SECOND. THAT MAN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD, WHILE SINNERS IN THEMSELVES, BY NO OTHER RIGHTEOUSNESS THAN THAT LONG AGO PERFORMED BY, AND REMAINING WITH, THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
Third. It is yet further evident that the righteousness by which we stand just before God from the curse is a righteousness inherent, not in us, but in Christ; because it is a righteousness besides, and without the law itself. Now take away the law, and you take away the rule of righteousness. Again; take away the rule, and the act as to us must cease. 'But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets' (Rom 3:21). So then, by such righteousness we are justified as is not within the power of the law to command of us.
Quest. But what law is that which hath not power to command our obedience in the point of our justification with God?
Answ. The moral law is called the Ten Commandments. Therefore we are neither commanded to love God, nor our neighbor, as the means or part of our justifying righteousness; nay, he that shall attempt to do these things to be delivered from the curse thereby, by the scripture is holden accursed of God. 'As many as are of the works,' or duties, 'of the law, are under the curse,' &c. (Gal 3:10). Because we are justified not by that of the law, but by the righteousness of God without the law; that is, without its commanding of us, without our obedience to it—' 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 (Rom 3:24,25). This is the righteousness of God without the law; that is, without any of our obedience to the law. Wherefore the righteousness by which we stand just, in the sight of God, cannot be inherent in us, but in Christ the King thereof.
Fourth. This is further made apparent, by the capacity that God will consider that soul in, to whom he imputed justifying righteousness; and that is, 'as one that worketh not,' as one that stands ungodly in the judgment of the law (Rom 4:4,5). But this I have handled before and therefore shall pass it here.
Fifth. To conclude. If any works of ours could justify us before God, they would be works after faith received; but it is evident that these do not; therefore the righteousness that justifies us from the curse before God, is a righteousness inherent only in Christ.
That works after faith do not justify us from the curse, in the sight of God, is evident
1. Because no works of the saints can be justified by the moral law, considering it as the law of life works (Gal 3:10). For this must stand a truth forever—Whatsoever justified us must be justified by the moral law, for that is it that pronounced the curse; unless, then, that curse be taken away by the work, the work cannot justify us before God (Rom 3:21). But the curse cannot be taken away but by a righteousness that is first approved of by that law that so cursed; for if that shall yet complain for want of full satisfaction, the penalty remained. This is evident to reason and confirmed by the authority of God's Word, as hath been already proved; because the law, once broken, pronounced death, expected death, and executed the same on him that will stand to the judgment of the law; but no work of a believer is capable of answering this demand of the law; therefore none of his works can justify him before God; for the law, that notwithstanding, complained.
2. No works of faith can justify us from the curse before God, because of the want of perfection in our greatest faith. Now, if faith is not perfect, the work cannot be perfect; I mean with that perfection as to please Divine justice. Consider the person, that had to do with God immediately by himself. Now, that faith is not capable of this kind of perfection, it is evident, because when men here know most, they know but in part. Now he that knows but in part, can do but in part; and he that doth but in part, hath a part wanting in the judgment of the justice of God. So then, when thou hast done all thou canst, thou hast done but part of thy duty, and so art short of justification from the curse by what thou hast done (1 Cor 8:2, 13:12).
3. Besides, it looks too like a monster that the works of faith should justify us before God; then faith is turned, as it were, with its neck behind it. Faith, in its own nature and natural course, respected the mercy of God through the Mediator, Jesus Christ; and as such, its virtue and excellency is to expect justification by grace through him; but by this doctrine, faith is turned roundabout, and now makes a life out of what itself hath done; but, methinks, faith should be as noble as its fruits, that being the first, and they but the fruits of that.
Besides, seeing the work is only good because it flowed from faith (for faith purifies the heart), therefore faith is it that justifies all its works (Acts 15:9). If, then, we be justified by either, it is by faith, and not by his works; unless we will say there is more virtue in the less than in the greater. Now, what is faith but a believing, trusting, or relying-on act of the soul? What, then, must it rely upon or trust in? Not in itself; that is, without Scripture; not in its works, they are inferior to itself; besides, this is the way to make even the works of faith the mediator between God and the soul, and so by them thrust Christ out of doors; therefore it must trust in Christ; and if so, then no man can be justified from the curse, before God, by the works that flow from faith.
4. To put all out of doubt; the saint, when he hath done what he can to bring forth good works by faith, yet he dares not show these works before God but as they pass through the Mediator Christ, but as they are washed in the blood of the Lamb. And therefore Peter saith, those sacrifices of ours that are truly spiritual are only then accepted of God when offered up by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). And therefore it is said again, that the prayers of the saints, which are the fruits of faith, come up before the throne of God through the angel's hand; that is, through the hand of Christ, through his golden censer, perfumed with his incense, made acceptable by his intercession (Rev 8:3,4). It is said in the Book of Revelation, that it is granted to the bride, the Lamb's wife, that she should be 'arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; which white linen is the righteousness of saints.' This fine linen, in my judgment, is the works of godly men, their works that sprang from faith. But how came they clean? How came they white? Not simply because they were the works of faith. But Mark, they 'washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.' And 'therefore they stand before the throne of God' (Rev 7:14,15). Therefore it is that their good works stand there too.
I conclude, then, 'our persons are justified while we are sinners in ourselves.' Our works, even the works of faith, are not otherwise accepted but as they come through Jesus Christ, even through his intercession and blood. So then, Christ doth justify both our person and works, not by way of approbation, as we stand in ourselves or works before God, but by presenting of us to his Father by himself, washing what we are and have from guilt in his blood, and clothing us with his own performances. This is the cause of our acceptance of God, and our works are not absent from his presence.
