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
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 Râ—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
but because they are ignorant in what true happiness or true blessedness doth consist and embrace a cloud for Juno a shadow for the substance For as the * Aristot Ethic lib. 1. c. 1. Philosopher tels us some place their happiness in riches some in honour some in pleasure some in one thing some in another Yet every one endeavoureth to attein to that in which he hath placed his happiness and abandon that which hindreth him from that which he aims at and makes his summum bonum Wherefore if we did truely believe that our chiefest happiness and our summum bonum did consist in that Glory and immortality which God hath promised and covenanted to give us and that we should attein to it if we walk in that way which he hath prescribed to lead us to it surely we should walke in it Our Saviour tells us that the Kingdome of heaven is like to a treasure hid in a field which when a man had found it he hideth it and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field to wit that he might be the Lord and possessor of that treasure which went a long with the possession of that field Mat. 13.44 And he tells us again that the Kingdome of Heaven is like a Merchant-man seeking goodly pearls who when he had found one pearl of good price he went and sold all that he had and bought it Mat. 13.45 46. And what do these parables mean in the issue but that a man when he hath found by a sound faith that his true happiness and real bliss and chiefest good that treasure that precious pearl which he desires is in heaven he will part with all things which may hinder his pursuit and expend and lay out all his strength and might which he hath that he might obtein that treasure that precious pearl But see what I have said more of this Faith on Rom. chap. 2. ver 17. pag. 17 18. FLESH CARNAL By flesh in its prime signification is meant the whole kind of the softer parts of the body as * Fernelius Descript human Corp. Cap. 14. Fernelius tells us And by a Synecdoche it is put sometimes for the whole body it self as Collossians 1.24 where Saint Paul speaking of himself saith who now rejoyce in my sufferings and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh that is in my body It is sometimes also taken by a further Synecdoche for the whole man as Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh i. e. shall no man be justified But there be other significations of this word Flesh which are peculiar to the Scriptures and Pen-men thereof The flesh therefore is sometimes taken for the Vnderstanding of a man which hath been verst only in fleshly that is in earthly things as Rom. 6.16 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh that is by reason of the weakness and dulness of your understanding in conceiving spiritual things having been verst altogether in fleshly that is earthly things It is sometimes also taken for the Will and the inferiour or irrational appetite together as Rom. 7.18 where the Apostle speaking in the person of a man which is under the Law saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing that is I know that there is neither in my sensual appetite nor yet in my Will being depraved with ill habits any good which bears rule and is able to subdue sin which hath dominion there But sometimes again the flesh is taken for the carnal or sensual appetite or affections moving or stirring up to sin or that which cannot be obteined without sin as Rom. 8.13 where it is said If ye live after the flesh ye shall die But by the carnal or sensual appetite or affections or by the flesh we must there understand not only that carnal and sensual appetite or those affections which stir us up or move us to those things wherewith the taste or touch is delighted and which we cannot obtein without sin but we must understand also thereby whatsoever mover or motion there is within us be it what it will be which moveth us or stirreth us up to any sin whatsoever or to any thing whatsoever which we cannot attain to or enjoy without sin as such For when the Apostle gives us an example of the works of the flesh he doth not name only Adultery and Fornication and Vncleanness and Lasciviousness and Drunkenness and Revellings and such like but also Idolatry and Witchcraft and Hatred and Variance and Emulations and Wrath and Strife and Sedition and Heresies Galat. 5. v. 19 20 21. So that there is no sin against any part of the Law which may not be called a work of the flesh And where he reckons up some certain sins though he mentioneth not among them any sin delightful to the touch or to the taste of the body yet he calls them which commit them carnal For whereas there is among you Envying and Strife and Devisions are ye not carnal saith he to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.3 And what should he mean by carnal there but men addicted to and prone and apt to follow the motions which move in any kind to sin It is plain therefore that by the name of Flesh the Apostle means all and every inward mover or motion to sin be it or they in what power or fuaclty of the soul or of man whatsoever or to what sin soever it or they move But why he should so call it is not easie to say except we should say that because the flesh is in many places opposed to the spirit as Isaiah 31.3 Their horses are flesh and not spirit and John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit and again John 6.36 It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing He calls them flesh because they are opposite to the spirit and its motions and inclinations that is to the spirit of Regeneration or Sanctification which is given us by the Holy Ghost of which spirit he speaks Rom. 8. Galat. 5. and elsewhere TO FOREKNOW To foreknow In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Praescire are words all of them compounded And the Prepositions Fore and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Prae when the Verbs with which they are compounded are spoken of God they denotate some act of God before he did know or love them whom he is said to know or love that is his determination before they were to love them when they were As for the simple word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scire to know it is taken sometimes for to love And the reason why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth ordinarily to know signifies sometimes to love is because there is therein an allusion to the Hebrew word Iaday which signifies both to know and to love
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
of the Devil and of sin and of death and challenged us as it were and owned and asserted us for his peculiar Servants before Gods Tribunal He may be also called our Lord because of the Power which God gave him over all things in Heaven and in Earth Acts 10.36 Vert 2. By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand The Grace which here he speaks of and wherein he saith we stand is the Grace of justification q. d. Through whom also we have this Grace or this free gift which we enjoy to wit That we are justified by Faith Though we are justified by â—aith yet it is by the Grace and Favour of God towards us through the merits and mediation of Christ that we are thus justified For what is Faith that it should justifie us without Gods Favour and without Christs Merit and Mediation I conceive that these words By whom also we have an access by faith into this Grace wherein we stand are best to be read with a Parenthesis And we rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God q. d. And God hath promised to give us eternall glory by Christ in hope of which glory we rejoyce Of the Glory of God By Glory is here meant that Glorious state of Life which we shall with all Saints enjoy in the Kingdome of Heaven And he calls it The glory of God because it is promised by God and shall be performed by God in his good time Ver. 3 And not only so but we glory in Tribulations also q d. And we have not only peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and rejoyce through him in the hope of the Glory of God But that ye may not think that we neither have peace with God nor can have any sound hope of the Glory of God therein to rejoice because we are afflicted with Tribulations more than any men know that we glory in Tribulations also The Apostle doth with much art prevent an Objection here For whereas he said ver 1. That being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ And ver 2. We rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God A man might object and say How can you say Paul that ye which are justifyed by faith have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ and that ye rejoyce in hope of the glo of God through him whereas no men are more under tribulations than ye are for Christs sake which sheweth that ye have no peace with God and that ye have no sound hope of the glory of God through Christ to rejoyce in To this the Apostle answereth thus q. d. Notwithstanding these our Tribulations we have peace with God and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God For the Tribulations which befall us for Christs sake are not the signes of Gods displeasure but of his good will to us and thereby we come to know that he loves us and therefore we rejoyce in Tribulations for Christs sake whereas other men groan under the Tribulations which they suffer and are cast down and discontented at them But we glory in Tribulations also i. e. But we rejoyce also by reason of those Tribulations which we suffer for Christs sake Note that it is the same word to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred we rejoyce in verse 2. and we glory in in this verse In tribulation i. e. By reason of Tribulation Supple Which befalls us for Christs sake or for Gods sake or for Righteousness sake And in such Tribulations do Christians rejoyce as in some great good so did the Apostles rejoyce because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Christs sake Acts 5.41 And hence is that admonition of Saint James My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers tâ—mptations that is into diverse Tribulations James 1.2 Knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience By Patience understand patient bearing of evils q. d. Knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience in us and maketh us to suffer those Evils Patiently which we suffer for Christs sake c. Tribulatiâ—ns in their own nature are apt to breed impatience rather than patience in men But yet in the faithfull and such as are justified by faith they bring forth patience for such in their tribulations and by reason of their tribulations meditate on this that tribulations befall them by the will and dispensation of God and on this that by them God would have them like unto his own Son and their own Head and eldest Brother Christ Jesus And on this that God will never leave them nor forsake them Heb. 13.5 And on this that our light afflictions or tribulations work for us a far more exceeding weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 By which means they through the operation of Gods spirit learn patience and patiently endure whatsoever tribulation doth befall them Ver. 4. And patience experience Experience of what For it is not here expressed Answ Experience of those Gifts and Graces which God hath given us by his Spirit as we may gather from what we read in the latter part of the fifth verse as the sincerity of our faith Our trust and confidence in God Our ardency in prayer our love even to our enemies Our contempt of worldly things c. All which do accompany our patience and patient bearing of tribulations and do then most evidently shew themselves when we are patient in tribulations And experience hope i. e. And the experience or experimental knowledge of those gifts and graces which God hath given us by his Spirit worketh or produceth in us hope that is to say hope of the Glory of God But why should the experience or experimental knowledge of those gifts and graces which God hath given us by his Spirit work or produce in us hope of the Glory of God Answ Because they are tokens of the love of God to us in Christ as it followeth in the next verse and for those whom God loveth in Christ he hath prepared eternall glory And of this Glory those gifts and graces are also Pledges Ver. 5. And hope maketh not ashamed q. d. And hope that is And this our hope of eternal Glory or of the Glory of God shall not fall or prove a vain hope but we shall enjoy that which we hope for in due season Because men which entertain great hopes of a thing are ashamed when those their great hopes fail them hence hope is said to make a man ashamed when it faileth him and he attains not to what he hopes for By a Metonymy Because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us By the love of God we must understand here not the love with which we love God but the love with which God loveth us Is shed abroad c. To be shed abroad is the same as to be poured out for the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that
think it not strange my brethren that the sword should be drawn to kill us for this is our portion of old as it is written Psal 44.22 for thy sake O Lord are we which are thy servants and fear thy great Name killed one after another all the day long we are accounted of no oâ—herwise than of sheep appointed to be slain so little esteem is made of our blood 37. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us 37. But shall any of these things I say separate us from the love which God sheweth us for Christs sake No for even in the midst of these things doth God so continue and shew his love to us as that we are through the effects of his love and by the assistance and aid that he out of his love giveth us not only Conquerors over all these things but more than Conquerors 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 38. Wherefore I am perswaded that nothing which we can suffer either in our life or at our death no nor whatsoever all the devils of Hell whether they be Angels or Principalities or Powers can lay upon us Nor the afflictions which we suffer at the present nor the afflictions which are threatned against us for the future 39. Nor Height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 39. Nor any creature which is in heaven above or any creature which is in earth beneath or any other creature whatsoever if they should all combine themselves against us to afflict us to the utter most shall be able to separate us from the love of God which he sheweth to us for the merits of Christ Jesus our Lord. CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus This Conclusion or Corollary is drawn from that which the Apostle taught in the fifth Chapter of this Epistle and especially in the eighth ninth tenth eleventh verses and so forward Not from that which went immediately before in the precedent Chapter For the sixth and seventh Chapter the Apostle spends in answering objections which rose one after another from the latter end of the fifth Chapter hitherto so that they two chapters come between this and the first Chapter as it were by the By. No Condemnation This is part of the happiness of him which is justified by Faith To them which are in Christ Jesus i. e. To them which believe in Christ Jesus and so are made members of his body and inserted into him by saith as Branches into the vine That is to them which are justified by Faith as he speaks Chap. 5. ver 1. Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit i. e. Which follow not their sensual or carnal appetite and affections in whatsoever they move them to Who walk not after the flesh The flesh is to be taken here for the sensual or carnal appetite and affections And to walk after the flesh is to follow that sensual or carnal appetite and affections and to be carried away with them which way soever they move which cannot be done without sin The Speech is Metaphorical But after the Spirit i. e. But after the motions and inclinations of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in them as our Apostle speaks 2 Timoth. 1.14 The Apostle addes this who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit not as a note of distinction as though there were some in Christ Jesus or some which were justified by faith which did or might walk after the Flesh and others which did or might walk after the Spirit but he adds it as a note of declaration to declare what all those are and ought to be for conversation of life which are in Christ Jesus or which are justified by faith They are such or ought to be such as walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And this he adds least that any one when he hears that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus should think that now that he is in Christ Jesus he may securely live in sin or live as he listeth and so bring a scandal on Christian Religion Ver. 2. For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death The Apostle praevents an objection here somewhat like to that objection which he prevented Cap. 7. ver 14. For a weak and faint-hearted Christian might object here and say you require Paul of all that are in Christ Jesus that they would walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit But I hope that I am in Christ Jesus and yet having been a slave to sin and walked so long as I have done after the Flesh I am afraid that I have been so long a slave to sin and so long walked after the Flesh that I cannot be but as a slave to them still and follow them still for how shall I be freed from following sin or from walking after the Flesh who have been so long as a slave to them This objection I say the Apostle doth here prevent saying For the law of the spirit of life in Christ hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death The Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death i. e. The power and Efficacy of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in me through Christ Jesus and which brings those to eternal life which follow it hath made me free from my custome of sin or sining and so by consequence from walking after the flesh as I was wont to walk which whosoever walkes after whethersoever she leades them shall die everlastingly That the Apostle is frequent in raising and answering or preventing objections and useth that as one way of teaching the Truths which he hath to teach I observed before The law of the spirit of life By the Law of the spirit of life is meant here the efficacy of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in them which are in Christ Jesus For the Holy Ghost is said to dwell in them which are in Christ Jesus by reason of those gifts with which the Holy Ghost endueth them and by which they are also sanctified In Christ Jesus i. e. Which is by Christ Jesus That is which is given to me by and for the merits of Christ Jesus In is put here for By after the Hebrew manner Hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death That is hath enabled me to resist or turn away from following my carnal and sensual appetite or my carnal and sensual affections so that they cannot draw me after them which way soever they will as they were wont to do Note that the Apostle might have said only The Spirit of
thought worthy of the honour of a glorious and happy resurrection at the last Day because they were Temples of the Holy Ghost in this life The spirit is called the Earnest to wit of our resurrection 2 Cor. 5.5 That which he saith here in this verse is a Comfort against that which he said ver 10. viz. The body is dead because of sin And an Explication of that which he said ver 6. To be spiritually minded is life Though death seize upon the bodies of the faithful and regenerate yet it shall not alwayes keep their bodies under her power as death Eternal shall the bodies of those which are carnally minded For at the last Day Christ shall raise up their bodies to a life of glory of which the spirit of God and of Christ which is in them is a sure pledge and earnest Ver. 12. Therefore Brethren we are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Supple But to the spirit to live after the spirit Note that these words But to the spirit to live after the spirit are here to be understood and the Apostle leaves them to us to understand out of those opposite words viz. Not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh He takes Flesh here for our sensual or carnal appetite or affections And the spirit which he here leaveth to be understood must we take for that spirit which he called the spirit of life and the spirit of God and of Christ and righteousness a little before of both which he speaks as of Persons yea Mistresses by a Prosopopoeia That which the Apostle here gathers he gathers especially from the sixth verse To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace as will appear by what he saith ver 13. where he doth repeat as it were and amplifie what he there said The Apostle in this Corrollary or Conclusion doth dehort the Romans from following the Flesh and exhort them to follow the spirit and sheweth them that they ought so to do And this he doth so often as occasion serves that Novices in Christianity may not take to themselves a liberty to sin and that those which are enemies to Christianity might not have any cause to asperse Christians with so foul a thing as this is viz. That they taught or held that they might walk securely after the Flesh We are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Supple but to the spirit to live after the spirit q. d. We ought in wisdom and in love to our selves not to live after the Flesh but to live after the spirit The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred here Debtors is not to be taken here for Debtors in the strict sence of the words but more loosely for such as are any way bound whether in gratitude or in wisdom or in love to themselves to do any thing so that they which ought or whom it behoveth to do any thing upon any account may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Debtors in the Apostles sence here The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh hath such a kind of signification with it and Euripides useth the Foeminine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the same manner But note that though I say that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be taken here in the strict sence of the word I say it not because we are not bound in the strictest sence to forsake the Flesh and follow the spirit but because that that is all which can be gathered from what Saint Paul hath here said Wherefore what Saint Paul saith here is as if he should say Wherefore being that to be carnally minded is death and to be spiritually minded is life and peace If ye be wise and have any love to your own selves ye ought not to live after the Flesh but after the spirit To live after the Flesh To live after the Flesh is to live after the will of the Flesh that is to embrace and follow the motions of the Flesh that is of our sensual or carnal appetite and affections Ver. 13. Ye shall die Supple Eternally Note the Enallage of the Person here how he changeth the first into the second Person If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body i. e. If ye through the spirit that is in you and which doth enable you to mortifie the deeds of the body I say if ye through that spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body according to that that the spirit shall enable you thereunto Do mortifie the deeds of the body By the deeds of the body are not here to be understood all those actions which are exercised by the body for Chap. 6. ver 13. He would have us to yield our members as instruments of Righteousness unto God but such deeds are to be understood by the deeds of the body here which he calls the works of the flesh Galat. chap. 5. ver 19. We are then said to mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit when by the help of the spirit and the power thereof we do not consent to but resist the evil motions of the body or of the flesh that is of our carnal affections when they incite us to evil deeds which the more we resist the more shall we find their strength to die in us and the less power shall they have over us Ye shall live i. e. Ye shall live a life happy and eternal and that not only in your souls which shall never die but also in your bodies which though they die yet shall be raised up to an immortal life at the last Day Ver. 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God The Apostle proveth here what he said ver 13. viz. That if they through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body they shall live For they which through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body are such as are led by the spirit of God and they which are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God by Adoption and they which are the sons of God by doption are the Heirs of God ver 17. Heirs to the inheritance of Eternal life As many as are led by the spirit of God i e. As many as follow the leading of the spirit of God This is the same spirit which he spoke of before ver 2. He speaks of this spirit as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia And men are said to be led by the spirit of God when they follow the motions and inclinations thereof As many as are led by the spirit of God do give no consent to the motions of the flesh but they resist them and walk another way for the motions and inclinations of the Flesh and of the Spirit are contrary one to the other As many therefore as are led by the spirit of God so
Whom he did foreknow i. e. Whom he did determine with himself from all Eternity to love and so to love as to call them effectually to the grace and hope of the Gospel and so to give them to believe that they might be justified by faâ—th and ingraffed into Christ Note that to know according to the Hebrew phrase or kind of speaking is often referred to the will and affections and so signifieth to love Examples of this are obvious as Psalm 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is the Lord liketh and approveth and loveth the way of the righteous And John 10.14 I am the good Shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine that is I am the good Shepherd and love my sheep and am beloved of mine and 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his that is the Lord loveth those which are his and after this manner to know is to be taken here for to love and yet not to love in any kind but so to love as to call effectually to the grace or hope of the Gospel c. And that by a Synechdoche Generis where love in general is put for a special kind of love Now as to know signifieth to love so to foreknow signifieth to fore-love that is to love a thing before it is that is to determine and resolve before a thing is to love it when it is The sence therefore of these word Whom he did foreknow is this viz. Whom he determined and resolved from all Eternity to love when they should be in time and so to love as to call them effectually to the hope and grace of the Gospel so as that he would give them to believe that they might be justified c. This Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Fore in Foreknow when they are spoken of God intimate that to be from Eternity which they speak of And they answer to to the Latin Preposition Prae. Them also he did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son i. e. Those he did also from Eternity in his purpose and resolution destinate and appoint to be conformed to the Image of his Son He did predestinate The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definire destinare statuere and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also Prae in predestinate doth signifie that what God did define destinate and appoint he did define destinate and appoint before all time As the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did shew that what God is said there to know he knew from all Eternity This word Predestinate doth signifie only the Act of Predestination but who it is which doth predestinate and who they are which are predestinated and to what These things must be gathered from the circumstances of the place He therefore that doth predestinate here is God they which are predestinated are they whom he foreknew That to which they are predestinated is to be conformed to the Image of his Son To be conformed to the Image of his Son That is to be conformed like to the Pattern Copy Example or President of his Son Christ Jesus who is the eternal Son of God To the image of his Son By the Image is here meant a Pattern Example Copy or President to be followed or imitated And therefore because God would have those which he loves to imitate his Son Christ Jesus as their Pattern Example Copy or President he saith not barely to be conformed to his Son but to be conformed to the Image of his Son In many things may we be conformed and made like to Christ as in working miracles in glory in sufferings c. but here he seems to speak only of our conformity to him in sufferings and being afflicted De cruce rebus adversis locus est Apostoli perspicuus And again De cruce loquitur in qua Electos omnes ab aeterno voluit similes fieri filio suo unigeni into Jesu Christo saith Zanchy de Natura Dei lib. 3. cap. 4 quaest 8. pag. 247. id est The place of the Apostle Rom. 8.29 is plainly concerning the cross and adverse things And again he speaks of the Cross in which God would have all those which are elected from eternity to be made like unto his only begotten Son Jesus Christ It is written Christ ought to have suffered and so to have entred into his Glory Luke 24.26 And as it was decreed of God that Christ should enter into his glory by sufferings So was it decreed of God that he that will be Christs and partaker of his glory should deny himself take up his Cross and follow him as our Saviour speaks Matth 16.24 That he might be the first born among many brethren i. e. that he might have many suffering brethren among whom he might be chief in sufferings The first born may be taken here for the Chief or him that is Chief in allusion to that that by the Law the First born was chief among his brethren And so is the word taken Isaiah chap. 14.30 In those words And the First born of the poor shall feed And by Brethren he means such brethren as suffered as Christ suffered which he calls many not to exclude any but to shew that they are not a few for number By this viz. That he might be the First born among many brethren is signified that the Conformity here spoken of redounds to the glory of Christ For by that there doth acrue a certain dignity and Prerogative to Christ in that he should be the First born among many Yet these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may carry this sence with them also Viz. yet so as that he shall be the first born amongst many brethren that is yet so as that he shall far exceed all who are his Brethren in Sufferings Christ was the chief of all the Sons of God in suffering because he was to be the Pattern of all the rest for suffering In this Verse besides such as are contained in the verse next following there are diverse Arguments perswading to suffer affliction couched First in that That they which suffer are not otherwise dealt with than God deals with them whom he foreknew Secondly in that That they are not otherwise dealt with than God deals with his own natural Son Thirdly in that That they are not so hardly dealt with as concerning sufferings as God dealt with his own Son For Christ Jesus did not only suffer but suffer so as none the like hence he cries out by reason of his sufferings Eli Eli Lamasabacthany My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 28.46 And is it nothing to you all ye that pass by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath Lam. 1.12 For that also do the
the power which he hath with God the Judge of All. That is Who is he which by the power which he hath with God or by his Oratory can prevail with God to condemn us He puts an indicative mood here after the Hebrew manner for a Potential for the Hebrews have no Potential mood He may be said to condemn by a Metonymy who is any way the occasion of a mans condemnation It often cometh to pass among men that where the bare charging of a man with crimes hath not been able to do him hurt the Oratory of his Adversary and the power which he hath with the Judge and his instant pressing and instigating the Judge against him have caused him to be condemned But none of these saith our Apostle shall provoke or make God to condemn us It is Christ that died To wit for us for these words are here also to be understood and borrowed from the latter part of the 31 and 32 verse Christ died for us that is for the abolishing and taking away of our sins One drop of whose blood was of infinite value and therefore able to expiate oâ—r sins though never so great and never so much aggravated by reason of circumstances and so able to free us from condemnation Yea rather that is risen again To wit for our Justification and the Remission of our sins This he adds because Christs death had been little availeable to us if he had been overcome thereof and alwayes layen under it See what we said on Chap. 4 ver 25. Who is at the right hand of God These words signifie the great power and esteem that Christ even as man hath with God where we must not think that God hath any right hand for that were to make God corporeal which far be from us to do But the Apostle alludes by this to the manner of great Princes who reserving to themselves the chiefest and middle seat do place those next to them on their right hand whom they make next in power and dignity to themselves Who also maketh intercession for us We must not conceive of this intercession of Christ after an earthly manner for we must not think that Christ doth supplicate and beseech his Father for us with bended knees and lifted up hands as he did in the days of his Mortality and Humiliation For the Father suffers not his Son being received up into glory so to abase or humble himself any more for our sakes But because he appeareth in the presence of his Father in that Body in which he died and rose again for our sins which appearance is instead of an intercession and which is as effectual or efficacious as any vâ—call prayer to reconcile his Father and to make him propitious to us therefore and that worthily too is he said to make intercession for us And thus doth the Apostle expound himself when he saith Christ is entred into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. v. 24. Ver. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress The Apostle asketh not what but who and answereth Shall tribulation or distress c. speaking of tribulation and distress c. as of Persons endued with Reason by a Prosopopoeia a Figure which our Apostle often useth Who shall separate us from the love of Christ i. e. Who or what shall separate us from the love wherewith Christ loveth us or rather from the love where with God loveth us in Christ or for Christs sake as the Apostle expounds himself v. 39. So fickle and inconstant is the love of one man to another as that from him whom he loves while he is in Prosperity he withdraws his love in Adversity The Apostle therefore sheweth that God is not like to man in this when he saith Who shall separate us from the love of Christ From the love of Christ That is from the love wherewith Christ loved us or rather from the love wherewith God loveth us for Christs sake for so the Apostle doth expound himself v. 39. When he saith Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord The love of Christ therefore is to be taken Metonymically for the love caused by Christ And of Christ is Genitivus not Objecti or Subjecti but Efficientis That we are not the Subject but the Object of this love here spoken of will appear by v. 39. where it is said In all those things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us Shall tribulation or distress The words in the Greek are the same with those Chap. 2. v. 9. Tribulation and Anguish Or Persecution The word Persecution is to be taken here not actively but passively not for the persecution with which we persecute others but for the persecution with which others persecute us Or Famine i. e. Or want of food Or Nakedness i. e. Or want of clothes Or Peril Supple by which we are in continual danger of our lives Or Sword By the sword we may understand here the sword of the Civil Magistrate because many Christians were slain therewith in the Primitive times as James the brother of John Acts 12.2 c. And by the sword the slaughter wrought by the sword by a Metonymie and Prosopopoeia Ver. 36. As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long q. d. For this is our portion according to that which is written of us Psalm 44.32 For thy sake are we killed all the day long These words are to be read with a Parenthesis and the Apostle brings them here to shew the Romans that it is no new or strange thing to hear that the things which he here speaks of should befall the faithful And this he doth that they should not be dismayed at them as when new and strange things happen to this sence is that of Saint Peter Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you c. 1 Pet. 4.12 As it is written viz. Psalm 44.22 For thy sake i. e. For this that we worship thee and acknowledge thee to be our God and believe in thee We are killed We which are thy people are put to death now one and then another All the day long That is continually as Psalm 32.3 or evermore as Psalm 44.8 or daily day by day as Psalm 71. v. 8 15. Isa 65.2 Look not here to the use of these words as the English use them but how the Hebrews use them We are accounted as sheep to the slaughter We are accounted no otherwise of than as sheep appointed to be slain The forty fourth Psalm out of which this Testimony is taken is most probably thought to have been composed by some holy man in the Babylonish Captivity when the Jews the people of God were most cruelly afflicted And the Apostle brings this testimony here
out of that Psalm to shew that Afflictions even to death where no new things to Gods people But though in the first and Historicall sence they are spoken of the Jews yet in a second and Prophetical sence in as much as the Jews the then people of God were as a Type of those whom God would afterwards take to be his people to wit the bâ—lieving Christians they may be spoken of the faithful in Christ Jesus and so used here And that will not seem strange or new which was prophesied of so long afore And being considered as that which was prophesied of so long before it will somewhat ease the burden of Afflictions That which the Apostle here speaketh is chiefly to be understood of the Primitive Christians which were indeed under continual Persecutions though where the enemies of Christian Religion do prevail the true believer suffereth at all times and often to blood too Ver. 37. Nay i. e. No none of these things shall separate us from the love of Christ In all things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us i. e. For in all these things we are more than Conquerours through the Assistance and Grace of God who for the love which he hath to us will not withdraw himself from us but stand by us even then when all these things befall us and assist vs and give us strength and grace not only to overcome them but also to glory in them If God so loveth us as in the midst of our Afflictions to be with us and assist us so as to make us more than Conquerours therein then cannot those Afflictions here spoken of or any else seperate us from the love of Christ In all these things i. e. In all these things before rehearsed viz. Tribulation distresses c. We are more than Conquerours We are Conquerours in that we suffer these things patiently We are more than Conquerours in that we do not only suffer these things patiently but also glory in them as Chap. 5. ver 3. This seems a Paradox to flesh and blood that they which are oppressed and slain should be accounted more than Conquerours But though it may seem a Paradox to them yet it is no Paradox indeed for we must not judge of these conquests and victories as men use to judge of conquests and victories proceeding from battles fought between earthly Powers For then indeed the oppressed and slain would be accounted as conquered and the oppressour and slayer the Conquerour but we must judge of this Conquest and victory by the spiritual good or evil which we receive by our Enemies in this Conflict so that if we are made worse thereby as to deny God or Christ or to blaspheme or lie or the like we are to be accounted as conquered though we escape death But we are to be accounted as Conquerours if we are made better thereby or if our patience and humility and meekness and confessing the name of God is thereby encreased though we die for it In a word we are Conquerours if our faith be not overcome but we hold still our faith and affiance in Christ notwithstanding all our sufferings though our bodies be torn in pieces or stoned and we slain And we shall be crowned as Conquerours for this at the last day And if we glory in this we are more than Conquerours and shall receive more than an ordinary Crown Through him that loved us i. e. Through God who though we are weak of our selves yet because he loveth us gives us Grace and strength whereby we do more than conquer all these things Ver. 38. For I am perswaded Wherefore I am perswaded For is put here for Wherefore as Chap. 6. ver 19. And is not a Causal but an Illative And that which the Apostle here infers He infers from that that we are more then Conquerours in all things spoken of verse 35. through God that loved us Neither death nor life i. e. Neither death threatned and executed by a Persecutour nor yet life promised by him if we will forsake Christ Or by death and life understand by a Metonymie whatsoever we shall suffer or whatsoever shall happen to us in our life or at our death He speaks of death and life and whatsoever is meant thereby as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia The words Nor death nor life are used Proverbially 2 Sam. 15.21 where Ittai the Gittite answered King David and said as the Lord liveth and as the Lord my King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or in life even there also will thy servant be And as they are there so may they be taken Proverbially here and so may these which follow Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers And these Nor things present nor things to come And these Nor height nor depth by all which is signified That nothing whatsoever shall separate us from the love of God And all these Proverbs may he heap together to shew the fulness of perswasion which he hath of the truth of the thing which he speaks of Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers These names if they are spoken of good Spirits are to be understood Hypothetically that is upon supposition that good Spirits would prove to be such as would go about to afflict us or torment us And of such an Hypothesis or supposition we have an Example Galat. 1. ver 8 9. Otherways they must be understood of evil Spirits for they are called by the name of Angels 1 Cor. 6.3 2 Pet. 2.4 And of Principalities and Powers Ephes 6. ver 12. As the more eminent Angels of Light are called Principalities and Powers Ephes 1.21 Coloss 1.16 So are the greater Angels in the Kingdom of Satan Ephes 6.12 And these are Metaphorical names borrowed from the Persian Rulers under whom the Hebrews sometimes lived Nor principalities nor powers These words Principalities and Powers are abstract words but are used for Concretes that is for such as are in and have any Principality or Power And it is the use of all Eastern people to use abstract voices or words for Concretes Nor things present nor things to come i. e. Nor those afflictions which are all ready befaln us or greater afflictions which are threatned to us or which hang over our head Ver. 39 Nor height Nor men in honour in the world and in high places there Where note that an Abstract is put for a Concrete Some by height understand an high-place as an high-tower or the like from which they were wont to fling down those whom they would kill as Malefactours Nor depth i. e. Nor men of Low degree and in low and base places for even such as are often cruel against the righteous Where note that an Abstract is put again for a Concrete And that thus by height and depth that is by men of high and men of low degree may be understood all men of what degree soever Some by depth understand
of a man by an Anthropopatheia And by the stretching out of the hands is meant a readiness to receive in the arms of mercy in allusion to a father which stretcheth out his hands when he would receive his little Child running towards him Or because the stretching forth of the hand was also a Gesture which was wont to be used by those which preached to the people either to raise attention as Acts 26.1 Or to move affection The stretching out of the hands may be put here for preaching And to be understood of Gods preaching by his Servants whom he had appointed thereunto Vnto a disobedient and gain-saying people By these he meaneth the Jews who were always disobedient to the word of God and contradicting it See Acts 7. verse 51.52 CHAP. XI 1. I Say then hath God cast away his people God forbid For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin 1. But what then shall we infer or conclude out of these Scriptures which I have alledged concerning the rejection of the Jews shall we infer or conclude I say From thence that God hath utterly cast them off God forbid for I also am a Jew of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin 2. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying 2. If therefore I being a Jew am not cast off it must needs follow that God hath not utterly cast away his people the Jews whom he decreed from all eternity to take to be a peculiar people to himself and so to love as never to cast them out of his love wholly Know ye not what is reported in the Scripture concerning the Prophet Elias How he maketh intercession to God against the people of Israel saying 3. Lord they have killed thy prophets and digged down thine altars and I am left alone and they seek my life 3. Lord they have killed thy Prophets and digged down thine Altars and I am left alone and they seek my life also 4. But what saith the answer of God unto him I have reserved to my self seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal 4. But what answer did God make to him For all thou thinkest that thou art left alone yet I have reserved to my self seven thousand men saith the Lord who have not bowed the knee to Baal nor worshipped him 5. Even so then at this present time also theâ—e is a remnant according to the election of grace 5. As then therefore there were seven thousand Israelites which had not worshipped Baal though Elias thought that he was left alone Even so at this present time also there is a little company of Jews whom God because they have believed hath elected to Justification through his Grace and favour though some perhaps may think that the Jews are totally rejected and cast off 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 is it no more grace otherwise work is no more work 6. But now if they are elected to justification by grace and favour Take notice of this here by the way All ye that seek justification by works and say that so it ought to be sought For if justification be by grace and favour then truly it is not of works For if it were by grace and yet of works too it would follow that grace were not truly grace but falsly so called for Grace and works in the matter of justification are so opposite one to another as that they cannot stand together But if it be of works then it is no more of grace for if it were of works and yet of grace too it would follow that works which essentially include merit in this point would not be truly works but works falsly so stiled 7. What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded 7. But if it cannot be gathered out of the Scriptures which I have alledged concerning the rejection of the Jews Chap. 9. 10. That God hath utterly cast away his people as I said ver 1. have I then alledged those Scriptures in vain and is nothing to be gathered from thence Not so But this may be gathered from thence viz. That the Jews for the greatest part of them have not obtained justification which they seek for But the Election that is They whom God intended to make choice of when he rejected those that sought for justification by works which are the Faithful they have obtained it and the rest which would not believe were blinded 8. According as it is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not bear unto this day 8. According as it is written Isaiah 29.10 God hath given them the Spirit of slumber by which the faculties of their soul are so tyed up as that they cannot understand and believe what is preached to them Eyes of the mind so affected as that they cannot see with them and ears of the understanding so affected as that they cannot hear with them unto this day 9. And David saith Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompence unto them 9. And David saith Psal 69.22 c. Let the talk which they use at their table be as a snare and a trap to catch them and hold them in blindness and a stumbling block at which they may stumble and fall into hardness of heart that so they may be punished and rewarded for their unbelief 10. Let their eyes be darkned that they may not see and bow down their back alway 10. Let the eyes of their understanding be darkned that they may not understand the riches of the Gospel and let them not be able to look to the mysteries of salvation so as to believe them 11. I say then Have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie 11. Being then that a great part of the Jews have stumbled have they which stumbled at the stumbling block Christ Jesus so stumbled and faln as that they should have no hope of ever rising again God forbid But rather through their stumbling and fall salvation is come to the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie that they being jealous of Gods love to the Gentiles may be the more careful to please God and to get deeper root in his affections and recover what they have lost 12. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness 12. But now when I speak of the Jews being provoked to jealousie ye Gentiles
measure or bounds of those gifts which God hath given him but that every ones thoughts be according to those his gifts 4. For as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office 4. For every man is not endued with every gift but as in our natural body we have many members and all members have not the same office but offices several and distinct one from another as the eye to see the ear to hear the feet to walk c. 5. So we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another 5. So it is in the mystical body of Christ for we which are in ourselves many and distinct persons one from another are one body through and under Christ our head But though we are but one body yet are we severall and distinct members and every one members one of another having severall and distinct gifts one from another and suppeditating and ministring one to another by the different gifts which one hath and another hath not 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us whether prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us whether it be prophesie let us exercise our prophesie according to the measure and proportion of that gift without pride or arrogancy 7. Or ministery let us wait on our ministring or he that teacheth on teaching 7. Or a ministery and an office in the Church of Christ let us carry ourselves modestly in that our ministery and office not exceeding the bounds thereof but walking according to the proportion of that gift and so let him that hath the gift of teaching do in teaching 8. Or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with chearfulness 8. And he that hath the gift of exhortation let him do the like in his exhorting He that hath whereof to give and hath an heart to give let him do it in simplicity not aiming at any by ends but only at the glory of God and relief of his brother He that hath the rule and government of others committed to him let him rule and govern those which are committed to his charge with all diligence He that sheweth mercy to them which stand in need of mercy let him do it with chearfullness not grudgingly 9 Let love be without dissimulation abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good 9. Let love be without dissimulation not pretending to love outwardly when your heart is far from it But let your heart and outward actings of love go together And in your love abhor that which is evil and humour not your friend in any vicious course but cleave to that which is good and vertuous 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another 10. Yea be kindly affected one to another with Brotherly that is with more than common love in honour preferring one another as better deserving than himself 11. Not slothful in business servent in spirit serving the Lord 11. Be not slothful in performing that which ye have a ready mind to do And befervent in your affections one towards another so serving the Lord Jesus 12. Rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer 12. Rejoyce in hope of eternal Glory which is reserved for you Be patient in tribulation whensoever it befalls you By reason of that hope Continuing instant in prayer to God For that also will ease your tribulations 13. Distributing to the necessity of saints given to hospitality 13. Distribute to the necessity of the Saints as every one hath need Entertain in your houses those which are strangers and use hospitality towards them 14. Bless them which persecute you bless and curse not 14. Bless them and pray for them which persecute you Bless and pray for all curse and wish evil to none 15. Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and weep with them that weep 15. Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and weep with them that weep looking upon that which befalls others no otherwise then if it befell you your selves 16. Be of the same mind one towards another Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate Be not wise in your own conceits 16. Be like affectioned one towards another Think not on high things as riches and honour and the like which will puff him up and make him proud which possesseth them but casting off such thoughts condescend to be and to consort even with the poorest and meanest brother Be not wise in your own conceits 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil Provide things honest in the sight of all men 17. Recompence to no man evil for the evil which ye have received of him See that whatsoever ye do be honest not in the sight of God onely which seeth the heart and seeth what is done in secret but in the sight of man also that he may not be offended at you but have an example from you of well-doing 18. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men 18. If it be possible for we must not for peace sake yield to all things As much as in you lieth for some when we speak of peace make themselves ready for war live peaceably with all men 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. 19. Dearly beloved if any one hath injured you avenge not your selves of him But if you find a desire of revenge coming upon you fly from it For it is written Deut. 32.35 Vengeance is mine not yours and I will repay it saith the Lord. 20. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head 20. Therefore I would have you to be so far from revenging your selves upon your enemy as that if he hunger I would have you feed him And if he thirst I would have you give him drink For by so doing as Refiners heap Coals of fire upon the metals which they would refine so to purge them the better and more speedily from their dross So shalt thou heap benefits upon his head which will be as the Refiners coals to purge him of his enmity and rankor towards thee 21. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 21. Be not overcome of evil so as by reason of any evil which is done to thee to think and meditate upon revenge But overcome evil with good so maist thou move him which injured thee and was thine enemy to cease his injury and to carry himself friendly towards thee being provoked thereunto by thy courtesies towards him CHAP. XII Ver. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren The
exhortation To Exhort is for a man to move or stir up the mind of his auditors with pleasing and insinuating speeches to the works of piety and godliness In Exhortation i. e. Let him carry himself soberly in Exhorting according to the measure or proportion of faith that is according to the measure or proportion of this his gift of Exhortation These last take not as divers offices of the Church but as divers gifts or graces which may meet in one Subject though they are often separate and distinct And note that it is the Apostles scope here not to shew what offices shall be in the Church but to shew how men should make use of those gifts which God hath given them for the benefit of the Church without pride Many such gifts as these were conferred upon many of the Church immediately by the holy Ghost for the good of the Church in the first times of the Gospel He that giveth i. e. He that hath wherewith to give and God hath given him an heart to give Let him do it in simplicity i. e. Let him not do it for vain-glory or any other sinister end So some Or let him do it liberally or bountifully So others The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and indeed this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 and so some would have it rendred here But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its prime signification signifieth simplicity and it is to be taken here â—s I conceive for simplicity of heart and that is done in simplicity or with simplicity of heart which is done with a pure sincere and simple intent that is where nothing is eyed but that which should be eyed As in alms the relieving of the poor and the glory of God not vain-glory or obliging the poor to himself For he that sheweth or pretendeth one thing in his work and thinks of another thing in his heart Cor duplicat as Saint Austin speaketh he doubleth his heart and so doth not what he doth in Simplicity Note that the Apostle alters his phrase here for he saith not he that giveth in giving He that ruleth in ruling He that sheweth mercy in shewing mercy As he said before He that teacheth in teaching He that exhorteth in exhortation Wherefore he seemeth to have some other intent here than he had there His intent therefore was there to shew that men should not arrogantly exceed the measure of their gifts Here that men should use those gifts well which they had received the former respected the quantity as I may so speak this the quality of their doings He that ruleth i. e. He who hath the rule and goverment of others committed to him With diligence That is let him rule with diligence this he saith because diligence care and studdy is required of all Rulers He that sheweth mercy To wit to such as stand in need of mercy With cheerfulness i. e. Let him do it that is let him shew mercy with cheerfulness God loveth cheerfulness in all such actions Ver. 9. Let love be without dissimulation Whom we love let us love with a sincere heart not making an outward shew of love when our heart is far from it but let our heart and shâ—w go together Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good i e. And in your love abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good that is do not that for love sake which is evil but remember in all the ways of your love to cleave to that which is good Some love so perversly as that they will humor their friend in any thing which he desireth be it never so vicious Against such doth the Apostle give this rule here But yet some take these words more generally and make them as the summ of the Law which is to eschew evil and do good and say that they are here alledged as a reason why love should be without dissimulation q. d. Let love be without dissimulation For dissimulation is evil And what saith the law Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good Ver. 10. Be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love i. e. Ye which are Christians and so Saints love one another with more than an ordinary love yea love one another with brotherly love The Apostle spoke of Love ver 9 and here he speaks of love again but in the ninth verse he spoke of that love which we shew to men in general In this verse he speaks of love which we ow to the Saints in particular that is to the brethren that is to them which are of the same Christian faith and religion with our selves But if we shall take the object of love alike or for the same in both places then make that which is here said as an higher degree of love than what was said before q. d. Yea be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love that is yea let nor your love be only without dissimulation but be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love c. In honour preferring one another i. e. Every one honouring one another yea and thinking him worthy of honour above himself There is no man so perfect but that he may see some good thing in another which he seeth not in himself and beholding this he may think another worthy to be preferred in honour before himself while he looks upon that The Apostle addeth this in this place because that brotherly love which he commandeth here is cherished and nourished by these means Ver. 11. Not slothful in business i. e. The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus not slow in your desire and ready will to do good For among other significations which this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath It signifies a ready will to help or do good to another See Hen. Stephens Thesau Vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But howsoever the General word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be drawn here to this sence by the Circumstances of the place The sence therefore of these words here may be this Be not slothful when you have a desire and ready will to do Good to perform that Good This precept may the Apostle give here with Respect to those precepts which he gave before viz. That he that giveth let him do it with simplicity And that he that sheweth mercy let him do it with cheerfulness Verse 8. And that let Love be without dissimulation Verse 9. And that be kindly affectioned one towards another with Love c. v. 10. That they might do the Duties contained in those Precepts not in wâ—â—d and in Tongue but in Deed and in Trutâ— as Saint John speaks 1 John 3.18 And that there might be a readiness to these Duties not of mind only but of performance also For there may be a readiness of mind at least in shew when there is a backwardness
God to thee for good and from those again He is the Minister of God v. 4. The Apostle doth repeat here in this verse by way of inference or collection out of what he hath said what he gave in charge or command in the beginning of the Chapter concerning being subject to the highest powers but he repeats it with a polite addition of that that we must do it not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Ver. 6. For for this cause pay ye tribute also q. d. I said verse 4. That the Ruler is the Minister of God to thee for good wherefore being that he is the Minister of God to thee for good for this cause be ye not only subject to him as I said verse 5. but pay ye tribute also I take For here for Wherefore as it is taken Chap. 8.38 And I take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pay ye to be not of the Indicative but of the Imperative Mood though most Interpreters take it for a Verb of the Indicative Mood For the Jews were never forward in paying tribute to any Heathen power but when tribute was demanded they raised commotions and rebellions upon it as we may read Acts 5.37 And in Josephus and Suetonius and others wherefore there was need of a particular precept for this Tribute was money raised upon the goods and lands of the People according to their ability for the support of the Rulers in their great and expensive offices To pay tribute is a part of subjection but though the Apostle had given a charge to the Romans in general to be subject yet doth he add this in particular that they should pay Tribute because the Jews many of which lived at this time at Rome were averse from it And it is a part of Rhetorique to mention a particular after a general or a species after a genus when there is a reason for taking special notice of the species See Chap. 1. v. 21. For they are Gods Ministers attending upon this very thing i. e. For they are Gods Ministers I say attending upon this very same thing viz. which I spoke of ver 4. that is attending upon your good What this thing was which they attended on we must gather from what went before If Rulers are Gods Ministers and attend by his appointment upon our good they are worthy of tribute upon a double account First as they are Gods Ministers whose is the Earth and all things therein contained And Secondly because they do attend upon our good This is an argument to perswade to the willing paying of tribute Ver. 7. Render therefore to all their dues i. e. Render therefore to all the highest powers whatsoever they are and in what parts of the world soever their dominion is that which is due to them from you which live under their dominion This being the Imperative mood makes it the more propable that that must be of the imperative mood also ver 6. Viz. For this cause pay ye tribute also Tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome What tribute was we said ver 6. Now custom is a tole or tax that is paid for importation or exportation that is for carrying of Merchandise into or out of a land Fear to whom fear By fear is here meant Reverential fear or rather that reverence or reverent carriage which proceedeth from reverential fear per Metonymiam causae Honour to whom honour i. e. Render all the signs and expressions of the high esteem which you have or ought to have of his Excellencie whom God hath made excellent by reason of his authority Honour is the sign of an esteem which we have of anothers excellency And we ought highly to esteem and therefore to shew the signs of this our esteem of the excellency of power which is in the supream Rulers as they are Gods Vicegerents Although perhaps for their life and conversation they should otherwise be wicked All these four things which the Apostle here mentioneth Viz. Tribute Custom Fear and Honour are not so disjoyned in nature but that they may belong to one and the same powers and Rulers Ver. 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another q. d. Pay to every man that debt which you owe so that you may owe it him no more except it be that debt of love which though you pay alwayes by doing the duties of love one to another yet ye must alwayes owe. This is a new precept different from that which went before though perhaps it may have its place here by occasion of those words Viz. Render to all their dues Ver. 7. The former precept which the Apostle hath amplified and pursued from the first verse of this Chapter hitherto concerned the duty of subjects towards those which were their Rulers as such But this precept concerns the duty of a private man to a private man as such There be duties or debts which when they are once paid are due no more as debts for mony borrowed wares bought or the like and there are such dues or debts which we must continually pay as we have occasion and yet they will never be quite paid or never be so paid as that we owe them not any more and such are the duties of love which we owe by vertue of Gods command every one one to another The former kind of debts the Apostle would have us so to pay when they are due as that we owe them no more the second kind of debts he would have us owe but yet so owe as that we should notwithstanding be daily paying them for this is the Apostles meaning Charitas semper redditur semper debetur saith Saint Augustine in Psal 33 Tim. 8. page 94. Charity is alwayes paid and yet alwayes owing But here some make an objâ—ction saying the Apostle said Ver. 7. Rendâ—r fear to whom fear is due and honour to whom honour But if the Apostle would have us to owe nothing but to love one another than would he not have us to owe fâ—ar or to owe honour to our Rulers for he seems to think of them as dues or debts which we may so pay at the present as that we may be discharged of them for the future Answ To this some give this answer Viz. The Apostle when he saith But to love one another he doth under the name and duty of love comprehend the duties and acts of all other vertues too because they are to be directed by love and to proceed from thence whereas therefore fear and honour are acts of other vertues which are to be directed by love and to proceed from thence They must be as love is alwayes in paying and never paid We must alwayes pay them and still owe them But perhaps we may say in answer to the aforesaid objection that the Apostle gives this his precept not to subjects as subjects and in relation to their superiors but to private men in relation to Private-men And therefore
And for the loves sake which the Holy Ghost hath wrought in us Christians one towards another By the Spirit understand the Holy Ghost which being of the Genitive case is Genitivus Efficientis or cause That ye strive together with me in prayes to God for me i. e. That ye would assist me with your prayers so that we may contend and strive to out go one another in prayers which we shall make to God in my behalf Thus this striving is between the Petitioners or Prayers striving who shall exceed or out go one the other in prayers Yet some understand this place as if the striving were of the Petitioners or Prayers with God combining together that they may force him as it were to yield or give what they desire of him See Col. 4.12 A type or figure of such a combate strife or contention we have in Jacob when he strove or contended with the Angel Gen. 32.26 As in other Combates so in this spiritual combate the more are joyned together the stronger the party is and the easier as I may speak with reverence is God overcome Therefore doth the Apostle desire others to joyn and strive with him here that he may the more powerfully graple with God and make him yield For me i. e. In my behalf Ver. 31. That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea That is that when I come into Judea to bring the alms of the believing Saints of Achaia and Macedonia to the believing Saints there I may so be delivered as that I fall not into the hands of those there which believe not the Gospel The Apostle knew that he was very much hated of the Jews in Judea which believed not therefore doth he pray the Romanes to joyn in prayer with him to God that he might be delivered out of their hands What befel Paul in his way in this his journey into Judea and there when he came thither read Acts Chap. 20. ver 17. and Chap. 21 c. Saint Paul might not onely fear that the unbelieving Jews of Judea might meet with him and take away his life But also that they might take away the alms which he was to carry to the Saints of Jerusalem from them of Macedonia and Achaia For that Saint Paul was to carry such Alms and such money might well be known being a thing publiquely acted and resolved on in the Churches of Achaia and Macedonia And that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the Saints The service which he speaks of is the carrying of the alms or money sent from Macedonia and Achaia to the Saints at Jerusalem and the tendring or distributing of it as a relief from those of Achaia and Macedonia This his service he prays may be accepted of the Saints of Jerusalem both in respect of them from whom it was sent and in respect of himself who carried it for they which sent it were Gentiles and the Jews were not altogether so well perswaded of that that God did respect the Gentiles and accept of them as they should be And as for S. Paul himself he was suspected even of the believing Jews of Judea that he was an adversary and enemy to the Law of Moses of which they were zealous Acts 21. ver 20.21 both which might lessen that kind acceptation of the Almes sent by Saint Paul to them with which they should accept them The Jews might also think the Almes sent a small pittance in respect of their number though it was large in it self Ver. 32. That I might come unto you with joy q. d. So it shall be that I shall come with joy to you when I see so good a success of my service By the will of God i. e. If it be the will of God The Apostle adds this because it is the property of the Saints and faithful Servants of God to expect all good from the will of God and to depend upon his providence in all things As Saint James also teacheth us in his Epistle Chap. 4. ver 15. Ver. 33. Now the God of peace be with you all Now God which is the Author and lover of peace be with you all bless you preserve you and keep you all This he saith the more to encline them to peace and to take away contentions which were among them Amen Amen is an Hebrew word by which if it be used in the end of a prayer as here it is is wished or desired the accomplishment of that which we pray for See more of this Word Chap. 1. ver 25. CHAP. XVI 1. I Commend unto you Phebe our sister which is a servant of the Church which is at Cenchrea 1. I commend unto you Phebe our Sister in Christ which hath done many good services to the faithful members of the Church of Christ which is at Cenchrea a Port or Haven of Corinth 2. That ye receive her in the Lord as becometh saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you for she hath been a succourer of many and of my self also 2. That ye receive her and use her with all courtesie for the Lords sake as becometh Saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you For she hath been a succour to many and to my self also 3. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus 3. Salute Priscilla and Aquila her husband in my name for they have been a help to me in the ministry and propagation of the Gospel of Christ Jesus 4. Who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not only I give thanks but also all the Churches of the Gentiles 4. Who have to save my life ventuted their own for which thing not only I my self give thanks unto them but also all the Churches of the Gentiles do the like 5. Likewise greet the Church that is in their house Salute my wel-beloved Epenetus who is the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ 5. Likewise salute the faithful members of Christs Church which are in their house Salute my wel-beloved Epenetus who is one of the first of them which believed in Christ and received his Gospel in Achaia 6. Greet Mary who bestowed much labour on us 6. Salute Mary who bestowed much labour upon us 7. Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners who are of note among the Apostles who also were in Christ before me 7. Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners who are much esteemed of by the Apostles who also embraced the faith of Christ and were made members of his mystical body before me 8. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 8. Salute Amplias whom I love for the Lords sake 9. Salute Vrbane our helper in Christ and Stachys my beloved 9. Salute Urbane who helped us in the ministery or propagation of the Gospel And Stachys whom I love with a true love 10. Salute Apelles approved in Christ
of them which believed and gave his name to Christ in Achaia The Apostle useth a Metaphor here and alludes therein to that Ceremonial Law of offering the first fruits of which we said something Chapter 11. verse 16. Note that for Achaia many books read Asia q. d. Epenetus who is the first fruits of Asia unto Christ And then Epenetus may be so called because he was the very first which believed in Asia otherwise if we read in Achaia he must be interpreted to be but one of the first not the very first For 1 Corinth 16.15 Stephanus is said to have been the first fruits of Achaia too Ver. 6. Who bestowed much labour on us What this labour was the Apostle tells not though we may think that it was some such labour as did make him more expedite to preach the Gospel Ver. 7. My fellow prisoners These suffered bonds and imprisonment with Paul for the Gospels sake no doubt but where is not so obvious to say Who are of note among the Apostles i e. Who are very well known and that for good to the Apostles Some interpret this place as if they were of note as Apostles among the Apostles and take the word Apostles in a very large sence for any Ministers of the Gospel whatsoever For otherwise there were but twelve Apostles among whom Andronicus and Junia were none Who were also in Christ before me i. e. Who were also converted to the faith and so ingraffed into Christ before I was converted and ingraffed into him Ver. 8. My beloved in the Lord i. e. Whom I love for the Lords sake because he is a member of his By this he shews his love to be not carnal but spiritual Ver. 9. Our helper in Christ i. e. Our helper in the Gospel of Christ to wit in preaching that Christ is put here for the Gospel of Christ by a Metonymie Ver. 10. Approved in Christ i. e. One who hath been approved by many trials to be a sincere and faithful Servant and Disciple of Christ Or one approved to be faithful and sincere in the Church of Christ or among Christians He useth a Metaphor here from Gold that is tried and found good In Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie one ingraffed into Christ and so a Disciple or member of Christ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Christ may signifie in the cause or in the service or in the business of Christ by a Metonymie or in the Church of Christ by the same Figure Or Christ may be taken by a Metonymie for Christians as Gal. 3.16 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie among Christians Ver. 11. Which are in the Lord i. e. Which are Ingraffed into Christ and so have received his Gospel and are his Disciples Ver. 12. Who labour in the Lord i. e. Who labour in the propagation of the Gospel of Christ the Lord to wit with that labour which is beseeming their Sex being women which may be by ministring and doing service to the Apostles and Preachers of the Gospel whereby they took off that care from them by which they might otherwise have been hindred In the Lord The Lord is taken here by a Metonymie for the Gospel of the Lord and then by a further Metonymie for the propagation of the Gospel as it is also in the last words of this verse Ver. 13. Chosen in the Lord i. e. One of choice or singular piety in the Church of Christ who is the Lord See verse 10. He useth the word Chosen here not for one chose either to justification or eternal life but for one who is excellent in any kind so as if any one were to make choice of any one of that kind he would make choice of him q. d. One of Eminencie And his mother and mine This was Rufus's mother by nature Pauls onely by affection But in that Paul calls her his mother this way we cannot but think her to have been a very good and reverend woman Ver. 14. And the brethren which are with them i. e. And the Christians which live with them or are of their families Ver. 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss It was a Custom among the Eastern people for friends and acquaintance to salute one another at their parting away and at their meeting with a kiss men so saluting not women onely but men also And this they did in token of love for a kiss is a token or sign of love wherefore the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a kiss is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amo to love But of kisses some were treacherous kisses as that of Joab to Amasa 2 Sam. 20.9 And Judas to our Saviour Matth. 26.49 Some unchaste as that of the Harlot Prov. 7.13 Some flattering kisses as that of Absalon to him that came to make him obeisance 2 Sam. 15.5 At the best the kisses used among the Eastern people were but civil kisses in token of a civil love and respect Paul therefore as he would have the Romans to whom he writes to salute one another with a kiss so he would have them salute one another with an holy kiss in opposition to the former kisses a kiss which was wont to be used among Saints which professed the Religion of Christ and which testified thereby the holy and spiritual love which was between them This kiss Saint Peter calls a kiss of charity 1 Peter 5.14 Christians were wont not onely at their meetings and parting 's to kiss one another but after their Common or publique prayers were ended and that in token of the Christian love which they had among themselves and the charity which was in them one towards another As also in token of the peace which they were at from whence ancient Church-writers call such a kiss in Latine Pax Peace They did also by the manner of their kisses signifie the equality of minds which they were of one towards another for they kissed the mouthes one of another which was a sign of equal esteem which they had one of another for among the Eastern people which used the salutation of kisses equals onely kissed the mouthes or lips one of another but Superiors held out their hands to kiss to their Inferiours There were dissentions among the Romanes at this time as will appear as by what our Apostle hath said before in this Epistle so by what he saith ver 17. And for this reason may he wish the Romanes here to salute one another with an holy kiss to wit in sign of true conjunction of minds and affections forgetting all offences The Churches of Christ salute you Some Copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here q. d. All the Churches of Christ salute you Saint Paul saith here The Churches of Christ salute you not because he had any word from the Churches to salute them for they were some a far off from him at this time But because he knew or presumed that the love