Therefore being justified by faith
Not that faith is at the first of our justification; for that is
a sentence which passed in the mind of God from all eternity, and
which passed on Christ, and on all the elect considered in him,
when he rose from the dead; see ( Romans 4:25 ) ; nor is
it the chief, or has it the chief place in justification; it is
not the efficient cause of it, it is God that justifies, and not
faith; it is not the moving cause of it, that is the free grace
of God; it is not the matter of it, that is the righteousness of
Christ: we are not justified by faith, either as God's work in
us, for, as such, it is a part of sanctification; nor as our work
or act, as exercised by us, for then we should be justified by
works, by something of our own, and have whereof to glory; but we
are justified by faith objectively and relatively, as that
relates to the object Christ, and his righteousness; or as it is
a means of our knowledge, and perception of our justification by
Christ's righteousness, and of our enjoying the comfort of it;
and so we come to
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ.
The apostle having set the doctrine of justification in a clear
light, and fully proved that it is not by the works of men, but
by the righteousness of God; and having mentioned the several
causes of it, proceeds to consider its effects, among which,
peace with God stands in the first place; and is so called, to
distinguish it from peace with men, which persons, though
justified by faith in Christ's righteousness, may not have; but
are sure, having a sense of this, to find peace with God, even
with him against whom they have sinned, whose law they have
transgressed, and whose justice they have affronted;
reconciliation for sin being made, and a justifying righteousness
brought in, and this imputed and applied to them, they have that
"peace of God", that tranquillity and serenity of mind, the same
with "peace with God" here, "which passes all understanding", (
Philippians 4:7 ) ; and
is better experienced than expressed: and this is all through our
Lord Jesus Christ; it springs from his atoning sacrifice, and
precious blood, by which he has made peace; and is communicated
through the imputation of his righteousness, and the application
of his blood; and is only felt and enjoyed in a way of believing,
by looking to him as the Lord our righteousness.