Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	gospel_n	law_n	life_n	7,267	5	5.2543	4	false

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

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

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

Righteousness and by which we are enclined to Holiness and Righteousnese as Rom. 8.13 Where it is said that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Flesh ye shall live after which manner the gifts of the Holy Ghost are called the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Where he saith the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us In this sense of the word Spirit the Spirit is most frequently opposed to the Flesh as Rom. 8. Galat. 5. c. Sometimes our Apostle takes the Spirit for the Gospel and then he opposeth it to the Letter that is to the Law as Rom. 2.29 and 7.6 which also he doth 2 Corinth 3.6 And sometimes again he takes it for the soul of man as Rom. 8.10 where the Spirit is opposed to the Body WORLD The world as it is most properly taken is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the Philosopher defines it Arist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 2. that is The World is a Cistern or Fabrike consisting of heaven and earth and those Nature which are therein conteined In this sense our Apostle takes the word World Rom. 1.20 and 16.25 He takes the world sometimes also for all the men of the world whether good or bad as Rom. 3.6 19. Sometimes he takes it for the wicked men of the world or men adicted to the profits pleasures and vanities of the world as Rom. 12.2 Sometimes he takes it for the Gentiles in general as Rom. 11.12 15. Sometimes he takes it for the whole habitable earth as Rom. 10.18 Sometimes he takes it for the Land of Canaan which was but a little part of the world yea a little part of the whole earth as Rom. 4.13 And marvel not that our Apostle should take the world for the Land of Canaan when the Prophet Isaiah takes the earth yea the world for the Land of Israel which was but part of the Land of Canaan Isaiah 24 4. And here by the way observe that as Joshua was a Type of Jesus Christ so was the Land of Canaan into which he brought the Israelites a Type of all and every part of that blessedness into which Jesus Christ hath and will bring us WORKS WORKETH Our Apostle doth often make mention of Works in this his Epistle while he treats of Justification as Rom. 3.23 Where is boasting then It is excluded by what Law of works Nay and Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he had whereof to glory and verse 4. Now to him that worketh i. e. to him which hath works is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt and verse 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works and Rom. 11.6 If it be of works then it is no more of grace and Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds or works of the Law In all which places and the like he takes works for works exactly done according to the Law so that the doer of them did never through the whole course of his life break the Law either in thought word or deed either by commission or by omission or by any other way in the least tittle or point thereof which works if we should suppose that any one had so done he would be justified by his works and that of debt for otherwise if God should not justifie him with Reverence be it spoken he would be unjust as I have said before Whereas therefore it is said that Abraham was not justified by works and that no man is justified by the deeds or works of the Law and that the purpose of God should stand not of works c. It is not so to be understood as that either Abraham or any other had such works and yet were not or should not be justified by them But it is so to be understood as that neither Abraham nor any other ever had hath or will have any such works And therefore as many as are justified are justified without them or though they have them not And for this reason it is that no man is said to be justified by the works which he doth or hath done or shall do I may add or can do because no man doth keep hath kept will keep or can keep the Law so strictly and exactly as the Law requireth so as that he hath not doth not or will not break it at any time For our Apostle to prove that no man is justified by the works of the Law proves that every man hath sinned Rom. Chap. 1.2 3. And therefore because every man hath sinned no man hath works in that sense which he speaketh of For if a man hath sinned but never so little he hath not works as our Apostle takes works in the places first named For cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them In the voice of the Law Galat. 3.10 and Deut. 27.26 Our Apostle denies plainly that Abraham was justified by works Rom. 14. verse 1 2. And yet Saint James saith that he was when he saith Was not Abraham our Father justified by works James 2.21 what then shall we say that Saint Paul and Saint James thwarted or contradicted one the other God forbid For they were both led by the same Spirit even the Spirit of Truth and therefore could not erre or contradict one the other They take works therefore in several senses one after one sense the other after another Saint Paul speaks of works exactly done according to the command of the Law from the very birth or infancy of a man which works Abraham had not But Saint James speaks of such works as Abraham had and therefore not of works which Abraham did in the first part of his Age who no doubt in the first part of his Age was an Idolater Saint Paul speaks of works which Abraham should have done if he had been justified by works before his Call Saint James speaketh of works which he did after his Call Saint Paul speaks of works done without faith for he opposeth such works as he speaks of to faith and faith to works Rom. 3.27 28. And it is his scope to prove the necessity of faith because no man had done or could do such works but Saint James speaketh of works proceeding from faith yea Saint James takes works by a Metonymie for faith it self And therefore doth he so do that he may shew against such as are contented with an empty and barren faith that justifying faith is an operative faith and fruitful of good works To the works which Saint Paul speaks of justification is due of debt otherwise those works would not be works in his sense Rom. 11.6 and 4.4 But to the works which Saint James speaks of if we should suppose they were requisite to justification justification

would be due not of debt but of grace But they are not requisite to justification for they follow it But yet they are requisite to Eternal Salvation For If we live after the flesh we shall die but if through the Spirit we mortifie the deeds of the flesh we shall live Rom. 8.13 But yet though the works which Saint Paul speaks of do require a most exact conformity with the Law throughout a mans whole life without the least interruption or deviation from the Law otherwise a man cannot be justified by them yet may a man be saved though after his justification by faith when the works which Saint James speaks of do begin there be some failer in those his works and they do not exactly answer the rigour of the Law To these words which I have treated of might be added the Explication of other words but because they will be found sufficiently explained as I hope in their places in these ensuing Commentaries I add no more But as the Explication of these words afore explained is convenient for the better understanding of divers passages of this Epistle so would the explication of those Figures of Speech which Saint Paul useth be for the Vulgar who are unacquainted with them But because I have been more large upon these elsewhere viz. in the Preface of my aforenamed Book I shall be the briefer here and only give the description of those following to wit Metaschematismus Prosopopoeia Synechdoche with some examples of each METASCHEMATISMVS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metaschematismus is a Figure by which a man speaks of that as done by himself and in his own person which was done or acted by others in their persons An evident example of this we have 1 Cor. 4 6. where Saint Paul when he had spoken of some things which were done by others as if they had been done by himself and by Apollos saith And these things Brethren I have in a Figure transferred to my self and to Apollos for your sakes c. This same Figure doth Saint Paul also use Rom. 7. verse 7. c. where he saith I had not known sin but by the Law and so forward For from that place to the end of the Chapter he acts in his own person a Jew or rather the whole people of the Jews among whom were divers of divers dispositions as they lived both before and under the Law and transfers their manners and doings to himself And that it may not seem uncouth for one man to act the part of a whole people and that in several estates in his own single Person That Polite Historian L. Florus considered the people of Rome in their several ages and estates as one single Man For Siquis populum Romanum quasi hominem consideret totamque ejus aetatem percenseat ut coeperit atque adoleverit ut quasi ad inventae florem pervenerit ut postea velut Consenuerit qua●●or gradus processusque ejus inveniet saith he in the Proaeme of his History i. e. If any one shall consider the people of Rome as it were a man and throughly consider its whole age how it began how it grew up to its stripling and how it came to its more manly age and how afterwards it did as it were wax old he shall find as it were four degrees or proceedings thereof c. But that I may take occasion here to speak more fully of those whom Saint Paul personates from the seventh Verse of the seventh Chapter to the Romans to the end thereof I conceive that the Apostle doth from those words of the seventh Verse of that Chapter viz. Nay I had not known sin but by the Law c. and so forward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he speaks not in his own peroson but in the person of others that is that he personates here the people of Israel that is the Jews which lived both before the Law and under the Law which was given by Moses and so personates them as if they were but one single Man and yet not all the Jews neither but the greatest part of them and these considered not as they might have been for surely they might have been better if they had put out themselves to the utmost and used their utmost endeavours to have been better but as they were And they were for the most part of them a carnal untoward stubborn and rebellious people and a people of the worst Natures I said first that the Apostle doth not as I conceive speak here in his own person nor yet in the person of a regenerate man for reasons which I gave in my Commentaries on those words Ver. 14. But I am carnal sold under sin Secondly I said that the Apostle doth speak here in the person of the People of Israel or of the Jews for it is most evident that in the former part of the Chapter he spoke of the Jews and they are they who he said were delivered from the Law wherein they were held that they should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter verse 6. And from that that the Apostle said that they had lived in the oldness of the Letter is the ground of that Objection which is made in the seventh verse viz. What shall we say then is the Law sin which Objection the Apostle could not better or more aptly answer than by shewing what kind of people the Jews were both as they lived before and under the Law and thereby clear the Law of sin And therefore doth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or take upon him their person Thirdly I said that he doth not here personate all the Jews and therefore I said it because all the Jews were not such as he speaks of here to wit carnal and sold under sin and such as in whom sin wrought all manner of concupiscence for it is written of Zachary and Elizabeth his Wife that they were both righteous before God walking in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless Luke 1.6 Of David it is said that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 Kings 15.5 And of Asa that his heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes ibid. ver 14. The like we read of others which lived under the Law And what shall we say of Isaiah Jeremy and other Prophets of the Lord what of those worthy Jews which the Apostle commendeth Heb. 11. shall we say that they were carnal sold under sin and that they were forges of all manner of concupiscence where doth ever the Scripture speak such things of such men These and all such as these were were not carnal but spiritual and though they lived under the Law that is under the obligation of the Law yet were they not under the imperfection of

rise up in judgement against those Jews which our Saviour there reprehends and condemn them Mat. 12.41 Or the uncircumcised if he fulfill the Law may be said to judge the Jew which breaks the Law because he shall move God to condemn him for he shall give just occasion to God the judge of all to condemn him being that he kept the Law though he had it not written but the Jew though he had it written broke it Who by the Letter and circumcision i. e. Who having received that is who though thou hast received both the written Law and circumcision Note that By is taken here for With 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as chap 4.11 So that this is as if he should say Who with the Letter and circumcision that is Who having the Letter and circumcision or who though thou hast both the Letter and circumcision c. By the Letter is meant the Law written in Letters Ver. 28. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly c. The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas he shewed from ver 17. to ver 24 That a Jew which had the knowledge of the Law being that he sinned his sin was greater than his who was not a Jew and had not the knowledge of the Law And whereas he told the Jew ver 25. That if he kept not the Law but was a breaker of the Law his circumcision which he so much trusted in was made uncircumcision And again ver 26 27. That the uncircumcised Gentile if he keep the Righteousness of the Law his uncircumcision should be counted for circumcision yea He should judge the Jew who having both circumcision and the Law did transgress the Law A Jew might object saying But how can this be Paul that the case of a Jew can be so bad as thou makest it though he doth sin Or how can it be that his circumcision should become uncircumcision if he keep not the Law And how should the uncircumcision of the Gentiles if they keep the Righteousness of the Law be counted for circumcision And how should an uncircumcised Gentile which fulfilleth the Law judge a Jew which hath the Law and circumcision if he transgresseth the Law For knowest not thou that a Jew is in high respect and favour with God as being a Child of Abraham the friend of God and that circumcision is highly respected and favoured of God as being given to Abraham as a sign of his favour and a Seal of the covenant which he made with him and with his seed whose seed the Jews are This objection I say the Apostle prevents by granting that which a carnal Jew might object concerning a Jew and concerning circumcision but distinguishing between a Jew and a Jew and between circumcision and circumcision q. d. For though I grant you that a Jew is in high favour with God and that circumcision is highly respected of him yet He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the Heart c. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly q. d. For though a Jew be highly favoured of God and circumcision be highly respected by him yet he which is a Jew outwardly only Supple he is not the Jew which God so highly favoureth Ellipsis The Jew did therefore think himself highly favoured by God and so free from judgement because he was of the Seed of Abraham for every Jew is a Son of Abraham according to the flesh but see what was said ver 17. concerning the Jew He is said to be a Jew outwardly who is a Son of Abraham onely according to the flesh and appears to be so by his Genealogie and by enjoying the outward Priviledges of such as were children of Abraham carnally Neither is that circumcision which is outward in the Flesh i e. Neither is that circumcision which is outward to wit in the Flesh Supple that circumcision which God so highly respecteth Ellipsis Ver. 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly q. d. But he is the Jew which God so highly favours and which shall escape the wrath and judgement of God which is a Jew inwardly By a Jew as I intimated is understood a Child of Abraham and he is a Child of Abraham inwardly who is like unto Abraham in the inward gifts and graces of the Soul as in Faith and the like For they which are of faith the same are the Children of Abraham Galat. 3.7 And if yee were Abrahams children yee would do the works of Abraham saith our Saviour John 8.39 And they which are so the Children of Abraham or thus Jews they shall find respect and favour with God and shall escape the wrath and judgement of God For they have peace with God and rejoyce in the hope of his Glory Rom. chap. 5. ver 1 2. And circumcision is that of the Heart i. e And the circumcision which findeth respect and favour with God and so profiteth to escaping the wrath and judgement of God is that circumcision which is of the heart Ellipsis That of the heart i. e. That whereby the Heart is circumcised from sins and dead works as from unbelief and the like and that only c. The circumcision of the heart is that whereby infidelity and all superfluity of naughtiness is as it were cut off from the heart and cast away And this was signified as a duty to be done by the outward circumcision of the foreskin of the yard or flesh See Deut. 10. ver 16. and Acts 7. ver 51. In the Spirit not in the Letter That is that which is delivered and commended in the Gospel not that which is commanded and expressed in the Law Thus Some-Where note that the Spirit is taken sometimes for the Gospel and the Letter for the Law as 2 Cor. 3.6 But others had rather take the Spirit here for that principal part of man to wit the Soul which is a Spirit and the Letter for that part of the Body in which circumcision was to be made by the Praescript of the Letter that is by the Praescript of the Law by a Metonymie which Prescript appointed the Praeputium or foreskin to be circumcised Gen. 17.11 Levit. 12.3 So that the sence of this place is this q. d. Which circumcision is in the Soul not in the Body or any part thereof Whose praise is not of Men but of God i. e. Which Circumcision is prais-worthy yet God only can give it its due praise and not Man God only can give this Circumcision its due praise because being it is in the Heart or Soul God only can see whether it be true or no for he only is the searcher of the Reins and Heart Revel 2.23 Heb. 4.13 And therefore he can only see whether it be worthy of praise or not By what the Apostle speaks here in these

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

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

think it not strange my brethren that the sword should be drawn to kill us for this is our portion of old as it is written Psal 44.22 for thy sake O Lord are we which are thy servants and fear thy great Name killed one after another all the day long we are accounted of no o●herwise than of sheep appointed to be slain so little esteem is made of our blood 37. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us 37. But shall any of these things I say separate us from the love which God sheweth us for Christs sake No for even in the midst of these things doth God so continue and shew his love to us as that we are through the effects of his love and by the assistance and aid that he out of his love giveth us not only Conquerors over all these things but more than Conquerors 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 38. Wherefore I am perswaded that nothing which we can suffer either in our life or at our death no nor whatsoever all the devils of Hell whether they be Angels or Principalities or Powers can lay upon us Nor the afflictions which we suffer at the present nor the afflictions which are threatned against us for the future 39. Nor Height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 39. Nor any creature which is in heaven above or any creature which is in earth beneath or any other creature whatsoever if they should all combine themselves against us to afflict us to the utter most shall be able to separate us from the love of God which he sheweth to us for the merits of Christ Jesus our Lord. CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus This Conclusion or Corollary is drawn from that which the Apostle taught in the fifth Chapter of this Epistle and especially in the eighth ninth tenth eleventh verses and so forward Not from that which went immediately before in the precedent Chapter For the sixth and seventh Chapter the Apostle spends in answering objections which rose one after another from the latter end of the fifth Chapter hitherto so that they two chapters come between this and the first Chapter as it were by the By. No Condemnation This is part of the happiness of him which is justified by Faith To them which are in Christ Jesus i. e. To them which believe in Christ Jesus and so are made members of his body and inserted into him by saith as Branches into the vine That is to them which are justified by Faith as he speaks Chap. 5. ver 1. Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit i. e. Which follow not their sensual or carnal appetite and affections in whatsoever they move them to Who walk not after the flesh The flesh is to be taken here for the sensual or carnal appetite and affections And to walk after the flesh is to follow that sensual or carnal appetite and affections and to be carried away with them which way soever they move which cannot be done without sin The Speech is Metaphorical But after the Spirit i. e. But after the motions and inclinations of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in them as our Apostle speaks 2 Timoth. 1.14 The Apostle addes this who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit not as a note of distinction as though there were some in Christ Jesus or some which were justified by faith which did or might walk after the Flesh and others which did or might walk after the Spirit but he adds it as a note of declaration to declare what all those are and ought to be for conversation of life which are in Christ Jesus or which are justified by faith They are such or ought to be such as walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And this he adds least that any one when he hears that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus should think that now that he is in Christ Jesus he may securely live in sin or live as he listeth and so bring a scandal on Christian Religion Ver. 2. For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death The Apostle praevents an objection here somewhat like to that objection which he prevented Cap. 7. ver 14. For a weak and faint-hearted Christian might object here and say you require Paul of all that are in Christ Jesus that they would walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit But I hope that I am in Christ Jesus and yet having been a slave to sin and walked so long as I have done after the Flesh I am afraid that I have been so long a slave to sin and so long walked after the Flesh that I cannot be but as a slave to them still and follow them still for how shall I be freed from following sin or from walking after the Flesh who have been so long as a slave to them This objection I say the Apostle doth here prevent saying For the law of the spirit of life in Christ hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death The Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death i. e. The power and Efficacy of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in me through Christ Jesus and which brings those to eternal life which follow it hath made me free from my custome of sin or sining and so by consequence from walking after the flesh as I was wont to walk which whosoever walkes after whethersoever she leades them shall die everlastingly That the Apostle is frequent in raising and answering or preventing objections and useth that as one way of teaching the Truths which he hath to teach I observed before The law of the spirit of life By the Law of the spirit of life is meant here the efficacy of the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in them which are in Christ Jesus For the Holy Ghost is said to dwell in them which are in Christ Jesus by reason of those gifts with which the Holy Ghost endueth them and by which they are also sanctified In Christ Jesus i. e. Which is by Christ Jesus That is which is given to me by and for the merits of Christ Jesus In is put here for By after the Hebrew manner Hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death That is hath enabled me to resist or turn away from following my carnal and sensual appetite or my carnal and sensual affections so that they cannot draw me after them which way soever they will as they were wont to do Note that the Apostle might have said only The Spirit of

life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from sin and death But he saith the Law of the Spirit of life and the Law of sin for the like reason as he said the Law of works and the Law of faith Chap. 3. ver 27 and as he saith the Law of righteousness Chap. 9.31 Note also that when he saith The Law of the Spirit of life hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death he useth a Metaphor drawn from men Enfranchesing slaves and freeing them from that slavery which before time they underwent Note thirdly that the Apostle speaks here in the person of such as were justied by faith and were ingraffed into Christ Jesus as living branches into the living Vine Ver. 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh i. e. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak in comparison of the flesh that God did who sending his own Son in the likeness of a sinful man though he was without sin and for the destruction of sin destroyed sin which reigned in us by his Flesh that is by his Body which was Crucified for us There is an Ellipsis in these words of the Apostle as they are here translated But the words in the Original are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which may be thus interpreted For by reason of the weakness and imbecillity of the Law in that it was weak in comparison of the flesh God sending his own Son c. The Apostle prevents an Objection here For whereas he said ver 2. The Law of the spririt of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death a man might object and say But what needst thou Paul to say The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death when as the Law which was given by Moses can do this To this the Apostle answers after this manner q. d. I said that the Law of the Spirit of life which is by Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death I said not that the Law which was given by Moses hath done this because the Law which was given by Moses was weak in comparison of the flesh and not so able to draw men after it as the flesh was after it and therefore by reason of the impotency and imbecillity of the Law of Moses in that it was weak in comparison of the flesh God sending forth his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for this end that he might be a Sacrifice for sin and destroy sin hath destroyed sin by his flesh that is by his Body which was made a Scrifice for us For what the Law could not do That which is said of the Law here that it could not do is this viz. That it could not destroy sin The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where first we may understand the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter then take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotentiam or imbecillitatem and then interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Law of Moses thus For by reason of the impotency and weakness of the Law of Moses c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not only signifie Impossibilis Impossible but Impotens and Imbecillis also Imperfect and Weak and in the Neuter gender with a Prepositive Article Impotentia and Imbecillitas Impotencie and Weakness For that it was weak through the Flesh The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred Through is to be taken in a sence of Comparison as I conceive q. d. In that it was weak in comparison of the flesh And the Law of Moses was weak in comparison of the flesh in that the flesh had more power to draw men after it from the Law than the Law had to draw men after it from following the flesh Through the flesh By Flesh understand here the fleshly that is the carnal appetite of a man God sending his own Son Supple into the World This sets forth the love of God in that he would send a Son and that his own Son into the World for such a purpose In the likeness of sinful flesh Flesh is to be taken here by a Synechdoche for the Body that other part of Man and that again by a further Synechdoche for the whole man q d. In the likeness of sinful man Note that the word Likeness doth not relate here to the word Flesh but to the word Sinful For Christ Jesus was true and real Flesh that is true and real Man but yet not truly and really sinful man he was only like such a man for he himself was without sin Christ was made like to sinful man in that he was made subject to infirmities and miseries as sinful man was for his sin Condemned sin i. e. Destroyed or slew sin To Condemn is taken here for to Kill Per metonymiam Antecedentis or Causae For those Malefactors which are condemned to die are put to death after the Sentence of Condemnation is passed on them to which the Apostle here alludes One way by which Christ is said to kill or slay sin is by purchasing and procuring for us by his death and sacrifice the Holy Ghost or such spiritual gifts by which we are able to crucifie or slay sin which reigned in us and after this way may the Apostle seem to be particularly understood in this place if we consider what he saith of the Law of the Spirit of life in the foregoing verse In the flesh i. e. By his Flesh that is by his Body which was made a sacrifice for us In is put here for By and the Flesh is taken here for his Body by a Metonymie and that as sacrificed and offered upon the Cross as Chap. 7.4 Ephes 2.5 Ver. 4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us i. e. That we might perform those righteous Commandments which are contained in the Moral Law which was given by Moses so far forth at the least and in such manner as they are necessary to Salvation to which a most exact and a most perfect keeping of the Commandments is not required In us To wit which are in Christ Jesus Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit See verse 1. This the Apostle repeats here that he may shew the truth of it and press it home upon them to whom he wrote Ver. 5. For they that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit q. d. I say who walk not after the Flesh but after the spirit for they indeed

who are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the spirit as they are which are in Christ Jesus do mind the things of the spirit He grants that of those which are after the Flesh which he denies of those which are after the spirit to wit that they mind the things of the Flesh By them which are after the Flesh he means those that are Carnal The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with a noun substantive turns it to the nature sometimes of an adjective and sometime of a participle Do mind the things of the flesh i. e. Do mind those things which the sensual or carnal appetite and affections move them to and delight in them and follow after them Do mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Greek word here and though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly spoken of the mind or understanding yet here it is spoken of the Will But they that are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit By the Spirit he meaneth that which he calleth the Law of the Spirit of life ver 2. And by such as are after the spirit he meaneth such as are spiritual and such are they which are in Christ Jesus ver 9. The things of the spirit i. e. The things to which the spirit inclineth or moveth them to Ver. 6 For to be carnally minded is death Betwixt this and the foregoing verse we may understand these or the like words and it is no wonder or and not without reason q. d. And it is no wonder or it is not without reason that they that are after the spirit do mind the things of the Spirit for to be carnally minded is death c. He proves here that which he said ver 5. That they which are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit To be carnally minded That is to mind the things of the flesh as ver 5. That is to think of follow and delight in the things to which the sensual or carnal appetite and affections move to Is death i. e. Is deadly or that which will certainly bring everlasting death Metonymia effecti He proves here not that they which are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but that they which are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit He that is after the flesh doth not consider that it is death to be carnally minded therefore he mindes the things of the flesh But he that is after the Spirit he knows it and considers it therefore he mindes not the things of the Flesh but of the Spirit To be spiritually minded That is to mind the things of the Spirit as he spoke ver 5. Is life and peace i. e. Is that which will bring life and peace through the goodness and mercy of God For as the wages of sin is death so the gift of God to those that follow his Spirit is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Chap. 6.23 Is life By life understand eternal life and take it Metonymically for the cause or for that which will procure or bring after it such a life And peace By peace understand first after the Hebrew manner the heap or plenty or plentifull return of all good things and then take it Metonymically for that which will procure or bring after it such an heap or plenty or plentifull return Ver. 7. Because the carnall mind is emnity against God i. e. Because he that is carnally minded is an enemy to God The carnal mind is put here by a Metonymy for the man that hath a carnall mind or for the man that is carnally minded or which mindeth the things of the Flesh And enmity is put here for an enemy An Abstract for a Concrete What it is to be carnally minded or to mind the things of the Flesh See verse 5. He proves here that which he said ver 6. To wit that to be carnally minded is death And certainly if to be carnally minded will make us enemies to God it will bring death upon us for all the enemies of God shall be destroyed For it is not subject to the Law of God He proves here that the carnall minded man is an enemy to God and he proves it by this that such a man as is carnally minded doth not obey the Law of God and do as God would have him do and as he is bound to do See Saint James Chap. 4. ver 4. Neither indeed can it be That is neither indeed can he be Subject to the Law of God or obey it to wit so long as he is such Ver. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God q. d. So then they indeed that are in the Flesh c. By those which are in the Flesh he meaneth such as he said were after the Flesh that is such as were carnal Cannot please God i. e. Cannot but walk after the Flesh which is a thing displeasing to God He takes here that that they cannot please God for that that they walk after the Flesh or that that they cannot but walk after the Flesh by putting the Consequent for the antecedent This phrase therefore Viz. They cannot please God is the same for the sence with that viz. Who walk after the Flesh and it is occasioned from an objection starting from the first verse though this Corollary or Conclusion be drawn from that which went immediately before If you aske therefore to what end the Apostle drawes this Conclusion and Corollary here for it seemeth that it might have been well spared as not being to the purpose of what he had in hand I answer The Apostle prevented as I said an Objection in the second verse an Objection made against that which he said ver 1. Who walk not after the Flesh but after the spirit for a weak and faint-hearted Christian though he were in Christ Jesus yet might say in opposition to that yea but I cannot but walk after the Flesh now therefore the Apostle saith here in reference to that That it is true indeed and it would appear out of what he had said That they which were in the Flesh cannot but walk after the Flesh But yet though they cannot but walk after the Flesh yet they which were in Christ Jesus might do otherwise than walk after the Flesh for they which are in Christ Jesus are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit and so may walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Apostle therefore doth draw this Conclusion here that he might grant so much to the Objection that by granting so much he may the better induce him to yield to that viz. That they that are in the Spirit or They that are in Christ Jesus walk after the Spirit Cannot please God That is cannot while they are such but walk after the Flesh which is displeasing to God He takes here that viz.

Note that by word the Apostle means the preaching of the Gospel By deed he means the miracles which he wrought in confirmation of what he preached as he himself expounds himself in the subsequent words see Acts 7.22 where is the like manner of speech Ver. 19. Through mighty signs and wonders He sheweth here what he meant by the word Deed ver 18. which is to be taken there collectivè for deeds The Lord gave testimony unto the word of his grace and granted signs and wonders to be done by the hands of his Apostles Acts 14.3 Concerning these signs and wonders some make a r●al distinction between them as though signs were lesser miracles wonders greater signes such as may be done by the force of nature though not so quickly Wonders such as exceed the reach of nature But others make signs and wonders to be the same things and say that they are called signs because by them as by strange and unwonted things some thing is signified to be from God For they are wrought to assure men of some Divine truth and wonders because they raise wonder and admiration in the beholders By the power of the spirit of God Some make this to be the sence of these words q. d. Through mighty signs and wonders which I wrought by the power of the Spirit of God Others this q. d. Through Mighty signs and wonders and by the Spirit of God And as by the mighty signs and wonders they understand the casting out of Divels healing of the sick the raising of the dead to life and the like So by the power of the Spirit of God they understand the gifts of prophesie gift of tongues and discerning of Spirits c. of which see 1 Cor. 12.10 In this sence the power of the Spirit of God is to be taken for the miraculous gifts of the Spirit which are the effects of the power of the holy Ghost by a Metonymie and they again for such particular gifts as I spake of by a Synechdoche generis Again In this second sence the power of the Spirit of God is taken for works or miracles wrought In the first sence It is taken for the means or cause by which those signs and wonders were wrought which he spoke of From Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum Jerusalem was the chief City of Judea and Illyricum was a Countrey now called Sclavonia many hundred miles distant from it Between these two places did S. Paul travel and preach to the interiacent people not steering his course in a streight line but travelling up and down in a compass which he calls here round about S. Paul began not his preaching at Jerusalem but at Damascus yet afterwards he went to Hierusalem and preached there from whence he went North and North-west preaching the word That which the Apostle saith here in summ is particularly and largly described in the Acts of the Apostles I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is so that I have filled all places with the Gospel of Christ So some who say that these words All places are here to be understood and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel which is of the Accusative case is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Gospel is of the Dative case in Greek which answers to the Ablative case in Qutin by an Antiptosis But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is so that I have extended or dilated or spread the Gospel of Christ So others who say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sometimes to extend dilate propagate or spread by a Metaphor perhaps from a bladder or some such thing which is dilated and extended or stretch d out while it is filled with wind or the like A proof of this signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they give by a like word out of Ecclesiasticus Chap. 24. ver 35. where we read thus in the Septagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which they render thus and extending or diffusing wisdom as Phison and Tigris do their matters in the dayes of new fruits And Ecclesi 24. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they render thus And extending or diffusing understanding as Euphrates and as Jordan in the time of Harvest Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. So that I have fully perf●rmed the preaching of the Gospel of Christ So a third sort And thus the Gospel is put by a Metonymie for the preaching or Ministery of the Gospel And this cometh neer to our translation when it says I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ The meaning whereof is this that he had fully preached to all that lived between Jerusalem and Illyricum round about all the Mysteries of the Gospel which were necessary to Salvation That is as our Apostle saith in other words Acts 20.27 That he had declared unto them all the counsel of God And yet me thinks there is somewhat more that the Apostle aims at in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place and that is the success answering the end or intent of his preaching which was that his Gospel was also received We must therefore understand these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is So that I have fully preached the Gospel not onely of that that he preached the Gospel and all the mysteries thereof in all those places but also that he preached them effectually so that they were believed and received by all that dwelt there Ver. 20. Yea so have I strived to preach the Gospel not wh●re Christ was named c. i. e. Yea I have with a kind of ambition strived and chosen to preach the Gospel after this manner to wit in word and deed with signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God not in those places where Christ was named lest I should build upon another mans Foundation But in those places where Christ was not so much as named before so that that which is written c. Now for the connexion of this with the former verse the Apostle prevents an objection here For whereas he had said in the former verse that he had fully preached the Gospel of Christ from Hierusalem to Illyricum it might be objected that that was no great matter for him to do or glory of For it might be that others had preached there before and instructed them in the knowledge of the Gospel This objection the Apostle prevents saying Yea so have I strived to preach the Gospel not where Christ was named but where he was never so much as named before So have I strived to preach the Gospel This particle so relates not to that word strived but to that word Preach q. d. Yea I have strived to preach the Gospel so And this particle so signifies after that manner that is after that manner to wit that he had spoke of that is by word and deed through mighty signs and wonders c. Have I strived to preach the Gospel

Faith should think that he might continue in sin that the grace of God might the more abound and so the mercy of God might be the more glorified As some had objected to the Christians that they did and held though falsly to whom he had answered before Chap. 3. ver 6 7 8. In the sixth Chapter he sheweth how inconsistant it is with him who is justified by faith and had his former sins pardoned by Grace to live in sin and useth many arguments to stir him up to live an holy life But least that any faint-hearted Christian in general or Jew in particular for of him by the answer which he gives in this sixth Chapter and which he prosecutes in the seventh he seems especially to speak should say Yea but for my part I cannot follow Righteousness as you would have us nor can I be but a slave to sin having been so great a follower of unrighteousness and sin having had such dmoinion over me The Apostle tells him Chap. 6. verse 14. that Sin should not have dominion over him as it had had for he was not now under the Law but under the Gospel which afforded him these means to free himself from sin which the Law could not afford him CHAP. VII And this his answer he prosecutes Chap. 7. and shews the Jew that the Jews were freed from the Law which was the strength of Sin 1 Cor. 15 56. and were brought under the Gospel that they might serve God by a new kind of Life which the Gospel worketh in us and that they might not follow that old kind of life which they led while they were under the Law through the Motions of sin which were by the Law But now because some might say that there could be no motions of Sin by the Law and others might say that the Law would be the cause of Sin if there were any motions of Sin by it He sheweth verse the seventh and so forward to the end of the Chapter both that the Law was the occasion of sin to those which were under it and that it was not for all that the true and genuine cause thereof wherefore at the seventh verse the better to shew these things which he speaks of and the condition of the Jews which lived before the Law was given by Moses and the condition of the same people when they were under the Law after it was given He puts one in his own person the person of the Jews both as they lived before the Law and under the Law CHAP. VIII Now after the Apostle hath finished these things he comes again in the eighth Chapter to shew the happiness of them who are justified by faith or who are in Christ Jesus for those are all one whom he also describeth by that That they walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit in relation to what he had taught in the whole sixth Chapter concerning the Life of a man which is justified by Faith or which is in Christ Jesus that it ought to be such as is Holy and free from all Vnrighteousnesse And to this holinesse of life doth he use here divers new Arguments to excite them from the first to the seventeenth verse of this Chapter at which verse shewing that we must not onely do the works of Righteousnesse but also suffer if need be for Righteousness sake He doth in the ensuing part of the Chapter use divers arguments to move them to suffer afflictions patiently and endeth this Chapter with the narration of the happinesse of those which he spake of from the fifth Chapter hitherto that is of those which are justified by Faith or which is the same of those which are in Christ Jesus CHAP. IX Now in the ninth Chapter reflecting upon what he said before that a man is justified by Faith and not by the workes of the Law and reflecting upon the happinesse of those which are justified by Faith and considering withall that the Jewes for the most part were such as he spake of Chap. 2. Verse 8. That is such as were contentious against the Gospel and obeyed not or believed not that Word of Truth but obeyed Vnrighteousness against whom indignation and wrath is revealed He manifests the great heaviness and continual sorrow which he had in his heart For those Jews which were his Kinsmen according to the flesh and to whom among many other priviledges the promises of God did belong to think that they resisting that way which God had appointed for obtaining Righteousness or Justification should invent another way of their own and go about to establish that their own way and submit not or yield not to follow that way of Righteousness which God had prescribed And this heaviness and continual sorrow of his heart for them he doth shew that they considering and contemplating his sorrow for them might pity their own selves and embrace the truth that they might be saved at the last But though he manifesteth here the great heaviness and continuall sorrow which he had in heart for those his Kinsmen to wit the Jewes yet he doth not here express the cause of this his sorrow being interrupted with an objection which might arise from what he had said and to which he would answer but deferreth it to the next Chapter and there resumeth and perfecteth what he here broke off though in other terms The Objection which might arise from what he had sad is this He said that among other Priviledges which belonged to the Jewes which were the people of Israel according to the flesh this was one That the promises of God were theirs upon which a Jew might thus object and say That if we Jewes who are the Childrn of Israel according to the flesh were not justified but were under Wrath and Indignation as thou Paul sayest Then would the promises of God be void and of none effect which is to make God false in his word For God promised by his servant Jeremy and many other his servants the Prophets that he would make a new covenant with them and justifie them Jer. 31. ver 31 32 33 34. To this objection Saint Paul answers here verses 6 7 8 9. to this effect True it is that God made a promise to the Israelites that he would justifie them but whereas there are to sorts of Israelites one which are Israelites according to the Flesh which descended from Jacob and Abraham by carnall propagation The other which were Israelites and the Children of Abraham according to the Spirit because they did imitate and follow Abraham in this Faith for they which are of Faith they are the Children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 That promise of Justification doth belong absolutely and immediately not to those which are the Children of Jacob or the Children of Abraham according to the Flesh as Such but to those which believe as Such and so are the Children of Jacob and of Abraham according to the Spirit whether they be Jewes or whether

difference to be observed between the Verbal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which are englished Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are such as are called whether they answer or no or whether they believe being called or no. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are they which are not onely called but answer the call and believe Grotius observeth this difference or distinction in his Commentaries upon those words of our Saviour Matth. 20 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For many are called but few are chosen But he saith withall that this difference or distinction is not alwayes observed because these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are promiscuously used Mat. 22. And Beza in his notes upon the same words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. observeth the same difference or distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 20.16 For speaking there of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam alioqui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ii demum sunt qui Deo ad vitam ipsos vocanti responderunt i. e. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used here as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are they which answer God when he calls them to life immortall Schinidius in his Annotations upon Mat. 22.3 observes the same difference or distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes it perpetuall and among other rules which he gives concerning verbals in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there he gives this Verbalia deducta à verbis verè activis non neutralibus quibus offertur vel confertur aliquid alteri quod accipere vel non accipere potest aut quibus verè vel non verè aliquid de altero dici potest differunt à Participiis ut id quod est ab eo quod esse poterat vel debebat i. e. Verbals drawn from verbs truely active not neuters by which something is offered or conferred upon another which he may take or not take or by which something may be said truely or not truely of another differ from Participles as that which is from that which might be or ought to be So from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach or instruct cometh the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught taught to wit so far as was in the power of the teacher whether he that was taught become learned by his teaching or not And from thence cometh also the verball 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth one who by teaching is truely learned And so from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to call cometh the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth called whether he which is called answereth or no and the verbal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth him which is called too but being called answereth to the call so that every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus he in whom you may read more to this purpose When our Apostle makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Act of God and expresseth not the object to which God calleth them whom he calleth if the circumstances of the Place intimate no other object we must understand that the prime though more remote object thereof is Salvation or Gods heavenly Kingdome and Glory According to that which is written 1 Thes 2.12 That you would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdome and Glory And according to that which is written 2 Thes 2. ver 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obteining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ And according to that which is written 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all grace who hath called us to eternal glory c. And that the nearer object which is subordinate to that former and is as a means or way conducing to the obteining thereof is Holiness according to that which we read 1 Thes 4.7 God hath not called us to uncleanness but to holiness And that the way by which God calls us to those objects is the preaching of the Gospel according to that which we read in the forecited place 2 Thes 2. ver 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel And now according to that which hath been said whereas there is often mention made in this and other Epistles of Saint Paul of The called or of them which are called Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the object thereof is Salvation or Gods heavenly Kingdome or Glory which I may call the Grace of the Gospel It doth signifie Them which believe for it doth signifie not them which are barely called but them in whom their calling hath some effect so that they believe the Gospel by which they are called So that in conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The called and The faithfull or They which believe are the same Whereupon such as our Apostle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The called of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.6 He calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The faithfull in Christ Jesus Ephes 1.1 And perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.28 may by a Metonymie moreover signifie in that place Them which are justified by Faith For they which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is They which are so called as that they believe are justified by their Faith And the Apostle from the beginning of the first Chapter hitherto speaks of those which are justified by faith which he also calleth Them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 And now if this interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.28 be accepted of Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the following verse must be interpreted Them whom he did determine so to love as to justifie them For whatsoever the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth is to be included in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being he gives a reason of or doth assert in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he said in those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle useth this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in divers places of this Epistle as Rom. 1.32 Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for the just or righteous sentence of God given as it were in Judgement upon a man brought before his judgement seat and there accused or arraigned It is used also Rom. 5. vers 16 and 18. And in

notwitststanding any Antecedent purpose or decree of his going any way before But yet our Apostle attributes our justification wholly to God who calleth Rom. 9.11 And this he doth to signifie that it is wholly of God to prescribe the way to justification who hath prescribed faith to be the way thereunto that justification may be known to be of his meer grace and mercy and that it is not in man to prescribe the way though man makes an account to obtain justification by works as the Jews did who went about to establish their own way to justification Rom. 10.3 and saught it by works Rom. 9.32 which if they could obtain by works the Way of justification would be in man indeed and justification would be not of grace but of debt Again he may ascribe it wholly to God because God is the principle cause thereof For it is usual when two causes concur to the same effect to ascribe the effect wholly to the principal cause yea and so to ascribe it to the principal cause as to deny it to the cause less principal Thus the Apostle saith I labored more then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is in me 1 Cor. 15.10 And again It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.17 After this manner I say that justification may be ascribed wholly to God Who calleth though Faith be required thereunto Elected Rom. 8. Is taken for Elected to justification that is for them which are justified The Election Chap. 11. ver 7. Is put for the Elected an abstract for a concrete as Circumcision is put for the circumcised Chap. 3.30 And by the Elected are to be understood such as God according to the order which he observeth or decreed to observe in electing or justifying men in time justified or Elected to justification and they were such as believed Beza in his Notes upon those words Mat. 20.16 Viz. Many are called but few are chosen saith the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Elect or chosen are taken there for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For such as answer Gods call when he cals them to eternall Life i. e. For the faithfull or such as believe and so may we take the Election or Elected there Viz. Rom. 11.7 The Election spoken of Rom. chap. 11.28 Is taken for that Election whereby God chose the Jews to be his Church that is to be a peculiar people to himself to serve him and worship him after a religious manner according to that form or prescript of Religion which he should appoint and to be a people whom he would never quite forsake and leave utterly without all means of Salvation and that for their Fathers sake Abraham Isaac and Jacob. This Election God might make of the Jews for their Fathers sake and for their sakes might he not leave them utterly without all means of Salvation For the Oracles of God which none can deny to be a Means to salvation were committed to the Jewes as they were Jews that is as they were the Children of Abraham Isaac and Jacob according to the flesh Rom. 3. ver 1 2. But yet that they or any of them should be Elected to justification or to eternal Glory I dare not say that it was for any other then for Jesus Christ his sake nor dare I attribute any thing flowing from that Election to any other then to him And if our Interpreters render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.2 right when they render it chiefly The greatest or chiefest good which they received as they were Jews that is as they were the Children of Abraham Isaac and Jacob according to the flesh was this That they had the Oracles of God committed to them FAITH The Object of justifying faith is the whole Gospel of God or at least the essentiall part thereof which conteineth the new Covenant which God was pleased to make with sinfull man in Christ Jesus our Lord. For we read Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospell And Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth that is to every one that believeth it And again Rom. 10.16 but they have not all obeyed the Gospel that is they have not all believed the Gospel For Isaiah saith Lord who hath believed our report And it is written Eph. 1.13 Christ in whom ye trusted also after ye heard the word of truth the Gospell of your salvation in whom also after ye believed the said Gospel ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise And Philip. 1.27 Striving together for the faith of the Gospel The Gospel therefore or that essential part thereof to wit the new covenant of God with man is the object of saving or justifying faith Which being so I may say that saving or justifying faith is a full or firm assent of our heart or mind to the Gospel of God or at least to the new Covenant which God was pleased to make with sinful man in Christ Jesus our Lord therein conteined by reason of which we do infallibly set our selves one work one that part of the Covenant which we are to performe according to the ability which God hath given us The new Covenant made by God with man in Christ Jesus consisteth as other Covenants do of two parts One part which God promiseth and covenanteth for himself on his part to perform The other which God requireth us to do and which we must promise and covenant to performe on our part without the performance whereof on our part God is not bound to make good to us what he covenanted and promised to do for us one his part The eye therefore of our Faith must be firmely fixed on both parts of this covenant as well on that part which we our selves are for our part to performe as on that which God is to performe on his part or else our Faith will never avail us to justification But if we look on that part of the Covenant which God hath promised for his part to perform and firmly believe the truth thereof and that our onely happiness consisteth therein And on that part of the Covenant which we for our parts are to performe and firmly believe that by doing our parts we shall attain to that happiness which God for his part promised to bestow upon us and that only by doing so we shall attain to it Surely we shall be justified For this will prove an operative Faith and set us on work according to our power to obtein our only happiness and make us sedulous in the duties of holiness without which no man shall see God Hebrews 12.14 For every one doth naturally desire his own happiness and every one labours for his own blessedness and that so many miss of happiness and come short of blessedness it is not because they desire not to be happy or labour not for it

And when they avoid Pag 287. col 1. lin 17. read Sanctified or consecrated Pag 288. col 2. lin 38. read Which is of the Dative lin 40. In Latine A PARAPHRASE and EXPOSITION ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS ROMANS CHAP. I. 1. PAul a Servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God 1. Paul a Servant of Jesus Christ and an Apostle not which intruded himself into that Office but which was called to the Apostleship and separated by the Holy Ghost unto the Ministery and Preaching of the Gospel of God 2. Which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures 2. Which Gospel he had promised long before it was revealed by his Prophets in the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh 3. Which Gospell was concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed or born of the Posterity of David according to his humane Nature 4. And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holinesse by the Resurrection from the dead 4. And was the Son of God and declared so to be by the power which he shewed by his Resurrection from the Dead according to his Divine Nature 5. By whom we have received Grace and Apostleship for Obedience to the faith among all Nations for his name 5. By whom we have received the grace or free gift of Apostleship for this end that all Nations may by our Ministery or Apostleship come to the obedience of the Faith or to belief of the Gospel that so his Name may be glorified throughout all the Earth 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ 6. Among which Nations are ye also the called of Christ Jesus whom Christ Jesus hath effectually called to the grace of that his Gospel 7 To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ 7. I Paul I say do wish all happinesse both temporall and eternall to all that be at Rome whether they be Jews or Gentiles Noble or Ignoble Bond or Free which are beloved of God and Saints effectually called to holinesse saying Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 8. First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world 8. Now I thank my God through Jesus Christ our only Mediatour for you all that your faith is such and so illustrious as that it is spoken of and talked of throughout the whole world 9. For God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers 9. And think not I pray that when I say I thank my God for this that I do complement with you for God is my witnesse whom I serve with all my heart faithfully and sincerely in the Ministery of the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers giving thanks to him for all the blessings which he hath bestowed upon you 10. Making request if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you 10. And also making request if by any means I might have a prosperous journey to Rome by the good will and pleasure of God to come unto you 11. For I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be established 11. For I even long to see you not that I might receive any thing from you but that I may impart some of those spiritual gifts which God hath given me to you for this end that you may be established in the faith of the holy Gospel which ye have received 12. That is that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me 12. That is that we may be comforted together when I am among you by the mutual faith both of you and me I in you when I see the steadfastnesse of your faith and you in me when you see the stedfastnesse of mine 13. Now I would not have you ignorant Brethren that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you but was let hitherto that I might have some fruit among you also even as among other Gentiles 13. Now because I said that I long to see you that you may not think that my heart doth not go along with my words I would have you know Brethren that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you but was let hitherto that I might preach the Gospel to you that so I might have some fruit among you also even as I have among other Gentiles by the joy which I have by their obedience thereunto 14. I am debter both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise 14 For I am bound by vertue of my Apostleship and also by the command of God to preach the Gospel to the Greeks and to the Barbarians to the wise and to the unwise 15. So as much as in me is I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also 15. So that as much as is in me I am ready to preach the Gospel not to ignorant people only which dwell in obscure parts of the world who may be easily deceived and before whom a man may freely vent that which he would be ashamed to say before learned and knowing men such at are Citizens or Inhabitants of great and famous Cities and places of literature But to you which are at Rome also the Mistress of the world the Receptacle and Nurse of the highest Wits 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek 16. For though some account the Gospel of Christ to be meere foolishness yet I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ neither to professe it nor yet to preach it For so far is it from foolishness as that it is a powerful instrument which God useth to bring every one that believeth to salvation the Jew first and then the Gentile 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to saith as it is written The just shall live by faith 17. For therein is the righteousness and justification of which God is the Author and by which we are justified before him revealed and made manifest and not onely revealed and made manifest but thereby conveyed and conferred as by an instrument upon men A Righteousnesse and Justification which is of faith and which is revealed to this end that it might gain faith and be believed of them to whom

a new life or a new kind of life That he cals newness of life or a new life or a new kind of life here which consisteth in other gates manners than they formerly used while they were yet unregenerate and without Christ Note that this word walk is frequently in Scripture taken as a word of morality by which is Metaphorically signified the life and conversation of a Man and his manner of living who practiseth or exerciseth act after act or deed after deed taking thereby as it were step after step one step after another And it is a word of an indifferent signification taken sometimes in a good sence as here sometimes in a bad as John 12.35 c. Because we should not only rise to a new life but also continue therein the Apostle had rather say even so we also should walk in newness of life than even so also we should rise to a new life For walking presupposeth rising but rising doth not inferre walking Ver. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection The Apostle prevents or answers a tac●te Objection here For whereas he said ver 4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead to the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life A man may object and say whereas thou sayest Paul That we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead even so we also should walk in newness of life thou inferrest more from the premises than the premises will allow thee for though thou maist infer from these premises viz. we are buried with him by baptism into death that we are therefore so buried that we may not live unto sin yet thou canst not infer from thence that we are therefore buried with him in baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life To this objection I say the Apostle here answers or this objection the Apostle here prevents saying for if we are planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection q. d. For I may infer from those words viz. We are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father we should also walk in newness of life as well as that That we should not live unto sin For one of those do infer the other so that if we shall not live unto sin we shall live unto newness of life If we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death c. q. d. If we have been planted in the waters of baptism like as Christ was planted in the earth at his burial so that we be thereby truly and actually dead to sin as Christ was dead to this natural life We shall truly actually and undoubtedly spring up to a new life as Christ did at his resurrection to a life of glory Observe that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him or with him that is with Christ is to be here understood which is expressed both in the Syriac and Arabique Translations Observe also that what the Apostle meant by being buried ver 4. He meaneth by being Planted here But changeth the word buried into a more emphatical word planted the more to set out the efficacy of baptism which here he speaks of And in both these words he alludes to the burial of Christ when he was laid in the Sepulchre As Christ therefore when he was laid in the Sepulchre under the ground was said to be buried so were they said to be buried who were in baptism so dipped as that they were under the waters But because Christ was not to continue under the earth when he was buried Christ may better be said to be planted in the earth than buried For things which are buried in the earth may never rise up again But things which are planted or sown in the earth do naturally rise and spring up again after their Plantation And for this reason doth Saint Paul liken the bodies of men which are to have a resurrection when they are buried to grain which is sown or planted in the earth which is not quickned except it die 1 Cor. 5.36 And for this reason doth our Saviour himself in allusion to his death and burial and rising again liken himself to a Corn of wheat which falleth into the ground and dieth John 12.24 As Christ therefore when he was laid into the ground being he was to rise again might better be said to be planted than to be buried So they which were baptised being that they were dipped into the waters and therewith covered but not there to lie but to be lifted out or rise out of the waters again with which they were covered may be said to be Sown or Planted in those waters better than buried Especially when they are so dipped or covered with the waters of baptism as that by the Grace of God the inward operation of his Spirit going along with the outward work of the Sacrament they are therein mortified to sin For such as are mortified in baptism to sin will rise from the death of sin or from sin to which they are dead to a new life viz. a life of righteousness As they rise out of the waters again in which they are as it were buried or planted which are baptised And as Christ rose out of the earth in which he was planted or buried Together Supple with him that is like to him that is like to Christ Note that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with is here a note of Similitude as I said before In the likeness of his death That is so that we die as he died we to sin as he to this natural life As the Grain which is sowed or planted in the earth is not quickned except it dieth 1 Cor. 15.36 So they which are planted in the waters of baptism do not rise or spring up to a new life or life of righteousness except they first die to sin But if they first dy to sin then they do undoubtedly rise and spring up to a new life or life of righteousness as the corn or grain riseth sprouteth and springeth up and as they which are buried in the waters rise out of them again We shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection The words with their Supplement for they are defective had been better rendred thus We truly shall also spring up together with him in the likeness of his resurrection The sence of which words is this We truly shall also spring up as he did we to a new life of righteousness as he sprang up to a life of glory and so be like to him in

enemy to God For he is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can he be so long as he is such and doth so 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God 8. So then I grant you that say nay but we cannot but walk after our sensual or carnal appetite and affections I grant you I say that they which are carnal cannot please God nor can they do otherwise then walk after their sensual or carnal appetite and affections 9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his 9. But ye are not carnal but Spiritual in that the Spirit of God by which ye are Regenerate dwelleth in you for if any man hath not the spirit of Regeneration which Christ hath purchased for us he is none of Christs 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness 10. And now being that the spirit of Regeneration which Christ hath purchased is in you your body indeed is subject to death and shall one day die by reason of original sin or the sin of Adam which was derived to you But yet your souls shall live and never see death by reason of that Spirit of Regeneration which is also called the Spirit of Righteousness with which ye are endued 11. But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you 11. But yet that you may know that your bodies shall not so die as their bodies do which are Carnal being that the Spirit of Regeneration is in you God the Father who raised up Jesus from the dead shall after death quicken and enliven your mortal bodies with an everlasting life by reason of that Spirit of his which dwelleth in you 12 Therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh 12. Therefore Brethren being it is so we ought not if we have any love at all to our selves to be servants to our sensual or carnal appetite or affections to follow their motions But we ought to be servants to the Spirit that Spirit of Regeneration which is in us and to follow her inclinations 13. For if ye live after the fl●sh ye shalt die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live 13. For if we live after our sensual and carnal appetite and affections and follow them we shall die eternally But if we through the power which we have by the Spirit of Regeneration which is in us do mortifie and destroy the deeds to which our sensual and carnal Appetite which is in our body tempt us to we shall live an everlasting life 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God 14. For as many as are lead by the Spirit of Regeneration which God hath given us and follow her motions so many are the Sons of God and by consequence heirs of life everlasting 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 15. I say so many are the sons of God for they which have received the Spirit of Regeneration have not received a servile spirit whereby they should like slaves and servants fear and be afraid to approach and come neer to God such a spirit as we Jews had at the giving of the Law in Mount Sinai But we have received a filial and Son-like spirit whereby we are bold to approach to God and to speak confidently to him and to call him as Sons Abba Father 16. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God 16. The spirit ●t self by begetting in us a filial affection and Son like disposition towards God beareth witness to our souls that we are the children of God 17. And if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together 17. And if we are the children of God then are we heirs even the heirs of God and coheirs with Christ of everlasting Glory And this inheritance of everlasting Glory shall we inherit with Christ if that we suffer as Christ did And indeed let us suffer as Christ did that we may be also glorified together with Christ 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 18. For that now I may arm you against sufferings I have weighed as it were in a ballance our sufferings on the one side and our rewards on the other and have cast up as it were the sum of both of them and I reckon or conclude that the sufferings of this present life are so small in comparison of the reward as that they are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be openly given and bestowed upon us hereafter who suffer for Christ sake 19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God 19. I say that shall be openly given and bestowed upon us hereafter and I speak of it as a thing which shall most certainly be For the Creature whose expectation shall not be frustrate doth with earnest expectation wait for the manifestation of this Glory in the Sons of God 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope 20. I say that it doth with earnest expectation wait for this for the Creature when it was made subject to vanity was not made subject thereunto willingly but only in obedience to God who would and did subject the same to vanity with hope notwithstanding in the creature that it should one day be delivered from that vanity 21. Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of curruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God 21. I say with hope notwithstanding in the creature that it should be one day delivered from that vanity for which is the ground of this its hope the irrational creature it self also as well as man shall be delivered from this bondage of corruption and vanity when the glorious liberty of the Sons of God whereby they shall be totally freed from their miseries and be estated in glory shall appear 22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together untill now 22. For we know that the whole company of the Creatures from the time that man fell untill now groan and travil as it were a woman which is in pain and would fain be delivered desiring to be

That they cannot please God for that v●z That they walk after the Flesh or that viz. That they cannot but walk after the Flesh by putting the Consequent for the Antecedent This phrase therefore viz. They cannot please God is the same for sence with that viz. Who walk after the Flesh And it is occasioned from a tacite objection arising from the first verse though the Corollary or Conclusion which the Apostle draws here is drawn from that which went immediately before Ver. 9 But ye are not in the Flesh i. e. But ye which are in Christ Jesus ye I say are not carnall that ye should say yea but we cannot but walk after the Flesh But in the Spirit i. e. But ye are spiritual so that ye may renounce the Flesh and walk after the Spirit If so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you i. e. Being that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you to wit by those gifts and graces which he hath given you The conjunction If is not dubitantis but affirmantis not a note of doubting but of affirming and for this reason doth he affirm without doubting that the Spirit of God dwelleth in them because he takes them to be such as were truly in Christ Jesus ver 1. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his This seemeth to to be an Argument to proue that these Romans had the Spirit of Christ in them upon this supposition that they were in Christ Jesus for saith he If any one hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his but if he be his that is if he be Christs as ye are he hath the spirit of Christ in him He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is not Christs that is is not in Christ as a living member in the body or as a fruitfull or living branch in the vine and therefore shall be cast out or cut off at length The Spirit of Christ That which he called The Spirit of God immediately before he calleth the Spirit of Christ here because it is given and conferred of God through the merits of Christ who also himself is true God He is none of his i. e. None of his true and living members Or true and living branches Ver. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of Righteousness i. e. And if the Spirit of Christ be in you your body indeed is mortall and shall die by reason of the sin of Adam But your soul shall live and never see death because of the Spirit of God and of Christ that is because of the Spirit of Righteousness which dwelleth in it The Apostle doth here shew the blessed fruit which they shall enjoy which have the Spirit of God and of Christ viz. That they shall not come into condemnation as he is said ver 1. And he doth withall answer an Objection which might arise from those words ver 6. To be spiritually minded is life For being that the Apostle said there That to be spiritually minded is life a man might object and say but how is it life to be spiritually minded when as they that have the Spirit of God and of Christ and so are spiritually minded die as well as they which are in the Flesh and so are carnally minded To this the Apostle answereth here that they that have the Spirit of God and of Christ and so are spiritually minded die indeed the death of the body as they do which cre carnally minded and that because of Original sin or the sin of Adam but they do not die the death of the soul as the carnal minded men do because of that Spirit of God and of Christ which dwelleth in them If Christ be in you c. By Christ is here to be understood the Spirit of Christ as he called it ver 10. and that per Metonymiam efficientis And the Apostle would rather say Christ here than the Spirit of Christ to avoid confusion of termes for soon after by the Spirit he means the Soul of man The body is dead That is the Body indeed is subject to death and shall one day die He saith the body is dead because it is not only such as may die but such as tendeth continually to death and shall at length certainly die Because of sin By sin here understand the sin of Adam or Original sin for death entred into the world by Adam 's sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned through him Chap. 5.12 And in Adam all die saith the Apostle again 1 Cor. 15.22 But the Spirit is life i. e. But the Soul shall live and never see death The Spirit By the Spirit understand here the Soul that better part of man which is a Spirit Is life That is liveth and shall live for ever The Apostle when he saith Is life for liveth useth a Metonymie of the Adjunct Because of righteousness i e. Because of the Spirit of God and of Christ which is in it By Righteousness is here to be understood The Spirit of life as he called it ver 2. and which he called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ ver 9. And which he called Christ in a few words before and this Spirit he calleth Righteousness Per Metonymiam Effecti because it inclines to Righteousness and worketh Righteousness in us That Soul which is endued with the Spirit of God or with the Spirit of Righteousness call it which you please while it is in this life so soon as it is parted from the body is carried into the presence of Christ there to enjoy him who is life and to live after its manner Ver. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you i. e. But yet if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you q. d. But though the b●dy is dead because of sin yet if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you c. He meaneth by this spirit that which he called righteousness ver 10. and the Spirit of Christ vers 9. and the Spirit of life ver 2. By him which raised up Jesus from the dead he meaneth God whom he describes by this Act because he is to say That he will quicken your mortal bodies Of which that That God raised up Jesus from the dead was a pattern and a pledge and shewed that God was able yea and willing to do it He that raised up Christ from the dead That is God Shall also quicken your mortal bodies That is Shall also raise up your mortal bodies after death at the last Day as he raised up Christ from death when he had been dead By his spirit that dwelleth in you That is because of his spirit or by reason of his spirit which dwelleth in you By reason of his spirit are our bodies become Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. chap 6.19 And therefore our bodies shall be

thought worthy of the honour of a glorious and happy resurrection at the last Day because they were Temples of the Holy Ghost in this life The spirit is called the Earnest to wit of our resurrection 2 Cor. 5.5 That which he saith here in this verse is a Comfort against that which he said ver 10. viz. The body is dead because of sin And an Explication of that which he said ver 6. To be spiritually minded is life Though death seize upon the bodies of the faithful and regenerate yet it shall not alwayes keep their bodies under her power as death Eternal shall the bodies of those which are carnally minded For at the last Day Christ shall raise up their bodies to a life of glory of which the spirit of God and of Christ which is in them is a sure pledge and earnest Ver. 12. Therefore Brethren we are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Supple But to the spirit to live after the spirit Note that these words But to the spirit to live after the spirit are here to be understood and the Apostle leaves them to us to understand out of those opposite words viz. Not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh He takes Flesh here for our sensual or carnal appetite or affections And the spirit which he here leaveth to be understood must we take for that spirit which he called the spirit of life and the spirit of God and of Christ and righteousness a little before of both which he speaks as of Persons yea Mistresses by a Prosopopoeia That which the Apostle here gathers he gathers especially from the sixth verse To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace as will appear by what he saith ver 13. where he doth repeat as it were and amplifie what he there said The Apostle in this Corrollary or Conclusion doth dehort the Romans from following the Flesh and exhort them to follow the spirit and sheweth them that they ought so to do And this he doth so often as occasion serves that Novices in Christianity may not take to themselves a liberty to sin and that those which are enemies to Christianity might not have any cause to asperse Christians with so foul a thing as this is viz. That they taught or held that they might walk securely after the Flesh We are debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh Supple but to the spirit to live after the spirit q. d. We ought in wisdom and in love to our selves not to live after the Flesh but to live after the spirit The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred here Debtors is not to be taken here for Debtors in the strict sence of the words but more loosely for such as are any way bound whether in gratitude or in wisdom or in love to themselves to do any thing so that they which ought or whom it behoveth to do any thing upon any account may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Debtors in the Apostles sence here The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh hath such a kind of signification with it and Euripides useth the Foeminine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the same manner But note that though I say that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be taken here in the strict sence of the word I say it not because we are not bound in the strictest sence to forsake the Flesh and follow the spirit but because that that is all which can be gathered from what Saint Paul hath here said Wherefore what Saint Paul saith here is as if he should say Wherefore being that to be carnally minded is death and to be spiritually minded is life and peace If ye be wise and have any love to your own selves ye ought not to live after the Flesh but after the spirit To live after the Flesh To live after the Flesh is to live after the will of the Flesh that is to embrace and follow the motions of the Flesh that is of our sensual or carnal appetite and affections Ver. 13. Ye shall die Supple Eternally Note the Enallage of the Person here how he changeth the first into the second Person If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body i. e. If ye through the spirit that is in you and which doth enable you to mortifie the deeds of the body I say if ye through that spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body according to that that the spirit shall enable you thereunto Do mortifie the deeds of the body By the deeds of the body are not here to be understood all those actions which are exercised by the body for Chap. 6. ver 13. He would have us to yield our members as instruments of Righteousness unto God but such deeds are to be understood by the deeds of the body here which he calls the works of the flesh Galat. chap. 5. ver 19. We are then said to mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit when by the help of the spirit and the power thereof we do not consent to but resist the evil motions of the body or of the flesh that is of our carnal affections when they incite us to evil deeds which the more we resist the more shall we find their strength to die in us and the less power shall they have over us Ye shall live i. e. Ye shall live a life happy and eternal and that not only in your souls which shall never die but also in your bodies which though they die yet shall be raised up to an immortal life at the last Day Ver. 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God The Apostle proveth here what he said ver 13. viz. That if they through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body they shall live For they which through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body are such as are led by the spirit of God and they which are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God by Adoption and they which are the sons of God by doption are the Heirs of God ver 17. Heirs to the inheritance of Eternal life As many as are led by the spirit of God i e. As many as follow the leading of the spirit of God This is the same spirit which he spoke of before ver 2. He speaks of this spirit as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia And men are said to be led by the spirit of God when they follow the motions and inclinations thereof As many as are led by the spirit of God do give no consent to the motions of the flesh but they resist them and walk another way for the motions and inclinations of the Flesh and of the Spirit are contrary one to the other As many therefore as are led by the spirit of God so

many do by that spirit mortifie the deeds of the body and therefore whereas the Apostle said verse 13. If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body he saith here As many as are led by the spirit of God making these two phrases viz. these Through the spirit to mortifie the deeds of the body and To be led by the spirit of God equipollent They are the sons of God To wit by Adoption and so Heirs of Everlasting life Ver. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear i e. For ye which have received the spirit of God or the spirit of Christ have not thereby received a Spirit which produceth servile or slavish affections in you such as ye had at the giving of the Law by reason of which ye were afraid to appear before God and by which ye were like slaves and bondmen or servants at the best which abide not for ever in their Masters house John 8 35 c. He seems to speak here to the Jews in particular which lived at Rome He proves here in this verse that they are the sons of God first Negatively by that that they have not received a servile spirit and so they are not slaves and servants then Affirmatively by that that they have received a filial spirit which shews them to be children The spirit of Bondage That is a spirit which makes you as slaves or as servants in your affections This Genitive case to wit of bondage seems to be Genitivus Effecti The Apostle seems here to allude more especially to the affection of the Jews with which they were affected at the giving of the Law when Moses himself feared and quaked exceedingly Heb. 12.21 And when the people at the sight of the thunders and lightnings and the noise of the tempest and the Mountain on which God stood smoaking removed and stood a far off and said unto Moses speak thou unto us and we will hear but let not God speak unto us least we die Exod. 20. ver 8 9. Read for it seems to me to illustrate what is spoken in this and the following verses what the Apostle writeth Heb. 12. ver 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 To fear I conceive as I said that the Apostle alludes here to that servile fear whereby at the giving of the Law the people drew away from the presence of God and stood farther off from him as being afraid of him To fear therefore is to fear God after a servile manner and so to be afraid of him as not to dare to approach to him But ye have received the spirit of Adoption i. e. But ye have received a Spirit which maketh you like sons in your affections and so not to be afraid to draw nigh to God or to appear in his sight as slaves and Servants are afraid to appear in the sight of their Lords and Masters but to be bold towards him and to desire to appear before him as Children before their parents The spirit of Adoption i. e. A spirit which worketh a son-like affection in you towards God and by which ye are adopted into the number of his Children This Genitive is Genitivus Effecti He saith rather the spirit of adoption than the spirit of filiation or son-ship because he spoke of them before as slaves or servants and as having the spirit of bondage and such cannot be made natural sons but adoptive they may For though they were servants and slaves before yet they may be made of servants not only free but stated also in the state or place of natural sons which kind of sons are called sons by adoption He alludes here to the custom of men in adopting children This spirit of adoption which he here speaks of is no other than the spirit which he hath so often spoke of in this chapter to wit the spirit of life and of God and of Christ Whereby we cry Abba Father q d. Whereby we are affected towards God as Children are towards their Parents Note here the Enallage of the Perso● which he changeth from the second to ●he first Children when they would have or ask any thing of their Father they call him by that relative name of Father which argues the natural love which they have towards him and the apprehension which they have of the natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he hath towards them To cry Abba Father is put therefore here per Metonymiam Effecti for to be son-like affected towards God and to apprehend him fatherly affected towards us We cry To wit to God He saith to cry that is to speak and call aloud to God because loud speaking in this case argues confidence whereas Low speaking would argue fear Abba Abba is a Syriack word signifying as much as Father Father This seemeth to be added to explain the Syriack word Abba we have the like Mark 14. ver 36. Ver. 16. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Some had rather read it thus the spirit it self beareth witness to our spirit c than as it is here translated For the compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put sometimes for the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Vulgar translation renders it testimonium reddit I prefer the taking of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And follow their translation who render it The spirit it self beareth witness to our spirit that we are the children of God rather than the other viz. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit But now what is here meant by the spirit or what spirit is it which is said here to bear witness to our spirit Some say that by the spirit is here meant the same spirit which he hath so often spoken of before in this chapter q d. The spirit it self which we have received witnesseth to our spirit that we are the children of God And whereas it is read commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritus ipse The spirit it self some read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem spiritus the same spirit If we take the spirit in this sence to wit for the spirit so often spoken of before in this Chapter then the Apostle useth a Prosopopoeia here in speaking of that spirit as of a Person The spirit to which the witness is given is our spirit that is our soul that is the understanding or conscience of every one of us or by a Synechdoche we our selves That which is witnessed to our soul conscience understanding or spirit or to us our selves is That we are the Children of God But how now is the spirit aforesaid said to witness to our spirits that we are the children of God Answ It was said that the Apostle speaks of that spirit as of a Person by a Prosopopoeia though it is indeed but an habit or Quality in the soul Therefore we must not think that it gives testimony to us

or to our spirits as a true Person useth to do but therefore is it said to bear witness to our spirit that we are the sons of God because it produceth in us a love towards God and a Godly desire and inclination to approach neer to him which our spirit taking notice of or reflecting upon from thence concludes that we are Gods children But now others reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit it self and considering the Energy of the words and that they signifie an Eminency in the Spirit which they speak of take them of the holy Ghost it self But then the Question will be how the holy Ghost witnesseth to our spirit That we are the children of God I answer not by speaking to our spirit as it did to the spirit of the Prophets when it informed them of the will of God But by those effects which it produceth in the soul as sanctification and a loving and truly filial affection towards God flowing from thence and the like which the soul perceiving and taking notice of from thence concludes and perswades it self or us that we are the children of God So that the manner of witnessing is not much unlike whether we take the spirit for the holy Ghost or whether we take it for the spirit which is the gift of the holy Ghost so often before mentioned Ver. 17. And if Children then heirs Every child of man is not an heir But every child of God is an heir an heir even of Heaven and life eternal An heir is he which hath right to an Inheritance and the Inheritance which the children of God have right to is not such an Inheritance in which the children use to succeed their deceased parents as it is with men but such an inheritance which they shall enjoy with their Father and both children and Father live everlastingly to enjoy it Heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ He explaineth here the meaning of the word heirs heirs we are of God as of our Father And co-heirs with Christ as with our elder brother And the Inheritance which we shall come to by being heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ is the kingdom of heaven and life everlasting So that they which mortifie the deeds of the flesh shall live eternally because they are Gods children If so be that we suffer with him I conceive that something is to be understood between these and the former words as those or the like words And we shall undoubtedly enjoy and be made actual partakers of the Inheritance of God and of Christ with Christ our elder Brother q. d. And if Children then heirs heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ and we shall undoubtedly enjoy and be made actuall partakers of the Inheritance of God and of Christ with Christ our elder brother if so be that we suffer the afflictions and crosses of this world patiently and couragiously as he did That we suffer Supple afflictions and crosses patiently and couragiously With him That is as he did Note that this Preposition With is a note of similitude here and is asmuch to say as As. That we may be also Glorified together Between this and the former words I conceive that the Apostle leaveth an Exhortation to suffering to be understood which he enforceth with many Arguments following q. d. And indeed let us suffer the Afflictions and Crosses of this world patiently and couragiously as Christ suffered them That as Christ is glorified for suffering so are also may be glorified together with him or as he is glorified That Christ was glorified for his suffering See Phil. 2. v. 8 9. Ver. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us q. d. For I reckon that those sufferings which we here suffer in this present life are no whit to be compared either for Quality or Quantity or for Duration to the glory which shall be revealed in us He bringeth an Argument here to perswade us to suffer with Christ that we may be glorified with him And his Argument is brought from comparing our present sufferings and future glory together and pronouncing that our future glory will far excell our present sufferings I reckon q. d. Upon comparing and weighing these two together viz. Our present sufferings and future glory I do rekon or account Of this present time i. e. Of this present life which we live in this world Which shall be revealed in us i. e. Which shall be openly given or bestowed upon us That is said in the Scripture phrase to be revealed which is done openly and in the sight of all as this shall be at the Day of Judgment See Isa 40.5 and 2 Thes 1.7 Ver. 19. For the earnest ●xpectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God i e. For the Creature with earnest expectation waiteth for that That the sons of God should be manifested to be the sons of God or That the sons of God should be manifested that they are the sons of God to wit by the glory which God shall confer upon them Note that there is an Hypallage or Metonymie in these words for for the expectation of the Creature is put for for the Creature through expectation The Apostle proveth here that one day there shall be glory revealed in us and this he doth least any one should doubt of this that there shall be such glory revealed in us as he spoke of ver 18. Between this therefore and the former verse understand these or the like words For there shall be glory revealed in us q. d. For there shall be glory revealed in us For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the glory of the sons of God And this their expectation is not in vain neither shall it be frustrate The earnest expectation of the Creature i. e. The Creature with earnest expectation Hypallage or Metonymia But it may be asked what is meant by the Creature here I answer that by the Creature is meant here The whole Vniverse of irrational Creatures as it comprehends the Heavens Elements and such irrational and corporeal Creatures as are compounded and made of the Elements But especially the Elements and the Creatures compounded thereof in comparison of which the Heavens are not subject to vanity Being therefore that by the Creature is here meant the Vniverse of irrational Creatures it is to be observed that the Apostle useth a Prosopopoeia here and speaks of the irrational Creature though it be irrational as if it had reason and understanding For the manifestation of the sons of God i. e. For the time in which the glory of the sons of God shall be openly conferred upon them and by which they shall be known to be the sons of God The word Manifestation is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Revelation and is of the same Original with 〈◊〉

weight of Glory Into The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth here not the intrinsecal term of the mutation into which the creature should be changed but the extrinsicall term of time when it shall be changed or delivered from the body of Corruption q. d. At the Glorious liberty i. e. At the time of the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Ver. 22 For we know i. e. For we who have the knowledge of God and of his Truth know The whole creation The whole universe of the Creatures The word Creation is put by a Metonymy here for the Creature Yet know that it is the same word to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here which is used ver 19 20 21 And that it might have been as well rendred Creature here as there Groaneth A Metaphor from women groaning in their travaill because of their pain and desiring to be delivered of it And travaileth in pain together A Metaphor from women still who in their travail are in great pain and desiring to be delivered of that pain And then desire shall not be frustrate He speaketh here of the Creation or the irrational Creatures as if they had reason and were every one a person by a Prosopopoeia And he saith They groan and travail in pain because that that which they suffer from wicked men is grievious to them that is is such as if they had sense and feeling would prove grievious to them and insufferable as being contrary to their nature and the end of their Creation and such as they would desire to be delivered from And intimates that this their desire shall not be frustrate being grounded upon Gods promise that is upon Gods decree to deliver them Together This relates to the Members of the Creation that is to the severall Creatures of the world all of which groan and travail in pain The Apostle sayes indeed not all the Creatures but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole creation groaneth together and useth a noun of the Singular number but yet because this noun is Nomen collectivum as the word world and the word people is which containes many particulars of many kindes in it the Apostle may say of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in relation to those several species of things which it contains though he relates not to any other things Vntill now i e. To this very time from the time that man first sinned These words For we know that the whole crea●ion groaneth and travaileth in pain together untill now may relate to those words of the 20. verse For the Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly and be as a confirmation of them Or they may relate to those words of the 21 verse The bondage of Corruption as proving that the Creature is under such a bondage by its groaning and so groaning as that it desires to be delivered from it I have taken the word vanity ver 20. and the word Corruption ver 21. hitherto for men wicked men or sinners as some others have done before me But we may take the word vanity ver 20 and the word Corruption ver 21. for mutability or a change to the worse yea a substantial change as well as accidental To Vanity and Corruption this way taken was the Creature especially the Sublunary Creatures which we must now either solely or chiefly understand here by the Creatures made subject either wholly or in its parts for the sin of man for as God cursed the earth for Mans sake when he had eaten of the forbidden fruit Gen. 3.17 So no doubt did he the rest of the Elements and Elementary compounds by which they became more impure than they were before and more subject to corruption and were more often corrupted and that in a baser manner than otherwise they would have been I say than otherwise they would have been for though Man had never sinned yet there would have been a Corruption of the Elements in their parts being that there would have been a Generation of herbs and trees and other things But yet not such a corruption as hath been since mans fall since which the earth brings forth such store of Thorns and Thistles and such like weeds and the Air is pestered with so many unwholesome fogs and vapours and the like c. And the Corn is vexed with blasting mildews and the like besides that that wicked men abuse these Creatures and corrupt and wast them in their abuse If we take these words Vanity and Corruption in this sence we must say that the Apostle speaks of them as of Lords or Ladies by a Prosopopoeia and interpret this whole discourse from the nineteenth verse hitherto in Analogy to the sence of those words so taken which is easie to do by what I have already said Which of those interpretations he will prefer before which I leave to my Reader Ver. 23. And not onely they Or not only It to wit the whole Irrational Creature or Creation But our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit i. e. But we men also we I mean which have the first fruits of the Spirit we I say groan within our selves c. Which have the first fruits of the spirit By this he describes Regenerate men who have all of them the first fruits of the Spirit of God or of the holy Ghost but none of them the full harvest thereof here in this life And distinguisheth them from those which are Irregenerate The first fruits of the spirit are opposed here to the full harvest and that abundance of the spirit which we shall have in the world to come In saying the first fruits of the spirit he alludes to the first fruits of the Corn or the like used in the Law of which we may read Levit. 23.10 Deut. 26.2 which first fruits the People of Israel did offer by the command of God partly that they might acknowledge their thankfulness to God for the fruits of the earth Deut. 26. ver 1 2 3 c. But partly that the other Corn or fruit might be thereby sanctified Levit. 23.14 Rom. 11.16 As therefore the Israelites by offering the first fruits to God were confident of enjoying the rest of the Corn or Harvest in due time So do Regenerate men out of the sense and feeling which they have of the first-fruits of the spirit which they enjoy here in this world conceive hope of enjoying the full measure of the Spirit in Glory in their due time in the world to come Well doth the Apostle here say We which have the first fruits of the spirit and distinguisheth himself and such as he from the Irregenerate For they which have none of the spirit nor any fruits thereof they though they may groan for pain yet they cannot wait and hope for the Redemption of their bodies at the last day for they have no grounds of any such hope Groan within our selves That is groan truly and in heart

People The people of Israel are here meant whom God elected to be a peculiar people to himself which people were called Jews from the chiefest Tribe to wit the Tribe of Judah after the return of that people out of the Babylonish Captivity Which he foreknew i. e. which he hath heretofore shewed his love to Or rather being spoken of God whom he did decree and determine from eternity to cast his love upon See what was Said Cap. 8. v. 29. Of this word But note that the love here spoken of is not such a love as is spoken of there but such a love only as caused God to adopt the children of Israel for sons unto himself with such an Adoption as was described Chap. 9. v 4. These words contain an Argument to prove that God would not cast off his people Israel in that manner as we have spoken of being that God promised Abraham to be a God to him and his seed for ever Gen 17 7. And thereupon made choice of his seed to be his people and promised not so to abhor them at any time as to destroy them utterly Levit. 26.44 Deut. 4.31 There is therefore a Note of the cause contained in that Relative Pronoune Which Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias i. e. Know ye not c. The Apostle hath relation here to that Story which is Recorded of Elias 1 Kings 19.14 How he maketh intercession to God against Israel c. i. e. How he being zealously affected towards God complains to God of the ten tribes of Israel as Revolters from his worship to impiety And prayes his aid or revenge against them Ver. 3. Lord they have killed thy Prophets c. That as many Prophets of the Lord as could be found in Israel that is within the Kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel were slain at the command of Jezebel is manifest by the History 1 Kings 18.4 And digged down thine Altars Concerning the digging down of the Altars here mentioned nothing is found in the story aforementioned But yet that they were thus digged down The words of Elias 1 Kings 19.14 are sufficient Testimony But it may be questioned here how the Altars of the L●●d could be said to be digged down when a● there was to be no Altar of the Lord for sacrifice at this time but in Hierusalem only Answ Indeed ordinarily there could be no Altar made for sacrifice out of Hierusalem after that God had taken that for the place of his worship The Lord so commanding But upon special occasions the Lord again commanding it or moving to it by his spirit there might be Altars made even out of Hierusalem and that for Sacrifice as was that Altar which Eliah built 1 Kings 18.32 But though ordinarily there could be no Altars built but in Hierusalem only after the building of the Temple in Hierusalem and placing of the Ark there yet before that there might be and were many Altars built by the Holymen of God in many other places and many were built in the land of Israel which stood to this time of Elias though they were not now used for sacrifice as at the first And of these or such Altars doth Eliah here complain that they were digged down Not that he did allow of their doings and worship which sacrificed now upon these Altars because men were now to sacrifice in Hierusalem only ordinarily But because he did detest the abominable impiety of the men of the kingdom of the ten tribes who would not have sacrifices to be offered any where to the Lord but to Baal only And therefore did demolish and even dig down the Altars which were informer time built to the Lord and on which some of the Lords servants perhaps might by extraordinary dispensation sacrifice to the Lord in despight of them or that so they might dishonour him And I am left alone To wit of all them that truly worship thee all others being either slain or having forsaken thee and turned to Baal Elijah thought that there were none left that worshipped the true God but himself alone But he was deceived though he was a Prophet For the Spirit of the Prophets was but an Assistant Spirit Nor was it alway assistant to Prophets to inform them at all times in all things but only then and in such things as the Lord was pleased to reveal unto them And they seek my life To wit to destroy it Ver. 4. But what saith the answer of the Lord i. e. But what saith the Lord in his Answer to him The Answer of the Lord is put here by a Metonymie for the Lord himself that made Answer I have reserved to my self seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the Image of Baal i e. I have reserved to my self alive many thousand men which have not worshipped the Image of Baal that Idol God but worship me still and continue upright in my service He saith seven thousand for many thousand putting a certain for an uncertain number as it is often put And he saith have not bowed the knee to Baal for they have not worshipped Baal Per Metonymiam Adjuncti or per Synechdochen Ver. 5. There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace i. e. That is there is a Remnant of the Jews remaining which God out of his free Grace and mercy hath elected to wit to justification The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where note that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with a new substantive makes it often to have the signification of an Adjective or a Participle so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Carnal Rom. 8.5 A Remnant that is a few The immediate Object of the Election here spoken of is under correction not Eternal glory and life everlasting in Heaven though justification tends to glorification But Justification for the object of this Election is due to works of debt without any grace or favour at all as appears by the sixth verse That is the object of this Election is such as that if a man did perfectly keep the Law and as exactly as the Law requireth it would be due to him of debt and with Reverence be it spoken God would be unjust if he should keep it from him But now though a man upon supposition did perfectly keep the Law or had perfectly kept it and as Exactly as the Law requireth yet he would not thereby merit Eternal glory and life everlasting in heaven that would not for all this be due to him of debt so that abstracting from the gratious promise of God if God should have made any such promise God would be unjust if he did not give it him And this I think all Protestant Divines will grant and maintaine who dispute against the merit of the Creature But yet if a man did perfectly keep the Law and as Exactly as the Law requireth as suppose Adam would have done if he had

labours 21. But as it is written To whom he was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard shall understand 21. But where Christ had been never before preached or heard of there have I preached So that that is in part fulfilled by me which was written Isa 52.15 To whom Christ was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard of him shall understand him 22. For which cause also I have been much hindred from coming to you 22. For which cause also among others I have been much hindred from coming to you whom I have desired of a long time to see 23. But now having no more place in these parts and having a great desire these many years to come unto you 23. But now finding no place in these parts in which I have not preached the Gospel already so that there is no necessity now of my continuing here any longer and having a great desire these many years to come unto you 24. Whensoever I take my journey into Spain I will come to you For I trust to see you in my journey and to be brought on my way thitherward by you if first I be somewhat filled with your company 24. Whensoever I take my journey into Spain I will come to you For I trust to see you in my journey and to be brought on my way thitherward by you when first I have been somewhat filled with your company and have enjoyed that and a while 25. But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints 25. But for the present though I much desire it I cannot come to you for I am going to Hierusulem to carry to the poor Saints there those almes which I have received of the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia for them 26. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem 26. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor Saints which are at Hierusalem who are in much want at this time 27. It hath pleased them verily and their debtors they are For if the Gentiles have been made partkers of their spiritual things their duty is also to minister unto them in carnall things 27. It hath pleased them I say and indeed they could not well do any less for their debtors they are so to do in a certain manner for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things their duty is truly to answer this and to minister to them in carnal things 28. When therefore I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit I will come by you into Spain 28. When therefore I have performed this journey to Hierusalem and this service which I spake of and have delivered to them that mony which the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia have contributed to them which by Gods grace I will do without any diminution of it at all which is the fruit of their faith I will come by you when I go to Spain 29. And I am sure that when I come unto you I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ 29. And when I come unto you I am sure I shall so come as that you shall receive abundance of blessing by the Gospel of Christ which I shall preach unto you at my coming 30. Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 30. Now because I am imployed in this business to Jerusalem of carrying alms thither I beseech you Brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake and for the loves sake which the holy Ghost worketh in us Christians one towards another that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 31. That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints 31. That I may be delivered and kept safe from them that believe not in Judea which bear a cruel hate against me And that my Service which I have for the Saints at Hierusalem may be accepted of them 32. That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God and may with you be refreshed 32. That so I may come to you with joy if it be Gods will and may be refreshed with you 33. Now the God of peace be with you all Amen 33. Now God which is the Author of peace be with you all and grant you his peace Amen CHAP. XV. Ver. 1. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak The Apostle having in the former Chapter instructed the Christian Jew which is strong in the faith how he should carry himself to the Christian Jew which is weak turns his speech here from him to the strong Christian in general whether he be Jew or whether he be Gentile by an Apostrophe and whereas he spake in the former Chapter and treated there of such days and such meats only as had been differenced by the Law of Moses Here he speaks of all things which are any waies differenced by the opinion of men He speaks here I say in general to the strong Christian whether he be Jew or Gentile and instructs the strong Jew how he should carry himself to a weak Gentile and a strong Gentile how he should carry himself to a weak Jew and this he seems to do especially though a strong Gentile may also learn from hence how to carry himself to a Gentile which is weak We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak This is inferred from the last verse of the fourteenth Chapter for it is a general truth which he there saith viz. that he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Or rather it is inferred from those words of the 21 vers It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is weak We that are strong Those he calls strong here which are strong in faith that is which are so well skilled and so well perswaded of the lawful use of things which are indifferent in their own nature as that they can use them without scruple or doubt of conscience Ought to bear the infirmities of the weak Those he calls weak here which are weak in faith as he said Chap. 14.1 that is such as have not attained to so much knowledge as to know what they may lawfully do or what they may lawfully leave undone in such things as are in their own nature indifferent and are soon offended at other mens doings in such matters And this their ignorance and aptness to be offended he also calls their infirmity or weakness Then do

of Hierusalem and Judaea those Alms which I have gathered for them in the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia and to distribute them among them To the Saints i. e. To those Christians That is to those Jews which are turned to Christ and believe the Gospel Christians are among other titles called by the name of Saints not because all that profess the name of Christ are Saints that is are truly holy but because every Church of Christ is called a Congregation of Saints from the principal members thereof which are truly Saints As also because the Doctrine which Christians profess is an holy Doctrine and the life required of them and which they profess is an holy life Ver. 26. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia i. e. For it hath pleased the Saints that is the Christians or Brethren which live in Macedonia and Achaia c. To make a certain contribution for the poor Saints which are at Hierusalem The Jews which believed were persecuted by the unbelieving Jews and spoiled of their goods as appeareth Heb. 10.34 1 Thes 2.14 And this was one great cause of the poverty of these Saints of Hierusalem The Apostle commends the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia here that he might thereby tacitely stir up the Romans to the like Contribution or Alms-deeds towards the poor Christian Jews Ver. 27 It hath pleased them q. d. It hath pleased them I say The Apostle repeats these words out of the former verse that he might add something to them And their debtors they are i. e. And the Saints of Macedonia and Achaia are debtors to the Jews of Hierusalem Viz. so to do that is to relieve them in their necessities Upon what account they are their debtors to relieve them in their necessities he tells in the next words For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things c. For being that the Gentiles have been made partakers of the Spiritual things of the Jews c. It is not Dubitantis but Affirmantis here The spiritual things which the Apostle here speaks of are such things as conduced to a spiritual life to wit the Word of God that is the Gospel and the Sacraments c. And these he calls the things of the Jews because the Gentiles received them from the Jews and because they were deposited with the Jews at the first as the gift of God promised to them from the days of old and at last performed And of these spiritual things the Gentiles were made partakers also by the ministry of the Apostles which were Jews Their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things i. e. Their duty it is truly and they are bound to minister unto them and relieve them in carnal things Also is as much here as Truly or it signifies a retaliation By carnal things he means such things as are requisite and necessary for the maintainance of the Flesh that is the Body or Bodily life The Apostle saith here that the Gentiles which received the Gospel and the Sacraments from the Jews were debtors to the Jews and bound to them by reason of the Gospel and the Sacraments which they received from them to relieve them in their necessities And speaks not of those Jews only which preached the Gospel and ministred the Sacraments to them which were the Apostles but of as many of the whole people or nation of the Jews from which they came out as were Christians But now the question will be whether this of the Gentiles to the Jews be a debt properly or improperly taken that is whether it be a debt such as the Jews by vertue thereof might exact in the way of justice relief of the Gentiles in their necessity Or whether it be only called a debt of the Gentiles because the Gentiles if they should not relieve the Jews in their necessity by reason of what they had received from them would not carry themselves seemly and handsomly towards them though this seemliness and handsomness ariseth not out of Justice but some other Fountain I answer It is a debt not properly but improperly taken if we speak of as many of the whole nation or people of the Jews which were Christians Though in respect of those Jews to wit the Apostles which laboured in ministring of the Gospel and the Sacraments to the Gentiles it would be a debt properly taken and properly due to them to relieve them if they stood in need because of the pains and travel which they take with them for the labourer is justly worthy of his hire Ver. 28. When therefore I have performed this When I have finished this Journey to Hierusalem and this Service which I speak of And have sealed to them this fruit i. e. And when I have delivered unto them this money wh●ch the Gentiles have contributed to them which I will do without any deminution of it at all To Seal signifieth here to deliver as a thing which is sealed where there is no purloining nor surreption for there is an allusion here to goods or monies which are sealed up in a bag or the like which is therefore sealed up that they may come entire to them to whom they are sent and that they who receive them may know by the integrity of the Seal that nothing hath been diminished of them but that they are intire as they were sent By this the Apostle intimates how unblamably and intirely he would behave himself in this matter This fruit He calls the alms or the contribution which the Achaians and Macedonians sent to the Jews at Hierusalem Fruit because it was the fruit of their faith I will come by you into Spain Supple if God will For this to wit if God will is to be supposed to be understood by all Chrians in their speaking of their determination Whether Paul went ever into Spain as is here written is doubted Ver. 29. I am sure This assurance which the Apostle here speaks of seems to be not an assurance as they say of faith or an infallible assurance but an assurance only of hope so that when he saith I am sure it is as if he should say I hope or I am perswaded yet it may be more than an assurance of hope if the Romans themselves hindred not by their own fault the abundance of the blessing which he speaks of I shall come in the abundance of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ i. e. I shall so come as that you shall receive abundance of blessing by the Gospel which I shall preach to you at my coming In the abundance of the blessing i. e. With abundance of blessing In is put for With. The blessing of the Gospel I conceive to be nothing else here but the comfort and strength of grace which is conveyed into the hearts of the faithful by the preaching of the Gospel which he speaks of here as things subsistent by a Metaphor Ver. 30. And for the love of the spirit i. e.