EXPOSITION. appears, not only from the drift of eh. iv., CHAPTER IV. but also from the word H~Jl4 in ,er. 2, Vere. 1-25.-(5) .A.braham himself ehoom eonnecting the thoaght with ..-~ii o6v 71 to ha11e been justified by faill,, and ,wt by 1tadx11a-u ; in eh. iii. 27. The line of :Works, believers being Ms true heirs. thoaght is, in the first place, this: We have ea.id that e;ll human glorying is shut '::: The me.in points of the argument mny ont, and that no man can he justified be, summarized ,thus : When Abmham ob- except by faith: how, then (it is important tained e. blessing to himself and to his seed to inquire), we.s it with Abraham our great for ever, it was by faith, and not by works, progenitor? Did not he at least earn the that he is declared to hnve been justified BO blessing to his seed by the merit of bis as to obt11in it. Thus the promise to his works? Had not be, on that ground, whereof to glory? No, not even he; 8cripture, in seed, as well as to himself, rested on the whnt it says of him, distinctly asserts the principle of justificntion by faith only. contrary. There is uncertainty in this verse 'l'he Law, of which tho principle was es- as to whether "accordina to the flesh" sentially different, could not, and did not, (1eaTa a&p1ea) is to be con~ected with '' our
!µ itself fulfil that promise; and that its f11ther" or with "bath found." Readings vnry in their ornmgement of the words. The fulfilment WBS not dependent on circnm- Textus Reoeptus has TI o~v ipovµa 'A,Bpaii.µ eision, or confined to the circumcised, is Tbv ,rr,T<pa ;,,..,,, rllP'711«11tJJ ,rc,Td tropra. But further shown by the fact the,t it was before the great preponderance of authority is in his own circumcision thnt he received the favour of <vp71,c,,,.,, 'A,BpaAµ. .. ~11 .,.cm£.rop<i blessing Bnd tho promise. Hence the seed 1/1<0,v ,caTd adp,ca. The first of these readings requires the connection of ,ra,-e1 ""11f'"" with intended in the promise was his spiritual rllp711<<vc,,; the second allows it, but sngge,ts seed, who are of faith suoh as his was; and the other connection. Theodoret, o.mong in Christ, offering justification through the a.ucients, connecting with •vP'l""'°"' ex- f11ith to all, the promise is now fulfilled. plains iraTa adp1ra thus: "What righteoas- ness, of Abraho.m's, wrought be/on l'le be- Ver. 1.-Whnt then ahe.11 we say thnt lieve,l God, did we ever helll' of?" Cnl,in .AbrahBm our f11ther aooording to the flosh suggests, e.s tho meaning of the phm.."8 hath found t The connection, denoted by (though himself lnolining to the connection oav, with th1J preceding nrgument is rather with ,rpo,r1fropa), •• naturnliter vd ~x seipso." with vers. 27, 28 of oh. iii, thnn with its Bull, simill\l'ly (' Ht\rmonL'\ Apostolic:\,' c!onoluding words, 1101,1011 la-rd1101,,.v, This • DisputBtio Posterior,' c. xii. 14-17), "by l
' 1 Soo~ fine sermon on the" Union or Justice and Gmoo in God," in Wool:iey's' Reli,:ic,n or the Preeeut BIid of tho Fntnro,' No. x. ; alllo ',\ fine di:10ourse at a 1i~f0rw1\li011 F,isti ml by Auborlon, in his' lhl:i Gohoimuiss qott011 iu Christo,' ss. 63-76. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO 'tHE ROMANS. (Oil, rv.1-as.