What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? Ver. 1. _As pertaining to the flesh_] That is, As touching his works, Romans 4:2, called also the letter, Romans 2:27, and the law a carnal commandment,Hebrews 7:16 .... [ Continue Reading ]
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath _whereof_ to glory; but not before God. Ver. 2. _But not before God_] Who when he begins to search our sacks, as the steward did Benjamin's, can find out those our thieveries that we thought not of; bring to mind and light those sins that we had forgo... [ Continue Reading ]
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Ver. 3. _Abraham believed God_] Latomus of Louvain was not ashamed to write that there was no other faith in Abraham than what was in Cicero. And yet our Saviour saith, Abraham saw my day and rejoiced... [ Continue Reading ]
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. Ver. 4. _Now to him that worketh_] Yet it is an act of mercy in God to render to a man according to his works, Psalms 62:12; Exodus 20:6. God's kingdom is not _partum, _ but _paratum, Matthew 25:34_, not acquired, but prepare... [ Continue Reading ]
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Ver. 5. _His faith_] Yet not as a work, not in a proper sense, as Arminius and Bertius held, but as an act of receiving Christ. _ That justifieth the ungodly_] _i.e._ Him that was... [ Continue Reading ]
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Ver. 6. _Unto whom God imputeth_] Ten times the apostle mentioneth this grace of imputed righteousness in this chapter. Yet the Papists jeer it, calling it putative righteousness, so speaki... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saying_, Blessed _are_ they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Ver. 7. _Are covered_] _Sic velantur ut in iudicio non revelentur; _ so covered as that he never see them again, but as the Israelites saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed _is_ the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Ver. 8. _Imputeth not_] Chargeth it not, setteth it not upon his score,2 Corinthians 5:19 .... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cometh_ this blessedness then upon the circumcision _only_, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. Ver. 9. _Cometh this blessedness_] This is the third time that the apostle avoucheth the universality of the subject of justification. For t... [ Continue Reading ]
How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. Ver. 10. _In, circumcision_] As the Jew would have it. No such matter.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 unto them also: Ver. 11. _A seal of the righteousness_... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 12. _Walk in the steps_] That herein personate and express him to the life, as Constantine's children, sait... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 13. _Heir of the world_] That is, of heaven, say some; of Canaan, say others, the pleasant land, more esteemed of God than all the world besi... [ Continue Reading ]
For if they which are of the law _be_ heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Ver. 14. _Faith is made void_] _See Trapp on "_ Gal 3:12 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Gal 5:2 _"_ That Epistle to the Galatians is an epitome of this to the Romans, and lends light to it. It is _compendium... [ Continue Reading ]
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, _there is_ no transgression. Ver. 15. _No transgression_] _sc._ Is imputed by men where there is no law written. See Romans 5:13 . _ The law worketh wrath_] That is, manifesteth it, and so seemeth to work it, as likewise affliction doth corruptio... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Ver. 16. _It is of faith_] _Fidei mendica manu._ That it might be by... [ Continue Reading ]
(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. Ver. 17. _Who quickeneth the dead_] As he doth when he maketh a man a believer, Ephesians 1:19; he fetcheth hea... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 18. _Who against hope, &c._] _Elegans Antanaclasis propter speciem contradietionis, _ saith Piscator. _Spes in terrenis, incerti nomen boni; spes in div... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Sara's womb: Ver. 19. _He considered not_] Gr. ου κατενοησε, He cared not for all his own body, &c.; he never thought of that. _ When he was about a hundred yea... [ Continue Reading ]
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; Ver. 20. _Giving glory to God_] Confessing and exalting God, asLuke 17:18, giving him a testimonial, as it were, John 3:33; cf. Deuteronomy 32:4 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Ver. 21. _Being fully persuaded_] Gr. πληροφαρηθεις, being carried on with full sail, and going gallantly towards heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Ver. 22. _See Trapp on "_ Rom 4:5 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Rom 4:6 _"_ God, by reason of his faith, held him to be as sufficiently disposed to obtain the accomplishment of his promises, as if he had had all the righteousness required by the law to... [ Continue Reading ]
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; Ver. 23. _For his sake alone_] But for our instruction and encouragement,Romans 15:4. _See Trapp on "_ Rom 15:4 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Ver. 24. _That raised up Jesus_] And with him all believers,Colossians 3:1; Romans 6:4 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Ver. 25. _Who was delivered, &c._] Not that his death had no hand in our justifying, but because our justification, begun in his death, was perfected by his resurrection. Redemption we have by Christ's abasement, applic... [ Continue Reading ]