Being precious in the sight of God, they should not be despicable in ours. They are the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22, 23. and therefore cannot but be precious, 2 Pet. i. 1. Considered as duties, they are warmly enjoined by one Apostle, 2 Pet. i. 5.-11. and therefore could not be undervalued by another. True, they are attended with imperfections, Gal. v. 17. yet far as they go, they cannot but be pleasing to their Author, Phil. ii. 13. He distinguishes between duties and their defects. The one he accepts, the other he pardons. The little which his people have, is accepted; and all that is lacking is graciously forgiven. Though no less than perfection be required, yet much less is accepted. For it is a known rule in the economy of grace, that if there be a willing mind, it is accepted, according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not, 2 Cor. viii. 12. The things which the Apostle counted loss and dung, Phil. iii. 8. were not, the holy dispositions infused in regeneration, nor the duties performed in virtue of them, but all he had done, and all he had enjoyed, previous to his union with Christ, verses 5, 6. So far from reckoning Christian dispositions and duties as dung, his rejoicing was the "testimony of his conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, he had had his conversation in the world," 2 Cor. i. 12.; and with respect to others, he expressly says, "Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another," Gal. vi. 4. As at his conver

sion, he counted. all things which he had gained, and wherein he had gloried, but loss, for Christ; so now, when for nigh thirty years he had known Christ, he still made the same account of them. Hence he changes the tense, and instead of saying, "I counted," as in verse 7. he says, verse 8. "yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ:" q. d. After long trial, I see no reason to alter my sentiments: I still count all things not only loss, but even dung, 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," verses 8, 9. By his own righteousness, I understand that which he mentions,, verse 6th, and not true holiness of heart and life, however strongly this last be supported by the venerable names of a Zanchy, a Goodwin, and a Guyse, &c.

That it is legal righteousness, and not true holiness, appears from comparing this passage with Rom. x. 3.-6. There we read of two righteousnesses, as here, viz. that of the law, and that of faith. And there, as here, the former is called our own righteousness, the latter God's. There Christ is said to be righteousness to every one who believeth; and here, righteousness is said to be by the faith of Christ. The same appears from the context itself. In verse 6th, the Apostle tells us, that touching the righteousness which is in the law, he was blameless. In the 9th, he desires to be found

in Christ, not having his own righteousness, which is of the law. I should think that the righteousness which is in the law, and that which is of the law, signify not two different kinds of righteousness, but one and the same, viz. the works of such as are under the law as a covenant. For it seems rather strange to call that the righteousness of the law, which is performed by such as are not under the law, Rom. vi. 14.

Paul calls the righteousness of which he speaks, his own.

An epithet

much more applicable to that righteousness which he wrought, merely by the strength of natural powers, and with a view to himself, Hos. x. 1. Zech. vii. 5, 6.; than to that which he fulfilled, by God working in him to will and to do, and through Christ strengthening him, Phil. ii. 13. iv. 13. That by his own righteousness, in which he desired not to be found, cannot be meant evangelical righteousness, but legal, appears from the last clause of the 10th verse. For the passage runs thus,-That I may be found in him, not having mine own righteousness:-that I may know him,-being made conformable unto his death. To be so, is to die to sin, Rom. vi. 6.; and is not this an essential part of evangelical holiness? To understand Paul's own righteousness therefore of personal holiness, would make one part of his speech to contradict another. For it would be to this purpose, That I may be found in Christ, not having my own personal holiness: that I may know him, being made conformable to his death. How absurd! For is not conformity to his death, the same in effect with gospel holiness? There is not the least necessity for

are no

speaking diminutively of evangelical or inherent righteousness, in comparison of the imputed righteousness of Christ. It is legal righteousness, and not evangelical, which rivals his in the matter of justification. Evangelical holiness implies, on the one hand, the renunciation of self-righteousness, and on the other, the acceptation of surety-righteousness. Evangelical righteousness follows the imputation of the Surety's, as the effect does the cause. In other words, sanctification follows justification, and therefore evidenceth its reality. In the one case, the king's daughter is all glorious within; in the other, her clothing is of wrought gold, Psal. xlv. 13. As surety-righteousness is necessary to our safety, so is evangelical to our comfort. The one is our confidence, the other our evidence. These two, though quite distinct, how contrary to one another. Evangelical righteousness, being the fruit of the Spirit, can no more supplant Christ's, than the Spirit can oppose the Son. Though good works cannot bear a weight of confidence they do bear a weight of evidence, Matth. vii. 20. John xiii. 35. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. James ii. 18. 2 Pet. i. 10. 1 John ii. 3. iii. 14. To value the evidences of my interest in Christ, is so far from implying any disregard to his suretyrighteousness, that it supposes the very reverse: as the scarlet cord in Rahab's window was a token that she highly esteemed the salvation of God, Josh. ii. 15.-21. The consequence of taking Paul's own righteousness here for evangelical holiness, shows the absurdity of the sentiment. Substitute the one word for the other, and it instantly appears: And

be found in him, not having holiness, but that righteousness which is through the faith of Christ,

&c.

Zanchy himself rejects this, with a God forbid! Goodwin cautions against it, vol. 3. part 3. p. 356. and justly, For without holiness no man shall see the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. We must not only be desirous to be found in Christ, but also to be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless, 2 Pet. iii. 14. In fine, it is not possible that one can be found in Christ, not having personal, or evangelical rightéousness. For the end of deliverance from the curse is, that men may serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness, Luke i. 74. Every branch vitally united to the true vine, bringeth forth much fruit, John. xv. 5. Such as are married to him who is raised from the dead, bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. vii. 4. They are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, Eph. ii. 10. And hence, these their works shall be honourably mentioned at the last day, Matth. xxv. 34.— 40. not as the causes of their right to the kingdom, but as its evidences. So of old, the woman's utter aversion to see her child divided, though it did not make her that child's mother, it served as a thousand evidences to prove that she was, 1 Kings iii. 16.-28.

Agreeably to what is said above, I judge that the good works of the saints are not intended, in Isa. Ixiv. 6. where it is written, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." This, I think appears from the context itself. For in the preceding verse, the church, in her address to God, which she had begun,