Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Proofs of the first position. 328

 

Third. ‘And when he saw their faith, he said unto the man, Thy sins are forgiven thee’ (Luke 5:20).

This man had not righteousness to stand just before God withal, for his sins as yet remained unforgiven; wherefore, seeing guilt remained until Christ remitted him, he was discharged while ungodly. And observe it, the faith here mentioned is not to be reckoned so much the man’s, as the faith of them that brought him; neither did it reach to the forgiveness of sins, but to the miracle of healing; yet this man, in this condition, had his sins forgiven him.

But again; set the case, the faith was only his, as it was not, and that it reached to the doctrine of forgiveness, yet it did it without respect to righteousness in himself; for guilt lay still upon him, he had now his sins forgiven him. But this act of grace was a surprise; it was unlooked for. ‘I am found of them that sought me not’ (Isa 65:1). They came for one thing, he gave them another; they came for a cure upon his body, but, to their amazement, he cured first his soul. ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee.’ Besides, to have his sins forgiven betokened an act of grace; but grace and works as to this are opposite (Rom 11:6). Therefore ‘men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’

Fourth. ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son’ (Luke 15:21).

What this man was is sufficiently declared in verse 13, &c. As 1. A riotous spender of all—of time, talent, body, and soul. 2. He added to this his rebellion and great contempt of his father’s house—he joined himself as a stranger, and became an associate with swine (vv 15,17). At last, indeed, he came to himself. But then observe—(1.) He sought no justification by personal performances of his own; (2.) Neither did he mitigate his wickedness; (3.) Nor excuse himself before his father; but first, resolve to confess his sin; and coming to his father, did confess it, and that with aggravating circumstances. ‘I have sinned against heaven; I have sinned against thee; I am no more worthy to be called thy son’ (v 18). Now what he said was true or false. If true, then he had no righteousness. If false, he could not stand just in the sight of his father by his own performances. And, indeed, the sequel of the parable clears it. His ‘father said to his servant, Bring forth the best robe,’ the justifying righteousness, ‘and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet’ (v 22). This best robe, then, being in the father’s house, was not in the prodigal’s heart; neither stayed the father for further qualifications, but put it upon him as he was, surrounded with sin and oppressed with guilt. Therefore ‘men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’

Fifth. ‘For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost’ (Luke 19:10).

The occasion of these words was, for that the Pharisees murmured because ‘Jesus was gone to be guest to one that was a sinner,’ yea, a sinner of the publicans, and are most fitly applied to the case in hand. For though Zaccheus climbed the tree, Jesus Christ found him first, and called him down by his name; adding withal, ‘For today I must abide at thy house’ (v 5); which being opened by verse, is as much as to say, I am come to be thy salvation. Now this being believed by Zaccheus, ‘he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully.’ And not only so, but to declare to all the simplicity of his faith, and that he unfeignedly accepted of this word of salvation, he said unto the Lord, and that before all present, ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation,’ a supposition intimating an affirmative, ‘I restore him fourfold.’ This being thus, Christ doubled his comfort, saying to him also, before the people, ‘This day is salvation come to this house.’ Then, by adding the next words, he expounds the whole of the matter, ‘For I have come to seek and save that which was lost’; to seek it till I find it, to save it when I find it. He finds them that sought him not (Rom 10:20); and saith, Zaccheus, Behold me! to a people that asked not after him. So, then, seeing Jesus found this publican first, preaching salvation to him before he came down from the tree, it is evident he received this as he was a sinner; from which faith flowed his following words and works as a consequence.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Proofs of the first position. 327

 

Sixth. ‘Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel’ (Zech 3:3).

The standing of Joshua here is as men used to stand that were arraigned before a judge. ‘Joshua stood before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him’ (v 1). The same posture as Judas stood in when he was to be condemned. ‘Set thou,’ said David, ‘a wicked man over him; and let Satan stand at his right hand’ (Psa 109:6). Thus, therefore, Joshua stood. Now Joshua was clothed, not with righteousness, but with filthy rags! Sin upon him, and Satan by him, and this before the angel! What must he do now? Go away? No; there he must stand! Can he speak for himself? Not a word; guilt had made him dumb! (Isa 53:12). Had he no place clean? No; he was clothed with filthy garments! But his lot was to stand before Jesus Christ, that maketh intercession for transgressors. ‘And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee’ (Zech 3:2). Thus Christ saves from present condemnation those that be still in their sin and blood.

But is he now quit? No; he stands yet in filthy garments; neither can he, by aught that is in him, or done by him, clear himself from him. How then? Why, the Lord clothes him with the change of raiment. The iniquities were his own, the raiment was the Lord’s. ‘This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord’ (Isa 54:17). We will not hear the discourse of Joshua’s sin, what it was, or when committed; it is enough to our purpose that he was clothed with filthy garments; and that the Lord made a change with him, by causing his iniquity to pass from him, and by clothing him with change of raiment. But what had Joshua antecedent to this glorious and heavenly clothing? The devil at his right hand to resist him, and himself in filthy garments. ‘Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the angel. And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment’ (Zech 3: 3,4).

Second. But to pass [from] the Old Testament types, and to come to the New.

First, ‘And when he has come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things God hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee’ (Mark 5:18,19).

The present state of this man is sufficiently declared in these particulars—1. He was possessed with a devil; with devils, with many; with a whole legion, which some say is six thousand, or thereabouts (Matt 8). 2. These devils had so the mastery of him as to drive him from place to place into the wilderness among the mountains, and so to dwell in the tombs among the dead (Luke 8). 3. He was out of his wits; he would cut his flesh, break his chains; nay, ‘no man could tame him’ (Mark 5:4-5). 4. When he saw Jesus, the devil in him, as being lord and governor there, cried out against the Lord Jesus (v 7). In all this, what qualification shows itself as precedent to justification? None but such as devils work, or as rank bedlams have. Yet this poor man was dispossessed, taken into God’s compassion, and was bid to show it to the world. ‘Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee’ (v 19); these last words, because they are added over and above his being dispossessed of the devils, I understand to be the fruit of electing love. ‘I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion,’ which blesses us with the mercy of justifying righteousness; and all this, as by this is manifest, without the least precedent qualification of ours.

Second. ‘And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both’ (Luke 7:42).

The occasion of these words was, for that the Pharisee murmured against the woman that washed Jesus’ feet, because ‘she was a sinner’; for so said the Pharisee, and so saith the Holy Ghost (v 37). But, saith Christ, Simon, I will ask thee a question, ‘A certain man had two debtors: the one owed him five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both’ (v 38).

Hence I gather these conclusions—1. That men that are wedded to their own righteousness understand not the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins. This is manifested by the poor Pharisee; he objected to the woman because she was a sinner. 2. Let Pharisees murmur still, yet Christ hath pity and mercy for sinners. 3. Yet Jesus doth not usually manifest mercy until the sinner hath nothing to pay. ‘And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly,’ or freely, or heartily, ‘forgave them both.’ If they had nothing to pay, then they were sinners; but he forgives no man but with respect to a righteousness; therefore that righteousness must be another’s; for in the very act of mercy they are found sinners. They had nothing but debt, nothing but sin, nothing to pay [with]. Then they were ‘justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.’ So, then, ‘men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Proofs of the first position. 326

 

Third. ‘And the Lord said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger’ (Gen 25:23).

These words, after Paul’s exposition, are to be understood as justification in the sight of God, according to the purpose and decree of electing love, which had so determined long before, that one of these children should be received to eternal grace; but mark, not by works of righteousness which they should do, but ‘before they had done either good or evil’; otherwise, ‘the purpose of God according to election,’ not of works, but of him that calleth, ‘could not stand,’ but fall in pieces (Rom 9:10–12). But none are received into eternal mercy but such as are just before the Lord by a righteousness that is complete; and Jacob, having done no good, could by no means have that of his own, and therefore it must be by some other righteousness, ‘and so himself be justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while a sinner in himself.’

Fourth. The same may be said concerning Solomon, whom the Lord loved with special love, as soon as he was born into the world; which he also confirmed with signal characters. ‘He sent,’ saith the Holy Ghost, ‘by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah because the Lord loved him (2 Sam 12:24–25). Was this love of God extended to him because of his personal virtues? No, verily, for he was yet an infant. He was justified then, in the sight of God, from the curse by another than his own righteousness.

Fifth. ‘And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou was in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou was in thy blood, Live’ (Eze 16:6).

The state of these people you have described in the former verses, both as to their rise and practice in the world (vv 1–5),. 1. As to their rise,. Their original was the same with Canaan, the men of God’s curse (Gen 9:25). ‘Thy birth and thy nativity are of the land of Canaan’; the same with other carnal men (Rom 3:9). ‘Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite’ (Eze 16:3). Their condition, as shown us by this emblem, was that they had not been washed in water. (2.) They had not been swaddled. (3.) They had not been salted. (4.) They brought filth with them into the world. (5.) They lay stinking in their cradle. (6.) They were without strength to help themselves. Thus, they appear and come by generation. 2. Again, as to their practice—(1.) They polluted themselves in their own blood. (2.) They so continued till God passed by—’ And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood;—’ in thy blood, in thy blood; it is doubled. Thus we see they were polluted born, they continued in their blood till the day that the Lord looked upon them; polluted, I say, to the loathing of their persons, &c. Now this was the time of love—’ And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou was in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou was in thy blood, Live’ (Eze 16:6).

Question. But how could a holy God say, ‘Live,’ to such a sinful people?

Answer. Though they had nothing but sin, he had love and righteousness. He had love to pity them; and righteousness to cover them—’ Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love (Eze 16:8). What follows? (1) ‘I spread my skirt over thee’; and (2) ‘Covered thy nakedness’; yea, (3) ‘I swore unto thee’; and (4) ‘Entered into covenant with thee’; and (5) ‘Thou became mine.’ My love pitied thee; my skirt covered thee. Thus, God delivered them from the curse in his sight. ‘Then I washed thee with water after thou was justified; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and anointed thee with oil’ (v 9).

Sanctification, then, is consequential, justification goes before. The Holy Ghost by this scripture set forth to the life, and free grace to the sons of men, while they are sinners. I say, while they are unwashed, unsaddled, unsalted, but bloody sinners; for by these words, ‘not washed, not salted, not swaddled,’ he set forth their unsanctified state; yea, they were not only unsanctified but also cast out, without pity, to the loathing of their persons; yea, ‘no eye pitied them, to do any of these things for them’; no eye but his, whose glorious grace is unsearchable; no eye but his, who could look and love; all others looked and loathed; but blessed be God that hath passed by us in that day that we wallowed in our own blood; and blessed be God for the skirt of his glorious righteousness wherewith he covered us when we lay before him naked in blood. It was when we were in our blood that he loved us; when we were in our blood he said, Live. Therefore, ‘men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’

Ta

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Proofs of the first position. 325

 

Having passed over these few scriptures, I shall come to particular instances of persons who have been justified, and shall briefly touch on their qualifications in the act of God's justifying them. First, By the Old Testament types. Second, By the New.

The first position is illustrated by Scripture types.

First. By the Old [Testament types]. First. 'Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them' (Gen 3:21).

At the beginning of this chapter, you find these two persons reasoning with the serpent, the effect of which discourse was, that they take of the forbidden fruit, and so break the command of God (vv 7-15). This done, they hide themselves and cover their nakedness with aprons. But God finds out their sin, from the highest branch to its roots. What followed? Not one precept by which they should by works obtain the favor of God, but the promise of a Saviour; of which promise this twenty-first verse is a mystical interpretation: 'The Lord God made them coats of skins, and clothed them.'

Hence observe—1. These coats were made, not before, but after they had made themselves aprons; a plain proof their aprons were insufficient to hide their shame from the sight of God. 2. These coats were made, not of Adam's inherent righteousness, for that was lost before by sin, but of the skins of the slain, types of the death of Christ, and of the righteousness brought in thereby—' By whose stripes we are healed (Isa 53). 3. This is further manifest; for the coats, God made them; and for the persons, God clothed them therewith; to show that as the righteousness by which we must stand just before God from the curse is righteousness of Christ's performing, not of theirs; so he, not they, must put it on them also, for of God we are in Christ, and of God his righteousness is made ours (1 Cor 1:30).

But, I say, if you would see their antecedent qualifications, you find them under two heads—rebellion [and] hypocrisy. Rebellion, in breaking God's command; hypocrisy, in seeking how to hide their faults from God. Expound this by gospel language, and then it shows 'that men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.'

Second. 'The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering' (Gen 4:4).

By these words, we find the person first accepted: 'The Lord had respect unto Abel.' And indeed, where the person is not first accepted, the offering will not be pleasing; the altar sanctifies the gift, and the temple sanctified the gold; so the person, the condition of the person, is that which makes the offering either pleasing or despising (Matt 23:16-21). In the epistle to the Hebrews, it is said, 'By faith, Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous' (Heb 11:4). Righteous before he offered his gift, as his sacrifice testified; for God accepted of it.

'By faith he offered.' Wherefore faith was precedent, or before he offered. Now faith hath to do with God through Christ; not with him through our works of righteousness. Besides, Abel was righteous before he offered, before he did do good, otherwise God would not have testified of his gift. 'By faith, he obtained witness that he was righteous,' for God approved of his gifts. Now faith, I say, as to our standing quit before the Father, respects the promise of forgiveness of sins through the undertaking of the Lord Jesus. Wherefore Abel's faith as to justifying righteousness before God looked not forward to what should be done by himself, but back to the promise of the seed of the woman, that was to destroy the power of hell, and 'to redeem them that were under the law' (Gen 3:15; Gal 4:4,5). By this faith, he shrouds himself under the promise of victory and the merits of the Lord Jesus. Now being there, God finds him righteous; and being righteous, 'he offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than his brother'; for Cain's person was not first accepted through the righteousness of faith going before, although he seemed foremost as to personal acts of righteousness (Gen 4). Abel, therefore, was righteous before he did good works; but that could not be but alone through that respect God had to him for the sake of the Messiah promised before (3:15). But the Lord's so respecting Abel presupposed that at that time he stood in himself by the law a sinner, otherwise he needed not to be respected for and upon the account of another. Yea, Abel also, forasmuch as he acted faith before he offered sacrifice, must thereby entirely respect the promise, which promise was not grounded upon a condition of works to be found in Abel, but in and for the sake of the seed of the woman, which is Christ; which promise he believed, and so took it for granted that this Christ should break the serpent's head—that is, destroy by himself the works of the devil; to wit, sin, death, the curse, and hell (Gal 4:4). By this faith he stood before God righteous, because he had put on Christ; and being thus, he offered; by which act of faith God declared he was pleased with him because he accepted of his sacrifice.

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Proofs of the first position. 324

 

Therefore, for these reasons, were there sufficiency in our personal works to justify us, it would be even more inconsistent with the being of God to suffer it. So then, ‘men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’

Eleventh. ‘But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness’ (Rom 4:5).

These words show how we must stand just in the sight of God from the curse of the law, both as it respects justification itself and the instrument or means that receives that righteousness which justifies it that righteousness that justifies, it is not a personal performance in us; for the person here justified stands, in that respect, as one that worketh not, as one that is ungodly. 2. As it respects the instrument that receives it, that faith, as in the point of justifying righteousness, will not work, but believe, but receive the works and righteousness of another; for works and faith in this are set in opposition. He doth not work, he doth believe’ (Gal 3:12). He worketh not, but believeth on him who justifies, ungodly. As Paul also saith in another place, The law is not of faith (Rom 10:5,6). And again10:5, 6s saith on this wise; faith, far different. The law saith, Do this and live. But the doctrine of faith says, ‘If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in the heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness,’ &c. (Rom 10:9,10).

Object. But faith is counted for righteousness.

Answ. True, but yet consider, that by faith we do oft understand the doctrine of remission of sins, as well as the act of believing.

But again; faith when it hath received the Lord Jesus, it hath done that which pleases God; therefore, the very act of believing is the most noble in the world; faith sets the crown upon the head of grace; it seals to the truth of the sufficiency of the righteousness of Christ, and giveth all the glory to God (John 3:33). And therefore it is a righteous act; but Christ himself, he is the Righteousness that justifieth’ (Rom 4:20,25). Besides, faith is a relative and hath its relation as such. Its relation is the righteousness that justifieth, which is therefore called the righteousness of faith, or that with which faith hath to do (Rom 10:6). Separate these two, and justification cannot be because faith now wants his righteousness. And hence it is you have so often such sayings as these—’ He that believeth in me; he that believeth on him; believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved’ (John 6:35,40). Faith, then, as separate from Christ, doth nothing; nothing, neither with God nor man; because it wants its relative; but let it go to the Lord Jesus—let it behold him as dying, &c., and it fetches righteousness, and life, and peace out of the virtue of his blood, &c. (Acts 10:29,31,33). Or rather, sees it there as sufficient for me to stand just thereby in the sight of Eternal Justice For him ‘God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith [belief] in his blood,’ with intent to justify him that believeth in Jesus (Rom 3:25,26).

Twelfth. ‘Even as David also described the blessedness of the man to whom God imputed righteousness without works’ (Rom 4:6).

Did our adversaries understand this one text, they would not so boldly affirm, as they do, that the words, ‘impute, imputed, imputed, imputing,’ &c., are not used in scripture but to express men really and personally to be that which is imputed unto them; for men are not really and personally faith, yet faith is imputed to men; nay, they are not really and personally sin, nor really and personally righteousness, yet these are imputed to men: so, then, both good things and bad may sometimes be imputed to men, yet themselves be really and personally neither. But to come to the point: what righteousness hath that man that hath no works? Doubtless none of his own; yet God imputed righteousness to him. Yea, what works of that man doth God impute to him that he yet justifies as ungodly?

Further, He that hath works as to justification from the curse before God, not one of them is regarded of God; so, it matters not whether thou hast righteousness of thine own or none. ‘Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes righteousness without works.’ Man’s blessedness, then, the blessedness of justification from the curse in the sight of God, lieth not in good works done by us, either before or after faith received, but in righteousness which God imputes without works; as we ‘work not’ as we ‘are ungodly.’ ‘Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sin is covered’ (v 7). To forgive and to cover are acts of mercy, not the cause of our merit. Besides, where sin is real, there can be no perfect righteousness; but the way of justification must be through perfect righteousness, therefore by another than our own, ‘Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin’ (v 8). The first cause, then, of justification before God, depends upon the will of God, who will justify because he will; therefore the meritorious cause must also be of his own providing, else his will cannot herein be absolute; for if justification depends upon our personal performances, then not upon the will of God. He may not have mercy upon whom he will, but on whom man’s righteousness will give him leave. But his will, not ours, must rule here; therefore his righteousness, and his only (Rom 9:15,18). So, then, ‘men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’

Tagged Work

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Proofs of the first position. 323

 

Thus you see that Paul here proves, by fifteen reasons, that none are, nor can be, righteous before God by works that they can do; therefore ‘men must be justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’

Eighth. ‘But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets’ (v 21).

This text utterly excludes the law—what law? The law of works, the moral law, (v 27)—and makes mention of another righteousness, even righteousness of God; for the righteousness of the law is the righteousness of men, men’s ‘own righteousness’ (Phil 3:9). Now, if the law, as to justifying righteousness, is rejected; then the very matter upon and by which man should work is rejected; and if so, then he must be justified by the righteousness of God, or not at all; for he must be justified by a righteousness that is without the law; to wit, the righteousness of God. Now, this righteousness of God, whatever it is, to be sure it is not a righteousness that flows from men; for that, as I said, is rejected, and the righteousness of God opposed unto it, being called a righteousness that is without the law, without our personal obedience to it. The righteousness of God, or a righteousness of God’s completing, a righteousness of God’s bestowing, a righteousness that God also gives unto, and puts upon all them that believe (Rom 3:22), a righteousness that stands in the works of Christ, and that is imputed both by the grace and justice of God (v 24-26). Where, now, is room for man’s righteousness, either in the whole or as to any part thereof? I say, where, as to justification with God?

Ninth. ‘What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?’ (Rom 4:1)

Now, the apostle is at the root of the matter; for Abraham is counted the father of the faithful; consequently, the man whose way of attaining justification must be exemplary to all the children of Abraham. Now, the question is, how was Abraham found? how did he find that which some of his children sought and missed? (Rom 9:32); that is, how he found justifying righteousness; for it was that which Israel sought and attained not unto (11:7). ‘Did he find it,’ saith Paul, ‘by the flesh?’ or, as he was in the flesh? or, by acts and works of the flesh? But what are they? why, the next verse tells you ‘they are the works of the law’ (Rom 4).

‘If Abraham was justified by works’; that is, as pertaining to the flesh; for the works of the law are none other but the best sort of the works of the flesh. And so Paul calls all they that he had before his conversion to Christ: ‘If any other man,’ saith he, ‘thinketh he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more.’ And then he counted up several of his privileges, to which he at last adjoined the righteousness of the moral law, saying, ‘Touching the righteousness which is in the law, [I was] blameless’ (Phil 3:4-6). And it is proper to call the righteousness of the law the work of the flesh because it is the work of a man, of a man in the flesh; for the Holy Ghost doth not attend the law, or the work thereof, as to this, in man, as a man; that has confined itself to another ministration, whose glorious name it bears (2 Cor 3:8). I say it is proper to call the works of the law the works of the flesh because they are done by that self-same nature in and out of which comes all those things that are more grossly so-called (Gal 5:19,20); to wit, from the corrupt fountain of fallen man’s polluted nature (James 3:10).

This, saith Paul, was not the righteousness by which Abraham found justification with God—’ For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed in God, and it was counted to him for righteousness (Rom 4:2-3). This ‘believing’ is also set in flat opposition to ‘works,’ and to the ‘law of works’; wherefore, upon pain of great contempt to God, it must not be reckoned as a work to justify withal, but rather as that which received and applied that righteousness. From all this, therefore, it is manifest ‘that men must be justified from the curse of the law, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.’ But,

Tenth. ‘Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt’ (Rom 4:4).

These words do not only back what went before, as to the rejection of the law for righteousness as to justification with God, but supposing the law was of force to justify, life must not be admitted to come that way, because of the evil consequences that will unavoidably flow therefrom. 1. By this means, grace, and justification by grace, would be rejected; and that would be a foul business; it would not be reckoned of grace. 2. By this, God would become the debtor, and so the underlying; and so we in this the more honorable.

It would not be reckoned of grace, but of debt; and what would follow from hence? Why, (1.) By this we should frustrate the design of Heaven, which is, to justify us freely by grace, through a redemption brought in by Christ (Rom 3:24-26; Eph 2:8-13). (2.) By this we should make ourselves the saviors, and jostle Christ quite out of doors (Gal 5:2-4). (3.) We should have heaven at our own disposal, as a debt, not by promise, and so not be beholden to God for it (Gal 3:18). It must, then, be of grace, not of works, for the preventing of these evils.

Again, it must not be of works, because if it should, then God would be the debtor, and we the creditor. Now, much blasphemy would flow from hence; as, (1.) God himself would not be his own to dispose of; for the inheritance being God, as well as his kingdom (for so it is written, ‘heirs of God’ (Rom 8:17)), himself, I say, must needs be our purchase. (2.) If so, then we have right to dispose of him, of his kingdom and glory, and all—’ Be astonished, O heavens, at this!’—for if he is ours by works, then he is ours of debt; if he is ours of debt, then he is ours by purchase; and then, again, if so, he is no longer his own, but ours, and at our disposal.

Tagged Works of 

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Proofs of the first position. 322

 

Fourth. 'There is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sinned not' (Eccl 7:20; 1 Kings 8:46).

Although the words before are large, these seem far larger; there is not a man, not a just man, not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinned not. Now, if no good man, if no good man upon earth doth good, and sin not; then no good man upon earth can set himself by his own actions justified in the sight of God, for he has sin mixed with his good. How then shall a bad man, any bad man, the best bad man upon earth, think to set himself by his best things just in the sight of God? And if the tree makes the fruit either good or evil, then a bad tree—and a bad man is a bad tree—can bring forth no good fruit, how then shall such a one do that that shall 'cleanse him from his sin,' and set him as 'spotless before the face of God?' (Matt 7:16).

Fifth. 'Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness,' &c. (Isa 46:12–13).

1. This call is general, and so proves, whatever men think of themselves, that in the judgment of God, there is none at all righteous. Men, as men, are far from being so. 2. This general offer of righteousness, of the righteousness of God, declares that it is in vain for men to think to be set just and righteous before God by any other means. 3. It is also insinuated, that for him who thinks himself the worst, God has prepared righteousness, and therefore would not have him despair of life that sees himself far from righteousness. From all these scriptures, therefore, it is manifest, 'that men must be justified from the curse of the law, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.'

Sixth. 'Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavily laden, and
I will give you rest' (Matt 11:28).

Here we have a laboring people, a people laboring for life; but by all their labor, you see, they cannot ease themselves; their burden still remains upon them; they yet are heavily laden. The load here is, doubtless, the guilt of sin, such as David had when he said that, by reason thereof, he was not able to look up (Psa 38:3-5). Hence, you have an experiment set before you of those who are trying what they can do for life; but behold, the more they stir, the more they sink under the weight of the burden that lies upon them. And the conclusion—to wit, Christ's call to them to come to him for rest—declares that, in his judgment, rest was not to be had elsewhere. And I think, one may with as much safety adhere to Christ's judgment as to any man's alive; wherefore, 'men must be justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves.'

Seventh. 'There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one' (Rom 3:10-12).

These words have respect to a righteousness which is justified by the law, and they conclude that none by his own performances is righteous with such a righteousness; and it is concluded from five reasons—1. Because they are not good; for a man must be good before he doth good, and perfectly good before he doth good and sinned not. 2. Because they understand not. How then should they do good? for a man must know before he does, else how should he divert himself to do? 3. Because they want a heart; they seek not after God according to the way of his own appointment. 4. They are all gone out of the way; how then can they walk therein? 5. They are together become unprofitable. What worth or value then can there be in any of their doings? These are the reasons by which he proves that there is 'none righteous, no, not one.' And the reasons are weighty, for by them he proves the tree is not good; how then can it yield good fruit?

Now, as he concludes from these five reasons that not one indeed is righteous, so he concludes by five more that none can do good to make him so—1. For that internally they are as open sepulchers, full of dead men's bones. Their minds and consciences are defiled; how then can sweet and good proceed from thence? (v 13). 2. Their throat is filled with this stink; all their vocal duties therefore smell thereof. 3. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; how then can there be found one word that should please God? 4. Their tongue, which should present their praise to God, has been used to work deceit; how then, until it is made a new one, should it speak in righteousness? 5. The poison of asps is under their lips; therefore whatever comes from them must be polluted (Rom 3:11-14; Matt 23:27; Titus 1:15; Jer 44:17, 17:9). Thus, you see, he sets forth their internal part, which is a true report, as to be sure it is, it is impossible that any good should so much as be framed in such an inward part, or come clean out of such a throat, by such a tongue, through such lips as these.

And yet this is not all. He also proves, and by five reasons more, that it is not possible they should do good—1. 'Their feet are swift to shed blood' (Rom 3:15). This implies an inclination, an inward inclination to evil courses; a quickness of motion to do evil, but a backwardness to do good. 2. 'Destruction and misery are in their ways' (v16). Take 'ways' for their 'doings,' and in the best of them destruction lurks, and misery yet follows them at the heels. 3. 'The way of peace have they not known'; that is far above out of their sight (v 17). Wherefore the labor of these foolish ones will weary every one of them because they know not the way that goes to the city (Eccl 10:15). 4. 'There is no fear of God before their eyes' (v 18). How then can they do anything with that godly reverence of his holy Majesty that is and must be essential to every good work? for to do things, but not in God's fear, to what will it amount? will it be available? 5. All this while they are under a law that calls for works that are perfectly good; that will accept of none but what are perfectly good; and that will certainly condemn them because they neither are nor can be perfectly good. 'For what things soever the law saith, it saith it to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God' (v 19).

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. Proofs of the first position. 321

 

Second, we will now come to the present state and condition of those that are justified, with respect to their own qualifications, and so prove the truth of this great position. And this I will do, by giving you plain texts that discover it and consequently prove our point. And after that, by giving you reasons drawn from the texts,.

First. ‘Speak not thou in thine heart,’ no, not in thine heart, ‘after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out [thine enemies] before thee, saying, For my righteousness—do I possess this land.—Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land.—Understand, therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiff-necked people’ (Deut 9:4-6).

In these words, for our purpose, two things are worthy of our consideration. 1. The people here spoken to were the people of God; and so by God himself are they here twice acknowledged to be—’ The Lord thy God, the Lord thy God.’ So then, the righteousness here intended is not the righteousness that is in the world, but that which the people of God perform. 2. The righteousness here intended is not some, but all, and every whit of that the church performs to God: Say not in thine heart after the Lord hath brought thee in, It was for my righteousness. No, all thy righteousness, from Egypt to Canaan, will not purchase Canaan for thee.

That this is true is evident, because it is thrice rejected: Not for thy righteousness—not for thy righteousness—not for thy righteousness, dost thou possess the land. Now, if the righteousness of the people of God of old could not merit for them Canaan, which was but a type of heaven, how can the righteousness of the world now obtain heaven itself? I say again, if godly men, as these were, could not by their works purchase the type of heaven, then must the ungodly be justified, if ever they are justified by the curse and sentence of the law, while sinners in themselves. The argument is clear: if good men, by what they do, cannot merit less, bad men, cannot merit more.

Second. ‘Remember me, O my God, concerning this; and wipe not out the good deeds that I have done’ (Neh 13:14).

These words were spoken by holy Nehemiah, and at the end of all the good that we read, he did in the world. Also, the deeds here spoken of were deeds done for God, for his people, for his house, and for the offices thereof. Yet godly Nehemiah does not stand before God in these, nor yet suffer them to stand to his judgment by the law, but prays to God to be merciful both to him and them and to spare him ‘according to the greatness of his mercy’ (v 22).

God blots out no good but for the sake of sin, and forasmuch as this man prays God would not blot out his, it is evident that he was conscious to himself that his good works were sin. Now, I say, if a good man’s works are in danger of being overthrown because there is in them a tang of sin, how can bad men think to stand just before God in their works, which are in all parts full of sin? Yea, if the works of a sanctified man are blameworthy, how shall the works of a bad man set him clear in the eyes of Divine justice?

Third. ‘But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away’ (Isa 64:6).

In other words, we have a relationship with both people and things. 1. Of persons. And they are a righteous people, a righteous people put all together—’ We, we all are,’ &c. 2. The condition of this people, even of ALL of them, takes them at best, and that, by their own confession, ‘as an unclean thing.’ 3. Again; the things here attending this people are their good things, put down under this large character, ‘Righteousnesses, ALL our righteousnesses.

These expressions therefore comprehend all their religious duties, both before and after faith. But what are all these righteousness? Why, they are all as ‘filthy rags’ when set before the justice of the law; yea, it is also confessed, and that by these people, that their iniquities, notwithstanding all their righteousness, like the wind, if grace prevents not, would ‘carry them away.’ This being so, how is it possible for one who is in his sins, to work himself into a spotless condition by works done before faith, by works done by natural abilities? or to perform righteousness, which can look God in the face and his law in the face, and to demand and obtain the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life? It cannot be: ‘Men must therefore be justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves,’ or not at all.

T

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. 320

 

(2.) By this means also we have now escaped death. ‘Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead diet no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto,’ or for, ‘sin once; but in that he lived, he lived unto God’ (Rom 6:9,10). Now in all this, considering what has been said before, we that are of the elect are privileged, for we are also raised by the rising of the body of Christ from the dead. And thus the apostle bids us reckon: ‘Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ’ (Rom 6:11). Hence Christ says, ‘I am the resurrection and the life,’ for that all his are safe in him, suffering, dying, and rising. He is the life, ‘our life’; yea, so our life, that by him the elect do live before God, even when they are dead in their sins. Wherefore, hence it is that in time they partake of quickening grace from this their Head, to the making of them also live by faith, to their living hereafter with him in glory; for if Christ lives, they cannot die that were sharers with him in his resurrection. Hence they are said to ‘live,’ being ‘quickened together with him.’ Also, as sure as at his resurrection they lived by him, so sure at his coming shall they be gathered to him; nay, from that day to this, all that, as aforesaid, were in him at his death and resurrection, are already, in the ‘dispensation of the fulness of times,’ daily ‘gathering to him.’ For this he hath purposed, wherefore none can disannul it—’ In the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in earth; even in him’ (Eph 1:10).

(3.) To secure this the more to our faith that believe, as we are said to be ‘raised up together’ with him, so we are said to be ‘made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus’ (Eph 2:6). We died by him, we rose by him, and are together, even all the elect, set down ‘together’ in ‘heavenly places in Christ Jesus’; for still, even now he is on the right hand of God, he is to be considered as our public man, our Head, and so one in whom is concluded all the elect of God. We then are by him already in heaven; in heaven, I say, by him; yea, set down there in our places of glory by him. Hence the apostle, speaking of us again, saith, That as we are predestinated, we are called, justified, and glorified; called, justified, glorified; all is done, already done, as thus considered in Christ (Rom 8:30). For that in his public work there is nothing yet to do as to this. Is He not called? Is not HE justified? Is not HE glorified? And are we not in him, in him, even as so considered?

Nor doth this doctrine hinder or forestall the doctrine of regeneration or conversion; nay, it lays a foundation for it; for by this doctrine we gather assurance that Christ will have his own; for if already they live in their head, what is that but a pledge that they shall live in their persons with him? and, consequently, that to that end they shall, in the times allotted for that end, be called to a state of faith, which God has ordained shall precede and go before their personal enjoyment of glory. Nor doth this hinder their partaking of the symbol of regeneration, and of their other privileges to which they are called in the day of grace; yea, it lays a foundation for all these things; for if I am dead with Christ, let me be like one dead with him, even to all things to which Christ died when he hanged on the tree; and then he died to sin, to the law, and to the rudiments of this world (Rom 6:10, 7:4; Col 2:20). And if I am risen with Christ, let me live, like one born from the dead, in newness of life, and having my mind and affections on the things where Christ now seated on the right hand of God. And indeed he professes in vain that talk of these things, and care not to have them also answered in himself. This was the apostle’s way, namely, to covet to ‘know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death’ (Phil 3:10). And when we are thus, that thing is true both in him and us. Then as is the heavenly, such are they that are heavenly; for he, that saith he is in him, and by being in him, a partaker of these privileges by him, ‘ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked’ (1 Cor 15:48; 1 John 2:6).

But to pass this digression, and to come to my argument, namely, that men are justified from the curse of the law, before God, while sinners in themselves; this is evident by what hath already been said; for if the justification of their persons is by, in, and through Christ; then it is not by, in, and through their own doings. Nor was Christ engaged in this work but of necessity, even because there had not been salvation for the elect. ‘O my father,’ saith he, ‘if it be possible, let this cup pass from me’ (Matt 26:39). If what be possible? Why, that my elect may be saved, and I not spill my blood. Wherefore he saith again, Christ ought to suffer (Luke 24:26). ‘Christ must needs have suffered,’ for ‘without shedding of blood is no remission’ of sin (Acts 17:3; Heb 9:22).

Works of John Bunyan: JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS; OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. 319

 

3. As we are said to suffer with him, so we are said to die, to be dead with him; with him, that is, by the dying of his body. 'Now, if we are dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him' (Rom 6:8). Wherefore he saith in other places, 'Brethren, ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ'; for indeed we died then to it by him. To the law—that is, the law now has nothing to do with us; for that, it has already executed its curse to the full upon us by its slaying of the body of Christ; for the body of Christ was our flesh: upon it also was laid our sin. The law, too, spent that curse that was due to us upon him, when it condemned, killed, and cast him into the grave. Therefore, it has thus spent its whole curse upon him as standing in our stead, we are exempted from its curse forever; we are become dead to it by that body (Rom 7:4). It has done with us as to justifying righteousness. Nor need we fear its damning threats anymore; for by the death of this body we are freed from it, and are forever now coupled to a living Christ.

4. As we are said thus to be dead, so we are said also to rise again by him—' Thy dead men,' saith he to the Father, 'shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise' (Isa 26:19). And again, 'After two days he will revive us; in the third day—we shall live in his sight' (Hosea 6:2).

Both these scriptures speak of the resurrection of Christ, of the resurrection of his body on the third day; but behold, as we were said before to suffer and be dead with him, so now we are said also to rise and live in God's sight by the resurrection of his body. For, as was said, the flesh was ours; he took part of our flesh when he came into the world; and in it, he suffered, died, and rose again (Heb 2:14). We also were therefore counted by God, in that God-man, when he did this; yea, he suffered, died, and rose as a common head.

Hence also the New Testament is full of this, saying, 'If ye be dead with Christ' (Col 2:20). 'If ye be risen with Christ' (3:1). And again, 'He hath quickened us together with him' (2:13). 'We are quickened together with him.' 'Quickened,' and 'quickened together with him.' The apostle hath words that cannot easily be shifted or evaded. Christ then was quickened when he was raised from the dead. Nor is it proper to say that he was ever quickened either before or since. This text also concludes that we—to wit, the whole body of God's elect, were also quickened then and made to live with him together. True, we also are quickened personally by grace the day we are born unto God by the gospel; yet afore that, we are quickened in our Head; quickened when he was raised from the dead, quickened together with him.

5. Nor are we thus considered—to wit, as dying and rising, and so left; but the apostle pursues his argument and tells us that we also reap by him, as being considered in him, the benefit which Christ received, both to his resurrection and the blessed effect thereof.

(1.) We received, by our thus being counted in him, that benefit which did precede his rising from the dead; and what was that but the forgiveness of sins? For this stands clear to reason, that if Christ had our sins charged upon him at his death, he then must be discharged of them to his resurrection. Now, though it is not proper to say they were forgiven to him because they were purged from him by merit; they may be said to be forgiven us because we receive this benefit by grace. And this, I say, was done precedent to his resurrection from the dead. 'He hath quickened us together with him, HAVING forgiven us all trespasses.' He could not be 'quickened' till we were 'discharged'; because it was not for himself, but for us, that he died. Hence we are said to be at that time, as to our own personal estate, dead in our sins, even when we are 'quickened together with him' (Col 2:13).

Therefore both the 'quickening' and 'forgiveness' too, so far as we are in this text concerned, is to him, as we are considered in him, or to him, concerning us. 'Having forgiven you ALL trespasses.' For necessity so required; else how was it possible that the pains of death should be loosed to his rising, so long as one sin stood still charged to him, as that for the commission of which God had not received a plenary satisfaction? Therefore, we suffered, died, and rose again by him, so, to his so rising, he, as presenting of us in his person and suffering, received for us remission of all our trespasses. A full discharge therefore was, in and by Christ, received of God of all our sins afore he rose from the dead, as his resurrection truly declared; for he 'was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification' (Rom 4:25). This, therefore, is one of the privileges we receive by the rising again of our Lord, for that we were in his flesh considered, yea, and in his death and suffering too.