David bears testimony A. D. 60. A. D. 60. A. M. 4064. 4 Now to him that worketh, is the re- || edness of the man unto whom God A. M. 4064. ward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. imputeth righteousness without works, 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth f 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities e on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith || are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. is counted for righteousness. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will 6 Even as David also describeth the bless- not impute sin.* properly rendered the Greek phrase here, and Gal. iii. 6, for the original word, eλoyton, signifies to state, and sum up an account; also, to put a value upon a || thing, Rom. viii. 18. The word count includes both meanings. The sense is, God accepted Abraham || as if he had been altogether righteous: or, this his faith was accounted by God his gospel righteousness, as being the performance of the condition the gos- || pel requires, in order to justification. See on chap. iii. 28. "But neither here, nor Gal. iii. 6, is it said that Christ's righteousness was counted to Abraham. In both passages, the expression is, Abraham believed God, and it, namely, his believing God, was counted to him for righteousness; and verse 9,|| of this chapter, we say that faith was counted to him for righteousness: so also Gen. xv. 6. Further, as it is nowhere said in Scripture that Christ's righteousness was imputed to Abraham, so neither is it said anywhere that Christ's righteousness is imputed to believers. In short, the uniform doctrine of the Scripture is, that the believer's faith is count- || ed to him for righteousness, by the mere grace or favour of God, through Jesus Christ; that is, on account of what Christ hath done to procure that favour for them. This is very different from the doctrine of those who hold that by having faith imputed, or accounted for righteousness, the believer || becomes perfectly righteous; whether they mean thereby that faith is itself a perfect righteousness, or that it is the instrument of conveying to the believer the perfect righteousness of another. With respect to the first, it is not true that faith is a perfect righteousness; for if it were, justification would not be a free gift, but a debt. And with respect to the second supposition, although the perfect righteousness of another were conveyed to a sinner by faith, it would not make him perfectly righteous; because it is beyond the power of Omnipotence itself, by any means whatever, to make a person not to have sinned, who actually hath sinned. And yet, unless this is done, no believer can be perfectly righteous. On account of the perfect righteousness of another, God indeed may treat one as if he were perfectly right eous. But that is all. Nor does the Scripture carry the matter further."-Macknight. Verses 4, 5. Now to him that worketh-All that the law requires; is the reward not reckoned of grace-Or mere favour; but of debt-It is due to his merit. Not that God can properly and strictly be a debtor to any creature, in respect of communicative justice; but if man had continued in that state of holiness wherein he was made, that he should have been esteemed righteous, and have continued in * Circumcision of Christ, epistle, verse 8 to verse 15. God's favour and lived, would have been according to the rules of distributive justice. But to him that worketh not-In the sense above explained, who can by no means pretend to have wrought all righteousness; but-Conscious of his sinfulness and guilt, and of his utter inability to justify himself before God; believeth on him—Who, in his great grace, justifieth the ungodly person, when he truly repents and returns to God; his faith is counted-Or placed to his account; for righteousness-He is graciously accepted, and treated by God as if he were perfectly righteous. Therefore, God's affirming of Abraham that faith was imputed to him for righteousness, plainly shows that he worked not; or, in other words, that he was not justified by works, but by faith only. Hence we see plainly, how groundless that opinion is, that holiness or sanctification is previous to justification. For the sinner, being first convinced of his sin and danger by the Spirit of God, stands trembling before the awful tribunal of divine justice, and has nothing to plead but his own guilt, and the merits of a Mediator. Christ here interposes: justice is satisfied: the sin is remitted, and pardon is applied to the soul by a divine faith, wrought by the Holy Ghost, who then begins the great work of inward satisfaction. Thus God justifies the ungodly, and yet remains just and true to all his attributes. But let none hence presume to continue in sin, for to the impenitent God is a consuming fire. Verses 6-8. Even as David also-David is fitly introduced after Abraham, because he also received and delivered down the promise; describeth the blessedness or happiness of the man-Or affirms that the man is blessed, or happy; unto whom God imputeth righteousness-Or whom he accounts rightcous, accepts as such; without works-That is, without regard to any former good works supposed to have been done by him. Saying, Blessed-Greek, μakapo, happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven-Are no longer laid to their charge, and therefore whose obligation to punishment is cancelled. Whose sins are covered-With the veil of divine mercy, being expiated by the atoning sacrifice of the Messiah. Blessed, or happy, is the man to thom-Though he hath sinned formerly, perhaps very often, and very heinously, yet the Lord will not impute sin-Here four expressions, the forgiveness of sin, the non-imputation of sin, the imputation of righteousness, and justification, are used as synonymous. Well might the psalmist say, that those who receive this inestimable blessing are happy; for surely, if there be such a thing as happiness on earth, it is the portion of that man whose iniqui Abraham was justified by faith, A. M. 4064. A. D. 60. 9 Cometh this blessedness then he had yet being uncircumcised: A. M. 4064 upon the circumcision only, or upon that he might be the father of all the uncircumcision also? For we say that them that believe, though they be not circumfaith was reckoned to Abraham for righteous-cised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also; ness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which Gen. xvii. 10. Luke xix. 9; ties are forgiven, and who enjoys the manifestation Verses 9, 10. Cometh this blessedness-Mentioned by Abraham and David; on the circumcision—Those that are circumcised only? or upon the uncircumcision also?—The circumcision are the Jews, the members of God's visible church, and the uncircum|| cision are the Gentiles, who are out of the visible church. In this question, therefore, the justification of those who are out of the visible church, but who believe and obey God, is implied: for the apostle proves that such are justified, by appealing to Abraham's justification while in uncircumcision. Abraham was not circumcised till he was ninety-nine years old, Gen. xvii. 24. At that time Ishmael was thirteen years old, verse 25. But before Ishmael was born, Abraham had his faith counted to him for righteousness, Gen. xv. 6, compared with Gen. xvi. 16. It is evident, therefore, that Abraham was justified in uncircumcision more than thirteen years before he and his family were made the visible church and people of God by circumcision. Heathen, therefore, who believe and obey the true God, as Abraham did, will, like him, have their faith counted to them for righteousness, though no members of any visible church. Verses 11, 12. And-After he was justified; he received the sign of circumcision-Circumcision which was intended to be a sign, or token, of his being in covenant with God, and an emblem of that circumcision of the heart, which, even under that dispensation of divine grace, was, and still is, necessary to salvation. A seal of the righteousness of faith-An assurance on God's part that he accounted 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. Verses 12, 16; Gal. iii. 7. him righteous, upon his believing, before he was circumcised. Circumcision seems to be called a seal, in allusion to the custom of affixing seals to written covenants, to render them firm. That he || might be the father of all them that believe-With a true and lively faith; the father of all the faithful; though they be not circumcised-Though they have not that sign of their being in covenant with God, nor that seal of the truth of their faith, and of their being accounted righteous. Hence, Gal. iii. 14, faith counted for righteousness is called the blessing of Abraham, and is said to come on the Gentiles through Christ. For the same purpose God ordered all Abraham's male descendants to be circumcised, on the eighth day after their birth. The Israelitish children being thus early initiated into God's covenant, their parents were thereby assured, that if, when grown up, they followed Abraham in his faith and obedience, they were, like him, to have their faith counted to them for righteousness, and be entitled to all the blessings of the covenant: or, if they died in infancy, that God would raise them from the dead, to enjoy the heavenly country, of which the earthly was the type. But the covenant with Abraham being in reality the gospel covenant, set forth in types and figures, according to the manner of ancient times, may we not from the use and efficacy of circumcision believe, that baptism. the rite of initiation into the Christian Church, is, like it, a seal of the gospel covenant, and a declaration on the part of God, that he will count the faith of the baptized person for righteousness? And that, like circumcision, it may be administered to infants, to assure the parents that their future faith shall be counted and rewarded as righteousness; or, if they die in infancy, that they shall be raised to eternal life? In this view the baptism of infants is a reasonable rite, and must afford the greatest consolation to all pious parents." And the father of circumcision—Abraham received this rite by divine appointment, that he might also be the father of those who are circumcised, and believe as he did: for, in the covenant which God made with him, he constituted him the father of all believers; and whatever promises were made to him and his seed, were in reality made to believers of all nations; to all who walk in the steps of that faith which he had being uncircumcised— That is, who, like Abraham, exercise a continued The promise was not through A. D. 60. ROMANS. gression. the law, but through grace. A. D. 60. A. M. 4064. 13 For the promise, that he should || where no law is, there is no trans- A. M. 4064. be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be m 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 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for all, i Gen. xvii. 4, &c.; Gal. iii. 29. Gal. iii. 18. Chap. Gal. iii. 10, 19; 1 John iii. 4.- Chap. iii. 24.—————" Gal. iii. 20; v. 13, 20; vii. 8, 10, 11; 1 Cor. xv. 56; 2 Cor. iii. 7, 9; || iii. 22. Isa. li. 2; Chap. ix. 8. faith, and who from faith live a life of obedience to God to the end of their days. To those who do not thus believe and obey, Abraham is not a father, neither are they his seed. gressors. In other words, it reveals God's wrath against transgressors, and binds them over to punishment for the transgression of it, and so begets fear of wrath, instead of conferring happiness. For where Verses 13-15. For-As if he had said, And it fur- || there is no law-Either revealed or intimated, or no ther appears that Abraham was righteous, or justi- || law in force; there is no transgression—Of it; but the fied by faith only, and not by the works of the law, || multiplication of precepts increases the danger of ofbecause the promise that he should be the heir of the || fending; and the clearer declaration of those precepts world-Should have a numerous natural offspring, || aggravates the guilt attending the violation of them. (and among them Christ, by whom blessedness was Verse 16. Therefore it-The blessing; is of faith, to be obtained,) who should inherit that rich and that it might be by grace-That it might appear to pleasant part of the world, Canaan, a type of heaven; flow from the free love of God; that God might and also that he should have a spiritual seed among || magnify the riches of his grace, in proposing justiall nations, all over the world; was not to Abraham || fication and eternal life to us, in a way that might, or to his seed-To true believers; through the law || in multitudes of instances, be effectual. A right-Of Moses, or any law except that of faith; was eousness by the merit of works, or by perfect obenot made to him upon consideration of works done dience to the law of nature, or of Moses, "being by him, and meriting that blessing; but through the || unattainable by men, the inheritance is by a rightrighteousness of faith-Upon account of his faith, || eousness of faith, that, being a free gift, it might be which rendered him a righteous person in a gospel || bestowed in the manner, and on the persons, God sense, and was manifested especially by his offering || saw fit; namely, on believers of all nations, whether Isaac, which was a distinguished act of faith, Heb. the objects of their faith were more or less extenxi. 17; and on occasion of which God made those sive, and whether their good works were more or promises to him, Gen. xxii. 17, 18. Christ is the heir || fewer; for in the faith and works of believers there of the world, and of all things, and so are all that must be great differences, according to the mental believe in him with the faith of Abraham. All endowments and outward advantages bestowed on things were promised to him and them conjointly. each. In this passage, by the most just reasoning, For if they only who are of the law-Either of the the apostle hath overthrown the narrow notion of law of Moses, or of the law of nature, who are bigots, who confine the mercy of God within the righteous by their obedience to it; be heirs-The pale of this or that church; and by a noble liberality only persons that have a title to the promised in- of sentiment, he hath declared that all who imitate heritance and blessedness: see Eph. iii. 6: faith is that faith and piety which Abraham exercised unmade void―There is no use of believing in Christ,|| circumcised, shall, like him, obtain the inheritance, and depending upon him alone for blessedness; and through the free favour of God by Jesus Christ." the promise, mentioned verse 13, is made of none That the promise might be sure-Might be firm and effect-Can do us no good, is to no purpose. The secure; to all the believing seed of Abraham; not argument stands thus: "If Abraham and his seed to that only which is of the law, &c.-" Here the were made heirs of the world, through a righteous- apostle teaches, that Abraham had two kinds of ness arising from a perfect, unsinning obedience to seed; one by natural descent, called his seed by the the law, their faith is rendered useless in this trans-law, and another by faith: see Gal. iii. 26. To the action; and the promise by which they became || natural seed the promise of the earthly Canaan was heirs through favour, had no influence in procuring|| made; but to the seed by faith, the spiritual seed, the that blessing, they having merited the inheritance || promise of a heavenly country, typified by the earthly by their works." Because the law-of works, con- one, was given. And to each the promise that was sidered apart from that grace which, though it was made to them was sure." As it is written, Gen. in fact mingled with it, yet is, properly speak- xii. 5, I have made thee a father of many nations— ing, no part of it, is so difficult, and we so weak That is, as I have received thee into favour upon thy and sinful, that, instead of bringing us a blessing, believing, so many of several nations, both Jews and it only worketh, wrath-It becomes to us an occa- Gentiles, shall receive favour from me by believing, sion of wrath, and exposes us to punishment as trans- and so be justified in the way thou art: before him || Abraham, the father of the A. M. 4064. A. D. 60. 17 (As it is written, I have made || was about a hundred years old, nei- A. M. 4064. thee a father of many nations,) 1be-ther yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. fore him whom he believed, even God, who 20 He staggered not at the promise of God quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things through unbelief; but was strong in faith, givwhich be not as though they were. ing glory to God; whom he believed, even God-Though before men of God's power and faithfulness, and manifesting the nothing of this appeared, those nations being yet same by his actions. "We are told, indeed, that unborn. To illustrate the greatness of Abraham's when God declared that Sarah was to be the mother faith, and to show with what propriety he was made of nations, Gen. xvii. 17, Abraham fell upon his face the father of all believers, the apostle in these words || and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child observes, that the principles on which he believed be born to him that is a hundred years old? &c. the Lord, were proper views of his almighty power, But these questions did not proceed from unbelief, and other perfections. Who quickeneth the dead- but from admiration and gratitude, as may be gaThe dead are not dead to him. And even the things thered from the posture into which he put himself. that have no existence, exist before him. And calleth || And with respect to his laughing, it did not imply those things which be not as though they were— any doubt of God's promise, otherwise he would Summoning them to rise into being, and appear have been rebuked, as Sarah was for her laughing: before him. The seed of Abraham did not then but it means simply, that he rejoiced at God's exist, yet God said, So shall thy seed be. A man promise; for in the Hebrew language, to laugh sigcan easily say to his servant, actually existing, Do nifies to rejoice, Gen. xxi. 6, God hath made me to this, and he doth it; but God saith to light, while laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me; it does not exist, Go forth, and it goeth. consequently the passage may be translated, Abra ham rejoiced and said, &c." And being fully per suaded-Through the knowledge which he had of the divine perfections; that what he had promised Greck, onnyyehra, that what was promised; he was able, and willing also, to perform-He believed God to be most faithful, and sure never to fail in the performance of his promises; collecting nothing else from the difficulty and improbability of the matter, but that it was the fitter for an Almighty power to effect; and therefore it-His faith; was imputed to him for righteousness-He was justified by it. Verses 18-22. Who, &c.-In this paragraph the apostle first takes notice of the difficulties which || stood in the way of Abraham's faith, and then of the power and excellence of it, manifested in its triumphing over them. Against hope-Against all probability; believed in hope-With an assured confidence, grounded on the divine promise; according|| to all that which was spoken-When God called him || forth abroad to view the stars of heaven. So shall thy seed be-So numerous and glorious. And being not weak in faith-That is, being strong in faith; || for the Hebrews, when they meant to assert a thing strongly, did it by the denial of its contrary. IIe considered not his own body now dead-With regard to the probability of begetting children. He did not regard it so as to be discouraged thereby, or induced to disbelieve the promise. The children which Abraham had by Keturah, after Sarah's death, do not invalidate the apostle's assertion here; for Abraham's body, having been renewed by a miracle in order to the begetting of Isaac, might preserve its vigour for a considerable time afterward. Nor did he consider or regard the old age of Sarah. He staggered not-Greek, εις την επαγγελίαν το θεό dieкpin în aπizia, against the promise of God he did not reason; through unbelief-Did not call in question the truth of God's promise, or the certainty of its fulfilment; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God-Entertaining high and honourable thoughts Verses 23-25. Now it was not written-In the sacred records, which are to reach the remotest ages; for his sake alone-Merely or chiefly to do a personal honour to that illustrious patriarch; but for us also-For our sakes likewise; namely, to direct, encourage, and establish us in seeking justification by faith, and not by works: and to afford a full answer to those who say, that "to be justified by works means only, by Judaism: to be judged by faith, means by embracing Christianity, that is, the system of doctrines so called." Sure it is that Abraham could not, in this sense, be justified either by faith or works: and equally sure, that David (taking the word thus) was justified by works, and not by faith. To whom il-The like faith; shall be imputed-Namely, for righteousness, if we steadily believe on him-In the power, and love, and faithful ness of him, who not only brought Isaac from the sins was accepted by the Father. Having, as our dead womb of Sarah, but, in the most literal sense, surety, engaged to pay our debt, he was arrested raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead-When he for it by divine justice, and thrown into the prison lay among them, slain and mangled by his cruel ene- of death and the grave. If he had been detained in mies. Here God the Father is represented as the that prison, it would have been a proof that he had proper object of justifying faith, in whose power, not paid it: but his release from that prison was the and love, and faithfulness to his promises, the peni- greatest assurance possible that God's justice was tent sinner, that would be justified, must confide satisfied, and our debt discharged. 2d, He was for the pardon of his sins, acceptance with God, and || raised that he might ascend and appear in the prethe whole salvation of the gospel. For as Abra- sence of God, as our advocate and intercessor, and ham's faith, which was counted to him for right- || obtain from the Father our acquittance. And, 3d, eousness, consisted in his being fully persuaded That he might receive for us the Holy Spirit, to inthat what God had promised concerning the num- spire us with the faith whereby alone we can be justiber of his seed, &c., he was able and willing to || fied, to seal a pardon on the consciences of believers, perform; so the faith which is counted for right- and sanctify their nature; and thus to entitle them to, eousness to believers in all ages must be so far of and prepare them for, a resurrection, like his, to imthe same nature, as to imply a full persuasion that mortal life and felicity. Accordingly, the apostle what God hath declared and promised, namely, inputs an especial emphasis on Christ's resurrection, the revelation which he hath made us of his will, he is able and willing to perform, and actually will || perform. This persuasion, however, must be in and through the mediation, that is, the sacrifice and intercession, of Christ. Who was delivered-To|| ignominy, torture, and death; for our offencesNamely, to make an atonement for them. See note on chap. iii. 25, 26. And raised for our justification-That is, for the perfecting of our justification; and that in three respects: 1st, To show us that the sacrifice which he offered for the expiation of our ascension, and intercession, with regard to our justification, Rom. viii. 34, saying, Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. We may add here, with Bishop Sherlock, that Christ may also be said to be raised for our justification, because his resurrection demonstrated him to be the true Messiah, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world; and so laid a firm foundation for that faith in him, by which we are justified. CHAPTER V. The apostle, having fully proved that justification is by faith, proceeds in this chapter to explain, illustrate, and apply that doctrine; showing, (1,) The fruits of justification, 1-5. (2,) The causes thereof, 6-11. (3,) The universal necessity of such a free justification through Christ's obedience unto death, on account of the universal dominion of sin and death through Adam's fall, 12-14. (4,) That the grace of God, through Christ's obedience, is more powerful to justify and save believers, than the guilt of Adam's transgression is to condemn and ruin his natural progeny, 15–21. A. D. 60. a THEREFORE being justifi- with God, through our Lord Jesus A. M. 4064. a Isa. xxxii. 17; John xvi. 33; Chap. iii. 28, 30. NOTES ON CHAPTER V. b Eph. ii. 14; Col. i. 20. A. D. 60. leges which belong to true believers in general. Verse 1. Therefore being justified-In the || And from his account it appears, that the privileges way shown in the preceding chapter, we receive many blessed privileges and advantages in consequence thereof. Here, to comfort the believers at Rome, and elsewhere, under the sufferings which the profession of the gospel brought upon them, the apostle proceeds to enumerate the privi of Abraham's seed by faith, are far greater than those which belong to such as were his seed by natural descent, and which are described, chap. ii. 17-20. The first privilege of this spiritual seed is, that, being justified by faith, we have peace with God-Being alienated from God, and exposed to |