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
believed afore the death resurrectiō of Christ And so if all Gods people be actually justified at the time when Christ suffered rose again then it must follow that though some of them be justified long afore they do believe yet others have believed long afore they were justified And so by this conceit wee shall have severall wayes for the justification of believers or the people of God some without faith a long time afore it others not without faith but long time after it But the Scripture knoweth but one way for the salvation of Gods people whether they lived in the times afore the comming of Christ in the flesh or since and that is by the Lord Jesus Christ and faith in him Acts 15. 11. John 8. 56. The vertue value of his death and obedience being such as that it was su◅ficient for the justification and salvation of all true believers even from the foundation of the world Rev 13. 8. and therfore in the times before his incarnation and passion as well as since As for Rom 4. 25. the meaning therof is no more but this that our justification is purchased and merited by the death resurrection of Christ which it may be yet not actually applyed till such time as we come unto him by believing For the Apostle tells us Rom 5. 19. that as wee are made sinners by the sinn of Adam so wee are made righteous by the obedience of Christ Now how are we made sinners by the sinn of Adam hee purchased or merited for us this lamentable patrim◅ny by his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit but yet this is never actually applyed to us till such time as wee become actually his children and have a being from him by natural generation In like sort Christ by his obedience hath merited purchased for us this blessed portion of righteousness and life but yet this is not actually applyed to us till such time as we come to have actually a spirituall being in him which is done by spiritual regeneration and by faith which is wrought therin Garments may be fit to cover us prepared for us before we bee clothed with them but that we may be actually clothed with them we must first receive them put them on And one may as well say and as truely when gar◅ents are once prepared made that now he is clothed warmed with them though yet he have never put them on as to say because Christ hath purchased justification for us by his death resurrection that therfore we then were actually justified though yet wee have never believed nor have put him on by faith For the farther clearing wherof let it be observed and minded that as the Father doth accept of the Sonns satisfaction and the Sonn performeth it so both the Father the Sonn do agree upon the way the manner and the time when this satisfaction shall be applyed to the elect to wit when they come to believe on Christ The Sonn did not make satisfaction and purchase justification fo◅ them to be applyed to them whether they believed or no or afore their believing nor did the father so accept it But this was the appointment agreement of them both and their most wise and holy will that it should be applyed to the elect upon their believing So much is taught in John 3. 16. and especially in Joh. 6. 38 39 40. where we read that Christ came down from heaven to do the will of his Father in saving of the ◅ect and that this will was not that any should have li◅ or rig◅ess by Christ without believing no such matter but that ◅soever seeth the Sonn and believeth on him should have ◅ll l◅fe This was the will of the Father and this was that which was performed by the Sonn And therfore that a man should actually be partaker of the justification of life as the Apostle calls it Rom 5. by the Sonn of God afore he see the Sonn believe on him is contrary unto the appointmēt and holy will both of the Father the Sonn If a man be justified in the sight of God when he doth believe and was not so before then it may seem that God is changed This doth not follow at all if we speak of a change in Gods will His work is changed indeed and the state of the creature is changed but no change at all in the will of God because it was the will of God that the creature while in unbelief should be guilty of sin and wrath and when brought unto faith should then bee justified and cleared So that the change is in the creature and not in the will of God When the world was created which before was not God is now a Creator and was not so before yet this change is only in the creature the object of God will but not in God himself nor in his will Yet one m◅ght by this argument as well say that the world was from eternity for fear of making a change in God as say for that reason that justification is from eternity for there is as much change in God in that work of creation as in this of justification It is one thing m◅tare voluntatem to change ones will another thing velle mutationem to will a change of which the former is not in God but the latter so that by one and the same unchangable will he willeth to have the creature for a time in a state of wrath and bondage to sin Satan c and afterward to call him out of that estate to justifie him A Physitian appoints his patient to take one day one kind of medicine the second day another and the third day another here he wills a change in the patient without any change of will in himself Nor is there any change in God though he w◅lls the creature in time of its unbelief to be in a state of guiltiness upon its believing to be be in a state of righteousness God loves his elect before they do believe and therfore they are justified afore Answ This will not follow neither For can not God love with a love of purpose but all the effects of that love must needs be exhibited forthwith Then we must say the elect are sanctified before they believe and gloryfied also for both these are effects fruits of his eternal love And indeed wee may as well say that these are afore faith and from eternity as to say so of justification because all these are fruits of Gods love as well as justification is Yea if justification must be before faith and from eternity because of this eternal love of God how then commeth it to pass that the elect do not believe from eternity For sure it is this calling of the elect drawing them to Christ by faith is a fruit of God everlasting love as well as justification is Jer
himself any punishment deserved by them it is manifest that the phrase of bearing sinn or bearing iniquity can have no such meaning but that it signifies to bear the punishment deserved by sinn as where it is said of such such offenders that they shall bear their iniquity Lev 20. 17. 5. 1. that every one shall bear his own burden Gal. 6. 5. 5. 10. and that the sonn shall not bear the iniquity of the father nor the father the iniquity of the sonn Ezek 18. 20. can any man imagin that here to bear iniquity should signifie to bear it away from himself or from another If any could so do there were no evill in such a bearing but that were a lawfull yea a commendable and blessed bearing of another mans sin But the text speaks of bearing iniquity in an other sence wherin no man shall bear the iniquity of another but every man bear his own burden his own sin that is the punishment of his sin Therfore inasmuch as the Lord Jesus bare our sinns he bare the punishment due by them they being imputed to him for that end 3 Christ was made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. and this implies that he bare the punishment of sin for us for to be made a curse or to be cursed is alwayes used in that sence Math 25. 41. 2 Pet 2. 14. Gal. 3. 10. 4 Christ was a ransom or a price of redemption for us Math 20. 28. 1 Tim: 2. 6. 1 Cor 6. 20. and this doth imply that the punishment of our sinns was laid upon him 5 Christ was a sacrifice for us or for our sinns Heb 9. 26 28. 10. 12. John 1. 29. Math 26. 28. And inasmuch as all the sinns of the people were put laid upon the sacrifice Lev 16. 15 16 17. vers 21 22. Lev 10. 17. therfore this implies and teacheth that all our sins were imputed to Christ the punishment of them laid upon him 6 What can be more plain then what is written in Isai 53. 6. 2 Cor 5. 21. he was made sinn for us God hath laid on him the iniquity of us all But how can this stand with justice that our sinns should bee imputed to Christ and he be punished for them can it stand with justice that one should be punished for anothers sin and the innocent for the guilty Yes there is no injustice at all in it that the surety be responsible for the debt as Philem 18. Paul becoming surety for Onesimus saith to Philemon put that on my account let it bee imputed to mee let me answer pay it Now Christ was our surety Heb 7. 22. More particularly thus it is no wayes unjust that one be punished for the sin of another when the things here following do all concur 1 When all that are concerned in it are willing and do consent 2 When there is a neer relation and union between the offender and the sufferer 3 When the sufferer hath free dominion over that from which he parteth in his sufferings for another 4 When he hath power to break through and overcome all his sufferings and to reassume his former condition again 5 When this way is not to the dishonour of any but for the greater honour glory of all And so it is in all the particulars when the Lord Jesus did suffer for us But if God do not graunt forgiveness attonement righteousness without the punishment of our sinns laid on Christ and suffered by him where then is there any Grace or Mercy in our salvation For it seems God doth not save us without satisfaction to himself Yet there is much grace mercy in our salvation notwithstanding what is here said for 1 It is mercy to us though it be merited by Christ 2 It was great grace and mercy to accept of satisfaction from another for the rigour of the Law would not allow of this but exacts satisfaction from the sinner himself in his own person And therfore there was in it great grace to us that God by his soveraign power would in this point dispēce with the rigour of the Law 3 It was yet a point of father grace and mercy that he himself would find out this remedy this way of salvation by another For we our selves could never have found out such another nor could any other creature have found it out for us So that though justice be satisfied and punishment be suffered yet our salvation is of free grace and mercy notwithstanding Justice and Mercy most sweetly concurring in our salvation by Christ Jesus If then the righteousness of Christ be imputed to us What was that righteousness of Christ that is imputed Such a righteousness as man now oweth to yeild perform unto God and that is two-fould 1 Passive in a way of suffering penalty or punishment for his transgression this every sinner doth owe to God by the sentence of his just Law which requireth that the sinner be accu◅sed and suffer death for his sinn Gal. 3. 10. Rom 6. 23. 2 A sinner oweth obedience de novo and is still bound to obey the Law though he must when he hath satisfied for former breaches It stands not with reason that paying the penalty threatned for transgression hee should therby becom lawless or free from thenceforth from the debt duty of obedience which the Law requireth And this being the righteousness that a sinner oweth this therfore is the righteousness which Christ performed for us and which is imputed to us for our justification even both his active passive obedience Therfore it is said that he fulfilled all righteousness Math 3. 15. even all that the Law requireth of fallen man whether it bee suffering or doing both which seen to be comprehended in that one saying Phil 2. 8. that Christ humbled himself and became obedient even to death the death of the cross which place implyes that there is an obedience which falls short of death and an obedience in suffering death and that Christ for our sakes in our steed performed both In which respect also it is that he is said to bee the end of the Law for righteousness Rom 10. 4. Now the end of the Law is perfect righteousness in doing what is commanded and in suffering punishment in case of sin transgression and so Christ being the end of the Law hath therfore performed both these things for us which the Law requireth of sinners viz to do what it cōmanded and to suffer what is due for sinn If this righteousness be imputed to us doth it not then follow that we are as righteous as Christ and that every believer is a redeemer and saviour of others for Christ was so This will not follow at all and the reasons are 1 Because the sin of Adam is impated to all the sonn of Adam and yet every son of Adam is not a cause fountain of
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
righteous then neither was he nor can any other be accounted righteous before believing But the former of these is abundantly restified in the Scriptures of truth Rom 3. 22 23 30. 4. 2 3 22 23. Galla 2. 16. and therfore the latter is true also We may be Iustified before faith yet be said to be justified by faith namely declaratively faith declaring assuring to us that wee are justifyed before we are said to be Iustified by faith because we know by faith that we are Iustified This cannot be the meaning of that saying we are justified by faith For 1 Then we may in that sence be said to be Iustified by any other grace as well as by faith yea by works of grace as well as by faith because these are evidences of our Iustification witness 1 Iohn 2. 3 4 29. 3. 7 10 14. James 2. 14. c For example by love to the bretheren wee know wee are translated from death to life and so are Iustified shall any man now say that wee are Iustified by love to the brethren that were directly to contradict the Scripture which saith we are not Iustified by works And yet if to be Iustified mean no more but to know we are Iustified then we may say indeed that we are Iustified by works which the Apostle doth so plainly largely gainsay And therfore to be justified by faith hath a farther meaning then only that we are Iustified 2 By the like reason we might say that the world was created by faith which were a very absurd saying and yet it is most true that by faith we understand or knâ—… that the world was created by the word of God Heb 11. 3. And by the like reason wee might say that wee are Elected by faith for by saith wee may understaÌ„d and know our election The sumâ—… is though by faith we know our election the creation yet it were an improper speech and such as the Scripture never useth to say we are elected by faith or that the world was created by faith and in like sort it weâ—…e an improper speech and such as the Scripture would never have used to say wee are Iustified by faith if no 〈◊〉 had been ment hereby but only the knowledg of our Iustificatâ—…on God justâ—… the ungodly Rom 4. 5. and therfore such as have not faith That doth not follow 1 Because that very text saith these ungodly ones dâ—…d 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 This expâ—…sition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Iâ—…tifieth to 〈◊〉 it of unbelievers is dâ—…tly 〈◊〉 to the Scripture which say that God Iustifieth those that do 〈◊〉 and have â—…aith Rom 3. 26 28 30. Acts 13. 39. and none others John 3. 18. 3 The ungodly one in this text is one that hath not fulfilled the righteousness of the Law and so to justifie the ungodly is no more but to justifie without the works of the Law or not by works which may be and yet not without faith 4 If wee shall extend the woâ—…d further then we must not take that saying in sensu composito but in sensu diviso that is not that he is now when God juâ—…es 〈◊〉 so â—…godly as to be without faith but that he was so heretofore thouâ—…h now God hath given him more grace As when it is said the laâ—…e man shall leap as an Hart and the dumb sing the blind sâ—… the deaf hear Isai 35. 6. Luke 7. 22. No man must herupon imagin that they did these things while they so remayned for that was utterly imposible that a lame man should leap as an Hart whilest he remained lame or a dumb man sing whilest he still remayned dumb and so of the rest but the meaning is they that were once lame dumb deaf should afterward be inabled to leap sing see hear these acts should be performed by such as had been such as is mentioned though now they were not such Wee may as well conclude from these texts that blind men may see while they continue blind so of the rest as tâ—… conclude from the text in hand that an ungodly man an unbeliever 〈◊〉 justified of God whilest he is an ungodly man an unbeliever When some rich man marryeth a poor beggar we say he married one that had scarce raggs to her back but the meaning is not that he married her in her raggs but bestowed on her fitting apparrell and so married her So God justifies the ungodly such as had neither faith nor any other grace but the meaning is not that he justifies them in their unbelief but bestows the grace of faith upon them and then Iustifies them In believing we do not believe an untruth but a truth and therefore it is a truth that we are Iustified afore we do believe It is true indeed that a man must be Iustified before hee can rightly believe himself to be Iustified but not before he believe on Christ for Iustification or unto righteousness A man can not rightly believe that he 〈◊〉 Iustified before he be Iustified for then he should therin believe a falshood nor can he be Iustified afore he do believe on Châ—…st for Iustâ—…cation The Scripture speakes little of man believing himself to be Iustified but much of bebelieving on Christ that he might be justified Gal 2. 16. Rom 20. 10. Now to believe on Christ is not an assurance or perswasion of being Iustified already but is that act of the soul of the will especially wherby a man comes to Christ receiveth Christ relyes on Christ chuseth Christ c that in him he might be justified and saved And when this is done then there is room for that other belief or perswasion of being Iustified already but not before according to that Ephe. 1. 13. after ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise To beleive a mans self to be in a good and Iustified estate afore he have received Christ by faith what is it but the vain presumption carnal confidence of poor deluded soules as if a woman should perswade her self of title interest to a wealthy mans estate yet was never married to him Therfore afore a man can believe aright that he is justified he must first be united and married to Christ by believing on him and then therby he shall be justified indeed and so he may safely believe his justification All Gods people were justified when Christ made satisfaction for their sinns by his death resurrection Rom 4. 25. hâ—…e was raysed again for our â—…stification Now this was above 1600 years agoe and therfore long afore our believing It is true the death resurrectioÌ„ of Christ was long afore our believing and afore we were born into the world But what shall be said to Abram Isaak Jacob David and the rest of the Saints that lived long afore the Incarnation of Christ It can not be denyed but that they