in mind that both what they are and what they hope for is from the free mercy and goodnesse of God who loved them before they loved Him 1 John 4.19 And who called them before they received or looked after him Note that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be an Adjective sounding like a participle yet is it used here as a substantive and so other words of the same rank and nature also are elsewhere used as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Beloved of God ver 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Elect Mark 13 27. c. Ver. 7. To all that be in Rome i. e. To all which are dwelling in Rome whether they are Jewes or Gentiles whether they be Noble or Ignoble whether they be Bond or Free for all are One in Christ Jesus Yet he writes not to all absolutely but only to all such as are so qualified and limited as he limiteth and qualifieth them in the next words Beloved of God They were the Faithfull and they which believed the Gospel to whom Paul here writeth and they might well be called the Beloved of God First Because God had called them to salvation and given them to believe the Gospel and so had shewed exceeding love to them by being reconciled to them which were his Enemies in his Son Christ Jesus Secondly they were beloved of God in that God did prosecute them with all effects of his love For if God did love them by reconciling himself to them and them unto himself when they were Enemies much more would he love them after this his reconciliation Rom. 5.10 Called to be Saints i. e. Called to an holy life But the words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if you should say called Saints or Saints by Calling And they are tearmed called Saints or Saints by calling because they were called of God to an holy life and so separated by his Grace from the wicked and prophane sort of men whereunto they were moved not by any private inclination or consultation of their own but meerly by Gods call Saints signifieth here such as were separated from the vulgar or common sort of Men by their godly life and conversation And such are all Christians by profession and such should all Christians be by Life and Conversation also Note that here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or defect of these or the like words Praying Thus saith q. d. Paul a servant of Jesus Christ c. Praying Thus saith to all that are at Rome beloved of God called to be Saints Grace to you and peace from God c. Yet some understand not those but these words here I write this Epistle q. d. I Paul a Servant of Jesus Christ c. write this Epistle to all that are at Rome c. and say Grace to you c. Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Here is another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or defect which some make up by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit be Others by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multiplicetur Be multiplied as 1 Pet. 1.2 and 2 Pet. 1.2 q. d. Grace and Peace be unto you Or Grace and Peace be multiplied to you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Grace By Grace is meant here the Love and Favour of God and of Christ Jesus his Son who is the Fountain of all those spirituall Gifts and Graces which we receive from God Peace By Peace is meant all felicity or all good things according to the common acception of the Hebrew word Schalom flowing from the Grace that is flowing from the Love and Favour of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Yet some do take it here in special manner for that peculiar Peace which we have with God through our Lord Jesus Christ of which Paul speakes Chap 5.1 From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 1. From God our Father as the Prime Author thereof and from the Lord Jesus Christ as the Mediator of God and Man God is called our Father that is the Father of those which believe in Christ because of his Fatherly love and affection to them and because as Fathers use to provide an Inheritance for their children so hath God provided an Inheritance for them that truly believe in him and his Son Jesus Christ an Inheritance which shall never fade away Note that St. Paul useth here the ancient manner and form of writing Letters for the ancient manner and form of writing Letters was not to put their names to the foot of their Letters as we do but to set them in front as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marcus Cicero salutem dicit A. Torquato Cicero Attico salutem Claudius Lysius unto the most excellent Governor Faelix sendeth greeting Acts 23.26 c. 8. First I thanke my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of through the whole World Here the Apostle beginneth his Epistle it self for that which went before was but the Salutation which used to be praefixt before the Epistle And note here that the Apostle doth almost in all his Epistles the more to insinuate himself begin with the commendation of them to whom he writes which commendation he ushereth in with thanks to God for the same And these thanks he useth first to commend the Graces for which he doth commend them to whom he writeth as being such as proceed from God Secondly to shew them that and to whom they should return thanks for what they have Thirdly to manifest his love towards them for whereas such Gifts and Graces may procure envy in some yet such is his love to them as that they do not procure envy in him but thanksgiving rather to God in their behalf First Note that whereas this word First is usually followed with these words Secondly Thirdly c. Or Then after This c. Here no such word thus followeth it And indeed so it is that it is oftentimes put alone examples whereof you may have Acts 1. 1. Matth. 10.2 c. And not onely Sacred Writers but prophane Writers also do so use it for Isocrates in his Oration to Daemonicus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. First of all therefore religiously observe those things which belong unto the Gods where there is this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First without any word to answer it Some therefore say that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First when it is thus used is Vox non numerantis sed incipientis A word not of numbring but of beginning a matter because it doth not lead any number but begin an Epistle or Oration or a Letter and when it is so put it is as if you should say That I may begin my Epistle or that I may begin my Otation c. Others say that
of them which believed and gave his name to Christ in Achaia The Apostle useth a Metaphor here and alludes therein to that Ceremonial Law of offering the first fruits of which we said something Chapter 11. verse 16. Note that for Achaia many books read Asia q. d. Epenetus who is the first fruits of Asia unto Christ And then Epenetus may be so called because he was the very first which believed in Asia otherwise if we read in Achaia he must be interpreted to be but one of the first not the very first For 1 Corinth 16.15 Stephanus is said to have been the first fruits of Achaia too Ver. 6. Who bestowed much labour on us What this labour was the Apostle tells not though we may think that it was some such labour as did make him more expedite to preach the Gospel Ver. 7. My fellow prisoners These suffered bonds and imprisonment with Paul for the Gospels sake no doubt but where is not so obvious to say Who are of note among the Apostles i e. Who are very well known and that for good to the Apostles Some interpret this place as if they were of note as Apostles among the Apostles and take the word Apostles in a very large sence for any Ministers of the Gospel whatsoever For otherwise there were but twelve Apostles among whom Andronicus and Junia were none Who were also in Christ before me i. e. Who were also converted to the faith and so ingraffed into Christ before I was converted and ingraffed into him Ver. 8. My beloved in the Lord i. e. Whom I love for the Lords sake because he is a member of his By this he shews his love to be not carnal but spiritual Ver. 9. Our helper in Christ i. e. Our helper in the Gospel of Christ to wit in preaching that Christ is put here for the Gospel of Christ by a Metonymie Ver. 10. Approved in Christ i. e. One who hath been approved by many trials to be a sincere and faithful Servant and Disciple of Christ Or one approved to be faithful and sincere in the Church of Christ or among Christians He useth a Metaphor here from Gold that is tried and found good In Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie one ingraffed into Christ and so a Disciple or member of Christ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Christ may signifie in the cause or in the service or in the business of Christ by a Metonymie or in the Church of Christ by the same Figure Or Christ may be taken by a Metonymie for Christians as Gal. 3.16 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie among Christians Ver. 11. Which are in the Lord i. e. Which are Ingraffed into Christ and so have received his Gospel and are his Disciples Ver. 12. Who labour in the Lord i. e. Who labour in the propagation of the Gospel of Christ the Lord to wit with that labour which is beseeming their Sex being women which may be by ministring and doing service to the Apostles and Preachers of the Gospel whereby they took off that care from them by which they might otherwise have been hindred In the Lord The Lord is taken here by a Metonymie for the Gospel of the Lord and then by a further Metonymie for the propagation of the Gospel as it is also in the last words of this verse Ver. 13. Chosen in the Lord i. e. One of choice or singular piety in the Church of Christ who is the Lord See verse 10. He useth the word Chosen here not for one chose either to justification or eternal life but for one who is excellent in any kind so as if any one were to make choice of any one of that kind he would make choice of him q. d. One of Eminencie And his mother and mine This was Rufus's mother by nature Pauls onely by affection But in that Paul calls her his mother this way we cannot but think her to have been a very good and reverend woman Ver. 14. And the brethren which are with them i. e. And the Christians which live with them or are of their families Ver. 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss It was a Custom among the Eastern people for friends and acquaintance to salute one another at their parting away and at their meeting with a kiss men so saluting not women onely but men also And this they did in token of love for a kiss is a token or sign of love wherefore the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a kiss is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amo to love But of kisses some were treacherous kisses as that of Joab to Amasa 2 Sam. 20.9 And Judas to our Saviour Matth. 26.49 Some unchaste as that of the Harlot Prov. 7.13 Some flattering kisses as that of Absalon to him that came to make him obeisance 2 Sam. 15.5 At the best the kisses used among the Eastern people were but civil kisses in token of a civil love and respect Paul therefore as he would have the Romans to whom he writes to salute one another with a kiss so he would have them salute one another with an holy kiss in opposition to the former kisses a kiss which was wont to be used among Saints which professed the Religion of Christ and which testified thereby the holy and spiritual love which was between them This kiss Saint Peter calls a kiss of charity 1 Peter 5.14 Christians were wont not onely at their meetings and parting 's to kiss one another but after their Common or publique prayers were ended and that in token of the Christian love which they had among themselves and the charity which was in them one towards another As also in token of the peace which they were at from whence ancient Church-writers call such a kiss in Latine Pax Peace They did also by the manner of their kisses signifie the equality of minds which they were of one towards another for they kissed the mouthes one of another which was a sign of equal esteem which they had one of another for among the Eastern people which used the salutation of kisses equals onely kissed the mouthes or lips one of another but Superiors held out their hands to kiss to their Inferiours There were dissentions among the Romanes at this time as will appear as by what our Apostle hath said before in this Epistle so by what he saith ver 17. And for this reason may he wish the Romanes here to salute one another with an holy kiss to wit in sign of true conjunction of minds and affections forgetting all offences The Churches of Christ salute you Some Copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here q. d. All the Churches of Christ salute you Saint Paul saith here The Churches of Christ salute you not because he had any word from the Churches to salute them for they were some a far off from him at this time But because he knew or presumed that the love
Whom he did foreknow i. e. Whom he did determine with himself from all Eternity to love and so to love as to call them effectually to the grace and hope of the Gospel and so to give them to believe that they might be justified by faâ—th and ingraffed into Christ Note that to know according to the Hebrew phrase or kind of speaking is often referred to the will and affections and so signifieth to love Examples of this are obvious as Psalm 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is the Lord liketh and approveth and loveth the way of the righteous And John 10.14 I am the good Shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine that is I am the good Shepherd and love my sheep and am beloved of mine and 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his that is the Lord loveth those which are his and after this manner to know is to be taken here for to love and yet not to love in any kind but so to love as to call effectually to the grace or hope of the Gospel c. And that by a Synechdoche Generis where love in general is put for a special kind of love Now as to know signifieth to love so to foreknow signifieth to fore-love that is to love a thing before it is that is to determine and resolve before a thing is to love it when it is The sence therefore of these word Whom he did foreknow is this viz. Whom he determined and resolved from all Eternity to love when they should be in time and so to love as to call them effectually to the hope and grace of the Gospel so as that he would give them to believe that they might be justified c. This Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Fore in Foreknow when they are spoken of God intimate that to be from Eternity which they speak of And they answer to to the Latin Preposition Prae. Them also he did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son i. e. Those he did also from Eternity in his purpose and resolution destinate and appoint to be conformed to the Image of his Son He did predestinate The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definire destinare statuere and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also Prae in predestinate doth signifie that what God did define destinate and appoint he did define destinate and appoint before all time As the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did shew that what God is said there to know he knew from all Eternity This word Predestinate doth signifie only the Act of Predestination but who it is which doth predestinate and who they are which are predestinated and to what These things must be gathered from the circumstances of the place He therefore that doth predestinate here is God they which are predestinated are they whom he foreknew That to which they are predestinated is to be conformed to the Image of his Son To be conformed to the Image of his Son That is to be conformed like to the Pattern Copy Example or President of his Son Christ Jesus who is the eternal Son of God To the image of his Son By the Image is here meant a Pattern Example Copy or President to be followed or imitated And therefore because God would have those which he loves to imitate his Son Christ Jesus as their Pattern Example Copy or President he saith not barely to be conformed to his Son but to be conformed to the Image of his Son In many things may we be conformed and made like to Christ as in working miracles in glory in sufferings c. but here he seems to speak only of our conformity to him in sufferings and being afflicted De cruce rebus adversis locus est Apostoli perspicuus And again De cruce loquitur in qua Electos omnes ab aeterno voluit similes fieri filio suo unigeni into Jesu Christo saith Zanchy de Natura Dei lib. 3. cap. 4 quaest 8. pag. 247. id est The place of the Apostle Rom. 8.29 is plainly concerning the cross and adverse things And again he speaks of the Cross in which God would have all those which are elected from eternity to be made like unto his only begotten Son Jesus Christ It is written Christ ought to have suffered and so to have entred into his Glory Luke 24.26 And as it was decreed of God that Christ should enter into his glory by sufferings So was it decreed of God that he that will be Christs and partaker of his glory should deny himself take up his Cross and follow him as our Saviour speaks Matth 16.24 That he might be the first born among many brethren i. e. that he might have many suffering brethren among whom he might be chief in sufferings The first born may be taken here for the Chief or him that is Chief in allusion to that that by the Law the First born was chief among his brethren And so is the word taken Isaiah chap. 14.30 In those words And the First born of the poor shall feed And by Brethren he means such brethren as suffered as Christ suffered which he calls many not to exclude any but to shew that they are not a few for number By this viz. That he might be the First born among many brethren is signified that the Conformity here spoken of redounds to the glory of Christ For by that there doth acrue a certain dignity and Prerogative to Christ in that he should be the First born among many Yet these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may carry this sence with them also Viz. yet so as that he shall be the first born amongst many brethren that is yet so as that he shall far exceed all who are his Brethren in Sufferings Christ was the chief of all the Sons of God in suffering because he was to be the Pattern of all the rest for suffering In this Verse besides such as are contained in the verse next following there are diverse Arguments perswading to suffer affliction couched First in that That they which suffer are not otherwise dealt with than God deals with them whom he foreknew Secondly in that That they are not otherwise dealt with than God deals with his own natural Son Thirdly in that That they are not so hardly dealt with as concerning sufferings as God dealt with his own Son For Christ Jesus did not only suffer but suffer so as none the like hence he cries out by reason of his sufferings Eli Eli Lamasabacthany My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 28.46 And is it nothing to you all ye that pass by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath Lam. 1.12 For that also do the
the power which he hath with God the Judge of All. That is Who is he which by the power which he hath with God or by his Oratory can prevail with God to condemn us He puts an indicative mood here after the Hebrew manner for a Potential for the Hebrews have no Potential mood He may be said to condemn by a Metonymy who is any way the occasion of a mans condemnation It often cometh to pass among men that where the bare charging of a man with crimes hath not been able to do him hurt the Oratory of his Adversary and the power which he hath with the Judge and his instant pressing and instigating the Judge against him have caused him to be condemned But none of these saith our Apostle shall provoke or make God to condemn us It is Christ that died To wit for us for these words are here also to be understood and borrowed from the latter part of the 31 and 32 verse Christ died for us that is for the abolishing and taking away of our sins One drop of whose blood was of infinite value and therefore able to expiate oâ—r sins though never so great and never so much aggravated by reason of circumstances and so able to free us from condemnation Yea rather that is risen again To wit for our Justification and the Remission of our sins This he adds because Christs death had been little availeable to us if he had been overcome thereof and alwayes layen under it See what we said on Chap. 4 ver 25. Who is at the right hand of God These words signifie the great power and esteem that Christ even as man hath with God where we must not think that God hath any right hand for that were to make God corporeal which far be from us to do But the Apostle alludes by this to the manner of great Princes who reserving to themselves the chiefest and middle seat do place those next to them on their right hand whom they make next in power and dignity to themselves Who also maketh intercession for us We must not conceive of this intercession of Christ after an earthly manner for we must not think that Christ doth supplicate and beseech his Father for us with bended knees and lifted up hands as he did in the days of his Mortality and Humiliation For the Father suffers not his Son being received up into glory so to abase or humble himself any more for our sakes But because he appeareth in the presence of his Father in that Body in which he died and rose again for our sins which appearance is instead of an intercession and which is as effectual or efficacious as any vâ—call prayer to reconcile his Father and to make him propitious to us therefore and that worthily too is he said to make intercession for us And thus doth the Apostle expound himself when he saith Christ is entred into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. v. 24. Ver. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress The Apostle asketh not what but who and answereth Shall tribulation or distress c. speaking of tribulation and distress c. as of Persons endued with Reason by a Prosopopoeia a Figure which our Apostle often useth Who shall separate us from the love of Christ i. e. Who or what shall separate us from the love wherewith Christ loveth us or rather from the love where with God loveth us in Christ or for Christs sake as the Apostle expounds himself v. 39. So fickle and inconstant is the love of one man to another as that from him whom he loves while he is in Prosperity he withdraws his love in Adversity The Apostle therefore sheweth that God is not like to man in this when he saith Who shall separate us from the love of Christ From the love of Christ That is from the love wherewith Christ loved us or rather from the love wherewith God loveth us for Christs sake for so the Apostle doth expound himself v. 39. When he saith Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord The love of Christ therefore is to be taken Metonymically for the love caused by Christ And of Christ is Genitivus not Objecti or Subjecti but Efficientis That we are not the Subject but the Object of this love here spoken of will appear by v. 39. where it is said In all those things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us Shall tribulation or distress The words in the Greek are the same with those Chap. 2. v. 9. Tribulation and Anguish Or Persecution The word Persecution is to be taken here not actively but passively not for the persecution with which we persecute others but for the persecution with which others persecute us Or Famine i. e. Or want of food Or Nakedness i. e. Or want of clothes Or Peril Supple by which we are in continual danger of our lives Or Sword By the sword we may understand here the sword of the Civil Magistrate because many Christians were slain therewith in the Primitive times as James the brother of John Acts 12.2 c. And by the sword the slaughter wrought by the sword by a Metonymie and Prosopopoeia Ver. 36. As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long q. d. For this is our portion according to that which is written of us Psalm 44.32 For thy sake are we killed all the day long These words are to be read with a Parenthesis and the Apostle brings them here to shew the Romans that it is no new or strange thing to hear that the things which he here speaks of should befall the faithful And this he doth that they should not be dismayed at them as when new and strange things happen to this sence is that of Saint Peter Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you c. 1 Pet. 4.12 As it is written viz. Psalm 44.22 For thy sake i. e. For this that we worship thee and acknowledge thee to be our God and believe in thee We are killed We which are thy people are put to death now one and then another All the day long That is continually as Psalm 32.3 or evermore as Psalm 44.8 or daily day by day as Psalm 71. v. 8 15. Isa 65.2 Look not here to the use of these words as the English use them but how the Hebrews use them We are accounted as sheep to the slaughter We are accounted no otherwise of than as sheep appointed to be slain The forty fourth Psalm out of which this Testimony is taken is most probably thought to have been composed by some holy man in the Babylonish Captivity when the Jews the people of God were most cruelly afflicted And the Apostle brings this testimony here
exhortation To Exhort is for a man to move or stir up the mind of his auditors with pleasing and insinuating speeches to the works of piety and godliness In Exhortation i. e. Let him carry himself soberly in Exhorting according to the measure or proportion of faith that is according to the measure or proportion of this his gift of Exhortation These last take not as divers offices of the Church but as divers gifts or graces which may meet in one Subject though they are often separate and distinct And note that it is the Apostles scope here not to shew what offices shall be in the Church but to shew how men should make use of those gifts which God hath given them for the benefit of the Church without pride Many such gifts as these were conferred upon many of the Church immediately by the holy Ghost for the good of the Church in the first times of the Gospel He that giveth i. e. He that hath wherewith to give and God hath given him an heart to give Let him do it in simplicity i. e. Let him not do it for vain-glory or any other sinister end So some Or let him do it liberally or bountifully So others The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indeed this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 and so some would have it rendred here But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its prime signification signifieth simplicity and it is to be taken here â—s I conceive for simplicity of heart and that is done in simplicity or with simplicity of heart which is done with a pure sincere and simple intent that is where nothing is eyed but that which should be eyed As in alms the relieving of the poor and the glory of God not vain-glory or obliging the poor to himself For he that sheweth or pretendeth one thing in his work and thinks of another thing in his heart Cor duplicat as Saint Austin speaketh he doubleth his heart and so doth not what he doth in Simplicity Note that the Apostle alters his phrase here for he saith not he that giveth in giving He that ruleth in ruling He that sheweth mercy in shewing mercy As he said before He that teacheth in teaching He that exhorteth in exhortation Wherefore he seemeth to have some other intent here than he had there His intent therefore was there to shew that men should not arrogantly exceed the measure of their gifts Here that men should use those gifts well which they had received the former respected the quantity as I may so speak this the quality of their doings He that ruleth i. e. He who hath the rule and goverment of others committed to him With diligence That is let him rule with diligence this he saith because diligence care and studdy is required of all Rulers He that sheweth mercy To wit to such as stand in need of mercy With cheerfulness i. e. Let him do it that is let him shew mercy with cheerfulness God loveth cheerfulness in all such actions Ver. 9. Let love be without dissimulation Whom we love let us love with a sincere heart not making an outward shew of love when our heart is far from it but let our heart and shâ—w go together Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good i e. And in your love abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good that is do not that for love sake which is evil but remember in all the ways of your love to cleave to that which is good Some love so perversly as that they will humor their friend in any thing which he desireth be it never so vicious Against such doth the Apostle give this rule here But yet some take these words more generally and make them as the summ of the Law which is to eschew evil and do good and say that they are here alledged as a reason why love should be without dissimulation q. d. Let love be without dissimulation For dissimulation is evil And what saith the law Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good Ver. 10. Be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love i. e. Ye which are Christians and so Saints love one another with more than an ordinary love yea love one another with brotherly love The Apostle spoke of Love ver 9 and here he speaks of love again but in the ninth verse he spoke of that love which we shew to men in general In this verse he speaks of love which we ow to the Saints in particular that is to the brethren that is to them which are of the same Christian faith and religion with our selves But if we shall take the object of love alike or for the same in both places then make that which is here said as an higher degree of love than what was said before q. d. Yea be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love that is yea let nor your love be only without dissimulation but be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love c. In honour preferring one another i. e. Every one honouring one another yea and thinking him worthy of honour above himself There is no man so perfect but that he may see some good thing in another which he seeth not in himself and beholding this he may think another worthy to be preferred in honour before himself while he looks upon that The Apostle addeth this in this place because that brotherly love which he commandeth here is cherished and nourished by these means Ver. 11. Not slothful in business i. e. The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus not slow in your desire and ready will to do good For among other significations which this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath It signifies a ready will to help or do good to another See Hen. Stephens Thesau Vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever the General word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be drawn here to this sence by the Circumstances of the place The sence therefore of these words here may be this Be not slothful when you have a desire and ready will to do Good to perform that Good This precept may the Apostle give here with Respect to those precepts which he gave before viz. That he that giveth let him do it with simplicity And that he that sheweth mercy let him do it with cheerfulness Verse 8. And that let Love be without dissimulation Verse 9. And that be kindly affectioned one towards another with Love c. v. 10. That they might do the Duties contained in those Precepts not in wâ—â—d and in Tongue but in Deed and in Trutâ— as Saint John speaks 1 John 3.18 And that there might be a readiness to these Duties not of mind only but of performance also For there may be a readiness of mind at least in shew when there is a backwardness
And for the loves sake which the Holy Ghost hath wrought in us Christians one towards another By the Spirit understand the Holy Ghost which being of the Genitive case is Genitivus Efficientis or cause That ye strive together with me in prayes to God for me i. e. That ye would assist me with your prayers so that we may contend and strive to out go one another in prayers which we shall make to God in my behalf Thus this striving is between the Petitioners or Prayers striving who shall exceed or out go one the other in prayers Yet some understand this place as if the striving were of the Petitioners or Prayers with God combining together that they may force him as it were to yield or give what they desire of him See Col. 4.12 A type or figure of such a combate strife or contention we have in Jacob when he strove or contended with the Angel Gen. 32.26 As in other Combates so in this spiritual combate the more are joyned together the stronger the party is and the easier as I may speak with reverence is God overcome Therefore doth the Apostle desire others to joyn and strive with him here that he may the more powerfully graple with God and make him yield For me i. e. In my behalf Ver. 31. That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea That is that when I come into Judea to bring the alms of the believing Saints of Achaia and Macedonia to the believing Saints there I may so be delivered as that I fall not into the hands of those there which believe not the Gospel The Apostle knew that he was very much hated of the Jews in Judea which believed not therefore doth he pray the Romanes to joyn in prayer with him to God that he might be delivered out of their hands What befel Paul in his way in this his journey into Judea and there when he came thither read Acts Chap. 20. ver 17. and Chap. 21 c. Saint Paul might not onely fear that the unbelieving Jews of Judea might meet with him and take away his life But also that they might take away the alms which he was to carry to the Saints of Jerusalem from them of Macedonia and Achaia For that Saint Paul was to carry such Alms and such money might well be known being a thing publiquely acted and resolved on in the Churches of Achaia and Macedonia And that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the Saints The service which he speaks of is the carrying of the alms or money sent from Macedonia and Achaia to the Saints at Jerusalem and the tendring or distributing of it as a relief from those of Achaia and Macedonia This his service he prays may be accepted of the Saints of Jerusalem both in respect of them from whom it was sent and in respect of himself who carried it for they which sent it were Gentiles and the Jews were not altogether so well perswaded of that that God did respect the Gentiles and accept of them as they should be And as for S. Paul himself he was suspected even of the believing Jews of Judea that he was an adversary and enemy to the Law of Moses of which they were zealous Acts 21. ver 20.21 both which might lessen that kind acceptation of the Almes sent by Saint Paul to them with which they should accept them The Jews might also think the Almes sent a small pittance in respect of their number though it was large in it self Ver. 32. That I might come unto you with joy q. d. So it shall be that I shall come with joy to you when I see so good a success of my service By the will of God i. e. If it be the will of God The Apostle adds this because it is the property of the Saints and faithful Servants of God to expect all good from the will of God and to depend upon his providence in all things As Saint James also teacheth us in his Epistle Chap. 4. ver 15. Ver. 33. Now the God of peace be with you all Now God which is the Author and lover of peace be with you all bless you preserve you and keep you all This he saith the more to encline them to peace and to take away contentions which were among them Amen Amen is an Hebrew word by which if it be used in the end of a prayer as here it is is wished or desired the accomplishment of that which we pray for See more of this Word Chap. 1. ver 25. CHAP. XVI 1. I Commend unto you Phebe our sister which is a servant of the Church which is at Cenchrea 1. I commend unto you Phebe our Sister in Christ which hath done many good services to the faithful members of the Church of Christ which is at Cenchrea a Port or Haven of Corinth 2. That ye receive her in the Lord as becometh saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you for she hath been a succourer of many and of my self also 2. That ye receive her and use her with all courtesie for the Lords sake as becometh Saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you For she hath been a succour to many and to my self also 3. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus 3. Salute Priscilla and Aquila her husband in my name for they have been a help to me in the ministry and propagation of the Gospel of Christ Jesus 4. Who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not only I give thanks but also all the Churches of the Gentiles 4. Who have to save my life ventuted their own for which thing not only I my self give thanks unto them but also all the Churches of the Gentiles do the like 5. Likewise greet the Church that is in their house Salute my wel-beloved Epenetus who is the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ 5. Likewise salute the faithful members of Christs Church which are in their house Salute my wel-beloved Epenetus who is one of the first of them which believed in Christ and received his Gospel in Achaia 6. Greet Mary who bestowed much labour on us 6. Salute Mary who bestowed much labour upon us 7. Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners who are of note among the Apostles who also were in Christ before me 7. Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners who are much esteemed of by the Apostles who also embraced the faith of Christ and were made members of his mystical body before me 8. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 8. Salute Amplias whom I love for the Lords sake 9. Salute Vrbane our helper in Christ and Stachys my beloved 9. Salute Urbane who helped us in the ministery or propagation of the Gospel And Stachys whom I love with a true love 10. Salute Apelles approved in Christ
there is no proportion betwixt his works and that glory which shall be revealed in the Saints But perhaps you will say that eternal glory would be due to such a one for his works by a contract or covenant of works which God made with Adam But suppose that God had made such a covenant or a contract with Adam yet would not eternal glory be due to the works of such a man of debt without the grace and favour of God For it would have been the meer grace and favour of God to covenant or promise such a reward to such a man for his works nor would that reward which is due even to such works upon this account be due to them of merit which is that which our Apostle means by debt Rom. 4.4 c. but onely by reason of that gratious promise or covenant by which God freely and graciously bound himself to reward the works of such a man with eternal glory so that in our Apostles language the reward would be still of grace For if the covenant or promise which God made to Adam of rewarding such works with eternal glory were enough to make the reward to be due to such works of debt and not of grace Why should not the New Covenant or Promise which God hath made to them which believe that he will reward their Faith if they continue in it to the End with eternal glory as Saint John 3.16 c. make the reward to be due to Faith of debt and not of grace as well as that old Covenant would to works But yet notwithstanding the Apostle saith The reward is therefore of Faith that it might be by grace Rom. 4.16 The Election therefore which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 11.5 cannot be an Election immediately to glory And if the Election there spoken of cannot be immediately to glory then surely neither is the Election here spoken of viz. Rom. 9.11 an Election immediately to eternal glory But may justification be a reward due to works of debt that is suppose that a man did perfectly keep the Law and as exactly as the Law requireth as suppose Adam would have done if he had continued in his innocency would justification be due to him of debt by reason of his works and not of Grace I answer it would be due to him of debt and not of grace For with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if when such a one as had exactly kept the Law and never broke it at any time in the least tittle thereof should be accused as a sinner before him he should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him and clear him of sin but should condemn him for a sinner But that there should be unrighteousness with God God forbid for then how should God judge the World And thus by what I have said it may appear that the Election which is spoken of Rom. 9.11 is immediately not to eternal Glory but to justification Now in the last place as God may be said to Elect or choose and doth elect or choose men in time and as he may be said to elect or choose men in being in time to justification and doth so elect them So his Election of such is as I conceive by his actual but free and gratious taking of them by justifying them out of the number of those which are not justified For a man may be said to make choice of a thing by some external but free action of his towards or about the thing which he is said to choose For when certain of those which were bidden to a dinner sat down in the highest places our Saviour is said to have marked them how they chose out the chiefest rooms Luke 14.7 They chose therefore the highest or chiefest rooms by their seating themselves in them For to sit down in the highest Rooms and to choose the highest rooms are there both one And when our Saviour said when thou art bidden to a wedding sit not down in the highest room Luke 14.8 It is as if he should say when thou art bidden to a wedding choose not the highest room Now as a man may be said to make choice of a thing by some external but free action of his towards or about the thing which he is said to choose so may God But to come closser to the business in hand and to shew you how God chooseth whom he chooseth in time It is said to Israel Deut. 7. ver 6 7. Thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the face of the Earth The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because you were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your Fathers hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharaoh King of Aegypt Here we see how God chose Israel it was by bringing them out of Aegypt and redeeming them out of the house of bondage by which he took them to be a peculiar people to himself And so in all those places aforementioned which mention Gods choosing in time we may say that God is said actually to have chosen them of whom he speaks when he did put them into that Estate into which he saith he would choose them But that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken and is often taken for the actual choosing of a thing by a real and actual separating of that thing from other things which are left See Badoeus in his Commentaries Page 645. Now the Apostle may seem to make choise of this word Election for Justification in this place of Rom. 9.6 not only to shew Gods free act about the believer viz. that he so justified him as that he might choose whether he would have justified him or no because he could not challenge it of debt But also to shew that whereas one Jew stood for justification because of his discent from Abraham according to the flesh Another because he sought it by works And the Believer sought it by faith God chose the Believer though a Gentile and justified him whereas he passed by those Jews If it be asked therefore who it is which God thus chooseth or purposed thus to Elect to justification I say it is the Believer For whatsoever Gods primary decree was in the execution of that decree and in the bringing of men to justification or salvation in time he justifies none but such as do first truely believe and all such he justifieth and he saveth none but such as do truely believe and persevere therein to the end and all such he will save and so to do in time and to observe that order he purposed to do from eternity
think it not strange my brethren that the sword should be drawn to kill us for this is our portion of old as it is written Psal 44.22 for thy sake O Lord are we which are thy servants and fear thy great Name killed one after another all the day long we are accounted of no oâ—herwise than of sheep appointed to be slain so little esteem is made of our blood 37. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us 37. But shall any of these things I say separate us from the love which God sheweth us for Christs sake No for even in the midst of these things doth God so continue and shew his love to us as that we are through the effects of his love and by the assistance and aid that he out of his love giveth us not only Conquerors over all these things but more than Conquerors 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 38. Wherefore I am perswaded that nothing which we can suffer either in our life or at our death no nor whatsoever all the devils of Hell whether they be Angels or Principalities or Powers can lay upon us Nor the afflictions which we suffer at the present nor the afflictions which are threatned against us for the future 39. Nor Height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 39. Nor any creature which is in heaven above or any creature which is in earth beneath or any other creature whatsoever if they should all combine themselves against us to afflict us to the utter most shall be able to separate us from the love of God which he sheweth to us for the merits of Christ Jesus our Lord. CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus This Conclusion or Corollary is drawn from that which the Apostle taught in the fifth Chapter of this Epistle and especially in the eighth ninth tenth eleventh verses and so forward Not from that which went immediately before in the precedent Chapter For the sixth and seventh Chapter the Apostle spends in answering objections which rose one after another from the latter end of the fifth Chapter hitherto so that they two chapters come between this and the first Chapter as it were by the By. No Condemnation This is part of the happiness of him which is justified by Faith To them which are in Christ Jesus i. e. To them which believe in Christ Jesus and so are made members of his body and inserted into him by saith as Branches into the vine That is to them which are justified by Faith as he speaks Chap. 5. ver 1. Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit i. e. Which follow not their sensual or carnal appetite and affections in whatsoever they move them to Who walk not after the flesh The flesh is to be taken here for the sensual or carnal appetite and affections And to walk after the flesh is to follow that sensual or carnal appetite and affections and to be carried away with them which way soever they move which cannot be done without sin The Speech is Metaphorical But after the Spirit i. e. But after the motions and inclinations of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in them as our Apostle speaks 2 Timoth. 1.14 The Apostle addes this who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit not as a note of distinction as though there were some in Christ Jesus or some which were justified by faith which did or might walk after the Flesh and others which did or might walk after the Spirit but he adds it as a note of declaration to declare what all those are and ought to be for conversation of life which are in Christ Jesus or which are justified by faith They are such or ought to be such as walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And this he adds least that any one when he hears that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus should think that now that he is in Christ Jesus he may securely live in sin or live as he listeth and so bring a scandal on Christian Religion Ver. 2. For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death The Apostle praevents an objection here somewhat like to that objection which he prevented Cap. 7. ver 14. For a weak and faint-hearted Christian might object here and say you require Paul of all that are in Christ Jesus that they would walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit But I hope that I am in Christ Jesus and yet having been a slave to sin and walked so long as I have done after the Flesh I am afraid that I have been so long a slave to sin and so long walked after the Flesh that I cannot be but as a slave to them still and follow them still for how shall I be freed from following sin or from walking after the Flesh who have been so long as a slave to them This objection I say the Apostle doth here prevent saying For the law of the spirit of life in Christ hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death The Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death i. e. The power and Efficacy of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in me through Christ Jesus and which brings those to eternal life which follow it hath made me free from my custome of sin or sining and so by consequence from walking after the flesh as I was wont to walk which whosoever walkes after whethersoever she leades them shall die everlastingly That the Apostle is frequent in raising and answering or preventing objections and useth that as one way of teaching the Truths which he hath to teach I observed before The law of the spirit of life By the Law of the spirit of life is meant here the efficacy of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in them which are in Christ Jesus For the Holy Ghost is said to dwell in them which are in Christ Jesus by reason of those gifts with which the Holy Ghost endueth them and by which they are also sanctified In Christ Jesus i. e. Which is by Christ Jesus That is which is given to me by and for the merits of Christ Jesus In is put here for By after the Hebrew manner Hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death That is hath enabled me to resist or turn away from following my carnal and sensual appetite or my carnal and sensual affections so that they cannot draw me after them which way soever they will as they were wont to do Note that the Apostle might have said only The Spirit of
was to be preached to the Gentiles For it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you say Paul and Barnabas to the Jews But seeing yee put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn unto the Gentiles Acts 13.46 And Luke 24. ver 46 47. Our Saviour thus speaketh Thus saith he it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and so rise from the dead the third day And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all Nations beginning marke it at Hierusalem Their sound i. e. The voice or preaching of the Apostles whereby they preach the Gospel Went out into all the earth i. e. Is gone out into all the earth among the Gentiles And their words unto the â—nd of the world This is a Repetition of the former sentence but with an Hyperbole Ver. 19. But I say did not Israel know q. d. But that I may return to speak of the calling of the Gentiles did not the Jewes know that God would call the Gentiles and take them into favour Did not Israel i. e. Did not the Jews c. Israel is put here by a Metonymy for the Jewes which are the Children of Israel who was Jacob. Did not Israel know Supple that God would call the Gentiles and take them into favour q. d. Yes he did know it both by what Moses and by what Isaiah wrote First Moses saith He saith first Moses saith because he speaks of Isaiah afterwards who was after Moses Moses saith Viz. Deut. 32.21 of which the People of Israel cannot be ignorant if they heed it I will provoke you to jealousie by them that are not a people i. e. I will make so much of the Gentiles which are not my people and so highly favour them with the choicest of my favours as that I will make you which are my people jealous of my love Jealousie is a sickness or illness of mind in a man proceeding from that that another injoyeth that which he desireth By them that are no people i. e. By them which are not my people or by them which I took not to be my people as I took you O ye children of Jacob. By these he means the Gentiles And by a foolish People I will anger you i. e. And I will do such things for the Gentiles and be so gratious towards them as that it shall anger you to see them so highly favoured by me as I will favour them and make you envious towards them A foolish Nation by this he meaneth the Gentiles who may be called a foolish nation or a foolish people as for other things so especially for that that they worshipped Idols and for this in particular are they branded for folly Isaiah chap. 45.20 and Isaiah chap. 44. v 9 10 11 18 19 c. This testimony is as I said taken out of Deuteronomy 32 21. Where the Lord threatneth the Israelites that if they did provoke him to jealousie by their Sins he would provoke them to jealousie by his love to the Gentiles And the Jews the children of Israel did mightily provoke him by their sins when he sent his only Son to them and they would have none of him but hated him persecuted him and crucified him So far were they from believing in him V. 20. But Isaiah is very bold i. e. But Isaiah is very bold no way fearing the anger of the Jews And saith To wit in the person of God I was found of them that sought mee not i. e. I was found of them as the Object of their worship and faith and as a merciful God in remitting their sins that sought me not in times past That sought me not Supple in times past By these he meaneth the Gentiles who in times past were ignorant of the true God and his way of worship I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me This is a Repetition of the former sentence I was made manifâ—st To wit as the true God and justifier of them that believe in me This which Isaiah is here said to say is taken out of Isaiah 65 1. And in the first sence it is spoken of Cyrus and the Nations which were under him who lit upon the will of the Lord in destroying the Babylonians and freeing the Jews which were under their Captivity when they sought it not and were made prosperous by the Lord and rewarded for this their doings But in the second and sublime sence it is a prophesie of the Gentiles under the Gospel coming to the Lord and finding him worthy of worship and to be believed in his word and receiving justification at his hands where as in former times they knew not the true God nor enquired after him but lived securely in their sins And in this Cyrus and the Nations which warred under him were by what they did a Type of the Gentiles under the Gospel in what they did Where note that though Cyrus was a type of Christ redeeming man from sin in that he delivered the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity yet he and the Nations which warred under him might be a type of the Gentiles getting dominion over sin in that they vanquished and overcame their Enemies And these words may be understood of either or both of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they be diversly interpreted in their divers applications of which see what I said in my preface to my Exposition on the prophesie of Isaiah But to Israel he saith i. e. But to the Jews the Children of Israel he saith by way of prophesie concerning them themselves in the person of the Lord. All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain-saying People i. e. I have for a long time together without ceasing preached unto you by the preachers of my word the Gospel of peace and remission of sins and have been ready to receive you to mercy but ye have not hearkned to my word but have been disobedient to it and spoke against it That which the Apostle alledgeth here is taken out of Isaiah chap. 65.2 This is spoken in the first sence of the Jews which were Captive in Babylon to whom the Lord sent his servants the Prophets to reclaim them and bring them to repentance promising them Redemption out of their Captivity but they would not hear Which Jews were a Type of the Jews in Christ and the Apostles time to whom Remission of sins was preached through Christ but they would not hearken but were disobedient to the word and strove against it These words therefore though they were in the first sence spoken of the Jews which were Captive in Babylon yet in the second sence they are spoken of those Jews which lived in the time of our Saviour and his Apostles I have stretched out my hands i. e. I have been ready to receive you in the arms of my mercy He speaks of God as
labours 21. But as it is written To whom he was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard shall understand 21. But where Christ had been never before preached or heard of there have I preached So that that is in part fulfilled by me which was written Isa 52.15 To whom Christ was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard of him shall understand him 22. For which cause also I have been much hindred from coming to you 22. For which cause also among others I have been much hindred from coming to you whom I have desired of a long time to see 23. But now having no more place in these parts and having a great desire these many years to come unto you 23. But now finding no place in these parts in which I have not preached the Gospel already so that there is no necessity now of my continuing here any longer and having a great desire these many years to come unto you 24. Whensoever I take my journey into Spain I will come to you For I trust to see you in my journey and to be brought on my way thitherward by you if first I be somewhat filled with your company 24. Whensoever I take my journey into Spain I will come to you For I trust to see you in my journey and to be brought on my way thitherward by you when first I have been somewhat filled with your company and have enjoyed that and a while 25. But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints 25. But for the present though I much desire it I cannot come to you for I am going to Hierusulem to carry to the poor Saints there those almes which I have received of the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia for them 26. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem 26. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor Saints which are at Hierusalem who are in much want at this time 27. It hath pleased them verily and their debtors they are For if the Gentiles have been made partkers of their spiritual things their duty is also to minister unto them in carnall things 27. It hath pleased them I say and indeed they could not well do any less for their debtors they are so to do in a certain manner for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things their duty is truly to answer this and to minister to them in carnal things 28. When therefore I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit I will come by you into Spain 28. When therefore I have performed this journey to Hierusalem and this service which I spake of and have delivered to them that mony which the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia have contributed to them which by Gods grace I will do without any diminution of it at all which is the fruit of their faith I will come by you when I go to Spain 29. And I am sure that when I come unto you I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ 29. And when I come unto you I am sure I shall so come as that you shall receive abundance of blessing by the Gospel of Christ which I shall preach unto you at my coming 30. Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 30. Now because I am imployed in this business to Jerusalem of carrying alms thither I beseech you Brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake and for the loves sake which the holy Ghost worketh in us Christians one towards another that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 31. That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints 31. That I may be delivered and kept safe from them that believe not in Judea which bear a cruel hate against me And that my Service which I have for the Saints at Hierusalem may be accepted of them 32. That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God and may with you be refreshed 32. That so I may come to you with joy if it be Gods will and may be refreshed with you 33. Now the God of peace be with you all Amen 33. Now God which is the Author of peace be with you all and grant you his peace Amen CHAP. XV. Ver. 1. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak The Apostle having in the former Chapter instructed the Christian Jew which is strong in the faith how he should carry himself to the Christian Jew which is weak turns his speech here from him to the strong Christian in general whether he be Jew or whether he be Gentile by an Apostrophe and whereas he spake in the former Chapter and treated there of such days and such meats only as had been differenced by the Law of Moses Here he speaks of all things which are any waies differenced by the opinion of men He speaks here I say in general to the strong Christian whether he be Jew or Gentile and instructs the strong Jew how he should carry himself to a weak Gentile and a strong Gentile how he should carry himself to a weak Jew and this he seems to do especially though a strong Gentile may also learn from hence how to carry himself to a Gentile which is weak We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak This is inferred from the last verse of the fourteenth Chapter for it is a general truth which he there saith viz. that he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Or rather it is inferred from those words of the 21 vers It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is weak We that are strong Those he calls strong here which are strong in faith that is which are so well skilled and so well perswaded of the lawful use of things which are indifferent in their own nature as that they can use them without scruple or doubt of conscience Ought to bear the infirmities of the weak Those he calls weak here which are weak in faith as he said Chap. 14.1 that is such as have not attained to so much knowledge as to know what they may lawfully do or what they may lawfully leave undone in such things as are in their own nature indifferent and are soon offended at other mens doings in such matters And this their ignorance and aptness to be offended he also calls their infirmity or weakness Then do
which is at Cenchrea Cenchrea was a port town or village neer that famous City of Corinth and serving thereunto or a Port of that City in which Christ had a Church that is a Company or Congregation of such as embraced his Gospel to which Church Phaebe was a Servant Which is a servant of the Church c. There were in the Primitive times women chosen as well as men to do service in the Church but not in things immediately appertaining to God called Deaconnesses which were appointed to have a care of the poor members of the Church and especially of those which were sick c. Such Saint Paul speaks of 1 Timothy 5.9 Some think that this Phaebe was such a one and therefore called here a Servant of the Church But others think and not without reason otherwise for that she is supposed to have been a Rich woman and a woman of a noble birth she is called therefore a servant of the Church as they say in that she willingly did many good services of her own free bounty for the Church in relieving the poor distressed members thereof and doing for all what they stood in need of to her power Ver. 2. That ye receive her i. e. That ye receive her in to your houses and entertain her In the Lord i. e. For the Lord or for the Lords sake whose servant she is and whom she serveth in ministring to his members In is put here for For after the Hebrew manner or for the sake And that ye assist her i. e. And that ye stand by her and help her To Asist or stand by one is to help him And it is as some think a millitary word As becometh Saints This phrase may be understood as well of them which receive as of those which are received For they which receive must carry themselves so as it becometh Saints and they which are received are to be entertained so as that it may appear that they are accounted of as Saints and Brethren in the Lord. Do good to all but especially to those which are of the houshold of faith saith our Apostle Galat. 6.10 The faithful therefore must be respected more than other men Saints i. e. Christians See Chap. 1 ver 1. She hath been a succouror of many She might be a succouror of many by standing between them and dangers and defending them protecting them and procuring them safety when any storms arose against them As also by entertaining them in her house and harbouring them hospitably when they were strangers and means fell out to be short with them Greet Priscilla and Aquila c. i. e. Salute Priscilla and Aquila in my name A salutation is a signification of our love whereby we wish all temporal and spiritual welfare to Him whom we salute When we desire one another to salute a third person in our name it is to desire him to signifie to that third person our wishes of his temporal and spiritual welfare Saint Paul doth desire many here to be saluted in his name and this he doth that by his courtesie he may win them to respect him and his Doctrine the more and that he might receive the better welcome from them when he cometh among them Or he may do it that the Romans might take the more notice of them whom he desires to be saluted and give them the more respect for his salutation c. Priscilla and Aquila Priscilla and Aquila were both Jews And Priscilla was the wife Aquila the husband some ask therefore why Saint Paul doth name Priscilla here before Aquila the wife before the husband And they answer that it was because Priscilla did believe and became a Christian before her Husband And grace is to be preferred in order before nature But though Priscilla be named here before Aquila yet Aquila is named before Priscilla 1 Cor. 16.19 Acts 18.26 Of Priscilla and Aquila you may read Acts 18. ver 2 3. My helpers in Christ Jesus Saint Paul calls these his helpers in Christ Jesus because they were an help to him in the Ministery and propagation of the Gospel of Christ How in particular these were Saint Pauls helpers in the Ministery or propagation of the Gospel is not here expressed but we read of Aquila and Priscilla that they took Apollos to them and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly Acts 18. ver 26. whereby they might help this way in the conversion of others In Christ Jesus i. e. In the Gospel of Christ Jesus Metonymie Ver. 4. Who have for my life laid down their own necks i. e. Who have ventured their own lives to preserve mine and free me out of danger The Apostle when he saith here that they have laid down their own necks meaning thereby that they ran the hazard of their lives seems to allude to the manner of the Romans who chopt of their necks with an ax which were condemned to die The Apostle in that which he says here seems to have an eye upon the danger in which he was in Acts 18.12 when an Insurrection was made against him with one accord at Corinth and they brought him before the Judgement seat Gallio being deputy of Achaia Vnto whom not onely I give thanks To wit for that their love in preserving my life But also all the Churches of the Gentiles The Churches of the Gentiles might all of them give thanks to Priscilla and Aquila for preserving the life of Paul out of danger because that Paul was the common Master or Doctor of the Gentiles and therefore the benefit of the presevation of his life redounded to them all There may be an Hyperbole in these words and by all the Churches of the Gentiles may be meant not all in general but only all those Churches of the Gentiles which were about Corinth who knew of this deliverance of Paul Ver. 5. Likewise greet the Church that is in their house The Church is sometimes taken in a narrow sence for the members of any family or houshold which are believers of which believe in Christ and profess his Gospel and so surely it is taken here So that the sence of this place is this Likewise greet those of their houshold who believe in Christ and have given their name to him In this sence Saint Paul saith All the saints salute you chiefly they that are of Caesars houshold Phil. 4.22 where he might have called the saints which are of Caesars houshold the Church which were in Caesars houshold as he doth here the saints of the houshold of Aquila and Priscilla the Church in their house for it is all one The Church i. e. The saints and faithful which are members of the Church of Christ Here is therefore a Synechdoche generis in the word Church as it is here used where the whole Church is put for a part or for some members only of the Church Who is the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ i. e. Who was one of the first
Salute them which are of Aristobulus houshold 10. Salute Apelles who hath been by many trials proved to be a faithful Disciple and Servant of Christ Salute the Saints which are of Aristobulus houshold 11. Salute Herodion my kinsman Greet them that be of the houshold of Narcisus which are in the Lord. 11. Salute Herodion my kinsman Salute them that be of the houshold of Narcisus which are ingraffed into our Lord Christ 12. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis which laboured much in the Lord. 12. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa who labour in the propagation of the Gospel and Word of the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis who hath also taken much pains in the propagating the Gospel of the Lord. 13. Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine 13. Salute Rufus a man of singular piety among the Servants of the Lord and his mother and mine his by nature mine by affection 14. Salute Asyncritus Phlegon Hermas Patrobas Hermes and the brethren which are with them 14. Salute Asyncritus Phlegon Hermas Patrobas Hermes and the brethren of our Religion which are with them 15. Salute Philologus and Julia Nereus and his sister and Olympas and all the saints which are with them 15. Salute Philologus and Julia Nereus and his sister and Olympas and all the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus which are with them 16. Salute one another with an holy kiss The Churches of Christ salute you 16. Salute one another in token of Christian love and charity one towards another not with a carnal but with an holy kiss The Churches of Christ which are in these parts salute you 17. Now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them 17. Now I beseech you brethren mark and observe them which cause divisions and offences among you by setting on foot such doctrines as are contrary to the doctrine which ye have received of the Ministers and Apostles of Christ Jesus and avoid them 18. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple 18. For they that do this do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ and seek his honour as they pretend they do by their doings But they serve their own bellies seeking by these means to get entertainment at rich mens Tables and by goodly words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of such as are simple and easie to be deceived 19. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men I am glad therefore on your behalf but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil 19 Mark them and observe them I say and avoid them for it would be a shame for you to be deceived by them being that your obedience to the doctrine which hath been preached by the Ministers and Apostles of Christ is such as that the fame thereof is come abroad and heard of all men I am glad therefore on your behalf because your obedience to the doctrine which the Ministers and Apostles of Christ have preached is come thus abroad and heard of all men yet notwithstanding I am bold to give you this admonition lest that your obedience to the Gospel should be corrupted That ye be wise in embracing and adhereing to the Gospel and the true Ministers thereof which is a good thing And that you be simple as to all false doctrine because it is evil and have nothing to do with them which teach it 20. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen 20. And the God of peace bruise Satan under your feet speedily who brings in these pernitious doctrines by his Ministers to the causing of divisions and offences in the Church of Christ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen 21. Timotheus my work-fellow and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater my kinsmen salute you 21. Timotheus my work-fellow who laboureth with me in the ministry of the Gospel and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater my kinsmen salute you 22. I Tertius who wrote this Epistle salute you in the Lord. 22. I Tertius who am Pauls Ammannensis and who wrought this Epistle out of his mouth salute you in the Lord. 23. Gaius mine host and of the whole Church saluteth you Erastus the Chamberlain of the City saluteth you and Quartus a brother 23. Gaius at whose house I lodge and who hath entertained me nobly and not me only but all Christians that have occasion to come hither saluteth you Erastus the Chamberlain of the City of Corinth saluteth you and so doth Qâ—artus a brother 24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 25. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began 25. Now to him that is of power to establish you in the faith which ye have received to wit the faith which is according to the Gospel which I have preached unto you and according to the preaching of Christ Jesus and according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept secret from the beginning of the world untill now 26. But now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith 26. But now is laid open and according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known by the Scriptures of the Prophets which are opened and explained among us to all Nations that they may be brought to obey the faith and Gospel of Christ 27. To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever Amen 27. That is to God who only is wise be glory ascribed by us through Jesus Christ for ever Amen CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. I commend unto you Phaebe our sister He calls Phaebe his Sister or their Sister not because she was so by reason of alliance of blood but because she was so by reason of the common faith and by reason of Religion for Christians called all men that were of the same Religion and embraced the same faith with them Brethren and women Sisters When we commend any person to another it is for that that they to whom we commend him may shew some courtesie to the person commended Now what courtesie it was that Paul desired of the Romans in the behalf of Phaebe is expressed in the next verse It is that they would receive her in the Lord as becometh Saints and that they would assist her in whatsoever business she should have need of them Which is a servant of the Chuâ—ch