Let us not be mistaken, meanwhile, as if such words meant that a definite creed of the Atoning Work is not possible, or is not precious. This Epistle will help us to such a creed, and so will Galatians, and Hebrews, and Isaiah, and Leviticus, and the whole Scripture. "Prophets and kings desired to see the things we see, and did not see them" (Luke x. 24). But that is no reason why we should not adore the mercy that has unveiled to us the Cross and the blessed Lamb. But it is time to come to the Apostle's words as they stand. [Sidenote: Ver. 1.] =What then shall we say that Abraham has found=--"_has found_," the perfect tense of abiding and always significant fact--"_has found_," in his great discovery of divine peace--=our forefather, according to the flesh?= "_According to the flesh_"; that is to say, (having regard to the prevailing moral use of the word "_flesh_" in this Epistle,) "in respect of self," "in the region of his own works and merits."[47] [Sidenote: Ver. 2.] =For if Abraham was justified as a result of works, he has a boast;= he has a right to self-applause. Yes, such is the principle indicated here; if man merits, man is entitled to self-applause. May we not say, in passing, that the common instinctive sense of the moral discord of self-applause, above all in spiritual things, is one among many witnesses to the truth of our justification by faith only? But St Paul goes on; =Ah, but not towards God;= not when even an Abraham looks HIM in the face, and sees himself in that Light. As if to say, "If he earned justification, he might have boasted rightly; but 'rightful boasting,' when man sees God, is a thing unthinkable; therefore his justification was given, not earned." [Sidenote: Ver. 3.] =For what says the Scripture,= the passage, the great text (Gen. xv. 6)? ="Now Abraham believed[48] God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."= [Sidenote: Ver. 4.] =Now to the man who works, his (ὁ) reward,= his earned requital,[49] =is not reckoned grace-wise,= as a gift of generosity, =but debt-wise; it is to the man who does not work, but believes, confides, in Him who justifies the ungodly one, that "his faith is reckoned as righteousness."= "_The ungodly one_"; as if to bring out by an extreme case the glory of the wonderful paradox. "_The ungodly_," the ἀσεβής, is undoubtedly a word intense and dark; it means not the sinner only, but the open, defiant sinner. Every human heart is _capable_ of such sinfulness, for "_the_ heart is deceitful above all things." In this respect, as we have seen, in the potential respect, even an Abraham is a great sinner. But there are indeed "sinners and sinners," in the experiences of life; and St Paul is ready now with a conspicuous example of the justification of one who was truly, at one miserable period, by his own fault, "an ungodly one."