out of that Psalm to shew that Afflictions even to death where no new things to Gods people But though in the first and Historicall sence they are spoken of the Jews yet in a second and Prophetical sence in as much as the Jews the then people of God were as a Type of those whom God would afterwards take to be his people to wit the bâ—lieving Christians they may be spoken of the faithful in Christ Jesus and so used here And that will not seem strange or new which was prophesied of so long afore And being considered as that which was prophesied of so long before it will somewhat ease the burden of Afflictions That which the Apostle here speaketh is chiefly to be understood of the Primitive Christians which were indeed under continual Persecutions though where the enemies of Christian Religion do prevail the true believer suffereth at all times and often to blood too Ver. 37. Nay i. e. No none of these things shall separate us from the love of Christ In all things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us i. e. For in all these things we are more than Conquerours through the Assistance and Grace of God who for the love which he hath to us will not withdraw himself from us but stand by us even then when all these things befall us and assist vs and give us strength and grace not only to overcome them but also to glory in them If God so loveth us as in the midst of our Afflictions to be with us and assist us so as to make us more than Conquerours therein then cannot those Afflictions here spoken of or any else seperate us from the love of Christ In all these things i. e. In all these things before rehearsed viz. Tribulation distresses c. We are more than Conquerours We are Conquerours in that we suffer these things patiently We are more than Conquerours in that we do not only suffer these things patiently but also glory in them as Chap. 5. ver 3. This seems a Paradox to flesh and blood that they which are oppressed and slain should be accounted more than Conquerours But though it may seem a Paradox to them yet it is no Paradox indeed for we must not judge of these conquests and victories as men use to judge of conquests and victories proceeding from battles fought between earthly Powers For then indeed the oppressed and slain would be accounted as conquered and the oppressour and slayer the Conquerour but we must judge of this Conquest and victory by the spiritual good or evil which we receive by our Enemies in this Conflict so that if we are made worse thereby as to deny God or Christ or to blaspheme or lie or the like we are to be accounted as conquered though we escape death But we are to be accounted as Conquerours if we are made better thereby or if our patience and humility and meekness and confessing the name of God is thereby encreased though we die for it In a word we are Conquerours if our faith be not overcome but we hold still our faith and affiance in Christ notwithstanding all our sufferings though our bodies be torn in pieces or stoned and we slain And we shall be crowned as Conquerours for this at the last day And if we glory in this we are more than Conquerours and shall receive more than an ordinary Crown Through him that loved us i. e. Through God who though we are weak of our selves yet because he loveth us gives us Grace and strength whereby we do more than conquer all these things Ver. 38. For I am perswaded Wherefore I am perswaded For is put here for Wherefore as Chap. 6. ver 19. And is not a Causal but an Illative And that which the Apostle here infers He infers from that that we are more then Conquerours in all things spoken of verse 35. through God that loved us Neither death nor life i. e. Neither death threatned and executed by a Persecutour nor yet life promised by him if we will forsake Christ Or by death and life understand by a Metonymie whatsoever we shall suffer or whatsoever shall happen to us in our life or at our death He speaks of death and life and whatsoever is meant thereby as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia The words Nor death nor life are used Proverbially 2 Sam. 15.21 where Ittai the Gittite answered King David and said as the Lord liveth and as the Lord my King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or in life even there also will thy servant be And as they are there so may they be taken Proverbially here and so may these which follow Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers And these Nor things present nor things to come And these Nor height nor depth by all which is signified That nothing whatsoever shall separate us from the love of God And all these Proverbs may he heap together to shew the fulness of perswasion which he hath of the truth of the thing which he speaks of Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers These names if they are spoken of good Spirits are to be understood Hypothetically that is upon supposition that good Spirits would prove to be such as would go about to afflict us or torment us And of such an Hypothesis or supposition we have an Example Galat. 1. ver 8 9. Otherways they must be understood of evil Spirits for they are called by the name of Angels 1 Cor. 6.3 2 Pet. 2.4 And of Principalities and Powers Ephes 6. ver 12. As the more eminent Angels of Light are called Principalities and Powers Ephes 1.21 Coloss 1.16 So are the greater Angels in the Kingdom of Satan Ephes 6.12 And these are Metaphorical names borrowed from the Persian Rulers under whom the Hebrews sometimes lived Nor principalities nor powers These words Principalities and Powers are abstract words but are used for Concretes that is for such as are in and have any Principality or Power And it is the use of all Eastern people to use abstract voices or words for Concretes Nor things present nor things to come i. e. Nor those afflictions which are all ready befaln us or greater afflictions which are threatned to us or which hang over our head Ver. 39 Nor height Nor men in honour in the world and in high places there Where note that an Abstract is put for a Concrete Some by height understand an high-place as an high-tower or the like from which they were wont to fling down those whom they would kill as Malefactours Nor depth i. e. Nor men of Low degree and in low and base places for even such as are often cruel against the righteous Where note that an Abstract is put again for a Concrete And that thus by height and depth that is by men of high and men of low degree may be understood all men of what degree soever Some by depth understand
difference to be observed between the Verbal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which are englished Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are such as are called whether they answer or no or whether they believe being called or no. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are they which are not onely called but answer the call and believe Grotius observeth this difference or distinction in his Commentaries upon those words of our Saviour Matth. 20 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For many are called but few are chosen But he saith withall that this difference or distinction is not alwayes observed because these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are promiscuously used Mat. 22. And Beza in his notes upon the same words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. observeth the same difference or distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 20.16 For speaking there of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam alioqui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ii demum sunt qui Deo ad vitam ipsos vocanti responderunt i. e. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used here as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are they which answer God when he calls them to life immortall Schinidius in his Annotations upon Mat. 22.3 observes the same difference or distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes it perpetuall and among other rules which he gives concerning verbals in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there he gives this Verbalia deducta à verbis verè activis non neutralibus quibus offertur vel confertur aliquid alteri quod accipere vel non accipere potest aut quibus verè vel non verè aliquid de altero dici potest differunt à Participiis ut id quod est ab eo quod esse poterat vel debebat i. e. Verbals drawn from verbs truely active not neuters by which something is offered or conferred upon another which he may take or not take or by which something may be said truely or not truely of another differ from Participles as that which is from that which might be or ought to be So from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach or instruct cometh the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught taught to wit so far as was in the power of the teacher whether he that was taught become learned by his teaching or not And from thence cometh also the verball 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth one who by teaching is truely learned And so from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to call cometh the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth called whether he which is called answereth or no and the verbal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth him which is called too but being called answereth to the call so that every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus he in whom you may read more to this purpose When our Apostle makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Act of God and expresseth not the object to which God calleth them whom he calleth if the circumstances of the Place intimate no other object we must understand that the prime though more remote object thereof is Salvation or Gods heavenly Kingdome and Glory According to that which is written 1 Thes 2.12 That you would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdome and Glory And according to that which is written 2 Thes 2. ver 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obteining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ And according to that which is written 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all grace who hath called us to eternal glory c. And that the nearer object which is subordinate to that former and is as a means or way conducing to the obteining thereof is Holiness according to that which we read 1 Thes 4.7 God hath not called us to uncleanness but to holiness And that the way by which God calls us to those objects is the preaching of the Gospel according to that which we read in the forecited place 2 Thes 2. ver 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel And now according to that which hath been said whereas there is often mention made in this and other Epistles of Saint Paul of The called or of them which are called Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the object thereof is Salvation or Gods heavenly Kingdome or Glory which I may call the Grace of the Gospel It doth signifie Them which believe for it doth signifie not them which are barely called but them in whom their calling hath some effect so that they believe the Gospel by which they are called So that in conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The called and The faithfull or They which believe are the same Whereupon such as our Apostle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The called of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.6 He calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The faithfull in Christ Jesus Ephes 1.1 And perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.28 may by a Metonymie moreover signifie in that place Them which are justified by Faith For they which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is They which are so called as that they believe are justified by their Faith And the Apostle from the beginning of the first Chapter hitherto speaks of those which are justified by faith which he also calleth Them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 And now if this interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.28 be accepted of Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the following verse must be interpreted Them whom he did determine so to love as to justifie them For whatsoever the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth is to be included in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being he gives a reason of or doth assert in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he said in those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle useth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in divers places of this Epistle as Rom. 1.32 Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for the just or righteous sentence of God given as it were in Judgement upon a man brought before his judgement seat and there accused or arraigned It is used also Rom. 5. vers 16 and 18. And in
And because that Hebrew word Iaday hath that latitude of significations the same latitude is given to the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie both to know and to love So the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render speaking the truth Ephes 4.15 must signifie there being established or fixed as appeareth by those words Tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind for thereto it is opposed verse 5. And therefore doth it come to signifie being established or fixed though it doth most frequently signifie to speak the truth because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made to answer the Hebrew word Aman which signifieth both to speak the truth and to be established and fixed or to be firm and constant The word foreknow Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle useth twice in this Epistle viz. Chap. 8.29 and Chap. 11.2 And in both places it signifieth Gods loving them before they were or his determination even from eternity to love them whom he is there said to have foreknown Now how God is said to foreknow or forelove them which are spoken of Chap. 8.29 I have partly spoken of before How he is said to foreknow or forelove them which are spoken of Chap. 11. Ver. 2. I shall now speak Chap. 11. Ver. 2. Our Apostle speaks of the Jews whom he there saith that God foreknew And God is said there to foreknow them because he did determine so to love them as to make them his Church that is to take them to be a peculiar people to himself to serve him and worship him after a religious manner according to that form and prescript of Religion or Worship which he himself should prescribe and so to love them as never to leave them all utterly without the means of Salvation And now if God hath determined thus to love the Jews as never to leave them utterly without the means of Salvation it is an argument to prove that he hath not cast off that his people For where God is determined to give a people the means of Salvation there will he give some of them to believe as the Apostle speaks Phil. 1.29 that they might be saved For when the Lord would have had Paul to continue in Corinth and there to speak that is and there to make known the way of Salvation he gave this reason of it saying for I have much people in this City Act. 18. ver 9 10. But to speak yet further of that love which God determined to shew unto the Jews First as God determined he took them to be a peculiar people to himself Exod. 6.7 Isa 41.8 He made them his Church by whom he would be worshipped and served after a religious manner Acts 7.38 He gave unto him his Service that is the Ordinances and form of Worship by which he would be served Rom. 9.4 This he gave by Moses But though this Service which was given by Moses being but Ceremonial was to cease at the coming and death of the Messias yet when God took them to be his people and his Church he took them to serve him not only after the prescript and form of Worship which was delivered by Moses but also after the prescript and manner of Worship which the Messias which is Christ should prescribe in his Gospel for which reason they were called the Children of the Kingdome Mat. 8.12 And for this cause was Christ sent in a peculiar manner to them Mat. 15.24 Acts 2.26 for which he was called the glory of the people Israel Luke 2.32 and the Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 and for this reason also was the Gospel to be preached first to them Acts 1.8 and 13.26 46 47. which also was foretold by the Prophets Isa 2. ver 2 3. Micha 4. ver 1 2. Micha 8.23 And although they should as they did forsake God and his Worship yet did God determine so to love them and doth so love them as that he will not leave them utterly without all means of salvation For it is writen of them 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people And Levit 26.44 Yet for all that saith the Lord when they be in the land of their enemies I will not cast them away nor abhor them to destroy them utterly and to break my covenant with them for I am the Lord their God And Rom. 3. ver 3 4. What if some did not believe shall there unbelief make the faith of God without effect God forbid Those two former parcels of Scripture viz 1 Sam. 22. and Levit. 26.44 carry a double sense with them to wit an Historical and a Mystical and both of them concern the Jews The Historical sense concerns their temporal or bodily estate of which I speak not now The Mistical concerns their spiritual estate and in relation to that the promise is that God would not leave them all utterly without the means of salvation A promise which God never made to any nation but themselves How much the Jews were offended at Christ and how they did not only not believe the Gospel but where contentious against it we read and know Yet for all that did not God leave them without the means of Salvation For the Apostles and Servants of God did preach the Gospel among them while they were yet in their land And though the Jews be now dispersed up and down throughout the world yet are they not now utterly without such means For they alwayes had and have the Scriptures of the old Testament those Oracles of God which God committed to them and which testifie of Christ and which would be manifest unto them For the obedience of the Faith by the things which have been acted in the world and the events which have happened if they would observe them But moreover though their dispersion through the world was laid upon them as a curse for their sins and especially for their enmity against Christ and his Gosple yet as that curse which Jacob denounced against Simeon and Levi saying I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Gen. 49.7 was turned into a blessing so may we say that the dispersion of the Jewes hath a blessing in it to in that by this a very great part of them had and have their conversation among or commerce with Christians by whom they might and may come to the knowledge of the truth And who can tell but that it may be by these means even at this day as Saint Paul said it was in his time though it cannot demonstratively be pointed at that there is a remnant acording to the Election of grace Rom. 7.4 that is that there is a Remnunt of Jews even at this time which is justified through faith But moreover our Apostle saith that When the fulness of the Gentiles are come in God will send a deliverer and he
Law they see their actions swerving Nor can they excuse them except they have a Rule or Law to judge their actions by agreable to which Rule they find their actions Therefore these thoughts of men accusing or excusing them shew that the Gentiles have a Law written in their hearts and so that they are as a Law unto themselves Ver. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of Man i. e. In that day when God shall judge even the secrets of men These words relate to the twelfth verse by an Hyperbaton so that whatsoever cometh between is to be read with a Parenthesis The Day or Time here mentioned is the Day or Time of the General Judgment God is said to judge the secrets of men in this day not because he will not judge those works which are open and manifest But because he will not judge them only but also the very secret counsels and deeds of men But the Apostle mentioneth here only secrets to shew that this judgment shall be different from the judgment of men who can judge only those things which are apparent and to signifie that they which commit sin though never so secretly shall not escape judgment According to my G spel i. e. According to my preaching or according to that which I teach and preach to all people For in preaching the Gospel I preach that God will judge the world by Jesus Christ The Gospel is to be taken here for the preaching of the Gospel by a Metonymie as it is taken 1 Cor. 9.14 in the latter word Gospel 2 Cor. 8.18 Gal. 2.7 and Phil. 4.15 He calls it his Gospel as it was ministred or preached by him He mentioneth his preaching of the Gospel here because it could not be known by natural reason that the world was to be judged by Jesus Christ As also because God commanded the Apostles to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is he to wit Jesus Christ which was ordained of God to judge the Quick and the Dead Acts. 10.42 V. 17. Behold thou art called a Jew In that tacite Objection which the Jew is to be understood to make between the first and second verse of this Chapter and which the Apostle answereth in the second verse c. The Jew relyed upon many Praerogatives and Excellencies which he conceived himself to have and of which he boasted As ex gra that he was a Jew by Nature and so a Child of Abraham And that he was learned in the Law of God Circumcised c. for which he thought he was so far in the favour of God as that he should not be condemned or judged for his sins as the Gentile should which vain conceits and thoughts of his the Apostle confuted before at verse the second c. Now here from this place to the end of the Chapter the Apostle sheweth that the Jew was so far from being in the favour of God so as that he should not be condemned or judged for his sins by reason of those Priviledges and Excellencies which he relyed upon and which he boasted of as that being his life was vitious those Prerogatives and Excellencies should make his sins the greater and so tend to his greater judgment and condemnation For where men have the greater inducements and cause or means to be pious and holy if they are not pious and holy according to those inducements and cause or means there their sin is the greater and their condemnation or judgment the heavier Behold By this word the Apostle rouseth up the careless Jew who through the vain conceits of the Prerogatives and Excellencies which he conceived himself to have snorted in his sins to consider and behold his sins and the judgments due unto him for them Thou art called a Jew The Children of Abraham were commonly called Israelites from Jacob the Grandchild of Abraham who was also named Israel untill the Ten Tribes were carried away Captive into Assyria and their Common-wealth destroyed But after that the Kingdom of Judah remaining of which the Tribe of Benjamin was a part they were called Judaei that is Jews from the chiefest Tribe of that Kingdom which was the Tribe of Judah Thou art called a Jew A Jew was descended from Abraham of which descent he was very proud and thought it enough for him to say I have Abraham for my Father Mat. 3.9 Upon this account that they have Abraham for their â—ather the Jewish Doctors doubt not to reckon that all Israel is to have a share in the world to come Talmud in Sanhedr per. 10. 1. And Justin Martyr saith of the Jewish Rabbius that they suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. That the everlasting Kingdom shall be surely given to those that are of the Seed of Abraham according to the flesh although they are sinners and disobedient to God Note that the Apostle saith not Behold thou art a Jew but behold thou art called a Jew And this he saith either in allusion to that that they were very well pleased and delighted to be called Jews Or because they were Jews rather in name than in truth as will appear v 28 29. where he confutes this vain glorying of the Jew because he is a Jew And restest in the Law i. e. And moreover thou takest delight in the Law of God as in that which is most perfect and than which there can be nothing perfecter Or putting the Law per Metonymiam Subjecti for the reading of the Law thus Thou restest in the reading of the Law and desirest to read or know nothing else When we attain to the top of our desires so that we can go no further or desire nothing more of any thing especially the thing not affording it then do we rest in that which we have attained to and delight our selves in it And makest thy boast of God To wit that God is thy God and that he hath made a Covenant with thee and promised to be thy God Gen. 17. And hath given thee his Law and his Statutes Psal 147.19 V. 18 And knowest his will Supple Though thou doest it not And approvest the things which are more excellent That is and thou by examination having found out what those things are which are most excellent in the sight of God thou likest them and approvest them That is thou praisest them and assentest to them as such though thou doest not practice them That word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred Approvest may signifie both examining and approving or liking upon examination wherefore here I interpret it liking or approving or assenting to or praising after examination Being instructed out of the Law i e. As being instructed out of the Law from a Child whereby thou knowest the will of God and whereby thou art able to examine and judge of those things which are most excellent He sheweth the cause here or the means by which he a Jew came to know the will of
hearts such yea Christ is our only Mediatour or Intercessour 1 Tim. 2.5 We must therefore take this which is here said of the Spirit or of the Holy Ghost figuratively I conceive therefore that the Apostle speaks of the Holy Ghost here Metaphorically alluding therein to a Teacher which when he teacheth a thing doth the thing himself in the sight of his Scholler that his Scholler may learn from him what he would have him do by seeing him his Master or Teacher do it before him so that while the Master acteth or doth such or such a thing he is said to teach it And according to this Metaphor when the spirit it self is said here to make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered it is as if it should be said of the Spirit that it did teach us to pray practically for our selves with groanings which cannot be uttered The teaching of us to pray as we ought with groanings which cannot â—e uttered is in the truth and reality of the thing or in plain terms the enabling of us so to pray So when God enabled David to the battle he said He teacheth my hands to War so that a Bow of Steel is broken by mine Arm Psal 18.34 Before I leave these words I cannot but give notice that some say that the Apostle in these words Maketh nitercession for us useth an Hebraism whereby the Hebrew Conjugation Cal is put for the Hebrew Conjunction Hiphil to make intercession for To make us to make intercession q. d. But the Spirit it self maketh us to make inteâ—cession for our selves c. With groanings which cannot be uttered The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some render with groans even without words signifying thereby the earnest but inward affections of the heart Though the Jews thought no prayers available but such as were formed into vocal words and sounds yet Christians know that prayere conceived in the heart are available and acceptable to God But rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Translatours render it which cannot be uttered the question will be how these groanings are said to be unutterable Answ They are said to be unutterable because no man is able to express with his tongue the manner of them how they proceed from the Holy Ghost and how they are wrought in us and work in us nor with what fervency and devotion they are joyned but only he that feels them Ver. 27. And hâ— that searcheth the hearts This is an Attribute of God often given to him in Scripture and given him here to shew that though the groanings of the spirit were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not uttered by voice or external sound but pent in in the Spirit or not utterable but ineffable yet God understood them heard them and knew them well enough Knoweth what the mind of the Spirit is i. e. Doth know and so know as that he doth approve of that which the Spirit conceiveth and acteth in the heart and therefore knoweth and approveth of the grâ—anings of the Spirit though they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not uttered by voice or sound nor utterable Note first that the Apostle speaks here of the Spirit or Holy Ghost as of a man by an Anthropopathia Secondly that to know signifies here not barely to know but also to approve and like of yea to be affected with Thirdly That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be taken here for the internal acts of the heart or whatsoever is acted there and it extendeth and relateth to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or unutterable groanings which are spoken of v. 26. which are not without the mind of the Spirit Because he maketh intercession for the Saints i. e. Because he maketh intercession for the Saints and so teacheth them to make intercession for themselves For the Saints By the Saints he meaneth here those which are justified by faith for of such is his discourse from Chap. 5. v. 1. hitherto According to the will of God And being that he maketh intercession according to the will of God he obtaineth what he desireth at the hands of God and so do they whom he teacheth so to pray Ver. 28. And we know that all things work together for the good of them which love God Now if all things work together for the good of them which love God then do afflictions also work together for their good and so there is no reason why we should be afraid of afflictions and shrink from under them This is another argument to perswade to the sufferance of afflictions Work together i. e. Work all of them together not together with them which love God but together among themselves for the good of them which love God To them which love God And such are all they which are justified by faith and which are by faith ingraffed into Jesus Christ To them who are called i. e. To them which have been called or invited to the grace or hope of the Gospel by the preaching thereof and have not only been called or invited thereto but have by the grace of God obeyed and accepted the call and invitation and so believe This is the meaning of the word Called in this and most other places of the New Testament So that the word doth not imply a bare calling but such an effectual calling whereby they that are called do obey or accept of the call and so believe And in this sence doth our Apostle say Ye see your calling Brethren how that not many Wise after the flesh not many Mighty not many Noble are called 1 Cor. 1.16 Now to what they are called is not here specified but from other places we may understand what it is for Saint Paul saith to the Thessalonians That God had called them to his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes 2.12 And Saint Peter saith God called us unto his Eternal Glory 1 Pet. 5.10 This I call the grace or hope of the Gospel because it is therein contained and thereby promised And so often as we are said by our Apostle to be called we must understand that this is the object of our calling except the circumstances of the place points at another Object To this we are called by the preaching of the Gospel and then we obey this call and accept of this invitation when we obey or believe the Gospel These words To them who are called are a connection of those vâ—z To them which love God to shew that God loved them before they loved God According to his purpose i. e. With a purpose to have them conformed to the Image of his Son or according to the purpose which he had in himself that they which he called should be conformed to the Image of his Son What the Object of this purpose of God was is not here expressed but may be gathered from those words of the verse next following He did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son Ver. 29.
shall the Jews which were brought up in the knowledge of God and to whom the Oracles of God were committed be admitted again into Gods Church and brought into the number of his Servants in which number they once were heretofore 25. For I would not brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery lest ye should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened to Israel untill the fullness of the Gentiles be come in 25. Again I would have you know Brethren this mystery from me lest you should think that you know all things and should be wise in your own conceit and insult over the Jews that blindness and unbelief is befaln part of the Jews untill the full number of the Gentiles which God intends to bring to the faith of Christ be come in and have received the faith 26 And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. 26. But when the full number is come in then all the people of the Jews shall be saved according to that which is written Esay 59.20 There shall come a deliverer for Sion and shall turn away from the Jewes the children of Jacob that blindness and those punishments which lie upon them by reason of their ungodliness 27. For this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away theâ—r sins 27. For this is my covenant with them saith the Lord and this is the promise that I make to them that I will take away their sins 28. As concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake but as touching the election they are beloved for the fathers sakes 28. Brethren if we look upon the Gospel of Christ and consider how the Jews have opposed that and strived against that they are hated of God but by that hatred of God towards them you have received benefit for by Gods hating them you have been admitted into Gods love from which they fell which should make you to pity them but when we look upon the election the election by which God loved and chose them for their fathers sake Abraham and Isaac and Jacob to be a peculiar people to himself and so to regard them as never utterly to forsake them they are yet beloved of God for those their Fathers sake 29. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentence 29. For the gifts and calling of God which he vouchsafed to that people for their fathers sake are such as God will never repent him of 30. For as ye in times past have not believed God yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief 30. Again as in times past ye have not believed God yet now haue obtained faith by which you stand by occasion of their unbelief 31. Even so have these also now not believed that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy 31. Even so have they now not believed that being provoked by your faith they also may come in due time to believe 32. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all 32. For God concluded all both Jews and Gentiles at times in unbelief that he might by these means which is strange to humane wisdome to conceive have mercy upon all 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out 33. O the depth of the abundant knowledge and wisdom of God how unsearchable are his resolutions and his ways and doings past finding out 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counsellor 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord Or who hath been a fellow-counsellor with him in his affairs that he should be privy to his resolves 35. Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again 35. Or which is yet more unlikely who hath given counsel to him at any time which were to engage God to recompence him for that his counsel 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen 36. Surely no body for from him as from the first efficient cause do all things proceed Through him as by the preserving or conserving cause are all things upheld and maintained in their being and to him as to the finall cause or end of all things are all things to be referred To him therefore ascribe all glory and praise for ever and ever Amen CHAP. XI Ver. 1. I say then hath God cast away his people c. By reason of those testimonies which the Apostle brought out of Moses and Isaiah from ver 16 of the tenth Chapter hitherto It might be doubted whether God had cast off his People the Jews yea or no so that the Jews should be from that time as great Strangers to God and his Kingdom as the Gentiles were before the comming of Christ whom God suffered to walk in their own wayes Acts 14.16 Yea it might be doubted whether ever God would make known to them the way of salvation And whether he would though they should believe Accept of them to justification any more Wherefore the Apostle raiseth this doubt here and answereth it so soon as he hath raised it Hath God cast off his people i. e. Hath God cast away his ancient people the Jews utterly and so as that he will not shew them the pathes of Righteousness or Justification nor save them from their Sins yea though they should tread in these paths His people To wit Israel That is the Jews God forbid This is a Negative answer to the question propounded See Cap. 3.4 concerning this Phrase or manner of speaking For I also am an Israelite c. i. e. For I also as many others are am a Jew of the Stock of Israel who through the mercy of God have had the way of Salvation made known unto me and walking in the same have obtained through Grace this of the Lord that he hath justified me from my sins and accepted of me If Paul being a Jew and of the Stok of Israel and one of the ancient people of God hath obtained this mercy then is it an argument that God hath not cast off his people utterly For if God had cast off his people utterly then Paul being a member of that people would have been cast off also Of the seed of Abraham i. e. Descended from Abraham according to the Flesh Of the Tribe of Benjamin Benjamin was one of the Sons of Jacob which he had by Rachel Gen. Cap. 35 ver 18. And the Head of a Tribe in Israel as other of the Sons of Jacob were Ver. 2. God hath not cast away his people To wit his people Israel so as to keep from them the means or way of Salvation and so as not to justifie them if they repent and believe that they might perish His
forbidden by the Law of Moses as that he thinks to his grief that thou dispisest the Law of God which was given by Moses who yet wouldst be accounted a Servant of God Or that he is in a manner forced by thy example to eat against his conscience and so to his grief those things which he is perswaded in his conscience though falsly cannot lawfully be eaten Or is any other way grieved with the meat that he seeth the eat and with thy eating of it c. We may say that to be grieved here is as much as to be offended or to stumble or fall by occasion given For they which stumble and fall and so come by hurt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They are grieved The sence therefore of these words If thy brother be grieved may be this if thy brother be offended in relation to what he said ver 13. That no man put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brothers way This word this way taken hath in it a metaphorical Metonymy With they meat i. e. With thy meat or because he seeth thee eat those meats which are forbidden by the Law of Moses which he yet thinks thou mayest not lawfully eat Now walkest thou not charitably That is thou transgressest the law of Charity which commands the to love thy neighbour as thy self Destroy not him i. e. Cause not or give not therefore occasion to him to do or commit that for which he may be damned and lose his soul A man may be damned and loose his soul for every sin as for rash judging or condemning his brother For judge not that ye be not judged saith our Saviour Mat. 7.1 And for eating that which he doth but doubt whether he might lawfully eat or no for he that doubteth is damned if he eateth saith the Apostle ver 23. c With thy meat i. e. With the use of thy liberty which thou hast in eating what meats thou wilt or with the abuse thereof rather For whom Christ died This is emphatically and feelingly spoken And this doth aggravate the sin of him which eats with the scandal and offence of his brother when as his brother is considered as such an one as for whom Christ died Ver. 16. Let not then your good be evil spoken of That is Do not ye then so use your Christian liberty which is a great good which you have received by Christ and an ease from a hard yoke as that your weak brethren should so much as defame it and speak evil of it through you The Apostle speaks here to the faithfull Jews which believed in Christ and the stronger sort of them and by their good he meaneth their Christian liberty which they had by Christ who by his death abrogated the Law of Moses in eating any kind of meats without difference Which liberty he calls their good because by that they were delivered from a great evil I speak not evill of sin That is from a great yoke or burden of the ceremonial Law This good is evill spoken of when it is called by weak brethren who are not perswaded of the abrogation of Moses Law Sin Abomination Vncleanness the Licentiousness of the flesh the indulgency and cockering of the Gorge the Patent or Priviledge of gluttony and the like which terms the weak brethren would be ready to give it if they should see the faithful and stronger Jews using this liberty freely before their eyes Yea it would be called the murder of souls if it should be so that they should cause their weak brethren to sin by their abuse of it And this last the Apostle seems here to mean having said just before Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died Ver. 17. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink The Apostle prevents another objection here for the strong in faith might say yea but I may justly fear that God will be angry with me and good men would blame me if I should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for me and I may fear that I should not advance the Kingdom of God as I ought to do if I should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this our liberty is This objection I say the Apostle prevents here saying For the Kingdom of God c. q. d. And you need not fear that God will be angry with you and that good men will blame you if you should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for you and that you should not advance the Kingdom of God as you ought to do if you should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this liberty is especially in this case For the advancement of the Kingdom of God consisteth not in the eating of meats or drinking drinks indifferently but in righteousness and peace and joy through the Holy Ghost And he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men For the Kingdome of God i. e. For the advancement of the Kingdom of God Metonymia The Kingdom of God is to be taken here first for the Church of God the Church militant here on earth which is also called the Kingdom of Grace and this Church is called the Kingdom of God because God reigns in the hearts of the Saints and the faithfull which are the members thereof by his holy Spirit and he gives to all the members thereof his Laws and protects them and doth all the offices of a King to them and moreover rules them visibly by his Ministers and vicegerents Then Secondly The Kingdom of God is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the advancement of this Kingdom It is the duty of every Christian to advance this Kingdom of God which we do when we edifie one another as the Apostle speaks ver 19. Is not meat and drink i. e. Consisteth not in the free use of that liberty which Christians have in eating and drinking all things without difference or distinction Meat and drink are taken here by a Metonymy for the free use of meat and drink without difference or distinction Note that there was no such distinction of drinks under the Law as there were of meats For there was no restraint of drinks but to the Nazaren Numb 6.3 And to the Priest when he was to go about his ministery Levit. 10.19 Therefore he seemeth not to speak of drinks as they are in themselves but as joyned with meats in meals and are as it were one with them Note here that it is no where commanded to eat and drink all things indifferently it is onely free for us to eat and drink what we will so it be done without offence But as for the other things here mentioned as Righteousness and Peace they are commanded and those things we must do though a weak brother be offended thereat But Righteousness Righteousness is taken here for the working of Righteousness that is