Satan under every one of your feet Be not troubled for want of Assurance This is your Assurance That you believe in the Son of God I demonstrate comfort Thus 1. God is Faithful that hath Promised he can never fail 2. Christ is faithful in whom and to whom the Promises are made and he can never fail for the Promise is sure to all the Seed 3. The Holy Ghost is faithful that Seals the Promises of God to our Souls and he can never fail The Spirit of promise to all the Seed 4. Therefore the faithful that receive and rely upon these Promises shall never fail for they are in Christ the Promised Seed As for flesh and blood though that be weak and afflictions very grievous to it yet let the spirit be but honest and willing and then fear nothing For to him that hath though never so little true faith shall be given full measure pressed down and running over shall God give into his bosome To him that is never wanting to himself God will never be wanting Do but desire and God will help do but seek and thou shalt find ask and have knock and it shall be opened unto thee If we that are evil know how to give good things to our Children how much more shall our heavenly father give good things to them that ask him And hath he not promised that whatsoever we shall ask of him in the Name of his Son he will give it us and having given us Christ how shall he not with him also give us all things that he in his wisdome and goodness knows to be necessary for us And having our Portion let us therewith be content Look therefore Sin Misery and Death in the face and Trust in God still Look only upon Sin and Misery and Death and Hell with the Eye of Sense and dye for fear and despair but look with the Eye of Faith beyond all these at the glory that shall be revealed and live for evermore Consult not with flesh and blood for if you do you will droop and fall but consult with the Spirit by Faith in Gods Promises and he shall strengthen thine heart I have nothing to comfort and satisfy me and assure me in life or Death but my honest and faithful desires If I be a Hypocrite I can have no comfort but if I be true and upright to God to the World and to my own soul and do all I can to please God and to keep my Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men though I am clothed with innumerable frailties and imperfections yet I am sure God will pardon all for Christ his sake only let me be valiant and of a good courage And though I see no comfort coming to me in this life or very little let me not be disheartened for this nor judge of Gods favour by what I see or feel but by what I believe and hope for for the things which are seen or felt are but Temporal but the things which are not seen nor felt here are Eternal And what I see not and enjoy not now by sense I do see and enjoy by Faith and shall see and enjoy by sight And till then I content my self with the sight and fruition which I have which is to me an Evidence and full Assurance of what I shall have Therefore Deerly beloved Brethren be ye stedfast and unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour shall never be in vain in the Lord for faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Amen GAL. 3.6 Abraham believed in God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness EXPLICATION THis Apostle saith Righteousness cometh not of the Law Gal. 2.21 Gal. 3.18 And the Inheritance is not of the Law but by Promise and faith in that Promise Both these sayings carry the same sense that is The right of an Inheritance which is the best Right cometh not of the Law but of Faith And both these sayings carry the same Reason because they argue the same Conclusion viz. That a man is not Justified by the Law but by Faith For if a man be Justified by the Law or if his Right of Inheritance be by the Law Ro◠4.14 then Faith is made void and the Promise void But being justified by his Grace Tit. 3.7 we are made heirs to the hope of Eternal Life So that to be justified by Faith and to be made an heir of God are all one in effect or the latter is but the property or consequent of the former In like manner to be counted Righteous or as in the Text for Faith to be counted for Righteousness is all one as to be justified For St. Paul alledgeth these words to prove the Doctrine of Justification by Faith and to have Right accounted to any person is to justify that Person Rom. 4.6 Gal. 2.16 Therefore this great saying That Abraham believed in God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness is to this effect That Abraham was justified by his Faith The Subject is Justification The Points 1. God 2. Account 3. Thing 4. End God the Cause of Justification Chap. 1. God justifi s. Rom. 8.33 Gen. 15.6 It is God that justifieth so the Hebrew Text Abraham believed in God and he imputed it to him for Righteousness God was the Agent that imputed Faith to Abraham for Righteousness St. Paul follows the Septuagint but the sense is all one For if actually God imputed Abrahams Faith unto him for Righteousness then it must needs follow passively that Abrahams Faith was imputed to him for Righteousness 2. The Account Cap. 2. Accounting The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred reasoning concluding numbring reckoning imputing The great Arts of counting are Logick and Logistick 1. Logick is the counting of Sayings according to their rations or reasons as they are composed into their Conclusions and resolved into their Principles 2. Logistick is the counting of Numbers according to their rations or rates as they are composed into their Powers and resolved into their Roots And as in Logick the Conclusion is the effect of two Sayings rightly figured when one of those Sayings is the cause of that effect and the other Saying is the reason or mean between the Cause and the Effect So in Logistick The Power is the Product of two Numbers rightly multiplyed when one of those two Numbers is the Root of that Power and the other is the Rate between the Root and the Power Both these Countings or Reckonings or Reasonings do manifest the ration or Rate of a Saying to a Saying and of a Number to a Number So that to Account is to conclude by Reasoning or Numbring by arguing to find the Conclusion by addition to find the Total by Multiplication the Product by Division the Quotient The Word is used thus in several places Rom. 6.11 Reckon your selves to be
dead unto sin c. Ro◠3 28. Rom. 8.18 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith I reckon that the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed Heb. 11.19 Rom. 4.19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead We say that Faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness The children of the Promise are counted for the seed Rom. 9.8 Rom. 4.4.8 Now to him that worketh the reward is not counted of Grace but of Debt Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Rom. 2.26 If the Circumcision keep the Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rights of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for Circumcision But to him that worketh not Rom. 4.6 but believeth on him that justifyeth the ungodly his faith is accounted for Righteousness Rom. 4.6 Blessed the man to whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without works 3. The thing accounted is Faith Chap. 3. Faith that is Faith was the Reason whereby God concluded Abraham Righteous Faith was the Medium that inferred that Conclusion Gods Promise was the Cause Abrahams Righteousness was the Effect Abrahams Faith was the means that produced this Effect from that Cause Rom. 4.13 The Promise that he should be the Heir of the World was not to Abraham and his seed through the Law but through the Righteousness of Faith So by Faith the Promise became effectual 1. This Faith was real in Abraham and really imputed to him for Righteousness Rom. 4.20 he was strong in Faith giving glory to God 2. This Faith was his own proper Faith else how could he be accounted the Father of the faithful if the Faith accounted to him were not his own So the Un-circumcision which is counted for Circumcision is not another mans but his own Circumcision to whom it is accounted And that Sin that is imputed or not imputed is not another mans sin but his own sin And that Righteousness which is accounted to any man is not the Righteousness of another but his own Righteousness to whom it is accounted Reason Because When we account or impute to any person any thing that is not his own but another mans our account is not right 4. The End for which Faith was accounted Chap. 4. is Righteousness Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of various signification as is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Legally it is taken for doing Right to all or giving every one his due by Law Ex. 23.7 The Innocent and Righteous slay thou not 2 Sam. 23.3 He that ruleth over men must be Righteous Herod feared John Baptist Matth. 6.20 knowing that he was a just man Luc. 1.6 Zachariah and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameles s. Jacob s aith Gen. 30.33 So shall my Righteousness answer for me Not for thy Righteousness c. Deut. 9.5 Ps 45.7 Thou lovest Righteousness c. Prov. 16.8 Better is a little with Righteousness then great Revenues without Right He looked for Righteousness Is 5.7 and behold a Cry He hath appointed a day Act. 17.31 in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness He that doth Righteousness is Righteous 2. Morally for kindness and Courtesy Liberality and Bounty giving more then is due by Law through Love Ps 37.2 The Righteous sheweth mercy and giveth The Righteous giveth and spareth Prov. 21.26 Stand still that I may reason with you 1 Sam. 12.7 of all the Righteousness of the Lord which he did to you and to your Fathers He that hath clean hands and a pure heart Ps 24.4 shall receive the blessing from the Lord and Righteousness from the God of his Salvation He hath dispersed abroad Ps 112.9 he hath given to the poor his Righteousness remaineth for ever Seek ye first the kingdome of God Matth. 6 3 3. and his Righteousness Rom. 1.17 For therein the Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith signifying the kindness of God because opposed in the next verse to the wrath of God Ro◠3.21 But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested 1. The kindness as it is taken vers 21 25 26. compare Eph. 2.7 where the Apostle to express the same thing useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he might shew the riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us So Tit. 3.4 After that the kindness and love of God appeared kindness here is the very same with Righteousness before 2 Cor. 9.10 Now he that ministreth seed to the Sower c. Increase the fruits of your Righteousness i. e. kindness in contributing to the poor Saints Take heed that you do not your Almes before men The Right Original there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly in the New-Testament is to do a kindness And this signification was familiar to the Eastern Greeks in Asia after whose Idiom the New Testament was written Is 60.21 But to the Western Greeks in Europe it was more strange 3. Jurally for Propriety Ps 69.28 or Right Thy People shall be all Righteous they shall inherit the Land for ever Let them be blotted out of the book of the Living Ps 118 20. and not be written among the Righteous i.e. The Israelites the Righteous heirs of the Land upon Record This Gate of the Lord into which the Righteous shall enter Gen. 30.33 i. e. Israelites for strangers might not enter into the Temple but remained in the outward Court. Ps 35.27 So shall my Righteousness answer for me in time to come i. e. all the young spotted cattle I have right to for my wages Prov. 16.8 Let them be glad that favour my Righteousness Is 5.23 i. e. my Righteous Cause Better is a little with Righteousness then great revenues without Right Which justify the wicked for reward Heb. 11.7 and take away the Righteousness of the Righteous from him Rom. 4.5 Noah became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Rom. 4.11 His faith is counted for Righteousness Abraham received the signe of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of the faith which he had being uncircumcised Rom. 4.13 that he might be the father of all them that believe which was no Moral Righteousness but a Jural Right of Dignity For the Promise that he should be the Heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith Now promise and Heir are matter of Right So the word Righteousness signifies in divers places of this Epistle Compare Gal. 3.18 For if the Inheritance be of the Law it is no more of promise What is meant in one place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a general word
cannot or will not shew unto man his Righteousness nor save a Soul from the Pit They are of such evil Natures and so full of spiritual Pride and Malice that they will neither enter into Heaven themselves nor suffer others that would by their good will Such whose Eye is evil because Gods is good and would fain have others to be in no better condition then themselves 4. Some make a true accompt and are able to prove it being strong in the Faith Chap. 17. Demonstration nothing doubting They Demonstrate their Assurance thus 1. The Cause of Salvation is Gods Promise 2. The Effect is Salvation its self 3. The means that makes the Cause to produce this effect is their own Faith So in Logick The Conclusion is the effect of two Propositions rightly figured whereof one is the Cause and the other is the Medium or Mean between the Cause and the effect The major Term in the major Proposition is the Cause The minor Term in the minor Proposition is the Effect And the Medium or middle Term in both major and minor Proposition is the Means that produceth the Effect in the Conclusion As thus A living Creature is Sensible A man is a living Creature Therefore A man is Sensible This last Proposition is the Effect of the two former in which Sensibility which is the Major Term is the Cause and a man is the Effect And a Living Creature is the Means whereby this Cause produceth this Effect For Because man is a Living Creature Therefore he is Sensible So in Logistick The Power or Product is the Effect of two Numbers rightly multiplyed when one of those two is the root of that Power and the other is the Rate between the Root and the Power As 6 is the Cause of 12 12 is the Effect and the Multiplication of the Root 2 is the Means between the Cause and the Effect So Promises are the Cause of Blessedness is the Effect and Faith is the Means between the Cause and the Effect The ground of both these Reasonings and Reckonings is this 1. Those things that agree in one Third do agree among themselves as in Logick As the Major and Minor agree in the Medium therefore they agree among themselves So in Logistick The Multiplicand and the Product agree in the Root by the means of the Multiplication by that Root As 6 and 12 agree together in the Root 2. by the means of the Rate or Multiplication by the Root 2. And into which they are resolved So Gods Promises and our Salvation do agree in Faith 2. Whatsoever is affirmed of the Genus is affirmed also of the Species and all that are under it As whatsoever is affirmed of Abraham the Father of the Faithful is affirmed of all the Faithful the children of Abraham Blessedness is affirmed of Abraham Gal. 3.9 Therefore Blessedness is affirmed of all the Children of faithfull Abraham So then All that believe are Blessed with faithful Abraham This is all the assurance that can be had and this is enough by all Reason to a reasonable Creature from a Reasonable God that reasons with us according to our capacities as reasonable Creatures As for Revelations and Inspirations we may not expect them For God will have us to live here by Faith and not by Sight or Sense that must be hereafter Therefore though I see or feel no comfort Chap. 18. Faith above Hope yet I have Faith and live thereby Though I be in the Dark and lie low in the Dungeon and stick fast in the Mire and Clay and the Waters flow over me and the weeds of Despair are wrapped about my head being gone down to the bottoms of the Mountains and the Earth with her Barrs are round about me for ever so that I say in the Judgment of my weak flesh I am lost I have no hopes Yea though besides all this to keep me down the more that I may be sure never to rise into any hopeful or comfortable condition I see nothing but misery about me and feel it in my own person and hear nothing but Scorns Reproaches and Condemnations yet I believe still I hold my own My house is built upon a Rock I keep me close unto my God I strengthen my self in him I see all and hear all and bear all and say nothing I am prompted often to renounce all hope and to curse God and die in detestation of the failings of his Promises because he hath mocked me And that I might not be altogether miserable here I am bidden to Eat and Drink for to morrow I shall Die To enjoy the good things that are present and speedily use the Creatures as in Youth To fill my self with costly Wine and Ointments Wisd 2.6 and let no Flowr of the Spring pass by me To crown my self with Rose-buds before they be withered not to go without my part of voluptuousness but to leave tokens of joyfulness in every place for this is my Portion and Lot For our Time is a very shadow that passeth away and after our end there in no returning for it is fast sealed that no man cometh again We are all but of yesterday and to morrow we shall not be All this I hear but give no consent I am content to lie still in silence though it be without comfort and wait upon my God and resolve that though he kill me yet I will put my trust in him And this is Faith to believe above Hope and contrary to Hope I speak nothing all this while to Hypocrites for their hope shall perish Hypocrisy cannot consist with faithfulness it makes shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience The Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone is the portion of Hypocrites even the same that was provided for the Devil and his Angels and for all them that make and love lies I speak nothing to profane Persons Atheists for these have condemned themselves But I speak to the plain True-hearted Believers That between God and their own Consciences they should fear nothing if their cause be good This takes off all Disputes about the Church Chap. 19. Disputes about Baptisme the Lords Supper Faith Justification Merits Infallibility c. We may all comply very well if we hold the same Faith in the prime necessary Principles which are but few There needs no hatred or strangeness to condemn or divide about Circumstances and Superstructures so long as we do all agree in Fundamentals And as for Ceremonies and Forms of outward worship the Law is a Rule to every mans Conscience and this is the safest way to fulfil all Righteousness But it is not safe to Divide or Rebel either in the Church or State for that overthrows the unity of the Faith and the bond of Peace This takes off all blame in God Chap. 20. Excuses and all excuses from our selves and puts every man into a hopeful capacity of Salvation For if we be not