will imply Gods hardning Pharaohs heart For it was upon Gods hardning Pharaohs heart that God kept Pharaoh alive that he might shew his power in him And then that conclusion Whom he will he hardneth is deducible from it Another question may be asked here How that hardning whereby God hardned Pharaohs heart can be understood of Gods total withholding of his Grace of Repentance from Pharaoh whereas Pharaoh afterwards repented and let the people go I answer That though Pharaoh did repent and let the people go yet did he not truly and heartily repent as appears by that that soon after he had let the people go he pursued after them to bring them back again into Aegypt whereby he was drowned in the Red Sea HOLY To be holy signifieth to be separated from other things by way of pre-eminence or to be set in some state of singularity whereby it is seperated and advanced above the common condition of things of the same order For whereas it is said concerning the Cities of refuge Thou shalt seperate three Cities for thee in the midst of thee Deut. 19.2.7 In Joshua Chap. 20.7 where this command is put in execution it is said in the Hebrew and as it is read in the Margent of our Bible They sanctified three Cities Kedesh Shechem and Hebron which sheweth that to sanctifie and to separate are equivolent one to the other And so Saint â—hrysostome writing upon those words of Genesis Chap 2.3 And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. What is that or what means that and sanctified it He separated it saith he So that to sanctifie is the same as to separate And that to sanctifie signifieth to separate will appear also by what we read Levit. 20. verse 24 26. I am the Lord your God which have separated you from other people and ye shall be holy unto me for I the Lord am holy and have severed you from other people that you should be mine For mark there that to separate is to make holy and that to be holy is to be separated from others of the same rank wherefore holiness consisteth in a separation or discrimination of a thing or person Now we read of this word Holy Rom. 11.16 where it is said If the root be holy so are the branches In which place the Apostle compares Abraham the Father of the Jews to the root of an Olive-tree and the Jews which sprang out of Abraham by carnal propagation to the branches of that Tree And saith of both of them that they were holy But why doth he say of Abraham that he was holy and of the Jews that they were holy He saith of Abraham that he was holy because God called him from his own kindred and from his Fathers house who were Idolaters and separated him from them to be a worshipper of him and to serve him and promised him above all the world besides that he would be a God unto him And he saith of the Jews the Children of Abraham that they were holy because God chose them and exalted them to be a peculiar people and Church unto himself to worship him and serve him as he should appoint and promised them that he would never leave them or forsake them utterly so as that they should be at any time utterly without the means of Salvation which was a promise and a blessing which God never made to any other people then to them and so by that separated and discriminated them from all other people else But now how doth this follow or wherein doth the validity of that consequence consist That if the root be holy so are the branches For the Father may be holy and yet not his Children Abraham might be holy and yet not the Jews which sprang of Abraham And if they were holy yet might they not therefore be holy because he was holy Answ The validity of that consequence is founded upon that promise or covenant of God to or with Abraham whereby He promised or covenanted by an everlasting covenant to be a God to him and his seed after him in their generations Gen. 17.7 which covenant he also established with Isaac Gen. 17.19 And what God covenanted or promised is not to be doubted but that he will perform But now whereas some yea the greatest part of the branches of the Olive-tree are said to have been broken off It supposeth that they were once in the Olive-tree When therefore were they in the Olive-tree and how And when and how were they broken off We may gather an answer to this question from these two places of our Apostle viz. Rom. 7.4 and Rom. 9.32 put together For whereas the Apostle said to the Jews Rom. 7.4 Ye are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead which is Christ we may say that they which served God according to the prescript of the Law were said to be in the Olive-tree that iâ— to be in the Church and Members of the Church of God so long as the Law lasted which was till the death of Christ by which that Law ceased and because at the cessation of the Law the Church of God and every Mâ—mber thereof was to obey the Gospel so many of them as obeyed the Gospel of Christ continued in the Olive-tree that is in the Church of God as Members of his Church and branches of the Olive-tree But so many as stumbled at the stumbling block as most of the Jews did Rom. 9.32 that is so many as were offended at Christ and at his Gospel and believed not in him nor obeyed his Gospel they for their unbelief ceased to be Members of the Church of God of which they were Members before by professing and living according to the prescript of the Law while the Law was in force and they were broken off as branches from the Olive-tree by their unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel of Christ which the Church of God was to believe and to profess and to live according to so soon as the Law ceased or expired or else it was no longer the Church of God nor were any of them to be accounted his Servants or worshippers of him or Members of his Church Note therefore that by the Olive-tree is meant the Church of God and that the branches which were broken off were in the Olive-tree so long as they were of the company of those which professed that religion or manner of worship which God had prescribed to his Church and served God with them according to it which was so long as the Law which was given by Moses continued in force but when the Law ceased they were broken off from the Olive-tree in that they departed from thâ—t company which believed and would not with them believe in Christ and obey his Gospel and live according to it which was that which the
notwitststanding any Antecedent purpose or decree of his going any way before But yet our Apostle attributes our justification wholly to God who calleth Rom. 9.11 And this he doth to signifie that it is wholly of God to prescribe the way to justification who hath prescribed faith to be the way thereunto that justification may be known to be of his meer grace and mercy and that it is not in man to prescribe the way though man makes an account to obtain justification by works as the Jews did who went about to establish their own way to justification Rom. 10.3 and saught it by works Rom. 9.32 which if they could obtain by works the Way of justification would be in man indeed and justification would be not of grace but of debt Again he may ascribe it wholly to God because God is the principle cause thereof For it is usual when two causes concur to the same effect to ascribe the effect wholly to the principal cause yea and so to ascribe it to the principal cause as to deny it to the cause less principal Thus the Apostle saith I labored more then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is in me 1 Cor. 15.10 And again It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.17 After this manner I say that justification may be ascribed wholly to God Who calleth though Faith be required thereunto Elected Rom. 8. Is taken for Elected to justification that is for them which are justified The Election Chap. 11. ver 7. Is put for the Elected an abstract for a concrete as Circumcision is put for the circumcised Chap. 3.30 And by the Elected are to be understood such as God according to the order which he observeth or decreed to observe in electing or justifying men in time justified or Elected to justification and they were such as believed Beza in his Notes upon those words Mat. 20.16 Viz. Many are called but few are chosen saith the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Elect or chosen are taken there for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For such as answer Gods call when he cals them to eternall Life i. e. For the faithfull or such as believe and so may we take the Election or Elected there Viz. Rom. 11.7 The Election spoken of Rom. chap. 11.28 Is taken for that Election whereby God chose the Jews to be his Church that is to be a peculiar people to himself to serve him and worship him after a religious manner according to that form or prescript of Religion which he should appoint and to be a people whom he would never quite forsake and leave utterly without all means of Salvation and that for their Fathers sake Abraham Isaac and Jacob. This Election God might make of the Jews for their Fathers sake and for their sakes might he not leave them utterly without all means of Salvation For the Oracles of God which none can deny to be a Means to salvation were committed to the Jewes as they were Jews that is as they were the Children of Abraham Isaac and Jacob according to the flesh Rom. 3. ver 1 2. But yet that they or any of them should be Elected to justification or to eternal Glory I dare not say that it was for any other then for Jesus Christ his sake nor dare I attribute any thing flowing from that Election to any other then to him And if our Interpreters render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.2 right when they render it chiefly The greatest or chiefest good which they received as they were Jews that is as they were the Children of Abraham Isaac and Jacob according to the flesh was this That they had the Oracles of God committed to them FAITH The Object of justifying faith is the whole Gospel of God or at least the essentiall part thereof which conteineth the new Covenant which God was pleased to make with sinfull man in Christ Jesus our Lord. For we read Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospell And Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth that is to every one that believeth it And again Rom. 10.16 but they have not all obeyed the Gospel that is they have not all believed the Gospel For Isaiah saith Lord who hath believed our report And it is written Eph. 1.13 Christ in whom ye trusted also after ye heard the word of truth the Gospell of your salvation in whom also after ye believed the said Gospel ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise And Philip. 1.27 Striving together for the faith of the Gospel The Gospel therefore or that essential part thereof to wit the new covenant of God with man is the object of saving or justifying faith Which being so I may say that saving or justifying faith is a full or firm assent of our heart or mind to the Gospel of God or at least to the new Covenant which God was pleased to make with sinful man in Christ Jesus our Lord therein conteined by reason of which we do infallibly set our selves one work one that part of the Covenant which we are to performe according to the ability which God hath given us The new Covenant made by God with man in Christ Jesus consisteth as other Covenants do of two parts One part which God promiseth and covenanteth for himself on his part to perform The other which God requireth us to do and which we must promise and covenant to performe on our part without the performance whereof on our part God is not bound to make good to us what he covenanted and promised to do for us one his part The eye therefore of our Faith must be firmely fixed on both parts of this covenant as well on that part which we our selves are for our part to performe as on that which God is to performe on his part or else our Faith will never avail us to justification But if we look on that part of the Covenant which God hath promised for his part to perform and firmly believe the truth thereof and that our onely happiness consisteth therein And on that part of the Covenant which we for our parts are to performe and firmly believe that by doing our parts we shall attain to that happiness which God for his part promised to bestow upon us and that only by doing so we shall attain to it Surely we shall be justified For this will prove an operative Faith and set us on work according to our power to obtein our only happiness and make us sedulous in the duties of holiness without which no man shall see God Hebrews 12.14 For every one doth naturally desire his own happiness and every one labours for his own blessedness and that so many miss of happiness and come short of blessedness it is not because they desire not to be happy or labour not for it
And because that Hebrew word Iaday hath that latitude of significations the same latitude is given to the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie both to know and to love So the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render speaking the truth Ephes 4.15 must signifie there being established or fixed as appeareth by those words Tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind for thereto it is opposed verse 5. And therefore doth it come to signifie being established or fixed though it doth most frequently signifie to speak the truth because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made to answer the Hebrew word Aman which signifieth both to speak the truth and to be established and fixed or to be firm and constant The word foreknow Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle useth twice in this Epistle viz. Chap. 8.29 and Chap. 11.2 And in both places it signifieth Gods loving them before they were or his determination even from eternity to love them whom he is there said to have foreknown Now how God is said to foreknow or forelove them which are spoken of Chap. 8.29 I have partly spoken of before How he is said to foreknow or forelove them which are spoken of Chap. 11. Ver. 2. I shall now speak Chap. 11. Ver. 2. Our Apostle speaks of the Jews whom he there saith that God foreknew And God is said there to foreknow them because he did determine so to love them as to make them his Church that is to take them to be a peculiar people to himself to serve him and worship him after a religious manner according to that form and prescript of Religion or Worship which he himself should prescribe and so to love them as never to leave them all utterly without the means of Salvation And now if God hath determined thus to love the Jews as never to leave them utterly without the means of Salvation it is an argument to prove that he hath not cast off that his people For where God is determined to give a people the means of Salvation there will he give some of them to believe as the Apostle speaks Phil. 1.29 that they might be saved For when the Lord would have had Paul to continue in Corinth and there to speak that is and there to make known the way of Salvation he gave this reason of it saying for I have much people in this City Act. 18. ver 9 10. But to speak yet further of that love which God determined to shew unto the Jews First as God determined he took them to be a peculiar people to himself Exod. 6.7 Isa 41.8 He made them his Church by whom he would be worshipped and served after a religious manner Acts 7.38 He gave unto him his Service that is the Ordinances and form of Worship by which he would be served Rom. 9.4 This he gave by Moses But though this Service which was given by Moses being but Ceremonial was to cease at the coming and death of the Messias yet when God took them to be his people and his Church he took them to serve him not only after the prescript and form of Worship which was delivered by Moses but also after the prescript and manner of Worship which the Messias which is Christ should prescribe in his Gospel for which reason they were called the Children of the Kingdome Mat. 8.12 And for this cause was Christ sent in a peculiar manner to them Mat. 15.24 Acts 2.26 for which he was called the glory of the people Israel Luke 2.32 and the Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 and for this reason also was the Gospel to be preached first to them Acts 1.8 and 13.26 46 47. which also was foretold by the Prophets Isa 2. ver 2 3. Micha 4. ver 1 2. Micha 8.23 And although they should as they did forsake God and his Worship yet did God determine so to love them and doth so love them as that he will not leave them utterly without all means of salvation For it is writen of them 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people And Levit 26.44 Yet for all that saith the Lord when they be in the land of their enemies I will not cast them away nor abhor them to destroy them utterly and to break my covenant with them for I am the Lord their God And Rom. 3. ver 3 4. What if some did not believe shall there unbelief make the faith of God without effect God forbid Those two former parcels of Scripture viz 1 Sam. 22. and Levit. 26.44 carry a double sense with them to wit an Historical and a Mystical and both of them concern the Jews The Historical sense concerns their temporal or bodily estate of which I speak not now The Mistical concerns their spiritual estate and in relation to that the promise is that God would not leave them all utterly without the means of salvation A promise which God never made to any nation but themselves How much the Jews were offended at Christ and how they did not only not believe the Gospel but where contentious against it we read and know Yet for all that did not God leave them without the means of Salvation For the Apostles and Servants of God did preach the Gospel among them while they were yet in their land And though the Jews be now dispersed up and down throughout the world yet are they not now utterly without such means For they alwayes had and have the Scriptures of the old Testament those Oracles of God which God committed to them and which testifie of Christ and which would be manifest unto them For the obedience of the Faith by the things which have been acted in the world and the events which have happened if they would observe them But moreover though their dispersion through the world was laid upon them as a curse for their sins and especially for their enmity against Christ and his Gosple yet as that curse which Jacob denounced against Simeon and Levi saying I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Gen. 49.7 was turned into a blessing so may we say that the dispersion of the Jewes hath a blessing in it to in that by this a very great part of them had and have their conversation among or commerce with Christians by whom they might and may come to the knowledge of the truth And who can tell but that it may be by these means even at this day as Saint Paul said it was in his time though it cannot demonstratively be pointed at that there is a remnant acording to the Election of grace Rom. 7.4 that is that there is a Remnunt of Jews even at this time which is justified through faith But moreover our Apostle saith that When the fulness of the Gentiles are come in God will send a deliverer and he
there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Defect to be supplied of some of those words Secondly or then or after this Others yet again say that wheresoever this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first is used it is alwayes answered though not with formall words yet with the sence of the place which is enough to make it an Ordinall I thanke my God He called God his God because of that love wherewith God loved him and because of the relation of that service in which he stood to God ver 9. But when he saith I thank my God he speaks with a great deal of feeling of some favour and blessing which God hath shewed to him even in that for which he gives thanks and he accounted it even a favour and blessing to him that the Romans had received the Faith after such a manner as they did because he exceedingly desired that they might believe Through Jesus Christ As we pray unto God through Jesus Christ for what we stand in need off for what we receive we receive for his sake So we give thanks to God for what we receive through him for as he is the Purchaser of all our blessings so is he our High Priest to offer up all our Oblations He is therefore the Mediator of our Prayers and the Mediator of our Thanksgivings and they are all accepted through him and for him For you all He puts no difference here betwixt High and Low Rich and Poor That your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole World i. e. That you so believe the Gospel as that your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole world He seemeth to put here the Consequent for the Antecedent that is the report of their Faith for the Faith which was reported and spoken of Throughout the whole World i. e. Through out all the Churches of Christ which are throughout the whole World so Some yet we need not to restrain it to the Churches of Christ only for being that the Romans were the most eminent people in all the world their change of Religion and embracing of Christianity might be taken notice and spoken of of all the strangers throughout the whole world though they were not Christians which had occasion to come to Rome Note here that their is an Hyperbolicall Synechdoche in these words The whole world And it is an usuall thing to put some parts especially the civilest parts of the World for the whole world in generall as Colos 1.6 Ver. 9. For God is my witnesse whom I serve with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers The Apostle would by this perswade the truth of what he said in the former verse to wit That he did thank God in their behalfe Because the Romans might not otherwise easily believe that Paul should be so Zealous for them whom he never saw in his life and with whom he had no acquaintance at all he that he Might make it the more credible which he saith concerning them confirmes it here with an Oath Whom I serve with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son i. e. Whom I serve in the preaching and ministration of the Gospel of his Son withall readiness willingness and sincerity of mind Paul addes this that he might not be thought to call God to witnesse what he said rashly irreligiously and with the contempt of God For this sheweth how highly he accounted of the Majesty and Honour of God to say that he served him with his spirit And because he did so highly esteem of him surely he would in no wayes dishonour him as he should do if he should swear falsely by him With my spirit That is as we use to say with my heart which phrase speaketh willingness and readiness and sincerity In the Gospel of his Son This Gospel Paul called the Gospel of God ver 1. Because God was the Author of it Here he calls it the Gospel of his Son because it is concerning his Son Jesus Christ ver 3. And by this Gospel he meaneth the preaching thereof by a Metonimy Without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayer He might make mention of them in his prayers when he gave thanks for them and he might make mention of them in his prayers when he prayed for some blessing to be bestowed upon them and both these wayes may he be understood here to make mention of them In relation to what went before he might be said to make mention of them in that he gave thanks for them In relation to what followed he may be said to make mention of them in that he prayed and made request for them He might say that he made mention of them alwayes in his prayers without ceasing because he prayed often and as often as he prayed he made mention of them For by an usual Hyperbole we are said to do a thing alwayes and without ceasing which we do often and in which we are studious and sedulous So Anna the Prophetesse is said not to have departed from the Temple but to have served God with fasting and Prayers night and day Luke 2.37 Whereas she was but frequent in the Temple and frequent in prayers there So it is said of the Disciples that they were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God Luke 24.53 Whereas they were not allwayes there but onely so often as occasion offered 〈…〉 Ver. 10. Making request c. q. d. And I make not only mention of you in my prayers by thanksgiving but by making request also for you By this he doth yet further insinuate himself into these Romans If by any means now at length c. These words shew the ardent desire which Paul had to obtain that which he speaks of That is To see these Romanes But that particle If doth withall signifie that Paul was not certain whether he should obtain what he prayed for or no and therefore he prayeth for it conditionally If it stood with the glory and good will of God to give him a prosperous journey to them By the will of Ood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred the will of God signifieth sometimes the General Providence of God disposing of our affairs yet we may well think that the Apostle did take his journeys from place to place by the speciall instinct of God especially such journeys as this was Ver. 11. For I long to see you that I may impart c. He shews the reason here why he desired so much to see the Romans That I may impart unto you some spiritual gift The end of Pauls desire to see them was not to receive any worldly profit from them though they were Citizens of a rich City but that he might impart some gift to them but a spiritual gift Some spiritual gift Some interpret this of such gifts as were wont to be given by the laying on of the hands of the Apostles as the gift of
life ver 3. And as Christ is ascended into heaven so should we have our conversation in heaven and place our affections there Coloss 3. ver 1 2 3 c. Ver. 4. Therefore are we buried with him by Baptism unto death that like as Christ was raised from the dead c I take this Conjunction Therefore to be here in this place not as a note of Illation inferring any thing from what went before But as a note of demonstration shewing or pointing at the end of that which was there said and is here repeated or assumed to shew that end q. d. Now for this end or for this cause were we baptized into the death that is into the similitude of the death of Christ and so by consequence into the death of sin to profess and signifie that as Christ was raised from the dead we also should walk in newness of life We are buried with him by baptism into death This is that which he said ver 3. We were baptized into his death Which words he repeateth or assumeth again here to set forth the end thereof But note that whereas he said onely We were baptized into his death in the third verse here he saith We are or were rather buried with him by Baptism to death where he expresseth our being baptized with the Ceremony which was then used in baptism which was such as that the parties baptized were dipped over head and ears and so buried as it were in the water as Christ was buried in the bowels of the earth So that these words We are or were buried with him by baptism into death do speak explicitely and at large what he said in fewer words when he said We were baptized into his death And what he said implicitely and in fewer words when he said We were baptized into his death He saith more explicitely and at large when he saith We are buried with him by baptism into death We are buried with him by Baptism into death i. e. We are or were baptized into the similitude of Christs death Buried with him by Baptism i. e. Buried in the waters by being dipped over head and ears therein at our baptism as he was buried in the bowels of the earth and so by consequence baptized into the similitude of the death of Christ and representing his death at or in our baptism The Apostle as I said expresseth here being baptized by being buried by baptism which was a Ceremony used in those days in baptism For whereas we sprinkle or pour water upon those which we baptize they of old dipped them over head and ears and so buried them as it were in the waters whom they baptized And the Apostle may seem thus to express their being baptized and to make mention of this Ceremony here because it did more plainly represent the burial of Christ to which this Ceremony doth allude and by consequence the death of Christ to the natural life which he lived before his Passion and so by consequence our death to sin which they which were baptized did profess by submitting themselves to that Ceremony and suffering themselves to be dipped over head and ears in the waters at their baptism Note here that those which the Apostle here speaks of were men of ripe years and understanding and such when they were baptized were wont for the most part to be dipped over head and ears and buried as it were in the waters when they were baptized But this dipping over head and ears and burying as it were in the waters was not essential to baptism For the use of water in baptism is and was to signifie outwardly the inward cleansing of the soul from sin which water doth aswell by sprinkling as it doth by our being dipped and overwhelmed therein And it is more than probable that though they of the primitive times used to dip over head and ears in baptism yet they used sprinkling also especially when the parties to be baptized were either Infants or sick or weak of body For whereas we read Act. 2.41 that in one day and that not an whole day neither three thousand souls were baptized by the Apostles and that at Jerusalem where there was no great Rivers fit for such baptism or dipping It is not likely that they did it or could do it by dipping them every one whom they did baptize over head and ears and burying them as it were in the waters in so short a time but that they did it by sprinkling or pouring water upon them And in the time of Cyprian Bishop of Carthage who was promoted to that his Bishoprick Anno 250 that sprinkling was used as well as dipping in baptism and that not as a new thing will appear by his 76. Epistle the ninth Paragraph which beginneth Quaesisti c. That the Ceremony of dipping or burying as it were in Baptisme was of ancient use and long continuance in the Church of Christ cannot be denyed though now the pouring on of water or sprinkling is in a manner altogether used But when dipping and burying as it were in the water was so frequently used they which were baptized were for the most part men of stronger years converted from other Religions to Christianity But when Christianity had extended it self almost to all parts of the known earth and few men of years were now baptized who could better endure dipping than Children and Infants could And when most that were now to be baptized were Infants to whose tender bodies dipping might be offensive for their health pouring on of water or sprinkling came to be in a manner altogether used in the place of dipping With him i. e. Like unto him or like as he was buried Note that the preposition With is to be taken here for a note of similitude and is as much as to say Like as and so it is to be taken ver 5 6 8. Into death This is that which he said ver 3. Into his death the exposition of which words see there That like as Christ was raised from the dead c. i. e. To signifie and profess thereby that like as Christ when he was dead was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also shall or should rise again to a new life and walk therein By the glory of the Father i. e. By the glorious power of God the Father The power of God is called a glorious power Coloss 1.11 And it is glorified and often commended for raising up Jesus from the dead as Ephes 1. v. 19 20 c. We may take the glory of the Father also by a Metonymy for the Father himself who is glorious Even so we also should walk in newness of life Even so we also should or would rise from the death of sin to a new life and live therein and if we do so we can no longer live either in or to sin There is an Hebraism in these words viz Newness of life which are put for
out of that Psalm to shew that Afflictions even to death where no new things to Gods people But though in the first and Historicall sence they are spoken of the Jews yet in a second and Prophetical sence in as much as the Jews the then people of God were as a Type of those whom God would afterwards take to be his people to wit the bâ—lieving Christians they may be spoken of the faithful in Christ Jesus and so used here And that will not seem strange or new which was prophesied of so long afore And being considered as that which was prophesied of so long before it will somewhat ease the burden of Afflictions That which the Apostle here speaketh is chiefly to be understood of the Primitive Christians which were indeed under continual Persecutions though where the enemies of Christian Religion do prevail the true believer suffereth at all times and often to blood too Ver. 37. Nay i. e. No none of these things shall separate us from the love of Christ In all things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us i. e. For in all these things we are more than Conquerours through the Assistance and Grace of God who for the love which he hath to us will not withdraw himself from us but stand by us even then when all these things befall us and assist vs and give us strength and grace not only to overcome them but also to glory in them If God so loveth us as in the midst of our Afflictions to be with us and assist us so as to make us more than Conquerours therein then cannot those Afflictions here spoken of or any else seperate us from the love of Christ In all these things i. e. In all these things before rehearsed viz. Tribulation distresses c. We are more than Conquerours We are Conquerours in that we suffer these things patiently We are more than Conquerours in that we do not only suffer these things patiently but also glory in them as Chap. 5. ver 3. This seems a Paradox to flesh and blood that they which are oppressed and slain should be accounted more than Conquerours But though it may seem a Paradox to them yet it is no Paradox indeed for we must not judge of these conquests and victories as men use to judge of conquests and victories proceeding from battles fought between earthly Powers For then indeed the oppressed and slain would be accounted as conquered and the oppressour and slayer the Conquerour but we must judge of this Conquest and victory by the spiritual good or evil which we receive by our Enemies in this Conflict so that if we are made worse thereby as to deny God or Christ or to blaspheme or lie or the like we are to be accounted as conquered though we escape death But we are to be accounted as Conquerours if we are made better thereby or if our patience and humility and meekness and confessing the name of God is thereby encreased though we die for it In a word we are Conquerours if our faith be not overcome but we hold still our faith and affiance in Christ notwithstanding all our sufferings though our bodies be torn in pieces or stoned and we slain And we shall be crowned as Conquerours for this at the last day And if we glory in this we are more than Conquerours and shall receive more than an ordinary Crown Through him that loved us i. e. Through God who though we are weak of our selves yet because he loveth us gives us Grace and strength whereby we do more than conquer all these things Ver. 38. For I am perswaded Wherefore I am perswaded For is put here for Wherefore as Chap. 6. ver 19. And is not a Causal but an Illative And that which the Apostle here infers He infers from that that we are more then Conquerours in all things spoken of verse 35. through God that loved us Neither death nor life i. e. Neither death threatned and executed by a Persecutour nor yet life promised by him if we will forsake Christ Or by death and life understand by a Metonymie whatsoever we shall suffer or whatsoever shall happen to us in our life or at our death He speaks of death and life and whatsoever is meant thereby as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia The words Nor death nor life are used Proverbially 2 Sam. 15.21 where Ittai the Gittite answered King David and said as the Lord liveth and as the Lord my King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or in life even there also will thy servant be And as they are there so may they be taken Proverbially here and so may these which follow Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers And these Nor things present nor things to come And these Nor height nor depth by all which is signified That nothing whatsoever shall separate us from the love of God And all these Proverbs may he heap together to shew the fulness of perswasion which he hath of the truth of the thing which he speaks of Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers These names if they are spoken of good Spirits are to be understood Hypothetically that is upon supposition that good Spirits would prove to be such as would go about to afflict us or torment us And of such an Hypothesis or supposition we have an Example Galat. 1. ver 8 9. Otherways they must be understood of evil Spirits for they are called by the name of Angels 1 Cor. 6.3 2 Pet. 2.4 And of Principalities and Powers Ephes 6. ver 12. As the more eminent Angels of Light are called Principalities and Powers Ephes 1.21 Coloss 1.16 So are the greater Angels in the Kingdom of Satan Ephes 6.12 And these are Metaphorical names borrowed from the Persian Rulers under whom the Hebrews sometimes lived Nor principalities nor powers These words Principalities and Powers are abstract words but are used for Concretes that is for such as are in and have any Principality or Power And it is the use of all Eastern people to use abstract voices or words for Concretes Nor things present nor things to come i. e. Nor those afflictions which are all ready befaln us or greater afflictions which are threatned to us or which hang over our head Ver. 39 Nor height Nor men in honour in the world and in high places there Where note that an Abstract is put for a Concrete Some by height understand an high-place as an high-tower or the like from which they were wont to fling down those whom they would kill as Malefactours Nor depth i. e. Nor men of Low degree and in low and base places for even such as are often cruel against the righteous Where note that an Abstract is put again for a Concrete And that thus by height and depth that is by men of high and men of low degree may be understood all men of what degree soever Some by depth understand