An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

First, There is the righteousness of our persons, which is either imputed in justification, or imparted in sanctification, (as hath been showed upon some other passages of Elihu's discourse with Job) This is the righteousness of our persons; as justified we are righteous, as sanctified we are also righteous. Now when Elihu chargeth Job to say that his righteousness was more than Gods, we are not to understand it as if he had said, his personal righteousness, ⟨p. 9⟩in either notion, was more than Gods; for that righteousness which is imputed to our persons, is indeed the righteousness of God, (Rom. 10.3.) but 'tis not a righteousness more than Gods. And as for that righteousness planted in our persons, how imperfect and mixed with corruption is that, at best, in this life? And therefore had Job spoken any such words, or had harboured such a thought, it had been blasphemy at the highest rate; and (as one expresseth it well) If Job had spoken these horrible blasphemies, ¹though extorted from him by utmost extremity, and in the greatest anguish of his spirit, surely Satan had got the day, and triumphed as Victor in this great conflict, not Job. Should the most righteous man on Earth, or Angel in Heaven, say in strict sense, My righteousness is more than Gods, this saying were a charging of God with unrighteousness, yea (which Satan promised himself, and told God Job would do, if tried to the utmost) a cursing of God to his face. But as Job abhorred to speak irreverently (though he sometimes spake passionately) of God, so, that he utterly disclaimed such thoughts of his own righteousness, hath appeared fully by his frequent protestations against all dependence upon, and trust in any self-righteousness or perfection, in divers passages of this Book.

First, There is the righteousnesse of our persons, which is either imputed in justification, or imparted in sanctification, (as hath been shewed upon some other passages of Elihu's discourse with Job) This is the righteousnesse of our persons; as justified we are righteous, as sanctified we are also righteous. Now when Elihu chargeth Job to say that his righteousnesse was more than Gods, we are not to understand it as if he had said, his personal righteousness, ⟨p. 9⟩