Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/71

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''to shew unto the heires of Promise the immutability of his counsell, confirmed it by an Oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Abraham'' was strong in faith, yet was it not superfluous or altogether needlesse, that God of his superaboundant love and mercy, should adde his Oath to the former promise, for the further setling and assurance of his servant. Here that common saying may be of use, Aboundant cautelousnesse doth not hurt, nay, it is of great profit and behoofe. But this is to be further noted, that God had respect to the posterity of Abraham. For Isaack was present then, to whom the promises were confirmed in his father: which, when both the one and the other, ought to inculcate to their posterity, it was a matter of no light moment, that they might holily affirme, that God hath confirmed them both by word and Oath.

In this passage, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse, both the spirituall good things promised on Gods part in the Covenant, and the condition required on mans part, are implied. For the Apostle hence concludes, that Abraham was freely justified by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: and in this is included all eternall and spirituall blessings, which doe accompany each other. For whom God doth justifie, them he glorifieth. In the first expression, the thing required on our parts was obscurely implied, and we had much to doe to find it out: but in this passage it lieth bare. Abraham believed, &c. This condition in Abraham, the Apostle fully followeth against the Justiciaries of his and our times, opposing it to the condition of works in attaining the blessings of Abraham, strongly proving that this faith made Abraham the friend of God, and a justified person, having nothing to glory in this kind before God, from any worke. But seeing this text is so oft alleadged and pressed by the Apostles, and so much controverted among men, it is not amisse to handle the words more at large. In the Originall word for word they run thus, He beleeved the Lord, or in the Lord, and he imputed that to him righteousnesse. The SptuagintSeptuagint [sic] render it, and the Apostles alleadge it thus, Abraham beleeved God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse: The word, believed, imports, he thought the words of God to be sure, certaine,