and to create the fruit of the lips to be peace to the soul Isai 57. 19. Therfore the case of them that want the word of the Gospell must needs be miserable lamentable For there can be no salvation without Christ Acts 4. 12. 1 John 5. 12. nor without faith in Christ John 3. 18 36. Heb 11. 6. and ordinarily there can be no faith without the Gospel but by it Rom 10. 14 17. and therfore where this word is wanting there the people are in a perishing condition Pro 29. 18. and millions of people there are in this condition having none to speak unto them out Starrs trees and the great book of the creatures which is not sufficient for salvation nor for saving faith and therfore such people are without Christ and without God in the world Eph 2. 12. comming into the world know not wherfore and go out of the worâ—…d again and know not whither It were well if there were an heart in us to bewayl the case of such people for their misery might have been ours and our mercies theirs They that have the Gospel have great cause to prize it and to be very thankfull for it as for a great â—…leâ—…sing inasmuch as it is the meanes of faith and so consequently of salvation If wee shall despise it or slight it as the Israelites did Manna or as little children who do but play with their meat and kick it down under their feet it may then be just with God to take it away and that will be a dolefull and most heavy judgment and is often threatned as such See Amos 8. 11. Luke 17. 22. John 12. 35 36. Rev 2. 4. If the word be the means of faith Then it behoovs all them who enjoy the word to take heed they do not live dy without faith For the sin judgment of such will be the more greivoâ—… even much worse then if they never had the Gospel If they had not had the word they should have had no sin in comparison of what now they have but now they have no cloak for their sin John 15. 22. and therfore the judgment condemnation of such people will be so exceeding just dreadfull that the condition of Tyre Sidon and of Sodom Gomorah shall be more tollerable Math 11. 22 23 24. And hee counted it to him for righteousness Hee that is the Lord who was meÌ„tioned before counted that is imputed or reckoned for this word is sometime Englished by one of these words and sometime by another as may appeare by viewing Rom 4. 3 22 23. Gall 3. 6. Iam 2. 23. Iâ—… that is this faith of his this believing in the Lord for righteousness that is unto righteousness that is that by this he might attain righteousness or stand righteous and justified in the sight of God VVhether doth not this text prove that the object of justifying faith is not Christ the promised Messiah or the promise of mercy in Christ but what ever God revealeth and that the act of faith as it justifieth is not of the will in receiving Christ or adhering to Christ but only an assent of the understanding It proveth it not For Abrams faith had respect unto the promised seed in whom all nations should be blessed and so runneth the promise chap 12. 22. 18. this seed must need include the Messiah specially as being the head of all the seed that are blessed and so much is plainly taught in Gall 3. 16. where the seed to whom the promise is made is plainly affirmed to be Christ and if it signifie Christ then doubtless the head not the members only The promise which Abram believed was the Gospel Gal. 3. 8. Now what is the Gospel but the doctrine or glad tidings of salvation by Christ That saying John 8. 56. that Abram rejoyced to sâ—… Christs day doth shew that Christ was the object of Abrams faith Now from the words he counted it to him for righteousness wee have occasion to consider of three things concerning that great article of faith our justificatioÌ„ 1 The Efficient cause therof which is the Lord 2 The Instrumentall cause and that is faith or believing 3 The Formall cause which is accounting reckning or imputing The first of these may be considered in this coÌ„clusion or doctrine That it is the Lord himself that doth justifie or that is the Efficient cause of our justification Rom 3. 30. 8. 30. 33. Gal 3 8. Isai 50. 8. Reason justification is a judiciary act the work of a Iudge pronouncing sentence of absolution upon a man and this appears by this because it is opposed to condemn as Rom 8. 33. Math 12. 37. and so it differs from sanctification which is to make a man really holy by changing his qualityes wheras justification makes only a relative change in a man in respect of state from a state of guiltiness to a state of absolution clearing judicially Now it belongs to God alone to be the Iudg of all the world Gen. 18. 25. Psa. 75. 7. 94. 2. Heb 12. 23. 1 Cor. 4 4. and therfore justificatioÌ„ being the act work of God as a judg doth belong to God only Justification either consists in or conteins in it the forgiveness of sins and not imputing of iniquity Rom 4. 4 5. And therfore inasmuch as God only forgives sin Isai 43. 25. Psal 32. 1 2. 2 cor 5. 19. Mark 2. 7. it must need bee that God only doth justifie Therfore a man can not justifie himself Papists teach that a man by his works may justifie himself with that which they call the second justification and wherin they place the merrit of eternal life But the Scripture makes man passive in his justification and that this work is wrought by God himself and by him only So that what Christ spake of honouring of himself Iohn 8. 54. may well be applyed to the matter in hand that if a man Iustifie himself his Iustification is nothing Hence it followeth that justification once obteyned can not be lost A man once justified shall never loose his justified estate nor fall from it For being the work of God wee may say of it as Solomon saith in another case Eccles. 3. 14. it must be for ever When God hath once justified a man he will say as Pilate of his writing what I have written I have written so may the Lord say whom I have justified I have justified it shall not be recalled according to that Jer. 31. 34. their sinns iniquities I will remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their sinns may be sough for but they shall never be fâ—…nd whom I have once pardoned and forgiven Ier. 50. 20. Iustification is one of those gracious gifts of God which are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. And â—…f God do justifie it must need be a great sâ—… for men to be censorious in judging the servants
never sinned 2 Faith is said to be imputed Rom 4. 5 9 22 23 24. And how is that meant when faith is said to be imputed There are two wayes how that is understood First of all when faith it self is said to be imputed that is to be imputed reckoned to us as our own though it be not our own any otherwise then as the gift and work of God in us according as it is said to be the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. Ephe. 2. 8. and that no man can come to Christ that is believe in him except he be drawn by the father Ioh. 6. 44. But yet when God hath given faith he then imputes and reckons this faith as ours though himself have wrought it in us And this may seem to be needfull to the end that Christ his righteousness which by faith we possess may be our own and imputed reckned to us as our own For though Christ righteousness be a perfect righteousness and we possess it by faith yet how can it be accounted ours unless faith it self the meanes of possessing it bee counted ours but when faith is accounted ours then the righteousness of Christ possessed by faith is accounted ours also If we take the imputing of faith in this sence then when faith is said to be imputed or counted for righteousness that particle for must not be so understood as if faith it self were in the room and steed of righteousness for it hath been shewed â—…fore that such an apprehention will not stand or agree with truth But the word for doth here only note why or wherfore as if it were rendered faith is impuâ—…a unto righteousness that is to say to the end we may attain unto righteousness And in another-place the same preposition is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twice in one veâ—… Rom 10. 10. with the heart man believeth unto righteousness with the mouth confession is made unto salvation and so it might be here Rom 4. faith is imputed unto righteousness This exposition of the phrase when faith is said to be accouÌ„ted or imputed for righteousness is given by some very godly judicious and I mention it as worthy consideration But that sense of the word which is more usually given and wherin I should rest is when faith is taken relatively for its object which is Christ his righteousness and so these words faith is accounted for righteousness have this meaning that Christ and his righteousness are so accounted For as hath been shewed afore it is not unusuall that faith should be taken in this sense namely for its object Christ Jesus That which in one verse is called faith in another is called Christ Gal. 2. 16 17. so likewise Gal. 3. 23 25. of which sense more hath been spoken afore 3 There is yet another expression in this matter of imputation and that is the imputing of righteousness which phrase is used Rom 4. 6 11. So then for the form manner of justification there is the not imputing of sinn and the imputing of righteousness and the imputing of faith unto righteousness But for farther opening of this point of Imputation sundry questions may be proposed viz 1 VVhat is that righteousness which God doth impute unto us for our justification It is the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Redeemer Mediatour that which was wrought by him in his own person this righteousness of his is imputed unto us by God and the imputation of it is the formal cause of our justification That this righteousness of Christ is imputed to us such reasons as these may make manifest 1 If righteousness be imputed as the text plainly expressly affirms that it is Rom 4. 6 1â—… then it must either bee our own righteousness that is so imputed or else the righteousness of some other But our own righteousness it can not bee for wee being all sinners have none such of our own as can justifie us Rom 3. 10. Psal. 143. 2. Isai 64 6. And besides this righteousness is said to be imputed without works Rom 4. 6. that is without our own works so that the righteousness of our own works is not imputed It must then be the righteousness of another Now that other can be none else but Christ alone Any other whose righteousness may be imputed for justification besides Christ can not be imagined 2 The text is plain that we are justified by Christ his righteousness Jer 23. 6. Isai 45. 24 25. Rom 5. 9 19 1 Cor 1. 30. And if so then his righteousness is imputed to us because there is no other way how it can be coÌ„municated to us but by imputation And yet communicated it must be else how shall wee be justified by it Riches Pearls of great value can make no man rich till they be applyed and become his own and so it is in this case 3 As we are made sinners by the sin of Adam so are we made righteous by the righteousness of Christ Rom 5. 19. 1 Cor 15. 22. But we are made sinners by the sin of Adam by imputation for the guilt and punishment of that sinn can no otherwise be made ours And therfore we are made righteous by the righteousness of Christ by imputation 4 Look how Christ was made a sinner by our sinn so are wee made righteous by his righteousness 2 Cor 5. 21. Now how was Christ made a sinner by our sinn not inherently as if there were any sin inherent in him either in his heart or life the Scripture is express against that Heb 4. 15. 1 Pet 2. 22. for he knew no sinn in that sence 2 Cor 5. 21. It were a most wicked thing to imagine any such matter of him And therfore it remayneth that he was made a sinner by imputation only he was made sinn for us 2 Cor 5. 21. the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isai 53. 6. But now this also may be questioned by some Whether our sinns were imputed to Christ and whether he bare any punishment due to us for our sinns There are sundry reasons that may clear this also 1 It may be cleared by all those Scriptures where it is said that Christ suffered and dyed for our sinns Rom 4. 25. 5. 6 8. 1 Cor 15. 3. 1 Pet 3. 18. Isai 53. 5 8. Heb 2. 9. Christ did not dy wâ—…out a cause Gal. 2. last for our sinns were the cause And if our sinns were the cause of his death and that he dyed for them then they were imputed to him so that when he suffered and dyed he bare the punishment of our sinns 2 Christ is said to bear our sinns 1 Pet. 2. 24. Isai 53. 11 12. Now to hear them doth imply that he bare the punishmeÌ„t of them and that they were imputed to him for that end For wheras some do think that to bear our sinns doth signifie no more but that hee bare them away from us without bearing
sin to all others as Adam was and so we may say in the case in hand 2 The vertue that is in the head is communicated to all the members and yet it doth not follow that every member is hereby made an head to communicate vertue to all the other members as the head doth so here 3 Though Christs righteousness be sufficient for all the elect universally and for every one in particular yet when it is applyed it is not applyed to every particular person of them as it is a price for all but as it is a price sufficient for himself It behooveth then all the children of God to take heed of such spirits as deny the doctrine of Imputation Popish writers have sometimes made a jest a mock of this doctrine calling imputed righteousness a putative righteousness a new no justice and some others that in profession otherwise are farr from popery yet cannot yield that there is any imputing of our sinns to Christ or of Christs righteousness to us Against all which conceits let that be minded and considered which hath here been said for the clearing of these things And to sober minds it should weigh much that the term of imputing righteousness is frequently found in Scripture and the very word imputing no less then nine or ten times in that one chap of Rom 4. though it be englished sometimes reckoned sometimes accounted and somtimes imputed By this we may see the great grace of God in that we having no righteousness of our own and that yet without righteousness we could not be justified he is graciously pleased to impute unto us the righteousness of Christ that by it we might be justified and that faith should be imputed for righteousness Had we had any works of our own that might have sufficed in this matter then indeed the reward might have been reckned not of grace but of debt but now when righteousness is accounted by faith and is imputed to believers without works this doth exceedingly set forth the riches and freeness of Gods grace Rom 4. 4 15. and therfore it is of faith that it might be by grace Rom 4. 16. And in as much as our sinns were imputed to Christ and the punishment of them imposed upon him therfore the godly have in this respect great cause to be deeply affected with sinn and to grieve for it For it was not Judas nor all the malicious Jewes no nor Herod nor Pilate nor all the rest of the wicked world that could have brought Christ to his painfull passion and death no nor have so much as touched the least hayr of his head had not the sins of Gods people been imputed to him and laid upon him but hee was bruised for our iniquities for the transgression of Gods people was hee smitten Isai 53. 5 8. So that our sinns were the cause of his sufferings which consideration should be a means motive for the awaking of our hearts with godly sorrow as it is written Zach 12. 10. they shall look on him wâ—…om they have peirced and they shall mourn therfore with bitter mourning as a man for hâ—…s only son and for the loss of hâ—…s first born They that do deny that when the Lord Jesus suffered he bare the punishment of our sinns do not a little hinder the exercise of repentance and godly sorrow for sinn in all those in whom this opinion takes place there being no one consideration more effectual available for stirring up the exercise of this grace then this that we are speaking of that our sinns were the cause of Christs sufferings the thought wherof should exceedingly break melt our hearts And if righteousness be imputed to believers for their justification oh then how may this comfort stay the hearts of all poor penitent believers and mourning souls who can see much sinn in themselves for which they might justly be condemned but can see nothing in themselves for which they might be justified and hereupon are vile in their own eyes abhoring themselves looking and lamenting after Christ Be not dismayed all you that are such but be it spoken to the stay comfort of your hearts that though you can not be justified by any inherent righteousness of your own yet you may be justified by the imputed righteousness of another Abram we see believed in the Lord and it was imputed unto him for righteousness do you then believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and righteousness shall be imputed unto you also and therby you shall be justified though you have no inherent righteousness of your own that can any thing availe for this purpose Lastly if righteousness be imputed to believers for their justification let us then all learn highly to prize and earnestly to desire this imputed righteousness Shall we now content our selves with any inhereâ—… righteousness of our own whether inward vertues or outward performances and think to be justified in the sight of God no no all righteousness of ours is but as filthy raggs Isai 64. 6. there is no man living that can be justified before God by that means or in such a way Psal. 143. 2. It is the Lord Jesus who is our righteousness Jer 23. 6. and he it is who is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness and Redemption 1 Cor 1. 30. and in comparison of this Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness which is by faith even the righteousness which is of God by faith all other righteousness all other things in the matter of justification are but loss and to be esteemed as â—…ung as they were unto the Apostle Paul Phil. 3. 7 8 9. And they that neglect this righteousness without them that it might be imputed to them and content themselves with their own righteousness inherent in them or wrought by them shall one day find that they have been miserably deceived and deluded like those that kindle a fire unto themselves and compass themselves about with their own sparks but in the end do ly down in sorrow Isai 50. 11. Wherfore let all that fear God yea all that desire to walk wisely for their own everlasting comfort seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and then all other things shall bee added to them Math 6. 33. Yea let them hunger and thirst after righteousness for such are blessed and shall be filled Math 5. 6. FINIS THE TABLE A ABram adorned with many good works and yet justified only by faith pag 2 12. Attributes of God the consideration of them a means for the bâ—…getting of faith page 24. B Bear iniquity what is ment thereby page 39 40 41. Believing in the Lord is not only to believe the word to be true but also implyes Relyance on God page 1. Farther confirmation of faith called believing p. 2 To believe on Christ and to believe a mans self to be justified differ p. 17 18 To believe on Christ is not only lawfull but commanded p. 9 25. See
that they shall ◅y in their sinns and that the Lord will never forget their wicked works Job 20. 11. Iohn 8. 24. Am◅s 8. 7. And Lastly when the Apostle reckons up the inconveniencies mischiefs that must unavoidably follow if Christ be not risen from the dead he names this as one of the worst that then we are yet in our sins If Christ be not risen saith he then is our preaching vain and your faith vain yea and yee are yet in your sinns 1 Cor 15. 14 17. All which do clearly shew that it is a dolefull dreadfull condition to be without the the pardon forgivness of sinns 2 As dolefull dreadfull as it is yet till a man attain this benefit of justification all his sins do remain in Gods sight as fresh clear as the very day when they were first cōmitted therfore they are said to be written with a pen of yron and the point of a diamond Jer 17. 1. to be sowed up as in a bagg sealed Iob 14. 17. that they might not be out of the way or hard to find And our Saviour speaking of such as then were many of them at least dead gone saith not they were but they are theevs and robbers Iohn 10. 8. intimating that the guilt of those sinns did cleave unto them fresh in the sight of God to that day So Judas is a traitor to this day Cain a murtherer to this day and all unbelieving sinners unjustified persons whether alive or dead the guilt of all their sinns doth remain upon them to this day 3 And if so then though conscience may be asleep and benummed for a time yet the time will come when it will awake to the galling and vexing and tormenting of the guilty soul with most dreadfull terrours horrours hence we read of Cain crying out in the anguish of his soul my sin is greater then I can bear Gen 4. 13. and of Judas crying out I have sinned in betraying innocent blood in dispair going to the halter to let out his wretched soul Math 27. 4 5. Yea Josephs brethren apprehending themselves in some danger in Egypt have this dolefull ditty in their mouths wee are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and wee would not hear and therfore is this evill come upon us Gen 42. 21. So that if sin be unpardoned though conscience for the present may be asleep and quiet yet a time will come when this sleepy Lyon will awake and roar 4 And this is certain that if the guilt of sin remain the punishment therof can not alwayes be avoided though it may bee forborn or with-holden for a time For the Lord is a just God and will by no means clear the guilty Exod 34. 7. but tribulation anguish indignation and wrath shall one day take hold of every one that doth evill on the Iew first and also on the gentiles Rom 2. 8 9. Sinn makes a man indebted to Gods justice and considering what God is how his wrath is a consuming fire Heb 12. last it must needs therfore be a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of this living God Heb 10. 31. For how can a mans heart endure or his hands bee strong in the day that God shall deal with him Ezek 22. 14. who can dwell with that devouring fyre who can stand with those everlasting burnings Isai 33. 14. Such a dolefull thing it is to have sin unpardoned and to be unjustified But on the other side See what happiness it is to have sinn remitted and the person justified 1 It is acknowledged by David Hezekiah and others as a point of great blessedness Psal. 32. 1 2. Isai 38. 17. Psal. 85. 2. 2 It is also promised as a speciall blessing of the new covenant that God will therin forgive the iniquities of his people and remember their sinns no more Jer 31. 34. 3 The godly have earnestly sought it at Gods hands by prayer which they would not have done had it not been in their esteem a great blessing Hosea 14. 2. Psal. 25. 18. 51. 1 2 9. 4 It is such a blessing as that if it be once graunted it shall never be recalled but shall abide for ever sinns once pardoned are so cast into the depth of the sea Mich. 7. 19. that they can never be found any more Jer 50. 20. nor will God call them to remembrance again Jer 31. 34. 5 It is such a compleat and perfect blessing that God doth not only pardon some of the sinns of his people but even all their sinns trespasses whatsoever 1 Iohn 1. 7. Col 2. 13. Psal. 51. 7. Isai 1. 18. 6 And on this ground they are bidden be of good comfort Math 9. 2. and the Prophets must speak comfortably unto them because their uniquity was pardoned Isai 40. 1 2. 7 It is such a blessing that it shall undoubtedly be followed with eternall life and glory Tit. 3. 7. Rom 8. 30. which may be one reason why it is called justification of life Rom 5. 18. All which things considred both the misery of being still under the guilt of sin as unpardoned the happiness of a justified estate They therfore that have title to such a great blessing as justification is have cause for ever to be comforted to be thankfull to God for so great a blessing And all this is the portion of true believers For they are the men to whom the Lord doth not impute sin but righteousness and whom he justifies freely by his grace in Jesus Christ so that as righteousness was imputed to Abram even so it is and shall be to all that are believers who are the children of Abram righteousness shall be imputed to them also Rom 4. 5 11 23 24. Gal. 3. 7 9. Rom 3. 22 25 26 30. Act 10. 43. 13. 39. Know therfore all you that are true believers in Christ that your sinns are pardoned and your persons justified accepted in Christ Jesus God is now reconciled to you through his dear Son your sins shall never be laid unto your charge for you are justified and cleared in Gods sight and therfore be glad in the Lord and rejoyce yee just and justified persons and shout for joy all yee that are upright in hear◅ Psal. 32. 11. But what need much to be said for the comforting of believers will not they be forward of themselves to take the comfort of their justification Many indeed that are destitute of faith are forward enough too much to apply comfort to themselves when it doth not belong unto them as Currs in the house are ready to snatch at t◅e childrens bread and run away with it as if it were a portion for them as Ham◅n when the King but spake of the man whom the King delighted to honour presently applyed the speech to himself thinking whom will the King honour rather
then my self Hest. 6. 6. But they that are believers indeed have many times need to be comforted concerning their justification and therfore the Lord speaks so earnestly to his Prophets Isai 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people and say unto Ierusalem that her iniquity is pardoned intimating therby that his people have sometimes need yea much need to be coÌ„forted coÌ„cerning the pardon of their sins their justificatioÌ„ For though they be believers and their sinns pardoned and their persoÌ„s justified in Christ yet somtimes they can scarce believe themselves to be so happy as Job though he had called and God had answered him yet would scarcely believe that God had harkned to his voyce Job 9. 16. And David though Nathan had told him that the Lord had put away his sinn and â—…t hee should not dy 2 Sam 12. yet he is not so qâ—…ickly perswaded so easily satisfied touching this point but that after this he still prayes cryes for pardon Psal. 51. as if he had never heard those words of the Prophet And as the children of God have many times need to be comforted touching this point so the ministry of the word is a means of Gods ordayning for the comforting of them Isai 57. 29. 1 Thes. 3. 2. Isai 40. 1 2. and therfore to comfort them concerning their justification must not be looked at as a needless labour If God do give them faith and therby do justifie them and pardon their sins why do they not know it and how commeth it to pass that they are pardoned justified in heaven and not in their own consciences also This commeth to pass 1 To shew that not only faith forgivness but even comfort it self is the free gift of God and depends not necessarily infallibly so on faith repentance c but that these may be and yet there be little comfort joy at least for a time And therfore it is that God is called the God of comfort 2 Cor 1. 3. and his spirit the Comforter Iohn 14. 15. 16. and God is said to be hee that speaks peace unto his people Psal. 85. 8. all to shew that peace and comfort and joy are blessings the dispencing wherof the Lord hath reserved in his own hand According to that Job 34. 29. when hee giveth quietness who can make trouble and when he hideth his face who can behould him 2 It thus coÌ„meth to pass that the godly may feel the smart bitterness of sin the more and so be more deeply humbled in sence therof 3 That they may be more watchfull afterward If David like his broken bones and his roaring all the day long c then let him be bold to be tampering with sin again But by this meanes God keeps his children from turning again to folly they know what it hath cost them before and they will no more buy the pleasure of it so dear 4 That they may learn to be the more pittyfull to others in the like distresses as Christ must suffer be tempted that he might succour them that are tempted Heb 2. 17 18. 5 That they might afterwards more heartily and chearfully prayse and laud the Lord as they that have been in deep afflictions and are delivered out of the same Psal. 107 6 Lastly this commeth to pass through the difficulty and supernaturall way of believing Naturall conscience expects justification by works and therfore hath much adoe to close with mercy in a way of free grace Faith is not like other graces dutyes which have some though obscure footsteps in the naturall dictates of conscience as to worship God love God c Rom 2. 14. but faith is wholly supernatural Math 16. 17. so that Adam in his innocency knew not this way of believing in and trusting to the righteousness of a Redeemer mediator As Christ the object of faith is only by divine revelation no counsell of men or Angels could ever have devised such a way of justification so faith it self as the organ and instrument to apply this righteousness is not by humane light but wholly from above And faith being thus supernatural it is therfore the more difficult not only to be attained but also to be discerned How then may faith justification be known that one may have the comfort of the same It is good for a man to examine himself by the trialls before mentioned from the principall efficient the instrumental means the object the subject and the effects of faith But withall it is needfull to pray for the illumination of Gods spirit which is able to clear up our faith and our justification by faith but without this it will never be satisfyingly discerned known For it is the Spirit that sheddeth abroad the love of God into our hearts Rom 5. 5. witnesseth that we are the children of God Rom 8 16. sealeth believers to the day of redemption Ephe. 1. 13. 4. 30. and enables us to know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor 2. 12. Two things concerning justification have been spoken unto already viz the chief author or efficient of it which is the Lord and the instrumental cause or means of it which is faith In the next place wee are to consider of the third and last particular here expressed and that is the forme or manner of it and that is by imputing accounting or reckoning He counted it to him for righteousness VVhence the Doctrine is That As justification is from God as the Author of it and by faith as the instrument or means of it so for the forme or manner of it it is by accounting reckoning or imputing I name these three English words as our english tongue useth them all though they all import the same thing one the same word in the originall being somtimes englished by one of them and somtimes by another Now for the farther opening of this point it is to be observed that there are three things which are said to be imputed or not imputed in this matter of justification Sin Faith Righteousness First of all Sinn and of this the Scripture phrase is negative that sin is not imputed when a man is justified This expression of the not imputing of sin is found in such scriptures as these Rom 4. 8. Psal. 32. 2. 2 Cor 5. 19. in which places the Holy-Ghost speaks of justification In like sort is the word used 2 Sam 19. 19. and in that of Paul 2 Tim: 4. 16. where he prayeth that their sin that forsook him in his appearing before the Emperour might not be laid to their charge or not imputed unto them for it is the same word that is often englished imputed in Rom 4. So this phrase importeth that when the soul is justified his sin is not accounted imputed 〈◊〉 reckoned to him at all in the sight of God but he stands clear before him as if he had