11 For there is no respect of you is blasphemed among the gen persons with God. tiles, as it is written.) 12 For whosoever have sinned 25 Circumcision profiteth indeed without the law, shall perish with- if thou keep the law: but if thou be out the law and whosoever have a transgressor of the law, thy cir sinned in the law, shall be judged cumcision is made uncircumcision. by the law. 26 If then the uncircumcised keep the justices of the law: shall not this uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 13 For not the hearers of the law, are just before God: but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the gentiles who 27 And shall not that which by have not the law,do by nature those nature is uncircumcision, if it fulfil things that are of the law; these the law, judge thee, who by the having not the law, are a law to letter and circumcision art a transthemselves: gressor of the law? 1 15 Who shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them, and their thoughts between themselves accusing, or also defending one another, 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, by JESUS CHRIST, according to my gospel. 17 But if thou art called a Jew, 28 For it is not he is a Jew, that is so outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, 29 But he is a Jew that is one The advantages of the Jews. and restest in the law, and makest W Jew, or what is the profit of thy boast of God, 18 And knowest his will, and approvest the more profitable things, being instructed by the law, 19 Art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness, 20 An instructer of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having the form of knowledge and of truth in the law. 21 Thou therefore that teachest another, teachest not thyself: thou that preachest that men should not steal, stealest : 22 Thou that sayest, men should not commit adultery, committest adultery: Thou that abhorrest idols, committest sacrilege: 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, by transgression of the law dishonourest God. circumcision? 2 Much every way. First indeed, because the words of God were committed to them. 3 For what if some of them have not believed? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. 4 But God is true: and every man a liar, as it is written: That thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest overcome when thou art judged." 5 But if our injustice commend the justice of God, what shall we say? is God unjust, who executeth wrath. 6 (I speak according to man.) God forbid; otherwise how shall God judge this world? 7 For if the truth of God hath 24 (For the name of God through more abounded through my lie,un Ver, 4, God only is essentially true. All men in their own capacity are liable to lies and errors nevertheless God, who is the truth, will make good his promise of keeping his church in all truth. See St, John xvi. 13 to his glory, why am I also yet being witnessed by the law and the judged as a sinner? 8 And not rather (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say) let us do evil, that there may come good? whose damnation is just 9 What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For, we have charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin : 10 As it is written: There is not any man just, 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 All have turned out of the way, they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one. 1 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips. 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet swift to shed blood. 16 Destruction and misery in their ways: 17 And the way of peace they have not known :· 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19 Now we know that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be made subject to God. 20. Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. Forby the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now without the law the justice of God is made manifest; prophets. by 22 Even the justice of God faith of JESUS CHRIST, unto all and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned; and do need the glory of God. 24 Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in CHRIST JESUS, 25 Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins, 26 Through the forbearance of God, for the shewing of his justice in this time: that he himself may be just, and the justifier of him who is of the faith of JESUS CHRIST. 27 Where is then thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we account a man to be justified by faith without the works 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 For it is one God that justifieth circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then destroy the law through faith? God forbid; but we establish the law. CHAP. IV. Abraham was not justified by works. WHAT shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. Ver. 10. There is not any man just. By virtue either of the law of nature, or of the law of Moses, but only by faith and grace. Ver. 28. By faith, &c. The faith, to which the apostle here attributes man's justification, is not a presumptuous assurance of our being justified, but a firm and lively belief of all that God has revealed or promised: Heb. xi. A faith working through charity in Jesus Christ, Gal. v. 16. In short a faith which takes in hope, love, repentance, and the use of the sacra. ments. And the works which he here excludes, are only the works of the law; that is such as are done by the law of nature, or that of Moses, antecedent to the faith of Christ: but by no means such as follow faith and proceed from it. Ver. 2. By works. Done by his own strength, without the grace of God, and faith in him. Ver. 2. Not before God. Whatever glory or applause such works might procure from men, they would be of no value in the sight of God." 3 For what saith the scripture ?| 12 And might be the father of Abraham believed God, and it was circumcision, not to them only that reputed to him unto justice. are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faith that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham. 4 Now to him, that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, yet 13 For not through the law was believeth in him that justifieth the the promise to Abraham, or to his ungodly, his faith is reputed to jus- seed, that he should be heir of the tice according to the purpose of the world; but through the justice of grace of God. faith. 6 As David also termeth the blessedness of a man, to whom God reputeth justice without works: Blessed are they, whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin. 9 This blessedness then doth it remain in the circumcision only, or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice. 14 For if they who are of the law, be heirs; faith is made void, the promise is made of no effect. 15 For the law worketh wrath. For where there is no law; neither is there transgression. 16 Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm 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 10 How then was it reputed thee a father of many nations) beWhen he was in circumcision, or in fore God, whom he believed, who uncircumcision? Not in circumci-quickeneth the dead; and calleth sion, but in uncircumcision. those things that are not, as those : 11 And he received the sign of that are. circumcision, a seal of the justice of 18 Who against hope believed in the faith which he had being uncir-hope; that he might be made the cumcised that he might be the father of many nations, according father of all them that believe being to that which was said to him: So uncircumcised, that unto them also shall thy seed be. it may be reputed to justice: 19 And he was not weak in faith; Ver. 3. Reputed, &c. By God, who reputeth nothing otherwise than it is. However, we may gather from this word, that when we are justified, our justification proceedeth from God's free grace and bounty, and not from any efficacy which any act of ours could have of its own nature, abstracting from God's grace. Ver. 4. To him that worketh, viz As of his own fund, or by his own strength. Such a one, says the apostle, challenges his reward as a debt, due to his own performances: whereas he who worketh not, that is, who presumeth not upon any works done by his own strength: but seeking justice through faith and grace, is freely justified by God's grace. Ver. 7. Covered, &c. This covering, and not imputing, means that our sins are quite blotted out by the blood of the lamb, who taketh away the sins of the world: So that we are no longer to be charged with them, because they are no more. Ver. 9. In the circumcision, &c. That is, is it only for the Jews that are circumcised? No, says the apostle, but also for the uncircumcised gentiles; who by faith and grace may come to justice; as Abraham did before he was circumcised. Ver. 14. Be heirs. That is, if they alone who follow the ceremonies of the law be heirs of the blessings promised to Abraham; then that faith which was so much praised in him, will be found to be of little value. And the very promise will be made void, by which he was promised to be the father, not of the Jews only, but of all nations of believers. Ver. 15. The law worketh wrath. The law, abstracting from faith and grace, worketh wrath occasionally, by being an occasion of many transgressions, which provoke God's wrath. neither did he consider his own rity towards us: because when as body now dead, whereas he was yet we were sinners, according to almost an hundred years old, nor the time, the dead womb of Sara. 20 In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust; but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God: 21 Most fully knowing that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice. 23 Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice, 24 But also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him that raised up JESUS CHRIST our Lord from the dead, 25 Who was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification. through our Lord JESUS CHRIST. 2 By whom also we have access through faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God. 9 Christ died for us: much more therefore being now justified by his blood, shall we 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, shall we be saved by his life. 11 And not only so; but also we glory in God, through our Lord JESUS CHRIST, by whom we have now received reconciliation. 12 Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death: and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned. 13 For until the law sin was in the world but sin was not imputed, when the law was not. 14 But death reigned from Adam unto Moses, even over them also who have not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam, who is a figure of him who was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also the gift. For if by the offence of one many died: much more the grace of God and the gift, by the grace of one man JESUS CHRIST, hath abounded unto many. 3 And not only so; but we glory also in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience: 16 And not as it was by one sin, 4 And patience trial; and trial hope. so also is the gift, For judgment 5 And hope confoundeth not: be-indeed was by one unto condemnacause the charity of God is poured tion: but grace is of many offences, forth in our hearts, by the Holy unto justification. Ghost who is given to us. 16: For why did Christ, when as yet we were weak, according to the time, die for the ungodly? 7 For scarce for a just man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man some one would dare to die. 8. But God.commendeth his cha 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned through one: much more they who receive abundance of grace, and of the gift, and of justice, shall reign in life through one JESUS CHRIST. 18 Therefore as by the offence of one, unto all men to condemnation: Ver. 12. By one man. Adam, from whom we all contracted origmal sin. Ver. 13. Not imputed, i. e. Men knew not, or made no account of sin neither was it imputed to them in the manner it was afterwards, when they transgressed the known written law of God. 6 Knowing this, that our old an is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, to the end that we may serve sin no longer. 7 For he that is dead, is justified from sin. we Now if we be dead with Christ, we shall live also together with Christ. 9 Knowing that Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more have dominion over him. Chap. 5. Ver. 20. That sin might abound. Not as if the law were given on purpose for sin to abound: but that it so happened through man's perversity, taking occasion of sinning more, from the prohibition of sin. Baina Ver. 6. Old man body of sin. Our corrupt state, subject to sin and concupiscence com ing to us from Adam, is called our old man (as our state reformed in and by Christ, is called the new man.) And the vices and sins, which then ruled in us, are named the body of |