faith in Christ If a man have works his works are taken notice of and recorded and withall his reward is thus registred after the Covenant of the Law Righteousness of Debt If a man want works but have faith his faith is recorded and to him also is ascribed or imputed the same reward though out of another cause Righteousness by favour The thing we have in the word of God and perhaps it is Allegorically expressed by allusion to the customs of men This I am sure is truth in the Legal Covenant If a man do the Commandments he shall live in them and the doers of the Law shall be iustified This also is true in the Evangelicall Covenant He that believes shall be saved and if a man believes in Christ his faith shall be reckoned of to iustification The reward is all one that God intends to both they differ 1. In the condition 2. In the ground of payment Righteousness is ascribed to the Worker of Debt to the Believer of Grace God should do the worker wrong if he should not approve him as righteous that hath fulfilled the Laws But it s his mere grace that to a believer he will ascribe righteousness sith his righteousness is merely precaria performed by another and by him nothing brought but faith to receive it and tender it unto God and that faith also merely the work of God If I fail in expressing my self or explaining the Apostle yet let no man blame my desire of both but further my weakness with his help that the Apostle may be understood Sense The sense then is this as I conceive it To him that hath works such as the Law prescribes and brings them unto God righteousness is ascribed or set on his reckoning as wages belonging to him of debt and not of grace VERS 5. But to him that worketh not We must beware that we mistake not the Apoâ—â—e as if he promised righteousness to him that believes and neglected good works Jam. 2.26 For the Apostle James hath taught us that faith without works is dead and if a man say he hath faith and have no works can that faith save him And the Apostle describing faith justifying as it is in the justified man saith it worketh by love Gal. 5.6 What is then the sense To him that worketh not that is hath no such works to bring before God as for them to claim righteousness thereby or as Ambrose expounds Ambros ad loc Non operanti id est qui obnoxius est peccatis quia non operatur quod mandat Lex To him that hath no works because he is a transgressour of the Law But believeth in him See here say some how faith justifying is described To be rather an affiance in the Justifier then an assent to the Gospel Answ Rather see here affiance meeting with assent in the person of the believer they agree in the subject differ for all that in their nature In him that justifieth the ungodly Doth the Lord then justifie the wicked Answ Surely though he be God that forgiveth iniquity and sin yet will he in no case clear the wicked Exod. 34.7 and Prov. 17.15 He professeth that he is as abominable that justifieth the wicked as he that condemns the righteous Answ Hereto answers are diversely conceived according as the terms admit distinction First thus Wicked men are of two sorts some such as continue impenitently in their sinns some that by grace repent and believe in Christ Of the first sort its true God justifies them not that is acquits them not while they so continue and yet wicked men repenting and believing in Christ that is ceasing to be wicked God clears and holds innocent for to such he forgives iniquity transgression and sinne Paraeus ad loc Exod. 34.7 or thus Justifying of a wicked man is either against the orders of Justice without receiving sufficient satisfaction for the trespasse or else upon receit of sufficient satisfaction In the first sense God justifieth not the wicked in the second he mercifully justifieth us having received satisfaction in the death of his Son Lasâ—ly Justification hath divers significations sometimes it signifies to make just sometimes to declare just or to absolve In this last sense God justifies not the ungodly that is absolves him not whiles he so continues but yet he makes an ungodly man righteous Of the first kind of justification understand Moses of the second Paul His faith is counted for righteousness See explication ad vers 3. Observ The things out of this passage of Scripture observable are these First the direct opposition of Faith and Works in this Article of justification If it be by Faith it s not of Works If by Works not of Faith that howsoever it be true their concurrence is certain their agreement amiable in the life of the justified yet their contrariety irreconcileable in the procurement of justification Not to be long in the manifestation of it First the Apostles argument hath else no force in the case of Abraham except their opposition be such as is mentioned 2. Besides this view it in the contrary principles from which the two kinds of justification proceed The Worker is justified of debt the believer of grace that look what opposition there is betwixt favour and debt the same is betwixt justification by Works and justification by Faith Like see Rom. 11.6 Now were it not a point of acute Sophistry to teach us how to deny the Apostles argument and to tell him the consequence is not good because they are able to assigne a medium Witty I confesse but with such wit as S. James tells us to be * Jam. 3.15 devilish Such as it is let us hear it forsooth they point us to this medium of participation It is partly by Faith partly by Works I say not any man is so impudent as in plain terms to contradict the Apostle but surely this in the issue shall be found their answer howsoever with distinctions they colour the matter Let us hear them Justification by Faith and justification by Works indeed are opposite if ye understand in both the same justification but there is a first justification and a second the one is by Faith the other by Works Again works are of two sorts works of Nature works of Grace betwixt justification by works of Nature and that by Faith there is indeed an opposition not so in that by works of Grace For these distinctions and the vanity of them see suprà ad ver 2. Annotat. ad cap. 3. This once is evident out of this place that the Apostle imputes the justification of Abraham now regenerate unto his Faith and betwixt the justification that Abraham had being now in grace and that of works placeth the opposition Besides this what means the Apostle to befool the Galatians for expecting the perfection of this benefit by the Law which was begun by the Gospel Gal. 3.3 Would he not thereby teach us
perseverâsse quod acceperat ut nasceretur Isaac Observ The difficulties thus rid let us now see what we may observe for our further profit Where first offers it self that distinction of faith according to the divers degrees and measures thereof in believers There is weak faith and strong faith there are men of no faith as infidels men of weak faith as novices men strong in faith as was Abraham Matt. 14.31 O thou of little faith saith Christ to Peter Matth. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith saith our Saviour to the Canaanitish woman Christ found not so great faith in Israel as in the Centurion some in Israel not so great as in an alien The greatness or smalness of faith is three wayes considered 1. In respect of the things to be believed so it is more or less according as things believed are more or lesse in number 2. According as things believed are more or less distinctly conceived the more implicite faith is the less it is the more explicite the greater 3. According as the assent to things believed is more or less firm more or less free from doubting and in this last sense we must conceive the Apostle Abraham strong in faith because he doubts not of the promise Questions here offering themselves are these First whether weak faith have in it justifying virtue or Whether a man weakly believing have title to justification according to the Covenant Answ Weak faith if true gives title to justification our Saviour speaking of faith miraculous saith The least degree of it even the grain of mustard seed Luke 17.6 is available to miracles even of greatest nature it holds proportionally of faith justifying to the uses whereto it serves the least measure is of force to justification 2. Add hereunto that it is not the greatness of faith that justifieth Faith as it is a virtue or gift in us hath not justifying virtue but as it apprehends the righteousness of Christ whereby we are justified which apprehension may be as true in him that believes weakly as in him whose faith is more firm 3. It is not to be forgotten that as the defects of other gifts and parts of obedience are covered with Christs perfection so that they hinder not justification so is also the imperfection of faith Secondly it may be demanded How we may discern our faith to be true while it is weak Answ It is true if 1. It strive against doubting and infidelitie 2. If it be carefull to get strength by means that God hath sanctified Luc. 17.5 Mar. 9.24 3. If that weak perswasion we have of Gods love and pardon of our sins breed care to purifie our hearts and to please God Act. 15.9 The next point in the text is the signes of strength in Abrahams faith two in number First this That he considered not the opposition in course of nature made against the promise 2. That he doubted not of the promise nor debated the matter how it could have accomplishment For the first Whether we consider it as a signe or as a means of Abrahams firmness in believing is not much materiall It is no small signe of stable faith to passe by notice of things that oppose Gods promise and a great means to stablish faith the withdrawing of our minds from beholding the things that may hinder the accomplishment of Gods promise This once is clear that the first step to incredulity is the loosing of our thoughts to rove towards things opposing Gods promise and demitting our minds to behold the impediments of second causes Thus fell Zachary incredulously to question the promise of God whiles he considered his own and his wife 's old age disabled as he thought for procreation Luc. 1.18 Thus Sarah in like sort Gen. 18.12 thus Moses Num. 11.21 Thus Gods children at this day Their sins great therefore not capable of pardon Corruptions strong and settled by evil custome therefore not possible to be mortified Grace small temptations many and violent therefore perseverance impossible Vse It is our wisdome and will be our comfort in this particular to hold semblance with Abraham where we have Gods promise seem it never so incredible rest in it and that thou mayest so do beware how thou give way to flesh and bloud drawing down thy thoughts to the course of nature To many yea most of the promises made to us in Christ gainsaying we shall find in nature reasons of believing onely in the power truth and goodness of God and in the merit and obedience of Christ the ratifier of the promises 2. Cor. 1.20 The second signe of Abrahams strength in faith is That he doubted not of the promise where also the generall cause of doubting is expressed that is unbelief Touching the sense see the former explanation The points we have here observable 1. A difference betwixt faithlesness and doubtfulness such as is betwixt the Cause and the Effect Not every one that doubts is faithless though doubting argue some measure of unbelief A man merely faithless denies all assent to truth propounded in doubtfulness is some assent though not without fear that the contrary may be true I observe it the rather respecting the weakness of some amongst Gods Children that perplexed with doubtings pass censure of meer faithlesness upon themselves Saith our Saviour to Peter doubting * Mat. 14.31 oh thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Doubtings argues weakness of faith not a nullity of believing A Second point observable is the fountain of doubtfulness and that is unbelief doubting is a fruit of unbelief so far as we are doubtfull so far are we faithless from faith proceeds nothing but certainty wavering therefore issues from want of faith If any demand whether such as doubt may be presumed to have faith Answ Doubtfulness though it agree not to the nature of faith yet may meet with faith in the same subject Why not as well as other corruption with grace Flesh with spirit knowledg with ignorance rebellion with obedience hard-heartedness with remorsefulness c. So hath God tempted all gifts of the spirit in us that their contraries are abated not abolished Whence issue in Gods Children acts not of grace only but of corruption also yea in the same act of Gods Saints a spice of corruption as well as a rellish of grace see Rom. 7.23 Gal. 5.17 And as the argument is ill there is some rebellion therefore no inclination to obedience some corruption therefore no grace so as ill followes it there is some doubtfulnes therefore no faith But though this be true yet doubtfulness hath no other fountain then unbelief And it serves first to shew the vain contentment and self-pleasing many through misprision conceive from their doubtings even hence concluding the sincerity of faith from the sense of doubtings Their errour I would gladly reform and it springs from hence We say truly it is presumption not faith that 's never encountred with doubtings and they have no faith
pauci post te o domine Iesu ire volunt cum tamen ad te pervenire Nemo sit qui nolit Lord Jesu How few are they that are willing to go after thee when as yet there is no man but desires to come unto thee as knowing that at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Et propterea volunt omnes te frui at non ita imitari conregnare cupiunt sed non compati Hence is it that all men would enjoy thee but they like not so well to resemble thee fain they would raign with thee loath they are to suffer with thee Et mox mortem spiritualium optant sibi etiam carnales quorum tamen vitam abhorrent Brethren like rewards require like labours like favours like duties They fail not of Abrahams blessing that follow Abrahams faith and let them never expect his comforts that refuse to resemble his virtues That for the Generall View we now the Words wherein are two things First The duty it self required of us to the end we may share with Abraham in the blessing of justification believing in God Secondly The object thereof God set out here by a periphrasis who raised up Iesus from the dead Sense Sense Believing in God The words thought not delivered in that form yet import the condition required of us to justification and are therefore well rendred according to the sense by some translatours If we believe or so that we believe Some here conceive the Apostle to deliver us the nature of justifying faith and to resolve us that it is rather an affiance or putting trust in God then an assent or giving credit to the truth of his promise The question hath been largely discussed ad vers 3. Whether I remit the Reader We may better hence collect the necessity of putting trust in God for righteousness to justification then a description of the faith that justifieth And that is it the Apostle directly teacheth that to justification is necessary a relying upon God through Christ and putting confidence in him for justification and withall the infallible sequel of justification upon our confidence placed in God for that blessing As touching the nature of faith justifying the Apostle intends not here to teach us yet shall it not be amiss on this occasion to propound some arguments brought for that conclusion as I heard them lately in conference with a friend reverend for learning and piety Mr. J.D. His judgment was that faith justifying was rather an affiance and resting on Christ for righteousness then a perswasion of Gods love in Christ or an assent to the promises of the Gospel His arguments these First Faith that justifieth be it what it will be must needs go before justification it self so doth affiance so not particular faith For it must first be true that God justifieth me before I can believe it and in order of nature there is truth in the proposition before the assent is given to the truth of it Answ The propositions of the Gospel we may conceive to offer themselves to our minde either in terms of the future tense or sub verbis de praesenti or praeterito As thus God will pardon my sins and accept me to his favour for Christ or thus God hath pardoned my sins and doth accept me as righteous in Christ accordingly the assent thereto is either as to a thing that shall be or as to a thing already done In the first obtaining of justification the assent of faith is to the proposition De futuro and that we are sure had actual truth from everlasting concerning all those that shall be heirs of salvation The assent to the proposition de praesenti or praeterito is in order of nature after justification In time for all that they are simul the proposition de futuro is in nature before it so soon as I believe that God will pardon he pardons Before I believe that he hath pardoned he hath pardoned And that I think may suffice to assoyl that doubt so expertly and acutely contrived Besides this they should attend that the affiance they speak of issues out of the perswasion we have of Gods love to us in Christ for who can relye on God for righteousness and salvation that hath not some perswasion that God is a father to him in Christ So that what argument concludes the precedence of confidence to justification concluds much more a precedence of particular assent out of which as out of a fountain that affiance issueth And howsoever it be true that such assent as is spoken of receives strength from our affiance yet from it no otherwise then from other gifts of sanctification namely as from evidences and signes and as I may term them qualifications of our persons and dispositions as it were to entitle us to the Promises or rather to evidence the title we have according to the Covenant unto the merits and benefits of Christ The second argument was as I conceived it on this manner To faith justifying all men are bound To particular perswasion of Gods will to pardon sins all are not bound For God binds no man to believe an untruth there are some of whom it never was nor shall be true that God will pardon their sins as Reprobates Ergó Answ Zanch. de natura Dei lib. 5. c. 2. That which is ground of his Argument I confess I find amongst our Divines more resolutely determined then distinctly explained Their conclusion is that all men even Reprobates are bound to believe that they are in Christ Elected to Salvation These reasons seem to make against it First for that there are and ever have been many to whom the name of Christ or the benefits in him conveyed unto us were never known And Paul seems to say of such Rom. 2.12 as sin without the Law they shall perish without the Law By proportion we may say They that sin without the Gospel shall perish without the Gospel The not giving credit thereto shall not be imputed to their condemnation in as much as it was never revealed unto them By consequence therefore there was no bond upon their conscience to believe it Moreover particular assent riseth from that particular Testimony of Gods spirit with ours Rom. 8.16 Which who can say to be vouchsafed to Reprobates But yield ex abundanti that Reprobates at least in the Church are bound to believe it What then It follows thence that God binds them to believe an untruth Answ An untruth in the thing No untruth to them except by their own default because that howsoever God hath revealed that there are some Reprobates Yet reveals he to no man in this life his own Reprobation And as the rule of our actions is not Gods secret but revealed will so the rule and measure of Faith is not truth secretted but truth revealed St. August Enchirid ad Laurent Augustine sticks not to say that a man may will what is contrary to
was imputed to righteousness True saith Bellarmine Abraham was now regenerate and had done many good works of faith and yet the Apostle when he saith he was justified by faith and not by works rejects not his works done in faith from power of justifing but those only which he might have done not of faith For even they who have faith work sometimes not of faith as when they sin or do works meerly Morall without relation to God In a word the Apostle speaketh conditionally and according to their opinion which ascribed righteousness to their own strength Answ Now what is to be willfully blind if this be not was it ever heard of that a man should be justified by works not which he had done but which he might have done or think we the Saints of God to whom he wrought or the Iews that perhaps disturbed them were ever so shameless as to ascribe justice to works finfull or meerly Morall such as heathens performed It s apparent that the Apostle fits answer to Iewish objections who urged works of law written for matter of justification yea in likelihood works done in grace for whereto else comes in the example of Abraham so worthy a Saint of God Certes if of works meerly naturall there had been question example of Abimelech or Socrates or Aristides had been as pertinent to the purpose Lastly say others the Apostle speaks not de justificatione Pii but Impii not of that justification whereby a man of a righteous man is made more righteous but he speaks of justifiing a wicked man which is done by faith Answ Concerning this distinction see Annotat. in Chap. 3. But it is their opinion that he speaks of the first justification only surely Sasbout confesseth that the testimony out of Genesis treats only De augmento Iustitiae non de justificatione Impii And that is apparent to every confiderate Reader This mist of cavills thus dispelled let us now resume the Apostles conclusion and lay it for a ground that Abraham was not justified by any works of any law in any state by him performed Use Hear this now yee justitiaries that dare obtrude your menstruous merits to Godsjustice and for them claim righteousness at his judgment seat Behold Abraham that mirrout of good works as well as of faith yet stript of all right and claim to righteousness by any his obedience and dare any of his children challenge more at God hands then Abraham the pattern of justification Bring to the ballance your voluntary poverty building of temples pilgrimage vvorks of mercy or if there be any vvork that you think more glorious and see if they be not found lighter then vanity it self to those of Abraham that one vvork of obedience in offering his Son Isaac upon the altar vvhich of the sons of men can parallel I spare amplifications because they are extant in the Apostle and particularized in Ambrose De Abrah Patriarch lib. 1. Cap. 8. VER 3 4 5. For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justfieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness VVHether the words be conceived as proof of the Minor or of the principall conclusion it is not much materiall the issue being all one The argument proving it is taken from the manner or meanes of Abrahams justification which was meerly gracious the Scripture affirms that Abrahams believing was counted to him for righteousness Gen. 15.6 Ergo he had no cause of boasting because that not to the worker but to the believer only faith is imputed unto righteousness The consequence of this Enthymeme hath its proof from the place of unlikes That the force of the proofe may be better conceived let us view a little the terms of the comparison The persons compared are he that worketh and he that worketh not but believeth The things wherein they are compared as unlike is the manner or means whereby these severally obtain righteousness The worker that is he that hath works to be justified by he hath righteousness reckoned to him as wages not granted out of favour but paid as of debt He that hath no works but believes hath righteousness counted to him not of debt but of favour as if he had said that yee may see how Abrahams having faith counted righteousness left him no cause of boasting observe this difference betwixt the worker and believer viz. He that hath works to bring before God hath righteousness ascribed unto him of debt not of grace because that by his works he hath purchased righteousness as wages and so by consequence hath cause of boasting him that justifieth the ungodly it s otherwise this faith is of grace imputed to righteousness Abraham therefore being of this latter sort not a worker but a believer and by consequence hath faith of grace counted to him for righteousness surely had no cause of boasting for this matter of justification This having the better judgment of the learned I take to be the naturall resolution of the text Let us now turn back to the words and enquire their sense and what instructions they afford for our use In verse the third are two things 1. The Judg whom Paul appeales unto 2. The sentence of the judg For what saith the Scripture Holy Apostle thou forgottest thy self that didst appeal to Scripture to give sentence in a matter of dobut For we are taught by men of unerring spirits the Scripture is Mutus Index a dumbe judg not able to utter what may resolue us in matter of doubt Now how much better were it that these men were dumb then to use their tongues in manner so blaspheously derogatory to him that inspires the Scripture For be it that in property of speech the Scripture is speechless yet contains it not directions sufficient to determine doubts or needs it any more then mans minde to conceive and his tongue to publish what it contains Or hath the Church any other authority about the Scripture save only to declare what Gods Spirit therein speaks Must the sense needs be locked up in the Popes breast and the Scripture taught to mean only what he determines 2. Is it so strange and abhorrent from common language that the Scripture should be said to speak In common assemblies what more usuall How saith your record What saith the Law 3. How ever I hope Gods Spirit may be said in Scripto speak to his Church without any great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inasmuch as he doth therein utter what his meaning is And writing doth the office of speech thus far that it serves to express the conception of our minde As David said of his tongue it was the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 So may we say of the pens that the Lords holy scribes used they were the tongues of a ready speaker
life How many incredulous yea opposites to faith hath he by his word brought to the obedience of the faith His hand is not shortned it is ever true of him He can quicken the dead and still by his word give being to things that erst had no subsistence This may serve to direct us in use of these marvellous effects of Gods power for stablishing of faith And of the first member of this Chapter thus far The second followeth from the 18th verse to the 23. VERS 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be IN this verse and the four that follow the Apostle digresseth a little from his principall conclusion to a commendation of Abrahams faith The scope whereof seems this To prescribe us a form of Believing and to direct us a course for the establishing of our faith required of us to justification both which we may learn from the example of Abraham the father and pattern of Believers The specialties commendable in Abrahams faith expressed in this verse are two 1. His courage 2. His prudence in Believing His courage in that against hope he believed in hope Sense Against hope in hope How reconcile we Against hope which naturall course could afford In hope by meditation of Gods power and truth conceived He had promise to be father not of children onely but of whole nations the course of nature contradicted it His body dead and unfit for generation with Sarah besides her wonted barrenness it ceased to be after the manner of women so that in respect of means naturall causes there were many of despairing none of hope yet believed he the promise in the largest extent knowing that Gods power transcends nature Observ From whose example we learn in the midst of despair still to hope where we have Gods promise for our warrant Besides Abrahams example we have like practice in Job a mirrour not of patience onely but of faith Who would rest on him for life whom he feels wounding even to Death Yet Though he kill me saith Job I will trust in him Job 13.15 To their practice let us add the consideration of defects in this kind severely punished in Moses Num. 11.13 20 21 22. The incredulous Prince 2 King 7.1 2 17. Zachary Luke 1.18 20 22. In a word In Believing there are four degrees one more excellent then another 1. That which is exercised in sufficiency of means 2. Where the means are weak and improportionate to the promise 3. In the want of means 4. Where are means strongly opposing the accomplishment of the promise this the highest degree of faith so commendable in Abraham Vse Brethren we all profess our selves the sonnes and daughters of Abraham Gal. 3.29 His children we are if we walk in the steps of his faith Iohn 8.39 and labour therein to resemble Let us be exhorted not onely in believing but in the very measure of faith to hold correspondence above hope yea against hope to believe in hope above sense yea against sense to believe what the Lord hath promised There fall out times with Gods children when if we shall make sense or naturall causes the measure of faith a thousand to one but we are swallowed up of despair The Lord sometimes writes bitter things against us and makes us possess the sinnes of our youth seems to surcharge Conscience with imputation of those sinnes the pardon whereof he commands us to believe What shall a poor soul do in this case to keep it self to the task of faith Surely what thou feelest God to impute believe he will pardon to thy repentance for so runs the promise There are times when we may feel decayes of grace and declinings in obedience yet sith it is his promise to give perseverence without interruption believe thou shalt stand even while thou thinkest thou art falling c. Helps to stablish faith in this kind are these 1. To rest on the naked promise of God 2. Consideration of the transcendency of Gods power able to work without above yea against nature Ephes 3.20 to do as * Paul speaks exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think 3. Observation of the Lords dealing with others or our selves accomplishing his promises beyond all expectation The second commendable specialty in Abrahams faith here mentioned is his prudence in believing according to that which was spoken Observ Whence learn we That the rule and measure of a wise mans faith is the word of God so that all the Lord speaks must be believed onely what he speaks must be believed And in this generall we and Papists accord The rule and object of Christian faith is Veritas prima and the adaequatum objectum of faith is the Word of God But that word say they is of two sorts Scriptum Traditum Written and Traditionary Both these together make us a perfect rule of faith Scripture without Tradition is regula but partialis Bellarm. de verb. Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 12. That which is taught for Gods truth in our Church is this That the Scripture contains doctrine and direction all-sufficient for faith and practice necessary to salvation so that there is no more to be believed or done upon pain of damnation then what is contained in the written word of God For explanation the contents of Scripture we conceive to be not only what is here immediately and in express terms taught but all whatsoever may thence be diduced by just and necessary consequence out of generalls causes equalls c. Our arguments are these 2 Tim. 3.14.15 The Scriptures saith Paul to Timothy are able to make thee wise to salvation to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto every good work Afford they us wisdome sufficient to salvation Bellarm. lib. 4. cap. 11. ubi supra therefore they contain doctrine sufficient for faith and practice And that there may be no place for that idle evasion of our adversaries limitting the sufficiency of written doctrine to what is necessary for Laiques Both Timothy was a Bishop and him they they were able to make wise to salvation and generally saith the Apostle they completely furnish the man of God that is the Minister to every good work of his calling Our Second argument is this The written rule of practice we are sure is perfect both for that the Lord gives so strait charge to add nothing thereto Deut. 4.2 Prov. 30.6 Rev. 22.18 and because there cannot the duty be named which the Law of God prescribeth not nor the sin thought of which it forbids not May we think to evade this testimony with that Nicety of Bellarmine add not by depraving the sense nay as appears by the Lords own often reproof of doctrins of men in matter of his worship Isai 29.13 and his heavy judgments on those that altered but circumstances of his prescripts Levit. 10. additions as well
nations and my self also shall be blessed The premisses these God that hath promised is faithfull and able to give it In respect of the premisses his faith is generall In respect of the conclusion particular as we see In like sort we conceive the faith of every justified man to proceed from generalls to their own particular and to the particular by virtue of the generals Assent they yield to generals but with reference still to particulars For example That which for comfort of conscience cast down by the Law they believe is this particular conclusion My sins are or shall be forgiven me How come they to believe this particular Answ By belief of generals The sins of all that believe in Christ are for Christs sake forgiven according to Gods promises in the Evangelical Covenant therefore my sins are forgiven me since I have received by grace to rest on Christ for the pardon of my sins so is faith justifying Generall in respect of the premisses Particular in respect of the conclusion Their third deduction Faith concurrs to justification not as an instrument but as the formal cause of our righteousness For Abrahams faith was imputed justice c. Bellarm. de justif l. 1. c. 2. Ipsa fides censetur esse justitia Answ Whether whole justice or justice in part They answer justice in part for it is only Initium justitiae according to their conceit The sense then must be this absurdly Faith is counted justice that is the beginning of justice And Abrahams faith must be his justice in part only whereas the Apostle ascribes to Abraham whole justification in respect of his faith or else forgets the state of the question For this Scripture the sense is this Sense Abrahams faith was imputed to righteousness that is set on his score or taken notice of so far that the Lord in respect of it allowed him the esteem of righteousness See supra ad vers 3 4 5. The substance of Doctrine conceived in this verse hath been already handled ad vers 3. Pass we from it therefore to the third member of the Chapter the applying of all that hath been said of Abrahams justification to us VERS 23 24 25. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification THe passage to this last member we may thus conceive The Apostle supposeth some weakling thus to enquire It is true Theophylact. ad loc quid nostra interest thou hast taught of Abraham that his faith was to him imputed to righteousness But what is that to us Answ It was not written for him only as matter of his glory and priviledg but for us also for our profit and comfort The points of the text are three First The use and comfort arising to us from the records of Abrahams justification Secondly The condition required of us to the end we may share with Abraham in the blessing of justification Thirdly The Reason brought to assure us of like favour in like faith c. for better confirming the comfort unto us It was not written for him only c. but for us also Where first observe we The method of conversing in the histories of the Saints let it still be with reference to our selves and our use They were written for us see Rom. 15.4 Heb. 11. and 12. Their favours for our comfort their chastisements for our terrour their vertues to our patterns their falls for our caution And it is idle to conceit them as encomiasticall narrations of their glory only Gods Spirit intended their records to our benefit A Second generall here observable is That Gods mercifull proceedings with his children are exemplary he justified Abraham believing he shall justifie us also performing like faith He pardoneth Paul repenting his blasphemies and made him a pattern to all that shall believe in him to eternall life 1 Tim. 1.16 He saved Noah from the deluge delivered Lot from the fire of Sodome Peters inference from these particulars is this generall God knows to deliver his out of temptation 2 Pet. 2.9 It is therefore a discomfortable misprision of Gods Children in temptations to conceive Gods favour as the priviledges of some eminent amongst his Saints and their great weakness to study differences betwixt themselves and others in points of necessary comforts For to yield that there were that had their speciall prerogatives in some particulars as Prophets to be taught by dreams and visions and immediate inspirations c. Yet in matter generally necessary for comfort of conscience and eternall salvation what was vouchsafed one may be expected of all 1. The Covenant is made with all without difference with the least as well as with the greatest Ier. 32.40 2. The mediation of Christ available for all 1 Tim. 2.4 of all sorts sexes nations and ranks of men God is he the God of Abraham only nay even of his seed also Christ is he the Mediatour for Apostles only nay even for all that the Lord hath given him out of the world Ioh. 17.9 Their is neither male nor female bond nor free weak nor strong but all are one in Christ Jesus The same blood of Christ redeemed all the same love of God embraced all the same spirit seals all to the day of redemption the impression in some is more evident then in others the image all one wherewith all are stamped and thereby sealed unto the day of redemption The only thing that concerns us is to provide we resemble in our behaviour the Lord we shall finde impartiall in his favours if we be not dissonant in our demeanure and that is the next thing the text leads unto To us it shall be imputed as to Abraham believing as Abraham in him that raised up Iesus from the dead Observ The generall instruction the text affords is this That a man desiring to partake the favours of the Saints must be carefull to resemble the practice of Saints Wouldest thou be justified as Abraham believe as Abraham pardoned as Paul repent as Paul delivered as Lot be righteous as Lot The same God is a like to all in his blessings that are alike to him in their obedience There is a generation of men enviously emulous of the priviledges of Gods Children dissolutely careless of their behaviour Let my soul dye the death of the righteous saith Balaam but the hellish wretch cares not to live the life of the righteous Bernard in Psal qui Habitat Ser. 7. life of the righteous Tantus est pietatis fructus saith Bernard tanta justitiae merces ut ne ab ipsis quidem non desiderari queat impiis injustis I would the conditions might seem as reasonable as the reward is glorious But the complaint of that Father who sees it not fitting the times quam
an action best available for confidence in that respect to relye upon namely His raising of Jesus from the dead The like in sundry other places is observable Would they humble themselves for their sins they consider God as terrible and dreadfull in his judgments would they raise up themselves with comfort they consider him as a God that heepeth Covenant and promise as a father of mercies and God of all consolation would they stablish hope in expectation of things passing the course of nature they consider his endless power able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can aske or think There is a confused apprehension of the deity for the most part liveless and ineffectuall when men ingross only and indistinctly mediate the Divine nature without reference to particulars concerning the present occasion And another as preposterous unseasonable and no less uncomfortable when men fit their faith with meditation of that that is most unseasonable for their present state God is merciful saith the presumer he is just saith the desperate distressed Both true he is just and mercifull saith the Psalmist but should not faith in wisdome contemplate what is fittest for the present necessity This wisdome pray we for The last thing in this period remains The Reason brought to assure us of like favour in like faith for better confirming the comfort unto us Vers 25 Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification The force of the argument thus conceive God the Father hath delivered his Son to death for expiation of our sins he hath raised him which was our surety to assure us of our justification doubt not therefore but he will justifie thee believing on him through Christ In the words the Apostle sends us to consider two things as pillars for faith to rest on for justification First is The cause meritorious Christ death Secondly The evidence of the value and worth of his humiliation His resurrection from the dead This text saith one is Brevis largus short in words large in sense Let us view the particulars In the first member are these 1. Who delivered 2. Who was delivered 3. Whereto 4. For what For the First Who delivered Pater filium Christus seipsum Iudas Dominum saith Austin The fact one the motives different which made Iudas his treason criminous Christs tradition of himself meritorious I point only at the heads Who was delivered Iesus our Lord A less price say some might have sufficed yea none at all had God been so pleased I think not considering the endless justice violated which God in our ransome intended to preserve and manifest Rom. 3. Delivered why saith he delivered rather then crucified To lead us by the hand to the first cause thereof the determinate councells of the Blessed Trinity Act. 4.27 28. I could command Legions of Angells for deliverance Mat. 26.35 saith our Saviour to Peter but how then should the Scripture be fulfilled how the Fathers purpose and councels accomplished VVhereto To death even the shamefull and cursed death of the cross Phil. 2.8 That so we might be delivered from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Incomparable Benignity of the Father unmatcheable compassion and humility of our blessed Saviour For what For sins for our sins whether we conceive sin as the efficient cause procuring these things unto our Saviour or tropically intepret For sins that is for expiation of sins it is not greatly materiall This latter hath some Auncients approving it however Socinus laugh at the strangeness of it Theodoret He underwent his passion Theodoret. ad loc Vt nostrum debitum exsolveret not much unlike Ambrose And that of the Prophet cannot better be expounded Isai 53.10 His soul an offering for sin that is to expiate sin The senses are subordinate sins procured it by it sins were expiated and to expiated them Christ was delivered see Isai 53. 1 Pet. 2.24 For our sins Our in this case 2 Cor. 5.21 hath a threefold Antithesis 1. To Christ 2. To Angells 3. To Vnbelievers For ours not his own He was holy harmeless seperate from sinners knew not sin per experimentum as Augustine interprets see 1 Pet. 2.22 23 24. Heb. 7.26 Isai 53. Augustin de peccat Merit Remiss lib. 2. cap. 35. Sine peccato natus est in similitudine carnis peccati sine peceato vixit inter aliena peccata sine proccato mortuus est propter nostra peccata as Saint Augustine Ours not Angells Heb. 2.16 In no place he assumes the Angells but the seed of Abraham It may be there was something eminent in their sin that excludes them but let us take heed whiles we seek the reason of our preheminence in the quality of the sinners we forget the Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the specialty of his love to man that only caused it Nunquid Angelo Bernard de Passione Domini sed ille non eguit Nunquid Diabolo sed ille non resurget as Bernard Ours that believe Ioh 3.16 Not for sins of unbelievers yes say some sufficiently for theirs that distinction I stand not to examine The question is this Whether intentionally for the sins of any but believers They shall never be able to prove that the intention is larger then the efficacy or that his death was not effectuall to procure remission for all unto whose benefit it was intended The heads of this first member we have seen let us with like brevity see to what use they serve us Vse First They direct us to a right estimate of our sins a point wherein alack how partially blind are the most of us The matter we think small wherein we offend the act and pleasure momentany transient in a moment should justice be so strict as for such triflles to load us with eternall cursing or rather should mans malice be so dissolute as for such trifles to violate the endless majesty that loadeth us daily with so many blessings Learn rather by consideration of the necessary remedy to esteem the quantity of thy perill whereout nothing could suffice to rid thee but the death of the Son of God Agnosce ô homo quà m gravia sunt vulnera Bern. in Natal Domin Ser. 3. pro quibus necesse est Dominum Christum vulnerari si non essent haec ad mortem mortem sempiternam nunquam pro eorum remedio dei filius moreretur saith Bernard sweetly Secondly As they teach us compunction so minister they unto us unspeakeable consolation sicut enim gravem agnosco morbum cuitanta apponitur medicina sic ex hoc ipso non incurabilem esse conjecto They know not the excellency of Christ person nor the worth of his bloud that question the availableness thereof to purchase redemption Let strictest justice ballance our sins with Christs satisfaction this shall be found infinitely to preponderate Some weakly perhaps will say of the valew he doubts not but of the avail for
Sitacet Christus quid sibi volunt haec Evangelia quid sibi volunt voces Apostolicae quid cantica Psalmorum quid eloquia Prophetarum in his enim omnibus Christus non tacet S. Augustin In Johan tractat 4. The Scripture Fitly doth Paul consult with Scripture as the only Competent Iudg in-questions of his nature without which if we search for resolution in matters of this quality we run into a Labyrinth The advise that Constantine gave to the fathers in the Nicene Councell should have place with us sumamus ex dictis divini spiritûs explicationes quaestionum Mark his reason Evangelici enim Thedoret Hist lib. 1. cap. 7. Apostolici liâ—ri nec non Antiquorum Prophetarum oracula planè instruunt nos sensu Numinis And truth is howsoever in matters of Morality there be to be found some good directious in nature yet in this and like matters touching reconciliation with God and means of justification before him how utterly not only blind but opposite to what truth teacheth is nature yea it may not be denied that the Fathers them selves have some of them too naturall conceits in this business and if my judgment and observation in their writings be any thing as it is not much the attentive Reader shall finde much of the popish plot of justification to be framed out of the errours and misprisions of some Ancients here therefore especially let it have place that the Prophet adviseth to the Law and to the Testimony Isai 8.20 See we now the sentence of this Judg What saith the Scripture This Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness In which sentence we have two particulars observable First Abrahams act with the object he believed God Secondly The fruit or benefit thereof It was counted to him for righteousness Touching the first Abrahams act he believed God Let us here a little largely enquire what is the nature of justifying faith so much the rather The nature of justifying faith explained because the controversie is famous betwixt us and our adversaries Concerning it two questions shall be handled First whether it be an assent to the promise Or an Affiance rather and trusting in the promise Or in plainer terms whether this to believe in this question signifie to give Credence to God speaking or else to put confidence in God The opinions both of them have great Authors both Popish and Protestant For our better understanding it shall not be amiss to fetch the consideration somewhat higher even from the generall notion of these two habits as they are conceived by Philosophers and others according to reason Faith therefore or beliefe hath this generall description It is an habit of the understanding inclining us to a firm and undoubtfull assent to something as truth for the authority and credit of the speaker or witness I call it first an habit of the understanding because the proper object thereof is truth and the act thereof an assent to truth or a perswasion and acknowledgment of the truth propounded The difference stands partly in the measure of assenting partly in the cause moving to assent for as touching absolute doubtfulness when the minde hangs in aequilibrio giving no assent either way it s quite opposite to the nature of faith Now the assent of the minde hath three degrees The first is when the minde hath some though weak inclination and hath a propension to assent to a thing propounded perhaps moved by some slight sign or by apprehension of possible truth some call this suspition more fitly perhaps conjecture The Second is when the assent is more stable and resolute yet not without fear that the contrary may be true this called opinion The Third and highest is a perfect and peremptory acknowledgment that the thing propounded is of infallible and certain truth of this last sort is the assent that faith yields Now this certain and perfect assent is of four sorts according to a fourfold means swaying the minde The first is that which is caused by sense as when the minde acknowledgeth a thing for truth because it hath received perfect intelligence from the sight hearing c. or other senses not hindered or deceived The second is that which is caused out of the clear light and evidence of the thing without arguments of any kinde to perswade it as in principles clear of themselves and that need no demonstration or evidence but their own light to convince as that omne totum majus est suâ parte The third is that which is caused by certain discourse and demonstrative arguments which they call science The last is that which is procured by the authority and credit of him that propounds a thing to be received for truth which authority being without exception breeds perswasion as firm as any can be raised by argument sense or if there be any other means more forcible with the minde to perswade And of this last sort is faith Now Fiducia confidence or affiance is that habit or act of the will whereby we hopefully repose our selves upon the power truth and goodness of the promiser for receiving of some good thing promised It differs from belief 1. In the proper seat belief being in the understanding affiance in the will 2. In the object which it s carried unto which is bonum not verum 3. As the effect from the cause this reposing of our selves on arising from a perswasion of the power truth goodness of him we trust in And of the general notion of these two qualities thus far Their difference we shall better yet see if we consider the divers phrases of speech wherein the Scripture expresseth their actions fittingly to that usuall distinction received from Austin putting difference betwixt these two acts of S. Aug. Trict. in Ioh. 29. and Serm. 61 de verb. Domini Credere deo Credere in deum The first being the act of beliefe properly so called the other expressing the act of that other habit which we call fiduciam To apply this Praemissa to the purpose the question is of whether sort that faith which we call justifying is whether a giving credit to God promising us remission of sins in Christ or a relying on his mercy and the merits of Christ for pardon of sins and life everlasting The severall opinions shall be propounded and examined that the truth may the better appear Papists well nigh all that I have seen Resolve of the former and thus determine Bellarm. de Iustif lib. 1. cap 5. 9. See Kemnit Exam. lib. 1. cap. de Fide justific That Faith justifying is no such Affiance or Confidence in Gods mercy as Protestants teach but a general assent to all things contained in the Word of God and a perswasion of their Truth Of our own Divines some not of lowest rank judg that it is meerly an assent to the truth of the Gospell or Evangelicall promise made to us in Christ And they
would thus be understood not that it excludes beliefe of the rest of Gods word but that as it justifies it respects only the Gospel And further this assent they make of two sorts one generall whereby we believe the Gospel to be true another speciall whereby we believe it to be true to us A third sort there are that make it meerly an affiance or confidence in God and his Christ for pardon of sins and salvation The last is of them that make it partly an assent particular partly affiance of these let us enquire which comes nearest unto the truth As touching that of Papists making it only a generall assent to the truth of the whole word of God without any particularlizing either of the object or of the assent The reasons are forcible against it First For that by this means justification is extended to sundry reprobates yea after a sort to divells for if this be the faith that justifyeth namely whereby men assent to the truth of the word of God Iam. 2.19 then must all in whom such faith is be partakers of justification but only the * Rom. 8.30 predestinate are justified reprobates and divells not so Ergo. Secondly Our next reason is from the effects of faith justifying one speciall whereof is that it makes our service all * Heb. 11.6 acceptable to God through Iesus Christ Now how a generall assent to the truth of Gods word without a particular perswasion of his love to us in Christ should thus sweeten our services I would have them explain sith none pleaseth 1 Ioh. 4.19 but what issues from love of God and that again flowes from our perswasion of Gods love to us in Christ Add unto this those other gracious effects or faith justifying as that it breeds peace of conscience Rom. 5.1 Patience yea joy in afflictions under hope certain of glory boldness of appearing before God in prayers c. yea in the day of judgment Can these be imagined to flow from generall faith These and many the like reasons sufficiently overthrow that dream of generall faith Let us examine these Reasons the summe of them I will briefly propound The First lyes thus the faith described by the Apostle Heb. 11. is not a speciall perswasion of Gods speciall mercy or an affiance therein but only a generall assent to the truth of the whole word of God But the faith there described is justifying faith Ergò Justifying faith is not a perswasion of Gods speciall mercie or a confidence therein but a general assent to the truth of the whole word of God Answ To the minor I thus answer that its easily confessed that the Apostle in that whole Chapter describes that faith that justifies But whether he intend an exact definition of the nature of it as it justifieth or rather a setting out and commendation thereof by the effects and properties is the question And its apparent that the Apostles purpose is not so much to give us an exact definition of the nature of it as to exhort to continue therein by arguments drawn from the properties and wonderfull effects that were wrought by it in the Saints that have gone before us as appears there and in Hebr. 10. and 12.1.2 For first think we the Apostle so ill an Artist as to compose his definition of Terms amost all figurative as ver 1. if he desired exactly to set down the nature of it to our understanding Besides that some of the effects ascribed there to faith are particular and almost personally belonging to the Saints there mentioned and which we cannot but foolishly expect to be wrought by our faith Now had the Apostle there intended to describe that faith that justifieth so as to shew us the nature thereof as it justifieth impertinently had those works as miraculous and of personall obedience been there inserted To the Major it is denied Even the faith there described is a speciall perswasion of Gods speciall mercy and an affiance therein For what though there be no mention made of any such specialty either of the perswasion or of the object or of the affiance cannot it therefore be such because it s there described by effects and properties The Apostle 1. Cor. 13 describes unto us at large true Christian charity by Necessity Effects perpetuall endurance shall we now say that Charity is no benevolous or wel-wishing affection towards our neighbour because there is no express mention made thereof where it is purposely described Adde unto this That this speciall perswasion of Gods love in Christ and affiance in his mercy is there necessarily included it being impossible that any of these works of obedience could have been either so couragiously undertaken or so acceptably performed had they not had even such faith as we now enquire of Their second reason lies thus The faith which Christ required commended exhorted unto approved with miracles was onely a generall assent to the truth of the word of God as Matth. 9. and 16. Luke 7. Ioh. 1. c. But that faith which Christ so required and commended c. was faith justifying Ergò Justifying faith is onely a generall assent to the truth of the word of God or as Bellarmine himself inferrs the conclusion Kemnit qua suprà it hath for the object something else besides Gods speciall Mercy Answ If that be the conclusion it was never denied by our Divines but that the faith that justifieth hath for the object not speciall mercy onely but the whole word of God If that therefore be the conclusion the Adversary proves what is not denied For we grant if they will needs have it that its the same faith which believes both the History in generall and which receives and rests on the speciall mercie of God for justification But the questions be 1. Whether generall faith alone suffice to justification 2. Whether the object of faith justifying as it is justifying be the promises of the Gospel as they concern us The first of these we deny the second we avow and prove ut suprà there is none of us that ever denied but that its the same faith which assents to the truth of the word of God in generall and which justifieth us in the sight of God But if we speak of faith as its justifying so we say it respects particularly the promise of the Gospel I illustrate what I mean by this similitude It s the same soul whereby a man lives moves exerciseth sense and useth reason but yet if the question be What it is in the soul that forms a man to his particular nature We say it s the soul not as it gives life motion or sense but as it useth reason Even so c. Now to the proofs of the adverse part I answer that the Major is untrue The faith which Christ required was not onely a generall assent to the truth of the word of God concerning his person power offices c. but principally it was
gift disparate from it not in act and office only but in the very subject and seat where it resides More see to this purpose Suprà The Third opinion is of them that make it only an affiance and resting on God and his Christ as propounded in the gospel for justification and remission of sins And for this opinion these Reasons are brought First For that the phrase wherein usually it is expressed imports rather confidence and affiance then assent or perswasion as Ioh. 12. alibi But finde we it not as often expressed in a phrase that signifies assenting Secondly Because they cannot else finde a difference betwixt faith justifying and that which may be in hypocrites and divells What say they to that particularity of assenting Gal. 2.20 and appropriating the generals to our selves a thing as impossible for hypocrites or divels to perform as that other of affiance and what to that Eph. 3.12 that makes this confidence a fruit of faith justifying The last tenant is of those that make it partly an assent particular partly an affiance and for that opinion are these Reasons First For that the phrases of speech wherein it is expressed seem to import both Secondly They are both required as necessary to justification not only as dispositions but after a sort as ingredients not only as qualifications of the person but our means of justifications Thirdly Because they concur in every person justified as he is justified Now Of these three last which is the truth I dare not peremptorily determine For my part I profess my self to think with them that make faith justifying and assent rather then affiance especially for that place Eph. 3.12 Howbeit I may not deny but that the affiance spoken of in an inseparable companion of that assent perhaps also as conferring something to justification yet this I am well assured of First Faith properly so called hath its seat in the understanding Secondly According to Etymology imports a perswasion Thirdly In use of Scripture most frequently signifieth giving credit rather then putting confidence Fourthly And if there be any truth in that our Divines affirm concerning the office of faith in applying Christ to our selves most likely it should be an assent rather then affiance applying or appropriating of Christ to us being no more but this an acknowledgment that Christ is such to us as the Scripture describes him a Redeemer a Saviour a Mediatour of reconcilement and Author of righteouiness and salvation which acknowledgment is an act of the understanding not of the will Fiftly Besides this the opposites or defects of faith are apparently in the understanding and import defect of assenting as doubting Sixtly The perfection and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I may term it of this grace is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulness of assent and perswasion the grace it self for substance therefore is of the same nature Let us view a little how the Apostle in this Chapter expresseth that faith of Abraham which to him was imputed to righteousness In this verse it s thus enunciated Abraham believed God that is gave credit and assent to what the Lord promised touching a seed and vers 22. He was fully assured or perswaded that he which had promised was able to perform and this perswasion was imputed to him for righteousness All which laid together sway my judgment to theirs that teach faith justifying to be such an assent as in the third opinion is expressed rather then affiance and of the nature of faith justifying thus far There remains yet one thing before we proceed to the fruit of Abrahams faith expressed in the next member And that is to enquire how fitly this testimony is alledged to the purpose of justification the promise being in shew only of a temporall blessing namely a numerous seed and no mention made of Christ the Mediator whom faith justifing as it is such respects Answ Answers here are diversly conceived the likeliest I will propound First It s thus answered that Abrahams faith whereby he believed the promises both touching the reward vers 2. and touching the seed cannot be imagined to have been without respect to Christ the Mediator inasmuch as all the the promises of God are yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 That is have their accomplishment and ratification in and for Christ Secondly That the seed mentioned in the promise is rather to be understood of the spirituall seed then of the carnall posterity of Adam and the head thereof is Christ as the Apostle interprets Gal. 3.16 The fruit of Abrahams faith follows It was counted to him for righteousness The difference in the reading out of the Hebrew originall is little or nothing Hebrew thus he imputed or counted it for righteousness out of the septuagint it s rendred positively it was counted for righteousness For the sense of the words if it be enquired What was it that was counted righteousness It s answered faith as appears both by the text Gen. 15.6 as also vers 5. Was counted unto him for righteousness For better understanding the text let us consider the word first severally and alone according to the native signification and use of Scripture 2. Conjunctly according as thereof sundry phrases are raised The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies usually two things First To repute or esteem and make reckoning of Secondly to impute or ascribe In the first sense Psal 8.4 What is man that thou reputest or esteemest him Christ was reckoned amongst the wicked that is esteemed as they Isai 53.12 In the second sense the use is also frequent Philem. vers 18. If he hath wronged thee or oweth the ought impute that is ascribe it to mee and set it as it were upon my score the speech being borrowed from Merchants The phrases of speech arising from conjunction of this word with others are divers in Scripture In this Chapter faith is said to be imputed to righteousness or reckoned for righteousness wages is said to be reckoned or imputed righteousness to be imputed to a man sins to be imputed or not imputed to the committer The First phrase is of all the rest of most difficult explication Conjectures of others that have any probability I will propound some thus Faith was counted for righteousness that is instead of righteousness as if it supplyed the stead of the righteousness of the Law in this point of justification and this exposition they would approve by likeness of phrase in other things as they conceive it As Rom. 2.26 Uncircumcision is counted for circumcision that is instead of circumcision Rom. 9.8 The Children of the promise are counted for the seed that is instead of the seed But why not thus rather they are counted the seed for so they are apparently not reckoned iustead of the seed but counted or esteemed the leed they being the seed with which the Covenant is made Others thus Faith is imputed to righteousness that is ascribed
righteousness mark the description of him to whom faith is carried as to her proper object He is such an one as justifies the ungodly and from whom sinners great sinners believing in believing may expect justification For God justifieth the ungodly How may some men say by infusing righteousness saith Bellarmine by imputing righteousness say some of our Divines by remitting sins faith Cajetane and of our own Interpreters not a few Let us see whether hath more truth The two former have their agreements and their difference they agree in this First That to justifie in this place signifies to make righteous They differ in the manner how we are made righteous in this sense that the Apostle seems to mean whether by infusion or by imputation Papists especially Bellarmine will have it to be done only by infusing the habits of righteousness as faith charity c. whereby we are made formally and by inheritance righteous Now in handling this question we must remember that it s not denyed of us that God doth make us just by infusing righteousness For we confess God by his spirit doth sanctifie us throughout and infuse the habits of inherent righteousness as they call it whereby we are fitted to exercise morall justice 1 Ioh. 3. Neither deny we but that in the time when he justifieth us by imputation as some speak he also sanctifieth us and works a begun conformity to the law But this is that we enquire of whether this infused righteousness be that whereby we are made just so as according to the course and sentence of the law we stand just at the day of Gods justice This they affirm we all with one consent deny and that upon these grounds First For that Apostle 1 Cor. 4.4 that had his share herein as far as most yet professeth he had not nor expected justification thereby What is his meaning that he did not thereby stand just before God according to the sentence of the law In form thus Pauls righteousness inherent made not him stand just before God according to the tenour of the law Ergo No man is made so just by inherent righteousness as to stand just thereby before God according to the law Psal 143.2 David excellently endued with this righteousness yet deprecates tryall by judgment acording to the law upon this reason In Gods sight no man shall be justified The arguments are two First If David fear the tryall of Gods judgment by the law that had so great a measure of righteousness then is not that the righteousness whereby we stand just before God according to the law for a man having that righteousness which the law requires needeth not fear tryall by exactest justice but David deprecates judgment Ergò 2. View his reason No living man shall be justified in thy sight to wit if thou deal with him in judgment according to the law Theodoret paraphrasing the text expounds Novienim fieri non posse ut aliquis sine paenâ à tuo tribunali discedat si enim hominum vitae regulam legum â te latarum appones nemo secundum has vixisse videbitur And Augustine quantumlibet rectus mihi videar producis tu de thessauro tuo regulam coaptas me ad eam et pravus invenior To these testimonies so direct what answers give they Perhaps they will say they speak of actuall justice not of habituall and therefore are impertinently alledged to the purpose in hand Answ Not to examine that distinction we shall see they conclude as well against habituall as against actuall righteousnes For is our actuall righteousness such as may not endure the censure of the law then certainly it more then seems the habits whence they proceed are not so perfect as after the law they should be For what should let the perfect habit of faith to bring forth a perfect act of faith c. sith therefore the acts are imperfect so are the habits also But other answers they have many and variable First that the Prophet speaks only of justice which a man hath of himself not of God Bellarm. in Psal 143. lib. 4. cap. 20. de justific and that he denies a man to be justified thereby But howsoever or whensoever David had his righteousness if it were justice such as in the law is required why deprecates he judgment He needs not fear Gods Tribuniall that hath the iustice of the law to present unto God For it s written The man that doth them shall live in them Rom. 10 5. Their second Answer is this That David deprecates judgement because of his veniall sins and they forsooth though they deserve punishment in exact justice yet hinder not justification Answ Well then belike these lighter sinnes though a man have He may be justified according to the Law What is then become of that sentence of the Law cursing all men to the pit of Hell that continue not in all things little or great written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 2. And are these the sins onely for which David feared judgement then hear either veniall sins hinder justification or else David doth ill give this as a reason why he was so loath to have the Lord enter into judgement with him because no flesh should be justified in Gods sight In a word draw out the Prophets speech something largely after this Exposition The sense will be this Oh Lord I beseech thee spare calling me to reckoning for my veniall sins For in respect of them sith no man is free from them no flesh shall be justified in thy sight Their third answer No flesh shall be justified because our Righteousness though it be true and pure in it self yet compared to the infinite righteousness of Gods Nature it seems no righteousness as the light of a candle though it be light yet compared to that of the sunne is no light and this exposition hath the Authority of some Fathers annexed Answ With this distinction of righteousness I find no fault It hath the testimony of Fathers and the warrant of Scripture Job 4.18 But is this the reason why David so much feared to come to judgement because he wanted righteousness comparable to the Essential righteousness of God Who can think it it sufficeth to any man at the day of judgement to bring unto God the righteousness which the Law prescribes neither need he fear punishment because he wants righteousnes comparable to that Lev. 18.5 Rom. 10.5 which God hath as God and thus Theod. Aug. and others interpret that his desire to be free from judgement was because he answered not to the rule of righteousness Now is Gods Essentiall righteousness The Rule after which in judgement our righteousness must be squared Dic sodes I think rather the Law of God Saint Hierome in his time alleadged this Scripture against Pelagius to prove that no man ever was or could be so Holy as to live without sin what answer receives he saith
whoso will share with Abraham in the blessing of righteousness must imitate Abraham in the condition of righteousness Believe as he believed and as near as may be tread in the steps of his faith Needs proof see vers 24. and consider that the conveyance of all blessings is made to Abraham and his seed on even terms From hence is it that in the next verse the Apostle takes it for granted that as the promise is one made to Abraham and his seed so the condition is one required of Abraham and his seed Onely let it be remembred that Abrahams measure is not required of all so we follow him in faith though we keep not pace we have interest in his blessing provided alwayes we strive to equal yea to excell him albeit through weakness we reach not his perfection This point had it been well understood or considered of ancient Jews they had not perished so many through vain confidence in their carnall descent from Abraham but so besotted were they in that presumption that they thought very birth of Abraham to give them title to his blessings what more frequent in the mouths of the most incredulous then this We have Abraham to our father Joh. 8.36 39. We be Abrahams seed Abraham is our father But our Saviour well distinguisheth They were his seed by generation not his seed by imitation If they were Abrahams children they would do the works of Abraham but now they seek to kill Christ thus did not Abraham c. And I know not how that Jewish errour hath place in many of our people that think they have enough even to salvation that they proceeded from the loyns of virtuous Parents A blessing I confess not to be dispised and such an one as in temporall favours brings a share often even to graceless children But what advantage in spirituall things a religious parent brings to degenerating posterity I conceive not except perhaps the heavier condemnation Read Ezek. 18. And of this period thus far Proceed we in the Text. VERS 13. 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 THe Apostle having now sufficiently cleared the doubt moved touching the persons to whom this blessing belongs returns now from that digression to his principall purpose propounding new arguments to confirm his conclusion His return is very artificiall and such as matcheth the skill of the chiefest Rhetoricians the close of his digression rescuing after a sort the conclusion from which he had digressed His passage thus conceive Describing the Jews to whom he extends the blessing of justification he will have them thus qualified That they walk in the steps of Abrahams faith And marvell not saith the Apostle that I interpose that condition For the promise was not to Abraham or to his seed by the Law but by the righteousness of faith This third argument therefore is in summe this Look as the blessing was promised to Abraham and his seed so it must be obtained But it was promised to Abraham c. not through the Law but through the righteousness of faith Ergò it must be so obtained Sense The promise Whether we are to take it properly for that act of Gods mercy binding himself by promise to give Abraham this blessing or Meconimically for the thing promised is the question The first acception seems most pertinent as well for the scope of the text as for that we read Gal. 3.16.18 That he should be heir of the world The doubts here are many 1. What is here meant by the World and Abrahams being heir thereof 2. Where we find this promise made unto Abraham 3. How it fits the purpose of the Apostle For the first Beza Paraeus alii Most Interpreters here understand by the World that Mundus credentium whereof 1. John 2.2 and by his being heir thereof his fatherly dominion and title he had to them by Covenant But then the question is How this belongs to his seed for howsoever such dominion was promised to Abraham and he by Covenant was to become Father of many nations yet to his posterity was no such promise made Now the promise here mentioned extends it self to his seed also If any shall say that by the seed we are here as Gal. 3.16 to understand Christ the circumstances of the Text seem not to bear it for shall we say the promise was made to Christ by the righteousness of faith surely it appears his title that he hath to the world as Mediatour comes to him as a reward of his Legall obedience Phil. 2.9 and besides the confirmation added ver 14. seems to force us by the seed to understand Abrahams other posterity except perhaps we shall say that the Apostle intends to shew not so much what condition the Lord required of Abraham or Christ his chief seed to the end they might be heirs of all the world as the means by which he intended to set them in possession of that inheritance which was not by the Law but by the righteousness of faith and that indeed is a truth and affords accommodation of the reasons subjoyned fit enough Judicent docti Others by the world understand by Metalepsis the Kingdome of Heaven figured they say by Canaan as the principall part of the world and that was as they say truly Heb. 12. a type of heaven But where find we in all the Scripture the word world so used To the second doubt Where this promise is extant in Scripture They that by the world understand Believers of all nations alledge that place Gen. 22.17 18. I will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven c. that for the promise to Abraham and for Christ his seed Psal 2.8 I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance They that by the world understand Canaan and that which it Typically shadowed produce these Scriptures Gen. 12.7 and 15 8.8 The first concerns his seed the second Abraham himself To the third question touching the accommodation to the Apostles purpose their conceits are divers the drift is diversly conceived The conclusion some imagine this That Abraham is father of nations not by circumcision but by faith To this conclusion the accommodation is plain The promise That he should be heir of the world was made to Abraham by faith Ergo He is father of them in respect of faith not of circumcision or the law because it is the promise that makes him heir Look therefore how the promise is made so Abraham hath his inheritance The conclusion seems this rather That to believers the blessing of righteousness belongs in respect of faith How followes that from the Apostles proof Answ The inheritance of the world that is of Heaven was made to Abraham through the righteousness of faith Ergo Righteousness it self is obtained by faith there being one condition and means both of justification and salvation according
inasmuch as no man can ever be assured that he hath fatisfied the Law nor indeed can by works fulfill it But the other Expositions seem more pertinent let us view them Faith is vain That is say some frustrate and fruitless though how they explain not perhaps they thus conceive it If they onely which fulfill the Law be heirs then faith is fruitless and can never attain the inheritance promised inasmuch as no man is able to fulfill the Law But I take it the Apostle hath eye rather to the prescription of faith on Gods part then to the fruit on ours So that the sense is this If they which seek the inheritance by the Law do by the Law obtain it needlesly and vainly was faith prescribed to be the means of inheritance To discern the consequence of this argument view we whereupon the necessity of substituting faith instead of works grew The Lord had made a covenant of life with man upon condition of fulfilling the Law so that if he kept the Law and continued in obedience thereof he should live see Rom. 10.5 Lev. 18.5 Man falling through disobedience lost the benefit of that Covenant and withall propagated to posterity a nature so not onely impotent to fulfill the Law but vitiously inclined to the breach thereof that there was no hope of salvation by the Law Howbeit the Lord out of his love to mankind and loath that the whole posterity should perish in his rich mercy was pleased to enter a new covenant of life and salvation establishing another means for our happiness which was faith of the Messiah by which through grace performed we might from Christ receive a better and more firm title to the inheritance This was one reason why faith was prescribed as is intimated Rom. 8. and Gal. 3. Now how needless had this been if by the Law we might inherit salvation To what end go we by faith out of our selves to seek righteousness and salvation in Christ if by the Law performed by our selves we might have obtained it The Consequence therefore we see to be firm Let us now consider what out of this argument may be collected viz. Observ The Doctrine of salvation by works frustrates faith and chargeth on God the crime of folly in ordeining it to be the onely mean of inheritance Much to this purpose speaks the Apostle Gal. 3 c. If righteousness be by the Law then Christ died in vain it had been needless for the Lord to send his Son to die for our sins thereby to procure unto us justification if by the Law we might have obtained the blessing and Rom. 8.3 he makes this his reason why the Lord sent his Son in the similitude of sinfull flesh because it was impossible for the Law weakned by the flesh to give us righteousness Whereto what say our adversaries Forsooth their old distinctions they obtrude for answer Works are of two sorts some done by strength of naturall free-will some by grace and faith works of naturall free-will indeed frustrate faith and grace and Christs death not so works done by grace in faith yea the Apostles consequence Gal. 3. is very firm if by them we will exclude works done through grace For it followes not that if we be justified by works following faith that then Christ dyed in vain Bellarm. de justif lib. 1. cap. 19. nay if Christ had not dyed we could not have been justified by faith or works issuing therefrom It being Gods grace in Christ that hath made our works so virtuous Answ Where first we desire to know for our learning where in all the Scripture we may finde that Christs death or our faith gives to our works justifying or saving virtue That our services are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ that our works done in faith are pleasing to him though in great weakness performed we finde that they are of value to countervail our sins or to purchase Heaven we finde not nay the contrary we finde in sundry Scriptures taught us 2. Yea the purgation of our sins we know Christ made by himself Heb. 1.3 and the way into the holy of holies to be opened by his flesh never by our righteousness Heb. 10.19 20. 3. Let the Reader observe how cleanly a gull they would put upon us in this distinction of works done by grace and those done by power of naturall free will For in these works of grace free-will is according to their principles the predominant 4. Doth the Law of God in any place allow us justification by works imperfect though done in grace search and see whether it damne not to hell the least blemises cleaving to our works and require not only that the principall manner and end be regular but that in every respect they be pure and free from blemish All which considered return us our conclusion firm and undoubtfull notwithstanding these cavills of popish Iustitiaries In our passage let us take notice of the intolerable pride of our merit-mongers chusing rather to robbe God of the glory of his wisdome then in humility to acknowledg the imperfection of their own obedience How much better were it with holy Iob 4â— 6 to abhor our selves in dust and ashes then thus to nullifie the wisdome of God in frustrating his prescripts hath God appointed faith the sole mean of inheritance and shall we by works seek to inherit the blessing I say not much but sure Gal. 4.30 if Ishmael may not be heir with the Son of promise no more shall Workres with believers The second inconvenience follows to be scanned The promise by this means becomes ineffectuall How if any demand Answ Because the inheritance promised shall never by this means be obtained For hangs it on condition of fulfilling the law And must those that desire to inherit by legall obedience obtain salvation Who then can be saved Seeing no man is able by any measure of grace in this life given to fill up the measure of legall righteousness This saving the judgment of more Learned I take to be the ground of the consequence the rather for the reasons objoyned Hence the inference is fluent That who so teacheth us to seek salvation by works frustrates Gods promise and deprives us of salvation Not but that good works are necessary but as duties not as merits for thankfulness not for righteousness as the way to the kingdome not as causes of salvation the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman Gal. 4.30 That is by Pauls intention not legall workers with Evangelicall believers Gal. 3.9 As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse so far is it that they should have any title to the blessing Such mischiefs bring pharisaicall Iustitiaries upon their sectaries Hear the Reasons They bind us by this means to a condition and means of Salvation impossible not onely to Nature but to Grace according to that portion God is pleased in this life to
obedience except thou mayest thereby be justified Is not that love of God in sending his Son to dye for thy sins that he might make thee zealous of good works enforcement sufficient to all obedience except thou mayest part stakes with Christ in the glory of thy salvation Hear Paul The love of Christ constraineth me to all faithfulness in my calling 2 Cor. 5.14 2. And is it nothing that by this means we make our calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 3. Nothing that others by seeing their spotless conversation are occasioned to glorifie God Mat. 5.16 In a word that nothing might be wanting to quicken our dulness the Lord hath been pleased by promise to binde himself to recompence even of slenderest duties tendred to him in sincerity Mat. 10.41 A reward thou shalt have accrewing not from worth of thy works but from grace of the promiser Will not that satisfie Not at all except they may merit Heaven as if they should say they had rather have no salvation then be beholden to Gods bounty for the bestowing The Apostle methinks thunders against such meritmongers They are fallen from grace and Christ shall profit them nothing Gal. 5.4 Lastly Hence learn to detest as greatest enemies to thy salvation all such as teach to seek it by the law of such saith Paul let them be Anathema Aut utinam exscindantur Gal. 5.12 Of all Hereticall and false Teachers this last age hath afforded I know none more pernicious then these two 1. Libertines that teach to neglect obedience as in every respect unnecessary 2. Justitiaries that press obedience as available to justification The first sort are odious to all except Epicures The latter by how much the more strictly they urge obedience and that so fittingly to the humor of nature by so much the more pernicious As much excludes from Heaven the intention of meritting by performing as the neglect of the Lawgivers authority in omitting obedience These are enemies to the Dominion The other professed adversaries to the grace of God VERS 16 17. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all Vers 17. As it is written I have made thee a Father of many nations c. HItherto hath been shewen that justification is not by works Followes now farther confirmation of the affirmitive part that it is by faith The arguments here laid down are from the ends and scope which the Lord propounds to himself in our justification and salvation First The glory of his grace Secondly Our comfort Thirdly And both these are intended to all the seed All these severall arguments are artifically linked together by the Apostle and as it were entwyned one in another by mutuall dependance Let us view them severally It must be by faith that it may be by grace If the inheritance be ours by grace and not by debt then must it be by faith but it is ours by grace Ergo. The force of the consequence we will shew after we have a little explaned the text The verb suppositum are both wanting It is by faith What must be by faith Either the promise or the inheritance the inheritance rather see vers 13.14 What is the verb to be supplyed whether it is promised or it is attained whether we will the sense no whit varied by either The parcells here to be considered are two First That the inheritance is attained by grace Secondly That except it be attained by faith it cannot be ours by grace It were impertinent perhaps on this occasion to run out into that question Whether by grace we are here to understand the gifts of grace in us or the favour of God towards us The best Interpreters amongst the adversaries oppose it to debitum and expound it liberality Cajetan Sasbout By grace then understand we Gods free and undeserved favour without any of our works or debt accrewing from God to us by merit see vers 4 and Rom. 11.6 Observ The point is that our righteousness and salvation is of Gods free favour Hereto after a sort agree our adversaries but yet latet anguis Whether meerly of grace or mixtly of grace and merit Who so is conversant in their writings shall finde them so sharing the matter betwixt grace and merit that he would think the spirit of Pelagius to be revived in them He seeing how odious his barefaced heresie was teaching that a man without help of Gods grace might live without sin began to colour it with equivocating and in terms to joyn with orthodox teachers and to give place to the necessity of grace assisting in the fulfilling of the Law whereupon said Austin finding but the term of grace and mercy by cunning concession inserted by Pelagius Augustine de natur grat cap. 11. Laetitiâ repente perfusus sum quòd Dei gratiam non negaret per quam solam homo justificari potest But what was this grace of God admitted by Pelagians Nothing else but freewill which our nature receives from God without any precedent merits and the law or doctrine of God Augustin de Haeres Haer. 88. whereby we are taught what we should do and in doing hope for With like cunning deal our adversaries Justification and salvation they are of grace But what is grace the gift of charity in us How of grace because not without it but prinbipally and originally from it Let us enquire whether this can be the sense of the Apostle in ascribing the inheritance unto Gods grace or whether his purpose be only to make grace a sharer with our merits and not rather so to give all to grace that he excludes all debitum that may accrew to us in respect of our works See Annotat. ad cap. 3.24 Freely by grace that is meerly by grace and vers 27. So that all boasting in our selves may be excluded In a word See 1. Our state before calling it is such as wherein no merits except for the truth of the point merita mala as Austin terms them Augustin de grat lib Arbitr cap. 5. can have place whence is that of Paul so often repeated not of works of righteousness Tit. 3.5.2 Tim. 1.9 2. After calling works imperfect Rom. 7.3 The good that is in them meerly the work of Gods grace whence that of Austin Si donasunt bona merita tua non deus coronat merita tua tanquam merita tua sed tanquam dona sua Augustin de grat lib. Arbitr cap. 78. And again Si vita bona nostra nihil aliud est quam dei gratia Sine dubio vita aeterna quae bonae vitae redditur Dei gratia est ipsa enim gratis datur quia gratis data est illi cui datur The labour would be long and endless almost to
point at all the dreams and devices of the enemies of Gods grace with their cunning shifts in that no less then Sacrilegious diverting the more part of the glory of mans salvation from Gods grace to our selves Fitter occasion will hereafter offer it self only I say as Augustine Augustin tract in Ioh. 3. seeing God gives freely let us love freely quia gratis dedit gratis ama noli ad praemium diligere deum The Second point followes That it may be of grace it must be of faith This way of justification and no other preserves the glory of Gods grace entire Let us see how say some because grace is promised and given only to the believer Paraeus ad loc that is a truth But the Apostles purpose in this argument is not to shew the necessity of faith to the obtaining of grace but rather to the maintaining of the glory of Gods grace in the matter of our righteousness and salvation Let us enquire therefore how this means of justification by faith stablisheth grace and how that other by works either overthrows or empairs it May we say as some of late because faith is a free gift of God in us The like may be said of charity But take faith correlatively thou shalt see easily how this means of justification alone and no other makes grace glorious For if all our title to righteousness and salvation accrew to us only for the obedience sake of Christ apprehended by faith who sees not how entirely the glory of all belongs to the grace of God But I wonder how Papists with all their skill can uphold the concurrence of works in procuring our title to righteousness and salvation and not overthrow or clip at the least the glory of Gods grace Perhaps because our works proceed of grace but Dic sodes are they meerly of grace or partly of the power of nature Their common consent is that though grace be a principall yet naturall abilities have their partnership in every good work So much as they ascribe to nature so much they derogate from the grace of God See Annotat. ad cap. 3. vers 27. S. Bern Ser. 67. in Cantic 28. Deest gratiae quicquid meritis deputas as S. Bernard The Second argument followes That the promise may be sure and that to all the seed Whether we make this a second argument or a confirmation of the minor in the former is not much materiall If a new argument thus is the frame If the promise must be sure then must the inheritance be of faith But the promise must be sure Ergo. Take it the other way It is of grace Why Because else the promise cannot be sure I rather conceive it as a second argument though linked thus artificially with the former In it we have also two points First That the promise is sure Secondly That except the inheritance be of faith the promise cannot be sure Sure Whether in it self in respect of certain accomplishment or to us in respect of our apprehension and undoubtfull perswasion This later some insist on and thus give the sense If the inheritance depend on any thing except faith and grace we can never have any assurance to obtain the promise but must needs be filled with uncomfortable doubtings and uncertain waverings And that is a truth but not here directly taught The Apostle speaking of the certainty of the promise rather in it self then to our apprehension and perswasion though by Consequence this follows from the former Observ The Point is That the promise of inheritance is firm and shall have certain accomplishment Read for this Heb. 8.6 where the Apostle compares the two covenants together and shews that of grace to be preferred especially in respect of the certainty of it and of our attainment of the blessings therein conveyed And view 1. The Mediatour Christ in whose bloud it is ratified Heb. 10.2 The removall of impediments by mercifull pardon of sinnes and imperfections Heb. 8.3 The certain donation of graces necessary to attainment and our confirmation therein ibidem the certainty of accomplishment is easily discerned The more solid is our Hope and the more firm should be our faith and confidence as the Apostle inferres Heb. 10.23 So that neither violence of afflictions nor prevailing of heresies nor conscience of our own weaknesses and imperfections to which pardon is promised Heb. 8. nor any doubt of perseverance in state of grace should make us waver 2 Tim. 2.19 For he is faithfull that hath promised not onely salvation but pardon of sinnes donation of spirit perseverance and perfecting the work of grace to the day of the Lord Jesus Christ It is true there are duties required of us to the obtaining of the promises as faith and perseverance in faith obedience and perseverance in obedience but that God that requires them hath covenanted to work them Jer. 31. and 32.40 The next point is The necessity of faith and the property it hath peculiar to it self in making firm after a sort the promise the truth of this point will the better appear if we shall consider a little the consent and difference of the two Covenants Their agreement is this in both is promised Salvation and Blessedness of the Law it is said That if a man do it he shall live thereby as of faith he that believeth shall be saved Their difference stands 1. In the condition the Law requiring perfect obedience to be performed in our own persons threatning a curse to every transgression Gal. 3.10 The other Covenant requiring faith of the Messiah and sincere endeavour of obedience A second difference the Law requires perfect obedience promiseth neither ability to perform it nor pardon to any imperfection The Gospel so requires faith that it promiseth to work it so new obedience that withall the Lord covenanteth to make us walk in his statutes Ezek. 36. Yea and to pard on imperfections Jer. 31. Heb. 8. And besides delivers all these promises as ratified unto us in the bloud of Christ These things thus briefly laid together shew how faith onely makes the promise sure because to the believer promise is made 1. To remove impediments by pardon and sanctification 2. To enable to do and to persevere in doing whatsoever the Lord in the Covenant of grace requires to salvation Who can shew like promises made to the Worker that not without cause said the Apostle It must be of faith that the promise may be sure it being impossible by the Law to obtain the promises The third Argument from the extent of the promise both in the making and accomplishment It is made and must be sure to all the seed not onely to that of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham therefore it must be of faith and not of the Law The minor hath its proof in the latter end of the verse and is also further confirmed and illustrated vers 17. Abraham is the father of all
Tertullian well answers That this sentence is of undoubted truth Nothing at all is hard unto God but yet if we shall thus abruptly use this sentence in our presumptuous and ground less conceits we may feign any thing of God as if he had wrought it because he had power to work it Non autem quia omnia potest facere ideo credendum est illum fecisse etiam quod non fecerit sed an fecerit requirendum God could have furnished man with wings to flie he hath done it to kites follows it thence that he hath done it yea or that ever it shall be done In a word Dei posse velle est non posse nolle Quod autem voluit potuit ostendit c. Psal 115.3 Gods power must be considered with his will and significations thereof what he will do he can do what he hath signified he will do let us build upon it that it shall be effected but where we want evidence of his will we shall but absurdly expect the event in respect of his power for he can do more then ever shall come to passe With like frand do our Transubstantiatours and their of spring Ubiquitaries delude the simple perswading the reall presence of Christs body some in many some in all places by this as one argument God is omnipotent Quis hoc nesciat To vield that it is possible for God to make reall communication of immensity part of his incommunicable glory to Christs Humanity and to grant that God can uphold a body in its essence without that essentiall property of a body Circumscription What Divinitie teacheth to believe that as actually true which God hath power to effect where is no evidence of his will to work it Abraham rested on Gods power and therewith supported his faith but it was for things whereof he had a promise as after followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And of the generalis thus far Let us now view the words Who quickneth the dead and calleth things that be not as though they were These effects subject to Gods power Abraham considered fittingly for support of his faith in the particular promised him Sense For thesense of the words Sasbout Cajetan alii Many Interpreters take them particularly and thus interpret Who quickeneth the dead That is that gives generative virtue to men disabled for generation so putting as it were a new life into them And calleth the things that are not as if they were That is that makes eximious things contemptible the Gentiles that were no people a people of God I rather think they are to be taken in their largest sense according to the immediate purport of the words though I confess Abraham from them inferred the particulars of his promise and thus conceive Abraham to have reasoned for the establishing of his faith His first conclusion is this My body now as dead in respect of the act of generation God will quicken and make vigorous His argument God by his power can quicken the dead therefore he can give generative vigour to my dead body His second Conclusion The seed promised though it yet subsist not yet shall have being His argument God by his word makes things to be that are not Ergo. The question here moved by some seems to me impertinent Whether it be Gods property onely to raise the dead inasmuch as the Apostles purpose here is not to deliver these as effects peculiar to Gods power but rather to shew that they are things subject to his power Which was that that Abraham considered for establishment of his faith In the mean time I joyn with them in the conclusion That these effects fall not under the compass of any created power for howsoever we read of some Prophets and Apostles that raysed up the dead yet was not the virtue that quickened them inherent in them they being but instruments if so much rather signifiers of Gods will to effect such miracles In a word in all miraculous effects three sorts of causes must be distinguished 1. The principall efficient that is Gods power 2. The instrument or mean cause which sometimes are creatures and their actions not so much elevated above their naturall ability as chosen of God to be attended with his divine virtue 3. The cause dispositive which is fides miraculosa Gregor Dial. lib. 2. cap. 30. Gregory goes far yet stayes within these bounds Sancti aliquando ex potestate miracula exhibent aliquando postulatione utrolibet tamen modo Deus principaliter operatur c. saith Thomas If therefore at any time this effect be ascribed to Saints it is to them onely as instruments or means by faith obtaining the miracle to be wrought by the power of God Sive sit Elizaeus sive ille magnus Elias mortuorum utique suscitatores ipsi quidem suo non imperio sed ministerio for is exhibent nobis nova insueta Deus verò in ipsis manens ipse facit opera Bern. super Cantic Serm. 13. Vse Let us see to what use the meditation of these mighty effects of Gods power may serve us God quickneth the dead and calleth the things that be not as if they were that is by his word gives things being that erst had no being in nature When there was no light he onely said Let there be light and there was light when no firmament he called for a firmament and there was a firmament These and the like effects of Gods power Abraham meditated and thereby assured himself of obtaining the promises that had no help of performance in nature As comfortable and great promises God hath made us as he did to Abraham as to raise our bodies out of the dust of the earth and to make them like to the glorious body of the Lord his Son Christ Phil. 3.21 Why should it seem encredible to any as Paul speaks that the Lord should raise the dead Acts 26.8 He could at first build the body in that excellent figure out of the dust why not again repair the ruines death hath wrought in it He quickneth the dead He hath promised to * Isa 5 7.15 revive the spirit of the humble and to bring them up from the gates of hell Why are our souls so disquieted with our present apprehension of Gods wrath as if our state were remediless He quickens the dead Promised to work faith knowledge sanctification in the hearts of all that conscionably seek them in the means What now if we feel nothing but infidelity Let him but call for faith by his word he works it in the most incredulous and as he caused the light to shine out of darkness so can he cause the light of the glorious Gospel of Iesus Christ to shine in the hearts that yet sit in darkness and in the shadow of death In these spirituall effects of his power instances we have daily How many dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickened by his spirit to newness of
Scripture if necessary or else are such points of faith or practice as in the conclusion are inquireable For that of infants Baptism Scripture prescribes in Generalls Principles equivalent For that of the blessed Maries perpetuall Virginitie post partum a point that we piously believe according to some probabilities of Scripture No matter of such weight as that the doubting or deniall thereof should shut us up under condemnation To leave these men to their vain faith and conversation taught by their fathers traditions from which Christ with his bloud hath ransomed us 1 Pet. 1.18 Let us in matter of faith learn Abrahams prudence believe according to that we know the Lord hath spoken And this rule let us remember it is partiall infidelity to deny credence to any thing delivered in Scriptures Fancy not Faith to believe as Gods truth what he hath not in Scriptures revealed unto us And here I cannot but take notice of the folly of many amongst us Wise it may be in their generation wiser in their own conceit Their profession is this in the point of believing They had rather believe too much then too little and in that sottish resolution how many gross errours drink they in almost to the bane of their souls It cals to mind that fable should I call it or story rather of a woman in the dayes of Popish darkness accused to her Confessour for denying Christs carnall presence in the Sacrament that being charged by the Priest with that point of heresie made answer for her self That she never made question of any such matter And believest thou indeed saith her Confessour that Christ is there present Flesh Bloud and Bone as he was born of the Virgine Not He onely saith the woman but his blessed Mother also O woman replies this Seraphicall Doctour great is thy faith or rather O man great is thy impious folly to approve as points of faith such sottish dreams a just parallel for our men so superfluous and supererogatory in matter of believing But now proceed we in the Text. VERS 19 20 21. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarahs Wombe He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform THe next commendable property of Abrahams faith is the strength of it set out in an Antithesis and heap of words Not weak but strong and fully assured 2. By removing certain effects of weak faith from Abraham as 1. Consideration and looking down upon things that opposed the promise and might hinder faith 2. Doubting or debating of the promise 3. By the means supporting and strengthening faith the truth and power of the promiser This is the sum these the particulars of this passage Sense For sense of the words Sundry questions offer themselves to be discussed First was Abrahams faith so perfect that in it was no weakness no doubtfulness at all Answ So Origen so Papists often in question touching perfection of righteousness The truth is great things are here given to Abraham in this point of believing Now whether this strength of faith should be conceived comparatively or limited to the particular Article now in hand may be some question This once is evident in the story of Abraham that however firm his faith was touching this particular at some time yet in other things Cajetan ad loc he bewrayed some incredulity and at other times as Cajetane conjectures was not without some doubtfulness of this promise Now what when it is yielded Abrahams faith was at sometime perfect in respect of this particular promised The Law to justification requires an universall perfection of all virtues as well as of faith and in faith perfection not onely in respect of some particulars but of all truths revealed and that not at sometimes onely but perpetually without interruption Gal. 3.10 A second quaere How saith Paul Abraham considered not his body dead c. When as Moses bringeth him laughing at the promise Gen. 17.17 and enquiring as it should seem of the likelihood of it Shall a child be born to him that is an hundred years old and shall Sarah that is ninty years old bear Answ Cajetane answers That the quaeres of Abraham recorded by Moses were made whiles yet the Revelation was not so clear unto him and issued not so much from doubtfulness of the thing as from desire to be informed whether the words bear the sense that their sound purported Pauls speech is to be referred to the time when the Revelation was complete and the sense thereof distinctly understood conferre Gen. 17.17 18. What if we say Pauls meaning is this He considered not these impediments out of doubtfulness of the promise but as admiring the power and great grace of the Promiser intending him a favour that must be accomplished against the course of nature saith Augustine Riserat pater quando ei promissus est Augustin de Civ dei lib. 16. cap. 31. super Gen. qu. 36. admirans in gaudio riserat mater quando iterum promissus est dubitans in gaudio The same Augustine to like purpose enquires Why the Lord reproves Sarahs and not Abrahams laughter and thus answers Quia illius risus admirationis laetitiae fuit Sarae autem dubitationis So much force is there in the grounds of our actions to determine them either to good or evil The third quaere How saith Paul of Abrahams body it was dead that is destitute of generative vigour when as so many years after he had many children by Keturah Gen. 25.1 August qu. 35. super Gen. de Civ Dei lib. 16. c. 28. contra Iulian. Pelag. l. 3. c. 11 2. his second wife after Sarahs death Answ Augustine in many places propounds this doubt and assoyls it The summe of his solution is this First that it was dead in respect of Sarahs body decayed by age not so in respect of a younger woman alledging to that purpose the judgement of Physicians Emortuum corpus non ita intelligendum est ac si omnino nullam vim generandi habere posset si mulier juvenilis aetatis esset sed secundum hoc emortuum ut etiam de provectioris aetatis muliere non posset His second answer this That Abrahams bodie was dead until such time as the Lord was pleased to put new vigour into it as he did for the begetting of Isaac and that the same gift of generation continued after the death of Sarah for begetting of other children of Keturah we have both in summe Abrahams body was dead through age ut ex illius aetatis foeminâ gignere non valeret qui tamen ipse de adolescentula valeret sicut postea de Cethura valuit quamvìs illic dici possit foecunditatis munus in eodem
at all that never had conflict with infidelity though this be true yet in doubtfulness simply none hath comfort because it is a fruit of infidelity The sense of unbelief is occasionally comfortably and striving against doubting is a sign of faith in this thou hast no comfort that thou doubtest but this is the comfort that thou seest thine unbelief bewailest it and strivest against it Mar. 9.24 Secondly It serves to admonish us to strive against doubtings and to pray with the Disciples Lord help our unbelief Luk. 17.6 The root is bitter out of which it grows the vice most dishonourable to God most discomfortable to our selves unbelief 2. This banes our prayers and makes them return empty from our God Iam. 1.7.3 Breeds wavering in Christian profession and practice vers 8.4 In a word makes all duties flow coldly from us whilest we question Gods power or will to reward them 5. Dishonours the promiser by questioning his ability or readiness to perform what he hath promised And that is it which in the contrary comes next to be treated From the signs of strength in Abrahams faith the Apostle passeth to the effect thereof He gave glory to God by such his believing Giving glory to God We may not so conceive as if any reall access of glory came to God by Abrahams believing he is for gloriousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no reall addition or diminution comes to his glory from the creatures of himself and in himself he hath all perfection of glory before the worlds were his wisdome and power the truth were in him in the same infinite measure as now by his works he procures not glory but either manifests or communicates it to his Creatures But we are said to give him glory in way either of acknowledgement or publication so Abraham by believing gave glory to God inasmuch as thereby he acknowledged the power and truth of the Promiser The point to be observed is How glorious a thing it is to God firmly to believe and rest upon his word I know not whether by any one Duty God reap more honour then from this of believing His power his truth his goodness his mercy Attributes that the Lord counts most gloririous to himself and desires ratherest to be acknowledged amongst men by believing we acknowledge Yea if there be any other office and duty whereby Gods glory is published and occasionally acknowledged by others from faith it issues Profession Patience Love Mercy or if there be any other virtue by exercise whereof men are excited to glorifie God From Faith they all flow as from their fountain And I marvell not at the Lords so sore indignation against Moses his friend for not sanctifying him by believing read Deut. 32.51 Num. 20.12 and 27.14 and 11.21 22 23. a greater dishonour he could scarcely have done to the majesty of God Faith thinks highly of God Incredulity abaseth him By this we may take occasion to judge of that doctrine of Doubting so much commended by adversaries to Gods people as more honourable unto God then is ours of assurance That we may not seem to wrong them let us understand that Generall faith they allow to be undoubtfull Faith speciall they make the Lutherans dream having no ground at all in the word of God their meaning is that what is in generall taught touching the power and truth of God in fulfilling his promises must and may be believed with undoubtfull faith For our particular to believe that to us he will give Remission of sinnes perseverance and life eternall they teach the performance to be to the ordinary rate of Gods children impossible and groundless the attempt arrogant and presumptuous Hope it we may out of a probable conjecture believe it we may not as out of infallible evidence Hence are those often commendations given to a course holden betwixt doubtfull Hope and slavish Fear in our passage towards Gods kingdome Where First I demand Whether there may not or ought to be speciall Faith of Gods Power my meaning is whether a man be not bound to believe that God can pardon his personall sinnes and give him life eternall and whether the doubting thereof in respect of our Persons be not censurable of unbelief It is truly said Cain sinned more by despairing of Gods mercy and denying his power to forgive his sinne then in embruing his hands in his brothers bloud speciall Faith then there may and ought to be touching Gods power to perform his promise Let us see whether like faith ought not to be concerning Gods truth and Will to perform it 1. Commandment is given to pray for pardon of our own sinnes to pray for perseverance and life eternall and a requisite condition in available prayer to believe not onely that God can but that he will give what we pray for see Mark 11.23 Matth. 21.21 Jam. 1.6 7. How then is it a point of arrogancy to endeavour speciall faith 2. Besides this What dishonour is this to the spirit of God not to believe his testimony given in our hearts Rom. Bern. de Annunciat Ser. 1. Augustin Mannal c. 24. 8.16 shall we say It is of Generalls onely Hear Bernard Si credis peccata tua non posse deleri nisi ab eo cui soli peccâsti hene facis sed adde adhuc ut hoc credas quia per ipsum tibi peccata donantur hoc est Testimonium quod perhibet in corde nostro Spiritus Sanctus dicens Dimissa sunt tibi peccata tua More I add not upon this occasion onely I say If to rest on Gods word be a thing so Honourable to the Promiser to doubt of his promise is to derogate from his glory whether the doubt be of his Power or of his Will of the Generall or for our own Particular Let all Gods children to whom God hath given repentance take notice of their doubtings as things dishonourable to God and derogatory from the glory of his power and truth and mercy What when God proclaimeth pardon even to bloudy sinnes repented Isa 1.18 shall we question whether in mercy he can or will forgive the sins we have forsaken when he hath ratified all his promises in the bloud of his Sonne 2 Cor. 1.20 shall we question whether he mean sooth in promising his children pardon protection perseverance or life eternal God forbid I say not we can at all times free our selves of doubtings onely I advise to take notice of them as of sinnes not of lightest nature detracting so much from the glory of the power or truth or goodness of the promiser It follows now in the Text. And being fully assured or perswaded The strength of Abrahams faith the Apostle hath before declared by removing from him the effects and signes of weakness in believing the same he here shews positively setting down the property and nature of faith in her strength and ascribing it to Abraham In the words are two things 1. The measure of Abrahams perswasion He