Bible Commentaries

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

As pertaining to the flesh — That is, As touching his works, Romans 4:2 , called also the letter, Romans 2:27 , and the law a carnal commandment,Hebrews 7:16; Hebrews 7:16 .

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For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

But not before God — Who when he begins to search our sacks, as the steward did Benjamin’s, can find out those our thieveries that we thought not of; bring to mind and light those sins that we had forgotten, or not observed. When he comes to turn the bottom of the bag upwards it will be bitter with us. Abimelech’s excuse was accepted, and yet his sin was chastised, Genesis 20:6 . Vae hominum vitae quantumvis laudabili, si remora misericordia iudicetur. The best lamb should abide the slaughter, except the rams were sacrificed, that Isaac might be saved.

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For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Abraham believed God — Latomus of Louvain was not ashamed to write that there was no other faith in Abraham than what was in Cicero. And yet our Saviour saith, Abraham saw my day and rejoiced; so did Cicero never. Another wrote an apology for Cicero, and would needs prove him to have been a pious and penitent person, because in one place he hath these words, Reprehendo peccata mea, quod Pompeio confisus, eiusque partes secutus fuerim. A poor proof: Hoc argumentum tam facile diluitur, quam vulpes comest pyrum. (Joh. Manl.)

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Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

Now to him that worketh — Yet it is an act of mercy in God to render to a man according to his works, Psalms 62:12 ; Exodus 20:6 . God’s kingdom is not partum, but paratum, Matthew 25:34 , not acquired, but prepared.

But of debt — Not so indeed, Romans 11:31 , but according to the opinion of the merit monger, who saith as Vega, Caelum gratis non accipiam. I may not receive heaven by grace.

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But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

His faith — Yet not as a work, not in a proper sense, as Arminius and Bertius held, but as an act of receiving Christ.

That justifieth the ungodly — i.e. Him that was ungodly; but being justified is made godly also; or the ungodly, that is, him that is not perfectly godly; for Abraham is here made the ungodly person.

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Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

Unto whom God imputeth — Ten times the apostle mentioneth this grace of imputed righteousness in this chapter. Yet the Papists jeer it, calling it putative righteousness, so speaking evil of the things they know not. Stories tell us of a Popish bishop that lighting by chance upon this chapter, threw away the book in great displeasure, and said, O Paule, an tu quoque Lutheranus factus es? Art thou also a Lutheran, Paul? But if the faith of another may be profitable to infants at their baptism, as Bellarmine holdeth, why should it seem so absurd a thing, that Christ’s righteousness imputed should profit those that believe on him? The Jews indeed at this day being asked, Whether they believe to be saved by Christ’s righteousness? They answer, That every fox must pay his own skin to the slayer. Thus they reject the righteousness of God, Romans 10:3 . As their fathers did, so do they, Acts 7:51 . The Lord open their eyes, that they may convert and be saved.

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Saying , Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

Are covered — Sic velantur ut in iudicio non revelentur; so covered as that he never see them again, but as the Israelites saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.

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Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Imputeth not — Chargeth it not, setteth it not upon his score,2 Corinthians 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:19 .

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