adorns him with his own power, acknowledging him to be such an one as he is given by the Father,
and described in the gospel.
Express mention is made only of Christ’s resurrection; which must not be so taken, as though
his death was of no moment, but because Christ, by rising again, completed the whole work of our
salvation: for though redemption and satisfaction were effected by his death, through which we are
reconciled to God; yet the victory over sin, death, and Satan was attained by his resurrection; and
hence also came righteousness, newness of life, and the hope of a blessed immortality. And thus
is resurrection alone often set before us as the assurance of our salvation, not to draw away our
attention from his death, but because it bears witness to the efficacy and fruit of his death: in short,
his resurrection includes his death. On this subject we have briefly touched in the sixth chapter.
It may be added, that Paul requires not merely an historical faith, but he makes the resurrection
itself its end. For we must remember the purpose for which Christ rose again; — it was the Father’s
design in raising him, to restore us all to life: for though Christ had power of himself to reassume
his soul, yet this work is for the most part ascribed in Scripture to God the Father.
10.For with the heart we believe^327 unto righteousness, etc. This passage may help us to
understand what justification by faith is; for it shows that righteousness then comes to us, when we
embrace God’s goodness offered to us in the gospel. We are then for this reason just, because we
believe that God is propitious to us in Christ. But let us observe this, — that the seat of faith is not
in the head, (in cerebro — in the brain,) but in the heart. Yet I would not contend about the part of
the body in which faith is located: but as the word heart is often taken for a serious and sincere
feeling, I would say that faith is a firm and effectual confidence, (fiducia — trust, dependence,)
and not a bare notion only.
With the mouth confession is made unto salvation It may seem strange, that he ascribes no part
of our salvation to faith, as he had before so often testified, that we are saved by faith alone. But
we ought not on this account to conclude that confession is the cause of our salvation. His design
was only to show how God completes our salvation, even when he makes faith, which he implants
in our hearts, to show itself by confession: nay, his simple object was, to mark out true faith, as
that from which this fruit proceeds, lest any one should otherwise lay claim to the empty name of
faith alone: for it ought so to kindle the heart with zeal for God’s glory, as to force out its own
flame. And surely, he who is justified has already obtained salvation: hence he no less believes
with the heart unto salvation, than with the mouth makes a confession. You see that he has made
this distinction, — that he refers the cause of justification to faith, — and that he then shows what
And with the mouth we confess unto salvation.
He begins and ends with confession, and in the middle clauses he mentions faith. — Ed.(^327) “Creditur;” , “it is believed.” It is an impersonal verb, and so is the verb in the next clause. The introduction of a
person is necessary in a version, and we may say, “We believe;” or, as “thou” is used in the preceding verse, it may be adopted
here, — “For by the heart thou believest unto righteousness,” i.e., in order to attain righteousness; “and with the mouth thou
confessest unto salvation,” i.e., in order to attain salvation. “God knows our faith,” as Pareus observes, “but it is made known
to man by confession.” Turrettin’s remarks on this verse are much to the purpose. He says, that Paul loved antitheses, and that
we are not to understand faith and confession as separated and applied only to the two things here mentioned, but ought to be
viewed as connected, and that a similar instance is found in Romans 9:25, where Christ is said to have been delivered for our
offenses, and to have risen again for our justification; which means, that by his death and resurrection our offenses are blotted
out, and justification is obtained. In the same manner the import of what is here said is, that by sincere faith and open confession
we obtain justification and salvation. — Ed.