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ftification by faith alone. And this affertion, or thefis, he chofeth to fet down, as it were couched in the prophet's words; wherein alfo is held forth a confirmation from Scripture. Take the thefis thus: We are justified by FAITH, and not by WORKS. His first argument flandeth thus: If fo be Scripture affirm, that we are just by faith, and by faith we live, then are we justified by faith. But the former is true; Therefore. The connection is undoubted; and the words of Habakkuk prove the affumption, viz. That we are just, and live, by faith: for it is written, Hab. ii. 4. The just fall live by faith; or, The just by faith fball live: for it may be read both ways.

HENCE OBSERVE,

I. The doctrine of juftification by faith is fo neceffary to be well understood, and fo oppugned and obfcured by Satan and his inftruments, as it concerneth all to be well acquainted therewith, and to labour to have it cleared, and confirmed to us from the word of the Lord: therefore doth Paul infit fo much upon it here, and beginneth with, As it is written.

II. So precious fhould truth be unto both paftor and people, and fo warry ought both to be of error, that as the paftor fhould labour to bring forth nothing unto people but what he can produce fcripture for, and fhow that thus it it is written; fo people fhould fearch and try whether the doctrines delivered be according to the word written, or not: therefore doth Paul confirm his affertion by thus it is written.

III. However the Lord hath been pleafed to afford us many helps, whereby we may attain unto the clear difcovery of truth, and which we may fafely make use of in their own place; yet the only teft and touchstone by which we are to try what is truth, what is error, and upon which we are to reft, is the word of the Lord: Thus it is written, fhould fufficieatly clear us of the truth.

IV. Howbeit it hath feemed good in the Lord's eyes, to give us fo ample a rule to walk by, and to examine doctrine by, as many proofs may be had of one point; yet feeing the author of this word is a God of truth,, who cannot lye, one word, and one place of fcripture, fhould be fufficient to confirm us of the truth of a doctrine; as Paul's citing only one place of fcripture gives us to know..

V.. We ought to be fo well acquainted with the Scriptures, that the very recit ing of the words fhould be enough to put us to the place where it is, tho' it be not named: therefore does Paul only fay, As it is written; naming neither where, nor by whom..

VI. So full and comprehenfive is this touchflone, the law and the testimony, by which we are to try what is light and what is darknefs, that we may confirm a truth from a place where that truth is not directly and intentionally handled, nor is the direct fcope of the place to speak to it: for here the apoftle makes ufe of that place of Habakkuk, where the prophet is not fpeaking how and what way people may be juftified before God, but how the godly thould be fupported, and have a life of it even in days of trouble; only it might be gathered from it by a juft confequence, thus: If the righteous have a comfortable life, thro' waiting on God, in an evil time, and that by faith, it must. be by faith that he is brought into a living ftate, and juftified. Or, if it be read the other way, The just by faith fhall live, then it clearly holds forth, that it is by. faith (viz. laying hold on Chrift's righteoufnefs, and in his blood) that they are juft, or juftified. It is a great wrong done to fcripture, when confequences clearly deduced therefrom, are made invalid.

VII. However we find not the way of the juflification of finners, fo clearly and fully laid down in the Old Teftament as in the New; yet juftification by faith is an Old Testament truth; for the apostle con-

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firmeth this doctrine from a place of the Old Teftament, Hab. ii. 4.

VIII. In citing fcripture for probation of truths, we may fafely cite fo much of it as maketh to the purpofe, leaving what maketh not for it; provided that by fo doing we falfify not the teftimony, and make it fpeak, being thus curtailed, the contrary of what it would affirm, were it whole: therefore Paul leaveth out his, which is in Habakkuk, and only citeth, the just shall live by faith.

IX. The only way how finners are brought out of the ftate of death, into a ftate of life, and juftification, is by faith, or clofing with, and heartily embracing of, Jefus Chrift for falvation, as he is offered in the gofpel. It is by this, our leaning on him and his righteoufnefs that we are juft, and justified; for it is by faith that ave are juft.

X. There is fuch an infeparable connection betwixt a ftate of juftification and life, that all fuch as are justified by faith in the blood of Chrift, and have fled unto the city of refuge, and fheltered them felves under the wings of Christ, may be fure, that as they are for prefent into a ftate of life, fo they shall be carried thro' all difficulties and temptations, and at laft inherit life eternal: for the just by faith fall live.

XI. As it is by faith laying hold on Chrifl's righteoufnefs that people are juftified; fo it is by faith drawing strength from Chrift as a root, that they live the life of grace and holiness: and by the fame faith, viewing God as reconciled in Chrift, and faithful in his promifes, and minding the good of fouls in all fad difpenfations, it is, that they have a life of comfort under the faddeft troubles that can befal them; for all these ways do the just live by faith. See Gal. iii. 11. and ii. 20. Heb. x. 38. Now the juft fhall live by faith.---XII. As at the first by faith (as an inftrument or mean appointed of God, for the accepting and embracing of Chrift and

his righteoufuels) they were inftated into a juftified ftate; fo it is by this fame faith, and not by works, that they are justified. afterwards, and get out new extracts and pardons; for the juft (or he that is already juftified) liveth (in that justified state) by faith.

VERSE 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinefs, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteoufnefs.

Here is a fecond argument which the

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apoftle profecuteth at large, after this manner: Either we must be justified by faith or by works. But fo it is, we cannot be juftified by works before God; Therefore. The propofition is most clear, because these two ways are fupponed here by the apostle to be inconfiftent together. And as for the affumption, that we are not juftified by works, he proveth at large, thus: If any man were juftified by the works of the law without faith, then either they would be Jews or Gentiles that would be fo juftified, because all the world are either Jews or Gentiles, and there is not a third fort: but neither Jew,nor Gentile can be fo juftified. And this he maketh good, firft of the Gentiles, unto the 17th verfe of chapter fecond; and then makes it good of the Jews, unto the 20th verse of chapter third.

Here then is the first argument whereby the apoftle proveth that the Gentiles could not be juftified by their works; to this purpose: If fo be the wrath of God be revealed from heaven against the Gentiles, for their fins and tranfgreffions against both tables of the law, then they could not be juftified by their works; but the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteouf nefs. And this he confirmeth by an argument, fhewing the main and root-evil among them, for which God was fo difpleafed, viz. Because they laid fetters on

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that fight which they had, and keeped it i in prifon, and did not let it go forth at liberty in a holy life and converfation; the truth they had in their understandings was not put forth in practice, but keeped in by unrighteous and wicked actions.

HENCE LEARN,

I. By nature we are fo far from having any thing in ourselves, whereby we may expect to be justified before God, that, on the contrary, there is nothing in us, but ungodliness, and unrighteousness, and the curfe and wrath of God hanging over our heads because of that; for this the apoftle's argument fuppofeth as truth.

II. There is fuch a deal of pride in us by nature, that we will never heartily and fully come out of ourfelves, and take the fingle and humble way of faith whereby to be justified, until we be once driven from all hopes and expectation of any good from ourfelves, and fee nothing but fin and iniquity in us, and God's curfe and wrath due to us therefore: This argument which the apostle ufeth, and the connection, fheweth fo much. We will not be convinced that the just by faith fhall live, till we fee the wrath of God revealed against ungodliness, and unrighteousness.

III. However the ever-bleffed Lord be free from all thofe perturbations of mind which fallen men are fubject to, yet he is oft faid to be wroth with finners becaufe of fin: fin is that which he hateth and abhorreth, as being a violation of his righteous laws, against which he will teftify his Efpleafure, in juftice.

iv. Outward plagues and judgments (at excluding his fpiritual judgments on fouls for fin, whereof we will hear afterwards) may fufficiently demonftrate God's difpleafure againft man for fin; and however it feemeth good to the only wife Lord, Smetimes, and for wife ends, (as to try and exercise his people) to lay upon them fose outward ftroke or other, tho' not by way of punishment or chaftifement for ; yet we may well conclude, that there

is fin in thefe perfons, be they young or old, whom God pursueth with death, or other outward ftrokes; and the best may fafely go in and fearch out their own fin: for it was against ungodliness, and unrighteousness, that God's wrath was revealed: Lam.iii. 33. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. Verle 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his fins?

V. A clear fight of fin, and God's dif pleasure teftified against it, may abundantly convince us of a neceffity of choofing another way whereby to be juftified than our own works; for being convinced of our fhort-coming, and fo not being perfect, and of God's juftice; fo that we may rather expect condemnation than justification for our works, and all this by God's judgments on us, or others; it is but a folly to fofter a good conceit of our own righteoufnefs any more: for this is the fum of the apostle's argument.

VI. Every fin, how little foever in our eyes, who take not up fin aright, deferveth God's curfe and wrath; and all that flieth not in to Jefus Chrift for fhelter, fhall certainly find his wrath revealed against them for every fin, even the leaft: for it is faid, The wrath of God is revealed against all unrighteousness of men, be it lefs or more.

VII. So righteous and juft is the Lord, that he will not countenance or bear with fin in whomfoever it be, but will impartially punish it; for his wrath was revealed against the ungodliness of men, without exception, even of thofe who feemed beft, having more knowledge of truth than others.

VIII. Man has no will to be driven from his own felf-righteoufnefs, but will look with a wrong eye upon the most clear demonftrations of its infufficiency; for hardly would they look upon these judgments as coming from God because of their fins, but thought they came from E

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X. However fince the fall our fight be dim, yet the Lord hath left fo much knowledge of truth, as may in fome meafure hold forth part of our duty, both towards God and man; for even thefe Heathens had the knowledge of truth.

XI. The knowledge of truth, touching God, hath fuch a natural tendency to practice, and answerable walking in obedience, that for any to do otherways, is as it were to do violence unto truth, and to incarcerate it; for thefe Heathens, by their ungodlinefs and unrighteoufnefs, did block up and imprifon the truth, or the knowledge of it.

XII. It is a heinous and heathenish evil to be croffing light, and to walk in wickednefs over the belly of confcience; a fin against which God is highly provoked, and occafioneth all impiety: for it was the Gentiles fin here, that they detained the truth in unrighteousness.

VERSES 19. 20. Because that which may be known of God, is manifest in them; for God hath fhewed it unto them. For the invifible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly feen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God head; fo that they are without excufe.

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that they had fome knowledge of the truth, he proves in these two verfes; and next, that they did incarcerate this knowledge, he confirmeth, verles 21. 22. 23.

So the apoftle in these two verfes is fhewing what that knowledge of God was which the Heathens had, and how they came by it. God's eternal power and Godhead, which are in themfelves invifible, was a thing the knowledge whereof was attainable by the light of nature. They had common principles of knowledge given them of God, whereby, looking upon the works of the creation, they might fafely and folidly gather, what a God he was, and what was his due; fo that they were rendered inexcufable in abufing this light; and their mouths were ftopped, fo that they had nothing to fay for themfelves, why they lived in ungod linefs and unrighteoufnels.

DOCTRINAL OBSERVATIONS.

I. So dim and dark is that fmall candlelight of nature, and fo deep and unfearchable a mystery is God, that there are many things in God which nature is ftone-blind into, and will never be known by all nature's light; for the apoftle fuppofes that there is fomething which may not be known, when he fpeaketh of that which may be known.

11. However the Lord Jehovah be in himself unfearchable, yet hath he left as much light in folks, that were they defirous, by the very principles of natural knowledge, they might fee as much of God as might convince them that he only is to be worshipped, loved, and feared for it pleafed the Lord that as much a might be fufficient for this end, fhould re main attainable by fand-blind nature; th is it that might be known.

III. Thofe common notions, and nat ral principles, (which, if well ftudie would fufficiently convince folk that Go only is to be worshipped, feared, and beyed) are fo deeply rooted and fasten into the minds of people, that nill the

there must be a God: And feeing he created all things of nothing, (for there could be no pre-exifting matter befide himself, not made by himself) he must be

will they, they must keep them; and therefore Paul fays, that it is manifeft in them, or within them. That knowledge flicks fo faft, that they cannot get it fhaken away for all their wickedness, it is fo deep-all-mighty; and feeing if he had had a ly implanted in them.

IV. Whatever knowledge of God we get, even by common principles and notions of nature, fhould be acknowledged as a special gift of God; as here that knowledge which they had by the mere light of nature, and the works of creation, without any further revelation, is faid to have been made manifest unto them by God: for he it was that implanted that light in them; he it was that gave them thofe common notions, and wifdom to draw from thefe principles, native conclufions; and fo may well be called the author of any knowledge they get.

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V. Befides the dim light of darkened nature, confifting of fome few undeniable and manifeft principles and notions, engraven upon the mind of every man, Heathens, and fuch as are without the pale of the church, have no other mean whereby to attain unto the knowledge of God, but the dimly-printed book of the creaation: these two are all their volumes.

VI. Howbeit God in his effence and attributes be invifible, yet the Lord hath left fuch prints and footsteps of himself ia the creatures made by him, as pure nature, with the use of reafon, seriously confidering what is created, may win to know much of God; for the invisible things of God are clearly feen, being underfteed by things that are made.

VII. More particularly, nature may reafon, and gather from the creation, that feing this world, and the things in the world, did not exift, and take their being of themfelves, but of fome other, that other behoved to have fome caufe, r be the firft caufe itfelf; and fo of neretty there must be fome first caufe that hath life of himself only, and giveth life tal other things; and thus reafon, that

beginning, he behoved to have had fome caufe, and fo fhould not have been the first caufe; and now feeing he is the first caufe, he muft never have a beginning; and if. never a beginning, fo never an end; and fo he must be eternal. Thus, by the things that are feen, the Heathens may win to fee his eternal power and Godhead.

VIII. All the knowledge of God that can be attained by the light of nature, and the works of creation, is not fufficient to inftruct folk for falvation; but only may ftop the mouths of people, and render them without excufe, in that they have not walked up to their light: So (fays he) that they are without excufe.

VERSES 21. 22. 23. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkned. Profeffing themfelves to be wife, they became fools:

And changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beafts, and creeping things.

IN thefe verfes the apoftle fheweth, how

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and after what manner it was that they detained the knowledge of God in unrighteoufnefs, and did not walk up unto their light, in thefe particulars: 1. When they knew God, they glorified him not as God; that is, when, by the light of nature, and the works of creation, they knew that there was a God, that made all, and ruled all, they gave him not the glo ry of his attributes that was due to him; they did not worship him as the only one God, eternal, omnipotent, most wife, most 2. Neither good, and moft merciful.

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