of the first Chapter and are an Illation from thence yet have they some reflection upon that latter part of the first Chapter also which mentioneth and setteth forth the sins of the Gentiles For whereas the Apostle did there reckon up many sins of the Gentiles and shewed that they were by the judgement of God worthy of death We must conceive that the Jew hearing this did approve the Sentence of God and proudly condemn the Gentiles as worthy of death for these their sins whereupon the Apostle taketh an occasion to condemn the Jew out of his own mouth seeing that he held the truth in unrighteousness as well as the Gentile and did the same things as the Gentiles did whom he condemned Thou art inexcusable i. e. Thou canst not be excused nor defended from being worthy of the same death as the Gentile is worthy of O Man That is O thou Jew For he turnes his speech here to the Jew that he might shew him in particular that he hath held the truth of God in unrighteousness as well as the Gentiles according to what he said Chap. 1. ver 18. Whosoever thou art that judgest i. e. Whosoever thou art which judgest the Gentile to be worthy of death because of the sins which he hath committed The Apostle supposeth here that the Jews had judged the Gentiles to be worthy of death by reason of their sins And this supposition was not avain supposition For the Jews were a censorious People ready upon all occasions to condemn the Gentiles and to justifie themselves Wherein thou judgest another c. i. e. With the same judgement or with the same sentence with which thou condemnest the Gentile and judgest him worthy of death thou condemnest thy self and judgest thy self Wherein i. e. Wherewith or by which Supple judgement Note that the Praeposition In according to the Hebrew manner may be taken for with or by Thou judgest The Apostle speaks not here of Publique judgement whereby a Publique Judge doth by his Authority condemn a Malefactor that is brought before him But of private censure and judgement whereby a Private man taketh upon him to censure or judge another Another By this other understand the Gentile For thou that judgest doest the same things i. e. Thou which judgest the Gentile to be worthy of death for his sins doest the same things and committest the same sins thy self for which thou judgest and condemnest the Gentile He that condemneth a man and judgeth him worthy of death for committing such or such a sin if he himself hath committed the like he condemns himself though not in words yet in deeds by condemning him Doest the same things These words are not so precisely to be understood as though the Apostles meaning were that every Jew which judged a Gentile worthy of death for his sins were alwayes guilty of the same special sins for which he did condemn the Jew though it fell out oftentimes even so to be But the words are generally to be understood As if he should say For thou which judgest another worthy of death for such and such sins Thou thy self doest the same though not in Specie yet in Genere and committest sins of as hainous a nature as those are of which he committeth He that condemneth a man for Adultery though he himself hath not committed Adultery yet if he hath committed Murther or a sin which deserveth as great a punishment as Adultery doth he condemneth himself and judgeth himself to be as worthy of punishment as he which commited Adultery Ver. 2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things Between this and the foregoing verse we must understand that the Jew hearing the Apostle say that he to wit the Jew condemned himself in that wherein he judged the Gentile because he did the same things grew hot and angry with the Apostle for that the Apostle made no difference between a Gentile and him which was a Jew and broke out into these or the like words But what if I condemn the Gentile for doing those unseemly things which you reckoned up must I therefore condemn my self Is there no difference between a Gentile and me A Gentile he is of an unclean Stock he is blind and ignorant and uncircumcised by nature but I am a Jew by Birth and therefore one of that holy People which the Lord the God chose to be a special People to himself Deut. 7.6 And I am skilled in the Laws and Statutes which God gave to us but not to the Gentiles Psalm 147.19 And I am circumcised with that circumcision which is a token of the Covenant made between God and the Children of Abraham Gen. 17.11 I may therefore condemn a Gentile and yet not condemn my self though I had committed the same things which the Gentile had And to this Obiection of the Jew doth the Apostle here answer q. d. Thou O Jew art partial in passing thy Sentence For though thou condemnest the Gentile for the sins which he committeth yet thou wilt not give judgment against thy self though thou thy self doest the same things which the Gentile doth But yet we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against all them which commit such things And therefore it is as well against thee who art a Jew and art instructed in the Law and art circumcised as it is against a Gentile Note here that it is the Apostles usual manner of teaching to teach by answering tacite Objections and Questions The chief Scope of the Apostle in the first part of this his Epistle is to shew That Justification is not by the works of the Moral Law Yet because the Jew thought that he might be justified though he had not observed the Moral Law by being a Jew that is by being a Child of Abraham Matth. 3.9 And by the knowledge and skill that he had in the Law And by his circumcision the Apostle doth by the bie as he hath occasion confute this conceit also That he might shew that a man is justified by Faith onely We are sure i. e. We who have the Spirt of the Lord or we who have the true knowledge of Gods word and the right understanding thereof we are sure According to truth i. e. According to the true doings of men without any respect to their persons And therefore this that thou art a Jew and instructed in the Law and Circumcised shall profit thee nothing if thou hast sinned Ver. 3. And thinkest thou this O Man c. q. d. But tell me seriously O thou Jew which judgest the Gentiles worthy of death which do such things and doest the same thy self doest thou think in thy conscience that thou shalt escape the judgement of God only because thou art a Jew and art circumcised and learned in the law Such things i. e. Such sins as are mentioned from Chap. 1. ver 29. to the end of that chapter Shalt
made partakers of it which hope doth even now joy and rejoice our hearts 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience 3. And not only so but least that any should say surely God is not at peace with us nor can we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God because we are afflicted and suffer more tribulations than any kind of men in the world besides which may seem not to stand with the peace and friendship of God and not to be incident to the Heirs of eternal glory we glory and rejoyce in tribulations also knowing that tribulation though it works impatience in men of the world yet it works patience in us 4. And patience experience and experience hope 4. And patience worketh Experience in us of those gratious gifts and vertues which God out of his love hath given us by the Holy Ghost and experience of these gratious gifts and vertues worketh hope in us of eternal glory 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 5. And this hope which is wrought in us by this experience will not fail us and prove a vain hope so as that we shall be ashamed at the last for missing of what we hope for For the sense and feeling of the love of God who will make all them which he thus loveth partakers of Glory and life everlasting is shed abroad in our hearts in a plentifull measure by those gifts of the Holy Ghost which he hath given unto us which gifts are not only signs and tokens of his love to us but pledges also and earnests of eternal Glory 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly 6. I said that being we are justified by faith the wrath of God is appeased towards us and that God is at peace with us for our Lord Christ Jesus sake And that we rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God ver 1 2. all which I now prove for when we had no strength to do any good but were as yet ungodly and so sinners Christ in due time died for us 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die 7. And this sheweth the exceeding love of God towards us in that Christ dyed for us while we yet had no strength to do good but were as yet ungodly and sinners for scarcely for a righteous man will one dy yet perhaps for a man that hath been good to him some will even endure to dy 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in this that while we were yet sinners and ungodly and so enemies to him Christ through his appointment died for us 9. Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 9. And now if when we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then shall we being justified from our sins by his blood be saved from the wrath to come through him 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life 10. For if when we were enemies to him as we were when we were sinners we were reconciled by the death of his Son which cost him his deerest blood to reconcile us Much more then being now reconciled shall we be saved from the wrath of God by him when it may be done without the loss of his life 11 And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement 11. And we shall not only be saved from the wrath to come but we shall also be advanced to and stated in everlasting glory by reason of which we do through the faith and hope which we have thereof joy even now in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have already received the Atonement or Reconciliation and divers gracious effects and fruits thereof that is to say divers gifts of the holy Ghost which are as seals and pledges to us of that everlasting glory which we speak off 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned 12. Wherefore being that we are justified by faith and reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ and have through him peace with God and hope of everlasting glory c. Though we have lost much by Adam yet we have gained far more by Christ than we lost by him For as by one man to wit Adam sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned that is for that all men have been made sinners by that one Man 13. For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no law 13. But here I must leave my Speech imperfect which I will take up and perfect ver 18. to answer an Objection For because I said that all have sinned some men will say That that cannot be for they which lived between Adam and Moses sinned not For say they between Adam and Moses there was no law given either by word of mouth as there was given to Adam Gen. 7.2 17. Or by writing as was given by Moses Exod. 20. And as you taught Paul Chap. 4. ver 15. Where there is no such law there is no transgression how therefore can they which lived between Adam and Moses be said to be sinners or to have sinned which had no law given them either by word of mouth or by hand writing But to this I answer That being that at that time there was no law publickly given by word of mouth as that was which was given to Adam or given in outward writing as that was which was afterwards given by Moses there was not indeed any Transgression in that time but yet it doth not follow that though there was no Transgression in that time there was no sin for though every Transgression be a sin yet it doth not follow that every sin is a Transgression I say therefore that though there was no Law given by word of mouth or by writing from Adam until the law was given by Moses yet sin was all the while in the world though indeed sin was not imputed to any as a Transgression all that time 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come 14. Yet nevertheless that you may know that sin was in the world from the days of Adam to the time that the law was given death
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
authority with which they are invested are surely from him immediately And to the proof of this to omit others the Apostle suppeditates three Arguments in this Chapter For first he saith that the Ruler is the Minister of God ver 4. And why rather then because he is Gods Vicegerant and hath his power and authority immediately from God Secondly he saith that he beareth the Sword v. 4. And he beareth it no doubt to cut of them from the land of the living who deserve death But who can give this power to any one but he which is the Lord of life and death for what man hath this power over himself to use the Sword upon himself though he judgeth himself a Malefactor and worthy of death that he should resign or give up this power to any other either Community or Single person Thirdly he saith that he is a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil ver 4. And who can make a Ruler a Revenger and give him this power but he that saith Vengeance is mine Deut. 32.3 Rom. 12.19 As therefore in the generation of Man the disposition of the matter is from a man but the infusion of the Soul is from God so it is for the most part in the creation of Supreme Rulers Governors or Powers for though the constitution of the kinde of Government and the designation of the Persons be ordinarily from men as their immediate cause yet the power and authority which is the life and soul of all is immediately from God who giveth power to the several Governors sutable to their several kind of Governments And the Person or Persons which are thus designed and thus invested with supreme power in what kind of government soever but especially in that which is Monarchical are as sacred as was the person of Saul who was chosen immediately of God to be King of Israel of whom David said The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lords annointed 1 Sam. 26.11 For when by the disposing hand of Gods providence a Right is conveyed to a person or to a person and his Line successively to the supreme power or Rule of a Nation though it be by second causes and he is invested by Gâ—d with this power he is above the reach of any just force on earth for there is now no lawful hand above him he being the Supream to use the Rod or the Sword against him What we have spoken hitherto we have spoken of the supream powers or Rulers of Nations Of which Saint Paul here speaks But if you ask whence inferior Governors and Officers are and by whom ordained I answer Th y as their persons are usually designed to the Offices which they bear by the supream Powers so have they their power immediately from them yet so as that they by reason of Gods all-working providence may be said to be of God also and to have their power from him but not I say so immediately as the supream powers or rulers have The powers that be are ordained of God i. e. All the Lawful powers that is All the Lawful Rulers throughout the whole world and not they which are of Israel and Judah only are ordained of God This is a Repetition of that which went immediately before Ver. 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power c. i. e. Whosoever therefore resisteth those which are invested with the Supream power See ver 1. That which the Apostle speaks in this verse is a Corollary drawn from that which he said in the former verse viz. There is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God A Corollarie not impertinent to his present discourse and very fit for the Jews to take notice of who upon the conceit of that that they were Gods people would not willingly be subject to any Heathen power but would resist it oppose it and take Arms against it as occasion was Whosoever Resisteth c. The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which signifieth properly to stand against in Battle aray And likely it is that the Apostle in making choice of this word had an eye upon Judas of Galilee who drawing many Jews after him in the days of the taxing opposed the Roman power by force of Arms Acts 5.37 whose Example many other Jews were likely to follow and did follow in after times Resisteth the Ordinance of God i. e. Doth resist and oppose the Ordinance of God by which Rulers have their powers and by consequence doth resist and oppose God himself who ordained the Rulers and gave them their power They that resist i. e. They which resist or oppose their Rulers And by resisting or opposing them resist and oppose the ordinance of God and by consequence God himself Shall receive to themselves damnation i. e. Shall bring damnation upon themselves damnation temporal from mans tribunal in that they resist him and damnation Eternal from the Tribunal of the great and terrible God in that they resist his ordinance Ver. 3. For Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil i. e. For Rulers are to wit by the end of their constitution not a terror to them which do well but yet they are a terror to them which do evil When the Apostle saith that Rulers are not a terror to good works he useth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by being not a terror he understands that they are an Encouragement and rewardâ—rs of their good works the like Phrase he useth verse 10. Good and evil works are put here for such as do works which are good or evil by a Metonymie And by good and evil works understand here especially such works as are civily good or evil that is such as are either according or contrary to the Laws and Constitutions of the places or the Edicts of the power under which they live which were made for the maintenance of civil or humane society For though a Magistrate be Custos utriusque Tabulae Yet these Magistrates were at this time Heathen and knew little of the first table Now for the connexion of this with that which went before The Apostle seems to prevent an Objection here for they might object and say that if they should be subject to these powers and put their necks under their yoke they should ever be without fear For such powers are a terror to them which live under them This Objection I say the Apostle seems to prevent as if he should say in these or the like words But ye have no reason to fear this if ye do well and if ye do ill ye are worthy to suffer for it For Rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil It is a benefit to all persons which live under any goverment that the Rulers or Governors are not a terror that is are an Encouragement and are Rewarders of them which do well And it is a benefit to them too that they are a terror
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
justification before God better than the Gentiles because of this No in no wise for we have before accused and charged and that justly too both Jews and Gentiles I speak of such as are out of Christ that they are all under the guilt of sin and so subject to damnation 10. As it is written There is none righteous no not one 10. For that all are under the guilt of sin and so subject to damnation Jews as well as Gentiles I shall besides what I have already said to this prove even out of the Scriptures of the Old Testament For it is written Psalm 14. vers 1 2 3. There is none righteous no not one 11. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God 11 There is none that understandeth what the will of the Lord is that he may yield obedience thereunto There is none that seeketh after God that he might be instructed by him and do as he would have him 12. They are all gone out of the way they are together become unprofitable there is none that doeth good no not one 12. They are all gone out of the way of Gods commandments which they should walk in they are altogether become unprofitable and not fit for any holy service There is none that doth good no not one 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poison of Asps is under their lips 13. And Psal 5.9 Their throat is as an open sepulchre out of which not onely soul and filthy words do proceed as filthy and noisome smels proceed out of an open sepulchre wherein dead carkasses have been buried But also as an open Sepulchre is laid open to receive a dead body that it may consume it and bring it to dust So are their throats opened to utter words whereby they may destroy them whom they speak against With their tongues they have used deceit while they speak fair but think foul and would entrap men and bring them into danger and ruine by their flattering speeches Their words are as hurtful as is the poyson of an Aspe to the body that is tainted therewith So that there is as it were the poyson of Asps under their lips poysoning and invenoming their words that they may even kill them of whom or to whom they speak 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness 14. And Psal 10.7 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood 15. And Isa 59.7 8. They are ready to run upon all occasions to shed innocent blood 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways 16. Which way soever they go they destroy and work misery as a destroying plague 17. And the way of peace have they not known 17. They are Strangers to the way of peace neither can they live peaceably with other men 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes 18. And Psal 36.1 though the fear of God be the only curbe to keep in and refrain us from evil yet there is no fear of God before their eyes 19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God 19. But thou wilt object O thou Jew against these testimonies of Scripture and say that these testimonies appertain not unto thee they concern only the wicked Gentiles But thou art under the Law O thou Jew in that thou art a disciple of whatsoever is delivered in the Old Testament for by the Law here I mean whatsoever doctrine or writing is contained in the Old Testament and we know that whatsoever the law saith it saith to them who are under the Law and therefore these testimonies concern thee So that every mouth is stopped No man whatsoever can glory in his righteousness before God yea which is yet less no man can excuse himself from unrighteousness So that all the men in the world having nothing to say for themselves are become apparently guilty of condemnation before God the Judge of all 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin 20. Therefore by what I have said from the beginning of this Epistle hitherto it appeareth that no man is justified in the sight of God by the deeds which he hath done of the law and yet let no man say that the law is needless for by the law is the knowledge of sin and by that we may know what we should do though we do it not 21. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifâ—sted being witnessed by the law and the prophets 21. But thou wilt say if by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God then is the condition of man most miserable for how can any one be saved Now therefore to raise all drooping Spirits the righteousness or justification of God that is the righteousness or justification of which God is the Author and which will justifie them even before God which attain to it a righteousness or justification attainable without the works of the Moral law is manifested by the Gospel and to vindicate it from all novelty or phansy of man as the Author of it it is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference 22. Even the righteousness of God who is the Author and Approver thereof which righteousness cometh by the Faith of Jesus Christ that is by the faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ unto all and onely to all them that believe the Gospel For in the matter of righteousness or justification there is no differenre in the way or means of attaining to it 23. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God 23. For all have sinned and come short of the praise of that is of being praised of him for doing their duty or for keeping the law and doing the works thereof as exactly as the law requireth 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ 24. So that as many as are justified are justified freely by his grace and favour through that righteousness or justification that Christ Jesus hath merited for us 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God 25. Whom God hath given setforth proclaimed by his Ministers to be the Appeasour of his wrath and displeasure and to be enjoyed and made ours as such by the faith which we repose in his death and for this end hath he given him and set him forth to be the Appeasour of his wrath and displeasure that he might
the justice of God for the sins of a sinner by his death must needs be himself of infinite worth and his death of infinite value and so must needs be God And being God he need not to die twice or thrice that by one death he may justifie a sinner by another death save him from wrath to come by another death bring him to everlasting Glory But One death is sufficient for All. Therefore he which is justified by the death of such a one and Christ is such a one may be saved by his life that is may be saved by him though he dies not a second time From the sixth verse hitherto inclusive the Apostle hath proved that which he asserted ver 1. viz. That being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Now in the next verse following he will prove that which he asserted ver 2. to wit That we may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Ver. 11. And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ q d. And we shall not only be saved from wrath through his life but we shall also be made partakers of eternal Glory by reason of which we do even now joy in God the giver thereof through Jesus Christ Though it be a great mercy and blessing of God that he delivereth the ungodly from wrath yet doth not his mercy and blessing stay there but it brings him to everlasting glory And not only so i. e. And we shall not only be saved from wrath to come by his life But we also joy i. e. But we do also even now rejoyce In God That is in hope of the glory of God as it is expressed ver 2. Or in God as the giver of Glory in that we are assured he will bring us to Glory By whom we have now received the Atonement i. e. By whom we have already reconciliation with God And precious fruits also of that Reconciliation which are to us as pledges of everlasting glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunc now is put here for jam nunc i. e even now already The Atonement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Reconciliation or Reconciliation to wit with God and pretious fruits or effects thereof Take the Atonement or Reconciliation here not barely for the Atonement or Reconciliation it self but for the effects thereof also by a Metonymical Syllepsis that is for the holy Ghost that is for the gifts of the holy Ghost which God giveth to those to whom he is reconciled which gifts are the effects of our Atonement and Reconciliation with God for those to whom God is reconciled He sanctifieth also For our Reconciliation and Justification are never without Sanctification And yet the gifts of the holy Ghost which are given to those which are reconciled to God or to whom God is reconciled are not only effects or signs of the Atonement or Reconciliation but they are also as an Earnest of the glory of God as we are taught 2 Cor. 1.22 2 Cor. 5.5 Ephes 1.14 And as we said before And so they confirm our hope of the glory of God from whence springs the Joy and Rejoycing here spoken of Ver. 12. Wherefore as by one man c. q. d. Wherefore being that we are justified by faith and reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ and have peace with God through him and have hope of the glory of God having even now already received the atonement though we have lost much by Adam we have gained asmuch yea far more by Christ than we lost by him For as by one man to wit by Adam sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned c. The Apostle takes an occasion here to shew the misery which befell us by Adams sin that so he might take occasion again from thence to illustrate and magnifie the love and benefit of Christ to us By one man By this one man is meant Adam Sin entred into the world i. e. Sin entred into all mankind The world is taken here for all mankind by a Synechdoche otherwise sin entred before this into the world when the Angels first sinned He speaks of sin as of a person when he saith sin entred This sin entred by Adam who was then the head of all mankind Entred into the world By the world is meant all Mankinde that is all men which are carnally and by the common law of generation descended from Adam for so the Apostle expounds himself when he saith And death passed upon all men He speaks of sin as of a person when he saith sin entred To the Traduction of this which is commonly called Original sin nothing is required but that a man be descended from Adam by true natural generation as being in his loins when he sinned And therefore is Original sin derived from Adam by naturall propagation to all which were in his loins when he sinned because that at the time in which he sinned he was the head of all Mankind so that if he had kept the commandment which God gave him of not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they had been pure and clean of this Original sin and free from the subsequent miseries thereof But being that he broke it they were corrupted by it through want of those gifts and graces which were given him for them aswell as for himself and so do partake of his miseries as of the punishment thereof And death by sin i. e. And death by reason of sin By death understand by a Syllepsis not only death but all miseries and diseases which bring to death And so death passed upon all men i. e. And so all men died For that all have sinned i. e. For that all men have been made sinners by that one man as our Apostle speaks vers 19. This sin by which all men are made sinners formally and from whence they are so called is not any actuall sin but that which is commonly caled Original sin which is an effect of that actual disobedience of Adam by which he transgressed in eating the forbidden fruit Note that the Apostle leaveth this speech here imperfect and abrupt and without the sentence which should answer it by reason of other matter intervening untill the eighteenth verse where he taks up his speech again though in other words and makes it perfect and compleat That this supplement to wit by that one Man must be made up here See the eighteenth and nineteenth verses of this Chapter The Greek word which is here rendred have sinned is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie a missing or erâ—ing from a mark which should have been hit And not onely the Archer but the Arrow which missed of the mark by the unskilfulness of the Archer may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So a Limner which misseth and erreth of
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
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
here as a Note of Declaration Of Righteousness Of Justification or Remission of sins See Chap. 1. verse 17. They which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness This grace that is to say this gift of Righteousness is said to be abundant in regard of the many sins which are thereby remitted or from which they which believe are justified And they are said to receive abundance of Grace that is of the gift of Righteousness which are delivered or justified from abundance of sins or offences or who have abundance of sins pardoned For the Apostle relates or alludes here to what he said ver 16. Viz. The free gift is of many offences Shall reign in life i. e. Shall reign in Life everlasting in the Kingdome of Heaven Whomsoever God justifies if he retains his state he glorifieth for he doth not only deliver him from punishment due to his sins But sets a Crown of Life upon his head He opposeth the life here to the death which he speaks of a little before By one Jesus Christ Jesus Christ hath merited for us not only remission of sins or pardon thereof but also glory and life everlasting which although it be merit in regard of him yet in regard of us it is meer grace and favour Note here that whereas the Apostle said If by one mans offence death reigned by one he should have said in congruence of speech Much more shall life reign by Righteousness by one Jesus Christ but he said not so but saith Much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in Life by one Jesus Christ And this he doth because it sounds more pleasantly to say That men themselves shall reign in life than that life shall reign in men the Scriptures also having promised them a knigdome Matth. 25.34 And because he would by so speaking intimate a certain dissimilitude or unlikeness which is between Death and Life for death so reigns over men as that it destroyeth those over whom it reigneth But life doth so reign in us as that it makes us Kings that is partakers of the heavenly Kingdom by Christ V. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so c. The Apostle resumes here though in other words that which he left unperfect ver 12. viz. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And this he doth that he may compleat and perfect that here which he left imperfect there Yet such is his Artifice as that this may seem a Corollary or Conclusion drawn out of that which he said immediately before in the former verses By the offence of one c. i. e. By the offence which was caused by one This is that which he said ver 12. As by one man sin entred into the world The offence By the offence is here meant that which is commonly called Orignal sin See ver 15. This offence therefore is not that Actual disobedience of Adam whereby he did eat of the forbidden fruit but an effect of that disobedience and that by which we are made formally sinners And by reason of which we are called Sinners Of one This one is Adam Note that this Genitive is Genitivus causae efficientis Judgement came upon all men to condemnation i e. q. d. Gods judgement or sentence passed upon all which were born of Adam by natural Generation whereby they were condemned Supple to death which was to follow upon their condemnation To condemnation To wit of death By the righteousness of one i. e. By the righteousness of one or by reason of that righteousness which proceeds from one or which is purchased by one to be conferred by him upon his children which are the faithful This one is Christ Jesus and the righteousness here spoken of is that which he spoke of ver 17. to wit Remission of sins or Absolution from all offences which remission of sins or absolution was purchased by Christ Jesus with his blood And it is here opposed to the offence of one as that which blots out or takes away the guilt of that offence yea and of all other offences too is opposed to the offence or blot it self Of one This one is Christ Jesus and note that this Genitive is Genitivus Efficientis The free gift came upon all men to justification of life i. e. The free gift came upon all men that they might be justified and that with such a justification as is followed or attended with life everlasting The free gift The free gift is to be taken here in the very same sence as it is ver 16. That is for the free pardon or absolution by which we are pardoned or absolved from our sins by Christ Vpon all men Supple that are born of Christ and so are his children or which are ingraffâ—d into Christ by faith and so are his branches Note here that the abundance of the grace and gifts of Christ consists not in this that all they which died in Adam whatsoever they were shall be saved by Chriâ—t for then there would be but an equality by that not an abundance in the benefits and graces which are by Christ But it consists in that that Christ is the Authour of far greater good to his chidren and branches than Adam of evil to his Vnto justification of life i. e. So that they are justified thereby which justification through the grace and favour of God produceth or bringeth after it life everlasting Life is put here by a Synechdoche for life everlasting And this Genitive case is Genitivus Effecti V. 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous He gives a reason here why he said in the former verse By the offence of one and why he said there By the righteousness of one He said by the offence of one that is by the sin which was derived by one because by one mans to wit Adams disobedience many were made sinners And he said by the righteousness of one because by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous Note here that whereas the Apostle said All and All ver 18. and saith Many and Many here ver 19. he meaneth in both places one and the same men and number of men But why he saith Many here and not All as he did ver 18. you may find a reason given ver 15. By one mans disobedience i. e. By the disobedience of one man to wit Adam who disobeyed God and did eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil concerning which God said Thou shall not eat thereof Gen. 2.17 Many were made sinners That is so many as were born of Adam by natural generation were made Sinners Supple by the offence or sin viz. Original Sin which that his disobedience caused
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
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
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
Wherefore being that ye are now the servants of righteousness ye ought to be free from sin q. d. Yield your members servants to righteousness and wholly and only to Righteousness not at all to sin For when ye were servants of sin ye were free from Righteousness wherefore being that ye are now the servants of Righteousness ye ought to be free from sin Ye were free from Righteousness i. e. Ye did not the works which Righteousness commandeth but ye shewed or carried yourselves as if ye were free from being commanded by her or from being subject to her by slighting and not regarding what she would have done Or thus ye were free from Righteousness that is ye did not the works of Righteousness where to be free from Righteousness is put per Metonymiam causae for not to do the works of Righteousness For a man that is free will not ordinarily do the work of him from whom he is free Were free He alludes here to Civil freedom as he did before by a Metaphor From Righteousness He takes Righteousness here and speaks of it as he did ver 18. When he saith ye were free from Righteousness it is not to be understood that they were free de jure but only de facto for they were bound to do righteousness at all times though then when the Apostle saith here that they were free from Righteousness they had cast off her yoak and would not obey her but carried themselves to her as if they owned her no subjection Note here that the Apostle shews in this his discourse by their obedience past and present or by that they have obeyed and do obey righteousness that they are servants of righteousness And by that that they are the Servants of righteousness he shews again that they ought to obey righteousness for the future For these two do one infer the other Ver. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed q d. But what benefit had ye or were ye like to have in those sins which ye are now ashamed even to think of The Apostle useth arguments here to perswade them never to return at all to the service of sin again but to continue wholly in the service of righteousness What fruit i. e. What benefit A Metaphor from Trees or the like What fruit had ye i. e. What fruit had ye or were ye like to have Syllepsis In those things whereof ye are now ashamed It is not likely that the Romans before their conversion and regeneration were better than the Corinthians of whom Saint Paul saith 1 Cor 3.6 9. that they or some of them were Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effoeminate Abusers of themselves with mankind Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners which sins especially those of uncleanness which he seems especially to aim at here would make a regenerate man to blush at the very mention or thought of them This is the fruit of these and the like sins viz. Shame here and Eternal death hereafter if they be not broke off and washt away in the blood of Christ The end of those things is death viz. Death Eternal And therefore they were not like to bring any pleasant fruit in the end Being made free from sin See verse 18. And become the Servants of God He calls them the Servants of God here whom he called the Servants of Righteousness ver 18. Ver. 22. Ye have your fruit unto Holiness q. d. Ye have your fruit or your reward to wit Holiness Vnto Holiness The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where note that this Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnto seemeth to be put here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grammarians speak and to signifie as much as to wit q. d. Ye have your fruit to wit Holiness So doth the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seem to be taken Rom. 4.8 in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I render thus Who against hope believed in hope to wit that he should be the Father of many Nations Holiness By Holiness is not here meant meer holiness for they were holy before but further holiness or increase of holiness He opposeth holiness here to shame caused by their unclean and evill doings and so he may well do if we take holiness with its effect which effect is contrary to shame for it emboldeneth a man with an holy boldness Ver. 23. The wages of Sin is death i e. The wages which Sin payeth to her Servants is death He speaks of sin as of a Person yea as a Queen or Lady by a Prosopopoeia This of paying wages is a Metaphor taken from Souldiers pay For that which is here rendred Wages is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Military word These words For the wages of sin is death relate to those of the 21. verse viz. The end of these things is death The gift of God i. e. The gift which God gives to his Servants and such as obey him Note here that what sin giveth to her Servants is Wages for she gives that which they deserve to wit Death But that which God gives his Servants is a free Gift such as they deserve not to wit Eternal Life which is above all their deserts And therefore he saith not The wages of God is Eternal Life but The gift of God is Eternal Life These words relate to those of the 22. verse The end Everlasting Life As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred here Wages is observed to be a Military word so would some have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred a Gift to be a Military word too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth such Wages as Kings were wont to give to their Souldiers for their daily pay And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they was a Donative which Kings were wont to give to such Souldiers as they pleased above their due pay as some piece of Money or some Crown or some Badge or Ensign of honour or other And to this which Kings were wont to do to their Souldiers doth the Apostle say they here allude CHAP. VII 1. KNow ye not Brethren for I speak to them that know the law how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth 1. I said Chap 5.14 that ye are not under the law but under grace or under the Gospel Now for your better understanding O my Brethren the Jewes of what I said there I will amplifie and enlarge here a little and illustrate what I said by the Metaphor of an husband and a wife resembling the Law to an husband and you which were under the Law to a wife Know ye not therefore Brethren for I speak to you Jews which know and are acquainted with the writings of the Old Testament how that the Law which was given by Moses hath dominion over the man which is under it so that he cannot free himself from the obligation thereof so long as it liveth that is so
Law is inforce and not abrogated they do despise the Law and betake themselves to some new form of religion and are married as it were to that they become Spirituall whores and adulteresses She shall be called an Adulteress i. e. She shall be an Adulteress and may justly be caled an Adulteress and suffer punishment as an Adulteress The Hebrews use the words To be called oftentimes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be as Isaiah 1.26 Thou shalt be called the City of Righteosness for Thou shalt be a City of Righteousness And Isaiah 9.6 His name shall be called wonderful c. For He shall be wonderful She is free from that Law i. e. She is free from that power or dominion which her husband had over her by that Law to wit the Law of Marriage or she is free from the bond by which she was bound to her husband by that Law See ver 2. Ver. 4. Wherefore my Brethren q. d. Wherefore my Brethren Supple that ye may not be accounted as spiritual whores or adulteresses by being married to another husband because ye were once under the Law and married as it were to that as to an husband c. Note that the Apostle speaks here peculiarly to the Jews as I observed ver 1. Ye also are become dead to the Law q. d. Ye also are become dead to the Law as well as the Gentiles are thereto dead This particle Also speaks that some other were dead to the Law as well as the Jews and they are the Gentiles And indeed the Gentiles were dead to the Law yea rather they were never alive to it or the Law to them I speak as the Apostle here doth of the Law of Moses or of the Law as it was given by Moses for they were never alive to the Law nor the Law to them to whom the Law was never given Now the Law of Moses was never given to the Gentiles by Moses for it is written Psal 147.19 He shewed his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his judgements they have not known them The Law that was given by Moses was given to those which God brought out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Exod. 20.2 And by those the Israelites are only meant And Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart c. saith he Deut. 6. ver 4. By the Law is here meant the whole Law of Moses which was abrogated or expired by the death of Christ and thereby ceased to be in force as our Ap stle sheweth here in this verse Note here that this phrase ye are become dead to the law is the same with that The Law is become dead to you For these kinds of figurative phrases are Reciprâ—cal So our Old man is crucified is the same with this We are crucified to the old man so for us to be dead to sin is the same with for sin to be dead to us c. Note also that by order of speech the Apostle should rather have said The Law is become dead to you than to have said ye are become dead to the Law But being the sence is the same he had rather say as he doth than offend the Jews which were zealous of the Law by saying The Law is dead to you which nevertheless he saith covertly ver 6. By the body of Christ By the body of Christ crucified That is by the death of Christ which he suffered in his body upon the Cross As the Apostle saith here We are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ So he saith Ephes 2.15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity where both his body and his flâ—sh must be understood as crucified on the Cross That ye should be married to another even to him that is raised from the dead i. e. That not only ye may but also that ye should be lawfully married to another even Christ The Church is the Spouse of Christ 2 Cor. 10.2 Ephes 5.29 In ordinary marriages if the husband be dead the wife is so at liberty as that she may marry again if she will or not marry if she please and if she be pleased to marry she may marry whom she will But in the marriage between a man and the Law if the Law be dead the man is inded freed from the Law but yet he is not left at liberty to marry or not to marry but he must marry And yet he must not marry whom he will but he must marry Christ so that in this similitude as it is commonly there is some dissimilitude not to be urged If we are married to Christ then must we be under his rule and dominion and willingly submit ourselves to be governed by him and his word as the wife doth to the husband Even to him who is raised from the dead By him that is raised from the dead is meant Christ And well doth he describe Christ by this here because he mentioned Christs death immediately before when he said Ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ For if he had not shewed that Christ who was dead had been raised again from the dead he might have left a doubt how any could be married to Christ when he was dead being that the Law of Marriage is void by the death of the husband ver 2. He describes him also by this to teach us that we should imitate Christ in his Resurrection that is as Christ was raised from the dead so we should rise to a new kind of life But being that many more besides Christ were raised from the dead as he which revived at the touch of Elisha's bones 2 Kings 13.21 and the Shunamites child 2 Kings 4.25 and Lazarus John 11.43 The widdow of Naims son Luke 7.15 and many of the Saints whose bodies arose Matth. 27.52 How can this that he was raised from the dead be the proper Character of Christ Answ Though many were raised from the dead yet where they not so raised from the dead as not to die again as Christ was raised For it is conceived by some that there was none of all those that were raised from the dead but died again except only Christ Jesus yet if we grant that some were so raised as that they died not again as many conceive of those who were raised at our Saviours Resurrection Matth. 27.52 yet was there a difference between their resurrection and the Resurrection of Christ For Christ was raised by his own power John 2.19 but they were raised up by the power of another even of Christ That we should bring forth fruit unto God The end of marriage is the procreation of children which are called in Scripture The fruit of the womb Psal 127.3 And are the fruit of the marriage-bed The Apostle therefore continueth his Allegory of marriage or
who are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the spirit as they are which are in Christ Jesus do mind the things of the spirit He grants that of those which are after the Flesh which he denies of those which are after the spirit to wit that they mind the things of the Flesh By them which are after the Flesh he means those that are Carnal The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with a noun substantive turns it to the nature sometimes of an adjective and sometime of a participle Do mind the things of the flesh i. e. Do mind those things which the sensual or carnal appetite and affections move them to and delight in them and follow after them Do mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Greek word here and though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly spoken of the mind or understanding yet here it is spoken of the Will But they that are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit By the Spirit he meaneth that which he calleth the Law of the Spirit of life ver 2. And by such as are after the spirit he meaneth such as are spiritual and such are they which are in Christ Jesus ver 9. The things of the spirit i. e. The things to which the spirit inclineth or moveth them to Ver. 6 For to be carnally minded is death Betwixt this and the foregoing verse we may understand these or the like words and it is no wonder or and not without reason q. d. And it is no wonder or it is not without reason that they that are after the spirit do mind the things of the Spirit for to be carnally minded is death c. He proves here that which he said ver 5. That they which are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit To be carnally minded That is to mind the things of the flesh as ver 5. That is to think of follow and delight in the things to which the sensual or carnal appetite and affections move to Is death i. e. Is deadly or that which will certainly bring everlasting death Metonymia effecti He proves here not that they which are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but that they which are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit He that is after the flesh doth not consider that it is death to be carnally minded therefore he mindes the things of the flesh But he that is after the Spirit he knows it and considers it therefore he mindes not the things of the Flesh but of the Spirit To be spiritually minded That is to mind the things of the Spirit as he spoke ver 5. Is life and peace i. e. Is that which will bring life and peace through the goodness and mercy of God For as the wages of sin is death so the gift of God to those that follow his Spirit is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Chap. 6.23 Is life By life understand eternal life and take it Metonymically for the cause or for that which will procure or bring after it such a life And peace By peace understand first after the Hebrew manner the heap or plenty or plentifull return of all good things and then take it Metonymically for that which will procure or bring after it such an heap or plenty or plentifull return Ver. 7. Because the carnall mind is emnity against God i. e. Because he that is carnally minded is an enemy to God The carnal mind is put here by a Metonymy for the man that hath a carnall mind or for the man that is carnally minded or which mindeth the things of the Flesh And enmity is put here for an enemy An Abstract for a Concrete What it is to be carnally minded or to mind the things of the Flesh See verse 5. He proves here that which he said ver 6. To wit that to be carnally minded is death And certainly if to be carnally minded will make us enemies to God it will bring death upon us for all the enemies of God shall be destroyed For it is not subject to the Law of God He proves here that the carnall minded man is an enemy to God and he proves it by this that such a man as is carnally minded doth not obey the Law of God and do as God would have him do and as he is bound to do See Saint James Chap. 4. ver 4. Neither indeed can it be That is neither indeed can he be Subject to the Law of God or obey it to wit so long as he is such Ver. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God q. d. So then they indeed that are in the Flesh c. By those which are in the Flesh he meaneth such as he said were after the Flesh that is such as were carnal Cannot please God i. e. Cannot but walk after the Flesh which is a thing displeasing to God He takes here that that they cannot please God for that that they walk after the Flesh or that that they cannot but walk after the Flesh by putting the Consequent for the antecedent This phrase therefore Viz. They cannot please God is the same for the sence with that viz. Who walk after the Flesh and it is occasioned from an objection starting from the first verse though this Corollary or Conclusion be drawn from that which went immediately before If you aske therefore to what end the Apostle drawes this Conclusion and Corollary here for it seemeth that it might have been well spared as not being to the purpose of what he had in hand I answer The Apostle prevented as I said an Objection in the second verse an Objection made against that which he said ver 1. Who walk not after the Flesh but after the spirit for a weak and faint-hearted Christian though he were in Christ Jesus yet might say in opposition to that yea but I cannot but walk after the Flesh now therefore the Apostle saith here in reference to that That it is true indeed and it would appear out of what he had said That they which were in the Flesh cannot but walk after the Flesh But yet though they cannot but walk after the Flesh yet they which were in Christ Jesus might do otherwise than walk after the Flesh for they which are in Christ Jesus are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit and so may walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Apostle therefore doth draw this Conclusion here that he might grant so much to the Objection that by granting so much he may the better induce him to yield to that viz. That they that are in the Spirit or They that are in Christ Jesus walk after the Spirit Cannot please God That is cannot while they are such but walk after the Flesh which is displeasing to God He takes here that viz.
out of that Psalm to shew that Afflictions even to death where no new things to Gods people But though in the first and Historicall sence they are spoken of the Jews yet in a second and Prophetical sence in as much as the Jews the then people of God were as a Type of those whom God would afterwards take to be his people to wit the bâ—lieving Christians they may be spoken of the faithful in Christ Jesus and so used here And that will not seem strange or new which was prophesied of so long afore And being considered as that which was prophesied of so long before it will somewhat ease the burden of Afflictions That which the Apostle here speaketh is chiefly to be understood of the Primitive Christians which were indeed under continual Persecutions though where the enemies of Christian Religion do prevail the true believer suffereth at all times and often to blood too Ver. 37. Nay i. e. No none of these things shall separate us from the love of Christ In all things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us i. e. For in all these things we are more than Conquerours through the Assistance and Grace of God who for the love which he hath to us will not withdraw himself from us but stand by us even then when all these things befall us and assist vs and give us strength and grace not only to overcome them but also to glory in them If God so loveth us as in the midst of our Afflictions to be with us and assist us so as to make us more than Conquerours therein then cannot those Afflictions here spoken of or any else seperate us from the love of Christ In all these things i. e. In all these things before rehearsed viz. Tribulation distresses c. We are more than Conquerours We are Conquerours in that we suffer these things patiently We are more than Conquerours in that we do not only suffer these things patiently but also glory in them as Chap. 5. ver 3. This seems a Paradox to flesh and blood that they which are oppressed and slain should be accounted more than Conquerours But though it may seem a Paradox to them yet it is no Paradox indeed for we must not judge of these conquests and victories as men use to judge of conquests and victories proceeding from battles fought between earthly Powers For then indeed the oppressed and slain would be accounted as conquered and the oppressour and slayer the Conquerour but we must judge of this Conquest and victory by the spiritual good or evil which we receive by our Enemies in this Conflict so that if we are made worse thereby as to deny God or Christ or to blaspheme or lie or the like we are to be accounted as conquered though we escape death But we are to be accounted as Conquerours if we are made better thereby or if our patience and humility and meekness and confessing the name of God is thereby encreased though we die for it In a word we are Conquerours if our faith be not overcome but we hold still our faith and affiance in Christ notwithstanding all our sufferings though our bodies be torn in pieces or stoned and we slain And we shall be crowned as Conquerours for this at the last day And if we glory in this we are more than Conquerours and shall receive more than an ordinary Crown Through him that loved us i. e. Through God who though we are weak of our selves yet because he loveth us gives us Grace and strength whereby we do more than conquer all these things Ver. 38. For I am perswaded Wherefore I am perswaded For is put here for Wherefore as Chap. 6. ver 19. And is not a Causal but an Illative And that which the Apostle here infers He infers from that that we are more then Conquerours in all things spoken of verse 35. through God that loved us Neither death nor life i. e. Neither death threatned and executed by a Persecutour nor yet life promised by him if we will forsake Christ Or by death and life understand by a Metonymie whatsoever we shall suffer or whatsoever shall happen to us in our life or at our death He speaks of death and life and whatsoever is meant thereby as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia The words Nor death nor life are used Proverbially 2 Sam. 15.21 where Ittai the Gittite answered King David and said as the Lord liveth and as the Lord my King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or in life even there also will thy servant be And as they are there so may they be taken Proverbially here and so may these which follow Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers And these Nor things present nor things to come And these Nor height nor depth by all which is signified That nothing whatsoever shall separate us from the love of God And all these Proverbs may he heap together to shew the fulness of perswasion which he hath of the truth of the thing which he speaks of Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers These names if they are spoken of good Spirits are to be understood Hypothetically that is upon supposition that good Spirits would prove to be such as would go about to afflict us or torment us And of such an Hypothesis or supposition we have an Example Galat. 1. ver 8 9. Otherways they must be understood of evil Spirits for they are called by the name of Angels 1 Cor. 6.3 2 Pet. 2.4 And of Principalities and Powers Ephes 6. ver 12. As the more eminent Angels of Light are called Principalities and Powers Ephes 1.21 Coloss 1.16 So are the greater Angels in the Kingdom of Satan Ephes 6.12 And these are Metaphorical names borrowed from the Persian Rulers under whom the Hebrews sometimes lived Nor principalities nor powers These words Principalities and Powers are abstract words but are used for Concretes that is for such as are in and have any Principality or Power And it is the use of all Eastern people to use abstract voices or words for Concretes Nor things present nor things to come i. e. Nor those afflictions which are all ready befaln us or greater afflictions which are threatned to us or which hang over our head Ver. 39 Nor height Nor men in honour in the world and in high places there Where note that an Abstract is put for a Concrete Some by height understand an high-place as an high-tower or the like from which they were wont to fling down those whom they would kill as Malefactours Nor depth i. e. Nor men of Low degree and in low and base places for even such as are often cruel against the righteous Where note that an Abstract is put again for a Concrete And that thus by height and depth that is by men of high and men of low degree may be understood all men of what degree soever Some by depth understand
best means to overcome evil For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sophocles speaks in his Ajax Flagister kindness doth all ways bring forth kindness CHAP. XIII 1. LEt every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God 1. Let every one be subject to the Supream Powers and to those which are placed in the highest Seats of Authority and that with their very soul for there is no power or Authority of what Nation or Country soever I speak of Lawful Powers but it is of God The Powers and Rulers that are throughout the whole world whether in Rome or in Greece or any other part of the earth though some Jews think otherwise and account God to have ordained no Powers or Rulers whom they should obey though they live under them but in and among themselves are ordained of God 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power and taketh Arms against him resisteth the Ordinance of God And they that resist shall for that resistance receive to themselves damnation Damnation temporal in this life from mans tribunal for that that they resist him And damnation eternal from the Tribunal of the great and terrible God in the life to come for that that they resist his Ordinance 3. For rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same 3. But perhaps you will say that if ye should be subject to these powers and put your neck under their yoke ye should be always in fear For such powers are always a terrour to those which live under them But to this I answer that though ye are subject to such powers yet ye have no cause to fear if ye do well and if ye do ill ye are worthy to suffer for it For Rulers are not a terrour to those which do well but to those which do ill Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Ruler do that which is good and thou shalt be so far from having cause to be afraid of him as that thou shalt have praise and encouragement from him 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 4. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good to reward thee and defend thee if thou dost well but if thou dost that which is evil be afraid For he hath a sword given him of God to cut of them which deserve death from the face of the earth And he beareth not his sword in vain For he is the Minister and servant of God a Revenger in his stead to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject to the Supream powers and Rulers not only if you intend to avoid wrath and punishment but also if you would keep your conscience void of offence 6. For for this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods ministers attending continually upon this very thing 6. And now being that rulers are as I said the Ministers of God to thee for good see that you pay them tribute also for they are Gods Ministers to thee for good attending continually upon this very thing to wit that thou maist receive benefit by their Government 7. Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour 7. Render therefore to all Rulers of what Countrey or Nation soever they are so long as thou livest under their government that which is due to them Render tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law 8. Yea owe not any private man any thing but to love one another And that is a debt which ye must always owe yet always pay Love therefore one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law that is that part of the Law which concerneth our neighbour 9 For this Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not covet and if there be any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 9. For this Commandment thou shalt not commit adultery and this thou shalt not kill and this thou shalt not steal and this thou shalt not covet and if there be any other Commandment beside these concerning our neighbour it is briefly and summarily comprehended in this saying Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore love is the fulfilling of the law 10. Love worketh no ill to his Neighbour yea it worketh all good it can for him Therefore is love the fulfilling of the Law 11. And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation neerer then when we believed 11. Love therefore one another as I said vers 8. and that considering the time that it is now high time for us who since our calling to the Gospel have fallen asleep and have thereby left off to do well to awake out of that our sleep For now is our salvation neerer than when we first believed therefore if when we first believed we did rouse up our selves and were zealous in good works because of the approach of our salvation much more should we rouze up our selves now and be more zealous now than we were then because our salvation is neerer now than it was at that time 12. The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light 12. The night of ignorance is gone the day of knowledge is risen and hath shone upon us let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and works of the night evill works which cannot indure the light and let us put on the armour of light let us cloath our selves with such works as we shall not be ashamed of at the highest time of day 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying 13. Let us do that which is honest as they are wont to do which do any thing in the day time let us not walk in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in
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
because of these things as that they make the guilty of the deeper condemnation Behold then thou art called a Jew a Jew by Birth and a Jew by Profession and delightest in the Law and boastest of God that he is thy God 18. And knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law 18. And knowest thou saist his will and by thy industry hast found out most excellent Divine documents and approvest of them as of Gold which is pure and precious being instructed from a Child out of the Law 19. And art confident that thou thy self art a guid of the blind a light of them which are in darkness 19. And thou boastest that thou thy self art a guide to them that are blind as concerning knowledge and art able to direct them in the right way and that thou art as a light to them which are in the darkness of ignorance 20. An instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law 20. And that thou by thy Wisdom art an Instructer of such as are foolish and a teacher of those which are but babes for knowledge in respect of thee For thou hast thou saist a Model or Series or Idea of those truths which are in the Law orderly imprinted in thy minde whereby thou perfectly knowest them thy self and canst more speedily and easily teach them others 21. Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal 21. Thou therefore which teachest another to know teachest thou not thy self to do Thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal 22. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit sacriledge 22. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idols because they rob God of his honour doest thou commit sacriledge which is a robbing of God too 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law that thou art perfectly skilled in it and that thou delightest in it as being the Law of God doest thou break the Law and so dishonour God which gave it 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Jews by your sins as it is written and as it was foretold by Isaiah Isa 52.5 that so it would be 25. For circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision 25. But thou wilt say That thou art circumcised and that by the benefit of circumcision so infallible a sign it is of Gods favour thou shalt escape the judgment of God and be freed from all the mischief of sin and be received into Gods favour But be not mistaken for circumcision indeed will profit thee in this kind if thou keep the Law punctually and exactly But if thou be a breaker of the Law in any part thereof thy circumcision is become as uncircumcision and thou wilt have no more benefit thereby than if thou hadst never been circumcised 26. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision 26. Wherefore beeing it is so if the uncircumcised Gentile doth perform that righteousness and do those things which the Law commandeth shall not his uncircumcision be counted as good as circumcision and shall not he be justified as well as if he had been circumcised 27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the Law Judge thee who by the letter and circumcision doest transgress the Law 27. And shall not the Gentile which is uncircumcised as having no right to circumcision by his birth or by his stock as thou hast if he fulfill the Law condemn thee by his example who having both the Law and circumcision doest transgress the Law 28. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh 28. But thou wilt say But for all this I am a Jew and I am sure that a Jew is a favorite of God and one whom God will free from wrath to come because he is a Son of Abraham And I am circumcised and I am sure that circumcision will free us from damnation But be not mistaken for he is not such a Jew whom God makes his favorite and whom he will free from the wrath to come who is only a Jew outwardly that is who is only a Jew by his carnal discent from Abraham and by his Genealogy from him derived Neither is that the circumcision which will free a man from damnation and which God respecteth which is outward in the flesh of the privy members whereby the foreskin thereof is cut off 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 29. But he is the Jew which God makes his favorite and which he will free from the wrath to come who is a Jew inwardly by reason of the faith which he hath in his heart whereby he imitates Abraham and is a Child of Abraham as Abraham is the Father of the Faithful And that is the circumcision which will free us from damnation and which God respecteth which is the circumcision of the heart whereby infidelity and unbelief are cut off The circumcision which is taught and performed by the Gospel not that circumcision which is commanded in the Law The circumcision whose praise is not of men who see only outward things and things obvious to the bodily eyes But of God who seeth and searcheth the Heart and the Reins where this circumcision is seated CHAP. II. Verse 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable O Man c. Note that whereas the Apostle did in the eighteenth verse of the first Chapter say That the wrath of God was revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who held the truth in unrighteousness thereby shewing that all men had sinned and whereas he intended to make that his saying good by a Partition that is by shewing it to be true both of Jew and Gentile and shewed it of the Gentile from the nineteenth verse to the end of that Chapter he begins here to shew it to be true of the Jew also and though this is a main drift of his yet he slides to it as it were to a matter only by the bie as his manner is Therefore thou art inexcusable O Man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self c. These words depend as I intimated upon the eighteenth verse