sense, to denote a happy existence. 'He shall be happy, and happy in God. He shall have that life which consists in intercourse with him who is our life.'
(6, 7) But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise. Say not, &c. On the import of the phrase *' the righteousness which is of faith," see the preceding verse. It is clearly implied in that verse that the attainment of justification, by a method which prescribed per- fect obedience, is for sinful men impossible. It is the object of this and the succeeding verses to declare that the gospel requires no such impos- sibilities ; it neither requires us to scale the heavens, nor to fathom the great abyss ; it demands only cordial faith and open profession. In ex- pressing these ideas the apostle skilfully avails himself of the language of Moses, Deut. 30: 10 — 14. It is clear that the expressions used by the ancient lawgiver were a familiar mode of saying that a thing could not be done. The passage referred to is the following, " For this com- mand which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldst say, M'ho shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do if? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." The obvious import of this passage is, that the knowledge of the will of God had been made perfectly accessible, no one was required to do what was impossible ; neither to ascend to hea- ven, nor to pass the boundless sea, in order to attain it; it was neither hidden, nor afar off, but obvious and at hand. Without directly citing this passage, Paul uses nearly the same language to express the same idea. The expressions here used seem to have become proverbial among the Jews. To be " high," or " afar off," was to be unattainable : Ps. 139 : 6. Prov. 24 : 7, " To ascend to heaven," or " to go down to hell," was to do what was impossible, Amos 9 : 2. Ps. 139 : 8, 9. As the sea was to the ancients impassable, it is easy to understand how the ques- tion, ' Who can pass over the sea V was tantamount to, ' Who can ascend up into heaven ]' Among the later Jews the same mode of expressions not unfrequently occur.
Paul connects each of the questions, virtually borrowed from the Old Testament, with a comment designed to apply them more directly to the point which he had in view. Say not, Who shall ascend into heaven P thai is, to bring Christ down, &c. The words that is may be taken as equi- valent to namely or to wit, and the apostle's comment be connected, as an explanatory substitute, with the questions, ' Say not. Who shall ascend into heaven? to wit, to bring Christ down; or. Who shall descend into the deep 1 to bring him up again from the dead.' The sense would then be, ' The plan of salvation by faith does not require us to do what cannot be done, and which is now unnecessary ; it does not require us to provide a Saviour, to bring him from heaven, or to raise him from the dead ; a