so should fetch all its vertue from the ob- | should think this tolerable, yet if we conthese were spiritual promises, and of common concernment to all the feed; Christ, in whom all the promises are yea, and amen, must be looked to in them; they must all speak of him, he being the kirnel of them all: and so Abraham believed God, holding forth Christ in these promises, and leaned upon them, or Chrift in them, and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness; that is, Christ, or his merits, rested on, was imputed to him as his righteousness. ject, which is truth) but any other thing; -and so a dogmatical and historical faith, fhould be the faith that justifieth; and fo devils, and all who have this faith, should be justified; whereas the faith which the apostle speaks of here, is that which looks to Christ crucified, and is called faith in his blood, Rom. iii. 25. 8thly, Then Christ's righteousness should not be imputed unto us, nor we faid to be cloathed therewith; for this faith shall be all our covering, and having it, we shall be accounted perfectly righteous before God: but the apostle, in this business of justification, takes faith in fuch a sense, as doth no way justle with the imputed righteousness of Christ, but as rather necessarily presupposeth the fame, as being only founded thereupon; so, verse 11. he says, that righteousness might be imputed, which is the righteousness of an other. 4. We say, faith is not faid here to be imputed for righteousness, as if it were our evangelical righteousness; that is to fay, that all that which the apostle meaneth hereby, is only, that faith is the condition of the new covenant, and of justification. I grant, that by faith we are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, and fo are justified; yet I say, in these words, faith imputed for, or unto righteousness, righteoufnefs must be taken for Chrift's righteoufnefs, and not for our gospel righteoufness, (as fome are pleased to stile faith, or the condition of the new covenant, as diftinct from Christ's righteousness, which they call our legal righteousness) for the reasons mentioned in the exposition of verses 3.4. Aud, moreover, because it is added afterward, to whom it hall be imputed: What shall be imputed? even the righteousness here mentioned. Now, this cannot be faith, because it is added, if we believe, or, to fuch as believe; and how incongruous a fpeech Were it to fay, Faith shall be imputed to us if we have faith: and though fome fider how these words are brought in by the apostle, as a limitation of that general affertion, But unto us also, unto whom it shall be imputed; least all that hear of this, should challenge an interest in this imputation, he addeth, It is only to fuch as believe, for fo runeth the words in the original. Now, if the apostle meant, that it is faith properly taken which is here imputed, what need were there of this limitation? Could the apostle imagine, that any would think that faith should be imputed to them that never had faith? and for this cause should fay, that faith is only imputėd to such as have faith. So that the thing which is faid to be imputed here to righteousness, must be some other thing than faith. 5. And so taking righteousness only for Christ's righteousness, we say, it is that which is imputed and made over to believers; and therefore faith, must be taken as connotating its object, where it is faid to be imputed; and so the meaning shall be, Christ's merits, laid hold on by faith, is imputed to believers as theirs, and only imputed to them; and faith is the way how this righteoufness of Chrift's becometh theirs. This will be further clear, if we confider how this promife, which Abraham is faid to have believed, was a promife, for substance, of fpiritual things. The promise that he shou'd be the heir of the world, and that he should become the father of many nations, in the letter, were carnal; yet, for substance and fignification, they were spiritual, Heb. vi. 12. 13. 14. 15. and did not concern hiinself alone, but all believers, who are therefore, Heb. vi. 17. called, the heirs of promise and for their fakes no less, if not more, than for Abraham's, it was, that the promise was confirmed by oath, even to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counset; and that we might have trong confolation, who have fled for refuge to lay bold upon the hope fet be. fore us, verses 17. 18. So then seeing All that can be observed on this verse, hath been obferved on verses 3. 5. 11. and needeth not to be here repeated. VERSES 23. 24. 25. Now it was not written for his fake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us alfo, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. IN N end, the apostle is applying his whole discourse about Abraham, unto the present purpose, and brings it in as answering an objection: they might say, It fpeaks little to the point, to bring in Abraham's instance, for he was a man of a strong faith, and so though righteousness was imputed to him, who was such an eminent believer, yet it may be, it shall not be imputed unto us, whose faith is no way fo strong: And, might they fay, Abraham's faith was of another nature than ours; he had fome special promises made to him, and his faith firmly acted on them; now we have not the like, and cannot act faith upon the like; and fo his example will be of no use to us. To this he answereth by these particulars: 1. It is true, this truth was fet down in scripture, to shew, how acceptable Abraham's faith was to God, and how his faith was imputed unto righteousness; and so it was for his confo there is more use of this truth, It was not written for his fake alone, 3. but for us aljo to whom it shall be imputed. This imputation of righteousness was not peculiar to Abraham, but imputation of righteousness is a benefit that shall have place in the church through all ages, even unto the end; it shall still be a-doing, for the words may be read thus, To whom it shall come to pass that it shall be imputed. 4. Yet lest any should lay claim to this righteoufnefs, and expect to have it imputed to them without ground, he addeth a limitation, and sheweth who these are unto whom it shall be imputed, viz. fuch as believe on him that raised up Christ. And fo, 5. he points out the object of this juftifying faith to be Christ, dying and rifing again for us, according to the appointment and good-will of the Father; who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification. And, 6. he so sets forth this object, as that our faith may be seen not to be of another nature than that faith of Abraham's; he believed in God who raiseth the dead, and we believe on God who raised up Jefus our Lord from the dead. So that here, in few words, we have the fum of the gospel: Christ as our Cautioner and Mediator set forth, 1st, in his humiliation, he was dead; a chief part is put for the whole. 2dly, In his exaltation, he was raised; a part also is put for the whole. 3dly, In the chief and principal of all this, God, who both delivered him, and raised him. 4thly, The procuring cause, it is for our offences, or great and grievous tranfgreffions; and the final cause, and fo he died that they might be removed. And, 5thly, The end, for our justification; that we might be absolved from the fentence of the law, and the curse of God, which was hanging above our heads: Or, he died to expiate our fins and rose that we might be made righte ous; not that either of those can be severed from the other, nor as if his death dic lation and hope; But 2. that is not all, I contribute nothing to our juftification, and hi bis refurrection did contribute nothing to the expiation and pardon of our fins; for we find that sometimes our whole redemption is attributed to his death, as Rom. iii. 24. and v. 10. and sometimes to his resurrection, Rom. x. 9. so that the apostle doth not feparate or divide these two states of his, as Mediator, but only differenceth them by their proper nearest ends; expiation of fin being the nearest end of his death, and imputation of righteousness the nearest end of his refurrection; and fo sheweth, that as we needed both these effects, so he not only died, but became victor; and fo procured our pardon and righteousness, and by his refurrection shewed forth that death was overcome, for the sting of death is fin, and this sting he hath removed, and by his refurrection applieth the redemption purchased. OBSERVATIONS. I. Howbeit upon particular emergent occafions, scripture was commited to write; yet therein may we see the goodness and wisdom of God, consulting our establishment and comfort, against our fpiritual enemies, in that his mind was so commited to write, not for that age only, but also for his church in all ages to come, to whom it is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction, 2 Tim. iii. 16. fee 2 Pet. i. 19. Rom. xv. 4. so he says, it was not written for his fake alone,----but for us also. II. Albeit the condition of the church, at the time when the Lord's word was III. Whatever special favour or benefit, absolutely necessary, we find bestowed up on believers, in scripture, upon whatsoever particular occasion we find it mentioned, tho' upon an occafion whereof we shall possibly never have the like; yet may we expect the fame who have fled in to Chrift; for albeit we find it faid, that righteousness was imputed to Abraham upon a special occafion, yet may believers in all ages expect that it shall be imputed to them also. IV. The imputation of righteousness shall be a benefit which shall have place in the church in all ages, and a benefit which every believer in all time coming may expect, and must have; feeing there is but one door, even Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, John xiv. 6. for it hall be imputed to us also. V. As it is the same righteousness wherewith believers, first and last, are cloathed; so this robe is one and the fame way put on, and is imputed upon the fame terms unto all to whom it is imputed, viz. upon the condition of faith: for it shall be imputed to us also, if we believe. VI. The faith by which we are justified, and have righteousness imputed to us, however it may vent differently in divers perfons, upon diverse occafions, and as fetching in something answerable to their particular cafes and exigences from the Lord, and so be diversly exercised according to these exigences; yet for substance it is one and the fame in all justified perfons; for Abraham was justified by faith, and so are we; tho' his faith, as to parti written unto them, and the case of particular promises, answering his particular cular persons, upon occasion whereof we find it written, doth not agree to our cafe, in every particular circumstance; yet the straits and necessities, and spiritual condition of the church in all ages, being for substance the fame, the word written will be useful and edifying to us; for that which was written of Abraham, whose cafe in some refpect was fingular, was written also for us. See again, Rom. xv. 4. cafe, did otherways vent itself than our faith doth; so as it was imputed to him who believed, so is it to us, if we believe. VII. That faith whereby we are justified, doth, in all ages, look out to, and rest upon a Meffiah fatisfying justice, and acquiring a righteousness, according to the will and appointment of God; and fo it carrieth a man quite out of himself, and to look for acceptance in and through another: X 2 other: it shall be imputed to us, if we believe in him who raised up Christ, &c. otherways not. VIII. Faith will be accepted as that upon which righteoufness will be imputed, if it look out fincerely and honeftly to Christ, and rest on him, dying and rifing again, tho' it be not so strong as was in Abraham: tho' we cannot win to a plerophory and full perfuafion, yet if we receive and rest on a crucified Cautioner. heartily and fincerely, righteousness shall be imputed; faith as fincere, and not as faith in fuch a meafure and degree, is the condition: therefore says the apostle, it Shall be imputed to us also, if we believe on him that raised up Chrift, tho' we cannot win to fuch a degree as Abraham wan to, yet it shall be imputed to us alfo. IX. True and faving faith must look out to Chrift, not only as dying and laying down the price of our redemption, but as rifing again, and fo as fully fatis, fying justice; and thus the weakest faith believeth that God quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things that be not as though they were, as Abraham did, if we believe on him that raised up Christ from the dead. tion in their behalf: therefore says he, if we believe on him that raised up Cbrijt. From Verfe 25th OBSERVE, I. Man having tranfgreffed the covenant, and so having fallen from his blesled estate of integrity in which he was created, is unable to recover himself, but there is a neceffity of another to make fatisfaction, and man being unable to feek out fuch an one who might redeem him, the only gracious God, for the glory of his great name, hath fallen upon the device which man nor angel could never have invented, and therefore has fent his only Son; therefore says he, who was delivered. II. Tho' God neither is nor can be the author of fin, being holiness itself; yet hath he decreed from all eternity, that fin shall exist in the world thro' his permiffion, and in due time doth he, thro his actual providence, bring this about; and in particular, he hath foreordained that Chrift his only Son should fuffer at the hands of wicked men, and should be killed by them, and accordingly in his appointed time, by his over-ruling providence, did bring it about; thus Christ is faid to be delivered, both from eternity and in time, who was delivered. See Ads ii. 23. and iv. 28. X. True and faving faith, as it carrieth a man quite out of himself for righteoufnefs and falvation; so it makes the foul rest upon God's noble device of fending | reason of the decree, therefore we should poffible for him to corrupt in the grave, ❘ read his love which no less shineth forth, his Son to die, and to roll itself upon him who is fent, as all-fufficient, and to confide on him, and on God through him: If we believe on him that raised up Chrift from the dead. XI. That our faith may be established on fure grounds, and keeped from staggering, we should look on God as having a chief hand in this gofpel-contrivance, as fending his Son to die, and raifing him up again; then shall we not question the Lord's willingness to accept of any that close with this foul-faving defign, nor question his accepting of Christ's media III. There being a neceffity that justice should be fatisfied because of our guilt, by look on our iniquities as that for which Christ laid down his life, and as that which nothing would expiate, except the death of Chrift; for he was delivered for our offences. IV. Christ by his death did fully fatisfy justice for our tranfgreffions, and his death was a fufficient price in God's account for all our iniquities; for he was delivered for our transgreffions. See Ifa. liii. 5. Hi. 18. 1 Pet. V. There is no fin, how great foever, but Christ's death is able to expiate the fame; for he was delivered even for tranfgreffions, and that for tranfgreffions indefinitely, VII. As Christ did really die, and lay down his life a ransom for fin; so, having made complete fatisfaction to justice, he rofe again really: he was raised again VIIL Tho' Christ by his death and other fufferings, which did precede his death, did make a full and complete fatisfaction unto the Father, for all the fins of his own; yet there was a necessity of his rifing again, not only because it was im out of prifon, 1 Cor. xv. 7. and that he might apply the purchased redemption unto us in his own time and manner: he was raised for our justification. See Rom. xiv. 9. IX. Chrift Jefus, in all he did and fuffered, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation, was confulting our good, and acted all, not for himself, but for us; fo as he was wholly ours, and for us: he was delivered for our offences, and raised for our justification. X. As this plot of the redemption of loft man was only the device of the only wife God, who is rich in wisdom and goodness; fo his hand is eminently to be seen in every piece of the work, and should be acknowledged accordingly, that we may conceive aright of him in the matter, and Plalm xvi. 10. Acts ii. 31. and xiii. 34. but also for our cause, that thereby it might be declared, that he had fully fatis fied justice in our behalf, and was now fent than the love of his Son: for it is faid, he was delivered for our iniquities, and raised again for our justification, viz. by him on whom we are to believe, that is God. 2 I CHAPTER V. N this chapter, the apostle further cleareth the doctrine of juftification by faith, and thereby confirmeth it the more. He cleareth it, 1. by holding forth feveral fruits and effects of juftification by faith, to verse 12.: And 2. by comparing Christ with Adam, he further il lustrateth the matter, and sheweth how all believers partake of Chrift's righteousiness, and of life thereby, no less, yea much more than we did all partake of fin and death thro' Adam's tranfgreffion, to the end of the chapter. In this first point, he t. enumerates these fruits; and 2. confirmeth them from their grounds. VERSE I. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.. T HE apostle here first sets down the thesis, which he hath been confirming hitherto; faying, Therefore being juftified by faith; (and thus must we read it, and not by puting a distinction after juftified, as fome, who maintain juftification, from eternity, would have us doing, without any cogent reason,) and then fers down one of the fruits and effects of juftification, faying, we have peace with God; that is, being now justified thro' faith: that variance which fin occafioned betwixt God and man, |