6. The design of the apostle being to illustrate the nature and to con- firm the certainty of our justification, it is the leading doctrine of this passage, that our acceptance with God is founded neither on our faith nor our good works, but on the obedience or righteousness of Christ, which to us is a free gift. This is the fundamental doctrine of the gos- pel, vs. 18, 19.
7. The dreadful evil of sin is best seen in the fall of Adam, and in the cross of Christ. By the one offence of one man what a waste of ruin has been spread over the whole world ! How far beyond conception the misery that one act occasioned ! There was no adequate remedy for this evil but the death of the Son of God, vs. 12, 15, 16, &c.
8. It is the prerogative of God to bring good out of evil, and to make the good triumph over the evil. From the fall has sprung redemption, and from redemption results which eternity alone can disclose, vs. 20, 21.