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58.

FAITH IN CHRIST THE ONLY JUSTIFICATION.

23 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no Corinth. flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

ý 11. ROM. V. 21-27.

The Law having entirely failed for Justification, the Apostle
declares that the only method of Justification is by Faith
in Jesus Christ—which is taught in the Law and the
Prophets and offered alike to the Jew and Gentile, both
of whom were equally convinced of sin-and with God
there was no distinction of Persons-Justification the free
Gift of God to all, through Faith, by the Propitiation
and Redemption of Christ Jesus-by which means all
boasting is excluded.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law
is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the pro-
phets;

22 Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith.

St. Paul concludes the Argument, by declaring that neither
the Jew nor the Gentile, under the Gospel, can be justi-
fied excepting by Faith alone, without any assistance from
the Works of the Law-The Gentiles as well as the Jews
being equally regarded by God-The same means of
Justification through Faith are appointed for both-The
Law established, or made perfect, by Faith.

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by
faith without the deeds of the law.

29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? yes, of the Gentiles also:

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

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§ 13. ROM. iv. 1-12.

The Apostle proves that Abraham was not justified by the
Works of the Law-He hath not whereof to boast-His
Justification was of Faith, of Grace and Favour-not of
Debl, as a reward due to his Works-David testifies the
same method of Justification, from the fact that Abraham
was justified in Uncircumcision, and that he afterwards
received the sign of Circumcision as the seal of his Jus-
tification by Faith, that he might become the spiritual
Father both of Jew and Gentile, who were to be alike en-
titled to Justification on the equal condition of Faith only.
1 What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as
pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath
whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righte

ousness.

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

sin.

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute

9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

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 he had, yet being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed to them also:

12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumsion only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised.

$14. ROM. iv. 13-22.

The Apostle continues his Argument, by affirming to the
Jews that the promise itself, which was given to Abraham,

intimated that all the World should become his Heirs
through the medium of his Faith-But that if only the

Corinth.

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FAITH JUSTIFIED ABRAHAM BEFORE THE COVENANT.

Jews were to be the Heirs to his promise, Faith is made Corinth.
void, and the promise which was given on the condition of
Faith is cancelled-For the Law, without Mercy, sub-
jects the Sinner to punishment-and without the Law
there can be no rule of Duty, and consequently no Sin-
On this account the promise is given to Faith-the free
Grace of God including both the natural and spiritual
Children of Abraham-Abraham's Justification in Un-
circumcision proves the acceptance of the Gentiles-and
the promise itself confirmed to Abraham, as the Father
of many Nations, establishes the claim of the Gentiles to
all the blessings of Redemption.

13 For the promise, that he should 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:

15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be 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 all.

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righte

ousness.

§ 15. ROM. iv. 23, to the end.

The circumstance of Abraham's acceptance with God
through Faith was recorded for our sakes-to show us
that the only means of Salvation with God is through
Faith in his Son, who suffered for our Sins, and rose
again, as a pledge of our Reconciliation, or Justification.
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it
was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we

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Julian Pe- believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the Corinth. riod, 4771. dead;

Vulgar Æra,

58.

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

§ 16. ROM. V. 1-11.

St. Paul proceeds by enumerating the great blessings and
privileges which follow Justification by Faith-The Holy
Spirit imparted to the Gentiles manifests the love of God
towards them, which is confirmed by Christ's dying for
them while they were still Heathens-The Gentiles have
then the same hope of Salvation through Christ, and the
same grounds for rejoicing in God with the natural Seed
of Abraham, as they have been reconciled to God by the
same Atonement.

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope.

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

$ 17. ROM. V. 12, to the end.

St. Paul now lays down the doctrine of Original Sin--He
shews that by the transgression of one Man sin entered
into the world, and the sentence of Death was passed
upon all Men, for that all were afterwards born with a
sinful Nature that Death reigned through the Corrup-
tion of our Nature before the Mosaic Law was known—
Adam, the Type, the earthy Head of the human Race,
communicated sin-Christ, the Antitype, the spiritual
Head, communicated Life and Justification to all-The

CHRIST HAS OBTAINED GREATER BLESSINGS THAN ADAM LOST.

effects of Christ's obedience are greater than the effects Corinth.
of Adam's disobedience-By one offence Adam brought
into the world transgression and death-By obedience
Christ undid the evil of sin, and through the righteous-
ness of Faith restored to all Mankind the free gift of
Life and Pardon for Man's offence, for both original
and actual sin―The Law entered to give the knowledge
of the guilt of Sin-The Grace and Gift of God abounds,
to deliver us from the Condemnation of the Law-As sin
has universally reigned, subjecting all Mankind to spiri-
tual and temporal Death, so shall also the grace of God
reign, producing holiness unto eternal Life.

12 Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for
that all have sinned:

13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression ", who is the figure of him that

was to come.

15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead; much more

27 Having demonstrated that all mankind were subjected to sin and death by the sin of one man, the apostle interrupts the analogy he is about to draw between Adam and Christ, for the purpose of establishing the doctrine of original sin. The apostle proves this point, by affirming that death reigned from Adam to Moses, that is, before the promulgation of the Levitical lawthat it reigned over those, who not having received any promulged law threatening temporal death, were not capable of sinning after the manner of Adam's transgression-that it was passed upon all, consequently upon infants and idiots, to whom sin could not be imputed, as they were without the power of comprehending the knowledge of law-therefore all mankind were necessarily subjected to death, not only for their own actual sin, but for the original sin and transgression of their first parents. St. Paul appears particularly desirous to prove this point, as it affords a strong additional argument for the claims of the Gentiles-" for if (as Mr. Young observes) the effects of Adam's transgression extended to all universally; surely we shall not dare to limit the effects of Christ's merits to a part of mankind only."-Notes to the Sermon on Original Sin, p. 255. From the fall itself sentence of death was passed on all mankind through the transgression of Adam-and the free gift of justification and life was restored through Christ.-The plan of our redemption was coeval with, or rather was decreed before, the transgression of our first parents, and, like the evil which was then introduced, it extends to all, promoting the superior happiness of man, and the glory of God. By these irresistible arguments the apostle still endeavoured to enforce on the minds of the Jews that salvation was not confined to their Church, and could not be obtained by the Mosaic law-but was equally offered to all nations, through the obedience and righteousness of Jesus Christ.

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