to comfort, support, and bear up the hearts of the people of
rejoicing and triumphing in Christ Jesus, Rev. 5:11-14; and why not we, why not we also, who have received infinitely more benefit by the work of redemption, than ever the angels have? Rev. 1:5-6, and 5:810. A beautiful face is at all times pleasing to the eye—but then especially, when there is joy manifested in the countenance. Joy in the face puts a new beauty upon a person, and makes that which before was beautiful, to be exceeding beautiful, it puts a luster upon beauty. Just so, does holy joy and rejoicing in Christ Jesus, put, as it were, a new beauty and luster upon Christ. Though the Romans punished one who feasted, and looked out at a window with a garland on his head, in the second Punic war—yet, you may be sure, that God will never punish you for rejoicing and triumphing in Christ Jesus, let the times be ever so sad or bad, in respect of war, blood, or misery. But,
8. Eighthly, The imputed righteousness of Christ may serve to comfort, support, and bear up the hearts of the people of God, from fainting and sinking under the sense of the weakness and imperfection of their inherent righteousness. The church of old have lamentingly said, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags," Isaiah 64:6. When a Christian keeps a serious eye upon the spots, blots, blemishes, infirmities, and follies, which cleave to his inherent righteousness—fears and tremblings arise, to the saddening and sinking of his soul. But when he casts a fixed eye upon the righteousness of Christ imputed to him—then his comforts revive, and his heart bears up. For though he has no righteousness of his own, by which his soul may stand accepted before God—yet he has God's righteousness, which infinitely transcends his own, and such as, in God's account, goes for his, as if he had exactly fulfilled the righteousness which the law requires; according to that verse of the apostle, Romans 9:30, "What shall we say then? the Gentiles which
followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith."
Faith wraps itself in the righteousness of Christ, and so justifies us. The Gentiles sought righteousness, not in themselves but in Christ, which they apprehending by faith—and were by it justified in the sight of God. But the Jews, seeking righteousness in themselves, and thinking, by the goodness of their own works, to attain to the righteousness of the law, missed of it; it being in no man's power perfectly to fulfill the law. Only Christ has exactly fulfilled it for all who by faith close savingly with him. O sirs! none can be justified in the sight of God, by a righteousness of their own making. But whoever will be justified, must be justified by the righteousness of Christ, through faith, Romans 3:20, 28, and 10:3; Gal. 2:16; Tit. 3:5. The Gentiles by faith attain the righteousness of the law, therefore the righteousness of the law and of faith are all one; namely, in respect of matter and form; the difference is only in the worker. The law requires it to be done by ourselves; the gospel mitigates the rigor of the law, and offers the righteousness of Christ, who performed the law, even to a hair's-breadth. The right way to righteousness for justification is by Christ—who is the way, the door, the truth, and the life. Because we lack a righteousness of our own, God has assigned us the righteousness of Christ, which is infinitely better than our own, yes, better than our very lives—may I not say, yes, better than our very souls? "The branch," Christ Jesus is called, "Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness."
Jer. 23:6, "And this is his name whereby he shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness." Where note, first, to be called by this name is to be so really, for Christ is never called what he is not; and so he is to the same purpose elsewhere called "Immanuel, God with us," Mat. 1:23; that is, he shall be so indeed, "God with us." So here he shall be
called, "the Lord our righteousness;" that is, he shall be so indeed. Secondly, observe this is one of his glorious names; that is, one of his attributes, which he accounts his excellency and his glory. Now all the attributes of Christ are unchangeable, so that he can as easily change his nature as his name. Now remember that this imputed righteousness of Christ procures acceptance for our inherent righteousness.
When a sincere Christian casts his eye upon the weaknesses, infirmities, and imperfections, which daily attend his best services, he sighs and mourns—but if he looks upward to the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, that shall bring forth his infirm, weak, and sinful performances perfect, spotless, and sinless, and approved according to the tenor of the gospel, so that they become spiritual sacrifices, he cannot but rejoice, 1 Pet. 2:5. For as there is an imputation of righteousness to the persons of believers, so there is also an imputation to their services and actions. As the act of Phinehas was imputed to him for righteousness, Psalm 106:31, so the imperfect good works which are done by believers are accounted righteousness, or, as Calvin speaks, "are accounted for righteousness, they being dipped in the blood of Christ," that is, they are accounted righteous actions. And so sincere Christians shall be judged according to their good works, though not saved for them, Rev. 11:18, and 20:12; Mat 25:34-37.
And it is observable, in that famous process of the last judgment, that the supreme judge makes mention of the bounty and liberality of the saints, and so bestows the crown of life and the eternal inheritance upon them; so that, though the Lord's faithful ones have eminent cause to be humbled and afflicted for the many weaknesses which cleave to their best duties—yet, on the other hand, they have wonderful cause to rejoice and triumph that they are made perfect