JUSTIFICATION is to be diversly taken in the Scripture. Sometimes it is taken for the justification of persons; sometimes for the justification of actions; and sometimes for the justification of the person and action too.
It is taken for the justification of persons, and that, as to justification with God; or, as to justification with men.
As to justification with God; that is, when a man stands clear, quit, free, or, in a saved condition before him, in the approbation of his holy law.
As to justification with men; that is, when a man stands clear and quits from just grounds of reprehension with them.
Justification is also to be taken with reference to actions; and that may be when they are considered, to flow from the true faith; or, because the act done fulfills some transient law.
As actions flow from faith, so they are justified, because they were done before God in, and made complete through, the perfections of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5; Heb 13:15; Rev 8:1-4).
As by the doing of the act, some transient law is fulfilled; as when Jehu executed judgment upon the house of Ahab. ‘Thou hast done well,’ said God to him, ‘in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart’ (2 Kings 10:30). As to such acts, God may or may not look at the qualification of those that do them; and it is clear that he had not respect to any good that was in Jehu in the justifying of this action; nor could he; for Jehu stuck close yet to the sins of Jeroboam, but ‘took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel’ (2 Kings 10:29,31).
I might hence also show you that a man may be justified even then when his action is condemned; also that a man may be in a state of condemnation when his action may be justified. But with these distinctions I will not take up time, my intention being to treat justification as it sets a man free or quit from sin, the curse and condemnation of the law in the sight of God, to eternal salvation.
And that I may with the more clearness handle this point before you, I will lay down and speak to this
THAT THERE IS NO OTHER WAY FOR SINNERS TO BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, THAN BY THE IMPUTATION OF THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS LONG AGO PERFORMED BY, AND STILL RESIDING WITH, THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.
The terms of this proposition are easy; yet if it will help, I will speak a word or two for explication. First. By a sinner, I mean one that has transgressed the law; ‘for sin is the transgression of the law’ (1 John 3:4). Second. By the curse of the law, I mean that sentence, judgment, or condemnation which the law pronounced against the transgressor (Gal 3:10). Third. By justifying righteousness, I mean that which stands in the doing and suffering of Christ when he was in the world (Rom 5:19). Fourth. By the residing of this righteousness in Christ’s person, I mean it still abides with him as to the action, though the benefit is bestowed upon those that are his. Fifth. By the imputation of it to us, I mean God’s making of it ours by an act of his grace, that we by it might be secured from the curse of the law. Sixth. When I say there is no other way to be justified. I cast away TO THAT END the law, and all the works of the law as done by us.
Thus I have opened the terms of the proposition.
First and Second. Now the two first—to wit, what sin and the curse are—stand clear in all men’s sight, unless they are atheists or desperately heretical. I shall, therefore, in a few words, clear the other four.
Third. Therefore justifying righteousness is the doing and suffering of Christ when he was in the world. This is clear because we are said to be ‘justified by his obedience,’ by his obedience to the law (Rom 5:19). Hence he is said again to be the end of the law for that very thing—’ Christ is the end of the law for righteousness,’ &c. (Rom 10:4). The end, what is that? Why, is the requirement or demand of the law. But what are they? Why, righteousness, perfect righteousness (Gal 3:10). Perfect righteousness, what to do? That the soul concerned might stand spotless in the sight of God (Rev 1:5). Now this lies only in the doings and sufferings of Christ; for ‘by his obedience many are made righteous’; wherefore as to this, Christ is the end of the law, that is found in that obedience, that becomes to us sufficient for our justification. Hence we are said to be made righteous by his obedience; yea, and to be washed, purged, and justified by his blood (Heb 9:14; Rom 5:18,19).
Fourth. That this righteousness still resides in and with the person of Christ, even then when we stand just before God thereby, is clear, for that we are said, when justified, to be justified ‘in him.’ ‘In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified.’ And again, ‘Surely, shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness,’ &c. (Isa 45:24,25). And again, ‘But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us—righteousness’ (1 Cor 1:30).
