Righteousness Is Already Worked Out by Christ JESUS
"Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. The just shall live by faith." -Romans 1:17 [KJV] It is but lost labour, that poor sinners rise up early, late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness, in order to make themselves righteous. The Lord makes His beloved people righteous, in a very different way. Righteousness is already perfectly wrought out, to the honouring and magnifying God’s law: it is fully brought into the court of heaven, to the satisfying God’s justice. It is clearly revealed in the gospel, for the hope and encouragement of poor sinners. Observe, (1st.) By way of eminence it is styled “the righteousness of God.” Not as it is essential to His divine nature. For what comfort, what hope can a guilty sinner take from that? The more plainly that is revealed, the more clearly that is known, so much the more miserable must it make the unrighteous sinner. But it is the righteousness with which God is well pleased, and for th