth, which we own, to wit, the imputation of the righteousness
of Christ unto believers, in order to their justification. These we shall not
insist upon, but only mention in short; seeing the full insisting upon them
will not be necessary, after what is said, in the explication and vindication
of foregoing passages.
1.
Romans 1: 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. The Apostle is here
giving a reason, proving the Gospel, whereof he was not ashamed to be a
preacher of, to be the power of God unto salvation, and that to everyone that
believes, be he Jew, or be he Gentile; viz. Because there is a righteousness
revealed therein, which sinners only stand in need of; and that righteousness
of God; that is, not only a righteousness, which is devised by God, and is
accepted in His sight; but an excellent righteousness, even the righteousness
of one, who is God; and a righteousness revealed for faith to lay hold on and
receive, and that which faith leans to first and last, when it is weakest, and
when it is strongest; that thereby the poor sinner, who formerly was dead by
law, may live, as one reconciled to God. So that hence we see, sinners have
need of a righteousness; and this righteousness is the righteousness of God,
and is revealed in the Gospel, that it may be received by faith, and so imputed
and made over to the poor sinner, in order to his justification, and acceptance
with God.
2.
Romans 4: 11. And he (i.e. Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, a
seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had, yet being uncircumcised,
that righteousness might be imputed to them also. Her
is a righteousness, and a righteousness called the righteousness of faith,
because received and applied only
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by faith; and a righteousness, whereof circumcision
was appointed a seal, and granted to Abraham as such; and a righteousness,
which was imputed to Abraham, that he might be the Father of all them, that
believe: for it is added, that righteousness might be imputed to them also:
and this must be the same righteousness, that was imputed to Abraham, and the
same way imputed, and the same way received, that there might be no essential
difference between the way of justification of father and children. The
Ethiopian version may serve for a commentary, and he had circumcision, a
sign of his righteousness, which He gave him, and the sign thereof; that this
might be made known unto him, that God justified Abraham by faith, when he was
not at that time circumcised, that they may know, that they also are justified
by faith.
3.
Romans 4: 24, 25. But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we
believe on Him, who raised up Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, who was delivered
for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. Here is
something said to be imputed, and this must be in order to justification: And
this that is imputed, cannot be faith itself, or our act of believing; for what
is said to be imputed, is promised to be imputed upon condition of faith, or
our believing on Him, who raised up Jesus our Lord. So that it must be the
righteousness of Christ, consisting in His Mediatory work, which He undertook
and performed for His own: for it is added, that He was delivered for their
offenses; that is, He was delivered unto the death, to make satisfaction
for their sins; and He rose again, that He might declare, He had given full
satisfaction; and that He might apply this surety-righteousness of His, to the
end, they might be justified. Socinus doth not understand this, and therefore de
Servat. part. 4. p. 333. says, It is most
certain, that the Apostle doth not speak of any imputation of the righteousness
of Christ; but asserts, that the faith or credit, we give God, because He hath
called Jesus Christ, our Head, from death to eternal life, shall be accounted
unto us, in the place of righteousness; just as faith, whereby Abraham gave
credit to the words of God, was imputed to him for righteousness. But the
text hereby manifestly is perverted: for it says, that something shall be
imputed, if we believe, which cannot be faith, but something distinct from
faith, which is to be imputed, upon condition of faith. And what else can this
be, than the surety-righteousness of Christ, who is here mentioned, as dieing
and rising, in the place, and for the good of His people, that they might be
justified. And further, if it were faith itself, that were here said to be
imputed, in order to justification, the justified man should not be one, that
is in himself ungodly, because he hath a righteousness in himself; and he, who
hath a righteousness in himself, is not ungodly: and yet it is said, Romans 4:
5, that God justifieth the ungodly. Again, that, which is imputed, must
be a righteousness without works, verse 6, but if
faith itself be imputed, a work is imputed, and not a righteousness without
works: and this would also lay down a ground of boasting, and make the reward
of debt, and not of grace, verse 14.
4.
Romans 10: 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The Apostle had been before,
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verse 4, telling us, that Christ was the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believes; and thereafter he discriminates
the way of justification by the Law and by the Gospel, under the notion of a
righteousness which is of the law, and a righteousness, which is of faith: and
then more particularly he describes the righteousness of faith, or a
righteousness is had unto salvation, in and thru faith, verse 9. If thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart,
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved; which he
proves in the tenth verse, now cited; and therein shows, how by this believing
that God hath raised the Lord Jesus from the dead, salvation is brought about;
viz. that by believing with the heart, a righteousness is obtained and
received: and this righteousness must be Christ’s, even His
surety-righteousness; for faith looks on Him, as raised from the dead, and that
by God, as having now received full satisfaction from Him; and thereupon
bringing Him, as it were, out of prison. And in the text cited, we see, that by
faith a righteousness is received; or faith is the way
unto the possession of a righteousness, as confession is the way unto
salvation, or as the actual possession of salvation is had by confession. And
as confession itself is not salvation, but the way thereto, and the mean
thereof; so faith itself is not the righteousness, but the way thereunto, and the
mean or medium thereof.
5.
Galatians 2: 21. I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come from the Law, Christ is dead in vain. Whence we
see, that a righteousness must be had; and that this
cannot be had by the Law, or by our obedience to the Law; but by Christ; and to
deny this, is in plain terms, to frustrate the grace of God, and to say, that
Christ is dead in vain. And if we look back to verse 16, and forward, we shall
see, that the Apostle is speaking of justification by faith in opposition to
the works of the Law; that is, by faith in Jesus Christ, receiving a
righteousness, which He hath wrought in His estate of humiliation.
6.
Galatians 3: 21, 22. For if there had been a law given, which could have
given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law: but the Scripture
hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might
be given to them that believe. Whence we see, that righteousness is
required unto life, viz. the life of justification; and by whatever way life is
had, by the same is righteousness had: and that neither life, nor righteousness
is had by the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ: and both are held forth in
a free promise, and given to the believer in Christ.
7.
Galatians 4: 4, 5. But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent
forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them, that were under the Law, that we might receive the
adoption of sons. Christ, we see, was made under the Law, and that to
redeem such, as were under the Law, that they might be freed from what they
were liable to by the Law, and by being under the law, and withal receive the
adoption of sons, which necessarily takes in His obedience, as the Ethiopic
version explains it saying, He was begotten of a woman, and was a doer of
the command, in the law. And that
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His sufferings are here included, is plain from the
one end assigned, that he might redeem them, who were under the Law, or under
the Law’s curse. The end thereof being twofold, viz. Deliverance from under
the Law, and receiving the adoption of sons; the cause must have a
suitableness thereunto; and say, that this complete righteousness,
comprehending both, must be imputed unto us, for the ends mentioned.
8. Galatians
5: 5. For we through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by
faith. Whether we take here the hope of righteousness, for
justification, as the Ethiopic version doth, translating the words thus, and
we in the Holy Spirit, and in faith hope to be justified; to which also the
scope may give some countenance; or for the recompense of glory, which is the
thing hoped for; that which we intend, will be equally confirmed; for if
justification be immediately here spoken of, it is manifest, that hereunto a
righteousness is requisite, and that this righteousness is had by faith; and so
is not in ourselves; and therefore must be the righteousness of Christ’s, unto
whom faith carries forth the soul, and of whom he spoke, verse 4, saying, Christ
is become of none effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law. If
glory be here immediately intended, we may see, that the Apostle, to persuade
the Galatians, not to seek after a righteousness by the Law, tells them, what
he and others did, and were resolved to do; to wit, how they ventured their
whole salvation on the truth he delivered: for they waited and looked for
heaven and happiness (which is here called, hope, by a metonymy) not by the
works of the Law (for heaven with them was not the hope of the Law, or of the
works of the Law) but by the righteousness of faith; that is, by and through
that righteousness, which is by faith: and therefore it is called the hope
of righteousness by faith; that is, that which we hope for, through the
help of the Spirit, and expect in and through the righteousness of Christ;
which righteousness is had by faith in Christ: and that this righteousness is
none else but the righteousness of Christ, the following verse clears, where he
says; for in Jesus Christ, &c.
9.
Philippians 3: 8, 9. That I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having
mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the
faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of God by faith. The place is
so clear and full, that by speaking much of it, we may rather darken it, than
explain it. We see, what was the main thing Paul designed, in opposition to
what he once intended and sought after: what he did formerly look upon, as
gain, and was hot in pursuit of, he now had no better account of, than of as
much loss and dung: yea he had no better esteem of all things beside Christ,
and in this judgment, he persisted, accounting all but dung, that He might
win Christ, and have Him for all his gain. And what would he make of
Christ? He would be found in Him, hid in Him, covered with Him, and
united to Him. In opposition to this, he desires not to be found in, or having
on his own righteousness, which is of the law; thereby showing us, that
it was the righteousness of Christ, he desired to be clothed with, and found
in; and therefore adds, but that (i.e. that righteousness) which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
The righteousness he was
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seeking, is the righteousness of God, and which is of
God by faith, and is had through the faith of Christ; and all this was said in
opposition to the way, that the dogs, the evil workers, the circumcision,
mentioned in verse 2, were crying up, and following, viz. the observation of
the law, in order to justification.
10.
Hebrews 11: 7. By faith Noah became heir of the righteousness, which is by
faith: where there is a metonymy, the cause put for the effect; righteousness
put for that life, which is had by this righteousness: which shows, that
a righteousness is necessarily required, unto the life of acceptance with God,
and unto salvation; and that this righteousness is not in or of ourselves, but
in and from another; for it is had by faith; and therefore is called, the
righteousness, which is by faith: and faith lays hold on no righteousness,
but on that, which is Christ’s.
These
and other passages, which might be mentioned, are evident proofs of the truth,
we are asserting, with all such, as are unprejudiced, in the point; beside all
those passages, which prove justification not to be by the works of the law,
but by faith; for they also confirm this truth, that in order to our
justification and salvation; we must be clothed with the righteousness of
Christ; which is that, which faith grips to and apprehends, that the shame of
our nakedness may not appear, and we may be in case to stand before the
tribunal of God.