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be faid, that this place out of the Pfalms is brought as another confirmation of the prime thefis, and not of the laft argument brought from Abraham's inftance, because that the thefis is fet down de novo verfe 8. and fo though here the righte oufnefs of Chrift be understood, yet that will not hinder why faith may not be pro

guing would be lax: For, (1.) These two
righteoufneffes are very far different, and
the one cannot be the other; and how
fhould we then know when the apostle is
fpeaking of the one, and when of the o-
ther? and except we know this, we fhall
fee no certainty in the apoftle's difpute.
If it be faid, that where faith is not named,
there the righteoufuefs is Chrift's righte-perly taken, when it is faid to be imputed
oufnefs, and fo it will be clear. I anfwer,
We find even that righteoufnefs of Chrift
called the righteousness of faith, verfe 11.
for, I fuppofe, this is mainly fealed by the
facrament. Farther, (2.) If we look ver.
6th, we will find the business more clear,
and fee, that when faith is imputed unto
righteousness, it is the fame with righteouf
nefs imputed without works; for the apo-
ftle is confirming what he said of Abraham, |
and the manner of his juftification, by Da-
vid's words, as is clear by these words,
even as. Now, what was he faying of
Abraham? that faith, as his act or work,
was imputed to him for righteouínefs, as
fay our adverfaries; and how doth Da-
vid's words confirm this? Truly I cannot
fee: For, 1. The proofs, verfes 7. 8.
Bleffed are they whofe fins are forgiven, &c.
Now, where is the connection, Abraham's
act of believing was counted to him for
righteoufnefs, because the man is bleffed
who hath his fins forgiven? But, 2.
That which the apoftle is about to prove is
fet down, verfe 6. Even as David aljo
defcribeth the blefedness of the man; of
what man? the man unto whom the Lord
imputeth righteousness without works: That
is, the man unto whom God imputeth the
righteousness of Chrift without works, and
therefore this man must be a man like Ab-
raham; this being brought farther to con-
firm and illuftrate the former inftance of
Abraham; fo that the man that has his
faith counted to him for righteoufnefs,
muft be the man to whom God imputeth
righteoufnefs without works; fo that righ-
teoufnefs imputed, and faith imputed to
righteoufnefs, muft be all one: for if it

for our righttoufnefs. I anfwer, it, I
will not much contend about the analyfis,
tho' to me it feemeth clear, that these
words, verfes 6. 7. 8. be caften in, as it
were, in a parenthefis, to confirm and il-
luftrate what he faid laft, after which,
immediately, he returns to the inftance of
Abraham, upon whom he fpends all the
chapter. 2dly, But be it fo, this will not
help the matter, for then the main thefis
must be this, We are justified thro' that
righteoufnefs which God imputeth with-
out works; but then, I pray, how will
Abraham's inftance prove this thefis, which
only proveth that we are juftified by faith
imputed for righteoufnefs? If the main
thefis be concerning the meritorious caufe,
an argument only proving the conditional
caufe, will not be conclufive; for they are
two diftinct queftions: for what are we
juftified? and by what, as a mean, con-
dition, or inftrument on our part, are
we juftified? And if it be faid, that
the apoftle proveth the complex thefis,
including both the meritorious and con-
ditional caufe, viz. That we are juftified by
faith in Chrift, or by the righteoufnefs of
Chrift, applied and laid hold on by faith,
I anfwer, t, That is true; but then an ar-
gument which only proveth the conditional
caufe, will not prove the meritorious caufe.
And, 2dly, By Abraham's inftance the a-
poftle is mainly proving the meritorious
caufe, faying, What hall we fay ther
that Abraham our father, as pertaining t
the flefb, bath found? and then excludin
works, which our adverfary will not
clude from being the condition of juftifi
cation; and, withal, takes in faith as th

ex

by faith, and not by works. Thus, Abraham believed God, and that act of his, clofing with the covenant, and refting upon the free grace of God therein held forth, was accounted the way how, or whereby he was put in poffeffion of that righteousness held forth in the covenant; therefore he was not justified by works. 5. For the farther explaining of these words, it was imputed to him for righteoufnefs, take notice of the word imputed; and for clearing this, in fhort, know, That the words in the original Hebrew and Greek, rendered to impute, hath various fignifications, as, to think, devife, repute, compute, esteem, conclude; but ordinarily, to caft up an account, and find out the fumma totalis, or the quotient; and properly, (as to our matter in hand) to account, repute, or reckon unto any man any thing to be his, or him to be the cause of it, be it good or evil, whether it be fo or not. Sins are faid to be imputed juftly, when the man is indeed guilty, as Heb. xvii. 4. Rom. v. 18. and unjustly, when the man is not guilty; fo good things are im

medium, or condition. Then, you will fay, if what proveth the meritorious caufe will infer the conditional, fo what proveth the conditional will infer the meritorious. I anfwer, 1. Strictly neither will infer the other. 2. Paul is proving both, confidered complexly. And, 3. Then faith, as our act, cannot be faid to be imputed to us for righteousness, but faith must be understood with relation to its object, Chrift; and fo the meaning fhould be, Christ laid hold on by faith is imputed to us for righteousness: and this is that which we fay. Laftly, Let it be granted that faith is here taken properly for our act, yet it will not follow, that it is imputed to us as our righteoufnefs: nor is this righteoufnefs to be taken for that which they call our evangelic righteoufnefs, but rather for Chrift's righteoufnefs, which they call our legal righteoufnefs; and that because the words run thus, And his faith was imputed to him UNTO righteoufnefs, and not FOR righteousness; for the prepofition s which is used in all the places of this chapter, where this bufinefs is fpo-puted unjustly, as when the wicked are ken of, doth not fignify for, (nor any acquited; or juftly, as Pfalm cvi. 31. and where elfe, fo far as I know) but unto, fo is every thing imputed which is of due according to the parallel place, Rom. x. 10. debt; but fo it is not taken here, but for With the heart man believeth unto righte- an imputation of good by grace, when sufness, and with the mouth confeffion is what is imputed is no way deserved, but made unto falvation: where it is clear, that an act of free grace; and fo the righteoufbelieving is not called our righteousness, nefs here imputed is made over to believbut the way and mean whereby we appre- ers, and they accepted for that cause, as hend righteoufnefs, and by which the if it were there own; as the cautioner's. righteoufnefs imputed, or the righteouf- payment of the debt is made over to the nefs of Christ, becomes ours, even as con- principal debtor, and he therefore acquitfeffion with the mouth is the way and meaned as if he had paid the debt himself: this of falvation, and no other way imputed for falvation. And fo here when faith is faid to be imputed unto righteousness, the meaning is, that faith is looked upon as the only way whereby righteousness becometh ours, and for that end is imputed to us as ours. Now, as this will be granted to be a truth, fo we think it will no way be unfuitable to the apostle's scope, but wil! clearly prove, that Abraham was juftified

is an imputation of grace not unjust, being upon relevant grounds and confiderations. 6. Righteousness, here, must not be taken for a particular righteoufnefs of any particular fact, as was that of Phineas, Pfalm cvi. which would have appeared to be unjust and unlawful, because he was but a private perfon, and therefore it being done in zeal the Lord did approve thereof, and in this fenfe it is faid to have been

imputed to him for righteoufness, or as, a righteous act; but for univerfal righteoufness, seeing he is fpeaking of a righteoufnefs in the matter of juftification.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. The Spirit of God fpeaking in the fcriptures, being the final judge and determiner of controverfies, and that being a folid ground on which we may reft, as ouching truth held forth in it, minifters fhould be careful to confirm their affertions from the fcripture, feeing that is only able to fatisfy confcience; and people ought to rest upon the verdict of the fcripture as fufficiently fatisfactory, and therefore ought to be well acquainted with the Word: all which we are taught by the apoftle's faying, What faith the fcripture? Il. Faith, whereby we are justified, receiveth the word of the Lord as his word, and believes it because it is his word, 1 Theff. ii. 13. and fiducially confides in, and refteth upon God, and cleaveth to him, as faithful and able to make good all his promifes; fo Abraham believed in God, or upon God.

III. Sincere and lively faith will caufe a man fit filent in the duft, and be quiet, fo as not to question whatever the Lord promifeth, be it never fo contrary to fenfe and reason, but will certainly expect the accomplishment; fo did Abraham, in the cited place, believe, even when the Lord had promifed what feemed most unlikely, viz. That his feed fhould be as the ftars for multitude, even then he believed God.

himself, and look for it in another, his pride may fall, and his glorying may be at an end; for the apoftle confirmeth that Abraham had nothing to glory of before God, he faith, that he had righteoufness imputed to him; fo that the more a man look for in himself, the greater is his pride, and true humility will carry a man quite out of himself.

VI. As it is for the righteoufnefs of Chrift that a man is juftified, first and laft, and by faith that this righteoufnefs is applied to us as ours; fo the best way for fuch as are unclear touching their estate, to get it helped, is, to flee in of new to Chrift, and grip the promile by faith, feeing it is not only true at the first, but even afterward, that faith is imputed for righteoufnefs; the righteoufnefs of Chrift is always the meritorious caufe, and faith the mean whereby it is applied for tho' Abraham was a believer before, and fo was juftified, yet it is now faid, that he believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness.

VII. Howbeit faith may not be looked on as our righteousness, in whole or in part, as if it were accepted of God as making up any part of the price due to juftice, yet can we not be juftified without it; there is fuch fraft tie betwixt the righteoufnefs of Chrift, and faith whereby it is made ours, or applied to us, that the one is put for the other; therefore faith is faid to be imputed, for, the righteousness of Chrift applied by faith.

VIII. Albeit man did owe to God, hie Creator, rational obedience, and God was no way in juftice obliged to have rewarded the fame with life, man doing but his duty and when he had done all, was but an un

IV. The beft that fteps being defiled with fin, have nothing in themselves for which they may expect to be accepted of God; whatever righteoufnefs it be for which they are accepted, it is not ground-profitable fervant; yet it pleafed the Lord ed upon any thing in themselves; for even Abraham has need to have a righteoufnefs imputed to him, and so he has none of his own. V. Seeing man, as to the attaining of a righteousness for which he will be juftified before God must go wholly out of

to condefcend fo far as to be a debtor co venant-ways unto man, and, of free grace to bind himself by promife, to reward hin according to his work which he was to d in his own ftrength, being put into a ca pacity to have acted, and so to make a pro

portion betwixt his work and his wages, |
fo as Adam was to have wrought fo much,
and then to have had right unto the hire,
or wages: And the more any look to them-
felves, and expect good from God for any
thing in themselves, the more they turn
from the way of grace, and betake them
to the old way of works: for to him that
worketh, that is, to him that looketh and
trufteth to his works, is the reward reckon
ed not of grace, but of debt.

Phil. iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, &c. For to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of grace, but to him that believeth his faith is counted to him for righteousness.

XII. Man being now plunged in guilt hath nothing of his own wherewith to make fatisfaction unto the juftice of God, but is altogether born in fin, filthy and unclean, John ix. 34. and cannot please God, Heb. xi. 6. and whatever they do is fin, Prov. xxi. 4. 27. yea, he cannot fo much as pre

IX. Whatever courfe we take, whereby we think God, in ftrict juftice oblige-pare and difpofe himself for juftification; ed to reward us, and accept of us, is a courfe diametrically oppofite unto the way of juftification which the Lord has now carved out, feeing that is a way of free grace for to him that worketh, the reward it not reckoned of grace.

I. The way now, after man's fall, of acquiring a righteoufnefs, is not by any thing which we can do, but by faith going out to Chrift for the fame; for to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that juftifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to bim for righteousness.

XI. Howbeit faith be neceffary as a mean, whereby Chrift's righteoufnefs, the only meritorious caufe of our juftification, becometh ours, and it, laying hold on Christ, his righteoufnefs laid hold on by it, is id to be imputed unto us; yet it cannot be fo imputed, as if we were thereby forally or meritorioufly juftified, nor fo as it were accepted of God, thro' his mere. prace and gracious acceptilation, as our complete and perfect righteoufnefs, wheder without the fatisfaction made by Chrift, with it, fo as that Chrift only purchaf, that faith fhould be accepted for our Complete righteoufnefs, and inftead of perta fulfilling of the law; for fo faith and works fhould not be oppofed, nor fhould r righteoufnefs be complete, our faith ing many defects; nor is Chrift any here faid to die, that faith might be fo counted; and thus we fhould be juftified our own righteoufnefs, contrary to

he can do nothing which may merit jufti fication; for juftification, when cometh, findeth the finner liable to condemnation, and in a state of fin; for he justifieth the ungodly.

XIII. Albeit man, when God comes to juftify him, be lying in fin, under guilt, in fenfu divifo; yet doth not God justify any perfon in fenfu compofito, that is, None abiding in their natural condition, and in actual rebellion, are made partakers of this privilege; but ere a finner can be juftified he must believe in Chrift; and thus his faith is counted to him for righteousness.

XIV. Such is the freedom of God's rich grace in welcoming of finners, that his hands are ftretched out to all without exception, who will come and believe in him, whatever foul and finful perfons they have been before; wherefore he is faid to juftify the ungodly indefinitely.

XV. Senfe of former guilt fhould be fo far from fcaring poor finners from coming to Chrift, when called to come in the gofpel, that they should so much the rather ftep forward, confidering how ` it is only fuch whom God juftifieth, and no other; fo as their guilt renders them not uncapable of juftification, but rather, being now mourned for, the foul flying in to Chrift, doth nearly capacitate them therefore. And true fincere juftifying faith looks out on God, and takes him up to be one who is willing and ready to ac-. cept of finners, and to welcome all that S 2

come,

come, be what they will; for it is faid here, believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly; which is a defcription of the object of justifying faith, and fo faith muft take him up under that notion.

VERSES 6. 7. 8 Even as David alfo deferibeth the bleffedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness with

out works,

Saying, Bleed are they whofe iniquities are forgiven, and whofe fins are covered. Bleed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute fin.

This

work, or that the act of faith is here meant to be our righteoufnefs? So then the righteoufnefs here fpoken of, must be the righteoufnefs of another, even the righte oufnefs which faith lays hold on, a righteoufnefs whereof works make up no part; therefore it is faid to be without works. Now, his argument proving this, is taken from the free remiffion of fins which is granted in juftification, to this purpofes If in juftification we have remiffion of fins freely granted, our iniquities be covered, and fin be not imputed to us, then righ teoufnefs is imputed without works. The truth of this is founded on thefe two: 1 That free remiflion excludes all merit by His that the apoftle faid laft of the works on our part, for what we purchafe inftance of Abraham, viz. that he by our own works is not freely given. was juftified by faith without works, or And, 2. That imputed righteoufnefs and that his faith was counted to him for pardon are infeparable, and are fo nearly righteoufhefs, feeing he believed God, he conjoined, that the one may be concluded farther cleareth and confirmeth from the or gathered from the other; for to whomwords of the prophet David, out of Pfalm foever the Lord imputeth righteoufaefs, to xxxii. (which alfo ferveth to confirm his thefe he doth not impute fin, whether that main thefis touching juftification by faith, be the ground of this or not, is not very without the works of the law) to this pur- material to determine. So then this bepofe: David beareth witness to the truth nefit of remiffion of fins is here fet down of this, and therefore it must be a truth: according to the words of the Pfalmift, and fo he first fets down the propofition Pfalm xxxii. 1. in three feveral expreffions: he is about to confirm, verfe 6. Even as 1. Bleffed are they whofe iniquities are for David alfo defcribeth the bleffedness of the given; where, as in other places, the apo man unto whom God imputeth righteoufnefstle followeth the Seventy, for the He without works: where we fee that God's brew word here rendered forgiven, wi imputing righteoufnefs without works, is fignify to lighten, or take off, fo that th all one with faith's being imputed unto meaning will be, Bleffed is the man who righteoufnefs, fo as the righteoufnefs here eafed or exonerate of his tranfgreffions faid to be imputed, must be another righ- but all is one, for the remiffion of fin teousness than the act of faith, for faith in the taking of it away; and this holds fort this fenfe is a work, and fo righteoufnefs fin to be a debt that must be forgiven, fhould not be imputed without works in- a heavy burden that is unfupportable, an definitely, but his meaning fhould be, righ- must be taken off; or both, a grievo teoufnefs is imputed without all works exburdenfom debt that cannot be born, b cept faith, which would cross all the apo- of neceffity we must be eafed of. 2. Wh ftle's arguments; befide that, the argu- fins are covered; and this holdeth forth ment from the Pfalms would no way be to be a filthy loathfome thing that m fuitable unto this purpofe; for how will be covered from the eyes of the Lo the non-imputation of fin, or free remif- 3. Not imputing of fin, which point fion, prove the imputation of faith as our forth fin to be a guilt making men lia

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