shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11.26 Which Deliverer is Christ who shall by such servants as he shall make choice of and by such means as he shall think fit and he sees that they will for a great or the greatest part of them embrace bring them sweetly without any irresistable force to believe And though he hath in the mean time concluded The greatest part of them in unbelief yet it is for this end that He might have mercy upon them though we cannot perceive by the light of our understanding how God produceth such an effect by means seeming so repugnant to the end Rom. 11.32 HARDNING Under this title of Hardning I shall take occasion to speak something more fully concerning that hardness which we read of Rom. 9. verses 17 18. c. Then I have done in my Commentaries and to explain more fully here what I meant there Rom. 9. ver 17. For this same purpose have I raised thee up c. q. d. For this same purpose have I hardened thine heart and stirred thee up thereby against my people that I may shew my power in the in bringing great plagues upon thee and at the last in drowning thee and thy people with thee in the Red Sea by which my name shall be spoken of throughout the whole earth except thou lettest my people go These last words viz. Except thou lettest my people go I adde because in the History of Pharaoh recorded in Exodus every plague almost there threatned against him is threatned with this exception except thou let my people go or with words to that sense That which is here said have I raised thee up is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I interpret have I hardned thee or stirred thee up against my people to wit by hardning thee For that Pharaoh was stirred up the more against the Israelites upon Gods message to let them go will appear by Exod. 5.6 and 10.10 and 10.28 c. The word in Exodus 9.16 from which this testimony is taken is in the Hebrew Héemadticha which the Septuagint render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast been preserved By the Interlineary Stare te feci I have made thee stand By the Arabique Te reservavi I have reserved thee By the Samaritan Subsistere te feci I have made thee subsist By the Chaldee Sustinuite I have susteined thee as their respective Interpreters render them But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie to raise out of sleep and by a Metaphor to stir up in which sense it is most frequently used as in prophane so in sacred writers and by the Septuagint as in other places so in these following Viz. Prov. 25.34 Jonah 34.4 Jerem. 51.38 Jonah 1.13 Moses speaking almost in the same manner of Sihon King of Hesbon as it is spoken here of Pharaoh King of Aegypt saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Lord our God hardned his spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into thy hand Deut. 2.30 And the Sun of Syrach alluding without all doubt to that place of Exodus Exod. 9.16 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. The Lord hardned Pharaoh that he should not know him that his powerful works migh the known to the whole Earth Ecclesiasticus 16.15 wherefore I conceive both for these reasons and also because the Apostle doth draw out of this sentence of Scripture which he here alledgeth that conclusion which is here set down in the next verse viz. Therefore whom he will he hardneth that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie or imply the same as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth to wit to harden Whereupon I further conceive that it was not our Apostles intent to render the word Héemadticha here by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have raised thee up nor yet to bring his whole testimony out of Exod. 9.16 but partly out of that verse and partly out of the history of Pharaoh that is the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the history of Pharaoh where mention is made of the Lords hardning Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh's high and rough carriage towards the Children of Israel And the other words out of Exod. 9.16 For it is enough for the Apostle when he alledgeth Scripture to alledge it according to the true sense thereof though he fetcheth it out of divers places And that this is not unusual with him we may learn from these one or two examples following For Rom. 9.32 33. he saith for they stumbled at the stumbling-block as it is written Behold I put in Sion a stumbling block and Rock of offence and whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed The greatest part of which words are taken out of Isaiah 28.16 But these words a stone of stumbling and Rock of offence are taken out of Isaiah 8.14 as Interpreters do generally agree He saith likewise Rom. 11.26 27. And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion he which doth deliver and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob And this is my Covenant with them when I shall take away their sins The former part of which testimony is taken out of Isaiah 59.20 The latter part to wit that which is conteined in the twenty seventh verse is taken partly out of Isaiah 49.21 and partly out of Isaiah 27.9 Now if any say that there is no such words as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of Gods stirring up of Pharaoh in the history of Pharaoh recorded in Exodus I will grant it But yet there is that which is equivolent to it for there is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the mention of Gods hardning Pharaoh and Pharaohs exalting himself against Gods people there And it is to be noted that when Saint Paul doth alledge a testimony out of the Scripture he doth not always cite it in the same words but thinks it enough if he quotes it in equivolent words For for example sake whereas we read Exod. 9.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Paul quoteth it Rom. 9.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whereas we read Exod. 21.9 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Paul citeth it Rom. 9.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But yet though God be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to harden and to stir up Pharaoh yet think not that God did it by infusing any positive quality into Pharaohs soul or by a positive operation upon his heart but he did it only by suffering Pharaoh to harden his own heart Which Pharaoh did when God sent him a message to let his people go at the hearing of which message Pharaoh was so offended to think that he should let go so great a people by whom he received so much profit and by whom he had so much work done as that he would not only not let them go but laid a greater burden upon them requiring of them
be done thereby By the Law understand the Law of Mosos and that not the Ceremonial but the Morall Law by him given He saith that the Gentiles did such things as are contained in the Law not because they performed or kept the Law which the Jews broke or that they did fully answer that knowledge which they had of the truth but because they did many things which the Law prescribed for in making publick Laws and in giving private precepts they did praescribe and give in precepts honest things and forbid things dishonest even as the Law of Moses it self did These having not the Law i. e These though they have not the written Law of Moses given them in Tables of stone or outward writings as the Jews had Are a Law unto themselves That is Are as a Law or instead of a written Law unto themselves The Particle As is here as often it is elsewhere to be understood Therefore they are as a Law unto themselves because they can by the light of Nature which is in them tell themselves what is honest and what dishonest and what is to be done and what to be left undone V. 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts This relative Pronoun which includeth here and intimateth the cause as also it did chap. 1.25 q. d. For they shew Supple by doing by nature the things contained in the Law that the work of the Law is written in their heart And therefore they are as a Law unto themselves They shew the work of the Law to be written in their hearts because they do those things which are contained in the Law verse 14 The work of the Law By the work of the Law some understand the Law it self which is the Work to wit the Work of that great Law-maker the Lord of Heaven and Earth and as for the manner of speech the Law is called the Work of the Law as Circumcision is called the sign of Circumcision Rom. 4.3 Others take the Work of the Law for the effect of the Law to wit the written Law of Moses that is for the knowledge of good and evil for one effect of the Law is to shew what is good and to be followed what is evil and to be shunned q. d. For what the written Law doth work in the Jews to wit the knowledge of good and evill that do they shew written in their hearts which is an argument that They are a Law unto themselves Written in their hearts He opposeth the writing in their hearts to the writing in Tables of Stone after which manner the Law was written which was given by Moses Their conscience also bearing witness q. d. They not onely by shewing the works of the Law written in their hearts testifying that they are a Law unto themselves but their Conscience also testifying the same thing to wit That they are as a Law unto themselves This therefore is another argument to prove That the Gentiles are a Law unto themselves The Conscience is an operative Quality or Faculty or Action as some will of the mind which applieth our deeds to the Principles or Rules or Law of right Actions and thereby sheweth what is done as it ought to be and what is not done as it should be done Or it is a Practique Syllogisme as some call it which by the light of nature or of Grace judgeth and concludeth what is honest what dishonest what is commanded what forbiden what shall be rewarded what punished In this Syllogisme the Major Proposition is either from the light of Nature or from the Scriptures As for example he which sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Gen. 9.6 This is the Major Proposition which the Conscience takes notice of In the Minor Proposition the Conscience of the Murderer assumeth saying thou hast shed mans blood Then doth the Conscience conclude a-against her own Master Therefore must thy blood be shed by man The Conscience therefore in whom soever it is hath knowledge of the Principles or Rules or Law of Actions and in the Gentiles which have no written Law given them from God as the Jews had she hath this knowledge from what is imprinted by Nature in their hearts Therefore well might the Apostle say that their Conscience testifieth that they are a Law unto themselves And their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another q. d. That is their thoughts in the mean time that they are working or doing any thing either accusing or excusing them respectively that is as they do either evil or good For if they do evil their thoughts will accuse them if they do good their thoughts will excuse them though men accuse them This I take to be the sence of this place as it is here rendered where Tò in the mean time signifies the mean time that they are working and One another is as much as them respectively For I understand this not of the thoughts but of the Men in whom these thoughts are But if you take it as though their thoughts accused or else excused one another So that the Accusers and Excusers were thoughts and the Accused or Excused were thoughts understand it not so as that the thoughts did this Reciprocally That is as if the same thoughts did accuse the same thoughts which accused them c. But so as that when evil thoughts arose in a man other thoughts arose in him and did accuse those evil thoughts of sin and evil and when those thoughts arose in a man which might seem evil and were not so other thoughts arose and did Apologize for and defend these thoughts For the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not alwayes signifie a Reciprocation as will appear by Ephes 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being subject one to another in the fear of God where the Apostle would have Subjects to be subject to their Princes Servants to their Masters Children to their Parents but not Princes again to their Subjects Masters to their Servants nor Parents to their Children And according to this interpretation and exposition To in the mean while must either be redundant or signifie while they are Practically busied in examining what they have done Yet this place is most commonly rendered by other Interpreters thus though the sence be in a manner still the same and their thoughts by turns accusing or else excusing them The sence whereof is this q. d. That is their thoughts by turns either accusing them as when they do ill or excusing them as when they do well Note that the Conjunction And is put here as a Note of Declaration and is as much to say as That is for the thoughts accusing or the thoughts excusing are as two Species or Parts of the Conscience and declare what the Apostle meant by Conscience The thoughts of men cannot accuse men except they have a Rule or Law to judge their actions by from which Rule or
he did cap. 1. v. 5. That they are all under sin That is that they are all under the guilt of sin and so subject to damnation see ver 19. Sin is put here not for sin it self but for guilt which is the necessary consequent or effect of sin per Metonymiam efficientis Ver. 10. As it is written there is none righteous no not one That which the Apostle asserted in the foregoing verse viz. that all both Jews and Gentiles were under sin and that which he had proved by manifest arguments in the two former chapters he proves here by Scripture and that especially against the Jews and for the Jews sake because they flattered themselves with an opinion of their own righteousness and he does it by Scripture that he might convince the Jews by that whereof they somuch gloried to wit The Law that is the Word of God which was committed to them v. 2. As it is written c. These Testimonies which the Apostle here produceth are not all taken out of one and the same place of holy Scriptures but some out of one place some out of another yet what is here alledged in this and the two following verses is taken out of the fourteenth Psalm And some because they imagined that the Apostle cited all these Testimonies even to the eighteenth verse out of one place have inserted all these Testimonies into that Psalm as will appear by the Greek and Latin and Arabique and Aethiopique Translations There is none righteous no not one This is taken out of Psal 14. ver 1. But note that the Apostle cites not the very words of the Psalmist but only the Sence The words of the Psalm are these There is none that doth good But the words of the Apostle are these there is none righteous no not one Now if there be none that doth good there is none which is righteous and if he which saith there is none that doth good excepteth none no not one as he doth not except any as it appeareth from ver 3. of that Psalm Then is there none righteous no not one There is none righteous i. e. He is called Righteous here which followeth after vertue or Holiness and gives his mind to it or he is called Righteous here which liveth uprightly according to the Law of God Ver. 11. There is none that understandeth and seeketh after God This is also taken out of the fourteenth Psalm yet not word for word For it is not word for word said there There is none that understandeth and seeketh after God But yet there we read That the Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God But they are all saith the Psalmist gone aside they are altogether become filthy c. There is none that understandeth Supple What the will of the Lord is that he may yield obedience thereunto And seeketh after God To seek after God is to seek after his favour by well doing 〈◊〉 after his will to do it Or to seek after God is to regard God and to care for him and his Will For note that to seek in the Hebrew phrase signifieth to regard or care for as well as to seek Ver. 12. They are all gone out of the way That is they are all gone out of the pâ—in of Gods commandments which they should walke in They are altogether become unprofitable The word here rendred unprofitable in the Hebrew signifieth putrified and stinking and it is Metaphorically taken from putrified and stinking meates which are not fit to be eaten and as such meats are putrified and stinking so are wicked men corrupted and even stinking in the nostrils of God And as such meats are not fit for the use of man so these wicked men are not fit for any holy use or fit Instruments of Gods praise or service There is none that doth good i. e. There is none Righteous as the Apostle speaketh Verse 10. It may be asked here of whom the Psalmist speaketh all these words and of whom the fourteenth Psalm from whence these words are taken is to be understood and how the Apostle applies them to his purpose For Answer Many think that the Psalmist speaks of all sâ—â—h men of his time in Generall as were â—ot renewed by the Spirit of God whatsoever they were and that the Apostle may therefore well infer from thence that all men even of his time also were such as they were in the Psalmists time because the same natural corruption was in both and where their corruption as the Tree is alike there their sins as the fruit of that Tree must be alike too until they are born again through faith Others think that the Psalmist speaks only of such people as were at actual enmity with the people of Israel which were the people of God though they cannot determinately say what people they were whether Philistines Midianites Ammonites Moabites or the like and they prove that the fourteenth Psalm is to be understood of such because in the fourth verse of that Psalm God sayes of them that they eat up his people as if they would eat bread And in the fifth verse they are spoken of as men which were against the Generation of the Righteous And verse seventh the Psalmist wishes for the Salvation of Israel to save Israel from these his enemies Others conceive That the Psalmist speaketh here determinately of Absalom and those that took part with him against David his Father And that David made this fourteenth Psalm when he was pursued by Absalom But yet one thing is against this to wit that it is said vers 7. When the Lord bringeth back the Captivity of his people which cannot be said of David and those that fled with him from Absalom and his Conspiritors wherefore to take away this Objection instead of these words When the Lord bringeth back the Captivity of his people they read Cum reduxerit Deus reducem populum suum i. e. When the Lord shall bring back his people again q. d. When the Lord shall bring us back again to Jerusalem which have been fain to flie because of Absalom But whether the words of the Hebrew will bear this Translation let the Learned in that Language judge But now the Question remains how the Apostle can with sound reason bring these Testimonies which he doth out of the fourteenth Psalm according to these two last expositions thereof to prove that all which have not received Christ and his Gospel both Jews and Gentiles are under sin Answ Besides that which hath been said in answer to this Question according to the first exposition given of the fourteenth Psalm which may have place here also for further answer it is said that as many other places of Scripture so doth this Psalm carry a double sence with it one Literal or Historical another Mystical one concerning the enemies of fleshly Israel which were the people of God or
of one and sometimes in the person of another but most commonly his objections are to be understood as made in the person of a Jew and yet not alwayes of one kind of Jew but sometimes of one and sometimes of another according to the diversity of opinions which were among the Jews For some Jews thought it enough to their Justification that they were the Children of Abraham others that they were circumcised others which were more learned that they had excellent skill in the Law And others who were highly conceited of the purity of their lives relied upon their works for justification c. Know secondly That the Apostle when he hath treated of a matter and is passed from that particular matter of which he treated and is upon another subject if in treating of this latter subject any thing may arise to prove his former matter he takes notice of it oftentimes though it be but by the by and though he hath no other reason so to do but because it proveth his former matter An Example of this you may have Rom. 10.17 in those words So then Faith commeth by hearing which was not the conclusion of the subject which he had then in hand For the subject which he was then about was to prove that all the Jews believed not For they that is the Jews have not all obeyed the Gospel saith he Verse 16. And this he proves there Verse 17. by the testimony of the Prophet Isaiah For saith he Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our report Now out of this testimony of Esaias this conclusion may be as well drawn Viz. That Faith cometh by hearing as that Viz. That the Jews did not all believe Wherefore because this conclusion Viz. Faith cometh by hearing may be drawn thence as well as that other he maketh mention of it here verse 17. only to prove that which he said before ver 14. Viz. That none could believe in him of whom they have not heard And after this manner as I conceive doth the Apostle bring in those words of the Ninth Chapter to the Romans and the sixteenth verse Viz. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Which conclusion he draws and it evidently follows out of those foregoing words Verse 15. Viz. For he saith unto Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy And I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion But yet this is not that for which he quoted those words but he quoted them to shew that there was no unrighteousness in God in shewing mercy to or in justifying those which were figured either in Isaac or in Jacob that is in justifying the faithfull though they were Gentiles But yet because he had bewailed the Jews for that that they being ignorant of Gods Way of righteousness or Justification went about to establish a way of their own and had not submitted themselves to Gods way and because that from these words of the fifteenth verse an Argument might be drawn to convince them of their error he draweth that Argument from thence though by the by and though it was not that conclusion or Thesis which he was to prove in this place when he was as I said to prove here that there was no unrighteousness in God for shewing mercy to or justifying those which were typified either in Isaac or in Jacob that is for justifying the faithfull though they were Gentiles The third thing which I said was expedient to be known for the better understanding of this Epistle of Saint Paul was to know how the parts of Scriptures which he alledgeth â—herein so often make for the purposes for which he alledgeth them For indeed if any one should turn to the several places out of which he taketh his testimonies of Scripture it would seem strange at the first to see how Paul could bring them to prove such things by them as he bringeth them for But that it may not seem strange this must be observed that many places of the Scriptures of the Old Testament have a double sense One concerning terrene and corporeal things and things to come to pass before the dayes of the Messiah Another concerning heavenly and spiritual things of which those terrene and corporeal things were a Type The first may be called the Literal or Historical or meaner sense The second the Mystical or Sublime sense Of which because I have spoken fully in my Preface to my Exposition upon the Prophet Isaiah I shall speak no more here only this I add that the Jews did acknowledge this twofold sense Now the Apostle in his testimonies of Scripture which he brings to prove several matters which he handles takes those testimonies of Scripture for the most part not as they are in their first literal historical or meaner sense but as they are to be taken in their Mysticall and Sublime sense according to which I have also interpreted them in these my Commentaries respectively The fourth thing which I said was expedient to be known for the better understanding of this Epistle of Saint Paul was to know how he useth many words which he useth herein and in what Sense he useth them and of as many of such words as I think convenient I shall now speak in their Alphabetical order adding some things also by occasion of those words which will make to the further explication of some passages of this Epistle The words are as follow Call Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Election Faith Flesh Foreknow Hardning Holy In. Justification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Long-suffering Righteousness Spirit World Works TO CALL CALLED Our Apostle doth make often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to call an act of God as Rom. 9.11 That the promise of God may stand not of Works but of him that calleth And verse 24. Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles And that act of calling doth oftentimes by a Metonymie include the effect intended by the act so that because God intendeth by the calling of men by the preaching of the Gospel to the grace therein conteined that they should believe the Gospel preached to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he hath called is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who believe and so in the aforenamed place Rom. 9.24 Viz. Even us whom he hath called not of the Jews onely but also of the Gentiles is put for Even us which believe not onely of the Jewes but also of the Gentiles and after the same manner they to whom any thing is revealed when it is revealed with effect are said to believe that which is revealed As Isaiah chap. 53. verse 1. Who hath believed our report or to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed That is Who hath believed how great the strength of the Lord is which he declareth by his Prophets that he would shew for the deliverance of his People There is a
only occasionally For the Apostle is wont by occasion of other matters which he affirmeth and would prove to slip as it were to his main purpose so he doth Gal. 2.16 And in other places as well as here As it is written To wit Habakkuk 2.4 The Just shall live by Faith i. e. The Just-man shall be justified not by his works though he be called just but by Faith Or thus he that shall be justified shall be justified by Faith The Apostle proveth here by the Testimony of the Prophet Habakkuk that the Righteousnesse of God is by Faith But note that these words as they lie in the Prophet as many words and passages in the old Testament do carry a twofold sence with them A Literal and a mysticall In their literal sence they relate to the Jewes which were in Captivitie to the Babilonians In their mystical sence they relate to men as they are under sin and guilty of the punishments due to sin to wit death c. And therefore have these words this double relation because the things thereby signified are One the Type of the Other the former of the latter The Captivity of the Jews under the Babylonians of the Captivity of Man under Sin and Death and him which hath the power of death the Devil For it is very well known that the Captivity of the Jews under the Babilonians was a Type of the Captivity of Man under Sin and Death and him which hath the power of Death the Devil And that the messages and good news which God sent by his Prophets of the delivery of the Jewes out of the Babylonian Captivity was a Type of the Gospel and good newes of Mans salvation out of his spirituall captivity which was preached by Christ and his Apostles and that Cyrus whom God had used as an Instrument to deliver the Jews from the Babylonians was a Type of Christ by whom Man is delivered from Sin and Death and the Devil And when one of these is prophesied of in the Letter the other is prophesied of in the Mysterie Yea and while things of this nature are thus prophesied of the Holy Ghost doth oftentimes so order and guide the Penman of his Prophesies that some passages will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in word agree aswell to the one as to the other aswel to the Type as to the Antitype of which this parcell of Scripture written by the Prophet Habakkuk is one According to the literal sence therefore these words as they lie in the Prophet Habakkuk may be thus expounded They which are just among the Babilonian Captives though they are under them from whom they may fear death through hard usage yea to be put to death by reason of their power being Conquerors yet if they believe the message and good newes of their deliverance by Cyrus out of their captivity which I shall send them by my Prophets They shall be delivered from their Captivity and shall not die under the hands of the Babylonians but live and live a joyfull life According to the Mystical sence which is the sence in which our Apostle takes the words here we may interpret these words thus The Just which believe the Gospel shall be justified from their sins by their Faith The Just According to the frequent use of Holy Scripture he is called a just or Righteous Man who is a man of a good and honest mind and desireth to walk uprightly though he slips yea falls often such a man as this is is ready to receive the message of God whensoever it pleaseth God to send it and doth verily believe it when it is sent Again if we look into the place of Habakkuk beforementioned to wit Habakkuk 2.4 we shall find that our just Man there is opposed to him whose soul is lifted up that is to a proud man and so may be taken for the humble minded man such an one as trusteth not in himself nor boasteth of his own worth And who is more likely to be a Believer than He for Pride is the greatest keeper out of Faith as can be For how can ye believe which seek honour one of another saith our Saviour to the Jewes John 5.24 But besides this the Just may be taken for him which it justified and so may it be taken here when we expound the words in the mystical sence q. d. He that shall be justi ed shall be justified by his Faith Shall live This is as if he should say in our Saviours words He shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life John 5.24 That is he shall be justified that is he shall be absolved of his sins he shall not be condemned for them though he hath deserved death by them A man that is arraigned and tried for his life upon some Criminal or Capital matter If he be condemned he is put to death but if he be justified or absolved he liveth To live therefore may be put here Per Metonymiam Consequentis for to be justified That which Saint Paul drives at and for which he produceth the Testimony of the Prophet Habakkuk is as I said to prove that righteousness is of faith or which is the same that he that believeth is accepted of God and freed from sin and death which is the penalty of sin not for his works sake but for his faith And to expresse this freedom the Scripture calls it sometimes by the name of Salvation and Redemption which are words borrowed from Captives which are saved or redeemed whereas by their condition they were as men appointed unto death Sometimes again and that is the tearm most frequently used in this Epistle by the name of Justification which is a name or word borrowed from men as I said immediately before accused of some Capital matter in a Court of Justice where the Person accused is acquitted or absolved of the crimes laid against him and so justified by the Judge and freed from the Censure of the Law viz. Death The words of the Prophet Habakkuk as they are here alledged by our Apostle may in their Mystical sence be interpreted either in allusion to the Salvation or Redemption of Captives or in allusion to the Acquitting Absolving or Justification of a man accused in a Court of Justice of some Capital crime And after which of these ways the Reader will interpret them I leave to his choice for the issue of both is Life By faith i. e By reason of his faith or if he believe the Gospel For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men The Apostle prevented an objection here For whereas he said that the Righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel from faith And again it is written The just shall live by faith signifying thereby that the way of obtaining Justification is by faith A man may object and say But why Paul dost thou say that the way of obtaining justification is by faith
which place the Apostle may seem to allude and which words he may make use of here from thence by an Accommodation and so apply them to his present purpose leaving the generality of the words themselves to be restrained by the circumstances of the place in which he useth them As it is written That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged i. e. q. d. That by their lie as by an evident Testimony of Gods truth God may according to that which is written of him Psalm 51.4 be justified in his sayings and overcome when he is judged and questioned as it were in a Court of Justice by these liars concerning the truth of his promises and the fidelity of his sayings This is the sence of these words as they are here used and this is the connexion of them as will appear by that Objection verse 7. If the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie to his glory why yet am I also judged as a sinner which Objection is raised from these words which we have in hand When a man is accused by liars and especially such as are found and known before hand to be liars in that very thing whereof they accuse him There is no doubt but that he which is accused shall be justified that is shall be acquitted and shall overcome in judgment and that his Righteousness shall appear the more and be more taken notice of than if he had never been questioned or accused by such men It may be Objected here and said that I have interpreted those words viz. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged in the Third Person whereas it is plain that they are of the Second Person and therefore my Interpretation may seem faulty To this I answer that those words viz. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art juged are of the Second Person and directed to God yet may they be interpreted here in the Third Person as spoken not to but of God For note that these words are cited out of Psalm 51. v. 4. Where they are used in the Second Person and therefore are here cited in the Second Person But though they are here cited in the Second Person yet may they be interpreted as if they were spoken in the Third For the Apostle when he brings any testimony out of Scripture he cites it for the most part as it lyeth in the text from which he brings it not regarding the Grammatical Syntax of the place where he useth it but he leaveth that to be understood of his Reader These words viz. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged are the words of the Prophet David written by him Ps 51.2 and they are used here by our Apostle by an Accommodation and yet there is more than an Accommodation in them for though they do not particularly shew in that Psalm that God may be justified in his sayings and overcome when he is judged and so be glorified by the lie of a liar yet they shew that God may be justified in his sayings and overcome when he is judged so be glorified by the sin of a sinner And this will appear by the words as they lye in the Psalm it self which words we come now to handle as they lye there That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged These words as I said are taken out of the 51. Psalm v. 4 which is a Poenitential Psalm where in David confesseth the sin which he committed in going into Bathsheba the Wife of Vriah and slaying Vriah her husband with the Sword of the Ammonites and pleads for pardon for this his sin And among many other Motives which there he useth to move God to pardon him this is one That whereas God had promised him to wit David That he would establish his seed for ever And build up his Throne to all Generations Psalm 89.4 And David had now sinned whereby God might be provoked to cut him and his seed off and to cast his Throne down to the ground yet if God would be pleased to pardon his sin and not cut off him and his seed nor cast his Throne down to the ground by reason of that his sin his sin would the more set out the veracity and truth of God in his promises and from his sin this fruit would redound to God who can bring Light out of Darkness that thereby God would appear and be pronounced just in his sayings or promises and would overcome whensoever any one should accuse him of falshood in his word For if any one should say unto the Lord Thou art not just in thy sayings He may say look then upon David to whom I performed my promises though he provoked me by his sins to cut him and his Posterity off and to cast his Throne down to the ground For the further understanding of these words take in the whole fourth verse of Psalm 51. which runs thus according to the Septuagint Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art juged which Paraphrase thus Against thee thee only O Lord have I sinned and done this evil in lying with Bathsheba and killing Vriah the Hittite her Husband but yet O Lord whereas thou hast been pleased to promise that thou wilt prosper me and establish my seed for ever and build up my Throne to all Generations if thou wilt not be provoked to repent thee of this thy promise by this my sin but wilt pardon my sin and go on with thy promise notwithstanding that I have thus sinned against the then will it fall out that by this my sin thou wilt be clearly pronounced and acknowledged to be just in thy sayings and thou wilt clearly overcome when any one shall contend with thee and say Thou art not just and true in thy promises thus get glory by this my sin That thou mightest be justified That is That thou mayest be pronounced or declared or acknowledged to be just and mayest be acquitted from the accusation of those which falsly accuse thee of Infidelity in thy word And mightest overcome He is said here to overcome which hath the better of the cause which is pleaded before a Judge When thou art judged i. e. When thou art sued as it were in a Court of Iustice and accused of a breach of promise before a Iudge and Sentence is to pass upon thee In these words there is an Allusion to what is done in a Court of Iustice wherein God is as we call it a Defendant sued and accused as a breaker of his promise Ver. 5. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God The Christians in Saint Pauls time were reported to hold That they might do any evil for a good
concerning the enemies of David and those which were estranged from him which is the Literal sence And another concerning all such as were Aliens from Spiritual Israel to wit the faithful and were as it were enemies unto them or concerning such as were strangers from Christ and were not with him and therefore against him as it is said Mat. 12.30 which is the Mystical sence Now the Apostle producing these Testimonies according to the Mystical sence of the words to prove that all which have not received Christ both Jews and Gentiles are under sin And he may effectually prove by them that all both Jews and Genâ—iles which are Aliens from Christ and strangers to his people are under sin because they are all really intended and spoke of here in the Mystical sence For as the Israelites according to the flesh were a People which God had chosen to himself Deut. 14.2 So were they a Type of the faithful in Christ Jesus whom God hath taken to be to himself as Children by Adoption and as God had made choice of David to be his King and his annointed so did he ordain that David should be an eminent Type of Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords And as the Israelites according to the flesh were a Type of the faithful in Jesus Christ so were their enemies a Type of those which were enemies of the faith or of the faithful and of such as were not in communion with them and as David was a Type of Christ so were the enemies of David and those which were estranged in affection from him a Type of the enemies of Christ and those which were strangers from him So that the Holy Ghost when he doth describe the Manners of those which were the enemies of Israel and of David and strangers from them and either of them in the Historical or Literal sence he describes the Manners of them also which are enemies oâ— the faithful and of Christ and strangers from them or either of them in the Mystical sence Note here that from these and such like Allegations as these are which Saint Paul often useth in his Epistles it doth appear that the Jews did allow of such Mystical sences of the Scriptures as these are although they did err in the Persons or Application and neither acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ nor applied such passages of the Scriptures as these are to themselves Ver. 13. Their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood These are other Testimonies of Scripture brought to prove that all both Jews and Gentiles are under sin and whereas the former Testimony proved for the most part that they did not do those things which they ought to have done So these Testimonies prove that they did do those things which they ought not to have done But note here that whereas the Apâ—stle doth reckon up here in these Testimonies which he brings many sins we must not understand him so as that his meaning were that all these sins which here he reckoneth up were actually in every man whether Iew or Gentile but that some of them were in some others in others yet so as some sin or other was in every one and every one had gone aside and become filthy q. d. The throat of some of them is an open Sepulchre others have used deceit with their tongues and the poison of Aspes is under their lips The mouth of others is full of cursing and bitterness the feet of others is swift to shed blood c. Neither must we understand the Apostle so as if his meaning were that these which he here reckoneth up were the only sins which were in these men but that there were other sins also in them and that if any of these were not in some few of them which yet we can scarcely say yet there were others in them as bad as these or if not as bad yet such as were enough to expose them to Gods wrath and to damn them Their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit Those words are taken out of the fifth Psalm verse 9. and are agreable to the Septuagint whereas according to the Hebrew the words run thuâ— Their throat is an open Sepulchre they flatter with their tongue Where note that the Apostle useth to follow the Septuagint where it little or nothing varies from the Hebrew Their throat is an open Sepulchre That is their throat is As an open Sepulchre for as out of an Open Sepulchre in which a dead body hath been long buried when it is opened there cometh out filthy loathsome stinks and smels So out of their mouth or throat do proceed foul filthy words Note that the note of similtude As is often left to be understood after the Hebrew manner and so it is here This sence will these words bear and yet they will yield another sence too and that 's this q. d. Their throat is as an open Sepulchre because as a Sepulchre is opened that it might receive the dead body to consume it or destroy it so are their throats opened that they may destroy them whom they speak against with their wicked words And this sence is most agreable to the sence of the Place For the fifth Psalm was penned by David either when he fled from the face of Saul or when he was fain to fly because of Absalom at which times respectively there were not wanting those which advised both Saul and Absalom to cut off Davids life if they could The Prophet Jeremy saith of the Babylonians that their Quiver is an open Sepulchre Jerem. 5.16 And therefore doth he say that their Quiver is an open Sepulchre because as a Sepulchre opens its mouth that it may receive and so consume the dead So their Quiver was opened that it might by the Arrows drawn from thence destroy the living And thus is the Throat said to be an open Sepulchre because the words proceeding from them are destroying words words brought forth to take away a mans life With their tongue they have used deceit i. e. They speak deceitfully and guilefully with their tongues for their words are fair but their heart is foul they speak fair with their mouth but bear mischief in their heart and would entrap the Innocent to destroy him The Hebrew translated word for word is They flatter with their tongue but being they flattered for this end that they might entrap with their tongue They as the Septuagint renders it have used deceit Thus did many deal with David to engratiate themselves with Saul and with Absalom They did speak him fair and flatter with him that they might know his secrets and then reveal them to Saul and Absalom that they might take him and so kill him The Poyson of Asps is under their lips They which hurt others with
their speech are said to have poyson under or in their lips Of such Saint James saith That their tongue is full of deadly poison James 3.8 The poyson of Asps an Aspe is a little Creature frequent in Africa whose poyson is very venemous Aristotle in his Historiae Animalium lib. 8.29 Saith that the venome of this Serpent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is incureable Is under their Lips He may say under their Lips to signifie that it was not to be seen or perceived And signifie by that again that these were men of flattering tongues but of most bloody hearts or thoughts But others take under their lips barely for In their lips These words are taken out of Psal 140.4 Which Psalm was wrote by David against Doeg and the Ziphites who did malitiously accuse him and speak all evil against him to Saul and by these words the Prophet sheweth how these his enemies dealt with him but being the enemies of David who was a Type of Christ prefigured the enemies of Christ that is such as believed not in Christ The words may be applied to them also in the Mystical Sence Ver. 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness This is taken from Psal 10 7. and cited according to the Septuagint whereas according to the Hebrew Text it is thus his mouth is full of cursing and deceit Where it seemeth as it is observed by many That the Septuagint did read Vmireroth amaritudinibus i. e. and bitternesses for Vmirmoth fraudibus i. e. and deceits yet as these latter words are not much unlike no more is the Sence For wicked men are wont to speak all manner of evil against the Godly with all bitterness but yet falsly and therefore deceitfully For it is false which they speak though they would have men believe that it is true so deceiving them See Matthew Chap. 5. ver 11.44 By this also doth David describe the nature of his enemies as he did before but by describing them he describes such also as should be enemies to Christ that is to the Faith He saith here whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness Whereas the Order of his speech requireth that he should have said their mouth c. But it is not unusuall to confound Subjunctive Articles or Pronouns with Praepositives An example whereof we may have in that great Master of Rhetorick Cicero Philip 1. Eas leges quas ipse vobis inspectantibus recitavit pronunciavit tulit quibus latis gloriabatur iisque legibus Rempublicam contineri putabat de Provinciis de Judiciis eas inquam Caesaris leges nos qui defendimus acta Caesaris evertendas putabimus Where iis and quibus are mixt together Again in the tenth Psalm 7. verse as it is read according to the Septuagint whom St. Paul followeth It is not a Praepositive but a Subjunctive Article and the Apostle useth for the most part when he citeth any Testimony to cite it as it lieth in the Text out of which he takes it and not to regard the Syntax where he useth it Ver. 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their wayes and the way of peace they have not known These Testimonies are taken out of Isaiah Chap. 59. v 7 8. but not according to the strict words yet according to the Sence as they which take view of the place may easily perceive And they are spoken there of the Jewes of that time But those Jews were Types of these Jews which lived in Pauls time for Jews of one time are Types of Jews of another time See notes Chap. 2. ver 24 And therefore well may Saint Paul apply what was said of the Jews of that time to the Jews of his time Adde to this that the Jews of which the Prophet Isaiah speaketh were such as were at that time in Captivity under the Babylonians Now the captivity of the Jews under the Babylonians was a Type of the captivity of Man under sin and the Devil while therefore the Prophet Isaiah describeth the manners of those Jews which were in captivity under the Babylonians in the Literal or Historical sence He describeth with all the manners of the Jews yea and of the Gentiles too which were captive under sin and the Devil in the mystical sence Their feet are swift to shed blood i e. They are bloody minded ready upon all occasions to runne and shed innocent blood Note that the feet are put here by a Synecdoche for the whole man and therefore the feet because we post from place to place with them when we have any thing to do Ver. 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways i. e. Which way soever they go they bring misery and destruction upon men like a common plague Destruction and misery are to be understood here not as suffered by these men but as wrought by them and that without any respect of Persons at all Ver. 17 And the way of peace have they not known i. e. They have not known how to live quietly and friendly with men Or they have not walked in peaceable ways but are strangers to them as if they knew them not Note that ways and paths are often put for the actions of Men by a Metaphor Some observe here that the Hebrew say of him that doth not care for or regard a thing that he doth not so much as know it as Jerem. 4 22. Ver. 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes i e. They do not consider with the eyes of their mind that God is present to see and behold their doings even that God which they ought to stand in fear of as being a severe punisher of all wickedness Men use to be curbed bridled in that they run not headlong into sin by the fear of God the just Judge Where therefore this fear is not men even rush into all manner of wickedness as an Horse into the Battle This Testimony is taken out of Psalm 36 1. And these words David who was a Type of Christ speaks of his Enemies who were Types of the enemies of Christ that is of the unfaithful as will appear by vers 11 12. of that Psalm So that they may be well applied by the Apostle as they are to all unbelievers which are enemies of Christ and his Servants as spoken of them in the Mystical sence Ver. 19. Now we know that whatsoever the Law saith it saith to them which are under the Law The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas the Apostle had alledged many Testimonies out of the Old Testament to prove that Jews and Gentiles are both under sin The Jew might object and say But what do these Testimonies which thou hast alledged concern us These Testimonies concern not us Jews neither are they spoken of us but they concern only the Gentiles and are spoken only of them To this the Apostle answereth Now we know that whatsoever the Law that is the writings
if he did not so Such a man therefore as is justified according to the Law of Works hath good cause of boasting even before God Chapter 4.2 But by the Law of Faith That Law that is that doctrine which teacheth that a man is justified by Faith doth exclude boasting and takes away the cause or ground of boasting from a justified man For it teacheth that he that is justified according to that hath sinned and therefore if he be justified he is justified by Grace that is by the meer favour and mercy of God which cannot stand with boasting It teacheth I say that every man hath sinned and so that every man is under the Curse for cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut 27.25 Galat. 3.10 And being now cursed he cannot get out from under that curse without the favour and mercy of God For having broken the Law he cannot be justified by the Law for that implies a Contradiction And therefore if he be justified he must be justified by Faith and so by the meer grace and favour of God with which boasting cannot consist The Apostles scope in this verse is as I said as to repress the vain boasting of the Jews so to take men off from seeking after justification by works or by the works of the Law and to bring them to seek after justification by Faith and his Argument is valid to this purpose upon supposition which yet he hath proved to be a most certain Truth that all have sinned For if all men have sinned which is an undeniable truth and which the doctrine of Faith teacheth then no man can boast before God for whosoever hath sinned hath need of the grace and favour of God And whosoever receives any thing of the grace and favour of God cannot boast 1 Cor. 4.7 Now if thou canst not boast thou seekest in vain to be justified by the works of the Law for no man can be justified by the works of the Law but he which keepeth the Law and hath always kept it in every point And he that keeps it so may boast Therefore being thou canst not boast seek not for justification by the works of the Law which makes them boast which are justified thereby but seek for it by faith For though thou canst not boast and so canst not be justified by the works of the Law yet thou mayest be justified by Faith It is not unlikely but that among the Jews which were blinded by reason of their unbelief Chap. 11. ver 7. There were some who though they were convinced that they could not boast yet did seek for justification by the Law not perceiving how incompatible these two things are Not to boast or not to have matter of boasting and to be justified by the Law But by the Law of Faith Note that whereas the Apostle might have said thus Where is boasting then It is excluded By what By Works Nay but by Faith He saith Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law of works Nay but by the Law of Faith And this he doth by a Mimesis mentioning and repeating the word Law that he might in a slighting manner imitate the Jews who did crack of the Law and had the Law alwayes in their mouths though they kept it not intimating thereby that if they gloried in the word Law he could say that they which were Justified were justified by a Law too but not by the Law which they cracked of to wit the Law of Works but by a Law differing from that to wit the Law of Faith Ver. 28. We conclude therefore that a man is justified by faith This conclusion the Apostle draws not from the verse immediately going before but from his whole discourse which he hath had from the 17. verse of the first Chapter of this Epistle hitherto and especially from that which he taught and discoursed of Chap. 3. ver 23 24 25 26. A Man i. e. Any or Every man that is justified The word Man is to be taken here indefinitely q. d. We conclude therefore that a man be he Jew or be he Gentile or whatsoever he is that is justified is justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Without the Works of the Law i. e. Though he be without the Works of the Law that is though he be without that that he hath perfectly observed and kept the Law Without the Works of the Law is the same here as Not by the Works of the Law Gal. 2.16 By the Works of the Law are meant Works done exactly according to the Praescript of the Law so that if a man hath at any time transgressed the Law either positively or privatively he cannot be said to have the works of the Law in the Apostles sence here Ver. 29. Is he the God of the Jews only For God to be the God of any one doth sometimes signifie that God is held as a God and worshipped and obeyed as a God of him whose God he is said to be In this sence Jacob said that the Lord should be his God Gen. 28.21 Sometimes again and that most frequently for God to be the God of any one signifieth that God is an Egregious Benefactor of him whose God he is said to be In which sence it is said Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord Psalm 33.12 And in which sence God is said to be the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod 3.6 And in which sence God saith that he would be a God to Abraham and to his Seed after him Gen. 17.7 Now of these two sences the latter is that in which God is said here to be a God of the Jews and not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also For God is a Benefactor to them both not only in Temporal blessings but in Spiritual blessings also and in such as concern Eternal Salvation The Apostle speaketh by an Interrogative here first to signifie that the thing which he speaks of is so plain as that it cannot be denied Secondly to take up the Jews a little who entertained a base esteem of the Gentiles Is he not of the Gentiles also i e. Is he not the God of the Gentiles also and doth he not wish and do well to them also that they may be saved Yea of the Gentiles also q. d. Yea he is the God of the Gentiles also and wisheth and doth well to them that they may be saved and will be a Benefactor to them in those things which concern their Eternal welfare if they believe As for the Connexion of this verse with what went before It is this The Apostle had said vers 28. That a Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law where he took the word Man indefinitely for men of any Nation by reason therefore of that word he had a good opportunity given him to speak to
which they are borrowed For Righteousness i. e. For Justification Supple to be payed or allowed to him in consideration of that his faith Note that the Hebrew Text which our Apostle relates to Gen. 15.6 being translated word for word is thus And he believed in the Lord and he to wit the Lord counted it to him for righteousness But our Apostle followed the Septuagint which was then commonly received among the Jews which speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But which way soever we take these words whether according to the Hebrew or according to the Septuagint the sence is one and the same For it is all one to say It was counted to wit by God and God did count it And these phrases To believe God and To believe in God are often confounded and taken one for the other in Scripture although to believe God properly signifieth to give assent to the words of God And to believe in God signifieth properly to put our hope and affiance in God because when God promiseth any thing to any one he that truly believes his promise cannot but put his trust and affiance in him for performance of that his promise Note that as we have said before the Apostle proveth here the Minâ—r Proposition mentioned in the foregoing verse to wit that Abraham had not in the matter of justification whereof to glory before God And he proves it by this that Abraham's faith was counted to him for righteousness that is that Abraham was justified by his faith And they that are justified by faith cannot glory before God of that their justification because justification is not due to them of debt but is bestowed upon them upon grace and where it is of grace glorying is excluded Ver. 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt q. d. Now to him indeed that fulfilleth the works of the Law as the Law commands them to be done justification is reckoned not of grace and favour but of debt and merit Supple therefore he indeed may glory before God in the matter of justificâ—tion He grants that here to him that worketh which he denieth in the next verse to him which believeth To him that worketh By him that worketh is meant here he which doth perfectly perform the Law of God and continue in it for to such a one only doth justification appertain as a debt Not to him that doth a good work now and then no nor to him that hath but once sinned if any such were Is the Reward c. By the Reward is here meant justification For though justification that is Remission of Sins or To be absolved or acquitted from the punishment due to sins is not the whole reward which God giveth to him whom he justifieth yet it is the whole Reward which such a man which hath kept the Law can challenge of debt And this to wit Justification that is an absolution or immunity from punishment is that and that only which the Apostle speaks of and treats of in this place By the reward therefore is here meant Justification and Justification only by a Synechdoche integri Ver. 5 But to him that worketh i. e. But to him which doth not performe the works of the Law as the Law requireth c What is meant by him that worketh not we may understand by him that worketh ver 4. But believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly i. e. But onely believeth God or only believeth in God for these phrases are all one as we said ver 3. which justifieth him who worketh not that is which justifieth him which hath not kept the Law as Abraham had not The ungodly By the ungodly he meaneth here him that worketh not that is him which hath not kept or persevered in keeping of the Law as he should For even such a one may go under the name of an ungodly man especially before he is justifyed His faith is counted for Righteousness This his Faith only to wit without works is counted to him for Righteousness and therefore being that he is justified not by works but only by faith his justification is not of debt or merit but of meer Grace and favour See ver 16. And being that it is not of debt or merit but of meer Grace and Favour he hath not whereof to glory in that matter The Apostle you see is curt here in his expression and leavs much to be understood yet that which may be easily understood by a judicious Reader and which is necessarily implied in what he hath said His Faith i. e. His faith only to wit without works This word onely is often left to be understood Ver. 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works For the connexion of this verse with the former thus it is in the former verse the Apostle said That righteousness was imputed to him that worketh not yea to the ungodly Now a Jew who sought righteousness by the works of the Law chap. 9 32. might object against this and speak thus But what is it that thou sayest Paul Sayest thou that Righteousness may be imputed to him that worketh not and to him that is ungodly To this the Apostle answereth though concisely to this effect Yea I say that Righteousness may be imputed to him that worketh not and is ungodly even as David also describeth the blessedness or righteousness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works c. Even as David also describeth i. e. Even as David also in the Psalmes describeth c. The Psalm which the Apostle alluds to is Psal 32. ver 1 2 The blessedness of the man Or the blessedness of a man that is The justification of a sinner Blessedness is to be taken here for justification as will plainly appear both by what went before and by what is said ver 9. Where the Apostle calls that blessedness in the former part of the verse which he calls Righteousness that is justification in the latter part thereof The word Blessedness in its Latitude includes Glorification as well as justification when therefore it is taken for justification barely it is so taken Per Synechdochen integri Vnto whom God imputeth Righteousness i. e. Unto whom God doth as it were set down Righteousness or Justification upon his Accounts which he obligeth himself thereby to give or pay to him The word here rendered imputeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to set down on a Mans account See ver 3. By these words it is most evident that the Apostle takes righteousness and Remission or not imputing of sins for one and the same thing for that which he calls Righteousness here he calls the forgiveness of iniquities and Covering of sins and not imputing of sin or setting down of sin upon accounts in the verses next following Without Works i. e. Without the strict observing of the Law or though he hath not observed the
Law as he ought to do and as the Law requireth Ver. 7. Blessed are thâ—y That is Just are they or rather they are Justified See the notes on that word Blessedness ver 5. Whose Inquities are forgiven Then are Iniquities said to be forgiven when God doth pardon him that commits them and punisheth him not for them according to his desert And Iniquities are here likened to a debt which the Creditor forgiveth and sets not down upon Accounts And whose sins are covered These words are the same for sence with those Whose iniquities are forgiven When God is said not to behold or not to see iniquity in sinful men he doth forgive them Numb 23.21 The contrary whereof is when he is said to set mens iniquities in His sight as Psal 90.8 Now because when a thing is covered a man cannot see it therefore when our sins are said to be covered they are forgiven So when Hezekiah said Thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back Isai 38.17 It is as if he should say Thou hast forgiven me my sins for we see not those things which are behind our back So when David saith Hide thy face from my sins Psal 51.9 It is as if he should say Pardon my sins for we see not those things from which we turn our face V. 8. To whom the Lord will not impute sin i e. Upon whose account the Lord will not set down sin as a debt for him to pay or satisfie by punishment For that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth most properly to wit to set down upon account as a debt That sins are often called debts we may learn Matth. 6.12 and as of such doth the Apostle speak of them here V. 9. Cometh this blessedness then upon the Circumcision onely or upon the uncircumcision also q. d Cometh then this justification which is by faith upon those onely that are circumcised or upon those also which are not circumcised This blessedness By Blessedness is here meant Righteousness or justification for he calls that Blessedness here which he calleth Righteousness in the last word of this verse See ver 6. Vpon the Circumcision By the Circumcision are here meant the Jews which were circumcised Per Metonymiam Adjuncti as Chap. 2.27 Vpon the uncircumcision By the uncircumcision are meant the Gentiles which were not circumcised by the same figure as Chap. 3.30 Note that the Jews even they which were converted to Christianity could not be perswaded that the uncircumcised that is the Gentiles whom they held as unclean could have any benefit of the Messiah which is Christ but held and maintained the contrary Therefore Saint Paul as often as he hath occasion in this his Epistle doth confute this their erronious Tenet and Perswasion And it stood him upon so to do For whereas he wrote to the Romans which were Gentiles but among whom many Jews of this judgment and perswasion lived to convert some to and confirm others in Christianity his labour might have proved in vain if he had not confuted those Jews and made it appear that the believing Gentiles though they were not circumcised had as great benefit in matter of justification as the Jews had which were circumcised For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness That which he saith concerning this That faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness he saith ver 3. from thence therefore doth the Apostle take an occasion to shew here that the uncircumcised Gentiles were through their faith accepted of God for Righteousness aswell as the circumcised Jews For here by these words which we have in hand He declares upon what occasion he moveth the Question which he moved in the former part of the verse And to the third verse doth that which he here saith relate Only he makes use of the word blessedness for justification by occasion of the word so used ver 6. For Righteousness i. e. For justification This is that which he called Blessedness in the former part of this verse V. 10. How was it then reckoned i. e. When was this faith then reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness How is put here for when Reckoned i. e. Counted The Greek word is the same here as ver 3. When he was in Circumcision or in uncircumcision i. e. Was faith then first reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness when he was in Circumcision that is when he was circumcised or was it reckoned to him when he was in uncircumcision That is before he was circumcised The Apostle moves this question to resolve that question which he made ver 9. to wit Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only or upon the uncircumcision also For by the Answer which he will give to this Question it will appear for resolution of the first Question That this Blessedness cometh aswel upon the uncircumcision which believeth as upon the Circumcision Not in Circumcision but in uncircumcision i. e. Faith was then first reckoned to Abraham when he was in uncircumcision that is before he was circumcised The truth of this Answer will appear out of the History of Abraham and of his Circumcision which we read of Gen. 15.16 17. And by this Answer it is evident that if a Man which is uncircumcised believes God his uncircumcision shall not hinder his faith from being imputed to him for Righteousness V. 11. And he received the Sign of circumcision a seal of the Righteousness which he had yet being uncircumcised i. e. And he was circumcised not before but after that he had believed And after that that God had imputed this his belief unto him for Righteousness And this his Circumcision was a seal or testimony to confirm unto him from God that God had accepted that belief of his which he had of his promises in the time of his uncircumcision for Righteousness and that he had justified him for that The Sign of uncircumcision That is circumcision which is a Sign Circumcision is the cutting off of the Foreskin which covereth the head or nut of a mans yard Gen. 17.11 And Circumcision is here called a Sign First because it was a Sign between God on the one partâ— and Abraham and his children on the other part of that Covenant which God made with Abraham and his seed Gen. 17.11 Secondly because it was a Sign of distinction whereby the seed of Abraham were distinguished from other People Thirdly it is called a Sign here because it was a Sign that God did accept of the faith of Abraham for Righteousness A seal of the Righteousness of Faith c. That is as a seal or testimony to confirm or assure to Abraham that God did accept of that faith which he had while he was yet uncricumcised for Righteousness Among divers uses of a Seal this is one to confirm and ratifie that to which it is put Abraham therefore is said to have received Circumcision as a Seal of the Righteousness of the faith which he had being yet
Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is become of none effect the condition thereunto required being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law That the condition required to justification being changed from faith or believing to the exact fulfilling of the Law the promise it self of justification is made of none effect the Apostle shews in the next words Justification if it be by the Law cannot be properly called a Promise Gal. 3.18 yet he calls it so here materialiter as not knowing well how to call it otherwise in this his discourse Ver. 15. Because the Law worketh wrath i e. Because the Law is so far from making them acceptable to God which are of or under the Law that they may be justified by him and so receive the promise of justification which he promised to Abraham and his children as that it stirs up Gods anger against them The Law stirs up Gods anger against them that are under it not onely in that the Law calls for punishment against them which transgress it but also because it is an occasion to them which are under it to sin more and more and more grievously than otherwise they would do For I was a live without the Law once saith the Apostle but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7 9. And again ver 8. Sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence But now that this fell out thus by the Law the fault was not in the Law but in the vitiousness of those which were under it or to whom it was given See those places Rom. 7 For where there is no Law there is no transgression When he saith Where there is no Law there is no transgression he leaves us togather that where there is a Law there is transgression and that frequent transgression too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Transgression signifieth here not every sin which is committed by a Man but such a sin as he commits against a Law plainly given either by word of mouth or by hand-writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Transgression being a sin committed against a Law plainly and distinctly given and that either by word of mouth or by hand writing is Caeteris paribus a more hainous and grievous sin than that which is committed against a Law which is not so given and redounds more to the dishonour of the Law-giver The Apostle by that which he saith here proves that which he said immediately before to wit that the Law worketh wrath For if where the Law is there are transgressions and there be no such sins as transgressions where the Law is not it is evident that the Law is the occasion thereof though not by its own fault yet by the fault of the man to whom it is given And therefore the Law worketh wrath in that it doth not only multiply sins occasionally but elevate those sins to an higher nature and makes them Transgressions as I shewed before Ver 16. Therefore it is of Faith Therefore the promise of Justification which God made to Abraham and to his children is of faith that is is to be attained by faith There is no way of obtaining justification which is the promise which God made to Abraham and to his children but either by the Law or by faith Being therefore that the Apostle hath proved that it cannot be obtained by the Law he may well conclude that it is to be obtained by Faith which is that which he sayes when he sayes Therefore it is of Faith That it might be by grace If it had been by the Law it would not have been of Grace but of debt ver 4. To the end the promise might be sure i. e. To the end that the promise of justification which God made to Abraham and to his children or his seed might be sure Sure The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firm He sayes that the Promise which he speaks off may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sure or firm in the regard of the condition required to the obtaining of it for the condition of it being of Faith is such as may be performed and so the promise obtained and sure whereas if it had been of the Law it would not have been so He opposeth here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sure or firm promise to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the promise made of none effect verse 14. though not in words yet in sence To all the Seed By Seed he meaneth not the bodily seed or the children born of Abrahams body as he did ver 13. But he meaneth the spiritual seed or spiritual children of Abraham that is all such as believe the word of God as Abraham did and imitate his faith I say he means all such whether they be Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law Not to that only which is of the Law i e. Not to that only which are the children of the Law that is which are under the Law or to which the Law is given By this he means the Jews Note that this Phrase which is of the Law is the same for substance with that which we read ver 14. But yet there is this difference that there is meant by such as are of the Law such as being under the Law sought for justification by the Law Here are meant such as though they were under the Law yet sought not for justification by the Law but by Faith in Christ But to that also which is of the faith of Abraham i. e. But to that also which only believeth as Abraham did Supple though they are not of or under the Law or though they never had the Law given them as the Jews had By these he means the Gentiles Who is the Father of us all Who is the Father of us all which believe whether we be of the Law or not of the Law that is whether we be Jews or Gentiles He speaks not of Abraham neither doth he call him the Father of us all in the like sence here as he did ver 1. For there he spoke of him in the vulgar manner as he was the Father of all the Jews according to the flesh and called him the Father of all the Jews whether they did believe or no. Here he speaks of him as he was a Father in a Mysticall sence That is as he was the spiritual father of all which believed whether they were Jews or Gentiles under the Law or without the Law V. 17. As it is written To wit Gen. 17.5 I have made thee a Father of many Nations i. e. I will surely make thee a Father of many Nations A Praeterpersect tense is put here for a Future to shew the certainty of the Event of that of which he speaks of Those words as they lie in Genesis carry a double sence with them to wit a Literal or Historical sence and a Mystical or
Sublim sence According to the Literal or Historical sence they are to be understood of such Nations as descended from Abraham by carnall Propagation And many Nations descended from him that way as the Israelites Ishmalites Edomites Amalekites c. According to the Mystical or Sublim sence they are to be taken of such as did imitate the faith of Abraham and were like to him in that And in this sence Abraham was called a Father of many Nations because he was set out by God as a President or Example to them that they might be moved to believe God and so be justified by their faith as Abraham believed God and was justified by his faith And many Nations have become Children of Abraham this way If you ask now in which sence these words are to be understood here I say in the Mystical or Sublime sence Before him whom he believed i. e. In sight of him whom he believed By him whom he believed is meant God as appeareth by the next words whom He to wit Abraham believed when He to wit God promised to give him a Son in his old age and to multiply his seed as the Stars of Heaven These words before him whom he believed are to be referred to those Who is the Father of us all q. d. Who is the Father of us all before him or in the sight of him whom he believed And these words Before God or in the Sight of God use to shew the truth or reality of a thing as Gen 6.11 Eccles 2 26. Luke 1 6 c. The Apostle therefore to shew that Abraham was the Father of us all not in word but in deed Not in the Opinion of Men but in the Judgement and Constitution and Approbation of God saith not only that he was the Father of us all in the Mystical and Sublime sence before mentioned but also adds Before him whom he believed even God Even God who quick'neth the Dead i. e. Even God who raiseth up those to life which were dead And oalleth those things which be not as though they were The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred thus And who calleth those things which be not as things which be And the sence is thus Which giveth a being to those things which be not as he hath done to those things which be that is Which maketh those things which yet be not to be To call is taken here for To make after the Hebrew manner of Speech So it is said Cap. 9.25 I will call them my People which were not my People and Her Beloved which was not my beloved for I will make them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not my Beloved To call as it signifieth To make seemeth to be spoken if not only yet principally of God And that to shew the Greatness of his power who by his word can produce what he pleaseth as he did Genes 1. To call therefore things which are not as things which are is as if he should call things that are not and say unto them O ye things which are not come out of your nothing and be ye something as things which are and they should obey Man calls only things which are as a Master his Servant to come to him But God calls even things which are not and they come at his call Note that some understand these words That quickneth the dead and calleth the things which are not as those that be in relation to the carnal seed or to the children of Abraham according to the flesh of which the Apostle speaks in the following part of this chapter And then these words must be understood of Gods enabling Abraham to beget and Sarah to conceive when in respect of Generation Abraham and in respect of Conception Sarah were now as dead being that they were both decreped and unfit by nature the one to beget the other to conceive and bear Children By the Dead in this Sence we must understand such as are unfit for Generation and Conception by a Metaphor And by making such alive is meant giving power to such to beget and conceive with child respectively by the like Metaphor And by things which are not are meant not things which are absolutely without a being but things which are without a certain kind of being as Abraham without the natural power of begetting and Sarah without the natural power of conceiving seed But others understand these words That quickneth the dead and calleth the things which be not as those that be as spoken in relation to the Spiritual seed of Abraham such as be Abrahams children by faith And then the meaning of this which quickneth the dead is this which quickneth those which were dead in trespasses and sins by bringing them to a lively faith See for this Ephes 2.1 And the meaning of those words And calleth those things which be not as those that be is this and making those believe which did not believe before Now if it be asked which of these two sences are to be preferred before which I conceive the Later before the former The sence which interprets these words of the Spiritual seed before the sense which interprets those words of the Carnal seed For whereas the Apostle said of Abraham That he is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God signifying thereby that Abraham was the Spiritual Father of us All not in word but in deed not in the opinion of Men but in the Judgement and Approbation and Constitution of God He goes on to to prove that Abraham was such a Father And because to the being of such a Father two things are requisite First that Abraham should be himself a man of a sound and a strong faith Secondly that there should be other men like him in his faith He sheweth both these in this latter part of the Chapter For he sheweth that Abraham was strong in faith vers 18 19 20 c. And he shews That God raiseth up daily faithful men out of such as were not so in the words which we have in hand V. 18. Who against hope believed in hope This is spoken of Abraham whom he made mention of ver 16. It is a great Trajection or Hyperbaton to refer this to the Sixteenth verse I conceive it therefore not amiss for the better Coherence of the Text to understand here these or the like words between this and the former verse viz. That he may raise up seed unto Abraham q. d. Who is the Father of us all before him whom he believed even God who quickneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were that he may thereby raise up seed to Abraham who against hope believed in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations c. The Coherence of the Text by this supplement is smooth and who knows not that in the Scripture greater supplements than this
the Sea wherein they were wont to drown those which were accounted Malefactours and were persons condemned to die Others by height understand heaven by depth hell And by those again such as were in heaven and in hell q. d. Nor can heaven nor hell that is nor can any in heaven or in hell if they should set themselves against us be able to separate us c. Nor any other Creature i. e. Nor any other thing whatsoever From the Love of God i. e. From the love which God sheweth us Which is in Christ Jesus i. e. Which love he sheweth to or towards us for Christ Jesus our Lords sake The Preposition In is taken here after the Hebrew manner for For the sake of For the Hebrews take this Preposition In for almost any Preposition whatsoever CHAP. IX 1. I Say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost 1. I have hitherto plainly and undeniably shewed that Justification is not by works but by faith And I have declared the rich blessings and mercies which God bestoweth on them which are Justified by faith wherefore I say the truth in the sight of Christ my conscience also bearing me witness before the holy Ghost who knows my heart and will require it of me If I say false 2. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart 2. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh 3. For my brethren the Jews who are my kinsmen according to the flesh for I could wish if yet I might lawfully wish it that I were accursed and everlastingly separated from Christ for them 4 Who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises 4. Who are so great priviledges and prerogatives have they above all people the children of Israel which was the friend of God by true lineal descent of blood and to whom pertaineth the Adoption by which they are made Sons of God And the glory which appertaineth to them which are Gods people and the Morall Law which was given by Moses in Tables of Stone And the Judicial Law which was given them for the maintainance of Civil Society among themselves and the Ceremonial Law which taught them the manner of Gods service and worship and all the promises contained in the books of the Old Testament 5. Whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen 5. Whose are the Fathers those Ancient Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of whom Christ was born as he was Man even Christ who is Lord over all and God as well as Man yea God blessed for evemore Amen 6. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect For they are not all Israel which are of Israel 6. But here before I can finish my sentence and speak out my mind which I will do Chap. 10. ver 1 2 3. I must prevent an Objection which here ariseth For whereas my Brethren the Jews know that I exclude them all from Justification which seek not after it by faith They will be ready to tell me that whereas I said that the promises appertain to them I make the promises of God of none effect except I grant them to be justified for among the promises of God there is a promise made to the Israelites which they say they are that he will cleanse them from all their iniquity and pardon all their sins Jer. 31. ver 31 34. Jer. 33.4 Micah 7.18 But for an answer to this though I say that the promises appertain to them and do acknowledge such a promise as they make mention of yet let no man think that I have so spoken as that it may be gathered from my words that the promise of God is of none effect because I will not grant them to be justified for though that promâ—se of God be made to all Israel and so to them upon condition yet if we speak of that promise absolutely All they which are descended from Israel by lineal succession of blood are not that Israel or those sons of Israel to whom that promise of Righteousness or Justification doth absolutely belong 7. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called 7. For neither are they which are of Abraham upon that meer account that they are descended from Abraham by carnal Generation to be accounted that seed and those children of Abraham to whom the Spiritual promise of justification doth absolutely belong For the seed or children of Abraham to whom the promise of the Land of Canaan did appertain were not that seed or those children of Abraham which were in the loins of Ishmael which yet came our of the loins of Abraham but that seed or those chidren of Abraham which were in the loines of Isaac according to that which was said to Abraham by the Angel Gen. 21.12 But in Isaac shall thy seed be to wit that seed of thine which shall inherit the Land of Canaan which I have promised to thee and to thy children 8. That is they which are the children of the flesh these are noâ— the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed 8. That is according to the Mystical meaning of the words for not the literal but the Mystical sence is that which makes for my purpose and that for which I alledge these words they which are the children of Abraham according to the flesh which children were typified in Ishmael these are not the children of Abraham to which God promised that spiritual gift of justification which was typified by the Land of Canaan But those spiritual children which God promised to Abraham in a Mystical sence Genes 17.5 When he said I have made thee a Faâ—her of many Nations that is the faithful or they which are of faith whether they be Jews or whether they be Gentiles by birth and which were typified by Isaac they and they only are to be accounted that seed of Abraham to which the promise of justification doth absolutely belong 9 For this is the word of promise At this time will I come and Sara shall have a son 9. I say which were typified by Isaac for Iâ—aac was a son of promise that is Isaac was born to Abraham by vertue of Gods promise whereby he said by his Angel to him at this time the next year will I come unto thee And then Sara thy wife shall have a son whom thou shalt call Isaac Gen. 18.10 And because Isaac was a son of promise or because he was born of Abraham's body by vertue of Gods promise made to Abraham his Father He was a type of that spiritual seed to
turn into the true and right way of Justification In a like case Saint Augustine sayes to Donatus that he might win him to the truth Si posses videre dolorem cordis mei sollicitudinem pro solute tua fortassis miseriaris animae tuae placens Deo in audiendo verbo non nostro sed ipsius Tom. 2. Epist 204. in initio If thou couldst but see saith he the grief of mine heart and my caâ—e or pensiveness for thy salvation thou wouldst happily have pity upon thine own soul pleasing God by hearkening not to our but to his word I say the truth in Christ i. e. I speak nothing but that which is true Christ is my witness In Christ i. e. By Christ or before Christ who heareth me and will require it of me if I speak any thing but truth The Praeposition In the Apostle makes answerable to the Hebrew Praefix Beth and Beth is sometimes used in swearing as Gen 22.16 Josh 2.12 c. And hence this Preposition In is used sometimes in swearing also My Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost i e. My Conscience also as well as my word or saying bearing me witness By the holy Ghost Or we may say that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bearing witness also is put for the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bearing witness as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 8.16 In the holy Ghost In the holy Ghost is put here for By the Holy Ghost as before In Christ for by Christ He sweareth by the Holy Ghost when he mentioneth his Conscience and so calleth him or that to witness what is done there Because it is the Appropriate office of the Holy Ghost as to plant truth and sincerity in the heart contrary to deceit and hypocrisie so to be privy to the secrets and to take notice of the motions of the heart Hence when Ananias had denied that he had sold his possession for what he had sold it for Peter tells him that he did lie to the Holy Ghost Act. 5.3 Ver 2. That I have great heaviness and continuall sorrow in my heart To wit for my Brethren the Jews He grieveth thus for the Jews because that they being ignorant of Gods Righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness and zealously and eagerly running after that they did not submit themselves to the Righteousness of God as he speaks Cap. 10.3 By reason of which they were in a desperate condition and such as could not be saved so long as they so continued This I say is the cause of the Apostles grief here yet he expresseth it not here but leavs his speech unperfect as to this until he comes to the first verse of the 10 Chapter and that by reason of an Objection which he prevents ver 6. and another ver 14. and yet another ver 19 and there he resumes or takes up though in other terms what he left here unperfect and yet there he brings it in so as that it may seem to depend upon the latter part of this Chapter Thus that this which I here say may not seem strange doth the Apostle leave what he had in hand Chap. 5. v. 13. unperfect by reason of emergent objections which he prevents in the mean time till he comes to the 18. verse of that chapter where he resumes in other words and perfects that which he left there imperfect and brings it in so as that it hath dependance on that which went immediately before Ver. 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh c. That which he saith he could wish here to befall himself for his Brethren must be understood with this supposition to wit If it were lawfull for him so to wish and if it were possible so to be done I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ i. e. To be accursed from Christ signifieth here to be separated from him and to be destined to death yea eternal death The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is To be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in holy writ signifieth that which is to be separated from the use of men not as an holy thing but as a thing execrable and to be abominated and so to be utterly destroyed in which sence Jericho was to be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh 6.17 And to this the Apostle here alludes But being the Apostle saith That he could wish himself accursed from Christ it is to be understood that he could wish himself not only to be wholly rid out of this life but to be destined also to everlasting destruction for the Jews sake that he might save them It is taught by some that when a son of Israel would express his Brotherly kindness towards any one of or towards all the children of his people he entituled himself by a kind of devotion to all the mischance and evil that should befall his Brother wishing the whole patience or suffering thereof to fall upon his own head And that not without reference or allusion to this form of devotion is the Apostles wish here that he might discharge the unhappy condition of his Brethren all upon himself when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I could wish my self an Anathema from Christ for my Brethren Note that this wish of the Apostle here includes a Tacite limitation or condition as I said before to wit if it were lawful And so that dispute which many raise here whether this wish of the Apostle be lawful or unlawful comes to nothing That my self These words have their Emphasis and are as if he should say I who am compelled to pronounce such hard things of my Brethren as I do even I my self could wish that my self were accursed from Christ c. For my Brethren That is for the Jews sake who are my Brethren that is my kinsmen according to the flesh to wit that they may be saved by my destruction or by my being an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For them By his brethren he means the Jews here and these he calls his brethren in a large sence after the manner of the Hebrews who call all them brethren who are descended from one common Father though by many descents because he and they came all out of the loins of one man Abraham or Isaac or Jacob who was also called Israel My kinsmen according to the flesh q. d. That is My kinsmen according to blood He expounds the word brethren here and declares what he meant by it He meant such as are of the same blood or the same kin or stock with himself According to the flesh That is As we use to say by blood He seemeth by these words tacitely to oppose the kinred which is by blood to the Spiritual kinred which is by faith by which all the faithful of all
because they were not beloved of him nor worshipped him c. There shall they be called the children of the living God i. e In that very place nor shall they change their dwelling for this they shall be called the Children of the living God and shall worship him there as becometh his Children Ver. 27. Esaias also cryeth concerning Israel though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea a Remnant shall be saved This is taken out of Isaiah ch 10. v. 22 23. And in the literal or historical sence it is spoken of the Jews in Hezekiahs time who though they were a People as many as the sand of the Sea for number yet they should for their sins be so wasted and destroyed by the Army of Senacharib King of Assyria as that they which should escape and remain alive should be but a very small number or Remnant But in the Mystical sence it signifies that the Jews the greatest part of them should in the time or first time at least of the Gospel be cut off by the just judgemnet of God from being his people which is a kind of spiritual destruction and the highway to destruction everlasting for their infidelity and that there should remain only very few of them which should obtain mercy the mercy of Justification at his hands So that the Jews in Hezekiahs time were a type of the Jews in the time of the Gospel And their corporeal destruction for their sins by the Army of Senacharib A type of their cutting off from God and his People which is a spiritual destruction by the hand of God for their unbelief Crieth i. e. Speaketh audibly and plainly Concerning Israel That is Concerning the people or Children of Israel the Jews Here is Metonymia Efficientis Israel being put for the Children of Israel to wit the Jews Be as the sand of the Sea viz. for multitude Hyperbole A Remnant i e. Only a Remnant or no more than a Remnant that is very few of them The word only is often left to be understood by the Hebrews Shall be saved Supple from the sword of Senacharib Thus in the Literal sence Or shall be saved Supple from their sins Thus in the Mystical A question it is whether the Apostle brings this testimony to prove the Calling of the Gentiles or to prove the rejecting of the Jews Some say this some that But our translatours translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isaiah also crieth seem to take it as a testimony to prove the calling of the Gentiles But you will ask how this place can prove the calling of the Gentiles I answer Only by consequence viz. Because through the fall of the Jews Salvation was to come unto the Gentiles Rom. 11. ver 11. It is written Amos 9.11 After this will I return and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down And I will build again the ruines thereof and will set it up This S. James interprets of the calling of the Gentiles Acts 15.16 For by the Tabernacle of David is meant in the literal sence The habitation where David dwelt which was Sion this City was ruined by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar which ruines God promiseth Amos 9.11 to make up again which was performed after the Babylonish Captivity But in this The tabernacle of David which was Sion was a type of the Church of God which consisted in a manner only of the People of the Jews until the coming of our Saviour but then because they received him not they were almost all cut off from being the People and the Church of God for their unbelief And in their room the Gentiles were brought in to make up the Church of God from which they fell and were cut off And this is that which is meant by the Prophet Amos in the mystical sence there And what was meant there the like is meant here And this sheweth that the fall of the Jews proveth the calling of the Gentiles But yet as I conceive the chief if not the only scope of the Apostle here is to shew the fall or casting off of the greatest part of the Jews for their unbelief And so I render and it is the most natural interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Isaiah also cryeth but But Isaiah cryth concerning Israel c. Making â— not a Copulative but a Disjunctive or an Adversative The Apostle therefore beginneth here to make a way to that which he saith in the beginning of the tenth chapter where he resumes and perfects that which he left imperfect in the beginning of this chapter and tells the reason why he was so grieved for the Jews his brethren according to the flesh as he saith he was If we take this of the rejecting of the Jews as I conceive it is to be taken we must conceive that the Apostle speaks it with grief and sorrow of heart being that it is the cause of that continual grief and sorrow which he saith he had in his heart for his brethren His kinsmen according to the flesh ver 2. Ver. 28. For he will finish the work Supple which he hath to do or intendeth to do with Israel that is with the Jews The word Rendred here the work is in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred the account And here may be a Metaphor taken from the accounts which men take of their receits and of their expenses where when they have deducted their expences out of their receits their is but a small summe remaining And cut it short Supple So that he will not make any long work of it Or in allusion to the Metaphor of Accountants so that he will bring it to a small summe or Remainder In Righteousness i. e. In Judgement and Severity Righteousness is to be taken here for Judgement and Severity as it is opposed to mercy Because Refer this to the 27 verse as a proof of that as the former part of this verse also was For this is but a Repetition of the foregoing sentence A short work will the Lord make Supple with the Jews in cutting them off That which is here rendred work is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it was in the former sentence and therefore may be interpreted as that Vpon the earth That is upon the Land of Judaea Thus in the literal sence the whole Earth being put for a part by a Synecdoche But upon the Earth that is upon the whole habitable Earth thus in the mysticall sence Ver. 29. And as Esaias said before i. e And as Esaias said Cap 1. v. 9. of hâ—s Prophesie which he said before that which I last quoted out of him for that I quoted out of Chap. 10 33. Read these words As Esaias said before as with a Parenthesis The Greek word which is here rendred said before is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred also foretold or Prophesied Except the Lord of Sabbath That is except
the Lord of hosts who is able to restrain the fury of the sword Had left us a seed i. e. Had left us Jews a very few or a very small number which escaped the sword of Senacherib the Assyrian These few Jews in the literal sence were those which believed the Lord when he promised to keep Jerusalem safe from the fury of the Assyrians and so escaped the fury of the Assyrians by being at that time in Jerusalem But being that these Jews which escaped the fury of the Assyrians by reason of the belief which they had of God promising to save Jerusalem from the Assyrians were a Type of such Jews as believed in the days of the Gospel and so were saved from their sins whereas they which believed not were not saved these words in the Mysticall sence may be interpreted of these few Jews which attained through faith to salvation from their sins in the days of the Gospel whereas the far greatest part were not so saved because of their unbeliâ—f Had left us a seed Isaiah being a Jew speaks here of the Jews so as that he makes himself of their number and though this was spoken by him in the literal or Historical sence yet may we and we must understand it here as spoken also in a mystical sence A seed That is a small Remnant or a small parcel The seed which is reserved to sow the ground after harvest is but a little in comparison of the Corn of the harvest Therefore is seed taken here for a little parcel or Remnant as he speaks ver 27. We had been as Sodom and been made like to Gommorrah i. e. We had been utterly destroyed by the sword of the Assyrians as Sodome and Gomorrah or the People of Sodom and Gomorrah were by fire from Heaven thus in the litteral In the mystical sence thus we had been utterly cut off from being the People of God by Gods Judgement as Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly cut off as I may so say by fire Sodom and Gomorrah were two Cities of Decapolis in the Land of Canaan which were destroyâ—d by fire and brimstone from heaven for the wickedness of the inhabitants thereof The story you may read Gen. 19 24. c. Ver. 30 What shall we say then i e. What shall we then infer from that which I have alleadged out of the Prophets Answ This we may inser viz. that the Gentiles c. The Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness have attained to righteousness i. e. The Gentiles which did not heretofore seek after Justification have now attained to Justification This that the Gentiles have attained to Justification will follow out of that which was alledged out of the Prophet Hosea Hos 2.23 quoted here ver 25 26. For if the Gentiles be made the People of God and his beloved then certainly they are justified The Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness By following after is here meant seeking so Psal 34.14 In these words seek peace and pursue it where to pursue is the same as to seek And by Righeeousness he meaneth here Justification as the word signifieth almost every where in this Epistle The Gentiles heretofore sought not righteousness nor asked after it when God suffered the Nations to walk in their own wayes Act. 14.16 But now that he hath sent his Gospell among them they have attained unto righteousness through belief of the Gospel Even the righteousness which is of faith Thas is even to that righteousness or Justification which is to be attained by Faith The Apostle prevents a Question or objection here for it might be objected or asked how could the Gentiles which were sinners attain to Righteousness or Justification and what Righteousness or Justification is that This the Apostle prevents when he saith Even the Righteousness which is of Faith And the Apostle raiseth this Question or Objection and answereth it here that he might usher in what he had to say of the Jews in the words following Note that as the Apostle might deduce or prove from that which he quotes out of Hosea ver 25. Viz. I will call them my people which was not my People c. That the Gentiles which followed not after Righteousness should attain or had attained unto Righteousness because the Israelites there spoken of whom God had rejected or sorsaken for a while and afterwards received into favour were a type of the Gentiles whom God so far received into favour as to justifie them So might the faith of those Israelites by which they believed the Prophets which the Lord sent to them to tell them that he would receive them again in to his favour be a type of the faith which the Gentiles yielded to the Gospel whereby they attained to righteousness that is whereby they were justified Ver 31. But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Rightâ—ousness i e. But the Jews which are the Children of Israel according to the Flesh who sought after Righteousness or Justification the Jews I say for the greatest part of them have not attained to Righteousness or Justification This inference followeth out of what the Apostle alleadged out of the Prophet Isaiah ver 27 28. in the Mystical sence thereof Israel By Israel are here meant the Jews which were the children of Israel that is of Jacob according to the flesh per Metonymiam Efficientis yet by Israel understand not all Israel that is all the Jews but by a Synechdoche take Israel for the greatest part only of Israel that is of the Jews For all Israel that is all the Jews missed not of Righteousness or Justification as appears Chap. 11. v. 1 2 c. Which followed after To follow after is to be taken here for to seek ver 30. The Law of Righteousness That is Righteousness or Justification for the Law of Righteousness or Justification is no more here than if he had barely said Righteousness or Justification Note that the Apostle when he spoke of the Gentiles he said barely Righteousness But when he speaks of the Jews he saith The Law of Righteousness And thus he seemeth to speak when he speaks of the Righteousness which the Jews so â— ght after by a kind of Mimesis because the Jews would every where mention and crack of the Law so the Apostle said by the Law of faith Chap. 3.27 when it had been enough to say only by Faith Hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness i e. That is have not attained to Righteousness or Justification This is as I said The inference which the Apostle draws concerning the Jews out of what he alleadged from the Prophet Isaiah v 27 28 29. Ver. 32. Wherefore because they sought it not c. q. d. But why or wherefore have they not attained to Righteousness or Justification Answer Because they sought it not by faith c. This which the Apostle saith in this verse is not part of the inference mentioned ver
31. But is an objection or question which might arise from that which was said ver 31. which question the Apostle here moves and answereth that he might yet more artificially usher in what he hath to say in the beginning of the Tenth Chapter Because they sought it not by faith i. e. Because they sought it not by the faith of Christ or by faith in Christ which is the only way to obtain Justificatiâ—n But as it were by the works of the Law i. e. But because they sought it by the works of the Law thinking thereby to obtain it without the faith of or in Christ As it were by the works of the Law These words as it were do sometimes signifie the truth and reality of a thing as John 7.9 sometimes an appearance of a thing only And I conceive that they are put here to signifie an appearance only though the Jews might think that when they sougâ—t righteousness by the Law as they did they sought it truly and as they ought to seek it They that truly seek Justification or Righteousness for these two words signifie both one and the same thing by the works of the Law they must so keep the Law as that they never break it at any time no not in the least tittle thereof for if they break it in the least tittle thereof they are cursed by the Law Galath 3.10 And therefore such can never be justified by the works of the Law Now the Jews had sinned every one of them And now having once sinned they could not really and truly and according to knowledge seek for Justification by the works of the Law But being that though they had sinned yet nevertheless they sought for Justification by the works of the Law the Apostle may say not that they sought it by the works of the Law But that they sought it as it were by the works of the Law For they stumbled at the stumbling stone i. e. For they stumbled and were offended at Christ who was to them as a Stumbling-block or stone of Offence in the way to Righteousness This Particle For relates to those words Because they sought it not by faith viz. The faith of Christ And are a Reason why they did not seek after Righteousness by faith The reason why the Jews did not seek after righteousness by faith was that they were offended at Christ by the faith of whom only Justification is to be had and rejected him and evilly entreated him to their own hurt and ruine by bringing a sin upon their head and putting away from them the only means of obtaining Remission of sins The reason why the Jews rejected Christ and were offended at him was because Christ came in such a poor and mean manner without any wordly Pomp being born according to the flesh of poor parentage and having not an house of his own where to lay his head Whereas they looked for a Pompous Messiah to come with all worldly Glory and Lustre mistaking the prophesies concerning Christ which spoke gloriously of him and interpreting them of Earthly Outward or worldly Glory when they were to be taken in a Mystical sence for Heavenly Inward and Spiritual Glory They stumbled at the stumbling stone By this stumbling block or stumbling stone is meant Christ who is here called and likened to a stumbling block or stumbling stone because as a man who in the way which he goes stumbles at a stone or a block which lies in his way comes to hurt So did the Jews stumbling as it were at Christ while they walked after justification get hurt thereby while they were offended at him and rejected him as though he were an Impostor and not the true Christ or Messiah promised by God They stumbled at i. e. They are said to have stumbled at Christ because they rejected Christ and persecuted him and so brought sin upon their head which was hurt to them as a man taketh hurt which stumbleth at a Stone or a Block in the way Ver. 33. As it is written behold I say c. Before these words understand these or the like words viz. For Christ was a stumbling stone to the Jews q. d For Christ was a stumbling Stone to the Jews as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and Rock of Offence As it is written viz. Isaiah 28.16 But yet the Testimony here alleadged is not to be found there word for word as it is here quoted as they that will compare the places may observe For these words a stumbling block and a Rock of Offence are not there to be found Wherefore most Interpreters do take this Testimony not as a simple testimony taken out of any one place but as a testimony compounded of two parts part whereof is taken out of Isaiah Chap. 28.16 Part out of Isaiah 8.14 Where we have these words A stone of stumbling and a Rock of Offence But yet notwithstanding this we cannot find the whole testimony word for word in or to be made out of those two places conjoyned Yet nevertheless we may find the whole sence of the words even in Isaiah 28.16 mystically expounded and therefore I conceive that the Apostle takes his testimony wholly from thence though to explain the mystical sence thereof he may borrow some words from Isaiah 8.14 The words therefore as they are read in Isaiah Chap. 28.16 are these Behold I the Lord lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone A pretious corner stone a sure foundation He that believeth shall not make haste Which words in the first and literal sence are spoken of Ezâ—kiah King of Judah who when the Assyrians were in the Land of Judah wasting and destroying the Land yet did believe the word of the Lord that he notwithstanding would defend and keep Jerusalem and so was saved when most of the Jews which would not bâ—lieve were destroyed Hezekiah therefore in the literal sence was called here a Foundation in Sion because he dwelt in Sion that is in Hierusalem and was a Foundation that is a cause of safety to them which flew thither for safety for for Hezekiahs sake did God keep Hierusalem safe at that time He might be called also a Foundation because he was the Chiefest of them which believed in Hierusalem that Hierusalem should not be destroyed by the Assyrians but saved by the Lord from being destroyed by them And was by his example and counsel an inducement also to others to believe and to stand fast and strong in their belief For as a company of men knit or combined together in one are likened sometimes to a natural body and the Chief of them to the head of that body So are they sometimes likened to an House and the chief of them to the Foundation of that house And thus might Hezekiah also be likened to the Foundation of an house because he was the Chief of those believers which were in Hierusalem when the Assyrians wasted the Land of Judah
and not only so but by his faith induced others to believe yea and by his example and constancy in that his faith he upheld otheâ—s in that their faith also as the foundation of an house which is firmly laid upholds that house that it doth not wave or sink or fall A Stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation See those expounded of Hezekiah in my Exposition of the book of Isaiah Whosoever believeth i. e. Whosoever believeth as Hezekiah that foundation doth to wit That the Lord will save Hierusalem from the Assyrians Shall not make haste i. e. Shall not need to make haste to save himself into some far Country as many which believed not did But may stay in Hierusalem and be safe there according to that which he believeth Thus is that of Isaiah Chap. 28.16 to be taken in the first and literal sence and thus to be expounded But in the second Mystical and Sublime sence which is the sence here intended it is to be taken of Christ Who is said to be a Foundation because he is the Chief of All the Church which is his house and a tried pretious and sure Foundation because on him all the parts and members of this house do relie for salvation and by him they stand and he is able to sustain them all and will never fail them And he is said to be a foundation laid in Sion that is in Hierusalem because Sion that is Hierusalem was the chief City of the Jews where Christ was very conversant where he was fully preached where he suffered that he might be a foundation and save his people from their sins and from whence his Law that is his Gospel did go forth By Sion also is the Church of Christ mystically meant of which Sion was a type and of which Christ was the head and foundation And this was the prime end which was intended by God concerning Christ viz. That he should be laid in Sion as a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation to wit that they which believed in him might be of his Church and built upon him and might be by him saved But by accident he which was laid in Sion as a Foundation a Stone a tried stone a precious corner stone proved because of the Jews unbelief and their offence taken at him A Stumbling Stone and a Rock of Offence that is a Stumbling Stone and a Rock of offence to the Jews from whom by their unbelief and malice against him they received hurt as he receiveth hurt which stumbles at a stone which lyeth in his way or which stumbleth at the Corner stone of a building And this also is couched in these words A stone a tried stone a precious Corner stone It is contained in the Scripture saith S. Peter Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner stone elect precious and he that believeth in him shall not be confounded unto you therefore which believe he is precious But to them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head stone of the Corner and a stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereto also they were appointed 1 Pet. Chap 2 ver 6 7 8. But how can these words a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone signifie any way a stumbling stone and a rock of Offence I answer The stone tried stone precious corner stone sure foundation signifie here primarily all one and the same stone in a building to wit the foundation stone or Corner stone of that building for upon the corner stones of the foundation doth the weight of a building lie and the building is thereby sustained and therefore that useth to be the chiefest stone Now because men as they pass by are apt to stumble at the Corner or Corner stone of a building rather than at any part or stone else thereof Hence doth our Apostle speaking of what Christ was foretold would be by accident instead of a stone a tried stone a pretious corner stone a sure foundation say a stumbling stone and rock of Offence In Sion i. e. In Hierusalem so litterally In the Church so mystically A stumbling stone By this stumbling stone is meant Christ which is called a stumbling stone because the Jews did stumble at him that is were offended at him and took hurt by that offence as men do at a Stone in their way at which they do stumble as I said before And a rock of offence This is but a Repetition of the former words Where Note that that which is called commonly a stone is called a Rock with the Hebrews So that Stone with which Zipporah circumcised her son is called Petra by the vulgar Translatour that is a Rock Exod. 4 24. A rock of offence signifieth by an Hebraism a rock or stone at which one offendeth that is at which one stumbleth or hitteth his foot And whosoever believeth on him i. e. But yet whosoever believeth on that stone or rock that is on Christ for salvation or Justification And for But yet Shall not be ashamed That is shall obtain Salvation or Justification by him Because when we hope or look for any thing and miss of it we are ashamed hence not to be ashamed is put here for to obtain what we hope and look for by Christ that is Salvation from our sins according to our hope and expectation Shall not be ashamed These words are not read either in Isaiah 28.16 or Isaiah 8.14 according to the Hebrew But yet we have the sence of them in these words shall not make haste Isaiah 28.16 As they which did not believe the promise or word of God when he promised to defend and keep Hierusalem from the fury of the Assyrians did not stay in Hierusalem but make haste out of Hierusalem into other parts But they which believed staid in Jerusalem and made not the haste which unbelievers did were saved by their staying and not hastening out of it So they which did not believe on Christ and looke for salvation and justification from him staid not on him but hastened to some other means of salvation or Justification as v. g. to the works of the Law c. And thereby missed of Salvation whereas the others who made not haste to such means but staid on Christ attained to it And from hence not to make haste may be put here for not to miss of Salvation or to attain to salvation by a matelepsis And the Septuagint from hence may render these words shall not make haste by a matelepsis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our Apostle following them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not be ashamed And whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Note that these words do not appertain to that which the Apostle was to prove which was that Christ was a stumbling block to the unbelieving Jews But because they were
joyned with the same testimony which he produced for that purpose he doth here recite them yet not for the purpose aforesaid but to stir up others to believe in Christ and to comfort those which did believe It may be objected that these words are otherwise expounded here of Christ in the Mystical than they were of Hezekiah in the literal sence and not according to the same similitude For though it be said in the litteral sence that whosoever believeth c. yet it is not meant whosoever believeth on Hezekiah though he were a Type of Christ But in the Mysticall sence it is here expounded of Christ whosoever believeth in Christ Therefore one of the Expositions may seem faulty and not agreable to the Prophets meaning But for answer to this I say That when one place carrieth two severall sences with it one litteral the other mystical the words may yea must be often times otherwise construed and interpreted in the Mystical sence than they are or were in the litteral which I have observed and treated of else where Wherefore that which is objected is no sound argument against the Exposition given CHAP. X. 1. BRethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved 1. And now that I may resume that which I left unperfect in the beginning of the ninth chapter though in other words and may here perfect it Brethren my hearts desire and prayer for the Jews is that they may be justified 2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge 2. For though there is talk of their zeal towards God as though such zealous men could not but be justified I am also ready to bear them witness that they have a zeal of God yet are they not therefore justified because their zeal is not according to knowledge 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God 3. For they being ignorant of the way of Justification which God hath appointed and as it were scored out to us and going about to establish and maintain that way of Justification which they themselves have invented and chosen to themselves they have not submitted themselves to that way of Justification which God hath appointed to approve thereof and walk therein 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth 4. For whereas Christ is set forth to be the way of Justification through faith in him to every one that believeth and the Law it self pointed at him for this as its end the Jews have rejected him and refused to believe in him 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them 5. But though I said that the Law it self pointed at Christ for this as at its end let no man therefore think that the way of Justification which the Law prescribeth and the way of Justification which is by Faith and which the Gospel holds out to us is all one for Moses describeth the way of Justification which is of the Law in this manner saying that the man which doth those things exactly and without the least failer in that which the law requireth shall be justified by them 6. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven That is to bring Christ down from above 6. But the Preacher of that Justification which is by faith saith but that thou maist not think that this justification which is by the faith of Christ is as far from being attained as that which is by the Law say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heaven to wit to bring down Christ from above 7. Or who shall descend into the deep That is to bring Christ again from the dead 7. Or who shall descend into Hell to bring up Christ again from the dead as though it were any way necessary for us for the attaining of justification by faith that Christ should be bodily present with us 8. But what saith it The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart that is the word of faith which we preach 8. But what saith the Preacher of justification by faith thou needest not to go far to know what he saith for the word which he speaketh is nigh to thee for it is in thy mouth for thou talkest of it and it is in thy heart for thou thinkest of it To be short that is the word which the Preacher of justification which is by faith preacheth 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved 8. This which we which are the Apostles of Christ do preach viz. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth That Jesus is the Lord and shalt unfeignedly believe that God hath raised him from the dead Thou shalt be justified 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation 10. For with the heart man believeth unto Justification and with the mouth confession is made to salvation 11. For the Scripture saith whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed 11. For the Scripture saith Isaiah 28.16 Whosoever believeth on him shall be sure to obtain justification 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him 12. I say whosoever believeth on him for there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile in this matter For the same Lord being Lord over all is rich unto all whatsoever they are which call upon him for salvation 13. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved 13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord that he may be saved whether he be Jew or whether he be Gentile shall be saved from his sins as it is written Joel 2.32 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher 14. And note here the Jews which are so much against the Gentiles and would not that Preachers should be sent to them that when the Scripture saith whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved It saith that the Gentiles shall call upon the name of the Lord for salvation aswel as the Jews But now how shall they call on him for salvation in whom they have not believed And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a preacher 15. And how shall they preach except they be sent As it is written How beautiful are the feet
continued in his innocency justification would be due to him of debt so that with reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if he when he were accused as a sinner before him should not justifie him that is if he should not acquit him of sin but condemn him as a sinner Of Grace i. e. Of favour or through the favour to wit the favour of God Ver. 6. And if by Grace i. e. And if they are elected to Justification by favour Then it is no more of works i. e. Then truly it is not of works that they are justified or then are they not justified by works The Greek rendred here no more is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies truly not where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth often times elegantly abound And by works are to be understood works exactly done according as the Law requireth without the least breach thereof for so doth the Apostle call works every where almost in this Epistle which works so done create right to a debt Otherwise Grace is no more Grace That is Otherwise if it were by Grace and yet of works too that they were justified it would follow that Grace were not Grace but Grace falsly so called For Grace and debt are opposite one to the other and can never stand together But if it be of works To wit that they are justified Then is it no more of grace i. e. Then is it not of Grace that they are Justified or then are they not elected to Justification by Grace Otherwise work is no more work By work understand here the work of the Law exactly performed according to the Law which work meriteth Justification of due and creates a right thereunto so that men would be injured if any such were who should not be justified for this there work Otherwise work is no more work q. d. Otherwise if it were by works and yet of grace too it would follow that work which essentially includeth merit would not be truly work but falsly so called What the Apostle hath said here concerning works he said to convince the Jew of his errour who sought Justification by works Ver. 7. What then i. e. What shall we say then or what shall we gather out of what I have said Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for i. e. The Jews for the greatest part of them have not obtained Righteousness or Justification which they seek after By Israel are here meant the Jews which were the Children of Israel that is of Jacob And yet not all the Jews but the greatest part of them only by a Synechdoche And by that which they seek after is meant Righteousness or Justification as appeareth Chap. 9.31 Chap. 10.3 But the Election hath obtained it i. e. But the Remnant or those few which God hath elected to Justification or intended or decreed to Elect which are the faithful or such as are of faith they have obtained what they sought for The Election is put here by an Hebraism for the Elected or those whom God intended or decreed to Elect that is for the Remnant according to the Election of Grace as he called them Ver. 5. And the immediate object of this Election is Justification And the rest were blinded i. e. And the other which were not Elected or whom God intended or decreed not to elect which were they which would not believe the Gospel but were rather contentious against it were blinded Were blinded Supple so that they could not or cannot see the clear light of the Gospel much less believe it This useth to be the punishment of those which will not believe the Gospel when it is preached to them to wit spiritual blindness See Matth. 13. ver 13 14 15 c. And this being a punishment following unbelief is in some wise opposite to Justification which Justification consisteth in the pardon or remssion of his sins which believeth and so is a gratious râ—ward or consequent of faith when as this is a Punishment of unbelief going before Ver. 8 According as it is written Viz. Isaiah 29.10 God hath given them the spirit of slumber Supple by reason of which they are in a Spiritual kind of Slumber and Sleep by which their Senses are so tied up as that they cannot see and perceive that is that they cannot understand and believe what is preached to them It is usual in the Scriptures to express the inward operations of the Reasonable soul by the outward operation of the sensitive soul So to see and perceive are put for to know and understand Matt. 13. v. 14. yea for to believe as will appear by Acts 28. v. 24. And because Sleep or Slumber ties up the outward senses so that they cannot do their office therefore by a Metaphor is Slumber or the Spirit of Slumber put here for such a condition of estate in which whosoever is he cannot understand and believe those things which are preached to him so long as he is in that Estate Note that these words are in the first and Historical sence spoken of such Jews and men of Hierusalem as would not believe the destruction of the Army of the Assyrians which besieged Hierusalem in the days of Hezekiah and the delivery of Hierusalem from that siege though it were preached to them by the Servants of the Lord his Prophets But in the second and Mystical sence they are spoken of such Jews as in the days of our Saviour and his Apostles would not believe the Gospel when it was preached to them which contained the good news of mans Redemption from sin and of the destruction of sin by Christ Where note that the delivery of the Jews from the Assyrians was a type of the delivery of the faithful from their sins Eyes that they should not see and Ears that they should not hear i. e. Eyes so affected as that they should not see with them And ears so affected as that they should not hear with them The eyes and the ears when they are properly taken are spoken of the eyes and ears of the body but here they are Metaphorically to be understood of the mind or understanding of the Reasonable soul These words are taken for their sence for the Apostle doth not always tie himself to the Letter in his citations out of Isaiah 6.9 And they are there spoken of the Jews of his to wit Isaiahs time in the first and Historical sence but in the second and Mystical sence they are taken of the unbelieving Jews in our Saviour and his Apostles time which were typified by those former See what we said immediately before on these words God hath given unto them the spirit of slumber unto this day Some refer these words to the latter part of the seventh verse q. d. And the rest were blinded even unto this day And the Intervening words they read with a Parenthesis But some again refer them to the words immediately going before but
the Jews for other things so you should be be puft up against them with a conceit or opinion of your own knowledge also as though ye knew all the mysteries of God and needed not to be taught of any Then is a man wise in his own conceit when he thinks his own wit or knowledge sufficient so that he needs not be taught of any other when indeed he is very ignorant himself and this is that which will puff a man up That blindness in part hath hapned unto Israel That is that Infidelity or unbelief hath hapned to the Jews for a while So some Others thus that Infidelity or unbelief hath hapned to the Jews in part that is to some part of the Jews but not to All. Others thus that a kind of blindness hath hapned to the Jews But the middle of these interpretations I perfer before the Rest Blindness By blindness understand Infidelity or unbelief by a Metaphor In part Some refer these words to Ly hapned and understand them of the time in which the Jews should be blinded q. d. That blindness is hapned for a while to the Jews Others refer them to the word Israel q. d. That blindness is hapned to Israel that is to the Jews in part that is to some of the Jews Others refer them to the word Blindness q. d. Blindness is in some measure hapned to the Jews And any of these ways may the Apostle speak to mollifie that which would otherwise seem harsh concerning the Jews But by what I said before I prefer the middle acception before the other two as most agreeable to what the Apostle hath hitherto said To Israel By Israel are here meant the Jews which were the Children of Israel according to the Flesh Per Metonymiam Causae Vntil the fulness of the Gentiles be come in i. e. Until the abundance of all Nations which the Prophets prophesied of should according to their prophesies come into the Church of Christ and be made members thereof By the fullness of the Gentiles is here meant such a number or multitude of the Gentiles as should fulfil the prophesies which went of them Wherefore by the fulness of the Gentiles may be meant the full number of the Gentiles Supple which the Prophets spoke or prophesied of Or as some say which God would have to be saved in his secret decree and then extend his goodness to the Jews again Be come in Supple into the Church of Christ He useth this word according to the manner of the Scripture which speaketh of the Congregation of the Church as of a certain place Ver. 26. And so all Israel shall be saved And then all Israel which shall be then living shall be saved to wit from their sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic so is put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tunc then as it seemeth also to be put John 4.6 All Israel Some take Israel here for Spiritual Israel which the Apostle calls the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 That is for the Elect which consist both of Jews and Gentiles As if the Apostle had said here that all the number of the Elect shall then be saved But to speak of Israel in this sence appertains not to the Apostles purpose or scope here because here he toucheth a Mystery concerning the conversion of the Jews the Sons of Israel according to the flesh therefore by Israel the people of the Jews are so to be meant here as they were by Israel in the former verse which we may call carnal Israel or Israel descended from Jacob by natural propagation All Israel shall be saved i e. All the Jews which shall then be living shall be converted and so saved from their sins But note that the Apostle saith here all the Jews shall be saved not because none of that people shall remain obstinate in their unbelief at that time but because the greatest part of them shall be converted and come to the faith yea so many as that all of them may be thought to be saved as the greatest part of them at this time did disobey the Gospel and fall away As it is written Viz. Isa 59.20 There shall come out of Sion the deliverer The Hebrew being rendred word for word is There shall come to Sion the deliverâ—r The Septuasint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est propter Sion for Sion or for Sions sake And some think that it was so cited by S. Paul in this place though now it be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of Sion And the reason why it is now read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they conceive it to be because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was wont to be written short thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which the Transcribers through negligence and inadvertency wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet as some think S. Paul because he is wont togather his testimonies from divers places might take these word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of Sion not out of Isaiah 59.20 but out of some other place where it is promised as it is here in the Mystical sence that a Saviour or deliverer shall come out of Sion as Psal 14.7 Psal 53.6 Psal 110.2 These words as they lie in the Prophet Isaiah are in their first and low sence spoken of Cyrus who was a type of Christ and his delivery of the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity and of his turning away ungodliness That is the miseries and punishments which befell the Jews for their ungodliness from them which was a type of the deliverance of those which were under the power of sin and the Divel from that their power But in the second and sublime Sence which the prophesie respected as well as the other the words are to be understood of the delivery of the Jews from the tyranny and guilt of sin by Christ and as they lie here they are to be interpreted in this sence after this manner viz. There shall come out of Sion one that was of the stock of Israel according to the Flesh who is able and whose office it is to deliver from sins And he shall deliver the Jews from their sins and the punishment due to them There shall come out of Sion the deliverer i. e. There shall come out of the tribe of Juda which dwelleth in Sion an hill in Hierusalem a deliverer This deliverer is Jesus Christ who was the Son of David who dwelt in Sion according to the flesh And he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob i. e. And he shall take away from the Jews the children of Jacob their sins by pardoning them Ver. 27 For this is my covenant unto them i. e. For this is the promise which I make unto them Or this is that which I enter into Covenant with them to do for them or to them Supple saith the Lord For these words are spoken in the Person of God When I shall take away their sins i.