Law as he ought to do and as the Law requireth Ver. 7. Blessed are thâ—y That is Just are they or rather they are Justified See the notes on that word Blessedness ver 5. Whose Inquities are forgiven Then are Iniquities said to be forgiven when God doth pardon him that commits them and punisheth him not for them according to his desert And Iniquities are here likened to a debt which the Creditor forgiveth and sets not down upon Accounts And whose sins are covered These words are the same for sence with those Whose iniquities are forgiven When God is said not to behold or not to see iniquity in sinful men he doth forgive them Numb 23.21 The contrary whereof is when he is said to set mens iniquities in His sight as Psal 90.8 Now because when a thing is covered a man cannot see it therefore when our sins are said to be covered they are forgiven So when Hezekiah said Thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back Isai 38.17 It is as if he should say Thou hast forgiven me my sins for we see not those things which are behind our back So when David saith Hide thy face from my sins Psal 51.9 It is as if he should say Pardon my sins for we see not those things from which we turn our face V. 8. To whom the Lord will not impute sin i e. Upon whose account the Lord will not set down sin as a debt for him to pay or satisfie by punishment For that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth most properly to wit to set down upon account as a debt That sins are often called debts we may learn Matth. 6.12 and as of such doth the Apostle speak of them here V. 9. Cometh this blessedness then upon the Circumcision onely or upon the uncircumcision also q. d Cometh then this justification which is by faith upon those onely that are circumcised or upon those also which are not circumcised This blessedness By Blessedness is here meant Righteousness or justification for he calls that Blessedness here which he calleth Righteousness in the last word of this verse See ver 6. Vpon the Circumcision By the Circumcision are here meant the Jews which were circumcised Per Metonymiam Adjuncti as Chap. 2.27 Vpon the uncircumcision By the uncircumcision are meant the Gentiles which were not circumcised by the same figure as Chap. 3.30 Note that the Jews even they which were converted to Christianity could not be perswaded that the uncircumcised that is the Gentiles whom they held as unclean could have any benefit of the Messiah which is Christ but held and maintained the contrary Therefore Saint Paul as often as he hath occasion in this his Epistle doth confute this their erronious Tenet and Perswasion And it stood him upon so to do For whereas he wrote to the Romans which were Gentiles but among whom many Jews of this judgment and perswasion lived to convert some to and confirm others in Christianity his labour might have proved in vain if he had not confuted those Jews and made it appear that the believing Gentiles though they were not circumcised had as great benefit in matter of justification as the Jews had which were circumcised For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness That which he saith concerning this That faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness he saith ver 3. from thence therefore doth the Apostle take an occasion to shew here that the uncircumcised Gentiles were through their faith accepted of God for Righteousness aswell as the circumcised Jews For here by these words which we have in hand He declares upon what occasion he moveth the Question which he moved in the former part of the verse And to the third verse doth that which he here saith relate Only he makes use of the word blessedness for justification by occasion of the word so used ver 6. For Righteousness i. e. For justification This is that which he called Blessedness in the former part of this verse V. 10. How was it then reckoned i. e. When was this faith then reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness How is put here for when Reckoned i. e. Counted The Greek word is the same here as ver 3. When he was in Circumcision or in uncircumcision i. e. Was faith then first reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness when he was in Circumcision that is when he was circumcised or was it reckoned to him when he was in uncircumcision That is before he was circumcised The Apostle moves this question to resolve that question which he made ver 9. to wit Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only or upon the uncircumcision also For by the Answer which he will give to this Question it will appear for resolution of the first Question That this Blessedness cometh aswel upon the uncircumcision which believeth as upon the Circumcision Not in Circumcision but in uncircumcision i. e. Faith was then first reckoned to Abraham when he was in uncircumcision that is before he was circumcised The truth of this Answer will appear out of the History of Abraham and of his Circumcision which we read of Gen. 15.16 17. And by this Answer it is evident that if a Man which is uncircumcised believes God his uncircumcision shall not hinder his faith from being imputed to him for Righteousness V. 11. And he received the Sign of circumcision a seal of the Righteousness which he had yet being uncircumcised i. e. And he was circumcised not before but after that he had believed And after that that God had imputed this his belief unto him for Righteousness And this his Circumcision was a seal or testimony to confirm unto him from God that God had accepted that belief of his which he had of his promises in the time of his uncircumcision for Righteousness and that he had justified him for that The Sign of uncircumcision That is circumcision which is a Sign Circumcision is the cutting off of the Foreskin which covereth the head or nut of a mans yard Gen. 17.11 And Circumcision is here called a Sign First because it was a Sign between God on the one partâ— and Abraham and his children on the other part of that Covenant which God made with Abraham and his seed Gen. 17.11 Secondly because it was a Sign of distinction whereby the seed of Abraham were distinguished from other People Thirdly it is called a Sign here because it was a Sign that God did accept of the faith of Abraham for Righteousness A seal of the Righteousness of Faith c. That is as a seal or testimony to confirm or assure to Abraham that God did accept of that faith which he had while he was yet uncricumcised for Righteousness Among divers uses of a Seal this is one to confirm and ratifie that to which it is put Abraham therefore is said to have received Circumcision as a Seal of the Righteousness of the faith which he had being yet
uncircumsed because God did ratifie and confirm to him by that that he did justifie him for that his faith which he had before his Circumcision For though Abraham did circumcise himself yet it was at Gods Command and God calleth Circumcision his Covenant that is his Sign or Seal of the Covenant that Covenant which was between him and Abraham Gen. 17.13 That he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised c. q. d. And this was so ordered by the Providence and Government of God to wit that Abraham should believe and that his belief should be imputed to him for Righteousness while he was yet uncircumcised And that after this Abraham should receive Circumcision as a Testimony of that Righteousness which was accounted or reckoned to him for that his faith That Abraham might be by this Father both of the uncircumcised Gentile which believed and the circumcised Jew which believed Of the uncircumcised Gentile which believed inasmuch as he believed and that his belief was reckoned unto him for Righteousness before he was circumcised And of the circumcised Jew which believed inasmuch as he received Circumcision as a Seal or Testimony of the Righteousness which he received through faith before he was circumcised That he might be a Father of all them that believed though they be not circumcised i. e. That being that faith was reckoned to Abraham while he was not in Circumcision but in uncircumcision he might be the Father of all the uncircumcised Gentiles which believe though they be not circumcised That is That he might be a Pattern or President or Example to all the uncircumcised Gentiles which believe though they be not circumcised And such a Pattern President or Example as that God himself did set forth to be such and by whose example they might be assured that they should be justified By these words All them we must understand the uncircumcised Gentiles And note that the words in the Original viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred thus All that believe in the State of uncircumcision For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he might be a Father of All c. The word Father is to be taken here not in a common literal sence as it is verse 1. but in a Mystical sence in which sence he is said to be a Father which is as a President or Pattern or Example to another in any kind Abraham therefore is said to be the Father of all them that are uncircumcised and believe that righteousness might be imputed to them also because he was a President or Pattern or Example and that of Gods setting out which the uncircumcised Gentiles might look upon and see in him that if they believed they might be justified though they were uncircumcised because he was justified through faith when was yet uncircumcised And which the circumcised Jews might also look upon and see in him that if they did believe as well as they were circumcised they might be justified through their faith in as much as he was therefore circumcised that his circumcision might be a Seal or Testimony of the righteousness of the faith which he had being yet uncircumcised That righteousness might be imputed to them also i. e. That it might appear by the Example of Abraham to whom righteousness was imputed by reason of the faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that to them also righteousness should be imputed by reason of their faith as well as it was to Abraham though they be not circumcised That righteousness might be imputed c That righteousness might be imputed is put here for That righteousness might appear to be imputed or That it might appear that righteousness should be imputed As that God may be just is put for that God may appear to be just Chap. 3. v. 26. For words signifying the existency of a thing are sometimes put to signifie the manifestation or appearance of that thing it self which doth exist To them also i. e. To them as it was to Abraham Note here that it is all one to say Faith is imputed or entred upon account to a man for righteousness and to say Righteousness is imputed or entred upon accounts to a man to be payed as it were to him for his faith The word◠in the Greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word drawn Metaphorically from Merchants or Accountants as I observed before Ver. 12. And the Father of Circumcision And that by reason of his circumcision which he received after his faith and in Testimony thereof he might be a Father to them who are of the circumcision but so as that they are not of the circumcision only but also walk in the steps of the faith of our Father Abraham c. Where note that in the Original the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. By reason of is to be understood which is often left so to be understood in the Greek Language Whereas there is a twofold circumcision one outward and the other inward One of the flesh whereby the foreskin of the Yard was cut off The other of the heart or spirit whereby the vices or sins of the heart are as it were cut off and cast away such as are infidelity or unbelief and the like This is to be understood of the outward circumcision if not solely yet principally as appeareth ver 11. But nevertheless the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Circumcision may be here taken for those which be circumcised as it is taken Chap. 3. v. 30. even without a Prepositive Article and then the sence may be this q.d. And that he might be the Father of those which are circumcised but yet though they are circumcised do also walk in the steps of our Father Abraham that is which imitate his faith which he had while he was yet uncircumcised Of Circumcision therefore is put for Of those which are Circumcised and when he saith in the next words To them which are not of the Circumcision only I conceive that he explains or limits or corrects his former words and tells what he means when he saith of Circumcision yet the case varieth in the limitation or explanation or correction from what went before which yet is no absurdity in Grammar To them who are not of the Circumcision only but also walk in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised i. e. To those which are circumcised yet so circumcised as that they are not only circumcised as though that were enough to make them Abraham's Children but do also imitate Abraham in that his faith which he had while he was yet uncircumcised Who are not of the Circumcision only i. e. Who are the Children of circumcision yet though they are the Children of the circumcision that is who though they are circumcised yet are not only Children of the circumcision that is
righteousness or justification for it that is he is justified by his faith So that he hath not whereof to glory or boast before God in the matter of his justification 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works 6. But methinks I hear a Jew cavil here and say but what Paul can he be justified that worketh not that is which doth not do the works of the Law so punctually and exactly as the Law requires Can the ungodly and sinner be justified To whom I answer that they may for even David also as well as the Ministers of the Gospel give us a description of the blessedness that is of the justification of a man to whom God imputeth righteousness though he never performed the will of the Lord according to the strict Prescript of the Law saying Psalm 32.1 2. 7. Saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered 7. They are blessed and therefore blessed because justified whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin 8. Blessed is the man and therefore blessed because justified to whom the Lord imputeth no sin 9. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only or upon the uncircumcision also for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness 9. Cometh this blessedness that is cometh this justification then upon those who are circumcised only or upon those that are not circumcised also That is Cometh this justification only upon the Jews or comes it upon the Gentiles also I move this question upon occasion of that which I said verse 3. That faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness 10. How was it then reckoned When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision not in circumcision but in uncircumcision 10. When was it then reckoned for by the answer to this question we shall know how to answer the former was it reckoned when he was in circumcision that is after he was circumcised or was it reckoned when he was in uncircumcision that is before he was circumcised It was reckoned to him not when he was in circumcision but when he was in uncircumcision that is not after but before he was circumcised 11. And he received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed unto them also 11. And after that that it was reckoned to him for righteousness or justification he received circumcision which is a sign of that Covenant which God made with him and his seed and which is a sign of distinction whereby he and his posterity are distinguished from all other people he received circumcision I say as a seal of the righteousness or justification which he had by faith while he yet was uncircumcised to testifie and assure him thereby from God that God had even then justified him for his faith And it was so ordered by the providence of God that he should be justified by his faith before he was circumcised and should afterwards receive circumcision as a seal to confirm or assure him of that his justification that he might be a Father of all them which believe in the time or state of uncircumcision that it might appear by the example of Abraham who was justified while he was yet uncircumcised that righteousness or justification should be imputed to them also 12. And the Father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only but also walke in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised 12. And that he might be the Father of those which are circumcised also yet so as that they are not circumcised only as Abraham was but also imitate the faith of Abraham treading in his steps and following him in that faith which he had when he was as yet uncircumcised And now by what I have said we may answer to that question which I propounded verse 9. Cometh this blessedness that is cometh this justification upon those which are circumcised onely or comes it upon them which are uncircumcised also For it cometh not upon the circumcised onely but upon them also which are uncircumcised 13. For the promise that he should be the heir of the World was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the Righteousness of Faith 13. But because I denyed that Abraham was justified by works verse 2. Thou wilt here object against me that the Land of Canaan was a Type of Justification and that Abraham had that promised to him and his seed through the Law therefore he was justified by the works of the Law but this I deny For the promise that he should be the Owner or Possessor of the Land of Canaan was not made to Abraham or to his seed through the Law or through that that they performed or should perform what the Law exacted but it was made to them through faith which justifieth a Believer And now as the promise that he should be the Owner or Possessor of the Land of Canaan was not made to Abraham or his carnal seed through the Law or through that that they performed or should perform what the Law exacted but it was made to them through faith so the mystical promise of Justification was not made to Abraham or to his spiritual seed through the Law or the works thereof but through Faith which justifieth those which believe 14. For if they which are of the law be heirs Faith is made void and the promise made of none effect 14. For if they be heirs and Enjoyers of Justification and shall inherit that who are the Children of the Law and under that and that by virtue of the Law exactly kept by them then is the way of obtaining just fication by faith void and the promise it self of Justification is of none effect 15 Because the Law worketh wrath for where no Law is there is no Transgression 15. For the Law is so far from making those which are her children acceptable to God and such as may be justified before him as that she occasioneth them to sin the more and so stirreth up the greater wrath of God against them For where there is no Law their is no Transgression nor sin so frequently or so often committed and with so high an hand as where their is a law 16. Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all 16. Therefore the promise of Justification was through faith so that it is of Grace for this end that it might be sure by reason of the possibility of the
A PARAPHRASE AND COMMENTARY UPON THE EPISTLE OF Saint PAVL TO THE ROMANS By William Day M. A. Vicar of Mapledurham in the County of Oxon and Divinity Reader in his Majesties Free Chappel of Saint George within the Castle of Windsor The secret things belong unto the Lord our God But those things which are revealed belong to us and to our Children for ever Deut. 29.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact in Argumento Epist ad Romanos LONDON Printed by S. Griffin for Joshua Kirton and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Kings Arms in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1666. IMPRIMATUR Perlegi Paraphrasin hanc cum Commentariis in Epistolam ad Romanos in quâ nihil reperio doctrinae disciplinaevè Ecclesiae Anglicanae aut bonis moribus contrarium Joh. Hall Rev. in Christo Pat. Domino Episc Lond. à sac Domest Ex Aedibus Londinens Feb. 20. 1664. Ornatissimis Doctissimis Viris Richardo Allestry D.T. Doctissimo sacrae Theologiae in Academia Oxoniensi Professori Regio Collegii â—egalis de Etona Praeposito Dignissimo Jacobo Fleetwood D. T. Et dignissimo Collegii Regalis de Cantabrigia Praeposito Omnibusque Vtriusque Collegii Sociis Hanc suam Paraphrasin unâ cum Commentariis in Epistolam Sancti Pauli ad Romanos Gulielmus DayVtriusque Collegii olim Alumnus Cantabrigiensis etiam Socius nunc autem Vicarius de Mapledurham in Comitat. Oxoniensi Praelector Theologiae in liberâ Capellâ Regiâ Sancti Georgii infra Castrum de Windesora D. D. D. The PREFACE THis Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans is set in order of place before all other his Epistles not because it was before all the other in order of time but because it was written unto the Romans whose City at that time excelled all other Cities in dignity and renown and in preheminence of Rule and Dominion for if we look to the order of time in which they were written both the Epistles of Saint Paul to the Corinthians were written before this to the Romans For Saint Paul in his second Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 8. and 9. Stirreth the Corinthians up to a liberall contribution for the poor Saints at Jerusalem But in his Epistle to the Romans Chap. 15. Ver. 25 26. He telleth the Romans that he was to go to Jerusalem to minister unto the Saints for it had pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia part of which was Corinth to make a certain contribution for the poor Saints which were at Jerusalem This contribution therefore was perfected then when he wrote his Epistle to the Romans which was not made when he wrote to the Corinthians and therefore his Epistles to the Corinthians were in order of time written before his Epistle to the Romans though his Epistle to the Romans hath in order of place the Priority before his Epistles to the Corinthians Saint Paul wrote this Epistle in the Greek tongue though he wrote to the Romans whose language was the Latine Because the principle Subject or Argument of this Epistle was not some occasional matter as the Subject or Argument of other his Epistles was but such a Subject or such an Argument in which there was no Church but was concerned For the principle Subject or Argument of this Epistle conteins in a manner the sum of the Gospel or Doctrine of Christ And therefore though he dedicates it as it were to the Church or Saints which were at Rome because Rome was the head City of all the Gentiles and from thence by the frequency of men of all Nations and Countries resorting thither the truth might be carried and spread abroad among other people yet is it likely that he did intend to communicate it to other Churches also and to send them Copies thereof for their instruction and confirmation And for such a purpose it was more suteable to write in the Greek tongue then in the Latine For the Greek was the tongue which was then most generally known and used which even the Roman women could speak and by which Strangers and Travellers had commerce with and understanding one of another But the Latine tongue though it be now the tongue most generally learned and known yet was it at that time confined within narrow limits and not a generall language which Tully confesseth in his Oration pro Archia Poeta For Graeca saith he leguntur in omnibus fere Gentibus Latina suis finibus exiguis sanè continentur That is The Greek writings are read almost in all Nations but the Latine are contained within their own bounds and those but small ones too But of this See more in Brerewoods Enquiries touching the diversity of Languages Chap. 1. and 3. CHAP. I. As for the Subject of this Epistle it is partly Doctrinal and partly Moral And the Doctrinal part thereof is chiefly concerning Justification which he teacheth to be not by Works of the Law but by the Faith of Christ CHAP. II. and III. He teacheth that Justification is not by the works of the Law for that all had sinned both Jews and Gentiles And this that all had sinned he shews as to the Gentiles Chap. 1. from verse 19. to the end of that Chapter And as to the Jews he sheweth it Chap. 2. and 3. from the first verse of the second Chapter to the one and twentieth of the third And by the way he sheweth also that a Jew is not justified neither as he is a Jew according to the flesh neither as he hath the Law and the knowledge thereof neither as he is circumcised and having shewed both of the Jewes and of the Gentiles that they have all of them sinned he concludes that therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God Chap. 3. ver 20. Then verse 21. He shews That Justification is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe CHAP. IV. Having shewed that none are justified by the works of the Law but by Faith in the fourth Chapter he proves and makes that good which he had said concerning Justification by the example of Abraham and shewes that Abraham who was not unworthily in high esteem among the Jewes was not justified by the Workes of the Law but by Faith CHAP. V. Having thus done in the fifth Chapter he sheweth the blessedness of those which are justified by faith through Christ And at the 12. verse thereof he shews how that original sin entred into the world through Adam and death by sin declaring thereby what Miserie 's both of Sin and Punishment accrued to us by that first man that he might take occasion from thence to magnifie the benefit which we have by Christ by the gratious pardon not onely of that original sin but also of all our actual sins c. So that when sin abounded Grace as he speaks Chap. 5. verse 20. did much more abound CHAP. VI. But now least any one which had been justified by
Faith should think that he might continue in sin that the grace of God might the more abound and so the mercy of God might be the more glorified As some had objected to the Christians that they did and held though falsly to whom he had answered before Chap. 3. ver 6 7 8. In the sixth Chapter he sheweth how inconsistant it is with him who is justified by faith and had his former sins pardoned by Grace to live in sin and useth many arguments to stir him up to live an holy life But least that any faint-hearted Christian in general or Jew in particular for of him by the answer which he gives in this sixth Chapter and which he prosecutes in the seventh he seems especially to speak should say Yea but for my part I cannot follow Righteousness as you would have us nor can I be but a slave to sin having been so great a follower of unrighteousness and sin having had such dmoinion over me The Apostle tells him Chap. 6. verse 14. that Sin should not have dominion over him as it had had for he was not now under the Law but under the Gospel which afforded him these means to free himself from sin which the Law could not afford him CHAP. VII And this his answer he prosecutes Chap. 7. and shews the Jew that the Jews were freed from the Law which was the strength of Sin 1 Cor. 15 56. and were brought under the Gospel that they might serve God by a new kind of Life which the Gospel worketh in us and that they might not follow that old kind of life which they led while they were under the Law through the Motions of sin which were by the Law But now because some might say that there could be no motions of Sin by the Law and others might say that the Law would be the cause of Sin if there were any motions of Sin by it He sheweth verse the seventh and so forward to the end of the Chapter both that the Law was the occasion of sin to those which were under it and that it was not for all that the true and genuine cause thereof wherefore at the seventh verse the better to shew these things which he speaks of and the condition of the Jews which lived before the Law was given by Moses and the condition of the same people when they were under the Law after it was given He puts one in his own person the person of the Jews both as they lived before the Law and under the Law CHAP. VIII Now after the Apostle hath finished these things he comes again in the eighth Chapter to shew the happiness of them who are justified by faith or who are in Christ Jesus for those are all one whom he also describeth by that That they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit in relation to what he had taught in the whole sixth Chapter concerning the Life of a man which is justified by Faith or which is in Christ Jesus that it ought to be such as is Holy and free from all Vnrighteousnesse And to this holinesse of life doth he use here divers new Arguments to excite them from the first to the seventeenth verse of this Chapter at which verse shewing that we must not onely do the works of Righteousnesse but also suffer if need be for Righteousness sake He doth in the ensuing part of the Chapter use divers arguments to move them to suffer afflictions patiently and endeth this Chapter with the narration of the happinesse of those which he spake of from the fifth Chapter hitherto that is of those which are justified by Faith or which is the same of those which are in Christ Jesus CHAP. IX Now in the ninth Chapter reflecting upon what he said before that a man is justified by Faith and not by the workes of the Law and reflecting upon the happinesse of those which are justified by Faith and considering withall that the Jewes for the most part were such as he spake of Chap. 2. Verse 8. That is such as were contentious against the Gospel and obeyed not or believed not that Word of Truth but obeyed Vnrighteousness against whom indignation and wrath is revealed He manifests the great heaviness and continual sorrow which he had in his heart For those Jews which were his Kinsmen according to the flesh and to whom among many other priviledges the promises of God did belong to think that they resisting that way which God had appointed for obtaining Righteousness or Justification should invent another way of their own and go about to establish that their own way and submit not or yield not to follow that way of Righteousness which God had prescribed And this heaviness and continual sorrow of his heart for them he doth shew that they considering and contemplating his sorrow for them might pity their own selves and embrace the truth that they might be saved at the last But though he manifesteth here the great heaviness and continuall sorrow which he had in heart for those his Kinsmen to wit the Jewes yet he doth not here express the cause of this his sorrow being interrupted with an objection which might arise from what he had said and to which he would answer but deferreth it to the next Chapter and there resumeth and perfecteth what he here broke off though in other terms The Objection which might arise from what he had sad is this He said that among other Priviledges which belonged to the Jewes which were the people of Israel according to the flesh this was one That the promises of God were theirs upon which a Jew might thus object and say That if we Jewes who are the Childrn of Israel according to the flesh were not justified but were under Wrath and Indignation as thou Paul sayest Then would the promises of God be void and of none effect which is to make God false in his word For God promised by his servant Jeremy and many other his servants the Prophets that he would make a new covenant with them and justifie them Jer. 31. ver 31 32 33 34. To this objection Saint Paul answers here verses 6 7 8 9. to this effect True it is that God made a promise to the Israelites that he would justifie them but whereas there are to sorts of Israelites one which are Israelites according to the Flesh which descended from Jacob and Abraham by carnall propagation The other which were Israelites and the Children of Abraham according to the Spirit because they did imitate and follow Abraham in this Faith for they which are of Faith they are the Children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 That promise of Justification doth belong absolutely and immediately not to those which are the Children of Jacob or the Children of Abraham according to the Flesh as Such but to those which believe as Such and so are the Children of Jacob and of Abraham according to the Spirit whether they be Jewes or whether
there is no proportion betwixt his works and that glory which shall be revealed in the Saints But perhaps you will say that eternal glory would be due to such a one for his works by a contract or covenant of works which God made with Adam But suppose that God had made such a covenant or a contract with Adam yet would not eternal glory be due to the works of such a man of debt without the grace and favour of God For it would have been the meer grace and favour of God to covenant or promise such a reward to such a man for his works nor would that reward which is due even to such works upon this account be due to them of merit which is that which our Apostle means by debt Rom. 4.4 c. but onely by reason of that gratious promise or covenant by which God freely and graciously bound himself to reward the works of such a man with eternal glory so that in our Apostles language the reward would be still of grace For if the covenant or promise which God made to Adam of rewarding such works with eternal glory were enough to make the reward to be due to such works of debt and not of grace Why should not the New Covenant or Promise which God hath made to them which believe that he will reward their Faith if they continue in it to the End with eternal glory as Saint John 3.16 c. make the reward to be due to Faith of debt and not of grace as well as that old Covenant would to works But yet notwithstanding the Apostle saith The reward is therefore of Faith that it might be by grace Rom. 4.16 The Election therefore which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 11.5 cannot be an Election immediately to glory And if the Election there spoken of cannot be immediately to glory then surely neither is the Election here spoken of viz. Rom. 9.11 an Election immediately to eternal glory But may justification be a reward due to works of debt that is suppose that a man did perfectly keep the Law and as exactly as the Law requireth as suppose Adam would have done if he had continued in his innocency would justification be due to him of debt by reason of his works and not of Grace I answer it would be due to him of debt and not of grace For with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if when such a one as had exactly kept the Law and never broke it at any time in the least tittle thereof should be accused as a sinner before him he should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him and clear him of sin but should condemn him for a sinner But that there should be unrighteousness with God God forbid for then how should God judge the World And thus by what I have said it may appear that the Election which is spoken of Rom. 9.11 is immediately not to eternal Glory but to justification Now in the last place as God may be said to Elect or choose and doth elect or choose men in time and as he may be said to elect or choose men in being in time to justification and doth so elect them So his Election of such is as I conceive by his actual but free and gratious taking of them by justifying them out of the number of those which are not justified For a man may be said to make choice of a thing by some external but free action of his towards or about the thing which he is said to choose For when certain of those which were bidden to a dinner sat down in the highest places our Saviour is said to have marked them how they chose out the chiefest rooms Luke 14.7 They chose therefore the highest or chiefest rooms by their seating themselves in them For to sit down in the highest Rooms and to choose the highest rooms are there both one And when our Saviour said when thou art bidden to a wedding sit not down in the highest room Luke 14.8 It is as if he should say when thou art bidden to a wedding choose not the highest room Now as a man may be said to make choice of a thing by some external but free action of his towards or about the thing which he is said to choose so may God But to come closser to the business in hand and to shew you how God chooseth whom he chooseth in time It is said to Israel Deut. 7. ver 6 7. Thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the face of the Earth The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because you were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your Fathers hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharaoh King of Aegypt Here we see how God chose Israel it was by bringing them out of Aegypt and redeeming them out of the house of bondage by which he took them to be a peculiar people to himself And so in all those places aforementioned which mention Gods choosing in time we may say that God is said actually to have chosen them of whom he speaks when he did put them into that Estate into which he saith he would choose them But that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken and is often taken for the actual choosing of a thing by a real and actual separating of that thing from other things which are left See Badoeus in his Commentaries Page 645. Now the Apostle may seem to make choise of this word Election for Justification in this place of Rom. 9.6 not only to shew Gods free act about the believer viz. that he so justified him as that he might choose whether he would have justified him or no because he could not challenge it of debt But also to shew that whereas one Jew stood for justification because of his discent from Abraham according to the flesh Another because he sought it by works And the Believer sought it by faith God chose the Believer though a Gentile and justified him whereas he passed by those Jews If it be asked therefore who it is which God thus chooseth or purposed thus to Elect to justification I say it is the Believer For whatsoever Gods primary decree was in the execution of that decree and in the bringing of men to justification or salvation in time he justifies none but such as do first truely believe and all such he justifieth and he saveth none but such as do truely believe and persevere therein to the end and all such he will save and so to do in time and to observe that order he purposed to do from eternity
notwitststanding any Antecedent purpose or decree of his going any way before But yet our Apostle attributes our justification wholly to God who calleth Rom. 9.11 And this he doth to signifie that it is wholly of God to prescribe the way to justification who hath prescribed faith to be the way thereunto that justification may be known to be of his meer grace and mercy and that it is not in man to prescribe the way though man makes an account to obtain justification by works as the Jews did who went about to establish their own way to justification Rom. 10.3 and saught it by works Rom. 9.32 which if they could obtain by works the Way of justification would be in man indeed and justification would be not of grace but of debt Again he may ascribe it wholly to God because God is the principle cause thereof For it is usual when two causes concur to the same effect to ascribe the effect wholly to the principal cause yea and so to ascribe it to the principal cause as to deny it to the cause less principal Thus the Apostle saith I labored more then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is in me 1 Cor. 15.10 And again It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.17 After this manner I say that justification may be ascribed wholly to God Who calleth though Faith be required thereunto Elected Rom. 8. Is taken for Elected to justification that is for them which are justified The Election Chap. 11. ver 7. Is put for the Elected an abstract for a concrete as Circumcision is put for the circumcised Chap. 3.30 And by the Elected are to be understood such as God according to the order which he observeth or decreed to observe in electing or justifying men in time justified or Elected to justification and they were such as believed Beza in his Notes upon those words Mat. 20.16 Viz. Many are called but few are chosen saith the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Elect or chosen are taken there for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For such as answer Gods call when he cals them to eternall Life i. e. For the faithfull or such as believe and so may we take the Election or Elected there Viz. Rom. 11.7 The Election spoken of Rom. chap. 11.28 Is taken for that Election whereby God chose the Jews to be his Church that is to be a peculiar people to himself to serve him and worship him after a religious manner according to that form or prescript of Religion which he should appoint and to be a people whom he would never quite forsake and leave utterly without all means of Salvation and that for their Fathers sake Abraham Isaac and Jacob. This Election God might make of the Jews for their Fathers sake and for their sakes might he not leave them utterly without all means of Salvation For the Oracles of God which none can deny to be a Means to salvation were committed to the Jewes as they were Jews that is as they were the Children of Abraham Isaac and Jacob according to the flesh Rom. 3. ver 1 2. But yet that they or any of them should be Elected to justification or to eternal Glory I dare not say that it was for any other then for Jesus Christ his sake nor dare I attribute any thing flowing from that Election to any other then to him And if our Interpreters render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.2 right when they render it chiefly The greatest or chiefest good which they received as they were Jews that is as they were the Children of Abraham Isaac and Jacob according to the flesh was this That they had the Oracles of God committed to them FAITH The Object of justifying faith is the whole Gospel of God or at least the essentiall part thereof which conteineth the new Covenant which God was pleased to make with sinfull man in Christ Jesus our Lord. For we read Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospell And Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth that is to every one that believeth it And again Rom. 10.16 but they have not all obeyed the Gospel that is they have not all believed the Gospel For Isaiah saith Lord who hath believed our report And it is written Eph. 1.13 Christ in whom ye trusted also after ye heard the word of truth the Gospell of your salvation in whom also after ye believed the said Gospel ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise And Philip. 1.27 Striving together for the faith of the Gospel The Gospel therefore or that essential part thereof to wit the new covenant of God with man is the object of saving or justifying faith Which being so I may say that saving or justifying faith is a full or firm assent of our heart or mind to the Gospel of God or at least to the new Covenant which God was pleased to make with sinful man in Christ Jesus our Lord therein conteined by reason of which we do infallibly set our selves one work one that part of the Covenant which we are to performe according to the ability which God hath given us The new Covenant made by God with man in Christ Jesus consisteth as other Covenants do of two parts One part which God promiseth and covenanteth for himself on his part to perform The other which God requireth us to do and which we must promise and covenant to performe on our part without the performance whereof on our part God is not bound to make good to us what he covenanted and promised to do for us one his part The eye therefore of our Faith must be firmely fixed on both parts of this covenant as well on that part which we our selves are for our part to performe as on that which God is to performe on his part or else our Faith will never avail us to justification But if we look on that part of the Covenant which God hath promised for his part to perform and firmly believe the truth thereof and that our onely happiness consisteth therein And on that part of the Covenant which we for our parts are to performe and firmly believe that by doing our parts we shall attain to that happiness which God for his part promised to bestow upon us and that only by doing so we shall attain to it Surely we shall be justified For this will prove an operative Faith and set us on work according to our power to obtein our only happiness and make us sedulous in the duties of holiness without which no man shall see God Hebrews 12.14 For every one doth naturally desire his own happiness and every one labours for his own blessedness and that so many miss of happiness and come short of blessedness it is not because they desire not to be happy or labour not for it
Righteousness and by which we are enclined to Holiness and Righteousnese as Rom. 8.13 Where it is said that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Flesh ye shall live after which manner the gifts of the Holy Ghost are called the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Where he saith the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us In this sense of the word Spirit the Spirit is most frequently opposed to the Flesh as Rom. 8. Galat. 5. c. Sometimes our Apostle takes the Spirit for the Gospel and then he opposeth it to the Letter that is to the Law as Rom. 2.29 and 7.6 which also he doth 2 Corinth 3.6 And sometimes again he takes it for the soul of man as Rom. 8.10 where the Spirit is opposed to the Body WORLD The world as it is most properly taken is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the Philosopher defines it Arist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 2. that is The World is a Cistern or Fabrike consisting of heaven and earth and those Nature which are therein conteined In this sense our Apostle takes the word World Rom. 1.20 and 16.25 He takes the world sometimes also for all the men of the world whether good or bad as Rom. 3.6 19. Sometimes he takes it for the wicked men of the world or men adicted to the profits pleasures and vanities of the world as Rom. 12.2 Sometimes he takes it for the Gentiles in general as Rom. 11.12 15. Sometimes he takes it for the whole habitable earth as Rom. 10.18 Sometimes he takes it for the Land of Canaan which was but a little part of the world yea a little part of the whole earth as Rom. 4.13 And marvel not that our Apostle should take the world for the Land of Canaan when the Prophet Isaiah takes the earth yea the world for the Land of Israel which was but part of the Land of Canaan Isaiah 24 4. And here by the way observe that as Joshua was a Type of Jesus Christ so was the Land of Canaan into which he brought the Israelites a Type of all and every part of that blessedness into which Jesus Christ hath and will bring us WORKS WORKETH Our Apostle doth often make mention of Works in this his Epistle while he treats of Justification as Rom. 3.23 Where is boasting then It is excluded by what Law of works Nay and Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he had whereof to glory and verse 4. Now to him that worketh i. e. to him which hath works is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt and verse 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works and Rom. 11.6 If it be of works then it is no more of grace and Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds or works of the Law In all which places and the like he takes works for works exactly done according to the Law so that the doer of them did never through the whole course of his life break the Law either in thought word or deed either by commission or by omission or by any other way in the least tittle or point thereof which works if we should suppose that any one had so done he would be justified by his works and that of debt for otherwise if God should not justifie him with Reverence be it spoken he would be unjust as I have said before Whereas therefore it is said that Abraham was not justified by works and that no man is justified by the deeds or works of the Law and that the purpose of God should stand not of works c. It is not so to be understood as that either Abraham or any other had such works and yet were not or should not be justified by them But it is so to be understood as that neither Abraham nor any other ever had hath or will have any such works And therefore as many as are justified are justified without them or though they have them not And for this reason it is that no man is said to be justified by the works which he doth or hath done or shall do I may add or can do because no man doth keep hath kept will keep or can keep the Law so strictly and exactly as the Law requireth so as that he hath not doth not or will not break it at any time For our Apostle to prove that no man is justified by the works of the Law proves that every man hath sinned Rom. Chap. 1.2 3. And therefore because every man hath sinned no man hath works in that sense which he speaketh of For if a man hath sinned but never so little he hath not works as our Apostle takes works in the places first named For cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them In the voice of the Law Galat. 3.10 and Deut. 27.26 Our Apostle denies plainly that Abraham was justified by works Rom. 14. verse 1 2. And yet Saint James saith that he was when he saith Was not Abraham our Father justified by works James 2.21 what then shall we say that Saint Paul and Saint James thwarted or contradicted one the other God forbid For they were both led by the same Spirit even the Spirit of Truth and therefore could not erre or contradict one the other They take works therefore in several senses one after one sense the other after another Saint Paul speaks of works exactly done according to the command of the Law from the very birth or infancy of a man which works Abraham had not But Saint James speaks of such works as Abraham had and therefore not of works which Abraham did in the first part of his Age who no doubt in the first part of his Age was an Idolater Saint Paul speaks of works which Abraham should have done if he had been justified by works before his Call Saint James speaketh of works which he did after his Call Saint Paul speaks of works done without faith for he opposeth such works as he speaks of to faith and faith to works Rom. 3.27 28. And it is his scope to prove the necessity of faith because no man had done or could do such works but Saint James speaketh of works proceeding from faith yea Saint James takes works by a Metonymie for faith it self And therefore doth he so do that he may shew against such as are contented with an empty and barren faith that justifying faith is an operative faith and fruitful of good works To the works which Saint Paul speaks of justification is due of debt otherwise those works would not be works in his sense Rom. 11.6 and 4.4 But to the works which Saint James speaks of if we should suppose they were requisite to justification justification
because God is the Author of it and because we are thereby justified before God Revealed The Righteousness of God is not only revealed or manifested in the Gospel but it is exhibited also and wrought by the Gospel so that by these words For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed We must understand effectuall Revelation and that justification is not onely manifested in the Gospel but also that it is exhibited and wrought thereby by an Hebrew Syllepsis For the Hebrewes do oftentimes with the Antecedent Sylleptically understand the consequent also Note that the Apostle doth go about here to prove that which he said before in the 16. verse To wit That the Gospel is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth But he proveth it by parts For whereas Salvation compleat consisteth of two parts justification and glorification He proves it of justification here in this verse and of glorification Chap. 5. Where he saith that being justified by Faith we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope maketh not ashamed c. From Faith Repeat those words the Righteousness of God here q. d. I say the Righteousness of God which is not from or by works but from or by Faith Or refer these words from Faith To those the Righteousness of God that the Sentence may run thus therein the Righteousness of God which is from Faith is revealed The words in the Originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth here the instrumental cause as some call it Or the Condition required in him that would be justified As others which they so call because Faith is a condition required on our part in that new Covenant which it pleased God to make with us for justification Now that we may understand what that Faith is which is here required and mentioned as a cause or condition of our Justification I say that the faith here required is an explicite and firm assent to the Gospel of God or at least to so much thereof as containeth the New Covenant and all the Essential Parts thereof which it pleased God through Christ to make with man in his Misery for his Salvation and to reveale in the Gospel an assent so firm so strong and arising so high as that it doth immediately and infallibly set the Believer on work as he hath opportunity to do those things which God requireth on mans part to be done in that Covenant He that hath such a faith cannot but trust in God nor can he be without repentance Whosoever hath such a faith as this and thus believeth I doubt not from this and other the like places but that he hath a justifying Faith and that by reason of this his Faith God will deal with him as with a Just and Righteous Man and as though he had never transgressed the Law of God But I dare not call that a Justifying Faith which cometh not up to this There be many which read Histories and give credit to the Histories which they read yet they only read them because they are delighted with them and with the various passages and accidents therein contained without any regard of imitating them or putting what they read in practice If any one should so read or hear the Gospel he may be said so have an Historical Faith but a Justifying Faith he hath not For good works can no more be separated from a true justifying faith than light can from the Sun or heat can from the fire For faith without works is dead James 2.20 And was not Abraham our Father justified by works saith Saint James James 2.20 That is was not Abraham our Father justified by faith such a faith as produceth works For Saint James puts works there by a Metonymie of the effect for a faith which produceth works Object But you will say There is a great deal of strength required to such a faith as this but God accepteth even of a weak faith Answ To this I answer That faith may be considered two manner of wayes First in Genere Entis Secondly in Genere Morum as I may so speak In Genere Entis that is a true faith which assenteth to the word of God as to that which is Truth In Genere Morum that and that onely is a true faith which so assenteth to the word of God as that it setteth the believer infallibly on good works as he hath strength and opportunity to do them The former faith God accepteth not of be it what it will be and as strong as may be while it is only faith in Genere Entis But as for the latter that faith which is true faith in Genere Morum God accepteth of though it be never so weak being sincere From faith to faith i. e. From a faith which ought not to stand at a stay but to go on from a lesser to a greater faith So some which referr the words to faith to the words immediately going before them viz. from faith But I think the words To faith may be better referred to the word revealed than to the words immediately going before them As if he should say Therein is the Righteousness of God revealed a Righteousness which is of faith And it is revealed for this end that men may believe or yield their faith to that which is revealed The last words in the Greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I conceive to be the same for sence with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 5. which is there rendered for Obedience to the faith And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 16. vers 26. which is there rendered for the Obedience of faith In both which places the end is set down why the Mistery of the Gospel is revealed which is that it might be believed and received by faith And as there so here the end may be set down why the Righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for faith That is for this end that it may gain faith and be believed of the Sons of Men. Note therefore that the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here may be rendred For and be a sign of the Final cause as it is verse 5. of this Chapter and Chap. 16. v. 26. Now if Justification by faith be revealed for faith That is That men may believe Then ought the Apostle to preach the Gospel wherein this Justification is revealed For how shall they believe except they hear and how shall they hear without a Preacher chap. 10.14 By this therefore may the Apostle also intimate that he is a debter and ready to preach the Gospel to the Romans also Justification by faith was the great Controversie at this time between Paul and the Jews and this is that which is the main drift of this Epistle to shew that justification is by Faith and this he now falleth upon as his chief businesse though he seemeth to speak of it
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
rise up in judgement against those Jews which our Saviour there reprehends and condemn them Mat. 12.41 Or the uncircumcised if he fulfill the Law may be said to judge the Jew which breaks the Law because he shall move God to condemn him for he shall give just occasion to God the judge of all to condemn him being that he kept the Law though he had it not written but the Jew though he had it written broke it Who by the Letter and circumcision i. e. Who having received that is who though thou hast received both the written Law and circumcision Note that By is taken here for With 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as chap 4.11 So that this is as if he should say Who with the Letter and circumcision that is Who having the Letter and circumcision or who though thou hast both the Letter and circumcision c. By the Letter is meant the Law written in Letters Ver. 28. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly c. The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas he shewed from ver 17. to ver 24 That a Jew which had the knowledge of the Law being that he sinned his sin was greater than his who was not a Jew and had not the knowledge of the Law And whereas he told the Jew ver 25. That if he kept not the Law but was a breaker of the Law his circumcision which he so much trusted in was made uncircumcision And again ver 26 27. That the uncircumcised Gentile if he keep the Righteousness of the Law his uncircumcision should be counted for circumcision yea He should judge the Jew who having both circumcision and the Law did transgress the Law A Jew might object saying But how can this be Paul that the case of a Jew can be so bad as thou makest it though he doth sin Or how can it be that his circumcision should become uncircumcision if he keep not the Law And how should the uncircumcision of the Gentiles if they keep the Righteousness of the Law be counted for circumcision And how should an uncircumcised Gentile which fulfilleth the Law judge a Jew which hath the Law and circumcision if he transgresseth the Law For knowest not thou that a Jew is in high respect and favour with God as being a Child of Abraham the friend of God and that circumcision is highly respected and favoured of God as being given to Abraham as a sign of his favour and a Seal of the covenant which he made with him and with his seed whose seed the Jews are This objection I say the Apostle prevents by granting that which a carnal Jew might object concerning a Jew and concerning circumcision but distinguishing between a Jew and a Jew and between circumcision and circumcision q. d. For though I grant you that a Jew is in high favour with God and that circumcision is highly respected of him yet He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the Heart c. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly q. d. For though a Jew be highly favoured of God and circumcision be highly respected by him yet he which is a Jew outwardly only Supple he is not the Jew which God so highly favoureth Ellipsis The Jew did therefore think himself highly favoured by God and so free from judgement because he was of the Seed of Abraham for every Jew is a Son of Abraham according to the flesh but see what was said ver 17. concerning the Jew He is said to be a Jew outwardly who is a Son of Abraham onely according to the flesh and appears to be so by his Genealogie and by enjoying the outward Priviledges of such as were children of Abraham carnally Neither is that circumcision which is outward in the Flesh i e. Neither is that circumcision which is outward to wit in the Flesh Supple that circumcision which God so highly respecteth Ellipsis Ver. 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly q. d. But he is the Jew which God so highly favours and which shall escape the wrath and judgement of God which is a Jew inwardly By a Jew as I intimated is understood a Child of Abraham and he is a Child of Abraham inwardly who is like unto Abraham in the inward gifts and graces of the Soul as in Faith and the like For they which are of faith the same are the Children of Abraham Galat. 3.7 And if yee were Abrahams children yee would do the works of Abraham saith our Saviour John 8.39 And they which are so the Children of Abraham or thus Jews they shall find respect and favour with God and shall escape the wrath and judgement of God For they have peace with God and rejoyce in the hope of his Glory Rom. chap. 5. ver 1 2. And circumcision is that of the Heart i. e And the circumcision which findeth respect and favour with God and so profiteth to escaping the wrath and judgement of God is that circumcision which is of the heart Ellipsis That of the heart i. e. That whereby the Heart is circumcised from sins and dead works as from unbelief and the like and that only c. The circumcision of the heart is that whereby infidelity and all superfluity of naughtiness is as it were cut off from the heart and cast away And this was signified as a duty to be done by the outward circumcision of the foreskin of the yard or flesh See Deut. 10. ver 16. and Acts 7. ver 51. In the Spirit not in the Letter That is that which is delivered and commended in the Gospel not that which is commanded and expressed in the Law Thus Some-Where note that the Spirit is taken sometimes for the Gospel and the Letter for the Law as 2 Cor. 3.6 But others had rather take the Spirit here for that principal part of man to wit the Soul which is a Spirit and the Letter for that part of the Body in which circumcision was to be made by the Praescript of the Letter that is by the Praescript of the Law by a Metonymie which Prescript appointed the Praeputium or foreskin to be circumcised Gen. 17.11 Levit. 12.3 So that the sence of this place is this q. d. Which circumcision is in the Soul not in the Body or any part thereof Whose praise is not of Men but of God i. e. Which Circumcision is prais-worthy yet God only can give it its due praise and not Man God only can give this Circumcision its due praise because being it is in the Heart or Soul God only can see whether it be true or no for he only is the searcher of the Reins and Heart Revel 2.23 Heb. 4.13 And therefore he can only see whether it be worthy of praise or not By what the Apostle speaks here in these
the Jew of the good will of God towards the Gentiles from that therefore he inferreth this Corollary Is he the God of the Jews only c. As if he should say and now O thou Jew is God the God of the Jews only is he not the God of the Gentiles also Yes he is the God of the Gentiles also seeing it is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through Faith And this or the like opportunity he takes often to declare the good will and favour of God towards the Gentiles because the Jews counted the Gentiles but as brute Beasts to whom God had no respect in comparison of themselves Ver. 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie It would have been better rendred thus Seeing God is one who justifieth c. That is Seeing God is one and the same God which justifieth the Circumcision by Faith and the uncircumcision through Faith God is called One here not in respect of his Essence or in opposition to a multitude of gods but in respect of his carrying himself to all alike whether Jews or Gentiles q. d. Seeing God is one and the same towards all who shall justifie c. Which shall justifie the circumcision by faith Note that the Circumcision is taken here for the Circumcised that is for the Jews who were Circumcised by a Metonymie and that shall justifie is put here for doth justifie A Future for a Present tense after the manner of the Hebrews which use so to do especially when they would signifie a continued Act. And the uncircumcision through faith By the uncircumcision are here meant the Gentiles who used not Circumcision as the Jews did who were enjoyned by God to it but were uncircumcised And yet we read of some Gentiles which were Circumcised as the people of Colchis Aegypt and Aethiopia as Herodotus relates in his Euterpe yet they come under the name of uncircumcision here because the Circumcision which they received they received from among themselves the use thereof was not enjoyned to them of God as that Circumcision which the Jews used was to them Gen. 17. v. 10 11 c. Note that these Phrases By faith and Through faith signifie one and the same thing and that there is no difference in the sence of the Phrases though there be in the words In that God justifieth both Jew and Gentile after the same manner it sheweth him to be the same in his love and affection to both Ver. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith q. d. Do we then say that the Law is useless and as an idle thing and a thing of no effect by those things which we have said of faith To make void is put here for to say that it is void by a Metalepsis Note that the Apostle doth prevent an Objection here for because he said v. 28. We conclude that a Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law And again v. 30. It is one God or God is One which shall justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith A Jew might object and say If it be so that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law and God doth justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision throuh faith then is the Law void for to what end should it stand if it did not justifie a man To this the Apostle answers That notwithstanding that which he had said concerning faith the Law doth stand yea what he said concerning faith doth establish the Law For though the Law doth not justifie a man yet the Doctrine of faith doth enjoyn those which believe to lead a pious godly and religious life according to the Praescript of the Law and to follow those things which the Law commandeth And by faith we attain to more ability for the performance of the Law than the Law it self can give Note that what is here spoken must be understood of the Moral Law Through faith i. e. Throuh the Doctrine of faith or through those things which we have said of faith We establish the Law i. e. We maintain the Law in its standing and keep it up That is we take not the Law away but let it stand in its due place and give it its due honour How Saint Paul established the Law by faith we shewed a little before in the Exposition of this verse He establisheth it by making it or teaching that it is a Rule of our Lives though he denies to be the means of justification And that we attain more ability to the keeping of the Law through faith than the Law it self could give us CHAP. IV. 1. WHat shall we say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found 1. We have taught hitherto that the man that is justified is not justified by the works of the Law but by faith And let us now enquire in particular concerning Abraham's justificâ—tion to wit how he was justified How shall we say then that Abraham who is our Father as concerning the flesh attained to justification Shall we say that Abraham attained to justification by works No in no wise 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God 2. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory or boast even before God but he hath not whereof to glory or to boast before God therefore he is not justified by works 3. For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness 3. Now that Abraham hath not whereof to glory or boast before God is apparent for what saith the Scripture It saith that Abraham believed God and that that was set down upon his account to him to receive righteousness or justification for it that is in fewer words it saith That Abraham believed God and for that he was justified Gen. 15.5 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt 4. Now to him that worketh the works of the Law so punctually and so exactly as that he never failes at any time in performing the least title of the Law to him indeed the reward that is righteousness or justification is set down upon accompt to be paid him as a thing not of grace and favour but of debt for with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if he should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him but condemn him for a sinner who had never sinned So that he indeed hath whereof to glory or boast even before God 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness 5. But to him that worketh not the works of the Law so punctually and so exactly as the Law requires but believeth on God who justifieth sinners his faith is set down upon accompt to him for him to receive
condition required to all the spiritual seed of Abraham that is to all the faithfull not only to that which is of the Law and under that as the Jews are but to that also which followeth the Faith of Abraham though they be not under the law as the believing Gentiles doe which Abraham is the Father of us all which believe whether we are Jews or Gentiles and under the Law or without the Law 17. As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were 17. As it is written of him Genesis 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations I say which Abraham is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God who quickeneth those which are dead in unbelief with the life of Faith and maketh those which are not faithfull as they which are so raising up spiritual seed to Abraham 18. Who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy seed be 18. Who against all hope which he could conceive by the course of nature of having a childe believed in hope which he grounded upon the truth and power of God That he should become the Father of many nations according to that which is written of him Gen. 15.5 As the Stars of the Heavens for number so shall thy seed be 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred year old neither yet the deadness of Saras womb 19. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now old and feeble and unfit for generation and as it were dead in respect of that when he was now about an hundred years old nor did he consider the barrenness of Sarahs womb and the indisposition and inability thereof to conception so as to doubt or dispair by reason of them of the promise of God 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God 20. He staggered not at the word of God through unbelief But was strong in faith giving glory to God by relying upon his word 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform 21. And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was also able to perform 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness 22. And therefore it is written to his immortal praise that this his Faith was imputed to him for righteousness 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him 23. But now it was not written for his sake alone that he might thereby be praised that it was imputed to him 24. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead 24. But it was written for our sakes also to assure us that our beliefe also shall be imputed to us for righteousness if we believe on God who raised up Jesus our Lord from the Dead 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification 25. Who was both delivered to death and raised again from the dead for our Justification that is that we might be thereby justified CHAP. IV. Verse 1. What shall we say then i. e. How or by what way or after what manner shall we say then What is to be taken here for How or after what manner for the Apostle speaketh here not so much of Justification it self as of the way or manner of attaining it And so the word What is sometimes taken elsewhere For whereas it is said Marke 4.23 Take heed what you hear It is said Luke 8.18 Take heed how you hear That Abraham our father as pertaining to the Flesh i. e. That Abraham who is the Father of all us Jews after the flesh i. e. by carnal Propagation whether we be of the Law or whether we be of the Faith Abraham was a Father two manner of wayes to wit according to the Flesh and according to the Spirit according to the flesh Abraham was a Father of all Jews whether they believed or no. But according to the spirit he was the Father only of Such Jewes as did believe and imitate his Faith verse 12. The Apostle calls Abraham his Father as other Jews also did to shew that he did esteem of Abraham as his Father aswel as they and therefore what he was to say of Abraham he would not say out of desire he had of diminishing Abrahams glory but out of meer love which he bore to the Truth Hath found i. e. Hath obtained or attained to Supple Justification Note that to find is put here for to obtain or to attain to as Prov. 8.35 and 17.20 and so it is taken so often as one is said to find grace in the sight of another a phrase which the Scripture often useth as Gen. 18.3.30.27 Numb 11.11 Deut. 24.1 2. Sâ—m 15 25 c. Note also that here is somewhat to be understood to wit Justification for it is not to be doubted but that the Apostle speaks here of Justification for this is the subject of all his discourse in this place Our Apostle doth suppose here that Abraham was justified and doth enquire only how he was justified I say he doth suppose that he was justified which he might well suppose for none of the Jews with whom he hath here to do did ever doubt of that or deny it Ver. 2. For if Abraham were justified by works Between this and the former verse we must understand these words to wit by Works No surely q. d. How then or by what means shall we say that Abraham who is the Father of us all after the Flesh hath obtained Justification by works No surely For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory before God in the matter of justificationâ— But he hath not whereof to glory before God in the matter of justification Therefore he is not justified by works He is said in our Apostles sence to be justified by works which hath so strictly observed the Law by which he should walk and walked so strictly according to it as that he never offended in the least manner that is either in thought word or deed For whosoever hath offended against that Law in never so small a matter cannot be said to be justified by morks He hath whereof to glory Supple even before God By glorying is not meant here any Thrasonicall vaunting or any unjust glorying but such a glorying which he might both justly and seemly use which had perfectly kept the Law and never offended against it in the least point which glorying is nothing else but the attributing of his justification or that that he is not condemned but acquitted when he
is judged modestly to his own innocency not to the pardon or favour or indulgence of the Judge when he is asked How he came to be acquitted in Judgement For otherwise to vaunt and glory would savour of Pride and so be it self sin for which he would come into condemnation and so could not be justified which is against the Apostles supposition A man may glory of his innocency before men who hath not perfectly and sincerely kept the Law but kept it onely in outward appearance for when man cannot see to the Heart and to the thoughts and Intentions but only to the outward appearance of Actions he cannot condemn him who in outward appearance hath kept the Law though inwardly he hath broke it in every point but he that can justly glory before God must perfectly and sincerely keep the Law as well in his inward heart and thoughts as in his outward words and deeds And he that hath done so may glory in that sence which we have spoken of For our Apostle faith it here and Chap 3 ver 27. He saith that boasting that is that Glorying for the Greek words in both places are as one being derived from the same fountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other is not excluded by works Note that the Apostle doth prove in this verse that Negative answer which we must suppose him to give to the Question made in the former verse that is That Abraham did not obtain justification by works And this he doth by this Syllogisme If Abraham where justified by works then he hath whereof to glory even before God But Abraham hath not whereof to glory before God Therefore Abraham is not justified by Works The Major and Minor Proposition of this Syllogisme the Apostle hath here set down in this verse but not so but that we must understand something of the Major Proposition from the Minor and something of the Minor Proposition from the Major The Conclusion is totally left to be understood If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory this is the Major Proposition which I spoke of and this is defective in its words and the defect is to be made up from that which we have in this verse of the Minor Proposition namely from that But not before God from which words we make the Major Proposition entire thus If Abraham were justified by works he had whereof to Glory even before God But not before God This is the Minor Proposition or Assumption which we spoke of which is also defective in its words and to be made up from the Major Proposition as the Major was from this This Minor Proposition or Assumption therefore entire is thus viz. But Abraham hath not whereof to glory before God This Minor Proposition or Assumption the Apostle proveth in the verses following Ver. 3. For what saith the Scripture Supple Gen. 15.6 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness q. d. Abraham believed God and that that he believed God was that which God counted or reckoned to him for justification Supple Therefore being that that that Abraham believed God was counted to him for justification Abraham had not whereof to glory Abraham believed God We read Gen. 15 5. That God brought Abraham forth abroad and said Look now toward Heaven and tell the Stars if thou art able to number them And he said to him so shall thy seed be Then followeth that which is here quoted by the Apostle viz. He believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness That therefore for which Abraham was justified of God here was this and this only that Abraham believed God when he promised him that his Seed should be as the Stars of heaven for multitude See more of this v. 18. of this Chapter And it was counted unto him for righteousness i. e. And it was accounted to Abraham to wit by God Gen. 15.6 at such a rate as that God did set down upon his accounts to Abraham that he would repay or requite him for that his belief only with justification The meaning of this whole verse is this That Abraham did believe God and God did so value and respect this that Abraham did believe him as that he was pleased in his Grace and Favour to recompence this faith of Abraham though it were but for this with justification that is to justifie Abraham from all his sins and to deal with him as with a just man which had never transgressed the Law in any point only because he had thus believed him Note if God did justifie Abraham only for this that he did thus believe him Abraham had not whereof to glory before God in matter of justification For he could not claim justification by debt and he which cannot claim justification of debt but hath it of grace and favour he cannot glory of his justification before God The Law requireth exact obedience whether it be the Law of Nature or the written Law of Moses so that he is cursed which continueth not in all things which the Law commandeth and therefore he which hath broken the Law in the least tittle thereof is cursed and being now cursed he cannot be justified but by grace and favour If God therefore accept of our faith for or to justification so that he justifieth us because we believe it is the meer Grace and Favour of God and of such justification we cannot glory as we might do in our Apostles sence if we had so kept the Law as that we had never broke the least Apex of it Note that this Phrase It was counted to him for righteousness is Metaphorical and it is drawn from Merchants or Tradesmen or the like where one accounts with the other for what he hath received of him and in his accounts enters or sets down that for such or such a parcel of Wares or in consideration of such or such a thing done from him he is indebted to him and will willingly repay him such or such a summe of money in lieu thereof or requite him after such or such a way For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which among other things signifieth Alicujus rationibus inferre that is to bring or enter such or such a thing upon the accounts of such or such a man But let no man mistake here as though because this phrase is drawn from this Metaphor it would thence follow that Abraham's faith was equivalent to his justification and of as great value as that For even in such accounts as we have spoken of men will often when they are well pleased set down more for themselves to pay than the thing which they have received or which was due from them is worth However this is to be remembred that Similitudes run not as they say upon four feet nor do Metaphors agree in every particular with the things from
which they are borrowed For Righteousness i. e. For Justification Supple to be payed or allowed to him in consideration of that his faith Note that the Hebrew Text which our Apostle relates to Gen. 15.6 being translated word for word is thus And he believed in the Lord and he to wit the Lord counted it to him for righteousness But our Apostle followed the Septuagint which was then commonly received among the Jews which speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But which way soever we take these words whether according to the Hebrew or according to the Septuagint the sence is one and the same For it is all one to say It was counted to wit by God and God did count it And these phrases To believe God and To believe in God are often confounded and taken one for the other in Scripture although to believe God properly signifieth to give assent to the words of God And to believe in God signifieth properly to put our hope and affiance in God because when God promiseth any thing to any one he that truly believes his promise cannot but put his trust and affiance in him for performance of that his promise Note that as we have said before the Apostle proveth here the Minâ—r Proposition mentioned in the foregoing verse to wit that Abraham had not in the matter of justification whereof to glory before God And he proves it by this that Abraham's faith was counted to him for righteousness that is that Abraham was justified by his faith And they that are justified by faith cannot glory before God of that their justification because justification is not due to them of debt but is bestowed upon them upon grace and where it is of grace glorying is excluded Ver. 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt q. d. Now to him indeed that fulfilleth the works of the Law as the Law commands them to be done justification is reckoned not of grace and favour but of debt and merit Supple therefore he indeed may glory before God in the matter of justificâ—tion He grants that here to him that worketh which he denieth in the next verse to him which believeth To him that worketh By him that worketh is meant here he which doth perfectly perform the Law of God and continue in it for to such a one only doth justification appertain as a debt Not to him that doth a good work now and then no nor to him that hath but once sinned if any such were Is the Reward c. By the Reward is here meant justification For though justification that is Remission of Sins or To be absolved or acquitted from the punishment due to sins is not the whole reward which God giveth to him whom he justifieth yet it is the whole Reward which such a man which hath kept the Law can challenge of debt And this to wit Justification that is an absolution or immunity from punishment is that and that only which the Apostle speaks of and treats of in this place By the reward therefore is here meant Justification and Justification only by a Synechdoche integri Ver. 5 But to him that worketh i. e. But to him which doth not performe the works of the Law as the Law requireth c What is meant by him that worketh not we may understand by him that worketh ver 4. But believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly i. e. But onely believeth God or only believeth in God for these phrases are all one as we said ver 3. which justifieth him who worketh not that is which justifieth him which hath not kept the Law as Abraham had not The ungodly By the ungodly he meaneth here him that worketh not that is him which hath not kept or persevered in keeping of the Law as he should For even such a one may go under the name of an ungodly man especially before he is justifyed His faith is counted for Righteousness This his Faith only to wit without works is counted to him for Righteousness and therefore being that he is justified not by works but only by faith his justification is not of debt or merit but of meer Grace and favour See ver 16. And being that it is not of debt or merit but of meer Grace and Favour he hath not whereof to glory in that matter The Apostle you see is curt here in his expression and leavs much to be understood yet that which may be easily understood by a judicious Reader and which is necessarily implied in what he hath said His Faith i. e. His faith only to wit without works This word onely is often left to be understood Ver. 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works For the connexion of this verse with the former thus it is in the former verse the Apostle said That righteousness was imputed to him that worketh not yea to the ungodly Now a Jew who sought righteousness by the works of the Law chap. 9 32. might object against this and speak thus But what is it that thou sayest Paul Sayest thou that Righteousness may be imputed to him that worketh not and to him that is ungodly To this the Apostle answereth though concisely to this effect Yea I say that Righteousness may be imputed to him that worketh not and is ungodly even as David also describeth the blessedness or righteousness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works c. Even as David also describeth i. e. Even as David also in the Psalmes describeth c. The Psalm which the Apostle alluds to is Psal 32. ver 1 2 The blessedness of the man Or the blessedness of a man that is The justification of a sinner Blessedness is to be taken here for justification as will plainly appear both by what went before and by what is said ver 9. Where the Apostle calls that blessedness in the former part of the verse which he calls Righteousness that is justification in the latter part thereof The word Blessedness in its Latitude includes Glorification as well as justification when therefore it is taken for justification barely it is so taken Per Synechdochen integri Vnto whom God imputeth Righteousness i. e. Unto whom God doth as it were set down Righteousness or Justification upon his Accounts which he obligeth himself thereby to give or pay to him The word here rendered imputeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to set down on a Mans account See ver 3. By these words it is most evident that the Apostle takes righteousness and Remission or not imputing of sins for one and the same thing for that which he calls Righteousness here he calls the forgiveness of iniquities and Covering of sins and not imputing of sin or setting down of sin upon accounts in the verses next following Without Works i. e. Without the strict observing of the Law or though he hath not observed the
are not only circumcised but also c. Of the Circumcision To be of the circumcision is as much to say as to be children of the circumcision and to be Children of the circumcision is as much to say as to be circumcised by an Hebrew kind of phrase or speech which we meet with often in Saint Pauls Epistles But also in the steps of that faith of our Father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised i e. But also imitate our Father Abraham and follow his example in so believing as he believed while he was yet uncircumcised This Phrase To walk in the steps is Metaphorical taken from one which following another close steppeth in the steps of him which went before and it signifieth to imitate Note that those words that righteousness might be imputed to them also which are expressed in the latter end of the eleventh verse are to be repeated or understood here in the latter end of this verse also The Apostle because there were such of the circumcision that is such of the circumcised Jews as were circumcised and did not believe And others which were both circumcised and did believe also doth shew here to which of these two Abraham was to be accounted a Father He was to be accounted a Father not to those which were only circumcised but to those which were circumcised and did believe too Ver. 13. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his Seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith i. e. For the promise which was made to Abraham or to his Seed to wit That he should be Lord or Owner of the Land of Canaan was not made to Abraham or to his Seed through the Law which was given by Moses or for that that he or they kept the Law of Moses fully and exactly as the Law requireth but through faith that is for that that he or they believed God This is another Argument by which the Apostle proveth that Abraham was not justified by works And it hath its immediate relation to the second verse that which cometh in between coming in by the current of his speech and that which he gathers out of it For whereas he saith in the second verse that if Abraham were justified by works he had whereof to glory c. A Jew might say but how could he otherwise be justified than by works when as the promise that he and his Seed should be heirs of the world which was a Type of their justification was through the Law of Moses To this the Apostle here answers by denying that the promise was to Abraham and his Seed through the Law and by affirming that it was through the righteousness of faith For the promise that he should be heir of the world saith he was not to Abraham or his Seed through the Law c. That he should be the heir By He is meant Abraham and by an Heir is meant the Lord here that is the Owner or Possessor of a thing For both the Hebrews and also the ancient Latins called Lords Haeredes Heirs And according to this a Possession is called an Inheritance Psalm 2. v. 8. Where it is said Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance that is for thy Possession Of the world By the World is meant here the Land of Canaan which was but a part yea a little part though once a fruitful part and containing in it many petty Kingdoms of this Transitory World by a Synechdoche Was not to Abraham or his Seed That is was not made to Abraham or to his Children to wit Isaac and Jocob c. The promise of the Land of Canaan was made to Abraham and his Children Isaac and Jacob. And not for their own righteousness but for the promise made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob their forefathers did the Israelites afterwards possess that Land Deut. 9.5 Through the Law i e. Through the works of the Law or because they had kept the Law which was given by Moses strictly and exactly as it ought to be kept Nor Abraham nor Isaac nor Jacob could be said to keep the Law which was given by Moses for it was not given till a long time after their death and that the promise of the Land of Canaan was made to them before the giving of the Law it was a Type that justification which was typified by the Land of Canaan should not be by the Law or to them which were under the Law as such The Land of Canaan was a Type of all Spiritual and Heavenly Happiness and therefore a Type not of justification only but of glorification also but it is here put only as a Type of justification by a kind of Synechdoche But through the righteousness of faith That is but through faith which justifieth a man The Righteousness of Faith is put here Per Metonymiam effectus for Faith it self which conferreth or procureth Righteousness or Justification Note â—hat that which the Apostle hath said in this verse is the literal or Historical sence of what he saith out of which he leavs us to gather the Spiritual or Mystical sence which is this Now as the Promise that he should be heir of the Land of Canaan was not made to Abraham or to his carnal seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith So the Spiritual or Mystical promise of Justification was not made to Abraham or his Spiritual seed through the Law or with respect to that no not when the Law should come but through faith and with respect only to that which should not fail to justify those that believed Ver. 14. For if they which are of the Law be heirs i. e. For if they shall be the Heirs to wit of justification which was typified by the Land of Canaan and shall inherit that who are the Children of the Law and under that and that by vertue of the Law c. These Words have their dependance upon the verse going next before but not as it is taken in the Literal sence but in the Mystical sence which we gave of it For the Apostle leaving the literal sence of what he said there comes here to the Mystical sence Faith is made void The way of obtaining Justification by Faith which was the way by which Abraham was justified and by which God promised to justifie his children is made void And therefore is it made void because God hath appointed but one way for justification for there is no difference of wayes as to that Chap 3. ver 22 And Faith and the Law are so different as that they cannot stand together for faith supposeth sin in him that is to be justified but the Law excludes all sin So that he that is justified by the Law is supposed never to have sinned Read Chapter 10. from ver 5 to ver 12. And the promise made of none effect i e. And the promise of
Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is become of none effect the condition thereunto required being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law That the condition required to justification being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law the promise it self of justification is made of none effect the Apostle shews in the next words Justification if it be by the Law cannot be properly called a Promise Gal. 3.18 yet he calls it so here materialiter as not knowing well how to call it otherwise in this his discourse Ver. 15. Because the Law worketh wrath i e. Because the Law is so far from making them acceptable to God which are of or under the Law that they may be justified by him and so receive the promise of justification which he promised to Abraham and his children as that it stirs up Gods anger against them The Law stirs up Gods anger against them that are under it not onely in that the Law calls for punishment against them which transgress it but also because it is an occasion to them which are under it to sin more and more and more grievously than otherwise they would do For I was a live without the Law once saith the Apostle but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7 9. And again ver 8. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence But now that this fell out thus by the Law the fault was not in the Law but in the vitiousness of those which were under it or to whom it was given See those places Rom. 7 For where there is no Law there is no transgression When he saith Where there is no Law there is no transgression he leaves us togather that where there is a Law there is transgression and that frequent transgression too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Transgression signifieth here not every sin which is committed by a Man but such a sin as he commits against a Law plainly given either by word of mouth or by hand-writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Transgression being a sin committed against a Law plainly and distinctly given and that either by word of mouth or by hand writing is Caeteris paribus a more hainous and grievous sin than that which is committed against a Law which is not so given and redounds more to the dishonour of the Law-giver The Apostle by that which he saith here proves that which he said immediately before to wit that the Law worketh wrath For if where the Law is there are transgressions and there be no such sins as transgressions where the Law is not it is evident that the Law is the occasion thereof though not by its own fault yet by the fault of the man to whom it is given And therefore the Law worketh wrath in that it doth not only multiply sins occasionally but elevate those sins to an higher nature and makes them Transgressions as I shewed before Ver 16. Therefore it is of Faith Therefore the promise of Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is of faith that is is to be attained by faith There is no way of obtaining justification which is the promise which God made to Abraham and to his children but either by the Law or by faith Being therefore that the Apostle hath proved that it cannot be obtained by the Law he may well conclude that it is to be obtained by Faith which is that which he sayes when he sayes Therefore it is of Faith That it might be by grace If it had been by the Law it would not have been of Grace but of debt ver 4. To the end the promise might be sure i. e. To the end that the promise of justification which God made to Abraham and to his children or his seed might be sure Sure The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firm He sayes that the Promise which he speaks off may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sure or firm in the regard of the condition required to the obtaining of it for the condition of it being of Faith is such as may be performed and so the promise obtained and sure whereas if it had been of the Law it would not have been so He opposeth here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sure or firm promise to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the promise made of none effect verse 14. though not in words yet in sence To all the Seed By Seed he meaneth not the bodily seed or the children born of Abrahams body as he did ver 13. But he meaneth the spiritual seed or spiritual children of Abraham that is all such as believe the word of God as Abraham did and imitate his faith I say he means all such whether they be Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law Not to that only which is of the Law i e. Not to that only which are the children of the Law that is which are under the Law or to which the Law is given By this he means the Jews Note that this Phrase which is of the Law is the same for substance with that which we read ver 14. But yet there is this difference that there is meant by such as are of the Law such as being under the Law sought for justification by the Law Here are meant such as though they were under the Law yet sought not for justification by the Law but by Faith in Christ But to that also which is of the faith of Abraham i. e. But to that also which only believeth as Abraham did Supple though they are not of or under the Law or though they never had the Law given them as the Jews had By these he means the Gentiles Who is the Father of us all Who is the Father of us all which believe whether we be of the Law or not of the Law that is whether we be Jews or Gentiles He speaks not of Abraham neither doth he call him the Father of us all in the like sence here as he did ver 1. For there he spoke of him in the vulgar manner as he was the Father of all the Jews according to the flesh and called him the Father of all the Jews whether they did believe or no. Here he speaks of him as he was a Father in a Mysticall sence That is as he was the spiritual father of all which believed whether they were Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law V. 17. As it is written To wit Gen. 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations i. e. I will surely make thee a Father of many Nations A Praeterpersect tense is put here for a Future to shew the certainty of the Event of that of which he speaks of Those words as they lie in Genesis carry a double sence with them to wit a Literal or Historical sence and a Mystical or
Sublim sence According to the Literal or Historical sence they are to be understood of such Nations as descended from Abraham by carnall Propagation And many Nations descended from him that way as the Israelites Ishmalites Edomites Amalekites c. According to the Mystical or Sublim sence they are to be taken of such as did imitate the faith of Abraham and were like to him in that And in this sence Abraham was called a Father of many Nations because he was set out by God as a President or Example to them that they might be moved to believe God and so be justified by their faith as Abraham believed God and was justified by his faith And many Nations have become Children of Abraham this way If you ask now in which sence these words are to be understood here I say in the Mystical or Sublime sence Before him whom he believed i. e. In sight of him whom he believed By him whom he believed is meant God as appeareth by the next words whom He to wit Abraham believed when He to wit God promised to give him a Son in his old age and to multiply his seed as the Stars of Heaven These words before him whom he believed are to be referred to those Who is the Father of us all q. d. Who is the Father of us all before him or in the sight of him whom he believed And these words Before God or in the Sight of God use to shew the truth or reality of a thing as Gen 6.11 Eccles 2 26. Luke 1 6 c. The Apostle therefore to shew that Abraham was the Father of us all not in word but in deed Not in the Opinion of Men but in the Judgement and Constitution and Approbation of God saith not only that he was the Father of us all in the Mystical and Sublime sence before mentioned but also adds Before him whom he believed even God Even God who quick'neth the Dead i. e. Even God who raiseth up those to life which were dead And oalleth those things which be not as though they were The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus And who calleth those things which be not as things which be And the sence is thus Which giveth a being to those things which be not as he hath done to those things which be that is Which maketh those things which yet be not to be To call is taken here for To make after the Hebrew manner of Speech So it is said Cap. 9.25 I will call them my People which were not my People and Her Beloved which was not my beloved for I will make them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not my Beloved To call as it signifieth To make seemeth to be spoken if not only yet principally of God And that to shew the Greatness of his power who by his word can produce what he pleaseth as he did Genes 1. To call therefore things which are not as things which are is as if he should call things that are not and say unto them O ye things which are not come out of your nothing and be ye something as things which are and they should obey Man calls only things which are as a Master his Servant to come to him But God calls even things which are not and they come at his call Note that some understand these words That quickneth the dead and calleth the things which are not as those that be in relation to the carnal seed or to the children of Abraham according to the flesh of which the Apostle speaks in the following part of this chapter And then these words must be understood of Gods enabling Abraham to beget and Sarah to conceive when in respect of Generation Abraham and in respect of Conception Sarah were now as dead being that they were both decreped and unfit by nature the one to beget the other to conceive and bear Children By the Dead in this Sence we must understand such as are unfit for Generation and Conception by a Metaphor And by making such alive is meant giving power to such to beget and conceive with child respectively by the like Metaphor And by things which are not are meant not things which are absolutely without a being but things which are without a certain kind of being as Abraham without the natural power of begetting and Sarah without the natural power of conceiving seed But others understand these words That quickneth the dead and calleth the things which be not as those that be as spoken in relation to the Spiritual seed of Abraham such as be Abrahams children by faith And then the meaning of this which quickneth the dead is this which quickneth those which were dead in trespasses and sins by bringing them to a lively faith See for this Ephes 2.1 And the meaning of those words And calleth those things which be not as those that be is this and making those believe which did not believe before Now if it be asked which of these two sences are to be preferred before which I conceive the Later before the former The sence which interprets these words of the Spiritual seed before the sense which interprets those words of the Carnal seed For whereas the Apostle said of Abraham That he is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God signifying thereby that Abraham was the Spiritual Father of us All not in word but in deed not in the opinion of Men but in the Judgement and Approbation and Constitution of God He goes on to to prove that Abraham was such a Father And because to the being of such a Father two things are requisite First that Abraham should be himself a man of a sound and a strong faith Secondly that there should be other men like him in his faith He sheweth both these in this latter part of the Chapter For he sheweth that Abraham was strong in faith vers 18 19 20 c. And he shews That God raiseth up daily faithful men out of such as were not so in the words which we have in hand V. 18. Who against hope believed in hope This is spoken of Abraham whom he made mention of ver 16. It is a great Trajection or Hyperbaton to refer this to the Sixteenth verse I conceive it therefore not amiss for the better Coherence of the Text to understand here these or the like words between this and the former verse viz. That he may raise up seed unto Abraham q. d. Who is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God who quickneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were that he may thereby raise up seed to Abraham who against hope believed in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations c. The Coherence of the Text by this supplement is smooth and who knows not that in the Scripture greater supplements than this
are left to be made up Who against hope i. e. Against all hope which he could conceive by the course of nature of having a child By the course of Nature there was no ground of hope either in Abraham that he should be a Father being that he was now old his seed cold and without spirits Or in Sarah that she should be a Mother having been all her time barren and being now stricken in years and it having long before this ceased to be with her after the manner of women as the Scripture speaketh Gen. 18.11 Believed in hope i. e. Believed God promising him children which should multiply as the Stars of Heaven for number and did so believe as that he hoped through the power of God that he should become the Father of so numerous an Off-spring The hope here spoken of was founded upon the Omnipotent power of God and his Veracity or Truth apprehended by Faith That he might become the Father of many Nations i. e. To wit That he should be the Father of many Nations This word That is to be taken here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as specifying the Object or Thing which Abraham believed According to that which is spoken To wit Genes 15.5 So shall thy seed be i. e. Thy seed shall be as the Stars of heaven which cannot be numbred These words contain the promise of God which Abraham believed and they are taken out of Genes 15.5 where it is written that the Lord brought Abraham forth abroad and said Look now towards heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them And he said unto him so shall thy seed be V. 19. And being not weak in faith The Apostle commendeth here the faith of Abraham and he doth it after the manner of the Hebrews by denying the contrary of that which he would strongly affirm which kind of figure the Grammarians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is said to be weak in faith which doubteth of any thing See Chap. 14.1 And compare it with 1 Cor. 8. v 7 12. He considered not his own body now dead i. e. He considered not that feebleness or disability of his own body so as by reason of that to doubt or despair of the promise of God These words are thus to be understood and with this or the like limitation for otherwise Abraham did consider both his own body now dead and the deadness of Sarah's womb Genes 17.17 Now dead i. e. Now old and feeble and unfit for generation and as it were dead in respect of that See notes ver 17. The deadness of Sarah's womb i. e. The barrenness of Sarah's womb and the indisposition thereof to Conception V. 20. He staggered not at the promise of God i. e. He doubted not of the Promise of God He which doubteth is like a staggering man for as a staggering man reeleth now to one hand and now to another So doth the man that doubteth lean sometimes to one thing and sometimes declins from it again There were two things considerable here in this case of Abraham the Power and Veracity of God on the one side and the deadness of his own Body and of Sarah's Womb on the other Though Abraham might believe the promise of God when he considered the Power and Truth of God yet if he had not been exceeding strong in faith he might have declined and leaned to unbelief when he considered that he himself and Sarah his Wife were both dead that is both unfit he to beget and she to conceive Children by the course of Nature Giving glory to God i. e. Believing God and relying upon his promise He is said to give glory to God which doth or saith or thinketh any thing which is honourable to God or which is sutable to his Majesty and Attributes Therefore because it is honourable to God to say or think that God is true and able to bring to pass whatsoever he will and in consideration and faith thereof to rely upon his promises Abraham is said here to give glory to God when he believed God and relyed upon his word So when Joshua would have Achan to confess his sin he said My Son give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel Josh 7.19 And this he said because by this confession Achan would declare that God saw secret things and that he was not deceived in that he saw Achans sin and singled him out among all the men of Israel as guilty of that sin which was a thing honourable to God V. 21. He was able also to perform Promises are taken for as good as Performances where there is no doubt either of the will or of the power of him which promiseth Now that God had a will to perform what he promiseth is easy to believe But not so easy to believe that he hath a power to perform what he promiseth for many wise men of the world took God to be nothing else but Nature and therefore believed nothing which was promised above Nature But Abraham believed that which was abo ve Nature here and therefore it is said to his praise here that he was fully perswaded that what God promised he was able also to perform Ver. 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness And because Abraham was thus perswaded and did firmly believe that God was able to make him the Father of a Seed as many as the Stars of Heaven for number therefore was this his faith or this that he was thus perswaded and that he did thus believe imputed or counted to him for righteousness This Illative Therefore doth not signifie that the faith which was here imputed or counted rather to Abraham for righteousness did merit the righteousness for which it was imputed or counted to him but only sheweth the soundness and sincerity of his faith or that that God saw it to be true sound and sincere Imputed to him for righteousness The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred Was counted or set upon accounts to him for righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly to Enter any thing upon the accounts of a man And it is a word as I have said before borrowed from Merchants which upon their Book of accounts with a man enter the Wares which they have had of him and the price or goods which they are to give in exchange for them Here faith is as it were the Ware Righteousness the Price or Goods to be given for it The Object of this faith which is here said to be imputed or counted rather to Abraham for Righteousness is this as plainly appears by the Context that God promised Abraham to make him a Father of many Nations and to give him a Seed as the Stars of heaven for multitude and that out of his own Body by carnal Propagation The belief of that I say is that which is counted here to Abraham for Righteousness Where note that though never
any man of years was justified without saith Nor ever any man was justified without the merits of Christ And that whosoever is justified now under the Gospel by faith must have an Explicit and particular faith of Jesus Christ yet before the Gospel a General faith was sufficient to justification For as the Gospel was but rudely drawn to them which lived before Christ So was the faith required of them but rude as I may say and general and such as if they did believe the general promises of God made to them and relie upon them and live or resolve to live as those that did expect the performance of those promises their faith should for Christs sake which was to come be counted to them for Righteousness Ver. 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was counted to him c. Now this that the faith or belief of Abraham was imputed or counted rather to him for Righteousness was written indeed for Abraham's sake Gen. 15.6 But it was not written for Abraham's sake alone that it was imputed or counted to him for Righteousness but for our sakes also c. That which is written Gen. 15.6 That Abraham believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for Righteousness was written for Abraham's sake that Abraham might be praised and had in repute amongst men for this his faith and accounted by them worthy to be the Father of many Nations But yet it was not written for his sake alone or for this end only that he might be praised and had in repute among men and accounted by them worthy to be the Father of many Nations But it was written for our sakes also to assure us that if we believe the Gospel as firmly as Abraham believed what God promised him we shall be justified by our faith as Abraham was by his Ver. 24. But for us also i. e. But for our sakes also To whom it shall be imputed i. e. To whom that that we believe shall be imputed or counted for Righteousness If we believe on him i. e. If we rely on him and trust on him for the performance of his promises made to us Whom he means by Him he sheweth in the next words If we truly believe the promises of God we cannot but trust in God and rely on him for performance of those his promises Wherefore as I have observed before by reason of the near connexion of these two one with the other To rely on God and trust in him or believe in him is often put Per Metonymiam Consequentis for to believe him and his promises Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead By this Periphrasis he meaneth God for God is said to have raised up Jesus having loosed the pains of death Acts 2.24 He describeth God here by this That he raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead because it containeth a notable Argument to induce us to believe in God as Saint Peter teacheth 1 Pet. 1.21 And because this that he raised up Christ from the dead is as it were a Compendium of our faith For he that believeth this believeth that Jesus is the Christ and that he is the Saviour of the world who dyed and rose again for our Salvation and that he shall be our Judge at the last day Acts 17.31 c. Again he describeth God by this That he raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead in this place because he would allude to that which Abraham believed here who though he saw both his own Body now dead and the deadness of Sarah's Womb v. 19. yet he believed that God could raise them both from that death or deadness Ver. 25. Who was delivered To wit to death Jesus Christ was delivered to death by God the Father Rom. 8.32 The Apostle had rather say who was delivered to wit to death than who dyed because the Expiation of our sins did depend upon the good pleasure of God who would this way be appeased for the sins of Man For our offences i. e. For the Expiation and taking away of our sins Metonymia Objecti And rose again To wit from the dead For our Justification i. e. For the Remission of our sins This is as if he should have said who both dyed through the appointment of God and rose again for our justification or for the remission of our sins The Apostle therefore expresseth one and the same thing here by two several phrases the like to which he did Chap. 3. verse 30. Christ dyed that he might as a Surety for us pay the debt which was due from us for our sins to wit death and so deliver us from those our sins hence Christ is said to redeem us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 But yet the death of Christ and his undergoing the Curse of the Law for us would have availed us nothing if that Christ had alwayes lyen under death and alwayes lyen under the Curse of the Law as being overcome and conquered and kept Captive thereby For to be detained alwayes a Prisoner in that Prison from whence there is no coming forth before the payment of the uttermost farthing Mat. 5.26 is to be always under execution and to evacuate and null the Plea of the full payment of our debt for which our Surety stood engaged for us Therefore it was necessary that Christ that he might redeem us fully and pay our full debt should not only dye for us but also rise again and upon this ground doth our Apostle rightly conclude that if Christ be not raised our faith is vain we are yet in our sins 1 Cor. 15.17 And hence it is that he saith Rom 8.34 It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again And not only for this reason may Christ be said to rise again for our justification but also for that That he when he arose from the dead he arose that he might ascend into Heaven there to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 Where he is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.38 CHAP. V. 1. THerefore being justified by saith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 1. I have shewed you hitherto that we are not justified by works but by faith And now that I have shewed you that we are justified by faith let me shew you how many and great benefits do accrue to us by this justification Therefore being justified by faith the wrath of God is appeased towards us and God is at peace with us for our Lord Jesus Christs sake 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace and favour of Justification wherein we stand And we have hope of the glory of God to wit that we shall one day enjoy it and be
the Sea wherein they were wont to drown those which were accounted Malefactours and were persons condemned to die Others by height understand heaven by depth hell And by those again such as were in heaven and in hell q. d. Nor can heaven nor hell that is nor can any in heaven or in hell if they should set themselves against us be able to separate us c. Nor any other Creature i. e. Nor any other thing whatsoever From the Love of God i. e. From the love which God sheweth us Which is in Christ Jesus i. e. Which love he sheweth to or towards us for Christ Jesus our Lords sake The Preposition In is taken here after the Hebrew manner for For the sake of For the Hebrews take this Preposition In for almost any Preposition whatsoever CHAP. IX 1. I Say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost 1. I have hitherto plainly and undeniably shewed that Justification is not by works but by faith And I have declared the rich blessings and mercies which God bestoweth on them which are Justified by faith wherefore I say the truth in the sight of Christ my conscience also bearing me witness before the holy Ghost who knows my heart and will require it of me If I say false 2. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart 2. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh 3. For my brethren the Jews who are my kinsmen according to the flesh for I could wish if yet I might lawfully wish it that I were accursed and everlastingly separated from Christ for them 4 Who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises 4. Who are so great priviledges and prerogatives have they above all people the children of Israel which was the friend of God by true lineal descent of blood and to whom pertaineth the Adoption by which they are made Sons of God And the glory which appertaineth to them which are Gods people and the Morall Law which was given by Moses in Tables of Stone And the Judicial Law which was given them for the maintainance of Civil Society among themselves and the Ceremonial Law which taught them the manner of Gods service and worship and all the promises contained in the books of the Old Testament 5. Whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen 5. Whose are the Fathers those Ancient Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of whom Christ was born as he was Man even Christ who is Lord over all and God as well as Man yea God blessed for evemore Amen 6. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect For they are not all Israel which are of Israel 6. But here before I can finish my sentence and speak out my mind which I will do Chap. 10. ver 1 2 3. I must prevent an Objection which here ariseth For whereas my Brethren the Jews know that I exclude them all from Justification which seek not after it by faith They will be ready to tell me that whereas I said that the promises appertain to them I make the promises of God of none effect except I grant them to be justified for among the promises of God there is a promise made to the Israelites which they say they are that he will cleanse them from all their iniquity and pardon all their sins Jer. 31. ver 31 34. Jer. 33.4 Micah 7.18 But for an answer to this though I say that the promises appertain to them and do acknowledge such a promise as they make mention of yet let no man think that I have so spoken as that it may be gathered from my words that the promise of God is of none effect because I will not grant them to be justified for though that promâ—se of God be made to all Israel and so to them upon condition yet if we speak of that promise absolutely All they which are descended from Israel by lineal succession of blood are not that Israel or those sons of Israel to whom that promise of Righteousness or Justification doth absolutely belong 7. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called 7. For neither are they which are of Abraham upon that meer account that they are descended from Abraham by carnal Generation to be accounted that seed and those children of Abraham to whom the Spiritual promise of justification doth absolutely belong For the seed or children of Abraham to whom the promise of the Land of Canaan did appertain were not that seed or those children of Abraham which were in the loins of Ishmael which yet came our of the loins of Abraham but that seed or those chidren of Abraham which were in the loines of Isaac according to that which was said to Abraham by the Angel Gen. 21.12 But in Isaac shall thy seed be to wit that seed of thine which shall inherit the Land of Canaan which I have promised to thee and to thy children 8. That is they which are the children of the flesh these are noâ— the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed 8. That is according to the Mystical meaning of the words for not the literal but the Mystical sence is that which makes for my purpose and that for which I alledge these words they which are the children of Abraham according to the flesh which children were typified in Ishmael these are not the children of Abraham to which God promised that spiritual gift of justification which was typified by the Land of Canaan But those spiritual children which God promised to Abraham in a Mystical sence Genes 17.5 When he said I have made thee a Faâ—her of many Nations that is the faithful or they which are of faith whether they be Jews or whether they be Gentiles by birth and which were typified by Isaac they and they only are to be accounted that seed of Abraham to which the promise of justification doth absolutely belong 9 For this is the word of promise At this time will I come and Sara shall have a son 9. I say which were typified by Isaac for Iâ—aac was a son of promise that is Isaac was born to Abraham by vertue of Gods promise whereby he said by his Angel to him at this time the next year will I come unto thee And then Sara thy wife shall have a son whom thou shalt call Isaac Gen. 18.10 And because Isaac was a son of promise or because he was born of Abraham's body by vertue of Gods promise made to Abraham his Father He was a type of that spiritual seed to
Justification which were figured by the Land of Canaan But those spiritual children which God promised to Abraham that is the faithful those which are like to Abraham in faith and which are typified in Isaac who was a child of promise they and they only are to be counted and are indeed the seed of Abraham to which God made that spiritual promise of Justification That is q. d. That is to say by Interpretation They which are the children of the Flesh i. e They which are the children of Abraham descended of the flesh of Abraham Or taking a Substantive of the Genitive case after the Hebrew manner for an Adjective they which are the Fleshly and Bodily children of Abraham and sprung out of Abrahams loins by bodily or fleshly Generation as such Such children as these were which were children of Abraham only because they descended out of the loins of Abraham were typified by Ishmael whom Abraham begot by the ordinary course of nature while nature was strong in him and he needed not any extraordinary renewing of his strength from God as he needed when he begat Isaac These are not the children of God i. e. These are not the children of Abraham whom God promised to bless with the Spiritual blessing of Justification which was typified by the Land of Canaan But the children of the promise i. e. But the spiritual children which God promised to Abraham that is the faithful they are they to whom God promised the blessing of justification In these word to wit the Children of the Promise these words viz. of the promise are put for promised after the manner of the Hebrews who put a Substantive of the Genitive case often for an Adjective or Participle You will ask who or what are these children of Abraham which are called here the children of the promise I answer They which are of the faith of Abraham that is the faithful and such as believe they are the children of Abraham which are called here The children of promise whether they be Jews or whether they be Gentiles See for this Rom. 4.16 Gal. 3.7 where it is said that they which are of Faith the same are the children of Abraham You will ask again Why they are called the children of promise I answer because they are not such as were born of Abraham by carnal Propagation But such as God gave him by promise and called his Children only because they imitated his vertues but principally his faith You will ask yet again where God promised these or such children as these are to Abraham I answer He promised them Gen. 17.5 Where he saith to Abraham I will make thee a Father of many Nations for proof of this read Rom. 4. verse 16 17. These children were typified in Isaac and Isaac in that he was promised to Abraham before he was born when Abrahams body and Sarahs womb were now both dead Gen. 18.10 Rom. 4.19 might be in particular a Type of that Spiritual seed which God promisâ—d to Abraham that is of the Faithful Ver. 9. For this is the word of promise at this time will I come and Sara shall have a Son q. d. For Isaac was a Son of Promise as appeareth by that word of promise which we read Gen. 18. ver 8 10. where God or an Angel in the person or behalf of God said to Abraham and to Sarah his wife At this time the next year I will come and Sarah shall have a son which son was Isaac As Isaac was a son of promise so are they which are typified in Isaac the children of promise And therefore as not any other sons of Abraham but only Isaac who was born by Vertue of Gods promise and the seed in him had the promise of the Land of Canaan So they only which are the children of the promise that is the faithful which were typified in Isaac have the spiritual promises of justification which was typified by the Land of Canaan Ver. 10. And not only this but when Rebecca also had conceived c. The Apostle in this and the Verses next Following prevents and answers an objection For whereas he had shewed in the foregoing verses that the promise of justification belonged not to the Jews or to the Israelites as they were Israel according to the Flesh It might be objected that though it were granted that the promise of justification belonged not to them meerly as they were the children of Israel according to the Flesh yet surely it belonged to them and they would be justified as They sought justification by their works This objection I say The Apostle here prevents and answers after this manner q. d. But as the promise of justification did not belong to the Jews or children of Israel according to the Flesh as such So neither shall they be justified though they seek justification by their works For when Rebecca her self who was the wife of Isaac had conceived by our Father Isaac her husband It was said unto her when she had coâ—ceived and while two twins were in her womb The elder which was Esau who was a type of the Jâ—ws or Israelites according to the Flesh shall serve the younger which was Jacob who was a type of the faithful with which sayings both shall accord which was written afterwards Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Now in that it was then said to Rebecca The elder shall serve the younger when she had conceived It is an Argument to prove that the Jews or Israelites according to the Flesh should not be justified by their works Though they sought justification thereby For it was therefore said unto Rebecca by the word of God the elder shall serve the younger at that time when she had conceived when the children of which she conceived were not yet born neiâ—her had done either good or evil To signifie in a type or mystery that the purpose of God concerning the election of men to justification was and always should be to elect them not for their works sake but for his own mercy and good pleasure sake who calleth us to the Grace and promises of the Gospel that we might believe by the preaching thereof and so be justified by his mercy But when Rebecca also had conceived by one c. Rebecca was the wife of Isaac who conceived at this time by Isaac her husband and conceived of two children which children between the time of her conception and their birth kept a great strugling and striving in her womb at which Rebecca was much troubled and desiring to know what it meant she went to enquire of the Lord and the Lord said unto her Two Nations that is the heads of two Nations are in thy womb and two manner of people that is And two twins from whom two manner of people shall proceed shall come out of thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger than the other And the elder that is they which shall be born of the
of Isaac and so descended from him that is but they which are the Sons or the seed of Abraham by Isaac his Son they and only they are and shall be called and esteemed as the seed or children of Abraham to whom the promises of the Land of Canaan belongeth The Apostle proveth here that which he said immediately before viz. That because they are the seed of Abraham they are not all Children And his proof is to this effect viz. Because neither Ishmael though he came out of the loins of Abraham nor his Posterity though they had truely the same descent had to do with the promise of the Land of Canaan which the Lord promised to Abraham and his seed And therefore they were not Abrahams seed or Children in respect of that but in respect of that Isaac only and his Posterity were children of Abraham and so called Note here that the Land of Canaan which was a Land flowing with milk and honey and into which Joshua the Son of Nun a type of our Jesus brought the Israelites was a type of all those Graces and spiritual blessings which we receive by Christ Jesus This Land of Canaan did God promise to give to Abraham and to his seed Gen. 12.7 and Gen. 13.15 And yet not to him and to all or any of his seed but only to him and his Son Isaac and to those which should come of him for when Sarah cried out to Abraham concerning Hagar and her Son Ishmael which she had by Abraham Cast out the Bond woman and her Son for the son of the Bond woman shall not be heir with my son even with Isaac And the thing was very grievous in Abrahams sight because of his son Ishmael God said unto Abraham Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the Lad Ishmael and because of thy Bond-woman Hagar but in all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her voice For in Isaac shall thy seed to wit that seed which shall inherit the Land of Canaan which I promised thee be called Gen. 21. ver 10 11 12. And therefore Abraham at his death gave all that he had to Isaac but unto the sons of the Concubines which he had He gave gifts and sent them away from Isaac his son while he yet lived Eastward into the East Country Gen. 25. ver 5 6. Now as the promise of the Land of Canaan which God made to Abraham and his seed appertained not to all the sons of Abraham though they were his sons or children by carnal generation and came out of his Loins but only to Isaac So do the promises of the spiritual blessings As of justification and remission of sins c. which were typified by the Land of Canaan which were made to Abraham and his seed appertain not to those which were typified by Ishmael but only to those which were typified by his son Isaac and who those were the Apostle opens in the next verse following The land of Canaan was as I said A type of all the Spiritual blessings which we receive by Christ Jesus as justification and glorification c. But here by a kind of Synechdoche it is to be taken particularly as a type of justification But in Isaac shall thy seed be called q. d. For it is written that not that seed of Abraham which was in the loins of Ishmael But only that seed of his which is or shall be in the loins of Isaac shall be indeed and accounted as the seed of Abraham to wit that seed of his which shall be heir of the promised Land of Canaan This is the sence of this place which to make up we have borrowed somewhat from the History as it is recorded Gen. 21. ver 10 11. Note here that the Syntax requireth that the Apostle should have said thus Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all Children but only in Isaac shall his seed be called But the Apostle saith not in Isaac shall his seed be called but in Isaac shall thy seed be called using not the third but the second person not his but thy Where it is to be observed that the Apostle useth the words here as they lie in the story Gen. 21.12 where because God speaketh to Abraham He saith In Isaac shall thy seed be called And because they lie so in the story therefore doth the Apostle rehearse them so here for so is his manner for the most part when he quoteth any testimony out of the Old Testament to quote the words as they are found there without any alteration of the Person or Syntax leaving the Person and the Syntax to be understood or ordered to his Readers The like we have Rom. 3.4 c. And by reason of this must we also understand these words in a Preterperfect tense though they were spoken in the story in the future In Isaac shall thy seed be called That is the seed which is or shall be in Isaac thy son and in his loins and that only shall be called or That only shall be thy seed that is That seed of thine to which I promised the Land of Canaan and which shall inherit it Note here by the way that from this limitation of Abrahams seed to Isaac the Jews do reckon none for Abrahams children but the Israelites As in their Canons they say that who so voweth concerning Abrahams seed he is free from Ishmaels and Esaus sons and is not bound but touching Israels Maimon Treat of Vows Chap. 9. Sect. 1. In the Hebrew manner of speech To be called signifies truly to be and with the limitation aforesaid None of the seed of Abraham but only they which descended from Isaac were to be the children of Abraham that is to say Those children of Abraham to whom the Land of Canaan was promised and of which they should be heirs But you will say what is this to the purpose that God said to Abraham That in Isaac only shall thy seed be called that is that that seed only which shall come from Isaac is that seed to which I have promised the Land of Canaan Answ It is little to the purpose if we look only upon the Literal or Historical sence of the words but it is altogether tâ— the purpose if we look upon the Mystical sence Therefore the Apostle expounds the Mystical meaning of them in the next verse Ver. 8. That is they which are the children of the Flesh these are not the children of God But the children of the promise are counted for the seed q. d. That is by interpretation of the Type or That is that I may interpret that which I spoke of Isaac and the seed which was in him according to the mystical or spiritual meaning thereof They which are the children of Abraham only according to that that they descended from Abraham by natural Generation and so were flesh of his flesh these are not those children of Abraham to whom God made the Promise of