to that word which God had said unto him, That his seed should be as the stars of heaven.

IV. 19. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb.

And, being strong and vigorous in Faith, he regarded not the impotency of his own body, which was, as it were, dead in respect of any desires or powers of generation, being now about a hundred years old; neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, which was long before past the ordinary possibility of conception.

IV. 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteous

ness.

And therefore, this Faith of his in the truth of God's promises was accepted of God, in lieu of perfect Righteousness.

IV. 23, 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Now this case was not intended to be Abraham's alone; neither was it recorded of him only, that his Faith was so imputed to him; But it is meant to be extended unto all us, the sons of faithful Abraham, to whom there shall be the like imputation of Faith to Righteousness, if we do truly believe in that God, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead :

IV. 25. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Who was delivered to death, for the full satisfaction for all our sins, in that he paid for us that debt which we were never able to have discharged; and was raised up from the dead for our Justification, in that hereby he hath fully declared himself to have conquered death and hell, and to have atchieved that great work of reconciling God the Father unto us.

V. 1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Therefore, being justified by Faith, as laying hold on that Christ in and by whom God is satisfied and appeased towards us, we have peace with God, who before were through our sins utter enemies to him, by the means of the same Jesus Christ our Lord:

V. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

By whom also, besides our peace, we have access by the same Faith, into the grace and favour of God, wherein we stand; being beloved of him, as dear children; and do rejoice in the comfortable expectation of the possession of the glory of God, which is laid up for us.

V. 3, 4. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.

And not only do we rejoice and glory in the comfortable assurances of his favour and salvation; but we rejoice also in our very tribulations, which are the only miseries and heartbreakings unto carnal minds: yet in these we can find pleasure, and cause of joy; not in themselves so much, as in their issue and fruitful effects; as knowing that tribulation, in God's children, worketh patience; And patience, experience of God's merciful sustentation and aid; and experience, hope of his further mercy and seasonable deliverance:

V. 5. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

And hope disappointeth us not; because the sense and comfortable assurance of that love, wherewith God embraceth us, is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, which is given

unto us.

V. 6. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For, when we were yet in our sins, and therefore utterly unworthy, and, as it were, incapable of his favour; even then, Christ, our merciful Saviour, died for us, wretched and ungodly

men.

V. 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

Wherein that gracious Redeemer shewed his wonderful goodness and mercy to mankind, beyond all example: for scarcely will any one be content to die for the best deserving and most righteous man; and yet, it is possible, that for a good man and dear friend, some one would dare to die.

V. 8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

But God commendeth his love to us, above all the conceit or practice of men, in that, while we were yet sinners, and therefore enemies unto him, yet even then Christ died for us. V. 9. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

How much more then, being now accepted of him as friends and sons, and justified by his blood from all our sins, shall we be saved from the wrath of God, and all the effects and consequents thereof, by and through him?

V. 11. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atone

ment.

And not only have we this fruit of his mercy, to be saved and secured from wrath, but we do also further joy in God, through

our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom our happy reconciliation with God is made and perfected.

V. 12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world. and death by sin; &c.

Wherefore, as by one man, even our first parent Adam, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, as the due reward thereof; &c.

V. 13. For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

For, let no man think that sin began to have his being together with the Law: no; sin was, before there was any written Law to forbid it; and the same acts, which are forbidden in the Law, were both formerly done and formerly sinful: but sin was not so known and acknowledged by the committers of it, nor so strictly and severely imputed to them by God, as it was and is since the Law was given.

V. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Nevertheless, that sin was in the world before appears sufficiently, in that, death, which is the effect of sin, reigned and raged over all mankind, even from Adam, the first man, till Moses, under whom the Law was given; reigned, I say, even over very infants, that had not actually sinned, as Adam did, and over those ignorant Gentiles, that had not received a direct prohibition, as Adam had: which Adam is the type and figure of that Second Adam, who was to come; in that, the First Adam was the original of our natural and earthly being, the Second Adam of our spiritual and heavenly; and, as by the First sin came into the world, so by the Second came right

eousness.

V. 15. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one, many be dead, &c.

But yet, the resemblance betwixt the First and Second Adam is not so exquisite, as that it admitteth not many differences and exceptions: I grant there is much difference betwixt the bringing in of sin by the one, and of grace and righteousness by the other; but this difference is to the advancement of Christ's part: for the grace of Christ is much more powerful to Justification and Salvation, than the Sin of Adam was to Condemnation; insomuch as the author of that grace is more potent, than the means of that depravation: if therefore, through the offence of one, many be dead, much more, &c.

V. 16. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation; but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

There is, besides, a difference of the extent of the sin in the one, and the gift of the other: that gift doth more enlarge it

self, than that sin: one sin did, in the just judgment of God, bind us over to Condemnation; but the free gift and grace of God acquits us from many sins, unto Justification.

V. 17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

For, if by one man's offence, who was the First Adam, death, through the means of that man, had power over all mankind; much more shall the grace and gift of Righteousness of Jesus Christ, God and Man, obtain eternal life, unto all them, which have received abundant mercy from him.

V. 18. Even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

So, by the Righteousness of one, which is Christ Jesus, the free gift of grace and righteousness came upon all men, if only they believe, unto that full Justification, which shall be to their everlasting life.

V. 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

For, as, by the disobedience of one man, all the many sons of Adam are made sinners, by the imputation of his sin to all his posterity, and by that infection which he transmitted unto them; so, by the obedience of one, which is Christ, shall all his many faithful ones be made righteous, both by the imputation of his justice, and by the work of his Spirit graciously renewing and sanctifying them.

V. 20. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Moreover, the Law was, in his due time, given by God unto man, that sin might be known to be, as it is, unmeasurably sinful, and might be acknowledged heinous: and, withal, not without the gracious and wise counsel of God, who meant, from the greater heinousness of sins, to win so much more glory and praise to his mercy; in that, where sin abounded, his grace did much more abound in the remission thereof and deliverance therefrom:

V. 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

That, as sin had prevailed over all mankind, to bring upon him a double death, both spiritual and bodily; so might his grace, through the Righteousness of his Son Jesus Christ, be effectual to restore man to eternal life.

VI. 1. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

What then? shall we make so ill use of the mercy of God,

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as that, because where sin abounds, grace abounds much more, therefore we should resolve to continue in sin, that we may have so much more use and improvement of grace?

VI. 2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

God forbid. No; this purpose of sinning and grace, cannot stand together; for, where grace hath wrought upon the heart, there we are dead to sin, by the power thereof; and, if we be dead to it, how should we live longer in it?

VI. 3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Know ye not, that so many of us, as were baptized into Jesus Christ, have the full efficacy of Christ's death sealed up unto us; and, by virtue thereof, die unto our sins?

VI. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Yea, our baptism doth not only represent unto us our death to sin by the power of his death, but our burial also; and the continuance of that state of the death of sin in us, and our rising again to newness of life: that, like as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the omnipotent power of God; even so, we should, by the power of his Spirit, be raised from the grave of our sins, to walk before him, in the new life of holy obedience.

VI. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrec

tion:

For, if we be so grafted in him, as that the power of his death works the like effect in us, that it did in him; so also shall the same engrafting convey unto us the same virtue of his Resurrection, that we should also rise by and with him from grave of our sins:

the

VI. 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Knowing this, that this corrupt nature of ours, our unregenerate part, is crucified and dead together with him, and by the power of his death; that the whole bulk of our maliciousness and depravation might be so far destroyed, as that, howsoever we may be drawn to sin, yet we should not serve sin any more.

VI. 7. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

For he, that is dead to sin, is freed from any further dominion of sin.

VI. 8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: