For the present I shall say no more, but that if the answer here given by the apostle be not satisfactory unto them, if the grounds and reasons of the necessity and use of good works here declared, be not judged by them sufficient to establish them in their proper place and order, I shall not esteem myself obliged to attempt their farther satisfaction. Phil. iii. 8, 9. 'Yea, doubtless, and I account 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, 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.'

This is the last testimony which I shall insist upon, and although it be of great importance, I shall be the more brief in the consideration of it, because it hath been lately pleaded and vindicated by another, whereunto I do not expect any tolerable reply. For what hath since been attempted by one, it is of no weight. He is in this matter outε tρítos oute TÉTаρTоç. And the things that I would observe from and concerning this testimony, may be reduced into the ensuing heads.

1. That which the apostle designs from the beginning of this chapter, and in these verses, is in an especial manner to declare what it is on the account whereof we are accepted with God, and have thereon cause to rejoice. This he fixeth in general in an interest in, and participation of, Christ by faith, in opposition unto all legal privileges and advantages, wherein the Jews, whom he reflected upon, did boast and rejoice; rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;' ver. 3.

2. He supposeth that unto that acceptance before God wherein we are to rejoice, there is a righteousness necessary; and to whatever it be is the sole ground of that acceptance. And to give evidence hereunto,

3. He declares that there is a twofold righteousness that may be pleaded and trusted unto to this purpose: 1. 'Our own righteousness which is of the law.' 2. That which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.' These he asserts to be opposite and inconsistent as unto the end of our justification and acceptance

with God; Not having mine own righteousness, but that which is,' &c. And an intermediate righteousness between these he acknowledgeth not.

4. Placing the instance in himself, he declares emphatically (so as there is scarce a greater πálos, or vehemency of speech, in all his writings), which of those it was that he adhered unto, and placed his confidence in. And in the handling of this subject, there were some things which engaged his holy mind into an earnestness of expression in the exaltation of one of these, namely, of the righteousness which is of God by faith, and the depression of the other, or his own righteousness. As,

1. This was the turning point, whereon he and others had forsaken their Judaism and betaken themselves unto the gospel. This therefore was to be secured as the main instance, wherein the greatest controversy that ever was in the world was debated. So he expresseth it, Gal. ii. 15, 16. 'We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law. 2. Hereon there was great opposition made unto this doctrine by the Jews in all places, and in many of them the minds of multitudes were turned off from the truth (which the most are generally prone unto in this case) and perverted from the simplicity of the gospel. This greatly affected his holy soul, and he takes notice of it in most of his epistles. 3. The weight of the doctrine itself, with that unwillingness which is in the minds of men by nature to embrace it, as that which lays the axe to the root of all spiritual pride, elation of mind, and self-pleasing whatever, whence innumerable subterfuges have been, and are, sought out to avoid the efficacy of it, and to keep the souls of men from that universal resignation of themselves unto sovereign grace in Christ, which they have naturally such an aversation unto, did also affect him. 4. He had himself been a great sinner in the days of his ignorance, by a peculiar opposition unto Christ and the gospel; this he was deeply sensible of, and therewithal of the excellency of the grace of God and the righteousness of Christ, whereby he was delivered. And men must have some

For the present I shall say no more, but that if the answer here given by the apostle be not satisfactory unto them, if the grounds and reasons of the necessity and use of good works here declared, be not judged by them sufficient to establish them in their proper place and order, I shall not esteem myself obliged to attempt their farther satisfaction. Phil. iii. 8, 9. Yea, doubtless, and I account 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, 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.'

This is the last testimony which I shall insist upon, and although it be of great importance, I shall be the more brief in the consideration of it, because it hath been lately pleaded and vindicated by another, whereunto I do not expect any tolerable reply. For what hath since been attempted by one, it is of no weight. He is in this matter oυre tρítos oŭte TÉTαρTоç. And the things that I would observe from and concerning this testimony, may be reduced into the ensuing heads.

1. That which the apostle designs from the beginning of this chapter, and in these verses, is in an especial manner to declare what it is on the account whereof we are accepted with God, and have thereon cause to rejoice. This he fixeth in general in an interest in, and participation of, Christ by faith, in opposition unto all legal privileges and advantages, wherein the Jews, whom he reflected upon, did boast and rejoice; rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;' ver. 3.

2. He supposeth that unto that acceptance before God wherein we are to rejoice, there is a righteousness necessary; and to whatever it be is the sole ground of that acceptance. And to give evidence hereunto,

3. He declares that there is a twofold righteousness that may be pleaded and trusted unto to this purpose: 1. 'Our own righteousness which is of the law.' 2. That which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.' These he asserts to be opposite and inconsistent as unto the end of our justification and acceptance

the meantime, we thus argue: If our own righteousness, and the righteousness which is of God by faith; or that which is through the faith of Christ Jesus (namely, the righteousness which God imputeth unto us, Rom. iv. 6. or the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness thereby, which we receive, Rom. v. 17.) are opposite, and inconsistent in the work of justification before God, then are we justified by faith alone through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ unto us. The consequent is plain from the removal of all other ways, causes, means, and conditions of it, as inconsistent with it. But the antecedent is expressly the apostle's; not my own, but that of God. Again,

That whereby and wherewith we are found in Christ, is that whereby alone we are justified before God; for to be found in Christ, expresseth the state of the person that is to be justified before God; whereunto is opposed to be found in ourselves. And according unto these different states doth the judgment of God pass concerning us. And as for those who are found in themselves, we know what will be their portion. But in Christ we are found by faith alone.

All manner of evasions are made use of by some, to escape the force of this testimony. It is said in general, that no sober-minded man can imagine the apostle did not desire to be found in gospel righteousness, or that by his own righteousness he meant that. For it is that alone can entitle us unto the benefits of Christ's righteousness. 'Nollem dictum.' 1. The censure is too severe to be cast on all Protestant writers without exception, who have expounded this place of the apostle; and all others, except some few of late, influenced by the heat of the controversy wherein they are engaged. 2. If the gospel righteousness intended, be his own personal righteousness and obedience, there is some want of consideration in affirming, that he did not desire to be found in it. That wherein we are found, thereon are we to be judged; to be found in our own evangelical righteousness before God, is to enter into judgment with God thereon, which those who understand any thing aright of God and themselves, will not be free unto. And to make this to be the meaning of his words, I desire not to be found in my own righteousness which is after the law, but I desire to be found in mine own righteousness which is ac

experience of what he felt in himself as unto sin and grace, before they can well understand his expressions about them.

5. Hence it was, that in many other places of his writings, but in this especially, he treats of these things with a greater earnestness and vehemency of spirit than ordinary. Thus, 1. On the part of Christ whom he would exalt, he mentioneth not only the knowledge of him, but τὸ ὑπερέχον τῆς γνώows, 'The excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,' with an emphasis in every word; and those other redoubled expressions, all loss for him,' that I may win him,' that I may be found in him,' that I may know him,' all argue the working of his affections under the conduct of faith and truth unto an acquiescency in Christ alone, as all and in all. Somewhat of this frame of mind is necessary unto them that would believe his doctrine. Those who are utter strangers unto the one, will never receive the other. 2. In his expression of all other things that are our own, that are not Christ, whether privileges or duties, however good, useful, excellent, they may be in themselves, yet in comparison of Christ and his righteousness, and with respect unto the end of our standing before God, and acceptance with him, with the same vehemency of spirit he casts contempt upon, calling them okúßaλa, dog's meat' to be left for them whom he calleth dogs, that is, evil workers, of the concision; or the wicked Jews who adhered pertinaciously unto the righteousness of the law, ver. 2. This account of the earnestness of the apostle in this argument, and the warmth of his expressions, I thought meet to give as that which gives light into the whole of his design.

6. The question being thus stated, the inquiry is, what any person who desires acceptance with God, or a righteousness whereon he may be justified before him, ought to betake himself unto. One of the ways proposed he must close withal. Either he must comply with the apostle in his resolution to reject all his own righteousness, and to betake himself unto the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Christ Jesus alone, or find out for himself, or get some to find out for him, some exceptions unto the apostle's conclusion, or some distinctions that may prepare a reserve for his own works, one way or other, in his justification before God. Here every one must choose for himself. In