Can be justified]

keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

[by the law.

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (C)

CHAP. II.

(C) Ver. 1-29. Those are most inexcusable, who commit themselves the sin they condemn in others. The apostle having delivered the most awful, and at the same time the most accurate description of the heathen world, which was perhaps ever written, he was sure of the approbation of the Jews, who would instantly pronounce them deserving of God's eternal curse, and everlasting condemnation. He then suddenly turns the argument upon his countrymen, and endeavours to convince them that they were not only equally guilty, but more inexcusable; as they had been favoured, not only with the same natural light, but with a divine revelation also, in the law of Moses aud the prophets; and this circumstance, so far froni excusing them, was a great aggravation of their guilt, and made their case more dreadfully alarming. That the Jews were, indeed, equally guilty of all the crimes here enumerated, we have not only the authority of the apostles, but the testimony of Josephus, their own historian, who declares that there was not a more wicked nation under heaven. And he afterwards adds, "I verily believe, that if the Romans had delayed to destroy these wicked wretches, their city would either have been swallowed up by the earth, or overwhelmed by the waters, or struck with fire from heaven, as another Sodom; for it produced a far more impious generation than those who suffered such punishment." (See the passages quoted by Dr. Whitby from the Jewish Wars, Books v. and vii.)

This being the awful case with both Jews and Gentiles, the apostle proceeds to argue the impossibility of either being saved by their own works of righteousness,

and that on two grounds: First, a fallen and guilty creature can never be justified by his good works; and, secondly, if even that were possible, neither Jews nor Gentiles had any such works to boast. Consequently, that to neither Jew nor Gentile was there any hope of salvation, but through the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. For as to the former, there was no merit in hearing a law which they neglected to obey; nor had the Gentiles any ground to be vain of their science, while, whatever they might know, they did not acknowledge and adore the Author of their being.

When it is said (verse 13), "The doers of the law will be justified," we must not, however, infer hence, that they will be justified by any merit in either their faith or their obedience, which would be contrary to the whole tenor of Paul's reasoning in this Epistle; but only that obedience to the will of God is the necessary evidence of our interest in his mercy. So, on these words, Mr. Cox judiciously remarks-" The apostle does not here refer to the originating cause of a person's justification, which is the mercy of God; or to the meritorious cause, which is nothing less than the obedience [active and passive] and intercession of Christ; but to the character of those who will finally be justified."

As to the covenant of circumcision, in which the Jews boasted and placed their confidence, it was an external rite only, and

he is not a Jew," in the best sense, who is such only" outwardly;" "But he is a Jew" indeed-a worshipper of the God of Israel" who is one inwardly; and [the true] circumcision is that of the heart; in the spirit (and), not in the letter; whose praise (as the term Jew intimates) is not of men, but of God."

is, a Gentile who fears God shall be preferred far before a Jew who apostatizes from him.

Ver. 27. The uncircumcision which is by naturei.e, which is natural to man. By the letter and circumcision.-Macknight," By the literal cir

cumcision."

Ver. 28. He is not a Jew.-See Rev. ii. 9.

Ver. 29. Whose praise is not of men.-See Gen. xxix. 35; and Expos. Compare with chap. xlix. 8.

WHAT advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say y? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

6 God forbid for then how shall God judge the world?

7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

9 What then? are we better than

[No, not one.

they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not

one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God, (D)

CHAP. III.

(D) Ver. 1-19. Some Jewish objections answered, and all men proved guilty before God. The apostle here introduces and answers several objections which a Jew

might be expected to make to his doctrine in the preceding chapter, relative to circumcision. If a Jew have no preference to a Gentile, "what advantage then is there in being a child of Abraham, or in receiving

CHAP. III. Ver. 3. Make the faith of God without effect.-Doddr. "Disannul the faith of God;" which may mean either our faith in him, or his fidelity to us. Macknight and Cox prefer the latter.

Ver. 4. But every man-Or, "Though every man be," &c. Doddr. and Mackn.

Ver. 5. Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? -Doddr., Mackn., &c. taking this to be the objection of a Jew (as ver. 1), render the words, " Is Nor God unrighteous?" which version the latter has shown the Greek will bear: but taking them as the words of the apostle, the negative must be omitted.

Ver.6. God forbid.-Gr. Let it not be-So ver. 4, and frequently. Mackn. "By no means;" and others, "Far be it." We confess the common ren

dering is more animated and pointed; but we fear the introduction of God's name here and elsewhere (when not in the original), has occasioned too often à light and trifling use of the divine name. Ver. 8. Whose damnation.-Doddr. and Mackn. "Condemnation."

Ver. 9. Proved.-Gr. " charged."

Ver. 10-12. As it is written-i. e. in various pas sages. See Ps. xiv. 1-3.

Ver. 13. Their throat.-Ps. v. 9.
Ver. 14. Whose mouth.-Ps. x. 7.

Ver. 15-18. Their feet, &c.-Prov. i, 16; Isa. lix. 7, 8; Ps. xxxvi. 1, &c.

Ver. 19. What the law saith.-Doddr. This proves that the term "law" extends to the whole Scrip

circumcision?" To this the apostle replies, "Much every way"-or in every respect; but chiefly, because that to them [the Jews] were intrusted the oracles of God, containing at once the revelation of man's duty and of God's mercy. And what if some-yea, if many-did not believe, could their unbelief disannul or make of no effect the truth and faithfulness of God?-Far be that! Let God be at reverenced as true, though every man should thereby be convicted of falsehood. But, rejoins the unbelieving Jew, sup. posing our unrighteousness to recominend the righteousness of God, or his glory to be advanced by our unbelief, which has opened the door of salvation to the Geutiles, are we to be condemned on that account?—In this case, is not God unjust in taking vengeance on those who promote his glory?-I speak and reason as a man.

At this St. Paul again spurus (ver. 6), and deprecates the idea of God's injustice: if God were unjust, how then would he be qualified for the universal judge?-Or "how should God judge the world?"-In verse 7 the obiector again comes forward in a somewhat different form-'Suppose (says he), in denying Jesus to be the Christ, I have been guilty of error or falsehood; yet if that falsehood has been the means, as you (Paul) pretend, of bringing a host of Gentiles to believe in him, aud has thereby increased the number of his worshippers, and advanced the glory of God, why am I to be condemned as a sinner on that account?'-The following verse (8) is evidently Paul's language;

but it is not easy to trace the connexion. Dr. Doddridge explains it, as taking up the objector abruptly, and asking, And why may not I [Paul] say, upon the same principles of reasoning (as is indeed reported of us), Let us do evil that good may come→ Let us sin to magnify divine grace!' A sentiment which, we fear, if not openly avowed or acted upon, has been secretly cherished and encouraged by some popular preachers of the present day, who, instead of being abashed and confounded, seem to glory in the magnitude of their former sins. But of such principles, or practises, the apostle subjoins this awful censure, "their damnation is just." This decree also strikes directly at the root of an error which prevailed too early in some parts of the Christian Church, that duplicity, and prevarication, and even persecution, are then lawful, when they subserve the interests of the Church-a principle from which the Church of Rome has not yet cleared herself, nor can, till in the most public manner she denounces and anathematizes the diabolical decree of the Council of Constance that "no faith is to be kept with heretics."

St. Paul now reverts to the doctrine of the preceding chapter, that both Jews and Gentiles are equally guilty before God; and after citing several passages from the Old Testament, in proof of this, most of which we have already noticed, he draws this most important inference-That “no flesh-neither Jew nor Greek-can possibly be justified before God by any works or righteousness of their own.

tures of the Old Testament, as none of the pas sages here referred to are in the Pentateuch.

Ibid. 19. Become guilty before God.-Margin, "Subject to the judgment of God." Doddr. "Stand convicted before God."

Ver. 20. By the deeds-Doddr. "works." Ver. 23. Come short of the glory of God-i. e. have failed in rendering him that glory which is his

(E) Ver. 20-31. Both Jews and Gentiles, being equally guilty before God, can only be justified through Christ.-St. Paul establishes his position, that "by the deeds of the law can no flesh living be justified in his sight," by this consideration, "that by the law is the knowledge of sin;" and that which convicts us of sin can never justify us in the sight of God. The question now arises, How then can we be saved? The answer is short and easy-We must be "justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Here we have, first, the primary, originating cause of our salvation, namely, the grace (or mercy) of God in choosing aud ordaining us to everlasting life-" God so loved the world" as to give his Son for man's salvation (John iii. 16). 2. We have the meritorious and procuring cause-the propiatory atonement offered in the obedience and death of Jesus Christ-who "suffered for us--the just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God" (1 Pet. iii. 18). 3. The instrumental cause it is "through faith in his blood for the remission of sins," and this faith is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephes. ii. 8. Now, by this scheme of salvation, we are taught-1. That "the righteousness of God is manifested"that is, it is displayed and magnified in the death and atonement of Jesus Christ, whereby God can "be just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus:" and, 2. That, with this faith, no works of the law, either ceremonial or moral, are to be mixed, though undoubtedly they will result from it. This doctrine appears to us sufficiently evident in the Scriptures we have quoted. But it is also the decided doctrine of the

Reformed Church of England, as will clearly appear by the following short but excellent extract from the Homily "Of the Salvation of Mankind." Referring to St. Paul's doctrine in this Epistle, say our English Reformers, "The apostle toucheth specially three things, which must go toge ther in our justification. Upon God's part, his great mercy and grace: upon Christ's part.... the satisfaction of God's justice, or the price of our redemption, by the offering of his body, and shedding of his blood, with fulfilling of the law perfectly and thoroughly; and upon our part, true and lively faith in the merits of Jesus Christ, which yet is not ours but by God's working in us." (Homilies, Oxf. Ed. 8vo. 1810, p. 19.) These Homilies, it may be remarked, were first published in the reign of K. Edward VI. (See Articles, No. xxxv.)

On this doctrine of justification by faith alone, we shall subjoin the eleventh Article of the Church of England, which appears to us drawn up with remarkable judgment and precision. It says, "We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our works or deservings: wherefore that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Jus tification." [By this, a marginal note informs us, is meant the third Homily of the first book, which we have above cited. Hom.p. 598.]

This was also the doctrine of all the Reformed Churches, particularly those of Helvetia, Belgia, and Augsburgh. Of Luther's sentiments on this point we shall give decisive extracts from his Commen

Ver. 26. That he might be just, &c.-That is, that his justice might not be impeached in his justifying sinners through Christ.

Ver. 27. The law of faith-i. e. the gospel. Ver. 31. Make void. Doddr." set aside."Mackn." Make useless."

Abraham justified]

CHAP. IV.

[by faith.

the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we 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.

righteousness.

10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? cumcision? 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 righte ousness might be imputed unto them also:

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 uncir cumcised.

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the

9 Cometh this blessedness then upon

tary on the Galatians.

faith.

14 For if they which are of the law

the authority of which was eminently honoured and established by the obedience of the Son of God, and by the strict obligation enjoined on all Christians to follow his example: and even as to the ceremonial law, though its obligation is removed, its injunctions are specially honoured by being shown to be uniformly typical of Christ and his redemption.

CHAP. IV. Ver. 1. As pertaining to the flesh, hath found?-Mackn. "obtained by the flesh." See Gal. iii. 3; Phil. iii. 3, 4.

Ver. 3. It was counted." As the same verb frequently occurs in this chapter (says Mr. Cox), it seemed desirable always to translate it by the same word [reckoned], instead of arbitrarily varying it, as in the authorized version, where it is indifferently rendered counted, reckoned, and imputed.

Ver. 5. The ungodly." It is not here implied," says Mr. Cox, that they who are justified may continue in a state of ungodliness (which would be completely in opposition to what the apostle states in a subsequent part of this Epistle); but merely that they had been ungodly, and consequently that their justification originated from the free mercy of God." Ver. 6. Even as David.-See Ps. xxxii. 1, &c.

with Bishop Horne's Comment in our Exposition. Ver. 10. In uncircumcision.—“Faith was reckoned to Abraham for justification, at least a year before the birth of Ishmael, whereas he was not circumcised till Ishmael was thirteen years old." Cox. See Gen. xv. 6; and xvii. 23–27.

Ver. 11. A seal-i. e. a full confirmation. "This seems an incontestible proof that circumcision was a seal of the covenant of grace, and not merely of temporal promises." Doddr.

Ver. 13 Heir of the world--Not personally, but in his seed, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed.

Ver. 14. They which are of the law-i, e. they who seek salvation by the law, and not by faith, are not the children of Abraham's faith, nor heirs with him of the same promises. See Heb. xi. 9.