Testament: we shall endeavour therefore to state to you what we apprehend to be its precise import.
1 . It does not mean that the act of faith constituted Abram's righteousness, or that he was in any way justified by it as an act —
[Faith, considered as an act, is the same as any other act of the human mind. As hope, or love, or fear, or any other grace, is a work of man ; so faith, considered as an act, is a work of man : and if Abram was justified by it in this view, he was justified by tvorks : but the whole Scripture positively contradicts this, and affirms that he was justified by faith as opposed to works. St. Paul, referring to the words of our text, says, " What saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God; and it was counted unto him for righteousness1:" then explain- ing himself more fully, he adds, " We say that faith was counted to him for righteousness k." He afterwards calls it " the righteousness of faith," as opposed to the works of the law1: and repeats again, respecting his faith, that "it was imputed to him for righteousness111."
Moreover if the mere act of faith constituted Abram's justi- fying righteousness, he had whereof he might glory before God: he could say, ' I performed an act which was the true and proper ground of my salvation ; so that my salvation was not altogether a gift of free grace, but, as far at least as respected that act of mine, it was a debt paid to me in consideration of the work which I had performed.' But this idea also St. Paul expressly controverts ; and maintains, in opposition to it, that Abram " had hot any thing whereof to glory before God," but that the reward given him was of grace, and not of debt : " and from thence he deduces this general position, that " to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness"."]
2. The meaning is, that his faith, as laying hold of Christ and of his righteousness, was the mean or instrument whereby he was justified —
[Much has been said on the subject of imputed righteous- ness ; and controversies have been raised about the words, while in substance the same thing has been intended. That we should " contend earnestly for the faith," is certain ; but " strifes of words" we should avoid: and if we hold fast that which we have stated to be the import of the expression, we hold that in which all good men are agreed, without relinquishing one atom of important truth.
' Rom. iv. 3. k Rom. iv. 9. 1 Rom. iv. 13.
m Rom. iv. 22. See also Gal. iii. 6. " Rom. iv. 2 — 5.