enemy to God For he is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can he be so long as he is such and doth so 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God 8. So then I grant you that say nay but we cannot but walk after our sensual or carnal appetite and affections I grant you I say that they which are carnal cannot please God nor can they do otherwise then walk after their sensual or carnal appetite and affections 9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his 9. But ye are not carnal but Spiritual in that the Spirit of God by which ye are Regenerate dwelleth in you for if any man hath not the spirit of Regeneration which Christ hath purchased for us he is none of Christs 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness 10. And now being that the spirit of Regeneration which Christ hath purchased is in you your body indeed is subject to death and shall one day die by reason of original sin or the sin of Adam which was derived to you But yet your souls shall live and never see death by reason of that Spirit of Regeneration which is also called the Spirit of Righteousness with which ye are endued 11. But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you 11. But yet that you may know that your bodies shall not so die as their bodies do which are Carnal being that the Spirit of Regeneration is in you God the Father who raised up Jesus from the dead shall after death quicken and enliven your mortal bodies with an everlasting life by reason of that Spirit of his which dwelleth in you 12 Therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh 12. Therefore Brethren being it is so we ought not if we have any love at all to our selves to be servants to our sensual or carnal appetite or affections to follow their motions But we ought to be servants to the Spirit that Spirit of Regeneration which is in us and to follow her inclinations 13. For if ye live after the flâ—sh ye shalt die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live 13. For if we live after our sensual and carnal appetite and affections and follow them we shall die eternally But if we through the power which we have by the Spirit of Regeneration which is in us do mortifie and destroy the deeds to which our sensual and carnal Appetite which is in our body tempt us to we shall live an everlasting life 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God 14. For as many as are lead by the Spirit of Regeneration which God hath given us and follow her motions so many are the Sons of God and by consequence heirs of life everlasting 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 15. I say so many are the sons of God for they which have received the Spirit of Regeneration have not received a servile spirit whereby they should like slaves and servants fear and be afraid to approach and come neer to God such a spirit as we Jews had at the giving of the Law in Mount Sinai But we have received a filial and Son-like spirit whereby we are bold to approach to God and to speak confidently to him and to call him as Sons Abba Father 16. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God 16. The spirit â—t self by begetting in us a filial affection and Son like disposition towards God beareth witness to our souls that we are the children of God 17. And if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together 17. And if we are the children of God then are we heirs even the heirs of God and coheirs with Christ of everlasting Glory And this inheritance of everlasting Glory shall we inherit with Christ if that we suffer as Christ did And indeed let us suffer as Christ did that we may be also glorified together with Christ 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 18. For that now I may arm you against sufferings I have weighed as it were in a ballance our sufferings on the one side and our rewards on the other and have cast up as it were the sum of both of them and I reckon or conclude that the sufferings of this present life are so small in comparison of the reward as that they are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be openly given and bestowed upon us hereafter who suffer for Christ sake 19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God 19. I say that shall be openly given and bestowed upon us hereafter and I speak of it as a thing which shall most certainly be For the Creature whose expectation shall not be frustrate doth with earnest expectation wait for the manifestation of this Glory in the Sons of God 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope 20. I say that it doth with earnest expectation wait for this for the Creature when it was made subject to vanity was not made subject thereunto willingly but only in obedience to God who would and did subject the same to vanity with hope notwithstanding in the creature that it should one day be delivered from that vanity 21. Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of curruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God 21. I say with hope notwithstanding in the creature that it should be one day delivered from that vanity for which is the ground of this its hope the irrational creature it self also as well as man shall be delivered from this bondage of corruption and vanity when the glorious liberty of the Sons of God whereby they shall be totally freed from their miseries and be estated in glory shall appear 22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together untill now 22. For we know that the whole company of the Creatures from the time that man fell untill now groan and travil as it were a woman which is in pain and would fain be delivered desiring to be
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
That they cannot please God for that vâ—z That they walk after the Flesh or that viz. That they cannot but walk after the Flesh by putting the Consequent for the Antecedent This phrase therefore viz. They cannot please God is the same for sence with that viz. Who walk after the Flesh And it is occasioned from a tacite objection arising from the first verse though the Corollary or Conclusion which the Apostle draws here is drawn from that which went immediately before Ver. 9 But ye are not in the Flesh i. e. But ye which are in Christ Jesus ye I say are not carnall that ye should say yea but we cannot but walk after the Flesh But in the Spirit i. e. But ye are spiritual so that ye may renounce the Flesh and walk after the Spirit If so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you i. e. Being that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you to wit by those gifts and graces which he hath given you The conjunction If is not dubitantis but affirmantis not a note of doubting but of affirming and for this reason doth he affirm without doubting that the Spirit of God dwelleth in them because he takes them to be such as were truly in Christ Jesus ver 1. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his This seemeth to to be an Argument to proue that these Romans had the Spirit of Christ in them upon this supposition that they were in Christ Jesus for saith he If any one hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his but if he be his that is if he be Christs as ye are he hath the spirit of Christ in him He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is not Christs that is is not in Christ as a living member in the body or as a fruitfull or living branch in the vine and therefore shall be cast out or cut off at length The Spirit of Christ That which he called The Spirit of God immediately before he calleth the Spirit of Christ here because it is given and conferred of God through the merits of Christ who also himself is true God He is none of his i. e. None of his true and living members Or true and living branches Ver. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of Righteousness i. e. And if the Spirit of Christ be in you your body indeed is mortall and shall die by reason of the sin of Adam But your soul shall live and never see death because of the Spirit of God and of Christ that is because of the Spirit of Righteousness which dwelleth in it The Apostle doth here shew the blessed fruit which they shall enjoy which have the Spirit of God and of Christ viz. That they shall not come into condemnation as he is said ver 1. And he doth withall answer an Objection which might arise from those words ver 6. To be spiritually minded is life For being that the Apostle said there That to be spiritually minded is life a man might object and say but how is it life to be spiritually minded when as they that have the Spirit of God and of Christ and so are spiritually minded die as well as they which are in the Flesh and so are carnally minded To this the Apostle answereth here that they that have the Spirit of God and of Christ and so are spiritually minded die indeed the death of the body as they do which cre carnally minded and that because of Original sin or the sin of Adam but they do not die the death of the soul as the carnal minded men do because of that Spirit of God and of Christ which dwelleth in them If Christ be in you c. By Christ is here to be understood the Spirit of Christ as he called it ver 10. and that per Metonymiam efficientis And the Apostle would rather say Christ here than the Spirit of Christ to avoid confusion of termes for soon after by the Spirit he means the Soul of man The body is dead That is the Body indeed is subject to death and shall one day die He saith the body is dead because it is not only such as may die but such as tendeth continually to death and shall at length certainly die Because of sin By sin here understand the sin of Adam or Original sin for death entred into the world by Adam 's sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned through him Chap. 5.12 And in Adam all die saith the Apostle again 1 Cor. 15.22 But the Spirit is life i. e. But the Soul shall live and never see death The Spirit By the Spirit understand here the Soul that better part of man which is a Spirit Is life That is liveth and shall live for ever The Apostle when he saith Is life for liveth useth a Metonymie of the Adjunct Because of righteousness i e. Because of the Spirit of God and of Christ which is in it By Righteousness is here to be understood The Spirit of life as he called it ver 2. and which he called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ ver 9. And which he called Christ in a few words before and this Spirit he calleth Righteousness Per Metonymiam Effecti because it inclines to Righteousness and worketh Righteousness in us That Soul which is endued with the Spirit of God or with the Spirit of Righteousness call it which you please while it is in this life so soon as it is parted from the body is carried into the presence of Christ there to enjoy him who is life and to live after its manner Ver. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you i. e. But yet if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you q. d. But though the bâ—dy is dead because of sin yet if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you c. He meaneth by this spirit that which he called righteousness ver 10. and the Spirit of Christ vers 9. and the Spirit of life ver 2. By him which raised up Jesus from the dead he meaneth God whom he describes by this Act because he is to say That he will quicken your mortal bodies Of which that That God raised up Jesus from the dead was a pattern and a pledge and shewed that God was able yea and willing to do it He that raised up Christ from the dead That is God Shall also quicken your mortal bodies That is Shall also raise up your mortal bodies after death at the last Day as he raised up Christ from death when he had been dead By his spirit that dwelleth in you That is because of his spirit or by reason of his spirit which dwelleth in you By reason of his spirit are our bodies become Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. chap 6.19 And therefore our bodies shall be
use of others Note that what the Apostle says here he says by the Judgement of Charity not out of any certain or infallible knowledge The Apostle is here very favourable to these Romans which being weak in faith did abstain from meats which were forbidden by the Law of Moses and did observe those days as holy which the Law of Moses commanded to be kept holy and makes an Apologie for them Yet he is very angry with the Galatians for observing Moses Law as may appear by divers passages of the fourth and fifth Chapters of the Epistle written to them A question therefore may be asked why the Apostle should be so favourable to the Romans in this and so sharp to the Galatians Answ They of which the Apostle speaks here were such as were Jews living at Rome and converted from Judaism to Christianity who therefore were brought up under the Law of Moses and accustomed to those things which were commanded and forbidden therein respectively for which cause the Apostle thought it fit to deal gently with them least by harsh and sharp dealing they should forsake the Gospel of Christ and his faith rather than be suddenly brought off from those observances to which they had been accustomed all their days And for that also that he would shew such reverence to the Law of Moses as that it being dead it should be buried as it were with honour But the Galatians to which he wrote were such as were Gentiles and had been all their life-time brought up in Gentilism never in Judaism Therefore he would never suffer the Law of Moses to be imposed upon them but when they seemed to be willing to receive it when false Apostles would have imposed it upon them he rebukes them sharply for it lest if he should seem to tollerate it or wink at it in them it might be thought that the keeping of Moses Law was necessary to Justification to which faith onely is required Yet though the Apostle dealt thus gently and favourably with these Romans that is with these Jews of Rome here and would not have them to be received to doubtful disputations concerning their opinions yet he did suffer them but for a time and did by little and little instruct them in the truth and perswade them concerning the abrogation of the Law of Moses by Christ as he had opportunity That therefore these weak Jews of Rome did observe days and abstain from meats according to the Law of Moses and not according to the liberty or freedom which was purchased by Christ It was not a thing commendable in them for it did proceed from their weakness in the faith ver 1. but was a fault in them rather yet such a fault as the Apostle would excuse and have others which were strong in the faith to excuse also interpreting what they did to the better part and looking charitably to that which was good or might be good in it Ver. 7. For none of us liveth to himself i. e. For none of us which are Christians doth that which he doth while he liveth for his own profit or for his own glory Of us i. e. Of us Christians Liveth i. e. Doth any thing in his life-time To himself i. e. For himself that is for his own profit or for his own glory Vnderstand chiefly or principally or in comparison of what he doth for the glory of God And no man dieth to himself i. e. And no man which is a Christian doth if he dieth by his death seek profit or glory to himself understand chiefly and Principally here too The Apostle speaks here in the person of a good and faithful Christian such as we must take every one to be in Charity while we have evidence to the contrary And what he saith he saith out of his Charity And by what he saith here he would confirm and prove what he said before to wit that both the weak and strong Christian did what they did there to the honour of God the Lord. Ver. 8. For whether we live we live unto the Lord i. e. For whether we live we do what we do all our life-time to the Glory of the Lord that the Lord may be thereby glorified We i. e. We Christians Whether we live we live c. These two words Live and Live are not to be taken here after the same manner or in the same sence but are so to be distinguished and taken as we have shewed a little before Vnto the Lord i. e. Unto the Honour and Glory of the Lord. See verse 6. And whether we die we die unto the Lord i. e. And whether we die we do by our death glorifie the Lord. Whether we live therefâ—re or die we are the Lords This is the conclusion which the Apostle aimed at and gathers from the sixth verse inclusive hitherto And now having proved that all both strong and weak are the Lords he leaves us as a thing most evident to us to conclude and judge that it is not fit for us either to despise or to judge those which are his Servants Ver. 9. For to this end Christ both died and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living Between this and the former verse Understand these or the like words And this is but meet and just viz. for us to be his servants q. d. And this is but meet and just for us to be his servants For to this end Christ both lived and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living c. He saith that Christ died for this end that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living because Christ gave his blood as a price of our redemption to redeem us out of the hands of the Devil that we might be his Servants and a peculiar treasure to him whether we live or whether we die And he is said to rise again and to revive after his death that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living not that he did redeem us by his resurrection or that his Resurrection was the price or part of the price of our Redemption but because by his Resurrection he shewed that he had paid the full price of our Redemption and by that he came to take possession as it were of that which he purchased or redeemed by his death Neither could he have been Lord of us as he was the man Christ Jesus if he had not risen again For he was not man after death till by his Resurrection his body and soul were reunited which had been severed by his death Christ when he redeemed us to be his Servants he did it that we should be his Servants not onely for term of this life which term civil services among men cannot exceed but also that we should be his Servants for the life to come yea for ever and ever And therefore is he said here to die and rise and revive that he
word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth his God-head here But when we consider not only the huge Fabrique of the world but also how wisely and orderly all things are governed therein which without a Governour would quickly come to confusion as a Ship without a Pilot And when we see how all things are provided for and how all things are ordered to the good and benefit of the Creature as every one is by Nature capable of it of which they are most capable which are endued with Reason as Man is We gather from thence the Rule and Dominion of God over all things as over the works of his own hands and that the exercise of his Rule and Dominion is Fatherly by which he doth not only Rule and Govern but Provide also and look to and care for all things which he hath made after a Fatherly manner And therefore note that if by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God-head be here meant yet the God-head alone must not be hereby signified but this his Fatherly Rule and Dominion also together with his Providence and Care for and over all his Creatures and man especially For that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-head as it is here taken speaks benefit to the Creature and to man especially is to be gathered from thence that the Heathen are said to be without excuse for that they were not thankful v. 21. And had they not received benefits at the hands of God which deserved thanks they had not been thus spoken of for unthankfulness When one man is exceeding beneficial to another a greater especially to a lesser he is said to be to him a God for Homo homini Deus saith the Proverb And thus is gooodness and bounty included in the word God-head here as it is in the word Deus God in the Proverb there Yea as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.4 signifieth not the Essence or Existence of God but his Proprieties and especially that of his Goodness So say some doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie here not the Essence or Existence of God but his Bounty and Goodness Not only the word Maximus but Optimus too is attributed to God even by the Heathen For they often say Deus Optimus Maximus and therefore are they inexcusable if they are unthankefull to him for his goodness If the Gentiles could come to know the Power and God-head that is the goodness of God by the things which he hath made they must needs come to know this that God was to be worshipped and that honour and glory and power and thanksgiving were to be given to Him When therefore they worshipped Him not but worshipped Idols they held the truth of godliness in ungodliness So that they are without excuse In what they were without excuse he sheweth in the next words Ver. 21. Because that when they knew God Supple By the things that he had made The knowledge of God is to be taken here not only for the knowledge of his Existency or that that he was God but also and that chiefly for the knowledge of that that he was a Powerful God King of all the world and Good and Merciful to all his works c. They did not glorifie him as God i. e. They did not glorifie him being God These words as God seem not so to be added as to signifie that the Gentiles did glorifie God but not in that manner as they ought to glorifie him though the words may sometimes so signifie in themselves But that they did not glorifie him at all For we seldom if ever read that the Heathen worshipped the true God but some false and feigned Deity instead of God And the Apostle accuseth them here because they changed the glory of the incorruptible God in to an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and Creeping things v. 23. Omnia colit Humanus error praeter ipsum omnium Creatorem Tertull. De Pololatria cap 4. They did not glorifie him To glorifie when it is spoken of God Passively or as of the object of our glory it doth properly signifie the Celebration or Praising of his holy Name which is performed by words as when we speak good of his Power and Wisedom and Goodness and Dominion and the like But in this place it is a word of a larger Extent and includes other kinds of honour and worship also which consisteth either in the inward reverence of the Soul towards God or in outward signs of the Body testifying that inward reverence of the Soul or both As God This Particle As in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be oftentimes used as a Note of Similitude yet sometimes it is taken as a Note of Identity or is at least redundant as John 1.14 And as the like word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even as is taken or is redundant 2 Cor. 3.18 And the Apostle had rather say They glorified him not as God or being God That is They glorified not God than say They glorified not him because there is a greater Emphasis in these words They glorified him not as God or being God that is They glorified not God than there is in these They glorified not him Note here That they which did actually know what might be known of God by the things which are made were only the Philosophers and Learned men and their Disciples and such onely doth the Apostle seem to speak of here in direct tearms as may appear by divers circumstances occurring between this and the end of the Chapter but what they only knew others also might have actually known as well as they if they would for they had the same means and the same Book to read God and his Attributes in to wit the Book of the Creature if therefore other men knew not what might be known of God from hence it was their own fault and is to be imputed to their own Supine negligence and gross affected ignorance which shall never wholly excuse them for not glorifying God as they ought to glorifie him Neither were thankful This is one Species or kind of glorifying God to wit to be thankeful to him for the benefits which we receive of him as will appear Psalm 50.15 And this the Apostle mentioneth in particular because the Heathen most neglected it And yet they could not be ignorant but that it was due to God because they knew that all good things which they received were from God as being Maker Governor and Disposer of all things Tanksgiving is but a part or species of glorifying God yet doth the Apostle mention it here after glorifying God which is as the Genus of this Species But this is not incongruous yea it is a point of Rhetorique to mention a particular sometimes after a general or a species after its genus when there is reason for taking special Notice of the Species But became vain in their imaginations Note that that which
none but such can so seek as to obtain And he speaks of them and their reward here to encourage those that believe in their holy faith and to induce others to the same which yet blieved not Ver. 8. Vnto them that are contentious i e. Unto them who having heard the truth that is the Gospel of Christ and are contentious and fight against it By them that are contentious he seemeth to understand such as did obstinately resist the Truth that is the Gospel when it was preached and did strive against it wherefore he adds and dâ— not obey the truth Of such as resisted and strove against the truth that is the Gospel we have examples Acts Chap. 14.2 and 17.5 and 19 9 And obey not the truth By the truth understand the Gospel here which is the word of God and therefore truth and which in respect of eminency of the subject of it may be called the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus is the Gospel called the word of Truth Eph. 1.13 The Gospel may be also called the Truth in opposition to those figments and lies which are in the Theology of the Heathen and to those fancies which Men of their own heads set up against the Gospel They are said not to obey the truth who when it is preached to them refuse to assent to it and to receive it He seems to speak of truth here as of a Person yea as of a Lady or Mistress which is to be obeyed by a Prosopopaeia This he speaks chiefly by reason of those Jews which when the Gospel was preached to them received it not but opposed it with all contention And he speaks it to the end that he might deterr the Jews from so doing by consideration of the Judgments which should befall them for it Note that when the Apostle speaks of not believing or not obeying the Gospel he speaks for the most part of them to whom the Gospel was preached and by them rejected But obey unrighteousness Vnrighteousness is taken sometimes for Falshood as it is taken John 7.18 It may be happily so taken here and signifie any false Doctrine contrary to or dissonant from the Doctrin of the Gospel and especially that which teacheth a way to Justification contrary to or dissonant from that which the Gospel teacheth which is by Faith He seems to speak of unrighteousness here as of a Person as he did of truth before Indignation and wrath Supple shall be rendered He changeth here his manner of speaking Indignation and wrath are put here Per Metonymiam Efficientis for punishment yea grievous punishment proceeding from indignation and wrath to wit the indigantion and wrath of God V. 9. Tribulation and anguish q. d. That is Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every man that doth evil What he called indignation and wrath immediately before he calleth tribulation and anguish here Vpon every soul of man i. e. Shall be or shall fall upon every man Put an Emphasis upon the word Every The Soul of man is put here by a Synechdoche for Man himself A part for the whole Yet we may take the Soul here properly as if the Apostle intending to speak of the greatness of the Punishment of these men should say that it should reach not to the Body only but to the Soul also The Apostle in the former verse spake only of those in particular who received not the Gospel when it was preached to them but opposed it here he seems to speak of all evil men in general whether they had heard of the Gospel and resisted it or no. q. d. Yea tribulation and anguish shall be upon every Soul of man that doth evil whether he hath heard of the Gospel and resisted it or no. And this he doth least any one should think that all other wicked men should escape punishment if so be they were not contentious against the Gospel and disobeyed it not which might be if they never heard of it That doth evil Note that he saith not That have done evil for then who would be saved But that doth evil that is which continueth and persevereth in doing evil not breaking off his evil course of life by true and hearty repentance Of the Jew first and also of the Gentile i. e. Upon the Soul of the Jew firist and then of the Gentile See of this Phrase Chap 1.16 He doth yet more fully shew that none that doth evil shall escape by saying that neither Jew nor Gentile shall escape He saith here that this punishment shall fall first upon the Jew and the reason is because the Jew was before the Gentile in the blessing of God and in the means of holiness and as his sin is greatest who hath the greater means of holiness and is not holy so shall his punishment be the greater Ver. 10. But glory and honour and peace to every man that worketh good i e. But as I said verse 7. glory honour and peace to every one that worketh good The Apostle repeateth what he said verse 7. the more to enforce what he said there And Peace By Peace is understood according to the Hebrew Phrase Felicity and Happiness yea a Congeries of all good things By Glâ—ry Honour and Peace are meant here that which he called Eternal life v. 7. To every man That is shall be to every man That worketh good See verse 7. To the Jew first and also to the Gentile i e. To the Jew first then to the Gentile Ver. 11. For there is no respect of Persons with God i. e. For God will respect neither the Jew as he is a Jew nor the Gentile as he is a Gentile But if a mâ—n do evil he will punâ—sh him for his evil though he be a Jew and if he worketh good he will reward him for so working though he be a Gentile The Apostle prevents a tacite Objection here for whereas he had joyned the Gentile with the Jew both in the reward and in the punishment and so had made them in those things alike A Jew might Object and say How is it Paul that thou makest us like to the Gentiles or the Gentiles like to us Are not we the Children of Abraham c. How is it therefore that thou sayest that we shall be punished like to the Gentiles or that the Gentiles shall be rewarded like unto us for we Jews are of a more holy Stock than that we should be ranked with the Gentiles To this the Apostle answers even from Deut 10 17. with God there is no respect of Persons q. d. In that Judgment which God will pass upon all men he will not have any respect to the Stock or Parentage of any man or to any such like thing so as to accept of a wicked man for his Stock sake or to reject a good man because of his Parentage but he will reward them every man according to his works which he hath done Respect of Persons or rather respect of Faces for this is
life ver 3. And as Christ is ascended into heaven so should we have our conversation in heaven and place our affections there Coloss 3. ver 1 2 3 c. Ver. 4. Therefore are we buried with him by Baptism unto death that like as Christ was raised from the dead c I take this Conjunction Therefore to be here in this place not as a note of Illation inferring any thing from what went before But as a note of demonstration shewing or pointing at the end of that which was there said and is here repeated or assumed to shew that end q. d. Now for this end or for this cause were we baptized into the death that is into the similitude of the death of Christ and so by consequence into the death of sin to profess and signifie that as Christ was raised from the dead we also should walk in newness of life We are buried with him by baptism into death This is that which he said ver 3. We were baptized into his death Which words he repeateth or assumeth again here to set forth the end thereof But note that whereas he said onely We were baptized into his death in the third verse here he saith We are or were rather buried with him by Baptism to death where he expresseth our being baptized with the Ceremony which was then used in baptism which was such as that the parties baptized were dipped over head and ears and so buried as it were in the water as Christ was buried in the bowels of the earth So that these words We are or were buried with him by baptism into death do speak explicitely and at large what he said in fewer words when he said We were baptized into his death And what he said implicitely and in fewer words when he said We were baptized into his death He saith more explicitely and at large when he saith We are buried with him by baptism into death We are buried with him by Baptism into death i. e. We are or were baptized into the similitude of Christs death Buried with him by Baptism i. e. Buried in the waters by being dipped over head and ears therein at our baptism as he was buried in the bowels of the earth and so by consequence baptized into the similitude of the death of Christ and representing his death at or in our baptism The Apostle as I said expresseth here being baptized by being buried by baptism which was a Ceremony used in those days in baptism For whereas we sprinkle or pour water upon those which we baptize they of old dipped them over head and ears and so buried them as it were in the waters whom they baptized And the Apostle may seem thus to express their being baptized and to make mention of this Ceremony here because it did more plainly represent the burial of Christ to which this Ceremony doth allude and by consequence the death of Christ to the natural life which he lived before his Passion and so by consequence our death to sin which they which were baptized did profess by submitting themselves to that Ceremony and suffering themselves to be dipped over head and ears in the waters at their baptism Note here that those which the Apostle here speaks of were men of ripe years and understanding and such when they were baptized were wont for the most part to be dipped over head and ears and buried as it were in the waters when they were baptized But this dipping over head and ears and burying as it were in the waters was not essential to baptism For the use of water in baptism is and was to signifie outwardly the inward cleansing of the soul from sin which water doth aswell by sprinkling as it doth by our being dipped and overwhelmed therein And it is more than probable that though they of the primitive times used to dip over head and ears in baptism yet they used sprinkling also especially when the parties to be baptized were either Infants or sick or weak of body For whereas we read Act. 2.41 that in one day and that not an whole day neither three thousand souls were baptized by the Apostles and that at Jerusalem where there was no great Rivers fit for such baptism or dipping It is not likely that they did it or could do it by dipping them every one whom they did baptize over head and ears and burying them as it were in the waters in so short a time but that they did it by sprinkling or pouring water upon them And in the time of Cyprian Bishop of Carthage who was promoted to that his Bishoprick Anno 250 that sprinkling was used as well as dipping in baptism and that not as a new thing will appear by his 76. Epistle the ninth Paragraph which beginneth Quaesisti c. That the Ceremony of dipping or burying as it were in Baptisme was of ancient use and long continuance in the Church of Christ cannot be denyed though now the pouring on of water or sprinkling is in a manner altogether used But when dipping and burying as it were in the water was so frequently used they which were baptized were for the most part men of stronger years converted from other Religions to Christianity But when Christianity had extended it self almost to all parts of the known earth and few men of years were now baptized who could better endure dipping than Children and Infants could And when most that were now to be baptized were Infants to whose tender bodies dipping might be offensive for their health pouring on of water or sprinkling came to be in a manner altogether used in the place of dipping With him i. e. Like unto him or like as he was buried Note that the preposition With is to be taken here for a note of similitude and is as much as to say Like as and so it is to be taken ver 5 6 8. Into death This is that which he said ver 3. Into his death the exposition of which words see there That like as Christ was raised from the dead c. i. e. To signifie and profess thereby that like as Christ when he was dead was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also shall or should rise again to a new life and walk therein By the glory of the Father i. e. By the glorious power of God the Father The power of God is called a glorious power Coloss 1.11 And it is glorified and often commended for raising up Jesus from the dead as Ephes 1. v. 19 20 c. We may take the glory of the Father also by a Metonymy for the Father himself who is glorious Even so we also should walk in newness of life Even so we also should or would rise from the death of sin to a new life and live therein and if we do so we can no longer live either in or to sin There is an Hebraism in these words viz Newness of life which are put for
serve sin and he proves it by an Allegoricall argument drawn from the Servants of Men who are freed by death from their Masters Service And from that that they which are free from the Service of men do not as though they were their Servants still yield them any further Service Ver. 8. Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him I said ver 6. that the Apostle prevented an Objection there and so he undertook to declare that he knew well enough what he said when he said If we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death we shall also in the likeness of his Resurrection ver 5. But hitherto he hath declared only that he knew that they which were Planted together with Christ in the likeness of his death that is that they which were crucified or dead to sin with Christ were therefore so planted or so dead that they should serve sin no more He hath not as yet declared that he knew that they which were so planted and so dead should rise or spring up to a new life for it is not enough to shew that a man doth good to shew that he abstains from evil I said moreover that the Apostle spoke somewhat incongruously if we did look not to the sence but to the manner of his Speaking in the sixt verse Therefore the Apostle doth here correct as it were what he said there when he saith But if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him And also makes that out to the ful which he undertook 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him q. d. But that I may correct my speech and speak more congruously and bring up that to the full which I undertook If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him If we be dead with Christ i. e. If we be dead to sin as Christ was dead to this natural life The preposition With is a note of similitude here also We believe that we shall also live with him i. e. We believe or are perswaded that we shall also live the life of grace to God or to Righteousness as Christ now liveth a life of Glory to the glory of God With him i. e. As he doth Ver. 9. Knowing this that Christ being raised from the dead c. Whereas the Apostle said in the former verse If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him that is that we shall live the life of grace and of righteousness as he liveth the life of Glory Some man may say but how canst thou say Paul that we shall live with Christ For art thou sure that Christ is now alive That thou canst not be for though Christ was raised from the dead yet he may be now dead again for many which were raised from the dead dyed again after they were raised This doubt or this objection the Apostle here prevents saying Knowing this that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more c. q d. I say we shall also live with him for we know this that Christ is now alive For Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Knowing this that Christ being raised from c. This he might know being informed thereof by the Spirit of God which knoweth all things and cannot lie but Christ appeared to Paul alive after a glorious manner 1 Cor. 15 8. By which he might certainly know that Christ was now living Death hath no more dominion over him i. e. Death neither hath nor shall have any more dominion over him A Syllepsis as before He speaks of death as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia Death had dominion over Christ after a certain manner when it severed his Soul from his Body upon the Cross and brought him down to the grave But Christ soon cast off this dominion of death and hath so far conquered death as that death shall never have any power of him again Nay death never had had any dominion over him at all had not he himself willingly for mans redemption submitted himself thereto V. 10. He died unto sin i. e. He died to or for this end that he migh abolish and destroy sin in us The word Sin is of the Dative Case and therefore to die to sin is as much as Mori propter peccatum vel ad peccatum in nobis mortificandum abolendum i. e. To die for sin or to die that he might mortifie and abolish sin in us For this efficacy or vertue hath Lamed with a Dative Case with the Hebrews whose Idiotismes Paul often useth Note that Christ and we are both said to die to sin but not both after one and the same manner for we are said to die to sin because we cease to yield to the motions of sin which are in us and after this manner Christ is not said to die to sin for there is no sin in Christ nor did he ever yield to any such motions thereby to be said to have ceased from yielding to the motions of sin but Christ is said to die to sin because he died to put away sin and abolish that sin which is in us and after this manner we cannot be said to die to sin for none can put away sin or abolish sin by his death but he that is both without sin himself and is a Person infinite Once i. e. Once and but once For such was the worth and value of Christs death as that he needed not to die more than once for the abolishing of sin Heb. 9. ver 25 26. But in that he liveth i. e. But in that he is raised again from death to life He liveth unto God i. e. He liveth and that an immortal life to the glory of God who hath exalted him to that life and is thereby glorified in that he hath so exalted him He liveth i. e. He liveth an immortal life Synechdoche Integri Vnto God i. e. Unto Gods glory Ver. 11. Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin q. d. Being therefore ye hear that Christ was dead but is raised from the dead and being raised liveth and shall live for ever And being that Christ by his death and resurrection and life is a Type and Figure to teach us what we should do and should be Now as Christ was dead but was raised again and liveth a life immortal So likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but yet alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and so alive as always to continue in that life To be dead indeed unto sin What it is to be dead unto sin See verse 2. Alive unto God To live or to be alive unto God is so to live as that we please God and observe and do his will Through
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
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
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
Apostle having delivered in the former part of this Epistle the Doctrine of Faith cometh here to give precepts of manners And to connect or knit this to his former Subject He infers this as a duty arising from that For when that his Doctrine of faith hath set out and shewen many mercies of God to us He beseecheth the Romans here in consideration of those mercies to shew themselves thankful to God by an holy living and conversation of life I beseech you therefore c. q. d. Being therefore you have received many mercies from God as I have shewed you in the former part of my Epistle I beseech you Brethren by those mercies c. Brethren He calleth the Romans Brethren because they were Christians as he was And Christians because they have the same God for their Father and the same Church for their Mother are called Brethren By the mercies of God i. e. By the mercies which God hath shewed you The Apostle beginneth this part of his Epistle with a vehement obsecration and an earnest obtestation whereby he beseecheth the Romans by those mercies which he had mentioned and commended to them in the former part of his Epistle and which they had received that they would present their bodies a living sacrifice c. By the mercies of God This is a vehement obtestation which is a most effectuall kind of reasoning or manner of perswading Like unto this is that most earnest and passionate prayer in the Letany of our Church viz. By thine Agony and bloody sweat by thy Cross and Passion c Good Lord deliver us which manner of praying Some have prophanely called swearing but you see that the Apostle useth this same manner of speaking and he may be a president for it without exception That you present your bodies a living sacrifice i. e. That ye offer your selves as a living Sacrifice to God Your Bodies i e. Your selves By the Body is here meant not the Body only but the body and soul too that is the whole man by a Synechdoche But he seemeth to say your bodies rather than your selves in some allusion to the Jewish Sacrifices where the bodies of the beasts which were offered for a burnt-offering were consumed or burnt on the Altar to the glory of God A living sacrifice i. e. As a living Holocaust or Burnt-offering as I may so speak The Apostle in this alludes to the Sacrifices of the Jews and among them to the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering where the Beast or Carcase of the beast which was offered or sacrificed was wholly burnt or consumed with fire to the glory of God And this he doth to signifie that we should offer to God our whole selves and all our actions Yet he saith a living sacrifice in opposition to that That those Sacrifices which the Jews offered were slain But this is not required of us that we should slay our selves or be slain by being made a Sacrifice here Then we offer our bodies that is our selves a living Sacrifice to God when we direct all our actions and do all which we do to his glory according to the exposition which the Apostle gives of his meaning in the last words of this verse Holy i e. An holy Sacrifice That is a sacrifice pure and separate from all uncleanness Yea a sacrifice sanctified by the holy Ghost as our Apostle speaks Chap. 15. ver 16. The sacrifices of the Old Law were called holy and were so accounted But if they were called and accounted holy Surely the bodies of Christians may be called and accounted holy much more being that they are purified from sin by the blood of Christ 1 John 1.7 and sanctified by the holy Ghost Rom. 15 16. There is an allusion therefore here to the sacrifices of the Law and their holiness when he bids us offer our bodies an Holy Sacrifice Acceptable unto God i e. Such as is well-pleasing unto God who because he is pure delighteth and is well-pleased with that only which is pure The Burnt sacrifice was said to be an offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord Levit. 1.9 In allusion to this would the Apostle have our sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God And indeed if such sacrifices were as a sweet savour unto God acceptable and well pleasing to him much more may the bodies and actions of Christians be acceptable to him See 2 Cor. 2 15. Phil. 4.18 Which is your reasonable service He interpreteth here what he meant by their bodies He meaneth by that themselves that is their reasonable service By a Synechdochical Metonymie Your reasonable service By the reasonable service here spoken of is meant the service of the spirit or of the soul which is a reasonable soul that is q. d. your spiritual service or the service of your spiritual souls Or by the reasonable service is meant the service of the whole man as it is reasonable or guided by the reasonable soul directed by Gods word He opposeth here this reasonable service or service of the spirit to that bodily service which was used under the old Law and which consisted for the most part in slaying and sacrificing beasts and birds c. or rather he opposeth it to the beasts and birds themselves which were sacrificed which were but brute and unreasonable creatures Ver. 2. And be not conformed to this world q. d. And for this end or for this cause be not conformed to this world Be not conformed to this world i. e. Be not conformed or be not like to the men which love the pleasures and profits and other vanities of this world all which ye have renounced in your Baptism To this world By the world is here meant by a Metonymie the men which live in the world and then by a Synechdoche not any men which live in the world but such as are given to the pleasures and profits and other vanities of the world But be ye transformed i. e. But be ye transformed and become like to those which are of another yea a more heavenly carriage and conversation By the renewing of your mind This he saith because their mind was corrupt And from thence this transformation must begin That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God i. e. That ye may know and approve of that good and acceptable will of God by which ye are to regulate and square your Reasonable service That ye may prove i. e. That ye may know and approve or like of for so may the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in the Greek signifie By a Metaphor from Goldsmiths which try Gold by their touch-stone and upon trial know it to be true Gold and approve of it for such What is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God i. e. What is that will of God by which we should guide our Reasonable service which is a good will a perfect will and a will acceptable or pleasing to God and