the pharisee and the publican-第15部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


f　righteousness　make　himself　a　righteous　man；　he　cannot。

The　righteousness　of　a　carnal　man　is　indeed　by　God　called　righteousness；　but　it　must　be　understood　as　spoken　in　the　dialect　of　the　world。　　The　world　indeed　calls　it　righteousness；　and　it　will　do　no　harm；　if　it　bear　that　term　with　reference　to　worldly　matters。　Hence　worldly　civilians　are　called　good　and　righteous　men；　and　so；　such　as　Christ；　under　that　notion；　neither　died　for；　nor　giveth　his　grace　unto；　Rom。　v。　7；　8。　　But　we　are　not　now　discoursing　about　any　other　righteousness；　than　that　which　is　so　accounted　either　in　a　law　or　in　a　gospel…sense；　and　therefore　let　us　a　little　more　touch　upon　that。

A　man　then　must　be　righteous　in　a　law…sense；　before　he　can　do　acts　of　righteousness；　I　mean；　that　are　such　in　a　gospel…sense。　　Hence；　first；　you　have　true　gospel…righteousness　made　the　fruit　of　a　second　birth。　　〃If　ye　know　that　Christ　is　righteous；　know　ye　that　every　one　that　doeth　righteousness　is　born　of　him；〃　1　John　ii。　29。　　Not　born　of　him　by　virtue　of　his　own　righteous　actions；　but　born　of　him　by　virtue　of　Christ's　mighty　working　with　his　work　upon　the　soul；　who　afterwards；　from　a　principle　of　life；　acteth　and　worketh　righteousness。

And　he　saith　again；　〃Little　children；　let　no　man　deceive　you：　　he　that　doeth　righteousness　is　righteous；　even　as　he　is　righteous。〃　Upon　this　scripture　I　will　a　little　comment；　for　the　proof　of　what　is　urged　before：　　namely；　that　a　man　must　be　righteous　in　a　law…sense；　before　he　can　do　such　things　that　may　be　called　acts　of　righteousness　in　a　gospel…sense。　　And　for　this；　this　scripture；　1　John　iii。　7；　ministereth　to　us　two　things　to　be　considered　by　us。

The　first　is；　That　he　that　doth　righteousness　is　righteous。

The　second　is；　That　he　that　doth　righteousness　is　righteous；　as　Christ　is　righteous。

First；　He　that　doth　righteousness；　that　is；　righteousness　which　the　gospel　calleth　so；　is　righteous；　that　is；　precedent　to；　or　before　he　doth　that　righteousness。　　For　he　doth　not　say；　he　shall　make　his　person　righteous　by　acts　of　righteousness　that　he　shall　do；　for　then　an　evil　tree　may　bear　good　fruit；　yea；　and　may　make　itself　good　by　doing　so；　but　he　saith；　He　that　doth　righteousness　is　righteous；　as　he　saith；　He　that　doth　righteousness　is　born　of　him。

So　then；　a　man　must　be　righteous　before　he　can　do　righteousness；　before　he　can　do　righteousness　in　a　gospel…sense。

Our　second　thing　then　is　to　inquire；　with　what　righteousness　a　man　must　be　righteous；　before　he　can　do　that　which　in　a　gospel…sense　is　called　righteousness。

And；　first；　I　answer；　he　must　be　righteous　in　a　law…sense：　　that　is；　he　must　be　righteous　in　the　judgment　of　the　law。　　This　is　evident：　because　he　saith；　〃He　that　doeth　righteousness　is　righteous；　as　he　is　righteous。〃　　That　is；　in　a　law…sense：　　for　Christ　in　no　sense　is　righteous　in　the　judgment　of　charity　only；　but　in　his　meanest　acts；　if　it　be　lawful　to　make　such　comparison；　he　was　righteous　in　a　law…　sense；　or　in　the　judgment　of　the　law。　　Now　the　apostle　saith；　that　〃he　that　doeth　righteousness　is　righteous；　as　he　is　righteous。〃　　They　are　the　words　of　God；　and　therefore　I　cannot　err　in　quoting　of　them；　though　I　may　not　so　fully　as　I　would　make　the　glory　of　them　shine　in　speaking　to　them。

But　what　righteousness　is　that；　with　which　a　man　must　stand　righteous　in　the　judgment　of　the　law；　before　he　shall　or　can　be　found　to　do　acts　of　righteousness；　that　by　the　gospel　are　so　called？

1。　　I　answer；　first；　It　is　none　of　his　own　which　is　of　the　law；　you　may　be　sure：　　for　he　hath　his　righteousness　before　he　doth　any　that　can　be　called　his　own。　　〃He　that　doeth　righteousness　is　righteous〃　already；　precedent　to；　or　before　he　doth　that　righteousness；　yea；　he　〃is　righteous；　even　as　he　is　righteous。〃

2。　　It　cannot　be　his　own　which　is　of　the　gospel；　that　is；　that　which　floweth　from　a　principle　of　grace　in　the　soul：　　for　he　is　righteous　before　he　doth　this　righteousness。　　〃He　that　doeth　righteousness　is　righteous。〃　　He　doth　not　say；　he　that　hath　done　it；　but　he　that　doth　it；　respecting　the　act　while　it　is　in　doing；　he　is　righteous。　　He　is　righteous　even　then　when　he　is　a…doing　of　the　very　first　act　of　righteousness；　but　an　act；　while　it　is　doing；　cannot；　until　it　is　done；　be　called　an　act　of　righteousness；　yet；　saith　the　text；　〃he　is　righteous。〃

But　again；　if　an　act；　while　it　is　doing；　cannot　be　called　an　act　of　righteousness；　to　be　sure；　it　cannot　have　such　influences　as　to　make　the　actor　righteousto　make　him　righteous；　as　the　Son　of　God　is　righteous；　and　yet　the　righteousness　with　which　this　doer　is　made　righteous；　and　that　before　he　doth　righteousness；　is　such；　for　so　saith　the　text；　that　makes　him　righteous；　as　he　is　righteous。

Besides；　it　cannot　be　his　own；　which　is　gospel…righteousness；　flowing　from　a　principle　of　grace　in　the　soul；　for　that　in　its　greatest　perfection　in　us；　while　we　live　in　this　world；　is　accompanied　with　some　imperfections；　to　wit；　our　faith；　love；　and　whole　course　of　holiness　is　wanting；　or　hath　something　lacking　in　it。　　They　neither　are　apart；　nor　when　put　all　together；　perfect；　as　to　the　degree；　the　uttermost　degree　of　perfection。

But　the　righteousness　under　consideration；　with　which　the　man；　in　that　of　John；　is　made　righteous；　is　a　perfect　righteousness；　not　only　with　respect　to　the　nature　of　it；　as　a　penny　is　as　perfect　silver　as　a　shilling；　nor　yet　with　respect　to　a　comparative　degree；　for　so　a　shilling　arriveth　more　toward　the　perfection　of　the　number　twenty；　than　doth　a　twopenny　or　a　threepenny　piece；　but　it　is　a　righteousness　so　perfect；　that　nothing　can　be　added　to；　nor　can　any　thing　be　taken　from　it；　for　so　implieth　the　words　of　the　text；　he　is　righteous　as　Christ　is　righteous；　yea；　thus　righteous　before；　and　in　order　to　his　doing　of　righteousness。

And　in　this　he　is　like　unto　the　Son　of　God；　who　was　also　righteous　before　he　did　acts　of　righteousness　referring　to　a　law　of　commandment；　wherefore　it　is　said；　that　as　he　is；　so　are　we　in　this　world。　　As　he　is　or　was　righteous；　before　he　did　acts　of　righteousness　among　men　by　a　law；　so　are　his　righteous；　before　they　act　righteousness　among　men　by　a　law。　　〃He　that　doeth　righteousness　is　righteous；　as　he　is　righteous。〃

Christ　was　righteous　before　he　did　righteousness；　with　a　twofold　righteousness。　　He　had　a　righteousness　as　he　was　God；　his　Godhead　was　perfectly　righteous：　　yea；　it　was　righteousness　itself。　　His　human　nature　was　perfectly　righteous；　it　was　naturally　spotless　and　undefiled。　　Thus　his　person　was　righteous；　and　so　qualified　to　do　that　righteousness；　that　because　he　was　born　of　woman；　and　made　under　the　law；　he　was　bound　by　the　law　to　perform。

Now；　as　he　is；　so　are　we；　not　by　way　of　natural　righteousness；　but　by　way　of　resemblance　thereunto。　　Had　Christ；　in　order　to　his　working　of　righteousness；　a　two　fold　righteousness　inherent　in　himself？the　Christian；　in　order　to　his　working　of　righteousness；　had　belonging　to　him　a　twofold　righteousness。　　Did　Christ's　twofold　righteousness　qualify　him　for　that　work　of　righteousness　that　was　of　God　designed　for　him　to　do？why；　the　Christian's　twofold　righteousness　doth　qualify　him　for　that　work　of　righteousness　that　God　hath　ordained　that　he　should　do　and　walk　in　this　world。

But　you　may　ask；　What　is　that　righteousness　with　which　a　Christian　is　made　righteous　before　he　doth　righteousness？

I　answer；　It　is　a　twofold　righteousness。

1。　　It　is　a　righteousness　put　upon　him。

2。　　It　is　a　righteousness　put　into　him。

For　the　first；　It　is　a　righteousness　put　upon　him；　with　which　also　he　is　clothed　as　with　a　coat　or　mantle；　Rom。　iii。　22；　and　this　is　called　〃the　robe　of　righteousness；〃　and　this　is　called　〃the　garment　of　salvation；〃　Isa。　lxi。　10。

This　righteousness　is　none　other　but　the　obedience　of　Christ；　the　which　he　performed　in　the　days　of　his　flesh；　and　can　properly　be　called　no　man's　righteousness；　but　the　righteousness　of　Christ；　because　no　man　had　a　hand　therein；　but　he　completed　it　himself。　　And　hence　it　is　said；　that　〃by　the　obedience　of　one　shall　many　be　made　righteous；〃　Rom。　v。　19。　　By　the　obedience　of　one；　of　one　man　Jesus　Christ　（as　you　have　it　in　verse　15）；　for　he　came　down　into　the　world；　to　this　very　end；　that　is；　to　make　a　generation　righteous；　not　by　making　of　them　laws；　and　prescribing　unto　them　rules　（for　this　was　the　work　of　Moses；　who　said；　〃And　it　shall　be　our　righteousness；　if　we　observe　to　do　all　these　commandments　before　the　Lord　our　God；　as　he　hath　commanded　us；〃　Deut。　vi。　25；　xxiv。　13）；　nor　yet　by　taking　away　by　his　grace　the　imperfections　of　their　righteousness；　and　so　making　of　that　perfect　by　additions　of　his　own；　but　he　makes　them　righteous　by　his　obedience；　not　in　them；　but　for　them；　while　he　personally　subjected　himself　to　his　Father's　law　on　our　behalf；　that　he　might　have　a　righteousness　to　bestow　upon　us。　　And　hence　we　are　said　to　be　made　righteous；　while　we　work　not；　and　to　be　justified；　while　ungodly　（Rom。　iv。　5）；　which　can　be　done　by　no　other　righteousness　than　that　which　is　the　righteousness　of　Christ　by　performance；　the　righteousness　of　God　by　donation；　and　our　righteousness　by　imputation。　　For；　I　say；　the　person　that　wrought　this　righteousness　for　us；　is　Jesus　Christ；　the　person　that　giveth　it　to　us；　is　the　Father；　who　hath　made　Christ　to　be　unto　us　righteousness；　and　hath　given　him　to　us　for　this　very　end；　that　we　might　be　made　the　righteousness　of　God　in　him；　1　Cor。　i。　4；　2　Cor。　v。　21。　　And　hence　it　is　often　said；　〃One　shall　say；　Surely　in　the　Lord　have　I　righteousness　and　strength。〃　　And　again；　〃In　the　Lord　shall　all　the　seed　of　Israel　be　justified；　and　shall　glory。〃　　〃This　is　the　heritage　of　the　servants　of　the　Lord；　and　their　righteousness　is　of　me；　saith　the　Lord；〃　Isa。　xlv。　24；　25；　liv。　17。

This　righteousness　is　that　which　justifieth；　and　which　secureth　the　soul　from　the　curse　of　the　law；　by　hiding；　through　its　perfection；　all　the　sins　and　imperfections　of　the　soul。　　Hence　it　follows；　〃Even　as　David　also　describeth　the　blessedness　of　the　man　unto　whom　God　imputeth　righteousness　without　works；　saying；　Blessed　are　they　whose　iniquities　are　forgiven；　and　whose　sins　are　covered。　　Blessed　is　the　man　to　whom　the　Lord　will　not　impute　sin；〃　Rom。　iv。

And　this　it　doth；　even　while　the　person；　that　by　grace　is　made　a　partaker；　is　without　good　w