Romans 4

I The Apostle proceeds and proveth that a man is justified by faith, by the example of Abraham, 6 and by the example and testimony of David, 9 and declareth from the circumstances of the time in which Abraham received the sign of circumcision, that righteousness by faith is imputed not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. 13 He proveth the same also from the Original and firmness of the promises made to Abrahams, that he should be heir of the world, 17 Afterwards describes the power and the properties of Abrahams faith, 22 and testified that by this faith righteousness is imputed to him, 23 and that the same shall also after his example be imputed to them, who shall believe in God through Christ.

1. What shall we say therefore that Abraham our Father hath gotten [Gr. Hath found] according to the flesh? [Some take this word flesh for the state of unregenerated man: but that cannot be here, because Abraham was regenerated long before, and had served God, before this testimony, Gen.15.6. was given him. Others therefore join the word with the foregoing, our Father according to the flesh. But this word may also be fitly taken for according to the works which men see outwardly, and esteem praise worthy, as the following verse expounds this thus, and this word flesh is so taken, Phil.3.3,4.]

2. For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath boasting, [that is, cause to boast] but not with God; [namely, hath he caused to boast. From whence therefore it necessarily follows that he was not justified before God by works: which afterwards he proves more at large.]

3. For what he saith the Scripture? And Abraham belied God, [That is, the promises of God, that he would be a shield and great reward to him, and is giving him an heir, and of multiplying his seed, Gen.15, 1,5,6. whereby not only a fleshly seed, but especially Christ is understood, the son of Abraham, in whom all the generations of the Earth should be blessed. See hereafter v.11,12,13. as Paul also expounds it, Gal.3.6. See also John 8:56.] and it was counted for righteousness. [the Hebrew Text, Genesis 15:6. saith, and be, namely, God. Counted it unto him: But the sense is all one, whereby is understood, that the righteousness which he had not in himself God gave him grace through faith ni the promised seed.]

4. Now to him that worketh, [Namely, with opinion to obtain or merit righteousness by his works] the reward is not imputed according to grace, but according to debt. [namely, is given: for to give according to debt, and to impute grace, is here opposed one to another as repugnant to each other.]

5. But to him that worketh not [That is, who cannot, nor dares not to bring forth such meritorious works] but believeth in him [that is, put his trust in the grace of God in Christ, v.24.25.] who justifieth the ungodly, [that is, who is yet unclean and defiled with the sin in himself, as all men, even the regenerate themselves are before God, according to the testament of David in the following verses] his faith [not that faith, as it is a work, deserves this, or is worthy of it in itself, as some perversely think, for this Paul hath immediately denied to all works, and therefore also to faith as a work: but because God of meer grace hath promised this to believers, and because faith is an instrument which received the righteousness of Christ, and interposeth the same betwixt God judgement and his own misdeeds. See Romans 5:9. 2 Cor. 5.19. Phil. 9.] is counted for righteousness [the word count or impute is taken from the similitude of those who put any thing upon a mans account, Phil.v.18. So God is said to impute sin to any man, when he will have him to make satisfaction for the same by punishment: and not to impute them by when he forgives them, and acquits him from punishment, v.8. Likewise that he counts faith for righteousness, when he gives, ascribes and imputes to believers, the righteousness of Christ, by them apprehend by faith, and by this gracious imputation, counts it as if it were their own righteousness. Therefore it is also here laid that righteousness is imputed to them.]

6. As David also pronounceth the blessed [Gr. Saith the blessedness of man] to whom God imputes righteousness without works.

7. (Saying) [Namely, in the beginning of the 32. Psalm, which proveth of Paul is irrefragable. For he that is justified by his works, he needeth no remission of sins to be blessed: and that he prayeth that God would not impute his sins to him, he also prayeth that God would impute righteousness of Jesus Christ to him, seeing these two things cannot be separated in Gods judgement. See Rom.3.24. and 5.19. Ephes. 1.7.etc] blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven , and whose sins are covered.

8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord doth not impute sin.

9. This speaking blessed therefore, [Or making blessed, from whence it appears that the word to speak blessed , or to made blessed, is here by David taken for the same that the Scripture Gen.15.6. concerning Abraham, calls the imputing of righteousness. The reason is, because the grounds of our salvation consist in remission of sins, and imputation of the righteousness of Christ] is it (only) upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say that Faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness.

10. How was it therefore counted (to him?) when he was in circumcision, [That is, was it imputed to him when he was already circumcised] or uncircumcision? [that is, when he was not yet circumcised. For this promise to which Abraham’s faith had respect, was indeed made fourteen years before Abraham was circumcised: seeing Abraham had yet no hope of children when this promise was made, Genesis 15:2. And Ismael was now thirteen years old when Abraham being ninety and nine years old was circumcised, Gen.17.24, 25.] Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11. And he received the sign of circumcision [That is, circumcision for a sign and seal i.e. obsination and confirmation that he was justified by faith: in which words the nature and all Sacraments is briefly set forth, as also Genesis 17:11. Exodus 12:13. Ezekiel 20:12. namely, that they serve not the first to work faith, but to seal and strengthen it, and therefore are not bare signs but seals also] (for) a seal of righteousness of faith, might be a Father of that believe [namely, whose example or footsteps God willeth as well Gentiles as Jews should be justified by faith] being in uncircumcision, to the end that righteousness might be imputed to them also.

12. And a Father of the circumcision, to them (namely) who not only for the circumcision, but that walk also in the footsteps of the faith of our Father Abraham, which was in uncircumcision.

13. For the promise (was) or to his seeds through the Law, [That is, through the keeping of the Law. Here Paul produceth yet another reason to prove that Abraham was not justified by the works for otherwise the promise made to Abraham, namely that he with his seed should be heir to the world, should be given in vain: for the Law worketh wrath, and giveth not the inheritance, because it is weakened by the flesh, Romans 8:3.] namely that he should be the heir of the world, [Here is held either to the promise to Abraham at the same time when this testimony was of his righteousness by faith was given, Gen.15 ver.6.7.8. namely, of the possession of the land of Canaan ,which was a type of the eternal rest of believers in heaven, whereof the Apostle speaketh, Hebrews 4:3. and chap.11. ver.9.10. Or to another promise which expressed, Gen 22.ver 17,18. after that he would have up his Son, namely that all generations of the earth shall be blessed in his seed. For Abraham as a father of all believers was by God put into the inheritance, of the spiritual world, whereof all his spiritual children the faithful, shall also receive their part through Christ the promised seed, Psalms 2:8. Heb. 2.ver.5.] but by the righteousness of faith.

14. For if they are of the Law [That is, they will be justified by works or keeping of the Law] be heir, [namely, of the spiritual world ver.13.] faith is become vain [that is, needless to no purpose] and the promise brought to nought. [that is, without virtue or fruit.]

15. For the Law worketh wrath. [That is, revealeth, Gods wrath against transgressing of the same, by its threatening of punishments: and increaseth sin through the perverseness of mans nature, Romans 7:8.] For where there is no Law, [namely, neither written in nature, nor given by God, as is proved before] (there) is also no transgression. [namely, which can be known or be punished.]

16. There it is [Namely, the promise of this inheritance] of faith [that is, made or given of God upon condition of faith] that is according to grace: [for faith and grace go always together, and faith relies upon unchangeable grace of God, not on works, nor on mans selfe, ver5. Ephesians 2:8.] to the end that the promise may be firm [for we can be assured of the inheritance only by faith, and not by the works of the Law, seeing no man keepeth the Law as is proved before. See also Gal.3.16.18.] to all the seed, not only that which is of the Law, [that is, of the Jews to whom the Law was given : for no man can be a heir by the works of the Law, is taught in the fourteen verse before going] but also that which of the faith of Abraham [that is, which imitate the faith of Abraham, although they may be not sprung from Abraham according to the flesh] who is the Father of us all. [namely, who believe.]

17. (As it is written, I have set thee forth a Father of many Nations.) [Namely, not only of them which should proceed from him according to the flesh, but also of those which should by faith be ingraffed and received into his spiritual family, out of all other Nations] before him on whom he believed, [from henceforward Abrahams faith is described with all its props and properties unto the two and twentieth verse; from whenceforward is showed that the same is propounded to us for example] (namely) God, who quickened the dead, [this is the first prop of faith, namely, Gods omnipotency , which Abrahams faith had need of to believe, firmly, that now in his old age being as it were dead, he should get power to become a father of many Nations] and calleth [or nameth, i.e. by his word causeth to be, and have their being, Psalms 33:9. 2. Cor.4.6.] the things, which are not, as if they were.

18. Who (namely, Abraham) against hope,[Namely, which a man could have conceived by own his understanding or reason] believed [that is, trusted] on hope, [namely, of Gods truth and power] that he should become a Father of many Nations: according to that which was said, so shall thy seed be. [namely, as the stars in heaven:]

19. And not being weakened in faith, he considered not [Namely, by the consideration of his weakness ; to be weakened in his confidence. For otherwise himself set before God his old age and the old age of Sarah, Gen.17.17.] his own body that was already dead, seeing he was about an hundred years old, (nor) yet that the matrix in Sarah is dead. [Gr. The deadness of the womb of Sarah.)

20. And he doubted not of the promise of God through unbelief : [This is the other prop of Abrahams faith: namely, the certainty which he had of Gods faithfulness and steadfastness in his promise, Heb.6.ver.17.18.] but was strengthened in faith, giving God the glory: [that is, hereby showing that he believed that God could and would do that which he had promised; and to set his seal that God is true, John 3. ver 33.]

21. And being fully assured that that which was promised, he was also be able to doe. [Namely, although it seemed to be contrary to all humane reason.]

22. Therefore also it was counted to him righteousness.

23. Now it was not written [Here the Apostle concludes the exposition of the former chapter, and testifieth that all believer shall so be justified even as Abraham was justified] for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him:

24. But for our sake also, to whom it shall be imputed (namely) to them that believe in him [that is, trust in him, for this is also that on which our faith relies , after the example of Abrahams faith, namely first Gods ability and fidelity, which according to his promise he showed in raising up of Christ from the dead: and secondly the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, seeing by his death we are reconciled unto God, and by his resurrection we are made partakers of the reconciliation] who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.

25. Who was delivered over [Namely, by God his Father, Rom.8 32.] for our sins [namely, to expiate and do them away, 1 John 1:7. and 2.2.] and raised up for our justification. [namely, forasmuch as God showed by the raising up, that he received the death of his Son for a sufficient ransom of our sins, and will receive his obedience unto righteousness of all them that believe him. For if Christ had remained in death, then his satisfaction should not have been to apply the virtue thereof to us.]