because God is the Author of it and because we are thereby justified before God Revealed The Righteousness of God is not only revealed or manifested in the Gospel but it is exhibited also and wrought by the Gospel so that by these words For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed We must understand effectuall Revelation and that justification is not onely manifested in the Gospel but also that it is exhibited and wrought thereby by an Hebrew Syllepsis For the Hebrewes do oftentimes with the Antecedent Sylleptically understand the consequent also Note that the Apostle doth go about here to prove that which he said before in the 16. verse To wit That the Gospel is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth But he proveth it by parts For whereas Salvation compleat consisteth of two parts justification and glorification He proves it of justification here in this verse and of glorification Chap. 5. Where he saith that being justified by Faith we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope maketh not ashamed c. From Faith Repeat those words the Righteousness of God here q. d. I say the Righteousness of God which is not from or by works but from or by Faith Or refer these words from Faith To those the Righteousness of God that the Sentence may run thus therein the Righteousness of God which is from Faith is revealed The words in the Originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth here the instrumental cause as some call it Or the Condition required in him that would be justified As others which they so call because Faith is a condition required on our part in that new Covenant which it pleased God to make with us for justification Now that we may understand what that Faith is which is here required and mentioned as a cause or condition of our Justification I say that the faith here required is an explicite and firm assent to the Gospel of God or at least to so much thereof as containeth the New Covenant and all the Essential Parts thereof which it pleased God through Christ to make with man in his Misery for his Salvation and to reveale in the Gospel an assent so firm so strong and arising so high as that it doth immediately and infallibly set the Believer on work as he hath opportunity to do those things which God requireth on mans part to be done in that Covenant He that hath such a faith cannot but trust in God nor can he be without repentance Whosoever hath such a faith as this and thus believeth I doubt not from this and other the like places but that he hath a justifying Faith and that by reason of this his Faith God will deal with him as with a Just and Righteous Man and as though he had never transgressed the Law of God But I dare not call that a Justifying Faith which cometh not up to this There be many which read Histories and give credit to the Histories which they read yet they only read them because they are delighted with them and with the various passages and accidents therein contained without any regard of imitating them or putting what they read in practice If any one should so read or hear the Gospel he may be said so have an Historical Faith but a Justifying Faith he hath not For good works can no more be separated from a true justifying faith than light can from the Sun or heat can from the fire For faith without works is dead James 2.20 And was not Abraham our Father justified by works saith Saint James James 2.20 That is was not Abraham our Father justified by faith such a faith as produceth works For Saint James puts works there by a Metonymie of the effect for a faith which produceth works Object But you will say There is a great deal of strength required to such a faith as this but God accepteth even of a weak faith Answ To this I answer That faith may be considered two manner of wayes First in Genere Entis Secondly in Genere Morum as I may so speak In Genere Entis that is a true faith which assenteth to the word of God as to that which is Truth In Genere Morum that and that onely is a true faith which so assenteth to the word of God as that it setteth the believer infallibly on good works as he hath strength and opportunity to do them The former faith God accepteth not of be it what it will be and as strong as may be while it is only faith in Genere Entis But as for the latter that faith which is true faith in Genere Morum God accepteth of though it be never so weak being sincere From faith to faith i. e. From a faith which ought not to stand at a stay but to go on from a lesser to a greater faith So some which referr the words to faith to the words immediately going before them viz. from faith But I think the words To faith may be better referred to the word revealed than to the words immediately going before them As if he should say Therein is the Righteousness of God revealed a Righteousness which is of faith And it is revealed for this end that men may believe or yield their faith to that which is revealed The last words in the Greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I conceive to be the same for sence with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 5. which is there rendered for Obedience to the faith And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 16. vers 26. which is there rendered for the Obedience of faith In both which places the end is set down why the Mistery of the Gospel is revealed which is that it might be believed and received by faith And as there so here the end may be set down why the Righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for faith That is for this end that it may gain faith and be believed of the Sons of Men. Note therefore that the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here may be rendred For and be a sign of the Final cause as it is verse 5. of this Chapter and Chap. 16. v. 26. Now if Justification by faith be revealed for faith That is That men may believe Then ought the Apostle to preach the Gospel wherein this Justification is revealed For how shall they believe except they hear and how shall they hear without a Preacher chap. 10.14 By this therefore may the Apostle also intimate that he is a debter and ready to preach the Gospel to the Romans also Justification by faith was the great Controversie at this time between Paul and the Jews and this is that which is the main drift of this Epistle to shew that justification is by Faith and this he now falleth upon as his chief businesse though he seemeth to speak of it
only occasionally For the Apostle is wont by occasion of other matters which he affirmeth and would prove to slip as it were to his main purpose so he doth Gal. 2.16 And in other places as well as here As it is written To wit Habakkuk 2.4 The Just shall live by Faith i. e. The Just-man shall be justified not by his works though he be called just but by Faith Or thus he that shall be justified shall be justified by Faith The Apostle proveth here by the Testimony of the Prophet Habakkuk that the Righteousnesse of God is by Faith But note that these words as they lie in the Prophet as many words and passages in the old Testament do carry a twofold sence with them A Literal and a mysticall In their literal sence they relate to the Jewes which were in Captivitie to the Babilonians In their mystical sence they relate to men as they are under sin and guilty of the punishments due to sin to wit death c. And therefore have these words this double relation because the things thereby signified are One the Type of the Other the former of the latter The Captivity of the Jews under the Babylonians of the Captivity of Man under Sin and Death and him which hath the power of death the Devil For it is very well known that the Captivity of the Jews under the Babilonians was a Type of the Captivity of Man under Sin and Death and him which hath the power of Death the Devil And that the messages and good news which God sent by his Prophets of the delivery of the Jewes out of the Babylonian Captivity was a Type of the Gospel and good newes of Mans salvation out of his spirituall captivity which was preached by Christ and his Apostles and that Cyrus whom God had used as an Instrument to deliver the Jews from the Babylonians was a Type of Christ by whom Man is delivered from Sin and Death and the Devil And when one of these is prophesied of in the Letter the other is prophesied of in the Mysterie Yea and while things of this nature are thus prophesied of the Holy Ghost doth oftentimes so order and guide the Penman of his Prophesies that some passages will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in word agree aswell to the one as to the other aswel to the Type as to the Antitype of which this parcell of Scripture written by the Prophet Habakkuk is one According to the literal sence therefore these words as they lie in the Prophet Habakkuk may be thus expounded They which are just among the Babilonian Captives though they are under them from whom they may fear death through hard usage yea to be put to death by reason of their power being Conquerors yet if they believe the message and good newes of their deliverance by Cyrus out of their captivity which I shall send them by my Prophets They shall be delivered from their Captivity and shall not die under the hands of the Babylonians but live and live a joyfull life According to the Mystical sence which is the sence in which our Apostle takes the words here we may interpret these words thus The Just which believe the Gospel shall be justified from their sins by their Faith The Just According to the frequent use of Holy Scripture he is called a just or Righteous Man who is a man of a good and honest mind and desireth to walk uprightly though he slips yea falls often such a man as this is is ready to receive the message of God whensoever it pleaseth God to send it and doth verily believe it when it is sent Again if we look into the place of Habakkuk beforementioned to wit Habakkuk 2.4 we shall find that our just Man there is opposed to him whose soul is lifted up that is to a proud man and so may be taken for the humble minded man such an one as trusteth not in himself nor boasteth of his own worth And who is more likely to be a Believer than He for Pride is the greatest keeper out of Faith as can be For how can ye believe which seek honour one of another saith our Saviour to the Jewes John 5.24 But besides this the Just may be taken for him which it justified and so may it be taken here when we expound the words in the mystical sence q. d. He that shall be justi ed shall be justified by his Faith Shall live This is as if he should say in our Saviours words He shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life John 5.24 That is he shall be justified that is he shall be absolved of his sins he shall not be condemned for them though he hath deserved death by them A man that is arraigned and tried for his life upon some Criminal or Capital matter If he be condemned he is put to death but if he be justified or absolved he liveth To live therefore may be put here Per Metonymiam Consequentis for to be justified That which Saint Paul drives at and for which he produceth the Testimony of the Prophet Habakkuk is as I said to prove that righteousness is of faith or which is the same that he that believeth is accepted of God and freed from sin and death which is the penalty of sin not for his works sake but for his faith And to expresse this freedom the Scripture calls it sometimes by the name of Salvation and Redemption which are words borrowed from Captives which are saved or redeemed whereas by their condition they were as men appointed unto death Sometimes again and that is the tearm most frequently used in this Epistle by the name of Justification which is a name or word borrowed from men as I said immediately before accused of some Capital matter in a Court of Justice where the Person accused is acquitted or absolved of the crimes laid against him and so justified by the Judge and freed from the Censure of the Law viz. Death The words of the Prophet Habakkuk as they are here alledged by our Apostle may in their Mystical sence be interpreted either in allusion to the Salvation or Redemption of Captives or in allusion to the Acquitting Absolving or Justification of a man accused in a Court of Justice of some Capital crime And after which of these ways the Reader will interpret them I leave to his choice for the issue of both is Life By faith i. e By reason of his faith or if he believe the Gospel For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men The Apostle prevented an objection here For whereas he said that the Righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel from faith And again it is written The just shall live by faith signifying thereby that the way of obtaining Justification is by faith A man may object and say But why Paul dost thou say that the way of obtaining justification is by faith
is judged modestly to his own innocency not to the pardon or favour or indulgence of the Judge when he is asked How he came to be acquitted in Judgement For otherwise to vaunt and glory would savour of Pride and so be it self sin for which he would come into condemnation and so could not be justified which is against the Apostles supposition A man may glory of his innocency before men who hath not perfectly and sincerely kept the Law but kept it onely in outward appearance for when man cannot see to the Heart and to the thoughts and Intentions but only to the outward appearance of Actions he cannot condemn him who in outward appearance hath kept the Law though inwardly he hath broke it in every point but he that can justly glory before God must perfectly and sincerely keep the Law as well in his inward heart and thoughts as in his outward words and deeds And he that hath done so may glory in that sence which we have spoken of For our Apostle faith it here and Chap 3 ver 27. He saith that boasting that is that Glorying for the Greek words in both places are as one being derived from the same fountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other is not excluded by works Note that the Apostle doth prove in this verse that Negative answer which we must suppose him to give to the Question made in the former verse that is That Abraham did not obtain justification by works And this he doth by this Syllogisme If Abraham where justified by works then he hath whereof to glory even before God But Abraham hath not whereof to glory before God Therefore Abraham is not justified by Works The Major and Minor Proposition of this Syllogisme the Apostle hath here set down in this verse but not so but that we must understand something of the Major Proposition from the Minor and something of the Minor Proposition from the Major The Conclusion is totally left to be understood If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory this is the Major Proposition which I spoke of and this is defective in its words and the defect is to be made up from that which we have in this verse of the Minor Proposition namely from that But not before God from which words we make the Major Proposition entire thus If Abraham were justified by works he had whereof to Glory even before God But not before God This is the Minor Proposition or Assumption which we spoke of which is also defective in its words and to be made up from the Major Proposition as the Major was from this This Minor Proposition or Assumption therefore entire is thus viz. But Abraham hath not whereof to glory before God This Minor Proposition or Assumption the Apostle proveth in the verses following Ver. 3. For what saith the Scripture Supple Gen. 15.6 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness q. d. Abraham believed God and that that he believed God was that which God counted or reckoned to him for justification Supple Therefore being that that that Abraham believed God was counted to him for justification Abraham had not whereof to glory Abraham believed God We read Gen. 15 5. That God brought Abraham forth abroad and said Look now toward Heaven and tell the Stars if thou art able to number them And he said to him so shall thy seed be Then followeth that which is here quoted by the Apostle viz. He believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness That therefore for which Abraham was justified of God here was this and this only that Abraham believed God when he promised him that his Seed should be as the Stars of heaven for multitude See more of this v. 18. of this Chapter And it was counted unto him for righteousness i. e. And it was accounted to Abraham to wit by God Gen. 15.6 at such a rate as that God did set down upon his accounts to Abraham that he would repay or requite him for that his belief only with justification The meaning of this whole verse is this That Abraham did believe God and God did so value and respect this that Abraham did believe him as that he was pleased in his Grace and Favour to recompence this faith of Abraham though it were but for this with justification that is to justifie Abraham from all his sins and to deal with him as with a just man which had never transgressed the Law in any point only because he had thus believed him Note if God did justifie Abraham only for this that he did thus believe him Abraham had not whereof to glory before God in matter of justification For he could not claim justification by debt and he which cannot claim justification of debt but hath it of grace and favour he cannot glory of his justification before God The Law requireth exact obedience whether it be the Law of Nature or the written Law of Moses so that he is cursed which continueth not in all things which the Law commandeth and therefore he which hath broken the Law in the least tittle thereof is cursed and being now cursed he cannot be justified but by grace and favour If God therefore accept of our faith for or to justification so that he justifieth us because we believe it is the meer Grace and Favour of God and of such justification we cannot glory as we might do in our Apostles sence if we had so kept the Law as that we had never broke the least Apex of it Note that this Phrase It was counted to him for righteousness is Metaphorical and it is drawn from Merchants or Tradesmen or the like where one accounts with the other for what he hath received of him and in his accounts enters or sets down that for such or such a parcel of Wares or in consideration of such or such a thing done from him he is indebted to him and will willingly repay him such or such a summe of money in lieu thereof or requite him after such or such a way For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which among other things signifieth Alicujus rationibus inferre that is to bring or enter such or such a thing upon the accounts of such or such a man But let no man mistake here as though because this phrase is drawn from this Metaphor it would thence follow that Abraham's faith was equivalent to his justification and of as great value as that For even in such accounts as we have spoken of men will often when they are well pleased set down more for themselves to pay than the thing which they have received or which was due from them is worth However this is to be remembred that Similitudes run not as they say upon four feet nor do Metaphors agree in every particular with the things from
Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is become of none effect the condition thereunto required being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law That the condition required to justification being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law the promise it self of justification is made of none effect the Apostle shews in the next words Justification if it be by the Law cannot be properly called a Promise Gal. 3.18 yet he calls it so here materialiter as not knowing well how to call it otherwise in this his discourse Ver. 15. Because the Law worketh wrath i e. Because the Law is so far from making them acceptable to God which are of or under the Law that they may be justified by him and so receive the promise of justification which he promised to Abraham and his children as that it stirs up Gods anger against them The Law stirs up Gods anger against them that are under it not onely in that the Law calls for punishment against them which transgress it but also because it is an occasion to them which are under it to sin more and more and more grievously than otherwise they would do For I was a live without the Law once saith the Apostle but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7 9. And again ver 8. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence But now that this fell out thus by the Law the fault was not in the Law but in the vitiousness of those which were under it or to whom it was given See those places Rom. 7 For where there is no Law there is no transgression When he saith Where there is no Law there is no transgression he leaves us togather that where there is a Law there is transgression and that frequent transgression too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Transgression signifieth here not every sin which is committed by a Man but such a sin as he commits against a Law plainly given either by word of mouth or by hand-writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Transgression being a sin committed against a Law plainly and distinctly given and that either by word of mouth or by hand writing is Caeteris paribus a more hainous and grievous sin than that which is committed against a Law which is not so given and redounds more to the dishonour of the Law-giver The Apostle by that which he saith here proves that which he said immediately before to wit that the Law worketh wrath For if where the Law is there are transgressions and there be no such sins as transgressions where the Law is not it is evident that the Law is the occasion thereof though not by its own fault yet by the fault of the man to whom it is given And therefore the Law worketh wrath in that it doth not only multiply sins occasionally but elevate those sins to an higher nature and makes them Transgressions as I shewed before Ver 16. Therefore it is of Faith Therefore the promise of Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is of faith that is is to be attained by faith There is no way of obtaining justification which is the promise which God made to Abraham and to his children but either by the Law or by faith Being therefore that the Apostle hath proved that it cannot be obtained by the Law he may well conclude that it is to be obtained by Faith which is that which he sayes when he sayes Therefore it is of Faith That it might be by grace If it had been by the Law it would not have been of Grace but of debt ver 4. To the end the promise might be sure i. e. To the end that the promise of justification which God made to Abraham and to his children or his seed might be sure Sure The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firm He sayes that the Promise which he speaks off may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sure or firm in the regard of the condition required to the obtaining of it for the condition of it being of Faith is such as may be performed and so the promise obtained and sure whereas if it had been of the Law it would not have been so He opposeth here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sure or firm promise to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the promise made of none effect verse 14. though not in words yet in sence To all the Seed By Seed he meaneth not the bodily seed or the children born of Abrahams body as he did ver 13. But he meaneth the spiritual seed or spiritual children of Abraham that is all such as believe the word of God as Abraham did and imitate his faith I say he means all such whether they be Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law Not to that only which is of the Law i e. Not to that only which are the children of the Law that is which are under the Law or to which the Law is given By this he means the Jews Note that this Phrase which is of the Law is the same for substance with that which we read ver 14. But yet there is this difference that there is meant by such as are of the Law such as being under the Law sought for justification by the Law Here are meant such as though they were under the Law yet sought not for justification by the Law but by Faith in Christ But to that also which is of the faith of Abraham i. e. But to that also which only believeth as Abraham did Supple though they are not of or under the Law or though they never had the Law given them as the Jews had By these he means the Gentiles Who is the Father of us all Who is the Father of us all which believe whether we be of the Law or not of the Law that is whether we be Jews or Gentiles He speaks not of Abraham neither doth he call him the Father of us all in the like sence here as he did ver 1. For there he spoke of him in the vulgar manner as he was the Father of all the Jews according to the flesh and called him the Father of all the Jews whether they did believe or no. Here he speaks of him as he was a Father in a Mysticall sence That is as he was the spiritual father of all which believed whether they were Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law V. 17. As it is written To wit Gen. 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations i. e. I will surely make thee a Father of many Nations A Praeterpersect tense is put here for a Future to shew the certainty of the Event of that of which he speaks of Those words as they lie in Genesis carry a double sence with them to wit a Literal or Historical sence and a Mystical or
Sublim sence According to the Literal or Historical sence they are to be understood of such Nations as descended from Abraham by carnall Propagation And many Nations descended from him that way as the Israelites Ishmalites Edomites Amalekites c. According to the Mystical or Sublim sence they are to be taken of such as did imitate the faith of Abraham and were like to him in that And in this sence Abraham was called a Father of many Nations because he was set out by God as a President or Example to them that they might be moved to believe God and so be justified by their faith as Abraham believed God and was justified by his faith And many Nations have become Children of Abraham this way If you ask now in which sence these words are to be understood here I say in the Mystical or Sublime sence Before him whom he believed i. e. In sight of him whom he believed By him whom he believed is meant God as appeareth by the next words whom He to wit Abraham believed when He to wit God promised to give him a Son in his old age and to multiply his seed as the Stars of Heaven These words before him whom he believed are to be referred to those Who is the Father of us all q. d. Who is the Father of us all before him or in the sight of him whom he believed And these words Before God or in the Sight of God use to shew the truth or reality of a thing as Gen 6.11 Eccles 2 26. Luke 1 6 c. The Apostle therefore to shew that Abraham was the Father of us all not in word but in deed Not in the Opinion of Men but in the Judgement and Constitution and Approbation of God saith not only that he was the Father of us all in the Mystical and Sublime sence before mentioned but also adds Before him whom he believed even God Even God who quick'neth the Dead i. e. Even God who raiseth up those to life which were dead And oalleth those things which be not as though they were The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus And who calleth those things which be not as things which be And the sence is thus Which giveth a being to those things which be not as he hath done to those things which be that is Which maketh those things which yet be not to be To call is taken here for To make after the Hebrew manner of Speech So it is said Cap. 9.25 I will call them my People which were not my People and Her Beloved which was not my beloved for I will make them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not my Beloved To call as it signifieth To make seemeth to be spoken if not only yet principally of God And that to shew the Greatness of his power who by his word can produce what he pleaseth as he did Genes 1. To call therefore things which are not as things which are is as if he should call things that are not and say unto them O ye things which are not come out of your nothing and be ye something as things which are and they should obey Man calls only things which are as a Master his Servant to come to him But God calls even things which are not and they come at his call Note that some understand these words That quickneth the dead and calleth the things which are not as those that be in relation to the carnal seed or to the children of Abraham according to the flesh of which the Apostle speaks in the following part of this chapter And then these words must be understood of Gods enabling Abraham to beget and Sarah to conceive when in respect of Generation Abraham and in respect of Conception Sarah were now as dead being that they were both decreped and unfit by nature the one to beget the other to conceive and bear Children By the Dead in this Sence we must understand such as are unfit for Generation and Conception by a Metaphor And by making such alive is meant giving power to such to beget and conceive with child respectively by the like Metaphor And by things which are not are meant not things which are absolutely without a being but things which are without a certain kind of being as Abraham without the natural power of begetting and Sarah without the natural power of conceiving seed But others understand these words That quickneth the dead and calleth the things which be not as those that be as spoken in relation to the Spiritual seed of Abraham such as be Abrahams children by faith And then the meaning of this which quickneth the dead is this which quickneth those which were dead in trespasses and sins by bringing them to a lively faith See for this Ephes 2.1 And the meaning of those words And calleth those things which be not as those that be is this and making those believe which did not believe before Now if it be asked which of these two sences are to be preferred before which I conceive the Later before the former The sence which interprets these words of the Spiritual seed before the sense which interprets those words of the Carnal seed For whereas the Apostle said of Abraham That he is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God signifying thereby that Abraham was the Spiritual Father of us All not in word but in deed not in the opinion of Men but in the Judgement and Approbation and Constitution of God He goes on to to prove that Abraham was such a Father And because to the being of such a Father two things are requisite First that Abraham should be himself a man of a sound and a strong faith Secondly that there should be other men like him in his faith He sheweth both these in this latter part of the Chapter For he sheweth that Abraham was strong in faith vers 18 19 20 c. And he shews That God raiseth up daily faithful men out of such as were not so in the words which we have in hand V. 18. Who against hope believed in hope This is spoken of Abraham whom he made mention of ver 16. It is a great Trajection or Hyperbaton to refer this to the Sixteenth verse I conceive it therefore not amiss for the better Coherence of the Text to understand here these or the like words between this and the former verse viz. That he may raise up seed unto Abraham q. d. Who is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God who quickneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were that he may thereby raise up seed to Abraham who against hope believed in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations c. The Coherence of the Text by this supplement is smooth and who knows not that in the Scripture greater supplements than this
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
Preaching of the Gospel See 1 Pet. 1. v. 20 21 22. A Propitiation A Propitiation is put here for a Propitiator or one that doth appease the displeasure of God The Act for the Cause or the Author thereof by a Metalepsis That which is rendred a Propitiation is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some render Propitiatorem taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine Gender as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But most take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter Gender And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter Gender which in Latin is rendred Propitiatorium the Propitiatory is used by the Greek Interpreters of the Old Testament most commonly for the Cover of the Ark of the Covenant upon which God sat between the wings of the Cherubims as appeareth Exod. 25. v. 17 18 19 20 22 and 31. v. 7. and 35. v. 12. Levit 16.2 Numb 7.89 c. Now the Cover of the Ark did as it were keep from the eyes of God who sat between the Wings of the Cherubims upon that Cover Exod. 25 22. Numb 7.89 whatsoever was in the Ark of the Covenant which was covered therewith And in the Ark of the Covenant there were the Tables of the Covenant that is of the Law Heb. 9.4 This Cover therefore by keeing the Tables of the Covenant or the Law from the eyes of God did in a manner keep the sins of Men from his eyes which were Transgressions of that Covenant or of that Law for what is Sin but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 And what were those Tables of the Covenant but the Tables in which the Law was written And if the Law were kept from his eyes then must the Transgression of the Law be also kept from them For who can see the Transgressions of the Law which seeth not the Law it self Rectum est Index sui obliqui For this reason was that Cover called in Hebrew Capporet a word which is derived from a verb which hath the signification of Expiating and Propitiating and for this reason did the Greek Interpreâ—ers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Verbal derived from a Verb of the like signification And for this reason was this Cover a Type of Christ whom God had decreed from all eternity to send and in his appointed time did send forth to purchase forgiveness for the sins of his People which forgiveness is often signified by the name of Covering for blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered saith the Psalmist quoted by our Apostle Rom. 4.7 c. In Allusion to this Cover of the Ark and to this use thereof which we have spoken of is our Saviour called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Note that the Apostle doth in these and in the following words set forth all the causes of Mans justification which he doth therefore because justification is the chief Scope of his Epistle and the main Controversie between him and the Jews The chief and principal cause therefore of our Justification is God himself the Meritorious cause is Christ Jesus his merit is his blood that is his Death and Passion The Material cause or Subject of justification is Man the Formall cause is the Remission of sins The Condition required on mans part is Faith the final cause or End why God did justifie Man is his own Glory for he did it that he might be known to be Just in his promise of justification which sheweth his truth and that he might be known to be the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus which sheweth his mercy and goodness Through Faith q. d. To be enjoyed or made ours through Faith That is to be enjoyed by us and made ours if we believe Here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this he excludes Works again We are taught by this that God though he did so love the world as that he gave Jesus Christ to be a Propitiation for the sins thereof yet notwithstanding he requires a condition of them that are to be justified before they shall be justified and have their sins forgiven and that is Faith Or that they must use Faith as an Instrument to apply this Grace which I account as the same In his blood Some refer these words to those whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation And then this Praeposition In is to be taken for through as it is taken ver 24. And the sence is to be this Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through his blood to be enjoyed or made our Propitiation through Faith In the words so construed there must be a Trajection or an Hyberbaton which yet is a figure not unusual with our Apostle who sometimes useth yea often through the ardency of his Spirit to go to a second thing before he hath done with the first and then to return to the first again These words so conjoyned shew how Christ was to be and is our Propitiation or Propitiator or Propitiatory to wit by dying for us and shedding his blood for our sins This Exposition is favoured by that that in the Original as most Expositors read it it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a Tenuis but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Asperate But it may be asked what hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be either taken for the Cover of the Arke or alludeth thereunto to do with blood Answ I have shewed how that Cover of the Ark was a Propitiatory and why it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and how it was a Type of Christ and indeed as it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Propitiatory and as it was a Type of Christ it had nothing significant of blood it did onely signifie that Christ should be our Propitiator or Propitiation but did not signifie how he should be so for Types are for the most part imperfect But what that Type signified not other Types did signifie For the Legall remission of sins which was through the blood of the Beast which was slain for a Sacrifice did Praefigure the Real and Evangelical remission of sins through the blood of Christ who was to be slain for us In that therefore that with the mention of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is mention of blood there is a double allusion an allusion to the Cover of the Ark which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Propriatory and an allusion to the Sacrifices of the Law wherein was blood by which was a Legal remission of sins And such a mixture of Types and Sences in speech is not unusuall But as some refer these words By his blood by an Hyperbaton to those more remote words Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation So others refer them to the words which they immediately follow namely to those Through Faith
the Jew of the good will of God towards the Gentiles from that therefore he inferreth this Corollary Is he the God of the Jews only c. As if he should say and now O thou Jew is God the God of the Jews only is he not the God of the Gentiles also Yes he is the God of the Gentiles also seeing it is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through Faith And this or the like opportunity he takes often to declare the good will and favour of God towards the Gentiles because the Jews counted the Gentiles but as brute Beasts to whom God had no respect in comparison of themselves Ver. 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie It would have been better rendred thus Seeing God is one who justifieth c. That is Seeing God is one and the same God which justifieth the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through Faith God is called One here not in respect of his Essence or in opposition to a multitude of gods but in respect of his carrying himself to all alike whether Jews or Gentiles q. d. Seeing God is one and the same towards all who shall justifie c. Which shall justifie the circumcision by faith Note that the Circumcision is taken here for the Circumcised that is for the Jews who were Circumcised by a Metonymie and that shall justifie is put here for doth justifie A Future for a Present tense after the manner of the Hebrews which use so to do especially when they would signifie a continued Act. And the uncircumcision through faith By the uncircumcision are here meant the Gentiles who used not Circumcision as the Jews did who were enjoyned by God to it but were uncircumcised And yet we read of some Gentiles which were Circumcised as the people of Colchis Aegypt and Aethiopia as Herodotus relates in his Euterpe yet they come under the name of uncircumcision here because the Circumcision which they received they received from among themselves the use thereof was not enjoyned to them of God as that Circumcision which the Jews used was to them Gen. 17. v. 10 11 c. Note that these Phrases By faith and Through faith signifie one and the same thing and that there is no difference in the sence of the Phrases though there be in the words In that God justifieth both Jew and Gentile after the same manner it sheweth him to be the same in his love and affection to both Ver. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith q. d. Do we then say that the Law is useless and as an idle thing and a thing of no effect by those things which we have said of faith To make void is put here for to say that it is void by a Metalepsis Note that the Apostle doth prevent an Objection here for because he said v. 28. We conclude that a Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law And again v. 30. It is one God or God is One which shall justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith A Jew might object and say If it be so that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law and God doth justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision throuh faith then is the Law void for to what end should it stand if it did not justifie a man To this the Apostle answers That notwithstanding that which he had said concerning faith the Law doth stand yea what he said concerning faith doth establish the Law For though the Law doth not justifie a man yet the Doctrine of faith doth enjoyn those which believe to lead a pious godly and religious life according to the Praescript of the Law and to follow those things which the Law commandeth And by faith we attain to more ability for the performance of the Law than the Law it self can give Note that what is here spoken must be understood of the Moral Law Through faith i. e. Throuh the Doctrine of faith or through those things which we have said of faith We establish the Law i. e. We maintain the Law in its standing and keep it up That is we take not the Law away but let it stand in its due place and give it its due honour How Saint Paul established the Law by faith we shewed a little before in the Exposition of this verse He establisheth it by making it or teaching that it is a Rule of our Lives though he denies to be the means of justification And that we attain more ability to the keeping of the Law through faith than the Law it self could give us CHAP. IV. 1. WHat shall we say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found 1. We have taught hitherto that the man that is justified is not justified by the works of the Law but by faith And let us now enquire in particular concerning Abraham's justificâ—tion to wit how he was justified How shall we say then that Abraham who is our Father as concerning the flesh attained to justification Shall we say that Abraham attained to justification by works No in no wise 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory or boast even before God but he hath not whereof to glory or to boast before God therefore he is not justified by works 3. For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness 3. Now that Abraham hath not whereof to glory or boast before God is apparent for what saith the Scripture It saith that Abraham believed God and that that was set down upon his account to him to receive righteousness or justification for it that is in fewer words it saith That Abraham believed God and for that he was justified Gen. 15.5 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt 4. Now to him that worketh the works of the Law so punctually and so exactly as that he never failes at any time in performing the least title of the Law to him indeed the reward that is righteousness or justification is set down upon accompt to be paid him as a thing not of grace and favour but of debt for with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if he should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him but condemn him for a sinner who had never sinned So that he indeed hath whereof to glory or boast even before God 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness 5. But to him that worketh not the works of the Law so punctually and so exactly as the Law requires but believeth on God who justifieth sinners his faith is set down upon accompt to him for him to receive
31. But is an objection or question which might arise from that which was said ver 31. which question the Apostle here moves and answereth that he might yet more artificially usher in what he hath to say in the beginning of the Tenth Chapter Because they sought it not by faith i. e. Because they sought it not by the faith of Christ or by faith in Christ which is the only way to obtain Justificatiâ—n But as it were by the works of the Law i. e. But because they sought it by the works of the Law thinking thereby to obtain it without the faith of or in Christ As it were by the works of the Law These words as it were do sometimes signifie the truth and reality of a thing as John 7.9 sometimes an appearance of a thing only And I conceive that they are put here to signifie an appearance only though the Jews might think that when they sougâ—t righteousness by the Law as they did they sought it truly and as they ought to seek it They that truly seek Justification or Righteousness for these two words signifie both one and the same thing by the works of the Law they must so keep the Law as that they never break it at any time no not in the least tittle thereof for if they break it in the least tittle thereof they are cursed by the Law Galath 3.10 And therefore such can never be justified by the works of the Law Now the Jews had sinned every one of them And now having once sinned they could not really and truly and according to knowledge seek for Justification by the works of the Law But being that though they had sinned yet nevertheless they sought for Justification by the works of the Law the Apostle may say not that they sought it by the works of the Law But that they sought it as it were by the works of the Law For they stumbled at the stumbling stone i. e. For they stumbled and were offended at Christ who was to them as a Stumbling-block or stone of Offence in the way to Righteousness This Particle For relates to those words Because they sought it not by faith viz. The faith of Christ And are a Reason why they did not seek after Righteousness by faith The reason why the Jews did not seek after righteousness by faith was that they were offended at Christ by the faith of whom only Justification is to be had and rejected him and evilly entreated him to their own hurt and ruine by bringing a sin upon their head and putting away from them the only means of obtaining Remission of sins The reason why the Jews rejected Christ and were offended at him was because Christ came in such a poor and mean manner without any wordly Pomp being born according to the flesh of poor parentage and having not an house of his own where to lay his head Whereas they looked for a Pompous Messiah to come with all worldly Glory and Lustre mistaking the prophesies concerning Christ which spoke gloriously of him and interpreting them of Earthly Outward or worldly Glory when they were to be taken in a Mystical sence for Heavenly Inward and Spiritual Glory They stumbled at the stumbling stone By this stumbling block or stumbling stone is meant Christ who is here called and likened to a stumbling block or stumbling stone because as a man who in the way which he goes stumbles at a stone or a block which lies in his way comes to hurt So did the Jews stumbling as it were at Christ while they walked after justification get hurt thereby while they were offended at him and rejected him as though he were an Impostor and not the true Christ or Messiah promised by God They stumbled at i. e. They are said to have stumbled at Christ because they rejected Christ and persecuted him and so brought sin upon their head which was hurt to them as a man taketh hurt which stumbleth at a Stone or a Block in the way Ver. 33. As it is written behold I say c. Before these words understand these or the like words viz. For Christ was a stumbling stone to the Jews q. d For Christ was a stumbling Stone to the Jews as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and Rock of Offence As it is written viz. Isaiah 28.16 But yet the Testimony here alleadged is not to be found there word for word as it is here quoted as they that will compare the places may observe For these words a stumbling block and a Rock of Offence are not there to be found Wherefore most Interpreters do take this Testimony not as a simple testimony taken out of any one place but as a testimony compounded of two parts part whereof is taken out of Isaiah Chap. 28.16 Part out of Isaiah 8.14 Where we have these words A stone of stumbling and a Rock of Offence But yet notwithstanding this we cannot find the whole testimony word for word in or to be made out of those two places conjoyned Yet nevertheless we may find the whole sence of the words even in Isaiah 28.16 mystically expounded and therefore I conceive that the Apostle takes his testimony wholly from thence though to explain the mystical sence thereof he may borrow some words from Isaiah 8.14 The words therefore as they are read in Isaiah Chap. 28.16 are these Behold I the Lord lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone A pretious corner stone a sure foundation He that believeth shall not make haste Which words in the first and literal sence are spoken of Ezâ—kiah King of Judah who when the Assyrians were in the Land of Judah wasting and destroying the Land yet did believe the word of the Lord that he notwithstanding would defend and keep Jerusalem and so was saved when most of the Jews which would not bâ—lieve were destroyed Hezekiah therefore in the literal sence was called here a Foundation in Sion because he dwelt in Sion that is in Hierusalem and was a Foundation that is a cause of safety to them which flew thither for safety for for Hezekiahs sake did God keep Hierusalem safe at that time He might be called also a Foundation because he was the Chiefest of them which believed in Hierusalem that Hierusalem should not be destroyed by the Assyrians but saved by the Lord from being destroyed by them And was by his example and counsel an inducement also to others to believe and to stand fast and strong in their belief For as a company of men knit or combined together in one are likened sometimes to a natural body and the Chief of them to the head of that body So are they sometimes likened to an House and the chief of them to the Foundation of that house And thus might Hezekiah also be likened to the Foundation of an house because he was the Chief of those believers which were in Hierusalem when the Assyrians wasted the Land of Judah
and not only so but by his faith induced others to believe yea and by his example and constancy in that his faith he upheld otheâ—s in that their faith also as the foundation of an house which is firmly laid upholds that house that it doth not wave or sink or fall A Stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation See those expounded of Hezekiah in my Exposition of the book of Isaiah Whosoever believeth i. e. Whosoever believeth as Hezekiah that foundation doth to wit That the Lord will save Hierusalem from the Assyrians Shall not make haste i. e. Shall not need to make haste to save himself into some far Country as many which believed not did But may stay in Hierusalem and be safe there according to that which he believeth Thus is that of Isaiah Chap. 28.16 to be taken in the first and literal sence and thus to be expounded But in the second Mystical and Sublime sence which is the sence here intended it is to be taken of Christ Who is said to be a Foundation because he is the Chief of All the Church which is his house and a tried pretious and sure Foundation because on him all the parts and members of this house do relie for salvation and by him they stand and he is able to sustain them all and will never fail them And he is said to be a foundation laid in Sion that is in Hierusalem because Sion that is Hierusalem was the chief City of the Jews where Christ was very conversant where he was fully preached where he suffered that he might be a foundation and save his people from their sins and from whence his Law that is his Gospel did go forth By Sion also is the Church of Christ mystically meant of which Sion was a type and of which Christ was the head and foundation And this was the prime end which was intended by God concerning Christ viz. That he should be laid in Sion as a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation to wit that they which believed in him might be of his Church and built upon him and might be by him saved But by accident he which was laid in Sion as a Foundation a Stone a tried stone a precious corner stone proved because of the Jews unbelief and their offence taken at him A Stumbling Stone and a Rock of Offence that is a Stumbling Stone and a Rock of offence to the Jews from whom by their unbelief and malice against him they received hurt as he receiveth hurt which stumbles at a stone which lyeth in his way or which stumbleth at the Corner stone of a building And this also is couched in these words A stone a tried stone a precious Corner stone It is contained in the Scripture saith S. Peter Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner stone elect precious and he that believeth in him shall not be confounded unto you therefore which believe he is precious But to them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head stone of the Corner and a stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereto also they were appointed 1 Pet. Chap 2 ver 6 7 8. But how can these words a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone signifie any way a stumbling stone and a rock of Offence I answer The stone tried stone precious corner stone sure foundation signifie here primarily all one and the same stone in a building to wit the foundation stone or Corner stone of that building for upon the corner stones of the foundation doth the weight of a building lie and the building is thereby sustained and therefore that useth to be the chiefest stone Now because men as they pass by are apt to stumble at the Corner or Corner stone of a building rather than at any part or stone else thereof Hence doth our Apostle speaking of what Christ was foretold would be by accident instead of a stone a tried stone a pretious corner stone a sure foundation say a stumbling stone and rock of Offence In Sion i. e. In Hierusalem so litterally In the Church so mystically A stumbling stone By this stumbling stone is meant Christ which is called a stumbling stone because the Jews did stumble at him that is were offended at him and took hurt by that offence as men do at a Stone in their way at which they do stumble as I said before And a rock of offence This is but a Repetition of the former words Where Note that that which is called commonly a stone is called a Rock with the Hebrews So that Stone with which Zipporah circumcised her son is called Petra by the vulgar Translatour that is a Rock Exod. 4 24. A rock of offence signifieth by an Hebraism a rock or stone at which one offendeth that is at which one stumbleth or hitteth his foot And whosoever believeth on him i. e. But yet whosoever believeth on that stone or rock that is on Christ for salvation or Justification And for But yet Shall not be ashamed That is shall obtain Salvation or Justification by him Because when we hope or look for any thing and miss of it we are ashamed hence not to be ashamed is put here for to obtain what we hope and look for by Christ that is Salvation from our sins according to our hope and expectation Shall not be ashamed These words are not read either in Isaiah 28.16 or Isaiah 8.14 according to the Hebrew But yet we have the sence of them in these words shall not make haste Isaiah 28.16 As they which did not believe the promise or word of God when he promised to defend and keep Hierusalem from the fury of the Assyrians did not stay in Hierusalem but make haste out of Hierusalem into other parts But they which believed staid in Jerusalem and made not the haste which unbelievers did were saved by their staying and not hastening out of it So they which did not believe on Christ and looke for salvation and justification from him staid not on him but hastened to some other means of salvation or Justification as v. g. to the works of the Law c. And thereby missed of Salvation whereas the others who made not haste to such means but staid on Christ attained to it And from hence not to make haste may be put here for not to miss of Salvation or to attain to salvation by a matelepsis And the Septuagint from hence may render these words shall not make haste by a matelepsis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our Apostle following them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not be ashamed And whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Note that these words do not appertain to that which the Apostle was to prove which was that Christ was a stumbling block to the unbelieving Jews But because they were
joyned with the same testimony which he produced for that purpose he doth here recite them yet not for the purpose aforesaid but to stir up others to believe in Christ and to comfort those which did believe It may be objected that these words are otherwise expounded here of Christ in the Mystical than they were of Hezekiah in the literal sence and not according to the same similitude For though it be said in the litteral sence that whosoever believeth c. yet it is not meant whosoever believeth on Hezekiah though he were a Type of Christ But in the Mysticall sence it is here expounded of Christ whosoever believeth in Christ Therefore one of the Expositions may seem faulty and not agreable to the Prophets meaning But for answer to this I say That when one place carrieth two severall sences with it one litteral the other mystical the words may yea must be often times otherwise construed and interpreted in the Mystical sence than they are or were in the litteral which I have observed and treated of else where Wherefore that which is objected is no sound argument against the Exposition given CHAP. X. 1. BRethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved 1. And now that I may resume that which I left unperfect in the beginning of the ninth chapter though in other words and may here perfect it Brethren my hearts desire and prayer for the Jews is that they may be justified 2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge 2. For though there is talk of their zeal towards God as though such zealous men could not but be justified I am also ready to bear them witness that they have a zeal of God yet are they not therefore justified because their zeal is not according to knowledge 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God 3. For they being ignorant of the way of Justification which God hath appointed and as it were scored out to us and going about to establish and maintain that way of Justification which they themselves have invented and chosen to themselves they have not submitted themselves to that way of Justification which God hath appointed to approve thereof and walk therein 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth 4. For whereas Christ is set forth to be the way of Justification through faith in him to every one that believeth and the Law it self pointed at him for this as its end the Jews have rejected him and refused to believe in him 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them 5. But though I said that the Law it self pointed at Christ for this as at its end let no man therefore think that the way of Justification which the Law prescribeth and the way of Justification which is by Faith and which the Gospel holds out to us is all one for Moses describeth the way of Justification which is of the Law in this manner saying that the man which doth those things exactly and without the least failer in that which the law requireth shall be justified by them 6. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven That is to bring Christ down from above 6. But the Preacher of that Justification which is by faith saith but that thou maist not think that this justification which is by the faith of Christ is as far from being attained as that which is by the Law say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven to wit to bring down Christ from above 7. Or who shall descend into the deep That is to bring Christ again from the dead 7. Or who shall descend into Hell to bring up Christ again from the dead as though it were any way necessary for us for the attaining of justification by faith that Christ should be bodily present with us 8. But what saith it The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart that is the word of faith which we preach 8. But what saith the Preacher of justification by faith thou needest not to go far to know what he saith for the word which he speaketh is nigh to thee for it is in thy mouth for thou talkest of it and it is in thy heart for thou thinkest of it To be short that is the word which the Preacher of justification which is by faith preacheth 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved 8. This which we which are the Apostles of Christ do preach viz. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth That Jesus is the Lord and shalt unfeignedly believe that God hath raised him from the dead Thou shalt be justified 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation 10. For with the heart man believeth unto Justification and with the mouth confession is made to salvation 11. For the Scripture saith whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed 11. For the Scripture saith Isaiah 28.16 Whosoever believeth on him shall be sure to obtain justification 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him 12. I say whosoever believeth on him for there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile in this matter For the same Lord being Lord over all is rich unto all whatsoever they are which call upon him for salvation 13. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved 13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord that he may be saved whether he be Jew or whether he be Gentile shall be saved from his sins as it is written Joel 2.32 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher 14. And note here the Jews which are so much against the Gentiles and would not that Preachers should be sent to them that when the Scripture saith whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved It saith that the Gentiles shall call upon the name of the Lord for salvation aswel as the Jews But now how shall they call on him for salvation in whom they have not believed And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a preacher 15. And how shall they preach except they be sent As it is written How beautiful are the feet
was to be preached to the Gentiles For it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you say Paul and Barnabas to the Jews But seeing yee put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn unto the Gentiles Acts 13.46 And Luke 24. ver 46 47. Our Saviour thus speaketh Thus saith he it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and so rise from the dead the third day And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all Nations beginning marke it at Hierusalem Their sound i. e. The voice or preaching of the Apostles whereby they preach the Gospel Went out into all the earth i. e. Is gone out into all the earth among the Gentiles And their words unto the â—nd of the world This is a Repetition of the former sentence but with an Hyperbole Ver. 19. But I say did not Israel know q. d. But that I may return to speak of the calling of the Gentiles did not the Jewes know that God would call the Gentiles and take them into favour Did not Israel i. e. Did not the Jews c. Israel is put here by a Metonymy for the Jewes which are the Children of Israel who was Jacob. Did not Israel know Supple that God would call the Gentiles and take them into favour q. d. Yes he did know it both by what Moses and by what Isaiah wrote First Moses saith He saith first Moses saith because he speaks of Isaiah afterwards who was after Moses Moses saith Viz. Deut. 32.21 of which the People of Israel cannot be ignorant if they heed it I will provoke you to jealousie by them that are not a people i. e. I will make so much of the Gentiles which are not my people and so highly favour them with the choicest of my favours as that I will make you which are my people jealous of my love Jealousie is a sickness or illness of mind in a man proceeding from that that another injoyeth that which he desireth By them that are no people i. e. By them which are not my people or by them which I took not to be my people as I took you O ye children of Jacob. By these he means the Gentiles And by a foolish People I will anger you i. e. And I will do such things for the Gentiles and be so gratious towards them as that it shall anger you to see them so highly favoured by me as I will favour them and make you envious towards them A foolish Nation by this he meaneth the Gentiles who may be called a foolish nation or a foolish people as for other things so especially for that that they worshipped Idols and for this in particular are they branded for folly Isaiah chap. 45.20 and Isaiah chap. 44. v 9 10 11 18 19 c. This testimony is as I said taken out of Deuteronomy 32 21. Where the Lord threatneth the Israelites that if they did provoke him to jealousie by their Sins he would provoke them to jealousie by his love to the Gentiles And the Jews the children of Israel did mightily provoke him by their sins when he sent his only Son to them and they would have none of him but hated him persecuted him and crucified him So far were they from believing in him V. 20. But Isaiah is very bold i. e. But Isaiah is very bold no way fearing the anger of the Jews And saith To wit in the person of God I was found of them that sought mee not i. e. I was found of them as the Object of their worship and faith and as a merciful God in remitting their sins that sought me not in times past That sought me not Supple in times past By these he meaneth the Gentiles who in times past were ignorant of the true God and his way of worship I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me This is a Repetition of the former sentence I was made manifâ—st To wit as the true God and justifier of them that believe in me This which Isaiah is here said to say is taken out of Isaiah 65 1. And in the first sence it is spoken of Cyrus and the Nations which were under him who lit upon the will of the Lord in destroying the Babylonians and freeing the Jews which were under their Captivity when they sought it not and were made prosperous by the Lord and rewarded for this their doings But in the second and sublime sence it is a prophesie of the Gentiles under the Gospel coming to the Lord and finding him worthy of worship and to be believed in his word and receiving justification at his hands where as in former times they knew not the true God nor enquired after him but lived securely in their sins And in this Cyrus and the Nations which warred under him were by what they did a Type of the Gentiles under the Gospel in what they did Where note that though Cyrus was a type of Christ redeeming man from sin in that he delivered the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity yet he and the Nations which warred under him might be a type of the Gentiles getting dominion over sin in that they vanquished and overcame their Enemies And these words may be understood of either or both of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they be diversly interpreted in their divers applications of which see what I said in my preface to my Exposition on the prophesie of Isaiah But to Israel he saith i. e. But to the Jews the Children of Israel he saith by way of prophesie concerning them themselves in the person of the Lord. All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain-saying People i. e. I have for a long time together without ceasing preached unto you by the preachers of my word the Gospel of peace and remission of sins and have been ready to receive you to mercy but ye have not hearkned to my word but have been disobedient to it and spoke against it That which the Apostle alledgeth here is taken out of Isaiah chap. 65.2 This is spoken in the first sence of the Jews which were Captive in Babylon to whom the Lord sent his servants the Prophets to reclaim them and bring them to repentance promising them Redemption out of their Captivity but they would not hear Which Jews were a Type of the Jews in Christ and the Apostles time to whom Remission of sins was preached through Christ but they would not hearken but were disobedient to the word and strove against it These words therefore though they were in the first sence spoken of the Jews which were Captive in Babylon yet in the second sence they are spoken of those Jews which lived in the time of our Saviour and his Apostles I have stretched out my hands i. e. I have been ready to receive you in the arms of my mercy He speaks of God as
continued in his innocency justification would be due to him of debt so that with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if he when he were accused as a sinner before him should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him of sin but condemn him as a sinner Of Grace i. e. Of favour or through the favour to wit the favour of God Ver. 6. And if by Grace i. e. And if they are elected to Justification by favour Then it is no more of works i. e. Then truly it is not of works that they are justified or then are they not justified by works The Greek rendred here no more is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies truly not where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth often times elegantly abound And by works are to be understood works exactly done according as the Law requireth without the least breach thereof for so doth the Apostle call works every where almost in this Epistle which works so done create right to a debt Otherwise Grace is no more Grace That is Otherwise if it were by Grace and yet of works too that they were justified it would follow that Grace were not Grace but Grace falsly so called For Grace and debt are opposite one to the other and can never stand together But if it be of works To wit that they are justified Then is it no more of grace i. e. Then is it not of Grace that they are Justified or then are they not elected to Justification by Grace Otherwise work is no more work By work understand here the work of the Law exactly performed according to the Law which work meriteth Justification of due and creates a right thereunto so that men would be injured if any such were who should not be justified for this there work Otherwise work is no more work q. d. Otherwise if it were by works and yet of grace too it would follow that work which essentially includeth merit would not be truly work but falsly so called What the Apostle hath said here concerning works he said to convince the Jew of his errour who sought Justification by works Ver. 7. What then i. e. What shall we say then or what shall we gather out of what I have said Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for i. e. The Jews for the greatest part of them have not obtained Righteousness or Justification which they seek after By Israel are here meant the Jews which were the Children of Israel that is of Jacob And yet not all the Jews but the greatest part of them only by a Synechdoche And by that which they seek after is meant Righteousness or Justification as appeareth Chap. 9.31 Chap. 10.3 But the Election hath obtained it i. e. But the Remnant or those few which God hath elected to Justification or intended or decreed to Elect which are the faithful or such as are of faith they have obtained what they sought for The Election is put here by an Hebraism for the Elected or those whom God intended or decreed to Elect that is for the Remnant according to the Election of Grace as he called them Ver. 5. And the immediate object of this Election is Justification And the rest were blinded i. e. And the other which were not Elected or whom God intended or decreed not to elect which were they which would not believe the Gospel but were rather contentious against it were blinded Were blinded Supple so that they could not or cannot see the clear light of the Gospel much less believe it This useth to be the punishment of those which will not believe the Gospel when it is preached to them to wit spiritual blindness See Matth. 13. ver 13 14 15 c. And this being a punishment following unbelief is in some wise opposite to Justification which Justification consisteth in the pardon or remssion of his sins which believeth and so is a gratious râ—ward or consequent of faith when as this is a Punishment of unbelief going before Ver. 8 According as it is written Viz. Isaiah 29.10 God hath given them the spirit of slumber Supple by reason of which they are in a Spiritual kind of Slumber and Sleep by which their Senses are so tied up as that they cannot see and perceive that is that they cannot understand and believe what is preached to them It is usual in the Scriptures to express the inward operations of the Reasonable soul by the outward operation of the sensitive soul So to see and perceive are put for to know and understand Matt. 13. v. 14. yea for to believe as will appear by Acts 28. v. 24. And because Sleep or Slumber ties up the outward senses so that they cannot do their office therefore by a Metaphor is Slumber or the Spirit of Slumber put here for such a condition of estate in which whosoever is he cannot understand and believe those things which are preached to him so long as he is in that Estate Note that these words are in the first and Historical sence spoken of such Jews and men of Hierusalem as would not believe the destruction of the Army of the Assyrians which besieged Hierusalem in the days of Hezekiah and the delivery of Hierusalem from that siege though it were preached to them by the Servants of the Lord his Prophets But in the second and Mystical sence they are spoken of such Jews as in the days of our Saviour and his Apostles would not believe the Gospel when it was preached to them which contained the good news of mans Redemption from sin and of the destruction of sin by Christ Where note that the delivery of the Jews from the Assyrians was a type of the delivery of the faithful from their sins Eyes that they should not see and Ears that they should not hear i. e. Eyes so affected as that they should not see with them And ears so affected as that they should not hear with them The eyes and the ears when they are properly taken are spoken of the eyes and ears of the body but here they are Metaphorically to be understood of the mind or understanding of the Reasonable soul These words are taken for their sence for the Apostle doth not always tie himself to the Letter in his citations out of Isaiah 6.9 And they are there spoken of the Jews of his to wit Isaiahs time in the first and Historical sence but in the second and Mystical sence they are taken of the unbelieving Jews in our Saviour and his Apostles time which were typified by those former See what we said immediately before on these words God hath given unto them the spirit of slumber unto this day Some refer these words to the latter part of the seventh verse q. d. And the rest were blinded even unto this day And the Intervening words they read with a Parenthesis But some again refer them to the words immediately going before but
say that the Apostle takes this testimony not out of Isaiah but out of Deut. 29.4 Where Moses saith to Israel The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day Ver. 9. And David saith To wit of them that believed not or were not of the Election Psal 69 ver 22.23 Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block c. The Table is put here Metonymically And therefore may be taken by a Metonymy either for the meat or dishes set upon the Table for food or else for talk used at the table such as we usually call table-talk in this place where the Apostle useth the words of the Prophet David in the Second or Mysticall sence I conceive that the word Table is most fitly taken for the talke which they use at their table It is usual for men to talk of that which seems news to them and of which they are full at their Tables one to another And so might the Jews and especially the chief among them such as were the Scribes and Priests and Elders which were most troubled and vexed at the first preaching of the Gospel talk of the Gospel yea and talking of it speak against it and by their talking and speaking against it whet on another to oppose it and so become every day more blinded toward it than other and every day more obdurate against it than other The words which are here taken out of the Prophet David Psal 69.12 The Prophet speaks of his own enemies in the first and literal sence But in the Second and Mysticall sence in which the Apostle here useth them of such as believed not and so were enemies to Christ Where note that as David was a type of Christ So were the Enemies of David a type of the Enemies of Christ such as are all they which believe not the Gospel preached to them And oftentimes that which is spoken of the Enimies of David in the first and literal sence is spoken of the Enemies of Christ such as are unbeleevers in the second and mystical sence If we consider these words as uttered by the Prophet David in the Psalms against his Enemies they may be taken as spoken by way of Imprecation But if we take them as spoken of the Enemies of Christ they must be taken prophetically for the Hebrews whom Paul imitates even while he writes or speaks in another language do often put an Imperative mood for the Future tense q. d Their Table shall be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompence unto them A snare and a trap and a stumbling block i. e. A snare and a trape to catch them and hold them in blindness and unbelief and a stumbling block at which they may stumble into unbelief and blindness These words contain three metaphors but signifie one and the same thing The first Metaphor is taken from Birds the second from Beasts and the third from blocks or stones in our way at which men stumble or fall and so take hurt And a recompence unto them i. e. And an occasion of blindness which may recompense them for their unbelief Metonymia Ver. 10. Let their eyes be darkned By their eyes understand here by a Metaphor their mind or understanding which is as the eye of the Soul And bow down their back alway To wit that they may not look up and behold the object which is set before them By this is understood also Metaphorically by translating the Phrase from the body to the Soul an inability and indisposition to believe He that stoopeth down or hath his back bowed down by some force or weight lying upon it cannot look up and behold an object which is set before him Wherefore by a Metonymy to stoope down or to have the back bowed down may signifie not to be able to see or behold a thing and by a further Metonymy not to understand or believe Alway Understand this not of the duration of time but of the generality of persons For though all that believed not were blinded yet did not all die in that their blindness but some did through the mercy of God repent and believe and so were saved Ver. 11. I say then have they stumbled that they should fall I ask therefore whether these Jews which stumbled have stumbled so that they should fall without any hope of rising again To fall is to be taken here for to fall so that they should never rise again and so is this word taken Revel 18.2 where it is said Babylon is fallen is fallen For simple verbes do sometime signifie a duration also of that which they signifie so in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He liveth unto God Rom 6.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies he liveth signifieth he liveth for ever The stumbling and falling here is to be meant of unbelief or blindness which bringeth hurt and danger yea extream danger to the unbiliever as stumbling doth to him which Stumbleth at a stone or stumbling block while he runs in his way The Apostle prevents an objection here which might arise from what he said out of the Prophet Isaiah and David just before and out of the last words of the seventh ver To wit And the rest were blinded Through their fall To wit into unbelief and blindness He calls that a fall here which he called a stumbling before Salvation is come to the Gentiles i. e. Remission of Sins is not only preached but realy come to the Gentiles That the fall and unbelief of the Jews was an occasion of Salvation to the Gentiles we are taught out of the Acts of the Apostles where the Apostles are said to turn to the Gentiles because the Jews would not believe See Acts 13. ver 46.51 c. For to provoke them to jealousie i. e. To make them Jealous of Gods love as though he would wholly transfer his love from them to others that so they might be provoked to do those things which are acceptable to God and well pleasing to him that by so doing they might keep or regain his love to them and so be saved That which is rendred here Jealousie most render Emulation and so it is rendred ver 14. which is when a man beholding those gifts and graces which are in another and finding the want thereof in himself is grieved at himself and stirred up to use means to attain to such gifts and graces which he sees in an other Ver. 12. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world c. The Apostle prevents an objection here For whereas he said v. 11. That through the fall of the Jews which believed not Salvation is come to the Gentiles to provoke the Jews to jealousie or Emulation that they may be saved A Gentile may object and say If it be so that Salvation is come to us Gentiles by the fall of the Jews to provoke the Jews
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
of one and sometimes in the person of another but most commonly his objections are to be understood as made in the person of a Jew and yet not alwayes of one kind of Jew but sometimes of one and sometimes of another according to the diversity of opinions which were among the Jews For some Jews thought it enough to their Justification that they were the Children of Abraham others that they were circumcised others which were more learned that they had excellent skill in the Law And others who were highly conceited of the purity of their lives relied upon their works for justification c. Know secondly That the Apostle when he hath treated of a matter and is passed from that particular matter of which he treated and is upon another subject if in treating of this latter subject any thing may arise to prove his former matter he takes notice of it oftentimes though it be but by the by and though he hath no other reason so to do but because it proveth his former matter An Example of this you may have Rom. 10.17 in those words So then Faith commeth by hearing which was not the conclusion of the subject which he had then in hand For the subject which he was then about was to prove that all the Jews believed not For they that is the Jews have not all obeyed the Gospel saith he Verse 16. And this he proves there Verse 17. by the testimony of the Prophet Isaiah For saith he Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our report Now out of this testimony of Esaias this conclusion may be as well drawn Viz. That Faith cometh by hearing as that Viz. That the Jews did not all believe Wherefore because this conclusion Viz. Faith cometh by hearing may be drawn thence as well as that other he maketh mention of it here verse 17. only to prove that which he said before ver 14. Viz. That none could believe in him of whom they have not heard And after this manner as I conceive doth the Apostle bring in those words of the Ninth Chapter to the Romans and the sixteenth verse Viz. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Which conclusion he draws and it evidently follows out of those foregoing words Verse 15. Viz. For he saith unto Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy And I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion But yet this is not that for which he quoted those words but he quoted them to shew that there was no unrighteousness in God in shewing mercy to or in justifying those which were figured either in Isaac or in Jacob that is in justifying the faithfull though they were Gentiles But yet because he had bewailed the Jews for that that they being ignorant of Gods Way of righteousness or Justification went about to establish a way of their own and had not submitted themselves to Gods way and because that from these words of the fifteenth verse an Argument might be drawn to convince them of their error he draweth that Argument from thence though by the by and though it was not that conclusion or Thesis which he was to prove in this place when he was as I said to prove here that there was no unrighteousness in God for shewing mercy to or justifying those which were typified either in Isaac or in Jacob that is for justifying the faithfull though they were Gentiles The third thing which I said was expedient to be known for the better understanding of this Epistle of Saint Paul was to know how the parts of Scriptures which he alledgeth â—herein so often make for the purposes for which he alledgeth them For indeed if any one should turn to the several places out of which he taketh his testimonies of Scripture it would seem strange at the first to see how Paul could bring them to prove such things by them as he bringeth them for But that it may not seem strange this must be observed that many places of the Scriptures of the Old Testament have a double sense One concerning terrene and corporeal things and things to come to pass before the dayes of the Messiah Another concerning heavenly and spiritual things of which those terrene and corporeal things were a Type The first may be called the Literal or Historical or meaner sense The second the Mystical or Sublime sense Of which because I have spoken fully in my Preface to my Exposition upon the Prophet Isaiah I shall speak no more here only this I add that the Jews did acknowledge this twofold sense Now the Apostle in his testimonies of Scripture which he brings to prove several matters which he handles takes those testimonies of Scripture for the most part not as they are in their first literal historical or meaner sense but as they are to be taken in their Mysticall and Sublime sense according to which I have also interpreted them in these my Commentaries respectively The fourth thing which I said was expedient to be known for the better understanding of this Epistle of Saint Paul was to know how he useth many words which he useth herein and in what Sense he useth them and of as many of such words as I think convenient I shall now speak in their Alphabetical order adding some things also by occasion of those words which will make to the further explication of some passages of this Epistle The words are as follow Call Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Election Faith Flesh Foreknow Hardning Holy In. Justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Long-suffering Righteousness Spirit World Works TO CALL CALLED Our Apostle doth make often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to call an act of God as Rom. 9.11 That the promise of God may stand not of Works but of him that calleth And verse 24. Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles And that act of calling doth oftentimes by a Metonymie include the effect intended by the act so that because God intendeth by the calling of men by the preaching of the Gospel to the grace therein conteined that they should believe the Gospel preached to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he hath called is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who believe and so in the aforenamed place Rom. 9.24 Viz. Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews onely but also of the Gentiles is put for Even us which believe not onely of the Jewes but also of the Gentiles and after the same manner they to whom any thing is revealed when it is revealed with effect are said to believe that which is revealed As Isaiah chap. 53. verse 1. Who hath believed our report or to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed That is Who hath believed how great the strength of the Lord is which he declareth by his Prophets that he would shew for the deliverance of his People There is a
both those places it is taken for Justification It is also used Rom. 2.26 Where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Romans 8.4 where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both which places our Interpreters render it The righteousness of the Law Now we may have various notions concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those places according to the various acception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law If we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law there for the Moral Law in particular then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must understand the precepts or commands of that Law which he may call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and collectivè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that they are holy and just and good as he speaks Rom. 7.12 But if we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there for the whole Law which was given by Moses and as it contains the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law together Then must we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partitivè as Grammarians speak that is to signifie one part of that Law to wit the moral part that is the Moral Law onely And it is observed that the Seventy Interpreters whom Saint Paul followeth use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the most part for those precepts or commands which are of things good in their own Nature and therefore not alterable at any time and such as are imprinted in the heart of man as the Moral Law was whereas they take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for those Laws or Precepts which are of positive constitution and therefore alterable as the Ceremonial and Judicial Law were ELECTION Election Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word which Saint Paul useth in the ninth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans verse 11. and I take it there for Justification And the sense of those words Viz. That the purpose of God according to Election might stand c. for I conceive that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be translated rather concerning Election then according to Election I take to be this Viz. That the purpose of God concerning Justification might stand c. For I take this Election to be an Act of God performed or done in time upon men in Real Being And that this Election is immediate to justification and that this Election to justification is made by Gods free and gracious putting the man Elected into the estate of justification that is by Actual justifying him It is true that there is an Election or decree of Election which God made before the foundation of the World or from eternity For he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world c. saith our Apostle Eph. cap. 1. ver 4. But yet there is an Election which God doth make in time yet in order to or in execution of some eternal purpose or decree of his or other For God doth nothing in time but what he purposed to do from eternity For thus we read Isaiah 14.1 The Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet choose Israel And Zechar. 1.17 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts My Cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad and the Lord shall yet comfort Sion and shall yet choose Hierusalem And Zechar. 2.12 The Lord shall inherit Judah his portion and choose Jerusalem again All which words being in the Future tense shew that there is an Election which God makes of things or persons in time But to come neerer to our present purpose There is an Eelection of God which followeth calling For Many are called but few are chosen saith our Saviour Matth. 22.14 And ye see your calling Brethren that is ye see the event of your calling how that not many wisemen after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath he chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought the things which are 1 Cor. 1. Verses 26 27 c. Now as the Election in those places is an Election of God in time so do I conceive the Election to be of which we speak of to wit that Rom. 9.11 And this Election I take to be not immediately to eternal glory or glorification but to justification For Election is a word which signifies only the act of electing But the Author of the Election and the things or person elected and that to which they are elected are to be gathered from the circumstances of the place And from the circumstances of the place I gather that this Election is immediately not to glory or glorification but to justification For justification hath been in a manner the onely Subject of the doctrinal part of the Apostles discourse hitherto And of justification doth he speak in this Chapter and he concludes therewith and therewith doth he begin and prosecute the Chapter following And that the Election which the Apostle here speaks of viz. Rom. 9.11 is immediately to the same thing to which that Election is which he spoke of in the eleventh Chapter of this Epistle and the fifth verse I think no man doth so much as doubt But that that Election cannot be understood of an Election immediately to eternal glory but of an Election immediately to justification may be easily and apparently gathered from that place and the context thereof for the Apostle calling that Election an Election of grace adds this verse 6. And if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then it is no more Grace otherwise work is no more work Where he shews that that thing to which that Election is immediately is so due to works as that there is no grace or favour at all requisite to his obteining of it who hath works that is who hath so fulfilled the Law as that he never brake it in the least particle or jot thereof at any time For to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt Rom. 4.4 And if it be of works then it is no more of Grace otherwise work were not work Saith our Apostle thence Rom. 11.6 But now a man may say cannot eternal glory be due as a reward to works That is cannot it be due to a man if he hath kept the Law so exactly as the Law requireth and so as that he never broke the Law at any time in the least particle of it as suppose Adam would have done if he had continued in his innocency I answer No For though we should suppose a man to have kept the Law so exactly as the Law requires and never to have broke it in the least tittle thereof yet would not eternal Glory be due to him for it of debt For
Righteousness and by which we are enclined to Holiness and Righteousnese as Rom. 8.13 Where it is said that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Flesh ye shall live after which manner the gifts of the Holy Ghost are called the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Where he saith the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us In this sense of the word Spirit the Spirit is most frequently opposed to the Flesh as Rom. 8. Galat. 5. c. Sometimes our Apostle takes the Spirit for the Gospel and then he opposeth it to the Letter that is to the Law as Rom. 2.29 and 7.6 which also he doth 2 Corinth 3.6 And sometimes again he takes it for the soul of man as Rom. 8.10 where the Spirit is opposed to the Body WORLD The world as it is most properly taken is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the Philosopher defines it Arist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 2. that is The World is a Cistern or Fabrike consisting of heaven and earth and those Nature which are therein conteined In this sense our Apostle takes the word World Rom. 1.20 and 16.25 He takes the world sometimes also for all the men of the world whether good or bad as Rom. 3.6 19. Sometimes he takes it for the wicked men of the world or men adicted to the profits pleasures and vanities of the world as Rom. 12.2 Sometimes he takes it for the Gentiles in general as Rom. 11.12 15. Sometimes he takes it for the whole habitable earth as Rom. 10.18 Sometimes he takes it for the Land of Canaan which was but a little part of the world yea a little part of the whole earth as Rom. 4.13 And marvel not that our Apostle should take the world for the Land of Canaan when the Prophet Isaiah takes the earth yea the world for the Land of Israel which was but part of the Land of Canaan Isaiah 24 4. And here by the way observe that as Joshua was a Type of Jesus Christ so was the Land of Canaan into which he brought the Israelites a Type of all and every part of that blessedness into which Jesus Christ hath and will bring us WORKS WORKETH Our Apostle doth often make mention of Works in this his Epistle while he treats of Justification as Rom. 3.23 Where is boasting then It is excluded by what Law of works Nay and Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he had whereof to glory and verse 4. Now to him that worketh i. e. to him which hath works is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt and verse 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works and Rom. 11.6 If it be of works then it is no more of grace and Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds or works of the Law In all which places and the like he takes works for works exactly done according to the Law so that the doer of them did never through the whole course of his life break the Law either in thought word or deed either by commission or by omission or by any other way in the least tittle or point thereof which works if we should suppose that any one had so done he would be justified by his works and that of debt for otherwise if God should not justifie him with Reverence be it spoken he would be unjust as I have said before Whereas therefore it is said that Abraham was not justified by works and that no man is justified by the deeds or works of the Law and that the purpose of God should stand not of works c. It is not so to be understood as that either Abraham or any other had such works and yet were not or should not be justified by them But it is so to be understood as that neither Abraham nor any other ever had hath or will have any such works And therefore as many as are justified are justified without them or though they have them not And for this reason it is that no man is said to be justified by the works which he doth or hath done or shall do I may add or can do because no man doth keep hath kept will keep or can keep the Law so strictly and exactly as the Law requireth so as that he hath not doth not or will not break it at any time For our Apostle to prove that no man is justified by the works of the Law proves that every man hath sinned Rom. Chap. 1.2 3. And therefore because every man hath sinned no man hath works in that sense which he speaketh of For if a man hath sinned but never so little he hath not works as our Apostle takes works in the places first named For cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them In the voice of the Law Galat. 3.10 and Deut. 27.26 Our Apostle denies plainly that Abraham was justified by works Rom. 14. verse 1 2. And yet Saint James saith that he was when he saith Was not Abraham our Father justified by works James 2.21 what then shall we say that Saint Paul and Saint James thwarted or contradicted one the other God forbid For they were both led by the same Spirit even the Spirit of Truth and therefore could not erre or contradict one the other They take works therefore in several senses one after one sense the other after another Saint Paul speaks of works exactly done according to the command of the Law from the very birth or infancy of a man which works Abraham had not But Saint James speaks of such works as Abraham had and therefore not of works which Abraham did in the first part of his Age who no doubt in the first part of his Age was an Idolater Saint Paul speaks of works which Abraham should have done if he had been justified by works before his Call Saint James speaketh of works which he did after his Call Saint Paul speaks of works done without faith for he opposeth such works as he speaks of to faith and faith to works Rom. 3.27 28. And it is his scope to prove the necessity of faith because no man had done or could do such works but Saint James speaketh of works proceeding from faith yea Saint James takes works by a Metonymie for faith it self And therefore doth he so do that he may shew against such as are contented with an empty and barren faith that justifying faith is an operative faith and fruitful of good works To the works which Saint Paul speaks of justification is due of debt otherwise those works would not be works in his sense Rom. 11.6 and 4.4 But to the works which Saint James speaks of if we should suppose they were requisite to justification justification
Apostle For first He was taught immediately of God Gal. 1. v. 11 12. Secondly He was sent to preach the Gospel with an immediate Commission from God Himself Acts 9.15 and 1 Cor. 1.17 Thirdly He had Commission to preach the Gospel where it was never preached before and to constitute and plant Churches where never was Church before Acts 9.15 Rom. 15.20 2 Cor. 10. v. 13 14 15 16. Fourthly He had a Supereminent power over all the Churches of Christ Acts 14.23 1 Cor 4.17 2 Cor. 11.28 Fifthly He had the power of Miracles as a Seal and Sign to confirm his Doctrine and Commission Acts 19.11 Separated to the Gospel i. e. Separated to the Ministery or Preaching of the Gospel The Gospel is put here for the Ministery or Preaching of the Gospel Per Metonymiam Subjecti Paul was seperated to the preaching of the Gospel from his Mothers womb Gal. 1.15 And he was separated again at the command of the Holy Ghost by the imposition of hands Acts 13. v. 2 3. Though they do not much amiss which interpret this place of both or either of these Separations yet I conceive that the Apostle respects here chiefly his separation from the womb of which he speaks Gal. 1.15 q. d. Paul a Servant of Jesus Christ That is to say an Apostle called yea separated from his Mothers womb to the Apostleship or Preaching of the Gospel Paul calleth himself a called Apostle and saith That he was Separated from the womb to the Gospel to shew that he did not intrude himself into the Apostleship and arrogate that Holy Function to himself as some did who boasted themselves to be Apostles yet were never called or separated thereunto which kind we read of 2 Cor. 11.13 As also that he might assert the Dignity of his Office to the end that his Epistle might be the better received of them to whom he wrote To the Gospel The Greek word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth in generall Good news but it is here taken in a particular sence for The good news of mans Redemption and eternal Salvation by Jesus Christ and so is it for the most part used by the Pen-men of the new Testament and by all Ecclesiastical writers from them But the English word Gospel is a word compounded of the word God and the word Spell which last word signifieth a Mysticall Speech or an Oracle or Hidden Knowledge so that the Gospel is as if you should say The Mysticall word or the Oracle or the Hidden Knowledge of God And well may this word Gospel in this sence be taken to signifie The news of mans Redemption and eternal Salvation by Christ for the news of mans Redemption and eternal Salvation by Christ is called the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 And it is called a Mystery Ephes 6.19 And the hidden Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 2.7 and the Knowledge of God 2 Cor. 2.14 To the Gospel of God The Gospel is called The Gospel of God because God is the Author of it and he addeth the Name of God the more to commend the Gospel to which he was called and separated Ver. 2. Which he had promised afore by the Prophets God promised the Gospel by the Prophets before it was revealed in that he inspired the Prophets to foretell and to promise in his name that a great Prophet and a great King should arise for the Redemption and Salvation of his People and in that he inspired them to foretell and make promise in his name of a New Covenant that he would make with his People and that he would send Preachers to preach redemption to them See among other places Deut. 18.15 and compare it with Acts 3.22 See Psalm 2. Psalm 22. Psalm 45. Psal 110. And compare them with Luke 20. v. 41. See also Isaiah 7.14 and compare it with Mat. 1.22 and Isaiah chap. 9.6 and chap. 11. and chap. 53. See also Isaiah c. 42.1 c. compared with Mat. 12.18 c. See also Jerem. 31.33 compared with Heb. 8.10 Afore That is afore it was revealed In the Holy Scriptures The Scriptures which are written by Gods inspiration are called The Holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because there are no Writings more holy than they are The Apostle seemeth to adde these words lest any should doubt of the truth of what he said to wit That God had promised the Gospel afore by his Prophets For if any should doubt of this he tells them that the Scriptures which were writ by the Prophets are extant and therein may he finde the Gospel promised And he makes mention of this to wit That the Gospel was promised afore by the Prophets in the Holy Scriptures that he might shew the excellency and dignity of the Gospel For it must needs be an excellent thing which God did not onely think of but did also promise to his people by his Prophets so long a time before it came to pass He did it also that no man might be offended with the Novelty of the Gospel 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ These words being that the second verse is read with a Parenthesis are to be referred to those to wit The Gospel of God and they shew the Subject of that Gospel For the Gospel of God is wholly conversant about the Son of God namely in delivering the Doctrine which he preached unto men in relating what he did and what he suffered for men in telling of his Birth his Life his Death his Resurrection and Glory and Power over all things c. Jesus Christ is called the Son of God in divers respects First in respect of his eternal Generation whereby he was God of God Secondly in respect of his manner of Conception when he took our flesh upon him For because he was conceived by the power of the most High without the help of a man he was called The Son of God Luke 1.35 In which sence also Adam was called The Son of God Luke 3.38 namely because he was produced by the Supernatural power of God Thirdly he was called The Son of God because The Father sanctified him and sent him into the world John 10. v. 35 36. Fourthly he was called The Son of God because God raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places Acts 13. verse 32 33. Now if you ask which of these wayes Jesus is here called The Son of God I say the first or in respect of his Eternal Generation Our Lord Christ is called our Lord not onely as he was Lord of all by vertue of Creation but also because he bought us with a price 1 Cor. 6. ver 19 20. and 7.23 and 2 Pet. 2.1 That is with his blood Acts 20.28 Which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh Jesus Christ is said to have been made of the seed of David according to the flesh Because he was made as he was Man of the Substance of
Romans as of Trees yielding goodly fruit and of himself as one that eats of the fruit of their yielding and more blessed it is to give than to receive Acts 20.35 As among other Gentiles i. e. Even as I have among other Nations Ver. 14. I am a debter both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians i e. I am a debter to preach the Gospel That is I am bound to preach the Gospel as a Debter is bound to his Creditor to all Nations whether Greeks or Barbarians This Obligation was imposed upon Paul both by the command of God and by vertue of the Ministery to which he was called by reason of which Paul said that there was a necessity laid upon him of preaching the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 By what he saith here he confirms yet further what he said of his desire of coming to them v. 10. He sheweth also by this that when he spoke of coming to them to establish them he spoke not of that which appertained not to him but of that which highly concerned him So that it was not out of vain-glory that he did so much affect to come to them but out of conscience to discharge his duty To the Greeks and to the Barbarians The Greeks were wont to distinguish all the Nations of the world into Greeks and Barbarians accounting all Barbarians which were not of their own Nation But Paul takes this distinction otherwise than the Greeks used to do for by the Greeks he means by a Synechdoche all Civiller Nations and by the Barbarians all Ruder kind of People I say by the Greeks he meaneth all Civiller Nations and so under that name includes the Romans also For it is not likely that he would account the Romans among Barbarians writing to them as he doth Therefore doth he put the Greeks for all Civiller Nations because the Greeks were renowned for Wisdom now for a long time among all Civiller Nations and were as it were Masters of Wisdom to them all Moreover they stretched far and near and their Language passed throughout all Civiller Nations as the Latin now doth They were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Barbarians at the first which used an ill and unpleasing kind of pronunciation of the Greek Tongue A name made per Onomatopoeiam as the Grammarians speak That is by imitation of that sound which they which spoke so ill and unpleasingly made or seemed to make in their pronunciation And the Graecians when they observed this illness or unpleasantness of pronunciation in men of all other Languages than their own they called all men differing in Language from themselves in contempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Barbarians At the first therefore this word was attributed only to some few which used an ill and unpleasing kind of speech or pronunciation in the Greek Tongue Then it came to be given to all men which were not Greeks Neither did the use of the word stay here but it did proceed further to signifie men of rude and uncivil manners So that at the length they which were of rude and uncivil manners were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Barbarians And that not by reason of their Language but of their manners Both to the wise and to the unwise Some take this to be a repetition of the former Sentence as though by the wise that is by those which are learned the Apostle meant those which he called Greeks and by the unwise that is by the Illiterate he meant those which he called Barbarians But others had rather apply those words to the Greeks and to the Barbarians to the Nations themselves in general and these words to the wise and to the unwise to single persons of those Nations Here we may observe That with God there is no respect of persons who commands his Servants to preach the Gospel as well to Barbarians as to Greeks and to the unwise as well as to the wise Ver. 15. So as much c. So is put here for a note of Illation and is as much as Therefore For he doth inferr that which he saith here from what he said immediately before And Cicero himself doth sometimes use Ita So for Itaque Therefore See Rob. Stephani vocab Ita. As much as in me is By this he would signifie that he was ready and very willing to come to Rome and to preach the Gospel there but was hindered as he said verse 13. I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also Note that there is an Emphasis in these words to you that are at Rome also and the sence of the words is this q. d. I am ready to preach the Gospel not only to Rude Illiterate and not-knowing men which dwell in obscure parts of the world but to you also which dwell at Rome the Mistress of the World the Head of all Nations the most Famous Learned and most Civil City of the Earth This he saith least any one should think that he could carry himself boldly in preaching the Gospel among Ignorant Illiterate and Simple men but should be ashamed to preach before Knowing Learned and Wise men because of the foolishness thereof for though that which is foolish might pass with ignorant and simple men yet will it not pass with learned and wise men and therefore many which are not ashamed to utter their follies to ignorant men are asham'd to speak of them before learned men Ver. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ q. d. For though the Greeks accounted the Gospel of Christ foolishness yet I am not ashamed of it That the Greeks accounted of the Gospel of Christ as foolishness see 1 Cor 1.23 which they did because the chief subject thereof was a Crucified Man Note that when he saith I am not ashamed it is to be understood that he was not only not ashamed of the Gospel but did glory in it For he useth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here of which see verse 28. The Gospel of Christ Why the Gospel is called the Gospel of Christ see verse 9. He called this Gospel the Gospel of God vers 1. But the reason why he rather calls it the Gospel of Christ here than the Gospel of God is Because the Gospel was despised among the wise men of the world because it concerned Christ who was crucified and was therefore accounted a foolish thing The Apostle therefore to shew that he was not ashamed of the Gospel though it concerned Christ calleth it here the Gospel of Christ So he saith 1 Cor. 1.22 the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom But we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness Note that the Gospel here is taken for the preaching of the Gospel as v. 1. and 9. q. d. I am not ashamed to preach the Gospel of Christ For it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth i. e. For the
into his Enemies hands while he doth not restrain his enemies but that they may use their whole power against him and if any thing is like to hinder these his enemies that they câ—nnot use their power he sees to it that it be removed that it may not hinder them Through the lusts of their own hearts This is that by which God gave up these men to uncleanness to wit the lusts which arose in their hearts which lusts not withstanding God stirred not up in them James 1.14 But suffered them there to arise and suppressed them not and withdrew that that should hinder them and suppresse them to wit his Grace To dishonour their own Bodies between themselves These words between themselves signifie the mutual uncleanness which was among Men and the mutual uncleanness which was among Women This uncleanness was a great dishonor to their bodies and so to them themselves for if he that committeth simple Fornication sinneth against his body and dishonoureth it 1 Cor. 6.18 Much more do they sin against it and dishonour it which change the natural use of it into that which is against nature Note that as this is called a dishonour of the body so on the contrary the chastity of the body is called the honour thereof 1 Thes 4.4 By these words the Apostle suts forth the Effect and the End of that encleanness which he spoke of and which God looked upon when he gave them up to that uncleanness The sence therefore of the words is this q. d. He gave them up to uncleanness that they might dishonour their own bodies between themselves And this dishonour is a Retaliation of that dishonour which they did to God Ver. 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie q. d. Because they changed the true God with that which was not a true God Many things are here to be observed As 1. That when he saith who changed the truth of God It is as if he should say Because they changed the true God c. For this is to be underctood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as containing or repeating the cause of that which went immediately before 2. That the truth of God is put here by a Metonimy for the true God himself as the Glory of the incorruptible God was put for the uncorruptible God who was Glorious 3. That by a Lie is meant That whatsoever it was which Idolaters worshipped instead of God and was not God And so is the word taken Isa 44.20 And it is therefore so called because as a Lie though it hath oftentimes the shew of truth yet it is far from truth and hath no conformity with the thing which the words of a Lie signifie So an Idoll or whatsoever is worshipped by Idolaters instead of God though it lookes like a God in the eye of an Idolater yet it is far from being a God and hath no conformity with the Godhead 4. That to change the truth of God into a lie signifieth to embrace in the stead of the true God that which is not true God Of which Phrase See ver 23. And served the Creature more than the Creator These words need no interpretation if we suppose that these Idolaters did worship God at all But because the Apostle doth not say that they gave God any worship therefore know that this word More must be taken here in the full sence of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original which signifieth among other thingâ— a passing by The sence therefore of this place must be this q d. And served the Creature passing by the Creator yea if we should so render the words out of the Original it might seem the better Rendition Although the Apostle had said And worshipped which includes all religious worship yet he addeth And served And that he doth for this reason That he might by name express that worship which consisteth in outward works as in building of Temples offering of Sacrifices Burning of Incense making and setting up of Images c. Who is blessed for ever i. e. Who is to be blessed That is to be praised and worshipped and adored for ever more This the Apostle addeth to shew that worship and praise and thanksgiving is due to God and to be given to God though these men neglected it and to him only and that not for a time but for ever and ever As also to signifie that notwithstanding these men did dishonour God by giving that worship which was due to God to the Creatures yet his honour was not diminished by what they did They could cast no soil upon his Splendour Amen This word is an Hebrew word used sometimes in the beginning sometimes in the end of a Speech or Sentence If it be used in the beginning of a Speech or Sentence it hath simply the power of affirming and is as much to say as Verily or Truly But if it be used in the end of a Speech or Sentence as it is here then it hath the power of approving what was said before and signifieth as much as So it is and in a Precative sence So be it Ver. 26 For this cause God gave them up Here is an Epanalepsis or Resumption or Repetition of that which he said v. 24. Wherefore these words are here to be understood viz. I say q d. For this cause I say God gave them up To vile affections That is to such affections and lusts as drave a man to vile Things and things full of disgrace and ignominy such as was this vile and ignominious lying together of men with men and women with women which here he speaks of That the Heathen Philosophers and the Learned among them of whom as I said the Apostle seemeth here to speak directly and chiefly were carried away with vile affections and all or most of them were Buggerers or maintainers of Buggery as will appear as by others so by Diogenes Laertius who writes their Lives For even their women did change the natural use supple of their Bodies into that which is against nature The natural use of our Bodies of which the Apostle here speaks is that conjunction to which Nature inclineth or from which generation is apt to follow And this is only of the Male with the Female and with those members and parts of the Body which Nature hath depuâ—ed to that Office All venereal use therefore of those members which is differing from this is against Nature And that not only as we are Men but as we are Animals Wherefore this kind of Lust of which the Apostle here speaks of is more than Beastly Object When he speaks here as it seems of the Heathen Philosophers and such as were Learned among the Heathen how cometh he to talk or speak of women Answ There were Women who were Learned among the Heathen as well as Men as Sappho by name and they were carried away with evil affections as well as Men c. Again the sins of Men staid
not in themselves but did redound by their filthy communication to Women also Ver. 27. Men with men working that which is unseemly The Apostle here doth modestly signifie by that which is unseemly that more than Beastly lying of Man with Man Of these manner of sins which the Apostle here speaks of both Greek and Roman Histories are full 〈…〉 Which is unseemly He useth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here when he calls this but that which is unseemly of which figure See verse 28. And receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet That is And so receiving in their Bodies by these their doings that recompence of their sin which was meet for them and agreable to that their sin In themselves i e. In their Bodies See verse 24. The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we may render through their own selves themselves being the Instruments or Contrivers of their own punishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be also rendred between or among themselves That recompence of their Error c. By their error he here meaneth not any light error but a most wicked and grievous error and an error contracted by their own fault to wit That they thinking not that the Creator was to be worshipped and glorified thought that worship and glory was to be given to the Creature and did accordingly give worship to it The word in the Original which is here expounded Error is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for then we might think that it were a sin of Imprudence But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an Erring from the right way in some by-wayes And every Sin the greatest as well as the least may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Law of God is compared in Scripture to a straight way leading to some place and Sin is compared to the wandring or erring out of that way which wandring or erring is called as I said in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here error and so may it be called whether we erre further off or not so far from that way If these men had truly known God as they ought to have done and had worshipped him when they knew him they had never fallen into so vile affections and beastly lusts especially so far as to wallow in them without shame for God surely would have restrained them but after that they did dishonour him by leaving him and worshipping Idols He left them and withheld his Grace from them that being inflamed with this fire of Lust they should surpass the very Beasts in filthiness and because they would not behave themselves as Men they should be Metamorphosed into more than Beasts And thus did he punish the dishonour which they did to him by the dishonour which they did unto themselves Vâ—r. 28 Aâ—â—â—â—â—n as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over c. Here understand the Particle So q. d. And Moreover even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge So God gave them over to a Reprobate mind For here also is intimated a Congruency of the Punishment with the Sin here punished They did not like i. e. They did not account it worth the while and therefore they were not pleased to retain God in their mind The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to trie Gold or other precious Metal or Coin either with a touch-stone or in the fire whether the Gold or Metal or Coin be good or no And then by taking the Antecedent for the Consequent it signifieth further to make choice of and to make much of that which we find upon trial to be the true Gold and good Coin and to have an high esteem of it Hence this word here signifieth by a Metaphor to make choice of and highly to esteem and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not to make choice of but to disrespect as Dross or Reprobate and Counterfeit Gold or Coin By this you may see then what the meaning of these words are They did not like to retain God in their knowledge the meaning is that They did not value or prize but disrespect and disesteem the knowledge of God and accounted it not worth any thing as a man disrespecteth and disesteems Dross and Counterfeit Gold and Coin and accounts it nothing worth To retain God in their knowledge i. e. To keep in their mindes the knowledge which they had of God by the things which are made as they should have done by meditating daily on him and his works which would have if they had done it brought them to glorifie him and worship him To retain God in their knowledge may therefore be put for to glorifie God by putting the Antecedent for the Consequent as the Hebrews often do The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth also Agnitionem an Acknowledgment They may be rendred therefore To acknowledge God And therefore might these men be said not to acknowledge God because they did not give him that Glory Honour and Respect which was due to God but they gave it to Idols But the sence will fall out to be the same with the former sence This is the Sin which he charged them with in the 21. and 25. verse of this Chapter which he repeats over and over again though in divers words that men might take the more notice of it and of those many sins with which it was punished God gave them over to a Reprobate mind That is called a Reprobate mind in this place which doth judg perversly of human actions and deemeth those to be honest which are dishonest and pure which are impure or at least which doth not see the dishonesty and turpitude and impurity which are in them or if they do see it yet notwithstanding they do no more refrain from them than if they saw it not The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where note that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is spoken most usually of such Metal or Coin as is found naught upon trial or of such as will not as we say abide the trial and therefore is disrespected and disesteemed By a Reprobate mind therefore we must not understand here a Mind which is out of all hope of grace and favour with God as that which God hath cast off by an eternal decree of Reprobation in which sence the Elect are opposed to Reprobates But a base and a vile mind or a mind no more to be valued or accounted of than base refuse reprobate Metal or Coin which is found naught upon trial and therefore no man regardeth it Note that there is an elegant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Antithesis in the words of the Original between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as sheweth the Taliation or Congruency of the punishment with the sin punished
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
which place the Apostle may seem to allude and which words he may make use of here from thence by an Accommodation and so apply them to his present purpose leaving the generality of the words themselves to be restrained by the circumstances of the place in which he useth them As it is written That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged i. e. q. d. That by their lie as by an evident Testimony of Gods truth God may according to that which is written of him Psalm 51.4 be justified in his sayings and overcome when he is judged and questioned as it were in a Court of Justice by these liars concerning the truth of his promises and the fidelity of his sayings This is the sence of these words as they are here used and this is the connexion of them as will appear by that Objection verse 7. If the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie to his glory why yet am I also judged as a sinner which Objection is raised from these words which we have in hand When a man is accused by liars and especially such as are found and known before hand to be liars in that very thing whereof they accuse him There is no doubt but that he which is accused shall be justified that is shall be acquitted and shall overcome in judgment and that his Righteousness shall appear the more and be more taken notice of than if he had never been questioned or accused by such men It may be Objected here and said that I have interpreted those words viz. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged in the Third Person whereas it is plain that they are of the Second Person and therefore my Interpretation may seem faulty To this I answer that those words viz. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art juged are of the Second Person and directed to God yet may they be interpreted here in the Third Person as spoken not to but of God For note that these words are cited out of Psalm 51. v. 4. Where they are used in the Second Person and therefore are here cited in the Second Person But though they are here cited in the Second Person yet may they be interpreted as if they were spoken in the Third For the Apostle when he brings any testimony out of Scripture he cites it for the most part as it lyeth in the text from which he brings it not regarding the Grammatical Syntax of the place where he useth it but he leaveth that to be understood of his Reader These words viz. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged are the words of the Prophet David written by him Ps 51.2 and they are used here by our Apostle by an Accommodation and yet there is more than an Accommodation in them for though they do not particularly shew in that Psalm that God may be justified in his sayings and overcome when he is judged and so be glorified by the lie of a liar yet they shew that God may be justified in his sayings and overcome when he is judged so be glorified by the sin of a sinner And this will appear by the words as they lye in the Psalm it self which words we come now to handle as they lye there That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged These words as I said are taken out of the 51. Psalm v. 4 which is a Poenitential Psalm where in David confesseth the sin which he committed in going into Bathsheba the Wife of Vriah and slaying Vriah her husband with the Sword of the Ammonites and pleads for pardon for this his sin And among many other Motives which there he useth to move God to pardon him this is one That whereas God had promised him to wit David That he would establish his seed for ever And build up his Throne to all Generations Psalm 89.4 And David had now sinned whereby God might be provoked to cut him and his seed off and to cast his Throne down to the ground yet if God would be pleased to pardon his sin and not cut off him and his seed nor cast his Throne down to the ground by reason of that his sin his sin would the more set out the veracity and truth of God in his promises and from his sin this fruit would redound to God who can bring Light out of Darkness that thereby God would appear and be pronounced just in his sayings or promises and would overcome whensoever any one should accuse him of falshood in his word For if any one should say unto the Lord Thou art not just in thy sayings He may say look then upon David to whom I performed my promises though he provoked me by his sins to cut him and his Posterity off and to cast his Throne down to the ground For the further understanding of these words take in the whole fourth verse of Psalm 51. which runs thus according to the Septuagint Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art juged which Paraphrase thus Against thee thee only O Lord have I sinned and done this evil in lying with Bathsheba and killing Vriah the Hittite her Husband but yet O Lord whereas thou hast been pleased to promise that thou wilt prosper me and establish my seed for ever and build up my Throne to all Generations if thou wilt not be provoked to repent thee of this thy promise by this my sin but wilt pardon my sin and go on with thy promise notwithstanding that I have thus sinned against the then will it fall out that by this my sin thou wilt be clearly pronounced and acknowledged to be just in thy sayings and thou wilt clearly overcome when any one shall contend with thee and say Thou art not just and true in thy promises thus get glory by this my sin That thou mightest be justified That is That thou mayest be pronounced or declared or acknowledged to be just and mayest be acquitted from the accusation of those which falsly accuse thee of Infidelity in thy word And mightest overcome He is said here to overcome which hath the better of the cause which is pleaded before a Judge When thou art judged i. e. When thou art sued as it were in a Court of Iustice and accused of a breach of promise before a Iudge and Sentence is to pass upon thee In these words there is an Allusion to what is done in a Court of Iustice wherein God is as we call it a Defendant sued and accused as a breaker of his promise Ver. 5. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God The Christians in Saint Pauls time were reported to hold That they might do any evil for a good
am I also judged as a Sinner i. e. With what right or with what justice can I be punished as a sinner Supple whereas I advance the Glory of God by my Lie or by my Sin Why yet am I also Note that this word Also is either redundant or else so to be understood as if he should say Why yâ—t are not onâ—ly others whose sins dishonour God but I also who bring Glory to God by my Lie judged as a Sinner and still ly under judgement Ver. 8. And not rather as we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say let us do evill that good may come Here are these or the like words left to be understood viz. Encouraged by God to say q d. And why am not I and such as I am rather encouraged to say as we Christians be slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say Let us do evill that good may come thereof Or else leaving out those words a while which are here brought in by a Parenthesis to wit As we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say we may thus expound the other words q. d. And not rather do evill that good may come that is And why rather do I not evill with the praise and approbation of God that good may come thereof Where note that these words let us do evill that good may come being that they were the words which others had or were said to have often in their mouthes may be cited by Saint Paul as they spoke them or were said to speak them and they may be used by him without consideration of the Syntax of the place in which he useth them leaving that to the judgement of his Readers See what I said before ver 4. in the like matter As we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say Saint Paul speaks this in the person of all Christians who were calumniated by the Heathen as though they taught that it was lawful for a man to do evil if good could come thereof and as though they encouraged one another to evill with these words Let us do evill that good may come whereas the words immediately going before were spoken in the person of a wicked Heathen yet imitating a Christian as I said ver 5. These words therefore are to be read with a Parenthesis Whose damnation is just Note that this relative whose is to be referred to that pronoun or antecedent Some in those words And as some affirm as we say and the sence of the words is this q d. Who are already damned for this their thus slandering us and thus affirming that we say Let us do evil that good may come and their damnation is just Their damnation is just because they thus slandered Christians who would not have deserved damnation for saying this of Christians if Christians had taught or held any such thing Note that because the absurdity of the Objectors Argument was plain and manifest yea plain and manifest even to those that brought that slanderous report upon Christians to wit that Christians said among themselves Let us do evil that good may come as though they taught that a man might lawfully do evil if good could accrue thereby The Apostle doth not think this Argument of the Objector worth a direct answer But being contented with the rejection and detestation of that which it did conclude doth only pronounce them that brought up that slanderous report upon Christians and affirmed that they said Let us do evil that good may come thereon worthy of damnation A good Disputant as he will answer directly to those things which deserve a direct answer So he will contemn and slight those things which are manifestly absurd and not worth an Answer and so doth the Apostle here But if any one should desire a formal answer to this Argument the Answer may be this though the truth of God doth more abound to his Glory by a mans Lie yet ought not man for this end to do any kind of evil or to tell lies But if he doth so he may be justly judged of God as a Sinner for the lies which man tels and the evil which he doth are not the Genuine cause but occasions onely of illustrating and setting forth the truth and Glory of God so that if God be glorified either by the Lie or by any sin of a Sinner it is not out of the nature of his sins but by accident altogether that God came to be thereby glorified and therefore though God be glorified by them the Sinner is and may be justly judged for them Ver. 9. What then are we better than they These words are to be referred to the second verse of this Chapter as having their immediate connexion with that for that which cometh between commeth in as it were by the by by reason of Objections arising What then q. d But what shall we gather from hence or what shall we say by reason of that That the Oracles of God were committed to the circumcised Jews Are we better than they q. d shall we Jews who have been circumcised gather from hence That we are better than they that is that we are better than the uncircumcised Gentiles The betterness here spoken of is to be understood in respect of Justification before God And in this respect the circumcised Jews which had not the Faith of the Gospel though they had the Oracles of God committed to them and though they did surpasse the Gentiles in other outward Praerogatives were not better than the Gentiles for they had sinned as well as the Gentiles Saint Paul doth make himself here by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the number of those Jews whose condition was no better than the Gentiles that he might give no offence to the Jews which were his flesh For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin q. d. For we have upon good grounds and good evidence charged both Jews and Gentiles that they are all of them guilty of sin The Gentiles we charged in the first chapter the Jews in the second And if they are all guilty of sin than is not one better than another in matter of Justification untill he receives the Gospel of Ghrist by Faith that he might be thereby justified We have before proved The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Law terme And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually said of those which are Accusers who accuse or charge the Defendant with what they have to say against him Well doth Saint Paul use a Law term here in this his Treatise or Dispute of Justification when as the word Justification it self is a Law term and there is in it an allusion to the custome and practice of courts of Justice and whereas he doth appeal both Jew and Gentile at Gods Tribunal Note that the Apostle speaks here of himself in the plural number as
he did cap. 1. v. 5. That they are all under sin That is that they are all under the guilt of sin and so subject to damnation see ver 19. Sin is put here not for sin it self but for guilt which is the necessary consequent or effect of sin per Metonymiam efficientis Ver. 10. As it is written there is none righteous no not one That which the Apostle asserted in the foregoing verse viz. that all both Jews and Gentiles were under sin and that which he had proved by manifest arguments in the two former chapters he proves here by Scripture and that especially against the Jews and for the Jews sake because they flattered themselves with an opinion of their own righteousness and he does it by Scripture that he might convince the Jews by that whereof they somuch gloried to wit The Law that is the Word of God which was committed to them v. 2. As it is written c. These Testimonies which the Apostle here produceth are not all taken out of one and the same place of holy Scriptures but some out of one place some out of another yet what is here alledged in this and the two following verses is taken out of the fourteenth Psalm And some because they imagined that the Apostle cited all these Testimonies even to the eighteenth verse out of one place have inserted all these Testimonies into that Psalm as will appear by the Greek and Latin and Arabique and Aethiopique Translations There is none righteous no not one This is taken out of Psal 14. ver 1. But note that the Apostle cites not the very words of the Psalmist but only the Sence The words of the Psalm are these There is none that doth good But the words of the Apostle are these there is none righteous no not one Now if there be none that doth good there is none which is righteous and if he which saith there is none that doth good excepteth none no not one as he doth not except any as it appeareth from ver 3. of that Psalm Then is there none righteous no not one There is none righteous i. e. He is called Righteous here which followeth after vertue or Holiness and gives his mind to it or he is called Righteous here which liveth uprightly according to the Law of God Ver. 11. There is none that understandeth and seeketh after God This is also taken out of the fourteenth Psalm yet not word for word For it is not word for word said there There is none that understandeth and seeketh after God But yet there we read That the Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God But they are all saith the Psalmist gone aside they are altogether become filthy c. There is none that understandeth Supple What the will of the Lord is that he may yield obedience thereunto And seeketh after God To seek after God is to seek after his favour by well doing 〈◊〉 after his will to do it Or to seek after God is to regard God and to care for him and his Will For note that to seek in the Hebrew phrase signifieth to regard or care for as well as to seek Ver. 12. They are all gone out of the way That is they are all gone out of the pâ—in of Gods commandments which they should walke in They are altogether become unprofitable The word here rendred unprofitable in the Hebrew signifieth putrified and stinking and it is Metaphorically taken from putrified and stinking meates which are not fit to be eaten and as such meats are putrified and stinking so are wicked men corrupted and even stinking in the nostrils of God And as such meats are not fit for the use of man so these wicked men are not fit for any holy use or fit Instruments of Gods praise or service There is none that doth good i. e. There is none Righteous as the Apostle speaketh Verse 10. It may be asked here of whom the Psalmist speaketh all these words and of whom the fourteenth Psalm from whence these words are taken is to be understood and how the Apostle applies them to his purpose For Answer Many think that the Psalmist speaks of all sâ—â—h men of his time in Generall as were â—ot renewed by the Spirit of God whatsoever they were and that the Apostle may therefore well infer from thence that all men even of his time also were such as they were in the Psalmists time because the same natural corruption was in both and where their corruption as the Tree is alike there their sins as the fruit of that Tree must be alike too until they are born again through faith Others think that the Psalmist speaks only of such people as were at actual enmity with the people of Israel which were the people of God though they cannot determinately say what people they were whether Philistines Midianites Ammonites Moabites or the like and they prove that the fourteenth Psalm is to be understood of such because in the fourth verse of that Psalm God sayes of them that they eat up his people as if they would eat bread And in the fifth verse they are spoken of as men which were against the Generation of the Righteous And verse seventh the Psalmist wishes for the Salvation of Israel to save Israel from these his enemies Others conceive That the Psalmist speaketh here determinately of Absalom and those that took part with him against David his Father And that David made this fourteenth Psalm when he was pursued by Absalom But yet one thing is against this to wit that it is said vers 7. When the Lord bringeth back the Captivity of his people which cannot be said of David and those that fled with him from Absalom and his Conspiritors wherefore to take away this Objection instead of these words When the Lord bringeth back the Captivity of his people they read Cum reduxerit Deus reducem populum suum i. e. When the Lord shall bring back his people again q. d. When the Lord shall bring us back again to Jerusalem which have been fain to flie because of Absalom But whether the words of the Hebrew will bear this Translation let the Learned in that Language judge But now the Question remains how the Apostle can with sound reason bring these Testimonies which he doth out of the fourteenth Psalm according to these two last expositions thereof to prove that all which have not received Christ and his Gospel both Jews and Gentiles are under sin Answ Besides that which hath been said in answer to this Question according to the first exposition given of the fourteenth Psalm which may have place here also for further answer it is said that as many other places of Scripture so doth this Psalm carry a double sence with it one Literal or Historical another Mystical one concerning the enemies of fleshly Israel which were the people of God or
concerning the enemies of David and those which were estranged from him which is the Literal sence And another concerning all such as were Aliens from Spiritual Israel to wit the faithful and were as it were enemies unto them or concerning such as were strangers from Christ and were not with him and therefore against him as it is said Mat. 12.30 which is the Mystical sence Now the Apostle producing these Testimonies according to the Mystical sence of the words to prove that all which have not received Christ both Jews and Gentiles are under sin And he may effectually prove by them that all both Jews and Genâ—iles which are Aliens from Christ and strangers to his people are under sin because they are all really intended and spoke of here in the Mystical sence For as the Israelites according to the flesh were a People which God had chosen to himself Deut. 14.2 So were they a Type of the faithful in Christ Jesus whom God hath taken to be to himself as Children by Adoption and as God had made choice of David to be his King and his annointed so did he ordain that David should be an eminent Type of Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords And as the Israelites according to the flesh were a Type of the faithful in Jesus Christ so were their enemies a Type of those which were enemies of the faith or of the faithful and of such as were not in communion with them and as David was a Type of Christ so were the enemies of David and those which were estranged in affection from him a Type of the enemies of Christ and those which were strangers from him So that the Holy Ghost when he doth describe the Manners of those which were the enemies of Israel and of David and strangers from them and either of them in the Historical or Literal sence he describes the Manners of them also which are enemies oâ— the faithful and of Christ and strangers from them or either of them in the Mystical sence Note here that from these and such like Allegations as these are which Saint Paul often useth in his Epistles it doth appear that the Jews did allow of such Mystical sences of the Scriptures as these are although they did err in the Persons or Application and neither acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ nor applied such passages of the Scriptures as these are to themselves Ver. 13. Their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood These are other Testimonies of Scripture brought to prove that all both Jews and Gentiles are under sin and whereas the former Testimony proved for the most part that they did not do those things which they ought to have done So these Testimonies prove that they did do those things which they ought not to have done But note here that whereas the Apâ—stle doth reckon up here in these Testimonies which he brings many sins we must not understand him so as that his meaning were that all these sins which here he reckoneth up were actually in every man whether Iew or Gentile but that some of them were in some others in others yet so as some sin or other was in every one and every one had gone aside and become filthy q. d. The throat of some of them is an open Sepulchre others have used deceit with their tongues and the poison of Aspes is under their lips The mouth of others is full of cursing and bitterness the feet of others is swift to shed blood c. Neither must we understand the Apostle so as if his meaning were that these which he here reckoneth up were the only sins which were in these men but that there were other sins also in them and that if any of these were not in some few of them which yet we can scarcely say yet there were others in them as bad as these or if not as bad yet such as were enough to expose them to Gods wrath and to damn them Their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit Those words are taken out of the fifth Psalm verse 9. and are agreable to the Septuagint whereas according to the Hebrew the words run thuâ— Their throat is an open Sepulchre they flatter with their tongue Where note that the Apostle useth to follow the Septuagint where it little or nothing varies from the Hebrew Their throat is an open Sepulchre That is their throat is As an open Sepulchre for as out of an Open Sepulchre in which a dead body hath been long buried when it is opened there cometh out filthy loathsome stinks and smels So out of their mouth or throat do proceed foul filthy words Note that the note of similtude As is often left to be understood after the Hebrew manner and so it is here This sence will these words bear and yet they will yield another sence too and that 's this q. d. Their throat is as an open Sepulchre because as a Sepulchre is opened that it might receive the dead body to consume it or destroy it so are their throats opened that they may destroy them whom they speak against with their wicked words And this sence is most agreable to the sence of the Place For the fifth Psalm was penned by David either when he fled from the face of Saul or when he was fain to fly because of Absalom at which times respectively there were not wanting those which advised both Saul and Absalom to cut off Davids life if they could The Prophet Jeremy saith of the Babylonians that their Quiver is an open Sepulchre Jerem. 5.16 And therefore doth he say that their Quiver is an open Sepulchre because as a Sepulchre opens its mouth that it may receive and so consume the dead So their Quiver was opened that it might by the Arrows drawn from thence destroy the living And thus is the Throat said to be an open Sepulchre because the words proceeding from them are destroying words words brought forth to take away a mans life With their tongue they have used deceit i. e. They speak deceitfully and guilefully with their tongues for their words are fair but their heart is foul they speak fair with their mouth but bear mischief in their heart and would entrap the Innocent to destroy him The Hebrew translated word for word is They flatter with their tongue but being they flattered for this end that they might entrap with their tongue They as the Septuagint renders it have used deceit Thus did many deal with David to engratiate themselves with Saul and with Absalom They did speak him fair and flatter with him that they might know his secrets and then reveal them to Saul and Absalom that they might take him and so kill him The Poyson of Asps is under their lips They which hurt others with
their speech are said to have poyson under or in their lips Of such Saint James saith That their tongue is full of deadly poison James 3.8 The poyson of Asps an Aspe is a little Creature frequent in Africa whose poyson is very venemous Aristotle in his Historiae Animalium lib. 8.29 Saith that the venome of this Serpent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is incureable Is under their Lips He may say under their Lips to signifie that it was not to be seen or perceived And signifie by that again that these were men of flattering tongues but of most bloody hearts or thoughts But others take under their lips barely for In their lips These words are taken out of Psal 140.4 Which Psalm was wrote by David against Doeg and the Ziphites who did malitiously accuse him and speak all evil against him to Saul and by these words the Prophet sheweth how these his enemies dealt with him but being the enemies of David who was a Type of Christ prefigured the enemies of Christ that is such as believed not in Christ The words may be applied to them also in the Mystical Sence Ver. 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness This is taken from Psal 10 7. and cited according to the Septuagint whereas according to the Hebrew Text it is thus his mouth is full of cursing and deceit Where it seemeth as it is observed by many That the Septuagint did read Vmireroth amaritudinibus i. e. and bitternesses for Vmirmoth fraudibus i. e. and deceits yet as these latter words are not much unlike no more is the Sence For wicked men are wont to speak all manner of evil against the Godly with all bitterness but yet falsly and therefore deceitfully For it is false which they speak though they would have men believe that it is true so deceiving them See Matthew Chap. 5. ver 11.44 By this also doth David describe the nature of his enemies as he did before but by describing them he describes such also as should be enemies to Christ that is to the Faith He saith here whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness Whereas the Order of his speech requireth that he should have said their mouth c. But it is not unusuall to confound Subjunctive Articles or Pronouns with Praepositives An example whereof we may have in that great Master of Rhetorick Cicero Philip 1. Eas leges quas ipse vobis inspectantibus recitavit pronunciavit tulit quibus latis gloriabatur iisque legibus Rempublicam contineri putabat de Provinciis de Judiciis eas inquam Caesaris leges nos qui defendimus acta Caesaris evertendas putabimus Where iis and quibus are mixt together Again in the tenth Psalm 7. verse as it is read according to the Septuagint whom St. Paul followeth It is not a Praepositive but a Subjunctive Article and the Apostle useth for the most part when he citeth any Testimony to cite it as it lieth in the Text out of which he takes it and not to regard the Syntax where he useth it Ver. 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their wayes and the way of peace they have not known These Testimonies are taken out of Isaiah Chap. 59. v 7 8. but not according to the strict words yet according to the Sence as they which take view of the place may easily perceive And they are spoken there of the Jewes of that time But those Jews were Types of these Jews which lived in Pauls time for Jews of one time are Types of Jews of another time See notes Chap. 2. ver 24 And therefore well may Saint Paul apply what was said of the Jews of that time to the Jews of his time Adde to this that the Jews of which the Prophet Isaiah speaketh were such as were at that time in Captivity under the Babylonians Now the captivity of the Jews under the Babylonians was a Type of the captivity of Man under sin and the Devil while therefore the Prophet Isaiah describeth the manners of those Jews which were in captivity under the Babylonians in the Literal or Historical sence He describeth with all the manners of the Jews yea and of the Gentiles too which were captive under sin and the Devil in the mystical sence Their feet are swift to shed blood i e. They are bloody minded ready upon all occasions to runne and shed innocent blood Note that the feet are put here by a Synecdoche for the whole man and therefore the feet because we post from place to place with them when we have any thing to do Ver. 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways i. e. Which way soever they go they bring misery and destruction upon men like a common plague Destruction and misery are to be understood here not as suffered by these men but as wrought by them and that without any respect of Persons at all Ver. 17 And the way of peace have they not known i. e. They have not known how to live quietly and friendly with men Or they have not walked in peaceable ways but are strangers to them as if they knew them not Note that ways and paths are often put for the actions of Men by a Metaphor Some observe here that the Hebrew say of him that doth not care for or regard a thing that he doth not so much as know it as Jerem. 4 22. Ver. 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes i e. They do not consider with the eyes of their mind that God is present to see and behold their doings even that God which they ought to stand in fear of as being a severe punisher of all wickedness Men use to be curbed bridled in that they run not headlong into sin by the fear of God the just Judge Where therefore this fear is not men even rush into all manner of wickedness as an Horse into the Battle This Testimony is taken out of Psalm 36 1. And these words David who was a Type of Christ speaks of his Enemies who were Types of the enemies of Christ that is of the unfaithful as will appear by vers 11 12. of that Psalm So that they may be well applied by the Apostle as they are to all unbelievers which are enemies of Christ and his Servants as spoken of them in the Mystical sence Ver. 19. Now we know that whatsoever the Law saith it saith to them which are under the Law The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas the Apostle had alledged many Testimonies out of the Old Testament to prove that Jews and Gentiles are both under sin The Jew might object and say But what do these Testimonies which thou hast alledged concern us These Testimonies concern not us Jews neither are they spoken of us but they concern only the Gentiles and are spoken only of them To this the Apostle answereth Now we know that whatsoever the Law that is the writings
condition required to all the spiritual seed of Abraham that is to all the faithfull not only to that which is of the Law and under that as the Jews are but to that also which followeth the Faith of Abraham though they be not under the law as the believing Gentiles doe which Abraham is the Father of us all which believe whether we are Jews or Gentiles and under the Law or without the Law 17. As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were 17. As it is written of him Genesis 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations I say which Abraham is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth those which are dead in unbelief with the life of Faith and maketh those which are not faithfull as they which are so raising up spiritual seed to Abraham 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy seed be 18. Who against all hope which he could conceive by the course of nature of having a childe believed in hope which he grounded upon the truth and power of God That he should become the Father of many nations according to that which is written of him Gen. 15.5 As the Stars of the Heavens for number so shall thy seed be 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred year old neither yet the deadness of Saras womb 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now old and feeble and unfit for generation and as it were dead in respect of that when he was now about an hundred years old nor did he consider the barrenness of Sarahs womb and the indisposition and inability thereof to conception so as to doubt or dispair by reason of them of the promise of God 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God 20. He staggered not at the word of God through unbelief But was strong in faith giving glory to God by relying upon his word 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was also able to perform 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness 22. And therefore it is written to his immortal praise that this his Faith was imputed to him for righteousness 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him 23. But now it was not written for his sake alone that he might thereby be praised that it was imputed to him 24. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead 24. But it was written for our sakes also to assure us that our beliefe also shall be imputed to us for righteousness if we believe on God who raised up Jesus our Lord from the Dead 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification 25. Who was both delivered to death and raised again from the dead for our Justification that is that we might be thereby justified CHAP. IV. Verse 1. What shall we say then i. e. How or by what way or after what manner shall we say then What is to be taken here for How or after what manner for the Apostle speaketh here not so much of Justification it self as of the way or manner of attaining it And so the word What is sometimes taken elsewhere For whereas it is said Marke 4.23 Take heed what you hear It is said Luke 8.18 Take heed how you hear That Abraham our father as pertaining to the Flesh i. e. That Abraham who is the Father of all us Jews after the flesh i. e. by carnal Propagation whether we be of the Law or whether we be of the Faith Abraham was a Father two manner of wayes to wit according to the Flesh and according to the Spirit according to the flesh Abraham was a Father of all Jews whether they believed or no. But according to the spirit he was the Father only of Such Jewes as did believe and imitate his Faith verse 12. The Apostle calls Abraham his Father as other Jews also did to shew that he did esteem of Abraham as his Father aswel as they and therefore what he was to say of Abraham he would not say out of desire he had of diminishing Abrahams glory but out of meer love which he bore to the Truth Hath found i. e. Hath obtained or attained to Supple Justification Note that to find is put here for to obtain or to attain to as Prov. 8.35 and 17.20 and so it is taken so often as one is said to find grace in the sight of another a phrase which the Scripture often useth as Gen. 18.3.30.27 Numb 11.11 Deut. 24.1 2. Sâ—m 15 25 c. Note also that here is somewhat to be understood to wit Justification for it is not to be doubted but that the Apostle speaks here of Justification for this is the subject of all his discourse in this place Our Apostle doth suppose here that Abraham was justified and doth enquire only how he was justified I say he doth suppose that he was justified which he might well suppose for none of the Jews with whom he hath here to do did ever doubt of that or deny it Ver. 2. For if Abraham were justified by works Between this and the former verse we must understand these words to wit by Works No surely q. d. How then or by what means shall we say that Abraham who is the Father of us all after the Flesh hath obtained Justification by works No surely For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory before God in the matter of justificationâ— But he hath not whereof to glory before God in the matter of justification Therefore he is not justified by works He is said in our Apostles sence to be justified by works which hath so strictly observed the Law by which he should walk and walked so strictly according to it as that he never offended in the least manner that is either in thought word or deed For whosoever hath offended against that Law in never so small a matter cannot be said to be justified by morks He hath whereof to glory Supple even before God By glorying is not meant here any Thrasonicall vaunting or any unjust glorying but such a glorying which he might both justly and seemly use which had perfectly kept the Law and never offended against it in the least point which glorying is nothing else but the attributing of his justification or that that he is not condemned but acquitted when he
uncircumsed because God did ratifie and confirm to him by that that he did justifie him for that his faith which he had before his Circumcision For though Abraham did circumcise himself yet it was at Gods Command and God calleth Circumcision his Covenant that is his Sign or Seal of the Covenant that Covenant which was between him and Abraham Gen. 17.13 That he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised c. q. d. And this was so ordered by the Providence and Government of God to wit that Abraham should believe and that his belief should be imputed to him for Righteousness while he was yet uncircumcised And that after this Abraham should receive Circumcision as a Testimony of that Righteousness which was accounted or reckoned to him for that his faith That Abraham might be by this Father both of the uncircumcised Gentile which believed and the circumcised Jew which believed Of the uncircumcised Gentile which believed inasmuch as he believed and that his belief was reckoned unto him for Righteousness before he was circumcised And of the circumcised Jew which believed inasmuch as he received Circumcision as a Seal or Testimony of the Righteousness which he received through faith before he was circumcised That he might be a Father of all them that believed though they be not circumcised i. e. That being that faith was reckoned to Abraham while he was not in Circumcision but in uncircumcision he might be the Father of all the uncircumcised Gentiles which believe though they be not circumcised That is That he might be a Pattern or President or Example to all the uncircumcised Gentiles which believe though they be not circumcised And such a Pattern President or Example as that God himself did set forth to be such and by whose example they might be assured that they should be justified By these words All them we must understand the uncircumcised Gentiles And note that the words in the Original viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred thus All that believe in the State of uncircumcision For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he might be a Father of All c. The word Father is to be taken here not in a common literal sence as it is verse 1. but in a Mystical sence in which sence he is said to be a Father which is as a President or Pattern or Example to another in any kind Abraham therefore is said to be the Father of all them that are uncircumcised and believe that righteousness might be imputed to them also because he was a President or Pattern or Example and that of Gods setting out which the uncircumcised Gentiles might look upon and see in him that if they believed they might be justified though they were uncircumcised because he was justified through faith when was yet uncircumcised And which the circumcised Jews might also look upon and see in him that if they did believe as well as they were circumcised they might be justified through their faith in as much as he was therefore circumcised that his circumcision might be a Seal or Testimony of the righteousness of the faith which he had being yet uncircumcised That righteousness might be imputed to them also i. e. That it might appear by the Example of Abraham to whom righteousness was imputed by reason of the faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that to them also righteousness should be imputed by reason of their faith as well as it was to Abraham though they be not circumcised That righteousness might be imputed c That righteousness might be imputed is put here for That righteousness might appear to be imputed or That it might appear that righteousness should be imputed As that God may be just is put for that God may appear to be just Chap. 3. v. 26. For words signifying the existency of a thing are sometimes put to signifie the manifestation or appearance of that thing it self which doth exist To them also i. e. To them as it was to Abraham Note here that it is all one to say Faith is imputed or entred upon account to a man for righteousness and to say Righteousness is imputed or entred upon accounts to a man to be payed as it were to him for his faith The word◠in the Greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word drawn Metaphorically from Merchants or Accountants as I observed before Ver. 12. And the Father of Circumcision And that by reason of his circumcision which he received after his faith and in Testimony thereof he might be a Father to them who are of the circumcision but so as that they are not of the circumcision only but also walk in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham c. Where note that in the Original the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. By reason of is to be understood which is often left so to be understood in the Greek Language Whereas there is a twofold circumcision one outward and the other inward One of the flesh whereby the foreskin of the Yard was cut off The other of the heart or spirit whereby the vices or sins of the heart are as it were cut off and cast away such as are infidelity or unbelief and the like This is to be understood of the outward circumcision if not solely yet principally as appeareth ver 11. But nevertheless the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Circumcision may be here taken for those which be circumcised as it is taken Chap. 3. v. 30. even without a Prepositive Article and then the sence may be this q.d. And that he might be the Father of those which are circumcised but yet though they are circumcised do also walk in the steps of our Father Abraham that is which imitate his faith which he had while he was yet uncircumcised Of Circumcision therefore is put for Of those which are Circumcised and when he saith in the next words To them which are not of the Circumcision only I conceive that he explains or limits or corrects his former words and tells what he means when he saith of Circumcision yet the case varieth in the limitation or explanation or correction from what went before which yet is no absurdity in Grammar To them who are not of the Circumcision only but also walk in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised i. e. To those which are circumcised yet so circumcised as that they are not only circumcised as though that were enough to make them Abraham's Children but do also imitate Abraham in that his faith which he had while he was yet uncircumcised Who are not of the Circumcision only i. e. Who are the Children of circumcision yet though they are the Children of the circumcision that is who though they are circumcised yet are not only Children of the circumcision that is
is said to be poured out which is abundantly bestowed and given with a liberal hand as Act. 2. v. 17 18 33. Act. 10. ver 45. Tit. 3. ver 6. When the Apostle saith The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost he is so to be understood as if he had said that the love of God is sensibly shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost so that our hearts do thereby palpably as it were feel or perceive that love So that their is a Metonymy here which some place in the noun love q.d. The sense of the love of God c. Others in the verb shed abroad q.d. The love of God is sensibly shed abroad so that we may feel it and palpably perceive it c. By the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is taken here by a Metonymie for the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Gost to wit those gifts and graces which we have experience of by our patience in tribulations and of which we spoke a little before The gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost are as the Effects so Signs also of Gods love And not only so but they are as Earnests also of everlasting Glory 2 Cor. 1. v. 21 22. Ephes 1. v. 14 The Apostle doth in these words Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us prove what he said immediately before to wit that the hope which they had of Eternal Glory maketh not ashamed And he proves it by this that their hope is known to their hearts by the gifts of the Holy Ghost which are given to them which gifts are not only the Effects and Signs of the Law of God but also Pledges and Earnests of everlasting Glory Ver. 6. For when we were yet without strength i. e. For when we were yet ungodly and sinners Note that whom the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or men weak and without strength here he calls ungodly in this verse and sinners verse 8. So that to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or without strength and to be ungodly and sinners are here all one and the same thing He calls the ungodly and sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or men weak and without strength because the ungodly and sinners are as sick men sick in their soul with sin In which sence our Saviour calls himself a Physitian of such as were sick Mat 9.12 And they which are so sick are weak and of none or small strength to serve God The Apostle did verse 3 4 5. answer an Objection which might be made against the truth of those two Propositions which he laid down verse 1. and 2. to wit that being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and we rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God which objection being answered he goeth about here to confirm the truth of those Propositions against which the Objection was raised to wit That being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ notwithstanding which some object against it our many tribulations And that notwithstanding our many tribulations we can truly and upon good ground rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God for saith he when we were yet without strength c. But though this causal For relateth to those two Propositions which we spoke of and which are laid down in the first and second verses yet it may serve also to shew a reason of that which went immediately before in the fifth verse for such is the Apostles Art that while he goes about to give a reason of what went some distance before he doth give with that a reason also of that which went immediately before But the chief relation is to the two Propositions aforesaid In due time Christ died for the ungodly i. e. In due time Christ died for us which were without strength that is which were ungodly I observed before that he took them which were without strength and those which were ungodly for the same men In due tâ—me God had appointed a certain time for the death and passion of our Saviour in which he should die for our sins Hence it is that our Saviour often maketh mention of his hour as Mat. 26.45 Luke 22.53 John 7.30 and 8.20 And of his time as Mat. 26.18 c. And this the Apostle calls here The due time Christ died for the ungodly i. e. Christ died for the sins of us which were ungodly that they might be remitted and we our selves reconciled to God and saved from his wrath Ver. 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die Between this and the former verse we must understand these or the like words And that Christ died for us which were ungodly It is a great Argument of the love of God to us Then follow these words For scarcely for a righteous man will one die c. Scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die Some take a righteous and a good man here for one and the same man As if he should say There is scarce any to be found which would dare to die for a good man yet perhaps there may be some such found which would die for a good man but God c. Others make a difference here between a righteous man and a good man For why else say they should the Apostle change the word if he intended the same man of kind of man But note by the way that the Apostle delighteth sometime to change his words whiles he speaks of the same things as Chap. 3.30 Chap. 4.25 and here Chap. 5.19 By a righteous man therefore these understand a man which doth no wrong or injury to another and by a good man they mean such a one as is or hath been beneficial to another and liberal to him and hath deserved well at his hands For in this sence is the word Good sometimes taken as Prov. 22.9 He that hath a good eye according as it is read in the Hebrew is translated He that hath a bountiful eye And 1 Sam. 25.15 it is said These men have been very good to us that is These men have been very beneficial and friendly to us and deserved well of us And Psalm 73.1 Truly God is good unto Israel that is truly God hath been Beneficial and bountiful to Israel c. The sence therefore of these words according to these men is this viz. Scarcely for a righteous or plain dealing man will one die yet peradventure for a man that hath been beneficial to him and deserved well at his hands some would even dare to die But God commendeth his love c. Would even dare to die The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signâ—fieth not Audere to Dare But Sustinere to Abide or Endure rather Or Even to dare to die may be simply
rendred to die Ver. 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners c. i e. But God maketh his love towards us commendable and sheweth it to be great in this That while we were yet sinners c. While we were yet sinners Supple And therefore far from being good And therefore while we were yet his enemies c. Note That this Particle Yet as well here in this place as v. 6. doth rather signifie the State of every man in his sin than any certain particular time For as men neither had nor have all of them their being at one and the same time so they neither were nor are all without strength and sinners at one and the same time A Question may be here asked whether after that that we are reconciled to God we are any longer sinners Answ If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us 1 John 1.8 Yet after our Reconciliation we go not under the name of sinners as the name is here used because our sins are forgiven us and because sin doth not reign in us Wherefore by sinners not any sinners are here meant but such as are profane sinners who give themselves over as it were to sin and the lusts thereof to be led by them as Luke 7.34 John 9.31 But now we after we are reconciled to God are not such and therefore we are not sinners in our Apostles sence here though we are not without sin Christ died for us Christ died for us that he might gain pardon for our sins that so we might be justified before God and received through reconciliation into his favour and so escape the wrath of God But how doth this that Christ died for us commend the love of God Answ Because it was God which delivered Christ to death for our sakes Rom. 8.31 And that according to his own appointment and determinate counsel Acts. 4.28 Ver. 9. Much more then being now justified by his blood Between this and the former verse understand these or the like words If then while we were yet sinners Christ died for us that we might be justified q. d. If then while we are yet sinners Christ died for us to wit That we might be justified much more being now justified by his blood shall we be saved from wrath through him Much more Those words shew That the Illation or Consquence of the thing which he inferreth is more credible than that from which he doth infer it Being now justified Supple And therefore now not in the Account of Sinners but acquitted before God of our Sinns and reconciled to God By his Blood By his blood he meaneth his blood shed or the shedding of his blood and so by consequence his death We shall be saved from wrath through him i. e. We shall be saved from the wrath of God which he will pour out upon sinners in the day of wrath through him If the anger of God towards us is so appeased as that we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Christ then have we peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle said ver 1. And as here he proveth For this wrath is opposed to that peace and the taking away of this establisheth that Ver. 10. For if when we were enemies c. The Apostle proves here the Consequence of that Hypothetical Proposition which he gave us partly to understand and partly expressed in the former verses To wit that if then while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Much more now being justified by his blood shall we be saved from wrath through him When we were enemies This enmity is not so much to be accounted on Gods part toward us For God is said even then to have loved us when we were sinners and so enemies to him ver 8 as on our part towards God who by our sins did as it were wage war against God For they which are called enemies here are called Sinners ver 8. And without strength vers 6. and are opposed to those which are justified All wicked men are the enemies of God Jam 4.4 Neither do they love God 1 John chap. 4. ver 20 We were reconciled to God i. e. We were made friends of God who was angry with us before and were brought into his favour which we little deserved because of our enmity against him If we are reconciled to God then are we justified in his sight yea and made his Sons by Adoption for these things are comprehended under the name of reconciliation with God or to God The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie we were restored into Gods favour God being pacified with us Or we were brought into that state or Condition as that God was reconciled to us And this is the Sence of these words too viz. of these We were reconciled to God as they are here used He is properly said to be reconciled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was justly offended if we look to the common acception of the word and as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used among ordinary Greek Authours in which sence man is not prâ—perly said to be reconciled to God but God to Man But the words you see are otherwise used here and used in the sence which we gave of them And the Syriack interpreteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God was reconciled to us By the death of his son We are said to be reconciled to God by the death of his Son because he by his death satisfied the Justice of his Father and appeased his wrath and purchased our Peace and Reconciliation with God We shall be saved To wit from wrath See ver 9. By his life By the life of Christ understand here that life of Christ by which he liveth unto God Chap. 6.10 Christ is said to save us by his life in that he being now passed into heaven Heb. 4.14 He ever liveth to make intercession for us Hebr 7.25 And needs not to die now to save us Note here that the Apostle opposeth us as Enemies to our selves as reconciled And the death of Christ to the life of Christ And intimates here that Though it was requisite for Christ to die that he might reconcile us to God when we were enemies Yet he need not die having once died to save us from wrath when we are reconciled And therefore more credible it is as the Apostle argues that God will save us from his wrath being now reconciled to him by the life of his Son Then it was that he would reconcile us to himself when we were enemies by his death For in reason a man would do more for a friend than he will for an Enemy and be more willing that a child of his should do good when there is no loss of his life than when his life must be laid down that he may do good He that would satisfie
the coppy by which he should have drawn a picture may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not the Limner only but the Picture also which through the unskilfulness of the Limner is drawn unlike the coppy And as the arrow and the picture so may we be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which through Adams sin do miss and come short of that Image in which Adam was made when he was endued with those gifts and graces which he had when he was in his best estate to which we should have been conform 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore which is rendred here Peccare to sin is not spoken of us by reason of any sinful Act which we our selves have done in our own persons but by reason of that we have formally missed and come short of that Righteousness that is of those gifts and graces which were given to Adam for us aswel as for himself and which we miss and come short off by reason of Adams disobedience Ver. 13. For until the law sin was in the the world The Apostle prevents a tacite Objection here for whereas he said immediately before that all had sinned A man might object and say But how canst thou say Paul that all have sinned whereas there was no sin in the world for two thousand and four hundred years together that is from the time that Adam fell untill the time that the Law was given by Moses for thou thy self sayst Chap. 4.15 Where there is no Law there is no transgression And there was no Law in all that time This objection the Apostle prevents here saying For until the Law sin was in the world But sin is not imputed to wit for a transgression where there is no Law c. q. d. I acknowledge where there is no Law there is no Transgression but yet it followeth not that where there is no Transgression there is no Sin for though every transgression be a Sin yet every Sin is not a transgression Though therefore there was no transgression in the world from Adams time until the Law yet it follows not but that there might be Sin yea and there was Sin in the world before the Law What a transgression is in the Apostles language See Notes Cap. 4. ver 15. By the Law is here meant the Law which was given by Moses The Apostle when he said that all had sinned spoke as I said not of Actual but Original sin Yet the man in whose person the Apostle raiseth this tacite Objection which he here preventeth or answereth taketh it as though he spoke of actuall sins For of such sins is the Apostle to be understood as well as of Original sin when he saith For until the Law sin was in the world c. Where note that the Apostle doth not alwayes raise objections in the person of one kind of men but sometimes in the person of one kinde of men Sometimes in the person of another And here he raiseth the Objection which he here prevents or answereth in the person of such a one as mistook the meaning of his words when he said All have sinned as though he spoke of Actuall sins when he spoke only of Original sin So when he saith Chap. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under Grace Some utterly mistaking the sence of these words as though they were now absolutely freed from the Law in every respect and nothing but favour was to be shewed lived they never so dissolutely concluded from thence that now in this their estate of Christianity they might freely sin whom our Apostle meets with there when he saith What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid And our Apostle raiseth or praeventeth even such objections because there may be some so weak as to raise them and because in his answer to them He can bring in such matter as he would not have them to whom he writes ignorant of And here he raiseth this Objection that by his answer he might shew how sin abounded that having shewed how sin abounded he might shew that when sin abounded grace did much more abound ver 20. But sin is not imputed To wit as a transgression Thus to limit this imputation we have a hint from the following words When there is no Law i. e When there is no Law openly and sensiibly given either by word of mouth as that which was given to Adam or by writing as that which was given by Moses Ver. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses ever over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression q d. Though sin be not imputed as a transgression when there is no Law openly or sensibly given yet nevertheless to shew that sin was in the world before the Law was given by Moses death which is the wages of sin reigned and exercised her power even over them that had not transgressed against any Law openly or sensibly given as Adam had Death reigned i. e. Death shewed or exercised her power or tyranny rather over them c. By slaying them for they dyed From Adam to Moses i. e. From the fall of Adam to the time in which the Law was given by Moses which was above two thousand and four hundred years That had not sinned after the Similitude of Adams transgression i. e. Who had not sinned like unto Adam who sinned against a Law given him openly and sensibly by Gods mouth Gen. 2.17 and therefore sinned by transgression Adams transgression i. e. Adams sin which was commited against a Law openly and sensibly given for such a sin doth the word Transgression signifie in our Apostles language as was said Cap 4.15 Who is the figure of him that is to come i. e. Who is the figure of Christ the second Adam who though he be now come into the world yet was he not come then but to come when death reigned from Adam to Moses Adam was a Figure or type of Christ only in a generall manner to wit because as Adam conveyed or derived something to his children or to his branches so did Christ to his But if we descend to particulars Adam could not be the Type or Figure of Christ but by a contrary comparison For Adam conveyed and derived sin and death to his children or to his branches but Christ conveyed or derived Grace that is the pardon of sin whereby they are justified and life to his Ver. 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift q. d But yet the free gift supple which cometh by Christ upon his branches or upon his children Is not so supple for equality as the offence is supple which cometh by Adam upon his branches or upon his children but much exceeds it Or thus But yet not so mean as the offence is which cometh by Adam upon his branches or upon his children in its kind is the free gift which cometh by Christ upon his branches or upon his
children in its kind The Apostle sheweth here that Christ in his kind as he was a Saviour to his branches or to his children did far exceed Adam in his kind as he was a destroyer to his branches or to his children And that he did confer more good to them which were his branches or his children than Adam did evil to those which were his so that though Adam may be said to be a type of Christ by a contrary comparison yet in that comparison there is an excess of contrariety on Christs part Not as the offence He speaks of that sin and means that here even Original sin which Adam transmitted or derived to all mankind and which he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 12. He means not that sin of actual disobedience whereby Adam disobeyed God in eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 3 6. Though that actuall disobedience of his was that which brought this Original sin upon his posterity to wit such as were born of him by natural generation For note that that Actual disobedience of Adam is opposed to the actual obedience of Christ as plainly appeareth ver 19. But the offence here is opposed to the free gift which came upon the Children or branches of Christ through his obedience Wherefore as the free gift signifieth something here which came upon the children or branches of Christ by reason of Christs obedience so doth the offence which is opposed to the free gift signifie something here which came upon the children or branches of Adam through his disobedience The free gift The free gift here spoken of is that gift which God doth freely bestow upon those which are ingrafted into Christ by faith and which he cals the gift by grace in this very verse If through the offence of one i. e. If by sin which was caused by one man to wit Adam and by him brought upon or derived to his children or his branches This Genitive case of one is Genitivus Efficientis Note that this particle If doth not here intimate any uncertainty of the thing with which it is joyned But as often elsewhere so here it sheweth the certainty of it rather and signifieth as much as though And note that the Subject of the offence here spoken of is not Adam or Adam alone but Adams children also though the efficient or deficient cause thereof was Adam Many be dead This is that which he said ver 12. to wit Death passed upon all men that is Death hath or shall pass upon all men But how doth he say only Many be dead here when he saith Death passed upon all men ver 12. We may answer with Saint Augustine that it may so fall out sometimes as that by all a very few may be be understood as when few are all To shew therefore that the All here are very many He saith Many be dead yet excluding none of all the Sons or Daughters of Adam born of him by natural generation Again because he was to say in this verse that the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many which he will say because it aboundeth not absolutely to all men he might use the word many here in the sence aforesaid that there might be conformity between the former and latter member of his speech in matter of words Much more the grace of God and the gifts by grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many i. e. In a much higher degree and more plentiful though contrary manner hath the grace that is the gift of grace which is by one man Jesus Christ abounded unto many Supple that they may live Note that the words much more seem to import an Argumentation à minori as Logicians speak that is from that which is less credible to that which is more credible as it is ver 9. But though they may seem so to do yet they do not indeed For he that will be attentive here to what the Apostle writes he shall find that the Apostles words import not any such thing but do onely shew the dissimilitude which is between Adam and Christ by comparing some particulars in which they disagree and how much Christ in his kind excells Adam in his The reason why Christ in his kind excells Adam in his and why Christ derives greater gifts in his kind to his branches or his children than Adam did in his kind to his branches or his children is because the merits of Christ are greater than were the demerits of Adam The grace of God By the Grace of God is meant the favour of God But the grace or favour of God is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the gift proceeding from Gods favour as the Apostle expounds himself in the next words And the gift by Grace q. d. That is to say the gift which is by grace or by the favour of God or that which God out of his grace and favour bestoweth c. The Conjunction And is a Note of declaration here The gift by Grace doth include and comprehend here both the free and gracious pardon of our sins or the gracious sentence of Absolution by which we are absolved from our sins which the Apostle speaks of ver 16. And also the gift of a life of Glory which we shall enjoy in heaven or the reign in that life of which he speaks verse 17. For what he speaks of in gross here he divides and speaks of in particular or in parts in those two verses Which is by one man Jesus Christ i. e. Which grace is shewed for one mans sake to wit Jesus Christ and purchased by him Hath abounded Supple above what the offence and death did abound to those which were the branches or Children of Adam by natural propagation Vnto many Supple Even those many which are the Branches or Children of Christ by faith Through Adams eating the forbidden fruit did the offence that is sin enter upon many yea so many as were born of Adam the Consequent of which offence or sin as the penalty thereof was death But through the obedience of Christ there came by the favour and grace of God pardon of all sins not Original only but Actual also whereby as many as believed were justified the Consequent of which is through the gift of God Eternal life Here is therefore an opposition of pardon of sins by which we are justified to the offence or sin by which we are condemned And of eternal life to death which being weighed one against the other the pardon of Sins by which we are justified against the offence and Sin by which we are condemned and life eternal against death the pardon of Sins by which we are justified will out weigh the offence by which we are condemned and Life eternal will outweigh death For the offence or Sin is but One but the Sins which are pardoned are many And eternal life is accompanied with an unspeakable
weight of glory far surpassing death and the miseries of death which followed upon Adams sin and the Sins which we our selves have of our selves committed This is that which the Apostle speaks in gross in this verse and now goeth about to divide and lay out in particulars in the two following verses Ver. 16. And not as it was by one that Sinned so was the gift The Conjunction And is a note of Resumption ot repetition here and the sâ—nce of the words which are Ellipticall is this q. d. And not I say as is the offence which was by one that sinned to wit Adam so is the gift Supple which is by one Jesus Christ but this much exceeds that Note that whereas it is here read By one that sinned and in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood in the Greek from the former verses and so must the word offence in the English So that the words in the Greek which are Ellipticall must be made up thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the English thus And not as the offence which was by one that sinned This is a Repetition of that which the Apostle said v. 15. to wit of that Not as the offence so is also the free gift which the Apostle here resumes or repeats that he may explain or lay out by particulars or parts that which he said there in general and in gross to wit that If through the offence of one many be dead much more the Grace of God and the gift of Grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many The judgment was by one to condemnation i. e. The Judgment or Sentence of God passed upon all men to their condemnation by reason of one sin or one offence That is God by his just Judgment or Sentence which he passed upon all men which were born of Adam did condemn them all to death by reason of that one only sin which they drew from him By one i. e. By one offence or by reason of one only offence That by one he meaneth here not one Person but one Offence is plain because he opposeth it to many offences This offence is that which is commonly called Original sin as I said before and it is said to be one because though it be in every particular man yet it is but one sin in every one and of one nature in all To condemnation He speaks here of that general condemnation which passed upon all mankind by reason of that one Original sin which they drew from Adam not of the particular condemnation of particular Persons for their Actuall sins But the free gift is of many offences to justification But the free gift Supple by which we are absolved from our sins or have them pardoned is not only of that one sin or offence but of many offences yea so many as they which believe are or were guilty of that they may thereby be justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The free gift is put here by a Metaphorical Synechdoche to signifie the free and gracious pardon of sins or the gracious sentence of Absolution pronounced as it were in open Court by which we are out of meer Grace absolved from sins For the Apostle speaks here in allusion to a Court of Justice where the Judgment or Sentence passeth upon some offenders according to their demerits And a pardon of grace or a gracious sentence of absolution from the offences with which they were charged upon others above their deserts The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle useth in this verse signifieth a Judgment or Sentence given upon men accused according to their true desert and the merit of their cause but because the Sentence which passed upon those which are inserted into Christ by faith is not such a Sentence but a Sentence in respect of them of grace and of the favour of God through Christ the Apostle when he speaks of the Sentence which shall or doth pass upon them calls it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word sounds grace and favour Of many c. This Particle Of is a Preposition for the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we may render De which signifies the matter of this gift or pardon or absolution Vnto Justification i. e. That as many as God bestowed this free gift upon may be justified The word justification is to be taken here in a passive sence Ver. 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned This is to be referred to those words of the sixteenth verse Not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift As a second Reason to shew the truth of that proposition or assertion But though there be a second Reason to prove that proposition or assertion yet may this Particle For be taken here for Moreover as it seemeth sometimes to be taken and so the current of the Text may be the smoother If by one mans offence i. e. If by the offence caused by that one man Adam and which came by him upon all his Children Whereas it is read vulgarly in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which is rendred here If by one mans offence death reigned c Some Greek Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred as it is in the Margin of our Bibles If by one offence death reigned which I conceive by the scope of the place and by looking upon the latter part of this verse to be the best reading Death reigned i. e. Death shewed her power upon all which were condemned to die by reason of the offence of that one man by slaying them By one i. e. By one man to wit Adam It was Adam's eating the forbidden Fruit which brought that which is here called the offence upon himself and by Propagation from him upon his Children too For by the offence is here meant that which he calleth sin ver 12. that is Original sin which is in every natural Child of Adam and which is the cause of death in all the Chilern of Adam Much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ i. e. After a far more bountiful and glorious manner shall they which are delivered and justified from the many sins of which they are guilty reign like Kings in a life of glory by one Jesus Christ Much more These words shew that the life which they that are justified by grace from their many sins which are pardoned to them through Christ do receive doth far exceed in its kind that death which came upon the Children of Adam by his sin in its kind Abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness q. d. Abundance of Grace that is of the gift of Righteousness What he meaneth by Grace he explains by those words The gift of Righteousness wherefore And is to be taken
a new life or a new kind of life That he cals newness of life or a new life or a new kind of life here which consisteth in other gates manners than they formerly used while they were yet unregenerate and without Christ Note that this word walk is frequently in Scripture taken as a word of morality by which is Metaphorically signified the life and conversation of a Man and his manner of living who practiseth or exerciseth act after act or deed after deed taking thereby as it were step after step one step after another And it is a word of an indifferent signification taken sometimes in a good sence as here sometimes in a bad as John 12.35 c. Because we should not only rise to a new life but also continue therein the Apostle had rather say even so we also should walk in newness of life than even so also we should rise to a new life For walking presupposeth rising but rising doth not inferre walking Ver. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection The Apostle prevents or answers a tacâ—te Objection here For whereas he said ver 4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead to the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life A man may object and say whereas thou sayest Paul That we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead even so we also should walk in newness of life thou inferrest more from the premises than the premises will allow thee for though thou maist infer from these premises viz. we are buried with him by baptism into death that we are therefore so buried that we may not live unto sin yet thou canst not infer from thence that we are therefore buried with him in baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life To this objection I say the Apostle here answers or this objection the Apostle here prevents saying for if we are planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection q. d. For I may infer from those words viz. We are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father we should also walk in newness of life as well as that That we should not live unto sin For one of those do infer the other so that if we shall not live unto sin we shall live unto newness of life If we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death c. q. d. If we have been planted in the waters of baptism like as Christ was planted in the earth at his burial so that we be thereby truly and actually dead to sin as Christ was dead to this natural life We shall truly actually and undoubtedly spring up to a new life as Christ did at his resurrection to a life of glory Observe that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him or with him that is with Christ is to be here understood which is expressed both in the Syriac and Arabique Translations Observe also that what the Apostle meant by being buried ver 4. He meaneth by being Planted here But changeth the word buried into a more emphatical word planted the more to set out the efficacy of baptism which here he speaks of And in both these words he alludes to the burial of Christ when he was laid in the Sepulchre As Christ therefore when he was laid in the Sepulchre under the ground was said to be buried so were they said to be buried who were in baptism so dipped as that they were under the waters But because Christ was not to continue under the earth when he was buried Christ may better be said to be planted in the earth than buried For things which are buried in the earth may never rise up again But things which are planted or sown in the earth do naturally rise and spring up again after their Plantation And for this reason doth Saint Paul liken the bodies of men which are to have a resurrection when they are buried to grain which is sown or planted in the earth which is not quickned except it die 1 Cor. 5.36 And for this reason doth our Saviour himself in allusion to his death and burial and rising again liken himself to a Corn of wheat which falleth into the ground and dieth John 12.24 As Christ therefore when he was laid into the ground being he was to rise again might better be said to be planted than to be buried So they which were baptised being that they were dipped into the waters and therewith covered but not there to lie but to be lifted out or rise out of the waters again with which they were covered may be said to be Sown or Planted in those waters better than buried Especially when they are so dipped or covered with the waters of baptism as that by the Grace of God the inward operation of his Spirit going along with the outward work of the Sacrament they are therein mortified to sin For such as are mortified in baptism to sin will rise from the death of sin or from sin to which they are dead to a new life viz. a life of righteousness As they rise out of the waters again in which they are as it were buried or planted which are baptised And as Christ rose out of the earth in which he was planted or buried Together Supple with him that is like to him that is like to Christ Note that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with is here a note of Similitude as I said before In the likeness of his death That is so that we die as he died we to sin as he to this natural life As the Grain which is sowed or planted in the earth is not quickned except it dieth 1 Cor. 15.36 So they which are planted in the waters of baptism do not rise or spring up to a new life or life of righteousness except they first die to sin But if they first dy to sin then they do undoubtedly rise and spring up to a new life or life of righteousness as the corn or grain riseth sprouteth and springeth up and as they which are buried in the waters rise out of them again We shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection The words with their Supplement for they are defective had been better rendred thus We truly shall also spring up together with him in the likeness of his resurrection The sence of which words is this We truly shall also spring up as he did we to a new life of righteousness as he sprang up to a life of glory and so be like to him in
his resurrection Note therefore that the first words of this verse in the Original are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The latter words which are the words we have now in hand are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words are defective and must be made up out of the first words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole verse supplied and made up runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which we interpret thus For if we have been planted together with him in the likeness or to the likeness of his death truly we shall also spring up with him in the likeness or to the likeness of his resurrection Where note that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is twice here used but in different significations for in the first place it signifieth planted with In the second place it signifieth springing up with Of the signification of the word as it is used in the first place I presume there will be no doubt But some perhaps may doubt of the signification which is given to it in the second place Know therefore that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as well to spring up with as to be planted with for Saint Luke useth the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this sence Luke 8.7 where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is And other fell among thorns and the thorns springing up with it choked it But some may Object and say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of a Passive form but I have given it a Neuter or Middle signification I answer such words though they are of a Passive form yet may they be of a Neuter and Middle signification as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 2. ver 5. and the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 8.7 is of a Passive form but not of a Passive but Middle signification Note that in these words We shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection there is a tacite allusion to the lifting up or rising up of those out of the waters which were dipped over head and ears and so buried as it were or as he here sayes planted therein at their baptism by which as Christs rising from the dead was figured so our rising from the death of sin to a new course of life was represented and professed Ver 6. Knowing that our old man is crucified with him The Apostle prevents an Objection here for whereas he said verse 5. That if we be planted together with Christ in the likeness of his death we shall spring up with him in the likeness of his resurrection A man might object and say Paul thou speakest here thou knowest not what for do you know what you say when you say that If ye be planted with Christ in the likeness of his dâ—ath ye shall spring up with him in the likeness of his resurrection This Objection I say the Apostle here prevents when he saith Knowing that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed c. q d. And when I say If we are planted together with him in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection I know well enough what I say for I know that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed c. Knowing this that our old man is crucified i. e. Knowing this that our former kind of life is mortified or left Or rather Knowing that our old nature or custom of living is abolished He spoke of this which he calls here Our old man as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia If we should look to the order or series of speech the Apostles speech is somewhat incongruous for he should rather have said here We are crucified to the old man than have said Our old man is crucified For he said verse 5. If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death And in the seventh verse he saith He that is dead is freed from sin And verse 8. If we be dead with Christ c. to which these words should be conform But as I have observed the Apostle looks more to the sence than to the form or manner of his speech as he doth Chap. 7.4 and in many other places For which reason it may be it is that he saith of himself Though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledg 2 Cor. 11.6 Our old man is crucified He alludes here to the death by which Christ dyed and therefore saith is crucified whereas otherwise he would have said is mortified or the like It is by Baptism that our old man is said here to be crucified or mortified which is when the party Baptized is so disposed as he ought to be and when God accompani th the outward work of baptism with the inward opperation of his Spirit and grace With him i. e. With Christ that is like as Christ was crucified The preposition with is used here also as a Note of Similitude That the body of sin might be destroyed By the Body of sin may be meant those many sins in which unregenerate men were wont to live before their Regeneration by Baptism as covetousness drunkenness fornication c. which he may call a Body as a Flock a People a City an Army a Legion is called a Body of which body every particular sin is a member See Coloss 3.5 That henceforth we should not serve sin i. e. That we should from this time forward serve sin no more nor be any more at sins beck or command or that Sin should not any more have such power over us as to make us her slaves and Servants to do what she would have us to do as she had before He speaks of sin here as of a Queen Lady or Mistress He is said to serve sin which obeys the motions and lusts of sin which are as it were her commands that is who when sin stirreth up any motion in him to evill presently gives his ascent to it and puts it in execution Ver. 7. For he that is dead is freed from sin For he that is dead to sin is freed from her so that she hath no power over him He speaks not here of a natural death but as he did before of a morall or spirituall death to wit a death to sin And when he saith that he that is dead is freed from sin he alludes to a Servant or a Slave which by his death is freed from the Law or bonds of his Master so that his Master hath now no power over him For such is the condition of the dead as that they are civily subject to no humane power at all Note here that for a man to be dead to sin is the same in the Apostles phrase as for sin or the old man to be crucified in him And the Apostle useth them promiscuously He proveth here that the Old man is crucified in us that we should not
Jesus Christ our Lord This he saith because it is by the merits of Jesus Christ and his efficacy that we are brought from the death of sin to the life of God The Apostle as you see makes an exhortatory conclusion here by which he applieth to his present purpose what he said of the death and life of Christ Ver. 12. Let not sin reign therefore in your mortall Body He speaks of sin here as of a Mistress a Lady or Queen by a Prosopopoeia Sin is then said to reign in us when she stirs up naughty motions in us sutable to our own corruptness and we follow them and obey them as commands by consenting to them and putting them in execution This corollary or conclusion which the Apostle here useth may be gathered either in particular from the foregoing verse or in general from what he hath said from the third verse hitherto In your mâ—rtal Body i. e. The Body is to be taken here by a Synechdoche for the whole man for sin where she reigneth reigneth not only in the body but also in the soul and her works are not wrought only in the body but also in the powers and faculâ—ies of the soul for her works are not only Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness and the like but also Emulation Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Gal. 5. ver 19 20. The sence therefore of these words Let not sin reign in your mortal body is this Let not sin reign in you while you are in this mortal life He saith Let not sin reign in your body using a Synechdoche here because the effects of sin are most seen in the body and he adds the Epithite Mortal to admonish us of the evil which sin brings for it was sin which made our bodâ—es mortal and subject to death which had it not been for sin had not died As also to put us in mind of our mortality here that we might not defer the seeking of that immortality which shall be hereafter as also to put us upon the watch because lust which War against the soul are prone to rise in our bodies while we are here in this mortal life clothed with these mortal bodies of ours That ye should obey it in the lusts thereof i. e. Note that the word Thereof is to be referred not to the word sin but to the word body as will easily appear by the Greek where the word Sin and the word Body are of divers Genders Sin of the Foeminine and Body of the Neuter The same lusts are called the lusts of sin and the lusts of the body And they are called the lusts of sin because sin stirs them up or because they proceed from sin as from the first mover And the lusts of the body because they are stirred up and received in the body To obey sin in her lusts or in the lusts of the body is all one with obeying sin or obeying the lusts of sin As it is all one to obey a King in his commands or to obey a King or to obey a Kings commands By lusts understand here motions to evil as to Adultery Murder Theft Drunkeness and the like proceeding from sin while she tempts us to these and the like evils These we are said to obey when we assent to them and readily fulfill them Ver. 13. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness q. d Neither yield ye the members of your bodies to be as instruments of sin for her to work unrighteousness or wickedness thereby He speaks of Sin as of a Person or Lady by a Prosopopoeia Your members By the members are here meant the members of the body which are ordained as instruments of the body to work or act by And by a Synechdoche the faculties or vertues of the soul too which are as the instruments by which the soul performeth her operations Sin will if she can make use of all the instruments of man for her work and will be ready to command them and call for them all to serve her if we will be ready to obey and yield them up to her Service He expresseth the members of the body here because he mentioned the body before ver 12. But as the body was taken there by a Synechdoche for the soul also yea for the whole man so must the members of the body be taken here as I said by a Senechdoche for the faculties of the soul too that is for the Instruments of the whole man Of unrighteousness Vnrighteousness is to be taken here generally as cap. 1.18 for all or any manner of wickedness or wicked actions The Genitive case therefore of unrighteousness is Genitivus effecti Vnto sin i. e. Unto sin as to your Queen or Mistress for her to dispose of them Yield yourselves unto God To wit as obedient Servants or Subjects to be ruled and commanded by him and him only As those that are alive from the dead i. e. As behoveth or becometh those which are alive from the dead It was God which raised us from death to life it behoveth therefore and becometh us being that we are quickened by him to live to him For therefore did he quicken us that henceforth we should not live to ourselves or sin but to him that quickeneth us See 2 Cor. 5.15 As alive from the dead By the dead are here meant such as are dead in sin And what these are and how these differ from those which are dead to sin See Notes ver 2. By the living or those which are alive are here meant such as live the life of righteousness that is such as are enabled by God to work righteousness and walk uprightly And your Members What is meant by our Members I said a little before Of Righteousness Righteousness is to be taken here for all manner of holiness or good and holy actions and it is of equal latitude with unrighteousness mentioned a little before to which it is opposed This Genitive of Righteousness is Genitivus Effecti as the former Genitive of Vnrighteousness was Vnto God To wit as to your King to whom ye must yield obdience in all things what he calls for Ver. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you i. e. For sin though she hath had dominion over you heretofore when ye were not as yet under grace and drew you by her power to give the consent of your wills to her motions and with the members of your body to fulfil her lusts so that ye yielded not your selves and your members as Instruments unto God yet now she shall not have such dominion over you Then sin is said to have dominion over us when she can by her power and strong motions and lusts draw us to consent to those her motions and with our members and faculties to fulfil those her lusts so that we yield our selves to her and not to God He speaks of sin as of a Queen or Lady or Mistress by a Prosopopaeia The Apostle having exhorted those
to whom he wrote a little before Not to let sin reign in their mortal body c. least any should shew himself faint-hearted and because before the time of his belief while he was under the Law he was continually drawn by sin to consent to her motions and fulfil her lusts and so to yield himself her Servant should say that he was not able to withstand the power of sin but must needs yield to her as to her which hath dominion over him for so strong was sin in him as that the Law could not strengthen him sufficiently against her motions He prevents him here with a word of comfort and encouragement saying For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under grace For ye are not under the Law but under Grace i. e. For ye are none of you under the Law which gave you little or no assistance against sin but you are under the Gospel which giveth you strength to resist sin and work righteousness He gives a reason here why sin should not have dominion over them Note that the Apostle directs this his speech to the believing Jews in a particular manner Note also that by the Law is here meant the Law of Moses as it was given by Moses and as it is in it self precisely considered in which regard it had but little power to keep a sinner from yielding to the motions of sin And indeed when the word Law is put absolutely in opposition to grace it always so signifieth So that the sence of these words may be this q. d. For ye are not under the Law which had not power enough to keep you from the dominion of sin But ye are under grace which giveth you strength to free your selves from sin that she domineer not over you Ye are not under the Law To be under the Law signifieth two things to wit to be under the obligation of the Law And to be under the imperfection of the Law that is to be under the Law as it was given by Moses and as it is precisely considered without the grace of the Gospel In which last sence the Law though it did impose commands upon men it did not either of it self or by any thing joyned with it afford strength enough to a sinner to resist sin and to perform those her commands For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ John 1.17 Now to be under the Law signifieth here not only to be under the obligation of the Law so that a man is bound to do what the Law requires But also and that especially to be under the imperfection of the Law as it commandeth men to do these and these things but doth not help them as the Gospel doth to perform those her commands It is not to be doubted but that in the time of the Law that is in the time of the Old Testament there were many Jews which were free from the dominion of sin through faith These though they were under the obligation of the Law of Moses because they were bound to do all the commands thereof yet they were not under the imperfection of the Law for through faith they obtained that strength by Christ to resist sin which the Law could not afford for Christ was the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 But now the believing Jews are free not only from the imperfection but also from the obligation of the Law of Moses to wit as the Law was given by Moses the Law being quite abrogated as it was by him given So that they are not bound to keep the Moral Law as it was given by Moses but as it is the Law of Nature and that which Christ would have men observe by his Gospel and to the observation of which he gives them strength and ability But under Grace By Grace understand the Gospel here The Gospel may be called Grace by a Metonymie because it is the word of grace Acts 14.3 And it is called the grace of God Acts 13.43 And 1 Pet. 5 12. because the grace of God is joyned with it They are said to be under the Gospel who have received the Gospel and believed it or do obey it And over such sin hath no dominion For the Gospel containeth most heavenly and unspeakable promises which being embraced by faith do animate the believer to stop his ears against sin And it conferreth the gifts of the holy Ghost upon the believer by which he mortifies sin in his members which hath her full sway in other men and by which he is enabled to work the works of Righteousness The Gospel is the power of God to salvation as the Apostle speaks Chap. 1.16 No wonder therefore that he should say here that sin shall have no dominion ovâ—r them which are under Grace that is which are under the Gospel V. 15. What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace q. d. What then shall we take to our selves a liberty to sin as though because I said we are not under the Law of Moses we were not under any law at all Or shall we take to our selves a liberty to sin because I said we are under Grace as though because we were under Grace God would wink at our sins though we sinned never so freely and never so greedily This objection which the Apostle here prevents ariseth out of a miss-understanding of the words which he used in the former verse viz. ye are not under the Law but under Grace through the ambiguity thereof And he therefore prevents this objection that weak Christians might not take occasion from hence to think that Christianity gave liberty to sin as many which were not friends to Christians would make the world believe it did and that Christians so taught as appeareth Chap. 3.8 Ver. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto Righteousness These words thus rendred are for the latter part of them defective which defect is thus made up q. d. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether ye yield your selves servants to sin to obey her And so become the Servants of sin which brings men unto death Or whether ye yield your selves Servants unto the Law or doctrine of obedience to obey that and so ye become the Servants of the Law or doctrine of obedience which brings to righteousness the end whereof is everlasting life The words in the Greek are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now some take the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here repeated twice after the manner of a Latine Ablative and construe it not Cui to whom as most do but render it Hoc ipso quòd that is in as much as And then are these words
without that defect aforesaid which otherwise they suffer The words then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being thus taken may be thus translated Know ye not that in as much as ye yield your selves servants to obey ye are servants in as much as ye do obey and that either of sin which brings to death or of the Law or doctrine of obedience which leads to righteousness The Apostle argues here and in the verses following against the foresaid Objection which some might by a miss-construction of his words raise out of the former verse as though by those words he gave there a freedom to sin And in his arguing he useth this methode First he lays this for a ground that Christians they at least to whom he wrote were the Servants of Righteousness and not of sin Secondly he builds this upon that or infers this from that That being they were the servants of Righteousness and not of sin they ought to obey Righteousness and not sin That which he lays for his ground he lays and makes good in the 16 17 18 verses That which he builds upon that and infers from that he doth in the 19 verse but yet he doth it not in Categorical terms but winds it up in an Exhortation as his manner sometimes is The ground to wit That they were the servants of Righteousness and not of sin he makes good by a Syllogism thus To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whatsoever he be And this he lays down ver 16. But ye have yielded your selves servants to righteousness to obey her and not to sin to obey her And this he lays down ver 17. Therefore ye are the servants of Righteousness and not of sin This he lays down ver 18. The Major proposition of this Syllogism needed not any proof it is cleer they themselves knew it therefore he saith Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey ver 16. The Minor proposition he proves first by removing that which might be objected in the behalf of sin against it Secondly by shewing that which would make for Righteousness by matter of fact and both of these he doth ver 17. Of sin He speaks of Sin still as of a Person yea a Queen to whom to obey is to sin Vnto death That is which bringeth unto death yea death eternal Of obedience Obedience is to be taken here for the Law or Doctrine of obedience by a Metonymie as is plain by the next ensuing verse The Gospel may be called the Law or doctrine of obedience because it teacheth men to follow not their own sence and the motions of sin but to obey God who only is to be obeyed and not only teacheth them but enableth them also to obey him which may be called an inward teaching The Apostle speaketh of obedience that is of the Gospel which is the Law or Doctrine of obedience as of a person yea as a Queen by a Prosopopoeia Vnto Righteousness i. e. Which leadeth unto Righteousness the end whereof is everlasting life Ver. 17. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine delivered to you The sence of these words is this q. d. But for which ye have cause to thank God whereas ye had been the servants of sin and obeyed her ye have now at length obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you Note that the Apostle doth not give God thanks here for that they were sometimes the slaves or servants of sin as though that had been the gift or blessing of God to them for which they ought to give thanks for that would be absur'd but he gives thanks to God for that that they had obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered them whereas they had in foretime been the servants and slaves of sin This giving of thanks therefore must be referred to the latter sentence not to the former And for such progress of the Gospel we ought to give God thanks as well as for the Gospel it self See Chap. 1.8 This phrase ye were the servants of sin is as much as whereas ye have been the Servants of sin Like phrase to this we meet with in many places See one Luk. 15. ver 23 24. In these words Let us eat and be merry for this my son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine c. By this Doctrine he means the Gospel with its precepts and commands And by obeying is meant believing and doing according to it He speaks of this doctrine as of a Queen or Lady or Mystress by a Prosopopoeia This is that which he gives God thanks for to wit that they obeyed the Gospel by which giving of thanks we are admonished First that to obey the Gospel is the gift of God Secondly we are admonished that to obey the Gospel is a great blessing and so to be esteemed From the heart i. e. Not only in shew and outward appearance but also in truth and in inward sincerity as your holy conversation will testifie That form of doctrine By the doctrine here mentioned is meant the Gospel which is also called the doctrine of Christ 2 John 9. This doctrine he calls a form or mould and saith the form or mould of Doctrine by a Metaphor taken from a form or mould which Goldsmiths or some such Crafts-men use to cast an Image or thing in that they would form into any shape For as that Silver or Gold or whatsoever mettal else it is which is cast in such a form or mould is made like unto it So should they which believe the Gospel conform themselves and their lives unto the Gospel that they may represent it and carry the likeness of it in their lives and actions Ver. 18. Being then made free from Sin ye became c q. d â—herefore being made free from sin yee became c. This is the conclusion of the Syllogism which we spoke of Being made free from Sin ye became the servants of Righteousness Righteousness is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the Gospel which containeth precepts and prescripts of Righteousness or for the Laws prescripts and precepts of Righteousness therein contained He speaks both of Sin and Righteousness as of Ladies Queens or Mistresses by a Prosopopoeia Being then made free from Sin When a Man is so weak and so unable by his custome in sin or otherwise to resist the motions and temptations of Sin as that he is overcome with every little temptation this his â—state the Apostle calls an estate of servitude and thus to yield to every little temptation of sin he calls to serve Sin by a Metaphor When therefore we receive grace from Christ and strength and ability to withstand the motions and lusts
of Sin we are by a Metaphor said to be freed from sin as Servants from their Lord and Master And then do we receive grace from Christ and strength and ability to withstand the motions and lusts of sin when we believe the Gospel of Christ and obey it For so soon as ever we believe the Gospel as we ought Christ doth justifie us from all our sins And when he justifieth us he sanctifieth us too and pours his grace into our hearts whereby we are inabled to walk according to the Gospel Ye became the servants of Righteousness That grace which strengtheneth us against sin and enableth us to withstand the motions and lusts of sin enableth us to work the works of righteousness Or at least when we receive one we receive the other And when we receive strength and ability to work the works of righteousness we are called the servants of Righteousness by a Metaphor When the Apostle speaks in this treatise of freedom and servitude he alludeth to civil freedom and servitude used among men and especially the Romans to whom he writeth where some were Masters some Servants some Lords some Slaves and where there were divers Laws concerning these Relations The Apostle speaks ver 13. of yielding ourselves servants unto God And ver 16. of being the servants of obedience And ver 17. of obeying as Servants the form of doctrine which was delivered And verse eighteen of being servants of Righteousness A man cannot serve two Masters saith our Saviour Matth. 6.24 much less can he serve many How is it therefore that the Apostle would have us servants to so many Lords or Masters as these are I answer That these are not divers Lords or Masters but all one one in their end and one in the object of our obedience and when we obey one of these we obey all the rest For as it is one and the same thing for a man to obey a King and his Laws a Master and his commands So it is one and the same thing to obey God and to obey the Law or doctrine of obedience to obey the doctrine delivered and to obey righteousness and serve them For this obedience Doctrine and Righteousness are no other thing nor command any other thing than the will of God Ver. 19. I speak after the manner of men The Apostle seemeth to intend no other thing by this form of speech than to signifie that though he discourseth of heavenly and divine matters yet he is willing that he might condescend to their capacities to make use of vulgar similitudes and similitudes of things well known among earthly men and to draw arguments from them I speak after the manner of men By men he meaneth by a Synechdoche such men as are not acquainted with divine heavenly things But such which as in their discourses and disputations they discourse and dispute altogether of earthly things so do they fetch their similitudes and draw their Arguments only from earthly things and go no higher The Subject of the Apostles discoâ—rse are spirituall and heavenly things But the form of his discourse is humane or after the manner of men which are acquainted only with earthly things and that because they to whom he writes are by reason of the slowness of their understanding more apt to apprehend spiritual things by vulgar and common similitudes and Arguments drawn from earthly things than to understand spiritual things by spiritual and by such Arguments as they in their own nature will afford Because of the infirmitie of your flesh i. e. Because of the slowness or weakness of your understanding in conceiving of spiritual things He takes Infirmity here for the weakness to wit of their understanding in apprehend ng spirituall things as it is also taken 1 Cor. 8.7 And he taketh flesh for the understanding it self and calls it Flesh because it was accustomed to or acquainted onely with fleshly that is to or with Earthly things For as ye yielded c. This particle For cannot be taken for a Causal here For so taken it will not cohere with that which went before I take it therefore for a Note of Illation that is for Therefore q. d. Therefore as ye have yielded your members Servants of uncleanness c. The Apostle should here make a Superstructure upon that ground-work which he laid ver 16 17 and 18. and bring an Illation from thence in Categorical terms to this or the like sence Viz Therefore being that ye are freed from sin ye ought not to serve sin or ye ought not to sin which was that which he said and undertook to prove ver 15. But being become the Servants of Righteousness ye should obey righteousness and live in all holy and righteous conversation This is that I say which the order of speech required But this the Apostle wrapped up in an Exhortation as he useth sometimes to do where he brings an Exhortation instead of a conclusion or a conclusion wrapped up in an Exhortation instead of a Categoricall conclusion As ye have yielded your members servants Concerning these words or this Phrase See ver 13. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity By uncleanness are commonly meant such unclean sins as Drunkenness Lasciviousness Wantonness Luxury c. And to iniquity By Iniquity are here meant such sins as tend to the wrong of our Neighbour as Murder Theft False accusation c. Note that the word Iniquity is to be taken here in a more strict sence than it is taken in the words following Vnto iniquity i. e. To do more iniquity or so as that you have gon on from iniquity to iniquity and from one degree thereof to another Note that iniquity is to be taken here for the work or effect done at the command as it were of that which he calls both uncleanness and Iniquity before so that the word Iniquity is of large extent and relates to more sins than the same word was of and did relate to immediately before For it hath relation not to Iniquity onely but both to uncleanness and Iniquity before mentioned To Righteousness This word is to be taken here as it was taken ver 18. Vnto Holiness i. e. To do or perform daily more and more that which is holy as the Gospel prescribeth It is but common reason which the Apostle here requireth to wit That if we are freed from and made the servants of righteousness that is of God we should abandon sin and serve righteousness that is Serve God For is it any more than reason that he should serve his King and that truely and faithfully too who is freed by him out of the hands of his cruel enemies Ver. 20. For when ye were the Servants of Sin ye were free from Righteousness Between this and the former verse we must understand these or the like words And to Righteousness and not at all to sin And between this and the following verse we must understand these words
wedlock when he saith That we may bring forth fruit unto God The sence therefore of these words is q. d That being married to him that is raised up from the dead we should by the seed of his grace conceive and bring forth fruit unto him who also is God Note that the Apostle changeth the person here from the third to the first which he doth for modesty sake that he may comprehend himself in this his speech The fruit or children here spoken of or meant are good works Vnto God That is unto Christ who was raised from the dead who though he was true man yet was he true God also Wives bring forth children to their own husbands not to others by God therefore is meant Christ here Note that the Apostle proves here that the believing Jews were delivered not only from the imperfection of the Law but also from the obligation of it to wit as it was given by Moses though it had been sufficient for his purpose to shew that they were delivered from the Imperfection of the Law only Ver. 5. When we were in the flesh That is When we were Carnal or in a Carnal estate addicted to the profits and pleasures of this life c. There were few under the Law which were spiritual and minded spiritual things but they were for the most part carnal and minded carnal things And they which were spiritual and minded spiritual things were not so nor did they so by the sole power of the Law so that being that all which were under the law that is under the imperfection of the Law and which had no help but what the Law afforded were Carnal and minded Carnal things The Apostle takes those which were in the flesh while he speaks of the Jews which were under the Law And those which were under the Law that is which were under the Imperfection of the Law for the same For the deliverance from this estate which he here speaks of he calls the Deliverance from the Law ver 6. The motions of Sins i. e. The motions of sins which we felt in our selves provoking moving or enticing us to commit sin or produce sin or to follow them Note that this Genitive of sins is Genitivus Causae And that Sins raise motions in us sub ratione causae finalis while we apprehend them as some pleasant or profitable things Which were by the Law That is which were occasioned by the law Supple as by our husband For he speaks of the law still in allusion to an husband as he did before These motions are said to have been by the law because sin being refrained and curbd in by the Law doth the more she is refrained and curbd in the more break out and shew her self in these her motions in sinful men and so will do in sinful men till grace be poured into their hearts whereby they restrein sin and hold her in Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata This is the manner of sinful nature and such as are accustomed to sin always to endeavour for that which is forbidden and to desire that which is most denied The law doth in a manner speak only to the outward ear and that is not of power alone to turn the hearts of carnal men from their carnal ways yea it makes them the worse by her speaking to them But yet the fault is not in the Law but in them The Law is only the occasion of evil motions not the true Genuine natural cause thereof And that which is good yea very good may be the occasion of that which is evil yea very evil Did work in our members That is q. d. did play their part in our members where they were not idle but very active In our members i. e. In the members of our Body See Notes Chap. 6. ver 13. To bring forth fruit unto death q. d. So that we did bring forth fruit or children and such fruit or children as death did delight and take pleasure in By death he meaneth eternal death and he speaks of it here as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia The fruit or children here spoken of or meant are evil works or actual Sins which are therefore pleasing unto death and such as death delights in because they make them which commit them food for her For as the temporal death feeds upon the bodies of some in the Grave Psal 49.14 So doth eternal death feed upon the souls of others in Hell Note that the particle To signifieth here not the intent only but the event also A question may be here asked why the Apostle did not say to bring forth fruit unto the Law as he said ver 4. That we should bring forth fruit unto God that is to Christ when as he is treating here of the opposition between the Law and Christ Answ Because Sins may not be said to be the fruit of the Law because they are both forbidden and punished by the law But they may be said to be the fruit of death because they make men children of death as the Hebrews speak that is worthy of death Thus some But yet I conceive under correction that by death the Law may be here meant which is called the ministration of death and the ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. ver 7. 9. And therefore may be called death by a Metonymie And it is no absurdity to give the effects which are attributed to death to the Law when we give them and attribute them to the Law not as to the cause but only as to the occasion thereof For it is written ver 10 And the Commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death And thus the Antithesis here in hand will well hold out The Apostle seemeth to mention this and to shew how it was with them while they were under the Law in the flesh That now being they were delivered from the Law and from the flesh they might be more careful and more diligent to do those things which were pleasing to God in newness of Spirit abandoning the oldness of the Letter V. 6. But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we held i. e. But now as the Wife is loosed from her Husband if he be dead ver 2. so are we who were as a Wife to the Law delivered from the law which is or was our husband by the death of the Law The Law is to be taken here as it was Chap. 6.14 and Chap. 7. ver 1 viz. For the whole Law of Moses as it was given by Moses and so precisely given without the grace of the Gospel And in this sence to be delivered from the Law and to be delivered from the flesh will signifie both one and the same thing That being dead wherein we were held i. e. The Law under which we were held bound as a Wife under her Husband so long as he liveth being dead By the death of the Law he
Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of Sin It seemeth to be most probable under correction that S. Paul speaks not here either in his own person or in the person of a Regenerate man For the Law of the Spirit of life hath made me free from the Law of Sin and of death saith S. Paul while he speaks in the person of a Regenerate man Chap. 8.2 And Chap. 8. ver 9. speaking to those which are in Christ Jesus he saith ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit that is ye are not carnal but spiritual if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And Chap. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live S. Paul therefore speaks not here in his own person nor in the person of a Regenerate man but in the person of a man that is under the Law and unregenerate and as yet without Christ but yet not far from the Kingdom of God as I said before Ver. 15. For that which I do I allow not c. In this verse he proves that which he said in the latter part of the former verse To wit that he was sold under Sin That is that he was as very a servant or slave to sin as he which is bought in a Market is to him which buys him For a servant or slave which is so bought is not at his own disposal or under his own power to do any thing which he himself likes or would do but is at the disposal of his Lord and Master which bought him and is under his power to do whatsoever he would have him to do That which I do I allow not i. e. That which I do I approve not of in my mind as of a thing well done Note that these words I do extend further than to positive doing for they extend aswel to what he did not as to what he did as will appear by the subsequent words where that which is here spoken in generall and in gross is divided into particulars For what I would that I do not q d. For whereas I have at sometimes some light desire and will to do that which is good and which is câ—mmanded by the Law of God I do it not but am drawn away from it by contrary lusts and affections of Sin He speaks here of a light and inefficacious will to do good He proves also here that he was sold under Sin But what I hate that do I But whereas I am unwillng many times to do that which the Law forbids yet I do it being drawn by contrary lusts and affections of Sin to do it The hate here spoken of is not to be understood of a perfect hatred but of some light unwillingness neither is this unwillingness to be thought to be in him at all times when he sins against a Negative Law or Command but at sometimes onely And as this hatred is but a light unwillingness to do that which he doth So is that willingness to do that which he doth not a light and in efficacious willingness and such as takes him only at sometimes The word rendred I hate is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not always signifie a perfect hatred as may be seen Gen. 29 31. Mat. 10 37. John 12. 25 c. Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor Saith Medea in the Poet. I see better things and allow of them in my judgement but I follow and do those which are worse Such an affection as is in the Poets Medea is in the man which the Apostle here personates or somewhat better Ver. 16. I do that which I would not These words are the same for sence and Latitude with those words of the former verse viz. That which I allow not And the Inference or Conclusion mentioned or collected here in this verse is drawn from thence If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good The Consequence of what the Apostle here says depends upon that which yet is a true supposition that what he would not do he would not do because it was forbidden by the Law Note that from the discourse immediately foregoing the Apostle draws a double conclusion one contained in this verse whereby he proves that the law was good and therefore Spiritual in relation to what he said ver 14 viz. For we know that the law is Spiritual The other in relation to what he said in the same verse viz. But I am carnal sold under sin which conclusion is contained or set down in the verse following in those words Now then it is no more I that do but Sin which dwelleth in me Ver. 17. Now then it is no more I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me This conclusion is drawn not from the Sixteenth but the fifteenth verse of this Chapter and relates thither q. d. Now then if I do that which I allow not of according to my mind it is no more I that do it to wit as I am under the law and taught and directed thereby but Sin that dwelleth in me and so by Consequence I am as I said I was verse 14. Carnal sold under Sin It is no more I that do it i. e. It is not I that do it viz. as I am taught and directed by the Law Or he may say that he did it not but Sin which dwelleth in to shew that sin swayed him to do what he did when he would not do it For when two causes concur to one effect the effect is oftentimes attributed to the prime and principal cause and denied to that which is less principal though that did act also So S. Paul saith that he laboured more than all the other Apostles yet not he but the Grace of God which was with him 1 Cor. 15.10 Where he attributes his labour to the Grace of God which was the Principal cause of that his labour and denies himself to be cause thereof because though he did labour himself himself was the less principal cause of that his labour No more The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes redound and become superfluous in a sentence But Sin that dwelleth in me By Sin he means here that Sin or those Sins to which he was accustomed and which reigned in him or had dominion over him which Sins are said to dwell and may be said to reign in him by reason of those habits which they through custom and often repetition had produced in him And as Sin is said to dwell in a man by reason of that vitious habit which she produced in him So on the contrary is the holy Ghost said to dwell in us by reason of the gifts which it infuseth into us 1 Cor. 3.16
is an Ellipsis in these words The words therefore may be made up thus q. d. I thank God that he hath delivered me from this deadly body that is from this company of deadly enemies through our Lord Jesus Christ If we take these words in this sence then we must say that the Apostle speaks these words in his own person as he was regenerated and delivered from the Law and then they are to be read as it were with a Parenthesis He that sees the misery of other men how grievious it is and was in the same misery once himself or liable thereunto and is delivered from it will break out in thanks to God for his great goodness in delivering him upon sense of that mercy The aforesaid words of the Apostle may also be made up thus q. d. I thank God that he hath shewed me a way how to be delivered from this deadly body or from this body of deadly enemies For he hath made away to deliverance by Jesus Christ our Lord. And this may he speak which is under the Law and yet hath so well profited as that seeing no hope of salvation by the Law sees salvation in Christ though he be not as yet engrafted into Christ for the Law was a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we may be justified by faith saith our Apostle Gal. 3.24 Such a one though he be yet under the Law I account not to be altogether under the imperfection of the Law though he be not yet engrafted into Christ and Regenerate So then with my mind I my self serve the Law of God q. d So then I my self though I am carnal do with my mind serve the Law of God and by so doing do acknowledge that the Law of God is spiritual This hath its immediate connexion with the 21 or 23 verses And he speaks it in the person of such a man as I told of v. 14. He saith that he serves the Law of God with his mind because he approves of the Law of God as good with his mind and propounds it with his mind to his will to be embraced and followed by her as a real good which is the duty of the mind to do and in which the mind by so doing is subservient to the Law of God whose duty is to teach men what they should do and to stir them up to the doing of it But with the flesh the Law of sin What is meant here by flesh See ver 18. By the Law of sin he means sin it self which he calls the Law of sin that it may answer those words The Law of God And because it doth as a Law incite men to follow her lusts which are as it were her commands See ver 21. They serve sin which follow the lusts and desires of sin and put those things in practice which she allureth or inciteth to By saying But with the flesh I serve the Law of sin he acknowledgeth that he is Carnal and sold under sin So that in this last verse he brings up his Conclusion which he draweth from his discourse from the 14. verse hitherto to that which he said in the 14 verse viz. We know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin CHAP. VIII 1. THere is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 1. I said Chap. 5. ver 20 21. That when sin abounded grace did much more abound so that as sin hath reigned unto death even so grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Wherefore that being so there is now no Condemnation to them which are engrafted by faith into Christ Jesus who are such as walk not after their sensual and carnal appetite and affections but walk after the spirit to wit the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations and so serve not sin 2. For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death 2. And let not any one which is in Christ Jesus say nay but I cannot but serve sin For the spirit of Regeneration which giveth life the spirit which we have received by Christ hath made us free from sin which bringeth unto death so that sin hath now no power or dominion over us whereby to make us to obey her will 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh 3. I say that the spirit of Regeneration that spirit which giveth life and which we received by Christ I say not that the Law hath made us free from sin For by reason of the impotency of the Law in that it was weak in comparison of sin which dwelt and reigned in us God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man and for this end that he might destory sin hath destroyed sin by his body which was crucified for us by which also he purchased and gave us the Spirit of Regeneration 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 4. That by the spirit of Regeneration which he purchased for us and which he hath given us the Righteousness which the Law prescribes should be fulfilled in us which are justifyed and are engrafted into Christ by faith who are such as walk not after our carnal or sensual appetite and affections But such as walk after the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit 5. I say who are such who walk not after our sensual or carnal appetite or affection but such as do walk after the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations For though they which are carnal love and follow after their sensual and carnal appetite and affections they that are spiritual do love follow after and delight themselves in these things to which the spirit which is in them inclineth them to 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace 6. And not without cause for to love follow and delight in those things which the sensual or carnal appetite or affection moveth to will certainly bring everlasting death But to love follow and delight in those things which the spirit of Regeneration inclineth is that which brings everlasting life and peace 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity againsh God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 7. For the man which loves follows after and delights in those things to which his sensual or carnal appetite and affections tempt him to is an
thought worthy of the honour of a glorious and happy resurrection at the last Day because they were Temples of the Holy Ghost in this life The spirit is called the Earnest to wit of our resurrection 2 Cor. 5.5 That which he saith here in this verse is a Comfort against that which he said ver 10. viz. The body is dead because of sin And an Explication of that which he said ver 6. To be spiritually minded is life Though death seize upon the bodies of the faithful and regenerate yet it shall not alwayes keep their bodies under her power as death Eternal shall the bodies of those which are carnally minded For at the last Day Christ shall raise up their bodies to a life of glory of which the spirit of God and of Christ which is in them is a sure pledge and earnest Ver. 12. Therefore Brethren we are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Supple But to the spirit to live after the spirit Note that these words But to the spirit to live after the spirit are here to be understood and the Apostle leaves them to us to understand out of those opposite words viz. Not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh He takes Flesh here for our sensual or carnal appetite or affections And the spirit which he here leaveth to be understood must we take for that spirit which he called the spirit of life and the spirit of God and of Christ and righteousness a little before of both which he speaks as of Persons yea Mistresses by a Prosopopoeia That which the Apostle here gathers he gathers especially from the sixth verse To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace as will appear by what he saith ver 13. where he doth repeat as it were and amplifie what he there said The Apostle in this Corrollary or Conclusion doth dehort the Romans from following the Flesh and exhort them to follow the spirit and sheweth them that they ought so to do And this he doth so often as occasion serves that Novices in Christianity may not take to themselves a liberty to sin and that those which are enemies to Christianity might not have any cause to asperse Christians with so foul a thing as this is viz. That they taught or held that they might walk securely after the Flesh We are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Supple but to the spirit to live after the spirit q. d. We ought in wisdom and in love to our selves not to live after the Flesh but to live after the spirit The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred here Debtors is not to be taken here for Debtors in the strict sence of the words but more loosely for such as are any way bound whether in gratitude or in wisdom or in love to themselves to do any thing so that they which ought or whom it behoveth to do any thing upon any account may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Debtors in the Apostles sence here The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh hath such a kind of signification with it and Euripides useth the Foeminine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the same manner But note that though I say that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be taken here in the strict sence of the word I say it not because we are not bound in the strictest sence to forsake the Flesh and follow the spirit but because that that is all which can be gathered from what Saint Paul hath here said Wherefore what Saint Paul saith here is as if he should say Wherefore being that to be carnally minded is death and to be spiritually minded is life and peace If ye be wise and have any love to your own selves ye ought not to live after the Flesh but after the spirit To live after the Flesh To live after the Flesh is to live after the will of the Flesh that is to embrace and follow the motions of the Flesh that is of our sensual or carnal appetite and affections Ver. 13. Ye shall die Supple Eternally Note the Enallage of the Person here how he changeth the first into the second Person If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body i. e. If ye through the spirit that is in you and which doth enable you to mortifie the deeds of the body I say if ye through that spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body according to that that the spirit shall enable you thereunto Do mortifie the deeds of the body By the deeds of the body are not here to be understood all those actions which are exercised by the body for Chap. 6. ver 13. He would have us to yield our members as instruments of Righteousness unto God but such deeds are to be understood by the deeds of the body here which he calls the works of the flesh Galat. chap. 5. ver 19. We are then said to mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit when by the help of the spirit and the power thereof we do not consent to but resist the evil motions of the body or of the flesh that is of our carnal affections when they incite us to evil deeds which the more we resist the more shall we find their strength to die in us and the less power shall they have over us Ye shall live i. e. Ye shall live a life happy and eternal and that not only in your souls which shall never die but also in your bodies which though they die yet shall be raised up to an immortal life at the last Day Ver. 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God The Apostle proveth here what he said ver 13. viz. That if they through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body they shall live For they which through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body are such as are led by the spirit of God and they which are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God by Adoption and they which are the sons of God by doption are the Heirs of God ver 17. Heirs to the inheritance of Eternal life As many as are led by the spirit of God i e. As many as follow the leading of the spirit of God This is the same spirit which he spoke of before ver 2. He speaks of this spirit as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia And men are said to be led by the spirit of God when they follow the motions and inclinations thereof As many as are led by the spirit of God do give no consent to the motions of the flesh but they resist them and walk another way for the motions and inclinations of the Flesh and of the Spirit are contrary one to the other As many therefore as are led by the spirit of God so
weight of Glory Into The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth here not the intrinsecal term of the mutation into which the creature should be changed but the extrinsicall term of time when it shall be changed or delivered from the body of Corruption q. d. At the Glorious liberty i. e. At the time of the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Ver. 22 For we know i. e. For we who have the knowledge of God and of his Truth know The whole creation The whole universe of the Creatures The word Creation is put by a Metonymy here for the Creature Yet know that it is the same word to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here which is used ver 19 20 21 And that it might have been as well rendred Creature here as there Groaneth A Metaphor from women groaning in their travaill because of their pain and desiring to be delivered of it And travaileth in pain together A Metaphor from women still who in their travail are in great pain and desiring to be delivered of that pain And then desire shall not be frustrate He speaketh here of the Creation or the irrational Creatures as if they had reason and were every one a person by a Prosopopoeia And he saith They groan and travail in pain because that that which they suffer from wicked men is grievious to them that is is such as if they had sense and feeling would prove grievious to them and insufferable as being contrary to their nature and the end of their Creation and such as they would desire to be delivered from And intimates that this their desire shall not be frustrate being grounded upon Gods promise that is upon Gods decree to deliver them Together This relates to the Members of the Creation that is to the severall Creatures of the world all of which groan and travail in pain The Apostle sayes indeed not all the Creatures but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole creation groaneth together and useth a noun of the Singular number but yet because this noun is Nomen collectivum as the word world and the word people is which containes many particulars of many kindes in it the Apostle may say of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in relation to those several species of things which it contains though he relates not to any other things Vntill now i e. To this very time from the time that man first sinned These words For we know that the whole creaâ—ion groaneth and travaileth in pain together untill now may relate to those words of the 20. verse For the Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly and be as a confirmation of them Or they may relate to those words of the 21 verse The bondage of Corruption as proving that the Creature is under such a bondage by its groaning and so groaning as that it desires to be delivered from it I have taken the word vanity ver 20. and the word Corruption ver 21. hitherto for men wicked men or sinners as some others have done before me But we may take the word vanity ver 20 and the word Corruption ver 21. for mutability or a change to the worse yea a substantial change as well as accidental To Vanity and Corruption this way taken was the Creature especially the Sublunary Creatures which we must now either solely or chiefly understand here by the Creatures made subject either wholly or in its parts for the sin of man for as God cursed the earth for Mans sake when he had eaten of the forbidden fruit Gen. 3.17 So no doubt did he the rest of the Elements and Elementary compounds by which they became more impure than they were before and more subject to corruption and were more often corrupted and that in a baser manner than otherwise they would have been I say than otherwise they would have been for though Man had never sinned yet there would have been a Corruption of the Elements in their parts being that there would have been a Generation of herbs and trees and other things But yet not such a corruption as hath been since mans fall since which the earth brings forth such store of Thorns and Thistles and such like weeds and the Air is pestered with so many unwholesome fogs and vapours and the like c. And the Corn is vexed with blasting mildews and the like besides that that wicked men abuse these Creatures and corrupt and wast them in their abuse If we take these words Vanity and Corruption in this sence we must say that the Apostle speaks of them as of Lords or Ladies by a Prosopopoeia and interpret this whole discourse from the nineteenth verse hitherto in Analogy to the sence of those words so taken which is easie to do by what I have already said Which of those interpretations he will prefer before which I leave to my Reader Ver. 23. And not onely they Or not only It to wit the whole Irrational Creature or Creation But our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit i. e. But we men also we I mean which have the first fruits of the Spirit we I say groan within our selves c. Which have the first fruits of the spirit By this he describes Regenerate men who have all of them the first fruits of the Spirit of God or of the holy Ghost but none of them the full harvest thereof here in this life And distinguisheth them from those which are Irregenerate The first fruits of the spirit are opposed here to the full harvest and that abundance of the spirit which we shall have in the world to come In saying the first fruits of the spirit he alludes to the first fruits of the Corn or the like used in the Law of which we may read Levit. 23.10 Deut. 26.2 which first fruits the People of Israel did offer by the command of God partly that they might acknowledge their thankfulness to God for the fruits of the earth Deut. 26. ver 1 2 3 c. But partly that the other Corn or fruit might be thereby sanctified Levit. 23.14 Rom. 11.16 As therefore the Israelites by offering the first fruits to God were confident of enjoying the rest of the Corn or Harvest in due time So do Regenerate men out of the sense and feeling which they have of the first-fruits of the spirit which they enjoy here in this world conceive hope of enjoying the full measure of the Spirit in Glory in their due time in the world to come Well doth the Apostle here say We which have the first fruits of the spirit and distinguisheth himself and such as he from the Irregenerate For they which have none of the spirit nor any fruits thereof they though they may groan for pain yet they cannot wait and hope for the Redemption of their bodies at the last day for they have no grounds of any such hope Groan within our selves That is groan truly and in heart
and not outwardly and from the Lips as we use to say They groan as being sensible of the miseries and vexations which they are subject to and which they suffer in their bodies And as desiring to be delivered from them For where is great sense of miseries there are groans Waiting for the Adoption That is looking and longing for our Adoption What he means by Adoption here he declares in the next words when he says The Redemption of our bodies The word Adoption therefore is to be taken here by a Metonymie for the full effect or fruit or benefit of our Adoption which is in part the Redemption of our bodies which we shall enjoy at the last day The Redemption of our Bodies 1. The Redemption or deliverance of our bodies from miseries and vexations to which they are subject and which they suffer This our groaning within our selves and waiting for our Adoption to wit the Redemption of our bodies shall not be in vain Wherefore we shall one day attain to it Ver. 24. For we are saved by hope q. d. For we are not yet compleatly saved and compleatly happy as having yet but the first-fruits of the Spirit but we are only so in hope The word only as it is often elsewhere so is it here to be understood He speaks here of compleat and perfect salvation and which extends aswel to the body as to the soul otherways we are said to be saved already that is to be saved already in part Ephes 2.5 Titus 3.5 But hope that is seen is not hope q. d. Now the thing that was hoped for if it is enjoyed it is not now hoped for Hope is to be taken here by a Metonymie for the thing hoped for We hope only for things which we enjoy not but are likely and desirous to enjoy for when we come to enjoy them our hope for them is turned into a delight in them That is seen i. e. That is enjoyed What man sâ—eth i. e. What a man enjoyeth Ver. 25. But if we hope for that which we see not i. e. But yet if we hope for that which we enjoy not as I said we hoped for the salvation and redemption of our Bodies when I said we are saved by hope Then do we with patience wait for it Supple As being assured that we shall one day enjoy it Ver. 26. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our Infirmities This is a new Argument to perswade to the suffâ—riâ—g of Afflictions and it is an Argument of comfort preventing any one that should say thâ—â— he was not able to bear the burden of Afflictions because of their weight For if any one should say yea but for all this I am weak and am not ablâ— to bear Afflictions for they are above my strength The Apostle hath here an answer ready saying The spirit helpeth our Infirmities and so maketh the weight of our Afflictions light and easie to be born wherefore no man hath reason to complain that Afflictions are too heavy for him to bear The spirit helpeth our Infirmities in that it teacheth us so to pray for aid and assistance in our Afflictions in that manner as is pleasing to God as will appear by the words following And God will not fail to aid us and assist us upon our prayers if we so pray The spirit The Spirit is to be taken here as it is taken ver 16. Helpeth our Infirmities i. e. Helpeth our Infirmities whereby we shall be able to bear all Afflictions manfully We may take Infirmities here by a Metonymie for us our selves which are Infirm and not able of our selves to bear the burden of Afflictions That which is here helped is that which beareth not that which is born as some will have it as will easily appear to him that weighs the words of the Original The Apostle saith here according to our Translation Likewise the spirit also helpeth our Infirmities Now a great question there is why the Apostle saith Likewise the spirit also helpeth our Infirmities when as it doth not easily appear That he mentioned any thing before of the spirit like to this But to omit what is else said to this we may say That the Apostle when he saith Likewise the spirit also helpeth our Infirmities hath an eye to what he said ver 16 viz. to that The spirit it self beareth witness to our spirit that we are the children of God q. d. The spirit it self beareth witness to our spirit That we are the children of God And as the spirit it self beareth witness to our spirit that we are the children of God so likewise the spirit also helpeth our Infirmities But that which is here rendred Likewise is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answering to the Hebrew word jah had which signifieth Praeterea aswell as Pariter may be rendred Praeterea too So that this may be the English of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besides the spirit doth not only witness to our Spirits that we are the Children of God but it helpeth also our infirmities And this interpretation will take away the former question For we know not what we should pray for as we ought i. e. For indeed we know not how to pray as we ought Although such is our blindness as that we know not for the most part what is expedient for us and so we know not what to pray for as we ought yet I conceive under correction that the Apostle speaks here rather of the manner than of the matter of our prayers q. d. For we know not how to pray as we ought and the knowledge which he here speaks of is not a Speculative but a Practical knowledge whereby a man actually doth that which he is said to know so the prophet saith ye that know Righteousness Isa 51.7 Where they are said to know Righteousness not so much which have the speculative knowledge of it as which practise it or exercise it Where note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How And so we shall find it also put Mark 24.24 in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed what you hear For whereas S. Mark saith there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take heed what you hear S. Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed how you hear Luke 8.18 See also Romans 4.1 They which would pray as they ought must pray in faith in sincerity with zeal earnestness and fervency of spirit which no man can do without the Spirit of God But with that Spirit he may do it But the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us This is as if he should say But the Spirit it self teacheth us what that is how we stould pray as we ought The Holy Ghost the third Person in the Trinity is not if we speak properly our Advocate or Intercessour neither is he any were so called in the Scripture much lesse is any gift of the Holy Ghost which is poured into our
hearts such yea Christ is our only Mediatour or Intercessour 1 Tim. 2.5 We must therefore take this which is here said of the Spirit or of the Holy Ghost figuratively I conceive therefore that the Apostle speaks of the Holy Ghost here Metaphorically alluding therein to a Teacher which when he teacheth a thing doth the thing himself in the sight of his Scholler that his Scholler may learn from him what he would have him do by seeing him his Master or Teacher do it before him so that while the Master acteth or doth such or such a thing he is said to teach it And according to this Metaphor when the spirit it self is said here to make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered it is as if it should be said of the Spirit that it did teach us to pray practically for our selves with groanings which cannot be uttered The teaching of us to pray as we ought with groanings which cannot â—e uttered is in the truth and reality of the thing or in plain terms the enabling of us so to pray So when God enabled David to the battle he said He teacheth my hands to War so that a Bow of Steel is broken by mine Arm Psal 18.34 Before I leave these words I cannot but give notice that some say that the Apostle in these words Maketh nitercession for us useth an Hebraism whereby the Hebrew Conjugation Cal is put for the Hebrew Conjunction Hiphil to make intercession for To make us to make intercession q. d. But the Spirit it self maketh us to make inteâ—cession for our selves c. With groanings which cannot be uttered The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some render with groans even without words signifying thereby the earnest but inward affections of the heart Though the Jews thought no prayers available but such as were formed into vocal words and sounds yet Christians know that prayere conceived in the heart are available and acceptable to God But rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Translatours render it which cannot be uttered the question will be how these groanings are said to be unutterable Answ They are said to be unutterable because no man is able to express with his tongue the manner of them how they proceed from the Holy Ghost and how they are wrought in us and work in us nor with what fervency and devotion they are joyned but only he that feels them Ver. 27. And hâ— that searcheth the hearts This is an Attribute of God often given to him in Scripture and given him here to shew that though the groanings of the spirit were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not uttered by voice or external sound but pent in in the Spirit or not utterable but ineffable yet God understood them heard them and knew them well enough Knoweth what the mind of the Spirit is i. e. Doth know and so know as that he doth approve of that which the Spirit conceiveth and acteth in the heart and therefore knoweth and approveth of the grâ—anings of the Spirit though they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not uttered by voice or sound nor utterable Note first that the Apostle speaks here of the Spirit or Holy Ghost as of a man by an Anthropopathia Secondly that to know signifies here not barely to know but also to approve and like of yea to be affected with Thirdly That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be taken here for the internal acts of the heart or whatsoever is acted there and it extendeth and relateth to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or unutterable groanings which are spoken of v. 26. which are not without the mind of the Spirit Because he maketh intercession for the Saints i. e. Because he maketh intercession for the Saints and so teacheth them to make intercession for themselves For the Saints By the Saints he meaneth here those which are justified by faith for of such is his discourse from Chap. 5. v. 1. hitherto According to the will of God And being that he maketh intercession according to the will of God he obtaineth what he desireth at the hands of God and so do they whom he teacheth so to pray Ver. 28. And we know that all things work together for the good of them which love God Now if all things work together for the good of them which love God then do afflictions also work together for their good and so there is no reason why we should be afraid of afflictions and shrink from under them This is another argument to perswade to the sufferance of afflictions Work together i. e. Work all of them together not together with them which love God but together among themselves for the good of them which love God To them which love God And such are all they which are justified by faith and which are by faith ingraffed into Jesus Christ To them who are called i. e. To them which have been called or invited to the grace or hope of the Gospel by the preaching thereof and have not only been called or invited thereto but have by the grace of God obeyed and accepted the call and invitation and so believe This is the meaning of the word Called in this and most other places of the New Testament So that the word doth not imply a bare calling but such an effectual calling whereby they that are called do obey or accept of the call and so believe And in this sence doth our Apostle say Ye see your calling Brethren how that not many Wise after the flesh not many Mighty not many Noble are called 1 Cor. 1.16 Now to what they are called is not here specified but from other places we may understand what it is for Saint Paul saith to the Thessalonians That God had called them to his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes 2.12 And Saint Peter saith God called us unto his Eternal Glory 1 Pet. 5.10 This I call the grace or hope of the Gospel because it is therein contained and thereby promised And so often as we are said by our Apostle to be called we must understand that this is the object of our calling except the circumstances of the place points at another Object To this we are called by the preaching of the Gospel and then we obey this call and accept of this invitation when we obey or believe the Gospel These words To them who are called are a connection of those vâ—z To them which love God to shew that God loved them before they loved God According to his purpose i. e. With a purpose to have them conformed to the Image of his Son or according to the purpose which he had in himself that they which he called should be conformed to the Image of his Son What the Object of this purpose of God was is not here expressed but may be gathered from those words of the verse next following He did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son Ver. 29.
Whom he did foreknow i. e. Whom he did determine with himself from all Eternity to love and so to love as to call them effectually to the grace and hope of the Gospel and so to give them to believe that they might be justified by faâ—th and ingraffed into Christ Note that to know according to the Hebrew phrase or kind of speaking is often referred to the will and affections and so signifieth to love Examples of this are obvious as Psalm 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is the Lord liketh and approveth and loveth the way of the righteous And John 10.14 I am the good Shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine that is I am the good Shepherd and love my sheep and am beloved of mine and 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his that is the Lord loveth those which are his and after this manner to know is to be taken here for to love and yet not to love in any kind but so to love as to call effectually to the grace or hope of the Gospel c. And that by a Synechdoche Generis where love in general is put for a special kind of love Now as to know signifieth to love so to foreknow signifieth to fore-love that is to love a thing before it is that is to determine and resolve before a thing is to love it when it is The sence therefore of these word Whom he did foreknow is this viz. Whom he determined and resolved from all Eternity to love when they should be in time and so to love as to call them effectually to the hope and grace of the Gospel so as that he would give them to believe that they might be justified c. This Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Fore in Foreknow when they are spoken of God intimate that to be from Eternity which they speak of And they answer to to the Latin Preposition Prae. Them also he did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son i. e. Those he did also from Eternity in his purpose and resolution destinate and appoint to be conformed to the Image of his Son He did predestinate The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definire destinare statuere and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also Prae in predestinate doth signifie that what God did define destinate and appoint he did define destinate and appoint before all time As the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did shew that what God is said there to know he knew from all Eternity This word Predestinate doth signifie only the Act of Predestination but who it is which doth predestinate and who they are which are predestinated and to what These things must be gathered from the circumstances of the place He therefore that doth predestinate here is God they which are predestinated are they whom he foreknew That to which they are predestinated is to be conformed to the Image of his Son To be conformed to the Image of his Son That is to be conformed like to the Pattern Copy Example or President of his Son Christ Jesus who is the eternal Son of God To the image of his Son By the Image is here meant a Pattern Example Copy or President to be followed or imitated And therefore because God would have those which he loves to imitate his Son Christ Jesus as their Pattern Example Copy or President he saith not barely to be conformed to his Son but to be conformed to the Image of his Son In many things may we be conformed and made like to Christ as in working miracles in glory in sufferings c. but here he seems to speak only of our conformity to him in sufferings and being afflicted De cruce rebus adversis locus est Apostoli perspicuus And again De cruce loquitur in qua Electos omnes ab aeterno voluit similes fieri filio suo unigeni into Jesu Christo saith Zanchy de Natura Dei lib. 3. cap. 4 quaest 8. pag. 247. id est The place of the Apostle Rom. 8.29 is plainly concerning the cross and adverse things And again he speaks of the Cross in which God would have all those which are elected from eternity to be made like unto his only begotten Son Jesus Christ It is written Christ ought to have suffered and so to have entred into his Glory Luke 24.26 And as it was decreed of God that Christ should enter into his glory by sufferings So was it decreed of God that he that will be Christs and partaker of his glory should deny himself take up his Cross and follow him as our Saviour speaks Matth 16.24 That he might be the first born among many brethren i. e. that he might have many suffering brethren among whom he might be chief in sufferings The first born may be taken here for the Chief or him that is Chief in allusion to that that by the Law the First born was chief among his brethren And so is the word taken Isaiah chap. 14.30 In those words And the First born of the poor shall feed And by Brethren he means such brethren as suffered as Christ suffered which he calls many not to exclude any but to shew that they are not a few for number By this viz. That he might be the First born among many brethren is signified that the Conformity here spoken of redounds to the glory of Christ For by that there doth acrue a certain dignity and Prerogative to Christ in that he should be the First born among many Yet these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may carry this sence with them also Viz. yet so as that he shall be the first born amongst many brethren that is yet so as that he shall far exceed all who are his Brethren in Sufferings Christ was the chief of all the Sons of God in suffering because he was to be the Pattern of all the rest for suffering In this Verse besides such as are contained in the verse next following there are diverse Arguments perswading to suffer affliction couched First in that That they which suffer are not otherwise dealt with than God deals with them whom he foreknew Secondly in that That they are not otherwise dealt with than God deals with his own natural Son Thirdly in that That they are not so hardly dealt with as concerning sufferings as God dealt with his own Son For Christ Jesus did not only suffer but suffer so as none the like hence he cries out by reason of his sufferings Eli Eli Lamasabacthany My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 28.46 And is it nothing to you all ye that pass by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath Lam. 1.12 For that also do the
the Sea wherein they were wont to drown those which were accounted Malefactours and were persons condemned to die Others by height understand heaven by depth hell And by those again such as were in heaven and in hell q. d. Nor can heaven nor hell that is nor can any in heaven or in hell if they should set themselves against us be able to separate us c. Nor any other Creature i. e. Nor any other thing whatsoever From the Love of God i. e. From the love which God sheweth us Which is in Christ Jesus i. e. Which love he sheweth to or towards us for Christ Jesus our Lords sake The Preposition In is taken here after the Hebrew manner for For the sake of For the Hebrews take this Preposition In for almost any Preposition whatsoever CHAP. IX 1. I Say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost 1. I have hitherto plainly and undeniably shewed that Justification is not by works but by faith And I have declared the rich blessings and mercies which God bestoweth on them which are Justified by faith wherefore I say the truth in the sight of Christ my conscience also bearing me witness before the holy Ghost who knows my heart and will require it of me If I say false 2. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart 2. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh 3. For my brethren the Jews who are my kinsmen according to the flesh for I could wish if yet I might lawfully wish it that I were accursed and everlastingly separated from Christ for them 4 Who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises 4. Who are so great priviledges and prerogatives have they above all people the children of Israel which was the friend of God by true lineal descent of blood and to whom pertaineth the Adoption by which they are made Sons of God And the glory which appertaineth to them which are Gods people and the Morall Law which was given by Moses in Tables of Stone And the Judicial Law which was given them for the maintainance of Civil Society among themselves and the Ceremonial Law which taught them the manner of Gods service and worship and all the promises contained in the books of the Old Testament 5. Whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen 5. Whose are the Fathers those Ancient Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of whom Christ was born as he was Man even Christ who is Lord over all and God as well as Man yea God blessed for evemore Amen 6. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect For they are not all Israel which are of Israel 6. But here before I can finish my sentence and speak out my mind which I will do Chap. 10. ver 1 2 3. I must prevent an Objection which here ariseth For whereas my Brethren the Jews know that I exclude them all from Justification which seek not after it by faith They will be ready to tell me that whereas I said that the promises appertain to them I make the promises of God of none effect except I grant them to be justified for among the promises of God there is a promise made to the Israelites which they say they are that he will cleanse them from all their iniquity and pardon all their sins Jer. 31. ver 31 34. Jer. 33.4 Micah 7.18 But for an answer to this though I say that the promises appertain to them and do acknowledge such a promise as they make mention of yet let no man think that I have so spoken as that it may be gathered from my words that the promise of God is of none effect because I will not grant them to be justified for though that promâ—se of God be made to all Israel and so to them upon condition yet if we speak of that promise absolutely All they which are descended from Israel by lineal succession of blood are not that Israel or those sons of Israel to whom that promise of Righteousness or Justification doth absolutely belong 7. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called 7. For neither are they which are of Abraham upon that meer account that they are descended from Abraham by carnal Generation to be accounted that seed and those children of Abraham to whom the Spiritual promise of justification doth absolutely belong For the seed or children of Abraham to whom the promise of the Land of Canaan did appertain were not that seed or those children of Abraham which were in the loins of Ishmael which yet came our of the loins of Abraham but that seed or those chidren of Abraham which were in the loines of Isaac according to that which was said to Abraham by the Angel Gen. 21.12 But in Isaac shall thy seed be to wit that seed of thine which shall inherit the Land of Canaan which I have promised to thee and to thy children 8. That is they which are the children of the flesh these are noâ— the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed 8. That is according to the Mystical meaning of the words for not the literal but the Mystical sence is that which makes for my purpose and that for which I alledge these words they which are the children of Abraham according to the flesh which children were typified in Ishmael these are not the children of Abraham to which God promised that spiritual gift of justification which was typified by the Land of Canaan But those spiritual children which God promised to Abraham in a Mystical sence Genes 17.5 When he said I have made thee a Faâ—her of many Nations that is the faithful or they which are of faith whether they be Jews or whether they be Gentiles by birth and which were typified by Isaac they and they only are to be accounted that seed of Abraham to which the promise of justification doth absolutely belong 9 For this is the word of promise At this time will I come and Sara shall have a son 9. I say which were typified by Isaac for Iâ—aac was a son of promise that is Isaac was born to Abraham by vertue of Gods promise whereby he said by his Angel to him at this time the next year will I come unto thee And then Sara thy wife shall have a son whom thou shalt call Isaac Gen. 18.10 And because Isaac was a son of promise or because he was born of Abraham's body by vertue of Gods promise made to Abraham his Father He was a type of that spiritual seed to
Nations are of one kin and brethren after a Spiritual manner Ver. 4. Who are Israelites That is who are descended from Isrrel That is from Jacob and are his children which Jacob or Israel was a man beloved of God and who had this name Israel given him in way of honour by God himself Genes 32.28 The Apostle sets out here in this and the next verse the honour priviledges and Pre-eminences of these which he called his brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh To signifie that he had cause enough thus to grieve as he doth when he considered that they which were so neer allied to him and which had such honour priviledges and preeminences from God should be at last cast off and be rejâ—cted by him and left in such an estate through their own faults as is accompanied or attended with eternal damnation To whom pertaineth the Adoption He speaks not here of that Adoption which he spoke of in the former chapter by which they that are adopted are made heires of everlasting Glory that Adoption belongeth to Christians such as are justified by faith not to natural Jews But he speaks here of that Adoption whereby God passing by all other people made choice of the Jews or Israelites to be to him a peculiar people or Treasure above all people else by reason of which he cherished them and used them as sons and bâ—stowed many blessings upon them For Israel is my son even my first-born saith the Lord Exod 4.22 And again I am a father to Israel Jer. 31.9 And the Glory The Ark of the Covenant is called the Glory 1 Sam. 4.21 22. by a Metonymie because it was a token of the presence of the Glorious God who sat thereupon and gave his Oracles from it And therefore many think that the Apostle meaneth the Ark of God when he saith the Glory But others By the Glory understand the glory which accrued to the people of Israel by that That they were chosen by God to be a peculiar people to him and to be his sons which was indeed a great glory to them and by reason of which God did many glorious things for them and among them For since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honourable saith the Lord to the people of the Jews Isaiah 43.4 And the Covenants By the Covenants is meant the Moral Law written in two Tables of stone by reason of which writing those Tables were called also the tables of the Covenant Deut. 9.11 That Law was called the Covenant because God made a covenant with the people of Israel concerning keeping of that and that was the matter and subject of the Covenant as it was to be performed on Israels part The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A word of the Plural number which is here rendred Covenants but it might be aswell rendred the Covenant in the Singular number for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be it self a word of the Plural number yet it is often put to signifie one single Testament And the Covenant and Testament is all one in the Apostles sence here See Budaeus in his Commentary pag. 507. H Steph. in his Thesaurus in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet some say that the Apostle useth a word of the plural number here viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenants because there were two Tables of the Covenant though the Covenant it self were but One. And the giving of the Law By the giving of the Law understand The Law which was given to wit to the Israelites by God by a Metonymie And by that understand again the Judicial Law per Synechdochen Generis that is that Law which was given to the people of Israel for maintainance of Civil Society among them And the service of God By the service of God understand here the Ceremonial Law which prescribed the manner of Gods Service or how he would be served and worshipped by a Metonymie And the promises To wit All the promises contained in the Old Testament that is all the promises contained both in the books of the Law and of the Prophets Ver. 5. Whose are the Fathers That is whose Progenitors were Abraham and Isaac and Jacob Those most honorable Persons and friends of God The Scripture useth to call those Holy Patriarks Abraham Isaack and Jacob The Fathers per Antonomasiam And of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came Christ came of the Israelites as concerning the flesh That is As he was Man in that he took his flesh that is his body of the Virgin Mary who was of the stock of Israel This was a Glory to the Israelites that the Messias was born of them And therefore Simeon calls Christ the Glory of the people Israel Luke 2.32 Who is over all i. e. Which Christ is over all things and all men as their King and Lord. The Apostle in this latter part of the verse sets out the dignity of Christs Person the more to set out the Honour preeminencies and Priviledges which the Jews had God blessed for ever Amen See chap. 1. ver 25. Ver. 6. Not as though the word of God had taken none effect Here the Apostle should have given the reason why he was so grieved for the Jews but he gives it not by reason of this Objâ—ction which he prevents but by reason of this and other Objections He defers it to Chap. 10. ver 1. as I said before Not as though the word of God had taken none effect q. d. But when I say theirs are the promises though I know that they have not attained to Righteousness or Justification but are yet in their sins unpardoned and unjustified I do not make the promise which God made of pardoning the sins of the Israelites and remembring their iniquities no more a void promise and a Promise of none effect or a Promise in which God is not as good as his word c. For the understanding of this place know That among the many Promises which were made to the People of Israel in the old Testament there were some concerning the Remission of sins that is concerning Justification for the Lord saith Jer. 31. ver 31 34. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah c. For I will forgive theiâ— iniquity and remember their sin no more And Jerem. 33. v 4. and 8 Thus saith the Lord the Lord the God of Israel I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinnned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and trespasse against me And Micah 7.18 Who is a God like thee that pardoneth iniqaity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Now God having made this gratious promise to the Israelites of their Justification a Jew might object against Paul and say Paul Thou accountest of us Jews as
of Isaac and so descended from him that is but they which are the Sons or the seed of Abraham by Isaac his Son they and only they are and shall be called and esteemed as the seed or children of Abraham to whom the promises of the Land of Canaan belongeth The Apostle proveth here that which he said immediately before viz. That because they are the seed of Abraham they are not all Children And his proof is to this effect viz. Because neither Ishmael though he came out of the loins of Abraham nor his Posterity though they had truely the same descent had to do with the promise of the Land of Canaan which the Lord promised to Abraham and his seed And therefore they were not Abrahams seed or Children in respect of that but in respect of that Isaac only and his Posterity were children of Abraham and so called Note here that the Land of Canaan which was a Land flowing with milk and honey and into which Joshua the Son of Nun a type of our Jesus brought the Israelites was a type of all those Graces and spiritual blessings which we receive by Christ Jesus This Land of Canaan did God promise to give to Abraham and to his seed Gen. 12.7 and Gen. 13.15 And yet not to him and to all or any of his seed but only to him and his Son Isaac and to those which should come of him for when Sarah cried out to Abraham concerning Hagar and her Son Ishmael which she had by Abraham Cast out the Bond woman and her Son for the son of the Bond woman shall not be heir with my son even with Isaac And the thing was very grievous in Abrahams sight because of his son Ishmael God said unto Abraham Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the Lad Ishmael and because of thy Bond-woman Hagar but in all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her voice For in Isaac shall thy seed to wit that seed which shall inherit the Land of Canaan which I promised thee be called Gen. 21. ver 10 11 12. And therefore Abraham at his death gave all that he had to Isaac but unto the sons of the Concubines which he had He gave gifts and sent them away from Isaac his son while he yet lived Eastward into the East Country Gen. 25. ver 5 6. Now as the promise of the Land of Canaan which God made to Abraham and his seed appertained not to all the sons of Abraham though they were his sons or children by carnal generation and came out of his Loins but only to Isaac So do the promises of the spiritual blessings As of justification and remission of sins c. which were typified by the Land of Canaan which were made to Abraham and his seed appertain not to those which were typified by Ishmael but only to those which were typified by his son Isaac and who those were the Apostle opens in the next verse following The land of Canaan was as I said A type of all the Spiritual blessings which we receive by Christ Jesus as justification and glorification c. But here by a kind of Synechdoche it is to be taken particularly as a type of justification But in Isaac shall thy seed be called q. d. For it is written that not that seed of Abraham which was in the loins of Ishmael But only that seed of his which is or shall be in the loins of Isaac shall be indeed and accounted as the seed of Abraham to wit that seed of his which shall be heir of the promised Land of Canaan This is the sence of this place which to make up we have borrowed somewhat from the History as it is recorded Gen. 21. ver 10 11. Note here that the Syntax requireth that the Apostle should have said thus Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all Children but only in Isaac shall his seed be called But the Apostle saith not in Isaac shall his seed be called but in Isaac shall thy seed be called using not the third but the second person not his but thy Where it is to be observed that the Apostle useth the words here as they lie in the story Gen. 21.12 where because God speaketh to Abraham He saith In Isaac shall thy seed be called And because they lie so in the story therefore doth the Apostle rehearse them so here for so is his manner for the most part when he quoteth any testimony out of the Old Testament to quote the words as they are found there without any alteration of the Person or Syntax leaving the Person and the Syntax to be understood or ordered to his Readers The like we have Rom. 3.4 c. And by reason of this must we also understand these words in a Preterperfect tense though they were spoken in the story in the future In Isaac shall thy seed be called That is the seed which is or shall be in Isaac thy son and in his loins and that only shall be called or That only shall be thy seed that is That seed of thine to which I promised the Land of Canaan and which shall inherit it Note here by the way that from this limitation of Abrahams seed to Isaac the Jews do reckon none for Abrahams children but the Israelites As in their Canons they say that who so voweth concerning Abrahams seed he is free from Ishmaels and Esaus sons and is not bound but touching Israels Maimon Treat of Vows Chap. 9. Sect. 1. In the Hebrew manner of speech To be called signifies truly to be and with the limitation aforesaid None of the seed of Abraham but only they which descended from Isaac were to be the children of Abraham that is to say Those children of Abraham to whom the Land of Canaan was promised and of which they should be heirs But you will say what is this to the purpose that God said to Abraham That in Isaac only shall thy seed be called that is that that seed only which shall come from Isaac is that seed to which I have promised the Land of Canaan Answ It is little to the purpose if we look only upon the Literal or Historical sence of the words but it is altogether tâ— the purpose if we look upon the Mystical sence Therefore the Apostle expounds the Mystical meaning of them in the next verse Ver. 8. That is they which are the children of the Flesh these are not the children of God But the children of the promise are counted for the seed q. d. That is by interpretation of the Type or That is that I may interpret that which I spoke of Isaac and the seed which was in him according to the mystical or spiritual meaning thereof They which are the children of Abraham only according to that that they descended from Abraham by natural Generation and so were flesh of his flesh these are not those children of Abraham to whom God made the Promise of
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
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
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
the Lord of hosts who is able to restrain the fury of the sword Had left us a seed i. e. Had left us Jews a very few or a very small number which escaped the sword of Senacherib the Assyrian These few Jews in the literal sence were those which believed the Lord when he promised to keep Jerusalem safe from the fury of the Assyrians and so escaped the fury of the Assyrians by being at that time in Jerusalem But being that these Jews which escaped the fury of the Assyrians by reason of the belief which they had of God promising to save Jerusalem from the Assyrians were a Type of such Jews as believed in the days of the Gospel and so were saved from their sins whereas they which believed not were not saved these words in the Mysticall sence may be interpreted of these few Jews which attained through faith to salvation from their sins in the days of the Gospel whereas the far greatest part were not so saved because of their unbeliâ—f Had left us a seed Isaiah being a Jew speaks here of the Jews so as that he makes himself of their number and though this was spoken by him in the literal or Historical sence yet may we and we must understand it here as spoken also in a mystical sence A seed That is a small Remnant or a small parcel The seed which is reserved to sow the ground after harvest is but a little in comparison of the Corn of the harvest Therefore is seed taken here for a little parcel or Remnant as he speaks ver 27. We had been as Sodom and been made like to Gommorrah i. e. We had been utterly destroyed by the sword of the Assyrians as Sodome and Gomorrah or the People of Sodom and Gomorrah were by fire from Heaven thus in the litteral In the mystical sence thus we had been utterly cut off from being the People of God by Gods Judgement as Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly cut off as I may so say by fire Sodom and Gomorrah were two Cities of Decapolis in the Land of Canaan which were destroyâ—d by fire and brimstone from heaven for the wickedness of the inhabitants thereof The story you may read Gen. 19 24. c. Ver. 30 What shall we say then i e. What shall we then infer from that which I have alleadged out of the Prophets Answ This we may inser viz. that the Gentiles c. The Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness have attained to righteousness i. e. The Gentiles which did not heretofore seek after Justification have now attained to Justification This that the Gentiles have attained to Justification will follow out of that which was alledged out of the Prophet Hosea Hos 2.23 quoted here ver 25 26. For if the Gentiles be made the People of God and his beloved then certainly they are justified The Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness By following after is here meant seeking so Psal 34.14 In these words seek peace and pursue it where to pursue is the same as to seek And by Righeeousness he meaneth here Justification as the word signifieth almost every where in this Epistle The Gentiles heretofore sought not righteousness nor asked after it when God suffered the Nations to walk in their own wayes Act. 14.16 But now that he hath sent his Gospell among them they have attained unto righteousness through belief of the Gospel Even the righteousness which is of faith Thas is even to that righteousness or Justification which is to be attained by Faith The Apostle prevents a Question or objection here for it might be objected or asked how could the Gentiles which were sinners attain to Righteousness or Justification and what Righteousness or Justification is that This the Apostle prevents when he saith Even the Righteousness which is of Faith And the Apostle raiseth this Question or Objection and answereth it here that he might usher in what he had to say of the Jews in the words following Note that as the Apostle might deduce or prove from that which he quotes out of Hosea ver 25. Viz. I will call them my people which was not my People c. That the Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness should attain or had attained unto Righteousness because the Israelites there spoken of whom God had rejected or sorsaken for a while and afterwards received into favour were a type of the Gentiles whom God so far received into favour as to justifie them So might the faith of those Israelites by which they believed the Prophets which the Lord sent to them to tell them that he would receive them again in to his favour be a type of the faith which the Gentiles yielded to the Gospel whereby they attained to righteousness that is whereby they were justified Ver 31. But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Rightâ—ousness i e. But the Jews which are the Children of Israel according to the Flesh who sought after Righteousness or Justification the Jews I say for the greatest part of them have not attained to Righteousness or Justification This inference followeth out of what the Apostle alleadged out of the Prophet Isaiah ver 27 28. in the Mystical sence thereof Israel By Israel are here meant the Jews which were the children of Israel that is of Jacob according to the flesh per Metonymiam Efficientis yet by Israel understand not all Israel that is all the Jews but by a Synechdoche take Israel for the greatest part only of Israel that is of the Jews For all Israel that is all the Jews missed not of Righteousness or Justification as appears Chap. 11. v. 1 2 c. Which followed after To follow after is to be taken here for to seek ver 30. The Law of Righteousness That is Righteousness or Justification for the Law of Righteousness or Justification is no more here than if he had barely said Righteousness or Justification Note that the Apostle when he spoke of the Gentiles he said barely Righteousness But when he speaks of the Jews he saith The Law of Righteousness And thus he seemeth to speak when he speaks of the Righteousness which the Jews so â— ght after by a kind of Mimesis because the Jews would every where mention and crack of the Law so the Apostle said by the Law of faith Chap. 3.27 when it had been enough to say only by Faith Hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness i e. That is have not attained to Righteousness or Justification This is as I said The inference which the Apostle draws concerning the Jews out of what he alleadged from the Prophet Isaiah v 27 28 29. Ver. 32. Wherefore because they sought it not c. q. d. But why or wherefore have they not attained to Righteousness or Justification Answer Because they sought it not by faith c. This which the Apostle saith in this verse is not part of the inference mentioned ver
with rejoycing Therefore these words of the Prophet Isaiah may be understood and are to be understood in the second and Sublime sense of the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel and the believing Gentiles receiving them and their doctrine with faith and joy The Gospel of Peace The Gospel is called the Gospel of peace because it is the good news of that peace which we have with God through Christ And bring glad tidings of good things These good things are of our justification sanctification and hope of glorification through Christ c. Ver. 16. But they have not all obeyed the Gospel But though the Gentiles have yet the Jews have not all believed the Gospel By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these he meaneth the Jews here of whom he denies that here which he affirmed of the Gentiles just before Though the far greatest part of the Jews believed not yet the Apostle speaks as though there were but few of them which did not believe And this he doth that he might the less Exasperate them For Isaias saith To wit Isaiah 53.1 Lord who hath believed our report This is spoken by the Prophet in the first and litteral sence in the person of the Prophets who preached to the Jews which were in the Babylonish Captivity the good tidings of their deliverance out of that captivity But in the second Mystical and sublime sence it is to be understood as spoken in the person of the Apostles and preachers of the Gospel for the deliverance of the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity was a Type of mans redemption from sin and the Prophets preaching to the Jews the good tidings of their deliverance out of the Babylonish Captivity were a Type of the Apostles and preachers of the Gospel preaching in the name of Christ Remission of sins or deliverance from Sin Who hath believed c. That is who among the Jews have believed our report That this is to be meant of the Jews Saint John also teacheth John 12.38 Our report i. e. Our report who are the Apostles and preachers of the word concerning the Remission of sins by Christ Jesus This report was not from the Preachers and Apostles as originally from themselves but it was that which they received from God for that did they teach and preach to the Jews as Gods word and that only Ver. 17. So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God This the Apostle gathers out of those words ver 16. Who hath believed our report For the report there is the report of remission of sins and by Christ which report the Apostles and Preachers of the word brought to the Jews from God and it was brought to them that they might hear it and that hearing it they might believe it And this is the only means which God useth for the begetting of faith This is a conclusion which the Apostle gathereth here by the by for it it not pertinent to that business which he is now upon to wit to shew the unbelief of the Jews But it Excellently sheweth that which he handled ver 14.15 To wit That no man can believe except he heareth and no man can hear except he hath a Preacher of the word of God sent to him And here observe again that which I have observed heretofore that the Apostle when he hath treated before of any subject and is passed from it yet though he hath passed from it if any new argument arise which will prove that subject from which he hath passed he doth for the most part take notice of it though it be but by the by and so doth he here to prove what he said ver 14.15 The word of God To wit the word of God preached by such as are sent to preach it Ver. 18. But I say have they not heard i. e. But I say have not the Jews heard the word of God that is the Gospel preached unto them These words relate not to the 17 verse but to the 16 verse of this Chapter And by them the Apostle prevents an objection For whereas he said verse 16. But they have not all obeyed the Gospel For Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our report A man might object and say yea but perhaps they never heard the Gospel preached or the report which the prophet Isaiah speakes of No wonder therefore then Paul that they believe not for how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard as you your self say verse 14. Yes verily Supple they have heard Their sound went out into all the Earth c. For their Sound to wit the sound of the Apostles and Preachers of the word is gone out into all the Earth Understand For here I had rather interpret these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our vulgar manner of speaking their sound is gone out into all the Earth then their sound went into all the Earth For this signifies a going begun not câ—mpleated or a going still in fieri whereas the other signifies a going past or supposed to be past come to its end And my reason is because the Apostles had not then gone throughout the whole earth in preaching the Gospel though they where gone out of Judaea and from among the the Jews into the dwellings of the Gentiles at this time The words which the Apostle here useth are taken out of the 19. Psalm and the 4. verse and the Psalmist there speaks of the heavens which in their manner speak the power and wisedom of God their maker through out the earth For they are to be seen in every corner of the Earth and wheresoever they are seen they shew forth the wisdom and power of him that made them as a curious piece of work sets forth the cunning or Art of its workeman But the Apostle useth them here by an accommodation of the preaching of the Apostles and he may the better use them so because as in the old creation the Heavens are the highest of all corporeal Creatures So in the new Creation created by Christ Jesus in which we are new Creatures the Apostles were the next after Christ the highest These words then verily their sound is gone out into all the Earth are to be understood as the Apostle here useth them of the preaching of the Apostles q. d. The Preaching of the Apostles is gone out Supple from Judaea or from out from among the Jews into all the Earth c. That the Apostles had gone out of Judaea and from among the Jews to preach to the Gentiles at this time is manifest This Epistle it self will manifest it and so will the place from whence it was written to wit Corinth And now if the Apostles were gone out of Judaea and from among the Jews to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth to the Gentiles then was the Gospel preached before this to the Jews for the Gospel was to be preached to the Jews before it
happy as they To Emulation Emulation is a grief of mind whereby we grieve for the good of another not because that good is in him but because that good which we see in him is not in us Envy is a grief of mind for the good of another as well as Emulation But here is the difference Envy is joyned with a desire and endeavour to diminish that good which is in an other upon a perswasion that our excellency is thereby obscured But Emulation is not joyned with a desire to diminish his good but with a desire to make our selves as good as he Them which are my flesh i. e. Them which are my Kins-men according to the flesh as he speaks Chap. 9.3 They are said to be the same flesh who are made or who spring from the same flesh by a Metonymie He means the Jews here which were all of the same flesh with him to wit The flesh of Abraham Isaac and Jacob And might save some of them i. e. And might bring some of them at least to Salvation by the Gospel which I preach which is the power of God unto Salvation Cap 1.16 Ver. 15. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world i. e For if the casting away of the Jews be an occasion of the reconciling of the Gentiles unto God The casting away of them i. e The rejecting of the Jews for their unbelief Be the reconciling of the wâ—rlâ— i. e. Be an occasion of the reconciling the world to God Metonymia Of the world i. e. Of the Gentiles See ver 12. What shall tâ—e receiving of them Supple To the savour of God Be Supple To the world or to the Gentiles But life from the dead i. e. But yet a further cause of a spiritual life to righteousness from death in sin or from among those which are dead in sins His meaning is that by this means more Gentiles would be brought to the faith then now are brought By Life is here meant a Spiritual life led by the Faith of God per Synechdochen generis And that is put again for the cause of such a life per Mytonymiam effecti And by the dead are meant such as are dead in sins And this life so taken is to be understood here as a life coming to the Gentiles by the receiving of the Jews to favour For this verse is the very same for sence with the Twelfth verse And prevents the like objection as that doth and yields the like argument or proof to shew that the Jews stumbled not that they should fall as that also doth wherefore between this and the former verse we may understand these or the like words Neither need ye fear that if the Jews should be brought to salvation ye Gentiles would be cast off again q. d. Neither need ye fear that if the Jews should be brought to Salvation the Gentiles will be cast off again for if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world c. Ver. 16. For if the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy q. d. For seeing that the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob which were as it were the first fruits and the Root of the people or Nation of the Jews were holy the people or Nation of the Jews which spring of them shall also be esteemed holy This is to be referred to the first part of the first verse viz. I say then hath God cast away his people God forbid Or which some account the same to the first part of the eleventh verse viz. I say then have they stumbled that they shovld fall God forbid And it may â—ave its immediate reference to the fourteenth verse also As if the Apostle would also shew by this that what he â—here said of magnifying his office as he was the Apostle of the Gentiles for this end that he might provoke the Jews to emulation and save some of them was not a groundless conceit as though there was no hope of bringing the Jewes to Salvation But that what he did in this he did upon good ground being that the whole people of the Jews were holy as their fore-fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob were holy and therefore might in all probabilities be saved Such is the Apostles skill and artifice that while he brings a proof to prove a thing which is further off he will by the same proof often prove the thing that went immediately before also The Apostle Supposeth here that the Patriarchs or forefathers of the Jews viz Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. were holy and from thence gathereth or concludeth that if they were holy the whole people or Natâ—ion of the Jâ—ws where holy also and this his conclusion he proveth or illustrateth rather by two similitudes or comparisons The first from the first fruits with which the lump doth agree in nature The other from the root and the branches of a Tree which naturally follow the condition one of the other If the first fruit be holy By the first fruit is here Metaphorically understood the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. which were the fore-fathers of the Jews and the holiness here spoken of is not the holiness of Regeneration or the holiness which consists in the conformity of our actions with the Law of God but that holiness whereby God hath separated the fathers of the Jews and by vertue of his promise to them Gâ—n 17.17 Their seed also after them throughout all generations from the common ranke of men to be a God to them So as not utterly to forsake them at any time and to leave them without all means of Salvation which is a blessing peculiar to them above all the Nations of the world For though God doth afford mâ—ans of Salvation to other people also yet this proceeds not from the promise of God to them or to their Ancestors as it doth to the Jâ—ws neither have they any thing to the contrary but that God will and may forsake them utterly if they should be disobedient to him as the Jews have been But yet he wâ—ll never leave the whole nation of the Jews without the meaâ—s of Salvation neither will he but save them if â—hey imbrace the means foâ— thâ—ir unbelief shall not make the faith of God without effect Chap. 3.3 See Cap. 15. ver 8 9. Note that Holiness signifieth a Separation of some things from others or some persons from others by way of Eminâ—ncy And so the Jâ—ws and their forefathers may be called holy here because God had separated them from all other People by a peculiar blessing the blessing which I have spoken of The first fruit The Apostle aâ— some say alludes here to the sheaf of the first fruits Lev. 23. ver 9 10 14. where the Lord speaks thus to the poeple of Israel When ye come into the Land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof then shall ye bring a sheaf of the first fruits of yâ—ur
the Jews for other things so you should be be puft up against them with a conceit or opinion of your own knowledge also as though ye knew all the mysteries of God and needed not to be taught of any Then is a man wise in his own conceit when he thinks his own wit or knowledge sufficient so that he needs not be taught of any other when indeed he is very ignorant himself and this is that which will puff a man up That blindness in part hath hapned unto Israel That is that Infidelity or unbelief hath hapned to the Jews for a while So some Others thus that Infidelity or unbelief hath hapned to the Jews in part that is to some part of the Jews but not to All. Others thus that a kind of blindness hath hapned to the Jews But the middle of these interpretations I perfer before the Rest Blindness By blindness understand Infidelity or unbelief by a Metaphor In part Some refer these words to Ly hapned and understand them of the time in which the Jews should be blinded q. d. That blindness is hapned for a while to the Jews Others refer them to the word Israel q. d. That blindness is hapned to Israel that is to the Jews in part that is to some of the Jews Others refer them to the word Blindness q. d. Blindness is in some measure hapned to the Jews And any of these ways may the Apostle speak to mollifie that which would otherwise seem harsh concerning the Jews But by what I said before I prefer the middle acception before the other two as most agreeable to what the Apostle hath hitherto said To Israel By Israel are here meant the Jews which were the Children of Israel according to the Flesh Per Metonymiam Causae Vntil the fulness of the Gentiles be come in i. e. Until the abundance of all Nations which the Prophets prophesied of should according to their prophesies come into the Church of Christ and be made members thereof By the fullness of the Gentiles is here meant such a number or multitude of the Gentiles as should fulfil the prophesies which went of them Wherefore by the fulness of the Gentiles may be meant the full number of the Gentiles Supple which the Prophets spoke or prophesied of Or as some say which God would have to be saved in his secret decree and then extend his goodness to the Jews again Be come in Supple into the Church of Christ He useth this word according to the manner of the Scripture which speaketh of the Congregation of the Church as of a certain place Ver. 26. And so all Israel shall be saved And then all Israel which shall be then living shall be saved to wit from their sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic so is put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tunc then as it seemeth also to be put John 4.6 All Israel Some take Israel here for Spiritual Israel which the Apostle calls the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 That is for the Elect which consist both of Jews and Gentiles As if the Apostle had said here that all the number of the Elect shall then be saved But to speak of Israel in this sence appertains not to the Apostles purpose or scope here because here he toucheth a Mystery concerning the conversion of the Jews the Sons of Israel according to the flesh therefore by Israel the people of the Jews are so to be meant here as they were by Israel in the former verse which we may call carnal Israel or Israel descended from Jacob by natural propagation All Israel shall be saved i e. All the Jews which shall then be living shall be converted and so saved from their sins But note that the Apostle saith here all the Jews shall be saved not because none of that people shall remain obstinate in their unbelief at that time but because the greatest part of them shall be converted and come to the faith yea so many as that all of them may be thought to be saved as the greatest part of them at this time did disobey the Gospel and fall away As it is written Viz. Isa 59.20 There shall come out of Sion the deliverer The Hebrew being rendred word for word is There shall come to Sion the deliverâ—r The Septuasint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est propter Sion for Sion or for Sions sake And some think that it was so cited by S. Paul in this place though now it be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of Sion And the reason why it is now read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they conceive it to be because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was wont to be written short thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which the Transcribers through negligence and inadvertency wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet as some think S. Paul because he is wont togather his testimonies from divers places might take these word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of Sion not out of Isaiah 59.20 but out of some other place where it is promised as it is here in the Mystical sence that a Saviour or deliverer shall come out of Sion as Psal 14.7 Psal 53.6 Psal 110.2 These words as they lie in the Prophet Isaiah are in their first and low sence spoken of Cyrus who was a type of Christ and his delivery of the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity and of his turning away ungodliness That is the miseries and punishments which befell the Jews for their ungodliness from them which was a type of the deliverance of those which were under the power of sin and the Divel from that their power But in the second and sublime Sence which the prophesie respected as well as the other the words are to be understood of the delivery of the Jews from the tyranny and guilt of sin by Christ and as they lie here they are to be interpreted in this sence after this manner viz. There shall come out of Sion one that was of the stock of Israel according to the Flesh who is able and whose office it is to deliver from sins And he shall deliver the Jews from their sins and the punishment due to them There shall come out of Sion the deliverer i. e. There shall come out of the tribe of Juda which dwelleth in Sion an hill in Hierusalem a deliverer This deliverer is Jesus Christ who was the Son of David who dwelt in Sion according to the flesh And he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob i. e. And he shall take away from the Jews the children of Jacob their sins by pardoning them Ver. 27 For this is my covenant unto them i. e. For this is the promise which I make unto them Or this is that which I enter into Covenant with them to do for them or to them Supple saith the Lord For these words are spoken in the Person of God When I shall take away their sins i.
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
exhortation To Exhort is for a man to move or stir up the mind of his auditors with pleasing and insinuating speeches to the works of piety and godliness In Exhortation i. e. Let him carry himself soberly in Exhorting according to the measure or proportion of faith that is according to the measure or proportion of this his gift of Exhortation These last take not as divers offices of the Church but as divers gifts or graces which may meet in one Subject though they are often separate and distinct And note that it is the Apostles scope here not to shew what offices shall be in the Church but to shew how men should make use of those gifts which God hath given them for the benefit of the Church without pride Many such gifts as these were conferred upon many of the Church immediately by the holy Ghost for the good of the Church in the first times of the Gospel He that giveth i. e. He that hath wherewith to give and God hath given him an heart to give Let him do it in simplicity i. e. Let him not do it for vain-glory or any other sinister end So some Or let him do it liberally or bountifully So others The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indeed this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 and so some would have it rendred here But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its prime signification signifieth simplicity and it is to be taken here â—s I conceive for simplicity of heart and that is done in simplicity or with simplicity of heart which is done with a pure sincere and simple intent that is where nothing is eyed but that which should be eyed As in alms the relieving of the poor and the glory of God not vain-glory or obliging the poor to himself For he that sheweth or pretendeth one thing in his work and thinks of another thing in his heart Cor duplicat as Saint Austin speaketh he doubleth his heart and so doth not what he doth in Simplicity Note that the Apostle alters his phrase here for he saith not he that giveth in giving He that ruleth in ruling He that sheweth mercy in shewing mercy As he said before He that teacheth in teaching He that exhorteth in exhortation Wherefore he seemeth to have some other intent here than he had there His intent therefore was there to shew that men should not arrogantly exceed the measure of their gifts Here that men should use those gifts well which they had received the former respected the quantity as I may so speak this the quality of their doings He that ruleth i. e. He who hath the rule and goverment of others committed to him With diligence That is let him rule with diligence this he saith because diligence care and studdy is required of all Rulers He that sheweth mercy To wit to such as stand in need of mercy With cheerfulness i. e. Let him do it that is let him shew mercy with cheerfulness God loveth cheerfulness in all such actions Ver. 9. Let love be without dissimulation Whom we love let us love with a sincere heart not making an outward shew of love when our heart is far from it but let our heart and shâ—w go together Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good i e. And in your love abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good that is do not that for love sake which is evil but remember in all the ways of your love to cleave to that which is good Some love so perversly as that they will humor their friend in any thing which he desireth be it never so vicious Against such doth the Apostle give this rule here But yet some take these words more generally and make them as the summ of the Law which is to eschew evil and do good and say that they are here alledged as a reason why love should be without dissimulation q. d. Let love be without dissimulation For dissimulation is evil And what saith the law Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good Ver. 10. Be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love i. e. Ye which are Christians and so Saints love one another with more than an ordinary love yea love one another with brotherly love The Apostle spoke of Love ver 9 and here he speaks of love again but in the ninth verse he spoke of that love which we shew to men in general In this verse he speaks of love which we ow to the Saints in particular that is to the brethren that is to them which are of the same Christian faith and religion with our selves But if we shall take the object of love alike or for the same in both places then make that which is here said as an higher degree of love than what was said before q. d. Yea be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love that is yea let nor your love be only without dissimulation but be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love c. In honour preferring one another i. e. Every one honouring one another yea and thinking him worthy of honour above himself There is no man so perfect but that he may see some good thing in another which he seeth not in himself and beholding this he may think another worthy to be preferred in honour before himself while he looks upon that The Apostle addeth this in this place because that brotherly love which he commandeth here is cherished and nourished by these means Ver. 11. Not slothful in business i. e. The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus not slow in your desire and ready will to do good For among other significations which this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath It signifies a ready will to help or do good to another See Hen. Stephens Thesau Vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever the General word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be drawn here to this sence by the Circumstances of the place The sence therefore of these words here may be this Be not slothful when you have a desire and ready will to do Good to perform that Good This precept may the Apostle give here with Respect to those precepts which he gave before viz. That he that giveth let him do it with simplicity And that he that sheweth mercy let him do it with cheerfulness Verse 8. And that let Love be without dissimulation Verse 9. And that be kindly affectioned one towards another with Love c. v. 10. That they might do the Duties contained in those Precepts not in wâ—â—d and in Tongue but in Deed and in Trutâ— as Saint John speaks 1 John 3.18 And that there might be a readiness to these Duties not of mind only but of performance also For there may be a readiness of mind at least in shew when there is a backwardness
be such as that it is high time for us now even your selves being Judges to awake out of sleep The sleep here spoken of is Metaphorically to be taken not for the sleep of the body but of the mind Now as the sleep of the body is the tying up as it were of the senses so that they which are asleep are quiet and perform not any humane and external function during this time so is this Metaphorical sleep here a tying up as it were or a cessation or rest of the mind from good and vertuous actions but yet with a freedom and activeness in or to that which is vicious Note that the Apostle useth an Allegory here in which he alludes to certain War-like or Millitary passages Now therefore as Souldiers are often times alarmed and called up by the sound of the Drum or Trumpet out of their sleep to do their Millitary duties so doth our Apostle in allusion to that call upon the Romans here to awake out of this their sleep to fall to their Christian duties as being high time for them so to do For now is our salvation neerer then when we believed q. d. For now is our salvation come neerer to us to rescue and deliver us then it was when we first believed Let us therefore Rowse up our selves and fall to our spiritual weapons that we may break through all our enemies and get through them safe to this our salvation This is an Argument to perswade that it is time to awake out of sleep The Apostle alludes here to men besieged who having succours drawn neer to them to relieve them and deliver them break out with all courage through their Enemies to joyn with them Now is our salvation neerer then when we believed By salvation is meant here that which the School calls Salvation Compleate which is that Eternal Glory which the Saints shall one day enjoy in Heaven Of this Salvation doth the Apostle speak here as of a Person yea a Captain approaching to the rescue of his besieged party by a Prosopopoeia And here he speaks or conceives at the least of the Romans to whom he writes as of such as are besieged and compassed about with the lusts of the flesh the vanities of the world and temptations of the Devil as their enemies through which they must breake to come to Salvation Salvation may be said to approach to the rescue of men thus besieged with their spiritual enemies in that they which apprehend salvation with a strong faith and hope for it are so animated thereby as that they break through all the temptations and difficulties of this world that they may at length attain to her because of her inestimable value and unconceivable excellency for Eternal Glory ads great courage to such as believe and hope after it Salvation may be said to be now nearer to the Romans at this time than it was when they did first believe and were baptised In that there had some time passed between this time and the time that they first believed for the time of their Salvation was fixed it went not backward so that the longer they lived the nearer they approached to it Though in this sence we are rather to be said to approach nearer to salvation than salvation to us yet he saith that salvation approacheth to us or draweth near to us because he speaks of salvation under a figure or as of a Person as I said before coming to relieve her friend as besieged Note here that the Romans when they first believed and received the Gospel were very active then and zealous of good works watching as I may so say thereunto in hope of Eternal salvation approaching But after a while they flag'd and slacked and fell as it were a sleep and grew cold and neglective of good works which they had followed heretofore And this was that which made the Apostle to awake them here out of this sleep putting them in mind of their salvation that if they thought it time to awake out of sleep and were thereupon zealous and watchful to good works when they first believed in hope of salvation then approaching much more should they think it now high time to awake out of sleep and watch to good works being that that salvation which they hoped for and expected was nearer to them now than it was then Then when we believed i. e. Then when we first believed and were baptised The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we believed and Verbs of this nature do signifie sometimes the beginning sometimes the progresse sometimes the end of what they signifie So Exod. 4.10 whereas it is according to the Hebrew Latin and English Since thou hast spoken unto thy Servant It is in the Greek according to the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Since thou didst begin to speak to thy Servant Ver. 12. The night is far spent the day is at hand These words in the Original are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus The night is past and the day is come and so the Arabique and Aethiopique translate them And the Syriaque also translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is past And as for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Arabique and Aethiopique translate Is come We shall find Lam 4. v. 18. that according to the Septuagint the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one and signifie that the time there spoken of was then present And whereas St. Matthew useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the parable of the housholder Mat. 21.34 If we compare the place with what S. Mark and S. Luke say on the same subject in the same parable Mark 12.2 and Luke 20.10 we shall find that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth was come Add to this that that Housholder would not have sent to demand his Rent Fruit before the time of that Rent was come Let this be then the interpretation of this place The night is past the day is come That it may be for sence parallel with that which we read 1 Thes Chap. 5. ver 4. Ye Brethren are not in darkness c. The Apostle then gives a second reason here why it was high time for them to awake out of sleep it was time therefore for them for this reason also to awake out of sleep because the day was come and the day is for watching and for working not for sleeping The night is far spent Rather the night is past By Night understand the ignorance or time of ignoraâ—ce which they were in before their conversion when they knew not God or the things of God A Metaphor or Allegory The day is at hand Rather as I said the day is come By The day understand the knowledge or the time of knowledge which they now had of God and of the things of God through the preaching of the Gospel since their conversion A Metaphor or
might be Lord both of the dead and of the living And rose and revived Either here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where And rose and revived is put for revived and rose again Or And rose and revived is as much to say As he rose and by his Resurrection acquired a new sort of life Of the dead and living By the living he meaneth here those which live before death yet puts he them here after the dead and therefore may he seem so to do because they which live after death are more obedient to God then they which live before death and do him better service as being freed from those Incumberances which did beset them while they were in this life Ver. 10. But why dost thou judge thy brother He useth an Apostrophe here to him who eateth not and to him which observeth days that is to the weak in faith who was ready to judge him which did eat all things and esteem all days alike contrary to the prescript of Moses Law for a sinner in that he did so Why dost thou judge i. e. Why dost thou condemn as a sinner Thy Brother Supple Which eateth all things and puts no difference of holiness between days and days Or why dost thou set at nought thy Brother He useth an Apostrophe here to him who eats all things and who puts no difference of holiness between days and days who because he was fully and truly perswaded that the Law of Moses which put a difference between meats and days was abrogated and had no more force now to binde since Christs death despised him and set him at naught who abstained from meats forbidden by the Law of Moses and who observed days as holy which that Law made holy for fear he should offend against it as though it were still in force Why doest thou set at naught See for the sence of these words what I said on those ver 3. Despise him that eateth not Thy Brother i. e. Thy brother in Religion to wit Christian Religion where all professors are Brethren and Sisters And thy brother also according to the Flesh For Saint Paul speaks here to Jews concerning Jews There is an energy or force in this word Brother to condemn those which thus judge and thus set at naught one another and to make their fault the heavier We shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ â—o wit at the last day there to give an account of all our actions to Chrirst our Judge and to be condemned even for this that we Judge and set at naught our brother except we are sorry for what is past and redress what is to come Ver. 11. For it is written Viz. Isaiah 45 23. He proveth here what he said before to wit That we shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of God As I live saith the Lord c. These words Saith the Lord are not read Isa 45.23 But the Apostle doth either add them of himself to shew in whose Person the words are spoken or else he repeats them out of some other part of that Chapter As I live c. This is an Oath and in this doth the Lord who hath no greater to swear by swear by himself Every knee shall bow to me i. e. Every one shall worship me either willingly or whether he will or no. To bow the knee is a sign of internal worship and is external worship it self and it is put here for any worship in general And every tongue shall confess to God i. e. And all men of all languages shall confess to God Supple that he is the Lord. Or every tongue shall praise God For to confess is often put among the Hebrews for to praise This shall they do both good and bad at the last day The good willingly the bad even against their will The good do this willingly even before that day cometh and many bad yea the Devils themselves have been forced already to confess to God but yet all bad men have not so done But at the last day when Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead there is none but shall do it though they shall not all do it before that day The Apostle proveth by this verse what he said in the former We shall all stand before the Judgement-seat of Christ For then and at no other time but then shall every knee bow and every tongue confess to God when they shall all stand before his tribunal to be judged there Note from hence that Christ Jesus is true God for he is true God of which the Prophet Isaiah speaketh this And it is Christ Jesus to whom the Apostle applieth it Ver. 12. So then every one shall give an account of himself to God i. e. So then every one shall give an account of his actions to God This is that which the Apostle said in effect vers 10. when he said We shall all stand before the Judgement-seat of God For for that end shall we all stand before the Judgement-seat of God that every one may give an account of himself to God The sence therefore is this q. d. So then being that we shall all stand before the Judgement-seat of Christ every one of us shall give an account of himself to God Shall give an account of himself to God i. e. Shall be judged by God of all his actions The Apostle alludes here to those which are Stewards or Bailiffs of other mens Goods which are to give an account to their Lords or Masters how they have laid out thosâ— their Goods Ver. 13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more q. d Being therefore that every one of us shall give an account of himself to God let us not judge or condemn one another any more lest by so doing we should make our accounts the greater against our selves at that day Note that whereas the Apostle did before in this Chapter use this word Judge only of the weaker brother towards the stronger here he useth it not only of the weaker brother towards the stronger but of the stronger also towards the weaker and includes in it that which he call'd despising and setting at naught verse 3. and 10. For he that despiseth his brother or sets him at naught doth in some sort judge him for he judgeth him either to be culpably ignorant or superstitious or such a one as is not thankeful to Christ for that liberty with which he hath made him free The Apostle makes himself here one of those which he speaks of by a Figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us not judge That is Let us not condemn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is often and as it is before in this Chapter But judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way q. d. But judge this rather and resolve and conclude of this as
forbidden by the Law of Moses as that he thinks to his grief that thou dispisest the Law of God which was given by Moses who yet wouldst be accounted a Servant of God Or that he is in a manner forced by thy example to eat against his conscience and so to his grief those things which he is perswaded in his conscience though falsly cannot lawfully be eaten Or is any other way grieved with the meat that he seeth the eat and with thy eating of it c. We may say that to be grieved here is as much as to be offended or to stumble or fall by occasion given For they which stumble and fall and so come by hurt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They are grieved The sence therefore of these words If thy brother be grieved may be this if thy brother be offended in relation to what he said ver 13. That no man put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brothers way This word this way taken hath in it a metaphorical Metonymy With they meat i. e. With thy meat or because he seeth thee eat those meats which are forbidden by the Law of Moses which he yet thinks thou mayest not lawfully eat Now walkest thou not charitably That is thou transgressest the law of Charity which commands the to love thy neighbour as thy self Destroy not him i. e. Cause not or give not therefore occasion to him to do or commit that for which he may be damned and lose his soul A man may be damned and loose his soul for every sin as for rash judging or condemning his brother For judge not that ye be not judged saith our Saviour Mat. 7.1 And for eating that which he doth but doubt whether he might lawfully eat or no for he that doubteth is damned if he eateth saith the Apostle ver 23. c With thy meat i. e. With the use of thy liberty which thou hast in eating what meats thou wilt or with the abuse thereof rather For whom Christ died This is emphatically and feelingly spoken And this doth aggravate the sin of him which eats with the scandal and offence of his brother when as his brother is considered as such an one as for whom Christ died Ver. 16. Let not then your good be evil spoken of That is Do not ye then so use your Christian liberty which is a great good which you have received by Christ and an ease from a hard yoke as that your weak brethren should so much as defame it and speak evil of it through you The Apostle speaks here to the faithfull Jews which believed in Christ and the stronger sort of them and by their good he meaneth their Christian liberty which they had by Christ who by his death abrogated the Law of Moses in eating any kind of meats without difference Which liberty he calls their good because by that they were delivered from a great evil I speak not evill of sin That is from a great yoke or burden of the ceremonial Law This good is evill spoken of when it is called by weak brethren who are not perswaded of the abrogation of Moses Law Sin Abomination Vncleanness the Licentiousness of the flesh the indulgency and cockering of the Gorge the Patent or Priviledge of gluttony and the like which terms the weak brethren would be ready to give it if they should see the faithful and stronger Jews using this liberty freely before their eyes Yea it would be called the murder of souls if it should be so that they should cause their weak brethren to sin by their abuse of it And this last the Apostle seems here to mean having said just before Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died Ver. 17. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink The Apostle prevents another objection here for the strong in faith might say yea but I may justly fear that God will be angry with me and good men would blame me if I should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for me and I may fear that I should not advance the Kingdom of God as I ought to do if I should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this our liberty is This objection I say the Apostle prevents here saying For the Kingdom of God c. q. d. And you need not fear that God will be angry with you and that good men will blame you if you should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for you and that you should not advance the Kingdom of God as you ought to do if you should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this liberty is especially in this case For the advancement of the Kingdom of God consisteth not in the eating of meats or drinking drinks indifferently but in righteousness and peace and joy through the Holy Ghost And he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men For the Kingdome of God i. e. For the advancement of the Kingdom of God Metonymia The Kingdom of God is to be taken here first for the Church of God the Church militant here on earth which is also called the Kingdom of Grace and this Church is called the Kingdom of God because God reigns in the hearts of the Saints and the faithfull which are the members thereof by his holy Spirit and he gives to all the members thereof his Laws and protects them and doth all the offices of a King to them and moreover rules them visibly by his Ministers and vicegerents Then Secondly The Kingdom of God is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the advancement of this Kingdom It is the duty of every Christian to advance this Kingdom of God which we do when we edifie one another as the Apostle speaks ver 19. Is not meat and drink i. e. Consisteth not in the free use of that liberty which Christians have in eating and drinking all things without difference or distinction Meat and drink are taken here by a Metonymy for the free use of meat and drink without difference or distinction Note that there was no such distinction of drinks under the Law as there were of meats For there was no restraint of drinks but to the Nazaren Numb 6.3 And to the Priest when he was to go about his ministery Levit. 10.19 Therefore he seemeth not to speak of drinks as they are in themselves but as joyned with meats in meals and are as it were one with them Note here that it is no where commanded to eat and drink all things indifferently it is onely free for us to eat and drink what we will so it be done without offence But as for the other things here mentioned as Righteousness and Peace they are commanded and those things we must do though a weak brother be offended thereat But Righteousness Righteousness is taken here for the working of Righteousness that is
the strong bear the infirmity of the weak when they patiently suffer them in things indifferent and do not rashly or unadvisedly contradict them when they avoid all means and occasions of offending them And when as they have opportunity they do meekly instruct them and wisely inform them concerning things indifferent that they may come to the right knowledge thereof and may be confirmed in the faith In these words To bear the infirmity of the weak the Apostle useth a Metaphor taken from fellow travellers where the stronger and best able to travel will help the weakest and less able to carry part of his burden or pack And not to please our selves i. e. And not for our own humour or pleasure sake because we will shew what we may do in things indifferent offend others by doing such things To please our selves therefore signifieth here by a Syllepsis or a Metalepsis so to please our selves in our doings which we may as well not do as to offend another and be an occasion to him of sinning Ver. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification i. e. Let every one of us whether Jew or Gentile do that which is pleasing to our neighbour whether he be Jew or Gentile and comply with him for his good to edification though by so doing we do contrary to our own humor or phansie The Apostle would have us to please our neighbour as well as our selves that is not to offend him but to comply with him but yet he would not have us to please him and comply with him in any carnal and unseemly matter And therefore he adds here to his good to edification The chief things which he would have us here to please him in are things indifferent in their own nature in the use of which he would not have us to cross him so as to offend him or to make him sin To his good By his good he means his spiritual good To edification i. e. That he may be thereby edified Concerning the meaning of the word Edification See Chap. 14. ver 9. Ver. 3. For even Christ pleased not himself i. e. For even Christ who ought to be our pattern and whom we ought to imitate though he were Lord of all yet did he do that which was grievous to his humane nature and displeasing to that that he might save others and so do that which was wel-pleasing to them But as it is written Viz. Psalm 69. verse 9. The reproaches of them which reproached thee fell on me i. e. The punishment due to them which reproached thee for those their reproaches fell on me Supple and they fell on me not against my will but with my will yea I willingly took them upon my self that I might satisfie thee for those their sins This is the meaning of these words as the Apostle here useth them and it is the end which is here left to be understood and the manner of Christs taking upon him the punishment due to the reproaches of those sinners that reproached God which brings this authority up to his purpose The reproaches i. e. The punishments due to the Reproachers Metonymie Of them which reproached thee i. e. Of those sinners which reproached thee O God by their words and by their actions For every sin whether it be in word or in deed is a reproach to God against whose Law they sin Fell on me i. e. Fell on me who yet was willing to bear them yea who did willingly take them upon me and undergo them that I might satisfie thy Justice for them and so set them free Who sees not here that Christ did that which was not pleasing to his humane nature in it self but that which was pleasing to others For to whom is it not pleasing that Christ should satisfie for his sins that he might escape the punishment due to them and so be saved And how would it be otherwise than grievous to the humane nature of Christ in which he suffered to suffer such pains as he suffered and so be displeasing to that But note here that these words as they lie in Psalm 69.9 are in the first sence spoken of David who complains there to God of his afflictions and how he was grieved to see and hear his enemies so to reproach him the living God as they did And the sence of these words as they are thus spoken by David is this And the reproaches of them which reproached thee fell on me to the wounding of my Soul to think that thou shouldest be so reproached That is And I was grieved at the heart to hear men reproach thee as they did and took it as grieuously as if they had reproached me my self But in the second and sublime sence they are to be understood as the words of Christ and bear the same sence as we at the first gave of them For note that David was a type of Christ and his sufferings of Christs sufferings wherefore many things which are spoken of David in the First and Historical sence are to be understoood of Christ in the Second and Sublime sence and many words which are spoken by David are to be understood as spoken by Christ also but yet not always in one and the same sence the Holy Ghost so fitting the words as that they may be spoken as well by the one as the other in their several sences But of this see what I said in my Preface to my Exposition on the Prophet Isaiah The reproaches of them which reproached thee fell on me It had been more congruous to the context here for the Apostle to have said The reproaches of them that reproached God fell on him But as I have observed before the Apostle when he quotes any authority out of the Psalms or the Prophets or any other part of the Old Testament he quotes it for the most part as it lies there and leaves his Reader to apply it here Some ask the Question here why the Apostle brings this testimony here when he had more plain testimonies for his purpose as that of Isaiah Isa 53.4 He that hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows c. For answer to this I conceive that the Apostle made choice of this testimony here because it mentioneth reproaches expresly and reproaches were the chiefest fault which he had to complain of in the Romans which if they had patiently born at the hands of one another there had not been those contentions and discords among them as were For the weak judged the strong as a sinner in what he did and the strâ—ng could not bear his censure the strong despised the weak and vilified his weakness and the weak could not bear this and from hence and the like arose reproachful words and from thence discords and contentions among them Ver. 4 For whatsoever things were written c. Between this and the former verse understand these or the lâ—ke words Neither think that what I cite
Jew that Christ came in person to him according to that promise which he did not to the Gentile at all These prerogatives doth the Apostle mention here and make known to the Gentilâ—s that the Gentiles might for these prerogatives sake the more willingly and more heartily receive the Jews Ver. 9. And that che Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy i. e. And I say to you O ye Jews that the Gentiles have received such mercies by Christ as that they have cause to glorifie God therefore For though Christ came not in person to the Gentiles yet he sent his Apostles and ministers to them with the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel By this he shews that they have received great mercies The Apostle makes an Apostrophe here to the Jews Where we must repeat those words I say from the former verse and add these words O ye Jews When he saith The Gentiles may glorifie God for his mercies he signifieth by a Metalâ—psis that God had vouchsafed the Gentiles great mercies such as challenge great acknowledgement and great glory to be given to God from their hands The mercy which God vouchsafed the Gentiles was that though he sent not his Son Christ Jesus to them in person as he did to the Jews yet he sent his Apostles and Ministers to them with the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ These mercies vouchsafed of God by Christ to the Gentiles doth the Apostle mention here to the Jews that the Jews might the more willingly and the more heartily receive the Gentiles Note that what God did for the Jews in sending Christ to them is said to be for the truth of God and for his promise c. But what he did for the Gentilâ—s is said to be of mercy yet we must not think that it was so of debt which God did for the Jews as that it was not of mercy also Indeed a promise doth produce a debt for he which promiseth is bound to perform his promise But yet this promise of God to the Jews did proceed from mercy so that it was Mercy which God shewed both the Jewes and the Gentiles but to the Jews a mercy promisâ—d to the Gentiles a mercy not promised but only foretold by the prophetâ— As it is written Supple In the Scriptures viz Psal 18.49 The Apostle backs this which he saith with proofs out of the Scripture because of the backwardness of the Jews to believe this mercy shewed to the Gentiles And so he doth almost every where where he speaks eâ—ther of the calling or of mercies shewed to the Gentiles for this reason For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles c. To confess is to be taken here for to praise for there is Confessio Laudis as well as Confessio peccatorum c. a confession of praise as well as a confession of sins But note that Confession as it signifieth praise is not given in Scripture to men but only to God And to confess to God signifieth to praise God because to praise God is nothing else but to confess the goodness and power and wisdom and mercy and other attributes of God The sence therefore of these words is this For this cause I will praise thee among the Gentiles c. These words are taken out of the eighteenth Psalm and the 49 verse as I said And they are spoken by David in his own person upon occasion of the deliverances which God wrought for David and the victories which he gave him over all his enemies which were so signal that he says in the words now in hand that he would declare the great mercies and blessing of God vouchsafed to him even to the Heathen that dwelt round about him But David was herein a type of Christ and Davids deliverances from Trouble a type of Christs deliverances from death and the grave c And Davids victories over his enemies a type of Christs victories over his enemies So that as these words were spoken by David in the first or Historical sence they must be understood as spoken by Christ in the second or mystical sence upon his victory over Satan and sin and the world which reigned in the Heathen or over the Heathen before that he subdued them Yet must they not be so understood as that Christ sung them or uttered them in his own person but so as that the Heathen which found Satan and sin and the world which reigned over them subdued in them by the Spirit of Christ did by the same Spirit sing this song of thanksgiving at least in the sence thereof And what is done by the Spirit of Christ is Interpretativè done by Christ himself Oâ— that the Apostles or Ministers of Christ sung this song to the praise of God For what they did Christ may be in some sence said to do When I say The Spirit of Christ I mean that Spirit which the Apostlâ— so calls Chap. 8. ver 9. And sing unto thy name i. e. And sing in the praise of thee The name of God is taken here for God himself by a Metonymie And to sing to is taken for to sing in the praise of See the like Phrase Chap. 14.6 Ver. 10 And again he saith i. e. And again the Scripture saith The Greek is onely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again He or it saith for not the suppositum or nominative case to the verb but the verb is onely expressed but the nominative case to this verb may be dug out as I may so say of these words ver 9. As it is written that is as it is written in the Scripture Rejoyce ye Gentiles with his People This the Scripture saith Deut. 32.43 And it is part of that prophetical song which Moses sang before his death in which he shews Gods goodness to Israel in taking Israel to be his people then he foretells of the sins of Israel which they would most unworthily commit against God then he prophesieth of the punishment which God would inflict upon them for these their sins and that he would for them deliver them over to the Sword and to Captivity and at last that he would deliver them and destroy their enemies which persecuted them with the sword and held them Captives Whereupon he infers this which our Apostle here quotes Rejoyce ye Gentiles with his People that is Rejoyce ye Gentiles with his people Israel Why Gods people Israel should rejoyce here it is clear to wit because after the Sword and Captivity they should be delivered from them which persecuted them But now why should the Gentiles rejoyce with his people I Answer because the Gentiles such as Moses here speaks to by way of prophesie were persecuted by the same sword and held captive by the same men by which the people of Israel were persecuted and held captive and when the people of Israel were delivered from the Sword and Captivity they were delivered too I doubt not but that Moses
Note that by word the Apostle means the preaching of the Gospel By deed he means the miracles which he wrought in confirmation of what he preached as he himself expounds himself in the subsequent words see Acts 7.22 where is the like manner of speech Ver. 19. Through mighty signs and wonders He sheweth here what he meant by the word Deed ver 18. which is to be taken there collectivè for deeds The Lord gave testimony unto the word of his grace and granted signs and wonders to be done by the hands of his Apostles Acts 14.3 Concerning these signs and wonders some make a râ—al distinction between them as though signs were lesser miracles wonders greater signes such as may be done by the force of nature though not so quickly Wonders such as exceed the reach of nature But others make signs and wonders to be the same things and say that they are called signs because by them as by strange and unwonted things some thing is signified to be from God For they are wrought to assure men of some Divine truth and wonders because they raise wonder and admiration in the beholders By the power of the spirit of God Some make this to be the sence of these words q. d. Through mighty signs and wonders which I wrought by the power of the Spirit of God Others this q. d. Through Mighty signs and wonders and by the Spirit of God And as by the mighty signs and wonders they understand the casting out of Divels healing of the sick the raising of the dead to life and the like So by the power of the Spirit of God they understand the gifts of prophesie gift of tongues and discerning of Spirits c. of which see 1 Cor. 12.10 In this sence the power of the Spirit of God is to be taken for the miraculous gifts of the Spirit which are the effects of the power of the holy Ghost by a Metonymie and they again for such particular gifts as I spake of by a Synechdoche generis Again In this second sence the power of the Spirit of God is taken for works or miracles wrought In the first sence It is taken for the means or cause by which those signs and wonders were wrought which he spoke of From Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum Jerusalem was the chief City of Judea and Illyricum was a Countrey now called Sclavonia many hundred miles distant from it Between these two places did S. Paul travel and preach to the interiacent people not steering his course in a streight line but travelling up and down in a compass which he calls here round about S. Paul began not his preaching at Jerusalem but at Damascus yet afterwards he went to Hierusalem and preached there from whence he went North and North-west preaching the word That which the Apostle saith here in summ is particularly and largly described in the Acts of the Apostles I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is so that I have filled all places with the Gospel of Christ So some who say that these words All places are here to be understood and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel which is of the Accusative case is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Gospel is of the Dative case in Greek which answers to the Ablative case in Qutin by an Antiptosis But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is so that I have extended or dilated or spread the Gospel of Christ So others who say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sometimes to extend dilate propagate or spread by a Metaphor perhaps from a bladder or some such thing which is dilated and extended or stretch d out while it is filled with wind or the like A proof of this signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they give by a like word out of Ecclesiasticus Chap. 24. ver 35. where we read thus in the Septagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which they render thus and extending or diffusing wisdom as Phison and Tigris do their matters in the dayes of new fruits And Ecclesi 24. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they render thus And extending or diffusing understanding as Euphrates and as Jordan in the time of Harvest Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. So that I have fully perfâ—rmed the preaching of the Gospel of Christ So a third sort And thus the Gospel is put by a Metonymie for the preaching or Ministery of the Gospel And this cometh neer to our translation when it says I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ The meaning whereof is this that he had fully preached to all that lived between Jerusalem and Illyricum round about all the Mysteries of the Gospel which were necessary to Salvation That is as our Apostle saith in other words Acts 20.27 That he had declared unto them all the counsel of God And yet me thinks there is somewhat more that the Apostle aims at in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place and that is the success answering the end or intent of his preaching which was that his Gospel was also received We must therefore understand these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is So that I have fully preached the Gospel not onely of that that he preached the Gospel and all the mysteries thereof in all those places but also that he preached them effectually so that they were believed and received by all that dwelt there Ver. 20. Yea so have I strived to preach the Gospel not whâ—re Christ was named c. i. e. Yea I have with a kind of ambition strived and chosen to preach the Gospel after this manner to wit in word and deed with signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God not in those places where Christ was named lest I should build upon another mans Foundation But in those places where Christ was not so much as named before so that that which is written c. Now for the connexion of this with the former verse the Apostle prevents an objection here For whereas he had said in the former verse that he had fully preached the Gospel of Christ from Hierusalem to Illyricum it might be objected that that was no great matter for him to do or glory of For it might be that others had preached there before and instructed them in the knowledge of the Gospel This objection the Apostle prevents saying Yea so have I strived to preach the Gospel not where Christ was named but where he was never so much as named before So have I strived to preach the Gospel This particle so relates not to that word strived but to that word Preach q. d. Yea I have strived to preach the Gospel so And this particle so signifies after that manner that is after that manner to wit that he had spoke of that is by word and deed through mighty signs and wonders c. Have I strived to preach the Gospel
not where Christ was named c. By these words the Apostle sheweth with how great desire he desired to excercise his Apostolical function and to preach where Christ was never preached before and that he made it as it were his Ambition so to do And he intimateth also hereby that the Gospel was never preached before he preached it in the places between Judaea and Illyriam But why did the Apostle so much desire to preach where Christ was never named that is where Christ had never been preached before Answ He might do it first out of Charity for being that the knowledge of Christ is absolutely necessary to Salvation it is more charity to preach the Gospel where it was never preached before than to preach there where it had been preached before and where the foundation of Christian Religion had been laid Secondly He might desire this because to preach the Gospel where it had been never preached before is more proper for an Apostle such a one as Paul was then to preach where it had been preached before for to plant and lay the foundation of Churches is the proper and peculiar work of an Apostle Thirdly The Apostle might desire this that he might have whereof to glory against false Apostles or at least that false Apostles might not have whereof to glory so much as in shew against him For false Apostles would seem Apostles and boast of themselves as if they were Apostles though they built and that unskilfully too not upon their own but upon another mans foundation that is though they preached where Christ had been preached before and when they preached they preached errors and vanities instead of sound doctrine Lest I should build upon another mans foundation i. e. Lest I should have preached the Gospel to them to whom it had been preached by others before By the foundation he means here the Essential points of Christian Religion and by building thereupon he meaneth preaching there where they had been preached before This foundation he calls another mans because it was laid that is preached before by another Apostle or another preacher than himself otherwise this foundation is always one and the same for other foundation can no man lay than is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 It is not unusual with our Apostle to liken the doctrine of Christian Religion to a building The essential parts thereof to the foundation of this building the points less necessary to salvation to the superstructure the Preacher thereof to a Builder Ver. 21. But as it is written to whom he was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard shall understand That is q. d. But I have preached where Christ was never so much as named much less preached before So that that which was prophesied of by Isaiah Isaiah 52.15 is by me in part fulfilled for they to whom Christ was never spoken of have seen him And they that have not heard of him have understood him by my ministery As it is written Isa 52.15 To whom he was not spoken of they shall see i. e. The Gentiles to whom nothing was spoken of or concerning Christ They shall see Christ by faith Viz. Through the preaching of the Apostles He That is Christ but with Christ understand all his benefits also And they that have not heard i. e. And they that have not heard any thing to wit of Christ shall understand Supple by the ministery of his Servants This is the second and mystical sence of these words but in the first and meaner sence they speak of those Gentiles which saw the event of certain prophesies of Jeremy prophesying of things yet such as they never heard of before by any But of this see my exposition of the Prophet Isaiah Isa 52.15 c. Ver. 22. For which cause also I have been much hindred from coming to you i. e. And for this cause to wit because I was so much imployed in preaching the Gospel between Jerusalem and Illyricum where the Gospel was never preached before I have been among many other causes much hindered from coming to you It required more pains and took up more time to preach the Gospel where it was never so much as heard of before then to preach it there where it had been preached before For which cause also This particle Also implies that there were other cames which hindred him from coming to them before this Ver. 23. Having no place in these parts i. e. Finding no place in these parts Supple without the foundation of Christian Religion i. e. Finding no place in these parts in which I have not preached the Gospel already so that there is no necessity now of my continuing here any longer In these parts By these parts he may mean Macedonia and Achaia as is probable by ver 26. As also by that that this Epistle was written from Corinth which was a chief City of Achaia Or by these parts he may mean the parts lying between Jerusalem and Illyricum of which he spake ver 19. Ver. 24. Whensoever I take my journy into Spain I will come to you This he saith because he was intended to go to Spain by Italy and so to take Rome in his way And to be brought on my way thitherward i. e. And to be accompanied on my way thitherward by some of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred to be brought on my way signifieth to be honourably accompanied on the way and to be supplied with things necessary for a journy if need be But perhaps Saint Paul might understand it only of being accompanied If first I am somewhat filled with your company i. e. When I have somewhat filled my self with the delight and pleasure which I shall take in your company That is when I have enjoyed your company a while If I be somewhat filled By that that he would be filled he signifies how acceptable their company would be to him which would be so sweet and delectable to him as that he desired to be filled with it But when he saith If I be somewhat filled by that word Somewhat he signifieth that his stay would be somewhat short shorter than he desired so that he could not in so short a time be filled so full with their company as he desired Be filled Some understand this as a Metaphor taken from meats others from Odors or sweet smells But now I go unto Jerusalem The Apostle prevents a question here For the Romans may say Paul If thou hast had a desire these many years to come unto us and you have now no more place in those parts where you are why come you not to us now This question the Apostle prevents saying But for the present I cannot come for now I go unto Jerusalem c. I go unto Jerusalem i. e. I am going to Jerusalem Jerusalem Jerusalem was the chief City of Judaea To minister to the Saints i. e. To carry to the poor Saints
which is at Cenchrea Cenchrea was a port town or village neer that famous City of Corinth and serving thereunto or a Port of that City in which Christ had a Church that is a Company or Congregation of such as embraced his Gospel to which Church Phaebe was a Servant Which is a servant of the Church c. There were in the Primitive times women chosen as well as men to do service in the Church but not in things immediately appertaining to God called Deaconnesses which were appointed to have a care of the poor members of the Church and especially of those which were sick c. Such Saint Paul speaks of 1 Timothy 5.9 Some think that this Phaebe was such a one and therefore called here a Servant of the Church But others think and not without reason otherwise for that she is supposed to have been a Rich woman and a woman of a noble birth she is called therefore a servant of the Church as they say in that she willingly did many good services of her own free bounty for the Church in relieving the poor distressed members thereof and doing for all what they stood in need of to her power Ver. 2. That ye receive her i. e. That ye receive her in to your houses and entertain her In the Lord i. e. For the Lord or for the Lords sake whose servant she is and whom she serveth in ministring to his members In is put here for For after the Hebrew manner or for the sake And that ye assist her i. e. And that ye stand by her and help her To Asist or stand by one is to help him And it is as some think a millitary word As becometh Saints This phrase may be understood as well of them which receive as of those which are received For they which receive must carry themselves so as it becometh Saints and they which are received are to be entertained so as that it may appear that they are accounted of as Saints and Brethren in the Lord. Do good to all but especially to those which are of the houshold of faith saith our Apostle Galat. 6.10 The faithful therefore must be respected more than other men Saints i. e. Christians See Chap. 1 ver 1. She hath been a succouror of many She might be a succouror of many by standing between them and dangers and defending them protecting them and procuring them safety when any storms arose against them As also by entertaining them in her house and harbouring them hospitably when they were strangers and means fell out to be short with them Greet Priscilla and Aquila c. i. e. Salute Priscilla and Aquila in my name A salutation is a signification of our love whereby we wish all temporal and spiritual welfare to Him whom we salute When we desire one another to salute a third person in our name it is to desire him to signifie to that third person our wishes of his temporal and spiritual welfare Saint Paul doth desire many here to be saluted in his name and this he doth that by his courtesie he may win them to respect him and his Doctrine the more and that he might receive the better welcome from them when he cometh among them Or he may do it that the Romans might take the more notice of them whom he desires to be saluted and give them the more respect for his salutation c. Priscilla and Aquila Priscilla and Aquila were both Jews And Priscilla was the wife Aquila the husband some ask therefore why Saint Paul doth name Priscilla here before Aquila the wife before the husband And they answer that it was because Priscilla did believe and became a Christian before her Husband And grace is to be preferred in order before nature But though Priscilla be named here before Aquila yet Aquila is named before Priscilla 1 Cor. 16.19 Acts 18.26 Of Priscilla and Aquila you may read Acts 18. ver 2 3. My helpers in Christ Jesus Saint Paul calls these his helpers in Christ Jesus because they were an help to him in the Ministery and propagation of the Gospel of Christ How in particular these were Saint Pauls helpers in the Ministery or propagation of the Gospel is not here expressed but we read of Aquila and Priscilla that they took Apollos to them and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly Acts 18. ver 26. whereby they might help this way in the conversion of others In Christ Jesus i. e. In the Gospel of Christ Jesus Metonymie Ver. 4. Who have for my life laid down their own necks i. e. Who have ventured their own lives to preserve mine and free me out of danger The Apostle when he saith here that they have laid down their own necks meaning thereby that they ran the hazard of their lives seems to allude to the manner of the Romans who chopt of their necks with an ax which were condemned to die The Apostle in that which he says here seems to have an eye upon the danger in which he was in Acts 18.12 when an Insurrection was made against him with one accord at Corinth and they brought him before the Judgement seat Gallio being deputy of Achaia Vnto whom not onely I give thanks To wit for that their love in preserving my life But also all the Churches of the Gentiles The Churches of the Gentiles might all of them give thanks to Priscilla and Aquila for preserving the life of Paul out of danger because that Paul was the common Master or Doctor of the Gentiles and therefore the benefit of the presevation of his life redounded to them all There may be an Hyperbole in these words and by all the Churches of the Gentiles may be meant not all in general but only all those Churches of the Gentiles which were about Corinth who knew of this deliverance of Paul Ver. 5. Likewise greet the Church that is in their house The Church is sometimes taken in a narrow sence for the members of any family or houshold which are believers of which believe in Christ and profess his Gospel and so surely it is taken here So that the sence of this place is this Likewise greet those of their houshold who believe in Christ and have given their name to him In this sence Saint Paul saith All the saints salute you chiefly they that are of Caesars houshold Phil. 4.22 where he might have called the saints which are of Caesars houshold the Church which were in Caesars houshold as he doth here the saints of the houshold of Aquila and Priscilla the Church in their house for it is all one The Church i. e. The saints and faithful which are members of the Church of Christ Here is therefore a Synechdoche generis in the word Church as it is here used where the whole Church is put for a part or for some members only of the Church Who is the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ i. e. Who was one of the first
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