Galatians 3:6–7

The words, Euen as Abraham, &c. haue reference to that which went before, on this manner. Ye Galatians receiued the spirit by my doctrine: and my doctrine was the preaching of iustification of faith without workes: which doctrine is like and sutable to the example of Abraham, who beleeued God, and it was imputed for iustice.

Here Paul sets downe the second argument, whereby he prooues the truth of his doctrine. And it is framed thus: As Abraham was iustified, so are the children of Abraham. Abraham was iustified by iustice imputed, and apprehended by faith, vers. 6. Therefore the children of Abraham are thus iustified. This conclusion is the principall question: it is not here expressed, but in the roome thereof a declaration is made, who are the true children of God, namely, they that are of Abraham, in respect of faith.

That which is saide here of Abraham, is a maine ground concerning the iustification of a sinner, in the bookes of the old and new Testament: therefore I will more carefully search the true interpretation of it.

Some expound the words thus: Abraham beleeued God, and the world reputed him for a good, and vertuous man. But if this be the right sense, then Paul is deceiued, who brings this text to prooue the iustification of Abraham, not onely before men, but also before God. Now vertue and goodnes, which is in estimation among men, is not sufficient, to acquit and iustifie vs, before God.

The second exposition is of the Papists, who by faith here vnderstand, a generall faith, whereby the articles of faith are beleeued. And by imputation, they vnderstand reputation, wherby a thing is esteemed as it is indeede. And they teach that faith is reputed for righteousnes; because (say they) faith formed with charitie, is indeede the iustice whereby a sinner is iustified before God. But this Exposition hath his defects, and errours. For first of all, Charitie is not the forme, or life of faith, but the fruit and effect of it. 1. Tim. 1. 5. The ende of teaching is loue out of a pure heart, good conscience, and faith vnfained. It is obiected, that as the bodie is dead without the soule, so is faith without workes, Iam. 2. 26. and therefore that workes are the life of faith. Ans. S. Iames by faith, vnderstands a pretended faith, or the Profession of faith, as appeares by the words, v. 14. though a man say he hath faith: and v. 18. shew me thy faith. Now of this profession of faith, workes are the life.

Secondly, this exposition makes faith; or the act of beleeuing, to be our whole and intire iustice before God: whereas indeede if it be iustice, it is but one part thereof. And in the act of beleeuing, loue cannot be included.

Thirdly, faith ioyned with charitie, is not the iustice whereby a sinner is iustified. For our faith and loue are both imperfect: and faith is imputed for righteousnes without workes, Rom. 4. 6. and therefore without charitie. For this is charitie to keepe the commandements of God. Ioh. 15. 10. Paul saith, that the righteousnesse whereby we are iustified, is by, or through faith, Phil. 3. 9. and therefore our iustice, and our faith, are two distinct things.

The third exposition is also from the Papists, that faith is reputed for righteousnes: because it is reputed to be a sufficient meanes to prepare men to their iustification: but this cannot be the sense of this place. For this was spoken of Abraham after he was iustified, and therefore needed no preparation to iustification.

Let vs now come to the true sense of the wordes. In them I consider two things, Abrahams faith, in these words, Abraham beleeued God: and the fruit of his faith, in these words, and it was imputed to him for righteousnes. Touching his faith, I consider three things. The first is, the occasion, which was on this manner. After the conquest of the heathen kings, Abraham was still in some feare: in this regard the Lord comforts him, Gen. 15. 1. I am thy buckler, and thy exceeding great reward. But to this Abraham replies, I want issue: and the Lord answers, I will make thy seede, as the starres of heauen. Gen. 15. 5. Now then looke as God renewes and inlarges his promise to Abraham, so Abraham renewes his faith: and hereupon Moses, and Paul, say, Abraham beleeued God. God doth not now inlarge his promises to vs as to Abraham: neuerthelesse, the promises recorded in the bible, are renewed to vs partly by preaching, and partly by the vse of the sacraments: and we accordingly are to renew our faith: specially in the time of feare, and danger.

The second thing is the obiect, or matter of his faith, and that is, the multiplication of his posteritie. It may be said, how could Abraham be iustified by such a faith? Ans. The promise of the multiplication of his seede, was a dependant of a more principall promise, I am thy God all-sufficient. Gen. 17. 1. and, I am thy exceeding great reward. Gen. 15. 11. In this carnall seede, Abraham specially respected (by the eye of faith,) the blessed seede of the woman. He therefore beleeued the promise of a seede, as it was a pledge vnto him of a thing more principall; namely, the fauour of God, and as it was a meanes to effect the incarnation of the sonne of God. In his example we are taught how we are to respect, and vse earthly things: we are to respect them as pledges of Gods fauour: and to vse them as meanes to further vs to Christ, and to the attainment of our saluation.

The third point is, the propertie of Abrahams faith, which was a faith against hope. For he beleeued the promise of a seede, when his bodie was halfe dead, and Sarai was barren. In like sort we keeping true religion, and good conscience, must in all our temptations, crosses, miseries, infirmities, against reason, sense, and feeling, beleeue the promise of remission of sinnes, and life euerlasting.

In the effect and fruit of Abrahams faith, three things must be considered. The first is, what is meant by Imputation. To impute properly, is a speach borrowed from marchants: and it signifies to recken, or to keepe a reckening of expenses, and receipts. Thus Paul saith, Philem. 18. If he haue done thee any wrong, impute it to me: that is, set it on my reckening. And this word is here applied, to the Iudgement of God. Because he is our soueraigne Lord, and we are his debters: and he doth adiudge vnto men for their sinnes, either pardon, or punishment.

Imputation in God, is twofold: one, Legall: the other, Euangelicall. Legall is, when God willeth and adiudgeth the reward to him that fulfilleth the law. Thus Paul saith, Rom. 4. 5. that the wages is imputed to him that worketh, and that of debt. Euangelicall imputation is, when God accepts the satisfaction of Christ, our suretie, as a paiment for our sinnes. In this sense is the word, Impute, taken ten times in the 4. chap. to the Rom. and in the fame, is it vsed in this place.

The second point is, what is imputed? And it was imputed, that is, faith. Faith here must be considered two waies; first, as a qualitie in it selfe: and thus it is imperfect, and consequently cannot be imputed to vs for our instification. Againe, faith must be considered as an instrument, or hand holding and receiuing Christ: and in this regard beleeuing is put for the thing beleeued. And thus must this text be vnderstood. It was imputed to him, that is, the thing which his faith beleeued was imputed to him by God: for the act of beleeuing is not our iustice, as I haue shewed.

The third point is, what is meant by righteousnes? Ans. That which is called in Scripture, the Iustice of God, which is sufficient to acquit a sinner at the barre of Gods iudgement. Thus then the sense is manifest: Abraham beleeued the promise of God, specially touching the blessed seede: and that which he beleeued, namely, the obedience of the Mediatour (the blessed seede,) was accepted of God as his obedience, for his iustification.

It is obiected, that the obedience of Christ is to be imputed to none, but to Christ, who was the doer of it. Ans. It is to be imputed, that is, ascribed to him as to the author thereof: and withall because he did performe it in our roome, and stead, and that for vs, it is to be imputed to vs.

Secondly, it is obiected, that works are also imputed, as well as faith. Psal. 106. 31. Phinees exequuted iudgement, and it was imputed to him for righteousnes. Ans. There is iustice of the person, and iustice of the act. Iustice of the person is that, which makes the person of man iust. Iustice of the act, is that which makes the act of the person iust, and not the person it selfe. Now the Psalme speakes onely of the iustice of Phinees action: and the meaning of the words is this, that God reputed his action as a iust action, whereas men might happily condemne it. This place therefore prooues not that workes are imputed for the iustification of any man.

Thirdly, it is obiected, that imputed iustice was neuer known in the Church till 1500 yeares after Christ. Ans. It is false. Bernard saith expressely, Death is put to flight by the death of Christ, Germ. ad mil. Temp. c. 11. Epist 190. and the iustice of Christ is imputed to vs: and againe, the satisfaction of Christ is imputed to vs. Againe, sundrie of the Fathers, as Augustine, Hierome, Chrysostome, Theodoret, Anselme, entreating vpon the text of Paul, 2. Cor. 5. 21. auouch, that the iustice whereby we are iustified, is not in vs, but in Christ. And it is a receiued doctrine with them, that a sinner is iustified by faith alone: now faith alone, presupposeth an imputation of iustice.

The vse. Hence it followes, that there is no merit of mans works, either in the beginning, or in the accomplishment of our iustification. For faith is imputed for iustice to him that beleeueth and worketh not. Rom. 4. 5.

Againe, by this we see there is but one iustification; and that the second, by workes, whereby a man, of a good man, is made better, is a meere fiction. For iust Abraham is not iustified by his good workes wherewith he abounded, but after his first iustification, faith still is imputed to him for righteousnes.

Thirdly, here we see what is that very thing, whereby we are to appeare iust before God, and to be saued, and that is the Obedience of Christ, imputed to vs of God, and apprehended by our faith.

Lastly, here we see our dutie. God sits as a Iudge ouer vs: he takes a reckening of vs, for all our doings: the law is an handwriting against vs: to some he imputes their sinnes, to some he remits them. We therefore must come into the presence of God, plead guiltie, and acknowledge our selues to be as bankrupts, and intreat him to graunt pardon to vs, and to accept the satisfaction of Christ for vs: then will God not impute our sinnes, but the obedience of Christ for our iustification: and accept him as our suretie in life and death.

The declaration of the conclusion followes in the 9. verse, and it shewes who are the true children of Abraham. The meaning of the words must first be considered. To be of faith, is to be of Abrahams faith, Rom. 4. 16. And to be of Abrahams faith, is to beleeue, and applie the promise of righteousnes and life euerlasting by Christ, as Abraham did: and to rest in it for our iustification and saluation. v. 10. they are said to be of works, who doe the works of the law, and looke to be iustified thereby: therefore they are of faith, who beleeue in Christ, & looke to be saued and iustified thereby.

And they which thus beleeue with Abraham, are said to be his children. It may be demanded, how? Ans. Children of Abraham, are of two sorts: some by nature, some by grace. By nature are they which are of Abraham by the flesh, or naturall generation, as Ismael was. By grace, all beleeuers are children of Abraham: and that three waies. First, by Imitation, in that Abraham is set forth vnto vs as a patterne, in the steppes of whose faith all true beleeuers walke. Rom. 4. 12. Secondly, beleeuers are children of Abraham, by succession, in that they succeede him in the inheritance of the same blessing. Thirdly, they are children to him by a kind of spirituall generation. For Abraham by beleeuing the promise of a seede did after a sort beget them. Indeede properly the promise and Election of God, makes them children: and Abraham by his faith beleeuing the foresaid promise, receiues them of God as his children. In this regard beleeuers are called, children of the promise, Rom. 9. 8. and the seede, that is, of the faith of Abraham. Rom. 4. 16. Now then the meaning of the text is, that beleeuers, though vncircumcised, are the children of Abraham. It may be said, what priuiledge is this? Ans. Great: for the children of Abraham are children of the couenant, Act. 3. 25. and children of God. Rom. 9. 8.

The vse. In this verse Paul sets downe one thing, namely, the true marke of the child of Abraham, and that is, to be of the faith of Abrahā. Here then marke, first of all the Iewes, though descending of Isaac, are no children of Abraham, because they follow not the faith of Abraham. Secondly, the Turks are no children, though they plead descent from Agar sometimes, and sometime from Sara, tearming themselues Agarens, and Saracens. For they tread vnder foote the faith of Abraham. Thirdly, the Papist will nothing helpe himselfe by the plea of Antiquitie, Succession, and vniuersall consent, except he can shew some good euidence that he is of the faith of Abraham, which he cannot. For this faith he hath corrupted, as I haue shewed. Lastly our profession of Abrahams faith, partly in teaching, and partly in hearing and in the vse of the sacraments; is not sufficient to prooue vs the children of Abraham. For not euery one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen. Math. 7. 22.

Therefore we must labour to be indeede and in truth of the faith of Abraham, and to walke in the steppes of his faith. And to this end, we must do three things. First, we must haue knowledge of the maine and principall promise, touching the blessing of God in Christ, and of all other promises depending on the principall: and we must know the scope and tenour of them, that we be not deceiued. Secondly, we must with Abraham beleeue the power, and truth of God, in the accomplishing of the said promises, or in the working of our vocation, iustification, sanctification, glorification. Rom. 4. 21. Thirdly, we must by faith obey God in all things; shutting our eyes, and suffering our selues (as it were) to be led blindfold, by the word of God. Thus did Abraham in all things, euen in actions against nature. Hebr. 11. 8. But this practise is rare among vs. For there are three things which preuaile much among vs, the loue of worldly honour, the loue of pleasures, and the loue of riches: and where these beare a sway, there faith takes no place. It will be said, that faith is much professed. Ans. Faith was neuer more professed, yet there was neuer lesse true faith. For the common faith of men, is a false faith. For in some, it is conceiued without the meanes of the word, praier, sacraments: and in others, it is seuered from the Purpose of not sinning. Now faith conceiued without the true meanes, and faith ioyned with the purpose to liue as we list, is nothing but presumption. And surely, this is the faith, though not of all, yet of the most.

Moreouer, that which Paul hath said of the children of Abraham, he prooues by the testimonie of the Galatians, in these words, Know ye therefore, or ye know: that is, vpon the saying of Moses in the former verse, ye your selues know this to be a truth, which I said. Marke here, Paul requires such a measure of knowledge in beleeuers, that they must be able to iudge of the gathering of this or that doctrine, out of this or that place of Scripture. This shewes the contempt of knowledge in these our daies to be great: for most men reiect the preaching of the Gospel, and content themselues with the teaching, and schooling of nature.