The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

2. He makes no such distinction, as that pretended, namely, That Works are of two sorts; whereof one is to be excluded from any interest in our Justification, but not the other; neither doth he any where else, treating of the same subject, intimate any such distinction; but on the contrary, declares that use of all Works of Obedience in them that believe, which is exclusive of the supposition of any such distinction▪ but he directly expresseth, in this rejection, his own Righteousness, that is, his Personal Inherent Righteousness whatever it be, and however it be wrought.

3. He makes a plain distinction of his own twofold estate, namely, that of his Judaism which he was in before his Conversion, and that which he had by Faith in Christ Jesus. In the first state, he considers the privileges of it, and declares what judgment he made concerning them upon the Revelation of Jesus Christ unto him, [Greek or Hebrew], saith he, referring unto the time past, namely, at his first conversion. I considered them with all the advantages, gain, and reputation, which I had by them, but rejected them all for Christ, because the esteem of them and continuance in them as privileges, was inconsistent with Faith in Christ Jesus. Secondly, he proceeds to give an account of himself and his thoughts, as unto his present condition. For it might be supposed, that although he had parted with all his legal privileges for Christ; yet now being united unto him by Faith, he had something ⟨p. 533⟩of his own, wherein he might rejoice, and on the account whereof he might be accepted with God (the thing inquired after) or else he had parted with all for nothing. Wherefore he who had no design to make any reserves of what he might glory in, plainly declares what his judgment is concerning all his present Righteousness, and the ways of obedience which he was now engaged in, with respect unto the ends inquired after,Ver. 8. [Greek or Hebrew]. The bringing over of what was affirmed before concerning his Judaical privileges into this Verse, is an effect of a very superficiary consideration of the context. For (1.) there is a plain [Greek or Hebrew] in these words [Greek or Hebrew]. He could not more plainly express the heightening of what he had affirmed by a Proceed unto other things, or the consideration of himself in another state. But moreover, beyond what I have already asserted. (2.) The change of the time expressed by [Greek or Hebrew] respects what was past, into [Greek or Hebrew] wherein he hath respect only unto what was present, not what he had before rejected and forsaken, makes evident his progress unto the consideration of things of another nature. Wherefore unto the rejection of all his former Judaical privileges, he adds his judgment concerning his own present Personal Righteousness.