which is the wages of sin and which never falls upon any one but for sin reigned over all men from the days of Adam to the days of Moses though they had not sinned as Adam had who transgressed against a law which God gave him to keep with his own mouth which Adam was a Figure of Christ who indeed was then to come but is since come among us And therefore was he a Figure of Christ because as Christ derived something to his children so did Adam before Christ came derive something to his But yet if we come to particulars that which Christ derived to his children was Grace and the free gift of God But that which Adam derived to his was Original sin which I call here the Offence 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many 15. But yet not as the offence which Adam derived to his Children so also is the free gift which Christ derived to his for equality but this much exceeds that For if by the offence which was caused by one to wit Adam and by him derived to his Children many to wit so many as are born of him are either already dead or shall surely die In a much higher degree and more plentiful though contrary manner hath the grace of God that is the gift of grace which is by one man Jesus Christ abounded unto many even to so many as are born of Christ that they might live 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification 16. Not I say as was the offence or sin which was by one to wit Adam So is the gift which is by one to wit Christ Jesus For the Judgement of God passed upon the Children of Adam to their condemnation by reason of that one sin or offence which Adam derived to them But the free gift or pardon which is derived by Christ to his Children is the remission or pardon not of that one only offence but of many other offences to their justification 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ 17. Again if by that one sin or offence death reigned by reason of one man to wit Adam who was the cause of that sin or offence and who derived it to his Children over all the Children of Adam After a far more bountiful and glorious manner shall life reign by one to wit Jesus Christ over all the Children of Christ who receive by him abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness by the remission and pardon of their many sins and offences 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life 18. Therefore that I may resume and perfect what I began to say but left unperfect verse 12. As by reason of that original sin or offence which was caused by one and by that one to wit Adam derived to all his Children judgement came upon all men which were born of Adam whereby they were condemned to death Even so by reason of that righteousness or justification which was purchased by one even Jesus Christ and by that one derived to all his Children the pardon or remission of sins which was a free gift from God came upon all men which are born of Jesus Christ so that they are thereby justified and translated from death to life 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous 19. I said by reason of the offence which was caused by one to wit Adam and I said by reason of the righteousness or justification which was purchased by one to wit Jesus Christ For as by the disobedience of one man that one man Adam who disobeyed God by eating of the Tree concerning which God had said Thou shalt not eat thereof many yea so many as were born of Adam were made sinners through the offence which was caused by him So by the obedience of one even Jesus Christ who obeyed God unto death even the death of the Cross shall many yea as many as are born of him be justified from their sins through the righteousness which was purchased by him 20 Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound 20. Moreover least any one should say that though sin was in the world untill the Law yet surely when the Law was once entred sin was taken away let me tell you that the Law was so far from taking away sin that sin did abound by the entring in of the Law But yet to our comfort when sin abounded the Grace and Mercy of God through Christ did much more abound 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 21. So that as sin hath reigned unto death by Adam even so the grace and favor of God hath reigned through justification and remission of sins unto Eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. CHAP. V. Vers 1. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with The Apostle having shewed in the foregoing part of this Epistle that we are justified not by the works of the Law but by faith cometh here to shew the fruit and excellent effects which follow or come by that Justification Being justified c. Concerning the signification of this word See Chapter 6. ver 7. We have peace with God That is God is at peace with us so that though we have sinned yet God will nor pour out his wrath upon us for our sins as he will upon other sinners because we are justified by Faith These words are not so to be understood as though the meaning thereof were that we were peaceably affected towards God But so as that God is peaceably affected towards us And the word Peace here is opposed to Wrath to wit the Wrath of God of which he speaks ver 9. And not God but we are the Object of this Peace or they to whom this peace is shewed and God is as the Subject so when we say we have favour with God God is the Subject we the Object to whom this favour is shewed Through our Lord Jesus Christ i. e. Through the merits and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is called here our Lord because he bought us with a Price 1 Cor. 6.20 2 Pet. 2.1 which Price was his own blood with which price he redeemed us out of the bondage
who are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the spirit as they are which are in Christ Jesus do mind the things of the spirit He grants that of those which are after the Flesh which he denies of those which are after the spirit to wit that they mind the things of the Flesh By them which are after the Flesh he means those that are Carnal The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with a noun substantive turns it to the nature sometimes of an adjective and sometime of a participle Do mind the things of the flesh i. e. Do mind those things which the sensual or carnal appetite and affections move them to and delight in them and follow after them Do mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Greek word here and though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly spoken of the mind or understanding yet here it is spoken of the Will But they that are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit By the Spirit he meaneth that which he calleth the Law of the Spirit of life ver 2. And by such as are after the spirit he meaneth such as are spiritual and such are they which are in Christ Jesus ver 9. The things of the spirit i. e. The things to which the spirit inclineth or moveth them to Ver. 6 For to be carnally minded is death Betwixt this and the foregoing verse we may understand these or the like words and it is no wonder or and not without reason q. d. And it is no wonder or it is not without reason that they that are after the spirit do mind the things of the Spirit for to be carnally minded is death c. He proves here that which he said ver 5. That they which are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit To be carnally minded That is to mind the things of the flesh as ver 5. That is to think of follow and delight in the things to which the sensual or carnal appetite and affections move to Is death i. e. Is deadly or that which will certainly bring everlasting death Metonymia effecti He proves here not that they which are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but that they which are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit He that is after the flesh doth not consider that it is death to be carnally minded therefore he mindes the things of the flesh But he that is after the Spirit he knows it and considers it therefore he mindes not the things of the Flesh but of the Spirit To be spiritually minded That is to mind the things of the Spirit as he spoke ver 5. Is life and peace i. e. Is that which will bring life and peace through the goodness and mercy of God For as the wages of sin is death so the gift of God to those that follow his Spirit is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Chap. 6.23 Is life By life understand eternal life and take it Metonymically for the cause or for that which will procure or bring after it such a life And peace By peace understand first after the Hebrew manner the heap or plenty or plentifull return of all good things and then take it Metonymically for that which will procure or bring after it such an heap or plenty or plentifull return Ver. 7. Because the carnall mind is emnity against God i. e. Because he that is carnally minded is an enemy to God The carnal mind is put here by a Metonymy for the man that hath a carnall mind or for the man that is carnally minded or which mindeth the things of the Flesh And enmity is put here for an enemy An Abstract for a Concrete What it is to be carnally minded or to mind the things of the Flesh See verse 5. He proves here that which he said ver 6. To wit that to be carnally minded is death And certainly if to be carnally minded will make us enemies to God it will bring death upon us for all the enemies of God shall be destroyed For it is not subject to the Law of God He proves here that the carnall minded man is an enemy to God and he proves it by this that such a man as is carnally minded doth not obey the Law of God and do as God would have him do and as he is bound to do See Saint James Chap. 4. ver 4. Neither indeed can it be That is neither indeed can he be Subject to the Law of God or obey it to wit so long as he is such Ver. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God q. d. So then they indeed that are in the Flesh c. By those which are in the Flesh he meaneth such as he said were after the Flesh that is such as were carnal Cannot please God i. e. Cannot but walk after the Flesh which is a thing displeasing to God He takes here that that they cannot please God for that that they walk after the Flesh or that that they cannot but walk after the Flesh by putting the Consequent for the antecedent This phrase therefore Viz. They cannot please God is the same for the sence with that viz. Who walk after the Flesh and it is occasioned from an objection starting from the first verse though this Corollary or Conclusion be drawn from that which went immediately before If you aske therefore to what end the Apostle drawes this Conclusion and Corollary here for it seemeth that it might have been well spared as not being to the purpose of what he had in hand I answer The Apostle prevented as I said an Objection in the second verse an Objection made against that which he said ver 1. Who walk not after the Flesh but after the spirit for a weak and faint-hearted Christian though he were in Christ Jesus yet might say in opposition to that yea but I cannot but walk after the Flesh now therefore the Apostle saith here in reference to that That it is true indeed and it would appear out of what he had said That they which were in the Flesh cannot but walk after the Flesh But yet though they cannot but walk after the Flesh yet they which were in Christ Jesus might do otherwise than walk after the Flesh for they which are in Christ Jesus are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit and so may walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Apostle therefore doth draw this Conclusion here that he might grant so much to the Objection that by granting so much he may the better induce him to yield to that viz. That they that are in the Spirit or They that are in Christ Jesus walk after the Spirit Cannot please God That is cannot while they are such but walk after the Flesh which is displeasing to God He takes here that viz.
conceive that there is an ellypsis here to be supplied from the foregoing verse that the sence of these two verses and reading with their Supplement is this q d. What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known indured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction What canst thou say against that or what unrighteousness is there in that And what canst thou say against this or what unrighteousness is there in this if God That he might make known the riches of his Glory on the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared unto Glory hath prepared those his Vessels unto glory even us c. By this our Apostle answers to both parts of that unrighteousness which was charged upon God ver 14. That is to the unrighteousness charged upon him for justifying the children of Promise and the unrighteousness which was charged upon him for denying Justification to the children of the flesh And by this he answers both parts of the Potters power mentioned ver 21. in making out of the same lump vessels of honour and vessels of Dishonour The Riches of his Glory The abundance of his goodness On the Vessels of Mercy By Vessels of mercy he meaneth those which believe ver 24. which he calls vessels in allusion to a Potters vessel of which he spake ver 21. And vessels of mercy because he shews mercy to such in remitting their sins and justifying them from their iniquities Which he had before prepared unto Glory i. e. Which he had from all eternity purposed within himself to prepare to glory even everlasting Glory in heaven that is which he had purposed within himself and decreed from all eternity to justifie In the word prepared there is an allusion to a Potters work Which he had before prepared The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie that what God had prepared he prepared before the thing was which preparation therefore must be understood of his purpose or decree to prepare See Chap. 8. ver 29. what is said on that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which he had before prepared to glory i. e. Which he had from eternity decired to justifie To prepare to glory may signifie to Justifie for Justification is a preparation to glory For Rom. 5. ver 20 21. It is said that where sin abounded grace did much more abound that as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness that is through Justification unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and God glorifies none whom he doth not Justifie therefore Justification is a preparation to Glory Ver. 24. Even us whom he hath called These words depend upon the 23. verse and tell whom and shew whom he meaneh there by the Vessels of mercy which God had before prepared unto glory he means those whom God hath effectually called that is those who believe whether they be Jews or whether they be Gentiles Whom he hath called That is whom he hath called effectually to the grace of the Gospel by the preaching thereof that is who believe the Gospel by hearkning to the call of God by the preachers or ministers of his Gospel Not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles i. e. Whether we be Jews or whether we be Gentiles Ver. 25. As he saith also in Osee Between this and the former verse understand these or the like words For God hath called the Gentiles and so made them his people In Osee to wit Osee Chap. 2.23 The Jews were much offended that the Apostle should preach that salvation should be and was come to the Gentiles That therefore they might know the truth of this and that they might not be offended that he our Apostle and other the Apostles of Christ did extend Justification and other the spiritual mercies of God to the Gentiles aswell as to the Jews Our Apostle as often as he hath occasion speaks of the calling of the Gentiles and in particular sheweth here that by preaching this they preached no more than what the Prophets of the Lord whom they could not except against foretold I will call her my people which was not my People and her belov d which was not beloved i. e. I will make them my people which were not my people and that Nation my beloved which was not beloved of me The Apostle proves here the Calling of the Gentiles and he proves it out of the Prophets that the Jews might the better believe it who were mâ—st against it Note that to Call signifies sometimes to Make See Chap. 4.17 These words of the Prophet Osee Osee 2. 23. are spoken in the Literal or Historical sence of the Ten tribes of Israel whom God had cast off because of their Idolatry and other their sins and dispersed them amongst the Nations whom afterwards he received again into favour And took them for the People of his love again But in the Mystical sence they are to be understood of the Gentiles whom God for time past neglected suffering them to walk in their own ways Acts 14 16. For the Ten tribes of Israel while they were cast off by God for their Idolatry and dispersed among the Gentiles were a Type of the Gentiles which worshiped Idols in former time and which were cast off and neglected of God And Gods taking of the Ten tribes into favour again after they were cast off for their Idolatry and dispersed among the Nations was a Type of Gods calling the Gentiles to him and his blessing them with his spiritual blessings after they had been so long neglected Ver. 26. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my People there shall they be called the children of the living God This is taken also out of the Prophet Hosea Hosea 1.10 And is also in the Literal or Historical sence spoken of the Ten tribes of Israel as the former Testimony was whom God had put away for their sins and said of them That they were not his people yet at length he received them to favour again And said of them That they were the Children of the living God And as there so here the Ten tribes were a Type of the Gentiles who were not the People of God in times past but were such as God cared not for yet are now made the Children of God Almighty through faith And to them do these words in the Mystical sence appertain and of them they may be thus expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it shall come to pass i. e. And this which I now speak of shall come to pass viz. c. That in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my People i. e. That in that place As v. g. In Greece in Italy in France in England Or in what place soever they dwelt of whom God might say Ye are not my People
the justice of God for the sins of a sinner by his death must needs be himself of infinite worth and his death of infinite value and so must needs be God And being God he need not to die twice or thrice that by one death he may justifie a sinner by another death save him from wrath to come by another death bring him to everlasting Glory But One death is sufficient for All. Therefore he which is justified by the death of such a one and Christ is such a one may be saved by his life that is may be saved by him though he dies not a second time From the sixth verse hitherto inclusive the Apostle hath proved that which he asserted ver 1. viz. That being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Now in the next verse following he will prove that which he asserted ver 2. to wit That we may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Ver. 11. And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ q d. And we shall not only be saved from wrath through his life but we shall also be made partakers of eternal Glory by reason of which we do even now joy in God the giver thereof through Jesus Christ Though it be a great mercy and blessing of God that he delivereth the ungodly from wrath yet doth not his mercy and blessing stay there but it brings him to everlasting glory And not only so i. e. And we shall not only be saved from wrath to come by his life But we also joy i. e. But we do also even now rejoyce In God That is in hope of the glory of God as it is expressed ver 2. Or in God as the giver of Glory in that we are assured he will bring us to Glory By whom we have now received the Atonement i. e. By whom we have already reconciliation with God And precious fruits also of that Reconciliation which are to us as pledges of everlasting glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunc now is put here for jam nunc i. e even now already The Atonement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Reconciliation or Reconciliation to wit with God and pretious fruits or effects thereof Take the Atonement or Reconciliation here not barely for the Atonement or Reconciliation it self but for the effects thereof also by a Metonymical Syllepsis that is for the holy Ghost that is for the gifts of the holy Ghost which God giveth to those to whom he is reconciled which gifts are the effects of our Atonement and Reconciliation with God for those to whom God is reconciled He sanctifieth also For our Reconciliation and Justification are never without Sanctification And yet the gifts of the holy Ghost which are given to those which are reconciled to God or to whom God is reconciled are not only effects or signs of the Atonement or Reconciliation but they are also as an Earnest of the glory of God as we are taught 2 Cor. 1.22 2 Cor. 5.5 Ephes 1.14 And as we said before And so they confirm our hope of the glory of God from whence springs the Joy and Rejoycing here spoken of Ver. 12. Wherefore as by one man c. q. d. Wherefore being that we are justified by faith and reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ and have peace with God through him and have hope of the glory of God having even now already received the atonement though we have lost much by Adam we have gained asmuch yea far more by Christ than we lost by him For as by one man to wit by Adam sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned c. The Apostle takes an occasion here to shew the misery which befell us by Adams sin that so he might take occasion again from thence to illustrate and magnifie the love and benefit of Christ to us By one man By this one man is meant Adam Sin entred into the world i. e. Sin entred into all mankind The world is taken here for all mankind by a Synechdoche otherwise sin entred before this into the world when the Angels first sinned He speaks of sin as of a person when he saith sin entred This sin entred by Adam who was then the head of all mankind Entred into the world By the world is meant all Mankinde that is all men which are carnally and by the common law of generation descended from Adam for so the Apostle expounds himself when he saith And death passed upon all men He speaks of sin as of a person when he saith sin entred To the Traduction of this which is commonly called Original sin nothing is required but that a man be descended from Adam by true natural generation as being in his loins when he sinned And therefore is Original sin derived from Adam by naturall propagation to all which were in his loins when he sinned because that at the time in which he sinned he was the head of all Mankind so that if he had kept the commandment which God gave him of not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they had been pure and clean of this Original sin and free from the subsequent miseries thereof But being that he broke it they were corrupted by it through want of those gifts and graces which were given him for them aswell as for himself and so do partake of his miseries as of the punishment thereof And death by sin i. e. And death by reason of sin By death understand by a Syllepsis not only death but all miseries and diseases which bring to death And so death passed upon all men i. e. And so all men died For that all have sinned i. e. For that all men have been made sinners by that one man as our Apostle speaks vers 19. This sin by which all men are made sinners formally and from whence they are so called is not any actuall sin but that which is commonly caled Original sin which is an effect of that actual disobedience of Adam by which he transgressed in eating the forbidden fruit Note that the Apostle leaveth this speech here imperfect and abrupt and without the sentence which should answer it by reason of other matter intervening untill the eighteenth verse where he taks up his speech again though in other words and makes it perfect and compleat That this supplement to wit by that one Man must be made up here See the eighteenth and nineteenth verses of this Chapter The Greek word which is here rendred have sinned is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie a missing or erâ—ing from a mark which should have been hit And not onely the Archer but the Arrow which missed of the mark by the unskilfulness of the Archer may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So a Limner which misseth and erreth of
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
fitted by themselves to destruction What I say if God be angry or find fault with them for this or what if God be said to harden them because they took occasion from this his long-suffering to harden their own hearts What canst thou say to this or what unrighteousness is there in God for this And what if moreover he did this as it follows verse 23. for this end viz. that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of mercy which he had before prepared to Glory What canst thou say to it or what unrighteousness is there in God for it Note therefore first that the Apostle doth here give in this 22. verse a more direct answer then he did in the two foregoing verses to that saucy question which a malepart Jew made when he heard Saint Paul say of God that whom he will he hardeneth viz. Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will In which answer he shews that God might justly find fault and be angry with the hardned Jews And that God is not said to harden them because he positively wrought hardness in them but because they themselves hardened their hearts and he suffered them to harden them by his long-suffering to them Note secondly that those Jews whose hardness God is said to complain of Ver. 19. were such as sought justification otherwise than by faith and would not believe the Gospel when it was preached to them but were contentious against it For the Jews for the most part when the Gospel was preached unto them did not onely not believe it but were contentious against it as will appear by the History of the Acts of the Apostles Note thirdly that those Jews are called Vessels of Wrath in opposition to those believers which are called Vessels of mercy ver 32. And they may be called vessels in allusion to Potters Vessels of which he speaks verse 22. And Vessels of wrath because wrath and indignation was denounced against them or such as they are Chap. 2.8 to wit if they repented not Note fourthly That these Vessels of wrath may be said to be fitted to destruction because when God was long-suffering to them thereby to lead them to repentance they abused that long-suffering of God and were so far from being led to repentance as that they hardned their hearts against the Gospel and grew impenitent and by their hardness and impenitent hearts treasured up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath Chap. 2. ver 5. This account I have given of what I conceived concerning the hardning of Pharaohs heart and of those words Rom. 9.17 Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up c. In my Commentaries But having since the printing of them read and seriously considered the Annotations of that learned industrious judicious and acute Doctor Doctor Hammond upon Rom 9. ver 17.18 who hath given much light to many dark places of Scripture And having the opportunity to do it by reason of the standing of the press since the printing of my Paraphrase and Commentaries by reason of these late sad times I would not hide that singular light which that Reverend Doctor hath given to this place but hold it out here He therefore having judiciously weighed the whole story of Pharaoh written by Moses in his book of Exodus and the severall passages thereof observeth that when God was sending Moses to Pharaoh to let his people go God foretold Moses that Paraoh would harden his heart when he sent to him in those words Exod. 3.19 I am sure that the King of Aegypt will not let you go no not by a mighty hand And he foretold him also that he the Lord would harden Pharaohs heart in those words Exod. 4.21 Do all thy wonders before Pharaoh which I have put into thy hand but I will harden his heart that he shall not let the people go But though God did early foretell that he would harden Pharoahs heart yet as he observeth God did not do it immediately For at the six first plagues or judgements which God sent upon him Pharaoh is said to have hardened his own heart and God is not said to have hardned Pharaohs heart untill the seveneth So that Pharaoh hardned his own heart six times before that God is said to have hardened it And from this observation of the time when God is said to have hardned Pharaohs heart which was not till after Pharaoh had hardned his own heart six times against Gods signs and judgements He gathereth that Gods hardning Pharaohs heart was the total withdrawing of his grace of Repentence from Pharaoh in the same manner as when one is cast into Hell which Pharaoh at that time had been had it not been more for Gods glory to continue him alive a while in that desperate irreversible condition which sure was no whit worse to him but somewhat better and more desirable then to have been adjudged to those flames at that time When therefore God had thus hardned Pharaohs heart He said by Moses unto Pharaoh And now at this time or turn will I pour out all my plagues upon thine heart c. And now I had stretched out my hand and had smitten thee and thy people with the pestilence and thou hadst been cut off from the earth But in very deed for this cause have I made thee stand or kept thee alive to shew or make to be seen my power in thee Exod. 9. ver 16 17. For thus doth he accutely interpret these words But read his own Annotations in which are many things of this kind worthy of observation Thus as he observeth did God harden Pharaohs heart and this was as he observeth a notable and withall as far as we find in Scripture a singular example of Gods dealing with an impoenitent that had filled up his measure keeping him alive but without any Grace and consequent possibility of amending And now say I from Gods thus dealing with Phaaraoh we may conclude that God can deny mercy to whom he will and so by consequence deny remission of sins or justification to those who will not believe the Gospel yea and harden them too in the highest degree if they are obstinately contentious against it But if that passage of Saint Paul taken out of Exod. 9.16 be to be read thus Even for this same purpose have I kept thee alive that I might shew my power in thee c. It may be asked how that conclusion which Saint Paul mentioneth there verse 17. viz. Whom he will he hardeneth can be deduced from thence I answer That that conclusion Whom he will he hardeneth may be deduced from those words For this same purpose have I kept thee alive that I might shew my power in thee c. Those words For this same purpose have I kept thee alive must be considered in relation to the story of Pharaoh as it is recorded in Exodus and then they will imply an hardning For they
consisteth in the free pardon and remission of his sins according to that which is written Rom. 4.7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered blessed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin Note that the Justification of an innocent and righteous man and the Justification of a Sinner which believeth agree both in this that they are both absolved and acquited from the accusation laid against them by Satan but they differ in this that one is acquited for his workes sake the other is acquited through the meer grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus Note also that though I have shewed how a righteous man which hath exactly kept the Law is justified I do not thereby affirm or hold that there is or hath been or ever will be any such man For by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2.16 For if Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Galat. 2 12. And all the world is become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 but I say onely that if we should suppose that there were any righteous man which had exactly kept the Law he would be justified after that manner which I have spoken of So when our Apostle said that the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 He did not say that there were any such doers of the Law as had so done the works of the Law as the Law in rigour exacts but he did only shew what they must do who would be justified by the Law they must not be onely hearers of the Law but doers also of the Law And when he said now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of debt Rom. 4.4 He said not that there was any which did work or had wrought that is he said not that any one did work or had wrought the work of the Law so exactly as the Law requireth which required a perfect observation thereof of a man throughout the whole course of his life but this he said that if we should suppose that there were any such man then the reward would not be reckoned to him of grace but of debt And after the same manner is he to be understood when he saith If it be of works then it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more work Rom 11.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Greek praeposition to the various acception of which we have neither in Latine nor in English one single praeposition which will fully answer It signifieth frequently when it is joyned with an Accusative case secundum that is according to as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel according to Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel according to Luke But it doth also when it is joyn'd with an accusative case signifie De that is of or concerning as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Pol. lib. 5. Lawes of or concerning excess And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.21 I speak as concer-cerning reproach And according to this acception of the praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do I render those words of our Apostle Rom. 9.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the purpose of God concerning Election may stand There is also a Rule which Grammarians give concerning an other use or acception of this praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you may find in H. Stephan's Thesaurus Vocab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 2. pag. 87. G. and it is this Interdum verbum substantivum cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habente accusativum ponitur tunc hae tres orationis partes Vnico verbo vel participio resolvi possunt as Thucidid lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differing After this manner doth our Apostle say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.8 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They which are according to the Flesh for carnal or they which are carnal And according to this Rule do I interpret those words of our Apostle Rom. 11.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a Remnant Elected Except you would interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per as it sometimes signifies and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per Dei electionem but I prefer the former LONG-SVFERING Long-suffering is attributed often to God and it is that by which God defers those punishments which are due to Sinners for their sins and punisheth them not according to their deserts so soon as they have sinned It is attributed to God twice in this Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans viz. cap. 2.4 and cap. 9.22 and it is there spoken of him by reason of those Jews which were contentious and obeyed not the truth of the Gospel but resisted it and oppugn'd it with all violence for how violently the Jews for a great part of them did resist and oppugn the Gospel Saint Luke tells us in many places of the Acts of the Apostles whom notwithstanding God is said to have indured with much long-suffering because he brought not any signal punishment upon them or rather because he did not cut them off in anger for that their unbelief and violent contention against the Gospel and cruel persecution of the Preachers and Professors thereof by which they made themselves the vessels of wrath Cap. 9.22 and for which he threatned them with indignation and wrath Cap. 2.8 For notwithstanding he was long-suffering towards them that that his long-suffering towards them might lead them to Repentance cap. 2 4. yet were they for the greatest part of them so far from being led to repentance thereby as that they did thereby harden their hearts And by their hardness and impenitent hearts treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath cap. 2.5 For which God was willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known upon them cap. 9.22 because they repented not but did heap up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath RIGHTEOVSNESSE This word Righteousness is taken sometimes for conformity with the Law of God But in this his Epistle to the Romans Saint Paul doth most frequently take it for justification It is sometimes joyned with the word Law as when it is said the Righteousness of the Law concerning which see the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SPIRIT Our Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans useth this word often viz. The Spirit and that after divers waies with the word Holyness joyned with it he takes it for God or the divine nature for when the Apostle saith according to the Spirit of Holiness Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.4 It is as if he should say as he was God or according to his divine nature concerning which see Beza in his notes upon that place Sometimes he takes Spirit for the Holy Ghost as Rom. 8.23 Sometimes by a Metonymie For the gifts of the Holy Ghost by which we are regenerated and enabled to work the works of
Gospel which is preached by the Servants of God is a powerful instrument for the Salvation of such as believe And they which believe do attain to Salvation by the Gospel The Gospel is called the Power of God not because there is any natural or physical power in the words of the Gospel But because God sheweth his power in those that believe the Gospel in saving them that is in delivering them from all evil both of Sin and Punishment and in bringing them at last to everlasting joy and happiness And well may this be called the Power of God for what created power can save us from our sins who hath power enough to deliver us out of the Claws of the Devil to whom we were captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 who hath power to keep us safe from him that goeth about a roaring Lion seeking whom he way devour who hath power to free us from the miseries of this mortall body who can raise us up from the dead after death who hath power to change these vile bodies of ours into glorious bodies and this corruptible of ours into incorruptible who hath power to carry us up into heaven there to enjoy bliss for evermore but God who is Omnipotent and able to subdue all things to himself and to do whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven and in Earth The Gospel therefore is called the Power of God Metonymically that is to say because the power of God is so joyned with it as that God will so shew his power in saving them that believe it as that he will bring them to everlasting Salvation They therefore which interpret the power of God to Salvation of a powerful instrument to save men must not take it for a Physical instrument but for a Moral instrument as I may so call it that is for such a thing with which God will so go along with his power as that he will save them which believe the Gospel even because they believe it We know that the Power of God did go along in the Primitive times with the preaching of the Gospel in that God did bear the preachers of it witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and gifts of the Holy-ghost according to his own will Heb. 2.4 But this is not the power here spoken of but that which we have already mentioned for signs are not for those which believe but for those which believe not 1 Cor. 14.22 but the Power of God in this place is for them which believe Vnto Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For Salvation or for this end that it may bring men unto Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here a Note of the final cause or of the end The Schools use to distinguish of a double Salvation the one Inchoate the other Consummate Salvation Inchoate consisteth in Remission of sins or Justification c. and may be had in this life In this sence the Apostle saith By Grace ye are saved through faith Ephes 2.8 And again Not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us Titus 3.5 But Salvation Consummate is only to be had in the life to come and consists in Eternal life Now some understand this place only of Salvation Inchoate not Consummate But it is better to take it for our full and whole Salvation To every one that believeth i e. To every one that believeth the Gospel As a Medicine doth not profit how good soever it be except it be taken down So doth not the Gospel profit though it be the Power of God unto Salvation except it be believed and embraced To the Jew first and also to the Greek i. e. To the Jew first and then to the Greek And also is put here for Then or Afterwards The like manner of speech we read the 2 Cor. 8.5 They first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us i. e. They did first give themselves to the Lord and then to us his Ministers Note that by the Greek is here meant all the Gentiles per Synedochen Species and to is the Greek to be taken so often as he is opposed to the Jew and therefore is the Greek put for all the Gentiles the rather than any other Nation because the Greek tongue was at this time from the time of Alexander the Great most generally used amongst all Nations as also because the Greeks were now of a long time more known to the Jews than any other People were by the Jew therefore and the Greek all the People of the World are here meant There is a Praerogative here given to the Jew above the Gentile which Praerogative consisteth in this that the Gospel was preached and to be preached to the Jew before it was preached or to be preached to the Gentile Acts 13.46 And in that that the Gospel did appertain to the Jew which believed more peculiarly than it did to the Gentile by reason of particular promises thereof made to them But it doth not consist in this that the believing Jew did or should obtain more exuberance of grace or greater salvation than the believing Gentile should Ver. 17. For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed For therein is Justification effectually revealed and thereby performed and wrought That which is here rendred Righteousness is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cometh from the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justificare to justifie So that Righteousness may be and is to be taken here for justification and justification signifieth with our Apostle remission of sins or absolution from sins and it is a tearm borrowed from the Law courts and is opposed to condemnation That which is called Righteousness or Justification is also called Redemption Chap. 3.24 Ephes 1.7 c. And it is called Salvation Math. 1.21 c. And both by a metaphor taken from Prisoners or Captives or Slaves which were under hard imprisonment or bondage or slavery and were as men appointed unto death but are delivered and redeemed with a price or saved by might out of that miserable condition and a condition no better than theirs were we in while we were under sin So that the Remission of our sins may be called as Righteousness or justification so Redemtion and Salvation too And note now that Salvation and Righteousness are often put for one and the same thing as Psal 98.2 The Lord hath made known his Salvation his Righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen and Isaiah 56.1 My Salvation is near to come and my Righteousness to be revealed And Isaih 61.10 He hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation He hath covered me with the robe of Righteousness which I observe that it might seem strange to none that besides the derivation of the Greek word Righteousness should be put or taken for justification or redemption and Salvation from sins The Righteousness of God He calls it the Righteousness of God
declare his righteousness that is that he might declare his fidelity and his mercy by the remission of those sins which were committed before the Gospel was proclaimed and which went unpunished at that time and went unpunished not for any other reason than because God would forbear to punish them 26. To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which helieveth in Jesus 26. Thus he might declare I say at this time the time of the Gospel his righteousness that is his faithfulness and his mercy his faithfulness that he may appear to all to be just and faithfull in performing his promise of remission of sins to the Jews if they do believe And his mercy that he may appear to all to be the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus though he made no such promise to him as he did to the Jew that is that he may appear to be the justifier of the believing Gentile who may thank God for this his mercy 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law of works Nay but by the law of faith 27. Where is boasting then O thou Jew which so much boastest of thy justification It is excluded by what law or by what doctrine or lesson is it excluded Is it excluded by that Law or Doctrine or Lesson which teacheth that a man may be yea is justified by the works of the law Nay for if a man could be justified by the works of the law he had whereof to glory even before God But it is excluded by the law doctrine or lesson which teacheth that a man is justified by faith for he that is justified by faith hath nothing to boast or to glory of 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law 28. Therefore we conclude out of what we have said from the beginning hitherto that a Man is justified by faith and not by the deeds of the law 29. Is he the God of the Jews only is he not also of the Gentiles yes of the Gentiles also 29. Now after this our discourse let me ask thee O Jew which wilt not suffer the Gentile to have a part with thee in the favour of God Is God the God of the Jews onely is he not the God of the Gentiles also Yes he is the God not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith 30. Seeing that God is one and the same to both for that he justifieth them both by one and the same means the circumcised Jew by faith and the uncircumcised Gentile by faith likewise 31. Do we then make void the law through faith God forbid yea we establish the law 31. Do we now make the law void and of none effect by that which we have said of Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law and confirm it in its right use for though we deny the law to be the means or cause of our justification yet we allow it to be the director of our lives and manners even after our justification and we teach that by faith we have that strength to performe the precepts of the law which the law it self could not give CHAP. III. Ver. 1. What advantage then hath the Jew or what profit is there of circumcision i. e. What priviledge then hath the Jew by birth above the Gentile or what profit hath he by being circumcised in the foreskin of his flesh The Apostle taught in the former Chapter that a Jew which was only a Jew outwardly could not by being a Jew escape the wrath and judgement of God neither had he the imediate benefit of Justification by being outwardly circumcised whereupon it might be asked what advantage then hath the Jew which is a Jew by birth or what profit is there of outward circumcision which question the Apostle here moveth the better to clear what he had said of the Jew and of circumcision and that he might make way to some other doctrines which he would teach Ver. 2. Much every way Note that these words every way are so to be taken as that they have no other efficacy than to make a strong asseveration or affirmation as if he should say very much Chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God i. e. Chiefly because the Oracles of God were committed to them which were Jews by birth and which were circumciâ—ed By the Oracles of God understand the Word of God written in the Books of the Old Testament but especially the promises therein contained of the Mâ—ssias and of justification and other benefits and blessings which occur by him in which the Jews excelled the Gentiles Of other Priviledges than these that the Jews had we read Rom. 9. v. 4 5. but this the Apostle makes the chiefest These Oracles are said to have been committed to the Jews not as a pledge or thing in trust to the use and benefit only of others but as their own proper goods and as a Treasure to serve them and enrich them So that whatsoever was therein contained appertained to the Jews Promises and all Ver. 3. For what if some did not believe shall their unbelief c Between this and the foregoing verse we must understand an Objection made by a Gentile which had newly received the Gospel of Christ to this effect q. d. Yea but the circumcised Jews have no such Prerogative now For though God committed unto them his Oracles and made the promises which are therein contained of the Messias and of the Redemption which should be by him to them yet now they have deprived themselves of that Prerogative and they have deprived themselves of the benefit which they might have had by those promises because they have not believed them And God because of their unbelief hath utterly cast off all the Jews To this the Apostle here answers q. d. True it is indeed that some of the Jews have not believed but shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect so that he shall no longer keep the promises made unto the Fathers concerning the Jews but cast off that whole People What if some did not believe What if some of the circumcised Jews have not believed the promises of God made to them or to their Fathers concerning the Messias and the Redemption which should come by him contained in the Oracles that is in the Word of God which was committed to them c. The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have rendred But what if some have not believed The Jews were very incredulous and unbelieving at all times and we finde them often taxed for this sin of unbelief as Deut. 1.32 and 9 23. 2 Kings 17.14 Psalm 78.32 Psalm 106.24 and which makes in its mystical sence greatly to this place Isa 53.1 And which is to our
For my self I take these words as actully referred to the words going next before them to wit to these Through faith but as Potentially relating to the former words also q. d. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through his blood and to be enjoyed and made ours through faith in that his blood So that by what is expressed in the latter sentence we are to understand what is defective in the former Yea these words By his blood may relate actually both to those words Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation to those By faith See the like chap 9. v. 12. In these words By his blood there is as we said an allusion to the Sacrifices of the Law which were but Types of Christ the substance Yet here and in other places also where there is mention of the blood of Christ by the blood of Christ is to be understood by a Synechdoche whatsoever Christ did or suffered for us from the first time of his taking our Flesh upon him Through faith in his blood Note here that Faith when it is joyned with In as here it is signifieth for the most part Trust and Confidence or Relying upon a thing And here it signifieth Trust or Confidence or Relying upon the blood of Christ And truly he that doth believe the Gospel and the Death of Christ therein recorded as he ought to do cannot but trust and confide in the death or blood of Christ and relye upon it Hence it is that such kind of phrases as these The faith of and Faith from are often confounded in Scripture and taken for one and the same thing To declare his Righteousness The word Righteousness signifieth here both the Fidelity or Truth and the Goodness or Mercy of God as will appear by the following verse where it is repeated And it is frequent for one word thus to carry with it two significations but more of this in the next verse Note that these words To declare his Righteousness depend on those Whom he hath set forth and shew the final cause or end of that That God set forth a Propitiator which was to shew that he was righteous for or by remitting of sins For the remission of sins which are past i. e. For that he remitteth the sins which are past The words in the Original are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where some interpret the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propter that is For others Per By or Through According therefore to the interpretation of the first the words must run thus For the remission of sins which are past and then they are to be referred to those words Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation and there must be a Comma between these and the words which go immediately before them for they signifie a more special end why God did set forth Christ to be a Propitiation He did it for the remission of sins According to the Second interpretation the words must run thus Through the remission of sins which are past and then they are to be referred to the words immediately going before and shew how God was declared to be Righteous He was declared to be Righteous by the remission of sins which are past or In remitting of sins which were past For remission of sins declare God to be Righteous that is to be merciful for it is mercy in God to forgive sins whereas he might punish the sinner with eternal death and remission of sins declare God to be righteous that is True and Faithful because whereas God did say and promise That he would forgive sins by the remission of sins he did shew himself to be as good as his word For the remission of sins that are past i. e. For the remission of sins which were committed in the Time of the Law which is now past He mentioneth only those sins which were committed under the Law not because God gave a Propitiation for remission of those sins only and not for the remission of the sins committed under the Gospel But that he might shew the weakness of the Old Law of which the Jews with whom he hath to do for a great part in this his Epistle did glory And that he might declare that those Expiations or Purgations which appertained to the Law were not true Purgations and Expiations indeed but only shadows of true Purgations and Expiations For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin Heb. 10.4 And as the Apostle doth here so doth he also Heb. 9.15 mention the redemption only of the Transgressions that were under the Old Testament saying And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Tâ—stament that by the means of death for the redemption of the Transgressions which were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance But by the remission of sins that are past and by the redemption of the transgressions which were under the first Testament we must understand in both places all other sins too And that not without reason for if the blood of Christ was able to deliver men from their sins committed before it was shed much more is it able to deliver men from their sins which have been committed since the shedding thereof Yet note that some understand The sins that are past not of the sins commiâ—ted under the Law as so but of the sins committed by a man before his conversion whether under the Law or not And they say that the Apostle mentioneth only the remission of sins committed before a mans conversion to signifie not that sins committed after conversion were unpardonable as Novatus is said by some to hold but that they which were justified had no licence given them to sin by reason of that grace For this is the manner of the Gospel to threaten woe to him that shall sin and yet to â—ffâ—r pardon and mercy upon repentance to him that hath sinned But I embrace the former exposition before this Through the forbearance of God i. e. And which God hath not punished with any dreadful punishment not by reason of that that they did not deserve dreadful punishment nor by reason of that that they were expiated and purged by other means than by the blood of Christ but through his forbearance and long-suffering And therefore did God forbeare to punish the sins of men committed under the Law according to their desert because he had determined to set forth a Propitiation for those their sins in his good time to wit the Time of the Gospel A Propitiation which should reach even to sins committed under the Law In these words therefore there is an Ellipsis and these words contain a prevention of an Objection which a Jew might make For a Jew might say That either they Jews had not committed any such sin as deserved dreadful punishment or that if they had committed such sins they were expiated and purged
by the Rites and Expiations of the Law otherwise God would have taken vengeance of their sins long before this To this therefore the Apostle answers That it was not because they had not committed such sins nor because their sins were expiated and purged by the Law that God had not punished them in any grievous manner but it was because of his forbearance and long suffering Note that Christ was not a Propitiation for all sins which were past but only for the sins past of such as repented whose sins God punished not so soon as they were committed and for Gods forbearance to them others which repented not did fare the better in that God did forbear them and the sins of them which repented he punished in Christ Ver. 26. To declare I say at this time his Righteousnes The Apostle resumes here what he spoke in the former verse the better to explain himself This word Righteousness is to be taken here both for the Fidelity or Truth and for the Goodness or Mercy of God as I said before For what he meaneth by Declaring the Righteousness of God he expoundeth by those words that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Where to be just signifieth the Fidelity and Truth of God in keeping his word To be the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus sheweth the Goodness and Mercy of God Of that that the word Righteousness is sometimes taken for Fidelity and Truth we have an example verse 5. Of that that the word Righteousness is taken for Goodness and Mercy we have an example 2 Cor. 9.9 It may be that the Apostle saith of God That he granted remission of sins that he might appear just in respect of the Jews because of the promise of God made to their Fathers that he would upon their saith and repentance give them remission of sins And that he saith that he granted remission of sins that he might appear the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus in respect especially of the Gentile who had no such promise made to him by God of his justification as the Jew had yet may rejoyce in that that God hath freely justified him At this time By this time he meaneth here the Time of the Gospel and it is opposed to the time of the Law or the time before Christ signified by or intimated in those words of the former verse to wit sins that are past That he might be just q. d That is to say That he might appear to be just That is that he might appear to be True and Faithful in his word These words That is to say are here to be understood and to be is to be taken for To appear to be as ver 4. And Just is to be taken here for True and Faithfull in word as it is also taken 1 John 1.9 And God is said here to be True and Faithfull because he did say and promise in the Law and in the Prophets that he would give remission of sins unto his People and so justifie them and as he said and promised so he did to as many as believed And the Justifi r of him which believeth in Jesus q. d. And that he might appear to be the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus To justifie is to foâ—gâ—ve sins and to absolve from punishment due unto sins and this is an effect of the great mercy and goodness of God Ver 27. Were is boasting then q. d. Being therefore That all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God and that as many as are justified are justified freely by his Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus c. Where is Boasting i. e. Where is any just cause of Boasting This is a Corollary drawn from what he said from ver 20. hitherto and the Apostle drawes it to repress the vain boasting of the Jews and to make men seek after Justification not by the Law but by Faith And it is spoken after a kind of insulting manner the Apostle insulting thereby as it were over the Jews who were great boasters Where is boasting Note that the Apostle speaks not here of an unlawfull or unjust or causless boasting or of boasting only before Men for so any man might boast and so did the Jews boast But he speaks of a lawfull just and well grounded boasting and a boasting before God such a boasting where nothing is to be imputed to the grace and favour of God but all to a mans own self And that not in the appearance of man only but in the strict eye and view of God Such a boasting as this is the Apostle demonstratively hath proved cannot have place in a justified Man It is excluded q. d. It hath no place at all in a man which is actually justified but is excluded from his justification By what Law The word Law is to be taken here in a more Lax and Generall signification than commonly it is taken For here are two Species of the Law as it is here used mentioned in this place The Law of works and the Law of faith whereof the Law of works is properly and most usually called the Law and is ordinarily opposed to the Gospel and the other is the Gospel as it is opposed to the Law so strictly taken The word Law therefore is to be taken here for Doctrine q. d. But by what doctrine is boasting excluded That which is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Law is that which is usual in the Hebrew Torah and Torah signifieth not onely the Law in speciall but any doctrine in generall as I said before ver 19. from whence the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our English word Law doth often signifie the like as the Hebrew Torah doth in analogy to that Of Works i. e. By the Law of works The word Law is here to be understood from that which went before By the Law of Works is meant that doctrine which teacheth that a Man which is actually Justified is justified by the works of the Law and that he that would be justified must be thereby justified which cannot be except a man hath most exactly kept the whole Law and never failed in any Tittle thereof at any time Nay The Apostle sheweth here that boasting is not excluded by the Law of Works And indeed it implieth a contradiction to say that a justified man or a man that is actually justified according to the Law of Works is excluded from boasting by the Law of Works For he that is justified according to the Law of Works with Reverence be it spoken is not beholding to God for his justification for he hath perfectly observed the Law in every Apex Tittle and Jot of it so that God who is just in his judgement when he is brought before his Tribunal as a Transgressour of the Law must needs justifie him that is must needs acquit him and pronounce him guiltless and God would be unjust
in them And because they were made Sinners therefore the judgement of God came upon them to condemnation ver 18. By the obedience of one This one is Christ Jesus and this his obedience is that which we read Philip. 2.8 whereby he was obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Shall many be made righteous i. e. Shall many be justified The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is asmuch as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shall be justified So also is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken Chap. 2.13 The righteousness here spoken of is that Righteousness which is called also justification and which consists in the pardon of or absolution from Sins and it is the effect of the obedience of that One that is of Christ Jesus This righteousness did Jesus Christ purchase for us by this his obedience and conferreth on all them which believe in him By the disobedience therefore of Adam were many made Sinners in that by his disobedience the offence that is Original Sin came upon them And by the obedience of Christ were many made righteous in that by his obedience they attained to that righteousness or justification by which they are freed acquitted and absolved from all both Original and Actual Sins Ver. 20. Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound i. e. Moreover when the Law entred the offence did abound Note that the particle that is a sign here not of the intent but of the event so that the sence of this place is this q. d. The Law which forbiddeth Sin entred into the world in the middle time between Adam and Christ yet the event or issue of that was only this That Sin did abound He speaks here of the Law which was given by Moses and prevents an objection for whereas it was tacitly objected between the 12 and 13 verses That Sin was not in the world before the Law which objection the Apostle answered in the 13 and 14 verses It might be thus objected upon the Apostles answer But if we grant Sin to have been in the world before the Law yet surely when the Law came Sin was then no more in the world for the Law is a perfect remedy against Sin To this the Apostle here answereth that though the Law entred yet when it had entred it was so far from being a remedy against Sin as that Sin did abound and became more abundant by the Law than it was before I have said that these words are an answer to a tacit objection springing from the Apostles answer to a former objection supposed to arise between the 12 and 13 verses But some make them an answer to an objection supposed to arise out of the last words of the 19 verse viz. By the obedience of one man many were made righteous For a man may object from those words and say But why dost thou Paul say that by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous that is many shall be justified For there is no need of the obedience of another that any should be made righteous or that any should be justified since the Law was given for the Law is enough to make men righteous and is sufficient it self to preserve them from Sin To this the Apostle answereth q. d. The Law is so far from making men righteous and from preserving them from Sin as that the Law since it entred hath been an occasion that Sin hath much more abounded than it did before But which way soever of the two we conceive this objection to be raised or whether both ways it skills not much the matter tending still to the same purpose The Law entred that the offence might abound i. e. The Law entred that Sin might abound And therefore did Sin abound when the Law entred Because the Law worketh wrath for where there is no Law there is no Transgression as our Apostle speaketh Chap. 4.15 By the offence he means Actual Sin or Sins And that which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offence here he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin in the following words But where Sin abounded i. e. But when sin abounded Where is put here for When an Adverb of place for an Adverb of time That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here as was there observed Grace did much more abound By Grace understand here the grace and favour of God which is said here to abound by reason of its effects to wit Remission of Sins or Justification whereby the Sinner which believeth is justified from all his sins or hath all his Sins forgiven him By how much the more and greater the Sins of a Sinner are By so much the greater and more abundant is the grace and favour of him which forgiveth them And by how much the greater Sinner a man acknowledgeth himself to have been so much the greater grace and favour and mercy doth he confess that he hath received by the remission and forgiveness of his sins as we may learn by the example of the woman which was a Sinner Luke 7. ver 38 c. And by the example of the Apostle himself 1 Tim. 1.12 He saith of the offence or of Sin that it did abound and of grace that it did much more abound Supple than Sin did And this he doth because the grace and mercy of God did prevail above the Sins of men though they did very much prevail and was more powerful than they For the grace and mercy of God did take away the guilt of all sins in the believer and therefore was more powerful in him to justifie him than all his Sins were to condemn him V. 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death i e. That as Sin hath shewed her power which was as the power of Queen over men by bâ—inging them to death and destruction through her guilt Even so might grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life i. e. Even so might the grace or favour of God towards men like a Queen shew her power in them which believe in bringing them through the remission of their Sins and of the guilt thereof to eternal life By Righteousness is here meant Justification or Remission of sins See verses 17 and 18. And grace is said to bring men to eternal life through Righteousness that is by Remission of Sins or Justification Because God glorifieth none whom he doth not Justifie And because he doth not only vouchsafe to justifie Sinners from their sins if they believe But doth also bring them when he hath Justified them to life eternal if they persist in their faith Note here that when the Apostle saith that grace reigneth through righteousness unto everlasting life his meaning is not that grace exempteth us so from death as that we shall never die but his meaning is that grace doth confer life so unto us and so exempt us from death as that death shall not always have dominion
draw this conclusion To speak therefore under correction what I conceive The cause of the grief and sorrow which the Apostle expresseth ver 2 3 c. of this chapter was because that the Jews being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness and zealously and eagerly running after that had not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God c. This was the true ground of this grief which though he expressed not here in this Chapter by reason of some Objections which he was to prevent yet he intimated it here and expresseth it Cap. 10. ver 2 3. This their errour and their zeal the Jews were ready to their power to maintain and the Apostle as ready to confute having there such an opportune occasion to gather a conclusion or argument in confutation of that their errour here he omits it not though he had their errour but little more than in his serious and grieved thoughts as yet and expressed not so fully and plainly as he intended to do and as he afterwards doth Chap 10. ver 2 3. Though he doth it but by the by It is not of him that willeth i e. Righteousness or Justification is not of him who will have his own Righteousness that is his own way to Righâ—eousness Nor of him that runneth i. e. Nor of him that zealously and earnestly runneth in that his own way But of God that sheweth mercy But it is of God who sheweth mercy by remitting sin to whom he pleaseth and to what way he pleaseth Ver. 17. For the Scripture saith i. e. For God saith in the Scripture The Scripture is put here for God speaking in the Scripture so Gal. 3.22 we read that the Scripture hath concluded all under sin where the Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture per Metonymiam This Causal Particle For doth not relate to that which goeth immediately before viz. In the 16 verse but to those words of the 14 verse viz. Is there then unrighteousness with God God forbid For here he sheweth in this verse that there is not unrighteousness with God in dealing with the Children of the flesh as he doth that is in denying the participation of his spiritual promise of justification to the Children of Abraham according to the flesh though they be Abrahams children if they be his children only according to the Flesh or though they seek justification by their works Or we may take the Particle For for the Conjunction And as it seemeth sometimes to be taken and then it may have its immediate conjunction with the fifteenth verse q. d. For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion And he saith unto Pharaoh Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth The Scripture saith unto Pharaoh viz. Exod Chap. 9. ver 16 Where you may read the whole story which in brief is this The Children of Israel being at this time in Eygpt Pharaoh King of Egypt did mightily oppress them in setting them to make bricks and putting cruel task-masters over them insomuch that the children of Israel sighed mightily and cried to the Lord to be delivered from that oppression whereupon the Lord made choice of Moses to bring them out of Egypt and sent him to Pharaoh King of Egypt in his name to bid Pharaoh let his people go but Pharaoh hearkned not to Moses but despised the Lord who sent him though Moses shewed by many miracles that he came from God whereupon the Lord bid Moses tell Pharaoh at length of his stubborness and that except he would let his people go to serve him he would stretch out his hand to cut him off from the earth and bid him tell him moreover that in very deed for this cause he had raised him up or stirred him up for to shew his power in him and that his name might be declared throughout all the Earth Even for this same purpose To wit that I might shew my power in thee and that my Name might be declared throughout all the earth Supple By thy destruction and the destruction of thy people which I will work Have I raised thee up The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is have I stirred thee up to wit to oppose my commands and not to let my people the people of Israel go This God did by hardning Pharaohs heart Exod. 4.21 and 9.12 If we look upon Exod. 9.16 the Hebrew word there is Heyemadticha which is rendred by the Interlineary stare te feci I have made thee to stand By the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast been preserved By the Arabique Te reservavi I have reserved thee By the Samaritane Subsistere te feci I have made thee subsist by the Chaldee sustinui te I have sustained thee As their several Interpreters render them By all which Interpretations it may seem very probable which some say that there is an Allusion there to some general Plague or Pestilence from which God preserved Pharaoh that he died not therein But being that our Apostle saith here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have raised thee up or I have stirred thee up Though the word Heyemadticha be rendred Stare te feci I have made thee stand or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint Thou hast been preserved or to that sence by other Interpreters yet I conceive that yet our Apostle looks further here than to the preservation of Pharaohs life in a common destruction or Plague and that he looked also to the hardning of Pharaohs heart by the Lord and therefore used not the word of the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he usually followeth but a word of his own viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. I have raised thee up or I have stirred thee up and so hardned thee to resist my will And this I rather conceive because it seemeth to me more for his present purpose And because he draweth from hence that Conclusion viz. Whom he will he hardneth verse 18. God Hardneth man many ways but in particular God stirred up Pharaoh and so hardned his heart to resist his will here first by suffering the Devil to work the like miracles in appearance by the Magicians as he himself wrought in Reality by his Servant Moses by which Pharaoh came to despise not only Moses but God himself Secondly by permitting the Devil to suggest Arguments into the Tyrannical Coveteous mind of Pharaoh shewing that he would if he should let Israel go suffer loss in his power by the loss of so great a people and loss in his profit by letting so many go whom he imployed as slaves for his profit in his work That I might shew my power in thee i. e. That I might shew my power in thee by those strange plagues
which I will bring upon thee and thy people And by overwhelming thee at the length in the Red Sea Because thou wilt not let my people Israel go as I would have thee And that my Name may be declared i. e. And that I may be spoken of all abroad to the praise and glory of my power which power I intend to show upon thee for thy refractoriness to my Commands My Name that is I Metonymia Adjuncti No doubt but that God might have justly dealt with others after the manner and as severely as he did with Pharaoh and have destroyed them with as great a destruction with whom yet he did not so deal though they had deserved it at Gods hands as well as Pharaoh had Ver. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth i. e. Therefore hath he justly without any the least unrighteousness at all mercy on those on whom he will have mercy And again on whom He will not have that mercy He justly doth deny it to them and without the least unrighteousness hardneth them These words justly or without unrighteousness are here to be understood That the Conclusion may come up to answer the Objection made or couched in the fourteenth verse And this Conclusion thus understood is no more than the premisses will bear For Nature it self will tell you that what God doth he doth justly And you cannot conceive God but you must conceive him to be just For he that is unjust cannot be God Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy This Conclusion is drawn from that which was said in the fifteenth verse and is to be applied to the Remission of sins or justification which God freely bestows on such as are the Children of Promise because he will bestow it on them q. d. Therefore he hath mercy justly on whom he will have mercy And if he hath mercy justly on whom he will have mercy He may have mercy on the Children of Promise and justifie them without any injustice or unrighteousness in himself at all for so doing Whom he will he hardneth This Conclusion is drawn from what is said in the seventeenth verse And is to be applied to the Children of the flesh mentioned ver 8. to whom God denieth remission of sins Notwithstanding that that they are the children of Abraham according to the flesh and notwithstanding that that they seek justification by works and whose heart he hardneth even because he will not pardon them for their sins and because he will harden them Whom God will He justly hardneth And if he justly hardneth whom he will he may deny remission of sins to the Children of Israel according to the flesh and harden them if he will or because he will yea though they seek justification by works without any injustice or unrighteousness in himself at all for doing so He hardeneth This is opposed to the mercy which he speaks of in the former part of the verse which mercy consisted in Remission of sins and Justification And therefore is it opposed to that Because where God doth not remit the sins of unbelievers and justifie them I speak especially in the case of positive unbelief as I may so call it that is where men have the Gospel or word of God preached to them and they will not believe it but put it from them which is that which the Apostle chiefly speaks of and against in this Epistle He doth not only not remit their sins but doth also harden their hearts for a kind of punishment of their Vnbelief See for this Matth. 13. verse 11 12 13 14 15. But note that though God hardneth the heart of unbelievers he doth it not by any positive operation upon their souls or hearts so as to be the Authour of sin thereby but by Privative and Permissive ways As by withholding his Grace or with holding the means by which the soul might be mollified and by permitting Satan to nourish and foster that hardness which Satan may do many ways and by suggesting divers Arguments to them and by stirring up evil lusts and affections in them c. He doth it sometimes also in that he punisheth not offenders according to their offâ—nces so soon as they offend but patiently bears with them a while Ver. 19. Thou wilt say then unto me why doth he yet find fault The Apostle makes an Objection here in the person of an unbelieving Jew by occasion of that which he said v. 18 viz. whom he will he hardneth For as though the Apostle had said that God doth positively harden whom he will which yet he doth not say an unbelieving Jew might say If God hardneth whom he will why doth he yet find fault with us for our hardness of heart For it is you say his will and his work to harden us and that we are hardned still it is from him why doth he then find fault God doth every where complain of the Jews for their blindness and hardness of heart as Isaiah 48.4 8. Ezek. 3.7 Ezek. 2.4 Isaiah 29. ver 9 11 12. Psal 95.8 Acts 28. ver 25 26 c. For who hath resisted his will q. d. For if he will harden us who can help it For who is able to resist his will or to hinder him in what he will have done Ver. 20. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God q. d. Nay but O man why answerest thou again or why disputest thou thus against God This Particle Nay doth enliven or quicken the whole speech and reprehends the Objector The Apostle might have taken away this Objection by saying that God doth not positively harden any man but only Privatively by not punishing him so soon as he offends according to his desert but patiently suffering his sins by withholding his Grace or withholding those means which he is not bound to give and that he doth not this neither until man hath deserved it c. And so have stopped the Objectors mouth But he had rather instead of giving a direct answer take up the Objector for his sawciness in that he will be so sawcy as to chop Logick with his God whereas when we know that God hath done any thing though we know not his particular reasons and the manner of his working we should with David become dumb and open not our mouths because it is his doing Psal 39.9 knowing that God is not unjust in any of his works Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus q. d. If a Potter should make a pot of an ugly fashion for abase use if this pot had sense and reason and were able to speak would it be seemly for this pot to say to the Potter why hast thou formed me after this manner and why hast thou made me for this use As this would not become a Pot if it could speak thus to dispute and argue with the Potter No more doth
because they were not beloved of him nor worshipped him c. There shall they be called the children of the living God i. e In that very place nor shall they change their dwelling for this they shall be called the Children of the living God and shall worship him there as becometh his Children Ver. 27. Esaias also cryeth concerning Israel though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea a Remnant shall be saved This is taken out of Isaiah ch 10. v. 22 23. And in the literal or historical sence it is spoken of the Jews in Hezekiahs time who though they were a People as many as the sand of the Sea for number yet they should for their sins be so wasted and destroyed by the Army of Senacharib King of Assyria as that they which should escape and remain alive should be but a very small number or Remnant But in the Mystical sence it signifies that the Jews the greatest part of them should in the time or first time at least of the Gospel be cut off by the just judgemnet of God from being his people which is a kind of spiritual destruction and the highway to destruction everlasting for their infidelity and that there should remain only very few of them which should obtain mercy the mercy of Justification at his hands So that the Jews in Hezekiahs time were a type of the Jews in the time of the Gospel And their corporeal destruction for their sins by the Army of Senacharib A type of their cutting off from God and his People which is a spiritual destruction by the hand of God for their unbelief Crieth i. e. Speaketh audibly and plainly Concerning Israel That is Concerning the people or Children of Israel the Jews Here is Metonymia Efficientis Israel being put for the Children of Israel to wit the Jews Be as the sand of the Sea viz. for multitude Hyperbole A Remnant i e. Only a Remnant or no more than a Remnant that is very few of them The word only is often left to be understood by the Hebrews Shall be saved Supple from the sword of Senacharib Thus in the Literal sence Or shall be saved Supple from their sins Thus in the Mystical A question it is whether the Apostle brings this testimony to prove the Calling of the Gentiles or to prove the rejecting of the Jews Some say this some that But our translatours translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isaiah also crieth seem to take it as a testimony to prove the calling of the Gentiles But you will ask how this place can prove the calling of the Gentiles I answer Only by consequence viz. Because through the fall of the Jews Salvation was to come unto the Gentiles Rom. 11. ver 11. It is written Amos 9.11 After this will I return and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down And I will build again the ruines thereof and will set it up This S. James interprets of the calling of the Gentiles Acts 15.16 For by the Tabernacle of David is meant in the literal sence The habitation where David dwelt which was Sion this City was ruined by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar which ruines God promiseth Amos 9.11 to make up again which was performed after the Babylonish Captivity But in this The tabernacle of David which was Sion was a type of the Church of God which consisted in a manner only of the People of the Jews until the coming of our Saviour but then because they received him not they were almost all cut off from being the People and the Church of God for their unbelief And in their room the Gentiles were brought in to make up the Church of God from which they fell and were cut off And this is that which is meant by the Prophet Amos in the mystical sence there And what was meant there the like is meant here And this sheweth that the fall of the Jews proveth the calling of the Gentiles But yet as I conceive the chief if not the only scope of the Apostle here is to shew the fall or casting off of the greatest part of the Jews for their unbelief And so I render and it is the most natural interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Isaiah also cryeth but But Isaiah cryth concerning Israel c. Making â— not a Copulative but a Disjunctive or an Adversative The Apostle therefore beginneth here to make a way to that which he saith in the beginning of the tenth chapter where he resumes and perfects that which he left imperfect in the beginning of this chapter and tells the reason why he was so grieved for the Jews his brethren according to the flesh as he saith he was If we take this of the rejecting of the Jews as I conceive it is to be taken we must conceive that the Apostle speaks it with grief and sorrow of heart being that it is the cause of that continual grief and sorrow which he saith he had in his heart for his brethren His kinsmen according to the flesh ver 2. Ver. 28. For he will finish the work Supple which he hath to do or intendeth to do with Israel that is with the Jews The word Rendred here the work is in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred the account And here may be a Metaphor taken from the accounts which men take of their receits and of their expenses where when they have deducted their expences out of their receits their is but a small summe remaining And cut it short Supple So that he will not make any long work of it Or in allusion to the Metaphor of Accountants so that he will bring it to a small summe or Remainder In Righteousness i. e. In Judgement and Severity Righteousness is to be taken here for Judgement and Severity as it is opposed to mercy Because Refer this to the 27 verse as a proof of that as the former part of this verse also was For this is but a Repetition of the foregoing sentence A short work will the Lord make Supple with the Jews in cutting them off That which is here rendred work is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it was in the former sentence and therefore may be interpreted as that Vpon the earth That is upon the Land of Judaea Thus in the literal sence the whole Earth being put for a part by a Synecdoche But upon the Earth that is upon the whole habitable Earth thus in the mysticall sence Ver. 29. And as Esaias said before i. e And as Esaias said Cap 1. v. 9. of hâ—s Prophesie which he said before that which I last quoted out of him for that I quoted out of Chap. 10 33. Read these words As Esaias said before as with a Parenthesis The Greek word which is here rendred said before is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred also foretold or Prophesied Except the Lord of Sabbath That is except
believed God c. The Apostle brings a new argument to prove that God hath not cast away his people the Jews as he speaks Ver. 1. or to prove that those Jews which stumbled have not stumbled that they should fall as he speaks ver 11. And therefore thither must this causal particle For relate As ye i. e. As ye Gentiles In times past By times past he meaneth the times before Christs comming in which God suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways Acts 14.16 Have not believed God i. e. Have not beleived God to wit when God declared to you by his works that he ought to be worshiped but ye worshiped not him but served other Gods But have obtained mercy i. e. But have now believed through the grace and mercy of God and are brought into the Church of God and justified from your sins by reason of your belief Through their unbelief i e By reason of the unbelief of the Jews God calling you to the faith of the Gospel because the Jews would not believe it Ver. 31. Even so have these i. e. Even so have these to wit the Jews for the greatest part of them Now not believed Now for a time not believed the Gospel but rejected it That through your mercy i. e. That by reason of the mercy which ye have obtained They also may obtain mercy i e. They also may obtain the like mercy The Jews which would not believe for a while but should afterwards believe shall when they believe believe as it is probable through the faith of the Gentiles as being provoked to jealousie or emulation through their saith and the mercies bestowed upon them by reason thereof See ver 11.14 Ver. 32. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief Those words would be better rendred thus For God hath concluded all in unbelief Leaving out that demonstrative pronoun them for which there is no word to countenance it in the Greek For God hath concluded all in unbelief i. e. For God hath partly heretofore and partly now concluded all in unbelief both Jews and Gentiles Gentiles heretofore and Jews now He confirms here what he said verse 30.31 And yet this may be a new argument to prove what he said in the beginning of the first or in the beginning of the eleventh verse and be referred thither God hath concluded all in unbelief The word rendred here unbelief is in the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a pertinacy in unbelief whereby a man is as it were imperswasible or not to be perswaded or induced to believe And to be concluded signifies to be shut up as it were in a prison God is said to conclude men in this unbelief and to imprison them as it were in it by a Metaphor because he doth suffer them to be taken and ensnared in it And suffers difficulties to be laid upon them so that they cannot easily free themselves and get out of this unbelief and break as it were the bolts and open the doors which kept them thus shut up But he concludes or shuts up none after this manner but for their sins Hath concluded This word by a Syllepsis signifies both time past and present yea and time continuing and going on to All Supple Both Jews and Gentiles Yet not all absolutely but far the greatest part of all Hyperbole In unbelief To wit as in a prison That he might have mercy upon all i. e. That he might bring all to believe and to the mercies which he shews them which believe When he saith That he might have mercy upon all it is manifest that by this he cannot mean every singular man There is therefore an other Hyperbole in the speech Ver. 33. O the depth of the Riches both of the wosdom and knowledge of God q. d. O how deep and remote from humane sense is the abundance or greatness of the wisdom and knowledge of God! This Admiration or Exclamation of the Apostle is occasioned especially by what he said ver 30 31 32. For what he saith there makes him admire and admiring to break out into words of Admiration of the wisdom and knowledge of God to think that the Gentiles which in times past believed not should now believe through the unbelief of the Jews and that the Jews which now believe not should hereafter be brought to believe through the faith of the Gentiles which seem to be contrary means and that God should in his due times conclude both Jews and Gentiles in unbelief that he might in his due times bring them both to believe which no creature could ever have dreamed of had not God revealed it to them O the depth of the Riches i. e. O how deep lie the Riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God The Riches i. e. The abundance or greatness The Hebrews call all abundance and greatness by the name of Riches as Cap. 2 4. and Cap. 9.23 The Apostle therefore that he might shew the Abundance and greatness of the wisdom and knowledge of God maketh use of the word Riches here O the depth of the riches c. In an heap of Riches the greater and the more the Riches are the more profound and the deeper is the heap therefore say some to shew the abundance of the Riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God the Apostle useth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or depth here But being that it follows How unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out I conceive that the Apostle useth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or depth here to signifie the unsearchableness and difficulty or impossibility of finding out Gods judgements and ways and the Apostle alludeth here to Gold and Silver and other Mettals which lie deep in the bowels of the Earth which the deeper they lie the more remote they are from the sight and more difficult to be found or lit upon A Philosopher said of Truth because she was hard to be found that she lay deep in a pit It is not unusual therefore to say of things difficult to be found that they are deep or lie deep to wit in the earth or the like Of the wisdom To wit by which God ordereth and disposeth in his judgement of the things which he makes or hath made And knowledge of God i. e. And the knowledge of God whereby he knoweth how to effect what he judgeth fit in his wisdom to be done As some do put a difference between the wisdom and knowledge of God here by reason of these distributive particles Both and And So others notwithstanding them take them both to signifie one and the same thing by a Synonymia familiar to the Hebrews How unsearchable are his judgements By the judgements of God are here meant the acts and determinations of his understanding whereby he wisely determins and disposeth of things And his ways past finding out By ways may be here meant the means by which God brings to pass what
he hath determined to do Or by ways may be meant his determinations themselves For ways in the Scriptures are oftentimes taken for works and actions in a general but Metaphorical signification Whereas God had a Thousand ways at hand by which he could in a most excellent manner shew mercy to the sons of men and that without the fall or previous sin of any one Yet did it please God to make use of that way by which he foreknew that the Gentiles first and the Jews afterward would fall into unbelief and continue in unbelief many ages which no man could have thought of had not God himself revealed it to him Ver. 34. Who hath known the mind of the Lord i. e. Who hath known the determinations of the Lord what he is minded that is what he is determined to do Before God had revealed his mind and his determination what he is determined to do no man doth or can know what it is But yet God doth oftentimes reveal his mind and his determination to his servants and then they may know it For 1 Cor. 2.16 It is asked Who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him But we have the mind of Christ Saith our Apostle there by way of Answer or prevention of an objection Or who hath been his counsellor The The greek word rendred Counsellor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth one who is present and privy to the counsells of another and sits with him in counsell as an helper or coadjutor the sence therefore is this q. d Or who sat in counsel with him and helped him therein So that he was privy to his counsels and determinations when he determined what he would do concerning his creatures or any of them The Kings of the Earth have such Counsellors as are acquainted alwayes with their Counsels and are present at their determinations as coadjutors But God adusits not any one to his counsells when be sits as we may say in council and determins of things which he will do This whole verse is taken out of Isaiah Cap. 40. ver 13. according to the Septuagint And is spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 35. Or who hath first given to him Or which is yet more unlikely who hath given counsel to him as the sole or prime Author thereof how he should manage his Affairs First This word First is spoken here in relation to the recompense following And it shall be recompensed to him again i. e. That God should be beholding to him and be bound in gratitude at least to recompense him again for that his counsell It is an absurd thing to think that God should be any way bound to his creature therefore is this added to shew what an absurd consequence would follow upon that antecedent to wit that any should give any thing to God And it is added to perswade that there is no such matter Note that And is put here for That This verse is taken out of Job Job 41. ver 2. according to the vulgar translation of that place And that which is generally spoken there is drawn down to a particular congruous to this place here Ver. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things q. d. No body hath given counsel to God For of him and through him and to him are all things so that if all things are of God then is counsel of him too Of him and through him and to him are all things i. e. All things are of God as of the Efficient cause for he made all things and through him as the conserving cause for he conserveth all things in their being and to him as the finall cause for all things tend to his glory and were made therefore It had been enough here for the Apostle to say for of him are all things But the mâ—re to shew that none had first given to him he sets out that God is the prime Efficient cause of all things and not onely the prime efficient cause of all things but that he is the conserving cause also conserving every thing in its being and not only so but that he is the final cause too to which all things tend and to whose glory they are ordained To whom be glory for ever i. e. To whom therefore let us for ever ascribe the glory of all things Amen See Cap. 1.25 and Cap. 13. ver 33. CHAP. XII 1 I Beseâ—ch you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service 1. You see by what I have said how many mercies God bestoweth upon them which are justified by faith I beseech you therefore brethren by those mercies of God that ye present your bodies a sacrifice to God not such a sacrifice as those beasts were which were slain and sacr ficed in honor of the True God under the Law but a Living Sacrifice holy and separate from sin and such as with which God may be well pleased that is present unto him your service guided by reason which is sanctified and informed with the will of God 2. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God 2. And that ye may know what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God which should sanctifie and inform your reason be not conformed in your manners to worldly men who being not acquainted with the things of God follow the honours and pleasures and riches and other vanities of the world but be ye transformed and become in manners and conversation different and unlike to them and that not in your externall actions only but by the renewing of your mind also which is corrupt for as a spunge which is dipt in vinegar if before the vinegar be wrung out of it it be put into wine it will not admit or drink up any of the wine so a mind which is full of the vanities of this world cannot admit or receive in any wholesom admonitions or vertuous instructions untill it be free from those vanities 3. For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith 3. Wherefore that I may in part shew you how you should present your bodies a pleasing sacrifice to God and that I may shew you in part what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of his by which you should regulate your service I do by vertue of mine Apostle-ship admonish every man among you not to think himself a greater gifted man than he is or that he hath more in himself than he hath but to think modestly of himself so that the thoughts of himself do not exceed the
Apostle having delivered in the former part of this Epistle the Doctrine of Faith cometh here to give precepts of manners And to connect or knit this to his former Subject He infers this as a duty arising from that For when that his Doctrine of faith hath set out and shewen many mercies of God to us He beseecheth the Romans here in consideration of those mercies to shew themselves thankful to God by an holy living and conversation of life I beseech you therefore c. q. d. Being therefore you have received many mercies from God as I have shewed you in the former part of my Epistle I beseech you Brethren by those mercies c. Brethren He calleth the Romans Brethren because they were Christians as he was And Christians because they have the same God for their Father and the same Church for their Mother are called Brethren By the mercies of God i. e. By the mercies which God hath shewed you The Apostle beginneth this part of his Epistle with a vehement obsecration and an earnest obtestation whereby he beseecheth the Romans by those mercies which he had mentioned and commended to them in the former part of his Epistle and which they had received that they would present their bodies a living sacrifice c. By the mercies of God This is a vehement obtestation which is a most effectuall kind of reasoning or manner of perswading Like unto this is that most earnest and passionate prayer in the Letany of our Church viz. By thine Agony and bloody sweat by thy Cross and Passion c Good Lord deliver us which manner of praying Some have prophanely called swearing but you see that the Apostle useth this same manner of speaking and he may be a president for it without exception That you present your bodies a living sacrifice i. e. That ye offer your selves as a living Sacrifice to God Your Bodies i e. Your selves By the Body is here meant not the Body only but the body and soul too that is the whole man by a Synechdoche But he seemeth to say your bodies rather than your selves in some allusion to the Jewish Sacrifices where the bodies of the beasts which were offered for a burnt-offering were consumed or burnt on the Altar to the glory of God A living sacrifice i. e. As a living Holocaust or Burnt-offering as I may so speak The Apostle in this alludes to the Sacrifices of the Jews and among them to the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering where the Beast or Carcase of the beast which was offered or sacrificed was wholly burnt or consumed with fire to the glory of God And this he doth to signifie that we should offer to God our whole selves and all our actions Yet he saith a living sacrifice in opposition to that That those Sacrifices which the Jews offered were slain But this is not required of us that we should slay our selves or be slain by being made a Sacrifice here Then we offer our bodies that is our selves a living Sacrifice to God when we direct all our actions and do all which we do to his glory according to the exposition which the Apostle gives of his meaning in the last words of this verse Holy i e. An holy Sacrifice That is a sacrifice pure and separate from all uncleanness Yea a sacrifice sanctified by the holy Ghost as our Apostle speaks Chap. 15. ver 16. The sacrifices of the Old Law were called holy and were so accounted But if they were called and accounted holy Surely the bodies of Christians may be called and accounted holy much more being that they are purified from sin by the blood of Christ 1 John 1.7 and sanctified by the holy Ghost Rom. 15 16. There is an allusion therefore here to the sacrifices of the Law and their holiness when he bids us offer our bodies an Holy Sacrifice Acceptable unto God i e. Such as is well-pleasing unto God who because he is pure delighteth and is well-pleased with that only which is pure The Burnt sacrifice was said to be an offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord Levit. 1.9 In allusion to this would the Apostle have our sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God And indeed if such sacrifices were as a sweet savour unto God acceptable and well pleasing to him much more may the bodies and actions of Christians be acceptable to him See 2 Cor. 2 15. Phil. 4.18 Which is your reasonable service He interpreteth here what he meant by their bodies He meaneth by that themselves that is their reasonable service By a Synechdochical Metonymie Your reasonable service By the reasonable service here spoken of is meant the service of the spirit or of the soul which is a reasonable soul that is q. d. your spiritual service or the service of your spiritual souls Or by the reasonable service is meant the service of the whole man as it is reasonable or guided by the reasonable soul directed by Gods word He opposeth here this reasonable service or service of the spirit to that bodily service which was used under the old Law and which consisted for the most part in slaying and sacrificing beasts and birds c. or rather he opposeth it to the beasts and birds themselves which were sacrificed which were but brute and unreasonable creatures Ver. 2. And be not conformed to this world q. d. And for this end or for this cause be not conformed to this world Be not conformed to this world i. e. Be not conformed or be not like to the men which love the pleasures and profits and other vanities of this world all which ye have renounced in your Baptism To this world By the world is here meant by a Metonymie the men which live in the world and then by a Synechdoche not any men which live in the world but such as are given to the pleasures and profits and other vanities of the world But be ye transformed i. e. But be ye transformed and become like to those which are of another yea a more heavenly carriage and conversation By the renewing of your mind This he saith because their mind was corrupt And from thence this transformation must begin That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God i. e. That ye may know and approve of that good and acceptable will of God by which ye are to regulate and square your Reasonable service That ye may prove i. e. That ye may know and approve or like of for so may the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in the Greek signifie By a Metaphor from Goldsmiths which try Gold by their touch-stone and upon trial know it to be true Gold and approve of it for such What is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God i. e. What is that will of God by which we should guide our Reasonable service which is a good will a perfect will and a will acceptable or pleasing to God and
prophesieth here chiefly of the miseries and captivities which the people of Israel suffered under Sennacharib King of Assyria and under Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians which were meer hunters of men and so oppressed not the people of Israel onely but all other people that they could reach When therefore the people of Israel were delivered from the sword and captivity of the Babylonians these Gentiles also were delivered and by reason of that delivery they had reason to rejoyce as well as the people of Israel See Isaiah 14. verse 6.7 and Isaiah 42.10 c. to this purpose But this is for the first and Historical sence Now it is very well known that tâ—mporal miseries and afflictions were types of Spiriâ—ual miseries and afflictions which we suffer under the Divel and sin c. and the delivery from temporal miseries and afflictions were a type of the delivery from the miseries which we suffer by sin and the Divel though therefore in the first and Historical sence of these words Moses speaketh here of the corporeal deliverance of the people of Israel and such Gentiles as were persecuted and held captive by the Assyrians and Babylonians and the like from their sword and their captivity Yet in the second and mystical sence he prophesieth of the spiritual delivery of the Jews and Gentiles both from that which they suffered by sin and the Divel by Christ and for that are they exhorted to rejoyce in these words Rejoyce ye Gentiles with his people Ver. 11. And again Supple the Scripture saith Psal 117.1 Praise him all ye Gentiles and Laude him all ye people The Gentiles are exhorted here to praise the Lord and that for some great mercy shewed unto them or to be shewed this mercy was either spiritual or corporeal If Spiritual it is immediately for the Apostles purpose If Corporeal that Corporeal was a type of this Spiritual and so for the Apostles purpose too mediately at least Ver. 12. And again Esaias saith i. e. And again Esaias a pen-man of the Scripture saith Esa 11.10 There shall be a root of Jesse and he shall rise to reign over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust i. e. And at that time there shall be a branch which shall spring out of the root of Jesse and he shall reign over the Gentiles after a spiritual manner And in him shall the Gentiles trust for salvation This is taken out of the prophesie of Isaiah Isa 11.10 as I said but not verbatim word for word but for the sence And in the Historical sence Hezekiah is meant by the Root of Jesse whose prosperity invited many of the Gentiles to come and live under his protection But in this Hezekiah was a Type of Christ who also was a root that is a branch of the root of Jesse And the Gentiles which lived under Hezekiahs protection a type of the Gentiles which should believe in Christ and submit themselves to him and trust and relie on him for forgiveness of sins and everlasting salvation so that in the mystical fence this is spoken of Christ and of the Gentiles which should believe in him and this is the sence which the Apostle here aims at There shall be a root of Jesse Jesse was the father of David from whom Hezekiah descended and of whom Christ came according to the flesh Matth. Chap. 1. ver 6 9 16. Christ and Hezekiah may either of them be called the root of Jesse by a Metonymie because he was a branch growing out of the root of Jesse according to that of Isaiah Isa 11. ver 1. Or we may say that as by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genus is understood the head of a generation or kindred and the generation or kindred or that that comes of it So both the head of a generation or kindred and the generation or kindred it self or that that comes of it is meant by the root in the Hebrew manner of speaking for it signifies the head Isa 14.1 And it signifies the off-spring Revel 22. ver 16. By the root of Jesse Christ is here meant Not Hezekiah for the Apostle alledgeth this testimony in the mystical sence And he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles i. e. And one that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles This is the same as the root of Jesse to wit Christ who should be King not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also They are called Gentiles which were not of the seed of Abrham according to the flesh In him shall the Gentiles trust To wit for Salvation Ver. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in bâ—lieving Now that I have told ye Gentiles these things concerning the Jews and ye Jews these things concerning the Gentiles the God of hope give you both to believe these things respectively which I have spoken to you that so ye may be at firm peace and unity among your selves which may be a great joy yea even fulness of joy to you and that further ye may abound by them throuh the power of the Holy Ghost in hope of Eternal life This Exhortatory Corollary the Prophet gathers from that which he said of Christs being the Minister of the Circumcision v. 8. And from that which he said of the mercy of God shewed to the Gentiles ver 9. The God of hope i. e. God which is the Author of hope and which worketh hope in us Here the Apostle adorns that third thing which he spake of ver 4. to wit Hope by declaring God to be the Author of it as he had done the two others Patience and Comfort before ver 5. Fill you with all joy and peace in believing i. e. Give you fulness of peace among your selves through believing even peace in which you may take abundance of joy and delight By peace he meaneth unity and concord of mind and heart and he speaketh it in opposition to that variance discord or contention which was among them When he saith with all joy and peace I conceive that he useth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he saith with all joy and peace for with all peace and joy for I conceive that this joy flows from this peace as joy and gladness doth from every Cordial vertue See Chap. 14. ver 17. All joy All joy in the Hebrew phrase signifieth full and perfect joy as James 1.2 My Brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations In believing i. e. By beliving to wit that which I said concerning the Jews and the Gentiles ver 8 9. c. In is put here for By or Through after the Hebrew manner The Object of this believing I conceive to be not the Gospel in general but that which he said concerning the Jews and Gentiles ver 8 9 c. For if the Jews and Gentiles which were at variance and discord among themselves as I have said before should but believe the truth of what the Apostle saith here the
Church of God that is the company of them which served him were to do when the Law was dead or ceased otherwise not to be taken for his Church or any of them for Members thereof Note that the Church of God is but one and was but one from the beginning though that Oeconomy thereof as I may so term it was divers in divers times according to the Will and Wisedom of God Though the greatest part of the Jews were broken off from the Olive-tree by those means which I have spoken of that is by their unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel of Christ yet God left them not without all means of being engraffed into the same again which our Apostle seems to say when he saith If the root be holy so are the branches and that by reason of the promise of God that God would be a God to Abraham and to his seed in their generations and that he would never utterly forsake them to destroy them Of which I have spoken before in the word Foreknow In the first to the Corinthians 7.14 The Apostle saith that the children of such parents whereof one is a Believer the other an Vnbeliever if their Parents live together are holy And therefore are they called holy not because they would otherwise be Bastards but because by reason of their Parents living together they would have by their believing Parent the means of salvation and the opportunity of coming to the knowledge of Christ which the Children of those Parents which were both Infidels or where both were not Infidels yet if they parted one from the other the children being in danger to follow the unbelieving parent had not and now if such children may be called holy because they had this Advantage above the children of Infidels How much more may the Jews be called holy yea even then when they are broken off from the Olive tree and have lost that part of holiness which consisted in being actual members of the Church of God and part of the people which served him during the time of their unbelief when as God hath promised not so to leave them as that they should be utterly without all means of salvation IN. In is a Preposition which the Apostle useth with more variety of significations then the Greeks do their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Latines their In. And this he doth because he useth it as the Hebrews use their praefix Beth which though it doth most commonly signifie In. Yet they put it for almost any Praefix or preposition whatsoever TO JVSTIFIE TO BE JVSTIFIED JVSTIFICATION To justifie as it is most frequently used in this Epistle of Saint Paul is a Law term used and borrowed from Courts of Justice wherein he is said to be justified who is absolved or freed or acquited or cleared from some capitall crime whereof he was accused by the Sentence pronounced by the Judge and being acquited or absolved from the Crime is also absolved or acquited from the punishment which the Accusers asked against him as due to the crime whereof they accused him and is dealt with as with an innocent and upright man Hence to be justified and to be condemned are opposed as contraries one to another as Mat. 12.37 By thy works thou shalt be justified and by thy works thou shalt be condemned To be justified therefore is for a man to be absolved or acquited by the Judge from those crimes and accusations which are laid to his charge by his accusers Now he that is accused may be either an upright and innocent man or he may be a Delinquent or Offender And either of these may be justified that is may be acquited of the crimes laid to his charge and the punishmont due to those crimes by this Judge The former that is to say the upright and innocent man by reason of his innocency or by reason of that that he was not found guilty of the crimes whereof he was accused The other to wit the Delinquent or Offender by reason of the mercy and favour of the Judge to him who notwithstanding that that he was guilty of the crimes laid to his charge did acquit him of the Action or Accusations put in against him and absolve him from it and give him a free pardon of those his offences To the first to be justified or to be cleared or absolved from the accusation wherewith he was accused did appertain of due or of right or of justice For the Judge would have been unjust if he had not acquited him But to the Second to be justified or to be cleared or absolved from the accusation wherewith he was accused was meerly an Act of grace and favour in that the judge did out of Grace and favour acquit him or absolve or clear him from the action or crime laid unto his charge and the punishment thereunto due and did pardon his offences whereas he might justly have condemned him for them Now according to this or in allusion to this which I have said He that doth the works of the Law so strictly and exactly as the Law requireth is said by our Apostle to be justified by his works for the doers of the Law shall be justified saith he Rom. 2.13 That is they shall be justified by their doing the Law And they which are so justified are said to be justified of debt For to him that worketh is the reward which is Justification not reckoned of grace but of debt saith our Apostle Rom. 4.4 And again If it to wit justification be of works then it is not of grace otherwise work is no more work saith he Rom. 11.6 And indeed if Satan should accuse such a one before God as a sinner and require that he might be cast into the same condemnation with himself God would with reverence be it spoken be unjust if he should not acquit him and clear him of that for which Satan accused him and this justification may be called the justification of an innocent or righteous man Again according to that which I said Is he which believeth justified For a man which Believeth is justified by his faith Rom. 3.27 But this justification is not of debt but of Grace For therefore it is of faith that it may be by grace saith our Apostle Rom. 4.16 I say such a man which believeth is said to be justified because though Satan should accuse him before God the Judge of all as such a one who hath broken the Law and should require of him that he should be damned for it yet would God absolve him and give him a free pardon of all his sins and deal with him as with an innocent and righteous man for Jesus Christ his sake in whom he believeth And this may be called the justification of a sinner The justification of the former man is reckoned to him for his works sake The justification of this latter is imputed to him through the Grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus and