Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	good_a	sin_n	transgression_n	4,384	5	10.5404	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37291	A paraphrase and commentary upon the epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans by William Day ...	Day, William, ca. 1605-1684.	1666 (1666)	Wing D473; ESTC R6047	560,180	444

that even then there were a Remnant of Jewes whom God had justified verses 2 3 4 5 6. But yet he saith that the Jews for the greatest part of them which sought for Justification by works obteined it not but those few which believed atteined to it and the rest were blinded and fell verses 7 8 9 10. and that into their place the Gentiles were received verse 11. But yet he saith that they fell not so as that they should not rise again but might recover their fall and this he proveth by the calling of the Gentiles which were called and received that they might provoke the Jews to jealousie and make them to strive to hold or regain the love of God which they had lost or well nigh lost verses 11 12. He proves it also by the end of his own preaching which was that if by any means he could he might save some of them verses 13 14 15. He proves it also by that that they were the branches of an holy root that is that they were the children of Abraham which was holy and therefore of the Church or People of God which was holy verse 16. But yet because some of the branches of that tree were broken off and cast out of the number of Gods people or Church and the Gentiles were grafted in in their room he admonisheth the Gentiles not to boast against the Jewes but rather to fear For as the Jewes were cut off by reason of their unbelief and as they were grafted into their room and stood because of their Faith So might they be cut off again if they fell back into unbelief and the Jewes be grafted in again if they would believe verses 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Then verses 25 26 27. he returns to prove that God had not utterly cast off his people because he intends to send them a Deliverer by whom they shall be saved from their sins when the fullness of the Gentiles is come in And because they were a People whom God had elected to be a peculiar people to himself and such as that he would not utterly leave destitute without the means of Salvation though many of them fell from the Society of that people by unbelief and that for their Fathers sake verse 28 29. and because though God had concluded them for the greatest part in unbelief yet he did it for this end that he might have mercy upon them verses 30 31 32. Which dispensations he saith were done in wisedome by God though his Counsel and Wisedome is unsearchable therein verse 33. Thus having finished the Doctrinal part of this his Epistle he comes artificially in the twelfth Chapter to the second part thereof to wit the moral part which he continues from thence to the End of his Epistle Saint Peter in his second Epistle Chap. 3. ver 15 16. Saith that in the Epistle which Paul wrote to the Jews as also in all other his Epistles there are some things hard to be understood which they which are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do all other Scriptures unto their own destruction Whether this Epistle of Saint Paul be the peculiar Epistle which Saint Peter meant by that which Saint Paul wrote to the Jewes as some would have it Or whether the Epistle to the Hebrews as others or no. Sure it is that in this Epistle of his to the Romans there be some things hard to be understood and there be things which they which are unlearned and unstable have wrested to their own destruction For because that Saint Paul declares in this his Epistle that Justification is not by the workes of the Law but by Faith and so by Grace to omit many other errors falsely collected out of other passages of this his Epistle not well understood some have contented themselves with the empty name of Faith as though that were enough not only to Justifie them but to save them and have altogether neglected good workes and even fought against them For that there were those even in the Apostles time which taught that a barren Faith which produceth not works was sufficient to salvation We may learn both from Saint James and from Saint Jude in their Epistles and Saint Augustine sheweth as much in his book De Vnico Baptismo contra Petilianum Cap. 10. Tom. 7 page 85. col 2. A. This was Simon Magus's doctrine or wicked heresie rather and the doctrine and heresie of his Disciples called from him Simoniani as also of the Menandrians Basilidians Gnosticks Manichees Aetians and Eunomians All or some of which did willingly embrace all manner of sin and turpitude as the fruit of the grace of God by which we are saved Such Hereticks did the ages following bring forth and to Skip to later times such were and are they which are called Antinomians whose Tenets concerning good works and faith among other are these That the Law is not given to Christians That the ten Commandments ought not to be taught in Churches That it is sufficient for a wicked man to believe and not to doubt of his Salvation That neither good works profit to Salvation neither ill workes do no hurt That to say that the Law is a rule of life is blasphemy in Divinity c. Then which nothing can be more destructive of a man's Salvation and these their Heresies they drew from the misunderstanding of Saint Pauls words in this his Epistle But because in this Epistle of Saint Paul's there are many things which are hard to be understood for the better understanding of this Epistle it will be expedient to know First What is the main Scope of the doctrinal part at least of this Epistle of Saint Paul Secondly How one thing hangs or depends upon another Thirdly How the Scriptures which he alledgeth so often make for the proofs for which he alledgeth them Fourthly How he useth many words which he useth and in what sense For the first of these that short Epitome which I have given of the eleven first Chapters may suffice As for the second know first that it is the manner of the Apostle as in other of his Epistles so especially in this to prevent objections which may arise out of that which he said either immediately or a little before which objections because he doth not express but pass them over in silence and onely give the answer in express terms makes the greater Hiatus and seeming independence of one sentence upon another to be in his writings which would not have been if he had expressed the objections as well as he doth the answers And the variety of mens conjectures what the objection in every place from whence it ariseth is I conceive to be one great cause that men so much differ in their judgements concerning the interpretation of divers places of this Epistle But the objections which the Apostle prevents or answers are not made alwaies in the person of one sort of men but sometimes in the person

the same Authour is to be sold at the sign of the Kings Arms in Saint Pauls Church-yard Corrigenda Addenda PAg. 8. col 1. lin 32. read And that by his own power Pag. 11. col 1. lin 24. read Shalom Pag. 12 col 2. lin 37. read To what followeth Pag. 14. col 1. lin 10. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lin 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lin 22. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 col 2 lin 26. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag 23. col 2. lin 29 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 24. col 1. lin 21. read Tertul. de Idolatria Pag. 26. col 1. lin 42. read And withheld Pag. 28. col 1. lin 3. read In some by wayes and here in particular an erring from that which nature it self shewed Every sin lin 55. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 29. col 1. lin 19. read Thus. Pag. 37. col 2 lin 49. read They had of themselves through Gods long-suffering Pag. 42. col 1. lin 23. read And. Pag. 54. Verse 23. of the Paraphrase read Of the praise of God Pag 60. col 2 lin 5. read When he saith Pag. 63. col 2. lin 8. read Produceth Pag. 72. col 1. lin 47. read The faith of and faith in Pag. 82. col 1. lin 28. read For him Pag. 83. col 1. lin 14. read Worketh not Pag. 89. col 1. lin 34. read Being faith Pag. 90. col 1. lin 41. read Sense is this Pag 97. col 1. lin 17. read That the love of God is made known Pag. 100. col 2. lin 19. read Rom. 8.32 Pag. 102. col 1. lin 41. dele And. Pag. 105. col 1. lin 51. read As it doth verse 9. lin 52. r. Yet they do not so indeed Pag. 106. col 1. lin 36. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 col 2. lin 49. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 107. col 1. lin 9. read Though this Pag. 109. col 1. lin 49. read Was this that sin did abound Pag. 114. col 2. lin 30. read At his baptisme Pag. 116. col 2. lin 30. read Doth commonly infer Pag. 118. col 2. lin 30. read Grace But by what means soever our old man is crucified it is crucified for this end that the body of sin might be destroyed that from thenceforth we might not serve sin Pag. 120. col 1. lin 50. read Nor ever had he any motions of sin in him whereby he might be said to have ceased from yielding to her motions col 2 lin 45. r. Sutable to her Pag. 130 Verse 18. in the Paraphrase read thus No habitual good in me that is in my flesh to quell sin For to will that which is good is present with me Ver. 21. In the paraphrase read thus that no habitual good dwelleth in me But I find also a Law Ver. 23. r. dictates of my mind Pag. 132. col 1. lin 6. read Over a man Pag. 133. col 2. lin 29 read That as Christ was raised Pag. 134. col 2. lin 35. read Not any true Genuine cause Pag. 136. col 2 lin 23. read A Genuine cause Pag. 137. col 1. lin 27. read Acrius urit Pag. 138. col 1. lin 30. read Here from the seventh verse col 2. lin 45. r. A commandement properly taken col 2. lin 56. r. A cause of death Pag. 139 col 1. lin 1. read a cause lin 11. r. a cause lin 44 r. a cause Pag. 139. col 2. lin 5 6 7. read Which was under the imperfection of the Law yet which had atteined to the highest degree in that estate which any one of them whom he personates came to Pag. 140. col 2. lin 21. read Whereby he concludes lin 28. r. That do it Pag. 141 col 1. lin 45. read An habitual good and such an habitual good col 2. lin 45 r. No habitual good lin 47. r. Whereby to subdue sin Pag. 142. col 1. lin 1. read That when I would do good evil is present with me i. e. That there is that in my flesh col 2. lin 4. r. I do not Pag. 143. col 2. lin 11. read Here after this manner through the sense col 2. lin 38. r. The Congeries of particular sins Pag. 144. col 1. lin 24. read But yet such a one Pag. 150. col 2. lin 43. read i. e. Impotent and weak col 2 lin 49. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 151. col 2. lin 21. read With a Noun and Verb or Participle Substantive Pag 152. col 2. lin 57. read To the Objector viz. that they which are in the flesh do walk after the flesh that by granting Pag 159 col 2 lin 54. read A glorious i. e. an incorruptible Pag 160. col 1. lin 46. read And their desire Pag. 163. col 1. lin 51. read Conjugation Pag. 164. col 2. lin 3. read A correction Pag. 170. col 2. lin 10. read Such are often Pag 175. col 1. lin 23. r●ad Fortassis miserereris Pag 178. col 1. lin 54. read Not taken none effect Pag. 181. col 1. lin 5. read Which was figured Pag. 182. col 1. lin 21. read That doth accord Pag. 185. col 2. lin 52. read These as such Pag. 186 col 1. lin 2. read Of which col 1. lin 34 r. God is not unjust in justifying all those which are the Children of the promise or Children according to the Spirit though they were Gentiles most of them col 2. lin 30. r. As we shall observe Chap. 10.17 col 2. lin 54. r. Having therefore Pag. 187. col 2. lin 35. read Heemaditha Pag. 189 col 1 lin 15. read Satan to harden them and to foster col 1 17. r. As by suggesting col 2. lin 8. r. But he had rather before he gives a direct answer col 2. lin 43. r. Of mankind i. e. over all sinners col 2. lin 50. r. But yet it meets Pag. 190. col 1. lin 12. read That core Pag. 192. col 2 lin 25. read Dwelling and become Proselytes of the Jews Pag. 196. col 1. lin 18. read And ushers in a reason Pag. 200. Verse 14. in the Paraphrase read Note here ye Jews Pag 217. col 1. lin 13. read With a Noun and Verb Substantive Pag. 219 col 2. lin 48. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lin 49. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 224 col 1. lin 36. read For to Abraham and to his seed were many Pag. 227. col 2. lin 18. read Or else to those words Pag. 228. col 1. lin 35. read Decree before he did extend Pag. 2●9 col 1. lin 31 read In relation to lin 46. r. Doth rather say Pag. 257 col 1. lin 14. read Or it is taken for the carnal affections Pag. 268. col 1. lin 23. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 270. col 1 lin 16. read Not of the evil of sin Pag 276. col 2. lin 17. read Therefore Pag 277. col 2. lin 17. read

Preaching of the Gospel See 1 Pet. 1. v. 20 21 22. A Propitiation A Propitiation is put here for a Propitiator or one that doth appease the displeasure of God The Act for the Cause or the Author thereof by a Metalepsis That which is rendred a Propitiation is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some render Propitiatorem taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine Gender as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But most take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter Gender And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter Gender which in Latin is rendred Propitiatorium the Propitiatory is used by the Greek Interpreters of the Old Testament most commonly for the Cover of the Ark of the Covenant upon which God sat between the wings of the Cherubims as appeareth Exod. 25. v. 17 18 19 20 22 and 31. v. 7. and 35. v. 12. Levit 16.2 Numb 7.89 c. Now the Cover of the Ark did as it were keep from the eyes of God who sat between the Wings of the Cherubims upon that Cover Exod. 25 22. Numb 7.89 whatsoever was in the Ark of the Covenant which was covered therewith And in the Ark of the Covenant there were the Tables of the Covenant that is of the Law Heb. 9.4 This Cover therefore by keeing the Tables of the Covenant or the Law from the eyes of God did in a manner keep the sins of Men from his eyes which were Transgressions of that Covenant or of that Law for what is Sin but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 And what were those Tables of the Covenant but the Tables in which the Law was written And if the Law were kept from his eyes then must the Transgression of the Law be also kept from them For who can see the Transgressions of the Law which seeth not the Law it self Rectum est Index sui obliqui For this reason was that Cover called in Hebrew Capporet a word which is derived from a verb which hath the signification of Expiating and Propitiating and for this reason did the Greek Interpre●ers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Verbal derived from a Verb of the like signification And for this reason was this Cover a Type of Christ whom God had decreed from all eternity to send and in his appointed time did send forth to purchase forgiveness for the sins of his People which forgiveness is often signified by the name of Covering for blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered saith the Psalmist quoted by our Apostle Rom. 4.7 c. In Allusion to this Cover of the Ark and to this use thereof which we have spoken of is our Saviour called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Note that the Apostle doth in these and in the following words set forth all the causes of Mans justification which he doth therefore because justification is the chief Scope of his Epistle and the main Controversie between him and the Jews The chief and principal cause therefore of our Justification is God himself the Meritorious cause is Christ Jesus his merit is his blood that is his Death and Passion The Material cause or Subject of justification is Man the Formall cause is the Remission of sins The Condition required on mans part is Faith the final cause or End why God did justifie Man is his own Glory for he did it that he might be known to be Just in his promise of justification which sheweth his truth and that he might be known to be the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus which sheweth his mercy and goodness Through Faith q. d. To be enjoyed or made ours through Faith That is to be enjoyed by us and made ours if we believe Here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this he excludes Works again We are taught by this that God though he did so love the world as that he gave Jesus Christ to be a Propitiation for the sins thereof yet notwithstanding he requires a condition of them that are to be justified before they shall be justified and have their sins forgiven and that is Faith Or that they must use Faith as an Instrument to apply this Grace which I account as the same In his blood Some refer these words to those whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation And then this Praeposition In is to be taken for through as it is taken ver 24. And the sence is to be this Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through his blood to be enjoyed or made our Propitiation through Faith In the words so construed there must be a Trajection or an Hyberbaton which yet is a figure not unusual with our Apostle who sometimes useth yea often through the ardency of his Spirit to go to a second thing before he hath done with the first and then to return to the first again These words so conjoyned shew how Christ was to be and is our Propitiation or Propitiator or Propitiatory to wit by dying for us and shedding his blood for our sins This Exposition is favoured by that that in the Original as most Expositors read it it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a Tenuis but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Asperate But it may be asked what hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be either taken for the Cover of the Arke or alludeth thereunto to do with blood Answ I have shewed how that Cover of the Ark was a Propitiatory and why it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and how it was a Type of Christ and indeed as it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Propitiatory and as it was a Type of Christ it had nothing significant of blood it did onely signifie that Christ should be our Propitiator or Propitiation but did not signifie how he should be so for Types are for the most part imperfect But what that Type signified not other Types did signifie For the Legall remission of sins which was through the blood of the Beast which was slain for a Sacrifice did Praefigure the Real and Evangelical remission of sins through the blood of Christ who was to be slain for us In that therefore that with the mention of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is mention of blood there is a double allusion an allusion to the Cover of the Ark which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Propriatory and an allusion to the Sacrifices of the Law wherein was blood by which was a Legal remission of sins And such a mixture of Types and Sences in speech is not unusuall But as some refer these words By his blood by an Hyperbaton to those more remote words Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation So others refer them to the words which they immediately follow namely to those Through Faith

For my self I take these words as actully referred to the words going next before them to wit to these Through faith but as Potentially relating to the former words also q. d. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through his blood and to be enjoyed and made ours through faith in that his blood So that by what is expressed in the latter sentence we are to understand what is defective in the former Yea these words By his blood may relate actually both to those words Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation to those By faith See the like chap 9. v. 12. In these words By his blood there is as we said an allusion to the Sacrifices of the Law which were but Types of Christ the substance Yet here and in other places also where there is mention of the blood of Christ by the blood of Christ is to be understood by a Synechdoche whatsoever Christ did or suffered for us from the first time of his taking our Flesh upon him Through faith in his blood Note here that Faith when it is joyned with In as here it is signifieth for the most part Trust and Confidence or Relying upon a thing And here it signifieth Trust or Confidence or Relying upon the blood of Christ And truly he that doth believe the Gospel and the Death of Christ therein recorded as he ought to do cannot but trust and confide in the death or blood of Christ and relye upon it Hence it is that such kind of phrases as these The faith of and Faith from are often confounded in Scripture and taken for one and the same thing To declare his Righteousness The word Righteousness signifieth here both the Fidelity or Truth and the Goodness or Mercy of God as will appear by the following verse where it is repeated And it is frequent for one word thus to carry with it two significations but more of this in the next verse Note that these words To declare his Righteousness depend on those Whom he hath set forth and shew the final cause or end of that That God set forth a Propitiator which was to shew that he was righteous for or by remitting of sins For the remission of sins which are past i. e. For that he remitteth the sins which are past The words in the Original are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where some interpret the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propter that is For others Per By or Through According therefore to the interpretation of the first the words must run thus For the remission of sins which are past and then they are to be referred to those words Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation and there must be a Comma between these and the words which go immediately before them for they signifie a more special end why God did set forth Christ to be a Propitiation He did it for the remission of sins According to the Second interpretation the words must run thus Through the remission of sins which are past and then they are to be referred to the words immediately going before and shew how God was declared to be Righteous He was declared to be Righteous by the remission of sins which are past or In remitting of sins which were past For remission of sins declare God to be Righteous that is to be merciful for it is mercy in God to forgive sins whereas he might punish the sinner with eternal death and remission of sins declare God to be righteous that is True and Faithful because whereas God did say and promise That he would forgive sins by the remission of sins he did shew himself to be as good as his word For the remission of sins that are past i. e. For the remission of sins which were committed in the Time of the Law which is now past He mentioneth only those sins which were committed under the Law not because God gave a Propitiation for remission of those sins only and not for the remission of the sins committed under the Gospel But that he might shew the weakness of the Old Law of which the Jews with whom he hath to do for a great part in this his Epistle did glory And that he might declare that those Expiations or Purgations which appertained to the Law were not true Purgations and Expiations indeed but only shadows of true Purgations and Expiations For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin Heb. 10.4 And as the Apostle doth here so doth he also Heb. 9.15 mention the redemption only of the Transgressions that were under the Old Testament saying And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New T●stament that by the means of death for the redemption of the Transgressions which were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance But by the remission of sins that are past and by the redemption of the transgressions which were under the first Testament we must understand in both places all other sins too And that not without reason for if the blood of Christ was able to deliver men from their sins committed before it was shed much more is it able to deliver men from their sins which have been committed since the shedding thereof Yet note that some understand The sins that are past not of the sins commi●ted under the Law as so but of the sins committed by a man before his conversion whether under the Law or not And they say that the Apostle mentioneth only the remission of sins committed before a mans conversion to signifie not that sins committed after conversion were unpardonable as Novatus is said by some to hold but that they which were justified had no licence given them to sin by reason of that grace For this is the manner of the Gospel to threaten woe to him that shall sin and yet to ●ff●r pardon and mercy upon repentance to him that hath sinned But I embrace the former exposition before this Through the forbearance of God i. e. And which God hath not punished with any dreadful punishment not by reason of that that they did not deserve dreadful punishment nor by reason of that that they were expiated and purged by other means than by the blood of Christ but through his forbearance and long-suffering And therefore did God forbeare to punish the sins of men committed under the Law according to their desert because he had determined to set forth a Propitiation for those their sins in his good time to wit the Time of the Gospel A Propitiation which should reach even to sins committed under the Law In these words therefore there is an Ellipsis and these words contain a prevention of an Objection which a Jew might make For a Jew might say That either they Jews had not committed any such sin as deserved dreadful punishment or that if they had committed such sins they were expiated and purged

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

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

made partakers of it which hope doth even now joy and rejoice our hearts 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience 3. And not only so but least that any should say surely God is not at peace with us nor can we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God because we are afflicted and suffer more tribulations than any kind of men in the world besides which may seem not to stand with the peace and friendship of God and not to be incident to the Heirs of eternal glory we glory and rejoyce in tribulations also knowing that tribulation though it works impatience in men of the world yet it works patience in us 4. And patience experience and experience hope 4. And patience worketh Experience in us of those gratious gifts and vertues which God out of his love hath given us by the Holy Ghost and experience of these gratious gifts and vertues worketh hope in us of eternal glory 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 5. And this hope which is wrought in us by this experience will not fail us and prove a vain hope so as that we shall be ashamed at the last for missing of what we hope for For the sense and feeling of the love of God who will make all them which he thus loveth partakers of Glory and life everlasting is shed abroad in our hearts in a plentifull measure by those gifts of the Holy Ghost which he hath given unto us which gifts are not only signs and tokens of his love to us but pledges also and earnests of eternal Glory 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly 6. I said that being we are justified by faith the wrath of God is appeased towards us and that God is at peace with us for our Lord Christ Jesus sake And that we rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God ver 1 2. all which I now prove for when we had no strength to do any good but were as yet ungodly and so sinners Christ in due time died for us 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die 7. And this sheweth the exceeding love of God towards us in that Christ dyed for us while we yet had no strength to do good but were as yet ungodly and sinners for scarcely for a righteous man will one dy yet perhaps for a man that hath been good to him some will even endure to dy 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in this that while we were yet sinners and ungodly and so enemies to him Christ through his appointment died for us 9. Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 9. And now if when we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then shall we being justified from our sins by his blood be saved from the wrath to come through him 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life 10. For if when we were enemies to him as we were when we were sinners we were reconciled by the death of his Son which cost him his deerest blood to reconcile us Much more then being now reconciled shall we be saved from the wrath of God by him when it may be done without the loss of his life 11 And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement 11. And we shall not only be saved from the wrath to come but we shall also be advanced to and stated in everlasting glory by reason of which we do through the faith and hope which we have thereof joy even now in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have already received the Atonement or Reconciliation and divers gracious effects and fruits thereof that is to say divers gifts of the holy Ghost which are as seals and pledges to us of that everlasting glory which we speak off 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned 12. Wherefore being that we are justified by faith and reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ and have through him peace with God and hope of everlasting glory c. Though we have lost much by Adam yet we have gained far more by Christ than we lost by him For as by one man to wit Adam sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned that is for that all men have been made sinners by that one Man 13. For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed when there is no law 13. But here I must leave my Speech imperfect which I will take up and perfect ver 18. to answer an Objection For because I said that all have sinned some men will say That that cannot be for they which lived between Adam and Moses sinned not For say they between Adam and Moses there was no law given either by word of mouth as there was given to Adam Gen. 7.2 17. Or by writing as was given by Moses Exod. 20. And as you taught Paul Chap. 4. ver 15. Where there is no such law there is no transgression how therefore can they which lived between Adam and Moses be said to be sinners or to have sinned which had no law given them either by word of mouth or by hand writing But to this I answer That being that at that time there was no law publickly given by word of mouth as that was which was given to Adam or given in outward writing as that was which was afterwards given by Moses there was not indeed any Transgression in that time but yet it doth not follow that though there was no Transgression in that time there was no sin for though every Transgression be a sin yet it doth not follow that every sin is a Transgression I say therefore that though there was no Law given by word of mouth or by writing from Adam until the law was given by Moses yet sin was all the while in the world though indeed sin was not imputed to any as a Transgression all that time 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression who is the figure of him that was to come 14. Yet nevertheless that you may know that sin was in the world from the days of Adam to the time that the law was given death

the coppy by which he should have drawn a picture may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not the Limner only but the Picture also which through the unskilfulness of the Limner is drawn unlike the coppy And as the arrow and the picture so may we be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which through Adams sin do miss and come short of that Image in which Adam was made when he was endued with those gifts and graces which he had when he was in his best estate to which we should have been conform 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore which is rendred here Peccare to sin is not spoken of us by reason of any sinful Act which we our selves have done in our own persons but by reason of that we have formally missed and come short of that Righteousness that is of those gifts and graces which were given to Adam for us aswel as for himself and which we miss and come short off by reason of Adams disobedience Ver. 13. For until the law sin was in the the world The Apostle prevents a tacite Objection here for whereas he said immediately before that all had sinned A man might object and say But how canst thou say Paul that all have sinned whereas there was no sin in the world for two thousand and four hundred years together that is from the time that Adam fell untill the time that the Law was given by Moses for thou thy self sayst Chap. 4.15 Where there is no Law there is no transgression And there was no Law in all that time This objection the Apostle prevents here saying For until the Law sin was in the world But sin is not imputed to wit for a transgression where there is no Law c. q. d. I acknowledge where there is no Law there is no Transgression but yet it followeth not that where there is no Transgression there is no Sin for though every transgression be a Sin yet every Sin is not a transgression Though therefore there was no transgression in the world from Adams time until the Law yet it follows not but that there might be Sin yea and there was Sin in the world before the Law What a transgression is in the Apostles language See Notes Cap. 4. ver 15. By the Law is here meant the Law which was given by Moses The Apostle when he said that all had sinned spoke as I said not of Actual but Original sin Yet the man in whose person the Apostle raiseth this tacite Objection which he here preventeth or answereth taketh it as though he spoke of actuall sins For of such sins is the Apostle to be understood as well as of Original sin when he saith For until the Law sin was in the world c. Where note that the Apostle doth not alwayes raise objections in the person of one kind of men but sometimes in the person of one kinde of men Sometimes in the person of another And here he raiseth the Objection which he here prevents or answereth in the person of such a one as mistook the meaning of his words when he said All have sinned as though he spoke of Actuall sins when he spoke only of Original sin So when he saith Chap. 6.14 Ye are not under the Law but under Grace Some utterly mistaking the sence of these words as though they were now absolutely freed from the Law in every respect and nothing but favour was to be shewed lived they never so dissolutely concluded from thence that now in this their estate of Christianity they might freely sin whom our Apostle meets with there when he saith What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid And our Apostle raiseth or praeventeth even such objections because there may be some so weak as to raise them and because in his answer to them He can bring in such matter as he would not have them to whom he writes ignorant of And here he raiseth this Objection that by his answer he might shew how sin abounded that having shewed how sin abounded he might shew that when sin abounded grace did much more abound ver 20. But sin is not imputed To wit as a transgression Thus to limit this imputation we have a hint from the following words When there is no Law i. e When there is no Law openly and sensiibly given either by word of mouth as that which was given to Adam or by writing as that which was given by Moses Ver. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses ever over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression q d. Though sin be not imputed as a transgression when there is no Law openly or sensibly given yet nevertheless to shew that sin was in the world before the Law was given by Moses death which is the wages of sin reigned and exercised her power even over them that had not transgressed against any Law openly or sensibly given as Adam had Death reigned i. e. Death shewed or exercised her power or tyranny rather over them c. By slaying them for they dyed From Adam to Moses i. e. From the fall of Adam to the time in which the Law was given by Moses which was above two thousand and four hundred years That had not sinned after the Similitude of Adams transgression i. e. Who had not sinned like unto Adam who sinned against a Law given him openly and sensibly by Gods mouth Gen. 2.17 and therefore sinned by transgression Adams transgression i. e. Adams sin which was commited against a Law openly and sensibly given for such a sin doth the word Transgression signifie in our Apostles language as was said Cap 4.15 Who is the figure of him that is to come i. e. Who is the figure of Christ the second Adam who though he be now come into the world yet was he not come then but to come when death reigned from Adam to Moses Adam was a Figure or type of Christ only in a generall manner to wit because as Adam conveyed or derived something to his children or to his branches so did Christ to his But if we descend to particulars Adam could not be the Type or Figure of Christ but by a contrary comparison For Adam conveyed and derived sin and death to his children or to his branches but Christ conveyed or derived Grace that is the pardon of sin whereby they are justified and life to his Ver. 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift q. d But yet the free gift supple which cometh by Christ upon his branches or upon his children Is not so supple for equality as the offence is supple which cometh by Adam upon his branches or upon his children but much exceeds it Or thus But yet not so mean as the offence is which cometh by Adam upon his branches or upon his children in its kind is the free gift which cometh by Christ upon his branches or upon his

in them And because they were made Sinners therefore the judgement of God came upon them to condemnation ver 18. By the obedience of one This one is Christ Jesus and this his obedience is that which we read Philip. 2.8 whereby he was obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Shall many be made righteous i. e. Shall many be justified The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is asmuch as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shall be justified So also is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken Chap. 2.13 The righteousness here spoken of is that Righteousness which is called also justification and which consists in the pardon of or absolution from Sins and it is the effect of the obedience of that One that is of Christ Jesus This righteousness did Jesus Christ purchase for us by this his obedience and conferreth on all them which believe in him By the disobedience therefore of Adam were many made Sinners in that by his disobedience the offence that is Original Sin came upon them And by the obedience of Christ were many made righteous in that by his obedience they attained to that righteousness or justification by which they are freed acquitted and absolved from all both Original and Actual Sins Ver. 20. Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound i. e. Moreover when the Law entred the offence did abound Note that the particle that is a sign here not of the intent but of the event so that the sence of this place is this q. d. The Law which forbiddeth Sin entred into the world in the middle time between Adam and Christ yet the event or issue of that was only this That Sin did abound He speaks here of the Law which was given by Moses and prevents an objection for whereas it was tacitly objected between the 12 and 13 verses That Sin was not in the world before the Law which objection the Apostle answered in the 13 and 14 verses It might be thus objected upon the Apostles answer But if we grant Sin to have been in the world before the Law yet surely when the Law came Sin was then no more in the world for the Law is a perfect remedy against Sin To this the Apostle here answereth that though the Law entred yet when it had entred it was so far from being a remedy against Sin as that Sin did abound and became more abundant by the Law than it was before I have said that these words are an answer to a tacit objection springing from the Apostles answer to a former objection supposed to arise between the 12 and 13 verses But some make them an answer to an objection supposed to arise out of the last words of the 19 verse viz. By the obedience of one man many were made righteous For a man may object from those words and say But why dost thou Paul say that by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous that is many shall be justified For there is no need of the obedience of another that any should be made righteous or that any should be justified since the Law was given for the Law is enough to make men righteous and is sufficient it self to preserve them from Sin To this the Apostle answereth q. d. The Law is so far from making men righteous and from preserving them from Sin as that the Law since it entred hath been an occasion that Sin hath much more abounded than it did before But which way soever of the two we conceive this objection to be raised or whether both ways it skills not much the matter tending still to the same purpose The Law entred that the offence might abound i. e. The Law entred that Sin might abound And therefore did Sin abound when the Law entred Because the Law worketh wrath for where there is no Law there is no Transgression as our Apostle speaketh Chap. 4.15 By the offence he means Actual Sin or Sins And that which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offence here he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin in the following words But where Sin abounded i. e. But when sin abounded Where is put here for When an Adverb of place for an Adverb of time That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here as was there observed Grace did much more abound By Grace understand here the grace and favour of God which is said here to abound by reason of its effects to wit Remission of Sins or Justification whereby the Sinner which believeth is justified from all his sins or hath all his Sins forgiven him By how much the more and greater the Sins of a Sinner are By so much the greater and more abundant is the grace and favour of him which forgiveth them And by how much the greater Sinner a man acknowledgeth himself to have been so much the greater grace and favour and mercy doth he confess that he hath received by the remission and forgiveness of his sins as we may learn by the example of the woman which was a Sinner Luke 7. ver 38 c. And by the example of the Apostle himself 1 Tim. 1.12 He saith of the offence or of Sin that it did abound and of grace that it did much more abound Supple than Sin did And this he doth because the grace and mercy of God did prevail above the Sins of men though they did very much prevail and was more powerful than they For the grace and mercy of God did take away the guilt of all sins in the believer and therefore was more powerful in him to justifie him than all his Sins were to condemn him V. 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death i e. That as Sin hath shewed her power which was as the power of Queen over men by b●inging them to death and destruction through her guilt Even so might grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life i. e. Even so might the grace or favour of God towards men like a Queen shew her power in them which believe in bringing them through the remission of their Sins and of the guilt thereof to eternal life By Righteousness is here meant Justification or Remission of sins See verses 17 and 18. And grace is said to bring men to eternal life through Righteousness that is by Remission of Sins or Justification Because God glorifieth none whom he doth not Justifie And because he doth not only vouchsafe to justifie Sinners from their sins if they believe But doth also bring them when he hath Justified them to life eternal if they persist in their faith Note here that when the Apostle saith that grace reigneth through righteousness unto everlasting life his meaning is not that grace exempteth us so from death as that we shall never die but his meaning is that grace doth confer life so unto us and so exempt us from death as that death shall not always have dominion

over us but shall be destroyed at the last by the power of Christ at the General Resurrection when we shall be so raised to life as that we shall die no more Note that the Apostle useth a Prosopopaeia here when he saith that Sin hath reigned and that grace reigneth and speaketh of them as of Queens By Jesus Christ our Lord Supple who hath merited this for us by his obedience and will work it for us by his power CHAP. VI. 1. WHat shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound 1. But now because I said That when sin abounded Grace did much more abound Shall we therefore continue in sin that Grace may abound 2. God forbid how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein 2. God forbid For with what face shall we Christians which profess our selves to be dead unto sin Or how shall we which are dead to sin indeed as we are if we answer our profession live any longer in sin 3. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death 3. Know ye not that so many of us as have by baptism entred our selves into the number of Christ Jesus his Disciples were in our baptism baptized into the likeness of Christs death and that by being so baptized we did promise and profess that we would die unto sin 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life 4. Now for this end were we baptized into the likeness of the death of Christ and did by that profess and promise that we would die unto sin which was figured to us by the death of Christ That we might thereby profess and signifie that like as Christ when he was buried was raised from the dead by the power of God the Father even so we also which was signified by our rising out of the waters when we were dipped over head and ears would rise from the death of sin to a new and more pure kind of life 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection 5. For if we like a grain of Corn that is planted in the earth have been planted in the waters of B●ptism when we were baptized as Christ was planted in the earth when he was buried in the Grave so that like as the grain of corn that dies in the ground we be also dead to sin as Christ also was dead to this bodily life Then we like corn which springs up out of the ground after it is dead shall rise as Christ also did out of the grave and as we our selves did out of the waters of Baptism and spring up to a new and spiritual life 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin 6. Knowing this that we died to sin that sin might be destroyed so that that from henceforth we should not serve sin 7. For he that is dead is freed from sin 7. For as a servant or a slave when he dieth is freed from the servitude and service of his Master So that his Master now hath no power over him Even so he that is dead to sin is freed from sin so that sin hath no power over him to make him her Servant and to serve her 8 Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him 8. And now that we may go on if we be dead to sin as Christ was dead to this natural or bodily life we believe and are perswaded that we shall not remain in this estate but that we shall also live the life of righteousness as He liveth now the life of glory 9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him 9. For least any one should think it strange that Christ which was once dead should be so revived and raised up from the dead again as that he should be still alive we know that Christ being raised from the dead nor died nor shall die any more and that death hath no more dominion over him 10. For in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God 10. For in that he died he died but once and that for this end that he might take away sin But that he is revived and liveth he liveth and shall live for ever for this end that God may be honoured and glorified by that his life 11. Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 11. Now then that Christ whom ye ought to imitate is alive who was once dead reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin But alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12. Let not sin reign therefore in your mortall body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof 12. Let not sin reign therefore in your mortal bodies that ye should obey her in her lust and temptations Though she stirs up lusts and Temptations in you 13. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God 13. Neither yield ye your members unto sin as Instruments for her to work unrighteousness by them But yield ye yourselves unto God as it becometh and behoveth those to do which are raised from the death of sin and yield ye your members unto him to be Instruments by which he may work righteousness in you 14. For sin shall not have dominon over you for ye are not under the law but under grace 14. For let no faint hearted Christian say nay but I cannot but obey sin when she stirs up her lusts in me and tempteth me to naughtiness for sin shall not have dominion over you as she hath had heretofore to make you do what she pleaseth for ye are now not under the Law which commanded you to do that which is good and forbad you to do that which is evil but gave you little or no power towards the doing of them But ye are under the Gospel the Gospel of Grace which as it commands that which is good and forbids that which is evil so it gives power to perform that which she commands for the Gospel is the power of God to salvation 15. What then shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace God forbid 15. But now because the Law as she commands but gives little or no power to fulfill her commands So she is severe in punishing every the least transgression which is committed against her precepts And because

long as it standeth in force and is not abrogated Surely you do For the case between them which were under the law and the law it self is as the case which is between a woman and her husband 2. For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth but if the husband be dead she is loosed from the law of the husband 2. Now then as the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband to cleave to him and to take him onely for her husband so long as he liveth but if her husband be dead she is free from the Law by which she was bound to her husband to have him only and may now lawfully be married to another man So the man wh●ch is under the Law of Moses is bound to that Law so that he cannot free himself from the obligation thereof and betake himself to any other praescript of Religion so long as that Law which is as it were an husband to him liveth and is in force but if the Law which is as his husband be dead and out of force he may betake h●mself to another praescript of Religion without offence 3. So then if while her husband liveth she be married to another man she shall be called an Adulteresse but if her husband be dead she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man 3. So then as if while her husband liveth the wife be married to another man she is an adulteresse But if her husband be dead she is free from the Law that bound her to that her husband onely and she is now no adulteresse though she be married to another man Even so a man which is under the Law as a wife under her husband if while the Law liveth and is in force he betakes himself to another manner of Religion is a kind of adulteress and may suffer punishment for so doing But if the Law be dead and out of force he is now free from the Law and is no adulteress though he betake himself and is married to another praescript of Religion 4. Wherefore my Brethren ye also are becom dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we shovld bring forth fruit unto God 4. Wherefore Brethren that ye may not be accounted as spiritual whores or adulteresses by being married to another husband because ye were once under the Law of Moses and married as it were to that as to an husband The Law is become dead being mortified by the body of Christ upon the Crosse that ye should be lawfully married to another even to Christ the Author and Subject of the Gospel which is a prescript of Religion different from that of the Law who though he was dead yet is raised from the dead again that we should bring forth good works as Children to him who though he was Man yet was God also 5. For when ye were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death 5. And this that we should bring forth good works as children to him is but just and aequal for when we were under the law in a carnal and fleshly condition the motions of sin which were occasioned by the law did work so in our members as that they brought forth evil works as children unto the law as the law is the ministration of death 6. But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter 6. But now we are delivered from the Law the Law being dead under which we were held that we should serve God and his Christ in that new kind of life which the Gospel worketh and not live in that old course of sin which was occasioned by the lavv 7. What shall we say then Is the law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the law for I had not known lust except the law had said thou shalt not covet 7. But because I said we were delivered from the Law and that we should not live in that old course of sin which was by the law what shall we conclude from thence Shall we conclude from thence that the law is a genuine cause of sin God forbid Nay to confute that I had not known sin at least so vvell as novv I do but by the lavv For I had not knovvn sin to have been sin in the invvard motions and desires thereof though they broke not out into outvvard act except the lavv had said as it saith in the tenth Commandment thou shalt not covet 8. But sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence For without the Law sin was dead 8. But yet Sin taking occasion by that Commandment of the law viz. Thou shalt not covet vvrought in me all manner of lust and concupiscence for before the law entred sin lay as it vvere a sleep yea and vvas dead in comparison of vvhat she vvas after the Lavv came in 9. For I was alive without the law once but when the commandment came sin revived and I died 9. For that I might here feign such a Person as had lived both before the law and under the law and put on such a Person the better to teach what I am about to teach I lived an innocent life once before the law was given by Moses in comparison of what I lived afterwards But when the law was given by Moses and that commandment of the law viz. Thou shalt not covet came to my knowledge sin shewed her strength and power by stirring up all manner of lusts in me and I died to innocency so that I was not so innocent and unblamable now as I was before 10. And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death 10. And that commandment viz. Thou shalt not covet which was given and ordained of God as a means to bring men to an holy and righteous life and which rewarded them with life that kept it I found by experience to be an occasion to bring me to death the death to innocency first and after that to death everlasting 11. For sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and by it slew me 11 For sin taking occasion by that commandment allured me with the baits of pleasure and honour and profit and the like which she pretended to me to follow her motions contrary to the Commandment and so I following her she deceived me and by it slew me by depriving me of that innocency which otherwise I should have retained and making me guilty of eternal death 12. Wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good 12. Wherefore notwithstanding what I

said of the law and notwithstanding what perverse men would draw from thence the whole law is holy and that commandment of the law to wit Thou shalt not covet is holy and just and good holy in that it forbids that which is injurious to God just in that it forbids that which is injurious to our neighbours and good in that it forbids that which is injurious to and unbeseeming our own selves 13. Was then that which is good made death unto me God forbid But sin that it might appear sin working d●ath in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful 13. Was then the law or was then that commandment of the law which is holy and just and good made to me a genuine cause or author of the spiritual death by which I died to innocency and of that by which I am become guilty of eternal death God forbid But sin was the cause thereof so that sin did appear to be sin indeed in that that it wrought in me a death to innocency and a guilt of everlasting death by the commandment which is good So that sin by the abuse of the commandment became and shewed her self to be what she was indeed exceeding sinful 14. For we know that the law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin 14. Far be it therefore from us to think that the law is the cause of our sins for we know that the law is spiritual commanding spiritual things and ordering to a spiritual life and is approved of God who is a pure spirit But I being under the law am at my best estate carnal and as very a slave to sin as he which is sold in a Market is a slave to him which bought him 15. For that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. 15. For that you may know that I am as very a slave to sin as he which is sold in a Market is a slave to him that bought him that which I do I like not nor do I approve of it For whereas I would do that which the law commands I do it not but what I hate and would not do because the law forbids it that do I. 16. If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the law that it is good 16. And now if I thus do that which I would not I consent to the law that it is good and spiritual for my will and the law concur in the same things 17. Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 17. And now also if it be so that I do that which I would not it is not I that do it as I am instructed by the law but sin which dwelleth in me 18 For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not 18. For I know by experience that there dwelleth no spiritual good in me that is in my flesh to quell sin For to will that good which I speak of is present with me and that I can do after a weak manner But yet how to perform that good which I would I find not so predominant is sin in me 19. For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do 19. For as I said before the good that I would do because the law commands it I do not but the evil which I would not do because the law forbids it that do I. 20. Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 20. Now then I say again if I do that which I would not it is not I that do it as I am instructed by the law but it is sin that dwelleth and reigneth in me which doth it 21. I finde then a law that when I would do good evil is present with me 21. Yea I find by Experience not only that no such spiritual good as I speak of dwelleth in me But I find a law that is I find that when I would do good evil is present with me thwarting that my will to do good 22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward-man 22. For I delight in the Law of God after a weak manner according to the dictates of that Inward man to wit my mind 23. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members 23. But I find evil affections in my body as another law warring against the law or dictates in my mind and overcoming me and taking me as a Prisoner and bringing me Captive to sin which dwelleth and ruleth in me 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 24. O wretched and miserable man as I am who shall deliver me from this Company of deadly enemies which do thus war against me and make me a Captive to sin 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I my self serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin 25. I Paul that I may speak this in my own person as I am a Servant of Christ thank God that he hath delivered me from these deadly Enemies by Christ Jesus So then that I may bring up what I have said from the fourteenth verse hitherto to a conclusion and speak in the person of one which is under the Law but hath attained to the highest degree of goodness in that estate as I spake before I my self though I am carnal and sold under sin I serve the law of God with my mind in that I approve of with my mind what the law commands and do propound her commands to my will to be followed by her and so I proclaim and acknowledge that the law is spiritual but yet with my flesh that is with the other faculties and powers of my soul I serve sin And thereby acknowledge and proclaim my self to be carnal and as very a slave to sin as he which is sold in a Market is a slave to him which bought him which was the Position which I laid down ver 14. CHAP. VII Ver. 1. Know ye not brethren for I speak to them which know the law how that the law c. The Apostle said Chap. 6. ver 14. ye are not under the law but under Grace And he spoke that as I said particularly to the believing Jews for many Jews lived at Rome as will appear Act. 28. Now because the Jews though they believed were zealous of the Law Act. 21.20 and therefore might doubt of what S. Paul said Chap. 6.14 of their not being under the law but under grace He shews here tha the Jew might lawfully take

by Moses and so personates them as if they were but one single person Theophylact. and Saint Chrysostome before him interpret this place by such a figure This figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of personating others the Apostle doth especially use when he speaks of things which would not be so pleasing to them to whom they truely be long and he doth it First for modesty sake and secondly that he might give the lesse offence to them Ver. 10. And the Commandment which was ordained to life and the Commandment which was ordained of God for this end that they to whom it was given might lead an innocent holy and just life And by so living might attain to an happp and blessed life as a reward thereof I found to be unto death i. e. I found to be an occasion to bring me to death viz. a death to innocencie and holiness and righteousness first and then to the guilt of aeternal death as a reward or punishment of that former death Ver. 11. For sin taking occasion by the Commandment c. Note here that the Law did not if we speak properly so much as give an occasion to sin to stir us up to evill But sin took an occasion by the Law He speaks of sin as of a Person Deceived me He saith deceived me because sin guilds over her baits and her evil mot ons with the appearance of some good which though they are apprehended as good appear at last in their own colours even evill as they are so that the Sinner at length sees that he was deceived by them And by it slew me It slew him by taking away his life of innocency first And then making him guilty of aeternall death Ver. 12. Wherefore the Law is holy i. e. Wherefore the Law is separate f om all evill that is Wherefore the Law is good notwithstanding that which hath been obj●cted against it To be holy signifieth properly to be separate from other things by way of eminency and in a part●cular manner that is said to be holy which is separate from all manner of naughtiness This conclusion or inference is drawn chiefly from those words Viz. I had not known Sin but by the Law c. And the Commandment holy and just and good By the Commandment is meant the tenth Commandment as before This Commandment may be sa●d to be holy because it forbids those lusts and desires which tend to the immediate dishonour of God And just in that it forbids those lusts and desires which tend to the immediate hurt of our Neigbour and good in that it forbids those lusts and desires which tend to the immediate hurt of our selves There is a difference between a Law and a Commandment for a Law is a body of commands or commandments given by a Law-giver As when we say The Law of Moses or the Law of Christ each of which contains many particular commands But a Commandment is but a particular mandat or praecept or branch of a Law which commands or forbids some particular or special thing to be done or left undone Ver. 13. Was then that which is good made death unto me i. e. Was then the Commandment which is in it self good the cause of death to me Or was the Commandment which was in it self good the cause why I died to Innocency first and then through that became guilty of eternal death That which is good By that which is good he meaneth the Commandment of which he spoke in the foregoing verse And under the name of good he comprehends here that which he called Holy and Just and Good before God forbid See ver 7. But sin Supple was made the cause of death to me That it might appear sin i. e. So that it did appear to be sin indeed sin in her own colours by those effects which she wrought in me Note that the particle That is here a note or sign of the Event Working death in me by that which is good i e. By working death or because she wrought death in me by the Commandment which was good The death here spoken of may be understood not only of death to Innocency but also of Eternal death of which the death to Innocency makes the nocent man guilty That Sin by the Commandment might become exceedingly sinful i. e. So that Sin taking occasion by the Commandment and by that working all manner of Concupiscence in me did shew her self exceedingly Sinful He speaks of Sin as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia and therefore calls Her sinfull Ver. 14. For we know that the Law is spiritual i. e. For we all very well know that the Law is Spiritual and commands spiritual things The Law is spiritual The Law is said to be spiritual because it commands spiritual things and ordereth of it self to a spiritual life And now if the Law be such it cannot be made death or be the cause of death in it self to any one By this he proves what he said first in the former verse viz. that that which is good that is That the Law was not made death unto him But I am carnal sold under Sin But I at my best estate am carnal being addicted to the affections and lusts of the flesh which move me contrary to the Law and am carried away with them yea I am as very a servant or slave to Sin as he which is bought or sold in a market is a slave or servant to him which bought him By this he proves that which he said last in the former verse viz. That it was Sin which was made death unto him Note here that the Apostle speaks in the person of one which was under the Law yet which had attained to the highest degree in that Estate that a man could attain to which was not yet in Christ For every one which was under the Law had not such a mind as he here speaks of in the latter part of this Chapter And there were divers degrees of them which were under the Law Suppose therefore that the Apostle speaks here of such an one as that Scribe was which our Saviour speaks of Mark 12.34 of whom he says that he was not far from the Kingdom of God Sold under Sin i. e. As very a servant or slave to sin as he which is bought or sold in a Market is a servant or slave to him that buyes him He alludes here to servants or slaves which are bought and sold in a Market to be under the power or command of the Buyer so that to be sold under Sin is as it were to be sold to Sin to be under her and her command As he alludes here to a servant or slave which is bought or sold in a Market So he alludes to a servant or slave which is taken in the wars ver 23. When S. Paul saith here that he is carnal sold under Sin And when he saith ver 23. I see another Law in my members warring against the

Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of Sin It seemeth to be most probable under correction that S. Paul speaks not here either in his own person or in the person of a Regenerate man For the Law of the Spirit of life hath made me free from the Law of Sin and of death saith S. Paul while he speaks in the person of a Regenerate man Chap. 8.2 And Chap. 8. ver 9. speaking to those which are in Christ Jesus he saith ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit that is ye are not carnal but spiritual if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And Chap. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live S. Paul therefore speaks not here in his own person nor in the person of a Regenerate man but in the person of a man that is under the Law and unregenerate and as yet without Christ but yet not far from the Kingdom of God as I said before Ver. 15. For that which I do I allow not c. In this verse he proves that which he said in the latter part of the former verse To wit that he was sold under Sin That is that he was as very a servant or slave to sin as he which is bought in a Market is to him which buys him For a servant or slave which is so bought is not at his own disposal or under his own power to do any thing which he himself likes or would do but is at the disposal of his Lord and Master which bought him and is under his power to do whatsoever he would have him to do That which I do I allow not i. e. That which I do I approve not of in my mind as of a thing well done Note that these words I do extend further than to positive doing for they extend aswel to what he did not as to what he did as will appear by the subsequent words where that which is here spoken in generall and in gross is divided into particulars For what I would that I do not q d. For whereas I have at sometimes some light desire and will to do that which is good and which is c●mmanded by the Law of God I do it not but am drawn away from it by contrary lusts and affections of Sin He speaks here of a light and inefficacious will to do good He proves also here that he was sold under Sin But what I hate that do I But whereas I am unwillng many times to do that which the Law forbids yet I do it being drawn by contrary lusts and affections of Sin to do it The hate here spoken of is not to be understood of a perfect hatred but of some light unwillingness neither is this unwillingness to be thought to be in him at all times when he sins against a Negative Law or Command but at sometimes onely And as this hatred is but a light unwillingness to do that which he doth So is that willingness to do that which he doth not a light and in efficacious willingness and such as takes him only at sometimes The word rendred I hate is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not always signifie a perfect hatred as may be seen Gen. 29 31. Mat. 10 37. John 12. 25 c. Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor Saith Medea in the Poet. I see better things and allow of them in my judgement but I follow and do those which are worse Such an affection as is in the Poets Medea is in the man which the Apostle here personates or somewhat better Ver. 16. I do that which I would not These words are the same for sence and Latitude with those words of the former verse viz. That which I allow not And the Inference or Conclusion mentioned or collected here in this verse is drawn from thence If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good The Consequence of what the Apostle here says depends upon that which yet is a true supposition that what he would not do he would not do because it was forbidden by the Law Note that from the discourse immediately foregoing the Apostle draws a double conclusion one contained in this verse whereby he proves that the law was good and therefore Spiritual in relation to what he said ver 14 viz. For we know that the law is Spiritual The other in relation to what he said in the same verse viz. But I am carnal sold under sin which conclusion is contained or set down in the verse following in those words Now then it is no more I that do but Sin which dwelleth in me Ver. 17. Now then it is no more I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me This conclusion is drawn not from the Sixteenth but the fifteenth verse of this Chapter and relates thither q. d. Now then if I do that which I allow not of according to my mind it is no more I that do it to wit as I am under the law and taught and directed thereby but Sin that dwelleth in me and so by Consequence I am as I said I was verse 14. Carnal sold under Sin It is no more I that do it i. e. It is not I that do it viz. as I am taught and directed by the Law Or he may say that he did it not but Sin which dwelleth in to shew that sin swayed him to do what he did when he would not do it For when two causes concur to one effect the effect is oftentimes attributed to the prime and principal cause and denied to that which is less principal though that did act also So S. Paul saith that he laboured more than all the other Apostles yet not he but the Grace of God which was with him 1 Cor. 15.10 Where he attributes his labour to the Grace of God which was the Principal cause of that his labour and denies himself to be cause thereof because though he did labour himself himself was the less principal cause of that his labour No more The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes redound and become superfluous in a sentence But Sin that dwelleth in me By Sin he means here that Sin or those Sins to which he was accustomed and which reigned in him or had dominion over him which Sins are said to dwell and may be said to reign in him by reason of those habits which they through custom and often repetition had produced in him And as Sin is said to dwell in a man by reason of that vitious habit which she produced in him So on the contrary is the holy Ghost said to dwell in us by reason of the gifts which it infuseth into us 1 Cor. 3.16

Note that the Apostle speaks here of such as had lived long in sin yea from their Infancy as will appear as by many passages of the Text from the Sixth Chapter hitherto so from those words viz. Not in the Oldness of the Letter ver 6. which occasioned the discourse which followeth from thence to the end of this Chapter The Apostle speaks of Sin as of a Person and as he speaks of Sin as of a Person so he speaks of himself as of an house in which this Person dwelleth And by that that he saith that Sin dwelleth in him he shews that she reigned in him and bore rule and swaid there as the Master of a family doth in his own dwelling house for to this the Apostle seems to allude To dwell signifies sometimes to be as a Lord or Master in an house As Psal 84.12 I had rather be a Door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell that is than to be a Lord or Master in the tents of wickedness Ver. 18. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing i e. He proves by this that Sin dwelleth in him For by that which is good he means a spiritual good and such a spiritual good as with which reigning Sin cannot consist For the good which he here speaks of is as opposite to Sin mentioned in the former verse which is reigning sin as light to darkness or heat to cold So that if this good dwelt in him that Sin would not dwell in him and that Sin will dwell in him till this good takes possession in him When therefore he says I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing There is a Synechdoche Generis in the word good And he alludes to a Master or Mistress of an house in the word dwells as he did by the same word in the former verse I know To wit by Experience That in me Those words the Apostle corrects or limits by the words following viz. by those That is in my Flesh that he might exempt his mind from that which he saith of his other parts or faculties in this verse For in them he says there dwelleth no good but in his mind there dwelleth some good in that the mind knoweth the Law of God and assents to it as good and propounds it as good to the will and so serves the Law of God as he speaks ver 25. In my flesh He opposeth the flesh here to the mind which he speaks of ver 23. 25. And which he calls the Inward Man ver 22. And whatsoever is not the Mind he comprehends under the name of Flesh the will it self not excepted by reason of the corruption and vitiousness which is in it For the Apostle calls Idolatry Witchcraft hatred variance emulation strife seditions which are the Acts of a vitious Will the works of the Flesh Gal. 5.19 yet though the Will be vitious and corrupt in such a man he may have sometimes a light and inefficacious Will or desire to do that which is Good For to Will is present with me i. e. For I can yea often do will that which is good and according to the Law and have a light desire to do it This will or desire which he speaks of is a weak and inefficacious will and desire But how to perform that which is good I find not i. e. But I find not any thing to help me or assist me to do or perform that good efficaciously which I would do Ver. 19. For the good that I would I do not See this verse expounded ver 15. This was brought as an Argument ver 15. to prove that it was Sin that made him do what he did Here it is brought as an Argument to prove that he had no spiritual good dwelling in his Flesh or to bear rule there and to reign over sin Ver. 20. Now if I do what I would not it is not I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me See ver 17. Ver. 21. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me The word rendred then is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred Immo Vtique Profecto yea truly verily I render it therefore thus Yea I find a Law that is I find that when I would do good there is that in my flesh which stirs me up to do that which is evil q. d. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing yea I find that when I would do good there is that in me that is in my flesh which stirs me up to that which is evil and naught and which I would not do I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me There is an Ellypsis in these words leaving therefore their liberties to other I conceive that the whole Sentence must run thus I find a Law that is I find that when I would do good evil is present with me The Apostle breaks off therefore when he had said I find a Law and leaving that abrupt assumes a speech aequivalent to that which he would have said which is this I finde that when I would do good evil is present with me A Law The Apostle takes the word Law by a Catachresis sometime for that which is a motive or incentive to that which is good as ver 23. Where he mentioneth the Law of his mind And sometimes again for that which is a motive or incentive to that which is evil as ver 23. when he saith I see another Law in my members warring c. And this he doth because a Law properly taken doth move and incite those to whom it is given by her promise of rewards to do those things which she commands Here he takes it for a motive or incentive to evil Evil is present with me By evil he means that which incites him and stirs him up to that which is evil by a Metonymy In particular by evil he means here the carnal concupiscence or carnal appetite or carnal desires and aff●ctions which are in him and which stir him up to embrace and follow those things which are naught and sinful for him to do That which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Evil here he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Law in his members ver 23. Ver. 22. For I delight in the Law of God after the inner man i. e. For I delight in the Law of God or some commands thereof according to what my inward man that is my mind or understanding propounds to me The delight which he here speaks of is but a short and imperfect and an inefficacious delight and such a delight may be in an unregenerate man for our Saviour tels of one who heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it but hath no root in himself c. Mat. 13.20 21. And surely such a one is not a regenerate man This delight is

is an Ellipsis in these words The words therefore may be made up thus q. d. I thank God that he hath delivered me from this deadly body that is from this company of deadly enemies through our Lord Jesus Christ If we take these words in this sence then we must say that the Apostle speaks these words in his own person as he was regenerated and delivered from the Law and then they are to be read as it were with a Parenthesis He that sees the misery of other men how grievious it is and was in the same misery once himself or liable thereunto and is delivered from it will break out in thanks to God for his great goodness in delivering him upon sense of that mercy The aforesaid words of the Apostle may also be made up thus q. d. I thank God that he hath shewed me a way how to be delivered from this deadly body or from this body of deadly enemies For he hath made away to deliverance by Jesus Christ our Lord. And this may he speak which is under the Law and yet hath so well profited as that seeing no hope of salvation by the Law sees salvation in Christ though he be not as yet engrafted into Christ for the Law was a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we may be justified by faith saith our Apostle Gal. 3.24 Such a one though he be yet under the Law I account not to be altogether under the imperfection of the Law though he be not yet engrafted into Christ and Regenerate So then with my mind I my self serve the Law of God q. d So then I my self though I am carnal do with my mind serve the Law of God and by so doing do acknowledge that the Law of God is spiritual This hath its immediate connexion with the 21 or 23 verses And he speaks it in the person of such a man as I told of v. 14. He saith that he serves the Law of God with his mind because he approves of the Law of God as good with his mind and propounds it with his mind to his will to be embraced and followed by her as a real good which is the duty of the mind to do and in which the mind by so doing is subservient to the Law of God whose duty is to teach men what they should do and to stir them up to the doing of it But with the flesh the Law of sin What is meant here by flesh See ver 18. By the Law of sin he means sin it self which he calls the Law of sin that it may answer those words The Law of God And because it doth as a Law incite men to follow her lusts which are as it were her commands See ver 21. They serve sin which follow the lusts and desires of sin and put those things in practice which she allureth or inciteth to By saying But with the flesh I serve the Law of sin he acknowledgeth that he is Carnal and sold under sin So that in this last verse he brings up his Conclusion which he draweth from his discourse from the 14. verse hitherto to that which he said in the 14 verse viz. We know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin CHAP. VIII 1. THere is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 1. I said Chap. 5. ver 20 21. That when sin abounded grace did much more abound so that as sin hath reigned unto death even so grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Wherefore that being so there is now no Condemnation to them which are engrafted by faith into Christ Jesus who are such as walk not after their sensual and carnal appetite and affections but walk after the spirit to wit the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations and so serve not sin 2. For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death 2. And let not any one which is in Christ Jesus say nay but I cannot but serve sin For the spirit of Regeneration which giveth life the spirit which we have received by Christ hath made us free from sin which bringeth unto death so that sin hath now no power or dominion over us whereby to make us to obey her will 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh 3. I say that the spirit of Regeneration that spirit which giveth life and which we received by Christ I say not that the Law hath made us free from sin For by reason of the impotency of the Law in that it was weak in comparison of sin which dwelt and reigned in us God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man and for this end that he might destory sin hath destroyed sin by his body which was crucified for us by which also he purchased and gave us the Spirit of Regeneration 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 4. That by the spirit of Regeneration which he purchased for us and which he hath given us the Righteousness which the Law prescribes should be fulfilled in us which are justifyed and are engrafted into Christ by faith who are such as walk not after our carnal or sensual appetite and affections But such as walk after the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit 5. I say who are such who walk not after our sensual or carnal appetite or affection but such as do walk after the spirit of Regeneration with which we are endued and follow her inclinations For though they which are carnal love and follow after their sensual and carnal appetite and affections they that are spiritual do love follow after and delight themselves in these things to which the spirit which is in them inclineth them to 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace 6. And not without cause for to love follow and delight in those things which the sensual or carnal appetite or affection moveth to will certainly bring everlasting death But to love follow and delight in those things which the spirit of Regeneration inclineth is that which brings everlasting life and peace 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity againsh God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 7. For the man which loves follows after and delights in those things to which his sensual or carnal appetite and affections tempt him to is an

as there is nothing which I eat is unclean in it self To this I answer That I know by the light of nature and am perswaded by the knowledge which I have gained by the Gospel of our Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in it self but yet to him that esteemeth or is perswaded that any thing is unclean though erroniously to him it is as if it were unclean and he is as much bound to abstain from eating of it as if it were unclean indeed Thy eating therefore of that which is not unclean in it self may be to thy brother as a stumbling block and an occasion to sin if he esteemeth it to be unclean 15. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died 15. But if thou doest grieve thy brother by drawing him by thy example to eat any thing against his conscience which he esteemeth to be unclean which must needs be somewhat grievous to him or if thou grievest him any other way with that thy meat whereby thou makest him to sin thou walkest not charitably towards thy brother but dost even slay his soul by making of him thus to sin But O destroy not him with thy eating or with this thy meat for whom Christ died 16. Let not then your good be evil spoken of 16. And being that Christ hath made thee free from the yoke of the Ceremonial Law which put a difference between meats which freedom we cannot look upon but as on a great good conferred upon us by Christ Let not this good this freedom by our abuse of it be evil spoken of as it must needs be if you abuse it to the grief and destruction of your weak brethren 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost 17. But thou wilt say I may justly fear that God will be angry with me and good men will blame me if I should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for me And that I should not advance the Kingdom of God as I ought to do if I should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this liberty is But fear not this for the advancement of the Kingdom of God consisteth not in eating of meats and drinking of drinks without discrimination but it consisteth in Righteousness and peace and joy through the holy Ghost 18. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men 18. For he that in these things serveth Christ in the advancement of his Kingdom is acceptable to God and approved of all good men 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another 19. Being then that the advancement of the kingdom of God consisteth in Righteousness and Peace let us follow after the things which make for peace and after Righteous things wherewith we may edifie one another which will be the cause of a true and holy joy in us 20. For meat destroy not the work of God all things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence 20. For by using thy liberty in eating meats without any difference destroy not thy weak brother whom God hath created in Christ Jesus But thou wilt say are not all meats clean and pure why then may I not eat them to this I answer that all meats are pure indeed in themselves so that that they cannot in themselves defile a man But yet notwithstanding it is evil for that man who eateth any meat with the offence and destruction of his weak brother 21. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak 21. It is good for a man neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor to do any thing whereby his brother stumbleth or is offended or is made to shew his weakness 22. Hast thou faith Have it to thy self before God Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth 22. But thou wilt say I believe and am perswaded that I may lawfully eat all manner of meats through Christ shall I then have this Christian faith or perswasion and yet never be suffered to make use of it I say therefore to thee dost thou believe and art thou perswaded that thou maist lawfully eat all meats whatsoever make use of this thy faith and perswasion but make use of it not before thy weak brother but only before God and thy self where none else may see For happy is that man which in the use of that thing which he approves of and is perswaded that he may lawfully use doth not that for which he may be condemned 23. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin 23. And not only he which is perswaded that he may lawfully eat all manner of meats without any d●fference may do that in eating for which he may bring damnation upon himself but he also which doubteth whether he may lawfully eat of such or such meats is damned if he eat of them Because he eateth not out of a perswasion that he may lawfully eat of what he eats For whatsoever we do if we do it not out of a full perswasion that we may lawfully do it it is sin CHAP. XIV Ver. 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive but not to doubtful disputations q. d. Ye which are strong receive them which are weak in the faith But when I bid you receive them my meaning is not that ye should receive them to doubtful disputations By disputations He means disputations concerning their opinions which he calls doubtful because the Issue thereof will be doubtful It being uncertain whether they can bring them by disputing with them to a full perswasion of the truth or whether they will make them thereby to revolt and forsake the faith of Christ which they have already embraced Concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Receive ye See more Chap. 15. ver 7. The Apostle speaks here to such as were strong in the faith that is to such as were perswaded that the Law of Moses was abrogated by Christ and had not power to obliege Christians to the observance of meats and days as it did the Jews while it was in force So that they might lawfully eat those meats which were forbidden to be eaten by the Law of Moses And might lawfully omit the Sanctification of those days which the Law of Moses made holy And he speaks to them concerning the weak that is concerning such as were not so perswaded but observed the choise of meats and days as Moses had commanded out of the weakness of their judgement towards whom he would have them carry themselves withall prudence and charitableness Whether

forbidden by the Law of Moses as that he thinks to his grief that thou dispisest the Law of God which was given by Moses who yet wouldst be accounted a Servant of God Or that he is in a manner forced by thy example to eat against his conscience and so to his grief those things which he is perswaded in his conscience though falsly cannot lawfully be eaten Or is any other way grieved with the meat that he seeth the eat and with thy eating of it c. We may say that to be grieved here is as much as to be offended or to stumble or fall by occasion given For they which stumble and fall and so come by hurt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They are grieved The sence therefore of these words If thy brother be grieved may be this if thy brother be offended in relation to what he said ver 13. That no man put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brothers way This word this way taken hath in it a metaphorical Metonymy With they meat i. e. With thy meat or because he seeth thee eat those meats which are forbidden by the Law of Moses which he yet thinks thou mayest not lawfully eat Now walkest thou not charitably That is thou transgressest the law of Charity which commands the to love thy neighbour as thy self Destroy not him i. e. Cause not or give not therefore occasion to him to do or commit that for which he may be damned and lose his soul A man may be damned and loose his soul for every sin as for rash judging or condemning his brother For judge not that ye be not judged saith our Saviour Mat. 7.1 And for eating that which he doth but doubt whether he might lawfully eat or no for he that doubteth is damned if he eateth saith the Apostle ver 23. c With thy meat i. e. With the use of thy liberty which thou hast in eating what meats thou wilt or with the abuse thereof rather For whom Christ died This is emphatically and feelingly spoken And this doth aggravate the sin of him which eats with the scandal and offence of his brother when as his brother is considered as such an one as for whom Christ died Ver. 16. Let not then your good be evil spoken of That is Do not ye then so use your Christian liberty which is a great good which you have received by Christ and an ease from a hard yoke as that your weak brethren should so much as defame it and speak evil of it through you The Apostle speaks here to the faithfull Jews which believed in Christ and the stronger sort of them and by their good he meaneth their Christian liberty which they had by Christ who by his death abrogated the Law of Moses in eating any kind of meats without difference Which liberty he calls their good because by that they were delivered from a great evil I speak not evill of sin That is from a great yoke or burden of the ceremonial Law This good is evill spoken of when it is called by weak brethren who are not perswaded of the abrogation of Moses Law Sin Abomination Vncleanness the Licentiousness of the flesh the indulgency and cockering of the Gorge the Patent or Priviledge of gluttony and the like which terms the weak brethren would be ready to give it if they should see the faithful and stronger Jews using this liberty freely before their eyes Yea it would be called the murder of souls if it should be so that they should cause their weak brethren to sin by their abuse of it And this last the Apostle seems here to mean having said just before Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died Ver. 17. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink The Apostle prevents another objection here for the strong in faith might say yea but I may justly fear that God will be angry with me and good men would blame me if I should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for me and I may fear that I should not advance the Kingdom of God as I ought to do if I should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this our liberty is This objection I say the Apostle prevents here saying For the Kingdom of God c. q. d. And you need not fear that God will be angry with you and that good men will blame you if you should not make use of that liberty which Christ hath purchased for you and that you should not advance the Kingdom of God as you ought to do if you should neglect to exercise so great a grace of Christianity as this liberty is especially in this case For the advancement of the Kingdom of God consisteth not in the eating of meats or drinking drinks indifferently but in righteousness and peace and joy through the Holy Ghost And he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men For the Kingdome of God i. e. For the advancement of the Kingdom of God Metonymia The Kingdom of God is to be taken here first for the Church of God the Church militant here on earth which is also called the Kingdom of Grace and this Church is called the Kingdom of God because God reigns in the hearts of the Saints and the faithfull which are the members thereof by his holy Spirit and he gives to all the members thereof his Laws and protects them and doth all the offices of a King to them and moreover rules them visibly by his Ministers and vicegerents Then Secondly The Kingdom of God is to be taken here by a Metonymy for the advancement of this Kingdom It is the duty of every Christian to advance this Kingdom of God which we do when we edifie one another as the Apostle speaks ver 19. Is not meat and drink i. e. Consisteth not in the free use of that liberty which Christians have in eating and drinking all things without difference or distinction Meat and drink are taken here by a Metonymy for the free use of meat and drink without difference or distinction Note that there was no such distinction of drinks under the Law as there were of meats For there was no restraint of drinks but to the Nazaren Numb 6.3 And to the Priest when he was to go about his ministery Levit. 10.19 Therefore he seemeth not to speak of drinks as they are in themselves but as joyned with meats in meals and are as it were one with them Note here that it is no where commanded to eat and drink all things indifferently it is onely free for us to eat and drink what we will so it be done without offence But as for the other things here mentioned as Righteousness and Peace they are commanded and those things we must do though a weak brother be offended thereat But Righteousness Righteousness is taken here for the working of Righteousness that is

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 ●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

both those places it is taken for Justification It is also used Rom. 2.26 Where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Romans 8.4 where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both which places our Interpreters render it The righteousness of the Law Now we may have various notions concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those places according to the various acception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law If we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law there for the Moral Law in particular then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must understand the precepts or commands of that Law which he may call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and collectivè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that they are holy and just and good as he speaks Rom. 7.12 But if we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there for the whole Law which was given by Moses and as it contains the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law together Then must we take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partitivè as Grammarians speak that is to signifie one part of that Law to wit the moral part that is the Moral Law onely And it is observed that the Seventy Interpreters whom Saint Paul followeth use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the most part for those precepts or commands which are of things good in their own Nature and therefore not alterable at any time and such as are imprinted in the heart of man as the Moral Law was whereas they take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for those Laws or Precepts which are of positive constitution and therefore alterable as the Ceremonial and Judicial Law were ELECTION Election Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word which Saint Paul useth in the ninth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans verse 11. and I take it there for Justification And the sense of those words Viz. That the purpose of God according to Election might stand c. for I conceive that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be translated rather concerning Election then according to Election I take to be this Viz. That the purpose of God concerning Justification might stand c. For I take this Election to be an Act of God performed or done in time upon men in Real Being And that this Election is immediate to justification and that this Election to justification is made by Gods free and gracious putting the man Elected into the estate of justification that is by Actual justifying him It is true that there is an Election or decree of Election which God made before the foundation of the World or from eternity For he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world c. saith our Apostle Eph. cap. 1. ver 4. But yet there is an Election which God doth make in time yet in order to or in execution of some eternal purpose or decree of his or other For God doth nothing in time but what he purposed to do from eternity For thus we read Isaiah 14.1 The Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet choose Israel And Zechar. 1.17 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts My Cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad and the Lord shall yet comfort Sion and shall yet choose Hierusalem And Zechar. 2.12 The Lord shall inherit Judah his portion and choose Jerusalem again All which words being in the Future tense shew that there is an Election which God makes of things or persons in time But to come neerer to our present purpose There is an Eelection of God which followeth calling For Many are called but few are chosen saith our Saviour Matth. 22.14 And ye see your calling Brethren that is ye see the event of your calling how that not many wisemen after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath he chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought the things which are 1 Cor. 1. Verses 26 27 c. Now as the Election in those places is an Election of God in time so do I conceive the Election to be of which we speak of to wit that Rom. 9.11 And this Election I take to be not immediately to eternal glory or glorification but to justification For Election is a word which signifies only the act of electing But the Author of the Election and the things or person elected and that to which they are elected are to be gathered from the circumstances of the place And from the circumstances of the place I gather that this Election is immediately not to glory or glorification but to justification For justification hath been in a manner the onely Subject of the doctrinal part of the Apostles discourse hitherto And of justification doth he speak in this Chapter and he concludes therewith and therewith doth he begin and prosecute the Chapter following And that the Election which the Apostle here speaks of viz. Rom. 9.11 is immediately to the same thing to which that Election is which he spoke of in the eleventh Chapter of this Epistle and the fifth verse I think no man doth so much as doubt But that that Election cannot be understood of an Election immediately to eternal glory but of an Election immediately to justification may be easily and apparently gathered from that place and the context thereof for the Apostle calling that Election an Election of grace adds this verse 6. And if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then it is no more Grace otherwise work is no more work Where he shews that that thing to which that Election is immediately is so due to works as that there is no grace or favour at all requisite to his obteining of it who hath works that is who hath so fulfilled the Law as that he never brake it in the least particle or jot thereof at any time For to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of Debt Rom. 4.4 And if it be of works then it is no more of Grace otherwise work were not work Saith our Apostle thence Rom. 11.6 But now a man may say cannot eternal glory be due as a reward to works That is cannot it be due to a man if he hath kept the Law so exactly as the Law requireth and so as that he never broke the Law at any time in the least particle of it as suppose Adam would have done if he had continued in his innocency I answer No For though we should suppose a man to have kept the Law so exactly as the Law requires and never to have broke it in the least tittle thereof yet would not eternal Glory be due to him for it of debt For

which God gave to the Jew but not to the Gentile and thou art circumcised with that cirrumcision which God appointed as a sign of that Covenant which God made with Abraham whereas the Gentile is uncircumcised and ignorant of the Law of God But though thou judgest thus with respect of persons to thy self yet we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth and without respect of persons against them which do such things be they Jewes o● be they Gentiles 3. And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God 3 But tell me in good earnest O thou Jew doest thou that condemnest them which do such things and doest thy self the same doest thou I say think this that thou shalt escape the judgement of God 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance 4. Or presuming that God is well pleased with thee because he doth not execute some signal judgement upon thee but is good and patient and long-suffering towards thee doest thou despise him and fearest him not because of this his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering towards thee not knowing that the end of Gods goodness is to lead thee to repentance 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God 5. But thou through the Blindness and hardness and impenitency of heart which thou contractest to thy self by these means thou I say doest augment the weight of those punishments and encreasest the number of those torments which shall be poured out upon thee by reason of thy sins in the day of Gods wrath when he shall execute his righteous judgements in the sight of all the world 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds 6. Who will then render to every man a reward according to his deeds 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek according to the Gospel for glory and honour and immortality eternal life 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath 8. But unto them which obey not the Gospel which is the word of truth but are contentious against it and against the Ministers thereof and obey lies indignation and wrath 9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile 9. Yea tribulation and anguish shall fall upon the soul of every man that doth evill if he repenteth not of the Jew first and then of the Gentile 10. But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile 10. But glory honour and peace shall be to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and then to the Gentile 11. For there is no respect of persons with God 11. I say to the Jew first and then to the Gentile including the Jew as well as the Gentile in the punishment which I speak of for there is no respect of persons with God 12. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law 12. For as for the Gentiles who have not received the written law they as many of them as have sinned shall be condemned Though not by that law because they received it not and as for the Jewes who have received the written law as many of them as have sinned under that law shall be judged by that law 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel 16. In the day wherein God shall judge even the secrets of men by Jesus Christ whom he hath appointed to be judge both of the quick and dead according to the Gospel which I have preached 13. For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified 13. I say as for the Jewes who have received the written law they as many of them as have sinned under that law shall be judged by that law for if we think of obtaining justification by the law not the hearers of the law and the Learned in the law are justified before God but the doers of the law that is to say they which do and have done the works of the law so exactly as the law requires and have never broke the least title thereof at any time they and they onely shall be justified by the law in Gods sight 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves 14. But because I said of the Gentiles who have not received the written law that as many of them as have sinned shall be condemned though not by that law because they received it not I would not have any think that the Gentiles were quite without law for then indeed they could never sin and never be condemned for sin for sin is the breach of a law But though they had not a written law that is a law visibly written in Tables of Stone as the Jews had yet are they not without a law For when the Gentiles which have not the law that written law which was written in Tables of Stone and given by Moses do by the light and instinct of Nature the things which are contained in the written law of Moses these though they have not that law yet they are as a law unto them selves 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another 15. For they shew that that which the Law of Moses enjoyneth is written though invisibly in their hearts when as they make publique Laws and give private Precepts conform thereunto c. And their conscience also beareth witness to this that is to say their thoughts which accuse or else excuse them by course excuse them when they do well and accuse them when they do ill which they could never do if they had not a Rule that is a Law to judge them by a Law which tells what is good and ought to be done and what is evil and to be eschued 17. Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God 17. But whereas thou thinkest O Jew that thou shalt escape the judgment of God because thou art a Jew and because thou hast deep knowledge in the Law of God c. I tell thee that thou art so far from escaping the judgment of God

because of these things as that they make the guilty of the deeper condemnation Behold then thou art called a Jew a Jew by Birth and a Jew by Profession and delightest in the Law and boastest of God that he is thy God 18. And knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law 18. And knowest thou saist his will and by thy industry hast found out most excellent Divine documents and approvest of them as of Gold which is pure and precious being instructed from a Child out of the Law 19. And art confident that thou thy self art a guid of the blind a light of them which are in darkness 19. And thou boastest that thou thy self art a guide to them that are blind as concerning knowledge and art able to direct them in the right way and that thou art as a light to them which are in the darkness of ignorance 20. An instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law 20. And that thou by thy Wisdom art an Instructer of such as are foolish and a teacher of those which are but babes for knowledge in respect of thee For thou hast thou saist a Model or Series or Idea of those truths which are in the Law orderly imprinted in thy minde whereby thou perfectly knowest them thy self and canst more speedily and easily teach them others 21. Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal 21. Thou therefore which teachest another to know teachest thou not thy self to do Thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal 22. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit sacriledge 22. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idols because they rob God of his honour doest thou commit sacriledge which is a robbing of God too 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law that thou art perfectly skilled in it and that thou delightest in it as being the Law of God doest thou break the Law and so dishonour God which gave it 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Jews by your sins as it is written and as it was foretold by Isaiah Isa 52.5 that so it would be 25. For circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision 25. But thou wilt say That thou art circumcised and that by the benefit of circumcision so infallible a sign it is of Gods favour thou shalt escape the judgment of God and be freed from all the mischief of sin and be received into Gods favour But be not mistaken for circumcision indeed will profit thee in this kind if thou keep the Law punctually and exactly But if thou be a breaker of the Law in any part thereof thy circumcision is become as uncircumcision and thou wilt have no more benefit thereby than if thou hadst never been circumcised 26. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision 26. Wherefore beeing it is so if the uncircumcised Gentile doth perform that righteousness and do those things which the Law commandeth shall not his uncircumcision be counted as good as circumcision and shall not he be justified as well as if he had been circumcised 27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the Law Judge thee who by the letter and circumcision doest transgress the Law 27. And shall not the Gentile which is uncircumcised as having no right to circumcision by his birth or by his stock as thou hast if he fulfill the Law condemn thee by his example who having both the Law and circumcision doest transgress the Law 28. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh 28. But thou wilt say But for all this I am a Jew and I am sure that a Jew is a favorite of God and one whom God will free from wrath to come because he is a Son of Abraham And I am circumcised and I am sure that circumcision will free us from damnation But be not mistaken for he is not such a Jew whom God makes his favorite and whom he will free from the wrath to come who is only a Jew outwardly that is who is only a Jew by his carnal discent from Abraham and by his Genealogy from him derived Neither is that the circumcision which will free a man from damnation and which God respecteth which is outward in the flesh of the privy members whereby the foreskin thereof is cut off 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 29. But he is the Jew which God makes his favorite and which he will free from the wrath to come who is a Jew inwardly by reason of the faith which he hath in his heart whereby he imitates Abraham and is a Child of Abraham as Abraham is the Father of the Faithful And that is the circumcision which will free us from damnation and which God respecteth which is the circumcision of the heart whereby infidelity and unbelief are cut off The circumcision which is taught and performed by the Gospel not that circumcision which is commanded in the Law The circumcision whose praise is not of men who see only outward things and things obvious to the bodily eyes But of God who seeth and searcheth the Heart and the Reins where this circumcision is seated CHAP. II. Verse 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable O Man c. Note that whereas the Apostle did in the eighteenth verse of the first Chapter say That the wrath of God was revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who held the truth in unrighteousness thereby shewing that all men had sinned and whereas he intended to make that his saying good by a Partition that is by shewing it to be true both of Jew and Gentile and shewed it of the Gentile from the nineteenth verse to the end of that Chapter he begins here to shew it to be true of the Jew also and though this is a main drift of his yet he slides to it as it were to a matter only by the bie as his manner is Therefore thou art inexcusable O Man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self c. These words depend as I intimated upon the eighteenth verse

it is written How much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously so much torment give her Rev. 18.7 Against the day of wrath i. e. Against that day in which God hath appointed to execute his wrath and to punish all those which have offended In that day that Treasure of wrath which every one hath heaped to himself shall be brought forth and poured out upon him And Revelation of the righteous judgement of God i. e. And against the day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God that is against the day in which God will openly passe his righteous judgement upon all men The Revelation of a thing is somtimes taken for the open Existence or Being of a thing as Chap. 1.18 and so is it to be taken here By this day is meant the day of the general judgement of God which shall be in the end of the world ver 16. Ver 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds God will render rewards to every one not only to this man or that man or to this Nation or that Nation but to every one of every Nation and he will render them according to their deeds To them who have done well he will render good things as Honour Immortality and Life eternal ver 7. And to them which have done evil evil things as Tribulation and anguish v. 9. And to those which have done better than other good men will he give a greater measure of good things and to those who have done worse than other evill men He will give a greater measure of evill things Thus will he give to every man according to his deeds And thus must we interpret this his retribution not as though he were said so to render to every one according to his works so as that the Godly man or man that did well should have no more than he deserved for his reward shall infinitely exceed his works Who will render to every one according to his deeds It may be asked by way of Objection That if God should render to every man according to his deeds and there is no man but hath sinned Chap. 1.18 Chap. 3.10 And every man which hath sinned is cursed Deut. 27.26 Galat. 3.10 How could any one look for honour and immortality and receive eternal life I answer that if we speak of good works and should measure them according to the Strict Rule of the Law No man could be saved or ever receive eternal life by vertue of his deeds And according to this Rule Repentance would do him little good because he had once sinned and so continued not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut. 27.26 Galat. 3.10 But this is not the Rule by which all men shall be judged at the last day For they which believe the Gospel shall be judged by the Gospel which through Christ and for his merits sake applied to us is a merciful Rule and accepts of repentance and pardons sins upon repentance and takes off the curse of the Law and promiseth eternal life to them that walk according to the Gospel And therefore he that walks according to the Rule of the Gospel and performs his part in the New Covenant which is a Gracious Covenant may through Christ hope for Glory and Honor and Immortality by those his deeds though he hath sinned and that not in vain For he shall be crowned at length with eternal life though he could not be saved if his deeds were to be examined strictly and he judged according to the strict rigour of the Law For God who is the only Law-giver who hath power to save and to destroy James 4.12 He hath cancelled the rigid Law as to Believers and set them the Gospel to be the only Rule for them to walk by now and to be judged by at the last day through the merits of Christ A Question more here may be asked for one may say the Judgment which the Lord will execute at the last day towards all men is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just and righteous Judgment v. 5. How therefore can that Judgment by which he shall adjudge Believers to eternal life be called a just or righteous Judgment whereas there is no Believer but hath sinned and therefore deserved everlasting death I answer though the Judgment by which God shall adjudge the Believers to Eternal life cannot be said to be just in that sence as that the Believer doth deserve eternal life by the worth of his works and that God would be unjust if he did not so reward him Yet it may be said to be just in respect of the promise of eternal life which God hath graciously made to all Believers for the merits of Christ in the Gospel For there is Justice in keeping of promises and a promise gives a right to that where without a promise no right could be claimed Moreover in this case the merits of Christ supply the defect of man and for his sake he may be accounted worthy of eternal life who is not worthy thereof for his own Again there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Judgment passed according to the Gospel upon those which are under the Gospel Ver. 7. By patient continuance in well doing That is by patient continuance or perseverance in well doing By patient continuance or perseverance in well doing is meant such continuance or perseverance in doing well as no cross or persecution or discouragement can break off And by well doing is meant not that strict observance of the Law which the Law requireth for who can do that but such well doing as the faithful and believers perform which desire and endeavour to walk in all pleasing to God though they sometimes stumble and fall That is such well doing as is required of them and they perform which believe the Gospel Seek for Glory By Glory is here meant a glorious and illustrious Estate such as is described Mat. 13.43 which Estate can be sought only by them which believe and that by faith in Christ See more of this soon after And Honour Honour as it is commonly defined is a sign whereby men express that Excellency which they conceive to be in another The Honour here spoken of consisteth in that that God by that which he will do to such as are here spoken of will make it appear how highly he doth esteem of them and in what account he hath them Eternal life i. e. He will render Eternall life For these words He will render are to be repeated from verse 6. Note here from this place that in Eternal life these three things are comprehended Glory Honour and immortality Note also that the Apostle speaks here of such as believed the Gospel for none but such could seek as they should for glory and honour and immortality being it was our Saviour Christ Jesus which brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 And

be done thereby By the Law understand the Law of Mosos and that not the Ceremonial but the Morall Law by him given He saith that the Gentiles did such things as are contained in the Law not because they performed or kept the Law which the Jews broke or that they did fully answer that knowledge which they had of the truth but because they did many things which the Law prescribed for in making publick Laws and in giving private precepts they did praescribe and give in precepts honest things and forbid things dishonest even as the Law of Moses it self did These having not the Law i. e These though they have not the written Law of Moses given them in Tables of stone or outward writings as the Jews had Are a Law unto themselves That is Are as a Law or instead of a written Law unto themselves The Particle As is here as often it is elsewhere to be understood Therefore they are as a Law unto themselves because they can by the light of Nature which is in them tell themselves what is honest and what dishonest and what is to be done and what to be left undone V. 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts This relative Pronoun which includeth here and intimateth the cause as also it did chap. 1.25 q. d. For they shew Supple by doing by nature the things contained in the Law that the work of the Law is written in their heart And therefore they are as a Law unto themselves They shew the work of the Law to be written in their hearts because they do those things which are contained in the Law verse 14 The work of the Law By the work of the Law some understand the Law it self which is the Work to wit the Work of that great Law-maker the Lord of Heaven and Earth and as for the manner of speech the Law is called the Work of the Law as Circumcision is called the sign of Circumcision Rom. 4.3 Others take the Work of the Law for the effect of the Law to wit the written Law of Moses that is for the knowledge of good and evil for one effect of the Law is to shew what is good and to be followed what is evil and to be shunned q. d. For what the written Law doth work in the Jews to wit the knowledge of good and evill that do they shew written in their hearts which is an argument that They are a Law unto themselves Written in their hearts He opposeth the writing in their hearts to the writing in Tables of Stone after which manner the Law was written which was given by Moses Their conscience also bearing witness q. d. They not onely by shewing the works of the Law written in their hearts testifying that they are a Law unto themselves but their Conscience also testifying the same thing to wit That they are as a Law unto themselves This therefore is another argument to prove That the Gentiles are a Law unto themselves The Conscience is an operative Quality or Faculty or Action as some will of the mind which applieth our deeds to the Principles or Rules or Law of right Actions and thereby sheweth what is done as it ought to be and what is not done as it should be done Or it is a Practique Syllogisme as some call it which by the light of nature or of Grace judgeth and concludeth what is honest what dishonest what is commanded what forbiden what shall be rewarded what punished In this Syllogisme the Major Proposition is either from the light of Nature or from the Scriptures As for example he which sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Gen. 9.6 This is the Major Proposition which the Conscience takes notice of In the Minor Proposition the Conscience of the Murderer assumeth saying thou hast shed mans blood Then doth the Conscience conclude a-against her own Master Therefore must thy blood be shed by man The Conscience therefore in whom soever it is hath knowledge of the Principles or Rules or Law of Actions and in the Gentiles which have no written Law given them from God as the Jews had she hath this knowledge from what is imprinted by Nature in their hearts Therefore well might the Apostle say that their Conscience testifieth that they are a Law unto themselves And their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another q. d. That is their thoughts in the mean time that they are working or doing any thing either accusing or excusing them respectively that is as they do either evil or good For if they do evil their thoughts will accuse them if they do good their thoughts will excuse them though men accuse them This I take to be the sence of this place as it is here rendered where Tò in the mean time signifies the mean time that they are working and One another is as much as them respectively For I understand this not of the thoughts but of the Men in whom these thoughts are But if you take it as though their thoughts accused or else excused one another So that the Accusers and Excusers were thoughts and the Accused or Excused were thoughts understand it not so as that the thoughts did this Reciprocally That is as if the same thoughts did accuse the same thoughts which accused them c. But so as that when evil thoughts arose in a man other thoughts arose in him and did accuse those evil thoughts of sin and evil and when those thoughts arose in a man which might seem evil and were not so other thoughts arose and did Apologize for and defend these thoughts For the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not alwayes signifie a Reciprocation as will appear by Ephes 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being subject one to another in the fear of God where the Apostle would have Subjects to be subject to their Princes Servants to their Masters Children to their Parents but not Princes again to their Subjects Masters to their Servants nor Parents to their Children And according to this interpretation and exposition To in the mean while must either be redundant or signifie while they are Practically busied in examining what they have done Yet this place is most commonly rendered by other Interpreters thus though the sence be in a manner still the same and their thoughts by turns accusing or else excusing them The sence whereof is this q. d. That is their thoughts by turns either accusing them as when they do ill or excusing them as when they do well Note that the Conjunction And is put here as a Note of Declaration and is as much to say as That is for the thoughts accusing or the thoughts excusing are as two Species or Parts of the Conscience and declare what the Apostle meant by Conscience The thoughts of men cannot accuse men except they have a Rule or Law to judge their actions by from which Rule or

Ver. 25 For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law Between this and the foregoing verse we must understand these or the like words Neither boast thou ●f this that thou art Circumcised q. d. Neither boast thou of this that thou art Circumcised for Circumcision verily profi●eth thee if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is ma●e as uncircumcision and so cannot profit thee at all c. Note that the Jews thought highly of themselves because of their Circumcision insomuch that they deemed that they were beloved of God how wicked soever their lives were for this very reason because they were Circumcised and that God would not poure down his wrath upon them though he would revenge himself upon the uncircumcised Gentiles And upon this high conceit of themselves by reason of their Circumcision is the tacite Objection built which the Apostle here answereth Ci●cumcision profiteth if thou keep the Law A Question may here be asked viz. How doth Circumcision profit the Jew for avoiding of Gods Judgements if he keep the Law I answer the keeping of the Law is profitable to Iustification for the doers of the Law shall be justified v. 13. And if for Justification then for avoiding the Iudgments of God Now for keeping of the Law it is profitable to have the Law plainly written and explained and to have it backed with promises and rewards to them which keep it and this they have which are Circumcised by vertue of the●r Circumcision for unto them which were Circumcised were committed the Oracles of God Chap. 3.2 and 9 4. and Psalm 147.10 But if a man keep not the Law it will be no profit to him to know the Law and so no profit to be Circumcised yea It is better for a man not to have known the way of Righteousness than after he hath known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered to him 2 Pet. 2.21 This answer is countenanced by what our Apostle saith verse 27. Shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the Law Judge thee who by the Letter and Circumcision doest transgress the Law Ad to this That if upon a supposition He that is Circumcised should keep the Law he that is uncircumcised should also keep the Law yet the Circumcised shall at least in order be preferred before the uncircumcised by reason of his Circumcision which is some profit Another Question may here be asked and it is this Being that the Ceremonial Law was abrogated when the Apostle wrote this and Circumcision was a Ceremony how can Saint Paul say to the Jew as he doth here Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law Answ We may say that what Saint Paul speaketh here he speaks by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Concession only granting to the Jew for Argument sake that as true which was not true viz. That Circumcision was in force that he might convince the Jew of that which he most boasted of and wring that Weapon out of his hand in which he most trusted with the more vigour or greater might Or Secondly we may say That Saint Paul in this his discourse against the Jews in this Chapter though he may seem to tax only the Jews of his own time yet he taxeth all those Jews also which lived under the Law which thought they should be saved through Circumcision and when he speaks to the Jew he speaks by a Prosopopoeia or Syllepsis to them all both dead living collective The far greatest part thereof being that they lived when the Law and Circumcision was in force he may say to them in general Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law If thou be a breaker of the Law i. e. If thou keepest not the Law in every point Thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision i. e. Thy Circumcision is become as uncircumcision and thou shalt get no more benefit thereby than if thou hadst never been circumcised Ver. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision q. d. Being therefore it is so that if thou who art a Circumcised Jew breakest the Law thy Circumcision is become as uncircumcision shall it not be so that if an uncircumcised Gentile keep the Law his uncircumcision shall become as Circumcision That is If it be so that thou notwithstanding thy Circumcision shall perish if thou breakest the Law shall it not be so that a Gentile shall be justified if he keep the Law notwithstanding his uncircumcision The Apostle that he might pull down the pride of the Jew by which he alwayes exalted himself against the Gentile and that he might equal the Gentile with the Jew over whom he boasted in the reward due to Righteousness whom he ranked before with the Jew in the punishment due to unrighteousness he draws this conclusion of which he speaks here out of that which he said v. 25. Note that Saint Paul doth not affirm here that any uncircumcised person did ever keep the righteousness of the Law so as the Law requireth but he only sheweth that if there were any such how God would deal with him If the uncircumcision i. e. If an uncircumcised person He puts here uncircumcision for him that is uncircumcised the Abstract for the Concrete Per Metonymiam Adjuncti Keep the righteousness of the Law i. e. Keep the righteous Precepts and Commandments of the Law as the Law requireth Shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision i. e. Shall not he be accepted before God and justified in his sight though he be uncircumcised as well as if he were circumcised Ver. 27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature i. e. And shall not he which is uncircumcised by Nature that is by his Stock or by his Kin or Ancestry He puts uncircumcision for him which is uncircumcised as he did in the beginning of the 26 verse and he opposeth him that is uncircumcised by Nature to a Jew which is circumcised by nature as the Apostle cals him Galat. 2.15 If he fulfill the Law i. e. If he doth all things at all times as exactly as the Law requireth Judge thee i. e. Condemn thee O thou Jew But how shall the uncircumcised person if he fulfil the Law judge the Jew that transgresseth the Law Answ He shall do it not by judging him as a Judge but by accusing him as an Accuser of his transgression for an Accuser is said to condemn a man when he doth so convince him in his arraignment and bring such evidence against him as that he is condemned through his accusation and evidence And he shall accuse him and condemn him not by words but by his example because he kept the Law being uncircumcised whereas the Jew which was circumcised and had the Law written before his eyes transgressed the Law And in this sence it is said that the Men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba should

if he did not so Such a man therefore as is justified according to the Law of Works hath good cause of boasting even before God Chapter 4.2 But by the Law of Faith That Law that is that doctrine which teacheth that a man is justified by Faith doth exclude boasting and takes away the cause or ground of boasting from a justified man For it teacheth that he that is justified according to that hath sinned and therefore if he be justified he is justified by Grace that is by the meer favour and mercy of God which cannot stand with boasting It teacheth I say that every man hath sinned and so that every man is under the Curse for cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut 27.25 Galat. 3.10 And being now cursed he cannot get out from under that curse without the favour and mercy of God For having broken the Law he cannot be justified by the Law for that implies a Contradiction And therefore if he be justified he must be justified by Faith and so by the meer grace and favour of God with which boasting cannot consist The Apostles scope in this verse is as I said as to repress the vain boasting of the Jews so to take men off from seeking after justification by works or by the works of the Law and to bring them to seek after justification by Faith and his Argument is valid to this purpose upon supposition which yet he hath proved to be a most certain Truth that all have sinned For if all men have sinned which is an undeniable truth and which the doctrine of Faith teacheth then no man can boast before God for whosoever hath sinned hath need of the grace and favour of God And whosoever receives any thing of the grace and favour of God cannot boast 1 Cor. 4.7 Now if thou canst not boast thou seekest in vain to be justified by the works of the Law for no man can be justified by the works of the Law but he which keepeth the Law and hath always kept it in every point And he that keeps it so may boast Therefore being thou canst not boast seek not for justification by the works of the Law which makes them boast which are justified thereby but seek for it by faith For though thou canst not boast and so canst not be justified by the works of the Law yet thou mayest be justified by Faith It is not unlikely but that among the Jews which were blinded by reason of their unbelief Chap. 11. ver 7. There were some who though they were convinced that they could not boast yet did seek for justification by the Law not perceiving how incompatible these two things are Not to boast or not to have matter of boasting and to be justified by the Law But by the Law of Faith Note that whereas the Apostle might have said thus Where is boasting then It is excluded By what By Works Nay but by Faith He saith Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law of works Nay but by the Law of Faith And this he doth by a Mimesis mentioning and repeating the word Law that he might in a slighting manner imitate the Jews who did crack of the Law and had the Law alwayes in their mouths though they kept it not intimating thereby that if they gloried in the word Law he could say that they which were Justified were justified by a Law too but not by the Law which they cracked of to wit the Law of Works but by a Law differing from that to wit the Law of Faith Ver. 28. We conclude therefore that a man is justified by faith This conclusion the Apostle draws not from the verse immediately going before but from his whole discourse which he hath had from the 17. verse of the first Chapter of this Epistle hitherto and especially from that which he taught and discoursed of Chap. 3. ver 23 24 25 26. A Man i. e. Any or Every man that is justified The word Man is to be taken here indefinitely q. d. We conclude therefore that a man be he Jew or be he Gentile or whatsoever he is that is justified is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Without the Works of the Law i. e. Though he be without the Works of the Law that is though he be without that that he hath perfectly observed and kept the Law Without the Works of the Law is the same here as Not by the Works of the Law Gal. 2.16 By the Works of the Law are meant Works done exactly according to the Praescript of the Law so that if a man hath at any time transgressed the Law either positively or privatively he cannot be said to have the works of the Law in the Apostles sence here Ver. 29. Is he the God of the Jews only For God to be the God of any one doth sometimes signifie that God is held as a God and worshipped and obeyed as a God of him whose God he is said to be In this sence Jacob said that the Lord should be his God Gen. 28.21 Sometimes again and that most frequently for God to be the God of any one signifieth that God is an Egregious Benefactor of him whose God he is said to be In which sence it is said Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord Psalm 33.12 And in which sence God is said to be the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod 3.6 And in which sence God saith that he would be a God to Abraham and to his Seed after him Gen. 17.7 Now of these two sences the latter is that in which God is said here to be a God of the Jews and not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also For God is a Benefactor to them both not only in Temporal blessings but in Spiritual blessings also and in such as concern Eternal Salvation The Apostle speaketh by an Interrogative here first to signifie that the thing which he speaks of is so plain as that it cannot be denied Secondly to take up the Jews a little who entertained a base esteem of the Gentiles Is he not of the Gentiles also i e. Is he not the God of the Gentiles also and doth he not wish and do well to them also that they may be saved Yea of the Gentiles also q. d. Yea he is the God of the Gentiles also and wisheth and doth well to them that they may be saved and will be a Benefactor to them in those things which concern their Eternal welfare if they believe As for the Connexion of this verse with what went before It is this The Apostle had said vers 28. That a Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law where he took the word Man indefinitely for men of any Nation by reason therefore of that word he had a good opportunity given him to speak to

means the abrogation or expiration thereof but he speaks of the Law as of an Husband by an Allegory therefore saith rather That being dead wherein we were held than That being abrogated or expired wherein we were held Wherein we were held The particle In in Wherein is to be taken here for under So is the Greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in the Greek here interpreted under Matth. 7.6 In those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translatours render under their feet That we should serve i. e. That being now married unto Christ and so strengthned by his Grace in the inward man we should serve Christ or we should serve God We should serve Supple God or serve Christ. The Apostle seemeth here to leave his Allegory of an Husband and Wife and Children and to speak more plainly and literally than he did before For whereas he saith here That we should serve he said in the same sence before That we should bring forth fruit ver 4. In newness By newness understand here Newness of life or a new kind or course of life rather by an Hebraism a kind or course of life different from that which we led before while we were under the Law and in the flesh In newness therefore is by a new life Before they led a sinful and ungodly life Now he would have them to lead a Righteous and a Godly life Of Spirit i e. Which the Spirit that is which the Gospel worketh or is able to work under which ye are brought For the Spirit is opposed here to the letter that is to the Law and what is more usually opposed to the Law than the Gospel So is it opposed and so is the word taken 2 Cor. 3.6 The Gospel is called the Spirit because of the Spirit of God which goeth along with it wherby man is brought to believe the Gospel and is renewed and strengthened to walk according to the Gospel by reason of which Spirit accompanying it it is also called the power of God unto salvation Chap. 1.16 To serve God therefore in newness of Spirit is to serve God by a new course of life such a course of life as the Gospel doth not only require of us but enable us also to lead For they which are under the Gospel are both required and enabled by the Gospel to lead a new life And not in the oldness of the letter i. e. And not with our old manner of living or with our old course of life which we led while we were under the Law and which was occasioned by the Law This the Apostle adds and speaks with a kind of Sarcasm because many Jews were so addicted to the Law as that they would hardly here of the abrogation or expiration of the Law as though that life which they lead under the Law before they were engrafted into Christ or had received his Gospel or his Grace was a life pleasing unto God And not in the oldness Oldness is to be taken here by an Hebraism for our old course and manner of living which was a course of life led in sin occasioned by the Law In is to be taken here for With after the Hebrew manner Of the Letter The letter is to be taken here for the Law of Moses that is for the Law as it was given by Moses and as it is precisely considered without the grace of the Gospel as it was taken Chap. 6 14 c. He calls the Law as it was given by Moses and as it is precisely considered without grace the Letter because it was described by Letters that is because it was written or given in writing and because it was in a manner but as a bare Letter or bare writing only which had no more or little more power to make a man good than by telling him what was good and commanding him to do it And being the Law was but a bare letter and did in a manner tell a man only what was good and command him to do it it did by Accident when he was bad make him worse for except a Carnal man hath grace given him to keep the commandments he runs contrary to the commandments and grows the worse by being commanded When therefore the Apostle saith And not in the oldness of the Letter we must not understand the words so as if he meant only thereby their old course of life led under the Letter that is under the Law But we must also understand them so as that he meant thereby that that course of life was occasioned at least in part by the Letter that is by the Law while they were under it as will appear by the Objection following and by the eighth verse So that these Genitives of the Spirit and of the Letter may be taken for Genitivi Efficientis Ver. 7. What shall we say then i. e. What shall we conclude then from that which we said viz. From that The Law is dead by the body of Christ And from that that we called Our former oldness The oldness of the Letter Is the Law sin q. d. Shall we conclude that the Law is a true and Genuine cause of sin Sin is to be taken here by a Metonymie for the cause of sin and the Law is to be taken here as it was taken Chap. 6.14 and Chap. 7. ver 1. 4. And as it signifieth the same with the Letter ver 6. God forbid By these words as he did before the Apostle detesteth and putteth from himself the thought of such a thing or such a conclusion as this is that the Law is a true and genuine cause of sin Nay I had not known sin i. e. Nay so far is the Law from being a true and genuine cause of sin as that I had not known sin at least so well as now I do c. But by the Law i e. But by the Law which was given in writing by Moses which did forbid sin If the written Law did forbid Sin and make it at least more known to be Sin than otherwise it would be by forbidding it surely the Law was not the genuine cause of Sin nor did it prompt or move thereunto For I had not known Lust Supple to be a Sin That is For I had not known that the inward lust and inward desire onely of that which is evil though it did not break out into any outward Act was Sin at least so well as now I do Thou shalt not covet This is the tenth Commandment of the Decalogue the Apostle omits here the object which is mentioned by Moses in that commandment viz. Thy neighbours house thy neighbours wife c. for brevities sake But though in that commandment at large there is no other object named but that which is the object of the Sixth and that which is the object of the seventh Commandment yet the object of this Commandment seems to me to be as large as the object of all the other nine

all good men This will of God is no other then the precepts commands or Law of God which if we follow will make our sacrifice that is our service holy and acceptable to him and perfect We can neither know nor approve or like of this will of God which should be the square and rule of our reasonable service with any good effect if we are not changed from the fashion of this world into a more Heavenly fashion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Andronicus Rhodius even of moral Vertues in his Paraphrase in Arist Ethic. lib. prim cap. 12. It is impossible for him to come to the knowledge of what is said or treated of vertue which is not accustomed to good actions And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hierocles in Carm. Pythagor It behoveth us to order the unreasonableness which is in us and the sloth and then to betake our selves to the knowledge of more Divine matters For as it is impossible for a sore blear and foul eye to behold those things which are very light and splendide So it is for a soul not possessed with vertue or goodness to behold the beauty of truth As a Spunge which is dipped in vineger if before the vineger be wrung out of it It is put into wine It will not admit or drink up any of the wine So a mind which is full of the vanities of this world cannot admit or receive in any wholsome admonition or vertuous instructions until it be free from those vanities saith Ephraim Syrus Ser. De abstinenda ab omni consuetudine pernitiosa What is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God We must know what is the good acceptable and perfect will of God that the sacrifice which the Apostle exhorts to may be good acceptable and perfect For that is the Rule and square to which it must be conformed Christians are spiritual Levites or spiritual Priests Now as the Priests of the Law were to judge of the sacrifices of the Law whether they were fit to be offered or no by such rules as are given Levit. 22.17 c. So would the Apostle have us to judge of our sacrifices here by the rule which is here given that is By the good acceptable and perfect will of God Whether they are good acceptable and perfect as they should be The Apostle when he would have them know what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God that they may know thereby what will be an acceptable sacrifice and that by regulating their service thereby they might make their sacrifice good acceptable and perfect He seemeth to allude to those attributes or qualities which were required in the sacrifices of the old Law for they were called good Levit. 27.10 And acceptable and perfect Levit. 22.21 Exod. 12 5. Ver. 3. For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you Wherefore I say by vertue of my Apostleship to every one of you c. The Apostle begins here to shew them by particulars how they should present their bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God and what is that reasonable service which he spoke of and in so doing he sheweth them more particularly what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God wh ch he mentioned in the former verse For For is put here for Wherefore as Cap 8 ver 38. I say He might say I command you and give you in charge but he had rather say I say than I command you and give you in charge because it would be better taken by the Romans to speak in this humble than in that imperious or commanding manner Through the grace given unto me i. e By vertue of mne Apostle-ship or by the authority of the office which it pleased God to put me in By the grace given to him he meaneth the Apostle-ship which was an office given to him of Gods free grace and favour See Cap. 15. ver 15 16. The Apostle makes mention of his office here intimating thereby that he was necessitated by his office to do as he doth lest the Romans should think it arrogancy in him thus to speak and thus to write to them To every man that is among you i. e. To every man which is among you Romans whether he be Jew or Gentile Not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think i. e. not to think himself a greater gifted man than he is or not to think that he hath more in him than he hath But to think soberly i. e. But to think modestly of himself so that the thoughts of himself exceed not the measure or bounds of those gifts which God hath given him What it is for a man to think soberly of himself the Apostle sheweth in the next words it is to think of himself according to the measure of the gifts which God hath given him According as God hath dealt to every one the measure of Faith i. e. According to the measure of those gifts which God hath dealt to every one It is not meet for him which is a meer Grammarian to take upon him to judge of controversies of Religion Nor was it meet for him which was but a Levite to arrogate to himselfe that which did appertain to the office of a Priest nor for him which was but an ordinary Priest to meddle with that which was proper to the high Priest yet no less unseemly do they carry themselves which exceed in their doings the measure of faith which God hath given them According to the measure of faith By Faith is meant that faith by which we are Christians but yet it is put here by a Metonymy for those gifts which God gave to certain men by reason of that Faith For God gave several gifts to several men which embraced the faith of Christ for the edifying and building up of that body of Christ which is the Church Or Faith may be taken here first for trust then by a Metonymy for those gifts which are committed as a talent to a mans trust for him to imploy faithfully according to his Masters will As for Christ Jesus which is the head of this body the Spirit was not given to him by measure John 3.34 But to all and every of other the members of this body the Spirit is given by measure for God bestoweth not all gifts upon one but to every one a part only of his gifts and that a greater or less part as it seemeth good to him and this the Apostle teacheth and setteth forth in the following verses by the similitude or allegory of a natural body Ver. 4. For as we have many members in one body c. q. d. I said the measure of Faith for as in the Natural body we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office So in the mysticall body of Christ we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one

exhortation To Exhort is for a man to move or stir up the mind of his auditors with pleasing and insinuating speeches to the works of piety and godliness In Exhortation i. e. Let him carry himself soberly in Exhorting according to the measure or proportion of faith that is according to the measure or proportion of this his gift of Exhortation These last take not as divers offices of the Church but as divers gifts or graces which may meet in one Subject though they are often separate and distinct And note that it is the Apostles scope here not to shew what offices shall be in the Church but to shew how men should make use of those gifts which God hath given them for the benefit of the Church without pride Many such gifts as these were conferred upon many of the Church immediately by the holy Ghost for the good of the Church in the first times of the Gospel He that giveth i. e. He that hath wherewith to give and God hath given him an heart to give Let him do it in simplicity i. e. Let him not do it for vain-glory or any other sinister end So some Or let him do it liberally or bountifully So others The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indeed this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 and so some would have it rendred here But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its prime signification signifieth simplicity and it is to be taken here ●s I conceive for simplicity of heart and that is done in simplicity or with simplicity of heart which is done with a pure sincere and simple intent that is where nothing is eyed but that which should be eyed As in alms the relieving of the poor and the glory of God not vain-glory or obliging the poor to himself For he that sheweth or pretendeth one thing in his work and thinks of another thing in his heart Cor duplicat as Saint Austin speaketh he doubleth his heart and so doth not what he doth in Simplicity Note that the Apostle alters his phrase here for he saith not he that giveth in giving He that ruleth in ruling He that sheweth mercy in shewing mercy As he said before He that teacheth in teaching He that exhorteth in exhortation Wherefore he seemeth to have some other intent here than he had there His intent therefore was there to shew that men should not arrogantly exceed the measure of their gifts Here that men should use those gifts well which they had received the former respected the quantity as I may so speak this the quality of their doings He that ruleth i. e. He who hath the rule and goverment of others committed to him With diligence That is let him rule with diligence this he saith because diligence care and studdy is required of all Rulers He that sheweth mercy To wit to such as stand in need of mercy With cheerfulness i. e. Let him do it that is let him shew mercy with cheerfulness God loveth cheerfulness in all such actions Ver. 9. Let love be without dissimulation Whom we love let us love with a sincere heart not making an outward shew of love when our heart is far from it but let our heart and sh●w go together Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good i e. And in your love abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good that is do not that for love sake which is evil but remember in all the ways of your love to cleave to that which is good Some love so perversly as that they will humor their friend in any thing which he desireth be it never so vicious Against such doth the Apostle give this rule here But yet some take these words more generally and make them as the summ of the Law which is to eschew evil and do good and say that they are here alledged as a reason why love should be without dissimulation q. d. Let love be without dissimulation For dissimulation is evil And what saith the law Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good Ver. 10. Be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love i. e. Ye which are Christians and so Saints love one another with more than an ordinary love yea love one another with brotherly love The Apostle spoke of Love ver 9 and here he speaks of love again but in the ninth verse he spoke of that love which we shew to men in general In this verse he speaks of love which we ow to the Saints in particular that is to the brethren that is to them which are of the same Christian faith and religion with our selves But if we shall take the object of love alike or for the same in both places then make that which is here said as an higher degree of love than what was said before q. d. Yea be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love that is yea let nor your love be only without dissimulation but be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love c. In honour preferring one another i. e. Every one honouring one another yea and thinking him worthy of honour above himself There is no man so perfect but that he may see some good thing in another which he seeth not in himself and beholding this he may think another worthy to be preferred in honour before himself while he looks upon that The Apostle addeth this in this place because that brotherly love which he commandeth here is cherished and nourished by these means Ver. 11. Not slothful in business i. e. The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus not slow in your desire and ready will to do good For among other significations which this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath It signifies a ready will to help or do good to another See Hen. Stephens Thesau Vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever the General word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be drawn here to this sence by the Circumstances of the place The sence therefore of these words here may be this Be not slothful when you have a desire and ready will to do Good to perform that Good This precept may the Apostle give here with Respect to those precepts which he gave before viz. That he that giveth let him do it with simplicity And that he that sheweth mercy let him do it with cheerfulness Verse 8. And that let Love be without dissimulation Verse 9. And that be kindly affectioned one towards another with Love c. v. 10. That they might do the Duties contained in those Precepts not in w●●d and in Tongue but in Deed and in Trut● as Saint John speaks 1 John 3.18 And that there might be a readiness to these Duties not of mind only but of performance also For there may be a readiness of mind at least in shew when there is a backwardness

best means to overcome evil For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sophocles speaks in his Ajax Flagister kindness doth all ways bring forth kindness CHAP. XIII 1. LEt every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God 1. Let every one be subject to the Supream Powers and to those which are placed in the highest Seats of Authority and that with their very soul for there is no power or Authority of what Nation or Country soever I speak of Lawful Powers but it is of God The Powers and Rulers that are throughout the whole world whether in Rome or in Greece or any other part of the earth though some Jews think otherwise and account God to have ordained no Powers or Rulers whom they should obey though they live under them but in and among themselves are ordained of God 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power and taketh Arms against him resisteth the Ordinance of God And they that resist shall for that resistance receive to themselves damnation Damnation temporal in this life from mans tribunal for that that they resist him And damnation eternal from the Tribunal of the great and terrible God in the life to come for that that they resist his Ordinance 3. For rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same 3. But perhaps you will say that if ye should be subject to these powers and put your neck under their yoke ye should be always in fear For such powers are always a terrour to those which live under them But to this I answer that though ye are subject to such powers yet ye have no cause to fear if ye do well and if ye do ill ye are worthy to suffer for it For Rulers are not a terrour to those which do well but to those which do ill Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Ruler do that which is good and thou shalt be so far from having cause to be afraid of him as that thou shalt have praise and encouragement from him 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 4. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good to reward thee and defend thee if thou dost well but if thou dost that which is evil be afraid For he hath a sword given him of God to cut of them which deserve death from the face of the earth And he beareth not his sword in vain For he is the Minister and servant of God a Revenger in his stead to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject to the Supream powers and Rulers not only if you intend to avoid wrath and punishment but also if you would keep your conscience void of offence 6. For for this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods ministers attending continually upon this very thing 6. And now being that rulers are as I said the Ministers of God to thee for good see that you pay them tribute also for they are Gods Ministers to thee for good attending continually upon this very thing to wit that thou maist receive benefit by their Government 7. Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour 7. Render therefore to all Rulers of what Countrey or Nation soever they are so long as thou livest under their government that which is due to them Render tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law 8. Yea owe not any private man any thing but to love one another And that is a debt which ye must always owe yet always pay Love therefore one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law that is that part of the Law which concerneth our neighbour 9 For this Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not covet and if there be any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 9. For this Commandment thou shalt not commit adultery and this thou shalt not kill and this thou shalt not steal and this thou shalt not covet and if there be any other Commandment beside these concerning our neighbour it is briefly and summarily comprehended in this saying Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore love is the fulfilling of the law 10. Love worketh no ill to his Neighbour yea it worketh all good it can for him Therefore is love the fulfilling of the Law 11. And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation neerer then when we believed 11. Love therefore one another as I said vers 8. and that considering the time that it is now high time for us who since our calling to the Gospel have fallen asleep and have thereby left off to do well to awake out of that our sleep For now is our salvation neerer than when we first believed therefore if when we first believed we did rouse up our selves and were zealous in good works because of the approach of our salvation much more should we rouze up our selves now and be more zealous now than we were then because our salvation is neerer now than it was at that time 12. The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light 12. The night of ignorance is gone the day of knowledge is risen and hath shone upon us let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and works of the night evill works which cannot indure the light and let us put on the armour of light let us cloath our selves with such works as we shall not be ashamed of at the highest time of day 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying 13. Let us do that which is honest as they are wont to do which do any thing in the day time let us not walk in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in

authority with which they are invested are surely from him immediately And to the proof of this to omit others the Apostle suppeditates three Arguments in this Chapter For first he saith that the Ruler is the Minister of God ver 4. And why rather then because he is Gods Vicegerant and hath his power and authority immediately from God Secondly he saith that he beareth the Sword v. 4. And he beareth it no doubt to cut of them from the land of the living who deserve death But who can give this power to any one but he which is the Lord of life and death for what man hath this power over himself to use the Sword upon himself though he judgeth himself a Malefactor and worthy of death that he should resign or give up this power to any other either Community or Single person Thirdly he saith that he is a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil ver 4. And who can make a Ruler a Revenger and give him this power but he that saith Vengeance is mine Deut. 32.3 Rom. 12.19 As therefore in the generation of Man the disposition of the matter is from a man but the infusion of the Soul is from God so it is for the most part in the creation of Supreme Rulers Governors or Powers for though the constitution of the kinde of Government and the designation of the Persons be ordinarily from men as their immediate cause yet the power and authority which is the life and soul of all is immediately from God who giveth power to the several Governors sutable to their several kind of Governments And the Person or Persons which are thus designed and thus invested with supreme power in what kind of government soever but especially in that which is Monarchical are as sacred as was the person of Saul who was chosen immediately of God to be King of Israel of whom David said The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lords annointed 1 Sam. 26.11 For when by the disposing hand of Gods providence a Right is conveyed to a person or to a person and his Line successively to the supreme power or Rule of a Nation though it be by second causes and he is invested by G●d with this power he is above the reach of any just force on earth for there is now no lawful hand above him he being the Supream to use the Rod or the Sword against him What we have spoken hitherto we have spoken of the supream powers or Rulers of Nations Of which Saint Paul here speaks But if you ask whence inferior Governors and Officers are and by whom ordained I answer Th y as their persons are usually designed to the Offices which they bear by the supream Powers so have they their power immediately from them yet so as that they by reason of Gods all-working providence may be said to be of God also and to have their power from him but not I say so immediately as the supream powers or rulers have The powers that be are ordained of God i. e. All the Lawful powers that is All the Lawful Rulers throughout the whole world and not they which are of Israel and Judah only are ordained of God This is a Repetition of that which went immediately before Ver. 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power c. i. e. Whosoever therefore resisteth those which are invested with the Supream power See ver 1. That which the Apostle speaks in this verse is a Corollary drawn from that which he said in the former verse viz. There is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God A Corollarie not impertinent to his present discourse and very fit for the Jews to take notice of who upon the conceit of that that they were Gods people would not willingly be subject to any Heathen power but would resist it oppose it and take Arms against it as occasion was Whosoever Resisteth c. The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which signifieth properly to stand against in Battle aray And likely it is that the Apostle in making choice of this word had an eye upon Judas of Galilee who drawing many Jews after him in the days of the taxing opposed the Roman power by force of Arms Acts 5.37 whose Example many other Jews were likely to follow and did follow in after times Resisteth the Ordinance of God i. e. Doth resist and oppose the Ordinance of God by which Rulers have their powers and by consequence doth resist and oppose God himself who ordained the Rulers and gave them their power They that resist i. e. They which resist or oppose their Rulers And by resisting or opposing them resist and oppose the ordinance of God and by consequence God himself Shall receive to themselves damnation i. e. Shall bring damnation upon themselves damnation temporal from mans tribunal in that they resist him and damnation Eternal from the Tribunal of the great and terrible God in that they resist his ordinance Ver. 3. For Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil i. e. For Rulers are to wit by the end of their constitution not a terror to them which do well but yet they are a terror to them which do evil When the Apostle saith that Rulers are not a terror to good works he useth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by being not a terror he understands that they are an Encouragement and reward●rs of their good works the like Phrase he useth verse 10. Good and evil works are put here for such as do works which are good or evil by a Metonymie And by good and evil works understand here especially such works as are civily good or evil that is such as are either according or contrary to the Laws and Constitutions of the places or the Edicts of the power under which they live which were made for the maintenance of civil or humane society For though a Magistrate be Custos utriusque Tabulae Yet these Magistrates were at this time Heathen and knew little of the first table Now for the connexion of this with that which went before The Apostle seems to prevent an Objection here for they might object and say that if they should be subject to these powers and put their necks under their yoke they should ever be without fear For such powers are a terror to them which live under them This Objection I say the Apostle seems to prevent as if he should say in these or the like words But ye have no reason to fear this if ye do well and if ye do ill ye are worthy to suffer for it For Rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil It is a benefit to all persons which live under any goverment that the Rulers or Governors are not a terror that is are an Encouragement and are Rewarders of them which do well And it is a benefit to them too that they are a terror

to them which do evil For when Evil men do fear to transgress by reason of the awe they stand in of Rulers and Magistrates the publique peace is thereby preserved and the publique good promoted When therefore we receive this benefit by Rulers and this is the end of their constitution this should be an inducement to induce us to be subject to them Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power i. e. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Ruler Power is put here by a Metonymie for him that hath power that is for the Ruler as verse 1. Do that which is good i. e. Do that which the Laws or Edicts of the Power under which thou livest requires of thee See what we said a little before on those words Good works The Apostle draws a Corollarie here or maketh use of the doctrine which he delivered immediately before because it was profitable for them to whom he wrote and there was need of it And thou shalt have praise of the same i e. Thou shalt be so far from having cause to be afraid as that thou shalt have praise of the same for thy well doing Praise is so congruous and pleasing to a mans nature as that it will cause him to approach to him that will praise him whereas fear will make him stand off from him of whom he is afraid Praise therefore may be opposed here to fear in respect of these effects Ver. 4. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good i. e. For he is Gods vicegerent and one whom God hath appointed or set over thee for thy good The good for which God hath appointed rulers over men is for them to honor reward their Subjects when they do well by praising them for well doing as well as by promoting them to honour and for them to procure the peace quiet and well-fare and to keep off wrongs and injuries from them over whom they are placed He gives a reason here why he said do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same for praise is wrapt up in the bundle of the good which he here speaks of Note that when the Apostle said vers 3. Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the Evil and here again He is the Minister of God to thee for good It was not nor is it his intent to give these or any of these dictates as a measure of our obedience as though he would have us to obey Rulers while they are this and do this and no longer But he brings them only as perswasive arguments why we should obey So that if Rulers do not their duty to us we are not freed by any thing which the Apostle here says from doing ours to them Wherefore what Saint Peter saith to good servants 1 Pet. 2.18 may be said as well to good Subjects as to good servants viz. Be subject with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward For this is thank worthy if a man for conscience towards God endureth grief suffering wrongfully Yea if thou art a good Christian and hast learned Christ throughly A Ruler be he never so bad cannot be a terror to thee if thou dost well nor can he be otherwise then a Minister of God to thee for good for if he should punish thee undeservedly and persecute thee yet if thou suffer it patiently God will abundantly reward thee for that thy patient suffering in obedience to his commands so that his punishments and persecutions shall turn to thy good though he intends it not so For our affliction worketh for us a far more exceeding weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 But if thou do that which is evil i. e. But if thou art disobedient and Rebellious to him and will not be subject to his Laws and commands but wilt do evil Be afraid i. e. Be afraid of him that is be afraid of that punishment which he will inflict upon thee This Imperative is not praecipientis but Denunciantis For he beareth not the sword in vain i. e. For God hath given him a Sword and he hath not given him a sword in vain or for no use and purpose but for this end that he should cut them off from the Earth which do evil by transgressing the Laws and are Rebellious against him By the Sword understand a power even to put Malefactors to death which is signified by the Sword which is usually carried before the chief Magistrates For he is the Minister of God What kind of Minister of God he is of whom he speaks the Apostle shews and determines in the next words for there be many kind of Ministers of God For the Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists and preachers of the Gospel were Gods Ministers as well as were Magistrates or Civil Rulers He sheweth therefore in the next words that he of whom he speaks is a Revenger to execute w●ath upon him which doth evil and so determineth this Ministery to the Civil Magistracy The Apostle sheweth by these and the words following that the Magistrate beareth not the sword in vain A Revenger i. e. One whom God hath ordained or appointed to be a Revenger To execute wrath upon them that do evil i. e. To take vengeance of them or to execute punishment upon them which do evil that is to take vengeance of them or to execute punishment upon them which are disobedient and rebellious to his Laws and so as much as in them is break the bands of common society which ought to be kept inviolable among men for their publique good Ver. 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject To wit to the highest powers ver 1. that is to Rulers Ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake q. d. Ye must needs be subject to the highest powers if ye will either escape punishment or keep your conscience void of offence before God Not only for wrath i. e. Not only for escaping punishment or if ye would escape punishment Wrath is put here for Punishment per metonymiam Causae Punishment threatned from the Magistrate or highest powers But also for conscience sake i. e. But also for this end that ye may keep your conscience clear and void of offence before God which ye cannot do if ye are not subject to the highest powers as I commanded verse 1. That they must needs be subject to the highest pow●rs if they will escape punishment from them the Apostle gathers or draws here from those words Rulers are a terror to evil works ver 3. And from those He is a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil and that they must needs be subject to the higher powers if they will keep their conscience clear and void of offence before God he gathers or draws from those words There is no Power but of God the Powers that are are ordained of God v. 1. and from those He is the Minister of

this objection hath no place here because here there is no such duty as fear and honour due from any one to any one to whom this precept is directed And this I conceive as probable because the Apostle though he reckoneth other the duties of the second Table in the verse following yet he omitteth that concerning Rulers and Superiors which he would not as it seems have done if he had intended to have spoken here of such duties as are due to them For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law Between these and the foregoing words understand these or the like words But as for love be always owing that and yet always paying it q. d. But as for love be alwayes owing that and yet alwayes paying it for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law The Apostle doth here shew the great benefit that doth accrue to us by love and which we cannot attain to without it namely the fulfilling of the Law and this he doth the more to incite us or stir us up to love Hath fulfilled the Law That is hath performed all the Commandments of the Law The fullness which the Apostle here speaks of hath respect to the full number of the commandments concerning our Neighbour q. d. He hath kept all the commandments concerning his neighbour so that there is none which he hath not kept or left unperformed for that part of the Law which containeth the duties of Neighbour to Neighbour Ver. 9. For this thou shalt not commit adultery i. e. For this Commandment viz. Thou shalt not commit adultery The Apostle proveth here that which he said ver 8. That he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law And he proves it by an Induction or by Reckoning up all the particular commandments of the Law These Commandments are all delivered in the future tense But after the Hebrew manner the future tense of the Indicative mood is put for the Imperative These commandments are also all of them delivered Negatively But in these Negatives the contrary affirmative duties are included Adultery Under the name of Adultery understand Incest fornication and the like as well as Adultery strictly taken It may be asked here why the Apostle omitted the first commandment of the second Table to wit Honor thy father thy mother that thy days may be long in the Land c. Answ Because the Apostle speaks here onely of such and to such as are in an equality in respect of rule and subjection having spoken of subjects as subjects and in relation to their Rulers as so from the beginning of this Chapter to the eighth verse Or else we must say that the Apostle involves that commandment in those words And if there be any other commandment But the first seems to me to be the most probable answer It may be asked again that whereas in the twentieth of Exodus and wheresoever the Law is repeated the precept or command concerning Murder is put before the command concerning Adultery Why the precept or command concerning Adultery is put here before that of Murder But to this we cannot give an answer except it be that the Apostle did it because he thought that the Romans were chiefly to be admonished of the sins of the flesh which were sins most rise amongst the Gentiles and sins reducible to that precept or command Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not kill i e. And this commandment Viz. Thou shalt not kill He is said to kill here which having no lawfull authority to do it killeth a man whether the man be nocent or innocent Thou shalt not steal And this Commandement to wit Thou shalt not steal He is guilty of the breach of this Commandment which either takes away or detains that which is another mans against the will of the owner whether he doth it openly or privately by fraud or by force c. Thou shalt not bear false witness i. e. This commandment viz. Thou shalt not bear false witness He is guilty of the breach of this commandment who witnesseth any thing that is false especially in judgement to the injury of his neighbour Yea who telleth any lie Thou shalt not covet i. e. And this commandment Viz. Thou shalt not covet He is guilty of the breach of this commandment who lusteth after any thing which is his neighbours whom by so lusting he injureth at least in desire and affection And if there be any other commandment To wit of this nature or concerning our Neighbour It is briefly comprehended in this saying i. e. It is briefly summarily or implicitely comprehended in this General saying Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Thou shalt love thy neighbour as truly as thou lovest thy self How we should love our neighbours as truly as our selves we are taught by those two general precepts of the Law of nature Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do you even so to them Matth. 7.12 And do that to no man which thou hatest To bit 4.15 By our Neighbour is not here meant a neer dweller only as some vulgar men may think nor one only which is of our own Nation or of our own Religion or which is any of our friends and acquaintance only But any of what Nation or R●ligion soever he be for he is our Neighbour whom we may not lawfully kill and with whose wife we may not lawfully commit adultery and whose goods we cannot lawfully Steal c. Ver. 10. Love worketh not ill to his neighbour i. e. He which loveth his Neighbour worketh no ill to his Neighbour yea he worketh to his neighbour all the good he can Love is put here by a Metonymie for him which loveth and note that the Apostle useth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here by which he understandeth more than his words reach to For by not working ill to his Neighbour he understandeth working all good as he is able to do Therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law i. e. Therefore the performance of the duties of love that is therefore whosoever doth the duties of love fulfilleth the Law Love is taken here by a Metonymie for the performance of the duties of love or rather for the man which performeth them What is meant by fulfilling what by the Law See ver 8. Ver. 11. And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep Refer this to those words of the eight verse Owe no man any thing but love one another Or else between this and the former verse understand these or the like words Let us therefore love one another and so fulfil the law q. d. Let us therefore love one another and so fulfil the Law and the rather because we know the time that now it is high time to a wake out of sleep That This particle that signifieth as much as the rather or especially Knowing the time that it is now high time to awake out of sleep i. e. Knowing the time to

the Apostle directs this his admonition or precept to all the Saints of Rome which were strong in the faith whether they were Jews or Gentiles or whether he speaks here only to such Jews as were strong in the faith is a question Some take it as spoken to all the strong whether they were Jews or Gentiles Some again take it as spoken to such Jews onely as were strong And the reasons of these latter are these First because simply it was not lawful for the Gentiles to observe the Law of Moses at this time no not for the weak Jews sake which they think is sufficiently manifest by the Epistle of S. Paul to the Galatians wherefore say they the Gentiles were not in any wise to be exhorted to that which is here written Secondly Because the Apostle saith ver 3. Let not him which eateth not judge him which eateth that is let not the weak which eateth not condemn the strong which eateth that which was forbidden by the Law of Moses as if he were thereby a transgressor of that Law which a Jew though he were weak would not do to a Gentile because he knew that the Law of Moses belonged not to the Gentile but to the Jew onely And to these latter do I encline The Apostle therefore directs this his precept by an Apostrophe in particular to such Jews as lived at Rome and were strong in the faith concerning such things as were forbidden indeed by the Law of Moses but might be lawfully used by Christians And to such doth he speak when he speaks to the strong throughout this Chapter But in the beginning of the next Chapter he passeth from this special Doctrine concerning things which were forbidden by the Law of Moses to that which is more general and there speaks to all both Jews and Gentiles which were strong in the faith Now as for the Connexion of this with the former Chapter The Apostle goes on still to teach the Romans how they should present their bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is their reasonable service as he speaks Chap. 12. ver 1. And because this precept is a precept of charity as appeareth ver 15. He brings it in here after the precept of love and charity which he gave in the latter part of the foregoing Chapter Though in giving of such precepts as these are the coherence is not so exactly to be looked for no more than in the Proverbs of Solomon Him that is weak in the faith He is said to be weak in the faith which doubteth of any thing concerning the Doctrine of Faith or is perswaded against the truth thereof taking that for truth which is not true Such a one in this present case was he which doubted whether he might Lawfully eat of such meats as were forbidden or which thought that he sinned which did eat of such meats as were forbidden to be eaten by the Law of Moses This weakness therefore is opposed to a full perswasion of a thing For which see Rom. Chap. 4. ver 19 20 21. And See 1 Cor. Chap. 8. ver 7. 12. He speaks here of the weak Jew as the sequel will shew Receive you To wit into your company or society as brethren And into your hearts as those which are dearly beloved of you He speaks to such Jews as were strong that is as were fully perswaded and that according to the Gospel that they might now lawfully eat those meats which Moses did forbid in his Law to be eaten And that they might lawfully neglect the observation of those days which Moses would have observed by his Law But not to doubtful disputations i. e. But receive them not to dispute or contend with them about their opinions which they have concerning those meats which were forbidden and those days which were commanded to be kept as holy by the Law of Moses for the Issue thereof will be doubtfull The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Receive you is a word of an Indifferent signification and may be taken either in a good or a bad sence as it is limited and the Terminus ad quem is specified The Apostle therefore sheweth here first what the term thereof is not according to his meaning and afterwards gives us to understand what it is by the carriage which he would have us to use to such a one as I spoke of a little before Should weak Jews newly converted to the faith of Christ be set upon by hot disputations and contentions that by those means they might be drawn from the opinions which they held they might as soon be driven from that faith which they had of Christ as be drawn from those their opinions wherefore the Apostle would not have this to be put to such a venture Ver. 2. For one believeth that he may eat all things i. e. Now one who is strong in faith is fully perswaded in his conscience that he may lawfully eat all manner of meats whatsoever The Apostle doth as it were state the case here Note that the particle For may be taken here for Now as when we say Now the birth of Jesus Christ was after this manner Matth. 1.18 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another Chap. 15.5 For this particle For may be here not the sign of the cause or reason of any thing which went before but a note of an explication which sets out the matter in hand by way of an Example as it were before our eyes placing the weak on one side and the strong on the other Yet we may take the particle For here as it is usually taken that is for a Conjunction causal q. d. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations And think not that this Admonition is needless For there be weak Jews and there be strong Jews among you One Jew who is strong and believeth that he may eate all things Another who is weak and who eateth onely herbs c. One i. e. One who is strong in faith Believeth i. e. Is fully perswaded in his conscience That he may eat all things i. e. That he may Lawfully eat all things which are good for meat notwithstanding the Law of Moses Here that Rule is pertinent Id possumus quod jure possumus That we may be said to do which we may lawfully do Note here that there were many things forbidden as unclean and not to be eaten by the Law of Moses which yet none of them were unclean in themselves Of many of these you may read Levit. 11. verse 13 c. Another who is weak To wit in the faith See ver 1. Eateth herbs i. e. Eateth onely herbs that is eateth onely such things as were Lawful to be eaten by the Law of Moses Note that the word Onely is here to be understood as it is often elsewhere And that by Herbs he means all such herbs as were by their nature

for an holy and righteous conversation And peace Peace is taken here for the following and ensuing of peace with our Neighbour and brother and using the means conducing thereunto Note that whatsoever other Christian vertue there is besides Righteousnes and Peace it is to be understood here by a Syllepsis And joy The joy here spoken of is the joy which we take in working the works of Righteousness and in pursuing and following and maintaining peace with our Neighbours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Aristot Ethic. ad Nichomach lib. 1. cap. 8. That is He is not a good man which rejoyceth not in vertuous actions nor can any one say that he is just or righteous who rejoyceth not to do justly or righteously c. In the holy Ghost i. e. Through the holy Ghost That is which joy is stirred up in us by the holy Ghost who doth not onely make us to do these things but to do them joyfully The Apostle adds this to distinguish this Righteousness and Peace from that which is Civil And this joy from that which is carnal Note that the preposition In is taken here by an Hebraism for By or Through Ver. 18. For he that in these things serveth Christ i. e. He that in these things to wit Righteousness and Peace pursued with joy Serveth Christ in the advancement of his Kingdom Is acceptable to God i. e. He is accepted of God and pleaseth him well For that he doth by these things promote and advance his Kingdom though he do not eat of those things which he may lawfully eat of And approved of men i. e. And is approved of good men as a good man who praise him for following after Righteousness and Peace and rejoycing therein Ver. 19. Let us therefore follow the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another This Inference or Corollary is drawn from that that the kingdom of God is said to consist not in meat and drink but in Righteousness and Peace ver 17. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace q. d. Being then that the kingdom of God consisteth as in Righteousness so in Peace let us follow after those things which make for peace That is let us follow after those things which beget and preserve Peace and Concord one with another The Apostle obliquely taxeth here the free eating of all things before the weak brethren which did not only discover a diversity of judgements between the strong and the weak but did also produce alienation of affections He taxeth also their disputes and contentions which they had about the Lawfulness of eating things forbidden by Moses Law of which ver 1. which ended in pure discord And things wherewith one may edifie another q d. And being that the Kingdom of heaven consisteth as in Peace so in Righteousness let us follow after Righteousness and work the works thereof that by our example we may edifie others also To edifie or build up is in the Apostles language sometimes to bring to Christ sometimes to better one another which is in Christ already in the way of Christianity And the word used in this sence is Metaphorically used And the Metaphor is taken f●om houses or Material buildings in allusion to which the faithful are also called the Temple of God in which God dwelleth by his Spirit And in allusion to which the Church of God which is the company of the faithful is sometimes also called by the name of a City as the new Hierusalem which is built and compacted out of the Saints and faithful of God as a material City is out of stones c. The Apostle obliquely taxeth here again the free eating of all things before the weak brethren whereby they were offended and occasioned to sin yea and whereby some also were so offended as that they turned from Christianity to Judaism again Ver. 20. For meat destroy not the work of God These words are like to those ver 15. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died And are a kind of repetition thereof which the Apostle repeats to make the strong Jews the deeper to apprehend it q. d. For meat I say destroy not c. For meat i. e. For that that thou wilt use ●hy liberty in eating all meats without differ●nce D●●troy not See ver 15. ●●e work of God i. e. Thy weak brothe● A weak brother yea every Christian is called ●he work of God not so much for that that God mad● him and fashioned him when he was in his mothers womb as for that that God formed in him the Image of Christ Gal. 4.19 For we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works Ephes 2.10 All things indeed are pure The Apostle prevents an objection here For the strong Christian may say are not all meats clean and pure why then may I not eat them This objection the Apostle prevents saying All things indeed are pure but yet it is evil For that man who eateth with offence All things indeed are pure i. e. That is all meats indeed are pure in themselves so that they cannot in themselves defile a man All things That is all meats as verse 2. Synechdoche Generis But it is evil for that man who eateth with offence i. e. But yet it is evil for that man who eateth any meat with the offence and destruction of his weak brother for he sins by that against the law of charity That which is pure and clean in it self may be ill and sinful by accident to him that useth it Ver. 21. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine c. It is good to abstain not only from meats and drinks which are forbidden by the Law but also from all other meats and drinks yea and from all things else of this nature whereby a weak brother stumbleth or is offended or made weak It is good c It is good to abstain as is aforesaid because he that should not abstain in this case would sin and so incur the guilt of punishment due to him for making his weak brother to offend as also because if he doth abstain he shall not lose his reward with God for having this tender respect to his weak brother Nor any thing Nor to do any thing The speech is Elliptical Whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended i. e. Whereby thy brother is made to sin These phrases are Metaphorical see of the Metaphor ver 13. Or is made weak The Apostle speaks here of a weak brother And then is a weak brother said to be made weak when that infirmity or weakness of his is made by any means to shew it self or is by any means increased A Brothers weakness may shew it self and be increased not only to sin but to revolt from Christianity if it be not regarded and born with Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken in the same sence here as I said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

the Gospel as it commands and giveth power to fulfil her commands so is it ready to pardon sin and iniquities Some when they hear me say that ye are not under the Law but under grace are ready to take from hence encouragement and liberty to sin But what if I said ye are not under the Law but under Grace shall we therefore take liberty to sin God forbid 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether ye yield your selves servants to sin to obey her and so become the Servants of sin which brings men unto death or whether ye yield your selves unto the Gospel which is the doctrine of obedience to obey her and so become the Servants of the Gospel which brings to righteousness or justification 17. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you 17. But God be thanked that though ye were sometimes the servants of sin yet ye have now obeyed the Gospel that form of doctrine which was delivered to you 18. Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness 18. Being therefore made free from sin and her service ye are become the servants of the Gospel which teacheth and commandeth righteousness 19. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness 19. I speak in speaking as I do of sin and of the Gospel under Metaphors taken and used amongst vulgar men as a vulgar man which is not acquainted with divine matters and that because of the weakness of your understanding being ye are not yet able to apprehend and bear the high and deep things of God Wherefore as while ye were the servants of sin ye yielded your members to sin as servants to work her work to wit iniquity Even so now being that ye are the servants of the Gospel which teacheth righteousness yield ye your members as servants to the Gospel to do her work to wit holiness 20. For when ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness 20. For when ye were servants to sin ye were as men free from the Gospel which teacheth and commandeth righteousness and so carried your selves and did no work at all for her As therefore when ye were the servants of sin ye were as men free from the Gospel and so carried your selves and did no work for her So being that ye are now the servants of the Gospel be ye as men free from sin and so carry your selves and do no work for her 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death 21. But what fruit had ye then when ye were the servants of sin in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things which ye did while ye were servants to sin is everlasting death 22. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life 22. But now being that ye are made free from sin and become the servants of the Gospel and so by consequence the Saints of God who is the Author of the Gospel ye have your fruit even holiness and the end of your doings will be everlasting life 23. For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 23. For the wages which sin giveth to her servants which do her work is everlasting death but the gift which God bestoweth upon his servants which do his work is eternal life which he bestoweth upon them for Jesus Christ our Lords sake CHAP. VI. Ver. 1. What shall we say then In the twentieth verse of the former chapter the Apostle said that where sin abounded grace did much more abound Lest any therefore should think that he might continue in sin for this end that grace might abound And because Christians were defamed with the tenancy of such an opinion as appeareth Chap. 3. v. 8. The Apostle sheweth here the detestation even of such a thought as this is that Christians might continue in Sin that the grace of God might abound and that it is against the very Profession of Christianity Shall we continue in Sin c. i e. Shall we continue in our old course of sinning by adding Sin to Sin Note that the Apostle speaks here of such who had lived in Sin before their conversion to Christianity That grace may abound That is that the grace and favour of God may abound in pardoning our Sins or that God may have the more abundant occasion to shew his grace and favour to sinners Ver. 2. God forbid These words are words of abhorring and detesting as Chap. 3.4.6.31 How shall we that are dead unto Sin live any longer therein The Apostle calls those dead to Sin which are dead in respect of Sin That is which have renounced and cast off the Service of sin and the obedience which they were wont to yield to her and as the dead have no commerce with the living have no commerce with Sin as they were wont to have Or rather as Servants which are now dead are freed from their Masters by death so that their Masters have no command over them neither do they serve them So are they which are dead to Sin so freed from sin as that she hath no power to command them nor do they obey or serve her All which profess Christianity are dead to Sin by profession and by promise for in their very entrance and admission into the Church of Christ they promise and profess that they will renounce sin with her lusts And they which are Christians as well in truth as in profession are dead to sin not in promise and profession only But in truth and reality too for they are so mortified to sin as that they obey her not neither have they their wonted commerce with her If therefore we be dead to sin if it be but by promise and profession only how can we with any face live any longer to sin or in the obedience and service of sin But if we are dead to sin not only in promise and profession but also in truth and in reality too how can we possibly live to sin or in the service and obedience of sin while we are dead to her Thus are Christians two manner of ways said to be dead to sin First by promise and profession Secondly in truth and in reality And being any of these wayes dead to sin they cannot

Apostle having delivered in the former part of this Epistle the Doctrine of Faith cometh here to give precepts of manners And to connect or knit this to his former Subject He infers this as a duty arising from that For when that his Doctrine of faith hath set out and shewen many mercies of God to us He beseecheth the Romans here in consideration of those mercies to shew themselves thankful to God by an holy living and conversation of life I beseech you therefore c. q. d. Being therefore you have received many mercies from God as I have shewed you in the former part of my Epistle I beseech you Brethren by those mercies c. Brethren He calleth the Romans Brethren because they were Christians as he was And Christians because they have the same God for their Father and the same Church for their Mother are called Brethren By the mercies of God i. e. By the mercies which God hath shewed you The Apostle beginneth this part of his Epistle with a vehement obsecration and an earnest obtestation whereby he beseecheth the Romans by those mercies which he had mentioned and commended to them in the former part of his Epistle and which they had received that they would present their bodies a living sacrifice c. By the mercies of God This is a vehement obtestation which is a most effectuall kind of reasoning or manner of perswading Like unto this is that most earnest and passionate prayer in the Letany of our Church viz. By thine Agony and bloody sweat by thy Cross and Passion c Good Lord deliver us which manner of praying Some have prophanely called swearing but you see that the Apostle useth this same manner of speaking and he may be a president for it without exception That you present your bodies a living sacrifice i. e. That ye offer your selves as a living Sacrifice to God Your Bodies i e. Your selves By the Body is here meant not the Body only but the body and soul too that is the whole man by a Synechdoche But he seemeth to say your bodies rather than your selves in some allusion to the Jewish Sacrifices where the bodies of the beasts which were offered for a burnt-offering were consumed or burnt on the Altar to the glory of God A living sacrifice i. e. As a living Holocaust or Burnt-offering as I may so speak The Apostle in this alludes to the Sacrifices of the Jews and among them to the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering where the Beast or Carcase of the beast which was offered or sacrificed was wholly burnt or consumed with fire to the glory of God And this he doth to signifie that we should offer to God our whole selves and all our actions Yet he saith a living sacrifice in opposition to that That those Sacrifices which the Jews offered were slain But this is not required of us that we should slay our selves or be slain by being made a Sacrifice here Then we offer our bodies that is our selves a living Sacrifice to God when we direct all our actions and do all which we do to his glory according to the exposition which the Apostle gives of his meaning in the last words of this verse Holy i e. An holy Sacrifice That is a sacrifice pure and separate from all uncleanness Yea a sacrifice sanctified by the holy Ghost as our Apostle speaks Chap. 15. ver 16. The sacrifices of the Old Law were called holy and were so accounted But if they were called and accounted holy Surely the bodies of Christians may be called and accounted holy much more being that they are purified from sin by the blood of Christ 1 John 1.7 and sanctified by the holy Ghost Rom. 15 16. There is an allusion therefore here to the sacrifices of the Law and their holiness when he bids us offer our bodies an Holy Sacrifice Acceptable unto God i e. Such as is well-pleasing unto God who because he is pure delighteth and is well-pleased with that only which is pure The Burnt sacrifice was said to be an offering of a sweet savour unto the Lord Levit. 1.9 In allusion to this would the Apostle have our sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God And indeed if such sacrifices were as a sweet savour unto God acceptable and well pleasing to him much more may the bodies and actions of Christians be acceptable to him See 2 Cor. 2 15. Phil. 4.18 Which is your reasonable service He interpreteth here what he meant by their bodies He meaneth by that themselves that is their reasonable service By a Synechdochical Metonymie Your reasonable service By the reasonable service here spoken of is meant the service of the spirit or of the soul which is a reasonable soul that is q. d. your spiritual service or the service of your spiritual souls Or by the reasonable service is meant the service of the whole man as it is reasonable or guided by the reasonable soul directed by Gods word He opposeth here this reasonable service or service of the spirit to that bodily service which was used under the old Law and which consisted for the most part in slaying and sacrificing beasts and birds c. or rather he opposeth it to the beasts and birds themselves which were sacrificed which were but brute and unreasonable creatures Ver. 2. And be not conformed to this world q. d. And for this end or for this cause be not conformed to this world Be not conformed to this world i. e. Be not conformed or be not like to the men which love the pleasures and profits and other vanities of this world all which ye have renounced in your Baptism To this world By the world is here meant by a Metonymie the men which live in the world and then by a Synechdoche not any men which live in the world but such as are given to the pleasures and profits and other vanities of the world But be ye transformed i. e. But be ye transformed and become like to those which are of another yea a more heavenly carriage and conversation By the renewing of your mind This he saith because their mind was corrupt And from thence this transformation must begin That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God i. e. That ye may know and approve of that good and acceptable will of God by which ye are to regulate and square your Reasonable service That ye may prove i. e. That ye may know and approve or like of for so may the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in the Greek signifie By a Metaphor from Goldsmiths which try Gold by their touch-stone and upon trial know it to be true Gold and approve of it for such What is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God i. e. What is that will of God by which we should guide our Reasonable service which is a good will a perfect will and a will acceptable or pleasing to God and