Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, (7) Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (8) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
The Apostle in those verses, proceeds to another similar case in point, yet further to illustrate this very important doctrine He brings forward the prophet David, as instructing the Church in one of his Psalms, on the same grounds, of justification before God, in the righteousness of God. And he states this as a point of great blessedness, where God imputeth righteousness without works. There are two or three very striking things, in this passage of David's Psalm, as quoted and applied by the Apostle, which merit our notice; and I beg the Reader's permission to point them out as they strike me, Psalms 32:1-2
First. That it is God's righteousness, and not man's. For what is imputed from another, cannot in the nature of things be his, to whom it is imputed, until by imputation it is made so. Secondly. It being called God's righteousness, when it is Christ's righteousness, which is the thing imputed, most decidedly proves Christ to be God. Thirdly. It being said to be imputed from God without works plainly manifests, that it is God's free grace, and not man's merit, for which it is imputed. Nothing in the receiver becoming in the least a predisposing cause; but being wholly by grace from the Giver, from beginning to end. Fourthly. The blessedness which is said to follow the possession by faith of this righteousness; decidedly shews, the union with Christ, from communion in all the benefits of Christ; as the in-dwelling sin of nature proves our being descended from Adam, by the effects of sin which follow in the same acts of Adam's transgression. As, by generation from the first Adam, we derive a nature corrupt and sinful: So, by regeneration in the second Adam, we are proved to be of the seed of Christ, and made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Corinthians 5:21. Lastly. To mention no more; let not the Reader overlook the alteration which the Apostle hath made in those words of David, when quoting them in proof, to the support of this doctrine. David speaks but of one person. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered. But Paul speaks of many. Blessed are they (saith he) whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. But where lies the difference? It is only in the application to the whole Church, both Jew and Gentile, when after redemption-work had been finished by Christ, the Holy Ghost commissions the Apostle, to tell the whole mystical body of Christ, that all that are Christ's, whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, are included in the same salvation. If ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise, Galatians 3:28-29. I detain the Reader one moment longer to remark, how very sweet those passages in the word of God are, (as is the case here), when scripture explains scripture. When the Almighty Author of his most sacred Word, causeth one servant to open and explain, what the Lord had before given by another servant to the Church on those most interesting points. It is what the wise man calls, like apples of gold in pictures of silver, Proverbs 25:11. scripture explains scripture. When the Almighty Author of his most sacred Word, causeth one servant to open and explain, what the Lord had before given by another servant to the Church on those most interesting points. It is what the wise man calls, like apples of gold in pictures of silver, Proverbs 25:11.