righteousness of God just spoken of. It depends, in sense, upon the first clause of the 25th verse, ' Whom God hath set forth as a propitiatory- sacrifice, in order that he might be just in the justification of those that believe.' It is obvious, therefore, that this clause expresses more defi- nitely the idea intended to be conveyed by the phrase " to declare his righteousness." Christ was set forth as a sacrifice for the manifestation of the righteousness or justice of God, that is, that he might be just, al- though the justifier of the ungodly. The word Jms^ expresses the idea of uprightness generally, of being or doing what the nature of the case de- mands. But when spoken of the conduct of a judge, and in reference to his treatment of sin, it must mean more specifically that modification of general rectitude, which requires that sin should be treated according to its true nature, that the demands of law or justice should not be disre- garded. What the apostle means to say, is, that there is no such disre- gard to the claims of justice in the justification of the sinner who believes in Christ. This is seen and acknowledged, when it is known that he is justified neither on account of his own acts or character, nor by a mere sovereign dispensing with the demands of the law, but on the ground of a complete satisfaction rendered by his substitute, i. e. on the ground of the obedience and death of Christ. The gratuitous nature of this justifi- cation is not at all aflTected by its proceeding on the ground of this perfect satisfaction. It is, to the sinner, still the most undeserved of all favours, to which he not only has not the shadow of a personal claim, but the very reverse of which he has most richly merited. It is thus that justice and mercy are harmoniously united in the sinner's justification. Justice is no less justice, although mercy has her perfect work ; and mercy is no less mercy, although justice is completely satisfied.
" Just and the justifier," &c. that is, just although the justifier, &c. This force of the particle rendered and is very common both in the Old and New Testament.
Him which helieveth in Jesus ; literally him that is of the faith of Jesus ; compare Gal. 2 : 7, 12. The expression faith of Jesus means faith of which Jesus is the object. God therefore is just in justifying the man who relies on Jesus as a propitiatory sacrifice.
(27) Where is boasting then ? It is excluded. By what law ? of works ? Nay ; but by the law of faith. In this and the following verses, the apostle presents the tendency and results of the glorious plan of sal- vation, which he had just unfolded. It excludes boasting, v. 27. It presents God in his true character, as the God and Father of the Gentiles as well as the Jews, vs. 29, 30 ; and it establishes the law, v. 31. The word rendered boasting is used to express the idea of self-gratulation with or without sufficient reason. In the former case, it is properly rendered rejoicing, as when Paul speaks of the Thessalonians being his "crown of rejoicing." In the latter, the word boasting best answers to its meaning. The word sometimes means the act of boasting or rejoic' ing ,• at others, by metonymy, the ground or reason of boasting, as id