23 For all have sin- 23. For Jews as well as Gentiles are found also to ned, and come short be sinners, and so far from meriting God's praise or of [g] the glory of acceptance; and so, by any way but by the gospel, there is neither justification nor salvation to be had for them. God; 24 Being justified 24. And therefore whensoever they are justified, freely by his grace (either one or other,) it is freely by his undeserved through the redemp-favour, tion that is in Christ favour, (see note [6],) through that great work which Jesus Christ hath wrought for the redemption of man, that is, for the obtaining pardon for their past sins, and working in them reformation for the future: (see note [h]). Jesus: 25 Whom God hath 18 25. Which Christ, the Messias of the world, God 16 set forth to be from the beginning purposed to set forth unto men, 17 a [h] propitiation through faith in his as the means to exhibit and reveal to us his covenant blood, to [i] de- of mercy, on condition of our faith, and constant new clare his righteous- obedience to him who hath died for us, to make ex13 for the remis- piation for our sins, and to work reformation in us, sion of sins that are hereby demonstrating the great mercifulness of God past, through the forbearance of God; now under the gospel, in that he forbears to inflict vengeance on sinners, but gives them space to repent, and promises them pardon upon repentance. ness 26 To declare, I 26. To reveal, I say, and make known unto us at say, at this time his this time this way of justifying sinners in the gospel, righteousness: that he might be 20[k]just, (by grace, or mercy, and pardon of sin,) whereby and the justifier of God appears to all to be a most gracious and merciful him 21 which believ- God, and accordingly to accept and reward all those eth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is ex which (though they have formerly sinned, do yet) upon this merciful promise, and tender, and call of Christ's, give themselves up to be ruled by him, to live as he hath commanded in the gospel. 27. By this means then all proud reflections on ourselves are perfectly excluded; (a thing which the cluded. By what law? Mosaical law was made use of to foster in the Jews; of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. they thought themselves thereby discriminated from and dignified above all other men in the world, and that, by being Abraham's seed, and circumcised, and such like external performances, they were secured of the favour of God, whatsoever they did;) but by this evangelical way of God's dealing in Christ, accepting and acquitting all, Gentiles as well as Jews, through grace and mercy, by which their sins are forgiven, and they received into God's favour, (without any respect of personal privileges, of being Abraham's 16 predetermined, or, proposed, strating of, εἰς ἔνδειξιν. προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων. 'Inooû. HAMMOND, VOL. II. рOÉVETO. 17 a propitiatory. 18 to the demonpassing by of past sins, διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν 21 that is of the faith of, Tòv ÈK TÍσTEWS 28 Therefore we seed, or of bare outward performances &c.,) only upon their return and change of life, upon performance of new faithful obedience unto Christ, to which they are called, and to which they are by him enabled; wherein there being so little, so nothing imputable unto us, all boasting is utterly excluded. 28. The sum or result therefore of this discourse is, [] conclude that a that by this evangelical way the favour of God is to man is justified by be had for those that never had to do with the Judadeeds of the law. ical law, (see note [g] Matt. v.) circumcision &c.: (see ver. 21, and note [b]). faith without the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 29 Is he the God 29. For otherwise it would follow that God had of the Jews only? is care or consideration of no other part of the world he not also of the but only of the Jews; which certainly is not true; for he is the God of the Gentiles also, hath a peculiar care and consideration of them that come not from Abraham's loins, as long as they imitate Abraham's faith, or on condition they do so; 30 Seeing it is one 30. And after the same manner receives all into his God, which shall jus- favour, the believing Jews, and the believing, though tify the circumcision uncircumcised Gentiles, by this one evangelical way by faith, and uncir- of pardon and free remission of sin to all that shall perform new obedience and fidelity to Christ: (see note [b]). cumcision through faith. 31 Do we then 31. Which evangelical way of receiving men into make void the law the favour of God is so far from evacuating the law, through faith? God or making it useless, that it is rather a perfecting of forbid: yea, we esta- it, a requiring that purity of the heart which was the blish the law. 1 inward notation of the legal ordinance of circumcision, (and so in all other things a bringing in the substance where the law had only the shadow, the sufferings of Christ and his intercession, instead of the sacrifices and propitiatory (ver. 25.) under the law). CHAP. IV. [a] WHAT shall 1. What then do we say? Can it be said or thought we then say that that Abraham, who is said in scripture to be rightAbraham, our father 2 as pertaining to the eous, or accepted by God as righteous, obtained that flesh, hath found? testimony by the merit of his own innocence or performances? (This affirmative interrogation is in effect 2 For if Abraham a negation, and so the meaning is,) This cannot with any reason be affirmed by any. 2. For if he were so justified by any thing in himwere justified by self, any innocence or performance of his, he might works, he hath then be said to have somewhat to glory of, his justifi 1 What therefore do we say? Tl ovv èpoûμev; 2 found according to the flesh? eúpnkévai κατὰ σάρκα ; 3whereof to glory; cation being an effect of his performances, and not of but not before God. the free grace of God, (see note [a], and ch. iii. 27). 3 For what saith eousness. But sure there is no such matter; or, if toward men, who had nothing to blame in him, he might have any place of boasting, yet sure toward God he hath none, he cannot be able to say to God by way of boast, as of any special merit or excellency, (which alone is matter of boasting,) that he had done any thing by virtue of which he was justified before God. And therefore, certainly, whatsoever privilege or prerogative was or could be conceived to belong to him or his posterity, it was from the free mercy of God, a fruit of undeserved promise; and that excludes all boasting; for what hast thou (in this case) which thou hast not received? and why then boastest thou as if thou hadst not? (that is, as if it were not a mere act of mercy and bounty to thee?) 3. And this appears by that way of God's dealing the scripture? Abra- with him which is in the scripture clearly enough set ham believed God, and it was counted down; and that the very same by which we teach and unto him for right- profess that all men are now dealt with by God; that is, a way that belongs to the Gentiles though sinners, (if they will forsake their heathen ways, and now receive and obey Christ,) as well as to the Jews; viz. that Abraham believed God, followed his call, and believed his promise; and thereupon, though he had formerly been guilty of many sins, and though his obedience being due to God's commands could not challenge any such reward from God, yet did God freely justify him, that is, upon his forsaking his country and the idolatries thereof, and after, upon his depending upon God's promises made to him, (and so walking cheerfully in his duty towards God,) pardon his past sins, receive him into special favour, strike a covenant of rich mercies with him. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 4. By this it is clear that it was not his innocence or blamelessness, by which he is said to be just in the sight of God, or any meritorious act that was thus rewarded in him (see note [b] ch. iii.): for if it were, then would it not be said, that God did account or reckon his faith unto him for righteousness, that is, freely out of mere mercy justify him, (as ver. 3. it was, and ver. 5. is again said, these two phrases, "it was reputed to him for righteousness," there, and here, it is reputed to him according to grace or favour," being directly of the same importance,) but 3 boasting, kαúnμa. 4 toward, karά. that upon his perfect innocence and blamelessness God was bound (by laws of strict justice) to reward and crown his innocence and his virtues, as paying him that which he ought him, (a due debt,) and not freely giving it him by way of favour and grace, as is implied in accounting or imputing to him for right eousness. 5 But to him that 5. But his way of justification was by believing worketh not, but be- pardon for sinners upon reformation, and thereupon lieveth on him that reforming and giving himself up to do whatsoever God justifieth the ungodly, his faith is count-now would have him do; and so it was not any oried for righteousness. ginal innocence of his (which might challenge the reward as due), but only God's acceptation of his faith, which was an act of God's mere mercy, and that may be vouchsafed to idolatrous Gentiles upon their repentance as well as to him, and their receiving of the faith, and leaving their former courses of sin on Christ's command, as he did his country upon God's, be accepted to the justification. eousness works, 6 Even as David 6. Agreeable to which is that description of blessalso describeth the edness in David, Psalm xxxii, That he is blessed blessedness of the whom the Lord out of his free grace and pardon of man, unto whom God imputeth right- sin accepteth and accounteth as righteous, and not on without any merit of their own performances; that is, that blessedness consists in having this evangelical way of justifying sinners (or those who have been sinners, and now repent and return) vouchsafed to any man, not that of never having lived in sin, (for want of which the Jews will not admit the Gentiles to any hope of justification,) but the other, I say, of mercy and forgiveness upon reformation and forsaking their former evil ways, as appears by the words of the Psalm, 7 Saying, Blessed 7. Blessed are they, not who never sinned at all, are they whose in- that were never in a wicked or wrong course, (as of iquities are forgiven, the Gentiles it is acknowledged that they were,) but and whose sins are who having been ill, have reformed, and found place of repentance and of mercy upon reformation, merely by the forgiveness and pardon of God. covered. 8 Blessed is the 8. Blessed is the man whose sin (though he have man to whom the been guilty, as it is acknowledged the Gentiles have) Lord will not im- is not charged on him by God, but freely pardoned and forgiven unto him upon his reformation. pute sin. 9 Cometh this bless circumcision only, or 9. This, then, being the nature of the evangelical edness then upon the course of God's gracious way of dealing with sinners, upon the uncircum- giving them place for repentance, and upon the sincision also? for we cerity of that, justifying and accepting them, whatso say that faith was ever their former sins have been, we may now reckoned to Abra- further consider, whether this course may not be ham for righteous- taken with uncircumcised Gentiles as well as with the ness. Jews; and that will best be done, by considering how God dealt with Abraham, and what condition Abraham was in, when God thus reckoned his faith to him for righteousness, or justified and approved of him, and rewarded him so richly for believing. 10 How was it then 10. And of this the account is easy, if we but obreckoned? when he serve the time when Abraham's justification is spoken was in circumcision, of, viz. when those words were said of him, Abrasion? Not in cir- ham believed, and it was counted to him for rightcumcision, but in eousness; for we find that was (Gen. xv. 6.) before he or in uncircumci uncircumcision. was circumcised, ch. xvii. 24, and therefore it could not be a privilege annexed to circumcision, but is a grace and favour of God, whereof the uncircumcised Gentiles are no less capable than the Jews, who are within the covenant of circumcision: (which is an evidence that receiving of Christ now, and believing and obeying of him, as then Abraham obeyed, will be accepted by God without circumcision.) II And he received 11. And being justified after this evangelical manthe sign of circum- ner upon his faith, without and before circumcision, cision, a seal of the he received the sacrament of circumcision for a seal, righteousness of the faith which he had on his part, of his performing those commands of God yet being uncircum- given to him, his walking before him sincerely, Gen. cised: that he might xvii. 1, (upon which the covenant is made to him, and be the father of all thus sealed, vv. 2. 4. 10,) and on God's part, for a testhem that believe, tification of that faith of his, and obsignation of that 5 though they be not circumcised; that precedent justification; and so by consequence he is righteousness might the father in a spiritual sense, that is, an exemplar, be imputed unto or copy (which they that transcribe are called his sons) of every uncircumcised believer, who therefore succeeds him, as a son to a father, in that privilege of being justified before God: them also: 12 And the father the circumcision on 12. And in like manner a spiritual father conveyof circumcision to ing down mercies and the inheritance to the Jews, them who are not of that were circumcised, and do now convert to Christ, ly, but who also walk and so besides circumcision, which they drew from in the steps of that him, do also transcribe his diviner copy, follow his exfaith of our father ample of faith and obedience, which were remarkable Abraham, which he in him before he was circumcised, leave their sins, as had being yet uncir- he did his country, and believe all God's promises, and adhere to him against all temptations to the contrary. cumcised. 13 For the promise, 13. For the great promise made to Abraham and 5 through, or, in uncircumcision, di' ànpoßvarías: see note [h] ch. ii, |