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was made righteous before he offered his gift： 〃By which he obtained witness that he was righteous；〃 God testifying of his gifts； that they were good and acceptable because they declared Abel's acceptation of the righteousness of Christ； through the riches of the grace of God。
By faith； then； Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain。 He shrouded himself under the righteousness of Christ； and so； of that righteousness； he offered to God。 God also looking and finding him there （where he could not have been； as to his own apprehension； no otherwise than by faith）； accepted of his gift； by which acceptation （for so you may understand it also） God testifieth that he was righteous； for God receiveth not the gifts and offerings of those that are not righteous； for their sacrifices are an abomination unto him； Prov。 xxi。 27。
Abel then was； I say； made righteous； first； as he stood ungodly in himself； God justifieth the ungodly； Rom。 iv。 Now； being justified； he was righteous； and being righteous； he offered his sacrifice of praise to God； or other offerings which God accepted； because he believed in his Son。 But this our Pharisee understandeth not。
3。 Righteousness by imputation must be first； because we are made so； to wit； by another〃By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous。〃 Now to be made righteous； implies a passiveness in him that is so made； and the activity of the work to lie in some body else； except he had said； they had made themselves righteous； but that it doth not； nor doth the text leave to any the least countenance so to insinuate； nay； it plainly affirms the contrary； for it saith； by the obedience of one； of one man； Jesus Christ； many are made righteous； by the righteousness of one； Rom。 v。 So then； if they be made righteous by the righteousness of one； I say if many be made righteous by the righteousness of one； then are they that are so； as to themselves； passive and not active； with reference to the working out of this righteousness。 They have no hand in that； for that is the act of one； the righteousness of one； the obedience of one； the workmanship of one； even of Christ Jesus。
Again； If they are made righteous by this righteousness； then also they are passive as to their first privilege by it； for they are made righteous by it； they do not make themselves righteous by it。
Imputation is also the act of God。 〃Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man； unto whom God imputeth righteousness。〃 The righteousness then is a work of Christ； his own obedience to his Father's law； the making of it ours is the act of the Father； and of his infinite grace： 〃For of him are ye in Christ Jesus； who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness。〃 〃For God hath made Jim to be sin for us； who knew no sin； that we might be made the righteousness of God in him。〃 And both these things God shewed to our first parents； when he acted in grace towards them after the fall。
There it is said； the Lord God made unto Adam； and unto his wife； coats of skins； and clothed them； Gen。 iii。 21。
Whence note；
（1。） That Adam and his wife were naked； both in God's eye and in their own； verses 10； 11。
（2。） That the Lord God made coats of skins。
（3。） That in his making of them； he had respect to Adam and to his wife； that is； he made them。
（4。） That when he had made them； he also clothed them therewith。
They made not the coats； nor did God bid them make them； but God did make them himself to cover their nakedness with。 Yea； when he had made them； he did not bid them put them on； but he himself did clothe them with them： for thus runs the text； 〃Unto Adam also； and to his wife； did the Lord God make coats of skins； and clothed them。〃 O it was the Lord God that made this coat with which a poor sinner is made righteous！ And it is also the Lord God that putteth it upon us。 But this our Pharisee understandeth not。
But now； if a man is not righteous before he is made so； before the Lord God has by the righteousness of another made him so； then whether this righteousness comes first or last； the man is not righteous until it cometh； and if he be not righteous until it cometh； then what works soever are done before it comes； they are not the works of a righteous man； nor the fruits of a good tree； but of a bad。 And so again； this righteousness must first come before a man be righteous； and before a man does righteousness。 Make the tree good； and its fruit will be good。
Now； since a man must be made righteous before he can do righteousness； it is manifest his works of righteousness do not make him righteous； no more than the fig makes its own tree a fig…tree； or than the grape doth make its own vine a vine。 Hence those acts of righteousness that Christian men do perform； are called the fruits of righteousness； which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God； Phil。 i。 11。
The fruits of righteousness they are by Jesus Christ； as the fruits of the tree are by the tree itself； for the truth is； that principle of righteousness； of which mention has been made before； and concerning which I have said it comes in in the second place； it is also originally to be found for us nowhere but in Christ。
Hence it is said to be by Jesus Christ； and again； 〃Of his fulness have we all received； and grace for grace；〃 John i。 16。 A man must then be united to Christ first； and so being united； he partaketh of this benefit； to wit； a principle that is supernatural； spiritual； and heavenly。 Now； his being united to Christ； is not of or from himself； but of and from the Father； who； as to this work； is the husbandman； even as the twig that is grafted into the tree officiateth not； that is； grafteth not itself thereunto； but is grafted in by some other； itself being utterly passive as to that。 Now； being united unto Christ； the soul is first made partaker of justification； or of justifying righteousness； and now no longer beareth the name of an ungodly man； for he is made righteous by the obedience of Christ； he being also united to Christ； partaketh of the root and fatness of Christ； the root； that is； his divine nature； the fatness； that is； the fulness of grace that is laid up in him to be communicated unto us； even as the branch that is grafted into the olive…tree partaketh of the root and fatness of the olive…tree。 Now partaking thereof； it quickeneth； it groweth； it buddeth； and yieldeth fruit to the praise and glory of God； Rom。 xi。 17。
But these things； as I have often said； the poor Pharisee was ignorant of； when so swaggeringly he； with his 〃God； I thank thee；〃 came into the temple to pray。 And； indeed； in that which hath been said is something of the mystery of God's will in his way with his elect； and such a mystery it is； that it lieth hid for ever to nature and natural men； for they think of nothing less than of this； nor of nothing more； when they think of their souls and of salvation； than that something must be done by themselves to reconcile them to God。 Yea； if through some common convictions their understandings should be swayed to a consenting to that； that justification is of grace by Christ； and not of works by men； yet conscience； reason； and the law of nature； not being as yet subdued by the power and glory of grace unto the obedience of Christ； will rise up in rebellion against this doctrine； and will over…rule and bow down the soul again to the law and works thereof for life。
4。 Righteousness by imputation must be first； because； else faith； which is a part； yea； a greater part of that which is called a principle of grace in the soul； will have nothing to fix itself upon； nor a motive to work by。 Let this therefore be considered by those that are on the contrary side。
1。 Faith； so soon as it has a being in the soul； is like the child that has a being in the mother's lap； it must have something to feed upon； not something at a distance； afar off； to be purchased （I speak now as to justification from the curse）； but something by promise made over of grace to the soul； something to feed upon to support from the fears of perishing by the curse for sin。 Nor can it rest content with all duties and performances that other graces shall put the soul upon； nor with any of its own works； until it reaches and takes hold of the righteousness of Christ。 Faith is like the dove； which found no rest any where until it returned to Noah into the ark。 But this our Pharisee understandeth not。
Perhaps some may object； that from this way of reasoning it is apparent； that sanctification is first； since the soul may have faith； and so a principle of grace in it； and yet； as yet it cannot find Christ to feed and refresh the soul withal。
Answ。 From this way of reasoning it is not at all apparent that sanctification； or a principle of grace； is in the soul before righteousness is imputed and the soul made perfectly righteous thereby。 And for the clearing up of this； let me propose a few things。
1。 Justifying righteousness； to wit； the obedience of that one man； Christ； is imputed to the sinner； to justify him in God's sight； for his law calls for perfect righteousness； and before that be come to； and put upon the poor sinner； God cannot bestow o