PARAPHRASE VOTES ON THE EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL TO THB GALATIANS, CORINTHIANS, ROMANS, AND EPHESIANS. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, AN ESSAY FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF ST. PAUL'S EPISTLES, BY CONSULTING ST. PAUL HIMSELF. == +. e=—— BY JOHN LOCKE, ESQ. A NEW EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR W. OTRIDGE AND SON, LEIGH AND SOTHEBY, F.C. AND J. RIVINGTON, J. WALKER, W. LOWNDES, LACKINGTON AND CO. DARTON AND HARVEY, T. EGERTON, W. CLARKE AND. SONS, WILKIE AND ROBINSON, C. LAW, J. RICHARDSON, WHITE AND COCHRANE, LONGMAN AND CO. CADELL AND DAVIES, J. MAWMAN, J. FAULDER, AND J. JOHNSON AND CO. 1812, BMMIRON 2AM sh nov : ma < reer Thi g | Y AS ets BS PRATerut Sha Tet eRe EE, AS 7 = eh ee tee 4 ba) ~ it tn Os 2 4 a 7 : ss Bie 2 ea MI vn re hae, . . i + pate RET CAE ee vere ee Si se . es OE ee Fra SREP ala aac alate Tacit iil is lolita i bi Tae eh } Fi = 5h eh oa s as ee twroa tiee Wai ote, OU Ba ene oe Waa i Ud iy CBR OU ee Ae he ker oa So ANCA ENED SURE BE s Rrigie 3 ea ; Le te | OP eo A hemi (60 thd WoL Be ADS TEU, ee ae ogee PG | iad a Fae 8." Law and Giber, Pauters St Joh J CONTENTS. An Essay for the Understanding of St. Paul’s Epistles, by con- Smidiue St.Paul himself ............5.5. A Paraphrase and Notes on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians A Paraphrase and Notes on St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Co- rinthians eeeeseeeoessteereeseeeeeereeeeeeorseeeeseess A Paraphrase und Notes on St. Paul’s Second Epistle to the LES hepa aa oe a ee ey kee A Paraphrase and Notes on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans A Paraphrase and Notes on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians Index. PAGE « . ‘ : a4 —~ } T 9 ae Oe alte Ties ix," v ee ee A PARAPHRASE NOTES ON THE EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL TO THE GALATIANS, CORINTHIANS, ROMANS, EPHESIANS. TO WHICH I8 PREFIXED, AN ESSAY FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF ST. PAUL’S EPISTLES, BY CONSULTING Sf. PAUL HIMSELF. vad z a oe ae He a P Fy - cs ; ¢ % * = a t N saeadechipemeatpceest ss oe sR cae Sipe os AER, TR 46 * y : SBP ORs By mieten, BELO very ay me, ie : a AERIGT AD SE Raia, we . o te is ti i pie ee ae oe vic hy Plo iy. <8 pares bregkes Vee 190.0008 re AN ' ESSAY FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF ST. PAUL'S EPISTLES, BY CONSULTING ST. PAUL HIMSELF. THE PREFACE. To go about to explain any of St. Paul's epistles, after so great a train of expositors and commentators, might seem an attempt of vanity, censurable for its needlessness, did not the daily and approved examples of pious and learn- ed men justify it. This may be some excuse for me to the public, if ever these following papers should chance to come abroad : but to myself, for whose use this work was under- taken, I need make no apology. Though I had been con- versant in these epistles, as well as in other parts of sacred scripture, yet I found that I understood them not; I mean the doctrinal and discursive parts of them: though the prac- tical directions, which are usually dropped in the latter part of each epistle, appeared to me very plain, intelligible, and instructive. I did not, when I reflected on it, very much wonder, that this part of sacred scripture had difficulties in it: many causes of obscurity did readily occur to me. *The nature Ba iv PREFACE. of epistolary writings in general, disposes the writer to pass by the mentioning of many things, as well known to him, to whom his letter is addressed, which are necessary to be laid open toa stranger, to make him comprehend what is said : and it not seldom falls out, that a well-penned letter, which is very easy and intelligible to the receiver, is very obscure to a stranger, who hardly knows what to make of it. The matters that St. Paul writ about, were certainly things well known to those he writ to, and which they had some pecu- liar concern in; which made them easily apprehend his meaning, and see the tendency and force of his discourse. But we having now, at this distance, no information of the occasion of his writing, little or no knowledge of the temper and circumstances those he writ to were in, but what is to be gathered out of the epistles themselves; it is not strange, ‘that many things in them lie concealed to us, which, no doubt, they who were concerned in the letter, understood at first sight. Add to this, that in many places it is manifest he answers letters sent, and questions proposed to him, which, if we had, would much better clear those passages that relate to them, than all the learned notes of critics and ~ commentators, who in after-times fill us with their conjec- tures; for very often, as to the matter in hand, they are no- thing else. _ The language wherein these epistles are writ, is another, -and that no small occasion of their obscurity to us now: the words are Greek; a language dead many ages since; a lan- “guage of a very witty, volatile people, seekers after novelty, and abounding with variety of notions and sects, to which they applied the terms of their common tongue, with great liberty and variety: and yet this makes but one small part of the difficulty in the language of these epistles ; there is a peculiarity in it, that much more obscures and perplexes the -meaning of these writings, than what can be occasioned by _the looseness and variety of the Greek tongue. The terms are Greek, but the idiom, or turn of the phrases, may be truly said to be Hebrew or Syriack, The custom and fami- liarity of which tongues do sometimes so far influence the expressions in these epistles, that one may observe the force _of the Hebrew conjugations, particularly that of Hiphil, given to Greek verbs, in a way unknown to the Grecians PREFACE. - v themselves. Nor isthis all; the subject treated of in these epistles is so wholly new, and the doctrines contained in them so perfectly remote from the notions that mankind were acquainted with, that most of the important terms in it have quite another signification from what they have in other discourses. So that putting all together, we may truly say, that the New Testament is a book written in a language peculiar to itself. To these causes of obscurity, common to St. Paul, with most of the other penmen of the several books of the New Testament, we may add those that are peculiarly his, and owing to his style and temper. He was, as it is visible, a man of quick thought, and warm temper, mighty well versed in the writings of the Old Testament, and full of the doc- trine of the New. All this put together, suggested matter to him in abundance, on those subjects which came in his way: so that one may consider him, when he was writing, as beset with a croud of thoughts, all striving for utterance. In this posture of mind it was almost impossible for him to keep that slow pace, and observe minutely that order and method of ranging all he said, from which results an easy and obvious perspicuity. To this plenty and vehemence of his, may be imputed those many large parentheses, which a careful reader may observe in his epistles. Upon this ac- count also it is, that he often breaks off in the middle of an argument, to let in some new thought suggested by his own words ; which having pursued and explained, as far as con- duced to his present purpose, he ré-assumes again the thread of his discourse, and goes on with it, without taking any notice, that he returns again to what he had been be- fore saying; though sometimes it be so far off, that itemay well have slipt out of his mind, and requires a very attentive reader to observe, and so bring the disjointed members to- ‘gether, as to make up the connexion, and see how the scat- tered parts of the discourse hang together in a coherent, well-agreeing sense, that makes it all of a piece. - Besides the disturbance in perusing St. Paul’s epistles, from the plenty and vivacity of his thoughts, which may _ obscure his method, ane often hide his sense from an un- ‘wary, or over-hasty reader; the frequent changing of the personage he speaks in, renders the sense very uncertain, vi PREFACE. and is apt to mislead one that has not some clue to guide him; sometimes by the pronoun I, he means himself; sometimes any christian; sometimes a Jew, and sometimes anyman, &c, If speaking of himself, in the first person singular, has so various meanings ; his use of the first per- son plural is with a far greater latitude, sometimes design- ing himself alone, sometimes those with hinaself, whom he makes partners to the epistles; sometimes with himself, comprehending the other apostles, or preachers of the gos- pel, or christians: nay, sometimes he in that way speaks of the converted Jews, other times of the converted Gentiles, and sometimes of others, in a more or less extended sense, every one of which varies the meaning of the place, and makes it to be differently understood. 1 have forborne to trouble the reader with examples of themhere. If his own observation hath not already furnished him with them, the following paraphrase and notes, I suppose, will satisfy him in the point. ie f In the current also of his discourse, he sometimes drops im the objections of others, and his answers to them, with- out any change in the scheme of his language, that might give notice of any other speaking, besides himself. This requires great attention to observe; and yet, if it be ne- glected or overlooked, will make the reader very much mis- take and misunderstand his meaning, and render the sense very perplexed. OYA Me Ie These are intrinsic difficulties arising from the text itself, whereof there might be a great many other named, as the uncertainty, sometimes, who are the persons he speaks to, or the opinions, or practices, which he has in his eye, some- times in alluding to them, sometimes in his exhortations and reproofs. But, those above-mentioned being the chief, it may suffice to have opened our eyes a little upon them, which, well examined, may contribute towards our disco- very of the rest. reer hal? To these we may subjoin two external causes, that have made no small increase of the native and original difficul- ties, that keep us from an. easy and assured discovery of St. Paul's sense, in many parts of his epistles: and those are, ; Yb First, The dividing of them into chapters and verses, as PREFACE. | vii we havédone; whereby they are so chopped and minced, and, as they are now printed, stand so broken and divided, that not only the common people take the verses usually for distinct aphorisms; but even men of more advanced know- ledge, in reading them, lose very much of the strength and force of the coherence, and the light that depends on it. Our minds are so weak and narrow, that they have need of all the helps and assistances that can be procured, to lay before them undisturbedly the thread and coherence of any discourse; by which alone they are truly improved, and led into the genuine sense of the author. When the eye is constantly disturbed in loose sentences, that by their standing and separation appear as so many distinct frag- ments: the mind will have much ado to take in, and ca on in its memory, an uniform discourse of dependent rea- sonings; especially having from the cradle been used to wrong impressions concerning them, and constantly accus- tomed to hear them quoted as distinct sentences, without any limitation or explication of their precise meaning, from the’place they stand in, and the relation they bear to what goes before, or follows. ‘These divisions also have given occasion to the reading these epistles by parcels, and in scraps, which has farther confirmed the evil arising from such partitions. And I doubt not but every one will con- fess it to be avery unlikely ‘way, to come to the understand- ing of any other letters, to read them piece-meal, a bit to- day, and another scrap to-morrow, and so on by broken in- tervals: especially if the pause and cessation should be made, as the chapters the apostle’s epistles are divided into, do end sometimes in the middle of a discourse, arid some- timés in the middle of a sentence. It cannot therefore but ‘be wondered, that that should be permitted to be done to - holy writ, which would visibly disturb the sense, and hinder the understanding of any other book whatsoever. If Tully’s epistles were so printed, and so used, I ask,. Whether they would not be much harder to be understood, less easy, and less pleasant to be read, by much, than now they are? How plain soever this abuse is, and what prejudice soever it does to the understanding of the sacred scripture, yet if a bible was printed as it should be, and as the several parts of it were writ, in continued discourses, where the argument viii PREFACE. is continued, I doubt not but the several parties would com- plain of it, as an innovation, and a dangerous change in the: publishing those holy books. And indeed, those who are’ for maintaining their opinions, and the systems. of parties, by sound of words, with a neglect of the true sense of serip- ture, would have reason to make and foment the outcry. - They would most of them be immediately disarmed of their great magazine of artillery, wherewith they defend them- selves and fall upon others. If the holy scriptures were but laid before the eyes of christians, in its connexion and consistency, it. would not then be so easy to snatch out a few words, as if they were separate from the rest, to serve a purpose, to which they do not at all belong, and with which they have nothing to do. But, as the matter now stands, he that has a mind to it, may ata cheap rate be a notable champion for the truth, that is, for the doctrines of the sect, that chance or interest has cast him into. He need but be furnished with verses of sacred seripture, con- taining words and expressions that are but flexible, (as all general obscure and doubtful ones are) and his system, that has appropriated them to the orthodoxy of his church, makes them immediately strong and irrefragable arguments for his opinion. This is the benefit of loose sentences, and scrip- ture crumbled into verses, which quickly turn into indepen- dent aphorisms. But if the quotation in the verse produced were considered as a part of a continued coherent discourse, and so its sense were limited by the tenour of the context, most of these forward and warm disputants would be quite stripped of those, which they doubt not now to. eall spiritual ‘weapons; and they would have often nothing to say, that would not show their weakness, and manifestly fly in their - faces. I crave leave to set down a saying of the learned and judicious Mr. Selden: ‘In interpreting the seripture, “* says he, many do as if a man should see one have ten “* pounds, which he reckoned by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. _“ meaning four was but four units, and five five units, &c. “and that he had in all but ten pounds: the other that -** sees him, takes not the figures together as he doth, but ** picks here and there ; and thereupon reports that he had “‘ five pounds in one bag, and six pounds in another bag, “and pine pounds in another bag, &c, when as, in truth, PREFACE. | ix * he has but ten pounds inall. So we pick out a text here “ and there, to make it serve our turn; whereas if we take * it altogether, and consider what went before, and what “ followed after, we should find it meant no such thing.” - Ihave heard sober christians very much admire, why or- dinary illiterate people, who were-professors, that showed a concern for religion, seemed much more conversant in St. Paul’s epistles, than in the plainer, and (as it seemed to them) much more intelligible parts of the New Testament ; they confessed, that, though they read St. Paul's epistles with their best attention, yet they generally found them too hard to be mastered, and they laboured in vain so far to reach the apostle’s meaning, all along in the train of what he said, as to read them with that satisfaction that arises from a fecling, that we understand and fully comprehend the foree and reasoning of an author; and therefore they could not imagine what those saw in them whose eyes they thought not much better than their own. But the case was plain, these sober inquisitive readers had a mind to see nothing in St. Paul’s epistles, but just what he meant; whereas those others, of a quicker and gayer sight, could see in them what they pleased. Nothing is more acceptable to fancy, than pliant terms, and expres- sions that are not obstinate ; in such it can find its account with delight, and with them be illuminated, orthodox, infalli- ble at pleasure, and in its own way. But where the sense of the author goes visibly in its own train, and the words, re- ceiving a determined sense from their companions and adja- cents, will not consent to give countenance and colour towhat is agreed to be right, and must be supported at any rate, there men of established orthodoxy do not so well find their satisfaction. And perhaps, ifit were well examined, it woula be no very extravagant paradox to say, that there are fewer that bring their opinions to the sacred scripture, to be tried by that infallible rule, than bring the sacred scripture to their Opinions, to bend it to them, to make it, as they can, a cover and guard to them. And to this purpose, its being di- vided into verses, and brought, as much as may be, «into loose and general aphorisms, makes it most useful and ser- viceable. And. in this lies the other great cause of obscurity ‘ PREFACE. | and perplexedness, which has been cast upon St, Paul’s epis- tles from without. ob Pet Ruan. St. Paul’s epistles, as they stand translated in our Eng- lish Bibles, are now, by long and constant use, become a part of the English language, and common phraseol By, especially in matters of religion:. this every one uses famili~ arly, and thinks he understands ; but. it must be observed, that if he has a distinct meaning, when he uses those words and. phrases, and knows himself, what he intends by them, it is always according to the sense of his own system, and the articles, or interpretations, of the societyheisengaged in. So that all this knowledge and understanding, which le has - in the use of these passages of sacred scripture, reaches no farther than this, that he knows (and that is very well) what he himself says, but thereby knows nothing at all what St: - Paulsaidinthem. Theapostle writ not by that man’s system, and so his meaning cannot be known by it. This’ being the ordinary way of understanding the epistles, and everysect be? ing perfectly orthodox in his own judgment; what a and invincible darkness must this cast.upon St. Paul’s mean- ing, to all those of that way, in all those places where: his thoughts and sense run counter to what any party has es+ poused for orthodox ; as it must, unavoidably, to all but one of the different systems, in all those passages that any wa relate to the points in controversy between them? +. This is a mischief, which however frequent, and almost natural, reaches so far, that it would justly make all those who depend upon them wholly diffident of commentators, and let them see how little help was to be expected, from them, in relying on them for the true sense of the sacred scripture, did they not take care to help to cozen themselves, by choosing to use, and pin their faith on, such expositors as explain the sacred scripture, in favour of those opinions, - that they beforehand have voted orthodox, and bring to the sacred scripture, not for trial but confirmation. No-body can think that any text of St. Paul’s epistles has two con- trary meanings; and yet so it must have, to two different men, who taking two commentators of different sects, for their respective guides into the sense of any one of the epis- tles, shall build upon their-respective expositions, Weneed go no further for a proof of it, than the notes of the two ce- PREFACE. | xi lebrated commentators on the New Testament, Dr. Ham- mond and Beza, both men of parts and learning, and both thought, by their followers, men mighty in the sacred scrip- tures. So that here we see the hopes of great benefit and light, from expositors and commentators, is in a great part abated ; and those, who have most need of their help, can receive but little from them, and-can have very little assur- ance of reaching the apostle’s sense, by what they find in them, whilst matters remain in the same state they are in at present. For those who find they need help, and would borrow light from expositors, either consult only those who have the good luck to be thought sound and orthodox, avoiding those of different sentiments from themselves, in the great and approved points of their systems, as danger- -ous and not fit to be meddled with ; or else with indifferency look into the notes of all commentators promiscuously. The first of these take pains only to confirm themselves in the opinion and tenets they have already, which, whether it be the way to get the true meaning of what St. Paul delivered, is easy to determine. The others, with much more fairness to themselves, though with reaping little more advantage, {unless they have something else to guide them into the apostle’s meaning, than the comments themselves) seek help on all hands, and refuse not to be taught by any one, who offers to enlighten them in any of the dark passages. But here, though they avoid the mischief, which the others fall into, of being confined in their sense, and seeing nothing but that in St. Paul's writings, be it right or wrong ; yet they run into as great on the other side, and instead of being confirm- ed in the meaning, that they thought they saw in the text, are distracted with an hundred, suggested by those they advised with; and so, instead of that one sense of the scrip- ture, which they carried with them to their commentators, return from them with none at all. | This, indeed, seems to make the case desperate: for if the comments and expositions of pious and learned men cannot be depended on, whither shall we go for help? To which I answer, I would not be mistaken, as if I thought the labours of the learned in this case wholly lost and fruitless. There is great use and benefit to be made of them, when we have once got a rule, to know which of their expositions, in the xii PREFACE. great variety there is of them, explains the words and phrases according to the apostle’s meaning. Until then it is evident, from what is abovesaid, they serve for the most part to no other use, but either to make us find our own ‘sense, and not his, in St. Paul’s words; or else to find in them no settled sense at all. | es Here it will be asked, ‘‘ How shall we come by this rule “ you mention? Where is that touchstone to be had, that “* will show us, whether the meaning we ourselves put, or “ take as put by others, upon St. Paul’s words, in his epis- “ tles, be truly his meaning or no?” I will not say sae which I propose, and have in the following paraphrase f lowed, will make us infallible in our interpretations of the apostle’s text : but this I will own, that till I took this way, St. Paul's epistles, to me, in the ordinary way of reading and studying them, were very obscure parts of scripture, that left me almost every-where at a loss ; and I was at a great un- certainty, in which of the contrary senses, that were to be found in his commentators, he was to be taken. Whether what I have done has made it any clearer, and more visible, now, I must leave others to judge. This I beg leave to say for myself, that if some very sober, judicious christians, no strangers to the sacred scriptures, nay, learned divines of the church of England, had not professed, that by the peru- sal of these following papers, they understood the epistles much better than they did before, and had not, with repeat- ed instances, pressed me to publish them, I should not have consented they should have gone beyond my own private — use, for which they were at first designed, and where they made me not repent my pains. ae: Se If any one be so far pleased with my endeavours, as to think it worth while to be informed, what was the clue I guided myself by, through all the dark passages of these cpistles, I shall minutely tell him the steps by which I was " brought into this way, that he may judge whether I proceed rationally, upon right grounds, or no; if so be any thing, in so mean an example as mine, may be worth his notice. After I had found by long experience, that the reading of the text and comments in the ordinary way, proved not so successful as I wished, to the end proposed, I began to sus- ‘pect, that in reading a chapter as was usual, and thereupon. PREFACE. Rili sometimes consulting expositors upon some hard places of it, which at that time most affected me, as relating to points then under consideration in my own mind, or in debate amongst others, was not a right method to get into the true sense of these epistles. I saw plainly, after I began once to reflect on it, that ifany one now should write me a letter, as long as St. Paul’s to the Romans, concerning such a matter as that is, in a style as foreign, and expressions as dubious, as his seem to be, if I should divide it into fifteen or sixteen chapters, and read of them one to-day, and another to-mor- Tow, &c. it was ten to one, I should never come to a full and clear comprehension of it. The way to understand the mind of-him that writ it, every one would agree, was to read the whole letter through, from one end to the other, all at once, to see what was the main subject and tendency of it: or if it had several views and purposes in it, not dependent one of another, nor in a subordination to one chief aim and end, to discover what those different matters were, and where the author concluded one, and began another ; and if there were any necessity of dividing the epistle into parts, to make these the boundaries of them. In prosecution of this thought, I concluded it necessary, for the understanding of any one of St. Paul's epistles, to read it all through at one sitting; and to observe, as well as I could, the drift and design of his writing it. Ifthe first reading gave me some light, the second gave me more ; and so I persisted on, reading constantly the whole epistle over at once, till I came to have a good general view of the apos- tle’s main purpose in writing the epistle, the chief branches of his discourse wherein he prosecuted it, the arguments he used, and the disposition of the whole. This, I confess, is not to be obtained by one or two hasty readings ; it must be repeated again and again, with a close attention to the tenour of the discourse, and a perfect ne- glect of the divisions into chapters and verses. On the con- trary, the safest way is to suppose, that the epistle has but one business, and one aim, until, by a frequent perusal of it, you are forced to see there are distinct independent matters in it, which will forwardly enough show themselves. It requires so much more pains, judgment, and applica- tion, to find the coherence of obscure ayd abstruse writings, “ xiv PREFACE. and makes them so much the more unfit to'serve prejudice and pre-occupation, when found ; that it isnot to be won- dered, that St. Paul's epistles have, with many, passed ra~ ther re disjointed, loose, pious discourses, eee me and zeal and overflows of light, rather than for calm, stro ‘rong, coherent reasonings, that carried a thread of argumen 5 consistency all through them. seb Sdrem: fom But this muttering of lazy or ill-disposed readers hindered me not from persisting in the course I had begut + T conti- nued to read the same epistle over and over, and over again, until I came to discover as appeared to me, what was the drift and aim of it, and by what steps and arg Paul prosecuted his purpose. I remembered, that St. Paul was miraculously called to the ministry of ren ar declared to be a chosen vessel ; that hel iad the whole was appointed to be the apostle of the, Gent es, for th pagating of it in the heathen world. Thiednamenie it persuade me, that he was not a man of loose and shattered parts, incapable to argue, and unfit to convince thos to deal with. God knows how to choose poperoentinters for the business he employs them in. A large stock of jew- ish learning he had taken in, at the feet of Gamaliel ; and for his information in christian knowledge, andthe mys and depths of the dispensation of grace by Jesus Christ, God himself had condescended to be his instructor and teacher. The light of the gospel he had received from the Fountain and Father of light himself, who, I concluded, had > not furnished him in this extraordinary manner, if all this” plentiful stock of learning and illumination had been in dan= ger to have been lost, or proved useless, in a jumbled and confused head ; nor have laid up such a store of admirable: and useful knowledge i in a man, who, for want of method and order, clearness of conce tion, or ineney in dis- - course, could not draw it out sais use with il greatest ad- vantages of force and coherence. That he knew how to pro- secute this purpose with strength of argument, and close reasoning, without incoherent sallies, or the i of things foreign to his business, was evident to me, from seve- ral speeches ofthis, recorded in the Acts : and it was hard to. think, that a man ‘that could talk with so much consistency, ‘ PREFACE. XV and clearness of conviction, should not be able to write with- out confusion, inextricable obscurity, and perpetual ramb- ing, The force, order, and perspicuity of those discourses, could not be denied to be very visible. How, then, came it, that the like was thought much wanting in his epistles? And of this there appeared to me this plain reason: the particu- larities of the history, in which these speeches are inserted, show St. Paul’s end in speaking; which, being seen, casts a light onthe whole, and shows the pertinency of all that he says. But his epistles-not being so circumstantiated ; there being no concurring history, that plainly declares the dis- position St. Paul was in ; what the actions, expectations, or demands of those to whom he writ, required him to speak to, we are nowhere told. All this, and a great deal more, necessary to guide us into the true meaning of the epistles, is to be had only from the epistles themselves, and to be gatheréd ‘from thence, with stubborn attention, and more than common application. This being the only safe guide (under the Spirit of God, that dictated these sacred writings) that can be relied on, I hope I may be excused, if I venture to say, that the utmost ought to be done to observe and trace out St. Paul's rea- sonings ; to follow the thread of his discourse in each of his epistles ; to show how it goes on, still directed with the same -view, and pertinently drawing the several incidents towards the same point.. To understand him right, his inferences should be strictly observed ; and it should be carefully exa- mined, from what they are drawn, and what they tend to. \Heis certainly a coherent, argumentative, pertinent writer ; and care, I think, should be taken, in expounding of him, to show that he is so. But though I say, he has weighty aims in his epistles, which he steadily keeps in his eye, and drives at, in all he says; yet I do not say, that he puts his dis- courses into an artificial method, or leads his reader into a distinction of his arguments, or gives them notice of new matter, by rhetorical or studied transitions. He has no or- naments borrowed from the Greek eloquence; no notions of their philosophy mixed with his doctrine, to set it off. The enticing words of man’s wisdom, whereby he means all the studied rules of the Grecian schools, which made them such masters in the art of speaking, he, as he says himself, xvi PREFACE. 1 Cor. it. 4, wholly neglected. The reason whereof he oT “0 in the next verse, and in other places. But { oli ness of language, delicacy of style, fineness of expression, laboured periods, artificial transitions, and a very methodi- cal ranging of the parts, with such other embellishmen make a discourse enter the mind smoothly, and strike the fancy at first hearing, havelittle or no place in his style ; yet coherence cf discourse, and a direct tendency ofall the of it to the argument in hand, are most eminently to be found in him. This I take to be his charact er, and doubt hot but it will be found to be so upon diligent examination. And in this, if it beso, we have a clue, if we will take the pains to find it, that will conduct us with surety, through those seemingly dark places, and imagined intricacies, in which christians have wandered so far one perro as to find quite contrary senses. a a Whether a superficial reading, ecequapealaal with the com- mon opinion of his invincible obscurity, has kept off some from seeking, in him, the coherence of a discourse, tending with close, strong reasoning to a point ; ora seemingly more honourable opinion of one that had been rapped up into the third heaven, as if from a man so warmed sdbialledegnel as he had been, nothing could be expected but flashes of light, and raptures of zeal, hindered others to look for a train of reasoning, proceeding on regular and co argu- mentation, from a man raised above the ordinary pitch of humanity, to a higher and brighter way of illumination; or else, whether others were loth to beat their heads about the tenour and coherence in St. Paul’s discourses; which, if found out, possibly might set them at a manifest and irre- concileable difference with their systems: it is certain that, whatever hath been the cause, this way of getting the true sense of St. Paul’s epistles, seems not to have been much made use of, or at least so thoroughly anatase as Tam apt to think it deserves. For, granting that he was full-stored with the knowledge of the things he treated of; for he had light from heaven, it was God himself furnished him, and he could not want : al- _ lowing also that he had ability to make use of the knowledge had been given him, for the end for which it was given him, viz. the information, conviction, and conversion of others ; PREFACE. . XVI and accordingly; that he: knew how to direct-his discourse to the point in hand ;. we cannot widely mistake the parts) of his discourse employed about it, when we have; amy. where found out the point he drives at: wherever we have got.a view of his design, and the aim he proposed to himself in writing, we may bejsure, that such or such an interpretation doesnot — give us his. genuine sense, it being nothing atvall to his pre- sent purpose, Nay, among various meanings given a text, it fails not to, direct us to the‘best, and very often to assure us of the true. . For it is no presumption; when-oné sees: a. man arguing from this or that proposition, if he be a sober man, master. of reason, or. common-sense, and takes any care of what he, says, to pronounce with confidence, in several cases, * that .he-could not-talk thus or thus. Ido not -yetiso magnify this method. of studying St Paul’s epistles, as wellas other parts of sacred scripture, as to think it will perfectly clear every hard place, and leave no doubt; unresolved: . 1 know, expressions now out of use, opinions of those times, not heard of in our days, allusions to customs lost to us, and various: circumstances and:particu- larities, of the, parties, which we cannot come at, &c! must needs continue several passages in the dark, now to us, at this distance, which shone with full light to those they were directed to. But for all that, the studying of St. Paul's epis- tles, in the, way I have proposed, will, I. humbly. conceive, carry us a great length in the right understanding g of them, and. make us rejoice in the light we receive from those most useful parts of divine revelation, by furnishing us with visi- ble grounds, that we are not mistaken, whilst the-consist- ency of the discourse, and the pertinency of it to: the design he is upon, vouches ‘it worthy of our great apostle. At least I hope it may be my excuse, for having endeavoured to make St. Paul an interpreter'to me of his own epistles. To this may be added another help, which St. Paul him- selfaffords us, towards the attaining the true meaning con- tained in his epistles. . He that reads him with the attention I propose, will easily observe, that as he was full of the doc- trine of the gospel; so it lay all clear and in order, open to his view... When he gave his thoughts utterance ‘upon any point, the matter flowed like a torrent; but it is plain, it was a matter he was perfectly master of: he fully pos- c xviii PREFACE. sesséd the entire revelation he had received fi om G od; ha thoroughly digested it; all the parts were formed er his mind, into one well-contracted Mbehanti erty ‘So that he was no way at an uncertainty, nor ever, in the least, at a loss: ‘concerning any branch of it.’ Onemay ‘see his thoughts were all of a piece in all his epistles his notions were at all times uniform, and constantly the’ same, though his expressions very various. In them he seems to take great liberty.’ This at least is certain, that no one seems less tied up to a form of words. If then, having, by the meé- thod before proposed, got into the sense ‘of the several epis-_ tles, we will but compare what he says, im the places where he treats of the same subject, we can hardly ‘be mistaken wa his sense, nor doubt what it was that he b believed and taught concerning those points of the christian religion. to § kno it is not unusual to find a multitude of texts: heaped up, for the maintaining of an espoused proposition; but in a sense often so remote from their true meaning, that ne’ can Hardly avoid thinking, that those who so used them, ‘either sought not, or: valued not, the sense; and were satisfied with the sound, where they could but get that to favour'them: ” “Bat a verbal concordance leads not always to texts of the ’s meaning ; trusting too much thereto will furnish us but with slight proofs in many cases, and any one may observe, how apt that is to jumble together passages of scripture; not Te- lating to the same matter, and thereby to disturb ‘and un- settle the true meaning of holy scripture. I have'therefore said, that we should compare together places” of ‘scripture treating of the same point.’ Thus, indeed, one part of the sacred text could not fail to give light unto another.» And since the providence of God hath so ordered it, that St. Paul has writ a great number of epistles; which, different occasions, and to several purposes, yet all confined within the business of his apostleship, and so contain nothing but points of christian instruction, amongst whichhe seldom - fails to drop in, and often to enlarge on, the great and dis- tinguishing doetfihes of our holy religion ; which, if quitting our own infallibility in that analogy of faith, which we have made to ourselves, or have implicitly adopted from some other, we would carefully lay together, and diligently « com- pare and — I am apt to think, would ats us St. Paul’s PREFACE. | xix system in a clear and indisputable sense; which every one must acknowledge to be a better standard to interpret his meaning by, in any obscure and doubtful parts of his epis- tles, if any such should still remain, than the system, con- fession, or articles of any church, or society of christians, yet known; which, however pretended to be founded on scripture, are visibly the contrivances of men, fallible both in their opinions and interpretations ; and, as is visible in most of them, made with partial views, and adapted to what the occasions of that time, and the present circumstances they were then in, were thought to require, for the support or justification of themselves. Their philosophy, also, has its part in misleading men from the true sense of the sacred scripture. He that shall attentively read the christian wri- ters, after the age of the apostles, will easily find how much the philosophy, they were tinctured with, influenced them in their understanding of the books of the old and new testa- ment. In the ages wherein Platonism prevailed, the con- verts to christianity of that school, on all occasions, inter- preted holy writ, according to the notions they had imbibed from that philosophy. Aristotle’s doctrine had the same effect in its turn, and when it degenerated into the peripate- ticism of the schools, that, too, brought its notions and dis- tinctions into divinity, and affixed them to the terms of the -sacred scripture. And we may see still how, at this day, every one’s philosophy regulates every one’s interpretation of the word of God. ‘Those-who are possessed with the doctrine of aerial and zthereal vehicles, have thence bor- rowed an interpretation of the four first verses of 2: Cor.ov. without having any ground to think, that St. Paul had the least notion of any such vehicle. It is plain, that the teach- ing of men philosophy, was no part of the design of ‘divine revelation; but that the expressions of scripture are com- monly suited, in those matters, to the vulgar apprehensions and conceptions of the place and people, where they: were delivered. And, as to the doctrine therein directly taught ‘by the apostles, that tends wholly to the setting up the king- -dom of Jesus Christ in this world, and the salvation of men’s souls : and in this it is plain their expressions were conform- ced to the ideas and notions which they had received: from _ “revelation, or were consequent from it. We shall, therefore, c 2 XX = PREFACE. in vain go about to interpret’ their words by the notions) of. our philosophy, and the doctrines of men delivered» in:our: schools. ‘This is to explain the apostle’s meaning, by what: they never thought of, whilst they were writing; which is’ not the way to find their sense, in what they delivered, but our own, and:to take up; from their writings, not what they left there, for us, but what we bring along. with usin our- selves. . He that would. understand St.’ Paul right, must an- derstand his terms, in the sense he uses them, and not as they are appropriated by each man’s particular philosophy to conceptions that never entered the mind of the apostle: For example, he that shall bring the philosophy now taught and received, to the explaining of spirit, soul,. and body, mentioned 1, Thess. v. 23, will, E fear, hardly reach St, Paul’s sense, or represent to himself the notions St.. Paul then had in his mind. That is what we should aim at; in reading him, or any other author ; and until we, fromi his words, paints his very ideas and thoughts in our minds, we do not understand him. ripitalids. OF abiaw In the divisions I have made, I have endeavoured, the best.I could, to govern myself by the diversity of matter; But in a writer like St. Paul, it is not so easy always to find precisely, where one subject ends, and another begins. . He is full of the matter he treats, and’ writes with warmth, which usually neglects method, and those. partitions and: pauses, which men, educated in the schools of rhetoricians, usually observe. Those arts of writings, St. Paul, as well out ‘of design as temper, wholly laid by: the subject he, had in hand, and the grounds upon which it stood firm, and by which he enforced it, were what alone he minded ; and with- out solemnly winding up one argument, and intimating any qway, that he began another, let his thoughts; which were fully possessed of the matter, run in one continued train, -wherein the parts of his discourse were wove, one into ano- ther : so: that’ it is seldom that the scheme of his discourse makes any gap ; and therefore, without breaking in upon the connexion: of his language, ‘it is hardly possible to separate ‘his discourse, and give a distinet view of his several argu- ments, in distinct sections. at bite ‘at Boe I am far from pretending infallibility, in the sense I have any where given in my paraphrase, or notes: that would be PREFACE. XX1 to.erect myself into an apostle ; a presumption of the highest nature in any one, that cannot confirm what he says by mi- racles. Ihave, for my own information, sought the true meaning, as far as my poor abilities would reach. And I haye unbiassedly embraced, what, upon a fair inquiry, ap- peared sotome. This I thought my duty and interest, in a matter of so great concernment tome. If I must believe for myself, it is unavoidable, that I must understand for my- self. For if I blindly, and with an implicit faith, take the pope's interpretation of the sacred scripture, without exa- mining whether it be Christ's meaning; it is the pope I be- lieve in, and not in Christ; it is his authority I rest upon; it is what he says, | embrace: for what it is Christ says, I neither know nor concern myself. It is the same thing, when I set up any other man in Christ’s place, and make him the authentic interpreter of sacred scripture to myself. He may possibly understand the sacred scripture as right as any man: but I shall do well to examine myself, whether that, which I do not know, nay, which (in the way I take) I can never know, can justify me, in making myself his disci- ple, instead of Jesus Christ’s, who of right is alone, and ought to be, my only Lord and Master : and it will be no less sacrilege in me, to substitute to myself any other in his room, to be a prophet to me, than to be my king, or priest. The same reasons that put me upon doing what I have in these papers done, will exempt me from all suspicion of im- posing my interpretation on others. ‘The reasons that led me into the meaning, which prevailed on my mind, are set down with it: as far as they carry light and conviction to any other man’s understanding, so far, I hope, my labour may be of some use to him ; beyond the evidence it carries with it, I advise him not to follow mine, nor any man’s inter- pretation. We are all men, liable to errours, and infected with them ; but have this sure way to preserve ourselves, _ every one, from danger by them, if, laying aside sloth, care- lessness, prejudice, party, and a reverence of men, we be- take ourselves, in earnest, to the study of the way to salva- tion, in those holy writings, wherein God has revealed it from heaven, and proposed it to the world, seeking our reli- gion, where we are sure it is in truth to be found, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. r “ teil) Pa iy fact a xt fenarchenn AY yered F tacky OHO Meu gs j sil taaddgis! duit bo noisgesnena 3 ‘ ; alieoqa, ae ui a ued at, fark << pa r heh 4 ow “eaudilidn qe qlupa aim aon dake . ab ocelad bag Yeb yon Fie i SVS i Spent I rf *iehusta* Terie tam of nh wt betstesaben sessitt T asd oldoks ont azel xitiat Hapluai” ag athe bens ctl “ie apply PUTIN boKe bo ed Lage eh yt ae + getinns coh sand i shogs tard vinodiwn eid ai hy: ee ress hig, weriee Ode ae sh ie met yb “2 han “salt obey riot 8 be Npagith of rah! Gk potooa hy Peg fifury@: Pio bron ot berate Aisa Wars: shictoxs 84 eas oe “cmp K tm Le 4 et a alt ie die 4! ee thats Ly bed fp ae sath 4 PH) oi wy! ty ve Wt oth 3 Ra: i. gre; PET f re ene set MME OF, “ts shgiae Its fit ri gin a Bary Te seh vain id Melle oe feo 8 baie Lietkict Fra two fevlcesig a ae ol re) Na | Aa ae dy vanes ratte Fuld “thos I By, See Bert t,o geen ; {+f i Tae & 8) iG ae # MEE nepdess i ntavhbet ban. Ovid Shad cen cavlaaiiia SELON | OF WR Oh wagt vi bah 8 ‘diole ¢ Tiss ways! 4 TF ape 90," ch et gaan 19% roster is bas ya as hae Qh yatat oat Jo ybis a Of Jean 4 is Nooo Bad bod ainnsilor ain lane t: ps Oy 2 itt a 2 ons Ore ame ga! tien f ae Pan 24 2 «0 i} wv S. ‘se o eakiet bas songs hates . g aie! ‘i ietindlaad wud secs) Gi soon paesend ao ad. oysilt ee * ‘ae tn ‘ owt as THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER, THERE is nothing, certainly, of greater encouragement to the peace of the church in general, nor to the direction and edification of all christians in particular, than a right un- derstanding of the holy scripture. This consideration has set so many learned and pious men amongst us, of late years, upon expositions, paraphrases, and notes on the sacred wri- _ tings, that the author of these hopes the fashion may excuse __ him from endeavouring to add his mite; believing, that after _ all that has been been done by those great labourers in the _ harvest, there may be some gleanings left, whereof he pre- sumes he has an instance, chap. iii. ver. 20. and some other places of this epistle to the Galatians, which he looks upon not to be the hardest of St. Paul's. If he has given a light _ to any obscure passage, he shall think his pains well employ- ed ; if there be nothing else worth notice in him, accept of his good intention. THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL ~GALATIANS; WRIT FROM EP{IESUS, THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 57, OF NERO IIL “ ————/ o2 OP SU — mel SYNOPSIS. T HE subject and design of this epistle of St. Paul is much the same with that of his epistle to the Romans, but treated in somewhat a different manner: The business of it is to dehort and hinder the Galatians from bringing themselves under the bondage of the Mosaical law. - §$t. Paul himself had planted the churches of Galatia, and therefore referring (as he does, chap. i. 8, 9.) to what he had before taught them, does not, in this epistle lay down at large to them the doctrine of the gospel, as he does in that to the Romans, who having been converted to the christian faith by others, he did not know how far they were instruct- ed in all those particulars, which, on the occasion whereon he writ to them, it might be necessary for them to under- stand: and therefore, writing to the Romans, he sets before them a large and comprehensive view of the chief heads of thechristianreligion. = —- He also deals more roundly with his disciples the Gala- tians than, we may observe, he does with the Romans, to whom he, being a stranger, writes not in so familiar a style, nor in his reproofs and exhortations uses so much the tone of a master, as he does to the Galatians, 26 SYNOPSIS. St. Paul had converted the Galatians to the faith, sad erected several churches among them in the year of our Lord 51; between which, and the year 57, wherein this epistle was writ, the disorders follgraag were got into those churches: First, Some zealots for the jewish constitution had very near persuaded them out of their christian liberty, and made them willing to submit to circumcision, and all the ri- tual observances of the jewish church, as necessary under the gospel, chap. i. 7. iil. 3. iv. 9, 10, 21. v. 1, 2, 6, 9, 10. Secondly, Their dissensions and disputes i in this matter had raised great animosities amongst them, to the disturb- ance of their peace, and the setting them se ne with one another, chap. v. 6, 13—15. The reforming them in these two points, s seems to be the main business of this epistle, wherein he endeavours to esta- blish them in a resolution to stand firm in the freedom of the gospel, which exempts them from the bondage of the mosaical law : and labours to reduce them to a sincere love and affection one to another ; which he concludes with exhortation to liberality, and general beneficence, cenpeke: ally to their teachers, chap. vi. 6, 10. These being the matters he had in his mind to write to them about, he. seems here asif he had done. But, upon mentioning ver. 11, what a long letter he had writ to them with his own ~ hand, the former argument concerning circumcision, which filled and warmed his mind, broke out again into what we find, ver, 12—17, of the sixth chapter. é ee CHAP, I. GALATIANS. } 27 SECT. T. CHAP. I. -1+5. INTRODUCTION. | CONTENTS, THE general view of this epistle plainly shows St. Paul’s chief design in it to be, to keep the Galatians from hearken- ing to those judaizing seducers, who had almost persuaded them to becircumcised. These perverters of the gospel of Christ, as St. Paul himself calls them, ver. 7, had, as may be gathered from ver. 8. and 10. and from chap. v. 11. and other passages of this epistle, made the Galatians believe, that St. Paul himself was for circumcision. Until St. Paul himself had set them right in this matter, and convinced them of the falshood of this aspersion, it was in vain fer him, by other arguments, to attempt the re-establishing the Galatians in the christian liberty, and in that truth which he had preached to them. The removing therefore of this ca- lumny, was his first endeavour: and to that purpose, this in- troduction, different from what we find in any other of his epistles, is marvellously well adapted. He declares, here at the entrance, very expressly and emphatically, that he was not sent by men on their errands ; nay, that Christ, in sending him, did not so much as convey his apostolic power to him by the ministry, or intervention of any man ; but that his commission and instructions were all intirely from God, and Christ himself, by immediate revelation. ‘This, of itself, was an argument sufficient to induce them to believe, 1. - That what he taught them, when he first preached the gos- pel to them, was the truth, and that they ought to stick firm to that. 2. That he changed not his doctrine, whatever £8 GALATIANS. ‘CHAP. fh might be reported of him. He was Christ's chosen officer, and had no dependence on men’s opinions, nor regard to their authority or favour, in what he preached; and there- fore it was not likely he should preach one thing at one time, and another thing at another. Thus this preface is very proper in this place, to intro- duce what he is going to say concerning himself, and adds force to his discourse, and the account he gives of himself in the next section. ; TEXT. 1 PAUL an apostle (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.) 2 And all the brethren, which are with me, unto the churches of Ga- .. Jatia. \ tiie a SE 3 Grace be to you, and peace, from God the Father, and from ; ~ Lord Jesus Christ. as & Rye) Lois rons? at wen “PARAPHRASE, O07 0298,0) Gyaa) . 2 A Jered, 3 1 P AUL (an apostle not of men’, to serve their ends, or carry on their designs, nor receiving his call, or commis- sion, by the intervention of any man*, to whom he might be thought to owe any respect or deference upon that ac- count : but immediately from Jesus Christ, and from God 2 the Father, who raised him up from the dead); Andall the brethren that are with me, unto the churches® of Galatia: -3 Favour be to you, and peace* from God the Father, and qa NOTES. ey amar oniien: 12 Otx dx dsbpdorur not of men,” i. e. not sent by men at their plea- sure, or by their authority ;' not instructed by men what to say or do, as we’ see ‘Fimothy and Titus were, when sent by St. Paul; and Judas and Silas, sent by the church of Jerusalem. i tenth eile & O30: OF avbpare, * nor by man,” i.e. his choice and separation to his mi- nistry and apostleship was so wholly an act of God and Christ, that there was no intervention of any thing done by any man in the case, as there was in the elec- tion of Matthias. All this we may see explained at large, ver. 10—12, and ver. 16, 17, and chap. ii. 6—9. 2 © “ Churches of Galatia.””. This was an evident seal of his apostleship to the Gentiles; since, in no bigger a country than Galatia, a small province of ee lesser Asia, he had, in no long stay among them, planted several distinct churches. + preneld oyt 3 @ “ Peace.” The wishing of peace, in the scripture-language, is the wish- ing of all manner of good. se estes CHAP. t3 GALATIANS.) | og. TEXT. 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. PARAPHRASE. 4 from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might take us out of this present evil world*, according to the will and good pleasure of God and our 5 Father, To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. fy NOTES. A © "Onws tkirilas tds tx 18 tvesir@ atdvO eovnpi< “That he might. -take us out of this present evil world,’ or age; so the Greek, words signify, Whereby it cannot be thought, that St. Paul meant, that christians were to be immediately removed into the other world. Therefore tvesds wiav must signify” something else, than present world, in the ordinary import of those words. in English. Asay Stoc, 1 Cor. ii. 6, 8. and in other places, plainly signifies the Jewish nation, under the Mosaical constitution ; and it suits very well with the apostle’s design in this epistle, that itshould do so here. God has, in this world, but one kingdom,.and one pony The nation of the Jews, were the kingdom and people of God, whilst the law stood. And this kingdom of God, under thé Mosaical constitution, was called aidy &roc, this age, or! as it is commonly translated, this world, to which aidy tvecd¢, the present world, or age, here answers. But the kingdom of God, which was to be under the Messiah, wherein the economy and constitution of the Jewish church, and the nationitself, that, in opposition to Christ, adhered to it, was to be laid aside, is inthe new:testament called aiay wéAdwy, the world, or age tocome; so that * Christ’s taking them out of the present-world’’ may, without any violence to the words, be under- stood to signify his setting them free from the Mosaical constitutions This is suitable to the design of this epistle, and what St. Paul has declared in many other places. See Col. ii. 14—17. and 20, which agrees to this place, and Rom. vii. 4, 6. This law is said to be contrary to us, Cols ii. 14. and to “* work’ ‘¢ wrath,’ Rom. iv. 15. and St. Paul speaks very diminishingly of the ritual parts of it in many places: but yet if all this may not be thought sufficient to justify the applying of the epithet aovmpé, evil, toit ; that scruple will be removed if we take ivesws atwy, ** this present world,” here, for the Jewish constitution and nation together ; in which sense it may very well be called ¢< evil; though the apostle, out of his wonted tenderness to his nation, forbears to name them openly, and uses a doubtful expression, which might comprehend the heather world alse ; though he chiefly pointed atthe Jews. 1200 Ast: 18 + 30 GALATIANS. CHAP: Is SECT. Lh i tae CHAP; 1. 6.4.>Ib.0t. ae ‘CONTENTS. atr WE have observed, that St. Paul’s first endeavour in this epistle, was to satisfy the Galatians, that the report spread of him, that he preached circumcision, was false. - Until this obstruction, that lay in his way was removed, it’ was to no purpose for him to go about to dissuade them from cir- cumcision, though that be what he principally aims, in this epistle. To show them, that he promoted not circumcision, he calls their hearkening to those who persuaded them to be circumcised, their being removed from him; and those that so persuaded them, “‘ perverters of the gospel of Christ,” ver. 6,7. He farther assures them, that the gospel which he preached every-where was that, and that only, which he had received by immediate revelation from Christ, and no contrivance of man, nor did he vary it to please men: that would not consist with his being a servant of Christ, ver. 10. And he expresses. such a firm adherence to what he had re- ceived from Christ, and had preached to them, that he pro- nounces an anathema upon himself, ver. 8, 9. or any other man, or angel that should preach any thing else to them. To make out this to have been all along his conduct, he gives an account of himself for many years backwards, us a the time before his conversion. Wherein he shows, that from a zealous persecuting jew he was made a christian, and an apostle, by immediate revelation; and that, having no communication with the apostles, or with the churches of Judea, or any man, for some years, he had nothing to preach, but what he had received by immediate revelation. Nay, when, fourteen years after, he went up to Jerusalem, it was by revelation ; and when he there communicated the gospel, which he preached among the gentiles, Peter, CHAP. I. GALATIANS, | 31 James, and John, approved of it, without adding any thing, but admitted him, as their fellow-apostle.. So that, in all this, he was guided by nothing but divine revelation, which he inflexibly stuck to so far, that he openly opposed St. - Peter for his judaizing at, Antioch. , All which account of himself tends.clearly to show, that St.. Paul, made. not the least step towards complying with the jews, in favour of the law, nor did, out of regard to man, deviate from the doc- trine he had received by revelation from God. All the parts of this section, and the narrative contained in it, manifestly concenter in this, as will more fully appear, as we go through them, and take a closer view of them ; which will skow us, that the whole is so skilfully managed, ‘and the parts so gently slid into, that it is a strong, but not seemingly laboured justification of himself, trom the imputa- tion of preaching up circumcision. JN Dy TEXT. Loae 6 I MARVEL that ye are so soon removed from him, that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel : PARAPHRASE. 6 I CANNOT but wonder that you are soon * removed from me °, (who called you into the covenant of grace, NOTES, 6 2 **Sosoon.”” The first place we find Galatia mentioned, is Acts xvi. 6. And therefore St. Paul may be supposed to have planted these churches there, in his journey mentioned, Acts xvi. which was anno Domini51. He visited them again, after he had been at Jerusalem, Acts xviii. 21—53. A.D. 54. From thence he returned to Ephesus, and staid there about two years, dur - ing which time this epistle was writ: so that, counting from his last visit, this ‘letter was writ to them within two or three years from the time he was last with them, and had left them confirmed in the doctrine he had taught them; and therefore he might with reason wonder at their forsaking him so soon, and that gospel he had converted them to. >. From him that called you.”? These words plainly point out himself; but then one might wonder how St. Paul came to use them; since it would have sounded better to have said, ‘“‘ Removed from the gospel I preached to you, to ‘another gospel, than removed from me that preached to you, to another gospel.” But if it be remembered, that St. Paul's design here, is to vindicate himself i . . . aa . rom the aspersion caston him, that he preached circumcision, nothing could be “more suitable to that purpose, than this way of expressing himself, 32. GALATIANS: HARE | qqa «dol bas somal ot tart _. TEXT. di? es. ane fos ibs tod 7 Which is not another; but there be some ‘that froub! you, and would pervert the gospel of, Christ. page grt $ But though we, or an angel from heaven, pre Bh A h gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be aceursed. (PU. GM Boe cls Q As we said before, so say I now again, if all came other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed. migoen bad od ani 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do Ls e < to please meti? For, if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. OD YHeMeseor ot 61 ‘ PARAPHRASE:} #2u0iM oR OF 46 . uf el Gouei 7 which is in Christ) unto another sort of gospel; Which __ Is not owing to any thing else*, but only this, hat. ye are troubled by a certain sort of men, who would over- turn the gospel of Christ by making cireumcision, and the keeping of the law, necessary” under the gospel. 8 But if even I myself, or an angel from heaven, should preach any thing to you for gospel, different from) the = gospel I have preached unto you, let. him be accursed. 9 I say it again to you, if any one, under pretence of the gospel, preach any other thing to you, than what ye 10 have received from me, let him be accursed*. For can it be doubted of me, after having done and suffered SO much for the gospel of Christ, whether I do now *, at me as 1 Tie : “O &x tei ZAdo I take to signify * which is not thing else.” Th dantid deceaesives, Be eae. and ye ag beat Nos * here, do all concur to give these words the sense I have taken them in. For, 1, had re- ferred to edayféasoy, it would have been more natural to have or’ *pt to the word #repov, and not have changed it into Zao. 2. It can scarce be su 5 by a ry one who reads what St. Paul says, in the following words of th j US two adjoining ; and also chap, iii. 4. and ver. ii. 4 and 7. that St. Paul shoul tell them, that what he would keep them from, is not another gospel.” 3. It is suitable to St. Paul’s design here, to tell them, that tats Cre * another gospel,”’ nobody else had contributed, but it was wholly owing to those judaizing seducers. , wi! » See Acts xv. 1, 5, 23, 24 . ; pe igs 9¢ “ Accursed.”” Though we may look upon the repetition of the anathema [ here, to be for the adding of force to hat he ak yet ae may observe, that b joining himself with an angel, in the foregoing verse, he does as good as them, that he is ‘not guilty of what deserves it, by skilfully insinuating to the galatians, that they might as well suspect an angel might preach to them a gospé » different from his, i.e.'a false gospel, as that he himself should : andt en, in thi verse, Jays the anathema, wholly and solely, upon the judaizing seducers. 10 8 “Ach, “* now,” and Zrs, “ yet,” cannot be understood without a refer- ” a cuar.t! » ,GALATIANS. 33 » = TEXT. . e ~1L Butl mf to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preach- ed of me, is not after man. ; 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. ~ a 13 For ye i heard of my conversation in time past, in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it. PARAPHRASE. this time of day, make my court to men, or seek the favour* of God? If I had hitherto made it my busi- ness to please men, I should not have been the servant of Christ, nor taken up the profession of the gospel. 11 But I certify you, brethren, that the’gospel, which has been every where” preached by me, is not’such as is pliant to human interest, or can be accommodated to 12 the pleasing of men (For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it by any one, as his scholar ;) but it is the pure and unmixed, immediate revelation 13 of Jesus Christ to me. ‘To satisfy you of this, my be- ® haviour whilst I was of the jewish religion is so well NOTES. a. enice to sohething in St. Paul’s past life; what that was, which he had partictt- ‘larly then in his mind, we may see by the account he gives of himself, in what immediately follows, viz. that before his conversion he was employed by men, in their designs, and made it his business to please them, as may be séen, Acts ix. 1,2. But when God cilled him, he received his cominission and instruc- tions from him alone, and set immediately about it, without consulting any man ” whatsoever, preaching that, and that only, which he had received from Christ. So that it would be senseless folly in him, and no less than the forsaking his Master, Jesus Christ, if he should now, as was reported of him, mix any thing of men’s with the pure doctrine of the Gospel, which he had received immedi- ately by revelation from Jesus Christ, to please the jews, after he had so long preached only that; and had, to avoid all appearance or pretence to the con- “trary, so carefully shunned all communication with the churches of Judea; an had not, until a good while after, and that very sparingly, conversed with any, and those but a few, of the apostles themselves, some of whom he openly re- proved for their judaizing. ‘Thus the narrative, subjoined to this verse; explains the “* now,”” and ‘“¢ yet,” in it, and all tends to the same purpose. _ } @ Tes0w, translated “« persuade,” is sometimes used for making application to any one to obtain his good-will, or friendship: and hence, Acts xii. 20, wet- oeisles BA&sov is translated <* having made Blastus their friend :” the sense is here the. same which, 1 Thess. ii. 4. he expresses in these words, By, wo avOpwmass apécxovles ahAw ty Oey, ‘ not as pledsing men, but God.”’ , 114 Te cdayfeascOty ix’ uz, “ which has been preached by me:”’ this being spoken indefinitely, must be-understood in general, every where, and so is the import of the foregoing verse. : * B B « Rar: ¥ baat Sh . GALATEANS. . ‘CHAP. He yore Ss aie vee @ % TEXT. . & * * i) 14 And profited in the jews religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. fe! Hae oe 1% But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mo- ther’s womb, and called me by his grace, a eee 16 To reveal his son in me, that I might preach h “amon the heathen: immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood ; 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem, to them which were apostles before me, but 1 went into Arabia, and returned again ‘unto Damascus. suae ¥ +; PARAPHRASE. ae known, that I need not tell you, how excessive violent. I was in persecuting the church of God, and destroy- 14 ing it,all I could; And that being carried on by am extraordinary zeal for the traditions of my forefathers, I, out-stripped many students of my own age and 15 nation, in judaism. But when it pleased God (who separated * me from my mother’s womb, and by his especial favour called” me to be a christian, and a 16 preacher of the gospel), To reveal his son to me, 6 that I might preach him among the gentiles, I there- upon’ applied not myself to any man‘, for advice 17 what to do*.” Neither went I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, to see whether they approved my doctrine, or to have farther in- a i from them: but I went immediately © unte structions ir - m -diat y had NOTES. etuirdegas cegtingiabt | % 15 2 Separated.”” This may be understood by Jer.i.5- > “ Called.’ The history of this call, see Acts ix. 1, &c. = ~ 16 ¢ © Flesh and blood,” is used for man, see Fph. vi. 12. rae aa: a ‘© For advice:”” this, and what he says in the following verse, isto evidence to the galatians the full assurance he had of the truth and perfection of the gos- pel, which he had received from Christ, by immediate revelation ; anc how little he was disposed to have any regard to the pleasing of men in preaching it, that he did not so much as communicate, or advise, with any of the apostles about it, to see whether they approved of it. gery See 17 © Exbéws, immediately, though placed just before 2 and mpocavebsunvs «« I conferred not ;”” yet it is plain, by the sense and design of St. Paul here,. that it principally relates to, ‘* I went into Arabia ;”” his departure into Arabia, pretty upon his conversion, before he had consulted with any body, being made use of, to show that the gospel he had received by immediate revelation from Jesus Christ, was complete, and sufficiently instrueted and enabled him to. be a preacher and an apostle to the gentiles, without borrowing any thing from any man, in order thereunto; no not with any of the apostles, no one of whom ke saw, until three yeags after. pPE he had # cHAR. Ii GALATIANS. . 35 - . % TEXT. 18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem, to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother. ~ : 20' Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, lye not. 21 ‘Aol I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia: 22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea, which were in Christ. 23 But they had heard only, that he, which persecuted us in times © past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. ~ 24 And they glorified God in me. PARAPHRASE. Arabia, and from thence returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years‘, I went up to Jerusalem, to see 19"Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, but James, the brother of our 20 Lord. These things, that I write to you, I call God to » witness, are all true; there is no falshood in them. “21 Afterwards I came into the regions .of Syria and Cili- 22 cia, But with the churches of Christ® in Judea, I had had no communication: they had not so much as seen 23 my face"; Only they had heard, that I, who formerly _ persecuted the churches of Christ, did now preach the gospel, which I once endeavoured to suppress and ex- 24 tirpate. And they glorified God upon my account. NOTES. 18 £ “¢ Three years,” i.e. from his conversion. 22 € “ In Christ,” i.e. believing in Christ, see Rom. xvi. 7. 4 This, which he so particularly takes notice of, does nothing to the prov- ing, that he was a true apostle; but serves very well to show, that, in what he preached, he had no communication with those of his own nation, nor took any tare to please the Jews. 5 a , t 2 a.» a : é . 7 * = | a Dg em E 7 = % ® $6 » GALATIANS. cuar. If. : CHAP. II. oe Sa Pied a4 * TEX. ** tu de ie PB 1 THEN fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem, with _ Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. “ty res 5 “2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated Par that _gospel, which I preach among the gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run or had » run in vain. oar) $ But neither Titus, who was with me, being a greek, wascompelled _ to be circumcised: ~ ath PARAPHRASE. 1 THEN fourteen years after, I went up again to Jeru- 2 salem, with Barnabas, and took Titus also withme. And I went up by revelation, and there laid before them, the gospel which I * preached to the gets, bt privately, 1 to those who were of note and reputation amongst them ; lest the pains that I have already taken®, or should take — 3 in the gospel, should be in vain®. But though 1 com- x | ry [8 HAO) ‘NOTES. FRY ; 2a “J communicated.” The conference he had in private with the chief of the church of Jerusalem, concerning the gospel which he preached among the ‘ Gentiles, seems not to have been barely concerning the doctrine of their being free from the law of Moses, that had been openly and hotly disputed at Antioch, and was known to be the business they came about to Jerusalem ; but it is pro- bable, it was to explain to them the whole doctrine he had received by revela- tion, by the fulness and perfection whereof, (for it is said, ver 6, that, in that conference, they added nothing to it) and by the miracles he had bs 92 in con- firmation of it, (see ver. 8.) they might see and own what he preached, to be the truth, and him to be one of themselves, both by commission and doctrine, as indeed they did; adzoi<, “ them,” signifies those at Jerusalem; nor” ia» db xoig Soxdics, are exegetical, and show the particular manner and f el sons, import *€ nempe privatim, eminentioribus.”’ It was enough to his p ee to be owned © by those of greatest authority, and so we see he was, by James, eter, and John, ver. 9. and therefore it was safest and best fo give an account of the gospel he ~ preached, in private to them, and not publicly to the whole church. = > « Running,” St. Paul uses for taking pains in the gospel. ee Phil. ii. 16. A metapher, I suppose, taken from the Olympic games, to express his utmost endeavours to prevail in the propagating the gospel. es . ¢ In vain:”’ He seems here to give two reasons why, a lett, after 14 years} he communicated to the chief of the apostles at Jerusalem, the gospel that -he preached to the gentiles, when, as he shows to the galatiabaghe had formerly de- 9 clined all communieation with the convert jews. 1. He seems to ifitimate, that he did it by revelation. 2. ie gives another reason, viz. That, if he had not communicated, as he did, with the leading men there, and satisfied them of his doctrine and mission, his opposers might unsettle the churches he had, or should 4 i « q x ti % CHAP. II. GALATIANS. 37 TEXT. 4 And that, because of false brethren, unawares brought m, who came in privily;to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage. ’ a PARAPHRASE. muhicated the gospel, which I preached to the gentiles, * © to the eminent men of the church at Jerusalem, yet nei- » «© ther * Titus who was with me, being a greek, was forced 4, to be circumcised: Nor* did I yield any thing, one mo-— ment, by way of subjection‘ to the law, to those false bre- thren, who, by an unwary admittance, were slily crept in, NOTES. plant, by urging, that the apostles knew not what it was that he preached, nor had ever owned it for the gospel, or him for an apostle. Of the readiness of the judaizing seducers, to take any such advantage against him, he had lately un example in the church of Corinth. : 3% &x tvayncobn is rightly translated, ** was not compelled,” a plain evi- dence to the galatians, that the circumcising of the convert gentiles, was no part of the gospel which he laid before these men of note, as what he preached to the gentiles. For if it had, Titus must have been circumcised ; for no part of his gospel was blamed, or altered by them, ver. 6. Of what other use his mentioning this, of Titus here can ‘be, but to show to the galatians, that what he preached, contained nothing of circumcising the convert gentiles, it is hard to find. If it were to show that the other apostles, and church at Jerusalem, dis- d with circumcision, and other ritual observances of the Mosaical law, that was needless ; for that was sufficiently declared by their decree, Acts xv. which was made and communicated to the churches, before this epistle was writ, as may be seen, Acts xvi. 4. much less was this of Titus of any force, to prove that St. Paul was a true apostle, if that were what he was here labouring tojustify. But considering his aim here, to be the clearing himself from a report, that he preached up circumeision, there could be nothing more to his purpose, than this instance of Titus, whom, uncircumcised as he was, he took with him to Jerusa- lem; umcircumcised he kept with him there, and uncircumcised he took back with him, when he returned. This was a strong and pertinent instance to per- suade the galatians that the report of his preaching circumcision was a mere aspersion. 4 © Ovd:, “ Neither,” in the third verse, according to propriety of speech, ought to have a ‘‘nor,"’ to answer it, which is the 23%, “‘nor,” here; which, so taken, answers the propriety of the Greek, and very much clears the sense; 203 TitG@ avayrcobn, 808 wpds wpay ci$amer, Neither was Titus compelled, nor *¢ did we yield to them a moment.”’ ‘ »_! Th imdlayn, by subjection.”” The point those false brethren contended for, was, That the law of Moses was to be kept, see Acts xv. 5. St. Paul, who, on other occasions, was so complaisant, that to the jews he became as a jew, to thore under the law, as under the law (see 1 Cor. ix: 19—22-) yet when sub- jection to the law was claimed, as due in any case, he would not yield the least matter; this I take to be his meaning of 80: ciZamev 7% torclayy; for, where compliance was desired of him, upon:the account of expedience, and not of sub- jection to the law, we do not find it stiff and inflexible, as may be seen, Acts xxi, 18—26, which was after the writing of this epistle. * % 38 ' GALATIANS. CHAP. a1, TEXT. 5 To whom we gaye place by subjection, io not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6 But of these, who seemed to. be somewhat (whatsoever they weré, it maketh no matter to me; God accepteth no s an’s per- PARAPHRASE. Pe DAT es to spy out our liberty from the law, which we have under * . the gospel: that they might bring us into bondage* to — 5 thelaw. But I stood my ground againstit, that the truth” . . 6 of the gospel might remain’ among you. But as for” . those *, who were really men’ of emineney and yalue, ™ : NOTES. oO 5 4 « The truth of the gospel.” By it he means here, the doctrine of free-~ dom fromthe law; and so he calls it again, ver. 44., and chap. iii.41. and iv. 16. D9 mate's .. 4 «* Might remain among you.” . Here he tells the reason himself, why he .yielded not to those judaizing false brethren: it was, that the true d rine, which he had preached to the gentiles, of their freedom from the law, might ‘stand frm. A convincing argument to the galatians, that he preached not circumcision. wey be d entt, Daysey sil bo. 4,5 ‘ And that,—to whom.” There appears.a manifest difficulty in these .two verses, which has been observed by most interpreters, and is by several asciibed to aredundancy, which some place in 8, in the beginning of ver. 4. and others to cig in the beginning of ver. 5.. The relation between #03, ver. 3. and 82, ver. 5. methinks puts an easy end to the doubt, by the showing St. Paul’s ,) »sense to be, that he neither circumcised Titus, nor yielded in the least op a 4 -brethren; he having told the galatians, That, upon his laying, before themen __ of most authority in the church at Jerusalem, the doctrine which he preached, ~ Titus was not circumcised ; he, as a further proof of his no hing circumci- sion, tells them how he carried it toward the false brethren, whose design it was, - to bring the convert gentiles into subjection to the law. And,” or “more- © ** over,” (for so d? often signifies) says he, “ in regard tothe false brethren,” &c. Which way of entrance on the matter, would not admit of &d after it, toanswer 3d: ver. 3. which was already writ, but without of; the negation must have been expressed by gy, as any one will perceive, who attentively reads th ek original. And thus oi; may be allowed for an Hebrew p. a nd the reason of it to be the preventing the former 83} to stand alone, to the disturbance of the sense. _ & OT Soran tide) 6 * He that considers the beginning of this verse, aad dt ry Doxdilav, with regard to the Aiw d rdc Pevdadéagucs in the beginning of the fi verse, will “ | easily be induced, by the Greek idiom, to conclude, that the author, by these _ beginnings, intimates a plain distinction of the matter separately treated of, in what follows each of them, viz. what passed between the false brethren, and - him, contained in ver. 4. and 5. and what passed between the chief of the bre- thren and him, contained ver. 6—10. And therefore, some (and I think with reason) introduce this verse with these words: «© Thus we have behaved our- * ** selves towards the false brethren ; but,”’ &c. he 2 boyd ; ‘I Tay duxévlov sivas t4) our translation renders, ** who ed to be some~ “* what’ which however it may answer the words, yet to an nglish ear it car- i 7 2 ® CHAP. TI. GALATIANS. , 39 TEXT. * son3) ie City he secinesl be somewhat, in conference added to me. MER speaker saw that the gospel of the uncircum- sch PARAPHRASE, . a . what they were heretofore, it matters not at all to me: od accepts not the person of any man, but communi- f°. cales the gospel to whom he pleases®, as he has done oF -to me by revelation, witheut their help; for, in their q « conference with me, they added nothing to me, they x _ taught me nothing new, nor that Christ: had not tauchit me before, nor had they any thing to object against what 4 I preached to the gentiles. But on the contrary, * James, » \ NOTES. ° * 1 diminishing andiironical sense, contrary to the meaning of the “a who here of those, for whom he had a real esteem, and were truly of the first rank; forit is plain, by what follows, that he means Peter, James, and John. : Besides, oF doxdlecs being taken im a good sense, vérs 2. and translated, ** those » *¢ of reputation,” the same expression should have been kept in rendering ver. 6. and 9. where the same term occurs again | three times, an may be presumed in ¢he same sensethat it was at first used. i in ver. 2. m Every body sees that there is something to be supplied to make up the SENSE 5 most commentators, that Ihave seen, add these words, “ J learned nothing :*" boon then, that enervates the reason that follows, ‘« for in conference they added © to me,” giving the same thing as a reason for itself, and making St. rn *« I learnt nothing of them, for they taught me nothing.” But reasoning, and suited to his purpose, that it was nothing at all to °° one. much: great men were ceo Christ's favour: this hindered® not but that God, © was no Tespecter might reweal the gospel to @® _himalso, as it was evident he had die, 2 and 1 ae in its full eee for those great men, the most eminent of the apostles, had nothing to add to it, or except against it. This was proper to persuade the galatians, that he had no-where, a hing, receded Fund that a a of freedom from the law, which he had oe them, and was satisfied it was the truth, even before he had confer- The bare supplying of of, in the beginning of the verse, takes away ties ity of any such addition. Examples of the like ellipses we have, Matt. xxvii! 9. where we read dare tray, foro aro ving and Jobn xvi. 17. tu tap wabrlar, for oi tx +av ucbylay; and so here, taking dwré ray doxérlay, to @ be for oi awe sede: ter mabe the difficuly is removed: and St. Paul having in » the foregoing verse ended of his deportment towards the false bre- theapoisn begins an account of £wers po amd pking Peter, James, and John, who, it is manifest, by ver. 9. are the ected ; here spoken of, seem, of all the apostles, to haye been most in esteem and favour their master, during his conversation with them on earth. See Mark v. 37, and ix. 2.and xiv. 38. ** But at, says St. Paul, “isof no + s | £0 _ "“GALATIANS: dilonue: ' TEXT. - cision was committed unto me, as the gospel Sa Sip was unto Peter; . 8 (For he that’ wrought effectually in Peter, to the the circumcision, the same was mighty i In me oe Jen tiles) 9 And when J ames, Céphas, and John, who seemed d to be illars,"* perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to toe a Barnabas the right hands of fellowship ; that w e should go Ps. the heathen, _ they unto the circumcision. ; iF ort * * PARAPHRASE, i Peter, and John, who were of reputation, and justly €s- teemed to be pillars, perceiving that the gospel which was to be preached to the gentiles, was committed to, me; as that which was to be preached to the Jews was 8 committed to Peter; (For he that had | wrought power- fully° in Peter, to his executing the office ‘of a an apostle to the Jews, had also wrought powerfully i in me, in my ap- 9 plication and apostleship, to the gentiles;). _And, Or, ing? the favour that was bestowed on me, gave me a Barnabas the right hand‘ of fellowship, that we send preach the gospel to the gentiles, and they 9 the his Ji3 . * NOTES. Dyee oe bet — * or gainsay init.” ‘This is suitable to St. Paul’s design here, to let the gala- tians see, that as he, in his carriage, had never favoured circumcision; so nei- ther had he any reason, by preaching circumcisiqns to forsake the doctrine of liberty from the law,swhich he had preached to t as onget bee tae is which he had received by revelation. £. 8 ° Evepynoas, “ working in,” may be cipectaeee to signi operation of the spirit upon the mind of St. Peter and St. P: ri ‘ny the one to the jews, the other to the gentiles: and also the on them, whereby they were enabled to. do miracles for the ae Spr er their doctrine. In neither of which St. Paul, as he shows, was inferior, and so had as authentic a seal of his mission and doctrine. on, 9 P Ka), § and,” copulates yvovlec, *¢ knowing,» i in ‘this verses with 206 flees “¢ seeing,” ver. 7. and makes both of them ta agree with the nominative case - to the verb 2)wxay, “ gave,” which is no other but James, Pe, and 3 and so justifies my transferring those names to yer. 7. for the more‘ ‘on- struction and understanding of the text, thaugh St. Paul defers the naming of them, until he is, as it were against his will, forced to it, before the end c ‘his discourse, a The giving ‘the right fia, ” was a symbol amongst the iewsyasmell 4 other nations, of accord, admitting men into fellowship... b CHAP. 1, GALATIANS. | 41 al a . ; : TEXT. 10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same » _ which I also was forward to do. - * . 11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the. _ face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For, before that certain came from James, he did eat with the - .. gentiles: but, when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. © 13 And the other jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas pene carried away with their dissimulation. LS idihagile PARAPHRASE, § - 40 dren of Israel. All that they proposed, was, that we should remember to make collections among the gen- tiles, for the poor christians of Judea, which was a thing 11 that of myself I was forward tojdo. But when Peter » .» came to Antioch, I openly opposed’ ‘him to"his face: _ 42 for, indeed, he was to be blamed. For he conversed : there familiarly with the gentiles, and eat with them, . until some jews came thither from James: then he with- ’ _ drew, and separated from the gentiles, for fear of those * ae 13 who’were of the circumcision: And the rest of the jews © * joined also with him in this hypocrisy, insomuch that | S . ° ». 7 NOTES. & 7 © (111 opposed him.” From this opposition to St. Peter, which they suppose to be before the council at Jerusalem, some would have it that this epistle to the galatians was writ before that council; as if what was done be- fore the council, cowld not be mentioned in a letter writ after the council iy. They also contend, that this journey, mentioned here by St. Paul, was not »» that wherein he and Barnabas went up to that council to Jerusalem, but that _ gnentioned Acts xi. 30. but this, with as little grownd as the former. The strongest reason they bring is, that if this journey had been to the council, and this letter after that council, St. Paul would not certainly have omitted to have mentioned to the galatians that decree. To which I answer, 1. The mention of it was superfluous; for they had it already, see Acts xvi. 4. 2. The men- tion of it was impertinent to the design of St. Paul’s narrative here. For it is plain, that his aim, in what he relates of himself, and his past actions, is to show, that having received the gospel from Christ, by immediate revela- » tion, he had all along preached, that, and nothing but that, every-where; so _ that he could not be supposed’to Haye preached circumcision, or by his 7 carriage to have shown any subjection to the law; all the whole narrative following, being to make good what he says, ch. i. 11, ** That the gospel- «* which he preached, was not accommodated to the humouring of men; nor *€ did he seek to please the jews (who were the men here meant) in what he ** taught.” ‘Taking this ‘to be his aim, we shall find the whole account he gives of himself, from that ver. 11. of ch. i. to the end of this second, to be very clear‘and easy, and very proper to invalidate the report of his preaching circumcision. > _ —_ «as “42 GALATIANS. liana, oe ? a eee ott a _ 34 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the — truth of the gospel, [ said nnto Peter before them all: If thou, being a jew, livest after the manner of gentiles, and not asdo the. _ jews, why compellest thou the gentiles to live as do the jews! — 15 We who are jews by nature, and not sinners of the gentiles, — 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but * by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the be a7 ‘the lawsshall ‘no flesh be justified. RF 17 But if, while wellseek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin?” G forbid. , panna sng Rs PARAPHRASE.. 4 o/h) — 4 a , conformed not the conduct to the Baris of the gos } said unto Peter before them all: the gentiles, not keeping to those rules which the jews . observe, why dost thou constrain the gentiles to con-. form themselves to the rites and manner of living of, the ~ 15 jews? We, who are by ‘nature jews, born under the instruction and guidance of the law, God's peculiar, peo- plé, and’ not of the unclean and profligate race of the 16 gentiles, abandoned to sin and death, Kno ving that a man cannot be justified by the deeds of the law, but solely by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have*put our- - selves upon believing on him, and embrace d the profes- sion of the gospel, for the attainment of justification b 17 faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: But if we seek to be justified in Christ, seven we ourselves | ‘. P ish & oo Chev i NOTES...) "ee P . “9 ee! ERS Ry PTE 14 5 Anrnbera cB edaryfeata, “ the ‘ec ia e gospel,”” is put-here for that ,. freedom from the law of Moses, which was a part of the truedoctrine of the — gospel. For it was in nothing else, but their undue and timorous observing some of the mosaical rites, that St. Paul here blames St. Peter, and the other judaizing converts at Antioch. In this sense he uses the word ¢ truth,” all along through this epistle, as ch. ii. 5, 14. and iii,)1. and v. 7. insisting on it, that this doctrine. of freedom from the law, was the true gospel) 15 ¢ Odcer Iedwios ‘* jews by nature.” What the oe thought of them selves in contradistinetion to the gentiles, see Rom, il. 17, 23., 9 ‘ a“ ¢ ” ‘. : » | a» ‘n t-2 * & ‘ ¥ 5 a a Ss. %& Pasig wv | . » : 7 _ CHAP. II. GALATIANS. 43 ~¢ TEXT. 18 For if I)build again the things which I destroyed, I make mysel transgressor. 49 For I, through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. ‘ PARAPHRASE. also are found unjustified sinners" (for such are all those who are under the law, which admits of no remission or justification:) is Christ, therefore, the minister of sin ? Is the dispensation by him, a dispensation of sin, and not of righteousness? Did he come into the world, that those who believe in him, should still remain sinners, _ i.e. under the guilt of theimsins, without the benefit of 18 justification? By no means. And yet certain it is, if . ..._ 1, * who quitted the law,,to put myself under the gos- pel, put myself again under the law, Lanake myself a _. transgressor; I re-assume again the guilt of all my } transgressions; which, by the terms of that covenant of 4 19 works, I cannot be justified from. or by the tenour » _ of the law itself, I, by faith in Christ, am discharged * » . from the law, that I might be appropriated* to God, NOTES. 47 * “ Sinners.” Those who are under the law, having once transgressed, remain always sinners, unalterably so, in the eye of the law, which excludes all from justification. The apostle, in this place, argues thus: ‘* We jews, *¢ who are by birth God’s lioly people, and not as the profligate gentiles, aban- «« doned to all manner of pollution and uncleanness, not being nevertheless, ~ & able to attain righteousness by the deeds of the law, have believed in Christ, << that we might be justified by faith inhim. But if even we, who have be- ‘© taken ourselves to Christ for justification, are ourselves found to be unjusti- *¢ fied sinners, liable still to wrath, as also under the law, to which we subject - £€ ourselyes; what deliverance have we from sin by Christ? Noneat all: we - are as much concluded under’sin and guilt, as if we did not’believe in him. ’ € So that by joining him and the law together for justification, we shut ourselves << out from justification, which cannot be had under the law, and make Christ ® «© the minister of sin, and not of justification, which God forbid.” 18 x Whether this be part of what St. Paul said to St. Peter, or whether it be addressed to the galatians, St. Paul, by speaking in his own name, plainly r declares, that if he sets up the law again, he must necessarily be an offender : whereby he strongly insinuates to the galatians, that he was no promoter of cir- ar: cumcision, especially when what he says, chap. v. 2—4, is added to it. “a - 19 ¥ “ By the tenour of the law itself.” See Rom, iii. 21. Gal. iii. 24, 25. eo and iv. 21, &c. ; ’ 2 Being discharged from the law, St. Paul expresses by ‘‘ dead to the Jaw; compare Rom. vi. 14. with vii. 4. ; f e 2 a “ Live to God.” “What St. Paul says here, seems to imply, that living under the law, yas to live not acceptably to God; a strange doctrine certainly - a * = Ey e* rs GALATIANS. gies ue. a a. 20 [ am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live inthe flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave — > himself for me. Bayi) ew 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. “i : | PARAPHRASE. and live aeceptably to him in his kingdom, which he has €0 now set up under his Son. I, a member of Christ's bedy, am crucified” with him, but though am thereby dead to the law, I nevertheless live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, i.e. the life which I now live in the flesh, is upon no other principle, nor under any other law, but that of faith in the Son of God*, who loved me? 21 and gave himself, for me. And in so doing, T avoid frustrating the grace of God, I accept of the grace* and forgiveness of God, as it is offered through faith in ° Christ, in the gospel: but if I subject myself to the law — as still in force under the gospel, I do in effect frustrate ; grace. For if righteousness be to be had by the law, then Christ died to no purpose, there was no need of — it *. Tad NOTES. GL ini & to the jews, and yet it was true now, under the gospel, for God having put his kingdom in this world wholly under his Son, when he raised him from the dead, all who, after that, would be his people in ‘his kingdom, were to live by no othér law, but the gospel, which was now the law of his kingdom. . And hence we see God cast off the jews ; because sticking to their old consti- tution, they would not have this man reign over them: so that what St. Paul says here, is in effect this: «« By believing in Christ, Tam discharged from the ~ « “ Crucified with Christ ;” see this explained, Rom, vil, 4. and vi, Q—t4. — Pan peed: ery sat | ¢ i.e, The whole management of myself is conformable to the doctrine of the gospel, of justification in Christ alone, and not by the deeds of the law. This, and the former verse, seem to be spoken in opposition to St. Peter's owning 4 subjection to the law of Moses, by his walking, mentioned, ver. eae 21 4 “ Grace of God;”” see chap. i. 6, 7. to which this seems i o osed. © * In vain,” read this explained in St. Paul’s own words, chap. v.3—G. im, % Aik — a CHAP. III. GALATIANS, | | r 45 q - ’ - - : ‘ee - SECT. If. a CHAP. Ill. 1—5. CONTENTS, * By the account St. Paul has given of himself, in the fore- going section, the galatians being furnished with evidence, sufficient to clear him, in their minds, from the report of ~ his preaching circumcision, he comes now, the way being thus opened, directly to oppose their being circumcised, and subjecting themselves to the law. The first argument he uses, is, that they received the Holy Ghost, and the gifts .of . aniracles, by the gospel, and not by the law. * ’ 4 reer TEXT. 1 O FOOLISH galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you: Received ye the spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? PARAPHRASE. * 1 O YE foolish galatians, who hath cast a mist before your eyes, that you should not keep to the truth* of the gospel, you to whom the sufferings and death of Christ* . upon the cross, hath been by me so lively represented, as ~ 2 if it had been actually done in your sight? This is’ one 4 thing I desire to know of you: Did you receive the mi- NOTES. 4 a ** Obey the truth,” i.e. stand fast in the liberty of the gospel; truth being used in this epistle, as we have already noted, chap. ii. 14, for the doc- trine of being free from the law, which St. Paul had delivered tothem. The reason whereof he gives, chap. v. 3—5. b St. Paul mentions nothing to them here but Christ crucified, as knowing » that, when formerly he had preached Christ crucified to them, he had shown them, that, by Christ’s death on the cross, believers were set free from the law, and the covenant of works was removed, to make way for that of grace. This we may find him inculcating to his other gentile converts. See Eph. ii. - 15, * Col. ii. 14, 20.' And accordingly he tells the galatians, chap. v. 2; 45 7 » by circumcision, they put themselves under the law, they were fallen 3 grace, and Christ should profit them nothing at all: things, which they F are supposed to understand, at his writing to them, , &. 46 rp GALATIANS® CHAP. IIE, ) lal: TEXT. ina iewh \iseae 3, Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh ? peli 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He, therefore, that ministereth to you the Spirit,,and worketh ~ * miracles among you, doth he it by the works of the law, or by. the hearing of faith? * 8 PARAPHRASE. "0 3) Oa raculous gifts of the Spirit, by the works of the law, or 3 by the gospel preached to you? Have you so little un- derstanding, that, having begun in the reception of the spiritual doctrine of the gospel, you hope tobe advanced to higher degrees of perfection, and to be completed by 4 the law‘? Have you suffered so many things in vain, if at least you will render it in vain, by ion from the, profession of the pure and uncorrupted doetrine “+ 5 gospel, and apostatizing to judaism? The gifts of the * Holy Ghost, that have been conferred upon you, have they not been conferred on you as Christians, professing faith in Jesus Christ, and not as observers of the law ?* And hath not he‘, who hath conveyed these gifts to you, ; and done miracles amongst you, done*it as a preacher and professor of the gospel, the jews, who stick in the law of Moses, being not able, by virtue of that, to doany® - such thing? re ‘ i h } sf m ’ ; % NOTES... ae ae 3 © It is a way of writing-very familiar to St. Paul, in opposing the law and , the gospel, to call the law Flesh, and the gospel Spirit. The reason whereof is very plain to any one conversant in his epistles. rf wea 5 4 « He.” «The person meant here by 6 exrxopnyan, * he that ministereth,” and chap. i. 6. by 6 nawaéoac, “ he that called,” is plainly St. Paul himself, though, out of modesty, he declines naming himself. : * > a a * J 7 x My SECT. IV. vue, ua Py | #» # * CHAP. Ill. 6—17. i i oa 7. \ ny oe > * . CONTENTS.) * + Magen, oi i r ve Mis oar H IS next argument against circumcision, and subjectioy to the law, is, that the children of Abraham,“intitled to the & i - wis “ y af 4 r & ” a at CHAP. 11.) GALATIANS. , , # 7 ‘ inheritance and blessing promised to Abraham and his seed, __ are so by faith, and not by being under the lawywhich brings a curse a those who. are under it. me, was ; 4 , TEXT. I wa 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness : 7.Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. ~ § And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the hea- a then through faith, preached before the gospel, unto Abraham, saying, “ In thee shall all nations be blessed.” 9 So then they which be of faith, 1g blessed with faithful Abra- it” ham. ; 20 For as many as are of the works ofthe law, are under the curse; ; for it is written, “ Cursed is every one that continueth not in “all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do & them.” © mary < d _PARAPHRASE. 6 But to proceed: As Abraham believed in God, and it 7 was accounted to ‘him for righteousness; So know ye, that those who are of faith, i.e. who rely upon God, and his promises of grace, and not upon their own per- ' formances, they are the children of Abraham, who shall 8 inherit; and this is plain in the scripture. For it being « in the purpose of God, to justify the gentiles by faith, “"* he gave Abraham a fore-knowledge of the gospel in these words: “‘*In thee all the nations of the earth 9 shall be blessed.” So that they who are: of * faith, 10 are blessed with Abraham, who believed. But as many as are of the works of the law, are under the “curse: for it.is written‘, ‘“‘ Cursed is every one, who remain- “ eth not in all things, which are written in the book of s * ; NOTES. (Wd Gengxiii. 3. *t ; “0, 10° & « Of faith,” and “ of the works of the law 5” spoken of two races of men, the one as the genuine posterity of Abraham, heirs of the promise, the other not.. ei Sale atl Blessed,”” and. under the curse.’’, “Here again there is another division, ~ viz. into the blessed, and those mee Ye curse, whereby is meant such as are ‘in a state of life, or acceptance with"God; or such as are exposed to his wrath, Mi » and to-death, see Deut. xxx. 19. is s : 10 4 Written,” Deutyaxvii. 26, ole et , ” 4 > © 2 ’ * ! t i - * * ® ¥ ~ P ~ ™ * ° ‘+s, & 2 - rt a 48 -— GALATIANS: © entar, a1 a TEXT, ; ~ 11° But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is — . evident: for the “ just shall live by faith.” ~ Y tein 12 And the law is not of faith: but, “' The man that doth them, “shall live in them.” » eh. | x | 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made . a curse for us; for it is written, “ Cursed is every one that ~~ hangeth on a tree.” ts ai Cem |, 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit * through faith. ae de ay 15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of meNG though it be but a PARAPHRASE. 5 . 11 “the law, to do them.” But that no man is justified by the law, in the sight of God, is evident; “ for the 12 “just shall live by faith®.” But the law says not so, the law gives»not life to those who believe‘: bat the rule of the law is, “ He that doth them, shall live in® 13 “them®.” Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written*, 14 “ Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree :” That the blessing’, promised to Abraham, might come on the gentiles, through Jesus Christ; that we who are Christians might, believing, receive,the Spirit that was 15 promised*. Brethren, this is a known and allowed rule © ; * +. NOTES. ~ ae 11 © Hab. i. 4. 12 f See Acts xiii. 39. ' & Lev. xviii. 5. : ail g 13) Deut. xii. 21, 23. FET to 14 i “ Blessing:”” ‘* That blessing,” ver. 8,9, 14. Justification,” ver. 11. Righteousness,” ver. 21. ‘ Life,” ver. 11, 12, 21. ** Inheritance,*" ver. 18. ‘* Being the children of God,” ver. 26. are in effect all the samey — on the one side: And the “ curse,’’ ver. 13, the direct contrary, on the other’ side; ‘so plain is St. Paul’s discourse here, that no-body, who reads it wigs the least attention, will be in any doubt about it. ie * k « Promised.” St. Paul's argument to convince the ‘galatians, that they — ought not to be circumcised, or submit to the law, froin "their having received” © the spirit from him, upon their having received the gospel, which preached” to them, ver. 2 and 5, stands thus: The blessing promised to Abraham, and to his seed, was wholly upon the account of faith, ver. 7 There were n different seeds, who should inherit the promise ; the o by the works of th law, and the other bywfaith. For there was but “ one seed, which was “ Christ,” ver. 16. and those.who should claim in, andeunder him, by faith. Among those there wa8 no distinction of jew and gentile They, and they 4 4 only, whogbelieved, were all one nd the same, true seed of Abraham, and 7 e . oe oe Prvrign- 7 ; Anh, & re ’ g s , Pe > } He 4 22, ‘OHAPY 111’ GALATIANS. 49 TEXT. man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, “ and to seeds,” as of many ;. but as of one, “ and to “ thy seed,” which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. i '- PARAPHRASE. in human affairs, that a promise, or compact, though it _be barely a man’s covenant, yet if it be once ratified, so ___ itmust stand, nobody can render it void, or make any 16 alteration in it.. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.. God doth not say, “ and to ** seeds,” as if he spoke of more seeds than one, that were intitled to the promise upon different accounts ; but only of one sort of men; who, upon one sole ac- count, were that seed of Abraham, which was alone meant and concerned in the promise; so that “ unto thy seed™,”. designed Christ, and his mystical body”, 17, i.e. those, that become members of him by faith. ‘This therefore, I:say, that thelaw, which was not till 430 years after, cannot disannul the covenant that was long before made, and ratified to Christ by God, so as to set aside the promise. For if the right to the inheritance be from the. works of the law, it is plain that itis not founded in the promise of Abraham, as certainly it is. For the inheritance was a donation and free gift of God, settled on Abraham and his seed, by promise. NOTES. heirs according to the promise,” ver. 28,29. And therefore the promise, made to the people of God, of giving them the spirit under the gospel, was “performed only to those who believed in Christ: a clear evidence, that it was not by putting themselves under the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, that ** they were the people of God, and heirs of the promise.” 161“ And to seeds:”” By seeds, St. Paul here visibly means the &: 2% wicewc, - _*¢ those of faith,” and the 6, 22 zpywy soux, ‘ those of the works of the law,” spoken of above, ver. 9, 10, as two distinct seeds, or descendants claiming from Abraham.” * ‘ m “ And to thy seed ;” See Gen. xii. 7. repeited again in the following chapters. Dine . , ; n «© Mystical Body ;"° see ver. 27. E a 50 GALATIANS, — CHAP ITT, sift Ode pl uae be Joy aHRoBOD vote SECT. V. 4 ote? saicoten into: - to ovedemdtonwe ti Qs Carte” in sees Ave “bite veda” roe bait bah, 1 o5 dea. iat bok) CONTENTS. the Acasitary ; t weet | QUO ,hOFTS In answer to this objection, ‘‘ To what, then, serveth the law?” He shows, that the law was not contrary to the pro- og? but since all men were guilty of transgression 2, the law was added, to show the Israelites inevitable consequence of their sin, and there b ces * sity of betaking themselves to Christ: but as pst as men have received Christ, they have attained the end of the law, anid so are no longer under it. ‘This i is a fa er. argument against circumcision. — vinnie alle - TEXT: 20 1 “Yine te TA ‘pron d 18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of nise : | but God gave it to Abraham by promise. | 19 Wherefore, then, serveth the law? It was added: Sok. of | » transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise was miade ; and it was ordained by angels, in the hand of a me- _diator. : ; FR Par? PARAPHRASE. 6 bent : rote 48. If the blessing and inheritance be settled om ieee and believers, as a free gift by promise, and was not to 19 be obtained by the deeds of the law ; To:what purpose _ thenwasthelaw? Itwasadded, because the Israelites, the posterity of Abraham, were transgressors *, vas. well as other men, to show them their sins, and the punish- ment and death they incurred by them, until Christ should come, who was the seed, into whom both jews and gentiles, ingrafted by believing, become the. of God, and children “i Abraham, — etm to ‘i _ i9 2 That this is the meaning of, “ Rotdhie of transgressio ns the flown “part of this section shows, wherein St. Paul argues to feared a5 agin _were sinners as well as other men, ver. 22.. The law deneenenied oe all ‘ “sinnéts, could savé none, ver. 21, but was thereby useful to bring ‘men NG BH. | that they might be justified by faith, ver. 24 Seechii, 15,16. OWAP, IL GALATIANS. st 20 Now a'mediator is not a mediator of one; but Gedas:oné. ~~ 21 Is the law, then, against the promises of God!? God forbid! .» for if there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. ae? PARAPHRASE. the promise was made... And the law was ordained by angels, in the hand of a mediator’, whereby it is mani- 20 fest, that the law could not disannul the promise; “Be- _cause a mediator is a mediator between two partiés concerned, but God is but one*® of those concerned in 21 the promise. If, then, the promised imheritance ‘come ‘not to the seed of Abraham, by the law; is the! law op- posite; by the curse it denounces against transgressors, to the promises that God made of the blessing to. Abra- ham: No, by no means! For ifthere had: been’a law , NOTES. Lai — -b Mediator. See Deut. v. 5. Lev. xxvi. 46. Where it is said, the law was made between God and the children of Israel, by the hand of Moses. © ~ 20 ¢ But Godis one: To understand this verse, we must carry in our minds what St. Paul is here doing, and that from ver. 17. is manifest, that he is proving that the law could nof disannul the promise; and he does it upon this known rule, that a covenant, or promise, once ratified, cannot be altered, or disannulled, by any other, but by both the parties. concerned. Nowy says. he, God is but one of the parties concerned in the promise; the gentiles and israelites together made up the other, vers 14. But Moses, at the giving of the law, was a mediator only between the israelites and God; and, therefore, could’ not transact any thing to the disannulling the promise, which was’ bétween God, and the israelites andi gentiles together, because God was but one of the parties to that covenant; the other, which was the gentiles, as well'as israelites, Moses appeared, or transacted, not for. And so what was done at mount “Sinai, by the mediation of Moses, could not affect'a covenant made between parties whereof only one was there. How necessary it was for St. Paul‘ to add’ this, we shall-see, if we consider, that without it his argument of 430 years distance would have been deficient, and hardly conclusive: For if both the parties concerned. in the promise had transacted by Moses the miediator, (as they might if none but the nation of the israelites had been concerned in: the - promise made by God to Abraham)'they might, by mutual’ consent,-have altered; or set aside, the former promise, as well four hundred years, as four days after. That which hindered it, was, that at Moses’s mediation, on Mount Sinai, God, who was but one of the parties to the promise, was present; but the other party, Abraham’s seed, consisting of israelites and gentiles together, was: not there ; Moses transacted for the nation of the israelites alone: the other na-~ tions were not concerned in the covenant made at Mount Sinai, as they were’in a to Abraham and his seed’; which, therefore, could not be’ isannulled without their consent. For that both the promise to Abraham and his seed, and the covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, was national, is in itself 7 evident. 5 EQ 52 GALATIANS. CHAP. IIT. TEXT. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin; that the promise, by faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to them that believe. - 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the Jaw, shut : up" unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 4 PARAPHRASE. given, which could have put us in a state of life*, cer- 22 tainly righteousness should have been by law*. But | we find the quite contrary by the scripture, which makes no distinction betwixt jew and gentile, in this’ respect, but has shut up together all mankind‘, jews and gen- tiles, under sin and guilt, that the blessing® which was promised, to that which is Abraham’s true and intended ».. seed, by faith in Christ, might be given to. those who 23 believe. But, before Christ, and the doctrine of justi- fication by faith in him, came, we jews were shut up as a company of prisoners together, under the custody and inflexible rigour of the law, unto the coming of the Messiah, when the doctrine of justification by faith* in 24 him should be revealed. So that the law, by its seve- rity, served as a school-master to bring us to Christ, that NOTES. 21 € Zworezcas, “ Put into a state of life.” The Greek word signif t make alive. St, Paul considers all men here, as in a mortal state; and to ne out of that mortal state, into a state of life, he calls, being made-alive.. “ he says, the law could not do, because it could not confer righteousness, 4 "Ex vonx, by law, i.e. by works, or obedience to that law, which’ tended teumarels righteousness, as well asthe promise, but was not able toreach, or confer it. See Rom. viii. 3. i.e. frail men were not able to attain Figuesemee bysan exact see | of their actions to the law of righteousness. 22 © Ta wala, All, is used here for all men. The apostle, Slew lil. 9. and 19, expresses the same thing by wavlac, all men; and wéic 6xdep@-, all the world. But speaking in the text here of the jews, in particular, he ine ‘We, meaning those of his own bation, as is evident from ver. 24, 25. £ Under sin, i,e. rank them all together, as one guilty race of sinners: see this proved, Rom. iil. 9. i. 18, &c.. Tothe same purpose of putting both jews and gentilesinto one state, St. Paul uses cuvéxreie actvlagy “ hath abut them, up ‘© all together,’” Rom. xi. 32. & The thing promised in this chapter, sometimes called Blessing, ver. 9, 14. sometimes Inheritance, ver- 18. sometimes Justification, ver. 11,24. pone Righteousness, ver. 21. and sometimes Life, ver. 11, 21. fr 23 4 By faith, see ver. 14. iggy Peg i “Justification by f faith, see ver. 24, CHAP. ITT. ‘GALATIANS. 53 TEXT. 25 But, after that faith is come, we are no longer under a school- master. . PARAPHRASE. 25 we might be justified by faith. But Christ being come, and with him the doctrine of justification by faith, we are set free trom this school-master, there is no longer any need of him. SECT. VI. CHAP. III. 26—29. CONTENTS. - AS a farther argument to dissuade them from circumci- sion, he tells the galatians, that by faith in Christ, all, whe- ther jews or gentiles, are made the children of God; and so they stood in no need of circumcision. TEXT. 26 For ye are all the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you, as have been baptized into Christ, have put _ on Christ. 26 There is neither jew nor greek, there is neither bond nor free, PARAPHRASE. 26 For ye are all the children of God, by faith in Christ 27 Jesus. For as many of you, as have been baptized in 28 Christ, have put on >Christ. There is no distinction ‘NOTES. 26 2 All, i.e. both jews and gentiles. 27> Put on Christ. This, which, at first sight, may seem a very bold meta- - phor, if we consider what St. Paul has said, ver. 16. and 26, is admirably adapted to express his thoughts in a few words, and hasa great gracein it. He says, ver. 16, that ‘the seed to which the promise was made, was but one, and “« that one was Christ.” And ver. 26, he declares, ‘* that by faith in Christ, < all became the sons of God.” To lead them into an easy conception how this is done, he here tells them, that, by taking on them the profession of 4 GALATIANS. CHAR, iY9 __ there is neither male nor female: for ye: are all one in. Christ Jesus. Joye 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are:ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs ac- cording to the promise. ‘acai 5 ro fh oC ie oer C2 i /PARAPHRASEs ) ou) sce bos 4 of jew or gentile, of bond or free, of male or female. For ye are all one body, making up one person in Christ 29 Jesus. And if ye are all one in Christ Jesus*, ye are the true ones, seed of Abraham, and heirs acco the promise. NOTES, the gospel, they have, as it were, put on Christ; so that to God, now looking on them, there appears nothing but Christ. They are, as it were, covered all over with him, as a man is with the cloaths he hath put on. And hence he says, in the next verse, that ‘ they are all one in Christ Jesus,” as if there were but that one person. 29 2 The Clermont copy reads ei 33 iets tig Eck dv Xpisw “Inc, “ And if ye “are one in Christ Jesus,’” more suitable, as it seems, to the apostle’s argument. For, ver. 28, he says, ‘* They are all one in Christ Jesus ;” from whence the inference in the following words of the Clermont copy,,is wmafprnle & And if ** ye be one in Christ Jesus, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs accor ing ** to promise.” ; " SECT. VII, CHAP, AV 1a yo) nanan CONTENTS, vam, Wan sa tees { N the first part of this section he further shows, that the law was not against the promise, in that the child is not dis- inherited, by being under tutors. But the chief design of this section is to show, that though both jews and gentiles li were intended to be the children of God, and heirs of the omise by faith in Christ, yet they both of them were left in bondage, the jews to the law, ver. 3. and the gentiles to false gods, ver. 8. until Christ in due time came to redeem them both; and, therefore, it was folly in the galatians, — p ee we Chay GALATIANS. | 58 being redeemed from one bondage, to go backwards, and put themselves again in a state of bondage, though under a i Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth no- _ thing from a-servant, though he be lord of all; ; 2 But he is under tutors and governors, until the time appointed of the father. pack 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his - son made of a woman, made under the law; 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And, because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. PARAPHRASE. j N OW I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, dif- fereth nothing from a bondman*, though he be lord of 2 all; But is under tutors and guardians, until. the time 3 prefixed by his father. So we° jews, whilst we were 4 children, were in bondage under the law‘. But when the time appointed for the coming of the Messias was accomplished, God sent forth his Son, made of a wo- 5 man, and subjected to the law; That he might redeem those who were under the law, and set them free from it, that we, who believe, might be put out of the state of 6 bondmen, into that ef sons. Into which state of sons, it is eyident that you, galatians, who were heretofore gen- tiles, are put; forasmuch as God hath sent forth his Spirit* NOTES. 3 >We. It is plain, St. Paul speaks here in the name of the jews, or jewish ‘church, which, though God’s peculiar people, yet was to pass its nonage (so St. Paul calls it) under the restraint and tutorage of the law, and not to receive the possession of the promised inheritance until Christ came. _ © The law, he calls here cosyeia 8 xé¢ue, “ Elements, or rudiments of the “world.” Because the observances and discipline of the law, which had re- straint and bondage enough in it, led them not beyond the things of this world, into the possession, or taste, of their spiritual and heavenly inheritance. ~ 6 4 The same argument, of proving their sonship from their having the Spirit, St. Paul uses to the Romans, Rom. viii. 16. And he that will read 2 Cor, iv. ‘ 56 GALATIANS, CHAP. Ly. TEXT. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God, through Christ. Gon ay 8 Howbeit, then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them, which by nature are no gods. , . eS ee ae 9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how ‘turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ca 8 7 ¢ ») oe a PARAPHRASE. pape into your hearts, which enables you to cry, Abba, Father. 7 So that thou art no longer a bondman, but a son: and if a son, then an heir* of God, or of the promise of God, 8 through Christ. But then, i.e. before ye were made the sons of God, by faith in Christ, now under the gospel, ye, not knowing God, were in bondage to those, who 9 were in truth no gods. But now, that ye know God, yea rather, that ye are known‘ and taken into favour by him, how can it be that you, who have been put out of a state of bondage, into the freedom of sons, should go. NOTES. s ’ . 17.—v. 6. and Eph. i. 11—14. will find, that the Spirit is looked on, as the seal and assurance of the inheritance of life, to those ‘ who have received the “© adoption of sons,”’ as St. Paul speaks here, ver.5. The force of the argue ment seems to lie in this, that as he, that has the spirit of a man in him, hasan evidence that he is the son of a man, so he, that hath the Spirit of God, has thereby an assurance that he is the Son of God. Conformable hereunto, the opinion of the jews was, that the Spirit of God was given to none but themselves, they alone being the people or children of God ; for God calls the people of Israel his sons, Exod. iv. 22,23. And hence, we see, that when, to the astonishment of the jews, the Spirit was given to the gentiles, the jews no longer doubted, that the inheritance of eternal life was also conferred on the gentiles. Compare Acts x. 44—48. with Acts xi, 15—18. : 7 ¢ St. Paul, from the galatians having received the Spirit, (as appears chap. iii. 2.) argues, that they are the sons of God without the law; and consequently heirs of the promise, without the law; for, says he, ver. 1—6, the jews them- selves were fain to be redeemed from the bondage of the law, by Jesus Christ, that, as sons, they might attain to the inheritance, But you, galatians, says he, have, by the Spirit that is given you by the mins of the gospel, an evidence that God is your Father; and, being sons, are free from the Ro Me of the law, and heirs without it. The same sort of reasoning St. Paul uses to the Romans, ch. viii. 14—17. ® 9 f Known. It has been before observed, how apt St. Paul is to repeat his words, though something varied in their signification. We have here another instance of it: having said, “* Ye have known God,” he subjoins, *€ or rather “¢ are known of him,” in the Hebrew latitude of the word known 3 in which Janguage, it sometimes signifies knowing, with choice and approbation. See Amos ili. 2.1 Cor. Vili. Se ; f CHAP. IV. GALATIANS. 57 TEXT. 10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11 Iam afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in . vain. PARAPHRASE. backwards, and be willing to put yourselves under the ® weak and beggarly elements” of the world into a state 10 of bondage avain? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years, in compliance with the Mosaical in- 11 stitution. I begin to be afraid of you, and to be in doubt, whether all the pains I have taken about you, to set you at liberty, in the freedom of the gospel, will not prove lost labour. NOTES. 2 The law is here called weak, because it was not able to deliver a man from bondage and death, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, Rom. viii, i—3. And it is called beggarly, because it kept men in the poor estate of pupils, from the full possession and enjoyment of the inheritance, ver. 1—3. h The apostle makes it matter of astonishment, how they, who had been in bondage to false gods, having been once set free, could endure the thoughts of parting with their liberty, and of returning into any sort of bondage again, even under the mean and beggarly rudiments of the Mosaical institution, which was not able to make them sons, and instal them in the inheritance. For St. Paul, ver. 7.. ‘expressly opposes bondage to sonship ; so that all, who are not in the state of sons, are inthe stateof bondage. Tlaas, again, cannot here refer to sosyesa, elements, which the galatians had never been under hitherto, but to bondage, which he tells them, ver. 8, they had been in to false gods. ; SECT. VIII. CHAP. IV. 12—20. CONTENTS. He presses them with the remembrance of the great kind- ness they had for him, when he was amongst them; and. -assures them that they have no reason to be alienated from him, though that be it, which the judaizing seducers aim at. zs 58 GALATIANS, » omar. 1: TEXT. 12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as am; for lamas yeare: ye have not injured me at all, r Til 13 Ye know how, through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the gos- pel unte you at the first. 14 And my temptation, which was in my flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me, as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 Where then is the blessedness you spake of; for E bear you re- eord, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and given them to me. : 16 And I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? i 17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that you might affect them, Ot TU PARAPHRASE. , ., , 12 I beseech you, brethren, let you and I be as if we were all one. Think yourselves to be very me; as I, m my own mind, put no difference at all between you and my- 13 self; you have done me no manner of injury: On the contrary, ye know, that through infirmity of the flesh, I 14 heretofore preached the gospel to you. And yet ye de- » spised me not, for the trial 1 underwent in the flesh*, you treated me not with contempt and scorn: but you received me, as an angel of God, yea, as Jesus Christ himself. What benedictions® did you then pour out ~~. upon me? For I bear you witness, had it been practi- cable, you would have pulled out your very eyes, and 16 given them me. _ But is it so, that I am become your © 17 enemy‘ in continuing to tell you the truth? They, who would make you of that mind, show a warmth of affec- tion to you; but it is not well: for their business is to NOTES, 44 2 What this weakness, and trial in the flesh, was, since it has not pleased the apostle to mention it, is impossible for us to know: but may be remarked “here, as an instance, once for all, of that unavoidable obscurity of some passages, Jn epistolary writings, without any fault inthe author. For some things, neces- sary to the understanding of what is writ, are usually of course and justly omit- ‘ted, because already known to him the letter is writ to, and it would be some- .times ungraceful, oftentimes superfluous, particularly to mention them. 15 » The context makes this sense of the words so necessary and visible, that - }t is to be wondered how any one could overlook it. 46 ¢ Yourenemy, Sce chap, i. 6, ‘ A“ CHAP. IV, GALATIANS,, 59 at ‘TEXT. 18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. eileen 19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed.in you. 20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; ‘for I stand in doubt of you. feb taeda PARAPHRASE. 18 exclude me, that they may get into your affection. It is good to be well and warmly affected towards a good man“, at all times, and not barely when I am present 19 with you, My little children, for whom I have again the pains of a woman in child-birth, until Christ be formed in you’, i.e. till the true doctrine of christianity be set- 20 tled in your minds. But I would willingly be this very moment with you, and change‘ my discourse, as I should . - ~ - NOTES, . 18 4 That by vaao here, he means a person and himself, the scope of the context evinces, In the six preceding verses he speaks only of himself, and the change of their affection to him, since he deft them, There is no other-thing mentioned, as peculiarly deserving their affection, to which the rule given in this verse could refer. He had said, ver. 17, Cartcw yas, “ they affect yous” and fa wilds Carers, ** that you might affect them ;” this is only of persons, and therefore Cnreobas tv 2aarc, which immediately follows, may be best under- stood of a person; else the following part of the verse, though joined by the copulative za}, and, will make but a disjointed sense with the preceding. But there can be nothing plainer, nor more coherent than this, which seems to be St. Paul’ssense here: ‘‘ You were very affectionate to me, when I was with you. 4 You are since estranged from me; it is the artifice of the seducers, that have 4 cooled you to me. But it I am the good man you took me to be, you will «¢ do well to continue the warmth of your affection to me, when I am absent, st and not tobe weil affected towards me, only when I am present among you.” ough this be his meaning, yet the way he has taken to express it, 1s much more elegant, modest, and graceful. Let any one read the original, and see whether it be not so. . 19 ¢ If this verse be taken for an intire sentence by itself, it will be a paren- thesis, and that not the most necessary, or congruous, that is to be found in St- Paul's epistles; or D2, but, must be left out, as we sec itis in our translation; But if revvia yd, “my little children,” be joined, by apposition, to vpdéc, yOu, the last word of the foregoing verse; and so the two verses 18 and 19, be read @S ome sentence, ver. 20, with 5:, but, in it, follows very naturally. But, as we now read it iu our English bible, 3:, but, is forced to be left out, and vers rs stands alone by itself, without any connexion with what goes before, or oOllows. - 20 £ "AardZas Qwvnv, * to change the voice,”’ seems to signify the speaking higher or lower; changing the tone of the voice, suitably to the matter one deli- vers, v.g. whether it be advice, or commendation, or reproof, &c. For each ‘of these have their distinct voices. $t. Paul wishes himself with them, that he 60 GALATIANS. CHAP. Iv. PARAPHRASE. | find occasion; for I am at a stand about you, and know not what to think of you. ei aN ad Wins, eS GaN might accommodate himself to their present condition and circumstances, which he confesses himself to be ignorant of, and in doubt about. Sich tiem oe CHAP. IV. 21.—V. 1. CONTENTS. He exhorts them to stand fast in the liberty, with which Christ hath made them free, showing those, who are so zeal- ous for the law, that, if they mind what they read in the law, they will there find, that the children of the promise, or of the new Jerusalem, were to be free; but the children after the flesh, of the earthly Jerusalem, were to be in bondage, and to be cast out, and not to have the inheritance. TEXT. 21 Tellme, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? iagteth 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one bya bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. PARAPHRASE. 21 Tell me, you that would so fain be under the law, do you not acquaint yourselves with what is in the law, either by reading* it, or having it read in your assem- 22 blies? For it is there written’, Abraham had two sons, . NOTES. 21 2 The vulgar has, after some greek manuscripts, Read. Bigs Y 22 > Written there, viz. Gen. xvi. 15. and xxi. 1. The term, Law, in the feregoing verse, comprehends the five books of Moses. CHAP. IV. _GALATIANS. 61 TEXT. 23 But he, who was of the bond-woman, was born after the flesh : _ but he of the free-woman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory; for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai 1 in Arabia, and answereth to Jeru- salem, which new is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not; break forth and cry, that thou travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 23 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as, then, he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now. PARAPHRASE. 23 one ity a bond-maid the other by a free woman. But he that was of the bond woman, was born according to the flesh, in the ordinary course of nature; but he that was of the free woman, Abraham had by. virtue of the promise, after he and his wife were past the hopes of 24 another child. These things have an allegorical mean- “ing: for the tvo women are the two covenants, the one of them delivered from mount Sinai, and is represented 25 by Agar, who produces her issue-into bondage. (For Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusa- lem, that now is, and is in bondage with her children.) 26 But the heavenly Jerusalem, which is above, and an- swers to Sarah, the mother of the promised seed, is free; the mother of us all, both jews and gentiles, who be- 27 lieve. For it was of her, that it is written‘, ‘‘ Rejoice, * thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud “ acclamations of joy, thou that hast not the travails ** of child-birth; for more are the children of the deso- 28 “ late, than of her that hath am husband.” And it is we, my brethren, who, as Isaac was, are the children _ 29 of promise. But as, then, Ishmael, who was born in NOTE. / . 27 © Written, viz. Isaiah liv. 2, : , , 63 GALATIANS. emAP. vs TEXT: 3@ Nevertheless, what saith the scripture? Cast out the bonde - woman and her son: for the son of the bond-womian shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. eid oul 7 42 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. mA aoe * V.1. Stand fast, therefore, m the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled agaim, with the yoke of bondage. dw mers L wil Oe PARAPHRASE. iin aus the ordinary course of nature*, persecuted Isaac, who was born by am extraordinary power, from 1 atin 30 working miraculously; so. is it now. But what saith the scripture‘? “ Cast out the boad-woman and her * son: for the son of the bond-woman' shall not share 31 “ the inheritance with the son of the free-woman.” So then, brethren, we, who believe in Christ, are not the V..1. chiidren of the bond-woman, but of the free®. » Stand fast, therefore, in the hberty, wherewith Christ hath made you free, and donot put om again a yoke of bond- age, by putting yourselves under the law.) 9» ow i Mis. aAWeKyig ’ NOTES. tj wip y tte ar 29 €°O nald capuee ysvunbeis, © born after the fleshs”” andirdy wala. amietuc, *€ born of the Spirit.” These expressions have, in their original brevity, with regard to the whole view, wherein St. Paul uses them; an-admirable beauty an force, which cannot be retained in a paraphrase. aml vd. &e - $0 © Scripture, viz. Gen. xxi. 10. peg Ai * 81 £ The apostle, by this allegorical history, shows the galatians, that they who. are sons of Agar, i,e. under the law given at mount Sinai,,are in bondage, and intended to be cast out, the irheritance being designed for onlys spel. And OM ia are the free-born sons of God, under the spiritual covenant o' thereupon he exhorts them, in the following words, to presénve themselves/in that state of freedom. , bpoent | acd ied .vewebsTS rt : sd ee saa Lois GM oos. ** Shur. uP eg: eae fro FO CHAP. Vv. go pee ' (: $4 =| ve “sen WH oe ay : bey AN AO 30 RON GER EGOS TOG ee ] T is evident from ver. 11. that, the better to prevail with the galatians to be circumcised, it had been reported, that CHAP: Ve GALATIANS:: ' 63 St. Paul himself preached eg cin. St. Paul, with- out taking express notice of this calumny, chap. i. 6. and u. 21, gives an account of his past life, ina large train of particulars, which all concur to make stich a character of - him, as renders it very incredible, that he should ever de- clare for the circumcision of the gentile converts, or for their. submission to the law. Having ; thus prepared the minds of the galatians to give him a fair hearing, as a: fair maw Cnrzebas tv xed, he goes on to argue against their subject- ing themselves to the law. And having established their . freedom from the law, by many strong arguments, he comies here at last openly to take notice of the report which had been raised of him, [that he preached’ circumcision | and di- rectly confutes it. 1. By positively denouncing to them, himself, very so- lemnly, that they, who suffer themselves to be cit rcumicised, _ put themselves into a perfect legal state, out of the cove- nant of grace, and cian receive no benefit by Jesus C hrist, ver. 2—4, | @ By assuring them, ‘that he, and those that followed hing expected justification only by faith, ver. 5, 6. 3. By telling them, that he had pat them in the right way, and that this new persuasion came not from him, that converted them to christianity, ver. 7, 8 4. By insinuating to them, that they should agree to pass judgment on him, that troubled them with this doctrine, ver. 9, 10. 5. Byhis being persecuted, for opposing the eireumcision of: the christians. For this was the great offence, which stuck with the jews, even after their conversion, ver. 11. 6. By wishing those cut off, that trouble them with this doctrine, ver. 12. This will, I doubt not, by whoever weighs it, be found a yery skilful management of the argumentative part of this epistle, which ends here. For, though he begins with sap- ping the foundation, on which the judaizing seducers seem- ed to have laid their main stress, viz. the report of his preaching circumcision; yet he reserves the direct and open confutation of it to ‘the end, and so leaves it with them, that it may have the more forcible and lasting i inci on their minds, a 64 | GALATIANS. CHAP. V. "PEORY .. <-tiors oeaiaiadl cael i 2 Behold; I, Paul, say unto you, that if ye be cireutncised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Ao Ac het 3 For I testify, again, to every man that is circumcised, that he isa debtor to do the whole law. eer ett « I BS a OT 4 Chiist is become of no effect unto you; whosoever of you are» by A wie mall 9 justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace. = " 5 For we, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by" faith. he ne 6 For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision ; but faith, which worketh bylove. mun) PARAPHHAGE yi tas 2 Take notice that I, Paul*, who am falsely reported to preach up circumcision in other places, say unto you, that if you are circumcised, Christ shall be of no advan- 3 tage to you. . For I repeat here again, what I have al- ways preached, and solemnly. testify tovevery one; who yields to be circumcised, in compliance with thosé whe say, That now, under the gospel, he cannot be saved *without it, that he is under an obligation to the whole law, and bound to observe and performievery tittle of it. 4, Christ is of no use to you, who seek justification by the law : whosoever do so, be ye what ye will, ye are fallen’ 5 from the covenant of grace. But 1‘, and those, who with me are true christians, we, who follow. the truth of the gospel, and the doctrine of the Spirit* of God, have. 6 no other hope of justification, but by faith in Christ. . For in the state of the gospel, under Jesus, the: Messiah, it is . NOTES. aikido 2 2710, tya TadvaG@-, ‘* Behold, I Paul,” I the same Paul, who am reported to preach circumcision, paflipou.as 0: warw wail avOporw, ¥- 3. witnessagain, continue my testimony, to every man, to you and all men. This so emphatical _ way of speaking may very well be understood to have regard to what he takes notice, ver, 11, to be cast upon him, viz. his preaching circumcision, and is a very significant vindication of himself. ye > ae 3 b-“< Cannot be saved.’” This was the ground upon which the jews and judaizing christians urged circumcision. See Actsxve1. © | ¥> 5 ¢ * We.” It is evident from the context, that St. Paul here means himself... But We is a more graceful way of speaking than I; though he be vindicating” himself alone from the imputation of setting up circumcision. — OC) » @ “¢ Spirit.” ‘The law and the gospel opposed, under the titles of Flesh and Spirit, we may see, chap. iii. 3. of this epistle. ‘The same opposition it stands in here to the law, in the foregoing verse, points out the same signification, - CHAP. V. GALATIANS. 65 TEXT. 7 Ye did run well: who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. - 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, through the Lord; that you will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you, shall. bear his judgment, whosoever he be. PARAPHRASE. neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, that is of any moment ; all that is available is faith alone, working by 7 love*. When you first entered into the profession of the gospel, you were in a good way, and went on well : who has put a stop to you, and hindereth you, that you keep no longer to the truth of the christian doctrine? | 8 This persuasion, that it is necessary for you to be cir- cumcised, cometh not from him‘, by whose preaching 9 you were called to the profession of the gospel. Re- member that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ; the influence of one man® entertained among you, may 10 mislead you all. I have confidence in you, that, by the help of the Lord, you will be all of this same mind* NOTES. 6 .¢ “ Which worketh by love.’’ This is added to express the animosities which were amongst them, probably raised by this question about circumcisions See ver. 11—15. : 8 £ This expression of ** him that calleth, or calleth you,”’ he used before, chap. i. 6. and, in both places, means himself, and here declares, that this aesco* own (whether taken for persuasion, or for subjection, as it may be in St. Paul's style, considering aeifecbas, in the end of the foregoing verse) came not from him, for he called them to liberty from the law, and not subjection to it; see ver. 13. ‘¢ You were going on well, in the liberty of the gospel; who stopped ¢ you? I, you may be sure, had no hand in it; I, you know, called you to “ liberty, and not to subjection to the law, and therefore you can, by no means, “* suppose that I should preach up circumcision.” Thus St. Paul argues here. 9 & By this and the next verse, it looks as if all this disorder arose from one man. " 10 4 * Will not be otherwise minded,” will beware of this leaven, so as not to be put into a ferment, nor shaken in your liberty, which you ought to stand fast in; and to secure it, I doubt not, (such confidence I have in you) will with one accord cast out him that troubles you. For, as for me, you may be sure I am not for circumcision, in that the jews continue to persecute me. This is evidently his meaning, though not spoken out, but managed warily, with a very skilful and moving insinuation. For,as he says of himself, chap. iv. 20, he knew not, at that distance, what temper they were in, F 66 GALATIANS. CHAP.AY, TEXT. | . 11. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do T yetsuler persecution ? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12 I would they were even cut off, which trouble you. 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto herty, ait alas) \ OL Ge PARAPHRASE. : ad ent rs ee is d with me; and consequently he that. troubles: you, sdhall fall nome the censure he deserves for it’, whoever he — -11 be. But as for me, brethren, if I, at last, am become + a preacher of circumcision, why am I yet persecuted"? | If it be so, that the gentile converts are to be circum- — cised, and so subjected to the law, the great offence of the gospel | in relying solely on a crucified Saviour for 12 salvation, isremoved. But I am of another mind, and wish that they may be cut off, who trouble you about 13 this matter, and they shall be cut off. — a ete ye have been called by me unto liberty., §......, NOTES, ory afer : ‘ 1 Keijzes Judgment, seems here to mean expulsion by a church- censure ; sce ver. 12. We shall be the more inclined to this, if we consider that the apostle | uses the same argument of ‘ a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” 4 Cor. q v. 6. where he would persuade the corinthians to purge out the fornicator. 11 * Persecution. The persecution St. Paul was still under, was a convinc- _ ing argument that he was not for circumcision, and subjection to the law; for f it was from the jews, upon that account, that, at this time, rose all the persecu- tion, which the christians suffered ; as may be seen through all the history of the J Acts. Nor are there wanting clear footsteps of it, in several places of oni epis- : tle, besides this-here, as chap. iii. 4. and vie 12. 4 12 1 Offence of the cross, see chap. vi. 12—14, SECT. XI. CHAP. V. 13—26. ry ae CONTENTS. eBoy th ale From the mention of liberty, which he tells them ey are called to, under the gospel, he takes a rise to caution — them i in the use of it, and so exhorts them to.a spiritual, « or bic GALATIANS. 67 true christian life, showing the difference and contrariety between that and a carnal life, or a life after the flesh. TEXT. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word: even in this; thou shalt "~ Jeve thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour. one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another, 16 This I say then, Walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. PARAPHRASE. Though the gospel, to which you are called, be a state of liberty from the bondage of the law, yet pray take great care you do not mistake that liberty, nor think it affords you an opportunity, in the abuse of it, to satisfy the lust of the flesh, but *serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law, concerning our duty to others, is fulfilled in observing this one precept”; ‘‘ Thou shalt 15 “love thy neighbour as thyself.” But, if you bite and tear one another, take heed that you be not destroyed 16 and consumed by one another. ‘This I say to you, con- duct yourselves by the light that is in your minds‘, and do not give yourselves up to the lusts of the flesh, to — 17 obey them, in what they put upon you. For the incli- roe ations and desires of the flesh, are contrary to those’ of the spirit: and the dictates and inclinations of the spirit are contrary to those of the flesh ; so that, under these. contrary impulses, you do not do the things that you \ 1 : NOTES. | 13 2 Avagdéde, serve, has a greater force in the greek, than our english word, |serve, does in the common acceptation of it express. For it signifies the opposite \to tacubepia, freedom. And so the apos:le elegantly informs them, that though “by the gospel they are called to a state of liberty from the law; yet they were tari as much bound and subjected to their brethren, in all the offices and duties of love and good will, as if, in that respect, they were their vassals and bondmen, , 44 > Lev. xix. 18. | 46 © That which he here} and in the next verse, calls spirit, he calls, Rom. vii. 22, the inward man; ver. 23, the law of the mind; ver. 25, the mind. i | K } FQ . 68 GALATIANS. _ CHAP, We: TEXT. 18 But if ye be led by the spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adul- tery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousuess, = = et ee PUES hike? er | PARAPHRASE. 18 purpose to yourselves*. But if you give yourselves up to the conduct of the gospel‘, by faith in Christ, ye are ‘19 not under the law‘. Now the works of the flesh, as is mr wh ay af NOTES. — ‘ 17 ¢ Do not; so it is in the greek, and ours is the only translation that I - know which renders it cannot. ’ 16,17. There can Bf nothing plainer, than that the state St. Paul describe here, in these two verses, he points out more at large, Rom. vii. 17, &c. speak ing there in the person of ajew. This is evident, that St. Paul supposes two principles in every man, which draw him different ways ; the one he calls Flesh the other Spirit. These, though there be other appellations given them, are the most common and usual names given them in the New Testament: by flesh, is meant all those vicious and irregular appetites, inclinations, and habitudes, whereby a man is turned from his obedience to that eternal law of right, the observance whereof God always requires and is pleased with. This is very properly called flesh, this bodily state being the source, from which all our de- viations from the straight rule of rectitude do for the most part take their rise, else do ultimately terminate in: on the other side, spirit is the part of a man, «< in the spirit of their minds,” ver. 23, and to ‘* put off the old man,”’ i.e, fleshly corrupt habits, and to ‘* put on the new man,” which, he tells them, ver. 24, ‘is created in righteousness and true holiness."’ This is called, ‘¢ re. “newing of the mind,”’ Rom. xii. 2.‘ Renewing of the inward man,” 2 iv. 16. Which is done by the assistance of the Spirit of God, Eph. ii. 16. _ 18 ¢ The reason of this assertion we may find, Rom. viii. 14. viz. Becaus « they who are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God,”’ and so hei and free without the law, as he argues here, chap. iii. andiv. f This is plainly the sense of the apostle, who teaches all along in the former part of this epistle, and also that to the Romans, that those, who put themselve under the gospel, are not under the law: the question, then, that remains, is only about the phrase, ‘ led by the Spirit.” And as to that, it is easy to ob- serve how natural it is for St. Paul, having in the foregoing verses more than once mentioned the Spirit, to continue the same word, h somewhat varied in the sense. In St. Paul’s phraseology, as the irregularities of appetite, the dictates of right reason, are opposed under the titles of Flesh Ag Spirit, we have seen: so the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace, law, a gospel, are opposed under the titles of Flesh and Spirit. 2 Cor. ill. 6, 8 calls the gospel Spirit ; and Rom. vii. 5, in the flesh, signifies in the legal state. But we need go no further than chap. iii. 3. of this very epistle, to see the le and the gospel opposed by St. Paul, under the titles of Flesh and Spirit. T “CHAP. Y. GALATIANS. - 69 TEXT. 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, _21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such-like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they, which do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. bh 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, _ gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. PARAPHRASE. - manifest, are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, 20 lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft®, enmities, quarrels, 21 emulations, animosities, strife, seditions, sects, Envy- ings, murders, drunkenness, revellings", and such-like : concerning which I forewarn you now, as heretofore I have done, that they, who do such things, shall not in- 22 herit the kingdom of God. But, on the other side, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, sweetness of disposition, beneficence, faithfulness, 23 Meekness, temperance: against these and the like there 24 is no law. Now they who belong’ to Christ, and are his members, have * crucified the flesh, with the affec- NOTES. _ reason of thus using the word Spirit, is very apparent in the doctrine of the New Testament, which teaches, that those who receive Christ by faith, with him re- ceive his Spirit, and its assistance against the flesh; see Rom. viii. 9—11. Ac- ~ cordingly, for the attaining salvation, St. Paul joins together belief of the truth, and sanctification of the Spirit, 2 Thess. ii. 18. And so Spirit, here, may be taken for “‘ the Spirit of their minds,’’ but renewed and strengthened by the Spirit of God; see Eph. iii. 16. andiv. 23. 20 & Mapuancia signifies witchcraft, or poisoning. 21 4 Kayo, Revellings, were, amongst the greeks, disorderly spending of the ipiane in feasting, with alicentious indulging to wine, good cheer, music, danc- ing, &c. 241 Of r& Xpis#, “ Those who are of Christ,”’ are the same ‘* with those *¢ who are led by the Spirit,” ver. 18. and are opposed to ‘ those who live «© after the flesh,” Rom. viii. 13. wheré it is said, conformably to what we find here, “ they, through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body.” Wop k “¢ Crucified the flesh.” That principle in us, from whence spring vicious inclinations and actions, is, as we have observed above, called sometimes the - Flesh, sometimes the Old Man. ‘The subduing and mortifying of this evil principle, so that the force and power, wherewith it used to rule in us, is extin- guished, the apostle, by a very engaging accommodation to the death of our 70. GALATIANS. CHAP. VIL, TEXT. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain-glory, prareee one Snir envying one another. 7 i hE ee + of PARAPHRASE: Lae ae 25 tions and lusts thereof. If our life then (our flesh hav- ing been crucified) be, as we profess, — by the Spirit, f whereby we are alive from that state of sin, we were dead in before, let us regulate our lives and actions. by © 26 the light and dictates of the Spirit. Let us not be led, | by an 1 itch of vain-glory, to provoke one another, ¢ or to. envy one another’. NOTES. i Saviour, calls ‘* Crucifying the old man,” Rom. vi. 6. ‘cogiaeeai flesh, Br «© Putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, Col. ii. 11. Putting off the old «* man, Eph. iv. 22. Col. iii. 8,9. It is also called, Mortifying the members — *¢ which are on earth, Col. iii. 5. Mortifying the deeds of the hit ol Rom. ' vill. 13. r 26 1 Whether the vain-glory and envying, here, were about their spiritual gifts, a fault which the corinthians were guilty of, as we may see at large, 1 Cor. xii. 18, 14. or upon any other occasion, and so Containas in ver. 26. of this chapter ; I shall not curiously examine: either way, the sense of the words will’ be much the same, and accordingly this verse must end the 5th, or begis the 6th chapter, : Wa ais ‘ SECT. XH: a es ee CHAP. VI. 125. (eo aa CONTENTS. H E here exhorts the.stronger to gentleness and meckness towards the weak. a ee A CHAP. VIL GALATIANS. - 71 oe TEXT. 1 BRETHREN, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one im the spirit of meekness; consider- _- Gng thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ’ 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 8 For if a man think himself to be somethmg, when he is nothing, ~ he deceiveth himself. ; 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have re- joicing in himself alone, aud not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden. — PARAPHRASE. 1 Breruren, if a man, by frailty or surprise, fall into a fault, do you, who are eminent in the cuurch tor know- ledge, practice, and gifts*, raise him up again, and set him right, with gentleness and meekness, considering that you yourselves are not out of the reach of temptations. _ 2 Bear with one another's infirmities, and help to support each other under your burdens’, and so fulfil the law of 3 Christ®. For if any one be conceited of himself, as if he were something, a man of weight, fit to prescribe to others, 4 when indeed he is not, he deceiveth himself. But let him take care that what he himself doth be right, and such as will bear the test, and then he will have matter of glory- 5 ing* in himself, and notinanother. For every one shall be accountable only for his own actions. NOTES. “1 TMecupelixcl, Spiritual, in 1 Cor. iii. 1. and xii. 1. taken together, -has this sense. $ 2 > See a parallel exhortation, 1 Thess. v. 14, which will give light to this, as also Rom. xv. 1. © See John xiii. 34, 35. and xiv. 2. There were some among them very zealous tor the observation of the law of Moses: St. Paul, here, puts them in mind of a law which they were under, and were obliged to observe, viz. “ the «« jaw of Carist.” And he shows them how to do it, viz. by helping to-bear one another's burdens, and not increasing their burdens, by the observences of the levitical law. Though the gospel contain the law of the kingdom of Christ, yet I do not remember that St. Paul any where calls it “the law of Christ,” but in this place; where he mentions it, in Opposition to those, who thought a law So necessary, that they would retain that of Moses, under the gospel 4 ¢ Katynua, I thins, should have been translated here, Glorying, as- Kaeuyncwrias is, ver. 13. the apostle, in ‘both places, meaning the same thi viz. glorying inanother, in having brought him to circumcision, and other ritu observances of the mosaicaliaw. For thus St. Paul seems to me to discourse, in this section: ‘* Brethren, there be some among you, that would bring othes ** under the ritual observances of the mosaical ‘law, a yoke, which’ was tod 72 GALATIANS. cpap. xe NOTE. “* heavy for us and our fathers tobear. They would do much geet to ease the «* burdens of the weak; this is suitable to the law of Christ, which aré *< under, and is the law, which they ought strictly to obey. If. they thi » bes “« cause of their spiritual gifts, that they have power to i in lee e *¢ ters, I tell them that they have not, but do deceive th 2 ‘* rather take care of their own particular actions, that they be righ } he a “* as they ought to be. This will give them matter of lor ing ae ieatielves, “¢ and not vainly in others, as they do, when they prevail eel them to be cir- *¢ cumcised. For every man shall be answerable for his own actions.” Let the reader judge, whether this does not seem to be St. Paw s view here, and suit with his way of writing. "Exesy Haut xnpdice is a phrase whereby St. Paul signifies to have hatter of _“ glorying,”’ and to that sense it is rendered, Rom, 1 iv. 2. SECT. XIII. CHAP. VI. 6—10. ! CONTENTS, Sr. Paul having laid some restraint upon iile authority and forwardness of the teachers, and leading men amongst them, who were, as it seems, more ready to impose on the galatians what they should not, than to help them forward . 1 in the practice of gospel-obedience; he here takes care of — them, in respect of their maintenance, and exhorts the ga- latians to liberality towards them, and, in general, eperts all men, especially christians. TEXT. 6 Let him, that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that ~ teacheth in all good things. ” Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. PARAPHRASE. 6 Let him, that is taught the doctrine of the gospel, freely communicate the good things of this world to him that 7 teaches him. Be not deceived, God will not be mocked; ‘onar.vi. —-« GALATIANS. ) 73 TEXT. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh, shall. of the flesh reap corrup- tion ; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well-domg; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith. PARAPHRASE. » _ $ for, as a man soweth*, so also shall he reap. He, that lays out the stock of good things he has, only for the satisfaction of his own : bodily necessities, conveniences, or pleasures, shall, at the harvest, find the fruit and pro- duct of such husbandry to be corruption and perishing®. But he, that lays out his worldly substance, according to the rules dictated by the Spirit of God in the gospel, 9 shall, of the Spirit, reap life everlasting. In doing thus, what is good and right, let us not wax weary; for, in due season, when the time of harvest comes, we shall reap, if we continue on to do good, and flag not. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunities, let us do good * unto all men, especially to those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, i.e. the christian religion. NOTES. 7 %Soweth. A metaphor used by St. Paul, for men’s laying out their worldly goods. See 2 Cor. ix. 6, &c. 8 > Rom, viii. 13. and ii. 12. SECT. XIV. CHAP. VI. 11—18. CONTENTS. One may see what lay upon St. Paul's mind, in writing to the galatians, by what he inculcates to them here, even after he had finished his letter. ‘The like we have in the = 74 - GALATIANS) CHAR. VID . last chapter to the romans. _ He here winds up all with ad- monitions to.the galatians, of ‘a different end and aim ‘they had, to get the galatians circumcised, from what ‘he had i in reaching the gospel. © ' hing a . TEXT. pis moat Rvs rion “a 11 You see ‘aa Jar ge a letter I have writteal ante vows si ta mine own hand, ; aie on Qi 12 As many as, desire to. make a fair show i in, shes destis they con- strain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer per- secution for the cross of Chiri ists 13 For neither they themselves, who are circumcised, ‘keep the -. Jaw; but-desire to have you circumcised, Nei they may glory ~ in your flesh. — 14. But God forbid that 1 should glory, save in thie ‘cross of our - Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the wore a ‘cpueitied unto. han and I unto the eae: PARAPHRASE. | | jn 11 You see how long a letter I have writ to you with my re: own hand*. They, who are willing to carry it so. fairly - In the ritual part of the law, and to make ostentation | of their compliance therein, constrain you to be circum- cised, only to avoid persecution, for owning their de- pendence for salvation solely on a crucified Messiah, 73 and not on'the observance of the law.’ For even they themselves, who-are circumcised, do not keep the law. But they will have you to be circumcised, that this mark in your flesh may afford them matter of glorying, and of recommending themselves to the good opinion of: the -14 jews®. But as for me, whatever may be said of me “* God forbid that I should glory in any thing, but in fe ing Jesus Christ, who was crucified, for my sole Lord and Master, whom I am to obey and depend on; which I-so entirely do, without regard to any thing else, that Iam wholly dead to the w orld, and the world dead NOTES. 41 4 St Paul mentions the “ writing with his own hand,”’ as an argument of his great concern for them in the case. For it was not Bs for him to write his epistles with his own hand, but to dictate them to others, who writ them from his mouth. See Rom. xvi. 22. 1 Cor. xvi. 21. * 12 > «* In the flesh,” i.e. in the ritual observances of the law, which Heb. ix. 10, are called Silcliiles cupnoc. To 13 © See chap. v. 11. “ay @ See chap. v. 11. " CHAP. VI. GALATIANS. ” Ta 75 FF TEXT. 2 om f 15 For, in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, “nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. . 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. + ° +“? 17 From henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bearin my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. : 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. : . Unto the galatians, written from Rome. PARAPHRASE. , to me, and it has no more influence on me, than if it 15 were not. For, as to the obtaining a share in the king- dom of Jesus Christ, and the privileges and advantages of it, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, such out- ward differences in the flesh, avail any thing, but the new creation, wherein by a thorough change a man is dis- posed to righteousness, and true holiness, in good works*. 16 And on all those, who walk by this rule, viz. that it is the new creation alone, and not circumcision, that avail- eth under the gospel, peace and mercy shall be on them, they being that Israel, which are truly the people of 17 God‘. From henceforth, let no man give me trouble by questions, or doubt whether I preach circumcision or no. It is true, I am circumcised. But yet the marks I-now bear in my body, are the marks of Jesus Christ, that I am his. ‘The marks of the stripes, which I have received from the jews, and which I still bear _ in my body for preaching Jésus Christ, are an evidence 18 that I am not for circumcision. ‘‘ Brethren, the fa- “vour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Amen. on them ? NOTES. 15 © See Eph. ii. 10. and iv. 24. 16 f St. Paul having, inthe foregoing verse, asserted, that it is the new crea- ation alone, that puts men into the kingdom of Christ, and into the possession of the privileges thereof, this verse may be understood also, as assertory, rather than as a prayer, unless there were a verb that expressed it ; especially considering, that he writes his epistle to encourage them to refuse circumcision. To whith end, the assuring them, that those, who do so, shall have peace and mercy from God, is of more force than to tell them, that he prays that they may have peace and mercy. And, for the same reason, I understand ‘the Israel of God” to be the same with ‘those, who walk by this rule,” though joined with them, by the copulative xzt, and; no very unusual way of speaking, nen y He. } re Ma { » A ~~ PARAPHRASE AND NOTES ON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS. = a i yay} . . . ’ Pa . im} “ ve Pod o » hn "eS , 2 th | i be sf - k ~ vi pig =. t 5 4 sents j DELS 4 » . aN , . i rp “ 7 , * ORS Oe POs ie we ; } wae bee Se , fi Ay Pe ie 4... 3 __ FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS; WRIT IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 57, OF NERO It. — ————=0 +06 =———_ SYNOPSIS. SAINT Paul's first coming to. Corinth was anno Christi 52, where he first applied himself to the synagogue, Acts xvill. 4. But findmg them obstinate in their opposition to the gospel, he turned to the gentiles, ver. 6. out of whom this church at Corinth seems chielly to be gathered, as ap- pears, Acts xviii. and 1 Cor. xii..2. . His stay here was about two years, as appears from Acts xviii. 11, 18, compared: in which time it may be concluded he made many converts; for he was not idle there, nor did he use to stay long in a place, where he was not encouraged by the success of his ministry. Besides what his so long abode in: this one city, and his indefatigable labour every where, might induce one to presume, of the number of con- verts he made in that city; the scripture itself, Acts xviii. 10, gives sufficient evidence of a numerous church gathered there. . Corinth itself was a rich merchant-town, the inhabitants greeks, a people of quick parts, and inquisitive, 1 Cor. i. 22. but naturally vain and conceited of themselves. These things considered may help us, in some measure, the Letter to understand St. Paul's epistles to this church, which seems to be in greater disorder, than any other of the churches which he writ to. | om: = «& SYNOPSIS. 3 "This epistle was writ to the corinthians, anno Christi 57, between two and three years after St. Paul had left them, In this interval, there was got in amongst them a new in- structor, a jew by nation, who had raised a faction against _ St. Paul. With this party, whereof he was the leader, this false apostle had gained great authority, so that they admired — and gloried in him, with an apparent disesteem and dimi- _ nishing of St. Paul. Tie Why I suppose the opposition to be made to St. Paul, in this church, by one party, under one leader, I shall give the _ reasons, that make it probable to me, as they come in my way, going through these two epistles; which I shall leave _ to the reader to judge, without positively determining on either side; and therefore shall, as it happens, speak of — these opposers of St. Paul, sometimes in the singular, and sometimes in the plural number. This at least is evident, that the main design of St. Paul, ; in this epistle, is to support his own authority, dignity, and j credit, with that part of the church which stuck to him; to j vindicate himself from the aspersions and calumnies of the opposite party; to lessen the credit of the chief and leadin men in it, by intimating their miscarriages, and showing — their no cause of glorying, or being gloried in: that so with- drawing their party from the admiration and esteem of those 4 their leaders, he might break the faction; and putting an — end to the division, might re-unite them with the uncorrupt- 3 ed part of the church, that they might all unanimously sub- ih mit to the authority of his divine mission, and with one ac-_ cord receive and keep the doctrine and directions he had — delivered to them. a : This is the whole subject from chap. i. 10, to the end of — chap. vi. In the remaining part of this epistle, he answers _ some questions they had proposed to him, and resolves some — doubts ; not without a mixture, on all occasions, of reflec- i tions on his opposers, and of other things, that might tend to the breaking of their faction. | re ee P CHAP. I. I. CORINTHIAN bis, "3 o* SECT. I. es 1; 20K CHAP. I. 1—9 . TEXT. . es 1 PAvt, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother : . 2 Unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both theirs and ours. 8 Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from _ the Lord Jesus Christ. PARAPHRASE. 4, P AUL an apostle of Jesus Christ, called to be so by _ the will of God’, and Sosthenes” our brother in the 2 christian faith; To the church of God, which is at Co- _rinth, to them that are separated from the rest,of the _, world, by faith in Jesus Christ‘, called to be saints, with all, that are every-where called by the name of, Jesus 3 Christ*, their Lord’, and ours. Favour and peace be _ unto you, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus NOTES. 1 2 St. Paul, in most of his epistles, mentions his being called to be an apostle by the will of God;”’ which way of speaking being peculiar to him, we may suppose him therein to intimate his extraordinary ard miraculous call, Acts ix. and his receiving the gospel by immediate revelation, Gal. i. 11, 12. For he doubted not of the will and providence of God governing all things, ~ © Acts xviii. 17. ; sta 2 © “Hysacpévors tv Xpisw “Incd, *¢ Sanctified in Christ Jesus,” does not sig= nify here, whose lives are pure and holy; for there were many, amongBt those he writ to, who were quite otherwise; but, sanctified, signifies separate from the common state of mankind, to be the people of God, and to serve him. The Heathen world had revolted from the true God, to the service of idols and false gods, Rom. i. 18—25. The Jews being separated from this corrupted mass, _ tobe the peculiar people of God, were called holy, Exod. xix. 5, 6. Numb. xv. 40. They being cast off, the professors of christianity were separated to be the people of God, and so became holy, 1 Pet. ii. 9, 10. A Emzarducves dvoua Xprck, ‘* that are called christians;” these Greek | words being a periphrasis for christians, as is plain from the design of this verse. “But he that is not satisfied with that, may see more proofs of it, in Dr. Ham- mond upon the place. Ne A __© What the apostle means by, Lord, when he attributes it to Christ, vid: ch. viii. 6. ? G Tae gi ae se ii ¢ 1 CORINTHIANS. CHAP. 1 : Se ; "Wa? TEXT. ; a, God always, on your behalf, for the grace of God, . -is given you, by Jesus Christ ; 5 That, ever y thing, e are enriched by him, in all cdraiie, and in all cae’ 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. 7 So that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the oN of our ‘Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who also shall confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blame- less m the day, of our Lord Jesus Christ, ) 9. God is faithful, by whom ye were — unto °the fellowship of d his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, PARAPHRASE, nay 4 Christ. I thank God always, on your behalf forthe favour of God, which is bestowed on you, through Jesus 5 Christ; So that, by him, you are enriched with all know- 6: ledge and utterance, and all extraordinary gift: As at “first, by those miraculous gifts, the gospel of Christ’ was 7 confirmed among you. So that in no spiritual gift are | any’ of you short, or deficient’, waiting for the coming. of 8. our-Lord Jesus Christ ; Who shall also confirm you unto — ‘the end, that in the day of the Lord Jesus ‘Chiist, there 9 may be no charge against you. For Ged, who has called «you unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, may be relied on for what is to be done on his side. NOTE. 7 f Vid. 2 Cor. xii. 12, 13. SECT... II.. ei ut 4 ) Vite 4h CHAP. 16 Vee eae ConTENTS, # WO Sat Papi were re great disorders in the chureh of eu caused chiefly by-a faction raised there St. Paalt the partisans: of the, faction mightily criéd.uf , and gloried in — their leaders, who did all they ey 2 Mopars St. Paul, aes i GHAR. 1. I: CORINTHIANS, | 83 and lessen him in the esteem of the corinthians. St. Paul _ makes it his business, in this section, to take off the corin- thians from siding with, and glorying ‘in, this pretended apostle, whose followers atid scholars’they professed them- selvés to be; and to reducé them into one body, as the scholars of Christ, united in a belief of the gospel, which he had preached to them, and.in.an obedience ‘to it, without any such distinction of masters, or leaders, from whom they denominated themselves. He also, here and there, inter- mixes a justification of himself, against the aspersions which were cast upon him, by his opposers. How much St. Paul was set against their leaders, may be seen, 2 Cor. xi. 13-15. 16 The arguments used by St. Paul, to break the opposite faction, and put an end to all divisions amongst them, being various, we shall take notice of them, under their several heads, as they come in the order of this discourse. SECT. Il. N° 1, CHAP, I. 10—16, CONTENTS. SAINT Paul's first argument is, That, in christianity, they all had but.one master, viz. Christ; and therefore were not to fall into. parties, denominated from distinct teachers, as they did in their schools of philosophy. TEXT. 10 Now I ‘beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus . Christ, that ye ‘all speak the same thing, and that there be no PARAPHRASE. | 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name* of our Lord | Jesus Christ, that ye hold the same doctrine, and that NOTE. a 10 2 “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth, is, and ought to be *« named.” If any one has thought St. Paul a loose writer, it is only because GQ 84 J. CORINTHIANS: __—s.s ca. : TEXT. Na divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together, in the same mind, and in the same judgment. 11 For it hath been declared unto me, of you, my brethren, by them, which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. vali | 12 Now, this I say, that every one of you saith, “Tam of Paul, * and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ.” 13. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you?, or were ye bap> tized in the name of Paul? * Fis tabid Ls 8 ; 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius: 15 Lest any should say, that | had baptized in my own name. 16 And I baptized also the houshold of Stephanus: besides, [ know not whether I baptized any other. Pe , PARAPHRASE;.») sisiue baw obo there be no divisions among you; but that ye be framed together into one intire body, with one mind, and one affection. For I understand, my brethren’, by some of _. the house of Chloe, that there are quarrels and dissen- 12 tions amongst you: So that ye are fallen into parties, ranking yourselves under different leaders or masters, one saying, ‘‘ ] am of Paul;” another, “ I of Apollos, 13 I of Cephas, I of Christ.” Is Christ, who is our only Head and Master, divided? Was Paul crucified for you? -Or were you baptized into‘ the name of Paul? 14 I thank God I baptized none of you, but Crispus and 15 Gaius; Lest any one should say, I had ‘baptized into 16 my own name. I baptized also the houshold of Ste- ‘ phanas; farther, I know not whether I baptized any other. ‘ OF Hf DA VIG 1 — NOTES. he was a loose reader. He that takes notice of St. Paul’s design, shall find that there is not a word’scarce, or expression, that he makes use of, but with rela- tion and tendency to his present main purpose: as here, intending to abolish the names of leaders, they distinguished themselves by, he beseeches them, by _ the name of Christ, a form that I do not remember he elsewhere uses. 11 » “ Brethren,” a name of union and friendship, used here twice together, by St. Paul, in the entrance of his persuasion to them, to put an end to their divisions. ~ an en i 13 © Eis properly signifies into; so the French translate it here: the phrase Bealclnves cic, “to be baptized into any one’s name, or into any one,” is solemnly, by that ceremony, to enter himself a disciple of him, into whose name he is baptized, with profession to receive his doctrine and rules, and sub- ‘mit to his authority; a very good argument here, why they should be called by Mo one’s name, but Christ’s. oe: po eee CHAP. I. CORINTHIANS. 85 SECT. I. N24! CHAP, I. 17—Sl]. CONTENTS. Tur next argument of St. Paul, to stop their followers from glorying in these false apostles, is, that neither any ad~ vantage of extraction, nor skill in the learning of the jews, ‘nor in the philosophy and eloquence of the greeks, was that, for which God chose men to be preachers of the gospel. Those, whom he made choice of, for overturning the mighty and the learned, were mean, plain, illiterate men. TEXT. 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness: ’ but unto us, which are saved, it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and’ will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where'is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? PARAPHRASE. 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not with learned and eloquent harangues, lest thereby the virtue and efficacy of Christ's sufferings and death should be overlooked and neglected, if the stress of our persuasion should be laid on the learning and 18 quaintness of our preaching. For the plain insisting on the death of a crucified Saviour is, by those, who perish, received as a foolish, contemptibie thing ; though to us, ‘19 who are saved, it be ‘the power ot Gad, Klatisiesinaiaies to _ what is prophecied by Isaiah: “ I will destroy the * wisdom of the wise, and I will bring to nothing the ‘20 “ understanding of the prudent.” Where i is the philo- sopher, skilled-in the wisdom of the greeks ? Where 4 7 4 86 I. CORINTHIANS, CHAP. Ty TEXT. 21 For after that; in the wisdom of God, the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. ‘ 22 For the jews require a sign, and the greeks seek after wisdom: } PARAPHRASE. , the scribe’, studied in the learning of the jews? Where & f , the professor of human arts and sciences? Hath not — God renderéd all the learning and wisdom of this world foolish, and useless for the discovery of the truths of the 21 gospel? For since the world, by their natural parts, and. improvements in what, with them, passed for wis- dom, acknowledged not the one, only, frie God, though — he had manifested himself to them, in the wise contri- vance and admirable frarhé of the visible works of the creation; it pleased God, by the plain, and (as the world esteems it) foolish doctrine of the gospel, to save those 22 who receive and believe it, Since® both the jews de- NOTES. 20 4 Scribe was the title of a learned man amongst the jews; one versed in their law and rites, which was the study of their doctors and rabbies. It is likely the false apostle, so much concerned in these two epistles to the corin- thians, who was a jew, pretended to something of this kind, and magnified himself thereupon; otherwise it is not probable, that-St. Paul should name, to the corinthians, a sort of men not much known, or valued, amongst the greeks. This, therefore, may be supposed to be said to take off their glorying in. their false apostle. 5 ; 22 b "Eresdt zal, * since both.” ‘These words used here, by St. Paul, are not certainly idle and insignificant, and therefore I see not how they can be omitted in the translation. FA a "Exeidt is a word of reasoning, and, if minded, will lead us into one of St. Paul’s reasonings here, which the neglect of this word makes the reader over- look. St. Paul, in ver. 21, argues thus in general: “ Since the world, by « their natural parts and improvements, did not attain toa right and saving «< knowledge of God, God, by the preaching of the gospel, which seems fool- s¢ ishness to them, was pleased to communicate that “knowledge to th se who ¢¢ believed.” tty H In the three following verses, he repeats the same reasoning, a little more expressly applied to the people he had here in his view, viz. jews and greeks; and his sense seems to be this: “ Since the jews, to make any doctrine go down « with them, require extraordinary signs of the power of God to accom *< it, and nothing will please the nice palates of the learned greeks, but wisdom ; #¢ and though our preaching of a crucified Messiah be a scandal to the jews, and $6 foolishness to the greeks, yet we have what they both seek; for both jéw and « gentile, when they are called, find the Messiah, whom we preach, to. be the 4 power of God, and the wisdom of God.” 25, 27, 28. He that will read the context, cannot doubt but’ that Se5Paul, a ee enact. LCORINTHIANS =i TEXT. 23 But we preach Christ crucified, ufito the jews a stumbling block, and unto the greeks foolishness. 24 But unto them which are called, both jews and greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God: hi 26 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty: ; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are : ' PARAPHRASE. mand extraordinary signs and miracles, and the greeks 23 seek wisdom: But | have nothing else to preach to them, but Christ crucified, a doctrine offensive to the hopes and expectations of the jews; and foolish to the 24 acute men of learning, the greeks; But yet it is to these, _ both jews and greeks, (when they are converted) Christ, © the power of God, and Christ, the wisdom of God: 25 Because that, which seems foolishness in those, who came from God, surpasses the wisdom of man; and that, which seems weakness in those sent by God, sur- 26 passes the power of men. For reflect upon yourselves, - brethren, and you may observe, that there are not many . of the wise and learned men, not many men of power, 97 or of birth, among vou, that are called. But God hath chosen the foolish men, in the account of the world, to eonfound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak men 28 of the world, to confound the mighty: The mean men of the. world, and contemptible, ee God chosen, and those that are of no account, are nothing‘, to displace NOTES. by what he expresses in these verses, in the neuter gender, means persons, the whole argument of the place being about persons, and their glorying: and not about things. 28 © Ta un ovra, “ Things that are not,’* I think may well be understood of the gentiles, who were not the people of God, and were counted as nothing, by the jews; and we are pointed to this meaning, by the. words Kar aIoxXvry 88 J. CORINTHIANS. emapane TEXT. Bars 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye, in Christ Jesus, who, of God, is made unto "us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemp- tion: re : Vim aucbhs trade ulted aim PARAPHRASE. , Ae 2 For I resolved to own, ‘or’ show, no other ‘knowledge among you, but the knowledge *,; or doetrine-of Jesus: 3 Christ, and of hin crucified. “All my carriage among you had nothing in it, but the appearance of weakness 4 and humility, and fear of offending you‘, Neither did J in my discourses, or preaching, make use of any human” art of persuasion, to inyeigle you. But the doetrine of the gospel, which I proposed, I confirmed and inforeed” by what the Spirit * had revealed and demonstrated of it, in the Old Testament, and by the power of God, accom- 5 panying it with-miraculous operations: ‘That your faith might have its foundation, not in the wisdom and endow- ments of men, but in the power of God*. ” _ ¢ NOTES. the assistance of the Spirit, in the times of the Messiah, and then published to the world, by the preachers of the gospel: and therefore he calls it, especially that — part of it which relates to the gentiles, almost every where, pUstprors mystery. See, particularly, Rom. xvi. 25, 26. ; 2 > St. Paul, who was himself a learned man, especially in the jewish know- ledge, having, in the foregoing chapter, told them, that neither the jewish learn- ing, nor grecian sciences, sive a man any advantage, as a minister of the gospel’; he here reminds them, that he madeno show or use of either, when he planted the gospel among them ; intimating thereby, that those were not things for which their teachers were to be valued, or followed. RRA Nepees Bae 3 © St. Paul, by thus setting forth his own modest and humble behaviour amongst them, reflects on the contrary carriage of their false apostle, which he describes in words at length, 2 Cor. xi. 20. EO) RPC ON gaat 4 « There were two sorts of arguments, wherewith the apostle confirmed the gospel; the one was the revelations made concerning our Saviour, by types and figures; and propheties of him, under the law: the other, miracles and miracu- lous gifts accompanying the first preachers of the gospel, in the publishing and _ propagating of it. The latter of these St. Paul here calls Power; the former; ia this chapter, he terms Spirit: ‘so ver: 12, 14.“ Things of the Spirit of God, “and spiritual things,” are things which are revealed by the Spirit of God, and _ not discoverable by our natural faculties. hase oie 5 © Their faith being buile wholly on divine revelation and miracles, whereby CHAP. 113 I. CORINTHIANS. - ot NOTE." all human abilities were shut out, there could be no reason for any of them te boast themselves of their teachers, or value themselves upon their being the fol- lowers of this or that preacher, which St, Paul hereby obviates. SECT. IL Ne. 42° _, .GHAP. I. 6—16.. CONTENTS, "Tisesxt argument the apostle uses to show them, that they had no reason to glory in their teachers, is, that the ~ knowledge of the gospel was not attainable by our natural — parts, however they were improved by arts and philosophy, but was wholly owing to revelation. ; TEXT. 6 Howbeit we speak wisdom amongst them that are perfect: yet .. _ not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, - that come to nought. nb joo: PARAPHRASE. . sydzia 6 Howbeit, that which we preach is wisdom, and known to be so, among those. who are thoroughly instructed _ in the christian religion, and take it upon ifs true princi- - ples*: but not the wisdom of this world®, nor of the ‘ - NOTES. _ 6 2 [Perfect] here is the samé with spiritual, ver. 15; one, that is se per- ctly well apprised of the divind nature and original of the christian religion, _ that he sees and acknowledges it to be all a pure revelation from God, and not, . in the least, the product of human discovery, parts, or Jearnimgs and so, de- - riving it wholly scrip- tures, allows not the least part of it to be ascribed to the skill or abilities af. _men, as authors of it, but received as a doctrine coming from God alone.. rom what God harh taught, by his Spirit, in the sacred scrip- - +: And thus, Perfect, is opposed to, Carnal, ch. iii. 1,3. i.¢. sueh babes in chris- tianity, such weak and mistaken christians, that they thought the gospel was to be managed, as human arts and sciences amongst .men.of the worid;.and. were better instructed, and were more in the right,:ywho follewed this te. master or teacher, rather than another; and.so glorying in being the scholars; _ . one.of Paul, and.another of Apollos, fell into divisions and parties about it, and vaunted one over another: whereas, in the school of Christ, all was. tp Be... built on the authority of God alone, and the revelation of the Spirit im the sacred . ~ scriptures.” u 7 Aa, oA id ve 3 = re ..» “Wisdom of this world,” i.e. the knowledge, artsand sciences attain- a I. CORINTHIANS. CHAPAID cna tend tga r 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordamed, before the world, unto our glory. ' ' “PARAPHRASE. > i 7 ome princes *, or great men of this world 4, who will quickly 7 be brought to nought*. But we speak the wisdom of NOTES. able by man’s natural parts and faculties; such as man’s wit could find out, cultivate and improve: ‘ or of the princes of this world,” i.e. such doctrines, — arts and sciences, as the princes of the world approve, encourage, and endeavour to propagate. The "ae ote ) ¢ Though by "Apyoilec Te aiav© rare, may here‘be understood the princes, or great men, of this world, in the ordinary sense of these words; yet he that well considers ver. 28. of the foregoing chapter, and ver. 8. of this chapter, may find reason to think, that the apostle here principally designs the rulers and ~ great men of the jewish nation. If it be objected, that there ig little ground | to think that St. Paul, by the wisdom he disowns, should mean that of his own nation, which the greeks of Corinth (whom he was writing fo) had [little ac- ~ quaintance with, and had veryJittle esteem for; I reply, that to understand this right, and the pertinency of it, we must remember, that the great design of St. Paul, in writing to the corinthians, was, to take them. off from the respect and, €steem that many of them had for a false apostle, that was got in among them, and had there raised a faction against St. Paul. This pretended apostle, it is plain from 2 Cor. 11, 22, was a jew, and as it seems, 2 Cor. v. 16, 17, valued himself upon that account, and possibly boasted himself to be a man of note, either by birth, or alliance, or place, or learning, ameng that people, who counted themselves the holy and_ illuminated people of God; and, therefore, to have a right to sway among these new heathen converts. To obviate this claim of his to any authority, St. Paul here tells the corinthians, that the wis- dom and learning of the jewish nation led them not into the knowledge of the, wisdom of God, i.e. the gospel revealed in the Old Testament, evident in this, that it was their rulers and rabbies, who, stiffly adhering to the notions and pre~ judices of their nation, had crucified Jesus, the Lord of glory, and were now themselves, with their state and religion, upon the point to be swept away and abolished. Itis to the same purpose, that 2 Cor. v. 16—19, he tells the corin- thians, That, “ he knows no man after the “flesh,” ive. that he acknowledges nodignity of birth, or descent, or‘outward national privileges. The old things ‘of the jewish constitution are past and gone; whoever is in Christ, and entereth | ‘mto his kingdom, is in a new creation, wherein all things are new, all things | are from God: no right, no claim, or preference, derived to any one, from former institution ; but every one’s dignity consists solely in this, that God had reconciled: him to himself, not imputing his former trespasses to him. — @ Aidéy +6, which we translate “ this world,” seems to me to signify com- ; if ¢ ? . if -, j monly, if not constantly, in the New Testament, that state which, during the mosaical constitution, men, either jews or gentiles, were in, as contradistinguished — ‘to the evangelical state, or constitution, which is commonly called, Aidy merrwry p OF ipxo4s0@-, “the world to come,” © Tay xalapyeuéwwy, “who are brought to nought,” i.e. who are vanishing. » “IF “ the wisdom of this world, ard of the princes of this world,”” be to be understood, of tne wisdom and learning of the world, in general, as contras daa eg to the doctrine of the gospel, then the words are added, to show what jolly it is for them to glory, as they do, in their teachers, when all that * /cuar.m _ L.CORINTHIANS) . 98 PARAPHRASE. _ God, contained in the mysterious and the obseure pro- _ phecies of the Old Testament®, which has been therein concealed and hid: though it be what God predeter- mined, in his own purpose, before the jewish. constitution*, NOTES. worldly wisdom and learning, and the great men, the supporters of it, would quickly be gone; whereas all true and lasting glory came only from Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. But’if these words are to be understood of the jews, as seems most consonant, both to the main design of the epistle, and to St. Paul’s expressions here; then his telling them, that the princes of the jewish nation are brought to nought, is to take them’ off from glorying in their judaizing, false apostle; since the authority of the rulers of that nation, in mat- ters of religion, was now at an end, and they, with all their pretences, and their very constitution itself, were upon the point of being abolished and swept away, for having rejected and crucified the Lord of glory. 7 § “ Wisdom of God,” is used here for the doctrine of the gospel, coming immediately from God, by the revelation of his Spirit; and, in this chapter, ts set in opposition to all knowledge, discoveries and improvements whatsoever, attainable by human industry, parts and study; all which he calls, ‘ the wisdom « of the world, and man’s wisdom.”” Thus distinguishing the knowledge of the gospel, which was derived wholly from revelation, and could be had no other way, from all other knowledge whatsoever. & What the Spirit of God had revealed of the gospel, during the times of -the law, was so little understood by the jews, in whose sacred writings it was contained, that it might well be called the ‘* wisdom of God in a mystery,” i.e. declared in obscure prophecies, and mysterious expressions, and types. Though this be undoubtedly so, as appears by what the jews both thought and did, when Jesus the Messiah, exactly answering what was foretold of him, came amongst them, yet by ‘ the wisdom of God, in the mystery, wherein it was ‘© hid though purposed by God, betore the settling of the jewish economy,” Sti Paul seems more peculiarly to mean, what the gentiles, and consequently _ the corinthians,-were more peculiarly concerned in, viz. God’s purpose of calling the gentiles to be his people under the Messiah; which, though revealed in the Old Testament, yet was not in the least understood, until the times of the gospel, and the preaching of St. Paul, the apostle of the gentiles; which, there- re, he so frequently calls a mystery. The reading ld comparing Rom. xvi. 25, 26. Eph. iii. 3—9. ch. vi. 19, 20. Col. i. 26, 27. and ii. 1, 8. and iv. 8, 4. will give fight to this. To which give me leave to observe, upon the use of the word Wisdom, here, that St. Paul, speaking of God’s calling the gentiles, «cannot, in mentioning it, forbear expressions of his admiration of the great and ‘incomprehensible wisdom of God therein. See Eph. iii. 8, 10. Rom. xi. 33. b Tipo ray wiwyw», signifies properly ‘* before the ages,”’ and I think it may be . doubted, whether these words, ‘‘ before the world,’’ do exactly render the sense of the place. That aidy, or aidvec, should not be translated, ‘ the ** world,” as in many places they are, I shall give one convincing instance, among many, that may be brought, viz. Eph. iii. 9. compared with Col. i. 26. ‘The words in Colossians are, +o pusnpiov TO amonexpupuévny amd THY eswrey, thus rendered in the English translation, “which hath been hidden from ages ;”° ‘but in Eph. iii. 9, a parallel place, the same words, +8 pusnpie TE &rroxexpoy= qutve amd roy aiwvwy, are translated, ‘* The mystery which, from the beginning ** of the world, hath bee hid.”” Whereas it is. plain from Col. i. 26, ame Ta» ciwswy does not signify the epoch, or commencement of the concealment, if 94 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAR. IT, + Le ADEEM, 4 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew ; for had they .. known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, 9 But, as it is written, “ Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nei- — _ ther have ‘entered into the heart of man, the things which God" hath prepared for them that love him.” =) 10 But God hath revealed them unto us, by his Spirit; for the _ Spirit searcheth all things ; yea, the deep things of God. - re _PARAPHRASE. © 9" c to the glory of us’, who understand, receive, and preach - 8 it: Which none of the rulers among the jews under- stood ; for, if they had, they would not have crucif a the Lord Christ, who has in his hands the disposing o 9 all true glory. But they knew it not, as it is written, , “ Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have the things, “that God hath prepared for them that love him, en- 10 “tered into the heart or thoughts of man.” But these — __ things, which are not discoverable by man’s natural fa- % culties and powers, God hath revealed to us, by his Spirit, which searcheth out all things, even the leep counsels of God, which are beyond the reach. of our — NOTES. quod Te Hs , f P upgagt | but those from whom it was concealed. . It is plain, the apostle, in the verse p immediately preceding, and that following this, which we have before us, - speaks of the jews; and therefore @po Tov wiovuy here may be well understood ; to mean, ‘* Before the ages of the jews;” and so amr’ wicsvoy, ‘from the ages — §* of the jews,”? in the other two mentioned texts. Why eaves in these, and 3 other: places, as Luke i. 70, and Acts iii. 21, and elsewhere, should be appro- — priated to the ages of the jews, may be owing to their countin, | by ages, or jubilees, vid. Dr. Burthogge in his judicious treatise, * Chris i area I “¢. mystery,”’ caps 2, page 17. ~ oun] Tif Sagi ee as ee St. Paul a Saas the true glory of a christian, to the glorying, tick ; was amongst the corinthians, in the eloquence, learning, or any other qu y OF ‘their factious leaders ; for St. Paul, in all his expressions, has an eye, on his main purpose; as if he should have said, «€ Why do you make diyisi ** glorying,:as you do, in your distinct teachers; the glory that Ged ‘or- £¢ dained us christian teachers and professors to, is to be'expounders, preachers, — £° and believers-of those revealed truths and purposes of God; which, ¢ “* contained in the sacred scriptures of the Old Testament, were not understood _* informer ages. This is all the glory that belongs to us, the disciple: ; §* Christ; who is the Lord of all ‘power and glory, and herein has given us, “< what. far-excels all, that either Jews, or Gentiles, had any. expectation ¢ ‘ah “from -what ‘they gloried’ in:” vid. ver. 9. Thus St. Paul takes ——- matter.of glorying from. the false apostle, and his factious followers among the — corinthians, Fhe excellency of the gospel-administration, see also. 2 Coo ite f 6—11. Se ee ane iy 5d hae: e292 aera Res f ie 7 CHAP. 11. J. CORINTHIANS. 05 TEXT. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a uA man, which is in hin? even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God: -that we might know the things, that are freely given to us of God e 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words, which man’s wis- dom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. PARAPHRASE. 11 abilities to discover. For, as no man knoweth what is in the mind of another man, but only the spirit of the man himself that is in him: so, much less doth any - .man know, or can discover, the thoughts and counsels 12 of God, but only the Spirit of God. But we*® have received, not the spirit of the world’, but the Spirit, which is of God, that we might know what things are in the purpose of God, out of his free bounty to bestow 13 upon us. Which things we not only know, but declare also; not in the language and learning, taught by hu- man eloquence and philosophy, but in the language and expressions, which the Holy Ghost teacheth, in the revelations contained in the holy scriptures, com- paring one part of the revelation™ with another. NOTES. ' 12 & We, the true apostles, or rather 1; for though he speaks in the plural umber, to avoid ostentation, as it might be interpreted; yet he is’ Here justi- ing himself, and showing the corinthians, that none of them had reason to sake and slight him, to follow and cry up their false apostle. And that he ; Speaks of himself, is plain from the next verse, where he saith, ** We speak “*€ not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth,” the same which he says of : y “himself, ch. i. ver. 17, ‘‘ I was sent to preach, not with wisdom of words.” And chap. ii. ver. 1, “‘ I came to you, not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom.” _ 1 As he puts princes of the world, ver. 6, 8, for the rulers.of the jews, so here he puts ‘‘ Spirit of the world”’ for the notions of the jews; that worldly ‘Spirit, wherewith they interpreted the Old Iestament, and the prophecies ef the Messiah and his kingdom; which spirit, in contradistinction to the Spirit of God, which the Roman converts had received, he calls the spirit of bondage; Rom. iii. 15. % 5 aes 13 m It is plain *¢ the spiritual things,” he here speaks of, are the unsearch- able counsels of God, revealed by the Spirit of God, which therefore-he calls * spifitual things.” aay ‘ 4 teed yer ‘ ¥ 96 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. IT, : TEXT. | ? 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of ' God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them ; because they are spiritually discerned. » ete 15 But he, that is spiritual, judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. eer, 16 Fer who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. +f PARAPHRASE. 14 "But a man,. who hath no other help but his own natural faculties, how much soever improved by hu- “man arts and sciences, cannot receive the truths of — the gospel, which are made known by another prin- ciple only, viz. the Spirit of God revealing them; and therefore seem foolish and absurd to such a man: nor — can he, by the bare use of his natural faculties, and the principles of human reason, ever come to the know- ledge of them; because it is, by the studying of di- vine revelation alone, that we can attain the know- 15 ledge of them. But he that lays his foundation in - divine revelation®, can judge what is, and what is not, the doctrine of the gospel, and of salvation; he can judge who is, and who is not, a good minister and. preacher of the word of God: but others, who are bare — animal men”, that go not beyond the discoveries made — by the natural faculties of human understanding, with- out the help and study of revelation, cannot judge of such an one, whether he preacheth right and well, or not. 16 For who, by the bare use of his natural parts, cancome to know the mind of the Lord, in the design of the gospel, _ _ so as to be able to instruct him ° [the spiritual man} in — - APES fr NOTES. eee ¥. A A , ~ 14, 15 ® Yuyixd:, “ the animal man,” and qyevpallixdc, * the spirituah “« man,”’ are opposed by St. Paul, in ver. 14, 15, the one signifying a man, that has no higher principles to build on, than those of natural reason ; the other, a man, that founds his faith and religion on) divine revelation. This is what appears to be meant by natural, or rather animal many and spiritual, as they stand opposed, in these two verses. Sin ee ee ' 16 © Adréy him, refers here to spiritual man, in the forther verse, and not to Lord, inthis. For St. Paul is showing here, not that a natural man, and a ‘ = philosopher, cannot instruct Christ; this no-body, pretending to be a i ristian, could own: but that a man, by his bare natural parts, not knowing enarP.i. , I. CORINTHIANS. 97 PARAPHRASE. it? But I who, renouncing all human learning and knowledge in the case, take all, that I preach, from di- vine revelation alone, I am sure, that therein I have the mind of Christ; and, therefore, there is no reason why any of you should prefer other teachers to me; glory in them who oppose and villify me; and count it an honour to go for their scholars, and be of their party. NOTE. the mind of the Lord, could not instruct, could not judge, could not correct a preacher of the gospel, who built upon-revelation, as he did, and therefore it was sure he had the mind of Christ. ; SECT. II. N°. 5. CHAP. III. 1.—IV. 20. CONTENTS. Tue next matter of boasting, which the faction made use of, to give the pre-eminence and preference to their leader, above St. Paul, seems to have been this, that their new teacher had led them farther, and given them a deeper in- sight into the mysteries of the gospel, than St. Paul had done. To take away their glorying on this account, St. Paul tells them, that they were carnal, and not capable of those more advanced truths, or any thing, beyond the first principles of christianity, which he had taught them ; and, though another had come and watered what he had planted, yet neither planter, nor waterer, could assume to himself any glory from thence, because it was God alone, that gave the Increase. But, whatever new doctrines they might pretend ~ to receive, from theirmagnified, new apostle, yet no man could lay any other, foundation, in a christian church, but what he St. Paul, laid, viz. that ‘‘ Jesus is the Christ;” and, therefore, there was no reason to glory in their teachers : because, upon this Woandstion, they, possibly, might build “oe 98 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP, 11h false, or unsound doctrines, for, which they should receive — no thanks. from God ; though, continuing in the faith, they 7 might be saved. Some of the particular hay and stubble, — eg oy which this leader brought into the church at Corinth, he — seems particularly to point at, chap. ili. 16, 17, viz. their — defiling the church, by retaining, and, as it may be sup-— posed, patronizing the fornicator, who should have been turned out, chap. v. 7—13. He further adds, that these extolled heads of their party were, at best, but men; and none of the church ought to glory in men; for even Paul, and Apollos, and Peter, and all the other preachers of the ; gospel, were for the use and benefit, and glory of the church, — as the church was for the glory of Christ. Moreover, he shows them, that they ought not to be pufied up, upon the account of these their new teachers, to — the undervaluing of him, though it should be true, that they had learned more from them, than from himself, for these reasons : ; 1. Because all the preachers of the gospel are but stew- ards of the mysteries of God; and whether they have been faithful in their stewardship, cannot be now known; and, therefore, they ought not to be some of them magnified and — extolled, and others depressed and blamed, by their hearers here, until Christ their Lord come; and then he, knowing how they have behaved themselves in their ministry, will give them their due praises. Besides, these stewards have no-— thing, but what they have received; and, therefore, no glory belongs to them for it. ‘ xs} . a 2. Because, if these leaders were (as was pretended) apostles, glory, and honour, and outward affluence here, was not their portion, the apostles being destined to his) ' , ae } ; contemot, and persecution. ie 3. They ought not to be honoured, followed, and glo-— ried in, as apostles; because they had not the power of mi- racles, which he intended shortly to come, and’ show they ad not. : bi . he orey agin > teed A 7 ge ry) ey ad & "thy : a ) ay oy a i i " rH ¥ he ay + CHAP. It. I. CORINTHIANS. 99 TEXT. _1 ANDT, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. ‘ PARAPHRASE. 1 Anp I, brethren, found you so given up to pride and vain-glory, in affectation of learning and philosophical knowledge*, that I could not speak to you as spiritual , i.e, as to men not wholly depending on philosophy, and the discoveries of natural reason; as to men, who had re- signed themselves up, in matters of religion, to revelation, and the knowledge which comes only from the Spirit of God; but as to carnal‘, even as to babes, who yet re- tained a great many childish and wrong notions about it : this hindered me, that I could not go so far, as I desired, in the mysteries of the christian religion ; but was fain to content myself with instructing you in the first princi- NOTES. 4 a Vid. ch. i. 22. and iii. 18. » b Here ayevycllizds, spiritual, is opposed to copusnoc, carnal, as ch. ii. 14, it is to yuxsnd¢, natural, or rather animal: so that here we have three sorts of men, 1. Carnal, i.e. such as are swayed by fleshly passions and interests. 2. Animal, i.e. such as seek wisdom, or a way to happiness, only by the strength and guidance of their own natural parts, without any supernatural light, coming from the Spirit of God, i.e. by reason without revelation, by philo- sophy without scripture. 3. Spiritual, i.e. such as seek their direction to happiness, not in the dictates of natural reason and philosophy, but in the reve- lations of the Spirit of God, in the holy scriptures. 1 © Here capuinoc, carnal, is opposed to wvevpolixds, spiritual, in the same sense, that x)uxixdc, natural, or animal, is opposed to @vevyalindc, spiritual, chap. ii. 14, as appears by the explication, which St. Paul himself gives here to TopHreoss carnal: for he makes the carnal to be all one with babes in Christ, y- 1. i.e, such as had not their understandings yet fully opened to the true grounds of the christian religion, but retained a great many childish thoughts -about it, as appeared by their divisions; one for the doctrine of his masters Paul; another for that of his master, Apollos; which, if they had been spiri- ~ tual, i.e. had looked upon the doctrine of the gospel to have come solely from the Spirit of God, and to be had only from revelation, they could not have done. For then all human mixtures, of any thing derived, either from Paul or Apollos, or any other man, had been wholly excluded. But they, in these divisions, professed to hold their religion, one from one man, and another from another ; and Were thereupon divided into parties. This, he tells them, was to be carnal, and qepimeleiy xara avOpworav, to be led by principles purely human, i.e. to found their religion upon men’s natural parts aid discoveries, whereas the gospel was wholly built upon divine revelation, and no! ing elses and from thence alone those, who were arvevj,eilixols took it. H 2 Pe. 100 I, CORINTHIANS. CHAP. IIE. TEXT. 2 Ihave fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 8 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carual, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, 1 am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? : PARAPHRASE. 2 ples’, and more obvious and easy doctrines of it. I could not apply myself to you, as to spiritual men‘, that could compare spiritual things with spiritual, one part of scripture with another, and thereby understand the truths revealed by the Spirit of God, discerning true from false doctrines, good and useful, from evil‘ and vain opinions. A further discovery of the truths and mysteries of chris- tianity, depending wholly on revelation, you were not able 3 to bear, then; nor are you yet able to bear; Because you are carnal, full of envyings, and strife, and factions, upon the account of your knowledge, and the orthodoxy of 4 your particular parties*. For, whilst you say, one, “ I “am of Paul;” and another, “ Iam of Apollos*,” are ye not carnal, and manage yourselves in the conduct, NOTES. ¥ 4 That this is the meaning of the apostle’s metaphor of milk and babes, may be seen Heb. v. 12—14. 2 © Vid. chap. ii. 13. f Wid. Heb. v. 14. 38 Kar av0pworoy, ‘ speaking according to man,” signifies speaking accord- ing to the principles of natural reason, in contradistinction to revelation: vid. 1 Cor. ix. 8. Gal. i. 11. And so “ walking according te man” must here be understood. : 4 4 From this 4th verse, compared with chap. iv. 6, it may be no impro- bable conjecture, that the division in this church was only into two opposite ge whereof the one adhered to St. Paul, the other stood up for their head, false apostle, who opposed St. Paul. For the Apollos, whom St. Paul men- tions here, was one (as he tells us, ver. 6.) who came in, and watered what he had planted ; i.e. when St. Paul had planted a church at Corinth, this‘Apollos got into it, and pretended to instruct them farther, and boasted in his perform- ances amongst them, which St. Paul takes notice of again, 2 Cor. x. 15, 16 Now the Apollos that he here speaks of, he himself tells us, chap. iv. 6, was — another man, under that borrowed name. It is true, St. Paul, im his epistles to the corinthians, generally speaks of these his opposers in the plural number ; but it is to be remembered, that he speaks so of himself too, which, as it was the less invidious way, in regard of himself so it was the softer way tewards his ppposers, though he seems to intimate plainly, that it was one leader that was set up against him. 7 enap.1. I. CORINTHIANS. 101 TEXT. 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers, by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gaye to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered ; but God gave the increase. 7 So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that wa- tereth ; but God, that giveth the increase. $ Now he that planteth, and he that watereth, are one; and etery man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour. PARAPHRASE. both of your minds and actions, according to barely hu- man principles, and not, as spiritual men, acknowledge all that information, and all those gifts, wherewith the ministers of Jesus Christ are furnished, from the propa- gation of the gospel, to come wholly from the Spirit of God. What, then, are any of the preachers of the gos- pel, that you should glory in them, and divide into par- 5 ties, under their names? Who, for example, is Paul, or who Apollos? What are they else, but bare ministers, by whose ministry, according to those several abilities and gifts, which God has bestowed upon each of them, ye have received the gospel? They are only servants, employed to bring unto you a religion, derived entirely from divine revelation, wherein human abilities, or wis- dom, had nothing to do. The preachers of it are only instruments, by whom this doctrine is conveyed to you, which, whether you look on it in its original, it is nota thing of human invention or discovery; or whether you look upon the gifts of the teachers who instruct you in it, all is entirely from God alone, and affords you not the 6 least ground to attribute any thing to your teachers. For example I planted it amongst you, and Apollos watered it: but nothing can from thence be ascribed to either of us: there is no reason for your calling yourselves, some 7 of Paul, and others of Apollos. For neither the planter, nor the waterer, have any power to make it take root, and grow in your hearts; they are as nothing, in that re- spect; the growth and success is owing to God alone. 8 The planter and the waterer, on this account, are all one, neither of them to be magnified, or preferred, before the ether; they are but instruments, concurring to the same 102 I. CORINTHIANS, CHAP. III. TEXT. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husban. dry, ye are God’s building. 3%, See 10 According to the grace of God, which is given unto me, as a | wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another — buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he build- eth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now, if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; PARAPHRASE. 4 end, and therefore ought not to be distinguished, and — set in opposition one to another, or cried up, as more — 9 deserving one than another. We, the preachers of the ; gospel, are but labourers, employed by God, about that — which is his work, and from him shall receive reward hereafter, every one according to his own labour; and — not from men here, who are liable to make a wrong esti- mate of the labours of their teachers, preferripg those, : who do not labour together with God, who do not carry — on the design, or work of God, in the gospel, or perhaps — do not carry it on, equally with others, who are under- — 10 valued by them. Ye who are the church of God, are God's building, in which I, according to the skill and knowledge which God, of his free beunty, has been pleased to give me, and therefore ought not to be to me, or any other, matter of glorying, as a skilful archi- tect, have laid a sure foundation, which is Jesus, the - Messiah, the sole and only foundation of christianity, — 11 Besides which, no man can lay any other. But, though — no man, who pretends to be a preacher of the gospel, can build upon any other foundation, yet you ought not — to cry up your new instructor! (who has come and built — upon the foundation, that I laid) for the doctrines, he builds thereon, as if there were no other minister of the — 12 gospel but he. For it is possible a man may build, ‘ ma => NOTE. sie ena 114 Chap. iv. 15. In this he reflects on the false apostle, 2 Cor. x. 15,16. —e CHAP. L1Ts J. CORINTHIANS. 103 TRAT: . 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest... For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire ; and the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is. ; "me 14 If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive areward. ' 15 If any man’s work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss :, but he himself shall be saved; yet so, as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man detile the temple of God, him, shall God destroy : for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. PARAPHRASE. upon that true. foundation, wood, hay, and stubble, things that will not bear the test, when the trial by fire, 13 at the last day*, shall come. At that day, every man’s work shall be tried and discovered, of what sort it is. 14 If what he hath taught be sound and good, and. will stand the trial, as silver and gold, and precious stones abide in the fire, he shall be rewarded for his labour in 15 the gospel. But, if he hath introduced false and un- sound doctrines into christianity, he shall be like a man, whose building, being of wood, hay, and stubble, is consumed by the fire, all his pains in building is lost, and his works destroyed and gone, though he himself 16 should escape and be saved. I told you, that ye are God’s building’; yea, more than that, ye are the tem- 17 ple of God, in which his Spirit dwelleth. If any man, by corrupt doctrine or discipline, defileth™ the temple NOTES. 42 & When the day of trial and recompence shall be; see chap. iv. 5, where he speaks of the same thing. ; 16 1 Vid. ver. 9. ~ 17 ™ It is not incongruous to think, that, by any man, here, St. Paul de- signs one particular man, viz. the false apostle, who, it is probable, by the strength of his party, supporting and retaining the fornicator, mentioned ch. v. in the church, had defiled it; which may be the reason, why St. Paul so often mentions fornication, in this epistle, and that, in some places, with particular emphasis, as chap. v. 9. and vi. 18—20. Most of the disorders, in this church, ~ we may look on, as owing to this false apostle; which is the reason, why Ste Paul sets himself so much against him, in both these epistles, and makes almost the whole business of them, to draw the corinthians off from their leader, judg- ing, as it is like. that this church could not be reformed, as long as that person was in eredit, and had a party among them. 104 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. IIT. ny) 2 x TEXT. 18 Let no man deceive himself: if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. a 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God: for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that — they are vain, 21 Therefore let no man glory in men: for all things are yours: 22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preserft, or things to come: all are yours: — 23 And ye are Christ’s: and Christ is God's. “Br PARAPHRASE. of God, he shall not be saved with loss, as by fire; but him will God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, 18 which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself, by his success in carrying his point": if any one seemeth to himself, or others, wise°, in worldly wisdom, so as to pride himself in his parts and dexterity, in compassing his ends; let him renounce all his natural and acquired parts, all his knowledge and ability, that he may become truly wise, in embracing and owning no other knowledge, 19 but the simplicity of the gospel. For all other wisdom, all the wisdom of the world, is foolishness with God: for it is written, “He taketh the wise inWheir own craf- 20 “‘tiness.” And again, ‘“The Lord knoweth the thoughts 21 “‘ of the wise, that they are vain.” Therefore, let none of you glory in any of your teachers; for they are but 22 men. For all your teachers, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Peter, even the apostles themselves, nay, all the world, and even the world to come, all things are yours, for your sake and use: 23 As you are Christ's, subjects of his kingdom, for his NOTES. 418 2 What it was, wherein the craftiness of the person mentioned had ap- peared, it was not necessary for St. Paul, writing to the corinthians, who knew the matter of fact, to particularize us to: therefore it is left to guess, and pos- sibly we shall not be much out, if we take it to be the keeping the fornicator from censure, so much insisted on by St. Paul, chap. v. e That by cogdc, here, the apostle means a cunning man in business, is plain from his quotation in the next verse, where the Wise, spoken of, are the crafty. CHAP. Iv. I. CORINTHIANS. 105 / TEXT. ~ JV. 1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself, yet am [ not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 3 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to ‘light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall eve: ‘'y man have praise of God. PARAPHRASE. glory; and Christ, and his kingdom, for the glory of God. Therefore, if all your teachers, and so many other greater things, are for you, and for your sakes, you can have no reason to make it a glory to you, that you belong to this, or that, par ticular teacher amongst you: your true glory is, that you are Christ's, and Christ and all his are God’s; and not, that you are this, or that man’s scholar or follower. 1 As for me, I pretend not to set up a school amongst you,’ and as a master to have my scholars denominated from . me; no, let no man have higher thoughts of me, than as a minister of Christ, employed as his steward, to dispense the truths and doctrines of the gospel, which are the mys- teries which God wrapped up, in types and obscure pre- dictions, where they have lain hid, till by us, his apostles, 2 lie now reveals them. Now that, which is principally required and regarded in a steward, is, that he be faith- 8 ful in dispensing what is committed to his charge. But as for me, I value it not, if I am censured by some of you, or by any man, as not being a faithful steward: nay, 4 as to this, I pass no judgment on myself. For though I can truly say, that I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified to you: but the Lord, whose steward I am, at the last day will pronounce sentence on my be- haviour in my stewardship, and then you will know what 5 to think of me. Then judge not either me, or others, _ before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to- ' q 106 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. Iv. TEXT. 6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to nry-_ self, and to Apollos, for your sakes; that ye might Jearn in us, not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up, for one against another, © LP oa 7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? boi cs 8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings with- "out us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. ‘ ‘vi PARAPHRASE. light the dark and secret counsels of men’s hearts, i preaching the gospel: and then shall every one have that praise, that estimate set upon him, by God himself, which he truly deserves. But praise ought not to ae them, before the time, by their hearers, who are igno- 6 rant, fallible men. On this occasion, I have named - Apollos and myseli?, as the magnified and opposed heads of distinct factions amongst you; not that we are so, but out of respect to you, that ] might offend nobody, by naming them; and that you might learn by us, of whom I have written 1, that we are but planters, waterers, and stewards, not to think of the ministers of the gospel, above what I have written to you of them, that you be not puffed up, each party, in the vain-glory of ‘their, own ex- tolled leader, to the crying down and contempt of an other, who is well esteemed of by others. For what maketh one to differ from another? or what gifts of the Spirit, what knowledge of the gospel has any leader | amongst you, which he received not, as intrusted to him of God, and not acquired by his own abilities? And if he received it as a steward, why does he glory in that, 8 which is not his own? However, you are mightily satis- fied with your present state; you now are full, you now “are rich, and abound in every thing you desire; you have not need of me, but have reigned like princes without me; and I wish truly you did reign, that 1 might come a ¥ 6 P Vid. chap. ili. 4, ‘ @ Vid. chap. iii. 6,9. chap. iv. 1. — oe CHAP. IV. I CORINTHIANS. ~ 107 TEXT. 9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were, appointed to death. For we are madea spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, but ye are strong: ye are honourable, but we are de- spised. : ‘ é E 11 Even unto this present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellmg-place. _ 12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as tlre filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day. 14 I write not these things to shame you; but, as my beloved sons, - I warn you, PARAPHRASE. and share in the protection and prosperity you enjoy, 9 how you are in yourkingdom. For I being made an apostle last of all, it seems to me as if I were brought last’ upon the stage, to be, in my sufferings and death, a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. - 10 I ama fool for Christ's sake, but you manage your chris- tian concerns with wisdom. I am weak, and ina suf- fering condition’; you” are strong and flourishing; you 11 are honourable, but I am despised. Even to this pre- sent hour, I both hunger and thirst, and want clothes, and am buffeted, wandering without house or home ; 12 And maintain myself with the labour of my hands. Being reviled, I bless: being persecuted, I suffer pa- 13 tiently: Being defamed, I intreat: I am made as the Ith of the world, and the off-scouring of all thimgs unto 14 this day. I write not these things to shame you; but as a father to warn you, my children, that ye be not the devoted zealous partisans and followers of such, whose * carriage is not like this; under whom, however you may flatter yourselves, in truth, you do not reign; but, on the contrary, ye are domineered over, and fleeced by NOTES. 9+ The apostle seems here to allude to the custom of bringing those last upon the theatre, who were to be destroyed by wild beasts, aor 10 s So he uses the word weakness, often, in his epistles to the corinthians, applied to himself: vid. 2 Cor. xii. 10. } 108 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. IV. TEXT. 15 For, though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yell have ye not many fathers: for, in Christ Jesus, I have begotten you, through the gospel. 16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my be- f ¢ loved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into re- membrance of my ways, which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. ~ 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. PARAPHRASE, 15 them'. I warn you, I say, as your father: For how — many teachers soever you may have, you can have but i one father ; it was I, that begot you in Christ, ie. I 16 converted you to christianity. Wherefore I beseech — 17 you, be ye followers of me“. To this purpose I have sent my beloved son Timothy to you, who may be re- _ lied upon: he shall put you im mind, and inform you, how I behave myself every-where in the ministry of the — 18 gospel”. Some, indeed, are puffed up, and make their — 19 boasts, as if I would not.come to you. But I intend, God willing, to come shortly ; and then will make trial, ; not of the rhetoric, or talking of those boasters,, but of — what miraculous power of the Holy Ghost is in them. — 20 For the doctrine and prevalency of the gospel, ‘ # pro- — the pogston and support of Christ’s kingdom, by ig, NOTES. “2 14 t Vid. 2 Cor. xi, 20. St. Paul here, from ver. 8 to 17, by giving an ac. — count of his own carriage, gently rebukes them for following men of a different — character, and exhorts them to be followers of himself. : % Ay: (ab 16." This he presses again, chap. xi. 1. and it is not likely he would have proposed himself, over and over again,.to them, to be followed by them, had the question and contest amongst them been only, whose name they should have ¢ borne, his, or their new teacher’s. His proposing himself, therefore, thus to be followed, must be understood, in direct opposition to the false apostle, who misled them, and was not to be suffered to have any credit, or followers, amongst them. 17 W ‘This he does to show, that what he taught them, and pressed them toy was not in a pique against his opposer, but to convince them, that all he did, at Corinth, was the very same, and no other, than what he did eyery where, ds a faithful steward and minister of the gospel. s - 4 < * \ cuar. Iv. I. CORINTHIANS. 109 PARAPHRASE. - yersion and establishment of believers, does not consist in talking, nor in the fluency of a glib tongue, and a fine discourse, but in the miraculéts operations of the Holy Ghost. % SECT) 11) "gN°: 6. CHAP. IV. 21.——-VI.. 20. CONTENTS. ANOTHER means, which St. Paul makes use of, to bring off the corinthians from their false apostle, and to stop their veneration of him, and their glorying in him, is by re- presenting to them the fault and disorder, which was com- mitted in that church, by not judging and expeiling the for-. “nicator; which neglect, as may be guessed, was owing to that faction. 1. Because it is natural for a faction to support and pro- tect an offender, that is of their side. g. From the great fear St. Paul was in, whether they would obey him, in censuring the offender, as appears by the ib epistle ; which he could not fear, but from the opposite faction; they, who had preserved their respect to him, being sure to follow his orders. 3. From what he says, ch. iv. 16, after he had told them, ver. 6. of that chapter, that they should not be puffed up, for any other, against him, (for so the whole scope of his discourse here imports) he beseeches them to be his follow- ers, i.e. leaying their other guides, to follow him, in punish- ing the offender. For that we may conclude, from his im- mediately insisting on it so earnestly, he had in his yiew, when he beseeches them to be followers of him, and con- sequently that they might join with him, .and take him for their leader, chap. v. 3, 4, he makes himself, by his spirit, . = : 110 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. as his proxy, the president of their assembly, to be convened — for the punishing that criminal. ig . 4, It may further be suspected, from what St. Paul says, ch. vi. 1, that the opposite party, to stop the ae pretended that this was d@'matter to be jndged by the civil — magistrate: nay, possibly, from what is said, ver. 6. of that chapter, it may be gathered, that they had got it brought: before the heathen judge; or at least from ver. 12, that they pleaded, that what he had done was lawful, and might — be justified before the magistrate. For the judging spoken of, chap. vi. must be understood to relate to the same mat- ter it does, chap. v. it being a continuation of the same dis- course and argument: as is easy to be observed by any one, who will read it without regarding the divisions into chap- ters and verses, whereby ordinary people (not to sa¥ others). are often disturbed in reading the holy scripture, and hin- dered from observing the true sense and coherence of it.” The whole 6th chapter is spent in prosecuting the business. of the fornicator, begun in the Sth. “That this is so, is evi- dent from the latter end, as well as beginning of the 6th chapter. And therefore, what St. Paul says of lawful, chap. vi. 12, may, without any violence, be supposed to be said, in answer to some, who might have alleged in favom of the fornicator, that what he had done was lawful, and might be justified by the laws of the country, which he was under: why else should St. Paul subjoin so many argu-— ments (wherewith he concludes this 6th chapter, and this subject) to prove the fornication, in question, to be, by the Jaw of the gospel, a great sin, and consequently fit, for a christian church to censure, in one of its members, however _ it might pass for lawful, in the esteem, and by the laws of gentiles ? y a ae There is one objection, which, at first sight, seems to be a strong argument against this supposition; that the forni- cation, here spoken of, was held lawful by the gentiles of — Corinth, and that, possibly, this very case had been brought — before the magistrate there, and not condemned. ‘The 6b- jection seems to lie in these words, ch. v. 1, “There is _ _** fornication heard of amongst you, and such fornicat “ as-is not heard of amongst the gentiles, that one shou ““ haveshis father's wifé.? But yet I conceive the wore emae/w, I. CORINTHIANS. iil duly considered, have nothing in them contrary to my sup- position. To clear this, I take the liberty to say, it cannot be thought that this man had his father’s wife; whiist, by the _ laws of the place, she actually was his father’s wife; for then it had been poyeie and adultery, and so the apostle would have called it, which was a crime in Greece; nor could it be tolerated in any civil society, that one man should have the use of a woman, whilst she was another - man’s wife, i.e. another man’s right and possession. The case, therefore, here seems to be this; the woman had parted from her husband; which it is plain, from chap. vii. 10, 11, 13, at Corinth, women could do.. For if, by the law of that country, a woman could not divorce herself from her husband, the apostle had there, in vain, bid her not leave her husband. - But, however known and allowed a practice it might be, amongst the corinthians, for a woman to part from her hus- band; yet this was the first time it was ever known that her husband's own son should marry her. ‘This is that, which the apostle takes notice of in these words, “ Such a forni- ‘cation, as is not named amongst the gentiles.” Such a fornication this was, so little known in practice amongst them, that it was not so much as heard, named, or spoken of, by any of them. But, whether they held it unlawful, that a woman, so separated, should marry her husband’s son, when she was looked upon to be at liberty from her former husband, and free to marry whom she pleased ; that the apostle says not. This, indeed, he declares, that, by the law of Christ, a woman’s leavi “ing her husband, and “marrying another, is unlawful, ch. vii. 1. and this woman's. marrying her husband’s son, he declares, ch. v. 1. (the place before us) to be fornication, a peculiar sort of fornication, whatever the corinthians, or their law, might determine in the case: and, therefore, a christian church might and ought to have censured it, within themselves, it being an offence against the rule of the gospel; which is the law of their so- ciety; and they might, and should, have expelled this for- nicator, out of their society, for not submitting to the laws of it; notwithstanding that the civil laws of the country, and the judgment of the heathen magistrate, might acquit him. 112 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP, Ly. Suitably hereunto, it is very remarkable, that the arguments, that St. Paul uses, in the close of this discourse, chap. vi. _ 13-—20, to prove fornication unlawful, are all drawn solely from the christian institution, ver. 9. That our bodies are’ made for the Lord, ver. 13. ‘That our bodies are members of Christ, ver. 15. That our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost, ver. 19. ‘That we are not our own, but bought with a ptice, ver. 20. All which arguments concern chris- tians only; and there is not, in all this discourse against fornication, one word to declare it to be unlawful, ‘by the” law of nature, to mankind in general. “That was altogether needless, and beside the apostle’s purpose here, where he was teaching and exhorting christians what they were to do, - as christians, within their own society, by the law of Christ, — which was to be their rule, and was sufficient to oblige them, whatever other laws the rest of mankind observed, or were under. Those he professes, ch. v. 12, 13, not to meddle with, nor to judge: for, having no authority amongst them, he leaves them to the judgment of God, under whose go- — vernment they are. “rk opened al supposition, though it had not all the evidencefor it, wh it has, yet being suited to St. Paul's principal design in this _ epistle, and helping us the better to understand these two chapters, may deserve to be mentioned, ii git a | 6a of hepa, * CHAP. Vv. I. CORINTHIANS. 113 TEXT. 21 What will ye? shall I come unto you, with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? V. 1 Itis reported commonly, that there is fornication among you, - and such fornication, as is not so much as named amongst the gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed, might be taken away from among SU dag ba i Pi gHy , | 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though | were present, concerning him, that hath so done this deed. PARAPHRASE. 21 I purposed to come unto you: But what would ye have me do? Shall I come to you, witha rod, to chastise you? Or with kindness, and a peaceable disposition of 1 mind*? In short, it is commonly reported, that there is fornication” among. you, and such fornication, as is not known‘ ordinarily among the heathen,. that one 2, should have his father’s wife. And yet ye remain puff- ed up, though it would better have become you to have been dejected, for this scandalous fact amongst you ; | and.in a mournful sense of it, to have rémoved the of- 8 fender out.of the church. For I truly, though absent - at NOTES. _. 21 2 He that shall carefully read 2 Cor. i. 20.—ii. 11, will easily perceive | that this last verse here, of this 4th chapters is an introduction to the severe act of discipline, which St. Paul was going to exercise amongst them, though ab- “sent, as if he had been present. And, therefore, this verse ought not to have been separated from the following chapter, as if it belonged not to that dis. | Course. { ; 1» Vid. chap. iv. 8, 10. The writers of the New Testament seem to use the Greek word @opveia, which we translate, fornication, in the same sense | that the Hebrews used J)3}, which we also translate, fornication; though it be certain, both these words, in sacred scripture, have a larger sense than the word, fornication, has in our language; for J})3}, amongst the Hebrews, signi- ‘fied, “ Turpitudinem,” or ** Rem turpem,” uncleanness, or any flagitious scandalous crime, but more especially, the uncleanness of unlawful copulation _ | and idolatry ; and not precisely fornication, in our sense of the word, i.e. the | unlawful mixture’of an unmarried couple. ¢ [Not known] ‘That the marrying of a son-in-law, and a mother-in-law, was not prohibited by the laws of the Roman empire, may be seen in Tully 5 but yet it was looked on, as so scandalous and infamous, that it never had any countenance from practice. His words in his oration pro Cluentio, § 4, are so agreeable to the present case, that it may not be amiss to set them down: “¢ Nubit genero socrus, nullisauspiciis, nullis auctoribus. O scelus incredibile, “* et preter hanc unam, in omni vita inauditum |" he es 114 I. CORINTHIANS. © enarews Pi aoe THAT wa 4 Ta the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are ade od together, and my spirit, with the power ‘of our Lo Jesus Christ, l'o deliver such an one unito satan, for the duane of the flesh, ’ that the spirit nray’be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good: know ye not pag a Snr leaven lea- veneth the whole lump } P Purge out, therefore, the old leaven, that ye may die a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ, our en is sacrificed for us. § Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with PARAPHRASE, in body, yet as present in spirit, have thus already judg. ed, as if I were personaily with you, him that committed 4 this fact; When, in the name of the Lord Jesus, ye are assembled, and my spirit, i.e. my vote, as if 1 were pre- sent, making one, by thé power of the Lord Jesus'Christ, 5 Deliver the oiender up to satan, that, being put thus into the hands and power of the devil, his body may be afflicted, and brought down, that his soul may be saved, 6 when the Lord Jesus comes to judge the world. Your glorying*, as you do, in a leader, who drew you into this Bcadaloue indulgence® in this case, is a fault in you ye that are knowing, know you not that.a little leave 7 leaveneth the whole® lump ?, Therefore, laying a ha deference and veneration ye had for those d gloried i in, turn out from among y ou that fornica the church may receive no taint Prom him. ty bea pure, new lump, or society, free from. SI ous mixture, which may corrupt you. Ror Christ 8 passover, is slain for us. ‘Therefore let-us, i in comme- moration of his death, and our deliverance sean! >] Gr > “J NOTES. 6 a a Glacying 3 is all along, in the-beginning of this opt spoken of I ‘preference they gave to their new leader, in opposition to St. | e Tf their leader had not been guilty of this miscarriage, it had iteedl out St. Paul’s way here to have reproved them, for their glorying in him. But Paul is a close writer, and uses not to mention things, where they: are imp tinent to his subject. ral sore f sede reason he had to say this, vid. 2 Cor. xii. 21 « Grex totusin agris « Unius scabie cadit, et porrigine sii iit i " CHAP, VI. I. CORINTHIANS. 1135 1 : TEXT. the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote unto you, in an epistle, not to company with forni- cators, 4 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters: for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now [have written unto you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother, be a formicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one, no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. Vi. 1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law _ before the unjust, and not before the saints? : | PARAPHRASE. 9 holy people to him®. I wrote to you before, that you 10 should not keep company with fornicators. You are not to understand by it, as if I meant, that you are to avoid all unconverted heathens, that are fornicators, or __. covetous, or rapacious, or idolaters, for, then, you must 11 go out of the world. But that which I now write unto you, is, that you should not keep company, no, nor €at, _ with a christian by profession, who is lascivious, covet- | 12 ous, idolatrous, a railer, drunkard, or'rapacious. For what have I to do to judge-those, who are out of the | church? Have ye not a power to judge those, who 13 are menibers of your church? But, astor those. who are out of the. church, leave them to: God; to judge _ them belongs toyhim. Therefore do ye. what is your’ part, remove that wicked one, the fornicator, out of the. ‘1 church. Dare any-of you, having a controversy with ys ether, bring it before an heathen judge, to be tried,. Pd phi eo NOTE. M : i. j : . 7and 8 & In these two verses he alludes to the jews cleansing their houses, - at the feast, of the passover, from all leaven, the symbol of corruption and oWickedness, ia Vi is, th 12 ’ 116 I. CORINTHIANS: cmap. v1 TEXT. q 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and, if the’ world shall be judged by you, ye are unworthy to judge the small- est matters? ries: b Que 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things — . that pertain to this life? up obis Guid 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set — them to judge, who are least esteemed mthe church, 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man amongst you? no, not one, that shall be able te judge between © his brethren? yeh pte eliphi 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the un- believers. ; iw 20% SE PARAPHRASE,’ bel orice. and not let it be decided by christians*? Know ye not that christians shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge ordi- 3 nary small matters? Know ye not, that we, christians, have power over evil spirits? how much more over the 4 little. things relating to this animal life? If, then, ye _ have at any time controversies amongst you, concerning things pertaining to this life, let the parties contending choose arbitrators’ in the church, i.e. out of church-— 5 members. Is there not among you, I speak it to your _ shame, who stand so much upon your wisdom, one* wise man, whom ye can think able enough to refer your con- 6 troyersies to? _ But one christian goeth to law Aviles 0 ther, and that before the unbell tera the heathen ars NOTES. ef ee a 1 4 “Aysot, saints, is put for christians: @2\xos, unjust, fo ens, ‘ ~ 41 EZ ebevnutvec, “ judicés non authenticos.” Among the jews there wag) consessus triumtviralis, authenticus,’? who halla chdbiey and could hear and determine. causes, ‘ex officio;”’ there was another Sco sus tri mviralis,”* which were chosen by the parties; these, though they wee not au entic, yet could judge and determine the causes referred to them; these were those 1 St, Paulvealls here, Zebernutvec, ¢ judices non authenticos,” Leoneiows che by the parties. See de Dicu. That St. Paul does not mean | Py. aaa vase «€ those who afe least esteemed,” as our English trarislation rea ip ie from the next verse. . ; 5 ® Leic, “ wisemen.”” If St. Pauluses this word, in the sense of the gogue, it signifies one ordained, ora rabbi, and so capacitated to be a. hoa 2 for such were called ‘* wise men.’’. If in the sense of the gre signifies a man of learning, study and parts: it it be taken in the “may seem to be some reflection on their pretending to wisdom. CHAP. VI. TI. CORINTHIANS. 117 TEXT. - ¥ Now, therefore, there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another: why do ye not rather take wrong: why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded ? ® Nay, you do wrong and defraud, and that your brethren. y Know ye not, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor ex- tortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 31 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanc- tified, but ye are justified in the name of the ‘Lord Jesus, and by the Spint of our Ged. PARAPHRASE, 7 courts of justice. Nay, verily, it isa failure and defect in you, that you so far contest matters of right, one with another, as to bring them to trial, or judgment: why do 8 ye not rather suffer Joss and wrong? But it is. plain, by the man’s having his father’s wife, that ye are guilty of doing wrong’, one to another, and stick not to do in- 9 justice, even to your christian brethren. Know ye not, ~ that the transgressors of the law of Christ shall not in- herit the kingdom of God? Deceive not yourselves, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor - effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 40 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor reviilers, nor ‘extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of 4od. ‘11 And such were some of you: but your past sins are » washed away, and forgiven you, upon your receiving of ms “NOTE. 81 That the wrong, here spoken of, was the fornicator’s taking and keeping his father’s wife, the words of St. Paul, 2 Cor. vil. 12, instancing this very ‘wrong, are a sufficient evidence. And it is not wholly improbable, there had een some hearing of this matter, before an heathen judge, or at least talked “of: which, if suppesed, will give a great light to this whole passage, and several other in these chapters. For thus visibly runs St. Pauls argument, chap. v. *12, 13. chap. vi. 1, 2, 3, &c. coherent and easy to be understood, if it stood together as it should, and were not chopped in pieces, by a division into two chapters. Ye have a power to judge those, who are of your church; therefore “put away from among you that fornicator: you do ill, to let it come beiore'a “heathen magistrate. Aye you, who are to judge the world and angels, not wore ‘thy to judge such a matter as this? ba ‘ 118 I. CORINTHIANS, —s @narvvn TEXT. 12 All things are lawful unto me; but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under thal 4 power of any. 13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but Goa sball - n> PARAPHRASE.. ar the gospel by baptism: but ye are sanctified”, ie. ye are members of Christ’s church, which consists of saints, and have made some advances in. the reformation of your lives" by the doctrine of Christ, confirmed to you by the extraordinary operations’ of the Holy Ghost. 12 But° supposing fornication were in itself as ional a eating promiscuously all sorts of meat, that are made for the belly, on purpose to be eaten: yet I would nc so far indulge either custom, or my appetite, as to bring my body, thereby, into any disadvantageous state of 13 subjection. As in eating and drinking, Soa be. made purposely for the belly, and the be hy ave yet, because it may not be ak _ Tvl ‘ NOTES. m4. Gay a y , 11 ™ ‘Hyid-bnre, ‘* sanctified,” ie. bave remissionsof your sin 20.8 $2 fied signifies, Heb. x. 10, and 18, compared. He that erfectl hend, aid be satisfied in the ieaming uf this place, let athe aie 0, particularly i ix. 13—23. Rly ‘ n “Bdixaswbnre, “* ye are become just,” i. & are reformed Ce it used, Rev. xxii. 11. : : in yor rs 12 © St. Paul having, upon occasion of injustice amg he 1 in the matter of the fornicator, warned them against ot exclude men from salvation, he here re-assumes his former ar nication; and, by his reasoning here, it looks as if foie ih Pn pleaded, ‘chat fornication was lawful. To which he be so, yet the lawfulness of all wholesome food reaches hes Beethe cae case ro cation, and shows by several instances, (as particularly the degrading the b and making what, in a christian, is the member o hrist, the member « harlot) that fornication, upon several accounts, might be so unsuitable state of a christian man, that a christian society might have reason to al vert upon a fornicator, though fornication might pass for an indifferent a in another man. 13 P “ Expedient, and brought under power,”’ in ‘this verse, seems ° to the two parts of the following verse: the first of them to eating, int ‘part of the 13th verse, and the latter of them to fornication, i in series of the 13th verse. ‘To make this more intelligible, it may be fit to that St. Paul seems here to obviate such a sort of reasoning as this, in behs the fornicator: ‘¢ All sorts of meats are lawful to christians, who ai ** from the law of Moses; and why are they not so, in regard of wo & are at their own disposals?” To which St. Paul replies, « “Though, y bi * “oHAP. VI. I. CORINTHIANS. 119 a stroy both it and them.» Now the body is not for fornication, ~ but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. at | ‘PARAPHRASE. in so evidently a lawful thing as that, go to the utmost bounds of my liberty; though there be no danger, that . .* I should ‘thereby bring any lasting damage upon my © ‘belly, since God will speedily put an end both to belly ~~ “and food. But the case of the body in reference to wo- +>” men, is far different from that of the belly, in reference to meat. For the body is not made to be joined to a > oo woman‘, much less to be joined to an harlot in fornica- “tion, as the belly is made for meat, and then to. be put "4 an end to, when that use ceases.” But the body is for - amuch nobler purpose, and shall subsist, when the at gh ‘NOTES. . &¢ was niade only for ‘eating, and all sorts of meat were made to be eaten, and * © soarela for me, yet I will abstain from what is lawful, if it be not con- ee venient for me, though my belly will be certain to receive no prejudice by it, which will affect it in the other world; since God will there put an end «to the belly, and all use of food. “ But, as to the body of a christian, the ays’ case gait Otherwise; thaf was not made.for the enjoyment of women, but uch * < for a L ee to be a member of Christ’s body; and so shall last 7 ki ZS or ever, and not be destfoyed, as the belly shall be., Therefore, supposing ‘ *¢ fornication to,be lawful in itself, Twill not'so debase and subject my bedy, - € and do it that prejudice, as to take that, which is a member of Christ, and << make’ it’the member of an harlot; this ought to be had in detestation by all . Bic christians.’” * The context is so lain in the case, that interpreters allow St. Paul to/discourse here, upon a supposition of the lawfulness of fornication. _» Nor will it appear at all-strange, that he does so, if we consider the argument ANT upon. He is here convincing the corinthiaus, that though fornication ere to them an indifferent thing, and were not condemned in their country, Sr. than eating any Sort of meat: yet there might be reasons why a christian society might punish it, in their own members, by church censures, and expul- sion of the guilty. Conformably hereunto we see, in what follows here, that all the argumentsused by St. Paul, against fornication, are brought from the "incongruity it hath with the state of a christian, as a christian; but nothing is said against it asa fault in aman, as a man; no plea used, thatit is a sin, in all . um by the law of nature. A christian society, without entering into that in- quiry, or going so far as that, had reason to condemn and censure it, as not comporting with the dignity and principles of that religion, which was the foundation of their society. 4 “ Woman.” I have put in this, to make the apostle’s sense understood _ the easier. - For he arguing here, as he does, upon the supposition, that fornica- tion is in itself lawful; fornication, in these words, must mean the supposed, lawful enjoyment of a woman: otherwise it will not answer the foregoing in-. stance, of the belly and eating. * 120, I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. VID TEXT. ee 4 14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also ‘raise up us, by his own power. iy 15 Know ye not, that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the’ _ members of an harlot? God forbid. * + - 5 16 What, know ye not, that he, which is joined to an harlot, is oil body? For two (saith he) shall be one flesh. — Hil De i hp ey oh oe te belly and food shall be destroyed. The body is for our Lord Christ, to be a member of him, as our Lord Christ has taken a body', that he might partake of our nature,” 14 and be our head, So that, as God has already raised him up, and given him all power, so he’ will raise us Up. likewise, who are his members, to *the partaking in the” nature of his glorious body, ay: power he is me ae y 15 withinit. Know*ye not, ye who are so knowing, that our bodies are the members of Christ? » Will ye; then, take the members of Christ, and make them the mem= 16 bers of an harlot? What! know yenot, that he who — is joined to an harlot, is one body ith her 2 For two, & Shae | PARAPHRASE.* °* * hs , ofess + Dy ait Mle NOTES Pegi at God, and so shall they be. Unless it be taken in this sense, this verse seems to stand alone here. For what connexion has the mention of the resurrection, in the ordinary sense of this verse, with what the apostle saying here, but raising us up with bodies to be members of his glorious body, and to partake in a his power, in judging the world? This adds a great honour and dignityiggue ki bodies, and is a reason why we should not debase them into the members a harlot. These words also give a reason of his saying, ‘* He would not be brought — ; © under the power of any thing,” ver. 12, viz. ‘¢ Shall I, whose body is a ** member of Christ, and shall be raised to the power he has now in heaven, — ** suffer my body to be a member, and under the power of anharlot? ThatI s¢ will never do, let fornication in itself be ever so lawful.”? If this be not the meaning of St. Paul here, I desire to know to what purpose it is, that he soex- ressly declares, that the belly and meat should be destroyed, and dogs so manis ‘ Festly put an opposition between the body and belly? ver. 13. 1 undone VP. L CORINTHIANS. 121 A TEXT. 17 But he, that is jomed unto the Lord, is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doth, is without the body: but he that committeth fornication, smmneth against his ~own body. i 19 What! know ye not, that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own! 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your * © body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. - PARAPHRASE. mn 17 saith God, shall be united into one flesh. But he, who. is joined to the Lord, is one with him, by that one Spirit, * that unites the members to the head, which is a nearer ~ and stricter union, whereby what indignity is done to 18 the one, equally affects the other. Flee fornication: all other sins, that a man commits, debase only the soul ; but are in that respect, as if they were done out of the »' body; the body is not debased, suffers no loss of its ~ dignity bythem: but he, who committeth fornication, sinneth against the.end, for which his body was made, ‘degrading his body from the dignity and honour it was - designed to; making that the member of an harlot, 9 which was made to be a member of Christ. What! know ye not‘, that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, that is in you, which body you have from God, » 20 and so it is not your own, to bestow on harlots? Be- . sides, ye are bought with a price, viz. the precious blood + - of Christ; and therefore, are not at vour own disposal : but are bound to glorify God with both budy and soul. For both bedy and soul are from him, and are God’s.. : NOTE. 19 t This question, “ Know ye not?’” is repeated six times in this one chap- ter, which may seem to carry with it a just reproach to the corinthians, who had got anew and better instructor than himself, in whom they so much gioried, and may not unfitly be thought to set on his irony, ch. iv. 10, where he tells them,’ they are wise. 192 I. CORINTHIANS! cma? SECT. TIE.) xihtal pind CHAP. VII. 1—40. CONTENTS.” THE chief business of the foregoing chapters, we have seen to be the lessening the false apostle’s.credit, and the ~ - extinguishing that faction. What follows is in answer. to some questions they had proposed to St. Paul. . This sec- tion contains conjugal matters, wherein he disstiades from marriage those, who have the gift of continence. But, mar- riage being appointed asa remedy against fornication, those, who cannot forbear, should marry, and render to each other due benevolence. Next, he teaches that converts ought not to forsake their unconverted mates, iasomuch as chris- tianity changes nothing in men’s civil estate, but Se ; under the’same obligations they were tied by before. . A last of all} he gives directions about marrying, or not marr = ay ing, their daughters. at ” * TEXT. ss Yee wo. 1 NOW concerning the things, whereof ye wrote unto me: it is ‘good for a man not to touch a woman. ee Sy wt 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Ad sl 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and like wise, also, the wife unto the husband. Ria - PARAPHRASE. ~ RE: 1 CONCERNING those things that ye have writ to me about, I answer, it is most convenient not to have to do” 2 witha woman. But because every one cannet forbear, . therefore, they that cannot contain should, both men and women, each have their own peculiar husband and wile, 3 to avoid fornication. And those that are married, for the same reason, are to regulate themselves by the dis- position and exigency of their respective mates; and, therefore, let the husband render to the wife that bene- CHAP. VII, I. CORINTHIANS. 123. oo TEXT. 4, The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise, also, the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 5 Defraud you not one the other, except it be with consent, for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer: and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. _ 7 ForlI would that all men were, even as I myself: but every man sal . hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. PARAPHRASE. volence’, which is her due; and so, likewise, the wife to 4 the husband, “ vice versa.” For the wife has net the power or dominion over her own body, to refuse the hus- band, when he desires; but this power and right to her body isin the husband. And, on the other side, the hus- band has not the power and dominion over his own body, to refuse his wife, when she shows an inclination; but ‘this power and right to his body, when she has occasion, 5 isin the wife’. Do not, in this matter, be wanting, one > rs ‘ ‘to another, unless it be by mutual consent, for a short time, that you may wholly attend to acts of devotion, when ye fast, upon some solemn occasion: and when this time of solemn devotion is over, return to your former freedom, and conjugal society, lest the devil taking ad- vantage of your inability to contain, should tempt you to 6 a violation of your marriage-bed. As to marrying in ge- neral, I wish that you were all unmarried, as [ am; but this I say to you, by way of advice, not of command. “7 Every one has from God his own proper gift, some one way, and some another, whereby he must govern himself, NOTES. 3 4 Etvorw, “* Benevolence,” signifies here that complaisance and compli- ance, which every married couple ought to have for each other, when either of them shows an inclination to conjugal enjoyments. 4. > The woman (who in all other rights is inferiour) has here the same power given her over the man’s body, that the man has over her’s. . The reason where- of is plain; because if she had not her man, when she had need of him, as wel] as the man his woman, wheh he had need of her, marriage would be no remedy against fornication.” 124 I, CORINTHIANS. CHAP. VIT. oe TEXT. 8 I say, therefore, to the unmarried and widows, It is good for — them, if they abide, even as I. Ma Q But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. : 10 And unto the married command; yet not I, but the Lord; let not the wife depart from her husband: ' 11 But, and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be recon- f ciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his — wife. “= 12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord, If any brother hath a wife, that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let hima not put her away. i 13 And the woman, which hath an husband, that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. F 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. PARAPHRASE. . ft 8 To the unmarried and widows, I say it as my opinion, — that it is best for them to remain unmarried, as I am, 9 But if they have not the gift of continency, let them marry, for the inconveniences of marriage are to be pre- 10 ferred to the flames of lust. But to the married, I say ~ not by way of counsel from myself, but of command ~ from the Lord, that a woman should not leave her hus- 4 11 band: But, if she has separated herself from him, let — her return, and be reconciled to him again; or, at least, } let her remain unmarried: and let not the husband put 12 away his wife. But, as to others, it is my advice, nota commandment from the Lord, That, if a christian man hath an heathen wife, that is content to live with him, let him not break company with her, and dissolve the 13 marriage. And, if a christian woman hath an heathen husband, that is content to live with her, let her not break company with him‘, and dissolve the marriage. 14 You need have no scruple concerning this matter, for ~ ee F oe NOTE. 12 and 18 ¢ °A@srw, the greek word in the original, signifying “ put away,” being directed here, in these two verses, both to the man and the woman, seems to intimate the same power, and the same act of dismissing in both; and, there- fore, ought in both places to be translated alike, a" Cane ae Seg OO — CHAP. VII. I. CORINTHIANS. 195 TEXT. 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. 16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? 17 But, as God hath distributed to every man, a8 the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk: and so ordain [, in all churches. PARAPHRASE. the heathen husband or wife, in respect of conjugal duty, can be no more refused, than if they were chris- tian. For inthis case, the unbelieving husband is sanc- tified*, or made a christian, as to his issue, in his wife, and the wife sanctified in her husband. If it were not so, the children of such parents would be unclean®, i.e. in the state of heathens, but now are they holy’, i.e. 15 born members of the christian church. But if the un- believing party will separate, let them separate. A christian man, or woman, is not enslaved in such a case: only it is to be remembered, that it 1s incumbent on us, whom God, in the gospel, has called to be christians, _ to live peaceably with all men, as much as in us lieth; and, therefore, the christian husband, or wife, is not to make a breach in the family, by leaving the unbelieving 16 party, who is content tostay. For what knowest thou, O woman, but thou mayest be the means of converting, and so saving thy unbelieving husband, if thou centi- nuest peaceably as a loving wife, with him? or what knowest thou, O man, but, after the same manner, thou 17 mayest save thy wife? On this occasion, let me give you this general rule: whatever condition God has al- NOTE. 444 “Hyiace, “ sanctified, aya, holy, and dvéQafla, unclean,” are used here by the apostle, in the jewish sense. ‘The jews called all that were jews boly, and all others they called unclean. ‘Thus, ‘‘ proles genita extra sanctita-~ “ tem,” was @ child begot by parents, whilst they were yet heathens; ‘* genita _“ intra sanctitatem,” was a child begot by parents, after they were proselytes. This way of speaking St. Paul transfers from the jewish into the christian church, ealling all, thtat are of the christian church, saints, or holy; by which reason, all that were out of it, were unclean. See note,-chap. i, 2. ¥ + . aa 126 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. VI TEXT. 18 Is any man called, being circumcised? let hita not’ become un> circumcised: is any called, in uncircumeision? let him not be- come circumcised. OT) vd, an le 19 Circumcision i$ nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. mates. am 20 Let every man abide in the same calling, wherein he was called. . ih spine fie wit Ste 21 Art thou called, being a servant? Care not for it; but, if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. , E . { PARAPHRASE. peailin Jotted to any of you, let him continue and go on con- tentedly in the same ‘state, wherein he was called; not ” looking on himself as set free from it by his conversion — to christianity. And this isno more, than what I order 18 in all the churches. For example, Was any one con-— verted to christianity, being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised : was.any one called, being un- 79 circumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circum- cision or uncircumcision are nothing in the sight of God, © but that which he has a regard to, is in obedience to his 20 commands. Christianity gives not any one any new privilege to change the state, or put off the obligations 21.of civil life, which he was in before’. Wert thou called, NOTES. ‘4 Ae oF | 9 i 17 © ‘Qc signifies here, not the manner of his calling, but of the state and — condition of life he was in when called; and therefore gra, mee Sienity the same too, as the next verse shows. ‘ aes ; 20 f Mevérw, ** Lethimabide.”’ It is plain, from what immediately follows, — that this is not an absolute command; but only signifies, that a man should not think himself discharged, by the privilege of his christian state, and the fran hises of the kingdom of Christ, which he was entered into, from any ties or obligas — tions he was in, as a member of the civil society. And, therefore, for the set- ; tling a true notion thereof, in the mind of the reader, ithas been thoughtscon- — venient to give that, which is the apostle’s sense, to ver. 17, 20, and 24, of this r chapter, in words somewhat different from the apostle’s. ‘The thinking them- selves freed by christianity, from the ties of civil society and government, was a fault, it seems, that those christians were veryapttoruninto. For St.Paul, f the preventing their thoughts of any change, of any thing, of their civ upon their embracing christianity, thinks it necessary to warn them aj three times, in the compass of seven verses; and that, in the form of a command, not to change their condition, or state of life. _ Whereby he int that they should not change upon a presumption that christianity gaye th new, or peculiar liberty so to do. For, notwithstanding the apostle’s. p bidding them remain in the same condition, in which they were at their v Nie ) - * g CHAP. VII. I. CORINTHIANS. 197 TEXT. 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s ° ' free-man: likewise also he, that is called beiiig free, is Christ’s servant. i 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. 25 Now, concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord, yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. 2 PARAPHRASE. * being a slave?’ Think thyself not the less a christian, _ for being a slave; but yet prefer freedom to slavery, if 22 thou canst obtain it... For he that is converted to chris- tianity, being a bond-man, is Christ's freed-man®. And he that is converted, being a free-man, is Christ’s bond- 23 man, under his command and dominion. Ye are bought with a price®, and so belong to Christ; be not, if you 24 can avoid it, slaves to any body. In whatsoever state. a man is called, in the same he is to remain, notwith- standing any privileges of the gospel, which gives him no dispensation, or exemption, from any obligation he 25 was in before, to the laws of his country. Now con- cerning virgins’ I have no express command from Christ NOTES. sion; yet it is certain, it was lawful for them, as well.as others, to change, where it was lawful for them to change, without being christians. 22 & “Ameacvbep@-, in Latin, that is unmarried, has opportunity to mind the things of ~_ feligion, that she may be holy in mind and body; but ne married woman is taken up. with the cares of the "35 world, how to please her husband: . This I say to you, . for your particular advantage, not to lay any constraint * upon you *; but to put you in a way, wherein you may ot NOTES. ~ $1 ™ Kelezypiueros does not here signify ‘* abusing,”’ in our English sense “of the word, ha aacenthy using.” via Y : 3 ? ime © “2 All, from the beginning of ver. 28, to the end of this ver. 31, I think, may ‘be looked on, as-a parenthesis. = 1 <2 iene 35° BeoxG-, which we translate, a snare, signifies a cord, which possibly the - apostle might, according to the languageof the hebrew school, use hereforbind- Es and then his djscours¢ runs thus: “Though I have declared it my opinion, : K ~~ ee 37 Nevertheless, he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having n¢ | that itis best for a virgin to remain unmarried, yet X bind it net, i.e. Ido not 130 _ _¥. CORINTHIANS, CHAP. Vit. TEXT. 36 But if any man think he behaveth himself uncomely towards hi virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, him do what he will: he sinneth not: let them marry. necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decr in his heart, that he will keep his virgin, doth well. ry ‘PARAPHRASE, = most suitably, and as best becomes christianity, app! yourselves to the study and duties of the gospel, with 36 distraction. But, if any one thmks that he carries not himself as becomes him, to his virgin, if he lets her the flower of her age umnarried, and need so req let him do, as he thinks fit; he sins not, if he marry 37 But whoever is settled in a firm resolution of mind, 2 ” finds himself under nonecessity of marrying, and is m of his own will, or is at his own disposal, and has so de-_ termined in his thoughts, that he will keep his virginit a etl ye NOTES. 1% ee Pek declare it to be unlawful to marry. W iniatibe: ieal 37 ® TapBtvoy seems used here for the virgin state, and not the person virgin; whether there be examples of the like use of it, I know not; 2 therefore I propose it as my conjecture, upom these grounds: 1. Because solution of mind, here spoken of, must be im the person to ‘be married in the father, that has the power over the person concerned: for how ‘firmness of mind, of the father, hinder fernication in the pn pi oy a firmness? 2. The necessity of marriage can only be judged of by 4 themselves. A father cannot feel the child’s flames, which mak« marriage. ‘The persons themselves only know, whether they burn, or h gift of continence. 3. “EZectav Zyer wep) 1% idie Seanual@-, “hath over his own will,” must either signify, “ can govern his own des “¢ ter of his own will:”’ but this cannot be meant here, because it is expressed before, by idpai@ +H nepdfa, ‘ stedfast in heart; and a too, by xéupixev ev 7H xapdi, “ decreed in heart;”’ or must signify, ‘« disposal of himself,” i.e. is free from the father’s power, of dis, children in marriage. For, I think, the words should be translated, « power concéfning his own will,”’ i.e. concerning what he willeth. it, St. Paul meant a power over his own will, one might think he w expressed that thought, as he does chap. ix. 12, and Rom. ix. 21, wi or by the preposition, ig}, as it is Luke ix. 1. 4. Because, if & keep «< gin’ had here signified, keep his children from marrying, the expression ‘been more natural to have used the word +éxya, which signifies both s aapbév@-, which belongs only to the female. If therefore aapQiu@ 'b abstractly for virginity, the precedemt verse must be understood “‘ if any one think it a shame to pass the flower of his age w “© he finds it necessary to marry, let him de as he pleases; he sim _ @HAP. VII. I. CORINTHIANS, 131 TEXT. 38 So then, he that giveth her in marriage, doth well: but he that giveth her not in marriage, doth better. 39 ‘The wife is bound by the law, as long as her husband liveth: but, if her husband be dead, she is at libeity to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. , 40 But she is happier, if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that [ have the Spirit of God. PARAPHRASE. 38 he chooses the better side’. So then he that mar- rieth, doth well; but he that marrieth' not, doth 39 better. It is unlawful for a woman to leaye her hus- band, as long as he lives: but, when he is dead, she is at liberty to marry, or not to marry, as she pleases, and to whom she pleases; which virgins cannot do, being under the disposal of their parents; only she must take 40 care to marry, as a christian, fearing God. But, in m opinion, she is happier, if she remain a widow; an permit me to say, that whatever any among you may think, or say, of me, “ I have the Spirit of God, so “ that I may be relied on in this my advice, that I do *€ not mislead you.” NOTES, ae -"* T confess it is hard to bring these two verses to the same sense, and both of them to the design of the apostle here, without taking the words in one, or both of them, very figuratively. St. Paul here seems to obviate an _ objection, thar might be made against his dissuasion from marriage, viz. that it __ might be an indecency one should be guilty of, if one should live unmarried es one’s prime, and afterwards be forced to marry. To which he answers, __ Phat no body should abstain upon the account of being a christian, but those, \ are of steady resolutions, are at their own disposal, and have fully deter- - ‘mined it in their own minds. . belly KaAus here, as in ver. 1, 8, and 26, signifies not simply good, but pre- ble. _ | 38 _* TMapbtG@- being taken in the sense before-mentioned, it is amy i , r this verse, to follow the copies, which read yauiCwy, “© marrying,” Relauiter, * giving in marriage,” $ : x2 4 192; I: CORINTHIANS! cua i = Bie 3 “SECT, ya a4 Ae CHAP, VII 128430 ™ Va ' CONTENTS. * T HIS section is concerning the eating einen’ offered to idols; wherein one may guess, by St. Paul’s answer, that | they had writ,to him, that they knew their christian liberty herein, that they knew that an idol was nothing; and, there- fore, that they did well to show their knowledge of the nul- lity of the heathen gods, and their disregard of them, by eating promiscuously, and without scruple, things offered _ to them. Upon which, the design of the apostle here ee, to be, to take down their opinion of their knowledge, by showing them, that, notwithstanding all the knowledge the presumed on, and were puffed up with, yet the eating o those sacrifices did not recommend them to God; vid.’ ver. 8, and that they might sin in their want of charity, by offend- ‘ing their weak br other. This seems plainly, from ver. 1—3, and. 11, 12, to be the design of the apostle’s answer here, — and not to resolve the case, “of eating things offered to idols, i in its full latitude. For then he would have prosecuted it more at large here, and not have deferred the doing o of it to ‘chap. x. where, under another head, he pate of it more particularly. ie TEXT. ti ea 1 INOW as touching things offered unto idols, we now ‘tee we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity ‘edi- — 7 | at rs . a ‘ ; : ¢ ! fieth. ’ fs oo oe? at PARAPHRASE, ae i As for things offered up unto idols, it Thust. “not be G questioned, but that every one of you, who stand so much upon your knowledge, know that the imaginary go a" to whom the gentiles sacrifice, are not in reality gods, but mere fictions; but, with this, © fares ‘that sueh a knowledge, or opinion of their | howls wells with pride and vanity. oe charity it is, that imp \ iarcyus. CORINTHIANS. | 98 TEXT. 2 (And if any man think, that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth * nothing yet, as he ought to knew. Pw hit 3 «3 But if any. man love God, the same is known of him. 4 As concerning, therefore, the eating of those things, that are of- . fered, in daeteties unto idols, we know that an idol is wothing 3 in - the world; and that there is none other God but one. 5 For, though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven, or in-earth, as there be gods many, and lords many. ; o titlicsatl a » PARAPHRASE. ° 2 and advances men in christianity*. (But, if any one be conceited of his own knowledge, as if christianity were a science for speculation and dispute, he knows nothing yet *3 of christianity, as he ought to know it. But-if any one ~~ love God, and consequently his neighbour for God’s sake, + suchan one is made to know’, or has got true knowledge 4 from God himself. To the question, then, of eating things ‘offered to idols, I know, as well as you, that an idol, ie. that the fictitious oods, whose images are in thie - heathen tempies, are no real beings in the world: and S thereis in truth no other but one God. © For though there * be many imaginary nominal gods, both in heaven and earth*®, as are indeed all theiy many gods, and many lords, r ¢ ' NOTES. -1 2 To continue the thread of the apostle’s discourse, the 7th verse must be "read as joined to the ist, and all between looked on as a parenthesis. “3b "Eyres ‘€ “is made to Know, or is taught.’” The apostle, though ) writing; in greek, yet often uses the greek verbs according to the Hebrew con- h jugations. So chap. xiii. 12, ¢ Emiyiacowcels which, according to the greek pro- priety, signifies, *¢ T shall be | known, is ased for, “I shall be made to know;”” “and so, Gal. iv. 9, yrucbévres is put to signify, * being taught.” , . 5 © “In heaven and earth.” ‘The heathens had supretme sovereign gods, _ whom they supposed eternal, remaining always in the heavens; those were ’ ‘called @ecl, gods: they had besides another order of inferiorgods, ** gods upon _*© earth,” who, by the will and direction of the heavenly gods, governed terres- > trial things, and were the mediators between the supreme, heavenly gods and - ~men, without whom there could ‘be no communication between them. These were called in scripture, Baalim, i.e. Lords: and by the Greeks, Awinorec-, To “this the apostle alludes here, saying, though there bé, in the opinion of the heathens, ‘< gods many,”’ i.e. many @lesuame Sovereign gods, in ‘heaven : and * lords many, i.e. many baalim,”” or Lords. agent, and presidents over earthly - things; eee us, christians, these is,but one sovereign God, the Father, of 6m aré all things, and tow! aESS supreme, we bre to direct. all our services: t one Lord- agent, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, that come-from Father to us, ‘and, throuch whom alone we find access unto him.’ Medes ‘on: "Pet. 4 ai, 1, or disc,» 43, p. OL ae Y c r 134 I, CORINTHIANS. enar. vitt, TEXT. 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of ea! are me ; things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, aud we by him.) 7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge ; for some,| ; with conscience of the idol, unto this hour, eat it as a thing of- fered unto an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled, d © iButisecat coneinendith kmaptsaGananee neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed, lest, by any means, this liberty of yours become 2 i stumbling-block to them that are weak. PARAPHRASE, b 6 which are merely titular; Yet to us christians, there is but one God, the Father and the Author of all things, to whom alone we address all our worship.and service; and but one Lord, viz. Jesus Christ, by whom all things come from God to us, and by whom we have access to the 7 Father.) For notwithstanding all the great pretences to” knowledge, that are amongst you, every one doth not know, that the gods of the heathens are buti imaginations of the fancy, mere nothing. Some, to this day, conscious to themselves, that they think those idols to be real dei- ties, eat things sacrificed to them, as sacrificed to real dei- ties; whereby doing that which they, in their consciences, not yet sufficiently enlightened, think to be unlawful, are 8 guilty of sin. F God, of what kind soever, makes not - God regard us * For neither, if in knowledge, and full persuasion, that an idol is nothing, we eat things offered to idols, do we thereby add any thing to christianity: or if, not being so well informed, we are scrupulous, and for bear, are we the worse christians, or are lessened by it*, 9 But this you knowing men ought to take especial care of: that the power of Sion you have to eat, be irae such an use of, as to become a stumbling-bleck to weake Lie ¥ iis % " NOTES. 8 4 Ov wapicner, sets us not before God, i i, to be taken ae re hime e It cannot be supposed, that St, Paul, ina toa letter of the corinth! should tell them, that, if they eat things ‘offer idols, they were not the 1 ter; or, if they eat not, were not the worse, unless they had expressed 80 anion of good in n eatings ! CHAP, IX. I. CORINTHIANS. 135 TEXT. 10 For, if any man see thee, which hast knowledge, sit at meat in ‘the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him, which is weak, be emboldened to eat those things, which are offered to idols? 11 And, through thy knowledge, shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But, when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh, while the world standeth, lest 1 make my brother to offen ‘ PARAPHRASE. 10 christians, who are not convinced of that liberty. For if such an one should see thee, who hast this knowledge of thy liberty, sit feasting in an idol-temple, shall not his weak conscience, not thoroughly instructed in the mat- ter of idols, be drawn in by thy example to eat what is offered to idels, though he, in his conscience, doubt of 11 its lawfulness? And thus thy weak brother, ‘for whom Christ died, is destroyed by thy knowledge, wherewith 12 thou justifieth thy eating. But when you sin thus against : your brethren, and wound their weak consciences, you 13 sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make. my bro- ther offend, I will never more eat flesh, to avoid making my brother offend. a 7 SECT. V. qe a “EF 2 F eee ib @ 1—27. * - ar wag at Fis a CONTENTS. wr: Paul had preached the gospel at Corinth, about two ears; in all which time, he had taken nothing of them, 2 Cor. xi. 7—9. This, by some of the opposite faction, icularly, as we may suppose, by their leader, was ade use of, to call in question his apostleship, 2 Cor. xi. 6. For why, if he were an apostle, should he not use of an apostle, to demand maintenance, where he 136 I. CORINTHIANS. @HAP. 1X, 0 preached?” In this section, St. Paul vindicates his apostle- ) ship; and, in answer to these enquir ers, g ives the rea: on 4 why, though he had a right to maintenance “yet he preached gratis to the corinthians, My answer, says He i quisitors, is, that though, as being an apostle, I know. have a right to maintenance, as well as Peter, or any other of the apostles, who all have a right, as is eviden re son, and from scripture; yet I never have, nor staleenke | ; tse ‘of my privilege amongst you, for fear that, if it cost you any thing, that should hinder the effect of my preaching: I would ‘neglect nothing, that might promote the Baya I do not content myself with doing barely tag nae for, by my extraordinary call and commissi cumbent on me to preach the gospel ; but I con to excel in my ministry, and not to execute my ci nr vertly, and just enough to serve the turn. Forii in the agonistic games, aiming at victory, to” obt corruptible crown, deny themselves in eating and c and other pleasures, how much niore does the eterne of glory deserve that we should do our “utmost to ob a To be as careful, in not indulging our bodies, inden pleasures, in doing | every thing we could, in order to as if there were but one that should have ite” Wort therefore, if I, having in this view, neglect m those outward conveniences, that I, as an aie 2 preach the gospel, might claim and make use of; not that I prefer the propagating of the gospel, an of converts, to all care and regard of myself. This the design ‘of the apostle, and will give light to the follow: ing discourse, which we shall now “take, in the order S Paul writ it. $ TEXT. . 1 AMTnotan apostle? Am I not free? Have pf not seen eo Christ, our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord: fer au ink PARAPHRASE. ©. + |. fi + 4 Am I not an apostle? And am I not at. ibe ~ much as any other of the apostles, to make use oft | Nore: eh |) yet on 43 It was a law amongst the jews, not to receive alms'from the ewapixy _—«L’), CORINTHIANS* 137 , TEXT. 2: ‘fT be: not an apostle unto-others, yet doubtless I am to — for k of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. 3 Mine answer to them that do examine me, is this: | 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5 Have we not power to lead about a-sister, a wife, as well as other * apostles, and ay the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or lI only, and ceases si not we power to forbear work- ug? 7 Who gneth aw arfare, any tees at his own charges? who plant- “eth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit ther eof? or-w ho feed- . eth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 8 Say I these things, as a man? or saith not the law the same © also?- -PARAPHRASE. vilege due to that office? Have I not had the aoe to * see Jesus Christ, our Lord, after an extraordinary man- ‘ner? And are not you yourselves, whom T have ‘con- verted, an evidence of the success of my employment in 2 the gospel? If others should question my beiny-an apos- * tle; you at least cannot doubt of it: your conversion to ‘ christianity i is, as it were, a seal set to it, to make good 3 the truth of my apostleship. ‘This, then, is my ariswer'to 4 those, who set up an inquisition upon me: Have notla 5 right to meat and drink, where I ype ee Have not I, and Barnabas, a power to take along with us, in our tra- ' yelling to propagate the gospel, a christian woman?, to » provide our conveniencies, and be serviceable to us, as 4 ‘well as Peter, and the brethren of the Lord, and the rest 6 of the apostles ? Or is it I only, and Darnabas, who are ~ excluded from the privilege’ of being maintained without “7 working? Who goes to the w ‘ar any where, and serves “asa soldier, at his own charges? Who planteth a vine- * yard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof ?- _Who feedeth 8 a flock, and eateth not of the milk?. This is allowed to be reason, that those, who are so employed, should be \ Uh . NOTE. 5 > There were not-in those parts, as amohg us, inns, where travellers wean have their conveniencies: and strangers could not be accommodated with neces ssaries, unless they had somebody with them to take that care, and provide for them. They, who would make it brie business to preach, and neglect this, jnust needs suffer great hardships, ... 5 an 138 IL CORINTHIANS. CHA TEXT. . 9 For it is written, in the law of Moses, “ Thou shalt not muzzle “ the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the com,” ~ Doth Goa take care for oxen? 30 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, doubt, this is written: that he that plougheth, “Amey Slum plough in hope; and that he, that thresheth in hope, should be tse of his hope. » | 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual thinead is ita aged mri fz we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are “pn eonadhert Nevertheless, we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know, that they which minister about ese Ber liv a4 PARAPHRASE. maintained by their employments; and so * hibieia + preacher of the gospel. But I say not this, barely upon” the principles of human reason ; revelation teaches _9 same thing, in the law of Moses : Where it is said “ ‘Thou shalt muzzle not the mouth of the ox, that “ treadeth out the corn.” Doth God take care to pro- 10 vide so particularly for oxen, by a law? No, certainly; it is said particularly for our sakes, and not for oxen: that he, who sows, may sow in hope of enjoying the fruits of his labour at harvest; and may then thresh out, — 31 and eat the corn he hoped for. If we have sowed O you spiritual things, in preaching the gospel to you, is it unreasonable, that we should expect a little meat and drink from you, a little share of your. carnal things 1 12 If any partake of this power over you‘, why not we much rather’ But I made no use of it; but bear with any thing, that I may avoid all hindrance to the pro-— 13 gress of the gospel. Do ye not know, fi abe who > NOTE. a 12 © For rie 22ecfac, I should incline to read, rue Setac, af there be, al Vossius says, any MSS. to authorise it: and then the words will run thus: “ ** any partake of your substance.” This better suits the foregoing aaa Rese: needs not the addition of the word, this, to be inserted in the with difficulty enough makes it refer to a power, which he was not hen ce ing of, but stands eight verses off: besides, in these words, St. Paul seems to glance at what they suffered from the false apostle, who did not only pretend power of maintenance, but did actually devour them: vid, 2 Cor. xi, 90. HAP. IX. I. CORINTHIANS. 139 TEXT. of the things of the temple? And they, which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so, hath the Lord ordained, that they, which preach the gospel, should live of the gospel. 15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me. For # were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 16 For, though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not _ the gospel. 17 For, if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18 What is my reward then? Verily, that, when I preach the gos- pel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse mot my power in the gospel. 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself ser. vant unto all, that I might gain the more. PARAPHRASE. in the temple serve about holy things, live upon those holy things? And they, who wait at the altar, are par- 14 takers with the altar? So has the Lord ordained, that they, who preach the gospel, should live of the gospel. 15 But though, as an apostle, and preacher of the gospel, I have, as you see, a right to maintenance, yet I have not taken it: neither have I written this to demand it. _ ForI had rather perish for want, than be deprived of 16 what I glory in, viz. preaching the gospel freely. For if I preach the gospel, I do barely my duty, but have nothing to glory in: for I am under an obligation and command to preach‘; and wo be to me, if I preach not ‘17 the gospel. Which if I do willingly, I shall have a re- ward: if unwillingly, the dispensation is nevertheless in- trusted to me, and ye ought to hear me as an apostle. 18 How, therefore, do I make it turn to account to myself? Even thus; if I preach the gospel of Christ of free cost, so that I exact not the maintenance I have a right to, — - 49 by the gospel. For being under no obligation to any NOTE. 16 ® Vid, Acts xxii, 14~21 140° 1. CORINTHIANS, 20 And unto the} jews, I became as a jew; ‘that Pim Mh 23 504 iis} Or 20 indeed: as if I were Hite? no law to God, but aoe - came as weak, that I might gain the weak: I became - all things to all men, that { might leave no lawful thine "24 » but one that gets the prize. It is not enough for you to — 25 “them, that are without law. i b tyne ya . ‘To the weak became I as weak, that I might oti the a: ie TEXT. jews; to them that are under the'law, as under’ th in hat J might gain therh, that are under the: haw 5° Pas oe cote O@ To thei , that are without lat, as without I not ith- ‘out law'to God, but under the law to ‘Chirist) ‘that I migh ght go am made all things to all men, that : might, by. at means, save some. Rgareds vod” OE ‘And this I do for the seine! ‘ake that. I might be partake thereof with you. oe i Know ye not, that they, which run in’a facé, run all, but ove receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may ébitaine Baie And every man that striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things: now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown ; biit we — an i A HO" BE SOG poplin . _PARAPHRASE., “i \ ri srs DA bi ae ig Met, ie obasl tagr man, I yet subject myself to every one, to the end that I may make the more converts to Christ. To the} ews, and those under the law of Moses,’ I became as a jew, and one under that law, that I might gain the jews, and ~ those under the law ; 13 those without the law of Mé-— ses, I applied’ myself as one not under that law ‘, (not ing and following the law of Christ) that It it gain — those, who were without the law. To the wes ‘Tbe- untried, w hereby I might save people of all sorts. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I myself may share — in the benefits of the gospel. Know ye not’ ‘that'the who run a race, run not lazily, but with their nin force? _ Thiey all endeayour to be first, because there is — run, but so to run, that ye may obtain: which a they éan- not do, who running only, because they are bid, donot run with all their might, They, who propose to them- selves the getting: the garland in your games, ‘rea submit themselves to severe rules of exercise and absti- nence; and yet their's is but a fading, tr oe crown; CHARS XS I/ CORINTHIANS {41 tcer 16 < Spurs Typ 3 ¥ ; ; 4 } - ? bi on : ot BREE, :- 7 26 I therefore so run, not.as uncertainly : so fight I, not as one that a ag airs, . e : ‘ a7 t I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest _ that, by any means, when | have preached to others, I myself _ should be a cast-away. , Leoni od biveds 3 PARAPHRASE. hs ** “that, which we propose to ourselves, is everlasting; and .. therefore deserves, that we should endure greater hard- - 26 ships for it. I therefore so run, as not to leave it to uncertainty. I do what I do, not as one who fences 97 for exercise, or ostentation ; But I really and in earnest keep under my body, and intirely enslave it to’ the ser- * vice of the gospel, without allowing any thing to’ the exi- gencies of this animal life, which may be the least’ hin- drance to the propagation of the gospel; lest that I, who preach to bring others into the kingdom of heaven, * “should be disapproved of, and rejected myself. ~ meal miso Roy YT Ney 1. an . CHAP. X. 1— 92." CONTENTS. | It seems, by what he here says, as-if the corinthians.had 4told St. Paul, that the temptations and constraints they,were ander, of going to their heathen neighbours feasts upon their »sacrifices, were so many, and so great, that there was no avoid- ing it: and, therefore, they thought they might go to them without any offence to God, or danger to themselves; since they were the people of God, purged from sin by baptism, and fenced against it, by partaking of the body and blood »of Christ, in the Lord’s supper. To which St. Paul ans- “wets, that, notwithstanding their baptism, and partaking‘df that spiritual meat and drink, yet they, as well,as the jews of old did, might sin, and draw on themselves destruction \ 14% I. CORINTHIANS. CHAR. x from the hand of God: that eating of things, that were : known, and owned, to be offered to idols, was partaking in the idolatrous worship; and, therefore, they were to prefer even the danger of persecution before such a compliance; for God would find a way for them to eseape. cy TEXT. i > a * ! MOREOVER, brethren, I would not, that ye should be igno- ‘ rant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and al] passed — through the sea; 2 And were all baptized, unto Moses, in the cloud, and in the sea ; S$ And did all eat the same spiritual meat; ab 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: (for they drank of that — spiritual rock, that followed them: and that rock was Christ.) 5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. F PARAPHRASE. 1 | wouLp not have you ignorant, brethren, that all our fathers, the whole congregation of the children of Israel, at their coming out of Egypt, were, all toa man, — 2 under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all, by this baptism’, in the cloud, and passing” through the water, initiated into the mosaical institution and government, by these two miracles of the cloud and 3 the sea. And they all eat the same meat, which had a_ 4 typical and spiritual signification; And they all drank the — same spiritual, typical drink, which came out of the rock, and followed them, which rock typified Christ: all whieh - were typical representations of Christ, as well as the bread and wine, which we eat and drink in the Lord's” 5 supper, are typical representations of him. But yet, though every one of the children of Israel, that came out of Egypt, were thus solemnly separated from the rest of the profane, idolatrous world, and were made God's; ‘con Ve NOTE. ‘e hyOiae 2 2 The apostle calls it baptism, which is the initiating ceremony inte oth the jewish and christian church: and the cloud and the sea, both being nothing but water, are well suited to that typical representation; and that the children a Israel were washed with rain from the cloud, may be collected from Psalm wii. 9, As eee — wt cme, xe I, CORINTHIANS. 148 TEXT. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither he ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed ; and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. PARAPHRASE. peculiar people, sanctified and holy, every one of them to himself, and members of his church: nay, though they did all’ partake of the same meat, and the same drink, which did typically represent Christ, yet they were not thereby privileged from sin: but great num- bers of them provoked God, and were destroyed in the 6 wilderness for their disobedience. Now these things were set as patterns to us, that we, warned by these ex- amples, should not set our minds a-longing, as they did, 7 aiter meats‘, that would be safer let alone. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, ** ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up 8 “to play*.” Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and 9 twenty thousand. Neither let us provoke Christ, as some of them provoked, and were destroyed of serpents. NOTES. 5 » It may be observed here, that St. Paul, speaking of the israelites, uses the word qwavrec, all, five times in the four foregoing verses; besides that, he oY, says, to auto Ppoya, the same meat, and 7d ait) wéza, the same which we cannot suppose to be done by chance, but emphatically to sig- nify to the corinthians, who, probably, presumed too much upon their baptism, and eating the Lord’s supper, as if that were enough to keep them right in the ‘Sight of God: that though the israelites, all to a man, eat the very same spi- ‘Fitual food, and, all toa man, drank the very same spiritual drink ; yet they ‘were not all to a man preserved; but many of them, for all that, sinned and fell under the avenging hand of God, in the wilderness. 6 © Kexay, “ evil things:’’ the fault of the israelites, which this place refers to, seems to be their longing for flesh, Numb. xi. which cost many of them their a fives: and that, which he warns the corinthians of, here, is their great propen- sacrifices, ‘Sion to the pagan sacrifice feasts. . 7 4 Play, ice. dance; feasting and dancing usually accompanied the heathen 144 I. CORINTHIANS. | TEXT. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured,/and wer destroyed of the destroyer. ar i Sreiasdin tell Say 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom th ends of ‘the . world are come. riots a Sen 12 Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. : Drea? ae doh vieblies ¥% : 1S ‘There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to’ man: but God is faithful, who will net suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will, with the temptation, also make a Way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ‘ PARAPHRASE. wey ges 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and ‘11 were destroyed ‘of the destroyer*. Now all these | things happened to the jews for examples, and are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the 12 ages are come®.. Wherefore, taught by these exam- Ss s 4 3 : ee a EF : ples, let him that thinks himself safe, by being inthe church,.and partaking of the christian sacraments, take heed lest he fall into sin, and so destruction fgom God 13 overtake him. Hitherto, the temptations you have me » with, have been but light and ordinary; if you should come to be pressed harder, God, who is faithful, and never forsakes those, who forsake not him, will not suf — r a De CN e4 s - NOTES. Tee eo oy he - ; ae 10 © “Orcbpeuréc, “ Destroyer,” was an angel, that had the power to destroy, mentioned Exod. xii. 23, Heb. xi. 28. ae eee 11 f It is to be observed, that ail these instances, mentioned by ae gee Lef destruction, which came upon the israelites, who were -in cove ' * God, and partakers in those typical sacraments abovementioned, were i i ‘by their luxurious appetites, about meat and drink, by fornication, at idglatry, sins, which the corinthians were inclined to; and which 1 them against. REN ay oer ga ve & So I think +d clan civ aidvoy should be rendered, and not, | ntrary to grammar, ‘“ the end of the world ;”’ because it is certain, that ream and ‘evilé- Asia FB atavG-, Or Tay aivrwy, cannot signify Cr ee it, ‘the end of the world; which denotes but’one certain period of time, — for the world can have but one end; whereas those words signify, in different — “places, different periods of time; as will be ‘mantifest: to any one, who will " Compare these texts, where they occur, viz. Matt. xiii. 89,40, and axi ~ and xxviii. 20, 1 Cor. x. 11, Heb. ixy 26. It may be worth while, th to consider, whether aiwy hath not ordinarily a more natural signifi * New Testament, by standing for a considerable length of time, De some one remarkable dispensation, % CHAP. X. I. CORINTHIANS. 145 | 2, ae 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men: judge ye what I say. i 16 The cup of blessing, which we bless, is it not the communion of _ the blood of Christ? The bread, which we break, is it not the . communion of the body of Christ? ie 17 For we, being many, are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they, which eat of the sa=' crifices, partakers of the altar? 4 PARAPHRASE, fer you to be tempted above your strength; but will _ either enable you to bear the persecution, or open ‘you 14 a way out of it. Therefore, my beloved, take care to keep off from idolatry, and be not drawn to any ap- proaches near it, by any temptation, or persecution 15 whatsoever. You are satisfied that you want not kuow- ledge": and therefore, as to knowing men, I appeal to you, and make you judges of what I am going to say in 16 the case. They, who drink of the cup of blessing '; ___ which we bless in the Lord’s supper, do they not there- . _ by partake of the benefits, purchased by Christ’s blood, : shed for them upon the cross, which they here symboli- | cally drink? “And:they, who eat of the bread’ broken - *there, do they not partake in the sacrifice of the body 17 of Christ, and profess to be members of him ? For, by . eating of that bread, we, though many in number, are _ all united, and make but one body, as many grains of 18 corn are united into one loaf. . See how it is among the » jews, who are outwardly, according to the flesh, by cir- ® cumcision, the people of God. Among them, they, . who eat of the sacrifice, are partakers of God’s table, ' the altar, have fellowship with him, and share in the benefit of the sacrifice, as if it were offered for them. ~ ae ate 2 -- ar imdBe epi ess (5: ‘NOTES, Pet © 45 © Vid. chap. viii. 4: ' : 16 4 “ Cup of blessing’’ was the name given by the jews to a cup of wine, Which they solemnly drank in the passover, with thanksgiving. pit * & This was also taken from the custom of the jews, in the passover, ta break, acake of unleavened breads sO i i al L * 146 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. Ky TEXT. 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which ig ; offered in saerifice to idols, is any thing? bars sei 20 But I say, that the things which the gentiles sacrifice, they sacri- fice to devils, and not to God: and E would not that ye should — have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. “ 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? PARAPHRASE. 19 Do not mistake me, as if I hereby said, that the idols of ' the gentiles are gods in reality; or that the things, of- ‘ q fered to them, change their nature, and are any thing | , really different from what they were before, so as to — 20 affect us, in our use of them’. No: butthis I say, that — _ the things, which the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God; and I would not that you should — have fellowship, and be in league with devils, as they, — who by eating of the things offered to them enter into — 21 covenant, alliance, and friendship with them. You cannot eat and drink with God, as friends at his table, — in the eucharist, and entertain familiarity and friendsh y with devils, by eating with them, and partaking of the _ ‘sacrifices offered to them™: you cannot be christians and idolaters too: nor, if you should endeavour to join these. Inconsistent rites, will it avail yeu any thing. For your _ partaking in the sacraments of the christian church, will - no more exempt you from the anger of God, amd punish- ment due to your idolatry, than the eating of the spit ‘ - tual food, and drinking of the spiritual rock, kept the — baptized Israelites, who offended God by their idolatry, _ _ or other sins, from being destroyed im the wilderness. - 22 Dare you, then, being espoused te Christ, provoke the aah aN NOTES. se | 19 ! This is: evfiicht from what he says, ver. 25, 27, that things offered te idols may be eaten, as well as any other meat, so it be without partaking in the sacrifice, and without scandal. y ie < here, is, their assisting at the heathen sacrifices, or at least at Qi ™ It is plain by what the apostle says, that the thing, he es imst _ ‘the feasts, in their — temples, upon the-sacrifice, which was a federal rite, CHAP. x. I. CORINTHIANS, 147 PARAPHRASE. Lord to jealousy, by idolatry, which is spiritual whore- dom? Are you stronger than he, and able to resist him, when he lets loose his fury against you? ds Vike) tN oi Ze CHAP. X. 23.——XI.. 1. CONTENTS. We have, here, another of his arguments against things offered to idols, wherein he shows the danger that might be in it, from the scandal it might give: supposing it a thing lawful in itself. He had formerly treated of this subject, ch. viii. so far as to let them see, that there was no good, nor virtue in eating things offered to idols, notwithstanding they knew that idols were nothing, and they might think, that their free eating, without scruple, showed that they knew their freedom in the gospel, that they knew, that idols were in reality nothing; and, therefore, they slighted and disregarded them, and their worship, as nothing; but that _ there might be evil in eating, by the offence it might give to weak christians, who had not that knowledge. He here takes up the argument of scandal again, and extends it to jews and gentiles; vid. ver. 32, and shows, that it is not enough to justify them, in any action, that the thing, they _ do, isin itself lawful, unless they seek it in the glory of God, and the good of others. x ” o wtb TEXT. : 93 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient : all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. PARAPHRASE. 3 Farther, supposing it lawful to eat things offered to idols, yet all things that are lawful, are not expedient: things ‘ L& * te 148 IeCORINTHIANS| = cmaraxs TEXE. 9 19 24 Let no man seek his own: but every man at 25 ‘Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, ee a ~ for conscience sake. 26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the-fultigsd-litoelt IAN ogi @7 If any of them, that believe not, bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, nakeinig no ~—~question for conscience sake. 8 28 But if any mau say unto you, “ This is offered in aeneitie: unto * idols,” eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake. For the earth: ig the Lord’ s, and the fulness thereof. 29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the others: for why i is. my liberty judged of another man’s conscience ? 4 30 For, if I, by grace, be a partaker, wity am I evil ym e for . that, for ebicks I give thanks? PARAPHRASE, : without any inquiry, or Ne ai preci 26 offered to any idol, orno. For the earth ‘in, are the good creatures of the true pete ven by 27 to men, for their use. If an heathen te Slev . entertainment, and you go, eat whatever is_ set. b '. you, without making any question or scruple ab 28 whether it had been offered in sacrifice, or no. any one say to you, “ This was offered in in_sacr “ an idol,” eat it not, for his sake that mentione: 29 for conscience sake*. Conscience, I say _ own, (for thou knowest thy pit “Fs noth ing) but the conscience o f the. other. “should use my liberty so, that another man 8 30 conscience think I offended? And if I, with 1 > Qiving, Series of what is laohlere to eat, 'w ay do: ; n aM Ae ah i ey i “NOTE. 9 be ve! ae 48 2 The repetition of these words, ** The earth is the Lord! i and he f Ful. « yess thereof,” does so manifestly disturb the Pe that S - Vulgar and French translations, have omitted bie and are. “a the Alexandrian, and some other “Greek. nelly iad ge quilt Ue ae ia we ~ oy eh, “~~ gaapexs. | I CORINTHIANS: 449 TEXT. 31 Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. if 32 Give none offence; neither to the jews, nor to the gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. “, XI. 1 ‘Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” : PARAPHRASE. - © Torder the matter so, that I am ili-spoken of, for that 3] which I bless God for?.. Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, let your care and aim be the 32 glory of God. Give no offence to the jews, by giving - ¢hem occasion to think, that christians are permitted to worship heathen idols; nor to the gentiles, by giving “them occasion to think, that you allow their idolatry, "by partaking of their sacrifices: nor to weak members ’ of the church of God, by drawing them, by your exam- ples, to eat of things offered to idols, of the lawfulness 33 whereof they are not fully satisfied. As I myself do, "who abridge myself of many conveniencies of life, to comply with the different judgments of men, and gain the good opinion of others, that I may be instrumental XI. 1 to the salvation of as many as is possible. IJmitate herein my example, as I do that of our Lord Christ, ‘who neglected himself for the salvation of others’. Ais NOTE. _ 1° Rom. xv. 3. This verse seems to belong to the precedent, wherein he had ‘proposed himself as an example, and therefore this verse should not be cut off _ from the fro ter. In what St. Paul says, in this and the preceding verse, \ taken together, e may suppose, he makes some reflection on the false apostle, whom many of the corinthjans followed, as their leader. Atleast it is for St. » Paul's justification, that he proposes himself to be followed, no farther than as ‘he sought the good of others, and not his own, and had Christ for his pattern, “Wid. chi iv. 16. 150 . I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. XI, SECT. VII. CHAP. XI. 2—16. CONTENTS. *— ST. Paul commends them for observing the orders he had left with them, and uses arguments to justify the rule he had given them, that women should not pray, of prophesy, in their assemblies, uncovered ; which, it seems, there was _ some contention about, and they had writ to him to be re- solved in it. F i‘ TEXT. 4 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me, inall things, — and keep the ordinances, as 1 delivered them to you. , 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; , and the head of the woman is the man 1; and the head of Christ ts God. a PARAPHRASE. ¥ ; 2 I commend you, brethren, for remembering all my orders, and for retaining those rules I delivered to you, when I 3 was with you. But for your better understanding what concerns women*, in your assemblies, you are to take NOTE. ir 3 * This, about women, seeming as difficult a passage, as most in St. Paul’s vepistles, I crave leave to premise some few considerations, which I hope may conduce to the clearing of it. elas mente (1.) Itis to be observed, that it was the custom for women, who appeared in public, to be veiled, ver. 13—16. Therefore it could be no question at all, whether they ought to be veiled, when they assisted at the prayers and. ror es in the public assemblies; or, if that were the thing intended by the apostle, it had been much easier, shorter, and plainer, for him to have *¢ Women — «« should be covered in the assemblies.” ¥ 5 (2.) It is plain, that this covering the head, in women, is restrained to some particular actions, which they performed in the assembly, expressed bythe words, <¢ praying and prophesying,” ver. 4 and 5, which, whatever they sig- © nify, must have the same meaning, when applied to the women, in the 5th verse, _ that they have, when applied to the men in the 4th verse. ae It will possibly be objected, ‘ If women were to be veiled in the assemblies, “© let those actions be what they will, the women, joining in them, were still ta. “€ be veiled.” 4 Answ. This would be plainly so, if their interpretation were to be ple who are of opinion, that by ‘ praying and porernes here, was meant te present in the assembly, and joining with the congregation, in the prayers that were made, or hymns that were sung, or in hearing the reading and exposition A? OMAP: XI. I. CORINTHIANS. 151 TEXT. 4 Every man praying, or prophesying, having his head covered, dis- honoureth his head. PARAPHRASE. notice, that Christ is the head to which every man is sub- jected, and the man is the head, to which every woman is subjected; and that the head, or superiour, to Christ 4 himself, is God. Every man, that prayeth, or prophe- : NOTE. of the holy scriptures there. Rut against this, that the hearing of preaching, or prophesying, was never called ‘ preaching, or prophesying,”” is so unanswerable an objection, that I think there can be no reply to it. The case, in short, seems to be this: the men prayed and prophesied in the assemblies, and did it, with their heads aa o pacer also, sometimes, and prophesied too in the assemblies, which, when they did, they thought, pont See aie: that action, they were excused pari Beioe ccikets eal might be bare-headed, or at least open-faced, as well as the men. This was that which the apostle restrains in them, and directs, that though they prayed or prophesied, they were still to remain veiled. (3.) The next thing to be considered, is, what is here to be understood by ' « praying andi prophesying.” And that seems to me to be the performing of some particular, public action, in the assembly, by some one person, which was, for that time, peculiar to that person ; and, whilst it lasted, the rest of the assem- bly silently assisted. For it cannot be supposed, that, when the apostle says, a man praying, or prophesying, he means an action, performed in common, by the whole congregation; or, if he did, what pretence could that give the woman to be unveiled, more, during the performance of such an action, than at any other time? A woman must be veiled in the assembly: what pretence then, or claim, could it give her to be unveiled, that she joined with the rest of the assembly, in the prayer, that some one person made? Such a praying as this, could give no more ground for her being unveiled, than her being in the assembly could be thought a reason for her being unveiled. ‘The same may be said of prophesying, when understood to signity a woman’s joining with the congregation, in singing the praises of God. But, if the woman prayed, as the mouth of the assembly, _ then it was like, she might think, she might have the privilege to be un- veiled. : & << Praying and prophesying,” as hath been shown, signifying here the doing “some peculiar action in the assembly, whilst the rest ef the congregation only assisted, let us, in the next place, examine what that action was. As to pro- phesying, the apostle in express words tells us, ch. xiv. 3, and 12, that it was speaking in the assembly. The same is evident as te praying, that the apostle means, by it, praying publicly, with an audible voice, in the congregation, vid. ch. xiv. 14—19. ' (4.) It is to be observed, that, whether any one prayed, or prophesied, they did it alone, the rest remaining silent, chap. xiv. 27—33. So that, even in _ these extraordinary praises, which any one sung to God, by the immediate mo- tion and impulse of the Holy Ghost, which was one of the actions called pro- phesying, they sung alone. And, indeed, how could it be otherwise? For who could join with the person so prophesying, in things dictated to him alone, by the eee which the others could not know, till the person prophesying ute them? ‘ : 152 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. TEXT. 5, But every woman, that prayeth, or prophesieth, with her head. © uncovered, dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one, asif — she were shaven: PARAPHRASE. Ae sieth, i.e. by the gift of the Spirit of God, speaketh in the church for the edifying, exhorting, and comforting of the congregation, having his head covered, dishonoureth Christ, his head, by appearing in a garb not becoming the authority and dominion, which God, through Christ, . has given him over all the things of this world; the cover- 5 ing of the head being a mark of subjection, But, on the NOTE. (5.) Prophesying, ‘as St. Paul tells us, chap. xiv. 3, was, “ speaking unto. ** others to edification, exhortation, and comfort:” but every speaking to others,. to any of these ends, was not prophesying; but only then, when such speaking — was a spiritual gift, performed by the immediate and extraordinary motion of — the Holy Ghost, vid. chap. xiv. 1, 12, 24,30. For example, singing praises to _ God was called prophesying; but we see, when Paul prophesied, the Spirit of © God fell upon him, and he was turned into another man, 1 Sam. x. 6... Nor. do I think any place, in the New Testament, can be produced, wherein prophe- sying signifies bare reading of the scripture, or any other action, performed with- out a supernatural impulse and assistance of the Spirit of God. This we are sure, that the prophesying, which $t. Paul here speaks of, is one of the extraor- dinary gifts, given by the Spirit of God: vid. chap. xii. 10. Now, that the Spirit ef God and the gift of prophecy should be poured out upon women, as well as men, in the time of the gospel, is plain from Acts ii. 17, and then, where could be a fitter’ place for them to “utter their prophecies in, than the assemblies ? hy iid Skog It is not unlikely, what one of the most learned and sagacious of our inter~ _ reters * of scripture suggests upon this place, viz. That Christian women mi ht, » P P gs P P nig: t out of a vanity incident to that sex, propose to themselves, and affect an imi % 3 - : 5 4 { i t tion of the priests and prophetesses of the gentiles, who had their faces uncovered, “i Fs when they uttered their oracles, or officiated in their sacrifices: but Icannot but wonder, that that very acute writer should not see, that the bare being in the assembly could not give a christian woman any pretence tothat freedom. None of the Bacche, or Pythiz, quitted their ordinary, modest guise, but when she ~ Was, as the poets express it, ‘¢ Rapta,” or “¢ Plena Deo,” possessed and hurried — by the Spirit she served. And so, possibly, a christian woman, when she found re the Spirit of God poured out upon her, as Joel expresses it, ex ing her topray, or sing praises to God, or discover any truth, immediately revealed to her, might — think it convenient, for her better uttering of it, to be uncovered, or at least to ‘be no more restrained in her liberty of showing herself, than the female priests of the heathens were, when they delivered their oracles: but yet, even in these acs — tions, the apostle forbids the women to unveil themselves. [oa avoup tes pele St. Paul’s forbidding women to speak in the assemblies, will probably seem a strong argument against this: but, when well considered, will perhaps prove _ none. ‘There be two places wherein the apostle forbids women to speak in the _ # Mr. Mede, Disc. 6, p, 61. an Py eneneny cuar.xn. _—‘T. CORINTHIANS. 158 TEXT. 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it | be a shame for a woman to be shorn, of shaven, let her be co- vered. PARAPHRASE. contrary, a woman praying, or prophesying, in the church, _ with her head uncovered, dishonoureth the man, who is her head, by appearing in a garb, that disowns her sub- jection to him. For to appear bare-headed in public, is all one as to have her hair cat off, which is the garb and 6 dress of the other sex, and not of a woman. If, there- NOTE. church, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35, and 1 Tim. ii. 11, 12. He that shall attentively read and compare these together, may observe that the silence, injoined the women, is for a mark of their subjection to the male sex: and, therefore, what, in the one, is expressed by ‘‘ keeping silence, and not speaking, but being under ** obedience,” in the other, is called, ‘* being in silence, with all subjection; not “ teaching, or usurping authority over the man.” The women, in the churches, ‘were not to assume the personage of doctors, or speak there as teachers ; this carried with it the appearance of superiority, and was forbidden. Nay, they were not so much as to ask questions there, or to enter into any sort of confer- ‘ence. This shows a kind of equality, and was also forbidden: but yet, thourh they were not to speak in the church, in their own names; or, as if they were raised by the franchises of Christianity, to such an equality with the men, that where knowledge, or presumption of their own abilities emboldened them to it, they might take upon them to be teacher’ and instructors of the congregation, or might, at least, enter into questionings and debates there; this would have had too great an air of standing upon even ground with the men, and would not haye ‘well comported with the subordination of the sex. But yet this subordination, which God, for order’s sake, had instituted in the world, hindered not, but that, by the supernatural gifts of the Spirit, he might make use of the weaker sex, to "an extraordinary function, whenever he thought fit, as well as he did of men. ‘But yet, when they thus either prayed or prophesied, by the motion and impulse of the Holy Ghost, care was taken, that, whilst they were obeying God, who was pleased, by his Spirit, to set them a speaking, the subjection of their sex should not be forgotten, but owned and preserved, by their being covered. The chris- tian religion wes not to give offence, by any appearance, or suspicion, that it took away the subordination of the sexes, and set the women at liberty from their natural subjection to the man. And, therefore, we see, that in both these ases, the aim was to maintain and secure the confessed superiority and dominion ef the man, and not pemnit it to be invaded, so much as in appearance. Hence the arguments, in the one case, for covering, and in the other, for silence, are all drawn from the natural superiority of the man, and the subjection of the woman. In the one, the woman, without an extraordinary cali, was to keep “silent, as a mark of her subjection: in the other, where she was to speak, byan extraordinary call and commission from God, she was yet to continue the pro- __fession of her subjection, in keeping herself covered. Here, by the way, it is to Ke observed, that there was an extraordinary praying to God, by the impulse of the Spirit, as well as speaking unto men for- their edification, exhortation, and comfort: vid. chap. xiv. 15, Rom. viii. 26, Jude, ver. 20. These things be~ ing premised, let us follow the thread of St. Paul’s discourse. : 154 I. CORINTHIANS. cuarv xn TEXT. % 7 For a man, indeed, ought not to cover his head, forasmu he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. i 8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Qg Neither was the man created for the woman: but the oe ‘for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have are on her head; because of the angels. - 11 Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the | woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For, as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also byt woman: but all things of God. 18 Judge in yourselves; is it comely, that 2 woman pay unto God - uneovered ? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have = hair, it is a shame unto him? ! A . | PARAPHRASE. fore, it be unsuitable to the female sé€x to have bets hair shorn, or shaved off, let her, for the same reason, be co.) 7 vered. Aman, indeed, ought not to be veiled; because he is the image and representative of God, in ‘his domi-- nion over the rest of the world, which is one part of the — 8 glory of God: But the woman, who was made out of - the man, made for him, and in subjection to him, is mat-_ 9 ter of glory tothe man. But the man, not being made _ out.of the woman, nor for her, but the woman made out 10 of, and for the man, She ought, for this reason, to have — a veil on her head, in token “of her subjection, because — 1} of the angels”. Never theless; the sexes have not a bers _ ng, one w without the other ; neither the man without the woman, nor the woman w Fichenit the man, t the Lord 19° or dering it. For, as the first woman _Was made at - the man, so the race of men, ever. since, is continue and propagated by the female sex: but they, Bait other things, had their being and original 1 od. 13 Be you yourselves judges, whether it be dapat for woman to make a prayer to God, in the church, | unc 14 vered? Does not even nature, that has made, ai : ; a > NOTE. | one She 10 > What the meaning of these words is, I snaaba I do le uiiheiallgeh F : t A 4 CHAP. XI. I, CORINTHIANS. 455 TEXT. 15 But if a woman have long hair, it isa glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering. 16 Butif any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. PARAPHRASE. would have the distinction of sexes preserved, teach you, that if a man wear his hair long, and dressed up after the manner of women, it is misbecoming and dis- 15 honourable to him? But toa woman, if she be curious about her hair, in having it long, and dressing herself with it, it is a grace and commendation ; since her hair 16 is given her for a covering. But, if any show himself to be a lover of contention‘, we, the apostles, have no such custom, nor any of the churches of God. NOTE. 16 ve Why may not this, ‘any one,” be understood of the false apostle, here glanced at? SECT. VIII. CHAP. XL 17—54.. CONTENTS. ONE may observe from several passages in this epistle, that several judaical customs were crept into the corinthian ehurch. ‘This church being of St. Paul’s own planting, who spent two years at Corinth, in forming it; it is evident these abuses had their rise from some other teachers, who came them after his leaving them, which was about five years fore his writing this epistle. These disorders therefore may with reason be ascribed to the head of the faction, that op St. Paul, who, as has been remarked, was a jew, and probably judaized. And that, it is like, was the foun- dation of the great opposition between him and St. Paul, ‘e 6 ©. CORINTHIANS) § Gyamacmy and the reason why St. Paul Jabours so earnestly to destroy his credit among the corinthians: this sort of men ar very ‘busy, very troublesome, and. very dan angerous to gospel, as may be seen in other of 4s Pauls e epistles, parti; cularly that to the galatians. The celebrating the passover aiCnnee ‘the Jews was plainly the cating “of a meal distinguished from other ordi-§ nary meals, by several peculiar ceremonies. Two of these ceremonies were eating of bread solemnly broken, and~ drinking a cup of wine, called the cup of blessing. T hese A U | * two our r Saviour transferred into the cbr istian church, to te used in their assemblies, for a commemoration of his death and sufferings. In celebrating this institution of our Savi-~ our, the judaizing corinthians followed the jewish ¢ custom of ; eating their passover; they eat the Lord's supper as a part of their meal, bringing their provisions into she assembly, 4 where they eat divided into distinct companies, some feast~ ing to excess, whilst others, ill provided, were in want. This eating thus in the public assembiy, and mixing. the Lord’s supper with their ordinary meal, asa part of it, with other disorders and indecencies accompanying it, is the mat- ter of this section. These innovations, he tells them here, — he as much blames, as, in the beginning of this chapter, he. commends them for keeping to his directions i in some colnet things. TEXT f 17 Now in this, that I declare unto you, I praise you not, that ye come together, not for the better, but for the worse. ~ } 18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you ; and'I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they, me are } approved, may ae made manifest among bier B So et i PARAPHRASE!) 8 at evi 17 Though what I said to you, concerning women’s beha= viour in the church, was not without commendation oft you; yet this, that Tam now going to speak to you of, - 4s without praising you, because you so order your meet- ings in your assemblies, that they are not to your adyari- -18 tage, but harm. For first I hear, that, when you come: together i in the church, you fall into parties, and I par .19 believe it; Because there must he divisionstand factions lea aid cHAP: XI. I: CORINTHIANS. 157 TEXT. ai When ye come together, therefore, into one place, this is not to _ eat the Lord’s supper. _ 21 For, in eating, every one taketh elu other , his own supper: : L» and one is Phisbetey and another is drunken. 2% What! have ye not houses to eat and drmk in? Or desphe ye ye ayy © bine Soe oc » PARAPHRASE: is “= amongst you; that those w ho stand firm upon trial, may 20;be made manifest among you... You come togetiver, it a is true, in one place, and there you eat; but yet this makes ‘it net to be the eating of the Lord’s supper. 21 For, in eating; you eat not together, but every one takes 22 his own supper one. before another ®, - Have’ ye not ‘houses to eat and drink in, at home, for satisfying your hunger and thirst? Or have' ye a contempt for the church of God, and take a pleasure to put those out of countenance, who have not. wherewithal to feast there, ‘as youdo? Whatis it I said to you, that I praise you® NOTES. _ 21 2 To understand this, we must observe, (1.), That they had sometimes meetings, on purpose only for eating the Lord’s supper, ver. 33. (2) That to those meetings they brought their own supper, ver. 21. (3.) That though every one’s supper were brought into the common assem- bly, yet it was not to eat in common, but every one fell to his own supper apart, as soon as he and his supper were there ready for one ancther, without staying for the rest of the company, or communicating with them’ in eating, ver. / 21, 33. In this St. Paul blames three things especially. . Ast. That they eat their common food in the assem! bly, which was to be eaten at home, in their houses, ver. 2, 34. adiy, That though they eat in the common meeting- place, yet they | eat sepa- fately, every one his own supper apart. So that the plenty and excess of some shamed the want and penury of others, ver: 22. Hereby also the divisions amongst them were kept up, ver. 18, they being as so many separated and divided societies, not as one ‘united body of christians, commemorating their common head, as they should have been in celebrating the Lerd’s sippers “™ chap. x. 16, 17. » 8dly, That they mixed the Lord’s supper with their own, eating it'as a part of their ordinary meal, where they made not that discrimination between it and ae common food, as they should have done, ver. 29. : 122 > He here plainly refers to what he had said to them, ver. 2, where he praised them for remembering him in all things, and for retaining ra&< aupa- cers Rabrg aapedunee, what he had delivered to them. This commendation he ~ here retracts for, in the matter of eating the Lord’s supper, they did not re~ . tain ° mwapidwxay, ver. 23, what he had delivered to them, which, therefore, in the i imme¢ lately following words, he repeats to them. again. Peis wary) ’ 158 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. XT) TEXT. ; - the church of God? And shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. is 23 For Ihave received of the Lord, that, which also I delivered - unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night, in which he was betrayed, took bread : ; 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, “ Take, “ eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this doin re= _ “ membrance of me.” 25 After the same manner also, he took the cup, when he had © supped, saying, “ This cup is the new testament in my blood: — “ this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, inremembrance of me.” _ 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show — the Lord’s death till he come. ‘ ae £7 Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup — of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood — of the Lord. aia? tres | +e PARAPHRASE. 5 for retaining what I delivered to you? On this occa-— 23 sion, indeed, I praise you not for it, For what I re-— ceived, concerning this institution, from the Lord him- self, that I delivered unto you, when I was with you 4 and it was this, viz. That the Lord Jesus, in the night, ~ 24 wherein he was betrayed, took bread: And, having given thanks, brake it, and said, “Take, eat; thisis my — “body which is broken for you: this do in remem- 25 “brance of me.” So, likewise, he took the cup aloe when he had supped, saying, “This cup is the new tes- “tament in my blood: this do ye, as often as ye do it, — 26 “in remembrance of me.” So that the eating of this bread, and the drinking of this cup of the Lord’s sup- — _ per, is not to satisfy hunger and thirst, but to show forth — 27 the Lord’s death, till he comes. Insomuch that he, © who eats this bread, and drinks this cup of the ee in an unworthy manner‘, not suitable to that end, NOTE. we QT © "AvaZiogs “ unworthily.”. Our Saviour, in the ‘institution of the > Lord’s supper, tells the apostles, that the bread and the cup eighth os, his body and blood, and that they were to be eaten and drank in mibrance . of him; which, as St. Paul interprets it, ver. 26, was to show forth his death | _ till he came. Whoever, therefore, eat and drank them, so as’not so yto show forth his death,. followed not Christ’s institution, but used them unwor- “ , CHAP. XT. I. CORINTHIANS. 159 TEXT. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. PARAPHRASE. shall be guilty of a misuse of the body and blood £8 of the Lord*. By this institution, therefore, of Christ, let.a,man examine himself*; and, according NOTES. thily, i.e. not to the-end to which they were instituted. This makes St. Paul tell them, ver. 20, that their coming together to eat it, as they did, viz. the sa- cramental bread and wine promiscuously with their other food, as a part of their meal, and that though in the same place, yet not all together, at cne time, and in one company, was not eating of the Lord’s supper. 4 “Exox@ tras, shall be liable to the punishment due to one, who makes a wrong use of the sacramental body and blood of Christ in the Lord’s supper. What that punishment was, vid. ver. 30. 28 © St. Paul, as we have observed, tells the corinthians, ver. 20, That to éat it after the manner they did was not to eat the Lord’s supper. He tells them also, ver. 29, ‘That to eat it, without a due and direct imitating regard had to the Lord’s body, (for so he calls the sacramental bread and wine,-as our Saviour did, in the institution) by separating the bread and wine from the common use of eating and drinking, for hunger and thirst, was to eat unwor- thily. To remedy their disorders herein, he sets before them Christ’s own in- stitution of this sacrament; that in it they might see the manner and end of its institution; and, by that; every one might examine his own comportment herein, whether it were conformable to that institution, and suited to that end. In the account he gives, of Christ’s institution, we may observe, that he parti- cularly remarks to them, that this eating and drinking was no part of common eating and drinking for hunger and thirst, but was instituted in a very solemn manner, after they had supped, and for another end, viz. to represent Christ’s body and blood, and to be eaten and drank in remembrance of him; or; as St. Paul expounds it, to show forth his death. Another thing, which they might observe in the institution, was, that this was done by all who were pre- sent, united together in one company, at the same time, All which put toge- ther, shows us what the examination here proposed is. For the design of the apostle here, being to reform what he found fault with, in their celebrating the Lord’s supper, it is, by that alone, we must understand the directions he gives them about it, if we will suppose he talked pertinently to this captious and touchy people, whom he was very desirous to reduce from the irregularities ‘were run into, in this matter, as well as several others. And if the+ac- of Christ’s institution be not for their examining their carriage by it, and adjusting it to it, to what purpose is it, here? The examination, therefore, pro- posed, was no other but an examination of their manner of eating thé Lord's supper, by Christ’s institution, to see how their behaviour herein com with the institution, and the end, for which it was instituted. Which farther appears to be so, by the punishment annexed to their miscarriages herein, which was i ities, sickness, and temporal death, with which God chastened them, that they might not be condemned with the unbelieving world, ver. 30, St. For if the unworthiness, here spcken of, were either unbelief, or any of those sins, which are usually made the matter of examination, it is to be the apostle would not wholly have passed them over in silence; this, at least, is 160 I. CORINTHIANS. — ewars \ TEXT. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drin| eth damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s'body. 50 For this cause, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep- ’ -. © y 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judgeds PARAPHRASE. Shee apes Die STG to that’, let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. 29 For he, who eats and drinks after an unworthy manner, without a due respect had to the Lord’s body, in a diss criminating® and purely sacramental use of the br and wine, that represent it, draws punishment* on 30 self by so doing. And hence it is, that ma _ you are weak and sick, and a good number are gone 31 their graves. But if we would discriminate oursel i.e. by our discriminating use of the Lord’s supper, -NOTES. : poo Re Bo CSTR YARDS qui certain, that the punishment of these sins is infinitely greater than that, God here inflicts on unworthy receivers, whether they, who are Peg gd themy received the sacrament, or no. - f Se a al tor sae £ Kal &rwc. These words, as to the letter, are rightly translated, ‘and so.” But that translation, I imagine, leaves generally a wrong sense of the place, if the mind of an English reader. For in ordinary speaking, these words, ‘ ** aman examine, and so let him eat,”’ are understood to import the'sam these, ‘* Let a man examine, and then let him eat; as if they signi more, but that examination should precede, and caine follow; which I be quite different from the meaning of the apostle here, whose sense the design of the context shows to be this: “I here set before you the ins ** of Christ: by that, let a man examine his carriage, &r@¢, and accordi *« that, let him eat: let him conform the manner of his eating to that.” 29 8 My dsaxpivwy, “ not discriminating,” not putting a difference b the sacramental bread and wine (which St. Paul, with our Saviour, calls © body) and other bread and wine, in the solemn and separate use of The corinthbians, as has been remarked, eat the Lord’s supper in and + own ordinary supper; whereby it came not to be sufficiently dis became a religious and christian observance, so solemnly institut mon eating for bodily refreshment, nor from the jewish paschal supper, bread broken, and the cup of blessing used in that: nor did it, in this’ eating it in separate companies, as it were in private families, show for Lord’s death, as it was designed to do, by the concurrence and.communi the whole assembly of christians, jointly united in the partaking of bread wine, ina way peculiar to them, with reference solely to Jesus Christ. was that, as appears by this place, which St. Paul, as we have alread: calls eating unworthily. a 29 h Damnation,” by which our translation renders xp is: taken for eternal damnation, in the other world; whereas hae here pgp punishment of another nature, as appears by ver..30, 32. 2... . ss 2 onAP. xI. I. CORINTHIANS. — 161 TEXT. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry . "one for another. *. 34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order, wien I come. ®% PARAPHRASE. 32 should not be judged, i.e. punished! by God. But, being punislied by the Lord, we are corrected", that we may not be condemned’ hereafter, with the unbe- 33 lieving world. Wherefore, my brethren, when you "have a meeting for‘celebrating the Lord’s supper, stay for one, another, that you may eat it all together, as par- takers, all in common, of the Lord’s table, without divi- 34 sion, or distinction.. But if any one be hungry, let him eat at home to satisfy his hunger, that so the disorder in these meetings may not draw on you the punishment above-mentioned. Whatelse remains to be rectified in this matter, I will set in order, when I come. ‘ id ‘ ) NOTES. | 81 1 Atexptvery does no where, that 1 know, signify to judge, as it is here .* . . 4s . . at 5 translated, but always signifies “ to distinguish,” or ‘¢ discriminate,”’ and in this place has the same signification, and means the same thing, that it does, . 29. He is little versed in St. Paul’s writings, who has not observed how apt he is to repeat the same word, he had used before, to the same purpose, though in a differént, and sometimes a pretty hard construction; as here he ap- plies dsecxpivery to the persons discriminating, as in the 29th verse to the thing “to be discriminated, though in bothy places it be but to denote the same action. , * 32_* Tladevdueba properly signifies to be corrected, as scholars are by their » master, for their good. ‘ “Expivoie0a here signifies the same that xpiua does, ver. 29. # " * 7 ” Pe ‘ a 162 I. CORINTHIANS! —catarvintit SECT. dL Kahane ony tnidve: awh, “ wep by wp del ye i ia CHAP. XIf. av 40. enobyan FE aiid gor ao + ai’ ty, * ' e i i vets uk’ & damer rata ry vrarhed Sout te rei "THE corinthians scem to have inqui ““ What order of precedency and preferétte men were ‘« jyave; im their,assemblies, in regard of their * gifts?” Nay, if we may guess by his ansyer, * tion they seem more particularly, to have ey was ‘© Whether those, who had the gift of tongues, ought not't “ take place, and speak first, and) be first heard in. roe “ meetings: Concerning this there seems or ve been some strife, maligning, and disorder among them , as may be ‘collected fiom cape xii. 2195, and. xiii.” diy and — xiv. 40. . 0} oopdtl Ji Ina: Gi To this St. Paul answers in these ns pom. als fol- loweth : . 1. That they had all been, oathedbidolatetay nadia bill deniers of Christ, were in that state none of them spiritual but that now, being christians, and owning,J esus ‘to be the Lord (which could not be done without the Spirit. of God) they were all @vvyo/].x0}, spiritual, and so the son for one to undervalue another, as if-he wer - tual, as well as himself, chap. xii. 13. _ 9. That though there be diversity of eit, Li th all by the same Spirit, from the same Lord, sand the God, working thenr all’in every one, ‘according | to his ¢ pleasure. So that, in this respect also, there is no dil ence or precedency ; ; no occasion for any one’s being pu up, or affecting priority, upon account of his ails xil, 4—11. 3. That the diversity of gifts i is for the use © and be the church, which is Christ’s body, wherein’ (as in the natural body) of meaner functions ie oe parts, and as necessary in their use to the good of the wi _ and therefore to be honoured, as much as s any other. union they have, as members i in the same body, makes aa | a an £. ” - * 4 OMAP. XII. I. CORINTHIANS. 163 all equally share in one another's good and evil, gives them a mutual esteem and concefn one for another, and leaves no room for contests or divisions amongst them, about their gifts, or the honour and place due to them, upon that ac- count, chap. xii. 12—31, 4. That though gifts have. their excellency and use, and those, who have them, may be zealous in the use of them; ‘yet the true and sure way for a man to get an excellency and preference above others, is the enlarging himself in cha- Tity, and ‘excelling in that, ‘without which a christian, with ‘all his spiritaal vitts, is nothing, chap. xiii, 1—13. ~ 5. Tn the comnparison of spiritual gifts, he gives those the ‘precedency, which edify most; and, in particular, prefers » shai dma to tongues, chap. xiv. 1—40. Gt gly SROT: IX! Nea. CHAP: xii. ‘143. au ety TEXT. a 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would uot have you ignorant. , 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb ~ Adols, even as ye were led. ; " F PARAPHRASE. ] As to spiritual men, or‘men assisted and acted by the __ Spirit’, I shall inform you; for I would not have you be -& ignorant. You yourselves know, that yOu were heathens, . _ NOTE. 1 * Tyevyelinav, “ spiritial.”* We are warranted, by a like use of the _ word, in several places of St. Paul's epistles, as chap. ii, 15, and xiv. 37, of “this epistle ; and Gal. vi. 1, to take it here in the masculine gender, standing ‘for persons, and not gifts. And the context obliges us to understand it so. or if we will have it stand for gifts, and not persons, the sense and coherence of these three first verses will be very hard to be made out. Besides, there is evidence enough, in several parts of it, that the subject of St. Patii’s discourse vhere, is arevualo}, persons endowed with spiritual gifts, contending for:pre- -cedency, in consideration of their gifts. See ver. 13, &c. of this chapter ;. and to what purpose, else, says he, chap. xiv. 5, greater is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with tongues ? M 2 164 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. XIf, : TEXT. PAE 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed; and that no man can | say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. : PARAPHRASE, : re : engaged in the worship of stocks and stones, dumb, sense-~ 3 less idols, by those, who were then your leaders. Where- upon let me tell you, that no one, who opposes Jesus ~ Christ, or his religion, has the Spirit of God®, And whoever is brought to own Jesus to be the Messiah, the Lord*, does it by the Holy Ghost. And, therefore, upon account of having the Spirit, you can none of you lay any” claim to superiority; or have any pretence to slight any of your brethren, as not having the Spirit of God, as well” as you. For all, that own our Lord Jesus Christ, and” believe in him, do it by the Spirit of God, i.e. can do it” upon no other ground, but revelation, coming from the Spirit of God. * NOTES. ‘ 3 © This is spoken against the jews, who pretended to the Holy Ghost, and yet spoke against Jesus Christ, and denied that the Holy Ghost was ever given to the gentiles: vid. Acts x. 45. Whether their judaizing false apostle were at all oink at in this, may be considered, : eS ¢ Lord, What is meant by Lord, see note, chap. Vill. Se SECT. IX. N°. 2. A @ CHAP. XIL..4—.cest aoe . CONTENTS. a ; ANOTHER consideration, which St. Paul offers, agains any contention for superiority, or pretence to precedency upon account of any spiritual gift, is, that those distinct gifts are all of one and the same Spirit, by the same Lord; wrought in every one, by God alone, and all for the pront _ of the church, wip ae aia CHAP. XII. I. CORINTHIANS. 165 TEXT. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man, to pro- fit withal. 8 For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to ano- _ ther, the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; PARAPHRASE. 4 Be not mistaken, by the diversity of gifts; for, though _ there be diversity of gifts among christians, yet there is no diversity of spirits, they all come from one and the 5 same Spirit. Though there be diversities of offices* in 6 the church, yet all the officers have but one Lord. And though there be various influxes, whereby christians are enabled to do extraordinary things’, yet it is the same God, that works‘ all these extraordinary gifts, in every 7 one that has them. But the way, or gift, wherein every ~ one, who has the Spirit, is to show it, is given him, not for his private advantage, or honour‘, but for the good 8 and advantage of the church. For instance; to one is given, by the spirit, the word of wisdom‘, or the revela- tion of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the full latitude of . it: such as was given to the apostles: to another, by the same spirit, the knowledge‘ of the true sense and true meaning of the holy scriptures of the Old Testament, NOTES. 5 2 These different offices are reckoned up, ver. 28, &c. . 6 What these ivepyaucla were, see ver. 6—11. ‘= © They were very properly called zrepy%y2le—* in-workings;”” because they were above all human power: men, of themselves, could do nothing of them atall; but it was Ged, as the apostle tells us here, who, in these extraordinary _ gifts of the Holy Ghost, did all that was done; it was the effect of his imme- 4 diate operation, as St. Paul assures us, in that parallel place, Phil. ii. 13. In i ver. 3 and 14, we find that the philippiams stood a little in need of the same advice, which St. Paul so at large presses here upon the corin- . 74 Vid. Rom. xii. 3—8. + She " 8 ¥.Qia. The doctrine of the gospel is, more once, in the beginning of this epistle, called « the wisdom of God.” . 1a vag is used, by St, Paul, for such a knowledge of the law and the Prop aR 166 I. CORINTHIANS: eusapex TEXT. ol 9 To another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, the gifts of © healing, by the same Spirit; — wer be ¥O To another, the working of miracles; to another ] rophecys to : : a8 ee Het Rae Tr My another, discerning of spirits; to another, diverspinies tongues; to another, the interpretation or tongues, ae ; 5 11 But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally, as he will. is “4 heii Sf) Mee PARAPHRASE, 10 eases, by the same Spirit: To another, the we miracles; to another, prophecy*; to anoth cerning by what spirit men did any ext di ration; to another, diversity of languages, to anc 11 the interpretation of languages. All which gifts | wrought in believers, by one and the same Spirit buting to every one, in particular, as he th NOTES. | t 70. crv 9 & In this sense wisic,. ** faith,” is sometimes taken in. the New, Tbs ment, particularly chap. xiii. 2. It is difficult, I confess, to ; the p. meaning of each word, which the apostle uses in the 8th, 9th, a: here. But if the order, which St. Paul observes, ine ing | Sd, the three first officers set down, ver. 28, viz. ‘* first, apost e ‘prophets; thirdly, teachers,” have any relation, or may give any light to three gifts, which are set down in the first place here, viz. ** Wisdom, Kno: * ledge, and Faith,”” we may then properly understand, by coQiz, “ wisdom the whole doctringlf the gospel, as communicated to the apostles: by “« knowledge,” theygift of understanding the mystical sense of the prophets; and by ics, “* faith,” the assurance and confidence, i and confirming, the doctrine of the gospel, which became ds “* tors, or teachers.” This, at least, I think, may be presumed, t and.yrwcss have AoyS- joined to them, and it is said, “ the word of wisdo ** the word of knowledge,” wisdom: and knowledge here signify such the m nd as are to be employed in preaching. ts 6 ig hh Sena 10 4 “ Prophecy” comprehends these three things, prediction, singi the dictate i the Spirit, and understanding and explaining the mys hidden sense of scripture, by anglimmediate illumination and motio Spirit, as we have already shown. And that the prophesyingy hete was by immediate revelation, vid. chap. xiv. 29-31. pahtin® it. ae 7 d one ; - ‘ . A =e ae di | j z % 4 - h * “ : 7 ee 4 ¥ gharixit. =—«sT. CORINTHIANS. 167 ae, >, SHOT) Po" Nes, CHAP. XII. 12—31. . sy R..) CONTENTS. © From the necessarily different functions in the body, and the strict union, nevertheless, of the members, adapted to those different functions, in a mutual sympathy and con- cern one for another; St. Paul here farther shows, that there ought not to be any strife, or division, amongst them, about precedency and preference, upon account of their distinct gifts. Neath TEXT. of 12 For, as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, bemg many, are one body: so also is Christ. « ; 18 For, by one Spirit, are we all baptized into one body, whether we be jews or gentiles, whether we he bond or free ; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. - PARAPHRASE. 12 For as the body, being but one, hath many members, : and all the members of the body,. though many, yet make but one body; so is Christ, in respect of his mys- .. 13 tical body, the church. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one church, and are thereby made one body, without any pre-eminence to the jew* above the - gentile, to the free above the bond-man: ,and the blood of Christ, which we all partake of, in the Lord’s supper, ~~ makes us all have one life, one spirit, as the*same blood, ~ © diffused through the whole body, communicates the Mae NOTE. 434 ‘The naming of the jews here, with gentiles, and setting both on the same level, when conyerted to christianity, may probably be done here, by St. Paul, with reference to the false apostle} who was a jew, and seems to have claimed some pre-eminence, as'dué to him upon that account: whereas, among the members of Christ, which all make but one body, there is no superiority, -or other distinction, but, as by the several gifts, bestowed on them by God, ‘ they contribute more, or less, to the edification of the church. 5 # + 168 _ 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? bs » 18 suffer by it. Accordingly, God hath fitted s 19 according to his good pleasure. But if all were -20 toone. But now, by the various gifts of the Spi it, | * I, CORINTHIANS. CHAP. XIE mee . ae TEXT. 7 14 For the body is not one member, but many. “S 15 If the foot shall say, “ Because I am not the hand, I am ‘not of “ the body” is it therefore not of the body? " 16 And if the ear shall say, “ Because I am not the eye, I am not “ of the body:” is it therefore’ mot of the body? ; a 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? . 18 But now ‘hath God set the members, every one of them, m body, as it hath pleased him. { ae ‘ 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. =” 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, “‘I have no need of the v nor, again, the head to the feet, “ INhave no need of you.” PARAPHRASE.) 2 Seay , / 4 same life and spirit to all the members. For the body is not one sole member, but consists of many members, all vitally united in one common sympathy and usefu 15 ness. If any one have not that function, or dignit , in 16 the church, which he desires, He must not, therefore, declare that he is not of the church, he does not thereby 17 cease to be a member of the church. There is as mu need of several and distinct gifts and functions in t ‘church, as there is of different senses and members’ the body; and the meanest and least honourable would be missed, if it were wanting, and the whole body would sons, as it were so many distinct members, to s offices and functions in the church, by proper. culiar gifts and abilities, which he has bestowed member, what would become of the body? » would be no such thing as an human body; n could the church be edified, and framed into a gr lasting society, if the gifts of the Spirit were all red stowed on its several members, it is as a well o body, wherein the most emineut member canno 21 the meanest. The eye cannot say to the hand, “no need of thee;” nor the head to the feet, ? . é CHAP. XII. I. CORINTHIANS. 168 TEXT. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less ho- nourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour, and our ncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. sae 24, For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the . body together, having given more abundant honour to that part @ which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the mem- bers should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it: or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now, ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of heal- ings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. PARAPHRASE. ‘ 92 “no need of you.” It is so far from being so, that the parts of the body, that seem in themselves weak, are 23 nevertheless of absolute necessity. And those parts which are thought least honourable we take care always to cover with the more respect; and our least graceful parts have thereby a more studied and adventitious 24, comeliness. For our comely parts have no need of an borrowed helps, or ornaments: but God hath so con- trived the symmetry of the body, that he hath added honour to those parts, that might seenmnaturally to-want 95 it: That there might be no disunion, no_schism in the body; but that the members should all have the. same 26 care and concern one for another; And all equally par- take and share in the ,harm, or honour, sthat ‘is done to 97 any ofthemin particular. Now, in like manner, you are, a * : : » When Lae ibs by your particular gifts, each of you, in his peculiar station and aptitude, members of the bod¥ of Christ, which is the _ 28 church: Wherein God hath set, first some apostles, se- © condly prophets, thirdly teachers, next workers of mira- Bas cles, then those, who have the gift of healing, helpers’, | : ' NOTE. M4 | 28 b "Aytinnerss *¢ Helps,” Dr. Lightfoot takes to be those, who accompa- __ ied the apostles, were sent up and down by them, in the service of the gospel, and baptized those, that were converted by them, . “ - e 5 a, 170 I. CORINTHRONS, ieaeeaRaale ¥ a : TEXT. «= 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles ? t inanet 46 nk ae $0 Have all the gifts of healmg? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? Pi ie $1 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unte you a more excellent way. ce ae PARAP HRA] hibaahigiae governors, and such as are able to speak diversity of 29 tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are $0 all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gift of healing? Do all speak diversity of tongues? $1 Are all interpreters “of tongues? But ye contest one ,with another, whose particular gift is best, and most. * - . q preterable*; but I will show you a more excellent way, viz. mutual good-will, affection and charity. pee 2 . _o } ’ z LE ane beh ; NOTES. shat purpose should he exhort thém * to covet Fen the CHAP. XIII. I. CORINTHIANS. 174 * SECT. EXe No.4: CHAP. XII. 1—13. CONTENTS, Sr. Pout having told the corinthians, in the last words of the preceding chapter, that he would show them a more ex~ cellent way, than the emulous producing of their gifts in the assembly, he, in this chapter, tells them, that this more ex= cellent way is charity, which he at large explains, and shows the a ced a TEXT: y | THoucu I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, | am become as sounding alt. or a tinkling cymbal. ' a"And though I have the gift of prophecy, ad understand all mys- teries, and all knowledge ; ; and though | have all faith, so that £ could remove mountains, and have no charity, 1 am nothing. bs r PARAPHRASE. 1 Ir1 speak all the languages of men and angels*, and yet have not charity, to make use of them entirely for the good and benefit of others, I am no better than a sound- _ing brass, or noisy cymbal’, which fills the ears.of others, without any advantage to itself, by the” sound it makes, 2 And if I have the gift ‘e prophecy, and § see, in the law and the prophets, all the mysteries‘ contained in them, _and * NOTES. 4a Tongues of angels” are mentioned here, according to the conception of the jews. b A cymbal consisted of two large, hollowed plates..of brass, with broad brims, which were struck one against another, to fill up the symphony, in great concerts of music ; they made a great deep sound, but had’ scarce any variety of musical notes, ac aia redictions, relating to our Saviour, or his doctrine, or the times : of the gospel, con tained i in the Old Testament, in types, or figurative and ob- scure exp Bains, Ls understood before his coming, and being revealed to the werld, St. Paul calls ‘* mystery,”’ as may be seen all through his wr itings. Se that *¢ mystery and knowledge,” are terms here used by St. Paul, to sisnify truths concerning Christ to come, contained in the Old Testament; and “ **phecy,”” the understanding of the types and prophecies containing those truths, 69 as to be able to explain them te otha; : : 178 I. CORINTHIANS: cma? XI PU 9 \ 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though : I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing, STAD 4 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; aS 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her Own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ; / Je 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth: — 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth 4 all things. 8 Charkty cil faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. a ' PARAPHRASE. ot Set” comprehend all the knowledge they teach; and if I have faith to the highest degree, and power of miracles, so as _ to be able to remove mountains*, and have not charity, : 3 am nothing: I am of no value. And if I bestow all T_ have, in relief of the poor, and give myself to be burnt, 4 and have not charity, it profits me nothing. Charity is long-suffering, is gentle and benign, without emulation, ” 5 insolence, or being puffed up; Is not ambitious, nor at all self-interested, is not sharp upon others failings, or in-_ 6 clined to ill interpretations: Charity rejoices with others, — - when they do well; and, when any thing is amiss, is trou-- 7 bled, and covers their failings: Charity believes well, hopes well of every one, and patiently bears with every 8 thing*: Charity will never cease, as a thing out of use; but the gifts of prophecy, and tongues, and the knowledge - whereby men look into, and explain the meaning of the scriptures, the time will be, when they will be laid aside, 9 as no longer of any use. For the knowledge we have now in this state, and the explication we give of scrip? NOTES. inca @ “To remove mountains,” is to do what is next fo impossible. ; nites ‘ 7 © May we not suppose, that, in this description of charity, St. Paul. inti- mates, and tacitly reproves, their contrary carriage, in their emulation and con«" ‘tests about the dignity and preference of their spiritual gifts? =. . w . guarexin. L/CORINTHIANS. 173 10 NU) a But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I wasachild, I spake asa child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know, even as also I am known. ‘13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the great- est of these is charity. - | PARAPHRASE. 10 ture, is short, partial, and defective. But when, here- i 12 web after, we shall be got into the state of accomplishment and perfection, wherein we are to remain in the other world, there will no longer be any need of these imper- fecter ways of information, whereby we arrive at but a partial knowledge here. ‘Thus, when I was in the im- _ perfect state af childhood, I talked, I understood, I rea- soned after the imperfect manner of a child: but, when I came to the state and perfection of manhood, I laid aside those childish ways. Now we see but by reflec- tion, the dim, and as it were, enigmatical representation of things: but then we shall see things directly, and as they are in themselves, as a man sees another, when they are face to face. Now I have buta superficial, partial knowledge of things; but then I shall have an jntuitive, comprehensive knowledge of them, as I my- self am known, and lie open to the view of superiour, seraphic beings, not by the obscure and imperfect way of deductions and reasoning. But then, even in that | state, faith, hope, and charity, will remain: but the greatest of the three is charity. , - 174 I. CORINTHIANS. > enarex - . | o oy : > * SECT. IX. ‘ N +o edo efaeSl $8 Saep of Rede CHAP. XIV. 1--#O! stew ao W TE . | hues censaodeh goskary | CONTENTS. | Se Mon mee ‘ 7 1 twopee ) wor Sr. Paul, in this chapter, concludes his answer tothe co- rinthians, concerning spiritual men, and be i having told ‘them, that ‘those were most preferable, that | tended most to edification; and particularly shown, that prophecy was to be preferred to tongues; he gives them directions for the decent, orderly, and profitable exercise | ci their gifts, in their assemblies. sS Wale owF wert” &« “ tise ben os TEXT. ert (bf * . 1 FOLLOW after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather’ that ye may prophesy. tts ey tf 2 For he, that speaketh in an unknown tongue, ‘speaketh not unto ie t; GR ° » PARAPHRAS Be: oi)*of one SO _ sey “4 s a I Ler your endeavours, let your pursuit, ‘therefore, a after charity; not that you should neglect the use of your 2 spiritual gifts*, especially the gitt of prophecy: For new 7 , * 5 Pas ve “ a NOTE. _ A Dis Myoas 4% Zarere ra mavevueerine. That Cnrey does not signify to ovet or desir nor can be understood to be so used by St. Paul, in this tion; Ihave alrea shown, ch. xii. 51. That it has, here, the sense, that I have gi from the same direction concerning spiritual gifts, ated ve words, C4r&re +0 BpoPrlevery wal ro Aarciy yrAdocass nandere, t in both places, being evidently this; that they should not neglect the e their Spiritual gifts, especially they should, in the first place, cultivate and exer- tise the gift of prophesying; but yet should not wholly lay aside the spe with variety of tongues in their asseniblies. It will, aps, be won why St. Paul should employ the word CrAzvy in so unusual a sense; b will easily be accounted for, if what I have remarked, chap. xiv. 15, €0 ing St. Paul’s custom of repeating words, be remembered. But, besides is familiar in St. Paul's way of writing, we may find a particular reas his repeating the word {ay here, though in a somewhat unusual signific He having, by way of reproof, told them, that they did Curae re yeeplop. Té xpeitlora, had an emulation, or made a stir about whose gifts were and were, therefore, to take place in their assemblies: to prevent their hin that €a%» might have too harsh a meaning, (for he is, in all this epistley tender of offending them, and therefore sweetens all his reproofs, as much as possible) he here takes it up again, and uses it, more than once, in a way that - car. save - i CORINTHIANS: 175 THY. | ; ~ mien, bit unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit, in ‘the Spirit, he speaketh mysteries. . 9 Bat he, that prophesieth, speaketh unto men, to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. ry 4 He thut speaketh in an unknown tongue, editieth himself: but he, that propliesieth, edifieth the church. 4! * PARAPHRASE. " that speaks'in an unknown tongue’, speaks to God alone, * but not to men: for nobody understands him; the things he utters, by the Spirit, in an unknown tongue, are mys- * teries, tliings not. understood, by those who hear then. ™3 "But he, that prophesieth*, speaks io men, who are ex~ vhorted and comforted thereby, and helped forwards in %4 religion and piety. He that speaks in an unknown * tongue“, edifies himself alone; but he that prophesieth, NOTES. ¥ approves and advises that they should Craty ayevualixa, whereby yet he means Sip but that they should not neglect their spiritual gifts: he would have chem use them in their assemblies, but yet in such method and order, as he directs... Th. * 2» He, who attentively reads this section, about spiritual men, and their gifts, may find reason to imagine, that it was those, who had the gift of tongues, who caused the disorder in the church at Corinth, by their forwardness to speak, and striving to be heard first, and so taking up too much of the time in their * assemblies, in speaking in unknown tongues. For the remedying this disorder, » and,better regulating of this matter amongst other things, they had recourse to $ti Paul. ‘He will not easily avoid thinking’ so, who considers, * 4st; That the firstyift, which St. Paul compares with charity, chap. xiil- * and extremely undervalues, in comparison of that divine virtue, is the gift of " x ngues. As if that were the gift they’most affected toshow, and most valued themselves upon; as indeed it was, in itself, most fitted for ostentation. in their ‘Assemblies, of any other, if any one were inclined thatway; and that the corin®* thians, in their present state, were not exempt from emulation, vanity,’ anid et is very evident. oa te a: . i 7 diy, That chap. xiv. when St-\Paul compares their spiritual gifts one with another, the first, nay, and only one, thab he debases and depreciates, in com- F pon others, is the gift of tongues, which he ‘discourses of ‘for abover20 erses together, in a way fit to abate a too high estecin, and a teo excessive use ”f it, in their assemblies; which we cannot suppose he would have doce, had ey hot been guilty of some such miscarriages in the case, whereof tue 24th - verse is not without an intimation “Sdly, When he comes to give direction about the exercise of their gifts in their meetings, this of tongues is the only one that he restrains and limits, VEL. 215. 28... 5 . 3 © What is meant by prophesying, sce note, chap. xii. 10. 4 d-By yAdcon, “ unknown tongue,’ Dr. Lightfoot, in this chapter, un- derstands the Hebrew tongue, which, as he observes, was used in the synagogue, : = a’ 176 I. CORINTHIANS: ~ TEXT. 5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that phesied: for greater is he that prophesieth, than he that with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may “/ edifying. ae a= ; 6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you, speaking with tongues + shall E profit you, except I shall speak to you, either by revela or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? : 7 And even things without lile, giving sound, whether pipe or harp, _ except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be knov what is piped, or harped? ames 4 ; ; PARAPHRASE. a 5 edifieth the church. I wish that ye had all the gift ‘tongues, but rather that ye all prophesied ; for greater. _ he that prophesieth, than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interprets what he delivers in an unknow 6 tongue, that the church may be edified by it, For ample, should I apply myself to you in a tongue you knew not, what good should I do you, unless I inter- preted to you what I said, that you might understand th revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or doctrine* 7 tained in it? Even inanimate instruments of Sound, as pipe, or harp, are not made use of, to make an insignifi cant noise; but distinct notes, expressing mirth, or mourn- ing, or the like, are played upon them, whereby the tung» : * vt co. yr gk MNOTES! ivrver itige “Lis Voihag im reading the sacred scripture, in praying and in preachin, ous ‘that b e meaning of tongue, here, it suits well,.the ie design, which rr wat ton them-off from their jewish, false apostle, who ably right have enco be and ‘promoted this speagine of Hebrew, ce their aaseniOien we wie 6 © It is not to be do ubted but these four distinct terms, u ed he: apostle, had each its distinct signifi ep in his mind and inter tion what may be collected from’these epistles, may sufficie warrant us t stand them, in the following significations, Teave to the Ast, "Amoxdéauilic, * revelation,” Something revealed by God, the person; vid. ver. 30. dly, Tvdcus, ** knowledge,” the unde mystical and evangelical sense of passages in the Old Testamen our Saviour and the gospel. Sdly, Ipo@zjlete, ‘* prophecy,” an insp vid. ver. 26. 4thly, Aidayn, ‘ doctrine,” any truth of the gospe faith, or manners. But whether this, or “ny other, precise meaning o words can be certainly made out now, it is perhaps of no great necess over curious; it being enough, for the understanding the sense and 2 of the apostle here, to know that these terms stand for some intelligible d tending to the edification ofthe church, though of what kind each of am particular, we certainly know not. Fay a cuar-xiv: Iv CORINTHIANS: 177 >. |. 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who. shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise yoti, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air. 40 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and “none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore, if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian; and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. ’ _ 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore, let him, that speaketh in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret. “14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my -understanding is unfruitful. bi _ PARAPHRASE, — 8 and composure are understood. And if. the trumpet sound not some point of war, that is understood, the soldier is not thereby instructed what to do. So like-. wise ye, unless with the tongue, which you use, utter words of a clear and known signification to your hearers, you talk to the wind; for your auditors understand no- 10 thing that yoursay. There is a great number of signi- : cant languages in the world, ] know not how many, 11 every nation has its own. If then I understand not ~ another's language, and the force of his words, I am to him, when he ‘speaks, a barbarian ; and whatever he says, is all gibberish to me; and so is it with you; ye are barbarians one to another, as far as ye speak to one 12 another in unknown tongues. But since there is emu- _ lation amongst" you, concerning spiritual gifts, seek to _ abound in the exercise of those which tend most to the 13 edification of the church. Wherefore, let him that speaks an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret | 14 what he says. For if I pray in the congregation in an _ unknown tongue, my spirit, it is true, accompanies my © words, which I understand, and so my spirit prays‘; but figs NOTE. _, 14 f This is evident from ver. 4, where it is said; ‘ He that speaketh with a tongue, edifies himself,” N 178 . I. CORINTHIANS. cmar. P TEXT. ie 15 What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: E will sing ty oa Spine, and will sing with the understanding also. date 16 Else, when-thou shalt bless with the Spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned, say Amen, at thy giving ; of thanks; seeimg he understandeth not what thou sayest? - +4 4 PARAPHRASE. niet insole my meaning is unprofitable to others who understand 15 not my words. What, then, is to be done m the case? Why, I will, when moved to it by the Spirit, pray ina unknown tongue, but so that my meaning may be derstood by others; i.e. I will not do it but when ther is somebedy by, to interpret®. And so wall I do also - singing’; I will sing by the Spirit, in an unknown tongue; ' but I will take care that the meaning of what I sing shall 16 be understood by the assistants. And thus ye shall all do, in all like cases. For if thou, by the impulse of the Spirit, givest thanks to God, in an unknown tongt = which all understand not, how shall the hearer, who, in- this respect, is unlearned, and, being ignorant im that tongue, knows not what thou sayest, how shall he say NOTES. / P 15 & I will not pretend to justify this interpretation of rd sor, by the exact rules of the Greek idiom; but the sense of the place will, I think, bear mé out init. And, as there is occasion often to remark, he must be little verse in the writings of St. Paul, who does not observe, that when ‘he has.used a term, he is apt to repeat it again in the same discourse, in a way peculiar tc himself, and somewhat varied from its ordinary signification. So, having here, in the foregoing verse, used »-, for the sentiment of | his own mind, which was hiro Reable to others, when he prayed in a tongue unknown to them, ai opposed it to wyedy.«, which he used there, for his own sense accompanying his own'words, intelligible to himself, when, by the impulse of the Spirit, | 4 prayed in a foreign tongue; he here, in this verse, continues to use praying, Te wveduars, and +o yo, in the same opposition; thé one for praying in a strange tongue, which alone his own mind understood and acco ied ; other, for praying so, as that the meaning ofghis mind, in th » uttered, was made known to others, so that they were also ben use of qyrtyats, is farther confirmed, in the next verse: and what he 1 by vot, heré he expresses by di@ vod, ver. 19, and there explains ae me of it. se ; “pr ; pace h For so he orders, in the use of an unknown tongue, ver. 27. 4g i Here it may be observed, that as, in their public prayer, one prayed, and the others held their peace; so it was in their singing, at least in that singi which was of extempore hymns, by the impulse of the Spirit. mpanied %> é omar. xiv. _‘I. CORINTHIANS. 179 TEXT. 17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all: 19 Yet in the church [ had rather speak five words with my under- _ standing, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit, in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 21 In the law itis written, “ With men of other tongues, and other “ lips, will I speak unto this people: and yet, for all that, will “ they not hear me, saith the Lord.” 22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but PARAPHRASE. Amen? How shall he join in the thanks, which he un- 17 derstands not? Thou, indeed, givest thanks well; but 18 the other is not at all edified by it. I thank God, I. 19 speak with tongues more than you all: But I had rather speak in the church five words that are understood, that ~~ I might instruct others also, than, in an unknown tongue, 20 ten thousand, that others understand not. My bre- thren, be not, in understanding, children, who are apt to be taken with the novelty, or strangeness of things : in temper and disposition, be as children, void of ma- lice*; but, in matters of understanding, be ye perfect 21 men, and use your understandings’. Be not so zealous ' for the use of unknown tongues in the church; they are not so proper there: it is written in the law”, “ With “men of other tongues, and other lips, will I speak unto “this people: and yet, for all that, will they not hear 22 “me, saith the Lord.” So that, you see, the speaking NOTES. 20 © By xaxia, ** malice,’ I think here is to be understood all sortsyof ill temper of mind, contrary to the gentleness and innocence of childhood; and, in particular, their emulation-and strife, about the exercise of their gifts in their assemblies. ; Tvid. Rom. xvi. 19. Eph. iv. 13—165. 21 ™ The books of sacred scripture, delivered to the jews by divine reve- Jation, under the law, before the time of the gospel, which we now call the Old Testament, are, in the writings of the New Testament, called sometimes, ** the law, the prophets, and the psalms,” as Luke xxiv. 44; sometimes “ the law and the prophets,” as Acts xxiv. 14.. And sometimes they are all com- prehended under this one name,“ the law,"? as here; for the passage cited, is in Isaiah, chap. xxviii. 1. NQ 180 I. CORINTHIANS. — cwar. x1v. e Tae to them that believe not: but.prophesying serveth not for them — that believe not, but for them which believe. 99) 23 If, therefore, ies whole church be come together into one place, — and all speak with tongues, and there come in those, that are un- — learned, or unbelievers; will they not say, that ye are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. — 25 And thus are ‘the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so, — falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that — God is in you of a truth. 3 26 How is it then, brethren? When ye come together, every one P of you hath a psalm , hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a re- — velation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be ners to edi- , fying. 3 PARAPHRASE. s of strange tongues miraculously, is not for those who 7 » are already conyerted, but for a sign to those, who are j unbelievers: but prophecy is for believers, and not for unbelievers; and therefore, fitter for your assemblies. — 93 If, therefore, when the church is all come together, you — should all speak in unknown tongues, and men aR 4 ed, or unbelievers should come in, would they not say, ~ 24 “ that you are mad:” But if ye all prophesy, and an~ unbeliever, or an ignorant man, come in, the discourse 25 he hears from you reaching his conscience, And the — secret thoughts of his heart, he is convinced, and wrought ; upon; and s so, falling damm, worships God, and declares — 26 that God is certainly amongst you. What then is to be — (lone, brethren? When you come together, every one is ready”, one with a psalm, another with a. doctrine, another with a strange tongue, another with a reve tion, another with an interpretation. Let all things gs be . NOTE. Take th a 26 4 It is plain, by this whole discourse of the apostle’s, tt there we contentions and emulations amongst them for precedency of their ieee therefore I think fxasoc Zyes may be rendered “ every one is ready,” as tient to be first heard. If there were no such disorder amongst tiem, r would have been no need for the regulations given, in the end of this verse, a and the seven verses following, especially ver. 31, 82, where he” a -they all may prophesy, one by one, and thatthe motions of the Spirit were “a not so ungovernable as not to leave aman master of himself. He must not think ij ra ee himself under a necessity of speaking, as soon as he found any yori Spirit upon his mind, } CHAP. XIV. I. CORINTHIANS. isl TEXT. 27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church ; and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the other judge. 30. If any thing be revealed to another, that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31 For ye may all prophesy, one by one, that all may learn, that all may be comforted. —_ ‘ PARAPHRASE. 97 done to edification. Even though® any one speak in an unknown tongue, which is a gift that seems least in- tended for edification’; let but two or three at most, at any one meeting, speak in an unknown tongue; and that separately, one after another ; and let there be but one 28 interpreter*. But if there be no-body present, that can interpret, let not any one use his gift of tongues in the congregation; but let him, silently, within himself, speak 29 tohimself, and toGod. Ofthose, who have the gift of prophecy, let but two or three speak at the same meet-_ 30 ing, and let the others examine and discuss it. But if, during their debate, the meaning of it be revealed to one that sits by, let him, that was discoursing of it betore, $1 give off. For ye may all prophesy, one after another, that all may in their turns be hearers, and receive ex- ” NOTES. @7 © St. Paul has said, in this chapter, as much as conveniently could be said, to restrain their speaking in unknown tongues, in their assemblies, which * seems to be that, wherein the vanity and ostentation of the corinthians was most ’ forward to show itself. ‘‘ It isnot,”” says he, ‘a girt intended for the edifica- _£ tion of believers; however, since you will be exercising it in your meetings, “ let it always be so ordered, that it may be for edification:”” «fre, I have ren- dered “ although.”? So I think it is sometimes used; but no where, as I re- member, simply for “ if,” as in our translation ; nor will the sens~ here bear €¢ whether ;* which is the common signification of eire. And, therefore, I take the apostle’s sense to be this; ‘* You must do nothing but to edification ;’* though you speak in an unknown tongue, ‘‘ even an unknown tongue must be *« made use of, in your assemblies, only to edification.” _P Vid. ver. 2 and 4, @ The rule of the synagogue was: “ in the law, let one read, and one inter- pret: in the prophets, let one read, and two interpret: in Esther, ten may “< yead, and ten interpret.”” It is not improbable, that some such disorder had been introduced into the church of Corinth, by the judaizing, false apostle, which St. Paul would here put an end to. 3 188 I. CORINTHIANS. ofr. xty._ TEXT. a a 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. i? Laces aie A * 34 Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not pers mitted unto them’ to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. ‘AR I OS 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shanie for women to speak in the charch. 36 What! came the word of God out from * you only? — “= you? Or came it unto : PARAPHRASE. . t 32 hortation and instruction. For the gifts of the Holgi Ghost are not like the possession of the heathen priests, — who are not masters of the Spirit that possesses them. But christians, however filled with the Holy Ghost, are masters of their own actions, can speak, or hold their peace, as they see occasion, and are not hurried away 33 by any compulsion. It is, therefore, no reason for oe to speak, more than one at once, or to. interrupt one” another, because you find yourselves inspired and moved | by the Spirit of God. For God is not the author of confusion and disorder, but of quietness and peace. And this is what is observed in all the churches of God. Zax A 34 As to your women, let them keep silence in your assem- blies; for it is not permitted them to discourse there, or pretend to teach; that does no way suit their state of 35 subjection, appointed them in the law. But, if they have -a mind to haye any thing explained to them, that pass in the church, let them, for their information, ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for women to dis- course and debate with men publicly, jn the congreg 36 tion’. What! do you pretend to give laws to church of God, or to a right to do what you plea o ¢ NOTE, 34, 35 * Why I apply this prohibition, of speaking, only to reasoning and purely voluntary discourse, but suppose a liberty left women to speak, where they had an immediate impulse and revelation from the Spirit of God, vi on chap. xi. 3. In the synagogue, it was usual for any man, that had a mind, to demand, of the teacher, a farther explication of what he had said: but thi was not permitted to the women, A. cnar.xiv. I. CORINTHIANS. 183 o TEXT. 37 If any man think himself'to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge, that the things, that I write unto you, are the com- mandments of the Lord. 38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently, and in order. PARAPHRASE. amongst yourselves, as if the gospel began at Corinth, and issuing from you was communicated to the rest of the world ; ‘or, as if it were communicated to you alone, 37 of all the world? If any man amongst you think, that he hath the gift of prophecies, and would pass for a man knowing in the revealed will of God’, let him acknow- ledge, that these rules, which I have here given, are the 38 commandments of the Lord. But if any man‘ be igno- rant that they are so, I have no more to say to him: 1 39 leave him to his ignorance. « ‘To conclude, brethren, let prophecy have the preference in the exercise of it": 40 but yet forbid not the speaking unknown tongues. But _ whether a man prophesies, or speaks with tongues, whatever spiritual gift he exercises in your assemblies, let it be done without any indecorum, or disorder. NOTES. $7 © Thvevpallintc, “ a spiritual man,” in the sense of St. Paul, is one, who founds his knowledge in what is revealed by the Spirit of God, and not in the bare discoveries of his natural reason and parts: vid. chap. il. 15. 38 t By the [any man] mentioned in this, and the foregoing verse, St. Paul seems to intimate the false apostle, who pretended to give laws amongst them, and, as we have observed, may well be supposed to be the author of these dis- orders ; whom, therefore, St. Paul reflects on, and presses in these three verses. 39 u Zaz, in this whole discourse of St. Paul, taken to refer to the exer- cise, and not to the obtaining the gifts, to which it is joined, will direct us right, in understanding St. Paul, and make his meaning very easy and intel- ligible. 184 I. CORINTHIANS, —.ewar. xvi SECT... Xie oui eee , CHAP. XV. 1-58. CONTENTS, @ «4 ’ ni AYTER St. Paul (who had taught them another doctrine had left Corinth, some among them denied the resurrection of the dead. This he coniutes by Christ's resurrection, which the number of witnesses, yet remaining, that had seen _him, put past question, besides the constant inculcating of it, by all the apostles, every-where. From the resurrection of Christ, thus established, he infers the resurrection of the — dead; shows the order they shall rise in, and what sort of bodies they shall have. TEXT. f “4 1 MOREOVER, brethren, I declare unto you rae eel swhictilll I preached unto you, which also you have received and whereiy - ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory PAK I preached ; unto you, unless ye have ieee, in vain. oe For [ delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received, — how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures: 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, ac- cording to the scriptures : Co PARAPHRASE. - 1 Iw what f am now going to. say to you, eee i 4 make known to you no other gospel, than what I for- merly preached to you, and you received, and have hi- - { therto professed, and by which alone you are to be saved. _ This you will find to be so, if you retain in your ries what it was that I preached to you, which you ¢er- tainly do, unless you have taken up the christian name , 3 and profession to no purpose. For I delivered to-you, and particularly insisted on this, which I had received, — viz. that Christ died for our sins, according to the scrip-— 4 tures: And that he was buried, and that “he was raised — again, the third day, according to the scriptures ; : “b9 GHAP. XV. I. CORINTHIANS. igs TEXT. “5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: “6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred-brethren at once ; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are ~ ~~ fallen asleep : 7 After that, he was seen of James: then, of all the apostles. 8 And, last of all, he was seen of me also, as.of one born out of due time. 9 For Lam the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an aposile, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God Iam what I am: and his graces which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. | PARAPHRASE. | 5 And that he was seen by Peter; afterwards by the 6 twelve apostles: And after that, by above five hundred christians at once; of whom the greatest part remain ' alive to this day, but some ‘of them are deceased: 7 Afterwards he was seen by James; and after that, by 8 all the apostles: Last of all, he was seen by me also, #9 as by one born before my time*. For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy the name of an apostle; be 0 cause I persecuted the church of God. But, by the free bounty of God, I am what it hath pleased him to make me: and this favour, which he hath bestowed on me, hath not been altogether fruitless ; for I have laboured in preaching of the gospel, more than all the other apos- tles®: which yet I do not ascribe to any thing of myself, but to the favour of God, which accompanied me. 11 But whether I, or the other apostles, preached, this was that which we preached, and this was the faith ye were baptized into, viz. that Christ died, and rese again the NOTES. 8 2 An abortive birth, that comes before its time, which is the name St. Paul gives himself here, is usually sudden and at unawares, and is also weak and fee- ble, scarce deserving to be called, or counted aman. The former part agrees to St. Paul’s being made a christian and an apostle; though it be in regard of the latter, that, in the following verse, St. Paul calls himself abortive. 10 © St. Paul drops in this commendation of himself, to keep up his credit 1a the church of Corinth, where there was a faction labouring to discredit him. nd 186 ' I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. TEXT. ’ 12 Now, if Christ be preached, that he rose from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection of th dead ? oP . oe, 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. ; : ; nh 14 And, if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. | 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God, that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: va 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet im y sins. iy 18 Then they also, which are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished.: Z PARAPHRASE. : P| 12 thirdday. If, therefore, this be so, if this be that, which has been preached to you, viz. that Christ has been raised from the dead; how comes it that some amongst® you say, as they do, ;that there is no resurrection of 13 dead? And if there be no resurrection of the de 14 then even Christ himself is not risen: And if Christ be not risen, our preaching is idle talk, and your believing ,15 it is to no purpose. And we, who pretend to be wit? nesses for God, and his truth, shall be found lyars, bear ing witness against God, and his truth, affirming, that he raised Christ, whom in truth he did not raise, if it 16 be so, that the dead are not raised. For if the dead ® 17 shall not be raised, neither is Christ raised. And if Christ be not risen, your faith is to no purpose; youl sins are not forgiven, but you are still liable to the pu- 18 nishment due to them. And they also, who died in th ot 1h NOTE. ft = 12 ¢ This may well be understood of the head of the contrary faction, some of his scholars: ist, Because St. Paul introduces this confutation, asserting his mission, which these his opposers would bring in question. i Because he is so careful to let the corinthians see, he maintains not the doctrine of the resurrection, in opposition to these their new leaders, it being the doc- trine he had preached to them, at their first conversion, before any such fa apostle appeared among them, and misled them about the resurrection. ‘Their false apostle was a jew, and in all appearance judaized: may he not also b suspected of sadducism? For it is plain, he, with all his might, opposed Paui, which must be from some main difference in opinion at the bottom, there are no footsteps of any personal provocation, es .s CHAP. xv. I. CORINTHIANS. 187 TEXT. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But, now, is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first- fruits of them that slept. @1 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrec- tion of the dead 22 For, as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man, in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, after- wards they that are Christ’s, at his coming. 24, Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the king- dom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. PARAPHRASE, 19 belief of the gospel, are perished and lost. If the ad- vantages we expect from Christ, are confined to this life, and we have no hope of any benefit from him, in ano- ther life hereafter, we christians are the most miserable 20 ofall men. But, in truth, Christ is actually risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits’ of those who were 21 dead. For, since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead, or restoration to life. 29 For, as the death that all men suffer, is owing to Adam, so the life, that all shall be restored to again, is procured 23 them by Christ. But they shall return to life again not all at once, but in their proper order: Christ, the first- fruits, is already risen; next after him shall rise those, who are his people, his church, and this shall be at his 4 second coming. After that shall be the day of judg- ment, which shall bring to a conclusion and finish the whole dispensation to the race and posterity of Adam, in this world: when Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, the Father; which he shall not do, till he hath destroyed all empire, power, and authority, that 25 shall be in the world besides. For he must reign, till | NOTE. 20 @ The first-fruits were a small part, which was first taken and offered ta God, and sanctified the whole mass, which was to follow. .. 9 oy 188 I. CORINTHIANS, ena. xy, ‘ TEXT. 26 The last enemy, that shall be destroyed, is deathes: on if am 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. B it when he saith, * All things are put under. him,” it is manifest’ that he is ex cepted, which did put all things under him. Posen. ae 28 And, when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. ne J 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they, then, baptized for he dead? e a $0 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? d ractin'y gioe Sikh A 31 I protest, by your rejoicing, which 1 have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. * f. . PARAPHRASE.) sic) Pot a he has totally subdued and brought all his enemies into 26 subjection to his kingdom. The last enemy, that shall 27 be destroyed, is death. For God hath subjected a things to Christ: but when it is said, “ All hings are — “subjected,” it is plain that he is to be buds 10° 28 did subject all things to him. But when all things sh ll « be actually reduced under subjection to him, then, even the Son himself, i.e. Christ and his whole kingdom, he and all his sabjects and members, shall be subjected te him, that gave him this kingdom, and universal de nM nion, that God may immediately govern and influence 29 all. Else*, what shall they do, who are baptized for 30 the dead‘? And, why do we venture our lives continu- _ 31 ally? As to myself, I am exposed, vilifieds'treated SO, that T die daily. And for this I call to witness your gilorying against me, in which T really glory, as con Bic NOTES. — J IO ae ' 29 © * Else,” here relates to ver, 20, where it is said, “ Christ is risen atti St. Paul, having, in that verse, mentioned Christ being the first-fruits from the dead, takes occasion from thence, now that he is upon the resurrection, te in- — form the corinthians of several particularities, relating to the resurrection, — which might enlighten them about it, and could not be known, but by revelas tion. Having made this excursion, in the eight preceding verses, he h the 29th, re-assumes the thread of his discourse, and goes on with his: ments, for believing the resurrection, ‘’ ; i * What this baptizing for the dead was, I confess I know not: but it by the following/Verses, to be something, wherein they exposed themse the danger of déath, i CHAP. XV. I. CORINTHIANS. 189 4 4 ; a TEXT. 4’ 32 If, after the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephe- sus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat ‘and drink; for to morrow we die. 33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. ‘ $5 But some man will say, “ How are the dead raised up? And « with what body do they come!” PARAPHRASE. 32 on me for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake. And particu- larly, to what purpose did I sufier myself to be exposed to wild beasts at Ephesus, if the dead rise not? If there be no resurrection, it is wiser a great deal to preserve ourselves, as long as we can, in a free enjoyment of all _ the pleasures of this life; for when death comes, as it 33 shortly will, there is an end of us for ever. Take heed that you be not misled by such discourses: for evil com- 34 munication is apt to corrupt even good minds. Awake from such dreams, as it is fit you should, and give not yourselves up sinfully to the enjoyments of this life. For there are some atheistical? people among you: this 35 Isay to make you ashamed. But possibly it will be asked, ‘“‘ How comes it to pass, that dead men are ' yaised, and with what kind of bodies do they come? Shall" they have, at the resurrection, such bodies as , NOTES. $4 & May not this, probably, be said, to make them ashamed of their leader, whom they were so forward to glory in? For itis not unlikely, that their ques - ‘tioning, and denying the resurrection, came from their new apostle, who raised such opposition against St. Paul. 35 bh If we will allow St. Paul to know what he says, it is plain, from what he answers, that he understands these words to contain two questions: First, How it comes to pass, thatdead men are raised to life again?’ Would it not be ‘better they should live on? Why do they die to live again? Secondly, With what bodies shall they return to life? To both these he distinctly answers, viz. That those, who are raised to an heavenly state, shall have other bodies: and next, that it is fit that men should die, death being no improper way to the attaining other bodies. This, he shows there is so plain and common ai in- stance of, in the sowing of all seeds, that he thinks it a foolish thing to make a difficulty of it; and then proceeds to declare, that, as they shall have other, so they 74 have better bodies, than they had before, viz. spiritual and incer- rupti ie - * { sj ; ae ae ¥ & #2 . 38 But God giveth it a body, as it hath pleased him, and to eve | 190 * I. CORINTHIANS. CRAP. XY, - 4 TEXT: .- - 36 Thow fool! that, which thou sowest, is not quickened, except it die. : 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body tha shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of som other grain. . ba. seed his own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and anothe of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the — “ glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial i another. ] 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the ; and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from ane ther star in glory. PARAPHRASE. 36 “they have now?” Thou fool! does not daily experi- ence teach thee, that the seed, which thou sowest, cor- rupts and dies, before it springs up and lives again! 37 That, which thou sowest, is the bare grain, of wheat, or barley, or the like; but the body, which it has, when it 38 rises up, is different from the seed that is sown. For it is not the seed that rises up again, but a quite differ- ent body, such as God has thought fit to give it, viz. a plant, of a particular shape and size, which God has’ 39 appointed to each sort of seed. And so, likewise, it in animals; there are different kinds of flesh‘: for flesh of men is of one kind: the flesh of cattle is.of ano-— ther kind; that of fish is different from them both; and the flesh of birds is of a peculiar sort, different from 40 them all. To look yet farther into the difference of bodies, there be both heavenly and earthly bodies; but the beauty and excellency of the heavenly bodies is of 41 one kind, and that of earthly bodies of another. The NOTE. 1 39 4 The scope of the place makes it evident, that by “flesh,” St. Paul here means bodies, viz. that God has given to the several sorts of animals, t i shape, texture, and organization, very different one from anothe > as he. thought good ; and so he can give to men, at the resurrection, bodies of very different constitutions and qualities ‘from those they had before. sidited ry ‘ % CHAP, XV. Ty CORINTHIANS. ‘ | 191 ' TEXT. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown im corrup- tion, it is raised in incorruption ; PARAPHRASE. sun, moon, and stars have each of thein their particular beauty and brightness, and one star differs from another 42 in glory. And so shall the resurrection of the dead * NOTE. € . 4Q & 6 The resurrection of the dead,” here spoken of, is not the resurrection of all mankind, in common: but only the resurrection of the just. ‘This wilf be evident to any one, who observes, that St. Paul, having, ver. 22, declared that all men shall be made alive again, tells the corinthians, ver. 23, That it shall not be all at once, but at several distances of time. First of all, Christ rose; afterwards, next in order to him, the saints should all be raised, which resurrection of the just is that which he treats, and gives an account of, to the end of this discourse and chapter; and so never comes to the resurrection of the wicked, which was to be the third and last in order: so that from the 23d verse, to the end of the chapter, all that he says of the resurrection, is a description only of the resurrection of the just, though he calls it here, by the general name of the resurrection of the dead. That this isso, there is so much evidence, that there is scarce a verse, from the 4ist to the end, that does not evince it. S : First, What in this resurrection is raised, St. Paul assures us, ver. 43, israised in glory; but the wicked are not raised in glory. Secondly, He says, ‘‘ we,”’ speaking in the name of all, that shall be then raised, shall bear the image of the heavenly Adam, ver. 49, which cannot be- long to the wicked. “¢ We’” slfall all be changed, that, by putting on incor- ruptibility and immortality, death may be swallowed up of victory, which God giveth us, throuch our Lord Jesus Christ, ver. 51, 52, 53, 54, 57, which can- not likewise belong to the damned. And therefore ‘* we,” and ** us,” must ‘be understood to be spoken; in the name of the dead, that are Christ’s, who are to be raised by themselves, before the rest of mankind. Thirdly, He says, ver. 52, that when the dead are raised, they, who are alive, shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye. Now, that these dead, are only the dead in Christ, which shall rise first, and shall be caught in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, is plain from 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. Fourthly, He teaches, ver. 54, that, by this corruptible’s putting on incor- ‘ruption, is brought to pass thesaying, that, ‘‘ Death is swallowed up of victory.” _ But I think, nobody will say, that the wicked have victory over death: yet that, according to the apostle, here belongs to all those, whose corruptible bodies have put on incorruption; which, therefore, must be only those, that rise the second in order. From whence it is clear, that their resurrection alone, is that which is here mentioned and described. Fifthly, A farther proof whereof is, ver. 56, 57, in that their sins being taken away, the sting, whereby death kills, is taken away. And hence St. Paul says, God has given “us” the victory, which is the same ‘‘ us," or ‘ we,” who should bear the image of the heavenly Adam, ver. 49. And the -same “* we,” who should * all” be changed, ver. 51, 52. All which places can, _ therefore, belong to. none, but those, who are Christ’s, who shall be raised by themselves, the second in order, before the rest of the dead. * 192 I. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. XVi_ - NOTE. be It is very remarkable what St. Paul says, in the 54st verse, *¢ We shall not al s¢ sleep, but we shall all be changed, in the twinkling of an eye.” The re be gives for it, ver. 58, is, because this corruptible thing must put on inco ruption, and this mortal thing must put on immortality. How? Why, putting off flesh and blood, by an instantaneous change, because, as he tells ver. 50, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; and therefol to fit believers for that kingdom, those who are alive at Christ’s coming; sha be changed in the twinkling of an eye; and those, that are in their graves, s be changed likewise, at the instant of their being raised ;, and so all the wh collection of saints, all the members of Christ’s body, shal} be put into a state of incorruptibility, ver. 52, in a new sort of bodies. Taking the resurrection, here spoken of, to be the resurrection of all the dead, promiscuously, St. Paul’s reasoning in this place can hardly be understood. But, upon a supposition, that he here describes the resurrection of the just only, that resurrection, which, as he says, ver. 23, is to be the next after Christ’s, and separate from rest, there is nothing cam be more plain, natural, and easy, than St. Paul’s soning ; and it stands thus: ‘‘ Men alive are flesh and bleod; the dead int “« graves are but the remains of corrupted flesh and blood; but flesh and b ** cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither corruption inherit incorruption, “© i,e. immortality: therefore, to make all those who are Christ’s, capable to _ «¢ enter into his eternal kingdom of life, as well those of them; who are alive, as those of them, who are raised from the dead, shall, in the twinkling an eye, be all changed, and their corruptible shall put on incorruption, ai their mortal shall put on immortality: and thus God gives them the vic over death, through their Lord Jesus Christ.” This is, in short, St. arguing here, and the account he gives of the resurrection of the blessed. how the wicked, who are afterwards to be restored to life, were to be r and what was to become of them, he here says nothing, as not being tora) present purpose, which was to assure the corinthians, by the resurree ‘4 Christ, of a happy resurrection to believers, and thereby to encourage them continue stedfast in the faith, which had such a reward. That this was his -sign, may be seen by the beginning of his discourse, ver. 12—21, and by conclusion, ver. 58, in these words: ‘* Wherefore, my beloved brethren, “¢ ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord: «* much as ye know, that your labour is not in,vain in the Lord.” W words show, that what he had been speaking of, in the immediately preced verses, viz. their being changed, and their putting on incorruption and imm tality, and their having thereby the victory, through Jesus Christ, was \ belonged solely to the saints, as a reward to those who re eC abounded in the work of the Lord. 9 rae The like use, of the like, though shorter discourse of the resu tion, in he describes only that of the blessed, he makes to the thessalonians, 1 iv. 13—18, which he concludes thus: ‘* Wherefore comfort one ancther © these words.”” bir ap hsbeland pha isty Nor is it, in this place alone, that St. Paul calls the resurrection of the by the general name, of the resurrection of the dead. He does the same, Phil. iii. 11, where he speaks of his sufferings, and of his endeavours, ‘¢ “* any means he might attain unto the resurrection of the dead:”” whereby; | cannot mean the resurrection of the dead in general; which, since he hi clared in this very chapter, ver. 22, all men,. beth good and. bad, shi tainly partake of, as that they shall die, there need no endeavours to. it. Our Saviour, likewise, speaks of the resurrection of the just. in the general terms of the resurrection, Matt. xxii. 30. ‘* And the resurrection ff *« the dead,” Luke xx. 35, by which is meant only the resurrection of the as is plain from the context, : ute say" eee n ony ~ v~A wen nn n Oo Har, xv. I. CORINTHIANS. 193 : TEXT. 43 It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weak- ness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is _ a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. } 45 And so it is written, The first man, Adam, was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward, that which is spiritual. PARAPHRASE. be: that, which is sown in this world’, and comes to die, is a poor, weak, contemptible, corruptible thing: 43 When it is raised again, it shall be powerful, glorious, 44 and incorruptible. The body, we have here, surpasses not the animal nature. At the resurrection, it shall be spiritual. There are both animal™ and spiritual" bo- 45 dies. And so it is written, ‘‘ The first man Adam was “ made a living soul,” i.e. made of an animal constitu- tion, endowed with an animal life; the second Adam was made of a spiritual constitution, with a power to 46 give life to others. Howbeit, the spiritual was not first, but the animal; and afterwards, the spiritual. NOTES. 42 1 The time that man is in this world, affixed to this earth, is, his being Sown; and not when being dead, he is put in the grave, as is evident from St. Paul’s own words. For dead things are not sown; seeds are sown, being ‘alive, and die not, until after they are sown. Besides, he that will attentively consider what follows, will find reason, from St. Paul’s arguing, to understand him so. a 44 ™ Youe Poxsxev, which in our Bibles is translated, ‘a natural body,” should, I think, more suitably to the propriety of the Greek, and more con- formably to the apostle’s meaning, be translated ‘* an animal body :”’ for that, which St. Paul is doing here, is to show, that as we have animal bodies now, (which we derived from Adam) endowed with an animal life, which, unless supported with a constant supply of food and air, will fail and perish, and at last, do what we can, will dissolve and come to an end; so, at the resurrection, we shall have from Christ, the second Adam, ‘spiritual bodies,’ which shall “have an essential and natural, inseparable life in them, which shall continue and subsist perpetually of itself, without the help of meat and drink, or air, or any such foreign support; without decay, or any tendency to a dissolution: of which our Saviour speaking, Luke xx. 35, says, ‘* They who shall be accounted “* worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead,”’ cannot die ny more; for they are equal to the angels, i.e. of an angelical nature and constitution. u ® Vid. Phil. iii. 21. 9 194 I. CORINTHIANS. — cara TEXT. a 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lor¢ from heaven. hk at el 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy : and as is th "heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly, 49 And, as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bea * the image of the heavenly. "oe At hth a 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. — 51 Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, a 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, (for the trumpet shall sound;) and the dead shall be raised incorrup- tible, and we shall be changed. di i PARAPHRASE. ri red a bit ae 47 The first man was of the earth, made up of dust, or __ earthy particles: the second man is the Lord from hea- 48 ven. ‘Those who have no higher an extraction, than barely from the earthy man, they, like him, have ba an animal life and constitution: but those, who are re- _ generate, and born of the heavenly seed, are, as he that 49 is heavenly, spiritual and immortal. And as in the ani- mal, corruptible, mortal state, we were bornin, we h ve been like him, that was eafthy; so also shall we, 1 at the resurrection, partake of a spiritual life from Ch be made like him, the Lord from heaven, heavenly, 1.¢€ live, as the spirits in heaven do, without the need of fe of nourishment, to support it, and without infir decay and death, enjoying a fixed, stable, eti 50 This I say to you, brethren, to satisfy those tha “ with what bodies the dead shall come?” that w not at the resurrecticn have such bodies as we have for flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom, the saints shall inherit in heaven; nor are such fi corruptible things ‘as our present bodies are, fitted 51 state of immutable incorruptibility. To which] .. add, what has not been hitherto discovered, viz: th * 52 shall not all die, but we shall all be changed, In. -* ment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the soundii last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the ¢ shall rise: and as many of us, believers, as are | « & euar.xv. __I. CORINTHIANS. a t TEXT. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, “ Death is swallowed up in “ victory.” 5 - PARAPHRASE. 53 alive, shall be changed. For this corruptible frame, . and constitution® of ours, must put on incorruption, and $4 from mortal become immortal. And, when we are got into that state of incorruptibility and immortality, then shall be fulfilled what was foretold in these words, “ Death is swallowed up of victory®;” i.e. death is per- fectly subdued and exterminated, by a complete victory over it, so that there shall be no death any more. NOTES. 53 © Td Obeprav, “ corruptible,” and +o Sinrev, S€ mortal,” have not here ciua, ** body,” for their substantive, as some imagine; but are put in the neuter gender absolute, and stand to represent yexpol, ‘« dead;”” as appears by the immediately preceding verse, and also ver. 42, &rw wat 1 avasacie Tay “vexpiav, ometpeT as tv QOopa. “ So is the resurrection of the dead : it is sown in ££ corruption ;”” i.e. mortal, corruptible men are sown, being corruptible and weak. Nor can it-be thought strange, or strained, that I interpret Plagloy and Synrév, as adjectives of the neuter gender, to signify persons, when in this very discourse, the apostle uses two adjectives, in the neuter gender, to signify the persons of Adam and Christ, in such a way, as it is impossible to understand them otherwise. The words, no farther off than ver. 46, are these: “ARA 2 rs pa To Byevualinors wAAL TO pnxsxoy, Emreile To wrevpalixev. Thelike way . of speaking we have, Matt. i. 20, and Luke i. 35, in both which, the person of our Saviour is expressed by adjectives of the neuter gender. To any, of all which places, I do not think any one will add the substantive cijpa, “* body,” to make out the sense. That, then, which is meant here, being this, that this ‘mortal man should put on immortality, and this corruptible man, incorruptibi- lity ; any one will easily find another nominative case to omeipélas, “¢ is sown,” and not cpa, “body,” when he considers the sense of the place, wherein the apostle’s purpose is to speak of vexpei, ‘* mortal men,” being dead, and raised again to life, and made immortal. Those, with whom grammatical construc- tion, and the nominative case, weigh so much, may be pleased to read this pas- sage in Virgil: ; nl Linquebant dulces animas, aut zgra trahebant : ** Corpora.” Aéneid. 1. 3, ver. 140. : where, by finding the nominative case to the two verbs, in it, he may come to - discover that personality, as contra- distinguished to both body and soul, may be the nominative case to verbs, 3 54 P Nixoc, ‘‘ victory,”” often signifies end and destruction. See Vossius * de xx interpret,” cap. 24. hae igs aslt). @2 196 I. CORINTHIANS! cHar, ave,” TEXT. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy eal | 56 The sting of death is sin; and the. strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, ‘through’ out Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. ! 4 PARAPHRASE. 55 Where, O death, is now that power, whereby bed Ps : privest men of life? What is become of the dominion of the grave, whereby they were detained prisoners 56 there’? ‘That, which gives death the power of men is 57 sin, and it is the law, by which sin has this power. thanks be to God, who gives us deliverance and victo y over death, the punishment of sin, by the law, througl our Lord Jesus Christ, who has delivered us from the 58 rigour of the law. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, continue stedfast and unmovable in the christian faith, always abounding in your obedience to the precepts of — Christ, and in those duties which are required of us, by our Lord and Saviour, knowing that your labour mits not be lost. Whatsoever you shall do, or suffer, for hin will be abundantly rewarded, by eternal life. tL NOTE. 55 @ This has something of the air of a song of triumph, which st. breaks out into, upon a view of the saints victory over death, in a State, whi ‘death is never to have place any more. by SECT. XIp CHAP. XVI. 1—4. CONTENTS. . He. gives directions concerning their contribution to the poor christians. at. Jerusalem. Mae J cid cuar.xvr. I. CORINTHIANS. 197 ! oJ 2 TEXT. NOW concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your hberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. PARAPHRASE. As to the collection for the converts to christianity, who are at Jerusalem, I would have you do, as I have directed the churches of Galatia. Let every one of you, accord- ing as he thrives in his calling, lay aside some part of his gain by itself, which, the first day of the week, let him put into the common treasury* of the church, that there may be no need of any gathering, when I come. And when I come, those, whom you shall approve of’, will I send with letters to Jerusalem, to carry thither your benevo- lence. Which if it deserves, that I also should go, they shall go along with me. NOTES. 2 2 Oncavpiw» seems used here in the sense I have given it. For it is cer- tain that the apostle directs, that they should, every Lord’s day, bring to the congregation what their charity had laid aside, the foregoing week, as their gain came in, that there it might be put into some public box, appointed for that pur- pose, or officers’ hands. For, if they only laid it aside at home, there would nevertheless be need of a collection, when he came. SP Aoxwpecorle, OV tmssoAay téTes wiptw. This pointing, that makes 3,’ imisoray belong to wéyrbw, and not doximcorle, the apostle’s sense justifies ; he telling them here, that finding their collection ready, when he came, he would write by those, they should think fit to send it by, or go himself with them, if their present were worthy of it. There needed no approbation of their messengers to him, by their letters, when he was present. And if the corin- thians, by their letters, approved of them to the saints at Jerusalem, how could St. Paul say, he would send them? 198 I. CORINTHIANS, —cuar. xvi SECT. Xit ) CHAP. XVI. 5—12. coy «ati CONTENTS. neha diated a att HE 5 gives them an account of his own, Timothy’ s, and | Apollos’s intention of coming to them. " TEXT. 7 5 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Muck donia (for I do pass through Macedonia:) 6 And it may be, that I will abide, yea, and winter with foe that ye may bring me on my journey, whithersoever I go. 7 For I will not see you now, by the way; but L trust to tarry awhile with you, if the Lord permit. } -8 But | will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 Fora great door, and effectual is opened unto me, and there ar re many adversaries. 10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do. — 11 Let no man, therefore, despise him; but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren. PARAPHRASE.,. 5 I will come unto you, when I have been in Macedo iz 6 for I intend to take that in my way: And perhaps Is make some stay, nay, winter with you, that you 1 7 bring me going on my way, whithersoever I go. do not intend just to call in upon you, as I pass by; I hope to spend some time with you, if the ik : 8 But [shall stay at Ephesus till Pentecost, i.e. 9. tide. For now I have a very fair and promising 0 tunity given me of propagating the gospel, though t 10 be many opposers. If'Timothy come to you, pray care, that he be easy, and without fear amongst you: - he promotes the work of the Lord, in preaching the 11 pel, evenasI do. Let no-body, therefore, despise but treat him kindly, and bring him going, that he come unto me: for I expect him with the brea eo CHAP. XVI. I. CORINTHIANS.: 199- 4 TEXT.. 1g As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come - unto you, with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come, when he shall have convenient time. PARAPHRASE. ) 12° As to brother* Apollos, I have earnestly endeavoured to prevail with him to come to you with the brethren”: put. he has no mind to it at all, at present. He will come, however, when there shall be a fit occasion. NOTES. . 49 4 There be few, pethaps, who need to be told it; yet it may be conve- nient here, once for all, to remark, that, in the apostle’s time, ‘* brother”” was the ordinary compellation that christians used to one another. : b « The brethren,” here mentioned, seem to be Stephanas, and those others, ‘who, with him, came with a message, or letter, to St. Paul, from the church of Corinth, by whom he returned this epistle in answer. SECT. XIII. CHAP. XVI. 13—24. CONTENTS. “THE conclusion, wherein St. Paul, according to his cus- tom, leaves with them some, which he thinks most neces- “sary, exhortations, and sends particular greetings. TEXT. 13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be _,. Strong. . ‘ 14 Let all your things be done with charity. +) PARAPHRASE. 13 Be upon your guard, stand firm in the faith, behave _.14 yourselves like men, with courage and resolution: And whatever is done amongst you, either in public assem- ., blies, or elsewhere, let it all be done with affection, and 200: I, CORINTHIANS. _— ema. xvi. TEXT. 15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted them. selves to the ministry of the saints) six — 16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that help- _ eth with us, and laboureth. 4 17 Lam glad of the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, an Achaicus: for that, which was lacking on your part, they have supplied. . ie i8 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore, acknow= ledge ye them that are such. ‘a 19 ‘Tne churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren greet you. Greet you one another with an holy kiss. 4 21 The salutaticn of me, Paul, with mine own hand. n 22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, _ maranatha. . / | PARAPHRASE. 15 good-will, one to another*. You know the house of Steplianas, that they were the first converts of Achaia and have all along made it their business to minister to _ 16 the saints: To such, I beseech you to submit your- selves; let such as, with us, labour to promote the gos- 17 pel, be your leaders. I am glad, that Stephanas, Fore tunatus, and Achaicus came to me; because they have 18 supplied what was deficient on your side. For, by the account they have given me of you, they have quieted my mind, and yours 1oo°: therefore have a regard to 19 such men as these. The churches of Asia salute you, and so do Aquila and Priscilla, with much christian af _ 20 fection; with the church that is in their house. All the brethren here salute you: salute one another with an 21 holy kiss. That, which followeth, is the salutation of 22 me, Paul, with my own hand, Tf any one be anenemy — to the Lord Jesus Christ, and his gospel, let him be ac- cursed, or devoted to destruction. The Lord cometh 4 NOTES. 14 2 His main design being to put an end to the faction and division which the tale apostle had made amongst them, it is no wonder that we find unity and _ charity so much, and so often pressed, in this and the second epistle. = 18 © Viz, by removing those suspicions and fears, that were on both sides. — ag CHAP. XVI. I. CORINTHIANS. 201 . TEXT. 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. ' 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. PARAPHRASE. 23 to execute vengeance on him‘. The favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you 24 all in Christ Jesus. Amen. NOTE. 22 © This being so different a sentence from any of those, writ with St. Paul’s own hand, in any of his other epistles, may it not with probability be understood to mean the false apostle, to whom St. Paul imputes all the dis~ orders in this church, and of whom he speaks, not much less severely ? 2 Cor, gi. 13—15. a es sie ‘ st ta ae ne ey vod a hee: aA ¢ , US UBT ee hae! ae eae aD ssagiee ag atin eta aANe 9 I eine: vabwiiaiga swiss ‘al boca & rie - ahs PEt eet apenas: i IS A zeit we a .. rey 5 ahh J 1 i __ WF RA tae: a ‘sphdah buslishe 4d b { A PARAPHRASE AND NOTES ON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST, PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS. tre 5 - oY ua i i I pote aT at ke ae i 3 » \ - , j ww iw . } z eh: rm My Th 5 ve aA ee ® oer er vay oh A ree | fyisoyiaiy 7 1 ay | uu ‘hh bart ofs 4 Pea [ 205 J” THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS; WRITTEN FROM ROME IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 57, OF NERO IEE. — a SYNOPSIS. SAINT PAUL having writ his first epistle to the corin- thians, to try, as he says himself, chap. i. 9, what power he had still with that church, wherein there was a great faction _ against him, which he was attempting to break, was in pain, till he found what success it had; chap. ii. 12, 13, and vii. 5. But when he had, by Titus, received an account of their re- pentance, upon his former letter, of their submission to his orders, and of their good disposition of mind towards him, he takes courage, speaks of himself more freely, and justifies himself more boldly; as may be seen, chap. i. 12, and ii. 14, and vi. 10, and x. 1, and xii. 10, And, as to his op- posers, he deals more roundly and sharply with them, than he had done in his former epistle ; as appears from chap. ii. 17, and iv. 2—5, and v. 12, and vi. 11—16, and xi. 11, and xii. 15. The observation of these particulars may possibly be of use to give us some light, for the better understanding of his second epistle, especially if we add, that the main business of this, as of his former epistle, is to take off the people ‘from the new leader they had got, who was St. Paul’s op- poser; and wholly to put an end to the faction and dis- order, which that false apostle had caused in the church of q Pavt, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of Go -though he were so young, who had been sent to them, yet it was one, whom 206 II. CORENTHIANS. oma Corinth. He also, in this epistle, stirs them up again to a liberal contribution to the poor saints at Jerusal all This epistle was writ in the same year, not long after the former. - SECT. I. CHAP. I.’ 1, 2. INTRODUCTION. em PN i 2 2 1 PAUL an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and mothy, our brother, unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, with all the saints, which are in all Achaia: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. aie PARAPHRASE. (Fite Lagi and Timothy, our brother*, to the church of God, whiel om _ 1s in Corinth, with all the christians, that are in all 2 Achaia®: Favour and peace be to you, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. a) NOTES. 1 2 Brother,” i.e. either in the common faith; and so, as we have alread remarked, he frequently calls all the converted, as Rom. i. 18, and in places; or “ brother’ in the work of the ministry, vid. Rom. xvi. 21, 1 xvi. 12. To which we may add, that St. Paul may be supposed to have ¢ ‘Timothy the title of “ brother,” here, for dignity’s sake, to give him a tation above his age, amongst the corinthians, to whom he had before sent hin with some kind of authority, to rectify their disorders. Timothy was bu young man, when St. Paul writ his first epistle to him, as appears, 1 Ti 12. Which epistle, by the consent of all, was writ to Timothy, afi been at Corinth; and in the opinion of some very learned men, not | eight years after: and therefore his calling him ‘ brother,” here, and 0 him with himself, in writing this epistle, may be tolet the corinthians see, Paul thought fit to treat very much as an equal. ® Achaia, the country wherein Coristh stood. hy huis : cuir. —_—«sT. CORINTHIANS! 207 SECT: IL. CHAP. I. 3—VII. 16. CONTENTS. "Tus first part of this second epistle, of St. Paul to the — corinthians, is spent in justifying himself, against several] imputations, from the opposite faction ; and setting himself right, in the opinion of the corinthians. ‘The particulars ‘whereof we shall take notice of, in the following numbers. ° SECT. i Hiy:..N°..d. CHAP. I. 3—14. CONTENTS. H E begins with justifying his former letter to them, which had afflicted them, (vid. chap. vii. 7, 8.) by telling them, that he thanks God for his deliverance out of his afflictions, be- cause it enables him to comfort them, by the example, both of his affliction and deliverance; acknowledging the obliga- tion he had to them, and others, for their prayers and thanks for his deliverance, which, he presumes, they could not but put up for him, since his conscience bears him witness (which was his comfort) that, in his carriage to all men, and to them more especially, he had been direct and sincere, {without any self, or carnal interest; and that what he writ to them had no other design but what lay open, and they read in his words, and did also acknowledge; and he doubt- sed not, but they should always acknowledge; part of them ‘acknowledging also, that he was the man they gloried in, .as they shall be his glory in the day of the Lord. From what St. Paul says, in this section, (which, if read with at- tention, will appear to be writ with a turn of great insinua- tion) it may be gathered, that the opposite faction endea- towards him; vid. chap. vil. 7. 4 300 ‘deliverance from death and hell; but here it signifies only deliverance 208 Il. CORINTHIANS. _— voured to evade the force of the former epistle, by sugge ing, that, whatever he might pretend, St. Paul was a cun- ning,- artificial, self-interested man, and had some hidde design in it, which accusation appears in other parts of this epistle: as chap. iv. 2, 5. . . TEXT. | 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, th Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; * 4 Who comforteth us, in all our tribulation, that we may be able t comfort them, which are in any trouble, by the comfort wher with we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consola also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And, whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and sal vation, which is effectual, in the enduring of the same suffering which we also suffer: or, whether we be comforted, it is for you consolation and salvation. ‘ 7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing that, as you are pa takers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. PARAPHRASE. 5. 3 Blessed be the God* and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 the Father of mercies, and God of all consolation; Who comforteth me, in all my tribulations, that I may be able” to comfort them”, who are in any trouble, by the comfo 5 which I receive from him. Because, as I have suffere abundantly for Christ, so, through Christ, I have abundantly comforted; and both these, for your advar 6 tage. For my affliction is for your consolation and r lief‘, which is effected by a patient enduring those suffe ings whereof you see an example in me. And agi when I am comforted, it is for your consolation and fr lief, who may expect the like, from the same compassion- 7 ate God and Father. Upon which ground, I have firm , NOTES. @ : $ 4 That this is the right translation of the Greek here, see Eph. i. 3, 1 Pet. i. 3, where the same words are so translated; and that it agrees wi St. Paul’s sense, see Eph. 1. 17. 7 4. b He means, here, the corinthians, who were troubled for their miscarri 6 © Zwrnpia, ‘¢ relief,” rather than ‘ salyation;”’ which is under present sorrow. CHAP. I. II. CORINTHIANS. 209 TEXT. 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorarit of our trouble, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength; insomuch that we despaired even of life. _ 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raised the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust, that he will yet deliver us: 11 Youalso helping together by prayer for us; that, for the gift be stowed upon us, by the meats of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf. 12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-wards. PARAPHRASE. hopes, as concerning yon; being assured, that as you have had your share of sufferings, so ye shall, likewise, 8 have of consolation. For I would not have you igno- rant, brethren, of the load of afflictions in Asia, that were beyond measure heavy upon me, and beyond my strength: so that I could see no way of escaping with 9 life. But I had the sentence of death in myself, that I might not trust in myself, but in God, who can restore 10 to life even those who are actually dead: Who delivered me from so imminent a danger of death, who doth deli- 11 yer, and in whom I trust, he will yet deliver me: You also joining the assistance of your prayers for me; so that thanks may be returned by many, for the deliver- ance procured me, by the prayers of many persons. 12 For I cannot doubt of the prayers and concern of you, and many others, for me; since my glorying in this, viz. the testimony of my own conscience, that, in plainness of heart, and sincerity before God, not in fleshly wis- dom*, but by the favour of God directing me‘, I have behaved myself towards all men, but more particylarly NOTES. 12 4 What * fleshly wisdom” is, may be seen chaps iv. 2, 5. ai This Zan’ zy xepilt ©cz, ** But in the favour of God,” is the same with “GAG epic Oc% 4 ory enol, § the favour of God, that is with me,” i.e, by God’s favourable assistance, ‘ P ¥ Oh ee 210 II. CORINTHIANS. cuar. " ‘a TEXT. ‘ Lag 18 For we wuts other things unto you, than what you re or acknowledge, and I trust you shall acknowledge even te th ; end. “sheer we, aa hed! 14 As also you have Meek ow: us in part, that we are your? joicing, even as ye also a ours, in the day of the Lord = ~ PARAPHRASE. iy, 13 towards you. For I have no design, no meaning, _ what I write to you, but what lies open, and is legible in what you read: and you yourselves cannot but ac knowledge it to be so; aud I hope you shall always ac 14 knowledge it to the end. As part of you have alre ady acknowledged that Iam your glory’; as you will be mine, at the day of judgment, when, being my scholars wy and converts, ye shall be saved. — * hy bead ik: ibe NOTE. il fie w 44 «© That Tam your glory ;” whereby he signifies that pat Seal ic stuck to him, and owned him as their teacher: in which sense, * rsaane much used, in these epistles to the corinthians,. upon the oc partisans boasting, some, that they were of Paul; and others, o} of SECT. I. Ne. 2 CHAP. I. 15.—II. ‘17. CONTENTS. . hi "THe next thing St. Paul justifies, is, his nate omil them. St. Paul had promised to call on the corimthi his way to Macedonia; but failed. ‘This his opposers have to:be from levity i in him; or a mind, that regu self wholly. by carnal interest; vid. yer. 17... To answers, that God himself, having confirmed them; - by the unction and.earnest of his Spirit, in th try of the gospel of his Son, whom he, Paul, had p to them steadily, the same, without any the: least v or. gia ie) thing, he Sad at any time de ‘@nAp. f. il. CORINTHIANS. 211 could have no ground to suspect him to be an unstable, un- certain man, that would play fast and loose with them, and could not be depended on, in what he said to them. This is what he says, ch. i. 15 —22. _ In the next place, he, with a solemn asseveration, pro- fesses, that it was to spare them, that he came not to them. This he explains, ch. i 23, and ii. 2, 3.» . He gives another reason, chap. ii. 12, 13, why he went on to Macedonia, without coming to Corinth, as he had pur- posed; and that was the uncertainty he was in, by the not coming of Titus, what temper they were in, at Corinth. Having mentioned his journey to Macedonia, he’ takes no- tice of the success, which God gave to him there, and every where, declaring of what consequence his preaching was, both to the salvation, and condemnation, of those, who re- ceived, or rejected it; professing again his siucerity and dis- interestedness, not without a severe reflection on their false apostle. All which we find in the following verses, viz. ch. ii. 14—17, and is all very suitable, and pursuant to his design in this epistle, which was to establish his authority and credit amongst the corinthians. TEXT. 15 And, in this confidence, I was minded to come unto you before, that you might have a second benefit; 16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again, out of Macedonia, unto you; and, of you, to be brought on my way, towards Judea. % ° PARAPHRASE. 15 Haying this persuasion, (viz.) of your love and esteem of me, I purposed to come unto you ere this, that you might 16 havea second gratification*; And to take you in my way to Macedonia, and from thence return to you again, and, NOTE, 45 2 By the word yép1», which our Bibles translate ** benefit,” or * grace,** it is plain the apostle means his béing ‘present among them a second time, witha out giving them any grief or displeasure. He had been with them before, almost two years together, with satisfaction-and kindness. He intended them another visit; but it was, he*says, that they ‘might have the like gratification, i.¢. the . like satisfaction in his compahy-@ second time, which w the ‘same he says, 2 Cor, ii, 1, me Pm 212 II. CORINTHIANS, 17 When I, therefore, was thus minded, did I use lightness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, th . with me there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay? Ae ‘18 But, as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you, by us, even by me, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, was not yea and nay; but in him was yea. eRe) Ed a 20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amer unto the glory of God, by us. ' 21 Now he, which establisheth us with you, in Christ, and ha th anointed us, is God: ; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit, ia our hearts, PARAPHRASE. van 17 by you, be brought on in my way to Judea. If this fell hot out so, as I purposed, am I, therefore, to be COL - demned of fickleness? Or am I to be thought an un- certain man, that talks forwards and backwards, One that has no regard to his word, any farther than may suit his _ 18 carnal interest? But God is my witness, that what you have heard from me, has not been uncertain, deceitful, 19 or variable. For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who wai preached among you, by me, and Silvanus, and Timo= ' theus, was not sometimes one thing, and sometimes gno- ther; but has been shown to be uniformly one and 20 same, in the counsel, or revelation of God. (For. promises of God do all consent, and stand firm, in 21 to the glory of God, by my preaching. Now it is who establishes me with you, for the preaching of _ 22 gospel, who has anointed*®, And also sealed‘ me, and given me the earnest‘ of his Spirit, in my heart, NOTES, KK 21 > * Anointed,” i.e. set apart to be an apostle, by an extraordinary call. Priests and prophets were set apart, by anointing, as wellaskings. 22 © * Sealed,” i.e. by the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost; which are an evidence of the truths he brings from God, as a seal is of a letter. ~ a te 4 «¢ Earnest”? of eternal life; for of that the Spirit is mentioned, asa ple in more places than one; vid. 2 Cor, v. 5, Eph. i. 18, 14. All these ments to satify the corinthians, that St. Paul was not, nor could be, a man, that minded not what he said, but as it served his turn, - ; The reasoning of St. Paul, ver. 18—22, whereby he would co -» Corinthians, that he was not a fickle, unsteady man, that says or unsa suit his humour or interest, being a little obscure, by reason of the @HapP. 11. IL CORINTHIANS. 213 TEXT. 23 Moreover, I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare © __ you, I came not as yet unto Corinth. 24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for, by faith, ye stand. Il. 1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come - again to you in heaviness. PARAPHRASE. 23 Moreover, I call God to witness, and may I die if it is not so, that it was to spare you, that I came not yet to 24 Corinth. Not that I pretend to such a dominion over your faith, as to require you to believe what I have taught - you, without coming to you, when I am expected there, to maintain and make it good; for it is by that faith you stand: but I forbore to come, as one concerned to pre- serve and help forward your joy, which I am tender of, and therefore declined coming to you, whilst I thought -you in an estate, that would require severity from me, II. 1 that would trouble you®. 1 purposed in myself, it is true, to come to you again, but I resolved too, it should NOTES. of his style here, which has left many things to be supplied by the reader, to connect the parts of the argumentation, and make the deduction clear; I hope I shall be tenga if I endeavour to set it in its clear light, for the sake of ers. «< God hath set me apart, to the ministry of the gospel, by an extraordinary call; has attested my mission, by the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, and ** given me the earnest of eternal life, in my heart, by his Spirit; and hath “ confirmed me, amongst you, in preaching the gospel, which is all uniform, “© and of a piece, as I have preached it to you, without tripping in the least : «« and there, to the glory of God, have shown that al] the promises concur, and *€ are unalterably certain in Christ. J, therefore, having never faultered in < any thing I have said to you, and having all these attestation<, of being under “© the special direction and guidance of God himself, who is unalrerably true, ** cannot be suspeeted of dealing doubly with you, in any thing, relating to «© my ministry.” 24 © It is plain, St. Paul’s doctrine had been opposed by some of them at inth, vid. 1 Cor. xv. 12. His apostleship questioned, 1 Cor ix. 1, 25 2 Cor. xiii. 3.. He himself triumphed over, as if he durst not come, 1 Cor. iv. 18, they saying ‘his letters were weighty and powerful, but his bodily a weak, and his speech contemptible; 2 Cor. x. 10. This being - the state his reputation was then in, at Corinth, and he having promised to come «to them, 1 Cor. xvi. 5, he could not but think it necessary to excuse his failing » by reasons, that should be both convincing and kind; such as are cone tained in this verse, in the sense given of it. ‘ bos ue Il. CORINTHIANS. —cmar. TEXT. 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he, then, that maketh me gla i but the same which is made sorry byme? $3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should hay sorrow from them, of whom I ought to rejoice; having confi in you all, that my joy isthe joy of youall, 4 For, out of much affliction and auguish of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears; not that you should be grieved, but that ye might know the love, which I have more abundantly unto you. - 5 But, if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part; that I may not overcharge you all. PARAPHRASE. fy be60 Te 2 be, without bringing sorrow with me’. For if I grieve you, who is there, when I am with you, to comfort me, but those very persons, whom I have discomposed with 3 griefr And this very thing*, which made you sad, I writ to you, not coming myself; on purpose that, when I came, I might not have sorrow from those, from whom I ought to receive comfort: having this belief and confidence in you all, that you, all of you, make my joy and satisfaction so much your own, that you would remove all cause of 4 disturbance, before 1 came. For I writ unto you with great sadness of heart and many tears; not with an tention to grieve you, but that you might know the flow of tenderness and affection, which I have for 3 5. But if the fornicator has been the cause of grief, I do say, he has been so to me, but in some degree to you ego whi NOTES. lt 1 That this is the meaning of this verse, and not that he would n them, in sorrow, a second time, is past doubt, since he had never been wii jn sorrow a first time. Vid. 2 Cor. i, 15. weidinpneae 3 & Kal typasba tiv tro adrd, “and I writ to you this very | ‘That éypaa, ‘ I writ,” relates, here, to the first epistle to the cor is evident, because it is so used, in the very next verse, and agai lower, ver 9. What, therefore, is it in his first epistle, which he vic0 avrd, “ this very thing,” which he had writ tothem? I ans punishment of the fornicator. This is plain by what follows here, t especially, if it be compared with 1 Cor. iv. 21, and v. 8. For writes to them, to punish that person; whom, if he, St. Paul, had con self, before it was done, he must have come, as he calls it, with a ri himself chastised: but now, that he knows that the corinthians hac him, in compliance to his letter; and he had had this trial of their he is so far from continuing the severity, that he writes to them te forgi ¥ Pin al a ‘} & 2) and take him again into their affection, cua, «AL, CORINTHIANS, O15 MEE oi RRR res 6 Sufficient to such:a man is this punishment, which was inflicted. of many. up a: % So that, contrariwise, ye ought rather to forgive him, and com- fort him; lest perhaps such au one should be swallowed up with over-much sorrow. en ae 8 Wherefore, I beseech you, that ye would confirm your love to- ~ wards him. z 9 For to this end, also, did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things ae 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, | forgive also: for, if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave | it, in the person of Christ. 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not igno- rant of his devices. PARAPHRASE. 6 that I may not lay a load on him h The correction he hath received from the majority of you, is sufficient in 7 the case. So that, on the contrary‘, it is fit rather that you forgive and comfort him, lest he* should be swal- 8 lowed up, by an excess of sorrow. Wherefore, I be- seech you to confirm your love to him, which I doubt 9 notof. For this, also, was one end of my writing to you, ~ viz. To have a trial of you, and to know whether you are 10 ready to obey me in all things. To whom you forgive any thing, I also forgive. For if [ have forgiven any ~ thing, 1 have forgiven it to him for your sakes, by the 11 authority, and in the name of Christ; That we may not ~ be over-reached by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his wiles. ol NOTES. 5 » St. Paul being satisfied with the corinthians, for their ready compliance ‘with his orders, in his former letter, to punish t .e fornicator, intercedes to have him restored; and, to that end, lessens his fanit, and declares, however he might have caused grief to the corinthians, yet he had caused none to him. "| i Téyaveiory “ on the contrary,” here, has nothing to refer to, but emiGupas * overcharge,” in the Sch verse, which makes that belong to the fornicator, as L have explained it. : k ‘© rotir@:, “such an one,” meaning the fornicator. It is observable, ‘how tenderly St. Paul deals with the corinthians, in this epistle ; for though he treats of the fornicator, from the 5th to the 10th verse inclusively ; yet he never. * mentions him under that, or aay other disobliging title, but in the sott and. - ' Gnoffensive terms, “‘ of any one,”’ or “ such an one.”” And that, poss#ly; may be the reason, why he says, won emrvboacpaay indefinitely, without naming the person it relates to. 216 II. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. hy TEXT. i 12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas, to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto ine of the Lord, = (tsi 2? 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus, my bro-_ ther: but, taking my leave of them, I went from thence, into Macedonia. 14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph _ in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge, by _ , In every place. rs OB ORT Rs ¢ 15 For we are, unto God, a sweet savour of Christ, in them that — are saved, and in them that perish. ous Oe 16 To the one, we are the savour of death unto death; and to the — other, the savour of life unto life; and who is sufficient for these ] things? PARAPHRASE. 12 Furthermore, being arrived at Troas, because Titus, whom I expected fronr Corinth, with news of you, was not come, I was very uneasy! there; insomuch that I made not use of the opportunity, which was put into — my hands by the Lord, of preaching the gospel of Christ, 13 for which I came thither. I hastily left those of Troas, _ 14 and departed thence to Macedonia. But thanks be to God, in that he always makes me triumph every-where™, _ through Christ, who gives me success in preaching the _ gospel, and spreads the knowledge of Christ by me. 15 For my ministry, and labour in the gospel, is a service, or sweet-smelling sacrifice to God, through Christ, both — in regard of those that are saved, and those that peri 16 To the one my preaching is of ill savour, unacceptable and offensive, by their rejecting whereof they draw death on themselves ; and to the other, being as a aa = as v. Pats aoe aa ie a s vour, acceptable, they thereby receive eternal hfe. A ft who is sufficient for these things"? And yet, as I said, — NOTES, 1 Oe a 12 1 How uneasy he was, and upon what account, see ch. vii. 5—=16. Teas not barely for Titus’s absence, but for want of the news he brought with himy ch. vii. 7. + Via ie 14 m §* Who makes me triumph every-where,” i.e. in the success ff: ¥ preaching, in my journey to Macedonia; and also, in my victory, at the : Te. time, at Corinth, over the false apostles, my opposers, that had raised a faction against me, amongst you. This, I think, is St. Paul’s meaning, and the reason of his using the word, triumph, which implies contest and victory, though he laces that word so, as modestly to cover it. es. 7 4 16 ® Vid. ch. iii, 2) 6, : av a) cuar.11. = If. CORINTHIANS. 217 TEXT. 17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but < of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in hrist. PARAPHRASE. 17 my service in the gospel is well-pleasing to God. Aor I am not, as several® are, who are hucksters of the word of God, preaching it for gain; but I preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, in sincerity. I speak, as from God him- self, and I deliver it, as in the presence of God, NOTE. 47 © This, I think, may be understood of the false apostle. SECT. II. N°. 3. CHAP. III. 1.—VII. 16. CONTENTS. Fis speaking well of himself (as he did sometimes in his first epistle, and, with much more freedom, in this, which, ‘as it seems, had been objected to him, amongst the corin- thians) his plainness of speech, and his sincerity in preaching the gospel, are the things, which he chiefly justifies, in this section, many ways. We shall observe his arguments, as they come in the order of St. Paul’s discourse, in which are mingled, with great insinuation, many expressions of an overflowing kindness to the corinthians, not without some ‘exhortations to them. 218 I CORINTHIANS, — onar.it TEXT. 1 Do we begin, again, to commend oursgivges OF need we, J some others, epistles of commendation, to you, 0 r letters of - mendation, from you? au SGA dace @ Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 1 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle €hrist, ministered by us, written, not with ink, but with the Spi rit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. aietaseehii clued) ale 4 And such trust have we, throuch Christ, to Godward, vn e) 7 fo Be) i PARAPHRASE. — tte Use 1 D O I begin again to commend myself*; or need I, as 2 some’, commendatory letters to, or from you? You are my commendatory epistle, written in my heart, knowr 3 and read by all men. I need no other commendatory _- letter, but that you being manifested to be the commen- ~ datory epistle of Christ, written on my behalf; not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on table S of stone‘, but of the heart, whereof I>was the amanue sis; 1.€. your conversation was the effect of my ministry. 4 “And this so great confidence have I, through Christ, in NOTES. ae 1 + This isa plain indication, that he had been blamed, amongst them, -eommending himself. sap Lu » Seems to intimate, that their false apostle had got himself recommen: thei, by letters, and so had introduced himself into that church. ae 3 ¢ The sense of St. Paul, in this third verse, is plainly this: that he no letters of commendation to them; but that their conversion, and the g written not with ink, but with the Spirit of God, in the tables of their h and not in tables of stone, by his ministry, was as clear ae a an ‘mony to them, of his mission from Christ, as the law, writ in table ; was an evidence of Moses’s mission; so that he, St. Paul, needed no othe commendation: this is what is to be understood by this verse, unless" w make ‘¢ the tables of stone” to have no signification here. Rut to sz does, that the corinthians, being writ upon, in their hearts, not with with the Spirit of God, by the hand of St. Paul, was Christ’s com letter of him, being a pretty bold expression, liable to the exception of ¢] tious part of the corinthians; he, to obviate all imputation of vanit glory, herein immediately subjoins what follows in the next yerse- 4 ¢ As if he had said, ‘* Bur mistake me not, as if I boasted of ** this so great boasting, that I use, is only my confidence in God, thr “ Christ: for it was God, that made me a minister of the gospel, “* stowed on me the ability for it; and whatever I perform in it is *© from him,” eae , euaP. III. IJ. CORINTHIANS, 219 TEXT. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing, as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency is of God: 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, bat the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death written and ingraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not .stedfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away ; PARAPHRASE. 5 God. Notas if I were sufficient of myself to reckon* upon any thing, as of myself; but my sufficiency, my 6 ability, to perform any thing, is wholly from God: Who has fitted and enabled me to be a minister of the New Testament, not of the letter’, but of the spirit; for the 7 letter kills®, but the spirit gives life. But, if the minisiry of the law written in stone, which condemns to death, were so glorious to Moses, that his face shone so, that the children of Israel could not steadily behold the bright- NOTES. 5 © TeeroiMnors, “ trust,” ver. 4, a milder term for ‘¢ boasting,” for sa St. Paul uses it, chap. x. 7, compared with ver. 8, where also royilicdery Werte is used, as here, counting upén one’s self; St. Paul also uses aimoibac, for « thou boastest,”” Rom. ii. 19, which will appear, if compared with ver. 175 ‘or if Aoyicoobus shall rather be thought to signify here to discover by reason- ‘ing, then the apostle’s sense will run thus: ‘ Not as if I were sufficient of » & myself, by the strength of my own natural parts, to attain the knowledge of € the gospel truths, that I preach; but my ability herein is all. from God.*” But, in whatever sense acyicacbas is here taken, it is certain gi, which is translated ‘any thing,” must be limited to the subject in hand, viz. the gos- pel, that he preached to them, : 6 F OS ypdppal@, arrd ovedparG- “ not of the letter, but of the spirit.” _ By expressing himself, as he does here, St. Paul may be understood to intimates that “the New Testament, or covenant,” was also, though obscurely, held forth in the law: For he says, he was constituted a minister, muevct@x, ‘* of *‘ the spirit,” or spiritual meaning of the law, which was Christ, (as he tells us himself, ver. 17.) and giveth life, whilst the letter killeth. But both letter and spirit must be understood of the same thing, viz. ‘ the letter of the law, s¢ and the spirit of the law.’? And, in fact, we find St. Paul truly a minister of the spirit of the law; especially in his epistle to the Hebrews, where he shows what a spiritual sense ran through the mosaical institution and writings. & © The letter kills,” i.e. pronouncing death, without any way of remission, on all transgressors, leaves them under an irrevocable sentence of death, But Hi Spirit, ie, Christ, ver. 17, who is a quickening Spirit, 1 Cor, xv, 45, giveth Ce dak 220 II. CORINTHIANS. __ nav. a1 TEXT. | $ How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?” 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. | 10 For even that, which was made glorious, had no glory, in this — respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. | 41 For, if that which is done away was glorious, much more that, — which remaineth, is glorious. , Ps PARAPHRASE. ness of it, which was but temporary, and was quickly te _8 vanish*; How can it be otherwise, but that the ministry of the Spirit, which giveth life, should coufer more glor 9 and lustre on the ministers of the gospel? For, if the ministration of condemnation were glory, the ministry of 4 justification’, in the gospel, doth certainly much more — 10 exceed in glory. Though even the glory, that Moses’ ministration had, was no glory, in comparison of the far 11 more excelling glory of the gospel-ministry*. Farther, — if that which is temporary, and to be done away, were NOTES, a . 3° 7 ® Kallapyepémy, “ done away,” is applied here to the shining of M face, and to the law, ver. 11 and 18. In all which places it is used i present tense, and has the signification of an adjective, standing for tempor or of a duration, whose end was determined; and is opposed to +a peor “*¢ that which remaineth,” i.e. that which is lasting, and hath no predeter. mined end set to it, as ver. 11, where the gospel dispensation is called ro wevory “that which remaineth.” This may help us to understand ead Ménc ele 00 ver. 18, ‘* from glory to glory,” which is manifestly opposed to én xa1 vein, “ tee glory done away,” of this verse; and so plainly signifies a. tinued, lasting glory of the ministers of the gospel ; which, as he tells us consisted in their being changed fhto the image and clear representation | Lord himself; as the glory of Moses consisted in the transitory bright his face, which was a taint reflection of the glory of God, appearing to him i the mount. ‘ose 9 FT Atanovice ths Sxatoovync, © the ministration of righteousness ;”” so ministry of the gospel is called, because, by the gospel, a way is provi 1 the justification of those, who have transgressed; but the law has nothing “rigid condemnation for all transgressors; and, therefore, is called here, * th * ministration of condemnation.” an 10 k Though the showing, that the ministry of the gospel is more ¢. ‘than that of the law, but what St. Paul is here upon, thereby to justify hi if he has assumed some authority and commendation to himself, in hi s and apostleship; yet in his thus industriously placing the ministry of th in honour, above that of Moses, may he not possibly have an eye to the false apostle of the corinthians, to let them see, what little regard was te $o that ministration, in comparison of the ministry of the gospel? _ ©HAP: II}. II. CORINTHIANS. 221 TEXT. 12 Seeing then, that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech. 13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the chil- dren of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished. PARAPHRASE. delivered with glory, how much rather is that, which re- mains, without being done away, to appear in glory? 42 Wherefore, having such hope”, we use great freedom ‘13 and plainness of speech. And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, do we veil the light; so that the obscurity of what we deliver should hinder® the children NOTES. 11 ! Here St. Paul mentions another pre-eminency and superiority of glory, in the gospel, over the law ; viz. that the law was to cease, and to be abolished : but the gospel to remain, and never be abolished. 12 m “Such hope:”’ that St. Paul, by these words, means the so honour- able employment of an apostle and minister of the gospel, or the glory, be- longing to his ministry, in the gospel, is evident, by the whole foregoing com- parison, which he has made, which is all along between digzovia, “ the mi- “¢ nistry’’ of the law and of the gospel, and not between the law and the gospel themselves. The calling of it “ hope,” instead of glory, here, where he speaks of his having of it, is the language of modesty, which more particularly suited his present purpose. For the conclusion, which, in this verse, he draws from what went before, plainly shows the apostle’s design, in this discourse, to be the justifying his speaking freely of himself and others; his argument amounting to thus much: © Having, therefore, so honourable an employment, as is the ministry of the “© gospel, which far exceeds the ministry of the law in glory; though even that ' €€ gave so great a lustre to Moses’s face, that the children of Tsrael could not ¢ with fixed eyes look upon him: I, as becomes one of such hopes, in such a “€ post as sets me above all mean considerations and compliances, use great free- © dom and plainness of speech, in all things that concern my ministry.”” 13 9 Tipos 7d wn citevioas, &c. “ That the children of Israel could not s¢ stedfastly look,”” &c. St. Paul is here justifying in himself, and other mi- nisters of the gospel, the plainness and openness of their preaching, which he had asserted, in the immediately preceding verse. These words, therefore, here, must of necessity be understood, not of Moses, but of the ministers of the _ gospel: viz. that it was not the obscurity of their preaching, not any thing veiled, in their way of proposing the gospel, which was the cause, why the children of Israel did not understand the law to the bottom, and see Christ, _the end of it, in the writings of Moses. What St. Paul says, in the next _ verse, ** But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same *¢ veil untaken away,” plainly determines the words, we are upon, to the sense J have taken them in: for what sense is this? ** Moses put a veil over s© his face, so that the children of Israel could not see the end of the law; but _€© their minds were blinded ; for the veil remains upon them, until this day.” ‘But this is very good sense, and to St. Paul’s purpose, viz. ‘¢ We, the ministers S of the innel speak plainly and openly, and put no veil upon ourselves, as poe If, CORINTHIANS, — énari aif TEXT. 14 But their minds were blinded; for wntil this day ese “4 same veil untaken away, in the reading of the Old Testan ent; — which veil is done away in Christ. ee 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. ' - 16 Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. | = PARAPHRASE. of Israel from seeing, in the law, which was to be don 14 away, Christ, who was the end® of the law. But thei not seeing it, is from the blindness of their own minds for, unto this day, the same veil remains upon their un derstandings, in reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ; i.e. Christ, now he is come, so exactly answers all the types, prefigurations, and pre- dictions of him, in the Old Testament, that prese upon turning our eyes upon him, he visibly appears to” be the person designed, and all the obscurity of those _ passages concerning him, which before were not under- 15 stood, is taken away, and ceases. Nevertheless, even until now, when the writings of Moses are real, veil? remains upon their hearts, they see not the spiri-— 16 tual and evangelical truths contained in them. But, ~ when their heart shall turn to the Lord, and, laying by prejudice and aversion, shall be willing to receive the truth, the veil shall be taken away, and they shall pl. see him to be the person spoken of, and intend NOTES. rr A #© Moses did, whereby to hinder the jews from seeing Christ, in the law: « that, which hinders them, is a blindness on their minds, which s¢ always on them, and remains to this day.” This seems to be an obvia objection, which some among the corinthians might make to his boasting much plainness and clearness in his preaching, viz. If you preach the and Christ, contained in the law, with such a shining clearness and how comes it that the jews are not converted toit? His reply is, “ “¢ belief comes not from any obscurity in our preaching, but from a * which rests upon their minds to this day ; which shall be taken away. « they turn to the Lord.” Bis leah ae ® Vid. Rom. x. 2—4. ial by 15 p St. Paul, possibly, alludes here to the custom of the jews, tinues still in the synagogue, that, when the law is read, they put a their faces. 4 Wi btn “46 ¢ When this shall be, see Rom. xis 25-27» : \ | CHAP. IIT. II. CORINTHIANS. 293 TEXT. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord ' is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face, beholding, as in a glass, the glory . ofthe Lord, are changed imto the same image, from glory to * glory, even-as by the Spirit of the Lord. PARAPHRASE. 17 But the Lord is the Spirit’, whereof we are ministers; ~ and they, who have this Spirit, they have liberty*, so 18 that they speak openly and freely. But we, all the faithful ministers of the New Testament, not veiled‘, NOTES. 417+ ‘oO & Kipie To wyedu.c ecw, ‘* but the Lord is that Spirit.” These words relate to ver. 6, where he says, that he isa minister, not of the letter of the law, not of the outside and literal sense, but of the mystical and spiritual meaning of it; which he here tells us, is Christ. _s & There is liberty;” because the Spirit is given only to sons, or those that are free. See Rom. viii. 15, Gal. iv. 6, 7. 48 t St. Paul justifies his freedom and plainness of speech, by his being made, by God himself, a minister of the gospel, which is a more glorious ministry, than that of Moses, in promulgating the law. This he does from ver. 6, to ver. 12, inclusively. From thence, to the end of the chapter, he justifies his liberty of speaking; in that he, as a minister of the gospel, being illuminated with greater and brighter rays of light, than Moses, was to speak, (as he did) with more freedom and clearness, than Moses had done. This being the scope of St. Paul, in this piace, it is visible, that all from these words, ‘¢ who put 2 «< veil upon his face,” ver. 13,-to the beginning of ver. 18, is a parenthesis ; ~ which being laid aside, the comparison between the ministers of the gospel and _ Moses stands clear: ‘* Moses} with a veil, covered the brightness and glory of __ God, which shone in his countenance;’* but we, the ministers of the gospel, with open countenances, xclomrpiCouuevos, reflecting as mirrours the glory of the Lord. So the word xalowrpiCéyevor, must signify here, and not “ beholding as “in a mirrour:”” because the comparison is between the ministers of the gospel and Moses, and not between the ministers-of the gospel and the children of “Tsrael: now the action, of “ beholding,” was the action of the children of "Israel; but of ‘¢ shining, or reflecting the glory, received in the mount,”’ was the action of Moses; and, therefore, it must be something answering that, in ‘the ministers of the gospel, wherein 2 comparison is made; as is farther ma- nifest, in another express part of the comparison between the veiled face of Moses, ver. 13, and the open face of the ministers of the gospel, im this verse. | iting of Moses was veiled, that the bright shining, or glory of God, re- _‘Maining on it, or reflected from it, might not be seen; and the faces of the _ ‘Ministers of the gospel are open, that the bright shining of the gospel, or the “glory of Christ, may be seen. Thus the justness of the comparison stands fair, and has an easy sense, which is hard to be made out, if xarom'lpsConevos be tran- “slated, «* heholding as in a glass.” Thy cithy cixdva perapopiycda, * we are changed into that very image,” “ice. the reflection of the glory of Christ, from us, is so very bright and clear, ‘that we are changed into his very image; whereas the light that shone in Moses’s - m 224 II. CORINTHIANS. ‘CHAP. “ TEXT. IV. 1 Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have rece mercy, we faint not: Spears i 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walkir in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but, b manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God. 7 PARAPHRASE. ~ but with open countenances, as mirrours, reflecting the glory of the Lord, are changed into his very image, by a continued succession of glory, as it were, streaming upon us from the Lord, who is the Spirit, who gives us this IV. 1 clearness and freedom. Seeing, therefore, 1 am in- trusted with such a ministry, as this, according as I hay received great mercy, being extraordinarily and miracu- lously called, when I was a persecutor, I do not fail”, N01 flag: I do not behave myself unworthily in it, nor mis- becoming the honour and dignity of such an employment: 2 But, having renounced all unworthy and indirect designs, which will not bear the light, free from craft, and from playing any deceitful tricks, in my preaching the woré ; 7 j NOTES. ae countenance, was but a faint reflection of the glory, which he saw, when showed him his back parts, Exod. xxxiii. 23. : a "Agro MéEng tic 06Eay, “ from glory to glory, ise. with a continued inf renewing of glory, in opposition to the shining of Moses’s face, which and disappedred in a little while, ver. 7. at Kabdaep amo Tlupie, averpar@-, “as from the Lord, the Spirit,” i.e. as 1 this irradiation of light and glory came immediately from the source of it, thi Lord himself, who is that Spirit, whereof we are the mimisters, ver. 6, qwal giveth life and liberty, ver. 17. ; - This liberty he here speaks of, ver. 17, is wapincia, ** libe mentioned ver. 12, the subject of St. Paul’s discourse here; as is far : fest, from what immediately follows, in the six first verses of the next chapt wherein an attentive reader may find a very clear comment on this 18th verse are upon, which is there explained, in the sense we have given of it 1° Ox ixxaxdyer, “* we faint not,” is the same with, a xpouebe, ‘ we use great plainness of speech,” ver. 12, chapter ; and signifies, in both places, the clear, plain, di preaching of the gospel; which is what he means, in that fig : speaking, in the former chapter, especially the last verse of it, and which more plainly expresses, in the five or six verses of this: the whole les of the first part of this epistle being, as we have already observed; to - the corinthians his behaviour in his ministry, and to convince th ¢ preaching the gospel, he hath been plain, clear, open, and ¢ id, v hidden design, or the least mixture of any concealed, secular interest. .% f *, ‘ ¥ ros CHAP. tv. Il. CORINTHIANS: ye 295 TEXT. 3 But, if our gospel be hid, it is hid to choi ch re lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath bli he minds of them -* which believe not, lest the light of es are ty gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should to them. ~5 For we preach not ourselves, but fisted esus the Lord; and our- selves your servants for Jesus’ sake. \"" 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in_ our hearts, to give the’ licht of the knowledge of the _ glofy of God, in ae face of Jesus Christ. a “pan brass. God; I dae thyself to every one’s conscience, ' only by making plain” the truth, which I deliver, as in 3 the presence of God. But if the cospel, which I preach, be obscure ahd hidden, it is so, only to those who aut 4 lost: Inw n, being nbelievers, the God of this world®. has linded ‘th “inmds’, so that the glorious* brightness * of the of. the gospel of Christ, who is the image of 5 God,» not enli iten them. For I seek not my own lory, 38° secular advantage, in preaching, but only the ro oppaating of the gospel “of the Lord Jesus Christ; pro- - 6 fessing myself. your servant for Jesus’ sake. Tor God, “who made light to shime out of darkness, hath enlightened so. my dark heart, who before saw not the end of the that. I might communicate the knowledge and light e glory of “God, which shines in the face* of Jesus a’) ° . NOTES. ¥ "Amesrretuclee Te xpurelee Tis aboevncs «¢ have renounced the hidden igs of dishonesty,”’ and +7 Peevepocres Hg anrnbeiacs, °° by manifestation of truth.” These e Sai explain avanexorvputry wpocdmy, “ with n face,” chap. iii. )4 = “ The god of this world,” i.e. the devil, so called because the men of he world orshipped and obeyed him as their God. Dawoe Tx vonucle, ** blinded their minds,” answers érwpabn ce *¢ their minds were blinded,” chap. iii. 14. And the second and of thi explain the 13th and 14th verses of the preceding chapter. #3 * slory,” here, as in the former chapter, is put for shining and ‘ightness ; so that eveclryéAvoy rs dens TB Xpic®, is the brightness, or clear eka ee eae wherein Christ is manifested in the gospel. - Bg his is a continuation still of the allegory of Moses, and the shining of e: his ibe &e-+so much insisted on, in the foregoing chapter. For the explication whereof, give me leave to add here one word more to » what I have said upon it already; Moses, by approaching to God, in the mount, hada il 3 of * glory,” or “slight,” from him, which irradiated : & = : se a. | . 9 Persecuted; but not for rt, x, Beg . 226 ee Il. CORINTHIANS. —cmar. ry, TEXT. 7 But we bate sc in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power ‘be of God, and not of us. 7 8 We are troubled, on every side, yet not distressed; we are pef- plexed, but not im al ; cree. | saken ; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing’ abouf‘in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be ee manifest in our body... 11 For we,s»which live, are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest’ our . i mortal flesh, .. ™ © i ty. , 12 So then death worketh in us; thew you PARAPHRASE. “7 Christ. But yet we, to whon this treasure of know- ledge, the gospel of Jesus Christ, is,ce mmitted, to be ~*\p propagated in the world, are butfrailmen: that so the exceeding great power, that accor § to be from God and not from » 58 manifest by the energy, that accompanies my preach: 11 in this frail body. For, as longas Llive, I's allibe _pesed to the danger of death, for the sake of Jesus, that the life of Jesus, risen from the dead, may be made ma- nifest by my preaching, and sufferings, in this me 12 flesh of mine. So that the preaching Yo gospé . by Jesus Christ, is said here * to shine in his face;”’ and im thi that Christ, in the foregoing verse, is called by St. Paul, ‘¢ the i and the apostles are said, in the last verse of the preceding «< transformed into the same image, from glory to glory;” ine | and clear communications of the knowledge of God, in the gi said to be transformed into the same image, and to ne asm glory of the Lord, and to be, as it were, the images of Christ, as Chr we are told here, ver, 4) ** the +. of God.” ; “* seh bea A a ae if > | rg | }, CHAP. IV. IT. CORINTHIANS. , & 227 . TEXT. “tas 13 We having the same Spirit of faith, according as it is written, “© I believed, and therefore have I spoken :” we also believe, and » therefore speak ; h; ar 14 Knowing that he, which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise .» »” up us also, by Jesus, and shall present us with yous” % 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might, .' through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God. » 16 For which cause we faint not; but, though our oubggrd man pe- _ rish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. ~~ 47 For our light affliction, which is but for’a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. PARAPHRASE. | _ cures sufferings and danger of death to me; but to you it procures life, i.e. the energy of the Spirit of Christ, whereby he lives in, and gives life to those who believe 13 inhim. Nevertheless, though suffering and death ac- company the preaching of the gospel; yet, having the same Spirit of faith that David had, when he said, _ “J believe, therefore have I spoken,” I also, believing, 14, therefore speak ; Knowing that he, who raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise me up also, by Jesus, and pre- 15 sent me, with you, to God. For I do, and suffer, all things, for your sakes, that the exuberant favour of God. . may abound, by the thanksgiving of a greater number, * . to the glory of God; i.e. I endeavour, by my sufferings -_ and preaching, to make as many converts as I can, that so the more partaking of the mercy and favour of God, of which there is a plentiful and inexhaustible store, the _ more may give thanks unto him, it bemg»more for the : Rory of God, that a greater number should give thanks 16 and pray to him. For which reason | faint not’, I flag » not; but though my bodily strength decay, yet the vi- ‘ gour of my mind is daily renewed. For the more my Br eae NOTE. 46 > & T faint not.” What this signifies, we have seen, ver. 1. Here St. Paul gives’another proof of his sincerity, in his ministry ; and that is, the suf- ferings and danger of death, which he daily incurs, by his preaching the gospel. _ And the reason, why those sufferings and dangers deter him not, normakehim * wat all flag, he tells them, is, the assurance he has, that God, through Christ, will raise him again, and reward him with immortality in glory. This argu- ‘ment he pursues, “ie ivy 17, and y+ 9.0 © ; ee we f, 82% Te a ’ : sd sd i m , j 928 % Ty CORINTHIANS. CHAP. Ve %. : * : r _ TEXT. 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things " which are. not seen: for the things which are seen, are temporal, — but the aes whith are not seen, are eternak]" Pe. ae « V.1 For we'know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were _ fe dissolved, wethave a building of God, an house not made with — hands}ternalify th eavens. af meh te oe Ga \. @ For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon, with — our house, which is from heaven : Bey APE | 3 If so be, that being clothed we hall not be found naked. __ 4 For we, that are ia this ber, do groan, being burdened: — not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mo tality might be swallowedjup of life. ! PARAPHRASE. sufferings are here in propagating the gospel, which at worst are but transient and light, the more will they pro- cure me an exceedingly far greater addition of that 18 glory® in heaven, which is solid and eternal; I having ‘no regard to the visible things of this world, but to the invisible things of the other: for the things, that are seer & are temporal; but those, that are not seen, eternal. V.1 For I know, that if this my body, which is but asa tent for my sojourning here upon earth, for a short tine, were dissolved, I shall have another, of a divine original,” _which shall not, like buildings made with men’s ha “pe subject to decay, but shall be eternal in the heavy: 2 For in this tabernacle*, I groan earnestly, desiring, with- out putting off this mortal, earthly body, by death iC 3 have tHat -celestial body superinduced ; Tf so be coming® “of Christ shall overtake me, in this life. 4 I putoffthis’body. For we, that ar¢ in the body ~ under the pressures and inconveniencies, that atte ° MNF , NOTES. - ai itp eH 47 © & Weight of glory.” What an influence St. Paul's Heb his Greek, is every where visible: 35, in Hebrew, sign and « to be glorious;” St. Paul, in the Greek, joins them, «¢ weight of glory.” : mee Qa Vid. ver. 4 ico 3 e That the apostle looked on the coming of Christ, as not far off, by what he says, 1 Thess. iv. 13,.and v. 6, which epistle was wri before this. . See also to the same purpose, 1 Cor. ie 7 X. 11, Rom. xiii, 11, 12, Heb, x. 97s ber of ara wreath rar ae | “4 cHar. ¥. Ii. CORINTHIANS. **: 299 ‘eae: 4 5 Now he, that hath wrought us for thé self-same thing,~is God ; who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore, we are always confident, knowing that whilst'we are at - home in the bedy we are absent fromthe Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight.) ~ 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rathe ‘be absent from the body, and to be present with the Bord. » PARMPHRASE. 1 i in it; which yet we are not, sere re, willing to put o but had rather, without dying, have it changed* into a ce- lestial, immortal body, that so this mortal state may be put an end to, by an immediate entrance into an immor- 5 tal life. Now it is God, who prepares and fits us for this immortal state, who also gives us the Spirit, as a pledge® 6 of it. Wherefore, being always undaunted", and know- ing, that whilst I dwell, or sojourn, in this body, I am ab- 7 sent from my proper home, which is with the Lord, (For I regulate my conducftot by the enjoyment of the visible things of this world, but by my hope and expectation of 8 the invisible things of the wou come) IJ, with bold- . ness*, preach the gospel, preferring, in my choice, the i NOTES. 4 £ The same, that he had told them, in the first epistle, ch. xv. 51 hould happen to those who should be alive at Christ’s coming. ‘This, [ must own, is no very easy passage, whether we understand by yupvol, ‘ nakédy as I do here, the state of the dead, unclothed with immortal bodies, until resur- rection: which sense is favoured by the same word, 1 Cor. 37,.0r whether we understand ‘‘ theclothing upon,”’ which the apostle desires, to be those =i - immortal bodies, w uls shall be clothed with, at the resurrection; which sense ‘‘ of clothing u > seems to be favoured by 1 Cor. xv. 53, 54, and is that, which one should be inclinedto, were it not accompanied with this difficulty; viz. that, then, it would follow that the wicked should net have immortal bodies, at the resurrection. For whatever it be, that St. Paul here | means,° by ‘‘ being clothed upon,” it is something, that is peculiar to the saints, who have the Spirit of God, and shall be with the Lord, in contradis- tinction to others, as appears from the following verses, and the whole tenour 5s Spirit is mentioned in more places than one, as the pledge and earnest of immortality: more particularly, Eph. i. 13, 14, which, compared ‘with Rom. viii, 23, shows that the inheritance, whereof the Spirit is the earnest, is the same, which the apostle speaks of here, viz. the possession of im- _ mortal bodies. 6,8 ) Oappivres and Sapfivevs “* we are confident,” signifies in these two verses the same that &% éxnaneyevr, “ we faint not,” does, chap. iv. 1 and 163 # + cae 230 Ys I. CORINTHIANS. cuar. Van Sa ee ? ee al Q Wherefore we labou at, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. ; f 10 For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receivé the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good :ontbad. oo 11 Knowing, therefore, the terrour of the Lord, we persuade meng but we are made ‘manifestunto God, and I trust, also, are made manifest in your consciences. PARAPHRASE. 9 quitting this habitation t6 get home to the Lord. Where- fore, I make this my only aim, whether stayitfe* here in” this body, or departing out of it, so to acquit myself, as" 10 to be acceptable'to him*. For we must all appear be- fore the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one ceive according to what he has done in the body 11 ther it be good, or bad. Knowing, therefore, thi rible judgment of the Lord, preach the gos} ye » NOTES. 4 i.e. “I go undauntedly, rede Thc preaching the gospel with sincerity, — A. «¢ and direct plainness of spee This conclusion, which he draws here, from the consideration of the resurrection and immortality, is the same, that he makes, — upon the same ground, ch. iv. 14, 16. a 9 i Eire tvdnutvres eore txdnudyrec, “ whether staying in the body, or gothg <¢ out of it,” i.e. whether I am to stay longere here, or suddenly to depart. _ This sense the foregoing verse leads us to; and what he says in. this verse, that he endeavours (whether évdnitv, or éxdnudv) ‘to be well-pleasing to the Lord,” i.e. do what is well-pleasing to him, shows, that neither of these words can sig- _ nify, here, his being with Christ in heaven. For, when he is there, the time of endeavouring tdapprove himself is over. j " k St. Paul, from chap. iv. 12, to this place, has, to convince them of his Pe uprightness in his ministry, been showing, that the h d sure expectation — he had, of eternal life, kept him steady and resolut open, sincere preach~ ing of the gospel, without any tricks or deceitful artifice. * In which his argu- ment stands thus: ‘* Knowing that God, who raised up Christ, will raise me <¢ up again, I without any fear, or consideration of what it may draw upon me, *¢ preach the gospel faithfully, making this account, that the momentaneous ¢ afflictions, which, for it, I may suffer here, which are but slight in ‘ *¢ parison of the eternal things of another life, will exceedingly increase my ‘* happiness in the other world, where I long to be; and therefore aaa ‘¢ brings me home to Christ, is no terror to me} all my care.is, that’ whether — ** Tam to stay longer in this body, or quickly to leave it, living or dying, I «© may approve myself to Christ, in my ministry.” In the next two verses, 4 has another argument, to fix in the corinthians the same thoughts of him; and that is, the punishment he shall receive at the day of judgment, if he should ne- glect to preach the gospel faithfully, and not endeavour sincerely and earnestly y to make converts to Christ, a. wa o bi | onab. v. I. CORINTHIAN TEXT. i 12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you .. to glory on our behalf, that you may have somewhat to answer them, which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For, whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God whether * we be sober, it is for your cause. . PARAPHRASE., © suading men to be christians. And with what integrity I discharge that duty, is manifest to God, and i trust, 12 youalso are convinced of it, it your Consciences. And this I say, not that I commend’ myself again: but that I may give you an occasion not to be ashamed of me, but to glory on my behali, having wherewithal to reply to those, who make a show of glorying in outward ap- e, without doing so inwardly in their hearts™. . “231 13 Fete am besides myself°, in speaking, as I do of it is between God and me; he must judge: men a concerned in it, nor hurt by it. Or, it I do it ” NOTES. 12 1 From this place, and several others imjthis epistle, it cannot be doubted, but that his speaking well of himself, had beem objected to him as a fault. And ‘im this lay his great difficulty, how to deal with his people. If he answered nothing to what was talked of him, his silence might be interpreted guilt and confusion: if he defended himself, he was accused of vanity, self commendation and folly. Hence it is, that he uses so many reasons to show, that his whole carriage was upon principles far above all worldly considerations: and tells them here, once for all, that the account he gives of himself, is only to furnisk them, who are his friends, and stuck to him, wi tter to justify themselves, in their esteem of him, and to reply to the con tion. e m This may be understood of the leaders of the opposite faction, who, as it is manifest from ch. x. 7, 15, and xi. 12, 22, 23, pretended to something t they gloried in, though 5 ul assures us, they were satisfied, in co’ ce, that they had no solid nd_of glorying. ‘ . 43 ™ St. Paul, from the 13th verse of this chapter, to chap. vi. 12, gives another reason fer his disinterested carriage, in preaching the gospel; and that is his love to Christ, who, by his death, having given him life, who was dead, he concludes, that in gratitude he cught not to live to himself any more. He _ therefore, being as ina new creation, had now no longer any regard to the things, "or persons, of this world; but being made, by God, a minister of the gospel, he _ maindedyonly the faithful discharge of his duty in that embassy; and, pursuant _ thereunto, took care that his behaviour should be such as he describes, ch. vi, 6—10. . © « Besides myself,” i.e. in speaking well of myself, in my own justification. He that observes what St. Paul says, chap. xi. 1, and 16—21, chap. xii. 6 and 11, will scarce doubt, but that the speaking of himself, as he did, was, by his enc- mies, called glorying, and imputed te him as folly and madness. te an 23%) If. CORINTHIANS. ena. ¥ TEXT. 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us, because’ we thus je ( that, if one died for all, then were all dead: an : 15 And that he died for all, that they, which live, should rm hence forth liye unto themselves, but unto him, which died for them, and rose again. " 16 Wherefore, henceforth, know we no ghan after the flesh : yes though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hencefo know we him no more. 17 Therefore, if any man be in Chirist, he is a new creature: old things are past away, behold, all things are become new. PARAPHRASE. | - soberly, and upon good ground; if what I profess of my- self be in reality true, it is for your sake and advantage. judging as I dead: And 14 For itis the love of Christ constraineth me, 15 do, that, if Christ died for all, then all’ werg that, if he died for all, his intention was, thatythey by him have attaihed to a state of life, shoulda longer live to themselves alone, seeking only their’ own private advantage ; but should employ their lives in pr moting the gospel and kingdom of Christ, who for them 16 died, and rose again: So that, from henceforth, I have no regard to any one, according to the flesh’, i.e. for being circumcised, or a jew. For, if I myself have glo- ried in this, that Christ himself was circumcised, as Ia and was of my blood and nation, I do so now no me 17 any longer. So thatghijany one be in Christ, it is, he were in a new création’, wherein all former, n ob : / Sy ' pi ads % NOTES ‘sa 16 p This may be supposed to be said with reflection on their jewish, apostle, who gloried in his circumcision; and, perhaps, that he had see in the flesh, or was some way related to him. fs) 17 4 Gal. vi. 14, may give some light to this place. To make these 1 and 17th verses coherent to the rest of St. Paul’s discourse here, they understood, in reference to the false apostle, against whom St. Paul is | justifying himself ; and makes it his main business, in this, as well a former epistle, to show, what that false apostle gloried in, was no | boasting. Pursuant to this design, of sinking the authority and false apostle, St. Paul, in these and the following verses, dextro’ ins ~ these two things: ist, That the ministry of reconciliation being committe him, they should not forsake him, to hearken to, and follow adly, That they, being in Christ, and the new creation, should, as know any man in the flesh, not esteem, or glory in, that false apo ¥ 3 r "I G mT a i. é Pry CHAP. VI. II. CORINTHIANS. 233 TEXT. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry ef reconcilia- tion 5 , 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto him- * self, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath com- - mitted unto us the word of reconciliation. $0 Now then we are’ ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you, in Christ’s stead, be ye recon- ». ciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. VI. 1 We then as workers together with him, beseech you also, that ye receive not the grace of God mm vain: PARAPHRASE. dane relations, considerations, and interests’, are ceased, andeat an end; all things in that state are new to him: 18 And heowes his very being in it, and the advantages he ‘therei enjoys, not, in the least measure, to his birth, extraction, or any legal observances, or privileges, but 19 wholly and solely to God alone; Reconciling the world to himself by Jesus Christ, and not imputing their tres- passes to them. And, therefore I, whom God hath re- conciled to himself, and to whom he hath given the mi- nistry, and committed the word of his reconciliation; © 20 As an ambassador for Christ, as though God did by me beseech you, 1 pray you in Christ's stead, be ye recon- 21 ciledto God. For God hath made him subject to suf- - ferings and death, the punishment and consequence of sin, as if he had been a sinner, though he were guilty of _ -no sin; that we, in and by him, might be made righte- VI. 1 aus, by a righteousness imputed to us by God. I therefore, working together with him, beseech you also, NOTES. aw he might, perhaps, pretend to have seen our Saviour in the flesh, or have heard him, or the like. Kricis signifies ‘ creation,’ and is so translated, Rome ‘wiii. 22. * Ta xpyaia, ‘ old things,” perhaps, may here mean the jewish ceconomy ; for the false apostle was a jew, and, as such, assumed to himself some authority, robably by right of blood, and privilege of his nation: vid. 2 Cor. xi. 21, 22. But that, St. Paul here tells them, now, under the gospel, is all antiquated, and quite out of doors, 3 _ * 234 II, CORINTHIANS. CHAP. ¥ TEXT. @ (For he saith, “ I have heard thee in a time accepted, and it in the | “ day of cal vathmellianice fi succoured thee:” behold, now is the ac: cepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation \) q '§ Giving no offence, i in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But, 1 in all things, approving ourselves, as the ministers of God in much patience, m afflictions, in necessities, m distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonnients, in tumults, m labours, in watching: in fastings. 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned. 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of — righteousness, on the right hand, and on the left. - 4 8 By! honour and dishonour, by ev: a report and good report: as de~ _ ceivers, and yet true; ‘ 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we lives as chastened, and not killed; PARAPHRASE. | that you receive not the favour of God, in the gospel, 2 preached to you, in vain*®. (For he saith, “ I have heard “‘ thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation — ‘have I succoured thee:” behold, now is the accepted 3 time; behold, now is the day of salvation !) Giving no~ offence to any one, in any thing, that the ministry be. 206 | 4 blamed: But, in every thing, approving myself, as be-_ comes the minister of God, by much patience, in afilic-— 5 tions, in necessities, in straits, In stripes, in imiprisol -- ments, in being tossed up and down, in labours, in wath 6 ings, in fastings; By a life undefiled ; by knowledge; b: long-sufferings ; by the gifts of the Holy Ghost; by love” 7 unfeigned; By preaching the gospel of truth sincerely ; by the power of God, assisting my ministry; by upright- ness of mind, wherewith I am armed at all points, both — 8 to do and to suffer; By honour and disgrace; by good” 9 and bad report: as a deceiver‘, and yet faithful; As a § NOTES. 1s “ Receive the grace of God in vain,” the same with “ believing i wil 1 Cor. xv. 2, i-e. receiving the doctrine of the gospel for true, and a christianity, without persisting in it, or performing what the gospel r __ &t “ Deceiver,” a title (itis like) he had received from some of the o faction at Corinth; vid, chap. xii, 16. ie / / CHAP. VI. II. ne 235 TEXT. 10 As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 11 O ye corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is en- _ larged. 12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. . 13 Now, for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my chil- dren) be ye also enlarged. ; 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness ¢ 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth, with an infidel ? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For PARAPHRASE. obscure, unknown man, but yet known and owned ; as one often in danger of death, and yet, behold, I live; as 10 chastened, but yet not killed; As sorrowful, but yet al- ways rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as hav- 11 ing nothing, and yet possessing all things. O ye corin- thians, my mouth is opened to you, my heart is enlarg- ed to you; my affection, my tenderness, my compliance 12 for you is not strait, or narrow. It is your own narrow- 13 ness makes you uneasy. Let me speak to you, as a fa- ther to his children; in return, do you, likewise, enlarge 14 your affections and deference to me. Be ye not asso- in their vices, or worship”: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion * 7 ciated with unbelievers, having nothing to do with them ea) J il !' 15 hath light with darkness? What concord hath Christ with Belial*? Or what part hath a believer with an un 46 believer? What agreement hath the temple of God NOTES. 41" Another argument, St. Paul makes use of, to justify and excuse his plainness of speech to the corinthians, is the great affection he has for them, _ which he here breaks out into an expression of, in a very pathetical manner. This, with an exhortation to separate from idolaters and unbelievers, is what he insists on, from this place to chap. vii. 16. 14 ¥ Vid. chap. vii. 1. 45 * Belial is a general name for all the false gods, worshipped by the idola- trous gentiles, cp , 256. gt CORINTHIANS: cmap. vik TEXT. ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, “I wi “ dwell im them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, — “ and they shall be my people.” . i= 17 Wherefore, “ Come out from among them, and be ye separate, “ gaith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and [I will “ receive you. io ’ 18 “ And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons ant “ daughters,” saith the Lord Almighty. ; VII. 1 Having therefore these promises, (dearly beloved) let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, per- _ fecting holiness in the fear of God. ql 2 Receive us: we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no | ' man, we have defrauded no man. ee 3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that you are in our hearts, to die and live with you. 4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful, in all our tribulation, rae y, PARAPHRASE. nal we with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, “I will dwell in them, among them “will L walk; and I will be their God, and they shall 17 “ be my people.” Wherefore, “‘ Come out from among “them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not 18 “the unclean thing, and I will receive you to me; / “ T will be a Father, and ye shall be my sons and daugh- VII. 1 “ters,” saith the Lord Almighty. Having, there- fore, these promises, (dearly beloved) let us cleanse our: selves from the defilement of all sorts of sins, wheth _ body or mind, endeavouring after perfect holiness, it 2 fear of God. Leceive me, as one to be hearkened as one to be followed, as one that hath done nothi forfeit your esteem. I have wronged no man: I hav 3 corrupted no. man: I have defrauded.no man’. I not this to reflect on your carriage towards me?: fc ' have already assured you, that, have so great an af 4 tion for you, that I could live and die with you NOTES. 2 y This seems to insinuate the contrary behaviour of their false st 3-% Vid, 1 Cor. iv. 3, 2 Cor, x. 2, and xi, 20, 21, and xiii, Be €HAP. VII. IL CORINTHIANS. 037 yt TEXT. 5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, with- in were fears. 6 Nevertheless, God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us, by the coming of ‘Titus: 7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation, wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more. § For, though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent; though 1 did repent; for I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though it were but for a season. 9 Now! rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry, after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. PARAPHRASE. in the transport of my joy, I use great liberty of speech towards you. But let it not be thought to be of ill-will, for [boast much of*you: Tam filled with comfort, and 5 my joy abounds exceedingly in all my afflictions. For when I came to Macedonia, I had no respite from conti- nual trouble, that beset me.on every side. From without, 1 met with strife and opposition, in preaching the gospel : and within, I was filled with fear, upon your account; lest _ the false apostle, continuing his credit and faction amongst _ you, should pervert you from. the simplicity of the gospel*. 6 But God, who comforteth those who are cast down, com- ** 7 forted me, by the coming of Titus, Not barely by his presence, but by the comfort I received from you, by him, ~ ap warmth of your affection and concérn for me; so that i 8 rejoiced the more, for my past fears; Having writ to you a jetter, which I repented of, but now do not’repent of, apa that, though that letter grieved you, .it made “9 you sad but for a short time: But now I rejoice, not that ek . a ; NOTE. 5 3 Vid. chap. xi. 3. when he acquainted me with your great desire of con- forming yourselves to my orders; your trouble for any ° neglects, you have, been guilty of, towards me; the great *_» mation of ordinary readers, to be supplied, as can be best collected from the main . in the former part of this verse. 238 II. CORINTHIANS! cma. TEXT. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be re _ pented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. y | 11 For, behold, this self-same thing that ye sorrowed, after a godly _ sort, what carefulness it wrought in you: yea, what clearing yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what ve . hement desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what revenge! in all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. O PARAPHRASE. you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. or this proved a beneficial sorrow, ac- _ ceptable to God, that, in nothing, you might have cause — 10 to complain, that you were damaged by me. For godly _ sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be re- pented of: but sorrow arising from worldly interest, — 11 worketh death. In the present case, mark it®, that — ‘godly sorrow, which you had, what carefulness it wrough 4 in you, to conform yourselves to my orders*; yea, what clearing yourselves from your former miscarriages ; yea, — what indignation against those who led you into them; yea, what fear to offend me; yea, what vehement desire % of satisfying me; yea, what ‘zeal for me; yea, what re- | venge against yourselves, ‘for having been so misled! 4 You have shown yourselves to bé set right*, and be, as__ you should be, in evdpAbitig by this carriage of yours ta NOTES. “Sa 11 > St. Paul writing to those, who knew the temper they were in, and wine were the objects of the several ‘passions, which were raised in them, doth b oth here, and in the seventh verse, forbear to mention, by, and to, what they were moved, out of modesty, and respect to them. This is necessary, for the infor- — design of the apostle, in these two epistles, and from several passages, giving _ us light init. © “a Neg NM Sater. © Vid. ver, 15. “SS a Spo rok «Se * « Clear.” This word answers very well d&yvic, in Greek: but then, to'be clear, in English, is generally understood to signi y» not to been guiltgas whieh could not be the sense of the apostle, he having charg the corinthi ans so warmlyy in his first epistles “His meaning must th fore be, ‘that they had now resolved on a contrary course, and were so’ ** clear,”” i.e. were set right, and in good disposition again, as he describes it, + And therefore I think 2y a pale be best'rendered ‘in fact,” i.e. by your sorrow, your fear, your ind your zeal, &c. I think it cannot well be translated, ‘¢ in this matter, standing-thereby the punishmentof the fornicators For that was not the CHAP. VII. II, CORINTHIANS. 239 TEXT. 12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause, that had done the wrong, nor for his cause, that suffered wrong, but that our care for you, in the sight of God, might appear unto 1S Therefore, we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and ex- ceedingly the more joyed we, for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all. 14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth. PARAPHRASE. 12 If, therefore, 1 wrote unto you, concerning the fornica- tor, it was not for his sake, that had done, nor his that had suffered, the wrong; but principally, that my care and concern for you might be made known to you, as 13 in the presence of God. Therefore, I was comforted in your comfort: but much more exceedingly rejoiced I, in the joy of Titus; because his mind was set at ease,\, by the good disposition he found you all in towards 14 me‘. So that I am not ashamed of having boasted of you to him. For,all that I have said to you, is truth; so, what I said to Titus, in your commendation, he has * mer. A * i = . NOTES . ter St. Paul had been speaking of; but the corinthians siding with the false tle azainst’him, was the subject of the preceding part of this, and of the ree or four foregoing chapters; wherein he justifies himself against their - slanders, and invalidates the pretences of the adverse party. This is that, which lay chiefly upon his heart, and whichrhe labours, might and main, bothes in this and the former epistle, to rectify, as the foundation of all the disorders ~ amongst them; and, consequently, is the} , wherein he rejoices to find them all set right. Indeed, in the imme@iately following verse, he mentions his having writ to them, concerning rnicator5) but it is only as an argu- ment of his kindness and concern fo 1; but that, whiclt was the great use of his rejoicing, what it was that save iim the. great satisfaction, was the reaking of the , and the re-uniting them “ alP?;to himselfy which he int ord * all,” emphatically used, yer. 13,15; and, from ce, he sludes thus, ver- 16, ‘ joice, therefore, that I have conti- « dence in you in all things.” His mind 4s now at rest, the partisans of his poser, the false apostle, having forsaken that leader whom they had so much in, and being all now come over to Paul, he doubted not, but all well; and so leawes off the subject he had been upon, in the seven chapters, viz justification of himself, with here and there refiec- ). > ¢ 3 4 Vid. ° ays . $ = * - -e r+ 240 IL CORINTHIANS: TEXT. 15 And his inward affection is nore abundant toward you, wi ilst remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and bling you received him. - sat 16 I rejoice, therefore, that I have conden in you, in all PARAPHRASE. 15 found to be true; Whereby his affection to you is abun-- dantly increased, he carrying in his mind the universe obedience of you all, unanimously to me, and the me 16 ner of your receiving him with fear and trembling. ’ rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in al things, 3 " reipgt ie: hh a - SECT.” [ibaa min : | CHAP. VIL. 1-1 ae aa err yibhoveeD iy ps Bae 4 he CONTENTS. 1a, Pinahaale Tue apostlé having employed the seven foregoing ¢ a ters, in his own justification, in the close whereof he presses the great satisfaction he had, in their béing all w again, 10 their affection, anc “obediénce to him; he, i 1 two next chapters, euler ts them, Da Meas by. > €Xal of the churches of Macedonia, to a libe | __the pase christians in Judea. 8 wk. ~ gh f 1 MOREOVER, brethren, pbcsowagyon the hes : ca PARAPHRASE: 1 M OREOVER, bitin T make fend Bre whighs bythe g of God, is 3 given inthe ¢ ag bs ing rd aD ae , Re anes" % te a3 Xa Pisa” ein is stranslated, §<" grace,” vis : oy Me, t of a ‘euar. vitt. Il. CORINTHIANS, 241 TEXT. a Kei ; ; xe p 2 How that, in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their | joy, and their deep poverty, abountled unto the riches of their ' liberality. $ For to their power, (I bear record) yea, andéeyond their pow er, ' they were willing of themselves ; " 4 Praying us, with much intreaty; that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. '6 And this they did, not as we hoped; but first gave their own selves _ to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that, as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. 7 Therefore, as ye. abound in every thing, in faith, in utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us; see that you abound in this grace also. PARAPHRASE. ® of Macedonia: viz.'That, amidst the afflictions” they have been much tried with, they have, with exceeding chearful- ness and joy, made their very low estate of poverty yield. 3 arich contribution of liberality: Being forward of them- selves (as I must bear them witness) to the utmost of their 4, power; nay, and beyond their power: Earnestly intreat- ing me to receive their contribution, and be a partner with others, in the charge of conveying and distributing it to 5 the saints, And in this they out-did my expectation, who paula. not hope for so large a collection from them. But they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to me, to dis- pose of what they had, according as the good pleasure of _ 6 God should direct. Insomuch that I was moved to per- i coeniat that, as he had begun, so he would also see charitable contribution carried on among you, till it “was perfected: That, as you excel in every thing, abound- ing in faith, in well-speaking, in knowledge, in every good f quality, and i in your affection to me; ye might abound in : is » NOTES, It is called Also - _xeepis OB, the *¢ gift of God,” Bet auie Gad i is the author and procurer of it, moving their heartstoit. Besides Jedouévny év cannot signify we swed on,” but “ given in,” or “ by.” How ill- -disposed-and rough to the christians the macedgniage were, may 1 ae, Acts xvi, and xvii. R aa 7 " -. a 242 it CORTE omer. a eat a? — | TE XT. 8 I speak not by commandment, but by oceasion of the forward~ y ness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. > .9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, bony thougl he was rich, yet, for your sakes, he became poor, that ye, his poverty, might be rich. - Jo And herein I give my advice: for this is expqlili Farol -have begun béfors;, not only to do, but also to be Foren _ year ago. id 11. Now, therefore, perform the domg of it; that, as oe wares _-PARAPHRASBE 4h 07 ih ans af 8 this act of charitable liberality also. This T say to ye not as acommand from God, but on occasion great liberality of the churches of Macedonia, a d. to show the world a proof of the genuine, noble temper of of 9 your love’. For ye know the munificence* of our Lore Jesus Christ, who, being rich, made himself poor for, our 10 sakes, that you, by his | poverty, might become rich.’ ¥ give you my opinion in the case, because it becomes you ~ go to do, as having begun not only to do something in it, 11 but to show'a w illingness to it, above a year bie “No Ww, m NOTES. at rage 1 Be Td rH Dmerépees ayarns yvnotoy Donsmeeoovs * showing att whi: “* proof of the genuine temper of your love.’’ Thus, I think, it phenld be yendered. St. Paul, who is so careful, all along i in this epistle, to h ‘esteem and good opinion of the cor inthians, taking all occasions to 8p ea presume well of them,: whereof we have an eminent example in th ** ye abound in your love to us,”” in the immediately pree g res he ( not, in this place, so far forget his design, of treating Piheat Net Say ay “they were newly returned bi him, as to tell them, that he : promoting their contribution to make a trial of « the Ptr v' this had been but an ill expression of that confidence, which 6 ‘tells them, ‘ he has in them in all things.” Taking,’ therefore, wiolence to. the words one may, doxipetwy for « drawin “wrictoy for ‘« genuine,”’ the words very well express St. Peal’ s obi ‘stirring up the corinthians to a liberal contribution, as I md Wor St. Paul's discourse to them br iefly stands thus: “¢ The great li «< the poor macedonians, made me send Titus to you, to carry o «@ tion’ of your charity, which he had begun, that you, who excelin a “¢ virtues, might be eminent also in this. But this Tf urge, not as a comm “¢ from God; but, upon occasion of others: liberality, lay before you an oj “ tunity of giving the world a proof of the genuine temper of rh “© which, like that of. your other virtues, loves not to. come be «© others.” . : F 9 4 Thy xcapiv, ** the grace,” rather § ni munificence,”* the avhereinSt. Paul uses yes over and over again in this chi iia gift, ” ver. 4, eee Doe wae “er if ATs 1 Bs euap. viur. II. CORINTHIANS. 243 TEXT: readiness to*will, so there may be a performance also, out of that which you have. 12 For, if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to __ that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 13 For I mean not, that other men may be eased, and you bur- dened : “ 14 But, by an equality, that now, at this time, your abundance may be a supply for their want; that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality; 15 As it is written, “ He that had gathered much, had nothing oyer; __ “ and he that had gathered little, had no lack.” 16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care iuito the heart of Titus for you. , 47 For, indeed, he accepted the exhortation; but being more for= __ ward, of his own accord, he went unto you. 18 And we haye sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the ~ gospel, throughout all the churches: PARAPHRASE. therefore, apply yourselves to the doing of it in earnest; so that, as you undertook it readily, you would as rea- 12 dily perform it, out of what you have: For every man’s charity is accepted by God, according to the largeness and willingness of his heart, in giving, and not according 13 to the narrowness of his fortune. For my meaning is 14 not, that you should be burdened to ease others: But that, at this time, your abundance should make up, what they, through want, come short in; that, on another oc- casion, their abundance may supply your deficiency, that 15 there may be an equality: As it is written, “ He’ that - “hd much, had nothing over, and he that had little, 16 “had no lack.” But thanks be to God, who put into 17 the heart of Titus the same concern for you, Who not _ only yielded to my exhortation*: but, being more than _ ordinary concerned for you, of his own accord went unto 18 you: With whom I have sent the*brother‘, who has + ~ praise through all the churches, for his labour in the gos- * . ry ; NOTES. _ 17 ¢ Vid. ver. 6. 18 f This brother most take to be St. Luke, who now was, and had been a while, St, Paul’s companion in his travels, ; ee - ? 4 oi 244 II, CORINTHIANS. —s ena. Fx. TEXT. 19 (And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to fl travel with us, with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your reads mind) an > 20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance, which is administered by us: 21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, | but also in the sight of men. ¥ 22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often- — times proved diligent inmany things; but now much more dili- M gent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. 23 Whether any do i inquire of Titus, he is my partner, and fellow helper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of thé churches, and the glory of Christ. ‘s 4 Wherefore show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof — of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf. TX. 1 For, as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfiae ous for me to write to you. ie PARAPHRASE. | | 19 pel: (And not that only, but who was also chosen of the — churches, to accompany me, in the carrying this a tion, which service I undertook for the glory of our Lord, and for your encouragement to a liberal contribution:) £0 To prevent any aspersion might be cast on me, by any — one, on occasion of my meddling with the management — 21 ofso greatasum; And to take care, by having such men joined with me, in the same trust, that my integrity. and credit should be preserved, not only i in the sight of the © 22 Lord, but also in the sight of men. With them 1 have sent our brother, of whom I have had frequent experi- ence, in sundry affairs, to be a forward, active man; but now much more earnestly intent, by reason of the : 23 persuasion he has, of your.contributingliberally, Now, whether I speak of Titus, he is my partner, and one, i who, with me, promotes your interest; or the two other brethren sent with him, they are the messengers of the churches of Macedonia, by whom their‘collection is sent, 94 and are promoters of the glory of Christ. Give, there- fore, to them, and, by them, to those churches, a dee ; monstration of your loye, and a justification of my boast- 1X. 1 ing of you. For, as touching the relief of the a os ; fh. Prd ease imx. II. CORINTHIANS. we TEXT. 2 For I know the forwardness of yaa: mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal hath provoked very many. 3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain, in this behalf; that, as I said, ye.may be ready: 4 Lest haply, if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you un- "prepared, we (that we say not you) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. _ 5 Therefore, J thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up before-haad your bounty, whereof ye kad notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. 6 But this I say, He, which soweth sparingly, shall reap also spa- singly: and he, which soweth bountifully, shall reap also boun- ‘tfally. 7 Every man, according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a chearful giver. PARAPHRASE. christians in Jerusalem, it is needless for me to write to 2 you. For I know the forwardness of your minds, which I boasted of, on your behalf, to the macedonians, that __ Achaia® was ready a year ago, and your zeal in this mat- _3 ter hath been a spur to many others. Yet I have sent these brethren, that my boasting of you may not appear to be vain and groundless, in this part; but that you may, 4 asI said, have your collection ready: Lest, if perchance the macedonians Should come with me, and find it not ready, I (not to say, you) should be ashamed in this mat- 5 ter, whereof I have boasted. I thought it, therefore, ne- _ cessary to put the brethren upon going before unto you, to prepare things, by a timely notice before-hand, that your contribution may be ready, as a free benevolence of yours, and not asa niggardly gitt, extorted from you. 6 This I say, “‘ He who soweth sparingly, shall reap also ~ “sparingly; and he who soweth plentitully, shall also reap 7 “plentifully.” So give, as you find yourselves disposed, ll : : NOTE. + 2£ Achaia, i.e. the church of Corinth, which was made up of the inhabitants “af that town, and of the circumjacent parts of Achaia. Vid. ch, i. 1. 246 IL. CORINTHIANS, “ « TEXT. : 8 And God is able to make all grace ahound tow se that ye, always having all-sufficiency, i in all fia may abound to every good work : 9 (As it is written, “ He hath dispersed _ shechde ‘he Tie “ to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for eve.” pe ge i0 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, both er bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and wheres fruits of your fpbteonanese :) af sayeie 11 Being enriched in every thing to all Dountianes, which “ause through us, thanksgiving to ‘God. 12 For the administration of this service, not. only toa lie the want of the saints, but is abundant alse, by ani es unto God. 13 (Whilst, by the experiment of this ministration, they gt for your professed subjection unto the gospel of C your liberal distribution unto them, and RES all men ; se aN mst, and p vale ivhirrg ton pavig PARAPHRASE. every one, in his own heart, not grudgingly, as if it were . 8 wrung from you; for God loves a chearful giver, For _ God is able to make every charitable gitt* of yours re dound to your advantage; that, you having in eyer thing, always, a fulness of plenty, ye may abound in 9 every good work: (As it is written, Heath seal d, .» ‘he hath given to the poor, and his liberality’. n: 10 “eth for ever.”. Now he, that su pole. aged ton sower, and bread. for food, supply a ‘al . stock of seed*, and increase. ‘the fruit of ye it -11 Enriched in every thing to all Bee ch, by ., as Instrumental jn. it, procureth thank a) 12 For the performance of this service. doth not . onl ' supply to the wants of the saints, but rea th ba i “13. even to God himself, by many thanksgivings (Whil bie MTPTE eee a NOTES... 1] ahi pt ee “eB, Dees pics. seis rather ‘¢ charitable gift,” or < ys ree hee nifies in ne former chapter, and as the context determines the f ps ia ‘ 91 Atzatocoyy, “ righteousness,”’ rather “ liberality ;” J tre hehe, is scripture language, often signifies. And so, Matt. vi. 1, for ascot s¢ alms,”” some copies haye dinesordvays # liberality. ” And so Joseph, ] 4. 19, is called dixas@, just, benign.” » 10 © Enrépov, “seed sown,” rather ‘* your seed, auth seed) dig toi i your plenty, to be laid. out in charitable uses... 6 aba rs, vftz. 8 ae » > ‘cHAP. x. Ii. CORINTHIANS! aaF - >» OR TEXT. 14 And, by their prayer for you, which long after you, for the ex- ceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. __PARAPHRASE. . ... «}¥ . they, having such a proof of you, in this your supply, glorify Ged for your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberality, in communicating to * 4 them, and to all .men;) And to the procuring theit .” prayers for you, they having a great inclination towards you, because of that gracious gift of God bestowed oy 15 them, by your liberality. Thanks be to God for this his *~unspeakable gift. . SECT. IV. in CHAP. X. 1——XIII. 10. | CONTENTS. * : | ; ST. Paul having finished his exhortation to liberality, in their collection for the christians at Jerusalem, he here re- sumes his former argument, and prosecutes the main pur- “pose of this epistle, which was totally to reduce and put a val end to the adverse faction, (which seems not yet to be entirely extinct) by bringing the cormthians wholly off from the false apostle they had adhered to: and to re-establish himself and his authority in the minds of all the members of .that church. And this he does, by the steps contained in - ‘the following numbers. : 7s gts ? er he Sl om - eg .- > % 248 Il. CORINTHIANS, CHAPHK, ~ . eine on MS SECT. IV. Ne. 1. CHAP. X. 1—6, CONTENTS. He declares the extraordinary power he hath in prefs ! ing the gaspel, and to punish his opposers. amongst them. "a + we ata TEXT, — 1 Now! Paul, myself, beseech you, by the meekness and gentle- ness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being _ absent am bold toward you. : ; 2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold, when I am present, with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us, as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war 1e flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but m. through God, to the pulling down of strong holds :) a PARAPHRASE. 1 Now I, the same Paul, who am (as it is said amongst _ you*) base and mean, when present with you, but bold — towards you, when absent, beseech you, by the meekness — 2 and gentleness’ of Christ; I beseech you, I say, that [ ~ may not, when present among you, be bold, after thate manner I have resolved to be bold towards some, who — account that, in my conduct and ministry, I regulate my- j 3 self wholly by carnal considerations. For, though I live in the flesh, yet I do not carry on the work of the gospel _ 4 (which is a warfare) according to the flesh: (For the wea- _ pons of my warfare are not fleshly’, but such, as God — +A OOD PENN rem OA iD NOTES, , 1 2 Vid. ver. 10. So adel ry > St. Paul, thinking it fit to appear all severity, till he had by fair means . reduced as many of the contrary party, as he could, to a full submission to his - authority, (vid. yer. 6) begins, here, his discourse, by conjuring them, b fhe meeknes: and gentleness of Christ, as an example, that might excuse his ‘, slay of exemplary punishment on the ringleaders and chief offenders, without giving them reason to think it was for want of power ; 4 ¢ What the owaa capusxa, ‘ the carnal weapons,” and those oth opposed to them, which he calls duaré 79 @ed, ** mighty through Go are, may be seen, if we read and compare 1 Cor. i, 23, 24, and ii. 1, 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 2 Cor, iv. 2» G, ‘ a. CHAP. X. II. CORINTHIANS, 249 a. TEXT. ~ 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing, that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God; and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ: 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. PARAPHRASE. hath made mighty, to the pulling down of strong holds, 5 i.e. whatever is made use of in opposition:) Beating down human reasonings, and all the towering and most elevated superstructures raised thereon, by the wit of men, against the knowledge of God, as held forth in the gospel; cap- » tivating all their notions, and bringing them into subjec- 6 tion to Christ: And having by me, in a readiness, power wherewithal to punish and chastise all disobedience, when you, who have been misled by your false apostle, with- drawing yourselves from him, shall return to a perfect ’ obedience’. NOTE. 6 4 Those, whom he speaks to, here, are the corinthian converts, to whom this epistle is written. Some of these had been drawn into a faction, against St. Paul: these he had been, and was endeavouring to bring back, to that obe- dience and submission, which the rest had continued in, to him, as an apostle of Jesus Christ. The corinthians of these two sorts are those he means, when he says to them, chap. ii. 3, and chap, vii. 13, 15, ** You all,” i.e. all ye ristians of Corinth and Achaia. For he, that had raised the faction amongst them, and given so much trouble to St. Paul, was a stranger, and a jew, vid. chap. xi. 22, crept in amongst them, after St. Paul gathered and established that church, 1 Cor. iii. 6, 10, 2 Cor. x. 15, 16. Of whom St. Paul seems to “have no hopes, chap. xi. 18—15- And, therefore, he every-where threatens, 2 Cor. iv. 19, and here particularly, ver. 6 and 11, to make an example of him and his adherents, (if any were so obstinate to stick to him) when he had brought back again all the corinthians, that he could hope to prevail on. ‘SECT. IV. N°. 2, CHAP. X. 7—18. CONTENTS. SST. Paul examines the false apostle’s pretensions, and compares his own with his performances. 250 Hy CORINTHIANS. ena TEXT. 4 “7 Do ye look on things after the ovtward appearance? If any ». man trust to himself, “thatheis Christ’s, let him of himself think _ this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ’s, = -g For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority} (which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for you 1 destruction) I should not be ashamed: E ae That I may not seem, as if I would terrify you by letters. . 7 “ For his letters,” says-they, “ are weighty and powerful, but his “ bedily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” 31 Let such an one think this, that such as we are in word by ti ~ when we are absent, such will we be also in deed, bn we “present. - 32 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ‘ selves with some, that commend themselves: but: they, measur- _ ing themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among ~ themselves, are not w ise. i+] PARAPHRASE, ‘ a 7 Do ye judge of men, by the outward appearance of things? Is it by such measures you take an estimate of — me and my adversaries? If he has confidence in him- self, that he is Christ’s, i.e. assumes to himself He au- thority of one employed and commissioned. by Ch let him, on the other side, count thus with himself, t , ’ 8 as heis Christ's, so I also am Christ’ s. Nay, if I shou boastingly say something more’, of the. authority power, which the Lord ‘has given me for your e tion, and not for your destr uction*®, I should not 9 toshame‘: But that I may not seem to terrify ‘10 letters, as is objected to me by some, Who sa 0 letters are weighty and powertul, but my bodily pre 11 weak, and my discourse contemptible, Let. him, says so, reckon upon this, that such as I am in word letters, when J am absent, such shall I be also in ¢ 12 when present. Yor I dare not be so bold, as to ran! compare myself with some, w ho vaunt themselves : : NOTES." 7 2 Vid. chap. xi. 23. 8 > “ More,” vid. chap. xi. 23. bes Asiother‘reason insinuated by’ the sean for his fran e 1em. CHAP. X. Il. CORINTHIANS. __ 254 ~ TEXT. 13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but aceord- “_ ing to the measure of the rule, which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we * reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also, in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other PARAPHRASB. they measuring themselves within themselves‘, and com- + paring themselves with themselves, do not understand *. 13 But I, for my part, will not boast of myself in what has _ not been measured out, or allotted to me‘; i.e. F will _. not go out of my own province, to seek matter of com- ~ mendation; but proceeding orderly, in the province, ' which God hath measured out, and allotted to me, T _ have reached even unto you; i.e. I preached the gospel . in eyery country, as I went, till 1 came as far as you. -14 For I do not extend myself farther than I should, as if - I had skipped over other countries in my way, without . proceeding gradually to you; no, for I have reached __ eyen unto you, in preaching of the gospel in all coun- -15 tries, as I passed along®: Not extending my boasting*, NOTES. 42 4 This is spoken ironically: év éeuroi:, “‘ amongst themselves,” rather &¢ within themselves.” For, in all likelihood, the faction and opposition against *$t/ Paul was made by one person, as we before observed. - For though he speaks “here in the plural number, which is the softer and decenter way in such cases; " yet we see, in the foregoing verse, he speaks directly and expressly, as of one “person ; and therefore iy tawrci; may, most consonantly to the apostle’s mean- *ing here, be understood to signify, “* within themselves,” i.e. with what they find in themselves. The whole place showing, that this person made an esti- mate of himself, only by what he found in himself; and thereupon preferred himself to St. Paul, without considering what St. Paul was, or had done. _ € Do not understand,” that they ought not to intrude themselves into'a * church, planted by another man, and there vaunt themselves, and set themselves above him that planted it; which is the meaning of the four next verses. 13 f “Ayerpa, here, and in ver. 15, doth not signify immense or immoderate, * but soinething that hath not been measured out, and allotted to him, something that is not committed to him, nor within his province. 14 8 This seems to charge the false, pretended apostle, who had caused all this \ disturbance in the church of Corinth, that, without being appointed to it, with- out preaching the gospel, in his way thither, as became an apostle, he had crept + into the church at Corinth. « 15 4 « Boasting,” i.e. intermeddling,-or“assuming to myself authority to meddle, or honour for meddling, ‘ F 2 252 II. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. X TEXT. men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you, according to our rule, abun= dantly: ; » | 16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast, _ in another man’s line, of things made ready to our hand. 37 But he, that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. , : 18 For not he, that commendeth himself, is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. “a PARAPHRASE. put beyond my own bounds, into provinces not allotted t6 me, nor vaunting myself of any thing, I have done, in another’s labour’, i.e. in a chureh planted by another man’s pains: but having hope, that, your faith increas-_ ing, my province will be enlarged by you yet farther: 16 So that I may preach the gospel to the yet unconverted — countries beyond you, and not take glory to myself, from _ another man’s province, where all things are made ready _ 17 to my hand’. But he that will glory, let him glory, or seek praise, from that which is committed to him by the — 18 Lord, or in that which is acceptable to the Lord. For — not he, who commends himself, does thereby give a proof of his authority, or mission; but he, whom the Lord commends by the gifts of the Holy Ghost *. NOTES. 15, 16 i Here St. Paul visibly taxes the false apostle, for coming i ehurch, converted and gathered by another, and there preten to body, and to rule all. This is another thing, that makes it probable, th opposition made to St. Paul, was but by one man, that had made him head of am opposite faction. For it is plain, it wasa stranger, who thither, after St. Paul had planted this church, who pretending to be more | apostle than St. Paul, with greater illumination, and more power, set against him, to govern that church, and withdraw the corinthians from foll ing St. Paul’s rules and doctrine. Now this can never be supposed to combination of men, who came to Corinth with that design, nor that the: different men, that came thither separately, each setting up for himself; they would have fallen out, one with another, as well as with St. Paul. in both cases, St. Paul must have spoken of them, in a different way from he does now. ‘The same character and carriage is given to them all throu _ both these epistles; and 1 Cor. iii. 10, ke plainly speaks of ne man setting up thus to be a preacher of the gospel, amongst those, that we christians, was looked upon, by St. Paul, to be a fault, we may see, Rom, ' 18 & It is of these weapons of his warfare, that St. Paul speaks, ehapter: and it is by them, that he intends to try, which is the tru “when he comes to them, 1 Ae HAP: XI. II.. CORINTHIANS. 253 SECT... LVs,.N°s.3...» a CHAP. XI. 1—6. CONTENTS. He shows that their pretended apostle, bringing to them no other Saviour or gospel, nor conferring greater power of miracles, than he [St. Paul] had done, was not to be pre- ferred before him. . TEXT. | 4 WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little, in my folly ; and, indeed, bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espous- _ ed you to one husband, that I may preseat you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear lest, by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve, ‘through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. | PARAPHRASE. 1 WovLp you could bear me a little, in my folly*; 2 and, indeed, to bear with me. For I am jealous over you, with a jealousy, that is for God: for I have fitted and prepared you for one alone, to be your husband, viz. that I might deliver you up a pure virgin, to Christ. 3 But, I fear, lest, some way or other, as the serpent be- guiled Eve by his cunning; so your minds should be de- bauched from that singleness which is due to Christ’. NOTES. 1 4 “ Folly;” so he modestly calls his speaking in his own defence. 3 > “Agasril@ ris cig Tov Xpirov, “ The simplicity that is in,” rather “* towards, Christ,”’ answers to Ey} avdpt Xpisw, ** to one husband, Christ,” in the immediately foregoing verse. For éyj, “one,” is not put there for no- thing, but makes the meaning plainly this: ‘ I have formed and fitted you for “* one person alone, one husband, who is Christ: I am concerned, and in care, ** that you may not be drawn aside from that submission and obedience, that < temper of mind, that is due singly to him; for I hope to put you into his «¢ hands, possessed with pure virgin thoughts, wholly fixed on him, not divided, « nor roving after any other, that he may take you to wife, and marry you to *¢ himself for ever.” It is plain, their perverter, who opposed St. Paul, was a jew, as we have scen. It was from the jews, trom whom, of all, professing , . | LA re | O54 I CORINTHIANS! — citar: Sam TEXT. 4 For if he, that cometh, preacheth another Jesus, whom we have _ not preached; or if ye receive another Spirit, which ye have not _ received; or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. F 5 For, I suppose, L was not a whit behind the very ebiefest apostles 6 But, though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we _ have been thoroughly made manifest, among you, in all things. PARAPHRASE. | 3 a - * : i Ade 4 For if this intruder, who has been a leader amongst you can preach to you another Saviour, whom I have not preached ; or if you receive from him other, or greater gifts of the Spirit, than those you received from. me; or _ another gospel, than what you accepted from me; you might well bear with him, and allow his pretensions of being a new and greater apostle. or, as to the apostles of Christ, I suppose I am not a whit behind the chi of them. For though I am but a mean speaker, yet I am not without knowledge; but in every thing have been made manifest unto you, i.e. to be an apostle. NOTE. jb dees EE christianity, St. Paul had most trouble and opposition. — For they having hearts set upon their old religion, endeavoured to mix judaism and chris! together. We may suppose the case here to be much the same with that, which he more fully expresses, in the epistle to the galatians, particularly G 6—12, and chap. iv. 9—11, and 16—21, and chap. v. i—13. Them of this place here seems to be this: ‘* I have taught you the sospel 2 ‘© its pure and unmixed simplicity, by which only you can be united to ** but I fear, lest this, your new apostle, should draw you from it$ «* your minds should not stick to that singly, but should be corrup “¢ mixture of judaism.” After the like manner, St. Paul expresses c’ al being delivered from the law, and their freedom frem the ritual observances the jews, by being married to Christ, Rom. vii. 4, which place may give s light to this. ; ey A= CHAP, x1 IL CORINTHIANS: _ B58 ot Wott qoit -SECTc BV, 0 NO. CHAP. XI, 7—15, a) Ts CONTENTS. : He justifies himself to them, in his having taken nothing of them. There had been great talk about this, and object tions raised against St. Paul thereupon; vid. 1 Cor. ix. 1—3. As if, by this, he had discovered himself not to be an apos- tle: to which he there answers, and here toucheth it again, and answers another objection, which it seems was made, viz. that he refused to receive maintenance from ther: out of unkindness to them. ane TEXT. 7. Have I committed an offence, in abasing myself, that you miglit be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God » freely? -8 Lrobbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you ser- vice. A 9 And, when I was present with you, and wanted, I was charge- able to no man; for that, which was lacking to me, the brethren which came from Macedonia, supplied: and in all things I have _ kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will [keep , myself. . » PARAPHRASE. _ 7 Havel committed an offence’ in abasing myself, to work with my hands, neglecting my right of maintenance, due . to me, as an apostle, that you might be exalted in chris- » tianity, because I preached the gospel of God to you gra- 8 tis? L robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to 9 do you service. And, being -vith you and in want, I was chargeable to not a man of you: for the brethren, who 27 ee NOTE. . = _» 7 4 The adverse party made it an argument against St. Paul, as an evidence that he was no apostle, since he took not from the corinthians maintenance, 4 Cor. ix. 1—3. Another objection raised against him from hence, was, that he would receive nothing from them, because he loved them not, 2 Cor. xi. 11. ‘This he answere here, by giving another reason for his so doing. A third alle- ‘gation was, That it was only. a:crafty trick in him to catch them, 2 Cor, xii. 16, which he answers there. - 256 II. CORINTHIANS. - — cwar. xr TEXT. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shail stop me of boasting, in the regions of Achaia. 11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. 12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them, which desire occasion, that, wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming the: ‘ | ‘selves into the apostles of Christ. ; a | 14 And Re marvel; for Satan hiinself is transformed into an angel _ of light. ; At 15 Therefore it is no great thing, if his ministers also be trans- formed, as the ministers of righteousness: whose end shall be according to their works. ) PARAPHRASE. i came from Macedonia, supplied me with what I needed: — and, in all things, I have kept myself from being burden- 10 some to you, and so I will continue to do. ‘The truth and sincerity I owe to Christ is, in what I say to you, viz. This boasting of mine shall not in the regions of _ 11 Achaia be stopped in me. Why so? Is it, because _ love you not? For that God can be my witness, he 12 knoweth. But what I do, and shall do’, is, that I may cut off all occasion from those, who, if I took any thing — of you, would be glad of that occasion to boast, that ix 4 it they had me for a pattern, and did nothing but what — 13 even I myself had done. For these are false“ apostles, — deceitful labourers in the gospel, having put on the — counterfeit shape and gt of Bases of cha : 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is sometimes trans-— 15 formed into an angel of light. Therefore it is not ~ strange, if so be his ministers are disguised so, as to ap> pear ministers of the gospel »whose end shall be arora 4 ing to their works. — NOTES. a £ 42 ? Kat woigow, ‘ that I will do,” rather, ‘and will doy” so the words — stand in the Greek, and do not refer to ver. 10, as a profession of his resolt rion to take nothing of them; but to ver. 11, to which it is joined; showing sefusing any reward from them, was not out of unkindness, but for z reason. ’ z, 13 ¢ They had questioned St. Paul's apostleship, 1 Cor. ix. because mot taking maintenance of the corinthians. He here directly declares t be no true apostles. * Ve @iarxi. ©——sT. CORINTHIANS. 257 SECT. IV. N°. 5. CHAP. XI. 16—s3. CONTENTS. He goes on, in his justification, reflecting upon the car- riage of the false apostle towards the corinthians, ver. 16—21. He compares himself with the false apostle, in what he boasts of, as being a Hebrew, ver. 21, 22, or minis- ter of Christ, ver. 23, and here St. Paul enlarges upon his labours and sufferings. TEXT. 16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that 1 may boast myself a little. 17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but, as it were, - foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour PARAPHRASE. 16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool, that I speak so much of myself: or, at least, if it be a folly in me, bear ' with me as a fool, that I too, as well as others*, may 17 boast myself a little. That, which I say on this occa- _ sion, is not by command from Christ, but, as it were, _ 18 foolishly, in this matter of boasting. Since many glory> — in their circumcision, or extraction‘, I will glory also. 19 For ye bear with fools easily*, being yourselves wise. 20 For you bear with it, if a man bring you into bondage*, NOTES. 16 2 Vid. ver. 18. 18 » Vid. chap. xii. 11. © < After the flesh.” What this glorying ‘after the flesh” was, in parti- cular here, vid. ver. 22, viz. being a jew by descent. _19 4 Spoken ironically, for their bearing with the insolence and covetousness of their false apostle. 20 © The “ bondage” here meant, was, subjection to the will of their false apostle, as appears by the following particulars of this verse, and not subjection to the jewish rites, For if that had been, St. Paul was so zealous against it, S oe | 258 I. CORINTHIANS. —_euav, am | TEXT. you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if aman smite you on the face. ‘ 21 I speak, as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak: howbeit, whereimsvever any are bold, (I speak foolishly) 1 am bold also. , 22 Are they Hebrews? SoamI, Are they Israelites? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) am more: in— ‘ PARAPHRASE. ° ty i.e. domineer over you, and use you like his rnin if he make a prey of you; if he take, or extort presents, or a salary, from you; if he be elevated, and high, amongst you; if he smite you on the face, i.e. treat you” 21 contumeliously. I speak, according to the reproach has — been cast upon me, as if | were weak, 1.e. destitute of what might support ime in dignity and authority, equal to this false apostle, as if I had not as fair pretences to 22 power and profit amongst you, ashe. Is he an hebrew‘, — i.e. by language an hebrew? SoamI. _ Is he an israel-— ite, truly of the jewish nation, and bred up in that reli- : gion? Soaml. Is he of the seed of Abraham, really descended from him? And not a proselyte, of a foreign — 23 extraction? SoamI. Is he a minister of Jesus Christ? — (I speak in my foolish way of boasting) 1 am more so; in toilsome labours I surpass him: in stripes I am ex~ ceedingly beyond him®: in prisons I have been oftener;_ rt Are they the seed of Abrahum? So am I. 4 a _—e es NOTES. that he would have spoken more plainly and warmly. as we see in his epistle to the galatians; and not have touched it thus, only by the bye, slightly, ina ~ doubtful expression. Besides, it is plain, no such thing was yet attempted openly; only St. Paul was afraid of it; vid. ver. 3. 7 22 f «Ts he an hebrew?” Having, in the foregoing verse, spoken in the singular number, I have been fain to continue the same number here, though different from that in the text, to avoid an inconsistency in the paraphrase, which could not but shock the reader. But this I would be understood to do, without imposing my opinion on any body, or pretending to change the text: but, as an expositor, to tell my reader that I think, though St, Paul says, s¢ they,” he means but one; as often, when he says, “ we,” he means only himself, the reason whereof I have given elsewhere. eit ee! - 93 © "Ey @Anyais tmepeaarrarlws, ‘ in stripes above measure,” rather ‘¢ in & stripes exceeding.” For these words, as the other particulars of this an y ought to be taken comparatively, with reference to the talse apostle, with whom _ St. Paul is comparing himself, in the ministry of the gospel, Unless this be ‘CHAP. XI. II. CORINTHIANS. 259 TEXT. labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suf- fered shipwreck; a night and a day I have been in the deep: 26 Iu journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the.city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in _ perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fustings often, in cold and nakedness. ; 28 Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and [am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. , PARAPHRASE. 94 and in the very jaws of death, more than once: Of the jews I have, five times, received forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I whipped with rods: once was I stoned: thrice shipwrecked: I have passed a night and a day in 96 the sea: In journeyings often: in perils by water; in perils by robbers; in perils by mine own countrymen ; in perils from the heathen; in perils in the city; in perils in the country; in perils at sea; in perils among false 97 brethren; In toil and trouble, and sleepless nights, often ; in hunger and thirst; in fastings, often ; in cold and 28 nakedness. Besides these troubles from without the _ disturbance that comes daily upon me, from my con- 29 cern for all the churches. Who is a weak christian, i «danger, through frailty or ignorance, to be misled, whose weakness I do not feel. and suffer in, as if it were my own? Who is actually misled, for whom my zeal and ~~ concern do not make me uneasy, as if I had a fire in 30 me? IfI must be compelled" to glory’, I will glory NOTES. understood so, there will seem to be a disagreeable tautology in the following Verses 5 which, taking these words in a comparative sense, are proofs of his saying, ‘* In stripes I am exceedingly beyond him; for of the jews five (4 times,” &c. ; ‘ 30.4 “ Compelled.” Vid. chap. xii. 11. 1 By xavygcbas, which is translated sometimes ‘ to glory,’’ and sometimes sQ 260 If. CORINTHIANS. CHAP. XII, _ TEXT. $1 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed _ for evermore, knoweth that I lye not. $2 In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king, kept the city — of the damascenes, with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33 And, through a window, in a basket, was | let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. a! a” aw ed PARAPHRASE, of those things which are of my weak and suffering side, — 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is — 32 blessed for ever, knoweth that [ lye not. In Damascus, — the governor, under Aretasghe king, who kept the town — 33 with a garrison, being desirous to apprehend me; I was, through a window, let down in a basket, and escaped © his hands, t NOTE. ’ §* to boast ;”” the apostle, all along, where he applies it to himself, means nq- — thing, but the mentioning some commendable action of his, without vanity er ostentation, but barely upon necessity, on the present occasion. rf SECT. IV, Ne 6. : CHAP. XII. 1—11, . CONTENTS. i H E makes good his apostleship, by the extraordinary vir sions and revelations, which he had received. - TEXT. 1 Tt i is not expedient for me, doubtless, to glory : I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. PARAPHRASE. 1 Ir T must be forced to glory* for your sakes; (for me it is not expedient) I will come to visions and revelations of NOTE. a 12 Ei xavydicbas dt, “ If I must glory,” is the reading of some copies, and is justified by ver. 30, of the foregoing chapter, by the vulgar translation, — Cipoma a aes _OHAP. XII. II. CORINTHIANS. 261 TEXT. 2° T knew a man in Christ; above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cammot tell; or wliether out of the body, I cannot tell ; God knoweth,) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body; I cannot tell: God knoweth) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Ofsuch an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For, though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And, lest I should be exalted above measure, through the abun- PARAPHRASE. @ the Lord. I knewa man’, by the power of Christ, above fourteen years ago, caught up into the third heaven, whe- ther the intire man, body and all, or out of the body in 3 an ecstacy, I know not; God knows. And I knew such an one’, whether in the body, or out of the body, I know 4 not, God knows, That he was caught up into paradise, and there heard what is not in the power of man to utter. § Of such an one, I will glory; but myself I will not men- tion, with any boasting, unless in things that carry the 6 marks of weakness, and show my sufferings. ut if I should have a mind to glory in other things, I might do it, without being a fool; for I would speak nothing but what is true, having matter in abundance‘, but I forbear, -lest any one should think of me beyond what he sees me, 7 or hears commonly reported of me. And that I might not be exalted above measure, by reason of the abun- dance of revelations that I had, there was given me a thorn in the flesh*, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, NOTES. and by the Syriac, much to the same purpose; and suiting better with the con- _ text, renders the sense clearer. 2,3 > Modestly speaking of himself in the third person. 6 © Vid. ver. 7. _ @ 4 Thorn in the flesh,” what this was in particular, St. Paul having thought fit to conceal it, is not easy for those, who come after, to discoyer, nor is it very material, - 262 II. CORINTHIANS. — oar. xr ae ; dance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exe alted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. Yi 9 And he said unto me, “ My grace is sufficient for thee: for my 3 “« strength is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly, there- fore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of _ Christ may rest upon me. x 10 Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neces- sities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. ; 11 I am become a fool in glorying: ye have compelled me; for I ought to have been commended of you; for in nothing am I be- hind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. PARAPHRASE. - 8 that I might not be over-much elevated. Concerni this thing, I besought the Lord thrice, that-it might de- 9 partfrom me. And he said, My favouris sufficient for thee: for my power exerts itself, and its sufficiency is seen the more perfectly, the weaker thou thyself art. I, therefore, most willingly choose to glory, rather in thing that show my weakness, than in my abundance of glori- — ous revelations, that the power of Christ may the more — ‘LO visibly be seen to dwell in me. Wherefore, I have sa- . . 7 # . ° ah tisfaction in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, 4 > . 4 é in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For — when -I, looked upon in my outward state, appear weak, then by the, power of Christ, which dwelleth in me, I 1] am found to be strong. JI am become foolish in glory- ing thus: but it is you, who have forced me to it. For { a , I ought to have been commended by you;. since in no- thing came I behind the chiefest of the apostles, though in myself I'am nothing. | euap. xii, _—«sUI. CORINTHIANS. 263 SECT. IV." N°.'7.- CHAP. XII. 12, 13. CONTENTS. H E continues to justify himself to be an apostle, by the miracles he did, and the supernatural gifts he bestowed amongst the corinthians. TEXT. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you, in all patience, in’signs and wonders and mighty deeds. 13 For what is it wherein ye were inferiour to other churches, ex- cept it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong. PARAPHRASE. 12 Truly the signs whereby an apostle might be known, - were wrought among you, by me, in all patience* and submission, under the difficulties 1 there met with, in miraculous, wondeiful and mighty works, performed by 13 me. For what is there, which you were any way short- ened in, and had not equally with other churches’, ex- cept it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this injury. NOTES. ‘42 2 This may well be understood to reflect on the haughtiness and plenty, wherein the false apostle lived amongst them. 43 > Vid, 1 Cor. i. 4—7. SECT. IV. N°. 8. CHAP. XII. 14—@i. CONTENTS. He farther justifies himself, to the corinthians, by his past disinterestedness, and his continued kind intentions to them. ' them, with the like asseveration that he usés here. If we trace the tl 264, II. CORINTHIANS, —_ cuar. xu . TEXT. 14 Behold, the third time, I am ready to cometo you; and will no’ be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the — children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for — the children. a 15 And I will very gladly spend, and be spent, for you, though, the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. oy 16 “ But be it so, [ did not burden you: nevertheless being crafty, — “ T caught you with guile.” : = 17 Did I make a gain of you, by any of them, whom I sent unto ou? i 18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother; did Titus make again of you? Walked we not in the same spirit? Walked _ we not in the same steps? ; b 19 Again, think you that we excuse ourselves unto you? We speak PARAPHRASE. 14 Behold, this is the third time, I am ready to come unto you; but I will not be burdensome to you; for I seek — not what is yours, but you: for it is not expected, nor usual, that children should lay up for their parents, but ¥ 15 parents* for their children. I will gladly lay out what- ever is in my possession, or power; nay, even wear out — and hazard myself for your souls®, though it should so” fall out that the more I love you, the less I should be be -— 16 loved by you’. “Be it so, as some suggest, that 1 was _ “ not burdensome to you; but it was in truth out of - “cunning, with a design to catch you, with that trick, i a | “yt 17 “son.” In answer to which, I ask, Did I, by an 18 those, I sent unto you, make a gain of your I desired NOTES, eae 14 a Vid. 1 Cor. iv. 14, 15. ofogee i 15 > Vid. 2 Tim. ii. 10. ; © Vid. chap. vi. 12, 13. a . 19 4 He had before given the reason, chap. i. 28, of his mot co min, t. Paul’s discourse here, we may observe, that having concludedthe | vase CHAP. XII. II. CORINTHIANS. 265 TEXT. before God, in Christ; but we do all things, dearly beloved, for : edifying. 20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as [ would, and that I shall be found unte you, such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whis- perings, swellings, tumults: PARAPHRASE. upon my mentioning my sending of Titus to you, think that I apologize for my not coming myself: I speak, as in the presence of God, and as a christian, there is no such thing: in all my whole carriage towards you, be- loved, all that has been done, has been done only for - — your edification. No, there is no need of an apology * 20 for my not coming to you sooner: For I fear, when [ do-come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that you will find me such as you would not: I am afraid, that among you there are disputes, envyings, animosi- ties, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings of mind, NOTE. tion of himself and his apostleship by his past actions, ver. 13, he had it in his thoughts to tell them, how he would deal with the false apostle, and his adhe- rents, when he came, as he was ready now to do, And, therefore, solemnly begins, ver. 14, with “« behold ;” and tells them now, ‘¢ the third time,” he was ready to come to them, to which joining, (what was much upon his mind) “that he would not be burdensome to them, when he came, this suggested to his thoughts an objection, viz. that this personal shyness in him was but cunning; for that he designed to draw gain from them, by other hands. Frem which he clears himself, by the instance of Titus, and the brother, whom he had sent together to them, who were as far from receiving any thing from them, as he himself. ‘Titus and his other messenger being-thus mentioned, he thought it necessary to obviate another suspicion, that might be raised in the minds of some of them, as if he mentioned the sending of those two, as an apology for his not coming himself. This he disclaims utterly; and to prevent any thoughts of that kind, solemnly protests to them, that, in all his carriage to them, he had done nothing but for their edification; nor had any other aim, in any of his actions, but purely that; and that he forbore coming merely out of respect and good-will to them. So that all, from ‘ Behold, this third time, I am ready “ to come to you,” ver. 14, to “ this third time I am coming to you,”” chap. iii. 1, must be looked on, as an incident discourse, that fell in occasionally, though tending to the same purpose with the rest; a way of writing very usual with our apostle, and with other writers, who abound in quickness and variety _ of thoughts, as he did. Such men are often, by new matter rising in their ‘way, put by from what they were going, and had begun to say; which, there- fore, are fain to take up again, and continue ata distance: which St. Paul ” does here, after the interposition of eight verses. Other instances of the like + kind may be found in other places of St. Paul’s writings, 266 IL CORINTHIANS. onap. xuz TEXT. j 21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many, which have sinned alrez ady | and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, an lasciviousness, which they have cummitted. : PARAPHRASE. 21 disturbances: And that my God, when I come wo yé a again, will humble me amongst you, and I shall bewail_ many, who have formerly sinned, and have not yet r ree pented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lascivious ness, whereof they are guilty. SECT. IV. N°. 9. CHAP. XIII. 1—10. . CONTENTS. He re-assumes what he was going to say, chap. xii. 14 and tells them, how he intends to deal with them, when h comes to them: and assures them, that, however they que es- tion it, he shall be able, by miracles, to give proof bs his authority and commission from Christ. ri | TEXT. ial nq 1 THIS is the third time I am coming to you: in the motile of | two or three witnesses shall every word be established. a ® I told you before, and foretel you, as if I were present the cond time; and, being absent, now I write to them, which tofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if : come again, not spare: PARAPHRASE. 1 "Tuis is, now, the third time, I am coming t6 4 and, when I come, I shall not spare you, besten rO- ceeded, according to our Saviour’s rule, and endea by fair means, first to reclaim you, before I come 2 last extremity. And of this my former — ’ CHAP. XIII. IJ. CORINTHIANS. | 267 TEXT. 3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you- ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. * PARAPHRASE. applied myself to you, and this, wherein I now, as if I _ were present with you, foretel those, who have formerly sinned, and all the rest, to whom, being now absent, I write, that when I come, I will not spare you. I say, these two letters are my witnesses, according to our Sa- viour’s rule, which says, ‘‘ In the mouth of two or three 3 “ witnesses every word shall be established*:” Since you demand a proof of my mission, and of what I deliver, ~ that it is dictated by Christ speaking in me, who must be acknowledged not to be weak to you-ward, but has given sufficient marks of his power amongst you. NOTE. @ @ “ In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” “These words seem to be quoted from the law of our Saviour, Matt. xviii. 16, -and not from the law of Moses in Deuteronomy; not only because the words are the same with those in St. Matthew, but from the likeness of the case. In “Deuteronomy, the rule given concerns only judaical trials: in St. Matthew, it is a rule given for the management of persuasion, used for the reclaiming an offender, by fair means before coming to the utmost extremity, which is the case of St. Paul here: in Deuteronomy the judge was to hear the witnesses, Deut. xvii. 6, and xix. 15. In St. Matthew, the party was to hear the wit- nesses, Matt. xviii. 17, which was also the case of St. Paul here; the witnesses, which he means, that he made use of to persuade them, being his two epistles. That, by witnesses, he means his two epistles, is plain from his way of expressing himself here, where he carefully sets down his telling them twice, viz. ‘ be- &© fore,” in his former epistle, chap. iv. 19, and now a ** second time,” in his second epistle; and also, by these words, a aapav 7d devrepor, * as if I were « present with you a second time.” By our Saviour’s rule, the offended person ‘was to go twice to the offender; and therefore St. Paul says, “as if I were with you a second time,” counting his letters, as two personal applications to them, as our Saviour directed should’ be done, before coming to rougher means. Some take the witnesses to be the three messengers, by whom his first epistle is supposed to be sent. But this would not be, according to the method ‘prescribed by our Saviour, in the place from which St. Paul takes the words Ne uses: for there were no witnesses to be made use of, in the first application : Neither; if those had been the witnesses meant, would there have been any need for St. Paul; so carefully and‘expressly, to have set down ws aapwy To dew repay, - as if present a second ‘time,”’ words which, in that case, would be super- fluous. Besides, those three men are no where mentioned to have been sent by him, to persuade them; ‘nor the corinthians required to hear them; or re- ‘proved for not having done it: and lastly, they could not be better Witnesses of $t. Paul’s endeavours twice to gain the corinthians, by fair means, *before he »procectled to severity, than the epistles themselves. eon pee? i 268 Il. CORINTHIANS. nar. xin TEXT. 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be im the faith; prove your ow 4 selves: know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? . a 6 But I trust that ye shall know, that we are not reprobates. 4 7 Now I pray to God, that ye do no evil; not that we should ap-— pear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though — we be as reprobates. , ‘ PARAPHRASE. 4 For, though his crucifixion and death were with appear=_ ance” of weakness; yet he liveth with the manifestation” of the power of God, appearing in my punishing you 5 You examine me, whether I can, by any miraculous ope-— ration, give a proof, that Christ isin me. Pray, examine” yourselves, whether you be in the faith; make a trial upon yourselves, whether you yourselves are not some= what destitute of proofs*. Or, are you so little acquaint- ed with yourselves, as not to know, whether Christ be in- 6 you? Lut, if you do not know yourselves, whether you can give proofs or no, yet I hope, you shall know, that 1 7 am not unable to give proof* of Christinme. But T pray to God that you may do no evil, wishing not for an opportunity to show my proofs*: but that you, doing what is right, I may be, as if 1 had no proofs‘, no supernatural NOTES, 4 » EZ aobevetac, “ through weakness,” ix Suvamews Oct, * by the powe “© of God,” I have rendered “‘ with the appearance of weakness, and with . ‘* the manifestation of the power of God; which I think, the sense of the place, and the style of the apostle, will justify. St. Paul, sometimes, uses the Greek prepositions, in a larger sense than that tongue ordinarily allows. Far= ther, it is evident, that 22, joined to acQeveiac, has not a casual significationg _ and therefore, in the antithesis, ix duvemews ew, it cannot be taken casually. And it is usual for St. Paul, in such cases, to continue the same word, though it happens, sometimes, seemingly to carry the sense another way. , In short, ia meaning of the place is this: Though Christ, in his crucifixion, appeared weak and despicable; yet he ‘‘ now lives, to show the power of God, in the miracles, *¢ and mighty works, which he does: so I, though I, by my sufferings and in= ** firmities, appear weak and contemptible; yet shall I live to show the power *€ of God, in punishing you miraculously.” ‘ 5,6,7 © “Adoxsyor, translated here ‘ reprobates,” "tis plain in these three verses has no such signification, reprobation being very remote from the argu- " ona. XIII. II. CORINTHIANS. 269 i o4 TEXT. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. | 99 Therefore I write these things, being absent; lest, being present, ~ A should use sharpness, according to the power, which the Lord hath given ine, to edification, and not to destruction. PARAPHRASE. 8 power. For, though I have the power of punishing su- pernaturally, I cannot show this power upon any of you, unless it be that you are offenders, and your punishment 9 be for the advantage of the gospel. I am, therefore, ~~ glad, when I ain weak, and can inflict no punishment upon you; and you are so strong, i.e. clear of faults, that ye cannot be touched. For all the power I have is only for promoting the truth of the gospel; whoever are faithful and obedient to that, I can do nothing to; 1 cannot make examples of them, by all the extraordi- nary power I have, it 1 would: nay, this also I wish, 10 even your perfection. These things, therefore, I write to you, being absent, that when I come, I may not use _ severity, according to the power which the Lord hath given me, for edification, not for destruction. NOTE. ‘ment the apostle is here upon; but the word 2éxiu@ is here used for one that cannot give proof of Christ being in him; one that is destitute ofa supernatural ' power: for thus stands St. Paul’s discourse, ver. 3, gare} doxsuny Cilerre, ver. 6s yyoceabe ors &x cdoxsnos ecutv, ** Since you segk a proof, you shall know, that * #6 I am not destitute of 3 proof.” 270 II. CORINTHIANS. SECT, cu smneenn CHAP. XU. 11—14—O” CONCLUSION. TEXT. 11 Finally, brethren, farewell; be perfect, be of good co: of one mind, live in peace; and the God of | and p peac = be with you. c 12 Greet one another with an holy ear i ae 33 All the saints salute you. . iy 14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, pore ‘da ee of Gos “a the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. rm Amen PARAPHRASE. i G 11 Finally, brethren, farewell: bring yourselves int ma well-united, firm, unjarring society*; be of new fort; be of one mind; live in peace, and the God o 12 and peace shall be with you. Salute one anothe w 13 an holy kiss: All the saints salute you. The grace 14 our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, ont’ communion of the Holy catty be with you all. Am ial NOTE. 11 a The same, that he exhorts them to, in the ieee ch. i, ver. 10. aay 4 a o u% she ON THE PISTLE OF ST. PAUL a TO THE 4! -- ROMANS. THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS; WRIT IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 57, OF NERO II. - ee SYNOPSIS. Berore we take into consideration the epistle-to the Romans in particular, it may not be amiss to premise, that the miraculous birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, were all events, that came to pass within the confines of Judea; and that the ancient writings of the jewish nation, allowed by the christians to be of di- yine original, were appealed to, as witnessing the truth of his mission and doctrine; whereby it was manifest, that the jews were the depositaries of the proofs of the christian reli- gion. ‘This could not-choose but give the jews, who were owned to be the people of God, even in the days of our Sa- Vionr, a great authority among the convert gentiles, who knew nothing of the Messiah, they were to believe in, but what they derived from that nation, out of which he and his doctrine sprung. Nor did the jews fail to make use of this advantage, several ways to the disturbance of the gentiles, ie embraced christianity. ‘The jews, even those of them lat received the gospel, were, for the most part, so devoted to the law of Moses and their ancient rites, that they could by no means, bring themselves to think, that they were to be laid aside. They were, every-where, stiff and zealous for them, and contended that they were necessary to be ob- ay = 274 SYNOPSIS. a oe served, even by christians, by all that pretended to be th people of God, and hoped to be accepted by him. Th gave no small trouble to the newly-converted gentiles, an was a great prejudice to the gospel, and therefore we find j complained of, in more places than one; vid. Acts xv. 1 2 Cor. xi. 3, Gal. ii. 4, and v. 1, 10, 12, Phil. iii. 2, Col. i 4, 8, 16, Tit. i. 10, 11, 14, &c. This remark may serve r give light, not only to this epistle to the romans, but to se-_ veral other of St. Paul’s epistles, written to the churches of converted gentiles. “? As to this epistle to the romans, the apostle’s princips aim in it seems to be, to persuade them to a steady pers verance in the profession of christianity, by convincing then that God is the God of the gentiles, as well as of the jews and that now, under the gospel, there is no difference be tween jew and gentile. This he does several ways : 1. By showing, that, though the gentiles were very si fu yet the jews, who had the law, kept it not, and so could no upon account of their having the law (onhich being broker aggravated their faults, and made them as far from righte ous, as the gentiles themselves) have a title to. exclude t gentiles, from being the people of God, under the gospel 2. That Abraham was a father of all that believe, as we . uncircumcised, as circumcised’; so that those, that wal * the steps of the faith of Abraham, though uncircumcised; are the seed, to which the promise is made, and shall re ceive the blessing. ee +a 3. That it was the purpose of God, from the begi to take the gentiles to be his people under the Mess the place of the jews, who had been so, till that ti were then nationally rejected, because they nationally t jected the Messias, whom he sent to them to be their King ‘and Deliverer, but was received by but a very small numb of them, which remnant was received into the kinge Christ, and so continued to be his people, with the ec gentiles, who all together made now the chureh and of God. Maa). 4. That the jewish nation hed no reason to compla any unrighteousness in God, or hardship from him, im being cast off, for their unbelief, since they had been w of it, and they might find it threatened in their ancient pre SYNOPSIS. 275 phets. Besides, the raising or depressing of any nation is the prerogative of God’s sovereignty. Preservation in the land, that God has given them, being not the right of any once race of men, above another. And God might, when he thought fit, reject the nation of the jews, by the same so- vereionty. whereby he at first chose the posterity of Jacob to be his people, passing by other nations, even such as de- scended from Abraham and Isaac: but yet he tells them, that at last they shall-be restored again. Besides the assurance he labours to give the romans, that they are, by faith in Jesus Christ, the people of God, with- out circumcision, or other observances of the jews, what- ever they may say, (which is the main drift of this epistle,) it is farther remarkable, that this epistle being writ to a church of gentiles, in the metropolis of the roman empire, but not planted by St. Paul himself; he, as apostle of the gentiles, out of care that they should rightly understand the ospel, has woven into his discourse the chief doctrines of it, and given them a comprehensive view of God's dealing ‘with mankind, from first to last, in reference to eternal life. ‘The principal heads whereof are these : That, by Adam’s transgression, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death reigned over all men, from Adam to Moses. That, by Moses, God gave the children of Israel (who were his people, i. e. owned him for their God, and kept themselves free from the idolatry and revolt of the heathen world) a law, which if they obeyed they should have life _ thereby, i.e. attain to immortal life, which had been lost by Adam’s transgression. . That though this law, which was righteous, just, and good, were ordained to life, yet, not being able to give strength to perform what it could not but require, it failed, by reason of the weakness of human nature, to help men to life. So that, though the israelites had statutes, which if a man did, he should live in them; yet they all trans- a’ and attained not to righteousness and life, by the eeds of the law. _ That, therefore, there was no way to life left to those under the law, but by the righteousness of faith in Jesus T2 276 SYNOPSIS. ae Christ, by which faith alone they were that seed of Abra-— ham, to whom the blessing was promised. Loa This was the state of the israelites. — As to the gentile world, he tells them, al That, though God made himself known to them, by legi ble characters of his being and power, visible in the works of the creation; yet they glorified him not, nor were tha k. ful to him; they did not own nor worship the one, ‘only true, invisible God, the creator of all things, but revolted from him, to gods set up by themselves, in their own vail imaginations, and worshipped stocks and stones, the cor- ruptible images of corruptible things. te Alm That, they having thus cast off their allegiance’ to him, their proper Lord, and revolted to other gods, God, there: fore, cast them off, and gave them up to vile affections, d to the conduct of their own darkened hearts, which led them into all sorts of vices. | slain eet la That both jews and gentiles, being thus all under sin, an¢ coming short of the glory of God; God, by sending his Son Jesus Christ, shows himself to be the God both ot the jews and gentiles; since he justifieth the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith, so that all, that believe, are freely justified by his grace. i That thoagh justification unto eternal life be only by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ; yet we are, to the ut- most of our power, sincerely to endeavour after righteou ness, and from our hearts obey the precepts of the gos whereby we become the servants of G od; for his serv we are whom we obey, whether of sin unto death, or ob ence unto righteousness. | Be “These are but some of the more general and comprehe sive heads of the christian doctrine, to be found in this epis- tle. The design of a synopsis will not permit me to de- scend more minutely to particulars. But this let me say, that he, that would have an enlarged view of true chiis- tianity, will do well to.study this epistle. a Several exhortations, suited to the state that the ¢ tins of Rome were then in, make up the latter part of epistle. ahs ta i074 -o ‘uAP. I. ROMANS. 277 | _‘This epistle was writ from Corinth, the year of our Lord, according to the common account, 57, the third vear of Nero, a little after the second epistle to the corinthians. Sy San es es ee ee eS ee « SECT. I. CHAP. I. 1—15. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION, With his profession of a desire to see them, id * TEXT. ? 1 Pau L, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, sepa- ~ ‘rated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had premised afore, by his prophets, m the holy scriptures) . ~3 Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, (which was made of _ the seed of David, according to the flesh ; 4 Aud declared to be the son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: PARAPHRASE. ae Pavu a servant of Jesus Christ, called* to be an apos- _ tle, separated” to the preaching of the gospel of God “2 (Which he had keretofore promised, by his prophets, in *S the holy scriptures) Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, (who according to the flesh, i.e. as to the body, _ which he took in the womb of the blessed virgin, his mo- A ther, was of the posterity and lineage of David‘; Accord- . NOTES. » > 42# Called.’ The manner of his being called, see Acts ix. 1—22. % ees. vid. Acts xiii. 2. 3 © “Of David,” and so would have been registered of the house and I’neage of David, as both h s mother and reputed father were, if there had been aaother faxin his days. Vid, Luke ii. 4, Matt. xiii. 55. o78 ROMANS. 7 epee TEXT. . 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedieng to the faith among all nations for his name; q 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ.) 4g 7 To all. that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and = Lor Jesus Christ. 4 8 First, | thank my God, through Jesus Christ, for you all, that your faith is spoken of, ‘throughout the whole world. - : PARAPHRASE. . ing to the spirit of holiness*, i.e. as to that more pure and — spiritual part, which in him over-ruled all, and kept ever his frail flesh holy and spotless from the least taint of sin and was of another extraction, with most mighty power‘ declared® to be the son of God, by his resurrection from 5 the dead; By whom I have received favour, and the office of an apostle, for the bringing of the gentiles, every where, to the obedience of faith, which I preach in. hi 6 name; Of which number", i.e. gentiles, that I am sen to preach to, are ye who are already called’, ‘and become 7 christians.) To all the beloved of God', ‘and called t t be saints, who are in Rome, favour and peace be to you 8 from God our Father, ahd the Lord Je esus is oe vy NOTES. ' D4 44“ According to the spirit of holiness,” is here manifestly oppost €¢ according to the flesh,” in the foregoing verse, and so must mean that pure and spiritual part in him, which, by divine extraction, he hadi immed from God: unless this be so understood, the antithesis i is lost. © See araphrase, chap. viii. 3. "Ey en with power: he that will read in the original what St. | says, Eph. i. 19, 20, 0 oP the power, which God exerted, in raising Chri the dead, will hardly ayoid thinking that he there sees St. Paul labou words to express the greatness of it. ‘ & « Declared” does not exactly answer the word in the original, nor is perhaps, easy to find a word in English, that perfectly answers apr Dive @ in sense the apostle uses it here; opie signifies properly to bound, termi circumscribe; by which termination the figure of things sensible is made they are known to be of this, or that race, and are distinguished from oth Thus St. Paul takes Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and his entering immortality, to be the most eminent and characteristical ‘mark, whereby is certainly known, and as it were determined to be the Son of God. 6 5 To take the thread of St. Paul’s words here right, ‘all from | Lord, in the middle of ver. 3, to the beginning of this 7th, must be parenthesis. ; 6and7 + “Called of Jesus Christ; called to be saints; beloved of ¢ are but different expressions for professors of christianity. i SG \ Bath hy Z CHAP. I ROMANS. 279 TEXT. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit, in the guspel of his Sonythat without ceasmg I make mention of you always in my prayers; 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. 11 For [ Jong to see you, that [ may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end you may be established; - * 12 ‘That is, that | may be comforted together with you, by the mu- tual iaith both of you and me. . PARAPHRASE. the first place, I thank my God, through Jesus Christ _ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout ;the 9 whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve ‘with the whole bent of my mind, in preaching the gos- __ pel of his son, that without ceasing I constantly make 10 mention of you in my prayers. Requesting (if it be God's will, that I may now at length, if possible, have 11 a good oppurtunity) to come unto you. + For I long to see you, that I may communicate to you some spiri- 12 tual gift*, for your establishment’ in the faith; That is", that, when I am among you, I may be comforted NOTES. 11 * * Spiritual gift.’ If any one desire to know more particularly the spi- ‘ritual gifts, he may read 1 Cor, xii. a es ni Establishment ’’ The jews, were the worshippers of the true God, and had been, for many ages, his people ; this could not be denied by the christians. Whereupon they were very apt to persuade the convert gentile, that the Q Me was promised, and sent, to the jewish nation alone, and that the gen- 4iles could claim, or have no benefit by him; or, if they were to receive any “benefit by the Messias, they were yet bound to observe the law of Moses, which was the way of worship, which God had prescribed to his people. This, in several places, very much shook the gentile converts. St. Paul makes it (as we have already observed,) his business, in this epistle, to prove, that the Messias was intended for the gentiles, 4s much as for the jews; and that, to make any one partaker of the benefits and privileges of the gospel, there was nothing more required, but to believe and obey it: and accordingly, here in the entrance of the epistle, he wishes to come to Rome, that, by :mparting some miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost to them, they might be established in the a true notion of christianity, against all attempts of the jews, who would either exclude them from the privileges of it, or bring them under the law of Moses. __ So, where St. Paul expresses his care, that the colossians should be established sce faith, Col. ii. 7, it is visible, by the context, that what he opposed was judaism. 12 ™ © That is.” St. Paul, in the former verse, had said that he desired to come amongst them, to establish them; in these words, “ that is,” he explains, na 5 ‘ . i 280 * ROMANS. * oHAP. TEXT. 13 Now I wonld not have you ignerant, brethren, that often * I purposed to come unto you (but was let,hitherto) that { m a have some fruit among you also, even as among other gentiles 14 1 am debtor both to the greeks and to the barbarians, | both the wise and to. the unwise, 15 So,as much as in meis, | am ready to preach the gospel to toy that are at Rome also. a PARAPHRASE. together with you, both with your faith and my o% 13 This I think fit you should know, brethren, that I oft ' ~ purposed to come unto you, that I may have som ‘of my ministry, among you also, even as among 14 gentiles. 1 owe, what service can do, to the gentile of all kinds, whether greeks or barbarians, to” beth th more knowing and civilized, and the uncultivated ar an 15 ignorant: So that, as much as in me lies, I am ready preach the gospel to you also, who are at Rome. a NOTE. q ‘or, as it were, recals what he had said, that he might not seem to think ¢ not sufficiently instructed, or established in the faith, and therefore turns t _ “end of his coming to them, to their mutual rejoicing in one another’s fait when he and they came to see and know one another. oe SECT. IL. i CHAP. I. 16,—IL. 99. pare a Sr. Paul, in this section, shows, that the jeuratal de ‘themselves from being the people of God, under the pel, by the same reason that they would have the g excluded. It cannot be sufficiently admired how skilfally,-to an offending those of his own nation, St. Paul here entei “an argument, so unpleasing to the jews, as ‘hina ‘cuar.t. | ROMANS. 281 suadihe them, that the gentiles had as good a title to be taken in; to be the people of God, under the Messias, “as they themselves, which is the main design of this epistle. - Iw this latter part of the first chapter, he gives a descrip- tion of the gentile world in very black colours, but very -adroitly interweaves such an apology for them, in respect of the jews, as was sufficient to beat that assuming nation out of all their pretences to a right to continue to be alone the people of God, with an exclusion of the gentiles. This may be seen, if one carefully attends tothe particulars, that he mentions, relating to the jews and gentiles; and observes how, what he says of the jews, in the second chapter, answers to what he ‘had charged on the gentiles, in the first... For there is a secret comparison of them, one with another, runs through these two chapters, which, as soon as it comes to be minded, gives such a light and lustre to St. Paul's dis-» ‘course, that one cannot but admire the skilful turn of it: and look on it as the most soft, the most beautful, and most pressing argumentation, that one shall any where meet with, altogether: since it leaves the jews nothing to say for them- selves, why they should have the privilege continued to them, ‘under the gospel, of being alone ‘the people of God. — All ‘the things they stood upon, and boasted in, giving them no “preference, in this respect, to the gentiles; nor any ground to judge them to be incapable, or unworthy to be their fel- low-subjects, in the kingdom of the Messias. This is what he says, speaking of them nationally. But as to every one’s personal concerns in a future state, he assures them, both jews aud gentiles, that the unrighteous of both nations, whe- ther admitted, or not, into the visible cegmmnunion of the peo- ‘ple of God, are liable to condemnation. Those, who have sinned without law, shall perish without law; and those, who have sinned in the law, shall be judged, i.e. condemned by the law. ; Perhaps some readers will not think it superfluous, if I ‘give a short draught of St. Paul’s management of himself Reve for allaying the sourness of the jews, against the gen- files, and their offence at the gospel, for allowing any of “them place among the people of God, under the Messias. After he had declared that the gospel is the power of God --unto salvation, to those who believe; to the jew first, and f ” 282 ROMANS. " ouar. also to the gentile; and that the way of this salvation’ is re« vealed to be, by the righteousness of God, which is by faith; he tells them, that the wrath of God is also now reveale ayainst all atheism, polytheism, idolatry, and vice what soever, of men holding the truth in unrighteousness, because they might come to the knowledge of the true God, by the visivle works of the creation; so that the gentiles were with out excuse, for turning from the true God to idolatry, and the worship of false gods, whereby their hearts were dark-— ened; so that they were without God in the world. Where- fore, God gave them up to vile affections, and all manner of vices, in which state, though, by the light of nature, they know what was right, yet understanding not that such things were worthy of death, they not only do them themselves but abstaining from censure, live fairly and in fellowship with those that do them. Whereupon he tells the jews, that they are more inexcuseable than the heathen, in that they judge, abhor, and have in aversion, the gentiles, for what they themselves do with greater provocation. Th eir censure and judgment in the case is unjust and wrong: but the judgment of God is always right and just, which will certainly overtake those who judge others, for the same things they do themselves ; and do not consider, that God's forbearance to them ought to bring them to repentance. “ For God will render to every one according to his deeds; to those that in meekness and patience continue in well doing, everlasting life; but to those who are censori proud and contentious, and will not obey the gospel, con- demnation and wrath; at the day of judgment, whether they be jews or gentiles; for God puts no difference betweet them. ‘Thou, that 4 jew, boastest that God is thy God; that he has enlightened thee by the law that he himself gave thee from heaven, and hath, by that immediate revelation, taught thee what things are excellent and tend to life, anc . what are evil and have death annexed to them. If, th fore, thou transgressest, dost not thou more dishonour G and provoke him, than a poor heathen, that knows not G ) nor that the things he doth, deserve death, which is th reward? Shall not he, if, by the light of nature, he do wi is conformable to the revealed law of God, judge thee, whe hast received that‘law from God, by revelation, and break CHAP. I. ROMANS. 283 est it? Shall not this, rather than circumcision, make him anisraelite? For he is not a jew, i.e. one of God’s peuple, who is one outwardly, by circumcision of the flesh; but he that is one inwardly, by the circumcision of the heart. \ . TEXT. 16 For Iam notashamed 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. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith te faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. PARAPHRASE. 16 For I am not ashamed to preach the gospel of Christ, even at Rome itself, ‘that mistress of the world: for, whatever it may be thought of there*, by that vain and haughty people, it is that, wherein God exerts himself, and shows his power’, for the salvation of those who believe, of the jews in the first place‘, and also of the 17 gentiles. Lor therein is the righteousness", which is of the free grace ot God, through Jesus Christ, revealed to ___ be wholly by faith*, as it is written, The just shall live t NOTES. 16 4 Vid. ver. 22, and 1 Cor. i. 21. b Vid. Eph. i. 19. © « First.” The jews had the first offers of the gospel, and were always considered as those, who were first regarded in it. Vid. Luke xxiv. 47, Matt. x. 6, and xv. 24, Acts xili. 46, and xvii. 2. 17 4 Atzasoovyn @ce, <<‘ the righteousness of God,” called so, because it is a righteousness of his contrivance, and his bestowing. It is God that justifieth, chap. iii. 2i—24, 26, 30, and viii. 33. Of which St. Paul speaks thus, Phil. ili. 9, “‘ Not having mine own righteoueness, which is of the law, but that *€ which is through the faith ef Christ, the righteousness which is of God by ¢ faith.” : e ‘¢ From faith to faith.”’ The design of St. Paul here, being to show, that neither jews nor gentiles could, by works, attain to righteousness, i.e. such a perfect and complete obedience, whereby they could be justified, which he calls, ‘‘ their own righteousness,” ch. x. 3. He here tells them, that in the gospel the righteousness of God, i.e. the righteousness, of which he is the author, and which he accepts, in the way of his own appointment, is revealed from faith to faith, i.e. to be all through, from one end to the other, founded in faith. If this be not the sense of this phrase here, it will be hard to make _ the iollowing words, as it is written, The just shall live by faith, cohere: but thus they have an easy and natural connexion, viz. whoever are justified either before, without, or under the law of Moses, or under the gospel, are justified, ' mot by works, but by faith alone. Vid. Gal. iii. 11, which clears this inter- ‘pretation, The same figure of speaking St. Paal uses, in other places, to the - } 18 by faith. And it is no more than need, that the gospe ~ put the truth, but yet do not follow what they have of it, but live cont 284 ROMANS * | oem ' TEXTE: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against a godliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hoid the unrighteousuess. F . : ‘ 19 Because that, which may be known of God, is manifest in then for God bath showed it unto them. | a 20 For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the wo ] are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are mad ” PARAPHRASE. ; wherein the righteousness of God, by faith in Jesu "Christ, is revealed, shouldbe preached to you gentile since the wrath of God is now revealed‘ from heavet by Jesus Christ, against all ungodliness* and unright ousness of men*, who live not up to the light that 19 has given them’. Because God, in a clear manifeste tion of himself amongst them, has laid before them, evé since the creation of the world, his divine nature an 20 eternal power; So that what is to be known, of his in - NOTES. same purpose; ch. vi. 19, ‘ Servants to iniquity unto iniquity;” i.e. to iniquity; 2 Cor. iii. 18, ‘* From glory to glory,” i.e. wholly glorious.” — 418 f “« Now revealed.”” Vid. Acts xvii. 30, 31, ‘* God now commande €¢ all men, every where, to repent, because he hath appointed a day, in whit © he will judge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he hath o s« dained.”” These words of St. Paul to the athenians, give light to these he tothe romans. AA life again after death, and a-day of judgment, wherein ime should be al! brought to receive sentence, according to what they had done, an be punished for their misdeeds, was what was before unknown, and was br to light, by the revelation of the gospel from heaven, 2 Tim. i. 10, Mat AO, &c. Luke xiii. 27, and, Rom. ii. 5, he calls the day of judgment the day: wrath, consonant to his saying here, the wrath of God is revealed. 2. & "AciGzias, “ ungodliness,”” seems to comprehend the atheism, polythe sn and idolatry of the heathen world, as adixiay, “ unrighteousness,” their othe miscarriages and vicious lives, according to which, they are distinctly th by St. Paul, in the following verses. The same appropriation of these J think, may be observed in other parts of this epistle. i h “¢ Of men,”’ i.e. of all men, or as in the xviith of Acts, before «< all men} every where,” i.e. all men of all nations: before it was only to children of Israel, that obedience and transgression were di and proj as terms of life and death. B yi i « Who hold the truth in unrighteousness,” i.e, who are not wholly w that truth they do know, or neglect to know what they might. This from the next words, and for the same reason of Ged’s wrath, given, in these words, ** who,do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousne Ses 20C-Ct<“‘ M#*«CRKOMANS 985 TEXT: even his eternal power and godhead; so that they are without excuse. ' 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as __ God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imagina- * tions, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools: 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image, ‘made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, aud creeping things. % : aN PARAPHRASE. . visible being, might be clearly discovered and under- stood, froin the visible beauty, order, and operations, observable in the constitution and parts of the universe, by all those, that would cast their regards, and apply - their minds* that way: insomuch that they are utterly 21 without excuse: For that, when the Deity was so plainly discovered to thém, yet they-glorified him not, as was suitable to the excellency of his divine nature: nor did they, with due thankfulness, acknowledge him as the author of their being, and the giver of all the good they enjoyed: but, following the vain fancies of their own vain’ minds, set up to themselves fictitious no-gods, and 22 their foolish understandings were darkened. Assuming to themselves the opinion and name™ of being wise, they 2S became fools; And, quitting the incomprehensible ma- NOTES. 90 * St. Paulsays, vodueva xabopéras, if they are minded they are seen: the invisible things of God l:e within the reach and discovery of men’s reason and understandings, but yet they must exercise their faculties and employ their minds about them. 214! Evdlaswbacay ev vols OaAoyiopols avray, ** became vain in their ima- *¢ sinations,”’ or reasonings. What it is to become vain in the scripture-lan- guage, one may see in these words, ‘ and they followed vanity, and became *¢ vain, and went after the heathen, and made to themselves molten images, and. worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal,” 2 Kings xyil. 15, 16. And accordingly the forsaking of idolatry, and the worship of false gods, is called by St. Paul, “* turning from vanity to the living God,” Acts xiv. 15. (22 ™ @acuurtes tivos cool, ‘* protessing themselves to be wise ;” though the nations of the heathen generally thought themselves wise, in the religion they embraced ; yet the apostle here, having ail along in this and the following chapters used grecks*for gentiles, he may be thought to have an eye to the greeks, among whom the men of study and enquiry had assumed to themselves the name of cogci, wise. j i Sa 236 ROMANS. TEXT. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through th lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies betwee themselves ; 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lye, std worshipped an served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed fe ever. Amen. S 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for ¢ their women did change the natural use into that which i is again nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the. ie man, burned in their lust, one tow ‘ard another, men with m working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves th recompence of their errour, which was meet. PARAPHRASE. - jesty and glory of the eternal, incorruptible Deity, s up to themselves the images of corruptible men, bird beasts, and insects, as fit “objects of their adoration ai 24 worship. Wherefore, they, having forsaken God, h also left them to the lusts of their own hearts, and thi uncleanness their darkened hearts led them into, to dis 25 honour their bodies among themselves: Who so mue debased themselves, as to change the true God, ‘made them, for a lye" of their own making, worshi and serving the creature, and things even of a lowe than themselves, more than the Creator, who i 96 over all, blessed for evermore. Amen. (For this God gave them up to shameful and infamous lusts a passions, for even their women did change their n 27 use, into that which is against nature: "And lik their men, leaving also the natural use of the burned in their lusts one towards another, me men practising that which is shameful, and rece themselves a fit reward of their errour, i.e. idolatry % > — NOTES. 95." The false and fictitious gods of the heathen are very fly calle scripture, “lyes,” Amos ii. 4, Jer. xvi. 19, 20. 27 © “ Errour,”’ so idolatry is called, 2 Pet. ii. 18. As they, light of nature, debased and dakiodiithet God, by their idolatry, and fit recompence they received, in being left to debase and cae selves by unnatural lusts. CHAP.I, | ROMANS. 237 i TEXT. 28 And, even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient: Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, de- ceit, malignity, whisperers, ; Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of eyil things, disobedient to parents, t- . PARAPHRASE. “98 And?, as they did not search out* God, whom they had - in the world, so as to have him with a due acknowledge- __ ment* of ltim, God gave them up to an unsearching and -_unjudicious* mind, to do things incongruous, and not 29 meet‘ to be done; LPeiag filled with all manner of ini- i uity, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, malice, full . of envy, contention, deceit, malignity even to murder, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, insulters of men, proud,. ~ boasters, inventors of new arts of debauchery, disobedi- ’ NOTES. 28 Pp “ And.” ‘This copulative joins this verse to the 25th, so that the apos- " tle will be better understood, if ali between be looked on as a parenthesis, this being a continuation of what he was there saying, or rather a repetition of it in short, which led him into the thread of his discourse. 4 “Oux ioxipacas, “did not like,” rather did not try, or search; for the ‘Greek word signifies to search, and find out by searching; so St. Paul often uses it, chap. ii. 18, and xii. 2, compared, and xiv. 22, Eph. v. 10. t "Ey ixsyswces, with acknowledgment. That the gentiles were not wholly without the knowledge of God in the world, St. Pau! tells us, in this v chapter, but they did not acknowledge him, as they ought, ver. 21. They had God ciyov Occs, but éx eoximacan Exe avtér tv txiyrwces, did not so improve that knowledge, as to acknowledge, or honour him as they ought. This verse _ ‘seems, in other words, to express the same that is said, ver. 21. # Eig adoxspor ve», ‘ to a reprobate mind,”’ rather to an unsearching mind, in the sense of St. Paul, who often uses compounds and derivatives in the sense, wherein, a little before, he used the primitive words, though a little varying from the precise Greck idiom: an exampie whereof we have, in this very word adoxzspG-, 2 Cor, xiii. where having, ver. 3, used dox:um for a proof of his mission by supernatural sifts, he uses by the law; ey, Ag vero eater Pua 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doer of the law shall be justified: 1 i THs ASN al 14 For when thegentiles, which have not the law, do by nature #l things contained in the law, these, havibg not the law, area la unto themselves. A ' eds PARAPHRASE. ae ae 11 the gentile. For syith God there is no respect-6f ers 12 sons. - For all, that havesinned without having the pr sitive law of God, which was given the israelites, _>. perish without the law; and all, who have sinned, 13_under the law, shall be judged by the law, (For the - hearers of the law are not thereby just, or righteo "the sight.of God, but the doers of the law; t exactly perform all that is commanded in if, shal 14 tified. For, when the gentiles, who have no p law given them by God®, do, by fe face. re 4: ee Los % mn : eS ‘3 ue ' NOTES. ‘4 2? gine ‘God, before the Messias: and that, under the Mes tianity, consisting most of converted gentiles, were the and acknowledged as such by him, the unbelieving fey unbelieving gentiles never received ; but that yet*pe both | tiles, every single person,shall be punished,for his own particular sin, asa) by the two™ext verses. © a ede. 19 f° opvres, *¢ shall perish 5” upOncovrety ‘ shall be judged.”” under t w, St. Paul says, “ shall be judged by the law: i to conceive, because they were under a positive law, wherein life a annexed, as the reward and punishment of obediefice and disobedi the gentiles, who were not under the positive law, hesays bar shall perish.”’ St. Paul does not us hese so eminently diffe “for nothing; ge will, I think, give sme light to chap. v. 13, pretation of it, if they lead us no farther. - gue Ieee $9 14 & Mh sozoy exorfec, “* having not the law,”* or not having ala ‘apostle by the word law, generally, in this epistle, signifying a posi given by God,,and promulgated by a revelation from heaven, with the sane of declaréd rewards and punishments annexed to it, it-is not improbable jn. this verse, (where, by the Greek particle, he so plainly points out t of Moses) by xu, without the article, may intend law, in gen sense of a law, and so this verse may be re aging * for wh Ives. « tiles, who have not a law, do by nature th ngs containe «© these, not having a law, are a law to themselves.” And so, vers _« many as have sinned, being under a law, shall be judged by a though, from Adam to Christ, there was no revealed, positive daw, b a o% ¢HAP. IT. ROMANS. ~*~’ 298 bs Pa! - .. fe %, er nH TEXT.” Which show .. of the oe wriffen in theipphearts, their nscience also bearing w itness; yand their thoughts, the mean while, accusing, or else excusin one another) 16 In th tig den, Wee God shall hue th the secrets of men, by Jesus Christ ist, according to my gospe 17 Behold, thou “Sigal a —— restest in ni o ig makest thy boast of x Hie avnitisé " ‘ wo ligh | obserye, or kee 2 the moral rectitude, contaimedyin the _pdsitive eg given by) by\God to the es, they being without any positive law giyen them, 15 have nevertheless a law within themselves. And show the rule of the law written in their hearts, their consci- ences also bearing witness to that-law; they amongst ha thgpselves, in the reasoning of their’own minds, ac- i g, oF “a ei another), At the day of judg- nt, when, as I known in my preaching the gos- rd a all the actions of men, by Jesus VW Ck ‘pehal thou artnamed’ a jew; and thou with n, restest in the privilege of haying the law, as od’s peculiar favour*, whom thou loriest x thy God, and thou one,of his people; a lone — wor ‘sh the true God; an ” mae Ges, 28 siven ge israclites; yet it is certa ) that, by Jesus chitte, a positive law nd that those, to whom this has been gospel, are all under it, and shall be oe by it. iG he << A¥bording to my gospel, »” i.e. as I make known in my preaching ipl: That this is the meaning of this phrase, may be seen, 2 Tim. ii. 8- t. Paul’s declaring of it; in Ris preaching, we have an instance left upon ecor cts xvii. 31. a 4 i "Exoropaln, thou art niaigied, emphatically said hy St. Paul; for he, that such a jew, as he deseribes in the f lowing verses, he taal’ on it, was a only by name, not in zeality, for so he concludes, ver. 28 and 29; he is: not, a the esteem of » a jew, who is so outwardly only. 17—20 Int = four y.ses’ St. Paul makes use of the titles the jews as- -sumed to themselves, fod: advantages they had, of light and knowledge, “above the gentiles, to show them how inexcusable they were, in judging the gen- tiles, who were even in their own account so much beneath ‘ee in knowledge, for doing those things, which they themselves were also guilty of, ca k Vid. Mic. iii. 11. & i i 294 ‘* ROMANS, = “. “‘GHAg, % ee s, be | . WPEXT. » in 18 And knowest his will, and aiirowcgihe things that are more’e cellent, béing instructed out of the law, . 19 And art confident that thou thyself art.a guide of the blindy@ light of them which aré in darkness, a 20 An instructor of the foolistaah teacher of babes, which hast form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law. aie) 21 Thou, therefore, which teac another, teachest thou mot th self? thou that preachest ‘a man shoul t steal, dost, the steal? OB ba ‘ ; 22, Thou, that sayest a man Should not nmi ad , dost the “commit adultery? thou, that abhorrest idols, dos#thou comm sacrilege? jy, 3.) iA ae, ts ott. 23 Thou, thas ty boast of the law, through breal king law, dishonotreth thou God? ; ai ea ee ; ve PARAPHRASE, : 18 And thou ec his will, and hast 2 tOuch-stone | 19 things exce t!, having been educa in thé , Ar takest upon thee as one, who art a guide to the bli a light to the ignorant genti ho are in darkness 20 An instructor of the foolish”, oot f babes", ha ing an exact draught, and a compl Se ” Of kn 21 ledge and truth ae law. ra cM ho ¢ master in this knowledge, and teachest: thou not thyself? Thou, that preache 22, should not steal, dostthou steal wile ee be unlawful, dost thou. it it? The that abhorrest idols, dost thou ,commit »sacrileg 23 Thou, who gloriest in the w, dost thou, by breaki 1a) “a ‘di NOT Pi 4 ‘ 18! T& Ssahéepotla, signifies things excellent, convenient, cok differing. In either of thése senses it may, be under here, thoug wiz. their difference in respect of lawful and unlawful, J thi 2 on, as most suited to the apostle’s design here, and that which the jews upon, as giving them one great pre-eminence above the defiled genti “19, 20 ™ © Blind, in darkness, foolish babes,” were appellations wi jews gaye to the gentiles, signifying how much inferior to ther thought them in knowledge. “5 « f 20 2 MépQworss “ form,” seems here to be the same w tuT@, fi chap. vi. 17, i.e. such a draught, as contained and rep the 5 €¢ Jineaments of the whole.’’ For it is to be remembered, that the apc these expressionsand terms here, in the same sense the jews spoke of themsely vauntingly, over the gentiles, he thereby aggravating their fault, in judging the gentiles as they did, , af ' " » “ey CHAP. IT. ~ ROMANS. 295 TEXT. ., ie 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the gentiles, through you, as it is writtén. it 25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a baer of the lay, thy circumcision is made uncir= eumcision. Ph ts 26 Therefore, if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his reincomcigi ine counted for circumcision ? 4 4°) PARAPHRASE. 94 of theilaw, aishonaur God? For the name of God is blasphemed among t the gentiles, by reason of your mis- 25 Carriages, as it is written”, Circumcision? indeed, and thy being a jew; profiteth*, if thou keep the law: but, , Bee [ ag of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircw i a thou art no way better than an 1.) If, there rejjan uncircumcised gentile keep al rectitudes’ of the law, shall he not be reckoned M i NOTES. ' 940 See 2 Sam. r., Ezek. xxxvi. 23. 25 Pp Circum bision is me out for ‘* being wee: as being one of the chief e. seep the law cae jew, that kept the law, was ete ‘XViil. 5. ve P : # (Te dinarmpale TB vouey “¢ the righteousness of the law.’’ I have taken » which contain in th any part of the natural and eternal hich is made know en, by the light of reason, This rule , id das pyell as circumcised, had, and is at which § NeWiouex cz @cod, ch. i. 32. Because it came'from od, and w y ; the x fule to all mankind being laid within isc a, whi kept to, it was Jixaiwna, righteous- ed, And this rule of morality, St. Paul says, id did acknowledge. Sothat dinciwpa rod Ocod, ch. i. 32, signi- ral; and Sxasopncle red vowe here signifies cular branches of it contai He the law of Moses. For no other part w_of Moses could a ai be suppos e the e observe, ar be concerned de voue here meant. If ider the various senses, that translators and expositors have given to this “ mBesinyes in the several places of St. Paul’s epistles, where it occurs, we sal nave occasion to think that the apostle used this word with great latitude ‘and variety of significations; whereas I imagine, that, if we carefully read those passages, we shall find, that he used it every-where in the samé sense, i.¢. for that rule, which, ifcomplied with, justified, or rendered pegiects the person, or thing, it referred to. For examples, e J eS 1.32. Amelpna God, translated, “ the judgment of God,” is that ‘rule of right, which, if the heathen world had kept and perfectly obeyed, they had been righteous before God. ; the b e onl Dinoevop _and, therefore, 296 ROMANS, NOTE.. * Rom. ii. 26. Aszaiwpoere rot vue, * the right of the la those precepts of the pee Moses, which, if the ‘neue ised, whom he speaks of, had kept, they had been righteous before God. Rom. v.16. Eis duatdye, “to wrath is haa of teousness Rom. v. 18. Ai tvac dncerspar@-, by one sid ss,” is by ae whereby he was justified or com mites perfected to be what he had un dert to be, viz. the rédeemer and saviour of the world, For it was Oa ord or, as some copies read it, dia wabhuar®-, by his sufferi gy Viz. pi “on th cross, that he was perfected, Heb. ii. 9, 10, and Jay v. 79, Ron i 10, Phil. ii. 8, Col: i. 21, 22. Rom. vill. 4. - To dincioug Tod youe, * the ri nafs aw."? | as Rom. ii. 26, it is that rule of right, cont the exactly a he was righteous and colle ore God. Lip Heb. ix. 1 Avnanomora Aatlpetac, < ordinances, of divine — rules, or precepts, concerning the outward worship of God, oie formed to, render it perfect, and bar. as was rightiand unblan God. ’ Heb. ix. 10. Misia? Taprac, “ carnal.g edi cerning ritual performat + as, when obser € observances, according a ria re man, obtained.a legal outw ae tion against him, but he was fi ‘ the sanctuar y: a In the same sense Mixassuare 18 also used in er Rev. xv. 4. Td Mxasmtuara ce eDavepoln 6 manifest,” i.e. those terms whereupon m to be jus i were clearly and “fully made known, under the gospel. Here, are called Dixasdplar ce cds the. t hich God had their justification. And = 3" Rev. xix. 8. Ta& Ane ihe tiv ayiwy, * the righteout i.e. the performances, whereby the saints stand justified bef So that, if we will observe it, dxctwpe is the rule of r for i its author; it is Dinahopas ©c&; as contained in the prec is Mnaiwuera Te youe; as it concermsiihe externally i tical worship of God, it is Drcerioyt Jegal, or ritual holiness of the jews, i Jen men made perfect, it is Swwcerchncrrce li . Jt may not be amiss to take a little no term here, vouG, ** law,” which he ee to men, with ‘the sanction of a penalty «8 and i a with, sometimes cans, the particle) for out naming what law he means, here had pena world, as ced, there Ww: a any Paul's the fall to our Saviour’ s , but onl: ay by the hand of Moses. €: the ssuepal h but yet the Vtatopara rod voue were not ahead e dae net only stood firm, but was, by the divine authority, pron sae: Christ, "the ctbeti and Saviour of the world. Por it ig pore Tov yopui i _and acco ¢ 1 branches of it more ail command eae penalties mi inforced, on all bis subjects, by our Saviour a Sa Pi ag the law of Moses. iy PR ahi ie. re CHAP. II. ROMANS. 2907 TEXT. 27 And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, if it fulfil the slaw, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost trans- __ gress the law? 28 For he is not a jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that cir- : cumcision, which is outward in the flesh: ; 29 But he is a jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that | of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is _not of men, but of God. A et oe ¥ PARAPHRASE. -wayajewr And shall not a gentile, who, in his natu- ‘ral state of uncircumcision, fulfils the law, condemn‘ thee, who, notwithstanding the advantage of having the law and circumcision’, art a transgressor of the law? + 28 For he is not a jew, who is one in outward appearance _ and conformity”, nor is that the circumcision, which ren- €. ders a_man acceptable to God, which is outwardly in the flesh. Buthe is a jew, and one of the people of fh eye is one in an inward conformity to the law: d and that is the circumcision which avails a man, which Se Jaw, h is the purging our hearts from iniquity, by Jesus Christ, and not in an external observance ef ae eer : a hi Thus ee that, by the doctrine of St. Paul and the New Testament, there _ is one and the same rule of rectitude set to the actions of all mankind, jews, ie and christians; and that failing of a complete obedience'to it in every tittle, makes a man unrighteous, the consequence whereof is death. For the ntiles, that have sinned without a law, shall perish without a law; the jews, _ ‘that have sinnedyhaving a law, shall be judged by that law; but that both jews “Yand entiles sha be sayed from death, if they believe in Jesus Christ, amd sin- - cerely endeavour after righteousness, though they. do not attain unto it; their faith’ Hg accounted to them tor righteousness, Rom. iii. 19—24. _ 97 § “ Judge thee.” ‘This he saith, prosecuting the design he began with, vert, of showing the folly and unreasonableness of the jews, in judging the ‘gentiles, and denying them admittance and fellowship with themselves, in the ‘kingdom of the Messias. ' t Jt is plain that ‘ by nature,”” and “ by the letter and circumcision,”* are there opposed to one another, and mean the one, a man, in his natural state, wholly a stranger to the law of God revealed by Moses; and the other, a jew, observing the external rites contained in the letter of the law. 28 " Vid. chap. ix. 6, 7, Gal. vi. 15, 16. , * 29 w St, Paul’s exposition of this, see Phil, iii, 3,-Col- ii, 11.» cy _ and accounted of, as if he were circumcised, and every’ is Of the-heart ”, according to the spiritual sense of the- 298 ROMANS. - cwAR. amt PARAPHRASE. _ of the letter*, by which a man cannot attain life; sucl true israelites as these, though they are judged, con demned, and rejected by men of the jewish nation, are nevertheless honoured and accepted by God. : NOTE. x * Letter,” vid. ch. vii. 6, 2 Cor. tlle 7, compared with 17, . Ps or SECT. III. CHAP. Il. ia iat CONTENTs,” “a IN this thira chapter, St. Paul goes onijito shdw, that the national privileges the jews had over the gentiles, in bein the people of God, gave them no peculiar right, or bette title to the kingdom of the Messias, than what the wen’ ile had. Because they, as well as the gentiles, all sinned, alc not being able to attain righteousness by the | of th law, more than the gentiles, justification was to. be hadyonk by the free grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ ; ‘SC that, upon their believing, God, who is the God nc , of th jews alone, but also of the gentiles, accepted the’ gentiles as well as the jews; and now admits all, who profess fail in Jesus Christ, to be equally his people. bel To clear his way to this, he begins, with removing an ob jection of the jews, ready to say: ‘if it be so, as'ye ha * told us in the foregoing section, that it is the cireumcis “of the heart alone that availeth, what advantage «¢ jews, who keep to the circumcision of the flesh, at “other observances of the law, by being the peopl “‘God:” To which he answers, that the jews had advantages above the gentiles; but yet that, in res their acceptance with God under the gospel, they at all. He declares that both jews and gentiles are si | @HAP. ITI, ROM ANS. 299 both equally uncapable of being justified by their own per- formances: that God was equally the God, both of jews and gentiles, and out of his free grace justified those, and only those, who believed, whether jews, or gentiles. 7 TEXT. 1 WHAT advantage then hath the jew? or what profit is there of + elrcumcision? 2 Muchevery way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. 8 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid! yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is PARAPHRASE. ie I F it be thus, that circumcision, by a failure of obedi- ence to the law, becomes uncircumcision ; and that the gentiles, who keep the righteousness, or moral part of the law, shall judge the jews, that transgress the law, what advantage have the jews? or what profit is there of cir- 2 cumcision?. 1 answer, Much every way*; chiefly, that 7 God, particularly present amongst them, revealed his mind and will, and engaged himself in promises to them, oe by Moses and other his prophets, which oracles they had, and kept amongst them, whilst the rest of mankind had no sugh communication with the Deity, had no revelation of his purposes of mercy to mankind, but were as it were, 8 without God in the world. For, though some of the jews, who had the promises of the Messias, did not be- lieve in him, when he came, and so did not receive the righteousness, which is by faith in Jesus Christ: yet their unbelief cannot render the faithfulness and truth of God of no effect, who had promised to be a God to Abraham and his seed after him, and bless them to all generations®, 4 No, by no means, God forbid, that any one should enter- NOTES. @ a A list of the advantages, the jews had over the gentiles, he gives, chap, x. 4, 5; but here mentions only one of them, that was the most proper to his present purpose. . " § > How this was made good, St. Paul explains more at large in the followe ing chapter, and chap. ix. 6—13. Pe ROMANS? * @ieal TEXT. iw written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mieht est overcome when thou art judged. Si a 5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous, who taketh vengeance! (I speak as a man) ~ : 6 God forbid! for then, how shall God judge the world? 7 For, if the truth of God hath more abounded, through my lye, unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? ” 4 ji a PARAPHRASE. , tain such a thought; yea, let God be acknowledged to be true, and every man a liar, as it is written, That thot mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest over come when thou art judged. ’ 5 But you will say farther, if it be so, that our sinft commendeth the righteousness of God, shown in kee his word given* to our forefathers, what shall I say, ; not injustice in God to punish us. for it, ‘and cast us. (I must be understood to say this, in the person of a 6 nal man, pleading for himself) God forbid! For if G 7 be unrighteous, how shall he judge the world*? NOTES. a 5 ¢ That, by “the righteousness of God,” St. Paul here intends God’s f fulness, in keeping his promise of saving believers, gentiles as well as j righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, is plain, ver. 4, 7, 26M St. great design here, and all through the eleven first chapters of this epistle to convince the Romans, that God purposed, and in the Old Testament de: that he would receive and save the gentiles, by faith in the Messias, wh ich the only way, whereby jews, or gentiles (they being all sinners, and eq titute of righteousness by works) were to be saved. ; gat: - This was a doctrine which the jews could not bear, and therefore the here, in the person of a jew, urges, and, in his own person, answers jections against it, confirming to the Romans the veracity and faith God, on whom they might, with all assurance, depend,. for the per: whatever he said. ‘ 6 4 This, which is an argument in the mouth ef Abraham, (€ St. Paul very appositely makes use of, to stop the mouths of the ews. ‘ . : 7 ¢ For.” This particle plainly joins what follows, in this and verse, to “ vengeance,” inthe fifth verse, and shows it to be, as it is tion of the objection begun in that verse; why St. Paul broke it intruding the 6th verse into the middle of it, there is a very In the objection there were two things to be corrected; first, th with unrighteousness, which as soon as mentioned, it was a becomin tion of St Paul, to quash immediately, and to stop the jews moutl words of Abraham, @dly, The other thing, in the objection, - a Youd cy CHAP. III. ROMANS. 401 ; TEXT. i g And not rather (as we be slanderously reported, and as some af- firm that we say) “ Let us do evil, that good may come?” whose - damnation is just. 9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both jews and gentiles, that they are all under > sin: PARAPHRASE. if the truth and veracity of God hath the more appeared to his glory, by reason of my lye‘, i.e. my sin, why yet am I condemned for a sinner, and punished for it? Why rather.should not this be thought a right consequence, and a just excuse? Let us do eyil that good may come of it, that glory may come to God by it. This* some malici- ously and slanderously report us christians to say, for which they deserve, and will from God receive, punish- _ ment, as they deserve. 9 Are we jews, then, in any whit a better conilition than the ~ gentiles*?. Not at all. For I have already’ broughta a > NOTES. Rtomny upon the christians, as if they, preaching justification by free grace, said, ** Let us.do evil that good may come of it.” To which the apostle’s an- swer was the more distinct, being subjoined to that branch, separated from the . other. - f “Lye.” The sense of the place makes it plain, that St. Paul, by lye, here means sin in general, but seems to have used the.word lye, as having a more forcible and graceful antithesis to the truth of God, which the objection etends to be thereby illustrated. "8 8 “Some.” It is past doubt that these were the jews. But St. Paul, always tender towards his own nation, forbears to name them, when he pro- nounces this sentence, that their casting-off and destruction now at hand, for this scandal and other opposition to the christian religion, was just. 9 4 Having, in the six foregoing verses, justified the truth of God, notwith- standing his casting off the jews, and vindicated the doctrine of grace, against the cavils of the jews, which two objections of theirs came naturaily in his “way, the apostle takes up here again, the jews question proposed, ver. 1, and argues it home to the casein hand. Ti &y mpoexdueba; being but the same with Ti dy 79 aepicody TS Teduie; ver. 1. ‘‘ Have jews, then, any preference in the kingdom of the Messias?”> To which he answers, ‘* No, not at all.”” ‘That this is the meaning, is visible from the whole chapter, where he lays both jews and gentiles in an equal state, in 1eference to justification. i « Already,” viz. chap. ii. $, where St. Paul, under the gentler compella- tion of, “‘ Oman,” charges the jews to be sinners, as well as the gentiles:. and yer. 17—24, shows, that, by having the law, they were no move kept from being sinners, than the gentiles were, without the law. And this charge against them, that they were sinners, he here proves against them, from tae testimony of their own sacred books, contained in the Old. Testament, = i. ee se _ 302 ROMANS. . CHAP: TEXT. 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one: - 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeket after God. “ 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become un profitable, there is none that doeth good, no not one. d 13 ‘Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood. 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: ‘i 17 And the way of peace have they not known. ‘ 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. a 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith te them wlio are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. : PARAPHRASE. charge of guilt and sin, both against jews and gentiles and urged that there is not one of them clear, which ] 10 shall prove now against you jews; For it is writter 11 There is none righteous, no not one: There is none tha understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together be- come unprofitable, there is none that doth good, no, not 13 one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with thei tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is un. 14 der their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bit 36 terness. Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruc 17 tion and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace 18 have they not known. There is no fear of God before 19 their eyes This is all said in the sacred book of out law*; and what is said there, we know is said to thi jews, who are under the law, that the mouth of ever ss * NOTE. 19 k The law here signifies the whole Old Testament, which cont revelations from God, in the time of the law, and being, to those une law, of divine authority, and a rule, as well as the law itself, it is som in the New Testament called the law: and so our Saviour himself us term law, John x. $4. The meaning of St. Paul here is, that the declarat of God, which he had cited out of the Old Testament, were spoken of the jews; who were under the dispensation of the Old Testament, and were, by the wort of God to. them, all of them pronounced sinners, a, 2 aiiiie ban, ROMANS. 303 ~ TEXT. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justi- fied in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God, without ‘the iaw, is mani- fested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets ; “PARAPHRASE. jew, that would justify himself, might be stopped, and all the world, jews as well as gentiles, may be forced to 20 acknowledge themselves guilty before God. From © whence it'is evident, that by his own performances, in obedience to a law’, no™ man can attain to an exact conformity to the rule of right, so as to be righteous in the sight of God. For by law, which is the publishing the rule with a penalty, we are not delivered from the power of sin, nor can it help men to righteousness*, but _ by law we come experimentally to know sin, in the force and power of it, since we find it prevail upon us, not- withstanding the punishment of death is, by the law, 21 annexed to it°. But the righteousness of God, that righteousness which he intended, and will accept, and is a righteousness not within the rule and rigour of law, is now made manifest, and confirmed by the testimony of the law and the prophets, which bear witness of this truth, that Jesus is the Messias, and that it is according NOTES. 20 ! "ES tpywv vou#, I should render, *¢ by deeds of law,” i.e. by actions of conformity toa law requiring the performance of the Sxeiwune Oecd, the right rule of God (mentioned, chap. i. 82) with a penalty annexed, “ no * flesh can be justified:”’ but every one, failing of an exact conformity of his actions to the immutable rectitude of that eternal rule of right, will be found unrighteous, and so incur the penalty of the law. That thisis the meaning of tpya voue, is evident, because the apostle’s declaration here is concerning all men, waica cap£. But we know the heathen world were not under the law of Moses: and accordingly St. Paul does not say, 2% ipyav r& vou, “ by the deeds * of the law,” but && gpywv voue2, “ by deeds of law.” Though in the fore- going and following verse, where he would specify the law of Moses, he uses the article with you4@ three times. m “© Noman.” St. Paul uses here the word flesh, for man, emphatically, as that wherein the force of sin is seated, Wid. chap. vii. 14, 18, and viii. 13. n The law cannot help men to righteousness. This, which is but implied here, he is large and express in, chap. vii. and is said expressly, chap. viii. 3, Gal. iii. 21. © Chap. vii. 13, “304 ROMANS. CHAP. - TEXT. ee a 22 Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Chri unto all, and upon all them that believe ; for there is no dif ence : ' 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; _ 24 Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption the is n Jesus Christ: is : boise ae 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith | PARAPHRASE. ala Sa ° . ° sa : 7 22 to his purpose and proinise, That the righteousness God, by faith in Jesus the Messias, is extended to, ai bestowed on all who believe in him?, (for there is no di 23 ference between them. ‘They have all, both jews a gentiles, sinned, and, fail of attaining that glory? whic 24 God hath appointed for the righteous) Being made rig teous gratis, by the favour of God, through the redem 25 tion' which is by Jesus Christ; Whom God hath s NOTES. ~~ 22 p Vid. chap. x. 12, Gal. iii. 22—98. : ao te, 23 4 Here the glory, that comes from God, or by his appointment, is call * the glory of God,”’ as the righteousness, which comes from him, or by | appointment, is called, ‘* the righteousness of God,” chap. i. 17, and the1 of moral rectitude, which has God for its author, or is appointed by him, called dyxciwpx Ge, chap. i. 32. That this is the glory here meant, vid. che ii. 7,10. In the same sense the glory of God is used, chap. v. 2. , 24 * Redemption signifies deliverance, but not deliverance from every thi but deliverance from that, to which a man is in subjection, or bondage does redemption by Jesus Christ import, there was any compensation made God, by paying what was of equal value, in consideration whereof they w delivered; for that is inconsistent with what St. Paul expressly says here; that sinners are justified by God gratis, and of his free bounty. Whatt demption is, St. Paul tells us, Eph. i. 7, Col. i. 14, even the forgi sins. But if St. Paul had not been so express in defining what he redemption, they yet would be thought to lay too much stress u cism of a word, in the translation, who would thereby force from’ in the original, a necessary sense, which it is plain it hathnot. That re in the sacred scripture language, signifies not precisely paying an equi so clear, that nothing can be more. , I shall refer my readér to three places amongst a great number, Exod. vi. 6, Deut. vii. 8, and’ xv. xxiv. 18. But if any one will, from the literal signification of the ¥ English, persist in it, against St. Paul’s declarations, that it mecessarily im an equivalent price paid, I desire him to consider to whom: and-that will strictly adhere to the metaphor, it must be to those, whom the are in bondage to, and from whom we are redeemed, viz. sin and Sa will not believe his own system for this, let him believe St. ‘Tit. il. 14, “© Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem’ ** iniquity.” Nor could the price be paid to God, in strictness that is made the argument here;) unless the samé person ought, byt / a ‘ e . ROMANS: 305: TEXT... , maga declare his righteousness for the remission of ‘sins: it are past, through the forbearance of God. * waa PARAPHRASE. . + i forth to be the propitiatory, or mercy-seat* in his own _ blood‘, for the manifestation of his [God's] righteous- - hess", by passing over” their trangressions, formerly a5 . “e _. NOTES. where God always appeared, Ley. xvi. 2. It was the place of his resence, and there! 2 ae s, dwell between the cherudims, Psal. boxe. i Kings xin 9-_ Fox between the cherubims was the mercy seat. Inall which respects our Saviour, who was the antitype, is. properly called the propitiatory. Atzasocvmm, * richtcousness,” seems to be used here, in the same sense it ver. 5, for * the righteousness of God,” in Keeping his word with the nation i the jews, notwithstanding their provocations. -And- indeed, with the follow- O ds of this verse, contains in it a farther answer to the jews insinnation, of ’s being hard to their nation, by showing that God had been very favourable i not casting them off, as they had deserved, till, according to his he had sent them the Messias, and they had rejected him. : @ Thy @zpeosy, ** by passing over.” I do not remember any place where Sigmifies remission or forgiveness, but passing by, or passing over, as Jation has it in the margin, i.e. over-looking, or as it were, not mind- in which sense, it cannot be applied to the past sins of private persons, far either remits, nor passes them by, so as not to take notice of them. Bor Tis Fan Gpoyzyorerey ausflnucerws, passing over past sins, is spoken ly, in respect of the people of the jews ; who, though they were a very ion, as appears by the places here brought against them by St. Paul, yet by all that, and would not be hindered by their past sinfulness from in Keeping his promise, in exhibiting to them Christ, the propitiatory. ugh he would not be provoked by their past sins, so as to cast them off = hi fi before he had sent. them the promised Messias, to be their _yet after that, when, at the’due time, he had manifested his righte- : to them, “that he might be just, and the justifier of those who believe y* he no longer bore with their sinful obstinacy; but, when they re. aviour (whom he had sent, according to his promise) from bzing their rejected them from being his people, and took the gentilcs into his P. ‘ c x Ga oF 306 ROMANS:: = ° @eepow TEXT. 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he mig} be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? it is excluded. By what law? of works? nay: but by the law of faith. " ™ PARAPHRASE. : 0 a committed, which he hath bore with hitherto, so as te 4 withhold his hand from casting off the nation of th 26 jews, as their past sins deserved. For the manifestir of his righteousness* at this time’, that he might be ju: in keeping his promise, and be the justifier of every ot not who is of the jewish nation, or extraction, but of t 27 faith? in Jesus Christ. What reason, then, have yt jews to glory*, and set yourselves so much above t ‘a a 7 NOTES, a church, and made them his people, jointly and equally with the few be’ jews. This is plainly the sense of the apostle here, where he is discoursing the nation of the jews, and their state, in comparison with the gentiles; the state of private persons. Let any one without prepossession attentively 1 the context, and he will find it to be so. 26 X* Aszasoctvns are, ‘ his righteousness,” is here to be understoox both senses, in which St. Paul had used it before, in this chapter, viz. ver ‘and 22, as it is manifested by St. Paul’s explaining of it himself. in these words immediately following: ‘ that he might be just, and the justifier of him *¢ believeth in Jesus,”” which are the two senses, wherein the righteousness ‘God is used. “ hs ; ae y “ At this time,” viz. The fulness of time, according to his promises Z Toy tx wisews Ince, if this phrase had been translated, him that faith of Jesus, as it is chap. iv. 16, and Gal. iii. 7, rather than him v ‘lieveth in Jesus, it would better have expressed the apostle’s meaning here, v was to distinguish of éx aissws, those who are of faith, from oi &» we of 2x vue, those who are of the circumcision, or those who are of the law, Spé ing of them, as of two sorts, or races of men, of two different extractions. understand this place fully, let any one read chap. iv. 12—16, Gal. ii where he will find the apostle’s sense more at large. fel eae 97 2 The glorying here spoken of, is that of the jews, i.e. their the gentiles, and their contempt of them, which St. Paul had before ‘places taken notice of. And here, to take down their pride and vanit them, it is wholly excluded by the gospel, wherein God,, who is the ‘gentiles, as well as of the jews, justifieth by faith alone the jews as gentiles, since no man could be justified by the deeds of the law. 1 ~ be said to the converted jews, to stop their thinking that they had any over the gentiles under the gospel. No, says he, the gospel, which of faith, lays you equal with the gentiles, and you have no ground thing to yourselves, or set yourselves above them, now under the Messi and all the rest, to this purpose in this epistle, is said to establish the Romans in their title to the favour of God, equally with the jews, and to fortify them against any disturbance that might be given OHAP. rrr. ‘ ROMANS. : 307 TEXT. 28 Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law. 29 Is he the God of the jews only? Is he not also of the gentiles? yes, of the gentiles also. ' $0 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. $1 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we establish the law. ; PARAPHRASE. gentiles, in judging them, as you do? None at all: boasting is totally excluded. By what law? By the 28 law of works? No, but by the law of faith. I con- clude therefore®, that a man is justified by faith, and not 29 by the works of the law. Is God the God of the jews only, and not of the gentiles also? Yea, certainly of 30 the gentiles also? Since the time is come that God is no longer one to the jews, and another to the gentiles, but he is now become one and the same‘ God to them all, and will justify the jews by faith, and the gentiles also through faith, who, by the law of Moses, were here- 31 tofore shut out* from being the people: of God. Do we then make the law‘ insignificant, or useless, by our NOTES. pretending jews, which is the principal design of this epistle, as we have already observed. 28 > “ Therefore.” This inference is drawn from what he had taught, ver. 23. © Vid. Acts xiii. 39, chap. viii. 3, Gal. ii. 16. 30 4 *Emesimee cic 6 @edc, ‘ since God is one.” He that will see the force of St. Paul’s reasoning here; must look to Zachary xiv. 9, from whence these words are taken, where the prophet speaking of the time, when the Lord shall be King over all the earth, and not barely over the little people, shut up in the land of Canaan, he says, ‘ inthat day there shall be one Lord,” i.e. God shall not be, as he is now, the God of the Jews alone, whom only he hath known, of all the people of the earth: but he shall be the God of the gentiles also, the same mer- ciful, reconciled God to the people of all nations. This prophecy the jews un- derstood of the times of the Messias, and St. Paul here presses them with it. © It was impossible for remote nations to keep the law of Moses, a great part of the worship, required by it, being local, and confined to the temple at Jerusalem. ~ 31 fF Novor, law,”” 8 is here repeated twice, without the article; and it is plain that by it St. Paul t does not mean precisely the Mosaical law, but so much of it as is Contained in the natural and eternal rule of right, mentioned chap. i. $3, and xi. 26, and isagain by a positive command re-enacted and continued as a law under the Messias, vid, Mat, xxviii. 20. x 2 308 ROMANS. . ~ P ARAPHRASE. doctrine of faith? By no means we establish® and confirm the lave vith ; yw NOTE. a be i i ag ‘oft Ww ‘tpg -8 “ Establish.” >The doctrine of justification by faith e rule of righteousness, which those, who are justified weep acl also a punishment incurred, from which they are set free, by be so thik doctrine establishes a law; and accordingly 1e mm Moses, that dixaivuwa te Oc®, as the apostle calls it in the p chap. i. 32, is enforced again, by our Saviour and Se ap with penalties annexed, to the breach of it. hy A, - s wi one oe es oy + ee Leh Tage potent Able T. ; i SECT. LY puiyie aie oft vie te ee ork doetn ahs if CHAP. I\ . clit a, eplily 18 | ain wate oft iy idpert cue CONTENTS. rornund wert, ed, ode ae es Sr. Paul having, i in the forewihod section, cut off all olor ing from the jews upon the account ot their having th ft and shown, that that gave them no manner’ of title or | tence to be the people of God, more than’ the gentiles t the Messias, and so they had no reason to judge, or ex the gentiles, as they did; he comes here to prove at lineal extraction from their father Abraham gave th better a pretence of glorying, or of setting that account above the gentiles, now, in eee . . Becatise Abraham himself? was justified by fe so Bi not whereof to glory; for as much. ceiveth righteousness, as a boon, has ao but he that attains it by works. _ g. Because neither they, who had ¢ circum on down to thein, as the posterity of Abraham, r 10 had the law; but they only, who had faith, were Abraham, to whom the promise was i ? " the blessing of justification was intende for t bestowed on them a as well as on the jews, and u ground. > vata ae ae MARTY. | ROMANS. 309 TEXT. cy WHAT shall we say then, that Abraham our father, as pertain- ing to the flesh, hath fuund ? ©g For, if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. 'g Lor what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, + Dut of debt. , PARAPHRASE. “y W war then shall we say of Abraham our father, ac- __ cording to the flesh*, what has he obtained? has not he 2 found matter of glorying? Yes; if he were justified by works, he had matter of glorying®, he might then have . gloried over the rest of the gentile world, in having God for his God, and he and his family being God's people ; '3 but he had no subject of glorying before God. «As it is _ , evident from sacred scripture, which telleth us, that Abra- _ ham believed God, and it was counted to him for righte- 4 ousness. Now there had been no need of any such count- _. ing, any such allowance, if he had attained righteousness ___ by works of obedience, exactly conformable, and coming up, to the rule of righteousness. For what reward a man _ has made himself a title to, by the performances, that he back ves | fi “i NOTES. | 41 2 © Our father, according to the flesh.” St. Paul speaks here, as lineally --descended from Abraliam, and joins himself therein, with the rest of his nation, - of whom he calls Abraham the father, according to the flesh, to distinguish the jews by birth, from those, who were Abraham’s seed according to the promise, “viz. those, who were of the faith of Abraham, whether jews or gentiles, a dis- tinction, which he insists on, all through this chapter. ~ 2 Kavoynwe, translated here, ¢* glorying,” I take to signify the same with zauxaous, translated ‘ boasting,” chap. ii. 17, 25, in which places it is used to signify the jews valuing themselyes, upon some national privileges, above “the rest of the world, as if they had thereby some peculiar right to the favour “of God, above other men. This the jewish nation, thinking themselves, alone, to have a title to be the people of God, expressed, in their judging the “ gentiles, whom they despised, and looked on as unworthy and uncapable to be “Feceived into the kingdom of the Messias,‘and admitted into fellowship with their nation, under the gospel. © This conceit of theirs St. Paul opposes here, and makes it his business to show the falsehood and groundlessness of it, all “through the eleven first chapters of this epistle. I ask, whether it would not “help the English reader the better to find and pursue the sense of St. Paul, if ‘the Greek term ‘were every-where rendered by the same English word? whe- ther | “boasting,” or i glorying,” I think of no great consequence, so one af them be kept to. ee bons diy Diet 5 Ext 5 a 310 ROMANS. CHAP. 1¥, TEXT. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him, that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. - 3 | 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. i, 7 Saying, Blessed are they, whose imiquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. | aa 8 Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord will not impute sin: — : 9 Cometh this blessedness, then, upon the circumcision only, oF : upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, that faith was ree oned to Abraham for righteousness. oa 10 How wasit, then, reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or uncircumcision? not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. — 11 And he received a sign of circumcision, a seal of righteousness PARAPHRASE. receives as a debt that is due, and not asa gift of favou 5 But to him, that by his works attains not righteousnes but only believeth on God, who justifieth him, being u godly‘, to him justification is a favour of grace: because his believing is accounted to him for righteousness, 6 perfect obedience. Even as David speaks of the bles edness of the man, to whom God reckoneth* righteous- 7 ness without works, Saying, ‘ Blessed are they whose “ iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are coyere 8 “ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not r 9 “sin.” Is this blessedness then upon the circum only, or upon the uncircumcised also? for we say faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteou 10 When therefore, was it reckoned to him? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? not in circ 11 sion, but in uncircumcision. For he received th NOTES. Ne 5 © Toy d&ce6n, “him being ungodly.” By these words St. Paul points out Abraham, who was accGnc, “ ungodly,” i.e. a gentile, shipper of the true God, when God called him, . Vid. note, ch. i. 18, 6 4 Aoyiceras, reckoneth.”” What this imputing or reckoning of. ousness is, may be seen in ver. 8, viz. the not reckoning of sin to an Not putting sin to his account: the apostle, in these two verses, using expressions, as equivalent. From hence the expression, of blotting out of ir so frequently used in sacred scripture, may be understood, i.e, stri of the account. Aoyicegbas signifies to reckon, or account, and, with : case, to put to any one’s account; and accordingly, ver. 3, 4, 5, it is counted, or reckoned; which word, for the sake of Engli ers, . ch to in this, and ver. 9, 10, and 11. TEXT. of the faith, which he had, being yet uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not ~ circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 22 And the father of circumcision to them, who are not of the cir- cumcision only, but also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. PARAPHRASE. of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had, being yet uncircumcised‘, that he might be the father of all those who believe, being uncircum- cised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them 12 also; And the father of the circumcised, that righteous- ness might be reckoned, not to those who were barely of the circumcision, but to such of the circumcision as did also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abra- 13 ham, which he had, being uncircumcised‘. , For the NOTES. 41 © See Gen. xvii. 11. 11, 12 § What righteousness reckoned to any one, or as it is usually called, imputed righteousness, is, St. Paul explains, ver. 6—8. Whom this blessing belongs to, he inquires, ver. 9, and here, ver. 11, and 12, he declares, who are the children of Abraham, that from him inherit this blessing; ver. 11, he speaks of the gentiles, and there shows that Abraham, who was justified by fith, before he was circumcised, (the want whereof, the jews looked on as a distinguishing mark of a gentile) was the father of all those, among the gen- tiles, who should believe, without being circumcised. And here, ver. 12, he _ speaks of the jews, and says, that Abraham was their father; but not that all should be justified, who were only circumcised: but those, who, to their cir- cumcision, added the faith of Abraham, which he had, before he was circum- cised. That which misled those who mistook the sense of St. Paul here, seems to be, their not observing that ois &x tx wepirouis, is referred to, and governed by cis ro Aoyicbiivas, which must be supposed repeated here, after tog EpITOUNS: Or else the apostle’s sense and argument will not stand in its full force, but the antithesis will be lost, by preserving of which the sense ~ runs thus: and the father of the circumcised, that righteousness might be im- puted to those who, &c. Another thing, very apt to mislead them, was the joining of over only, to ex not, as if it were # pdvoy Tuis, not only those who are of the circumcision; whereas it should be understood, as it stands joined fo wepirounc, and so mepitouns jzdvoy are best translated barely circumcision, and the apostle’s sense runs thus: ‘ that he might be the father of the gentiles that ' believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be im- s¢ puted to them also: and the father of the jews, that righteousness might be / 4 312 ROMANS, * i 14 For if they, which are of the law, be; heirs, faith is made vc i - and the promise made of none effect. —s_ ip. 4 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no Ee law is, no transgression. ’ hi oi” PARAPHRASE. a ' promise®, that he should be possessor of the world, w: not that Abraham, and those of his seed, who were unde the law, should, by virtue of their having and owning fl Jaw, be possessed of it; but by the right ess of whereby those who were, without the law, scattered : over the world, beyond the borders of Canaan, bece his posterity, and had him for their father*, and i 14 the blessing of justification by faith. — For, if the who had the law of Moses given appre mage Abraham, faith is made void and useless‘, it receivir no benefit of the promise, which was made to the I el of Abraham’s faith, and so the promise becomes of 1 15 effect. Because the law procures them not juséjfie tion*, but renders theni liable to the-wrath and pu ment of God’, who, by the law, has ma knov te fe “NOTES. hag. ¢ imputed, not to them who have circumcision only, but to them who” _*¢ walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham, which he had b ** uncircumcised.” In which way of understanding this passage, not or apostle’s meaning is very plain, easy, and coherent; but the tructi Greek exactly corresponds to that of ver. 11, and is genuine which any other way will be very perplexed. > jus Ste ae “13 8 The promise, here meant, is that which he speaks of, ver. 11, where Abraham was made the father of all that should believe, pot world ove and for that reason he is called xAmpévou@ xdcux, ‘* heir, or _*€ world.’ For the believers, of all nations of the world, bein for a posterity, he becomes, thereby, lord and possessor (for so the Hebrews signified) of the world. For it is plain, the apostle, pursues the argument he was upon, in the two former. And it is al St. Paul makes circumcision to be the seal of the promise made to - Gen. xii. as well as of that made to him, Gen, xvii, and so both th but one covenant, and that of ch. xvii. to be but a repetition and farther _ cation of the former, as is evident from this chapter, compared with G _In both which the apostle argues, that the gentiles were intended to be jus _ as well as the jews; and that both jews and gentiles, who are justified, arc fied by faith, and not by the works of the law, $4, rte TE h Gal. ili. 7. > ; i ‘ desu ttey sev! ath 14. i See Gal. iii. 18. ots irre ebtaache in 15 & Ch. viii. 3, Gal. iii. 24. + aur omar a 1 See ch. iii. 19, 20, and v. 10, 13, 20, and vii, 7,8, 10, 1Cor, x oily 19), John ixe41,,and xvw.28e0) io wisi od) bao eel alo Ay agape, oe ROMANS. 313 ‘7 TEXT. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the ; promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only, which is _- of the law, but to that also, which is of the faith of Abraham, - whou is the father of us all. 17 (As it is written, “ I have made thee a father of many nations”) before him whom be believed, even God, who guickeneth the dead, and calleth those things, which be not, as though they were; 1s Who, against hope, believed in hepe, that he might become the ' .SPARAPHRASE. them what is sin, and what punishment he has annexed toit. For there is no incurring wrath, or punishient, -16 where there is no law that says any thing of it": There- fore the inheritance” is of faith, that it might be merely - of favour, to the end that the promise might be sure to- > all the seed of Abraham; not to that part of it only, which has faith, being under the law; but to that part _ also, who, without the law, inherit the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all who believe, whether jews or ‘17 gentiles, (As it is written®, “ I have made thee a father _ “of many nations.”) I say the father of us all (in the account of God, whom he believed, and who accord- ingly quickened the dead, i.e. Abraham and: Sarah, whose bodies were dead: and calleth things that are not, “18 as if they were’:) Who without any hope, which the na- _ _ tural course of things could aflord, did in hope believe, vd , ; NOTES. ~ ® OD ody ist va4@+, 20 ropacactc, of that, concerning which there is no ‘law, with the sanction of a punishment annexed, there can be no transgression, -ameurring wrath or punishment. . Thus it may be rendered, if we read od with " an aspiration, as somedo. But whether it be taken to signify where, or whereof, “the sense will be the same~ - Hapalects here, to make St. Paul’s argument of punishment, by the force and sanction of a law. And so the apostle’s proposi- tion is made good, that it is the law alone, that exposes us to wrath, and that is all the law can do, for it gives us no power to perform, » 46 0 The grammatical construct on does not seem much to favour “ inhe- ‘€ vitance,"* as the word to be supplied here, because it does not occur in’the « preceding verses. But he, that observes St. Paul’s way of writing, who more regards things, than forms of speaking, will be satisfied, that it is enough that “he mentioned “ heirs,” ver. 13 and 14, and that he does mean inheritance here, . Gal. iii. 18, puts it past doubt. 17 © See Gen. xvii. 16,

And not only so, but ¥ .» glory in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation worke _4 patience; And patience giveth us a proof ot ourselve _5 which furnishes us with hope; And our hope, make ashamed, will not deceive us, because* the sense. _loye of God is poured out into our hearts by 6 Ghost, which is given unto us*. _ For, wl rw é wuis =o ¥ oa » oesot On Dinah oe af i NOTES: saa’ dalton Wena ae _ 12. We,” i.e. we gentiles that are not under the law. Itis in their r ‘that St. Paul speaks} in the three last verses of the forego: chapter, ‘through this section, as is evident from the illation here, teh re ~f tified by faith, we.” It being an inference, drawn from his having ‘the former chapter, that the promise was not to the jews alone, ptf © also; and that justification was, not by the law, but ‘by faith, and conse edesigned for the gentiles, as well as the jews. fii fe Ey 2S « 22 Kavydyeba, ‘we glory.”’ ‘The same ward here for the convert ; “that he had used before, for the boasting of the jews, and the same word he ~‘where‘he examined what Abraham had found. The taking’ notice’ w “we have already observed, may help to lead us into, the apostle’s ser "plainly shows us here, that St. Paul, in this section, opposes the ady “ gentile eonverts to christianity have, by faith, to those the jews ; ; - 80 much haughtiness ae cater sof the geniiles... . 5 © “ Because.” * The force of this interence seem t of eternal happiness, which we‘glory*in, cannot deccteeuse eer the Holy Ghost, bestowed upon us, as-ure us of the love of God towar: jews themselves acknowledging that the Holy Ghost is given to none, who are God’s own peaple. ik givdyer ¢ {Obey Dy HAP: Vs ROMANS: S17, t TEXT. % For scarcely for a righteous: man will one die: yet, peradventure,. . for a good man some would.even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we! were: | yet sinners, Christ died for us. : : “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. pres ay a PARAPHRASE, : ~ were yet without strength}, void of all help, or ability to deliver ourselves, Christ, in. the time that God»had ap-, pointed and foretold, died for us, who lived without the: 7 acknowledgement and worship of the true Godf. Scarce, _ is it to be found that any one will die for a just-man, if ” peradventure one should dare to die for a good man ; 8 But God recommends, and herein shows the, greatness ~ of his love* towards us, in that, whilst we gentiles were 9 a mass of profligate sinners‘, Christ died for us. Much lity ; NOTES. sabes: 45 - 8 4 Another evidence St. Paul gives them here, of the love of God towards them, and the ground they had to glory in the hopes of eternal salvation, is the death of Christ for them, whilst they were yet in their gentile state, which he describes by calling them, - 6,8 € + "Acbeieic, “ without strength ;” “ActScie, * ungodly; “Auoplarols “ sinners;””. Expo), “¢ enemies:”” these four epithets are given to them as gentiles, they being used by St. Paul, as the proper attributes of the heathen. world, as cohsidered in-contra-distinction to the jewish nation. What St. Paul says of the gentiles, in other places, will clear this. The helpless condition of the gentile world in the state of gentilism, signified by acOevels, without strength, he terms, Col. ii. 18, dead in sin, a state, if any, of weakness. . And hence he says to the Romans, conyerted to Jesus Christ, ‘ yield yourselves unto God, as « those that are alive from the dead, and yourselves as instruments of ,righte- ‘ ousness unto God,”’ chap, vi. 13. How he describes acéecrwzyy ungodliness, mentioned chap. i. 18, as the proper state of the gentiles, we may see, yer. 21, 98, ‘That he thought the title amoflwaci, ‘* sinners,”’ belonged peculiarly to the gentiles, in contra-distinction to the jews, he puts it past doubt, in. these words: ** we who are jews by nature, and not sinners of the gentiles, Gal. it. 15» See also chap. vi. 17-22. And as for éOpol, ‘ enemies,”* you have thé gentiles before their conversion to christianity so called, Col. i. 21. Ste Paul, Eph. ii. 1—13, describes the heathen a little more at large, but yet the parts of the character he there gives them we may find comprized in these four epithets: the cioeveres weak,” ver. 1, 5, the aoeGeics “ ungodly,” and aepuceplwraty 6 sin- ‘ners,”’ ver. 2,3, and the éxOpol, “ enemies,” ver 11, 12. __ If it were remembered that St. Paul all along, through the eleven first chapters of this epistle, speaks nationally of the jews and gentiles, as it is visible he does, and 1 ot personally, of single men, there would be Jess difficulty, and fewer mis- takes, in understanding this epistle. This one place, we are upon, is a sufficient instance of it. For if, by shese terms here, we shall understand him to denote ‘$18 ROMANS} enAP.4 NOTE. all men personally, jews as well as gentiles, before they aré savingly ingtaft into Jesus Christ, we shall make his discourse here disjointed, and his sens mightily perplexed, if at all consistent, ge ‘That there were some among the heathen as innocent in their lives, and as from enmity to God, as some among the jews, cannot be questioned. Nay, t many of them were not dceCei:, but o<6¢.ev0s, worshippers of the true od, we could doubt of it, is manifest out of the Acts of the Apostles ; but yet Paul, in the places above quoted, pronounces them altogether &ccGeic, or abeoly (for that, by these two terms, applied to the same persons, he means the sam i.e. such as did not acknowledge and worship the true God, seems plain) une odly, and sinners of the gentiles, as nationally belonging to them, in contr: Foc bisey to the people of the jews, who were the people of God, whilst th other were the provinces of the kingdom of Satan: not but that there were ners, heinous sinners among the jews: but the nation, considered as one bod and society of men, disowned and declared against, and opposed itself to, tl €rimes and impurities, which are mentioned by St. Paul, chap. i. 24, &c. a woven into the religious and politic constitutions of the gentiles. There tl had their full scope and swing, had allowance, countenance, and protection. T idolatrous nations had, by their religion, laws, and forms of government, themselves the open votaries, and were the professed subjects of devils. § Paul, 1 Cor. x- 20, 21, truly calls the gods they worshipped and paid their h mage to. And suitably hereunto, their religious observances, it is well kn ow were not without great impurities, which were of right charged upon them, whe they had a place in their sacred offices, and had the recommendation of re! to give them credit. The rest of the vices, in St. Paul’s black list, whic not warmed at their altars, and fostered in their temples, were yet, by the cot nivance of the law, cherished in their private houses, arid made a part of t uncondemned actions of common life, and had the countenance of custom authorize them, even in the best regulated and most civilized governments the heathen. On the contrary, the frame of the jewish commonwealth ¥ founded on the acknowledgment and worship of the one only, true, and ihyis God, and their laws required an extraordinary purity of life, and strictness manners. Z. That the gentiles were styled x80}, *¢ enemies,” in a political orn sense, is plain from Eph. ii. where they were called, «aliens from the co’ «¢ wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant.”” Abraham, on th side, was called, the friend of God, i.e. one in covenant with him, and fessed subject, that owned God to the world: and so were his posterity, the of the jews, whilst the rest of the world were under revolt, and lived in bellion against him, vid. Isa. xli.8. And here in this e istle St. Paul expr teaches, that when the nation of the jews by rejecting of the Messias put. selves out of the kingdom of God, and were cast off, from being any people of God, they became enemies, and the gentile world were recon See chap. xi. 15, 28. Hence St. Paul, who was the apostle of the gentiles, his performing that office, the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Cor. v. 18. — here in this chapter, ver. 1, the privilege, which they receive, by the ace] of the covenant of grace in Jesus Christ, he tells them is this, that the peace with God, i.e. are no longer incorporated with his enemies, and party of the open rebelsagainst him, in the kingdom of Satan, being re their natural allegiance, in their owning the one, true, supreme God, in ting to the kingdom he had set up in his son, and being received by I subjects. Suitably hereunto St. James, speaking of the conversioh of t tiles to the profession of the gospel, says of it, that “* God did visit the ¢ ** to take out of them a people for his name.” Acts xv. 14, and ver alls the converts, those who, “* from among the gentiles, are turned toGode” rae. ROMANS; 319 PARAPHRASE. more, therefore, now being justified by his death, shall NOTE. Besides what is to be found, in other parts of St, Paul’s epistles, to justify the taking of these words here, as applied nationally to the gentiles, in contra-dis- tinction to the children of Israel, that which St. Paul says, ver. 10, 11, makes it necessary to understand them so. ‘* We,”’ says he, ‘* when we were enemies, “© were reconciled to God, and so.we now glory in him, as our God.” “* We,” here, must unavoidably be spoken in the name of the gentiles, as is plain, not only by the whole tenour of this section, but from this passage, ‘‘ of glorying in « God,” which he mentions as a privilege now of the believing gentiles, sur- sing that of the jews, whom he had taken notice of before, chap. ii: 17, as eing forward to glory in God, as their peculiar right, though with no great advantage to themselves. But the gentiles, who were reconciled now to God, by Christ’s death, and taken into covenant with God, as many as received the gospel, had a new and better title to this glorying, than the jews. ‘Those, that now are reconciled, and glory in God as their God, he says were enemies. The jews, who had the same corrupt nature, common to them with the rest of mane kind, are no-where, that I know, called z4pol, enemies, or, xceGcic, ungodly, whilst they ey owned him for their God, and professed to be his people. But the heathen were deemed enemies for being “‘ aliens to the commonwealth of « Jsrael, and strangers from the covenants of promise.’ There were never but two kingdoms in the world, that of God, and that of the devil; these were posite, and, therefore, the subjects of the latter-could not but be in the state of enemies, and fall under that denomination. ‘The revolt from God was univer- sal, and the nations of the earth had given themselves up to idolatry, when God called Abraham, and took him into covenant with himself, as he did afterwards the whole nation of the israelites, whereby they were re-admitted into his king dom, came under his protection, and were his people and subjects, and no longer enemies, whilst all the rest of the nations remained in the state of rebellion, the professed subjects of other gods, who were usurpers upon God's right, and enemies of his kingdom. And, indeed, if the four epithets be not taken to be spoken here of the gentile world, in this political and truly evangelical sensey but in the ordinary, systematical notion, applied te all.mankind, as belonging universally to every man personally, whether by profession gentile, jew, or chris~ tian, before he be actually regenerated by a saving faith, and an effectual thorough conygsion ; the illative particle, ‘ wherefore,” in the beginning of wer. 12, will hardly connect it, and what follows, to the foregoing part of this “ehapter. But the eleven first verses must be taken for a parenthesis, and then ‘the ‘¢ therefore,” in the beginning of this fifth chapter, which joins it to the fourth, with a very clear connexion, will be wholly insignificant; and, after all, the sense of the 12th verse will but ill solder with the end of the fourth chap- _ter, notwithstanding the ‘‘ wherefore,” which is taken to bring them in, as an Gnference. Whereas these eleven first verses, being supposed to be spoken of the _gentiles, make them not only of a piece with St. Paul’s design, in the foregoing and the following chapters, but the thread of the whole discourse goes very smooth, and the inferences (ushered in with ‘‘ therefore,” in the first verse, and with “‘ wherefore,” in the 12th verse) are very easy, clear, and natural, from _ the immediately preceding verses. That of the first verse may be seen in what we have already said; and that of the 12th verse in short stands thus: ‘* We _ gentiles have, by Christ, received the reconciliation, which we cannot doubt _-€ to be intended for us, as well as for the jews, since sin and death entered into *¢ the world by Adam, the common father of us all. And as, by the disobedi- « ence of the one, condemnation of death came on all; so, by the obedience of “* one, justification to life came upon all.” 320, ROMANS: cua. \ TEXT: 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were retonciled to God, the death of his son; much more being reconciled, we shall - _ saved by his life. __ PALES ae! an fi And not only so, but we also joy in God, through our Lord J . sus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement, ; * PARAPHRASE.« atthe piso * we through him be delivered from condemnation’ at t 10 day of judgment. For if, when we were enemies al ~ were reconciled to God, by the death of his son, “more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by h 11: And not only* do we glory in tribulation, but < ~' God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom . we have received reconciliation. ee f b 4 : Whihiea i! it 5 vite Desi hi cegeley EFA oh at NOTES, ; 4 epee Laud ~°9f What St, Paul here calls ** wrath,” he calls « fale Maen 17 i. 10, and generally, in the New Testament, ** wrath,” is put for the ment of the wicked at the last day. i) byes (cobra lek datigy 41 2 OF pdvev &, ‘* and not only so.” I think nobody can with attention read this section, without perceiving that these words joins t the 3d. The apostle in the 2d vérse says, “¢ we the gentiles, who believe, s *¢ in the hopes of an eternal, splendid state of bliss.” | In the third verse he & pévov 8, *¢ and not only so, but our afflictions are to us matter of gloryi which he proves in the seven following verses, and then, ver. 11, adds, «« and not only so; but we glory in God also, as our God, being recor ‘© him in Jesus Christ.” And thus he shows, that the convert genti whereof to glory, as well-as the jews, and were not inferiour to them, th they had not circumcision and the law, wherein the jews gloried’so with no ground, in comparison of what the gentiles had to glory in; by fait Jesus Christ, now under the gospel. MG ae Me's. Ws ' hb Jt is true, we gentiles could not formerly glory in God, as our Ge was the privilege of the jews, who alone of all the nations owned him King and God; and were his people, in covenant with him. All € the kingdoms of the earth had taken other lords, and given themselv gods, to serve and worship them, and so were in a state of war v God, the God of Israel. But now we being reconciled by Jesus C we have received, and own for ovr Lord, and thereby being return kingdom, and to our ancient allegiance, we can truly’glory in Goc which the jews cannot do, who have refused to receive Jesus for the whom God hath appointed Lord over all things. aoe i ‘ ie ae we ' ee, rv, ‘phot mI $s. iq Ag . 8 Dent elite stun Ai be 7 i bbe Eat - ae Ane ate “ty . so Dee Rae ae CHAP. ¥. ROMANS sO SECT. VI. CHAP. V. 12. VII. 25. CONTENTS. Tue apostle here goes on with his design, of showing that the gentiles, under the gospel, have as good a title to the favour of God, as the jews; there being no other way for either jew or gentile, to find acceptance with God, but by faith in Jesus Christ. In the foregoing section he reck- oned up several subjects of glorying, which the convert gen- tiles had without the law, and concludes them with this chief and principal matter of glorying, even God himself, whom, now that they were, by Jesus Christ their Lord, reconciled to him, they could glory in as their God. To give them a more full and satisfactory comprehension of this, he leads them back to the times before the giving of the law, and the very being of the jewish nation; and lays before them, in short, the whole scene of God’s ceconomy, and his dealing with mankind, from the beginning, in refer- ence to life and death. : _ 1. He teaches them, that by Adam’s lapse all men were brought into a state of death, and by Christ’s death all are restored to life. By Christ also, as many as believe are in- stated in eternal life. 2. That the law, when it came, laid the israelites faster under death, by enlarging the offence, which had death an- nexed toit. For, by the law, every transgression that any one under the law committed, had death for its punishment, notwithstanding which, by Christ, those under the law, who believe, receive life. 3. That, though the gentiles, who believe, come not un- der the rigour of the law, yet the covenant of grace, which they are under, requires that they should not be seryants and vassals to sin, to obey it in the lusts of it, but sincerely en- deavour after righteousness, the end whereof would be ever- lasting life. ; ‘4, That the jews also, who recéive the gospel, are deli- vered from the law; not that the law is sin; byt because, y Py | 4 °°9 $28 ROMANS. ‘ oil though the law forbid the obeying of sin, as well as the go pel; yet not enabling them to resist their sinful lusts, bi making each compliance with any sinful lust deadly, it settle - upon them the dominion of sin, by death, ffom which the are delivered by the grace of God alone, which frees the from the condemnation of the law, for every actual trar gression, and requires no more, but that they should, the whole bent.of their mind, serve the law of. God, an “4 their carnal lusts. In all which cases the salvation gentiles is wholly by grace, without their being, at all u anc the law. And the salvation of the jews is wholly by g also, without any aid, or help from the law: rom which als by. Christ, they are delivered. vf B | Thus lies the thread of St. Paul's argument, wherein may see how he pursues his design, of “satisfying of genti ' converts at Rome, that they were not required to ) submi t the law of Moses; and of fortifying them ih the jew who troubled them about it. ’ For the more distinct and easy apprehension St. P: discoursing on these four heads, I shall divide ‘this sectic into the four following numbers, taking them uP, asthe ey | in the order of the text. om ‘u =_ SECT. VI. N°. igen - ba CHAP. V. 12—19, vl tery ae CONTENTS. Vivaah, 1 ie fi Here he ee them in the state of ‘mankind p - ral, before the law, and before the separation that was mat thereby of the israelites from all the other nations 0: a earth. And here he shows, that Adam, transgres law, which forbad him the eating of the tree of kt upon. pain of death, forfeited immortality, and be thereby mortal, all his posterity, descending from th of a mortal man, were mortal too, and all died, thoug of them broke that law, but Adam himself: but, ‘by C Chris . + a cua. v. ROMANS, 398 they are all restored to life again. And, God justifying those who believe in Christ, they are restored to their pri- mitive state of righteousness and immortality; so that the gentiles, being the descendants of Adam, as well as the jews, stand as fair for all the advantages, that accrue to the pos- terity of Adam, by Christ, as the jews themselves, it being all wholly and solely from grace. co TEXT. 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. 13 For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ats PARAPHRASE. 12 Wherefore, to give you a state of the whole matter, from the beginning, you must know, that, as by the act of one ' man, Adam, the father of us all, sin entered into the » world, and death, which was the punishment annexed to the offence of eating the forbidden fruit, entered by _ that sin, for that all Adam’s posterity thereby became 13 mortal*. It is true, indeed, sin was universally com- NOTE. 12 2 “* Haying sinned,” I have rendered became mortal, following the rule T think very necessary for the understanding St. Paul’s epistles, viz. the making him, as much as is possible, his own interpreter, 1 Cor. xv. 22, cannot be de- nied to be parallel to this place. This and the following verses here being, as one May say, 4 comment on that verse in the Corinthians, St. Paul treating here of the same matter, but more at large. There he says, “ as in Adam ail ** die,” which words cannot be taken literally, but thus, that in Adam all became mortal. ‘The same he says here, but in other words, putting, by a no Very unusual metonymy, the cause for the effect, viz. the sin of eating the for- bidden fruit, for the effect of it on Adam, viz. mortality, and, in him, on all his posterity: a mortal father, infected now with death, being able to produce no better than a mortal race. Why St. Paul differs in his phrase, here, from that which we find he used to the corinthians, and prefers here, that which is hardersand more figurative, may perhaps be easily accounted for, if we consider his style and usual way of writing, wherein is shown a. great liking of the and force of antithesis, as serving much to illustration and impression. In the xvth chapter of 1 Cor. he is speaking of life restored by Jesus Christ, Fa to illustrate and fix that in their minds, the death of mankind best seryed = €, to the romans, he is discoursing of righteousness restored to men (Christ, and therefore, here, the term sin is the most ‘natural and properest to Set that off. But that neither actual or imputed sin is meant here, or ver. 19, where the same way of expression is used, he, that has need of it, may see proved in Dr. Whitby upon the place. If there can be any need of any other ¥2 324 ROMANS. TEXT. | 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even PARAPHRASE. sie mitted in the world by all men, all the time b positive law of God delivered by Moses: but true? that there is no certain, determined punishr 14 affixed to sin, without a positive law‘ declaring it. — * NOTES. 7 proof, when it is evidently contrary to St. Paul's design here, which is to show, © that all men, from Adam to Moses, died solely, in consequence of Adam’s trans: gression, see ver. 17. abt ii q 3° Ody eAdroyerras, © is not imputed,” so our translation, but possibly not exactly to the sense of the apostle; “EaAoyetv signifies to reckon, but cannot b interpreted reckon to, which is the meaning of impute, without a perso assigned, to whom it is imputed. And so we see, when the word is used i that sense, the dative case of the person is subjoined- And therefore it is v translated, Philem. 18. If he owes thee any thing, guot cAAdyes, put it account, reckon, or impute it tome. Besides St, Paul here tells us, here spoken of, as not reckoned, was in the world, and had actual exis' during the time between Adam and Moses; but the sin, which is suppo be imputed, is Adam’s ‘sin, which he committed in paradise, ‘and. the world, during the time from Adam till Moses, and therefore 2AAc cannot here signify imputed. Sins in sacred scripture ‘are called debts, nothing can be brought to account, as a debt, till a value be set upon it. 0 sins can no way be taxed, or a rate set upon them, but by the positive declar tion and sanction of the law-maker. Mankind, without the’ positive law o} God, knew, by the light of nature, that they transgressed the rule of their ture, reason, which dictated to them what they ought to do. But, withe positive declaration of God, their sovereign, they could not tell at what God taxed their trespasses against this rule; till he pronounced that life sh be the price of sin, that could not be ascertained, and consequently si not be brought to account: and, therefore, we see that where there by the positive law of God only, that men knew that death we : nexed to sin, as its certain and unavoidable punishment; and so chap. vii. 8, 9- Wy Rye, ar © Noyes claw.” Whether St. Paul by vo.@- here means la for the most part he does, where he omits the article; or whet CHAP. V. ROMANS. 39. 3 TEXT. _ them ‘that had not sinned, after the similitude of Adam’s trans- _ gression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if, through the offence of one, many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judg- PARAPHRASE. vertheless, we see that, in all that space of time, which was before the positive law of God by Moses, men from the beginning of the world, died, all as well as their fa- ther Adam; though none of them, but he alone, had eaten of the forbidden fruit‘; and thereby, as he had * committed that sin, to which sin alone the punishment of death was annexed, by the positive sanction of God, denounced to Adam, who was the figure and type of 15 Christ, who was to come. But yet though he were the __ typeof Christ, yet the gift, or benefit, received by Christ, is not exactly conformed and confined to the dimensions of the damage, received by Adam’s fall. For if, by the lapse of one man, the multitude‘, i.e. all men died ‘*, much more did the favour of God, and the free gift, by the bounty or good-will which is in Jesus Christ, exceed ‘16 to the multitude’, i.e. to all men. -Furthermore, nei- NOTES. the law of Moses in particular, in which sense he commonly joins the article “to 1o4G-; this is plain, that St. Paul’s notion of a law was conformable to that given by Moses, and so he uses the word vo4@-, in English, law, for the posi- tive command of God, with a sanction of a penalty annexed to it; of which _kind there never having been any one given to any people, but that by Moses to the children of Israel, till the revelation of the will of God by Jesus Christ ‘to all mankind, which, for several reasons, is always called the gospel, in con- tradistinction to the law of Moses; when St. Paul speaks of law, in general, it reduces itself, in matter of fact, to the law of Moses. 14 4 In this verse St. Paul proves, that all men became mortal, by Adam's eating the forbidden fruit, and by that alone, because no man can incur a _ penalty, without the sanction of a positive law, declaring and establishing that “penalty ; but death was annexed, by no positive law, to any sin, but the eating the forbidden fruit; and therefore men’s dying, before the law of Moses, was purely in consequence of Adam’s sin, in eating the forbidden fruit ; and the positive sanction of death annexed to it - coming from thence. 15 © Of wodAci, and 73; @onad;, I suppose may be understood to stand here » an evident proof of man’s mortality’ 326 ROMANS, ~ PARAPHRASE. ther is the gift, as was the lapse, by one'sin®. For th judgment or sentence was for one* offence, to condem na. "tion: but the gift of favour reaches, notwithstanding me * NOTES. ence bored for the multitude, or collective body of mankind. For the apostle, in expres words, assures us, 1 Cor. xv. 22, “ That in Adam all died, and in Christ a “* are made alive :”’ and so here, ver. 18, All men fell under the condemna tion of death, and all men were restored unto justification of life, which a men, in the very next words, ver. 19, are called of qoadob, the many. So the many in the former part of this verse, and the many at the end of i prehending all mankind, must be equal. The comparison, therefore, and th inequality of the things compared, lies not, here, between the numbers of tho: that died, and the numbers of those that shall be restored to life; but the com parison lies between the persons by whom this general death, and this restoration to life came, Adam the type, and Jesus Christ the antitype; and o ~ seems to lie in this, that Adam’s lapse came barely for the satisfaction of | own appetite, and desire of good to himself; but the restoration. was from th exuberant bounty and good-will of Christ towards men, who at the cost of hi own painful death, purchased life for them, The want of taking the com pa sison here right, and the placing it amiss, in a greater number Ai i ? ‘by Jesus Christ, than those brought into death by Adam’s en ee tae ti men so far out of the way, as to allege, that men, in the deluge, died for own sins. It is true they did so, and so did the men of Sodom and Gomorrah and the philistines cut off by the israelites, and multitudes of others: but as true, that, by their own sins, they were not made mortal: they were fore, by their father Adam’s eating the forbidden fruit; so that, what 1e paid for their own sins, was not immortality, which they had not, but-a fey years of their own finite lives, which having been let alone, would every of them ina short time have come to anend. It cannot be denied, th but that it is as true of these as any of the rest of mankind, before Mos they died solely in Adam, as St, Paul has proved in the three preceding And it is as true of them, as of any of the rest of mankind in general, that t! died in Adam. For this St. Paul expressly asserts of all, “ that in Adam < «¢ died,” 1 Cor. xv. 22, and in this very chapter, ver. 18, in other words is then a flat contradiction to St, Paul to say, that those, whom the flood away, did not die in Adam. agen Ban oti ? 16 f Ai ints Guaptawaroc, “ by one sin,” so the Alexandrine c ‘more conformable to the apostle’s sense. For if éydc, ‘* one,”” in to be taken for the person of Adam, and not for his one sin, of eati bidden fruit, there will be nothing to answer wonAdy wapamrondriys *¢ offences” here, and so the comparison, St. Paul is upon, will be lost; it is plain, that in this verse he shows another disproportion in the case, ' Adam, the type, comes short of Christ, the antitype; and that is, that if but for one only transgression, that death came upon all men: but Ch stores life unto all, notwithstanding multitudes of sins. These ty both of the good-will of the donor, and the greatness of the gift, reckoned up together, in the following verse, and are there plainly exp mepiootiay Ths yeprtos xal Tic Owpedc; the excess of the fayour, se . t it: (Medd , good-will and cost of the donor; and the inequality of the "ceeds, as many exceeds one; or the deliverance from the PR. exceed the deliverance from the guilt of one, Taree BO <2 g CHAP. Vs ROMANS. | 397 TEXT. _ » ment was by one, to condemnation; but the free gift is of many offences, unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more "they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of ngh- teousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore as, by the offence of one, judgment came upon all 2 _ PARAPHRASE. 17 sins, to justification of life®. For if, by one lapse, death "reigned, by reason of one offence, much more shall they who receiving the surplusage* of favour, and of the gift of righteousness, reign in life by one, even Jesus 18 Christ. Therefore’ as, by one* offence, (viz.) Adam's * ee NOTES. € Zwns, “of life,” is found in the Alexandrian copy. And he that will read ver. 18, will scarce incline to the leaving of 5 out here. shies * 47 5 “ Surplusage,” so wzpicceia signifies. The surplusage of yapsrocy favour, was the painful death of Christ, heres’ the fall cost Adam we pile pains, but eating the fruit. The surplusage of dupeac, the gift, or benefit re- Ceived, was 2 justification to life from a multitude of sins, whereas the loss of life came upon all men, only for one sin; but all men, how guilty soever of many sins, are restored to life. 48 i “© Therefore,” here, is not used as an illative, introducing an inference from the immediately preceding verses, but is the same “ therefore,” which began, ver. 12, repeated here again, with part of the inference, that was . begun and left incomplete, the continuation of it being interrupted, by intervention of the proofs of-the first part of it. The particle, * as,” ime mediately following ‘* therefore,” ver. 12, is a convincing proof of this, hav- ing there, or in the following verses, nothing to answer it, and so leaves the sense imperfect and suspended, till you come to this verse, where the same reasoning is taken up ‘gain, and the same protasis, or. the first part of the comparison repeated: and then the apodosis, or latter part, is added to it; and the whole sentence made complete: which, to take right, one must read ‘thus, ver. 12, ‘* Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and ** death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, &c.”” ver. 18, I say, there- fore, “ as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemna- “© tion, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men, to “© justification of life.” A like interruption of what he began to say, mzy be seen, 2 Cor. xii. 14, and the same discourse, after the interposition of eight yerses, began again, chap. xiii. 1, not to mention others, that I think may be found in St. Paul’s epistles. — "kk That it; wapextéuarG- ought to be rendered ‘ one offence ;”” and not ‘the “ offence of one man:” and so yds JixasduaTr@, ‘ one act of righteouse € ness,” and not the “ righteousness of one ;” is reasonable to think: because, in the next verse, St. Paul compares one man to one man, and therefore it is fit to understand him here (the construction also favouring it) of one fact, com- pared with one fact, unless we will make him here (where he seems to study con- ciseness) guilty of atautology. But taken as I think they should be understood, one may see a harmony, beauty, and fulness in this discourse, which at first sight > > , - *, 328 ROMANS. TEXT. men to condemnation: even so by the righteousness of one, the — free gift came upon all men, unto justification of life. * 19 For, as by one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners: so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous. PARAPHRASE. uit eating the forbidden fruit, all men fell under the cons demnation of death: so, by one act of righteousness, Christ's obedience to death upon the cross’, all men 19 restored to life". For as, by one man’s disobedie many were brought into a state of mortality, whic _ the state of sinners"; so, by the obedience of one, many be made righteous, i.e. be restored to life as if they were not sinners, _ NOTES. MS a Me 1 That this is the meaning of 9% ivic dimasdyar@-y is plain ae folle verse. St. Paul every one may observe to be a lover of antithesis. In xix. 8. A oe eee ee ae ~m By dxaiwors Cwnc, ‘ justification of life,” By a the words. text, is not meant that righteousness by faith, which is to eternal life. eternal life is no-where, in sacred scripture, mentioned, as the portion men, but only of the saints. But the ‘¢ justification of life,” here spok: is what all men partake in, by the benefit of Christ’s death, by which th justified from all that was brought upon them by Adam’s sin, i.e. they a charged from death, the consequence of Adam’s transgression; and 1 eC life, to stand, or fall by that plea of righteousness, which they can make, of their own by works, or of the righteousness of God by faith, = 19 » “ Sinners.” Here St. Paul uses the same metonymy as above, ve pone sinners for mortal, whereby the antithesis to righteous is the ive Yo : ¥ es iy CHAP. V. ROMANS. . 329 SECT. VI. Ne 2. ree CHAP. V. 20, 21. . . CONTENTS. Sr. Paul, pursuing his design in this epistle, of satisfying the gentiles, that there was no need of their submitting to the law, in order to their partaking of the benefits of the gos- pel, having, in the foregoing eight verses taught them, that Adam’s one sin had brought death upon, them all, from which they were all restored by Christ’s death, with addition of eternal bliss and glory, to all those who believe in him; all which being the effect of God’s free grace and favour, to those, who were never under the law, excludes the law from having any part in it, and so fully makes out the title of the gentiles to God's favour, through Jesus Christ, under the gospel,swithout the intervention of the law. Here, for the farther satisfaction of the gentile converts, he shows them, in these two verses, that the nation of the hebrews, who had the law, were not delivered from the state of death by it, but rather plunged deeper under it, by the law, and so stood more in need of favour, and indeed had a greater abundance of grace afforded them, for their recovery to life by Jesus Christ, than the gentiles themselves. Thus the jews them- selves, not being saved by the law, but by an excess of grace, this is a farther proof of the point St. Paul was upon, viz. that the gentiles had no need of the law, for the obtain- ing of life, under the gospel. © | TEXT. 20 Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound: but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound : hi PARAPHRASE. 20 This was the state of all* mankind, before the law, they NOTE. 20 2 Therejcan be nothing plainer, than that St. Paul here, in these two verses, makes a comparison between the state of the jews, and the state of the « 336 ROMANS. ‘CHAP. 1 : ne PARAPHRASE. j all died for the one mapanrwua, lapse, or offence, of one man, which was the only irregularity, that had death an- nexed to it: but the law entered, and took place over a small part of mankind®, that this rapaémroya., lapse, % | | i NOTES. sl S tripe ee : a gentiles, as it stands described in the eight preceding verses, to show wher they differed, or agreed, so far as was necessary to his present purpr satisfying the convert romans, that, in reference to their interest int the jews had no advantage over them, by the law. With what re those eight verses, St. Paul writ these two, appears ie very choice words. He tells them, ver. 12, “ that death by sin eieRaQe entered * world,” and here he tells them that the law (for sin and death were already) weaxperonrber, entered a little, a word that, set in opposition to cieWA gives a geting shing idea of the extent of the law, such as it really w httle and narrow, as was the people of Isreel (whom alone it reached) in r spect of all the other nations of the earth, with whom it had nothing to d For the law of Moses was given to Israel alone, and not to all mankind. T vulgate, therefore, translates this word right, ‘subintrayit, it entered, but n far, i.e. the death, which followed, upon the account of the mosaic reigned over but a small part of mankind, viz. the children of Israel, w o were under that law: whereas, by Adam's transgression of the Pasitiy 2 given him in paradise, death passed upon all men. Pet a >b “Iva, “that.” Some would have this ee event, at the intention of the law-giver, and so understand y these words, ¢ *¢ offence might abound,” the increase of sin, or the aggravations of consequence of the law. But it is to be remembered, that St. Paul forth the difference, which God intended to put, by the law which he’ gay between the children of Israel and the gentile world, in respect of life Ac life and death being the subject St. Paul was upon. And, therefore, tion barely accidental consequences of the law, that made the differen come short of St. Paul’s purpose. ey SL ane All eae was in an irrecoverable state of death, by Ada s lar was plainly the intention of Ged to remove the israelites out of this : the l.w: and so he says himself, that he gave ‘ them statutesand judgn *« which if a man do, he shall live in them,” Ley. xviii. 5, And so tells us here, chap. vii. 10, that the law was ordained for life. necessarily follows, that if life weré intended them for their obedien -was intended them for their disobedience ; and accordingly Moses te Deut. xxx. 19, ‘ that he had set before them life and death.” Thus, b Jaw, the children of Israel were put into a uew state: and by the cov God made with them, their remaining under death, or their Teco was to be the con:equence, not of what another had done, but of w themselves did. They were thenceforth put to stand or fall, by their « tions, and the death they suffered was for their transgressions. Every of they committed against the law, did, by this covenant, bind death upon | Tt is not easy to conceive, that God should give them a law, to the en and guilt should abound amongst them, but yet he might, and did/gi Jaw, that the offence, which had death annexed, should abound, ‘death, which before was the declared penalty of but one offence, she jews'be made the penalty of every breach, by the sanction of this which was not a hardship, but a privilege to them. For invth@ir for common to them, with the rest of mankind, death was unavoida a 2 w iis ROMANS, 331 ‘ TEXT: 21. That, as sin hath reigned unto death, even so mightograce reign PARAPHRASE. offence, to which death was annexed, might abound, __ i.e. the multiplied transgressions of many men, viz. all that were under the law of Moses, might have death an- oil nexed to them, by the positive sanction of that law, _ whereby the offence‘, to which death was annexed, did abound, i.e. sins that had death for their punishment, ~ were increased. But, by the goodness of God, where sin*, with death annexed to it, did abound, grace did 21 much more abound‘. That as sin had feigned, or 4 | NOTES. But, by the law, they had a trial for life: accordingly our Saviour tothe young man, who asked ‘ what he should do to obtain eternal life,” answers, ‘ keep § the commandments.” The law, increasing the offence in this sense, had also another benefit, viz. that the jews, perceiving they incurred death by the law, which was ordained for life, might thereby, as by a school-master, be led to Christ, to seek life by him. This St. Paul takes notice of, Gal. iii. 24, © Tapeierrwya is another word, showing St. Paul’s having an eye, in what he says here, to what he said in the foregoing verses. Our bibles translate it -& offence :” it properly signifies ¢¢ fall,” and is used in the foregoing verses, for that transgression, which, by the positive law of God, had death annexed to it, and in that sense the apostle continues to use it here alto. There was but one such sin, before the law, given by Moses, viz. Adam’s eating the for- bidden fruit. But the positive law of God, given to the israclites, made all their sins such, by annexing the penalty of death to each transgression, and thus the offence abounded, or was increased by the law. 4 ¢* Sin.” That by ‘sin,’ St, Paul here means such failure, as, by the sanction of a positive law, had death annexed to it, the beginning of the next verse shows, where it is declared to be such sin, as reigned in, or by death, which all sin doth not, allsin is not taxed at that rate, as appears by ver. 13, see the note. ‘The article joined here both to wagamrupa and apapria, for Ht is 73 wapanrovye, and 4 aueeria, the offence and the sin, limiting the ‘general signification of those words to some particular sort, seems to point out _this sense. . And that this is not a mere groundless criticism, may appear from “ver, 12 and 13, where St. Paul uses &»aeria, in these two different verses, with the distinction of the article and no article. © Grace might much more abound.” The rest of mankind were in a state of death, only for one sin of one man. This the apostle is express in, not only in the foregoing verses, but elsewhere. But those who were under the law (which made each transgression they were guilty of mortal) were under the con- _demnation of death, not only for that one sin of another, but also for every one of their own sins. Now to make any one righteous to life, from many, and those his own sins, besides that one, that lay on him before, is greater grace, than to bestow on him justification to life, only from one sin, and that of ano- ther man. To forgive the penalty of many sins, is 2 greater grace, than to re- fit the penalty of one, _ 338 ROMANS. | _ eae TEXT. 7 | - through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ, our Lord. oe | PARAPHRASE. 0 il showed its mastery, in the death of the israelites, wi were under the law; so grace, in its turn, might rei or show its mastery, by justifying them, from all many sins, which they had committed, each where the law, brought death with it; and so bestowing — them the righteousness of faith, instate them in eterr life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. ; { “SECT. See CHAP. VI. 1-28. CONTENTS. ‘eae Sr. Paul having, in the foregoing chapter, very muc nified free grace, by showing that all men, having lost their lives by Adam’s sin, were, by grace, through Christ, restored to life again; and also, as many of them as believed in Christ, were re-established in immortality by grace; and that even the jews, who, by their own trespasses again law, had forfeited their lives, over and over again, we by grace, restored to life, grace super-abounding, v abounded ; he here obviates a wrong inference, which be apt to mislead the convert gentiles, viz. “ therefo “ ys continue in sin, that grace may abound.” The trary whereof he shows their very taking upon tl profession of christianity required of them, by the ating ceremony of baptism, wherein they were typi ried with Christ, to teach them that they, as he did. to die to sin; and, as he rose to live to God, they rise to a new life of obedience to God, and be no n slaves to sin, in an obedience and resignation of | : to its commands, For, if their obedience were to. rs HAP. VI. ROMANS. 333 ere vassals of sin, and would certainly receive the wages pf that master, which was nothing but death: but, if they obeyed righteousness, i.e. sincerely endeavoured after righ- eousness, though they did not attain it, sin should not have dominion over them, by death, i.e. should not bring death upon them. Because they were not under the law, which condemned them to death for every transgression; but under grace, which, by faith in Jesus Christ, justified them to eter- nal life, from their many transgressions. And thus he shows the gentiles not only the no necessity, but the advantage of their not being under the law. | TEXT. 1 WHAT shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid: how shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer _ therein? PARAPHRASE. 1 W HAT shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, @ that grace may abound? God forbid: how can it be _ that we*, who, by our embracing christianity, have re- - nounced our former sinful courses, and have professed a oie, NOTE. Qa We,” i.e. I and all converts to christianity. St. Paul, in this ghapter, shows it to be the profession and obligation of all christians, even by their baptism, and the typical signification of it, to be ‘« dead to sin, and alive *© to God,” i.e. as he explains it, not to be any longer vassals to sin, in obey- ing our lusts, but to be servants to God, in a sincere purpose and endeavour of obeying him. For, whether under the law, or under grace, whoever is a vassal to sin, i.e. indulges himself in a compliance with his sinful lusts, will receive “the wages which sin pays, i.e. death. This he strongly represents here, to the gentile converts of Rome (for it is to them he speaks in this chapter) that they might not mistake the state they were in, by being, not under the law, but - “under grace, of which, and the freedom and largeness of it, he had spoken so much, and so highly in the foregoing chapter, to let them see, that to be under grace, was not a state of licence, but eg exact obedience, in the intention and endeavour of every one under grace, though in the performance they came short of it. This strict obedience, to the utmost reach of every one’s aim and endeavours, he urges as necessary, because obedience to sin unavoidably pro- duces death, and he urges as reasonable, for this very reason, that they were not under the law, but under grace. For as much as all the endeavours after sighteousness, of those who were under the law, were lost labour, since any one slip forfeited life: but the sincere endeavours after righteousness of those, who were under grace, were sure to succeed, to the attaining the gift of eternal er 2A 334 j ROMANS. * TEXT. jiw pede tal 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Christ, were baptized into his death? soit shart s Aja, in the hellenistic Greek, sometimes signifies into, and so tion renders it, 2 Pet. i. 3. And, if it be not so-taken here, th Paul’s argument is lost, which is to show into what state of life we raised out of baptism, in similitude and conformity to that state of i was raised into, from the grave. Fe hia Ria dla iy 6 © See Gal. v. 24, Eph. iv. 22, ‘Col. ii. 11, 1 Pethiv. 1. 7 d It will conduce much to the understanding of St. Paul, in following chapters, if it be minded that these phrases, *< to se ** vants of sin, sin to reign in our mortal bodies, to obey sin in the ** bodies, to yield our members instruments of unrighteousness unto ROMANS. $35 TEXT: | 7 For he that is dead, is freed from sin. § Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9 Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; © death hath no more dominion over him. 40 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: .but in that he liveth, 4 Ce he liveth unto God. & * PARAPHRASE. “g c vassals to it. . For he, that is dead, is set freé from the vassalage* of sin, as a slave is from the vassalage of his 8 master. Now, if we understand by our being buried in _ ‘baptism, that we died with Christ, we cannot but think _ and believe, that we should live a life conformable to his; ‘9 Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, re- _ turns*no nmiore to a mortal life, death hath no more do- 10 minion over/him, he is no more subject to death. For __ im that he died, he died unto sin, i. e. upon the account of sin, once’ for all: but his life, now after his resurrec- _ a x NOTES. Ley <¢ servants of uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, to be freed from *¢ righteousness, to walk, live, or be after the flesh, to be carnally minded,” all signify one and the same thing, viz. the giving ourselves up to the conduct of our sinful, carnal appetites, to allow any of them the command over us, and. the conduct and prevalency in determining us. On the contrary, ‘ that *« walking after the spirit, or in newness of life, the crucifixion of the old *€ man, the destruction of the body of sin, the deliverance from the body of « death, to be freed from sin, to be dead to sin, alive unto God} to yield your- *€ selves unto God, as those who are alive from the dead, yield your members “¢ servants of righteousness unto holiness, or instruments of righteousness unto “* God, to be servants of obedience unto righteousness, made free from sin, “ servants. of righteousness, to be after the spirit, to be spiritually minded, to “* mortify the deeds of the body,”’ do all signify a constant and steady purpose, . and sincere endeavour to obey the law and will of God, in every thing, these several expressions being used in several places, as best serves the occasion, and illustrates the sense.. 7¢ The tenour of St. Paul’s discourse here, shows this to be the sense of this verse; and to be assured that it is so, we need go no farther than ver. 11, 12, 13. He makes it his business in this chapter, not fo tell them what they certainly and waepeiges bly are, but to exhort them to be what they ought and are engaged to be, by becoming christians, viz. that they ought to emancipate themselves from the vassalage of sin; not that they were so emancipated, without any danger of return, for then he could not have said what he does, ver. 11, 12, 13, which sup- poses it in their power to continue in their obedience to sin, or retura to thet vassalage, if they would. ee 10 £ See Heb, ix, 26-28, 1 Pet. iv. 1; 2. ’ » J a Eee ®, 336 ROMANS. “ena, J + TEST. a 11 Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sit but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Aa 12 Let not sin, therefdfe, reign in your mortal. body. > that ye sk obey it, m the lusts Rictenk ' 13 N ther yield ye your members, as instruments of unrigl ness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those alive from the dead; and your members, as instumentsibh teousness, unto Gad. PARAPHRASE. . “ tion, is a life wholly appropriated to God, with which or death, shall never have any more to do, or ¢ il reach of. In like manner, do you also make’ your 1 oning, account yourselves dead to sin¥, freed from th master; so as not to suffer yourselves, any | more, to! commandéd, or employed by it, as if it were still 7 master; but alive to God, i.e. that it ice out bal i now to live wholly for his service, and to 7 ea 12 through . Jesus Christ our Lord. “Permit not, sin to reign over you, by your mortal bodies', which 13 will do, if you obey your carnal lusts: Neither de up your members* to sin, to be employed by sin, a struments of iniquity, but deliv up yourse ‘God, as those who have got to a new life ais: the dead’, and choosing him for rom Lord and } ie we “iw tree NOTES. 11 g ‘‘ Sin” is here spoken of as a person, a prosopopeeia made ts through this and the following chapter, which must be minded, if we will u derstand them right.. The like exhortation upon the ue Ered see 1 iv. 1—3. ft St Oe h See Gal. ii. 19, 2 Cor. v. 15, Rom.v. 4. The ind of St. P ment here seems to he this: in your baptism you are engaged into a li Christ’s death and resurrection. He once died to sin, so do you I selves dead to sin. He rose to life, wherein-he lives wholly to G your new life, after your resurrection from your typical burial in the under the vassalage of sin no more, but you must live intirely to the s God, to whom you are devoted, in obedience to his will in all things. . 12 i “ Jn your mortal bodies ;” * éy, in the apostle’s writings, ofte by. And he here, as also in the following chapters, ver. 18 and 24, where, placing the root of sin in the body, his sense seems to bey reign over you, by the lusts of your mortal bodies. 18 k «¢ Sinful lusts,”’ at least those, to which the gentiles were mide. enslaved, seem so much placed 1 in the body and the nc nhne * the members,” Col. iii. 5. coe Wea St 1 “Ex vexpiov, ‘ from among the dead.” The pentile-world’ were dead. iA» iE omar. yi ROMANS. $37 TEXT. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid! Sie _ PARAPHRASE. es , ~ yield your members to him, as instruments of righteous- A ness. For if you do so, sin shall not have dominion over you™, you shail not be as its slaves, in its power, to be by it delivered over to death. For® you are not - under the law, in the legal state; but you are under ce, in the gospel-state of the covenant of grace. 15 What then, shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under the covenant of grace°? God forbid! ¥ It NOTES. Eph. ii. 1,5, Col. ii. 13, those, who were converted to the gospel, were raised ta » from among those dead. 44 m “ Sin shall not have dominion over you,” i.e, sin shall not be your absolute master, to dispose of your members and faculties, in its drudgery and service, as it pleases; you shall not be under its control, in absolute subjection to it, but your own men, that are alive, and at your own disposal, unless, by your own free choice, you inthral yourselves to it, and by a voluntary obedi- ence, give it the command over you, and are willing to have it your master. At must be remembered, that St. Paul here, and in the following chapter, per~ sonates sin, as striving with men for mastery, to destroy them. 2 For.” The force of St. Paul’s reasoning here stands thus: you are bliged, by your taking on you the profession of the gospel, not to be any mger slaves and vassals to sin, nor to be under the sway of your carnal lusts, ‘but to yield yourselves up to God, to be his servants, in a constant and sincere ‘purpose and endeavour of obeying him in all things: this if you do, sin shall Not be able to procure you death, for you gentiles are not under the law, which condemns to death for every the least transgression, though it be but a slip of infirmity; but, by your baptism, are entered into the covenant of grace, aa, being under grace, God will accept of your sincere endeavours in the place of exact obedience; and give you eternal life, through Jesus Christ; but if you, by a willing obedience to your lusts, make yourselves vassals to sin, sing as the lord and master to whom you belong, will pay you with death, the only ‘wages that sin pays. - 15 © What is meant by being “‘ under grace,”’ is easily understood, by the undoubted and obvious meaning of the parallel phrase, ‘ under the law.” They, it is unquestioned, were under the law, who having by circumcision, the ceremony of admittance, been received into the’ commonwealth of the jews, owned the God of the jews for their God and King, professing subjection to the law he gave by Moses. And so, in like manner, he is under grace, who, having by baptism, the ceremony of admittance, been received into the king- dom of Christ, or the society of christians, called by a peculiar name, the christian church, owns Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messias, his King, pro- fessing subjection to his law, delivered in the gospel. By which it is plain, that being under grace, is spoken here, as being under the law is, in a political ~. @ ” on ee ee 338 ROMANS? | guar. TEXT. 16 Know ye not, that, to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey his servants ye are, to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto deatl - or of obedience unto righteousness ? | . te ee 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin; but y have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine, which wa delivered you. iy : > , PARAPHRASE. 16 Know ye not that, to whom you subject yourselves? ; vassals, to be at his beck, his vassals you are whom ye thus obey, whether it be of sin, which vassalage ends i _ death; or of Christ, in obeying the gospel, to the obtait 17 ing of righteousness and life. But God be thanked, h you who were the vassals of sin, have sincerely, a from your heart, ebeyed, so as to receive the form, ¢ be cast into the mould of that doctrine, under whose d : NOTES. Md aga bs and national sense. For whoever was circumcised, and owned God fi rr king, and the authority of his law, ceased not to be a jew or member of # society, by every or any transgression of the precepts of that law, so long a owned God for his Lord, and his subjection to that law; so likewise, he wi by baptism, is incorporated into the kingdom of Christ, and owns him for |! sovereign, and himself under the law and rule of the gospel, ceases not to be christian, though he offend against the precepts of the gospel, till he d Christ to be his king and lord, and renounces his subjection to his law in gospel. But God, in taking a people to himself to be his, not doing it ba as a temporal prince, or head of a politic’society in this world, but in orde his having as many, as in obeying him perform the conditions neces: subjects for ever, in the state of immoftality restored to him in anol world; has, since the fall, erected two kingdoms in this world, the one of jews, immediately under himself; anothér of christians under his Son ] e Christ, for that farther and more glorious end, of attaining eternal life, wl prerogative and privilege, of eternal life, does not belong to the s general, nor is the benefit granted nationally, to the whole body of of either of these kingdoms of God; but personally, to such of th perform the conditions tequired in the terms of each covenant. To tl are jews, or under the law, the terms are perfect and complete every tittle of the law, “ do this and Jive:” to those who are christians, under grace, the terms are sincere endeavours after perfect obedience, th not attaining it, as is manifest, in the remaining part of this chapter, here Paul acquaints those; who ask whether they shall sin, because they are under the law, but under grace? that, though they are under grace, who obey sin, are the vassals of sin ; and those, who are the vassals receive death, the wages of sin. ) 16 P “Yaanohv, ‘* obedience.” That which he calls here *< obedience,” he in other places calls iaaxoy aleewe, ‘ obed and deraxon Tod Xessod,-** obedience of Christ,” meaning a gospel of Christ, ia ae iC , nAD. VIE ROMANS, $39 TEXT. 3 Being then made fiee from sin, ye became the servants of righ- teousness. ) I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to un« cleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto holiness. ) For, when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from rightes ‘ousness. F PARAPHRASE. rection or regulation’ you were put, that you might con- 8 form yourselves to it. Being therefore set free from the vassalage of sin, you became the servants or vassals of 9 righteousness’. (I make use of this metaphor, of the passing of slaves from one master to another‘, well known to you romans, the better to let my meaning into your understandings, that are yet weak in these matters, _ being more accustomed to fleshly than spiritual things.) _ For as you yielded your natural' faculties obedient, sla- vish instruments to uncleanness, to be wholly employed in all manner of iniquity"; so now ye ought to yield up _ your natural faculties to a perfect and ready obedience 0 to righteousness. For, when you were the vassals of " sin, you were not at all subject to, nor paid any obedi- _ ence to righteousness: therefore, by a parity of reason, " Now righteousness is your master, you ought to pay no NOTES. “AT 4 Eis ov wapedobares *¢ unto which you were delivered ;°? no harsh, but arr legant expression, if we observe that St. Paul here speaks of sin and the gospel, of two masters, and that those, he writes to, were taken out of the hands of he one, and delivered over to the other, which-they having from their hearts eyed, were no longer the slaves of sin, he whom they obeyed being, by the ule of the foregoing verse, truly their master. 18 * “Edeaddnre 7% dsxaurocdvn, ** ye became the slaves of righteousness.” his will seem an harsh expression, unless we remember that St. Paul, going an still with the metaphor of master’and servant, makes sin and righteousness ere two persons, two distinct masters, and men passing from the dominion of he one into the dominion of the other. 19S “Asbpdarivoy Aéyw, *¢ I speak after the manner of men.” He had some ‘eason to make some little kind of an apology, for a figure of speech, which he wells upon, quite down to the end of this chapter. t ** Members,” see chap. vii. 5. Note. _ © © To iniquity unto iniquity,” see Note, chap. i, 17. : fe = 4 | 240 nowt. na - TEXT. | ia te Ko 21 What fruit had ye then, in those things, whereof ye are | , ‘ 23 For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. hase ahs 4 a ses " aw, ee, . PARAPHRASE. na RR 4 life*, through Jesus Christ our Lord, he . eof YC NOTES. ee 03 w “The wages of sin,” does not signify here the wage for sinning, but the wages, that sin pays- This is evident, opposition that is put, here in this verse, between * the wag: « gift of God,” viz. that sin rewards men with death for but that which God gives to those, who, believing in Jesus’ _ sincerely after righteousness, is life eternal. But it farther a whole tenour of St. Paul’s discourse, wherein he speaks of by a mater, who hath servants, and is served and obeyed, and s pe being the wages of a person here, must be what it pays. x « The gift of God.” Sin pays death to 5 who vassals: but God rewards the obedience of those, to whom master, by the gift of eternal life. ‘Their utmost endeavours formances can never entitle them to it of right; and so it is to but a free gift, See cle ive 4» SHAP. VII. ROMANS. - S41 SECT. VI. N°. 4 CHAP. VII. 1—25. meek “CONTENTS. ST. Paul, in the foregoing chapter, addressing himself to he convert gentiles, shows them, that, not being under the aw, they were obliged only to keep themselves free from the assalage of sin, by a sincere endeavour after righteousuess, orasmuch as God gave eternal life to all those who, being inder grace, i.e. being converted to christianity, did so. In this chaptery addressing himself to those of his own na- ion in the roman church, he tells them, that, the death of Shrist having put an end to the obligation of the law, they vere at their liberty to quit the observances of the law, and yere guilty of no disloyalty, in putting themselves under the ospel. And here St Paul shows the deficiency of the law, vhich rendered it necessary to be laid aside, by the coming ind reception of the gospel. Not that it allowed any sin, mut, on the contrary, forbad even concupiscence, which was ot known to be sin, without the law. Nor was it the law hat brought death upon those who were under it, but sin, hat herem it might show the extreme malignant influence | t had, upon our weak fleshly natures, in that it could prevail m us to transgress the law, (which we could not but ac- nowledge to be holy, just and good) though death was the leclared penalty of every transgression: but hérein lay the leficiency of the law, as spiritual and opposite to sin as it vas, that it could not master and root it out, but sin re- nained and dwelt in men, as before, and by the strength of heir carnal appetites, which were not subdued by the law, atried them to transgressions, that they approved not. Nor did it avail them to disapprove, or struggle, since, hough the bent of their minds were’the other way, yet their sndeayours after obedience delivered them not from that leath, which their bodies, or carnal appetites, running them nto transgressions, brought upon them. That deliverance vas to be had from grace, by which those who, putting hemselves from under the law into the gospel-state, were See Satta pa ae - ios rms en ot te ee. ear, eee eee 1 342 ROMANS. CHAP. V accepted, if with the bent of their minds they sincerely € deavoured to serve and obey the law of God, though soni times, through the’ frailty of their flesh, they ‘fell into sin, This i is a farther demonstration to the converted gentil of Rome, that they are under no obligation of submitti themselves to the law, in order to be the people of God, or partake of the advantages of the gospel, since it was neces sary, even to the jews themselves, to quit the terms of 1 law, that they might be delivered from death, by the ‘S0sp And thus we see how. steadily and skilfully he pas design, and with what evidence and strength | he fortifies gentile converts, against all attempts of the jews, who y about to bring them under the observances of the law Moses. ° NEN tO: 7 TEXT. Es einthnp te gis dk KNow ye not, brethren, (for I speak to rai cok ov law) how that ‘the law hath dominion over a man, as Hee liveth. 8 For the woman, which hath an husband, is bound by the la PARAPHRASE. |) *! (2s) & by 1 il HAVE let those of you, who were formerly genti see, that they are not under the law, but under grace*: now apply myself to you, my brethren, of my own 1 tion’, who know the law. You cannot be ignorant t the authority of the law reaches, or concerns a man‘, @, long as he liveth, and no longer. For* a womar NOTES. 4 2 See chap. vi. 14 mm b That his discourse here, is addressed to ehinge converts of this ch were of the jewish nation, is so evident, from the whole tenour of th that there needs no more, but to read it with a little psi os be ‘of it, especially ver. 1, 4, 6. © Kupiedes 78 aiQpuore, “ hath dominion over a man.’ So we rightly: but I imagine we understand it in too narrow a sense, tak mean only that dominion, or force, which the law has to botnipeb us in things, which we have otherwise no mind to; whereas it se be used in the conjugation hiphil, and to comprehend, here, that rig vilege also of doing, or enjoying, which a man has, by virtue a the law, which all ceases, as soon as he is dead. To this large words St. Paul’s expressions, in the two next verses, seem suited 5 an stood, have a clear and easy meaning, as may be seen in the paraph Q 4 For.” That which follows in the 2d verse, isno proof « in the ist verse, either asa reason, or an instance of i it, unless zo; veus the sense I propose, and then the whole discourse is easy and uniform > % enAp. vir. ROMANS. __ 343 TEXT. her husband, so long as he liveth: but if the husband be dead, * She is loosed from the law of her husband. % So then, if while her husband liveth, she be married to another * man, she shall be called an adulteress: but, if her husband be ~ dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though _ she be masried to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become 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 should bring forth fruit unto God. PARAPHRASE. hath an husband, is bound by the law‘ to her living hus- " band; but if her husband dieth, she is loosed from the ” law, which made her her husband’s, because the autho- » rity of the law, whereby he had a right to her, ceased in 3 respect of him, as soon as he died. Wherefore she shall _ be called an adulteress, if while her husband liveth, she ~ become another man’s. But if her husband dies, the _ right he had to her by the law ceasing, she is freed from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she be- 4 come another man’s. So that even ye, my brethren‘, by © © "Agd 18 vou2 + asdpéc, “ From the law of her husband.” This expression ‘confirms the sense above-mentioned, For it can in no sense be termed, “ the Jaw of her husband,” but as it is the law, whereby he has the right to his wife. But this law, as faras it is her husband’s law, as far as he has any concern in it, or privilege by it, dies with him, and so she is loosed from it. | 4 f Kat dyeic, ye also;”’ x, “ also,”’ is not added here by chance, and without any meaning, but shows plainly that the apostle had in his mind some ‘person, or persons before-mentioned, who were free from the law, and that must be either the woman, mentioned in the two foregoing verses, as free from the law of her husband, because he was dead; or else the gentile converts ‘mentioned chap. vi. 14, as free from the law, because they were never under Gt. If we think ig refers to the woman, then St. Paul’s sense is this, “ ye also are free from the law, as well as such a woman, and may without any impu- *€ tation subject yourselves to the gospel. If we take x} to refer to the gen- ‘tile converts, then his sense is this: ‘‘ even ye also, my brethren, are free from “ the law, as well as the jewish converts, and as much at liberty to subject your- € selves to the gospel, as they.” I confess myself most inclined to this latter, ‘both because St. Paul's main drift is to show, that both jews and gentiles are ‘wholly free from the law: and because Havatwbnre to rw, “ ye have been 4© made dead to the law,”” the phrase here used to express that freedom, seems to refer rather to the ist verse, where he says, ‘* the law hath dominion over a * man as long as he liveth,” implying, and no longer, rather than-to the two Infervening verses, where he says, “ not the death of the woman, but the death S* of the husband sets the woman free,”” of which more by and by. : S44. ROMANS. i cnar. ' =" PARAPHRASE. . | : ihe il > ae sat gael ae the body of Christ®, are become dead* to the law, wher by the dominion of the law over you has ceased, th: should subject yourselves to the dominion of Chr the gospel, which you may do with as much freedom _ blame, or the imputation of disloyalty’, as a wom: husband is dead, may, without the imputation of adulter marry another man. And this making yourselves an ther’s, even Christ's, who is risen from the dead, is, that we - NOTES. oe 1, ee & ‘ Ry the body of Christ, in which you, as his members, died with hi see Col. ii. 20, and so, by a like figure, believers are said to be circumcised wi him, Col. ii, 11. } iy ae hb “ Are become dead to the law.”’ There is a great deal of needless pau taken by some, to reconcile this saying of St. Paul to the two immediate receding verses, which they suppose do require he should haye said here e does ver. 6, viz, that the law was dead, that so the persons, here spoken « might rightly answer to the wife, who there represents them. But he will take this passage together, will find that the first part of this 4th ve fers to ver.,1, and the latter part of it to ver, 2 and 3, and conseque St. Paul had spoken improperly, if he had said, what they would m say here. To clear this, let us look into §t. Paul’s reasoning, which stands thus: the dominion of the law over a man ceases, when he is dez ' © yer. 1, you are become dead to the law, by the body of Christ, ver. 4, at ** so the dominion of the law over you is ceased, then you are free to. “* yourselves under the dominion of another, which can bring on you n ‘¢ of disloyalty to him, who had before the dominion over you, any mi *¢ a woman can be charged with adultery, when, the dominion of her s* husband being ceased by his death, she marrieth herself to anoth For the use of what he says, ver. 2 and 8, is to satisfy the jews, that the nion of the law over them being ceased, by their death to the law, in they were no more guilty of disloyalty, by putting themselves whol the law of Christ, in the gospel, than a woman was guilty of adultery, the dominion of her husband ceasing, she gave herself up wholly to ano $n marriage. ; Da jee a i “6 Disloyalty.” One thing that made the jews so tenacious of was, that they looked upon it asa revolt from God, and a disloyalty to h their king, if they retained not the Jaw that he had giyen them. So that those of them, who embraced the gospel, thought it necessary to observe parts of the law, which were not continued, and as it were re-enacted by in the gospel. Their mistake herein is what St. Paul, by the instanc woman marrying a second husband, the former being dead, endeavours ¥ince them of. y ‘ Rear k « We.” Ig¢ may be worth our taking notice of, that St. Paul, along from the beginning of the chapter, and even in this very sent s* ye,” here, with neglect of grammar, on a sudden changes : and says, ‘that we should, &c.”’ Isuppose to press the argumen by showing himself to be in the same circumstances and concern w being a jew, as well as those he spoke to. ey (HAP. VIIe ROMANS. 345 TEXT. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto . _ death. PARAPHRASE. § should bring forth fruit unto God’. For when we were _ after so fleshly™ a manner, under the law, as not to - compr’ end the spiritual meaning of it, that directed us to Christ, the spiritual end of the law, our sinful lust*, ~ that remained in us under the law®, or in the state under NOTES. ~ 1 Fruit unto God.” In these words St. Paul visibly refers to chap. vi. 40, where he saith, that «‘ Christ, in that he liveth, he liveth unto God,” and therefore he mentions here, his being raised from the dead, as a reason, for their bringing forth fruit unto God, i.e. living to the service of God, obeying his will, to the utmost of their power, which is the same that he says, chap. Viii. 11. 5 m “ When we were in the flesh.”” The understanding and observance of the law, in a bare, literal sense, without looking any farther, for a more spi- ritual intention in it, St. Paul calls “ being in the flesh.” That the law had, besides a literal and carnal sense, a spiritual and evangelical meaning, see 2 Cor. iii. 6 and 17, compared. Read also ver. 14, 15, 16, where the jews in the flesh are described ; and what he says of ‘the ritual part of the law, see Heb. ix. 9, 11, which whilst they lived in the observance of, they were in the flesh. That part of the mosaical law was wholly about fleshly things, Col. ti. 1423, was sealed in the flesh, and proposed no other, but temporal, fleshly rewards. 3 Mebiyere tiv &papriav, literally “ passions of sin,’’ in the scripture Greek (wherein the genitive case of the substantive is often put for the adjec- tive) “ sinful passions, or lusts,” : © Ta dic rod voux, “which were by the law,” is a very true literal transla- tion of the words, but leads the reader quite away from the apostle’s sense, and’ is fain to be supported (by interpreters, that so understand it) by saying, that the law excited men to sin, by forbidding it. A strange imputation on the law of God, such as, if it be true, must make the jews more defiled, with the ollutions set down in St. Paul’s black list, ch. i. than the heathen themselves. But herein they will not find St. Paul of their mind, who, besides the visible distinction wherewith he speaks of the gentiles all through his epistles, in this respect doth, here, ver, 7, declare quite the contrary; see also 1 Peter iv. 3,4. If St. Paul’s use of the preposition, dz, a little backwards in this very epistle, were remembered, this and a like passage or two more, in this chapter, would mot have so harsh and hard a sense put on themas they have. Tay @srevovray Di dupoCvsias, our translation renders, ch. iv. 11, ‘ that believe, though they 4 be not circumcised,’’ where they make i aupobusiac, to signify, “ during * the state, or during their being under uncifcumcision.”” If they had given the same sense to dé you# here, which plainly signifies their being in a contiary State, i.e. under the law, and rendered it, * sinful affections,’” which they had, though they were under the law, the apostle’s sense here would have been easy, clear, and conformable to the design he was upon. ‘This use of the word di2, think we may find in other epistles of St. Paul; ra dia tod capur@-y 2 Cor. v. 10, may possibly, with better sense, be understood of things done during the body, oy during the bodily state, than by the body; and so 1 Tim, ON eT ee eee eee 346 . ROMANS? . TEXT. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, tine eg we were held; that we should serve in newness of s im the oldness of the letter. “ale i PARAPHRASE. 4 <4) /)) | the law, wrought in our members, i.e. ‘set our’mem ey and faculties? on work, in doing that, whose end We 6 death*.. But now the law, under which we were heret fore held in subjection, being dead, we are set free fror the dominion of the law, that we should perform our obe dience, as under the new" and spiritual covenant of th gospel, wherein there is a remission of frailties, and 1 as still under the old rigour of the letter of the law, whi condemns every one, who does not perform exact obec os NOTES. dint Air | li. 15, Sie renvoryorices, & during the state of child-bearing.” Nor is this an hellenistical use of di@, for the greeks themselves say, 0% 4 Lpate, “ed «the day ;” and da, vvxrdc, ‘ during the night.” And so I think Se ; evayleaiz, Eph. iil. 6, should be understood to signify, * in the time of ¢ ‘¢ gospel, under the gospel dispensation.” sie pier Le p *¢ Meinbers,” here, doth not signify barely the fleshly parts of the bods in a restrained sense, but the animal faculties and powent ail in us that : ployed as an instrument in the works of the flesh, which are reckoned up, v. 19—21, some of which do not require the members of our body, tz strict sense for the outward gross parts, but only the faculties of our mi their performance. . ois ce eed 1 KapooQopiicas 74 Savery, ‘ Bringing forth fruit unto death,” her posed to “ bringing forth fruit unto God,” in the end of the foregoin Death here being considered as a master, whom men serve by sin, as Go other place is considered as a master, who gives life to them, who serve performing obedience to his law, tit 04 6 * In newness of spirit,” i.e. spirit of the law, as appears b thesis, oldness of the letter, i.e. letter of the law. He s sin the f part of the verse of the law, as being dead; here he speaks of ‘its bein i again, with anewspirit. Christ, by his death, abolished the mosaical lav revived as much of it again, as was serviceable to the use of his spiril 1a dom, under the gospel, but left all the ceremonial and purely typi dead, Col. ii. 14—18, the jews were held, before Christ, in an ob the whole letter of the law, without minding the spiritual meanin pointed at Christ. ‘This the apostle calls here serving in the oldn letter, and this he tells them they should now. leave, as being freed fr the death of Christ, who was the end of the law for the attaining « ousness, chap. x. 4, ise. in the spiritual sense of it, which 2 Cor. iii. 6 spirit, which spirit, ver. 17, he explains to be Christ. ‘That chapter ; verse here give light to one another. Serving in the spirit, then, obeyii law, as far as it is revived, and as it is explained by our Saviour, in: i for the attaining of evangelical righteousness. vos AGS o-; cuar. Vu, ROMANS. S47 TEXT. 7 What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, [had * “not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. $ But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me ail manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. + .» ’ PARAPHRASE. Byer 7 ence to every tittle’. What shall we then think, that the | law, because it is set aside, was unrighteous, or gave any allowance, or contributed any thing to sin‘? By no means: for the law, on the contrary, tied men stricter up * from sin, forbidding concupiscence, which they did not know to be sin, but by the law. For I* had not known » concupiscence to be sin; unless the law had said, Thou 8 shalt not covet. Nevertheless sin, taking opportunity”, . during the law*, or whilst I was under the command- * ment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence: for s x :* ie NOTES. _ 8 That this sense is also comprehended, in not serving in ** the oldness of ‘St the letter,” is plain from what St. Paul says, 2 Cor. iii. 6. ‘* The letter * killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” From this killing letter of the law, “whereby it pronounced death, for every the least transgression, they were also _aelivered, and therefore St. Paul tells them here, chap. viii. 15, that they “have © not received the spirit of bondage again to fear,” i.e. to live in perpetual c dage and dread under the inflexible rigour of the law, under whick it was npossible for them to expect aught but death. * 7t “Sin.” ‘That sin here comprehends both these meanings expressed in the paraphrase, appears from this verse, where the strictness of the law against . ‘Sin is asserted, in its prohibiting of desires, and from ver. 12, where its rectitude is asserted. ~~ u ©J.? The skill St. Paul uses, in dexterously avoiding, as much as possi- ble, the giving offence to the jews, is very visible in the word I, in this place. n the beginning of this chapter, where he mentions their knowledge in the law, he says, ** ye.” In the 4th verse he joins himself with them and says, ‘‘ we.’* But here, and so to the end of this chapter, where he represents the power of sin, and the inability of the law to subdue it wholly, he leaves them out, and _ speaks altogether in the first person, he means ail those, who were under the +’ gw St. Paul here, and all along this chapter, speaks of sin as a person, _ endeavouring to compass his death; and the sense of this verse amounts to no _ more but this, that, in matter of fact, that concupiscence, which the law de- _ clared to be sin, remained and exerted itself in him, notwithstanding the law. _ For if sin, from St. Paul’s prosopopceia, or making it a person, shall be taken _ .to be a real agent, the carrying this figure too far will give a very odd sense to St. Paul’s words, and, contrary to his meaning, make sin to be the cause of it- _ self, and of concupiscence, from which it has its rise. _ & See note ™, ver. 5. £ S48 ROMANS: + p vi 9 For I was alive without the law, once: but'w ment came, sin revived, andI died. i °F, Nea PARAPHRASE. np 9 without the law, sin is dead’, not able to hurt ne there was a time once’, when I being without the | was in a state of life; but the commandment com! got life and strength again, and I found bs ae le ’ ne a J eS pee een NOTES, Oe a we § y “ Dead.”’ It is to be remembered not only that St. ] chapter, makes sin a person, but speaks of that person and | compatible enemies, the being and safety of the one ere ke inability of the other to hurt. Without carrying this par A hard to understand this chapter, For instance, in this place St. clared, ver. 7, that the law was not abolished, because it avi moted sin, for it lays restraints upon our very desires, whi law, did not take notice io be sinful; nevertheless sin, pe to destroy me, took the opportunity of my being under the law, to cupiscence in me; for without the Jaw, which annexes death to isgres sip is as good as dead, is not able to have its will on me, and bring death up me. Conformable hereunto, St. Paul says, 1 Cor. xv. 56, ** t 2S ' “‘ sin is the law;” i.e. it is the law, that gives sin the strength an kill men. Laying aside the figure, which gives a lively re hard state of a well-minded jew, under the law, the plain m here is this: “¢ Though the law lays a stricter restraint u on ** without it: yet it betters not my condition thereby, *< not wholly to extirpate sin, and subdue concupiscence, ‘< every transgression a mortal crime. So that beige no mo «* from offending, under the law, than I was before, Iam, un ** posed to eertain death.” This deplorable state could not | expressed than it is here, by making sin (which still re the law) a person who implacably aiming at his rui pertunity of exciting concupiscence, in those, to whom mortal. oe ‘ 9 2 Tort, * once.”” St. Paul declares there was a ti in a state of life. When this was, he himself tells us, without the law, which could only be, before the law speaks here, ih the person of one of the children of T to be under the law, since it was given. This wort the ‘time between the covenant made with Abraham, and nant, Abraham was made blessed, i. e. delivered from death. see Gal. iii. 9, &c. And, under him, the israelites claimed th osterity, comprehended in that covenant, and as many of the Pith of their father, faithful Abraham, were blessed with h the law came, and they put themselves wholly into the co wherein each transgression of the, law became mortal; 'th n again, and a power to kill; and-an israclite, now under th in a state of death, a dead man, ‘Thus we see it correspond the apostle’s discourse here. In the six first verges of the jews that they were at liberty from the law, and might pu enAr. vie ROMANS, 349 f ‘ . TEXT. 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. . 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12 Wherefore the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and _ just, and good. c ; PARAPHRASE. 40 man; And that very law, which was given me for the attaining of life*, was found to produce death” to me. 11 For my mortal enemy, sin, takingthe opportunity of my being under‘ the law, slew me by the law, which it in- veigled* me to disobey, i.e. the frailty and vicious incli- nations of nature remaining in me under the law, as they _ were before, able still to bring me into transgressions, each whereof was mortal, sin had, by my being under the law, a sure opportunity of bringing death upon me. 12 So that* the law is holy, just, and good, such as the eter- nal, immutable rule of right and good required it to be, NOTES.. r the terms of the gospel. In the following part of this chapter, he shows n, that it is necessary a them so to do; since the law was not able to deliver em from the power, sin had to destroy them, but subjected them to it. This of the chapter showing at large what he says, ch. viii. 3, au so may be ooked on as an explication and proof of it. ; 10 4 That the commandments of the law were given to the israelites, that they might have life by them; see Lev. xviii. 5, Matt. xix. 17. ® The law, which was just, and such as it ought to be, in having the penalty _ of death ann every transgression of it, Gal. iii, 10, eame to produce death, _ by not being able so to remove the frailty of human nature, and subdue carnal app eecheres by the law, brought death. See chap. viii. 3, Gal. iii. 21. tic sense wherein I understand da +8 voue, * by the law.” ver. 5, is “¥ery much confirmed by dic tis evloar:, » this and ver, 8, by which interpre- tation the whole discourse is made plain, easy, and consonant to the apostle’s ~ 4: Tnveigled.”” St. Paul seems here to allude to what Eve said in a like case, Gen. ili. 18, and uses the word ‘ deceived,” im the same sense she did, - 12 © “Oss, “so that.” Ver. 7, he laid down this position, that the law was ‘Mot sin; ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, he proves it, by showing, that the law was very strict in forbidding of sin, so far as to reach the very mind and the internal acts of piscence, and that it was sin, that remaining under the law (which annexed ath to every pee) brought death on the israelites; he here infers, that law was not sinful, but righteous, just, and good, just such as by the eternal ale of right it ought to be. % 5 tites, as to keep men entirely free from all trespasses against it, the least . eS or Se. lL a aT 3 UY pall s na ; Aims < . | 356 ROMANS, CHAP. VIT TEXT. cus. a 313 Was then that, which is good, made death unto me?». ‘God fora bid! but sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me, by that which is good; that sin, by the commandment, might bes come exceeding sinful. sine: arti ean 34 For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. Fe thaw Sia 1 ee 1.7 PARAPHRASE:; 13 Was then the law, that in itself was good, made death to me? No’, byno means: but it was sin, that by the law was made death unto me, to the end that the power® o: sin might appear, by its being able to bring death upon me, by that very law, that was intended for my good, that so, by the commandment, the power® of sin and corrup- 14 tion in me might be shown to be exceeding great; For we know that the law is spiritual, requiring actions quite opposite’ to our carnal affections. But I am so carnal, as to be enslaved to them, and forced against my will to NOTES. eit A nai 18 f «No. In the five foregoing verses the apostle had proved, that the Taw was not sin. In this, and the ten following verses, he proves the law not to be made death ; but that it was given to show the power of which re- mained in those, under the law, so strong, notwithstandin the law, that it could prevail on them to transgress the law, notwithstanding all its prohib 0 the penalty of death annexed to every transgression. Of what use, this s the power of sin, by the law, was, we may see, Gal. iii. 24. oe & That apaeria nal dorepCorry apnaplwroc, * sin exceeding: sinful,” here to signify, the great power of sin, or lust, is evident foie the followin: course, which only tends to show, that let a man under the law be right mind and purpose; yet the law in his members, i.e. his carnal aj earry him to the committing of sin, though his judgment and er averse to it. He that remembers that sin, in this chapter, is ed as a person, whose very nature it was to seek and endeavour not find it hard to understand, that the apostle here, by “ sih means sin strenuously exerting its sinful, i.e. destructive nat force. ; slear. Ap. vit ROMANS, 351 TEXT. 5 For that which I do; I allow not; for what I would, that do E not; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law, that itis good. | ' f 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no sood ~ thing: for to will is present with me, but how to perform that . which is good, I find not. PARAPHRASE. do the drudgery of sin, as. if I were a slave, that had been sold into the hands of that my domineering enemy. 15 For what I do, is not of my own contrivance®; for that which I have a mind to, I do not; and what I have an 16 aversion to, thatI do. Ifthen my transgressing the law be what I, in my mind, am against, it is plain, the con- 17 sent of my mind goes with the law, that it is good. If so, then it is not I, a willing agent of my own free pur- pose, that do what is contrary to the law, but as a poor slave in captivity, not able to follow my own understand? "ing and choice, forced by the prevalency of my own sin- _ ful affections, and sin that remains still in me, notwith- 18 standing the law. For I know, by woeful experience, that in me, viz. in my flesh’, that part, which is the seat of carnal appetites, there inhabits no good. For, in the NOTES. 15 © OF ywaoorw, “ Ido not know,” i.e. it is not from my own under- Standing, or forecast of mind; the following words, which are a reason brought to prove this saying, give it this sense. But if 8 yiwdcxw be interpreted, « T ‘do not approve,” what in the next words is brought for a reason, will be but tautology. 48 ! St. Paul considers himself, and in himself other men, as consisting of two ts, which he calls flesh and mind, see ver. 25, meaning, by the one, the Judgment and purpose of his mind, guided by the Jaw, or right reason; by the other, his natural inclination, pushing him to the satisfaction of his irregular sinful desires. These he also calls, the one the law of his members, and the other the law of his mind, ver. 23, and Gal. v. 16, 17, a place parallel to the ten last verses of this chapter, he calls the one flesh, and the other spirit. These two are the subject of his discourse, in all this part of the chapter, explaining particularly how, by the power and prevalency of the fleshly inclinations, not ‘ by the law, it comes to pass, which he Says, chap. viii. 2,38, that the law being weak, by reason of the flesh, could not set a man free from the power and dominion of sin and death, Pesiiien ds ‘iteinh oda: abe d 352 ROMANS. (nar. ; TEXT. | 19 For the good, that I would, I do not but the evil, which J would not, that I do. Moe) 20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I, that do it; b sin, that dwelleth in me. - aie * oh 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good; evil is present with me. : } 22 For I delight in the law of God, after the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the la of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of si which is in my members. hide a fl . PARAPHRASE. ‘ judgment and purpose of my mind, I am readily carri into a conformity and obedience to the law: but, the strength of my carnal affections not being abated by . Jaw, I am not able to execute what 1 judge to be righ 19 and intend to perform. For the good, that is my pu pose and aim, that I do not: but the evil, that is coi trary to my intention, that in my practice takes plac _ i.e. I purpose and aim at universal obedience, but ca 20 not in fact attain it. Now if I do that, which is agair the full bent and intention of me™ myself, it is, as I sai before, not I, my true self, who doit, but the true author ofit is my old enemy, sin, which still remains and dwells @1 in me, and I would fain get rid of. I find it, therefor _as by a law settled in me, that when my intentions aim at good, evil is ready at hand, to make my actions wror 82, and faulty. For that which my inward man is delighte with, that, which with satisfaction my mind would mat 3 its rule, is the law of God. But I see in my members" another principle of action, equivalent to a law®, di * NOTES. 80 m O06 Sérw 2ya, “I would not.” I, in the Greek, is very empha $s obvious, and denotes the’ man, in that part which is chiefly to be himself, and, therefore with the like emphasis, ver. 25, is ¢ ed aires «« T my own self.” wat 93 n St. Paul, here and in the former chapter, uses the word me! the lower faculties and affections of the animal man, which are as. it instruments of actions. ie wae "© He having, in the foregoing verse, spoken of the law of Géd, as of action, but yet such as had not a power to rule and influence so as to keep him quite clear from sin, he here speaks of natural in CHAP. VII. ROMANS. 353 TEXT. 24 O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind, I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin. PARAPHRASE. waging war against that law, which my mind would fol- low, leading me captive into an unwilling subjection to the constant inclination and impulse of my carnal appe- tite, which, as steadily as if it were a law, carries me to 94 sin. O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me? 25 from this body of death? The grace of God’, through Hy NOTES. of a law also, a law in the members, and a law of sin in the members, to show that it is a principle of operation in men, even under the law, as steady and con-~ stant in its direction and impulse to sin, as the law is to obedience, and failed not, through the frailty of the flesh, often to prevail. 94 p What is it, that St. Paul so pathetically desires to be delivered from? ‘The state, he had been describing, was that of human weakness, wherein, not- withstanding the law, even those, who were under it, and sincerely endeavoured to obey it, were frequently carried, by their carnal appetites, into the breach of it. The state of frailty, he knew men, in this world, could not be delivered from. And therefore, if we mind him, it is not that, but the consequence of it, death, or so much of it that brings death, that he inquires after a deli- ‘yvererfrom. ‘Who shall deliver me,” sayshe, ‘‘ from this body?’ He does not say of frailty, but of death: what shall hinder that my carnal appetites, that so often make me fall into sin, shall not bring death upon me, which is awarded . me by the law? and to this he answers, “ the grace of God, through our Lord * Jesus Christ.” It is the favour of God alone, through Jesus Christ, that de- Tivers fraikmen from death. Those under grace obtain life, upon sincere inten- tions and endeavours after obedience, and those endeavours a man may attain to, in this state of frailty. But good intentions and sincere endeavours are of no behoof against death, to those under the law, which requires complete and punce- tual obedience, but gives no ability to attain it. And so it is grace alone, ‘through Jesus Christ, that, accepting of what a frail man can do, delivers from the body of death. And thereupon, he concludes with joy, ‘“* so then I, being *« now a christian, not any longer under the law, but under grace, this is the state Iam in, whereby I shall be delivered from death; 1, with my whole *£ bent and intention, devote myself to the law of God, in sincere endeavours “** after obedience, though my carnal appetites are enslaved to, and have their © natural propensity towards sin.” - ' 25 Our translators read tuyapisa ra Ose’ ¢¢ E thank God:”’ the author of the vulgate, ydpi¢. 7 Ocod, ‘* the grace or favour of God,” which is the readi of the Clermont, and other Greek manuscripts. Nor can it be doubted, whic of these two readings should be followed, by one who considers, not only that = makes it his business to show, that the jews stood in need of grace, lyation, as much as the gentiles: but also, that the grace of God is a direct and apposite answer to, ‘ who shall deliver me?”” which, if we read it, I thank 2 A a \ % | nh 4 0 eee ae ROMANS. quarcva PARAPHRASE. ’ Jesus Christ our Lord. To comfort myself, therefore as that state requires, for my deliverance from death, 1 myself’, with full purpose and sincere endeavours of mind, give up myself to obey* the law of God; though my carnal inclinations are enslaved, and have a constant tendency to sin. This is all I can do, and this is all, I being under grace, that is required of me, and through ‘Christ will be accepted. ‘si oO Te NOTES. ~- God, has no answer at all; an omission, the like whereof, I do not remembe any where in St. Paul’s way of writing. This Iam sure, it renders the passag obscure and imperfect in itself. But much more disturbs the sense, if we obsery the illative, therefore, which begins the next verse, and introduces a conclusio easy and natural, if the question, “* who shall deliver me?” has for answer *‘ the grace of God.” Otherwise it will be hard to find premises, from when at can bedrawn. For thus stands the argument plain and easy. The law cai not deliver from the body of death, i.e. from those carnal appetites, which duce sin, and so bring death: but the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, w ardons lapses, where there is sincere endeavour after righteousness, deliye rom this body, that it doth not destroy us. From whence naturally results th conclusion, ‘ there is, therefore now, no condemnation, &c.”” But what it | grounded on, in the other reading, I confess I do not see. Bhs fe i) r Adres tya, ¢ ¥ myself,” i.e, Ithe man, with all my full resolution of mind Adrés ¢ya might have both of them been spared, if nothing more had been meant here, than the nominative case to deaciw. See note, ver. 20. 3) "8 Avaevw, “I serve,” or I make myself a vassal, i.e. I intend and dey: whole obedience. ‘The terms of life, to those under grace, St. Paul tells large, chap. vi. are dsawbivas on dinesootyny and +a @ei, to become vas righteousness, and to God; consonantly he says here aires éya, ** I myseli the man, being now a christian, and so no longer under the law, but under do what is required of me in that state; deaciw, “TI become a vassal to the “¢ of God,” i.e. dedicate myself to the service of it, in sincere endeayou obedience : and so adros yw, “¢ J the man, shall be delivered from death he that, being under grace, makes himself a vassal to God, in a steady pur sincere obedience, shall from him receive the gift of eternal life, though hi nal appetite, which he cannot get rid of, having its bent towards sin, m sometimes transgress, which would be certain death to him, if we w under the law. fyslliticg-s: cn ‘ See chap. vi. 18 and 22. 4) in _ And thus St. Paul having shown here in this chapter that the being undej grace alone, without being under the law, is necessary ever to the jews, as in foregoing chapter he had shown it to be to the gentiles, he here hereby ¢ stratively confirms the gentile converts in their freedom from the law, w. the scope of this epistle thus far. St hae ee gooey ee das vey a ella Z 4 ill cae ee ad heh ¥ Bar KG ihe ay ine Mi ere) bebis, 45 L wit wih) CHAP. VIII. - ROMANS. 355 SECT. VII. CHAP. VIII. 1—39. CONTENTS. Br. Paul having, chap. vi. shown that the gentiles, who were not under the law, were saved only by grace, which required that they should not indulge themselves in sin, but steadily and sincerely endeavour after perfect obedience : having also, ch. vil. shown, that the jews who were under the law, were also saved by grace only, because the law could not enable them wholly to avoid sin, which, by the law, was in every the least slip made death; he in this chapter shows, that both jews and gentiles, who are under grace, i.e. con- verts to christianity, are free from condemnation, if they per- form what is required of them; and thereupon he sets forth the terms of the covenant of grace, and presses their observ- ance, viz. not to live after the flesh, but after the spirit, mor- tifying the deeds of the body; forasmuch as those, that do so, are the sons of God. ‘This being laid down, he makes use of it to arm them with patience against afflictions, assur- ing them, that, whilst they remain in this state, nothing can separate them from the love of Ged, nor shut them out from the inheritance of eternal life with Christ, in glory, to which all the sufferings of this life bear not any the least propor- tion. ' TEXT. 1 THERE is therefore now no condemnation to them which are ~ in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, PARAPHRASE. 1 "Tuere is, therefore*, now’, no condemnation * to, _1.€. no sentence of death shall pass upon, those who are NOTES. 12 * Therefore.” This is an inference, drawn from the last verse of the fenigoing chapter, where he saith, that it is grace that delivers from death, as we have already observed. * P « Now.” Now that, under the gospel, the law is abolished to those, who entértain the gospel. : pW merennys tre : _ © The “ condemnation” here spoken of, refers to the penalty of death annexed Aa 356 ROMANS. CHAP. VII TEXT. > Q For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath made | 1° free from the law of sin and death. = eh PARAPHRASE. christians‘, if so be they obey* not the sinful lusts of the flesh, but follow, with sincerity of heart, the dictates of th 2 ‘spirit, ®in the gospel. or the “grace of God, which | effectual to life, has set me free from the law in my met bers, which cannot now produce sin in me, unte death NOTES. es ‘a to ¢very transgression; by the law, whereof he had discoursed in the forego chapter. ‘ at In Christ Jesus," expressed chap. vi. 14, by * under grace,” and G iii. 27, by “having put on Christ;” all which expressions plainly signify, any one that reads and considers the places, the professing the religion, and ow ing a subjection to the law of Christ, contained in the gospel, which is, in she the profession of christianity. bay ok A i © Iepioralics, ** walking,” or ‘* who walk,” does not mean, that all, y are in Christ Jesus, do walk, not after the flesh, but after the spirit; but who, being in Christ Jesus, omit not to walk so. This; if the tenour of | Paul’s discourse, here, can suffer any one to doubt of, he may be satisfied is from yer. 13, “If ye live after the flesh.” The ‘ ye,’’ he there speaks to, | no Jess than those that, chap. i. 6,7, he calls, “¢ the called of Jesus Christ, ¢ «¢ the beloved of God,” terms equivalent to, ‘* being in Jesus Christ,”” see vi. 12—14, Gal. v. 16—18, which places compared together, show Christ we are delivered from the dominion of sin and lust; so that it s reign over us, unto death, if we will set ourselves against it, and since deavour to be free; a voluntary slave, who inthrals himself by a willing ence, who can set free? a ae f Flesh and spirit,”” seem here plainly to refer to flesh, wherewith: he he serves sin; and ‘ mind,” wherewith he serves the law of God, in the im diately preceding wordse : Pe T) : z “ Walking after the spirit,” is, ver. 18, explained by ‘ morti deeds of the body, through the spirit.”” Pap ae Sie Q 4 That it is grace, that delivers from the law in the members, w law of death, is evident from chap. vii. 23—25, why it is called a la found in the antithesis to the law of sin and death, grace being as certai to give life to christians, that live not after the flesh, as the influence appetites is, to bring death on those, who are not under, grace. In place, why it is called the law of the spirit of life, has a reason, in tha pel, which contains this doctrine of grace, is dictated by the same raised Christ from the dead, and that quickens us to newness of life, and has, its epd, the conferring of eternal life. ” hae it The Jaw of sin and death.” Hereby is meant that, which he ca t Jaw in his members,” ch. vii. 23, where it is called, “the law of sin ver. 24, it is called, ‘ the body of death,”” from which grace delive: certain, that no-body, who considers what St. Paul has said, ver. 7 the foregoing chapter, can think, that he can call the law of Mose « sin, or the law of death.” And that the law of Moses is n: ‘from his reasoning in the very next words. For the law of M . f, . CHAP. VIIT; ROMANS, S57 TEXT. 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 condenmed sin in the flesh: 4 PARAPHRASE. 3 For this (viz. the delivering us from sin) being beyond the "power of the law, which was too weak* to master the pro- pensities of the flesh, God, sending his son in flesh, that in all things, except sin, was like unto our frail, sinful flesh’, and sending” him also to be an offering® for sin, he put NOTES. tomplained of, as being weak, for not delivering those under it from itself ; yet its weakness might, and is all along, chap. vii. as well as ver. 3, complained of, as not being able to deliver those under it, from their carnal, sinful appetites, and the prevalence of them. } 3 * « Weak ;” the weakness, and as he there also calls it, ¢ the unprofita- “bleness of the law,” is again taken notice of by the apostle, Heb. vii. 18, 19. There were two defects in the law, whereby it became unprofitable, as the au- thor to the hebrews says, so as to make nothing perfect. The one was its in- flexible rigour, against which it provided no allay, or mitigation; it leftno place for atonement: the least slip was mortal: death was the inevitable punishment ‘of transgression, by the sentence of the law, which had no temperament: death the offender must suffer, there was no remedy. This St. Paul’s epistles are full of, and how we are delivered from it, by the body of Christ, he shows, Heb. x. 5—10. The other weakness, or defect, of the law was, that it could not enable ‘those who were under it, to get a mastery over the flesh, or fleshly propensities, 0 as to perform the obedience required. The law exacted complete obedience, but afforded men no help against their frailty, or vicious inclinations. And this feigning of sin in their mortal bodies, St. Paul shows here, how they are-deli- vered from, by the spirit of Christ enabling them, upon their sincere endeavours after righteousness, to keep sin under, in their mortal!’ bodies, in conformity to Christ, in whose flesh it was condemned, executed, and perfectly extinct, having never had there any life or being, as we shall sce, in the following note. The srovision, that is made in the new covenant, against both these defects of the Taw, is in the epistle to the Hebrews expressed thus: « God will make a new ** covenant with the house of Israel, wherein he will do these two things; he “© will write his law in their hearts, and he will be merciful to their iniquities.”” ‘See Heb. viii. 7—12. | See Heb. iv. 15. ™ Kai, “ and” joins here, “in the likeness,” &c. with ‘to be an offering ;”” whereas, if “* and” be made to copulate, ‘* sending” and “* condemned,” neither ‘grammar, nor sense, would permitit. Nor can it be imagined the apostle should. Speak thus: God sending his son, and condemned sin: but “ God sending his _ own son, in the likeness of sinful flesh,” and sendinghim to be an offering for a, with very good sense, joins the manner and end of his sending. bee 89: “| ® Tiept epofliac, which in the text is translated, * for sin,” signifies an offer- ing for sin, as the margin of our bibles takes notice: see 2 Cor. v. 21, Heb. x. -5—10. So that the plain sense is, God sent his son in the likeness of sinful fleshg and sent him an offering for sin. 358 ROMANS. war. vith TEXT, ® 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. ‘ ya 5 For they, that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the fiesh: but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. = PARAPHRASE. ee S| to death, or extinguished, or suppressed sin® in the flesh ive. sending his son into the world, with the body, where in the flesh could never prevail, to the producing of an 4 one sin; To the end that, under this example of the fles wherein sin was perfectly mastered and excluded from a life, the moral rectitude of the law? might be conforme to* by us, who, abandoning the lusts of the flesh, follo the guidance of the spirit, in the law of our minds, at make it our business to live, not after the flesh, but aft § the spirit. For as for those who’ are still under the d rection of the flesh, and its sinful appetites, who are unde ‘¥ + NOTES. . ‘a ® Kellézpive, *¢ condemned.” The prosopopeeia, whereby sin was cons as a person, all the foregoing chapter, being continued here, the conden sin here, cannot mean, as some would have it, that Christ was condemned for or in the place of sin, for that would be to save sin, and leave that person aliy which Christ came to destroy. But the plain meaning is, that sin itself m condemned, or put to death, in his flesh, i.e. was suffered to have no life, being, in the flesh of our Saviour: he was in all points tempted as we are, } without sin, Heb. iv. 15. By the spirit of God, the motions of the suppressed in him, sin was crushed in the egg, and could never fasten, i upon him, This farther appears to be the sense, by the following words. I antithesis between xaldxpiya, ver. 1, and zefléxpsve, here, willalso show, ¥ that word is used, here, to express the death, or no being, of sin in our S io 2 Cor. v.2, 1 Peter ii. 22. That St. Paul sometimes uses condemnation,” putting to death, see chap. v. 16 and 18. ' oe ell 4? Té dizaiwpa Tod vonov, ‘the righteousness of the law.’ See no ji. 26. - s » wis a “ Fulfilled,” does not here signify a complete, exact obedience, but unblameable life, by sincere endeavours after righteousness, as shows the faithful subjects of Christ, exempt from the dominion of sin, seechap Gal. vi. 2._A description of such, who thus fulfilled * the righteou: * law,” we have Lukei. 6. As Christ in the flesh was wholly exem taint of sin; so we, by that spirit which was in him, shall be exem dominion of our carnal lusts, if we make it our choice and endeavour t the spirit, ver. 9, 10,11. For that, which we are to perform by that spirit the mortification of the deeds of the body, ver. 13. pe ete 5 * Of xdle ca&pue dilecy ** those that are after the flesh,” and “« *¢ after the spirit,” are the same with those that walk after the e $y A description of these two different sorts of christii = 26, ‘ Mone af + Gas | QHAP. VIII. ROMANS: 359 TEXT. | 6 For to be carnally minded, is death; but to be spiritually minded, is life and peace: 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for itis not sub- "ject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. PARAPHRASE. . obedience to the law in their members, they have the thoughts and bent of their minds set upon the things of the flesh, to obey it in the lusts of it: but they, who are under the spiritual law of their minds, the thoughts and bent of their hearts is to follow the dictates of the spirit, 6 in that law. For* to have our minds set upon the satis- faction of the lusts of the flesh, in a slavish obedience to ’ them, does certainly produce and bring death upon us ; ~ but our setting ourselves, seriously and sincerely, to’ obey ” the dictates and direction of the spirit, produces life* and ~ peace, which are not to be had in the contrary, carnal 7 state: Because to be carnally minded" is direct enmity and opposition against God, for such a temper of mind, _ given up to the lusts of the flesh, is inno subjection to the Jaw of God, nor indeed can be”, it having a quite con- NOTES. 6“ For”’ joins what follows here to ver. 1, as the reason of what is here laid down, viz. deliverance from condemnation is to such christian converts only; & who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For,” &c. ) § See Gal. vi. 8. © U4 Dpevane vas capeds should have been translated, here, ‘* to be carnally « minded,” as it is in the foregoing verse, which is justified by Qpavotes ta rig gaenoss ‘do mind the things of the flesh,” ver. 5, which signifies the employ- ing the bent of their minds, or subjecting the mind intirely, to the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. _ © Here the apostle gives the reason, why even those, that are in Christ Jesus, have received the gospel, and are christians, (for to such he is here speaking) are ‘Mot saved, unless they cease to walk after the flesb, because that runs directly counter to the law of God, and can never be brought into conformity and sub- jection to his commands. such a settled contravention to his precepts cannot ‘be suffered, by the supreme Lord and Governor of the world, in any of his crea- tures, without foregoing his sovereignty, and giving up the eternal, immutable rule of right, to the overturning the very foundations of all order and moral _ rectitude, in the intellectual world. This, even in the judgment of men them- ‘selves, will be always thought a necessary piece of justice, for the keeping out of anarchy, disorder and contusion, that those refractory subjects, who set up their own inclinations for their rule, against the law, which was made to restrain those very inclinations, should feel the severity of the law, without which the autho- rity of the law, and law-maker, cannot be preserved. I... ~ 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead, because of sin, but the ~ _ f os 360 ROMANS. eHAP. viIT | TEXT. 8 So then they that are in the flesh, cannot please God. _ 9 But ye are not m the flesh, but in the spinit, if so be that the spiri of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. : . iS * s- 1) spirit is life, because of righteousness. Zz ra PARAPHRASE. 5 ho 8 trary tendency. So then* they that are in the flesh, i.€ under the fleshly dispensation of the law’, withoutreg 4 9 ing Christ, the spirit of it, in it cannot pleaseGod. Bu yé are not in that state, of having all your expectation fror the law, and the benefits, that are to be obtained barel ‘by that; but are in the spiritual state of the law, i.e. the B) gospel’, which is the end of the law, and to which the law leads you. And so, having received the gospel, you therewith received the spirit of God: for, as many as ceive Christ, he gives power to become the *sons of G. and to those that are his sons, God gives his spirit’ 10 And if Christ be in you, by his spirit, the body is dea NOTES. 8 * This is a conclusion drawn from what went before. The whole mentation stands thus: ‘‘ They that are under the dominion of their carn ** cannot please God; therefore they who are under the carnal, or ** pensation of the law, cannot please God; because they have not th *¢ God: now it is the spirit of God alone, that enlivens men so, as &¢ them to cast off the dominion of their lusts.”? See Gal. iv. 3—6. Y Of & oaruh alec, They that are in the flesh.” He that shall that this phrase is applied, chap. vii. 5, to the jews, as resting in the b: ral, or carnal sense and observance of the law, will not be-averse to the standing the same phrase, in the same sense, here; which I think is place besides in the New Testament, where iy caput etvas is used in am This I dare say, it is hard to produce any one text, wherein etvas éy oo to signify a man’s being under the power of his lusts, which is the sense it is, and must be taken here, if what I propose be rejected. Let ii remembered, that St. Paul makes it the chief business of this epistle seldom forgets the design he is upon) to persuade both jew and g¢ subjection to the law, and that the argument, he is upon here, is and insufficiency of the law to deliver men from the power of sin, and haps, it will not be judged that the interpretation I have given of these words, altogether remote from the apostle’s sense. ee 9 z See 2 Cor. iii. 6—18, particularly ver, 6, 135 16. 08. a ana # See John i. 12. ‘ ater jose » See Gal. iv. 6. shed: SetenieyaC Neen WAP. VIII. ROMANS. __ 361 TEXT. 1 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. PARAPHRASE. as to all activity to sin‘, sin no longer reigns in it‘, but your sinful, carnal lusts are mortified. But the spirit of your mind liveth, i.e. is enlivened, in order to righte- 11 ousness, or living righteously. But, if the spirit of God, who had power able to raise Jesus Christ from the dead, dwell in you, as certainly it does, he, that raised Christ from the dead, is certainly able, and will, by his spirit that dwells in you, enliven. even your’ mortal bo- r NOTES. 10 ¢ See chap. vi. 1—14, which explains this place, particularly ver. 2, 6, 11, 12, Gal. ii. 20, Eph. iv. 22, 23, Col. ii. 11, and iii. 8—10. 4 See Eph. iv. 23. . » 41 £ To lead us into the true sense of this verse, we need only observe, that St. Paul, having, in the four first chapters of this epistle, shown that neither jew nor gentile could he justified by the law, and in the 5th chapter how sin entered. into the world by Adam, and reigned by death, from which it was grace and not he law that delivered men: in the 6th chapter, he showeth the convert gentiles, that, though they were not under the law, but under grace; yet they could not be saved, unless they cast off the dominion of sin, and became the devoted servants of righteousness, which was what their very baptism taught and required of them: and in chap. vii. he declares to the jews the weakness of the law, which they so much stood upon; and shows that the law could not deliver them from the do- minion of sin; that deliverance was only by the grace of Ged, through Jesus Christ; from whence he draws the consequence, which begins this 8th chapter, and so goes on with it, here, in two branches relating to his discourse in the fore- going chapter, that complete it inthis. The one is to show, ‘ that the law of ‘© the spirit of life,” i.e. the new covenant in the gospel, required that those, that are in Christ Jesus, ‘should not live after the flesh, but after the spirit." The _other is to show how, and by whom, since the law was weak, and could not en- able those, under the law, to do it, they areenabled to keep sin from reigning in their “‘ mortal bodies,” which is the sanctification required. And here he shows, that christians are delivered from the dominion of their carnal, sinful lusts, by irit of God, that is given to them, and dwells in them, as'a new quick. - ening principle and power, by which they are put into the state of a spiritual life, wherein their members are made capable of being made the instruments of righteousness, if they please, as living men, alive now to righteousness, so to employ them: If this be not the sense of this chapter to ver. 14, I desire to know how apa »iy in the 1st verse comes in, and what coherence there is ia 1 is hese re > ——e see tah of ont the eency chapter, con- in the illative, ** therefore, e very antithesis of the expressions, in _ one and the other, shows that St. Paul, in writing this very verse, had an eye to , regoing chapter. ‘There it was, ‘¢ sin that dwelleth in me;” that was the acting over-ruling principle: here it is “* the spirit of God that dwelleth 362 ROMANS, CHAP. vit, NOTE. “f in you,” that is the principle of your spiritual life. There it was, * who sh *¢ deliver me from this body of death?’’ here it is, « Ged, by his spirit, *¢ quicken your mortal bodies,” i. e. bodies which, as the seat and harbour of lusts, that possess it, are indisposed and dead to the actions of a spiritu and have a natural tendency to death. In the same sense, and upon the account, he calls the bodies of the gentiles, «¢ their mortal bodies,” chap. vis 1 where his subject is, as here, “* freedom from the reign of sin,” upon whi account they are styled, ver. 13, “‘ alive from the dead.” To make it clearer, that it is deliverance from the reign of sin, in our bodies, that St. Pz speaks of here, I desire any one to read what he says, chap. vi. 1—14, to gentiles on the same subject, and compare it with the thirteen first verses of th chapter; and then tell me, whether they have not a mutual correspondenc and do not give a great light one to another? If this be too much pains, let hi at least read the two next verses, and see how they could possibly be, as they ar an inference from this 11th verse, if the ** quickening of your mortal bodies in it; mean any thing, but a “ quickening to a newness of life, or to a spiri u « life of righteousness.” This being so, I cannot but wonder toseea pars r commentator and paraphrast positive, that fwomoimoss ve Synret oopele bua «¢ shall quicken your mortal bodies,” does here signify, shall raise your deg «¢ bodies out of the grave,” as he contends in his preface to his paraphrase on th epistles to the corinthians, Cwomassiv, quicken,” he says imports the same zycipsiv, “ raise.”” His way of proving it is very remarkable; his word « Cuorrasety and eyetpeby are as to this matter [viz. the resurrection] words ¢¢ the same import,”” i.e. where in discoursing of the resurrection, bu *¢ quicken,” is used, it is of the same import with eyetperys * raise.” But wh if St, Paul, which is the question, be not here speaking of the resurrection ? then, according to our author’s own confession, Cyorosetx, *¢ quicken,” d necessarily import the same with eyeipery> “¢ raise.” §o that this argun rove that St. Paul here, by the words in question, means the raising of a bodies out of the grave, is but a fair begging of the question, whi enough I think, for a commentator, that hunts out of his way for controversy He might, therefore, have spared the Cwomosetry * quicken,” which he pr duces out of St. John v. 21, as of no force to his purpose, till he had prove that St. Paul here in Romans viii. 11, was speaking of the resurrection of n on bodies out of the grave, which he will neyer do, till he can prove that *¢ mortal,’ here signifies the same with VEup oly **dead.”” And Idemand o to show Syjléx, * mortal,”’ any where in the New Testament, attributed thing void of life; Suzlov, “ mortal,” always signifies the thing it i to be living; so that Cuomoinces 1) 14 Sule cdma Swans ‘shall *¢ your mortal bodies,” in that learned author’s interpretation of St. Paul, here signify, «* God shall raise to life your living, dead. bodies,”” whi no one can think, in the softest terms can be given to it, a very proper way speaking ; though it be very good sense and very emphatical to say, Ge by his spirit, put into even your mortal bodies, a principle of immorta spiritual life, which is the sense of the apostle here; see Gal. v may find Cwumaioas used, Gal, iii, 21, to the same purpose it is following, when the words under consideration are rendered, “shall ** dead bodies out of their graves, at the last day?”? It seems as if he h found this would make but an aukward sense, standing in this place, with th of St, Paul’s words here, and so never attempted it by any sort of parap but has barely given us the english translation to help us, as it. can, ameaning, as he would put upon this passage, which must make St, ROMANS. 363 ‘TEXT. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live after the flesh. 13 For, if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye, through the | spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. et PARAPHRASE. _ dies®, that sin shall not have the sole power and rule _ there, but your members may be made living instru- 12 ments of righteousness. ‘Therefore, brethren, we are not under any obligation to the flesh, to obey. the lusts 13 ofit. For, if ye live after the flesh, that mortal part shall lead you to death irrecoverable ; but if by the spi- - NOTES. Fad ? idst of a very serious, strong, and coherent discourse, concerning ‘ walking not wae the flesh, but after the spirit,” skip on a sudden into the mention of * the s resurrection of the dead ;”” and having just mentioned it, skip hack again into his formerargument. But I take the liberty to assure him, that St. Paul has no such starts, from the matter he has in hand, to what gives no light or strength to his present argument. TI think thereisnot any where to be found a more pertinent, searguer, who has hiseye always on the mark hedrives at. Thismen would nd, if they would study him, as they ought, with more regard to the divine authority, than to hypotheses of their own, or to opinions of the season, I do Diesty that he is every-where clear in his expressions, to us now: but Ido say he is eyery-where a coherent, pertinent writer; and wherever, in his commenta.- _tors and interpreters, any sense is given to his words, that disjoints his discourse, r deviates from his argument, and looks like a wandering thought, it is easy to know whose it is, and whose the impertinence is, his, or theirs that father it on him. One thing more the text suggests, concerning this matter; and that is, if by “ quickening your mortal bodies, &c.” be meant, here, the raising them into ‘life after death, how can this be mentioned as a peculiar favour to those, who have * the spirit of God? for God will also raise the bodies of the wicked, and as cer- _ tainly as those of believers. But that, which is promised here, is promised to those only who have the spirit of God: and therefore it must be something pe- -culiar to them, viz, that ‘‘ God shall so enliven their mortal bodies, by his spirit, ‘which is the principle and pledge of immortal life, that they may be ableto yield 6 up themselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and their members servants to righteousness unto holiness,” as he expresses himself, chap. vi. 13 and 19. If any one can yet doubt, whether this be the meaning of St. Paul here, I refer him for farther satisfaction to St. Paul himself, in Eph. ii. 4—6, where he will find the same notion of St. Paul, expressed in the same terms, but ‘so that it is impossible to understand by Cwosoese?y, or éyetpesy (which are both used there, as well as here) ‘‘the resursection of the dead, out of their graves.” The full explication of this verse may be seen Eph. i. 19, and ii, 10. See also Col, di. 12, 13, to the same purpose; and Rom. vii. 4. — & Zwowonoes asst shall quicken even your mortal bodies,’’ seems more ‘Agreeable to the original than ‘shall also quicken your mortal bodies ;** for the ‘doth not copulate Cworormoes with 6 fyespes, for then it inust have been a Cwororees; for the place of the copulative is between the two words that it joins, and so must necessarily go before the latter of them. -we have already remarked. Heb. ii. 15. See note, ver. 21. $64 ROMANS, edne. vil TEXT. . 7 aes a many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sot of Go 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage apis fears | ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, # Father. 16 The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are th children of God. 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, aad joint-heirs itl Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be al glorified together. <4 18 Forl reckon, that the sufferings of this present ti time are ne PARAPHRASE. rit, whereby Christ totally suppressed and eedencilll from having any life in his flesh, you mortify the de ‘ 14 of the body*, ye shall have eternal life. For, as me as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of Got of an immortal race, and consequently like their Fatt ie! 15 immortal’. iF or ye have not received the spirit of k DOI dage* again’, to fear; but ye have received the spirit of God, “(which i is given to those who, having receiv adoption, are sons) whereby we are all enabled to ca 16 God our Father". The spirit of God himself be witness® with our spirits that we are the childre A 17 God, And if children, then heirs of God, joint-heirs w Christ, if so be we suffer? with him, that we ma 18 be glorified with him. For I count that the suff NOTES. 13 4 « Deeds of the body :”* what they are may be seen, Gal. v v 19, 14 1 In that lies the force of his proof, that they shall live. The s , mortakmen are mortal, the sons of God are like their Father, divine nature, and are jirondortal. See 2 Pet. i. 4, Heb. ii. 18—15. 15 * What ‘ the spirit of bondage” is, the apostle hath plainly dec 1 « Again,” i.e. now again under Chri ist, as the jews did from Nias the law. ~ f m See Gal. iv. 5, 6. Tad AT a ¢« Abba, Father.” The fetvione here expresses this filial snared same words, that our Saviour applies himself to God, Mark xiv. 36. a 16 © See the same thing taught, 2 Cor. i. 21, 22, and v. 5, pigeon * and Gal. iv. 6. 17 ? The full sense of this you may take, in St. Paul'sown words; 27 11, 12. ‘aisy Pp. VIII. ROMANS. 365 TEXT. worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed m us. ; \ 7 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the ma- nifestation of 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: c PARAPHRASE. of this transitory life bear no proportion to that glorious state, that shall be hereafter’ revealed, and set before the eyes of the whole world, at our admittance into it. 19 For the whole race of mankind’, in an earnest expec- tation of this inconceivable, glorious’ immortality that 20 shall be bestowed on the sons‘ of God (For mankind, _ created in a better state, was made subject to the “vanity _- of this calamitous fleeting life, not of its own choice, but by the guile of the devil”, who brought mankind into op ro } NOTES. h 48 4 * Revealed.” St. Paul speaks of this glory here, as what needs to be , to give us aright conception of it. It is impossible to havea clear and comprehension of it till we taste it. See how he labours for words to exe ‘press it, 2 Cor. iv. 17, &c. a place to the same purpose with this here. 19 * Krick, “ creature,”’ in the language of St. Paul and of the New Tes- ment, signifies ‘‘ mankind ;” especially the gentile world, as the far greater Bar of the creation. See Col. i. 23, Mark xvi. 15, compared with Matt. iii. 19. ; as __ 8“ Immortality.” That the thing here expected was immortal life, is plain from the context, and from that parallel place, 2 Cor. iv. 17, and v. 5, the glory whereof was so great, that it could not be comprehended, till it was by an actual exhibiting of it revealed. When this revelation is to be, St. Peter tells us, 1 Pet. i. 4—7. _ t "Agoxcavdiy tov vidy, “ Revelation of the sons,” i.e. revelation to the ysons. The genitive case often, in the New Testament, denotes the object. So Rom. i. 5, iwaxey qisews signifies obedience to faith, chap. iii. 22, Mxcso- wim CO Dad wisiws Xpisd, “ the righteousness that God accepts, by faith gn -*Christ:” chap. iv. 11, dxatocwn wisewc, “righteousness by faith.” If aaro- -xarinic here be rendered “ revelation,” 2s awoxarupbaras in the foregoing ont is rendered ‘* revealed,” (and it will be hard to find a reason why it should not) the sense in the paraphrase will be very natural and easy. For the revela- “tion in the foregoing verse is not ‘ of,” but ‘ to” the sons of God. The words a AvObnvat cis Huds~ _ 204 Thestate of man, in this frail, short life, subject to inconveniencies, sufferings, and death, may very well be called ‘ yanity,”” compared to the im- _ passible estate of eternal life, the inheritance of the sons of God. -, . 3 ~ # “ Devil.” That, by he that subjected it, is meant the Devil, is probable ‘<1 the history, Gen, iii, and from Heb, ii. 14, 15, Col. ii. 15. ne : £ baa : AT ”. 366 ROMANS @mue-val TEXT. 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the boi dage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the childr God... i 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travai pain together, until now. r 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-frui of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waitii for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. " 24. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen, is not hope for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? > 2 A 1 PARAPHRASE.. ‘af ay 21 this mortal state) waiteth in hope*, That even they a shall be delivered from this subjection to corruption’ and shall be brought into that glorious freedom fro death, which is the proper inheritance of the children : 22, God. For we know that mankind, all* of them, groe together, and unto this day are in pain, as a woman | labour, to be delivered out of the uneasiness of this me 23 tal state. And not only they, but even those, who he the first fruits of the spirit, and therein the earnest* ¢ eternal life, we ourselves groan” within ourselves, wa ing for the fruit of our adoption, which is, that, are by adoption made sons and co-heirs. with Jest Christ, so we may have bodies like unto his most glo 24 ous body, spiritual and immortal. But we must. wi NOTES. Sa kane = "Amendéyslas tx eArmids ort, “ Waiteth in hope;” that the not i ®¢ in hope,” to ‘¢ waiteth,”” by placing it in the beginning of the 21st it stands in the greek, but joining it to “ subjected the same,” by pl; the end of the 20th verse, has mightily obscured the meaning of this which, taking all the words between, “ of God and im hope,” for a p is as easy and clear as any thing can be, and then the next word érs will proper signification *¢ that,” and not ¢‘ because.” ‘ ah 21 Y Awrcia ric Qbopac, ‘* Bondage of corruption,” i.e. the fear of death see ver. 15, and Heb. ii. 15. Corruption signifies “¢ death,” or “ destruction; in opposition to “life everlasting.” See Gal. vi. 8. i 0 ne 22 2 How David “‘ groaned”’ under the vanity and shortness of this li be seen, Psal. Ixxxix. 47,48, which complaint may be met with, in e mouth; so that even those, who have not the first fruits of the spir they are assured of a future happy life in glory, do also desire to be fr subjection to corruption, and have uneasy longings after immortality. Q3 4 See 2 Cor. v. 2,5. Eph. i. 18, 14. tals > Read the parallel place, 2 Cor. iv. 17, and v. 5» oo HAP. VIII. ROMANS. 367 TEXT. 5 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. - Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know | not what we should pray for, as we ought: but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings, which cannot be uttered. cue 27 And he that searcheth the hearfs knoweth what is the mind of ' the spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints, accord- ing to the will of God. | 28 And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them, who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did fore-know, he also did predestinate to be con- PARAPHRASE. with patience, for we have hitherto been saved but in ~ hope and expectation: but hope is of things not in pre- sent possession, or enjoyment. For what a man hath, and seeth in his own hands, he no longer hopes for. 15 But if we hope for what is out of sight, and yet to come, 46 then do we with patience wait for it*. Such, therefore, "are our groans, which the spirit, in aid to our infirmity, * makes use of. For we know not what prayers to make as we ought, but the spirit itself layeth for us our re- quests before God, in groans that cannot be expressed ’7 ta words. And God, the searcher of hearts, who un- ~ derstandeth this language of the spirit, knoweth what the spirit would have, because the spirit is wont to make 28 intercession for the saints*, acceptably to God. Bear, " therefore, your sufferings with patience and constancy, " for we certainly know that all things work together for ~ good, to those that love God, who are the called, aé& 9 cording to his purpose of calling the gentiles*. In Pak gee 4 NOTES. 25 ¢ What he says here of hope, is to show them, that the groaning, in the hildren of God, before spoken of, was not the groaning of impatience, but uch, wherewith the Spirit of God makes intercession for us, better than if we ed ourselves in words, ver. 19—23. a ‘27 4 « The spirit,”* promised in the time of the gospel, is called the « spirit ‘of supplications.” Zech. xii. 10. 28 © Which “ purpose’’ was declared to Abraham, Gen. xviii. 18, and ig angely insisted on by St. Paul, Eph. iii, 111. This, and the remainder of s ST 368 ROMANS, CHAP. 31 purpose. What shall we say, then, to these thi - 46. Many, both jews and gentiles, were called, that did not. . TEXT. = formed to the image of his son, that he might be the first-b among many brethren. CH 80 Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: a whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justifi them he also glorified. ; ‘of 31 What shall we then say to’these things? If God be for us, 4 can be against us? | ° ; : tei $2 He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? $8 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’select? It is G that justifieth : ; i 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rat! PARAPHRASE. | which purpose the gentiles, whom he fore-knew, as did the jews‘, with an intention of his kindness, and making them his people, he pre-ordained to be confoi able to the image of his son, that he might be the f 30 born, the chief amongst many brethren®. Morey whom he did thus pre-ordain to be his people, thet also called, by sending preachers of the gospel to and whom he called, if they obeyed the truth*, also justified, by counting their faith for righteo -. and whom he justified, them he also glorified, vi God be for us, as, by what he has already done 32 it appears he is, who can be against us? He that spa not his own son, but delivered him up todeath for us gentiles as well as jews, how shall he not with hin $3 give us all thingsr Who shall be the prosecut those, whom God hath chosen? | Shall God, w 34 tificth them‘? Who, as judge, shall condemn tl NOTES. | An ee this chapier, seem said to confirm the gentile converts, in the assurance o favour and love of God to them, through Christ, though they were not 1 the law. - " t +d 99 £ See chap. xi. 2, Amos ili. 2. - ; — & See Eph. i. 3—7. ‘3 er ~ 30 b “ Many are called, and few are chosen,” says our Savi And therefore, ver. 32, it is those, who are chosen who (he saith) « fied,” i.e. such as were called, and obeyed, and consequently were $3 1 Reading this with an interrogation, makes it needless to add any ) OMAP, VIII. ROMANS. 369 TEXT. that is risen again, wno is even’at tlie right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us, $5 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, | or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? $6 (As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter). 37 Nay in all these things we. are more than conquer ors, through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things. present, nor things to / come, 89 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to Separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our ‘Lord. J PARAPHRASE. he Christ that died for us, yea rather that is risen again for ~~ our justification, andis at the right hand of God, making 35 intercession for us?) Who shall separate us from the © love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or perse- Wy “eution, or famine, or nakedness, .or peril, or sword ? For this is our lot, as it is written, For thy sake we are ' killed all’ the day long, we are accounted as sheep for 37 the slaughter. Nay, in all these things, we are already "more than conquerors, by the grace “and assistance of 38 him that loved us. For I am stedfastly persuaded, that "neither the terrours of death, nor the allurements of life, te ‘nor angels, nor the princes and powers of this world; 39 nor things present; nor any thing future; Nor the , - height of prosperity ; nor the depth of misery; nor any Maga else whatsoever’; shall be able to separate us from = the love of God, which i is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ey NOTE. the text, to make out the sense, and is more conformable to the scheme of his Sumentation here, as appears by ver. 35, where the interrogation cannot be - avoided ; and is, as it were,.an appeal to them themselves to be judges, whether any ‘of those things he mentions to them (reckoning up these, which had most OV er to hurt them) could give them just cause of apprehension: ‘* Who shall 2 ccuuse you? Shall God who justifies you? Who shall condemnyou? Christ t died a you?” wiser can be more absurd, than such an imagination? Bh 370 ROMANS. SECT. VIE. CHAP, IX. 1. CONTENTS. i. | "THERE was nothing more grating and offensive to the jews, than the thoughts of having the gentiles joined with them, and partaking equally in the privileges and advai . of the kingdom of the Messiah: and, which was. yet we to be told that those aliens should be admitted, and th who presumed themselves children of that kingdom, to b shut out. St. Paul, who had insisted much on this doet in all the foregoing chapters of this epistle, to show t had not done it out of any aversion, or unkindness, to |! nation and bretbren, the jews, does here express his affection to them, and declares an extreme concern fo salvation. Lut withal he shows, that whatever pri they had received from God, above other nations, wh expectation the promises, made to their forefathers, raise in them, they had yet no just reason ef complaining God's dealing with them, now under the gospel, since according to his promise to Abraham, and his frequi clarations in sacred scripture, Nor was it any inj the jewish nation, if God now acted by the same soy: power, wherewith he preferred Jacob (the younger b without any merit of his) and his posterity, to be his before Esau and his posterity, whom he rejected. Thes is all his; nor have the nations, that possess it, any t their own, but what he gives them, to the countries habit, nor the good things they enjoy; and he ma sess, or exterminate them, when he pleaseth. And destroyed the egyptians, for the glory of his name, in t deliverance of the israelites; so he may, according to good pleasure, raise or depress, take into favour, the several nations of this world. And particular the nation of the jews, all, but a small remnar jected, and the gentiles taken in, in their room, people and church of God; because they were a " hg : CHAP. Ix, ROMAAS. 571 and disobedient people, that would not receive the Messiah, | whom he had promised, and, in the appointed time, sent to them. He that will, with moderate attention and indiffer- _ency of mind, read this ninth chapter, will see that what is gsaid, of God's exercising of an absolute power, according to the good pleasure of his will, relates only to nations, or bo- dies politick, of men, incorporated in civil societies, which feel the effects of it only in the prosperity, or calamity, they “meet with, in this world, but extends not to their eternal state, in another world, considered as particular persons, wherein they stand each man by himself, upon his own bot- _ tom, and shall so answer separately, at the day of judgment. They may be punished here, with their tellow-citizens, as _ part of a sinful nation, and that be but temporal chastise- ment for their good, and yet be advanced to eternal life and dliss, in the world to come. +, o TEXT. 1 TSAY the truth in Christ, I lye not, my conscierice also bearing _ me witness in the Holy Ghost, _ 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow at my heart. _ 3 For I could wish, that myself were accursed from Christ, for my _ brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are israelites ; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the ser- vice of God, and the promises; . > 4; . . PARAPHRASE. i I AS a christian speak truth, and my conscience, guided ____ and enlightened by the Holy Ghost, bears me witness, _ @ that I lye not, In my profession of great heaviness and _ 3 continual sorrow of heart; I could even wish that? the destruction and extermination, to which my brethren the ___ jews are devoted by Christ, might, if it could save them __ from ruin, be executed on me, in the stead of those my _ 4 kinsmen after the flesh; Who are israelites, a nation dig- o NOTE. i 3 2 *Arzbeue, * accursed; [|], which the septuagint render anathema, _ Signifies persons, or things, devoted to destruction and extermination. The jewish nation were an anathema, destined to destruction. St. Paul, to express: __ his affection to them, says, he could wish, to save them from it, to become az anathema, and be destroyed himself. = Bb2 4 372" ROMANS, + TEXT. pe ti.. gl - § Whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning. the les Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. e 6 Not as though the word of God hath takem none effect. I they are not all Israel, which are of Israel. Sa i Sf 7 7 < 2 PARAPHRASE.* nified with these privileges, which were peculiar to tl adoption, whereby they were in a particular manne sons of God"; the glory‘ of the divine presence am them; covenants*, made between them and the God of heaven and the earth; the moral law’, a co S tution of civil government, and a form of divine worsh prescribed by God himself; and all the promises of th 5 Old Testament; Had the patriarchs, to whom the pr mises were made, for their fore-fathers‘; and of them, ¢ to his fleshly extraction, Christ is come, he who is ove 6 all, God be blessed for ever, Amen. J, commiserate m nation for not receiving the promised Messiah, now k come; and I speak of the great prerogatives, they from God, above other nations; but I say not this, as it were possible, that the promise of God should fail : , performance, and not have its effect®. But it is to t observed, for a right understanding of the promise, the the sole descendants of Jacob, or Israel, do not mak u the whele nation of Israel, or the people of God, co a = NOTES. 4 * © Adoption,” Exod. iv. 22, Jer. xxxi. 9. © “ Glory,” which was present with the israclites, and appeared to. a great shining brightness, out of a cloud. Some of the places, which men _ it, are the following; Exod. xiii. 21, Lev. ix. 6, and 23, 24, Numb. 2x i. 2 Chron, vii. 1—3, Ezek. x, 4, and xliii. 2, 3, compared with chap. i. 4, § - @ « Covenants.” See Gen. xvii. 4, Exod. xxxiv. Q7. ae © Nowobecics, “ the giving of the law,”’ whether it signifies the extra ord giving of the law, by God himeelf, or the exact constitutiort of their go in the moral and judicial part ofit (for the next word ac] ebay ** service of seems to comprehend the religious worship) this is certain that, in either senses, it was the peculiar privilege of the jews, and what no other nation pretend to. : . lees 5 f “ Fathers,”’ who they were, see Exod. iii. 6, 16, Acts yii. 32. _ 6 & See chap. iii. 3, “ Word of God,” i.e. promise, see ver. 9. h Sce chap.iv. 16. St. Paul uses this as a reason, to prove that the God failed not to have its effect, though the body of the jewish. Jesus Christ, and were, therefore, natignally rejected by God, f ' 7 ue EY A i. Pi 1X. ROMANS. $73 TEXT. * 7 Neither,because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all | © children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. - |. & That is, they ‘which are the children of the flesh, these are not q)) the children of God: but the children of the promise are count- ed for the séed. ‘ 9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and f Sarah shall have a son. j , 10 And not only this,)but when Rebecea also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, 11 (for the children bemg not yet born, neither having done any * good, or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, »~ mright stand, not of works, but of him that calleth) r PARAPHRASE. a? 7 prehended in the promise; Nor are they, who are the race of Abraham, all children, but only his posterity by Ves 1a A ay uid 6c I : Ae Be Es | Isaac, as it is said, “ In Isaac shall thy seed be called. "8 That is, the children of the flesh, descended out of Abra- hams loins, are not thereby the children of God', and \ to be esteemed his people: but the children of the pro- ig mise, as Isaac was, are alone to be accounted his seed. %9 For thusruns the word of promise, ‘‘ At this time I will 40 “ come, and Sarah shall have a son.” Nor was this the a . . . ; i | ‘only limitation of the seed of Abraham, to whom the ‘i promise belonged; but also, when Rebecca had con- ceived by that-one of Abrahams issue, to whom the promise was made, viz. our father Isaac, and there were 71 twins in her womb, of that one father, Before the chil- 4 NOTES. longer his people. The reason, he gives for it, is this, that the posterity of Jacob, or {srael, were not those alone, who were to make that Israel, or that | chosen people of God, which were intended, in the promise made to Abraham; others, besides the descendants of Jacob, were to be taken into this Israel, to | constitute the people of God, under the gespel: and, therefore, the calling, Nd coming in, of the gentiles was a fulfilling of that promise. And then he $, in the next verse, that neither were all the posterity of Abraham compres Jed in that promise, so that those, who were taken in, in the time of the ssiah, to make the Israel of God, were not taken in, because they were the atural descendants from Abraham, nor did the jews claim it for all his race. id this he proves, by the limitation of the promise to Abraham’s seed, by conly. All this he does, to,show the right of the gentiles to that promise, ey believed: since that promise concerned not only the natural descendants, of Abraham, or Jacob, but also those, who were of the faith of their fas r Abraham, of whomsoever descended, see chap. iv. 11—17. "8 # * Children of God,” i.c. people of God, see ver. 26. 374 ROMANS, CHAP. 13 ’ TEXT. 4 Ay &. 12 Tt was said unto her, The elder shall serve the youtiger. ; 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have Dhated.* 14 What shall we say then? Is there. ee with Goc God forbid. Se dren were born, or had done any ‘hea, or evil, to s that his making any stock, or race, of men his ee people, depended solely on his own purpose and god pleasure, in choosing and calling them, and not on an works, or deserts of 1 theirs, he, acting here in the a of J acob, and Esau, according to the predeterminatic 12 of his own choice, Tt was declared unto her, that were two nations ! in her womb, and that the descent ants of the elder brother should serve those of fl 13 younger, As it is written, “ Jacob have I loved, sc 0 “to make his posterity my chosen people; and Esau ‘* put so much behind him’, as to lay his mountains ai 14 “ his’ heritage -waste °.” What shall we say bier there any injustice with God, in choosing one people bimself before another, according to his good pleasu NOTES. 11 © “ Neither having done good, nor evil.’* These words may, p fiave been added, by St. Paul, to the foregoing (which may, perhaps, enough of themselves) the more expressly to ebviate an objection of the jev who might be ready to say, “ that Esau was rejected, because he was wicke as they did of Ishmael, that he was rejected, because he was the son of a bon woman. 42 1 See Gen. xxv. 23. And it was only, in a national sense, that itis said, ‘¢ the elder shall serve the younger ;” and not personally, for in that s %t is not true, which makes it plain that these words of verse. 13 m “ Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated,” are to ve E national sense, for the preference God gave to the osterity a ert his people, and possess the promised land, before the other. God was, see Deut. vii. 6—8. n « Hated.” When it is used in sacred scripture, tively, it signifies only to' postpone in our esteem or kin enly give that one example, Luke xiv. 26. See Mal. i. 2, 3. © From the 7th to this 13th verse proves tu the jews, that, th mise was made to Abraham and his seed, yet it was not to all terity, but God first chose Isaac and his issue: and then again, of | but one of the sons of Abraham) when Rebecca had o God, of his sole good pleasure, chose Jacob the younger, and his his peculiar people, and to enjoy the land of promises Or WAP. 1X. . ROMANS, 37 TEXT. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom [I will have » mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have com- passion. 116 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same pur- pose have { raised thee up, that [ might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. PARAPHRASE. 15 Bynomeans. My brethren, the jews themselves can- _ not charge any such thing on what I say; since they have it from Moses himself’, that God declared to him, that he would be gracious, to whom he would be graci- ous; and show mercy, on whom he would show mercy. 16 So then, neither the purpose of Isaac, who designed it for Esau, and willed? him to prepare himself for it; nor the endeavours of Esau, who ran a hunting for ve- - nison to come and receive it, could place on him the | blessing; but the favour of being made, in his posterity, a great and prosperous nation, the peculiar people of God, preferred to that which should descend from his brother, was bestowed on Jacob, by the mere bounty 17 and good pleasure of God himself. The hke hath Mo- ses left us upon record, of God’s dealing with Pharaoh - and his subjects, the people of Egypt, to whom God saith’, ‘“ ven for this same purpose have I raised thee “up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my “name might be renowned through all the earth.” NOTES. 45 P See Exod. xxxili. 19. It is observable that the apostle, arguing here with the jews, to vindicate the justice of God, in casting them of from being his ‘people, uses three sorts of arguments; the first is the testimony of Moses, of God’s asserting this to himself, by the right of his sovereignty: and this was enough to stop the mouths of the jews. ‘The second, from reason, ver. 19—24, and the third from his predictions of it to the jews, and the warning he gave them of it beforehand, ver. 25—29, which we shall consider in their places. 46 ¢ * Willeth and runneth,” considered with the context, plainly direct us _ to the story, Gen. xxvii. where, ver. 3—5, we read Isaac’s purpose, and Esau’s _ going a hunting, and ver. 98, 29, we find what the blessing was, at * Exod. ix. 16. 376, ROMANS.) CHAR. 13 TEXT. 18 Therefore, hath he mercy. on whom he will have mercy, an an whom he will, he hardeneth. Tate ‘a 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why do he yet find fault? i Fe who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, Q man, who art thou that repliest against Gud? s sha the thing formed, say to him that formed it, bie hast t thot made me thus? PARAPHRASE. - ia vy coal j > 18 Therefore * , that his name ‘and power may be made known, and taken notice of, in the world, he is kind ane bountiful to one nation, and lets another go on obsti _nately, in their opposition to him, that his taking ‘them off, by some signal calamity and ruin, brought on then by the visible hand of his providence, : may. be seen, ; anc acknowledged to be an effect of their standing out agains him, as in ‘the case of Pharaoh: for this « ent ‘he is bo tiful, to whom he will be bountiful; and whom he he permits to make such an use of his forbearance 1 wards them, as to persist obdurate in their provocati 0 of him, and draw on themselves exemplary ¢ estruction' 19 To this, some may be ready to say, why then doe find fault? For who, at any time, hath been abl g0 resist his will? ae you so, indeed ? But who art th NOTES. A, a 18 5 “ Therefore.” That his name and power may be made known, taken notice of, in all the earth, he is kind and bountiful to one “nation, and | another go on, in their opposition and obstinacy against him, till their t off, by some signal calamity and ruin brought on them, may | be seen a knowledged to be the effect of their standing out against Goris as in the Pharaoh. t "EAce?, “¢ hath mercy.’ That by this word is meant “being bountif his outward dispensations ie power, greatness, and pine? to oe above another, is plain from the three preceding verses. u « Hardeneth.’” That God’s hardening, spoken of | here, i is what. we h explained it, in the paraphrase, i is plain, in ‘the instance of Pharaoh, giv 17, as may be seen in that story: Exod vii.—xiv. which is worth whe for the understanding of this place: see also ver. 22. 20 w Here St. Paul shows, that the nations of the world, who are, by right, in the hands and disposal of God, than the clay in the po may, without any question of his justice, be made great and g. orio down, and brought into contempt, as he pleases. That he here: nationally, and not personally, in reference to their eternal state, only from the beginning of this chapter, where hey hows his. con a ROMANS: 377 TEXT. ; —. the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to. _ make one vessel unto honour, and anether unto dishonour ? , What, if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power Sk, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction: -PARAPHRASE. ! F » that are made great or little, shall kingdoms, that are % raised or depressed, say to him, in whose hands they "are, to dispose of them as he pleases, “‘ Why hast thou 91 “made usthus:” Hath not the potter power over the » day, of the same lump, to make this a vessel of honour, 29 and that of dishonour*? But what hast thou to say, O ©» man of Judea, if God, willing to show his wrath, and ) have his power taken notice of, in the execution of it, NOTES. of the jews being cast off from being God's people, and the instances he Jof Isaac, of Jacob and Esau, and of Pharaoh; but it appears also very in the verses immediately following, where, ‘* by the vessels of wrath, ted for destruction,” he manifestly means, the nation of the jews, who were. grown ripe, and fit for the destruction he was bringing upon them. And, € vessels of mercy,”* the christian church gathered out of a smali-collection bf convert-jews, and the rest made up of the gentiles, who, together, were from thenceforwards to be the people of God, in the room of the jewish nation, now ast off, as appears by ver. 24. The sense of which verse isthis: «* How darest * thou, O man, to call God to account, and question his justice, in casting off f his ancient people the jews? What, if God willing to punish that smful *£ people, and to do it so, as to have his power known, and taken notice of, in the doing of it: (for why might he not raise them, to that purpose, as well © as he did Pharaoh and his egyptians?) What, I say, if God bore with them, © a long time, even after they had deserved his wrath, as he did with Pharach, © that his hand might be the more eminently visible in their destruction: and €« that also, at the same time, he might, with the more glory, make known his “goodness and mercy to the gentiles, whom, according to his purpose, he was 1 a readiness to receive, into the slorious state of being his people, under the se] 27? : ‘ - ‘£ Vessel unto honour, and vessel unto dishonour,” signifies a thing de- ed, by the maker, to an honourable, or dishonourable use: now why it ot design nations, as well as persons, and honour and prosperity, in this as well as eternal happiness and glory, or misery and punishment, in the > come, Ido not see. In common reason, this figurative expression o follow the sense of the context: and I see no peculiar privilege it hath, est and turn the visible meaning of the place, to something remote from the inhand. I amsure, no such authority it has from such an appropriated ed in sacred scripture. This were enough toclear the apostle’s sense words, were there nothing else; but Jer. xviii 6, 7, from whence this of a potter is taken, shows them to have a temporal sense, and to relaie tion of the jews, Zz 378 ROMANS. CHAP. TH) Toa 4 a 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory, ey i vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory? PARAPHRASE,” 0) aa did, with much long-suffering’, bear with the sinful n: tion of the jews, even when they were proper objects « that wrath, fit to have it poured out upon them, in the 23 destruction; That? he might make known the riches ¢ NOTES. « x 22 y **Endured with much long-suffering.” Immediately after the instai of Pharach, whom God said, ** he raised up to show his power in him,” ver. 1 it is subjoined, ver. 18, ‘* and whom he will he hardeneth,’” plainly with ef ence to the story of Pharaoh, who is said to harden himself, and whom Goc said to harden, as may be seen Exod. vii. 3, 22, 23, and vili. 15, 32, and 7, 12, 34, and x. 1, 20, 27, and xi. 9, 10, and xiv. 5. What God’s part hardening is, is contained in these words, ‘‘ endured with much long-suffer God sends Moses to Pharaoh with signs, Pharaoh’s magicians do the like, and he is not prevailed with. Godsends plagues; whilst the plague is upon him, is mollified, and promises to let the people go» but, as soon as God takes offt plague, he returns to his obstinacy, and rerusés, and thus over and over a God’s being intreated by him to withdraw the severity of his hand, his gr compliance with Pharaoh’s desire to have the punishment removed, was wi God did in the case, and this was all goodness and bounty: but Pharaoh and people made that ill use of his forbearance and long-suffering, as still to themselves the more, for God’s mercy and gentleness to them, till they bring themselves exemplary destruction, from the visible power and hand of Gc employed in it. This carriage of their’s God foresaw, and so made use of th obstinate, perverse temper, for his own glory, as he himself declares, - 3—5, and viii. 1—8, and ix. 14,16. The apostle, by the instance of a power over his clay, having demonstrated, that God, by his dominion ai reignty, had a right to set up, or pull down, what nation he pleased; and without any injustice, take one race into his particular favour, to be his: people, or reject them, as he thought fit; does, in this verse, apply it subject in hand, viz. the casting off the jewish nation, whereof he speaks terms that plainly make a parallel between this and his dealing with tians, mentioned ver. 17, and, therefore, that story will best explain this that thence will receive its full light. For it seems a somewhat stran: reasoning, to say, God, to show his wrath, endured with much long- those, who deserved his wrath, and were fit for destruction. But he fead in Exodus, God’s dealing with Pharaoh and the egyptians, and h passed over provocation upon provocation, and patiently endured those \ their first refusal, nay by their former cruelty and oppression of the is served his wrath, and were fitted for destruction, that, in a more signal on the egyptians, and glorious deliverance of the israelites, he might ‘power, and make himself be taken notice of, will easily see the strong sense of this and the following verse. 23 2 Kat ve, © And that ;” the vulgate has not ** and ;”” there are that justify that omission, as wel! as the sense of the place, which is the conjunction “and.” For with that reading it runs thus: a ‘che might make known the riches of his glory, &c.” A Jearned pare ; CHAP. IX. ROMANS. | 379 TEXT. ee 24 | en us, whom he hath called, not of the jews only, but also of gentiles. 95 As hesaith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. PARAPHRASE. his glory*, on those whom, being objects of his mercy, 4 he had before prepared to glory? Even us christians, whom he hath also called, not only of the jews, but also 5 ofthe gentiles; As he hath declared in Osee; “ I will ‘cali them my people, who were not my people; and 26 “her beloved, who was not beloved. And it shall come _ * to pass, that in the place, where it was said unto them, _ Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the ay ee NOTES, jnst the grammar and sense of the place, by his own authority adds, * showed Mery where the sacred scripture is silent, and says no such thing, by which we may make it say any thing. If averb were to be inserted here, it is evident, “it must, some way or other, answer to “ endured,” in the foregoing verse: but “such an one will not be casy to be found, that will suit here. And, indeed, “there is no need of it, for, ‘ and” being left out, the sense, suitably to St. “Paul's argument here, runs plainly and smoothly thus: “ What have you, jews, © to complain of, for God’s rejecting you, from being any longer his people? ~€ and giving you up, to be over-run and subjected by the gentiles? and his tak- " ing them in, to be his people, in your room? he has as much power over the © nations of the earth, to make some of them mighty and flourishing, and others _# mean and weak, as a potter has over his clay, to make what sort of vessels he §© pleases, of any part of it. This you cannot deny. God might, from the ** becinning, have made youa small, neglected people: but he did not. He © made you, the posterity of Jacob, a greater and mightier people, than the _ € posterity of his elder brother Esau, and made you also his own people, plenti- - fully provided for, in the land of promise. Nay, when your frequent revolts © and repeated provocations had made you fit for destruction, he with Icng- '** suffering forbore you, that now, under the gospel, executing his wrath on you, lie might manifest his glory, on us, whom he hath called to be his people, ” © consisting of a small remnant of jews, and of converts out of the gentiles, _ whom he had prepared for this giory, as he had foretold by the prophets bead Hosewand Isaiah.” This is plainly St. Paul’s meaning, that God dealt, as is - deseribed, ver. 22, with the jews, that he might manifest his glory on the gen- “tiles; tor so he declares over and over again, chap. xi. ver. 11, 12, 15,19, 20, 28, 30. "4 & Make known the riches of his glory, on the vessels of mercy.” St. Paul Wa parallel place, Col. i. has so fully explained these words, that he that will “yead yer, 27, of that chapter, with the context there, can be in no manner of goubt what St, Paul means here. ™ $30 ROMANS! guar TEXT. 87 Esaias’also crieth concerning Israel, ein of t children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a —- all saved. i Hat es For he will finish the work, and cut at short i in vihitctnd because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. rs 29 Andas Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabbaoth left us a seed, we had been as Sodome, and been made like w Gomorrah. ‘ 30 What shall we say then? That the gentiles, which followed! Hy after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the ig teousness which is of faith. 4 $1 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hi at not attained to the law of righteousness. — ok q PAR APHR ASE: a7“ iistaven of the living God.” Isaiah crieth also, ¢ cerning Israel, “ Though the number of the children “ Tsrael be as the sand of the sea, yet it is but? a rem 28 “ nant that shall be saved. For the Lord, finishing an “ contracting the account in righteousness, shall make 29 ‘short, or small remainder‘ in the earth.” And, Isaiah said before, ‘“‘ Unless the Lord of hosts had le “us a seed‘, we had been as Sodom, a nd been 1 12 “ like unto Gomorrah;” we had utterly been extirpe 80 What then remains to be said, but this? , That die tiles who sought not after righteousness, have ot the righteousness, which is by faith, and thereby ils be 31 come the people of God; But the children of. leaked followed the law, which ‘contained the rule of righte ness, have not attained to that law, whereby right ness is to be attained, i.e. have not received the gos NOTES. 7.» “ But a remnant.” There needs no more ies to ical he eat, to this to be the meaning. zs 28 © Aoyor ouridunévov wovices 5 *¢ Shall make a contracted, or little a €< count, or overplus,”’ a metaphor, taken from an account, wherein the matter so ordered, that the overplus, or remainder, standing still upon the accou! very little. 29 4 * Aseed,” Isaiah i. 9. ‘The words are, ‘ a very small welt * 31 ¢ See chap.x. 3, and xi. 6, 7. The apostle’s design i in this and the lowing chapter, is t6 show the reason, why the jews were cast off from) people of God, and the gentiles admitted. From whence ‘it follows, * attaining to ‘righteousness, and to the law of righteousness,” | 7 Dal - cna. —_ - RMN 3st PB $2 Wherefore? 2 Belin they sought it, not by faith, but (as it vere) by the works of the law: for they stumbled at that stumb- af’ Ting-stone. 98 As it is written, Behold [ lay in Sion a styitnidline othe and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him, shall not be . ashamed. &X. 1 Brethren, my heart’s ecaire and prayer to God for Israel is, . that they might be saved. 2 For I bear thie record, that they havea zeal ef God, but not according to knowledge. is For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and goimg about to establish their « own righteousness, have not submitted them- _ selves unto the righteousness of God. PARAPHRASE. and so are not the people of God. How came they to i miss it? Because they sought not to attain it by faith; _ butasifit were to be obtained by the works of the law. » A crucified Messiah was a stumbling-block to them‘; and at that they stumbled, As it is written, “* Behold, I ** lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and a rock of offence : + and whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed.” x iP Brethren, my hearty desire and prayer to God for Is- ‘ael is, that they may be saved. For I bear them wit- “ness that they are zealous®, and as they think for God ~~ and his law; but their zeal is not guided by true know- 3 ledge; For ihey, being ignorant of the righteousness that fehis: of God, viz. That righteousness which he graciously . _ bestows and accepts of; and going about to establish a __. sighteousness of their own, which they seek for, in their ¥ ‘Sip : NOTES. “4 not Bicaiaiens to the righteousness, which puts particular persons into the state justification and salvation ; but the acceptance of that law, the protession of ae religion, wherein that righteousness is exhibited; which profession of that, 1 is now the only true religion, and owning ourselves under that law, which ow solely the law of God, puts any collective body of men into the state of g the people of God. For every one of the jews and gentiles, that “ at- *¢ tained to the law of righteousness, or to righteousness,”’ in the sense St. Paul aks here, i.e. became a professor of the christian religion, did not attain to salvation. In the same sense must chap. x. 3, and xi. 7, 8, be under- : See 1 Cori.) 23 2 &.Th his their zeal for God, see described, Acts xxi, 27-31, arid XxIis $e 382 | ROMANS. — © cmar.g, TEXT. 4 For Christ is the end of the law, for Fehicdbsie, to every ¢ that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness, which is of the law," the man, which doth these things, shall live by them. = 6 But the nghteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wis Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, bring Christ down from above) 7 Or who shall descend into the deep? (that i is, to bring up he / again, from the dead) , $ But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mow and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith which we preach, 9 That, if thou shalt confess, with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, and PARAPHRASE. own performances; have not brought themselves submit to the law of the gospel, wherein the righted 4 ness of God, i.e. righteousness by faith is offered. the end of the law" was to bring men to Christ, that, believing in him, every one, that did so, might be jus 5° fied by faith ; For Moses describeth the righteousn ne that was to be had by the law, thus: ‘‘ That the m ** which doth the things required i in the law, shall he 6 “ life thereby.” » But the righteousness, which is of fa speaketh after this manner: “Say not in thine heart, Vi ** shall ascend into heaven;” that is, to bring down t Messiah from thence,’ ‘whom we expect cat 7 on earth to deliver us? ‘‘ Or who shall desce “deep?” i.e. to bring up Christ again from the dead be our Saviour? you 'inistake the deliverance, voll pect by the Messiah, there needs not the fetching him 8 from the other world, to be present with you: The dé verance, by him, is a ‘deliver ance from sin, that you m be made righteous by faith in him, and that speaks th tt “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and it in “ heart ;” that is, the word of faith, or the doctrine 9 the gospel, which we preach‘, viz. If thou shalt onfi NOTES. 4 See Gal. iii. 24. 8 ? St. Paul had told them, ver. 4, that the end of the law was to! to life, by faith in Christ, that they might be justified, and so be s convince them of this, he brings three verses out of the book of lid law: am, # ROMANS: 383 TEXT. shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ' 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. PARAPHRASE. | with “thy mouth*,” i.e. openly own Jesus the Lord, | j.¢e. Jesus to be the Messiah, thy Lord, and shalt be- i lieve in thy heart, that God hath raised him from the dead‘, otherwise he cannot be believed to be the Mes- 10 siah; thou shalt be saved. It was not for nothing that NOTES. declaring that the way to life was by hearkening to that word, which was ready, in the mouth and in their heart, and that, therefore, they had no reason to reject Jesus the Christ, because he died and was now removed into heaven, and was re- mote from them; their very law proposed life to them, by something nigh them, t might-lead them to their deliverer: by words and doctrines, that might be ‘always at hand, in their mouths and in their hearts, and so lead them to Christ, i.e. to that faith in him, which the apostle preached to them: I submit to the | tive reader, whether this be not the meaning of this place. | ' 9 & The expectation of the jews was, that the Messiah, who was promised them, was to be their deliverer, and so far were they in the right. But that, which they expected to be delivered from, at his appearing, was the power and dominion of strangers. . When our Saviour came, their reckoning was up; and “the miracles, which Jesus did, concurred to persuade them, that it was he: but his obscure birth, and mean appearance, suited not with that power and splen- dour, they had fancied to themselves he should come in. This, with his de- “nouncing to them the ruin of their temple and state at hand, set the rulers against ‘him, and held the body of the jews in suspense till his crucifixion, and that gave a full turn of their minds from him. They had figured him a mighty prince, at the head of their nation, setting them free from all foreign power, and them- ‘selves at ease, and happy under his glorious reign. But when at the passover ‘the whole people were witnesses of his death, they gave up all thought of deli- verance by him. He was gone, they saw him no more, and it was past doubt, a dead man could not be the Messiah, or deliverer, even of those who believed Shim. Itis against these prejudices, that what St. Paul says, in this and the three preceding verses, seems directed, wherein he teaches them, that there was no need ‘to fetch the Messiah out of heaven, or out of the grave, and bring him personally ainong them. For the deliverance he was to work for them, the saivation by ‘him, was salvation from sin, and condemnation for that: and that wasto be had, ty barely believing and owning him to be the Messiah, their King, and that he ‘was raised from the dead; by this they would be saved, without his personal _ presence amongst them. ~ 1 & Raised him from the dead.”” The doctrine of the Lord Jesus being raised iin the dead, is certainly one of the most fundamental articles of the christian ‘religion: but yet there seems another reason why St. Paul here annexes salva- ‘tion to the belief of it, which may be found ver. 7, where he teaches, that it was ‘Net necessary for their salvation, that they should have Christ out of his grave, a, present amongst them; and here he gives them the reason, because, aif they did but own him for their Lord, and believe that he was raised, that _ sufficed, they should be saved. ‘384 - ROMANS! + aeeualal TEXr | Lak 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on hint shall be ashamed. iy Sele et 12 For there is no difference between the jew and the greek: the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. — 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall saved. bi 14 How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not t lieved? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they ha not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is writte a PARAPHRASE. da Moses, in the place above-cited, mentioned both hea and mouth; there is use of both in the case. For wi _ the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with! 11 mouth confession” is made unto salvation. For t scripture saith, ‘‘ Whosoever believeth on him, shall _ “be ashamed :” shall not repent his having beli 12 and owning it. The scripture saith, Whosoever, for this case there is no distinction of jew and gentile. F it is he, the same who is Lord of them all, and is abt 13 dantly bountiful to all that call. upon him. For whos 14 ever shall” call upon his name, shall be saved. Tf _ how shall they call upon him, on whom they have 1 believed? And how shall they believe on him; of who - they have’not heard? And how shall they hear, 15 out a preacher? And how shall they preach, « NOTES. Bak inh en 10 m Believing, and an open avowed profession of the gospel, are eur Saviour, Mark xvi. 16, eA doy) 43 2 Whosoever hath, with care, looked into St. Paul’s writings, him to be a close reasoner, that argues to the point; aid therefore three preceding verses, he requires an opén profession of the gospel but think that ‘all that call upon him,’’ ver. 12, signifies all that professed christians; and if this be the meaning “ of calling upon ver. 12, it is plain it must be the meaning ‘ of calling upon his” ver. 13, -a phrase not very remote from “ naming his name,” which i St. Paul for professing christianity, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Ifthe meaning o phet Joel, from whom these words are taken, be urged, I shali only say, will be an ill rule for interpreting St. Paul, to tie up his use of any t brings out of the Old Testament, to that, which is taken to be the m there. We need go no farther for an example than the 6, 7, and 8th ve this chapter, which I desire any one to read as they stand, Deut. sam, 1d-—4 and see whether St. Paul uses them here, inthe same sems¢e CHAP. xX. ROMANS. 835 TEXT. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 9 then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of od. PARAPHRASE. they be sent°? As it is written, ‘ How beautiful are * “the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and }16 “ bring glad tidings of good things?” But, though there | be messengers sent from God, to preach the gospel; yet it is not to be expected, that all should receive and | obeyit’. Vor Isaiah hath foretold that they should not, 17 saying, “ Lord, who hath believed our report?” That | which we may learn from thence is, that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing from the word of God, ice. the re- _ velation of the gospel, in the writings of the sacred serip- _ tures, communicated by those, whom God sends as _ preachers thereof, to those who are ignorant of it; and _ there is no need, that Christ should be brought down Be + hy NOTES. 15 © St. Paul is careful, every-where, to keep himself, as well as possibly he ‘tan, in the minds and fair esteem of his brethren, the jews; may not therefore ‘this, with the two foregoing verses, be understood as an apology to them, for professing himself an apostle of the gentiles, as he does, by the tenour of this epistle, and in the next chapter, in words at length, ver. 13? In this chapter, fe 12, he had showed that both jews and greeks, or gentiles, were to be saved, only by receiving the gospel of Christ ; and if so, it was necessary that somebody Should be sent to teach it them, and therefore the jews had noreason to be angry“ with any that was sent on that employment. _ 16 P “ But they have not all obeyed.” This seems an objection of the jews, to what St. Paul had said, which he answers, in this and the following yerse. ‘The objection and answer seém to starid thus: You tell us, that you are sent from God to preach the gospel; if it be so, how comes it that all that have card, have fot received and obeyed; and since, according to what you would 1 inuate, the messengers of good tidings (which is the import of evangelion, in “greek, and gospel, in english) were so welcome to them? To this he answers out of Isaiah, that the messengers, sent from God, were not believed by all. But from those words of Isaiah he draws an inference, to confirm the argument he was upon, viz. that salvation cometh by hearing and believing the word of God. He had laid it down, ver. 8, that it was by their having pruw wirew:, “the word “ of faith,” nigh them, or present with them, and not by the bodily presence of their deliverer amongst them, that they were to besaved. This pia, “ word,” he tells them, ver. 17, is, by preaching, brought to be actually present with them and the gentiles; so that it was their own fault if they believed it not to sal- vation, Ce 386 ROMANS. TEXT. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, ba sound into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the \ orld 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, Twill p ; voke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foo ish nation I will anger you. 7 20 But Esaias is very bold, and sll I was found ‘at them t sought me not; 1 was made manifest unto then that wae ‘ after me. ON 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long have I stretched forth hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people, PARAPHRASE. al from heaven, to be personally with you, to be your § 18 viour. It is enough that both jews and gentiles he heard of him, by messengers, whose voice is gone @ into the whole, earth, and words unto the ends off world, far beyond the bounds of Judean 19 But I ask, Did not Israel know‘ this, that the genti were to be taken in, and made the people a7 First Moses tells it them, from God, who says, “I “ provoke you to jealousy, by them who are no peo p 20 “ and by a foolish nation I will anger you.” But Ise ‘declares it yet much plainer, in these words: “I ‘ found of them that sought me not; Iv was made } 21 “‘nifest to them that asked not after me.” And _rael, to show their refusal, he saith: “All day lor “T stretched forth my hands unto a disobedi “ gainsaying people.” NOTE. 49 4 Did not Israel know?” In this, and the next verses, St. Paul seem suppose a reasoning of the jews, to this purpose, viz. that they c did be cast off, because they did not know, that the gentiles were ‘to be adm and so might be excused, if they did not embrace a religion, wherein’they ¥ to inix with the gentiles; and to this he answers, in the following, verses an HAP. xT. - ROMANS. 337 SECT. IX. CHAP. XI. 1—36._ CONTENTS. HE apostle, in this chapter, goes on to show the future tate of the jews and gentiles, in ‘respect of christianity ; viz: hat, tliough the nation of the j Jews were, for their unbelief, ejected, and the gentiles taken, in their room, to be the peo- le of God; yet there were a few of the jews, that believed Christ, and so a small remnant of them continued to-be * people, being incorporated, with the converted gen- les, into the christian church. But they shall, the whole Pe on Of them, when the fulness of the zentiles i is come in, converted to the gospel, and again be restored to be the le of God. apostle takes occasion also, from God's having re- the jews, to warn the gentile converts, that they ‘take d: since, if God cast off his ancient people, the jews, for unbelief the gentiles could not expect to be preserved, ec apostatized from the faith, and kept not firm in their dience to the gospel. Lh at ¥! TEXT. SAY then, Hath God cast away his secu? God forbid! L also am an israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. . hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew. Wet PARAPHRASE. Z SAY then, “ Has* God wholly cast away his people, = “ the j jews, from being his people?” By no means, for [ myself am an israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe o en. God hath not utterly cast off his people, “whom he formerly owned*, with so peculiar a respect, “a NOTES. L 2 This is a question in the person of a jew, who made the objections pip regoing s chapter, anc contipues on to object here, z > See chap. viii. 29. o cca 388 ROMANS. _ CHAP. 3 TEXT. ‘a ye not what the scripture saith, of Elias? how he maketh cession to God against Israel, saying, ; 8 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine tars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. sa 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserv to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee the image of Baal. = oh ee 5 Even so, then, at this present time also, there is a remnant, cording to the election of grace. a . “6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grac PARAPHRASE. ~~ Know ye not what the scripture saith, concerning Elij _ How he complained to the God of Israel, in these v 0 3 “ Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and have dig © down thine altars, and of all that worshipped t 4 “alone am left, and they seek my life also.” Bu saith the answer of God to him? “ I have reserv “myself seven thousand men, who have not bow - knee to Baal®,” i.e. have not been guilty of i 5 Even so at this time also, there is a remnant __ and segregated, by the favour and free choice of : 6 Which reservation of a remnant, if it be by grace 2 your, it is not of works‘, for then grace would NOTES. 4 ¢ & Baal,” and Baalim, were the names, whereby the false god: ‘which the heathens worshipped, were signified in sacred scripture ; ii. 11—13, Hos. xi. 2. we ~ 64 “ Tt is not of works.” This exclusion of works, seems to be those, who extend ‘it»to all manner of difference in the person chos those that were rejected; for such a choice as that excludes not grace chooser, but merit in the chosen. For it is plain, that by works h means merit, as is evident also from ch. iv. 2—4. The law requi perfect obedience: he, that performed that, had a ri ht to the rew that failed and came short of that, had by the law no right to any thing And so the jews, being all sinners, God might, without injustice, h : ‘all off; none of them could plead a right to his favour. ‘Tf, therefore, b out and reserved any, it was of mere grace, though in his choice he pi ‘who were the best disposed and most inclined to his service. _ A * gevolts from their prince, and takes armis against him; he atte of them. This is a purpose of grace. He reduces them under h then chooses out of them, as vessels of mercy, those that he finds with malice, obstinacy, and rebellion. This choice neither voids, ) purpose of grace; that stands firm; but only executes if so, a ‘may with his wisdom and goodness. And, indeed, without some r MAP. XI. ROMANS. -. 389 TEXT. no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. “What then? Israel hath not obtained that, which he seeketh for; - but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded: 8 According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slum- | ber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this day. 9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompense unto them: PARAPHRASE. " grace. Butifit were of works, then is it not grace. For - then work would not be work, i.e. work gives a right, nf grace bestows the favour, where there is no right to it; so that what is conferred by the one, cannot be ascribed 7 to the other. How is it then? Even thus, [srael, or _ the nation of the jews, obtained not what it seeks‘, but * the election‘, or that part, which was to remain God’s ~ elect, chosen people, obtained it, but the rest of them § were blinded®: According as it is written*, ‘“ God hath _ “given them the spiritof slumber; eyes that they should + “not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this 2 day.” And David saith’, “ Let their table be made a . : } NOTES. | , in the things taken, from those that are left, I do not see how it can be ‘ealled choice. A handful of pebbles, forexample, may be taken out of a heap ; ; are taken and separated, indeed, from the rest, but if it be without any Wegard to any difference in them, from others rejected, I doubt whether any ‘body can call them chosen. _ 7 © © What it seeks,” i.e. that righteousness, whereby it was to continue the people of God ; see chap. ix. $1. It may be observed, that St. Paul's dis- ; urse being of the national privilege, of continuing the people of God, he r s here, and all along of the jews, in the collective term Israel. And so Tew the remnant, which were to remain his people, and incorporate with ‘the convert gentiles, into one body of christians ownimg the dominion of the one ba God, in the kingdom he had set up under his son, and owned by God for his people, he calls the election. ~ £ Election,” a collective appellation of the part elected, which in other : she calls remnant. This remnant, or election, call it by which name you ‘please, were those who sought righteousness by faith in Christ, and not by the eds of the Jaw, and so became the people of God, that people which he had josen to be his. - “ £ “ Blinded,” see 2 Cor. iii. 1S—16. ) 8 * & Written,” Isai. xxix. 10, ond vi. 9, 10, 9 * *¢ Saith,”” Psal, lxix. 22, 23. / | h 390 ROMANS. TEXT. 10 ce their eves be diasesi/el that they may not _ their back alway. sia 11 J say then, have they stumbled that they shdis I bet bid: but rather through their fall salvation i is est tiles for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the wol minishing of them the riches of the gentiles : :, how | their fulness? ret 13° For I speak to you gentiles, i in as much as I am i apos the gentiles, I magnify mine office: ? 14 If, by any means, [ may provoke to emulation them, w my flesh, and might save some of them. 15 For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of then worl what shall the receiving of them be, but life from ogc PARAPHRASE. Phe “ snare and a trap, and a stumbling block, eel 10 “ pene unto them: Let their eyes be darken 11 What then do I say, that they have so sbinuble a be fallen past recovery? by no means: ‘but! that by their fall, by their rejection for refu gospel, the privilege of becoming the people « receiving the doctrine of salvation, is come to 12 tiles, to ‘provoke the jews to jealousy. Now, of the jews hath been to the enriching of the rest. » world, and their damage an advantage to the by letting them into the church, how much their completion be so, when their whole natior 13 restored? ‘This I say to you gentiles, forasm ‘14 ing apostle of the gentiles, I ‘magnify! 1 by. any means, I may provoke to emulation who are my own flesh and blood, and brii 15 them into the way of salvation. ee if the off be a means of reconciling the world, what NOTES. hii re k That this is the meaning of « fall” here, see Acts xiii. 3! St. Paul magnified his office, of apostle of the gent! wiacetiy the gospel to the gentiles; but in assuring them far ver. 12, that, when the nation of the jews shall be restored, gentiles shall also come in, | CHAP. ‘XT. ROMANS.) 391 TEXT. | 16 For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a ; wild olive-tree, were graffed in amongst them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree; | 18 Boast not against the branches: but if thou boast, thou bearest | -_ not the root, but the root thee. PARAPHRASE. restoration be, when they are taken again into favour, but as it were life from the dead, which js to all man- 16 kind of all nations? For if the first fruits" be holy® i and accepted, the whole product of the year is holy, and will be accepted. And if Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, from whom the jewish nation had their original, were _ _ holy, the branches also, that sprang from this root, are “17 holy. Ifthen some of the natural branches were broken off: if some of the natural jews, of the stock of Israel, were broken off and rejected, and thou a heathen, of the wild gentile race, wert taken in, and ingrafted into the church of God, in their room; and there partakest of “18 the blessings, promised to Abraham and his seed; Be not so conceited of thyself, as to show any disrespect ° ' ‘to the jews. If any such vanity possesses thee, remem- ber that the privilege thou hast, in being a christian, is derived to thee from the promise made to Abraham, and NOTES. _ 16 ™ These allusions, the apostle makes use of here, to show that the patri- “archs, the root of the jewish nation, being accepted by God; and the few jewish converts, which at first entered into the christian church, being also accepted by » God ; are, as it were, first fruits, or pledges, that God will, in due time, admit " the whole nation of the jews into his yisible church, to be his peculiar people again. 2 “ Holy:” by holy is here meant that relative holiness, whereby any thing "hath an appropriation to God. 18 © “ Roast not against the branches.’” Though the great fault that most 4 ‘disordered the church, and principally exercised the apostle’s care, in this epistle, f legal observances, and not brooking ‘ _was from the jews pressing the necessity of _ that the gentiles, though converts to christianity, should be admitted into their communion, without being circumcised; yet it-is plain from this verse, as also chap. xiv. 3, 10, that the convert gentiles were not wholly without fault, on _ their side, in treating the jews with disesteem and contempt. To this also, as _itcomes in his way,’ he applies ft remedies, particularly in this chapter, and _ chap. xive ‘ 59% ROMANS. @aih TEXT. V4 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken’ night ‘ be graffed Ae ‘ ! ~e ~~ 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou stand- _ est by faith. Be not bicheeilneee but fear. sewed). ~ 4 21 For, if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest lie also spare not thee. 5 as aan 22 Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: ont which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou contin in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in uobelief, shall be gr: in: for God is able to graff them in again. ae ei 24 For, if thou wert cut out of the-olive-tree, which is wild by nas PARAPHRASE. be Ne: é his seed, but nothing accrues to Abraham, or his : 19 by any thing derived from thee. Thou wilt p say, “The jews were rejected to make way for 20 Well, let it be so; but remember that it was beca unbelief, that they were broken off, and that it is alone, that thou hast obtained, and must keep thy pi sent station. This ought to be a warning to th to have any haughty conceit of thyself, but with 81 to fear. For if God spared not the seed of Ab but cast off even the children of Israel, for then lief, he will certainly not spare thee, if thou art 22 the like miscarriage. Mind, therefore, the and rigour of God; rigour to them that stumbles gospel and fell, but benignity to thee, if thou contimue within the sphere of his bemignity, i.e. in the fai which thou partakest of the privilege of being 23 people: otherwise even thou also shalt be cut of the jews also, if they continue not in unbelief, again grafted into the stock of Abraham, am _ established the people of God. For, however now scattered, and under subjection to stra is able to collect them again into one body, m his people, and set them in a flourishing con 94 their ownland?’. For if you, who are heathen ee a. | NOTE. +n 93 P This grafting in again, seems to import, that the jews shall Be ing nation again, professing christianity, in the land of promise, for # fs i} : | omar. xt. ROMANS. 393 TEXT. ture, and wert graffed, contrary to nature, into a good olive-tree; how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive-tree? 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your own conceits) that blind- ness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the gentiles be come in, 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. ’ PARAPHRASE. and not of the promised seed, were, when you had nei- ther claim, nor inclination to it, brought into the church, and made the people of God; how much more shall those, who are the posterity and descendants of him to _._. whom the promise was made, be restored to the state, 25 which the promise vested in that family? For to pre- ' vent your being conceited of yourselves, my brethren, let me make known to you, which has yet been undis- | covered to the world, viz. That the blindness, which has fallen upon part of Israel, shall remain upon them, but _ till the time be come, wherein the whole! gentile world shall enter into the church, and make profession of chris- 26 tianity. And so all Israel shall be converted’ to the _ christian faith, and the whole nation become the people of God: as it is written, “‘ There shall come out of Sion A NOTES. _ re-instated again, in the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This St. Paul might, for good reasons, be withheld from speaking out here: but, in the _ prophets, there are very plain intimations of it. > 25 © TiAxpwue, “ the fulness of the jews,” ver. 12, is the whole body of the _ jewish nation professing christianity, and therefore here mAnpuua tiv 2vdr, _ “the fulness of the gentiles,”” must be the whole body of the gentiles professing R. christianity, And this ver. 15, seems to teach. For the resurrection is of all, 26 © Yubhedles, “ shall be saved.” It is plain that the salvation, that St. Paul, in this discourse concerning the nation of the jews, and the gentile world, sin gross, speaks of, is not eternal happiness in heaven, but he means by it the "profession of the true religion, here on earth. Whether it be, that that is as far "as corporations, or bodies politic can go, towards the attainment of eternal sal- _ Vation, I will not enquire. But this is evident, that being saved, is used by the ie pe here, in this sense. That all the jewish nation may become the people _ of God again, by taking up the christian profession, may be easily conceived. _ But that every person of such a christian nation, shall attain eternal salvation iz _ beayen, I think no-body can imagine to be here intended, ‘ rs « C a \ 394 ROMANS. Trae A sy 27 For this is my covenant unte them, when I shall take away their — sins. oa eel ag. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes : as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. -@9 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye, in times past, have not believed God, yet have now cbtained mercy, through their unbeliefs + PARAPHRASE,! 1) “the deliverer, and shall turn away ungedliness from e7 “Jacob. For this is my covenant to them, when I 23 “ take away’ their sins.” They are, indeed, at p strangers to the gospel, and so are in the state o mies‘; but this is for your sakes: their fall and” your enriching, you having obtained admittance, their being cast out: but yet they, being within’ tion, that God made, of Abraham, Isaac, and . and their posterity, to be his people, are still his people, for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's sake, » @9 whom they are descended. For the favours, that showed those their fathers, in calimg them and their po terity to be his people, he ‘doth not repen of; promise, that they shall be his people, shall stand 30 For as you, the gentiles, formerly stood out, and) not the people of God, but yet have now bitin sig . NCTES. 97 § * Take away,” i.e. forgive their sins, and take away the p ‘they lie under for then). oth aba 28 t "ExBrot, *¢ enemies,” signifies strangers, or aliens, i.e. are called zy4pct, “¢ enemies.”” And so indeed were the jews now were nat inAoynw ayamniol, as touching the election beloved,” actually within the kingdom of God, his people, but were within» which God li.d made of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their po his people, and so God. had still intentions of kindness to them, for sake, to make them again his people. “wegen Be 29 ® So God’s noi repenting is explained, Numb. xxiii, 19-24, ; ‘ ” | CHAP. XI. ROMANS. : — 395 TEXT. $1 Even so have these also now not believed, that, through your mercy, they also may obtain: mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might | have mercy upon all. PARAPHRASE. so as to be taken in, through the standing out of the jews, _ 31 who submit not to the gospel”: Even so they, now, have stood out, by reason of your being in mercy admitted, | that they also, through the mercy you have received, | 32 may again hereafter be admitted. For God hath put __up together, in a state of revolt from their allegiance* ro. re | NOTES. | 80 w See Acts xiii. 46. $2 x Eic aaciferar, “¢ in unbelief.” The unbelief here charged nationally, ° on jews and eentiles, in their turns, in this and the two preceding verses, whereby | they ceased to be the people of God, was evidently the disowning of his domi- "ion, whereby they put themselves out of the kingdom, which he had, and ought _ to have in the world, and so were no longer in the state of subjects, but aliens ' and rebels. A general view of mankind will lead us into an easier conception ' of St. Paul’s doctrine, who, all through this epistle, considers the gentiles, jews, and christians, as three distinct bodies of men. ; God, by creation, had no doubt an unquestionable sovereignty over mankind, ‘and this was at first acknowledged, in their sacrifices and worshipofhim. After- < wards they withdrew themselves from their submission to him, and found out _ other gods, whom they worshipped and served. ‘This revolt from God, and ‘the consequence of it, God’s abandoning them, St. Paul describes, chap. i, 18—32. % In this state of revolt from God were the nations of the earth, in the times of “Abraham; and then Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, and their posterity, the israelites, » upon God’s gracious call, returned to their allegiance to their ancient and rightful j King and Sovereign, te own the one invisible God, Creator of heaven and earth, ‘for their God, and so become his people again, to whom_he, as to his peculiar peers, gavealaw. And thus remained the distinction between jews and gen- tiles, i.e. the nations, as the word signifies, till the time of the Messiah, and “then the jews ceased-to be the people of God, not by a direct renouncing the God of Israel, and taking to themselves other false gods, whom they worship- ped: but by: opposing and rejecting the kingdom of God, which he purposed at " that time to set up, with new laws and institutions, and to a more glorious and "Spiritual purpose, under his son Jesus Christ: him God sent to them, and him ‘tke nation of the jews refused to receive as their lord and ruler, though he was _ their promised king and deliverer, answering all the prophecies and types ofhim, and evidencing his mission by his miracles, By this rebellion against him, into whose hand God had committed the rule of his kingdom, and appointed lord over all things, the jews turned themselves out of the kingdom of God, and ecaeed to be his people, who had now no other people but those, who received and obeyed his son, as their lord and ruler. This was the &7et8cre, “¢ unbelief,”* here spoken of. And I twould be glad to know any other sense of believing, or “unbelief, wherein it can be nationally attributed to a people (as visibly here it 3s) whereby thiey shall cease, or come to be the people of God, or visible subjects 395 ROMANS. TEXT. 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and kne God! how unsearchable are his Judgments, sashepta er: finding out ! 4 boy $4 For who hath known. the mind of the Lord, or who hath his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompense unt him again ? ; $6 For of bim, and through him, and to him, are all ig whom be glory for ever. Amen, b J j + et PARAPHRASE. Or a to him, as it were in one fold, all men, both jews u gentiles, that, through his mercy, they might all, jews and gentiles, come. to be his people, i a he he suffered both jews and gentiles, in their turns, notto} his people, that he might bring the whole body, ba 33 jews and gentiles, to be his people. O the depth of riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God?! unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways 1 34 traced! For who hath known the mind of the - 35 who hath sat in counsel with him? Or who. before-hand with him, in bestowing any thing u that God may repay it to him again *? The 8 ho 36 any such thing is absurd. For from him all t ’ NOTES. _ of his kingdom, here on earth. Indeed, to enjoy Jife and’ estate in as other kingdoms, not only the owning of the Prince, and the autho laws, but also obedience to them is required. For a jew might o own | rity of God, and his law given by Moses, and so be a true subject, a member bf the commonwealth of Israel, as any one im it, and yet life, by disobedience to the law. Anda christian may own the aut! ‘Christ, and of the gospel, and yet forfeit eternal life, by his disobed precepts of it, as may be seen, chap. vii. vill. and ix. $3 ¥ This emphatical conclusion seems, in a special manne! ner, to” jews, whom the apostle would hereby teach modesty and submission to the ruling hand of the all-wise God, whom they are very unfit to te 2 c his deali ing so favourably with the gentiles. His wisdom and 1 above their comprehension, and will they take upoa them to ai do? Or is God in their debt? Let them say for what, and’ wa them. ‘This is a very strong rebuke to the jews, but delivered, a way very gentle and inoffensive. A method, which the spostleenie where to observe, towards his nation. $5 2 This has a manifest respect to the jews, who claimed a : people of God so far, that St. Paul, chap, ix. 14, find’ it neces the justice of God in the case, and does here, in this question, the tolly of any such pretence. CHAP, XII. ROMANS 7 . PARAPHRASE. their being and original; by him they are all ordered and disposed of, and, for him and his glory, they are all made and regulated, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. SECT. X. HAP, XII. 1—21. CONTENTS. - i Sr. Paul, in the end of the foregoing chapter, with a very _ solemn epiphonema, closes that admirable, evangelical dis- course, to the church at Rome, which had taken up the eleven foregoing chapters. It was addressed to the two ‘sorts of converts, viz. gentiles and jews, into which, as into two distinct bodies, he ail along, through this epistle, divides all mankind, and considers them, as so divided, into two separate corporations. a5 1. As tothe gentiles, he endeavours to satisfy them, that _ though they, for their apostacy from God to idolatry. and the worship of false gods, had been abandoned by God, and _ lived in sin and blindness, without God in the world, stran- _ gers from the knowledge and acknowledgment of him; yet _ that the mercy of God, through Jesus Christ, was extended » to them, whereby there was a way now open to them, tu be- _ come the peopleofGod. For since no man could be saved, _ by his own righteousness, no not the jews themselves, by the Pedeeds of the law; the only way to salvation, both for jews Band gentiles, was by faith in Jesus Christ. Nor had the ~ jews any other way, now, to continue themselves the people of God, than by receiving the gospel; which way was opened also to the gentiles, and they as freely admitted into the kingdom of God, now. erected under Jesus Christ, as the » jews, and upon the sole terms of believing. So that there ~ was no need at alkfor the gentiles to be circumcised, to be- come jews, thatithcy might be partakers of the benefits of the gospel. tat oe Sl SO oa ~ we * oO" eS * » 398 ROMANS, li i 9. As to the jews, the apostle’s other great aim, in the. foregoing discourse, is to remove the offence the jews took — at the gospel, because the gentiles were received into ‘the r church, as the people of God, and were allowed to be sub. jects of the kingdom of the Messiah. To bring them to a better temper, he shows them, from the sacred scripture, that they could not be saved by the deeds of the law, and therefore the doctrine of righteousness, by faith, ought not” to be so strange a thing to them. And, as to their being, for their unbelief, rejected from being the people of God, and the gentiles taken in in their room, he shows paid that this was foretold them in the Old Testament; and herein God did them no injustice. He was sovereign o¥ er all mankind, and might choose whom he would, to be his people, with the same freedom that he chose the poste of Abraham, among all the nations of the earth, and of t race chose the descendants of Jacob, before those of elder brother Esau, and that, before they had a being were capable of doing good or evil. In all which discov urse of his it is plain, the “election spoken of has for its object only nations, or collective bodies politic, in this world, an¢ é not, particular persons, in reference to their eternal ‘stated in the world to come. Having thus finished the principal deeb of his wr he here, in this, as is usual with him in all his epistles, cludes with practical and moral exhortations, whereof are several in this chapter, -w ‘hich 4 we’ shall take i ‘in th order. : Se TEXT. 1 I BESEECH you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of! G that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable u nto. God, which is your reasonable service. php PARAPHRASE. I Ir being so then, that you are become ne peor God, in the room of the j jews, do not ye fail to offer b that sacrifice, that it is reasonable for you to do, I m your bodies*, not to be slain, but the lusts ‘ee be NOTE. i, tebevercbas, to set at nought, and despise the converted j jews, for S| their ritual observances of meats and drinks, &c. 8 Aicéxovoy wepilowincs ‘4 minister of, or to the circumcision.” was, that Christ ministered to the jews, we may see, by the like ¢ St. Paul, applied to himself, ver. 16, where he calls himself * Jesus Chil at to the gentile, ministering the gospel of God.” , “HAP. xv. ROMANS. ; &17 TEXT. 10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye gentiles, with his people. 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye gentiles, and laud him, all ye * ~ people. Vy . , 12>And again Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise tu reign over the gentiles, in him shall the gen- tiles trust. an 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in beliév= ing, that ye may abound in hope,. through the power of the Holy Ghost. . ynev Ne: PARAPHRASE. tiles, to glorify God for his mercy to you, as it is writ~ . ten, ‘ For this cause I will confess to thee among the | 10 “gentiles, and sing unto thy name.” , And.again, :he 11 saith, ‘“‘ Rejoice, ye gentiles, with his people.” And again, “‘ Praise the Lord, all ye gentiles, and laud him, 12 ‘‘all. ye nations.” And again, Isaiah . saith, : “‘ There “ shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign ' “over the gentiles, in him shall the gentiles: trust '.” 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hop«, through the _. power of the Holy Ghosts ; tae » “ NOTES. 12 * "Em wirg 20vn *Amidor, “ in him shall the gentiles trust,” rather hopes “not that there is any material difference in the signification of trust and hope, _ but the better to express and answer St. Paul’s way of writing, with whom. it is familiar, when he hath been speaking of any virtue or grace, whereof God is the author, to call God, thereupon, the God of that virtue, or favour. An eminent "example whereof we have a few verses backwards, ver. 4, lia did tic btropovng x Tic Wapaurnoews TAv ypaDav Thy erqride Ewuev, “ that we through patience _ “ and comfort,” rather consolation, ‘‘ of the scriptures, might have hope ;”” and. _ then subjoins, 6 3 @rd¢ rns donors % TNS DApAVANTEDSS * now the God of " * patience and consolation.”” And so here 2); 2Amiots 6 02 Oed¢ 2ATid@+ _ the gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope.” f | ns 18 u The gifts of the Holy Ghost, bestowed upon the gentiles, were a foun- _ dation of hope to them, that they were, by believing, the children, or people of God, as well as the jews. rey Y + 20 had ig ; ee j »: Tr. Ee Ale ROMANS. ona. are ~ SECT... KL Vi. spcainauas ¥ a} Sek T iad ni, fg CHAP. XV. 14—33. Rion, @ as aivge BANGS seat Ii infae . 2 CONTENTS. $a! yp —. & r] Ly the remaining part of this chapter, St, Paul makes | 2. very kind and skilful apology to them, for this epistle: ex- presses an earnest desire of coming to them: touches upon the reasons, that hitherto had hindered him: desires their . prayers for /his deliverance from: the jews, in his journey to Jerusalem, whither ‘he was going ; and promises that, from thence, he “wr make them a visit in his rs to Spain. os TEXT. Pes ae Ti 14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, imy ane that ye ‘also are full of goodness, filled with all a able —_ 10 “admonish one another, = 15. Nevertheless, brethren, I have siritiala ithe more boldly unto you, , in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of ‘the grace, is given to me of God. S| 16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, mi- nistering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the gentil ea) might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. — 4 , e £ . ou Ue tae PARAPHRASE. “vot bl dei 14 As to my own thoughts concerning you, my! am persuaded that ¥ you also, as well as o th > of goodness, abounding in all knowledge, a a 15 struct one another. Nevertheless, ‘preteen I written to you, in some things, pretty freely, as your 1 membrancer, which I have been emboldened tod A «. .- the commission, which God has been graciously p 16 to bestow on me, Whom he hath made to be th ter of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, in the gospel in which holy ministration | officiate, that the gen’ may be made an acceptable offering* to God, sanct NOTE. 16 a * Offering.” See Isai, Ixvi, 29. / cdr. x¥? ROMANS, 419 TEXT, 17 I have. therefore whereof I may glory, through Jesus Christ, in those things which pertain unto God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the gentiles obedient, by word and deed. 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyri- _. cum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. '20 Yea, so have [ strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was ~ named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation. 21 But as it is written, ‘To whom he was not spoken of, they shall _ see: and they that have not heard, shall understand. 22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming fo you, F PARAPHRASE. 17 by the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon them. I have, therefore, matter of glorying, through Jesus Christ, 18 asto those things that pertain” toGod. For I shall not venture to trouble you with any concerning myself, but . only what Christ hath wrought by me, for the bringing _ of the gentiles to christianity, both in profession and 19 practice. Through mighty signs and wonders by the _ power of the Holy Ghost, so that, from Jerusalem and | _ the neighbouring countries, all along, quite to Illyricum, 20 I have effectually preached the gospel of Christ; But _ so as studiously to avoid the carrying of it to those places, where it was already planted, and where the _. people were already christians, lest I should build upon 1 another man’s foundation‘. But as it is written’, “To _ “whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they, 22 “that have not heard, shall understand.” This has a NOTES. i) 17 > Ta wos @zov, * Things that pertain to God.” The same phrase we lave, Heb. v. 1, where it signifies the things, that were offered to God, in the ererunvtretion. St. Paul, by way of allusion, speaks of the gentiles in the regoing verse, as an offering to be made to God, and of himself, as the priest, by whom the sacrifice, or offering, was to be prepared and offered; and then here tees them, that he had matter of glorying, in this offering, i.e. that he had had ~ Us - Success, in converting the gentiles, and bringing them to be a living, holy, and cceptable sacrifice to God; an account whereof he gives them, in the four fol- ing verses. 420 © See 1 Cor. iii. 10, 2 Cor, x, 16. 1? Isaiah lii. 15. ipl EeQ 420 ROMANS. ‘GHAP. X¥e, 23 But now, having no more place i in these parts desire, these many years, to come unto y i 24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain ry 1 cx for 1 trust to see you in my journey, and to” r _ way thither-ward by you, if first Lbe Somewhat fil company. 25 But now I go unto Jerusalem, to. gee? “unto t the} 26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia, a and. Achaia a certain contribution for the an ie eat salem. : er 28 When, therefore, I have = pened this, and ae seale this fruit, I will come, by you, into Spain. 29 And Lam sure that, when I come unto) you, I) shall, come ia th fulness of the gospel of Christe 9), 4) gy ‘a -uaidineodh)obeet PARAPHRASE. not oF one ale 23 often hindered me from coming to you: But now, hay ing in these parts no place, where Cire hah ioe heard of, to preach the gospel in; and haying 24 these many years, a desire to come to you: Th I take my journey to Spain, take you int Ly We hope, then, to see you, and to be brout P oft thither-ward by you, when I have, for some tim joyed your company, and pretty well: satisfied @5 ing, on that account. But, at present, am s 26 for Jerusalem, going to minister to the saints th it hath pleased those of Macedonia and Achaia a contribution for the poor; among the saints at &7 lem. It hath pleased them to do so, and they ar deed, their debtors. For, if the gentiles have made partakers of their spiritual things, they are | on their side, to minister to them, for the suppo 28 temporal life. When, therefore, I have dis business, and put this fruit of my labour 29 hands, I will come to you in my way to § know that, when I come unto you, I shall to your full seuehe on concerning the CHAP. XVI. ROMANS. 421 ef : : of k : as ¢ ‘| DPEXT: 30 Now [beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, ‘and for the love of the spirit, that ye strive, together with me, |» an your prayers to God for me. $1 That [ may be delivered from them that do not believe, in Ju _ dea; and that my service, which I have for Jerusalem, may be | accepted of the saints ; 32 That I may come unto you with joy, by the will of God, and » ~ may with you be refreshed. ‘83 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. c PARAPHRASE. 30 which you receive by the gospel* of Christ. Now I ~ beseech’you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and .. by the love which comes from the spirit of God, to join 31 with me in earnest prayers to God for me, That I may ' be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea; and that » > the service Iam doing the saints there, may be accep- 32 table to them: That, if it be the will of God, I may “come to you with joy, and may be refreshed together 33 with you. Now the God of peace be with you all. _ Amen. NOTE. : 29 © He may be understood to mean here, that he should be able to satisfy ’ them, that, by the gospel, the forgiveness of sins was to be obtained. For that ” he shows, chap. iv.6—9. And they had as much title to it, by the gospel, as the jews themselves; which was the thing he had been making out to them in ® this epistle. - is = 7. Wy 4 - SECT. XV. ‘te ze CHAP. XVI. 1—97. fb - CONTENTS, Hr Tue foregoing epistle furnishes us with reasons to con- _ clude, that the divisions. and offences, that were in the ro- ' man church, were between the jewish and gentile converts, _- whilst the one, over-zealous for the rituals of the law, en- __ deayoured to-impose circumcision and other mosaical rites, eee: 429 ROMANS. ——gua,-xvn, as necessary to be observed, by all that professed christi- anity; and the other, without due regard to the weakness of the jews, showed.a too open neglect, of those their f ances, which were of so great account with them, . St. Paul was so sensible, how much the churches of Christ suffered, on this occasion, and so careful to prevent this, which was @ disturbance’ almost every where (as may be seen in the hi tory of the Acts, and collected out of the epistles) that, a he had finished his: discourse to them, (which we. may serve solemnly closed, in the end of the foregoing ch he here, in the middle of his salutations, cannnt tesa tO caution them against the authors and fomenters of these di- visions, and. that very pathetically, ver. 17—20.> All ‘ rest of this chapter is spent, almost’ wholly, in sa on Only the four last verses contain a conel sion, after Paul’s manner. Ail ( | TEXT. ‘ 1 I COMMEND unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a’ sérva __ of the church which is at Kenchrea: “/ ast oF sidan @ 2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that assist her, in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for hath been a succourer of many, and myself also, « 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus: 4 (Who have, for my life, laid down their own necks: unto whom > » not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the gentiles.) e PARAPHRASE. 1 I COMMEND to you Pheebe, our sister, who is a s 2 vant of the church, which is at Kenchrea*, That you ceive her, for Christ’s sake, as becomes christians, that you assist her, in whatever business she has need vou, for she has assisted” many, and me in partic 3 Salute Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow-labourers in the — 4 gospel, (Who have, for my life, exposed their own to — NOTES. 2 Kenchrea was the port to Corinth. 2 > Tposartc, ‘* succourer,” seems here to signify hostess, not in mn, for there was no such thing as our inns, in that country ; but o house was the place of lodging and entertainment of those, who were.recei by the church, as their guests, and these she took care of. And to that ap ‘may be very well applied. But, whether St, Paul was induced to it here, as somewhat corresponding to eeepasnrs, which he used rb just before, in this verse, I leave to those, who nicely observe St. Paul’s s ‘CHAP. XVI. ROMANS. | A923 TEXT. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epznetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. 7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the aposiles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Salute Apelles, approved in Christ. Salute them, which are of Aristobulus’ houshold. 11 Salute Herodian, my kinsman. Greet them that be of the hous- hold of Narcissus, which are in the Lord. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Sa- lute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. 13 Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and » the brethren which are with them. 15 Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. PARAPHRASE. danger, unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all 5 the churches of the gentiles.) Greet also the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epzene- 6 tus, who is the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ. Greet Mary, who took a great deal of pains for our sakes. 7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsfolk and fellow- prisoners, who are of note among the aposties, who also $ were christians before me. Greet Amplias, my beloved 9 in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and 10 Stachys, my beloved. Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute those who are of the houshold of Aris- ‘11 tobulus. Salute Herodian, my kinsman. Salute all those of the houshold of Narcissus, who have embraced © 12 the gospel. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who take pains in the gospel. Salute the beloved Persis, who la- 13 bonred much in the Lord. Salute Rufus, chosen, .or selected to be a disciple of the Lord; and his mother 14 and mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Pa- trobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and AD‘ ROMANS. ’ aoe PEE Ci 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The « salute you. ee ee 17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisior ‘and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have ained and avoid them... — I phi i aa 18 For they, that are such, serve not our Lord Jesus their own belly; and, by good words and fair speeches, the hearts of the simple. may Loe PD 19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. — therefore, on your behalf: but yet I would have you that which is good; and simple concerning evil. = 20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet ~The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. A au ve na b Taye ) 1 PARAPHRASE, en ni ip ' ' e217 ke tele eh es @ hee 16 Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. — ~ ‘one another with an holy kiss. The churches o salute you. shad io WN 9 14, 17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark those who divisions and offences, contrary to the dect ine, 18 you haye learned, and ayoid them. For thex Ai not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own ellies, 2 good words and fair speeches, insinuating the ‘19 deceive well-meaning, simple men. Your ‘conver and ready compliance with the doctrine of t when it was brought to you, is known in t generally talked of: I am glad, for yo so forwardly obeyed the gospel. gi _advise you to be wise and cautious in pre selves steady in what is wise and good*; thought, or skill, how to circumyent, or 20 be in this regard very plain and simple, — is the giver and lover of peace, will soon ministers of Satan‘, the disturbers of ; NOTES, 18 © Such as these we have a description of, Tit. i. 10, 14 19 ¢ See chap. i. 8. ‘ ‘ © A direction much like this you have, 1 Cor. xiv. 20, 20 f 80 those who made divisions in the chuych of Co: wi. 14,15, . G CHAP. xvi. ROMANS. 495 a TEXT. 21 Timotheus, my work-fellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosi- pater, my kinsmen, salute you. ls 22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. 23 Gains mine host, and of the whole church saluteth you. Eras- tus, the chamberlain of the city, saluteth you, and Quartus, a brother, 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus_Christ be with you all. Amen, 25 Now to him, that is of power to stablish you, according to my PARAPHRASE, make divisions amongst you®. ‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 21 Timothy, my work-fellow, and Lucius and Jason, and | 22 Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. I ‘Tertius, who wrote 23 this epistle, salute you in the Lord. Gaius mine host, aud of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus, the chamberlain of the city, saluteth you; and Quartus, a 24 brother. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen. 25 Now, to him that is able to settle and establish you in an adherence to my" gospel, and to that which I deliver, ~* NOTES. & “ Shall bruise Satan,” i.e. shall break the force and attempts of Satan, upon your peace, by these his instruments, who would engage you in quarrels and discords, 25% & My gospel.” St. Paul cannot be supposed to have used such an ex- pression as this, unless he knew that what he preached had something in it, that istinguished it from what was preached by others; which was plainly the mys~ _ tery, as he every-where calls it, of God’s purpose, of taking in the gentiles to be _his people, under the Messiah, and that without subjecting them to circumcision, or the law of Moses. This is that which he here calls 73 v4pufuce “Inc® Xpicd, _ * the pugaching of Jesus Christ ;” for, without this, he did not think that Christ ‘was preached to the gentiles, as he ought to be: and, therefore, in several places _ of his epistle to the galatians he calls it ‘the truth,” and ‘the truth of the gos- * pel;”” and uses the like expressions to the ephesians and colossians. ‘This is that mystery, which he isso much concerned, that the ephesians shquid understand and stick firm to, which was revealed to him, according to that gospel, whereof’ he was made the minister ; as may be seen at large, in that epistle, particularly chap. iii, 6,7. ‘The same thing he declares to the colossians, in his epistle to thems particularly chap. i. 22—927, and ii.6—8. For that he, in a peculiar manner, "preached this doctrine, so as none of the other apostles did, may be seen Acts xxi. Fe —05, Acts xv. 6, 7. For though the other apostles and elders of the church “of Jerusalem had determined, that the gentiles should only keep themselves from _ ‘things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from for= “ication; yet it is plain enough from what they say, Acts xxi. 20—24, that they taught not, nay, probably did not think, what St. Paul openly declares te 1 ‘calls mystery. See Eph. i. 9, and ili. 3—9, Col. i. 25—-27. ¢ “Ail, that St. Paul insists on here, and in all the places where he meni ‘not any where the east suspicion, or thought of it, till the Messiah b 406 ROMANS. TEXT. - gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, Cegerding to t . _ velation of the mystery, which was kept secret, since putes id began ; gic Lae: | ae 26 But now is made manifest, and, by the scriptures of the pro- phets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, — made known to all nations, for the obedience of faith.) ae : oy? a } PARAPHBASE..| Jum aan concerning Jesus Christ, in my preaching, conformable to the revelation of the mystery’, whic! lay unexplained 26 in the secular times; Bat now is laid open, and, by the writings of the prophets, made known (according to P NOTES. the ephesians, that the law of Moses was abolished by the death of Christ, Ep ii. 15. Which, if St. Peter and St. James had been as clear in as was St. Paul, St. Peter would not have incurred his reproof, as he did by his carriage, men. tioned Gal. ii. 12, &c. But in all this may be seen the isda and goodness 0 God, to both jews and gentiles. See note, Eph. ii. 15. . wil a i That the mystery, he here speaks of, is the calling of the gentiles, may be seen in the folowing words; which is that which, in many of his epist > he , & Xpdvors akwriose, ‘ in the secular times,’ or in the times under the law. Why the times, under the law, were called ypévos widvsory we may find reason in their jubilees, which were ocbovec, “ secula” or ‘ ages,” by which all the time, under the law, was measured; and so xpovos widyias is used 2 Tim. i. 9, Tit i. 2.. And so wiives are put for the times of the law, or the jubilees. Lu 70, Acts iii. 21, 1 Cor. ii. 7, and x. 11, Eph. iii. 9, Col, i. 26, Heb. ix ‘And so God is called the rock, Q’D5 YY, aidver, of ages, Isa. xnvi. 4, i sense that he is called the rock of Israel, Isai. xxx. 29 i.e thé stren support of the jewish state: for it is of the jews the prophet here speaks. | Exod. xxi. 6, “1 NY, cic roy wiaves Signifies not, as we translate it, ‘ for € but ‘to the jubilee ;” which will appear, if we compare Ley. xxv. 39-—4 Exod. xxi. 2, see “ Burthogg’s christianity, a revealed mystery,” p. 4 Now, that the times of the law, were the times spoken ot hee be seems plain, from that which he declares to have continued a mystery, | those times; to wit, God’s purpose of taking in the gentiles to be his under the Messiah: for this could not be said to be a mystery, at any oth but during the time that the jews were the peculiar people of God, separz him, from among the nations of the earth. Before that time, there was no name, or rotién of distinction, as gentiles. Before the days of Abraham, I and Jacob, the calling of the israelites to be God’s peculiar people, was as m a mystery, as the calling of others, out of other nations, was a mystery afterw: mystery, is to show, that though God has declared this his purpose to th by the predictions of his prophets amongst them; yet it lay concealed from t knowledge, it was a mystery to them; they understood no such thing: there it was openly declared, by St. Paul, to the jews and gentiles, and ma the writings of the prophets, which were now understood. — et _CHAP. XVI, ROMANS, — 427 TEXT. 27 To God, only wise, be glory, through Jesus Christ, for ever, Amen. PARAPHRASE. commandment of the everlasting God) to the gentiles of all nations, for the bringing them in, to the obedience 27 of the law of faith. To the only wise God be glory, through Jesus Christ, for ever, Amen, 32%. * “igre we Slt ental pase { to asliinsy adi 0} (poo yalteahova goneibede edi of di aadt jolg.ed ber) osiw ino 0 orld be am. .7e¥9 sa c BP ety \ MRD Oe GUAT ITS Tog \ 9 ir ert ‘ aA PERS 4 - i ny E & i n x Ne Maal ¢ + { A - ' ; A PARAPHRASE | AND NOTES ON THE ‘EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL ro THR EPHESIANS. i > ig: 1 ; ‘we -- s ARP RO” mee IAS De LO td : ; git oe.) PANTO vy { i bere A Fs 1 seat ; é é 1 5 at 4 ; 7 as, ” r Wa tee Casey. 4 THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS; WRIT IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 63, OF NERO 1X. SYNOPSIS. Ovr Saviour had, so openly and expressly, declared, to | ‘his disciples, the destruction of the temple, that they could, _sby no means, doubt of it; nor of this consequence of it, _ viz. that the #, customs or rites of the mosaical law, as _ they are called, Acts vi. 14, and xxi. 21, were to cease with “it. And this St. Stephen, by what is laid to his charge, Acts vi. 13, 14, seems to have taught. And upon this ground it might very well be, that the apostles and church of Jerusa- lem required no more of the convert gentiles, than the-ob- -servance of such things as were sufficient to satisfy the jews, that they were not still heathens and idolaters. But, as for _the rest of the mosaical rites, they required not the convert gentiles (to whom the mosaical law was not given) to ob- “serve them. ‘This being a very natural and obvious conse- quence, which they could not but see, that if by the destruc- tion of the temple and worship of the jews, those rites were “speedily to be taken away, they were not observances neces- sary to the people of God, and of perpetual obligation. Thus far, it is plain, the other apostles were-instructed, and satis- fied of the freedom of the gentile converts from complying with the ritual law. But, whether it was revealed to them, -with the same clearness as it was to St. Paul, that the jews 432 SYNOPSIS. too; as well as the gentiles, who were converted to the chris-_ tian faith, were dischar ged from their former obligation te the ritual law of Moses, and freed from those observances - may be doubted: because, as we see, they had not at all i ne structed their converts of the’ circumcision, of their being ot : at liberty from that yoke; which, it is very likely, they w vuld not have forborn to have done, if they had-been convincec of it themselves. For, in all that discourse concerning this question, Acts xv. 1—2@1, ‘there is not one syllable sai the jews being discharged, by faith in the Messiah, fror observance of any of the mosaical rites. _ Nor doesit ap’ “that the apostles of the circumcision ever taught their di ples, or suggested to them, any such thing, which one ca scarce imagine, they could have neglected, if it had be _ revealed to ) them, and so given them in charge. It is ce tain, their converts had never been taught any such thin For St. James himself acquaints us, Acts xxi. 20, that 1 th ‘many thousands, that believed, were all zealous of tl th “Jaw.” And what his own opinion of those rites, was, m be seen, ver. 24, where he calls keeping this’ part of th ay +8 walking order ly: ” and he is concer ned to thaver Sel P thought a | strict observer thereof. All which could not ha been, if-it had been revealed to him, as’ pect pr essly as it was to St.. Paul, that all betievebs liane i siah, jews as well as centiles, were absolved from the | Moses, and were under no obligation to observe thos monies any longer, they being 1 now no. longer necessary the people of God, in this his new kingdom, erected | the Messiah ; nor indeed was it necessary, that this cular point should have been, from the begi 3 to the other apostles, who were sufficient! thar icte their mission, and the conversion of their | ren, the by the Holy Ghost bringing to their minds (as was pr all that our Saviour had said unto them, in his life-tia amonest them, in the true sense of it. “But the sendi to the jews with this message, that the law w was to cross the very design “of sending them speak an aversion to their doctrine; and to the j Jews, and turn their hearts from them receiving his whole knowledge of the gos trom heaven, by revelation, seems to’have th S¥NOPSTIS: - A353 struction added, to:fit him for the mission he was chosen to, and make him an effectual messenger of the gospel, by fur- nishing him presently with this necessary truth, concerning the cessation of the law, the knowledge whereof could not but come in time to the other apostles, when it should be seasonable. Whether. this be not so, I leave it to be con- sidered. This, at least, is certain, that St Paul alone, more than all the rest of the apostles, was taken notice of to haye preached, that the coming of Christ put an end to the law, and that, in the kingdom of God, erected under the Mes- | siah, the observation of the law was neither required, nor availed aught; faith in Christ was the only condition of ad- mittance, both for jew and gentile, all, who believed, being | now equally the people of God, whether circumcised, or un- circumcised, ‘This was that, which the jews, zealous of the | law, which they took to be the irrevocable, unalterable char- | ter of the people of God, and the standing rule of his king- | dom, could by.no means bear. And therefore, provoked | by this report of St. Paul, the jews, both converts as well as others, looked upon him as a dangerous innovator, and an _ enemy to the true religion, and, as such, seized on him in _ the temple, Acts xxi. upon occasion whereof it was, that he __Was a prisoner at Rome, when he writ this epistle, where he seems to be concerned, lest now, he, that was the apostle of the gentiles, from whom alone the doctrine of their exemp- ‘tion from, the law had its rise and support, was in bonds, upon.that very account, it might give an opportunity to those " judaizing professors of christianity, who contended that the -_gentiles, unles -they were circumcised after the manner of _ Moses, could not be saved, to unsettle the minds, and shake _ the faith of those, whom he had converted. This being the P. mnffoversy, from whence rose the great trouble and danger q hat, in the time of our apostle, disturbed the churches col- ected from among the gentiles.. That, which chiefly dis- quieted the minds, and shook the faith of those, who from heathenism were converted to christianity, was this doctrine, that, except the converts from paganism were circumcised, nd thereby subjected themselves to the law and the jewish Tites, they could have.no benefit by the gospel, as may be Seen all through the Acts, and 4 almost all St, Paul’s epis- F . se i 434 SYNOPSIS. | . | tles, Wherefore, when he heard that the ephesians stood — firm in the faith, whereby he means their confidence of their title to the privileges and benefits of the gospel, without sub- . Lennie mission to the law (for the introducing the legal obs into the kingdom of the Messiah, he declared to be a suby sion of the gospel, and contrary to the great and glorious sign of that kingdom) he thanks God for them, and, sett forth the eracious and glorious design of God towards the prays that they may be enlightened, so as to be able t the mighty things done for them, and the immense a tages they receive by it. In all which he displays the rious state of that kingdom, not in the ordinary way of mentation and formal reasoning; which had no place epistle, writ as this is, all as it were in a rapture, and in a style far above the plain, didactical way; he pretends not to teach them any thing, but couches all, that he would drop into their minds, in thanksgivings and prayers, which aff ing a greater liberty and flight to his thoughts, he gives terance to them, in noble and sublime expressions, su to the unsearchable wisdom and goodness of God, sho the world in the work of redemption. This, though pe at first sight, it may render his meaning a little obseur his expressions the harder to be understood, yet, by # sistance of the two following epistles, which were both whilst he was in the same circumstances, upon the sz ‘casion, and to the same purpose, the sense and doc the apostle here may be so clearly seen, and so perfe ‘comprehended, that there can hardly be a doubt left al ‘it, to any one, who will examine them diligently and fully compare them together. The epistle to the colo ‘seems to be writ the very same time, in the same ru ‘warmth of thoughts, so that the very same expression fresh in his mind, are repeated in many places; the “phrase, matter, and all the parts quite through, of t es ‘epistles do so perfectly correspond, that one cannot b taken, in thinking one of them very fit to give ligh -other. And that to the philippians, writ alsé by St -during his bonds at Rome, when attentively looked into, will ‘be found to have the same aim with the other two; so tha in these three epistles taken together, one may see th design of the gospel laid down, as far surpassing cuAr. 2 EPHESIANS. : 435 both in glory, greatness, comprehension, grace, and bounty, and therefore they were opposers, not promoters of the true doctrine of the gospel, and the kingdom of God under the Messiah, who would confine it to the narrow and beggarly elements of this world, as St. Paul calls the positive ordi- nances of the mosaical institution. To confirm the gentile churches, whom he had converted, in this faith which he had instructed them in, and*keep them from submitting to the mosaical rites, in the kingdom of Christ, by giving r them a nobler and more glorious: view of the gospel, is the design of this and the two following epistles. For the better under- _ standing these epistles, it might be worth while to show their harmony.all through, but this synopsis is not a place for it; the following paraphrase and notes will give an opportunity to point out several passages wherein their agreement will appear - The ‘latterénd of this epistle, according to St. Paul’s usual method, contains practical directious and exhortations, He that desires to inform himself in what is left upon re- cord, in sacred scripture, concerning the church of the ephe- | sians, which was the metropolis of Asia, strictly so called, | may read the 19th and 20th of the Acts. : ora SECT. I. ied c0 | CHAP. I. 1, 2. Bin a. -_ . CONTENTS. q HESE two verses contain St. Paul’s i inscription, or intro- tion of this epistle, what there is in it remarkable for piificrence, from what is to be found in his other epistles, FF * Onn - he a 436 EPHESIANS. CHAP. 1. ‘ j Le yak pe ni Rod TEXT, aft oyeioto. it Ts 1 PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the . saints which are“at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, aud frem the, ~ Lord Jesus Christ. [esinantd oft te Seana a oi ; PARAPHRASE. | 1 Patt, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the dec - and special appointment of God, to the profe gospel *, who are in Ephesus; converts, who stand 9 inthe faith’ of Christ Jesus; Favour and peace be to ¥ from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. nes Mealy : NOTES. vee 100 FiO 1 2 Tots ayiore, though rightly translated ‘¢ saints,” yet it does not ether than a national sanctification, such as the jews had, by*being: from the gentiles, and appropriated to God, as his peculiar people ; Hn} one, that was of the holy nation of the jews heretofore, or of the | Christ, under the gospel, were saints, in that sense that the word is usual now among christians, viz. such persons as were every one of: them a a State of salvation. ; Ts Aaa _ Thisois, ‘ faithful.” -We have observed above, that this ; to the colossians, have all through-a very great resemblance; their linear so correspond, that I think they may. be twin-epistles, conceived and b forth together, so that the very expressions of the one occurred fresh in St. memory, and were made use of in the other. ‘Their being sent by the messenger, Tychicus, is a farther probability, that they were writ.at the time. Tlisois therefore being found in the introduction ef both epistl no one other of St. Paul’s, there is just reason to think, that it was a term to the present notion he had of those he was writing to, with reference to t business he was writing about. . I take it, therefore, that, by ‘faithful in Ch << Jesus,” he means here such as stood firm to Jesus Christ, which he # them to do, who made circumcision necessary to salvation, and an jewish rites a requisite part of the christian religion. This is plain express words, Gal. v. 1,2, ‘‘ Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty, «© Christ hath made us free, and be not intangled again with the yoke of bo « Behold I Paul say unto you, that, if ye are circumcised, Christ shall s< you nothing, &c.”’ And those, that contended for submission to the la cails “* perverters of the gospel of Christ,” Gal, i. 7, and more to # uurpose may be seen in that epistle. We shall have an occasion to coi interpretation of the word smisac, ‘ faithful,” here, when we come to the import of the word qisic, ‘ faith,” ver. 15, _ They fetvaule « and,” -not exegetical here, but used only to join, under the title o “< in Christ Jesus,” the converts in Asia, I shall desire, besides Col. i also 1 Cor i. 2, and thereby judge in what sense they aré to understan “ the faithful in Christ Jesus” here, ee, he =e FF Py CHAP. 1. EPHESIANS. - , 437 SECT. II. a y% CHAP. I. 3—14. CONTENTS. In this section St. Paul thanks God for his grace and _ bounty to the gentiles, wherein he so sets forth both God's cious purpose of bringing the gentiles into his kingdom under the Messiah, and his actual bestowing on them bless- ings of all kinds, in Jesus Christ, for a complete re-instating them in that his heavenly kingdom, that there could be no- thing stronger pyeeested to make the ephesians, and other ‘gentile convert , not to think any more of the law, and that much inferiour kingdom of his, established upon the mo- saical institution, and adapted to a little canton of the earth, and a small tribe of men; as now necessary-to be retained under this more spiritual institution, and celestial kingdom, erected under Jesus Christ, intended to comprehend men of all nations, and extend itself to the utmost bounds of the earth, for the greater honour of God, or, as St. Paul speaks, “ to the praise of the glory of God.” : \ TEXT. ‘3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly places, in Christ: ee if PARAPHRASE. | rd Blessed and magnified be the God and Father of our Lord _ Jesus Christ, who has, in and by Jesus Christ*, furnished us? gentiles with all sorts oi blessings, that may fit us to be NOTES. 3 4 °Ey Xpied, “in Christ,” I take to be put here emphatically, and to sig- _nify the same with, “ filleth all in all,” v. 23, which is more fully explained, Col. iii. 11, ‘* where there is neither greek, nor jew, circumcision nor uncircum- cision, barbarian, scythian, bond, nor free, but Christ is all, and in all.” -.b “Us.” The right understanding of this section, and indeed of this whole epistle, depends very much on understanding aright, who are more especially comprehended under the terms, ‘us’? and “ we,” from ver.-3, to 12. For | us,” must signify either, 1. St. Paul himself personally ; but that the visible tenour of the discourse at first sight plainly destroys: besides, it suits not St. i et 438 EPHESIANS. guests” NOTE. 7 Paul's modesty to attribute so much in particular to himself, as is spoke of ¢ us*® and ‘ we,”” in this section ; or if we could think he would give himself that li- berty ; yet ver. 12 overturnsit all; for aué¢ rods exponAmimorac, * we who first S* trusted in Christ,”” can by no means be admitted to be spoken by St. Paul personally of himself. Add to this, that in this very chapter, no farther off than ver. 15, St. Paul, speaking of himself, says, “J,”’ in the singular number; and — so he does, chap. iii. ver. 7,8. Or, r 2. It must signify believers in general; but that aponAminéeres, joined to it, will not admit, for we, the first believers, cannot signify we all that are believers, but restrains the persons to some sort of men, that then began to believe, i.e. the gentiles: and then the next words, ver. 13, haye.an easy and natural con- _ nexion; we other gentiles, who first believed in Christ, in whom also ye, the gentiles also of Ephesus, after ye heard, believed. Or, "TVS 3. Tt must signify the convert jews. But would it not be somewhat pr terous for St. Paul so much to magnify God’s goodness and bounty’ to the Jews — in particular, in an epistle writ to a church of converted gentiles: wherein heat addresses himself to the gentiles, in contra-distinction to,the jews, and tells them ¥ they were to be made co-partners with them in the kingdom of the Messiah, — which was opened to them by abolishing of the law of Moses, intimated plainly — “in this very section, ver. 7—10. Wherein he magnifies the riches of the favour — of God, to the persons he is speaking of, under the denomination “ us,” in i —s gathering again all things, i.e. men of all sorts, under Christ the head, which couid not mean the jews alone: but of this he speaks more openly afterwards. Farther, ** we’’ here, and “‘ we,”’ chap. ii. 3, must be the same, and denote the same persons; but the ‘ we,” chap. ii. 3, can neither be St. Paul alone, nor bi “| lievers in general, nor jewish converts in particular, as the obvious sense o i he -place demonstrates: for neither St. Paul can be called, “ we all;” nor is it true that all the convert jews had their conversation among the gentiles, as our ible — renders the greek ; which, if otherwise to be understood, is more directly against — signifying the jews. These, therefore, being excluded from being meant by “we? and ‘ us,’’ here, who can remain to be signified thereby, but the convert gen- — tiles in general? That St. Paul, who was the apostle of the gentiles, did often, in an obliging manner, join himself with the gentile converts under the terms _ us and we, as if he had been one of them, there are so many instances, that it cannot seem strange that he should do so in this section; as Rom. y. i—11, it is plain all along, uncer the term ‘ us,” he speaks of the gentile converts, — And many other passages might he brought out this epistle to evince it ; chap. i. 11, he saith, ‘ we have obtained an inheritance.” ‘Those we, it is plain, © chap. iii. 6, were gentiles. So chap. ii. 5, “‘ when we,” i,e. converts of the — ‘gentiles, ‘* were dead in sins:””. for I do not remember that the Fit re any where said, by St. Paul, to be dead in sins; that is one of the istinguishi ay characters of the gentiles: and there we see, in the same verse, ** we’ iv chiaoel into ‘‘ ye: and so ver. 6 and 7, having spoke of the gentiles in the first person, *« us,”’ in the beginning of the next verse it is changed into “ ye,” i.e. “¢ ephesians,”’ a part of those gentiles, To this I shall add one place more, out of the parallel epistle to the cologsians, chap. i. 12, 18, where he uses nudes» “us,” for the’ convert gentiles, changing the ‘ ye,” in the 10th verse, to “us,” in the 12th: the matter of giving thanks being the same, all along from ver. 3, -where it begins, and is repeated here again, ver. 12, i.e. the Pal AK the gentiles, out of the kingdom of the devil and darkness, into the kingdom of his -beloved son: or, as he expresses it, Eph. i. 6, ‘* Wherein he hath pt ‘us ac~ £** cepted in the beloved.”” And in the same sense he uses nudvs *us,”” Col. iis “14. For those, that the hand-writing of ordinances was against, and contrary to, were the gentiles, as he declares, Eph. ii, 14, 15, who were kept off from com- ing to be the people of God, by those ordinances, which were that, wherein the ry w a t & - Petit, EPHESIANS. | 439 TEXT. 4 According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love: PARAPHRASE. partakers of his heavenly kingdom, without need of any 4 assistance from the law, According as he chose us gentiles, upon Christ’s account alone‘, before the law was, even before the foundation of the world, to be bis people* un- der Jesus the Messiah, and to live unblameable lives * before him, in all love and affection‘, to all the saints, or f NOTES. a enmity between the jews and gentiles consisted, and was kept up; which, there- fore, Christ abolished, to make way for their union into one body, under Christ theirhead. Other passages, tending to the clearing of this, we shall have occa- - sion to take notice of, as they occur in the sequel of this epistle. 4¢ Ey avrg, “in him,” i.e. Christ: in the former verse it is efroyjons - hydig Ev mien evaroyere ev Xpisd. Kecbiig 2enzéallo nyndic ev apt. All which together make up this sense: ‘ as it was in consideration of Christ alone, that «© God heretofore, before the foundation of the world, designed us gentiles to «¢ be his people; so now the Messiah is come, all the blessings and benefits, we « are to receive in his heavenly kingdom, are laid up in him, and to be had only | << by our faith and dependence on him, without any respect to the law, or any | <¢ other consideration.” 4 “Ayiol, “ saints,” in St. Paul’s epistles is known to signify christians, ie. such as made profession of the gospel, for those were now the people of God. e See in Col. i. 22, this verse explained, where comparing it with the imme- diately preceding words, ver. 21, one may find a farther reason to take “¢ us,”” here, to signify the gentile converts, the same thing being applied there solely to the gentile converts of Colosse. £ <¢ Affection to all the saints.” That this is the meaning, may be seen, ver. 15, where to their true faith in Christ, which he was rejoiced with, he joined chy ayamny Thy cig advo 7h divs, “love unto all the saints.” The very same thing, which he takes notice of in the colossians, in the very same words, Col. i. 4.. Why love is so often mentioned in this epistle, as chap. iii. 18, and ‘Gv. 2, 15, 16, and v. 2, and vi. 23, we may find a reason, chap. ii. 11—22, wherein there is an account given of the enmity between the jews and gentiles, which Christ had taken away the cause of; and, therefore, the ceasing of it was one great mark of men’s being right in the faith, and of their having true and worthy notions of Christ, who had broke down the wall of partition, and opened. the kingdom of heaven to all equally, who believed in him, without any the least distinction of nation, blood, profession, or religion, that they were of before, all that being now done away, and superseded by the prince of peace, Jesus Christ the righteous, to make way for a more enlarged and, glorious kingdom, solely by faith in him, which now made the only distinction among men; so that all, who agreed in that, were thereby brought to the same level, to be all brethren and fellow-members in Christ, and the people, or sons of God, as he says in the Dext verses ~~ * 440° EPHESIANS; TEXT. 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children, by Jesus | Christ, to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. 3 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he Haein “a 7 accepted in the beloved. ‘ PARAPHRASE. 5 believers, of what nation soever; Having predetermined to take us gentiles, by® Jesus Christ, to be his sons" and — 6 people, according to the good pleasure of his will’. To : the end that the gentiles too might praise him for his grace — and: mercy to them, and all mankind magnity his glory for his abundant goodness to them, by receiving them freely into the kingdom of the Messiah, to be his people again, in a state of peace with him*, barely for the sake! ‘9 NOTES. 5 £ Tt was not by the observances of the law, but by faith alone Christ, that God pre-determined to take the gentiles into the state of s ip, adoption. This was another particular for which St. Paul blesses God, in mame of the gentiles: the consideration whereof was fit to raise the ‘ thoughts above the law, and keep them firm in adherence to the ary of the | ospel. f sh a ne “Yiobecia, ‘* adoption,” or * sonship,”” belonged only to thieith jews, bole ey the coming of the Messiah, Rom. ix. 4. For after the nations of the earth revolted from God, their Lord and Maker, and beconie servants and wors! pers of the devil, God abandoned them to the vassalage they had chosen, owned none of them for his, but the israelites, whom he had adopted to: be his children and people. See Exod. iv. 22, Jer. xxxi. 9, Luke i, 54. heh adoption is expressed to Abraham in these words, Gen. xvii. 7, “ I will bea *< God to thee, and to thy seed after thee ;” and to the israelites, Seite *¢ T will take you to me for a people, and I willl your God;”? and so Lev. xxvi. 12, ‘ T will walk amongst you, and be your God, and ye shall be €¢ people :”” and so we see that those whom, Exod. iv. he calls his sons, he c it in several other places, his people, as standing both, when spoken, ee for’ Se one and the same thing. “- i §* According to the good pleasure of his will :’” spoken herein . the same ‘sense with what is said Rom. ix. 18, 23,24. God, under the law, took the nation of Israel to he his people, without any merit in them; and so it is of his mere g pleasure, that he even then purposed to enlarge his kingdom, under the gospel, by admitting all, that of all the nations whatsoever would come in and submit themselves, not to the law of Moses, but to the rule and dominion of his ‘son Jesus Christ ; and this, as he says in the next words, §* for the aay - ory €¢ of his grace.” 6 © See chap. ii. 12—14, Acts xv. 14, &c. | ‘ - 1 I. do not think, ee thing of greater force can be imagined, t minds. of the ephesians, ‘above the jewish rituals, and keep them pa freedom of the gospel, than what St. Paul says here, viz. that. Sai oe - foundation of the world, freely determined within himself to admit the es into his kingdom, to be his people, for the manifestation of his roman et Touar i EPHESIANS, Ta TEXT. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sims according to the riches of his grace; . $ Wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and pm- ‘dence, - 9 Having made known unto us the mystery cf his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: q PARAPHRASE. 7 of him, that is his beloved: In whom we™ have redemp- - - tion by his blood, viz. the forgiveness of transgressions, 8 according to the greatness of his grace and favour, Which | __ he has overflowed in towards us, in bestowing on us so full a knowledge and comprehension of the extent and design of the gospel", and prudence to comply with it, as 9 it becomes you’; In that he hath made known to you the good pleasure of his will and purpose, which was a ? mys- il NOTES. “world over, that all nations might glorify him: and this for the sake of his son Jesus Christ, who was his beloved, and was so chiefly regarded in all this; and therefore it was to mistake, or pervert, the end of the gospel, and debase this glorious dispensation, to make it subservient to the jewish ritual, or to suppose ‘that the law of Moses was to Support, or to be supported, by the kingdom of the ' Messiah, which was to be of a larger extent, and settled upon another founda tion, whereof the mosaical institution was but a narrow, faint, and typical re- ory ntation. : i: 7 m “ We” does as plainly here stand for the gentile converts, as it is mani- ” fest it does in the parallel place, Col. i. 13, 14. * ape That by wacn coPia St. Paul means a comprehension of the revealed will of God in the gospel, more particularly the mystery of God's purpose of calling the gentiles, and taking out of them a people and inheritance to himself in his kin m, under the Messiah, may be perceived by reading and comparing chap. 4. 8, Col. i. 9, 10, 28, and ii. 2, $, which verses, read with attention to the con- ‘text, plainly show what St. Paul means here. _ © That this is the meaning of this verse, I refer my reader to Col. i. 9, 10. * 9p Icannot think that God’s purpose of calling the gentiles, so often termed “a mystery, and so emphatically declared to be concealed from ages, and particu- larly revealed to himself; and as we find, in this epistle, where it is so called by “St. Paul five times, and four times in that to the colossians; is by chance, or without some particular reason. The question was “ whether the converted ~** gentiles should hearken to the jews, who would persuade them it was neces- __ “* sary for them to submit to circumcision and the law, or to St. Paul, who had 6 taught them otherwise.” Now there could be nothing of more force to de- Stroy the authority of the jews, in the case, than the showing them, that the jews p nothing of the matter, that it was a perfect mystery to them, concealed 4% their knowledge, and made manifest in God’s good time, at the coming of the Messiah, and most particularly discovered to St. Paul, by immediafé cevela- tion, to be communicated by him to the gentiles; who, therefore, had reason te . “ig EPHESIANS - guanal FEXT. = roi A elRiaUlal aire 60 stick firm to this great truth, and not to be led aw: from the 1, whic had taught thentt " ee Ope It @ See chap. iii. 9. PAO CTY UME I ker 10 “AvexsPercidoeobas, properly signifies to recapitulate, or recoll put together the heads of a discourse. But, since this cannot possibly “‘meaniny: of this word here, we must search for the meaning, which St. P it bere, in the doctrine of the gospel, and not in the propriety of the greek, 1. Ttis plain in sacred scripture, that Christ had first the rulea pret ever all, and was head over all. See Col. i. 145—17, Heb. i.8. 2. ‘Fhere ave also manifest indications in scripture, that a principal ange great numbers of angels, his followers, joining with him, ronald cel ‘dom of God, and, standing out in rebellion, erected to themselves a king ‘their own in opposition to the kingdom of God, Luke x. 17—0, and had hheathem world vassals and subjects of that their’ kingdom, Luke iv. 5—8, “sil. 26-380, John xii. Si, and xiv. $0, and xvi. 11, Eph. vi. 12, Col. Rom. i. 18, &c. Acts xxvi. 18, &c. rh Dip gles Mp pa NE $. That Christ recovered this kingdom, and was re-instated in the supre and headship, in the fultess of time (when he came to destroy the darkness, as St. Paul calls it here) at his death and resurrection. ‘before his suffering, he says, John xii. 31, ** Now is the judgment o “¢ now shall the prince of this world be cast aut.””. From whence ma the foree of Christ’s argument, Matt. xii. 28, “If I cast out devils by the of Ged, then the kingdom of God is come unto you:”” for the jews: edge that the Spirit of God, which had been withdrawn from them, be given ont again, until the coming of the Messiah, under whom th of God was to be erected. See also Luke x. 18, 19, Tent “ag ae ‘ 4. What was the state of his power and dominion, fromm the defecti angels, and setting up the kingdom of darkness, until his being re-insfat fulness of time, there is little revealed in sacred scripture, as not so taising to the recovery of men from their apostacy, and re-instating | kingdom of God. Tt is true, God gathered to himself a people, and Kingdom here on earth, which he maintained in the little nation of the j ithe setting up the kingdom of his Son, Acts i. 3, and ii. 86, which wa: place, as Ged’s only kingdom here on earth, for the future. At t this, which is-called the church, he sets Jesus Christ his Son: but that is : . for he, having by his death and resurrection conquezed Satan, Jo 4, an svi. 12) Col. i 15, Heb. ii, 14, Eph. iv. 8, has all power given him ir wen and earth, and is made the head over all things for the church, BXtlil. 18, and xi. 27, John iii. $5, and xiii. 3, Eph. i, 20-22, Heb, i Y ‘euAR. I. EPHESIANS, 443 TEXT. »% nated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things, after the counsel of his own will: -PARAPHRASE. came his possession * and the lot of his inheritance, be- » ” a NOTES. and ii. 9, 1 Cor. xv. 25, 27, Phil. ii, 8—11, Col. ii. 10, Heb. x. 12, 13, Acts ii. $3, and v. $1. In both which places it should be translated “to the right | “hand of God.” ] Which re-instating him again, in the supreme power, and restoring him,’ after the conquest of the devil, to that complete headship, which he had over all things, being now revealed under the gospel, as may be seen, in the text here quoted, and in other places; I leave to the reader to judge, whether St. Paul might not, probably, have an eye to that, in this verse, and in his use of the word avaxsPuruiwoaclas. But to search thoroughly into this matter (which I have not in my small reading, found any where sufficiently taken no- tice of) would require a treatise. It may suffice at present to take notice that this exaltation of his is expressed, Phil. ii, 9, 10, by all things in heaven and earth bowing the knee, at his name; which We may see farther explained, Rev. y. 18. Which acknowledgment of his honour and power was that, perhaps, which the proud angel that fell, refusing, thereupon rebelled. Tf our translators have rendered. the sense of dvaxneParaiwoacbas right, by © cather together into oue,”’ it will give countenance to those, who ate inclined to understand, by ‘‘ things in heaven and things on earth,”’ thejewish and gentile world; for of them St, John plainly says, John xi. 52, ‘* That Jesus should *¢ die, not for the nation of the jews only, but that also cuvaryeyn cis fy, he .* should gather together in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad,” i.e. the gentiles, that were to believe, and were, by faith, to become the chil- dren of God; whereof Christ himself speaks thus, John x. 16, ‘* Other sheep _** I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear 66 my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”? This is the ga- thering together into one that our Saviour speaks of, and is that which very well suits with the apostle’s design’ here, where he says in express words, that Christ makes ra e&uPorepe tv, makes both jews and gentiles one, Eph. ii, 14. Now, that St. Paul should use heaven and earth, for jews and gentiles, will not be _ thought so very strange, if we consider that Daniel himself expresses the nation _ of the jews by the name of heaven, Dan. viii. 10. Nor does he want an ex- ample of it, in our Saviour himself, who, Luke xxi. 26, by ‘* powers of hea- | ven,” plainly signifies the great men of the jewish nation; nor is. this the only ~ place, in this epistle of St. Paul to the ephesians, which will bear this interpre- -tation of heaven andearth: he who shall read the fifteen first verses of chap. ili. and carefully weigh the expressions, and observe the drift of the apostle in them, will not find that he does manifest violence to St. Paul’s sense, if he understands by “ the family in heaven and earth,”’ ver. 15, the united body of christians, _ made up of jewsand gentiles, living still promiscuously among those two sorts of _ peeple, who continued in their unbelief. However, this interpretation I am not positive in; but offer it as a matter of inquiry, to such who thinkian impartial search into the true meaning of the sacred scripture the best employment of all the time they have. " 41 s So the greek word Euanpoolnprey will signify, if taken, as I think it may, __ in the passive voice, i.e. we gentiles, who were formerly in the possession of the devil, are now, by Christ, brought into the kingdom, dominion, and possession e, 444 \ EPHESIANS. CHAP) y, eo FExt. 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, wl Christ. JW Sd ‘PARAPHRASE. | ing predetermined thereunto, according to, the pury of him, “who never fails to bring to pass what he h 12 purposed within himself‘: ‘That we of the gentiles, . »/ first through Christ entertained hepe*, m ring NOTES. of God again. ‘This sense seems very well to agree with the desig ‘viz. that the gentile world had now, in Christ, a way opened for their : mto the possession of God, under their proper head, Jesus Christ. T suit the words that follow, ‘that we, who first am the enti f tained terms of reconciliation by Christ, “ might be cathe | $ 3. e. so that we of the gentiles who first believed, did, as it were, open scene of praise and glory to God, by being restored to be his people, and bec again a part of his possession; a thing not before understood, nor | ‘See Acts xi. 18, and_xv. 3, 14-19. “The apostle’s design here being to sai the ephesians, that the gentiles were, by faith ia Christ, restored to all the vileges of the people of God, as far forth as the jews themselves. “141—22, particularly ver. 49, as to exAnpabnuey,s it may, T humbly no violence to the place to suggest this sense, * we became the “instead of ‘* we have obtained an inheritance ;” that being | God speaks of his people, the israelites, of whom he says ** The Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his i ‘also Deut. iv. 20, 1 Kings viii. 51, and other places. / . . which the gentiles were to obtain, was to be obtained, we see Col. i their being translated out of the kingdom of Satan into the kmed So that take it either way, that ‘* we have obtained an inheritance, “¢ are become his people and inheritance ;”” it in effect amounts to the and so ¥ leave it to the reader. Brn. ; © i.e. God had purposed, even before the taking of the i people, to take in the gentiles, by faith in Christ, to be his what he purposes he will do, without asking the counsel, or con vand therefore'you may be sure of this your inheritance, whether | to it or no. inv eS 4 he! 12 4 It was a part of the character of the gentiles to be w: ‘chap. ii, 12. But, when they received the gospel of Jesus Chu ceased to be aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and became t _ God; 2nd had hope, as well as the jews; or as St. Paul expresses hame-ot the converted romans, Rom. v. 2, “¢ We rejoice i “of God.” This is another evidence that jydéc, “ we, Ah gentile converts. That the jews were not without hope, or Ww -worid, appears from that very text, Eph. il. 12, where the genti under a discriminating description, properly belonging to them “ture no a speaks or the hebrew nation, that people of G d with ‘er withoat fépe;. the pci Pha every-where. See Ro 4,2, Acts xxiv. 15, and xxvi. 6, 7, and xxviii. 20. And there «might well say, that those of the gentiles, who first entertained he ‘were “ to the praise of the glory of God.’* Ali mankind havin /@hew and greater subject of praising and glorifying God, for this ° a ole, | EPHESIANS * ops TEXT. 13 Tn whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard'the word of truth, © the gospel of your salvation: iwhom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. r 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. > PARAPHRASE. ": j vs 4 13 and glory to God. And ye, ephesians, are also, in Jesus | #= Christ, become God's people and inheritance”, having heard the word of truth, the good tidings of your. salva- | © tion, and, having believed in him, have been sealed by | 14 the Holy Ghost; Which was promised, and is the pledge -. and evidence of being the people of God*, his inheri- | --- tance given out” for the redemption* of the purchased NOTES. : Je grace and goodness to them, of which before they had no knowledge, no thought, no expectation. , ‘ 13 © "Ey d x) Sjsic secms in the tenour and scheme of the words, to refer te wo ry input 11. St. Paul making a parailel here, between those of _ the gentiles that first believed, and the ephesians, tells them, that as those, whe ” heard and received the gospel before them, became the people of God, &c. to the ' praise and glory of his name; so they, the ephesians, by believing, became the people of God, &c. to theaggaise and glory of his name, only in this verse there - as an ellipsis of éxanpoOzle. “7S. (44 ® The Holy Ghost was neither promised, nor given to the heathen, who Were apostates from God, and enemies; but only to the people of God; and _ therefore the convert ephesians, having received it, misht be assured thereby; that they were now the people of God, and rest satisfied in this pledge of it. = The giving out of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of miracles, was the great means, baie the gentiles were brought to receive the gospel, and become the le of God. ; = ’ P 2 Redemption,” in sacred scripture, signifies noti@iways strictly paying 2 _ yansom for a slave delivered frem bondage, but deliverance from a‘slavish estate _ Gato liberty: so God declares to the children of Israel in Egypt, Exod. vi. 6, «« J will redeem you with a stretched-out arm.” “What is meant by it, is clear from the former part of the verse, in these words, “Twill bring you ont, : © fom under the burthen of the egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bond- % gcse And, in the next verse, he adds, “ and I will take you to me for my people, and E will be to you a God:” the very case here. As God, in the 5 ‘place cited, promised to deliver his people out of bondage, under the word _ redeem ;* so Deut. vil. 8, he telleth them, that he “had brought them out _ ®¢with a mighty hand, and redeemed them out of the house of bondage, from _ “the hand of Pharaoh, king of Ecypt:” which redemption was performed by “j God, who is called the Lord of hosts their Redeemer, without the payment of _ atty ransom. But here there was @épeainctc, a purchase, and what the thing ; yarcha-ed was we may see, Acts xx. 28, viz. “the church of God,” zy wepseros- ¥ “Gedlc, which * he purchased with his own blood,”’ to be a pecple: that shoufd, *® {te the Lord’s portion, and the lot of his inheritance, 2s Moses speaks of the ttt a % ey 4 Fl. signify ‘* we have obtained an inheritance,” then xAnpovousta, in this vers ‘particular, to whom he is writing, to possess their minds with the _ thing in comparison of the great and glorious des gospel, taking notice of their standing firm in the. 446 EPHESIANS. GaP. 7 Re el av Y : VET AD a rhe ff possession, that ye might also-bring praise God Getic thy (lia Seal NOTES. un pad +t avi ty 7 children of Israel, Deut. xxxii. 9. And hence St. Peter calls the 1 Pet. ii. 9, Aw@ sig wepsroinow, which in the margin of our bible, is translated “‘ a purchased people:’” but if any one takes Exrnpodnuers ver. signify ‘¢ that inheritance,”’ and «ic amroAuTpwoLY THC meprmorncewc, © ‘¢ redemption of that purchased inheritance,’ i.e. until the redemptic bodies, viz. resurrection unto eternal life. But, besides that this seems to hay a more harsh and forced sense, the other interpretation is more consonant style and current of the sacred scripture, and (which weighs more with answers St. Paul’s design here, which is to establish the ephesians, in a se persuasion, that they, and all the other gentiles that believed in Christ, w much the people of God, his lot, and his inheritance, as the jews themsel equally partakers with them of all the privileges and aay ofiele the unto, as is visible by the tenour of the second chapter. — oat is ie the Paul mentions of God’s setting his seal, 2 Tim. ii. 19, that it might m are his: and accordingly we find it applied, Rey. vii. 3, to the foreheads servants, that they might be known to be his, chap.iv.1. For so did th purchased servants, as it were, take possession of them, by setting the on their foreheads. ae # As he had declared, ver. 6 and 12, that the other gentillesy by be becoming the people of God, enhanced thereby the praise and glory of h and goodness; so here, ver. 14, he pronounces the same thing of the ephe happy estate they were now in, by being christians; for which he th wer. 3, and here again in the next words. Oe aie J ft? OK 4° ee f r find ! th , SECT. IIT. 2 wi ee ng CHAP. I. 15.—If. 10,0 3) Sati: } CONTENTS. His -Havine in the foregoing section thanked great favours and mercies which, from the be purposed for the gentiles, under the Messiah ‘scription of that design of the Almighty, as was fit their thoughts above the law, and, as St. Paul c ‘beggarly elements of the jewish constitution, * CHAP. T. EPHESIANS) = ai7 taught them, and thanking God for it: he here, in this, prays | God, that he would enlighten the minds of the ephesian con- verts, to see fally the great things, that were actually done for them, and the glorious estate, they were in; under the gospel, of which, 10 this section, he gives such a-draught, as in every part of it shows, that in the kingdom of Christ they . are set far above the mosaical rites, and enjoy thei spiritual and incomprehensible benefits of it, not by the tenure of a few outward ceremonies: but by their faith, alone, in Jesus Christ, to whom they are united, and of whom they are mem- bers, who is exalted to the top of all dignity, dominicn, and power, and they with him, their head. TEXT. 415 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, PARAPHRASE. 15 Wherefore, I also, here, in my confinement, having _ heard* of the continuance of your faith in Christ Jesus, NOTE. 15 8 Andoas thy nal Sucs wis @v 73 Kuplw Inc, ** Wherefore T also after *¢T heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus.” St. Paul’s hearing of their faith, here mentioned, cannot signify his being informed, that they had received the zospel, and believed in Christ; this would have looked impertinent for him to have told them, since he himself had converted them, and had lived a long time amongst them, as has been already observed. We must, therefore, seek another reason of his mentioning his hearing of their faith, which must signify something else, than his being barely acquainted that they were christians; and this we may find in these words, chap. iii. 13, ‘* Wherefore I desire that ye faint not, at my tri- “¢ bulations for you.” He, as apostle of the gentiles, had alone preached up’ freedom from the law, which the other apostles, who had not that province (see ‘Gal. ii. 9) in their converting the jews, seem to have said nothing of, as is plain from Acts xxi. 20,21. It was upon account of his preaching, that the christian converts were not under any subjection to the observances of the law, and that ‘the law was abolished, by the death of Christ, that he was seized at Jerusalem, and sent as a criminal to Rome to be tried for his life; where he was now a pri- ‘soner. He being, therefore, afraid that theephesians, and other convert gentiles, _ seeing him thus under persecution, in hold, and in danger of death, upon the “score of his being the preacher, and zealous propagator and minister of this great article of the christian faith, which seemed to have its rise and defence, wholl ‘from him, might give it up, and not stand firm in the faith which he had taught _ them, was rejoiced, when in ‘his confinement he heard, that they persisted stedfast ‘in that faith, and in their love to all the saints, i.e. as well the convert gen- ‘tiles, that did not, as those jews, that did, conform to the jewish rites. This I _ take to be the meaning of his hearing of their faith, here mentioned; and con- “formably hereunto, ch. vi. 19, 20, he desires their prayers, « that he may with ** boldness preach the mystery of the gospel, of which he is the ambascador in My . “a 2 OO 448 EPHESIANS: - onap. % t Lat Oe 3 Se NOTE. ; ari wad “bonds.” This mystery of the gospel, it is plain from chi i. 9y"8ee. and ch ili, 3—7, and other places, was God’s gracious purpose of takir -gentiles, as gentiles, to be his people, under the gospel. Be. Paul, whilst he was a pri soner at Rome, writ to two other churches, that at Philippi, and that at Colosse to the Colossians, chap. i. 4, he uses, almost verbatim, the same expression tha he does here, “ having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and < your love << which yéiave to all the saints ;’” he gives thanks to God, for their knowins sticking to,the grace of God in truth, which had been taught them by By who had informed St. Paul of this, and their affection to him, whereupon he presses his great concern, that they should continue in that faith, and not be: away to judaizing, which may be seen from ver. 14 of this chapter, to # of the second. So that ‘‘the hearing of their faith,” which he'says, both ephesians and colossians, is not his being told, that they were christians, but continuing in the faith they were converted to and instructed in, viz. the became the people of God, and were admitted into his kingdom, only by fa in Christ, without submitting to the mosaical institution, and legal observance which was the thing he was afiaid they should be drawn to, either through ai despondency in themselves, or importunity of others, now thgt he was remoy from them, and in bonds, and thereby give up that truth and freedom gospeél,-which he had preached to them. ol sy To the same purpose he writes to the philippians, chap. i. $—5, telling the that he gave ‘‘ thanks to God,” gor} Waon TN vei avTay, Upon every mentic was made of them, upon every account he received of their continuing in 1 fellowship and profession of the gospel, as it had been taught chet Of without changing, or wavering at all, which is the same with hearin “¢ faith,” and that thereupon he prays, amongst other things, chiefly t might be kept from judaizing, as appears, ver. 27, 28, where the thing, sired to hear of them, was, ‘* that they stood firm in one spirit, and one «« jointly contending for-the faith of the gospel; in nothing startled by ** are opposers;”” so the words are, and not ‘* their adversaries.” | was no party, at that time, who were in opposition to the gospel, which | preached, and with whom the convert gentiles had any dispute, but th were for keeping up circumcision and the jewish rites, under the gospel were they, whom St, Paul apprehended, alone, as likely to affright the gentiles, and make them start out of the way from the gospel, which is t amport of elupénevoi. . Though this passage clearly enough indicates w that he was, and should always be, glad to hear of them; yet he1 «shows his apprehension of danger to them to be from the contenders for in the express warning he gives them, against that sort of men, De iii. So that this hearing, which he mentions, is the hearing of these three persisting firmly in the faith of the gospel, which he had tauglit them, w ang drawn at all towards judaizing. _ It was that, for which St. Paul gave and it may reasonably be presumed, that, if he had writ te any other ch converted gentiles, whilst he was a prisoner at Rome, upon the like carr theirs, something of the same kind would have been said to them. So great business of these three epistles, written during his being a prisoner at R was to explain the nature of the kingdom of God under the Messiah, f w the gentiles were now no longer shut out, by the ordinances of the 5 confirm the churches, in the belief of it. St. Paul, being chosen sent God, to preach the gospel of the gentiles, had, in all his preaching, set’ Jargeness and ¢reedom of the kingdom of God, now laid open to the ; taking away the wall of partition, that kept them out. This made enemies; and, upon this account, they had seized him, and he was soner at Rome. Fearing that the gentiles might be wrought upon . the Jaw, now that he was thus removed, or suffering for.the gospel, he t "a HAP. I. EPHESIANS, 449 TEXT. 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers ; 47, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the know- ledge of him : 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may ~ know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the _ glory of his inheritance in the saints, ES. PARAPHRASE. 16 and your love to all the saints’, Cease not to give thanks 17 for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the - _. God ofour Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory‘, would ___ endow your spirits, with wisdom‘ and revelation‘, where- 48 by you may know him; And enlighten the eyes of your | understandings, that you may see what hope his calling you to be christians carries with it, and what an abun- Ye he NOTES. , Pthree churches, that he rejoices at their standing firm in the faith, and thereupon _ Writes to them to explain and confirm to them the kingdom of God under the _ “Messiah, into which all men now had an entrance, by faith in Christ, without any y 5 rd to the terms, whereby the jews were formerly admitted. ‘The setting : Bonen largeness and free admittance into this kingdom, which was so much for the glory of God, and so much showed his mercy and bounty to mankind, that he makes it, as it were, a new creation, is, I say, plainly the business of the three ' epistles, which tend all visibly to the same thing, that any one, that readsthem, Brcnot mistake the apostle’s meaning, they giving such a clear light one to Te 15 > “ All the saints.”’ One finds in the very reading of these words, that the word [all] is emphatical here, and put in, for some particular reason. Ican, h a see no other but this, viz. that they were not, by the judaizers, inthe * Teast drawn away from their esteem and love of those who were not circumcised, _ Bor observed the jewish rites ; which was a proof to him, that they stood firm in the faith and freedom of the gospel, which he had instructed them in. _ 17 ¢ “ Father of glory:” an Hebrew expression, which cannot well. be . ola » Since it signifies his being glorious himself, being the fountain from “whence all glory is derived, and to whom all glory is to be given. Inall which "Senses, it may be taken here, where there is nothing that appropriates it, in pe- _ culiar, to any of them. ns » _# “ Wisdom,” is visibly used here for a right conception and understanding of the gospel. See note, ver. 8. pa “ Revelation,” is used by St. Paul, not always for immediate inspiration, . ~ But as it is meant here, and in most other places, for such truths, which could mot have been found out by human reason, but had their first discovery from . revelation, though men afterwards come to the knowledge of those truths, by ry diag them in the sacred. scripture, where they are set down, for thei iafor-, : G = = . = 450 EPHESIANS. cHAP TEXT. 19° And what is the exceeding greatness of hi believe, according to the working of his mighty powers, _ 20 Which he wronghtin Christ, whem he raised him from the dead, — cand set him at his own right hand, in'the heavenly-places, — 3 To 4 : | * 21 Far above all principality, and power, and mig! nin . . -_ : 3 e F oT St ‘PARAPHRASE. tw weap) dant glory it is to the Saints to Become his people, “ 19 the lot of his inheritance ;-And,what an exceeding gre 20 power he has employed upon us‘ who believe: A po ~ “corresponding to that mighty power, which he éxe “the raising Christ froth the Gead, and iar Set “to himself, over all things, relating to‘his heavenly 4 “21dbm® ; ‘Far‘above'all piincipality; atid power, aiid mi c ae "Go § «Us, here, and « you,” chap. ii. 1) and “tis, chap! iit’ sfiit fs signify the same, who being dead, partook of the energy of that great that raised Christ from the dead, i. e. the convert gentiles, and all those things he, in ver. 18—23, intimates to them, by praying they may see mer Ens 8 ree “here in § 19th verse'tells, is bestowed on’ them, “gervers'of the mosaical law. —_- : a ere: "90 8 "Ey rele Pabpaviers, * in heavenly /plices,”*"says'o ‘ver. 8; but possibly the marginal reading, “ things,” will be tho “3f wé compare ver. 22. He set him at his right hand, ive: tr Chis powers iv Zwepaviote, im his heavenly kingdoms that‘is t ‘the head of his heavenly kingdom, see ver: 22. “This kingdom, “js called indifferently, Bacircia @@, * the:kingdom of God ;” "way Spas, “the kingdom of heaven.” ~“Godh ‘before, aki in this world, viz. that kingdom, which he erected te himself, and brotight back’to himself, out of the ‘apostafized’ mass’ of revolted “Tious mankind: with this his people he dwelt; ; then he had | “and igepe mus, he tells him, “ Pie foré says, if, having” * earthly constitution, you comprehend me noty how sha gay, if I speak to you, +a tmueana, heavenly things, ive of which is purely heavenly? And according to this, St. Paul’s wo CHAP. I. EPHESIANS. © 45} ‘ ts . i : PAR and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also ‘in'that which is to come. ‘ 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things.to the church’. 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. PARAPHRASE. and dominion*, and any other, either man or angel, of greater dignity or excellency, that we may come to be acquainted with, or hear the names of, either in this 22 world, or the world to come: And hath put all things in subjection to him; and him, invested with a power over all things, he hath constituted head of the church, 23: Which is his body, which is completed by him alone’, NOTES. 4G. 10, a wig tv rots Spavois x r& emt THe yng, (which occur again, chap. iif. 15, Col. i..16, 20) may perhaps not unfitly be interpreted ‘‘ of the spiritual, *<< heavenly kingdom of God:” and that also of the more earthly one of the jews, ‘ whose rites ‘and positive institutions St. Paul calls “elements of the world,’” + Gal. iv: 3, Col. ii. 8, which were both, at the coming of the Messiah, consoli- _ ‘dated into one, and together re-established under one head, Christ Jesus. Tho whole drift‘of this, and the two following chapters, being to declare the union *of the jews and gentiles into one body, under Christ, the head of the heavenly » kingdom.’ And he that sedately compares Eph. ii. 16, with Col. i. 20, (in both * which places it is evident, the apostle speaks of the same thing, viz. God’s recon-~ *ciling of both, jews and gentiles, by the cross of Christ) will scarce be able to » avoid thinking, that “¢ things in heaven, and things on earth,” signify the people of the one and the other of these kingdoms. ; § gt) These abstract names are frequently used in the New Testament, accords dng to the style of the eastern languages, for those vested with power and dominion, « &c. and that, not only here onearth, among men, but in heaven, among superiour © beings: and so often are taken to express ranks and degrees of angels: and, “though they are generally agreed to do so here, yet there is no reason to exclude ‘earthly potentates out of this text, when @aons necessarily includes them; for ®that‘men in power are one sort of deyei and éZecias, in a scripture-sense, our - ' /Saviour’s own words show, Luke xii. 11, and xx. 2. Besides, the apostle’s chief herebeing to satisfy the ephesians, that they were not to be subjected tothe law “of Moses, and the government of those who ruled by it, but they were called to of the kingdom of the Messiah: it is not to be supposed, that here, where he eaks of Christ’s exaltation to a power and dominion paramount to all other, he eho not have an-eye to that little and low government of the jews, which it was eath the subjects of so glorious a kingdom, as that of Jesus Christ, to submit themselves toe’ And this the next words do farther enforce. 23 1 TAgpwpes “fulness,” here, is taken in a passive sense, for a thing to be | ed, or completed, as appears by the following words, ‘ of him that filleth alk 4 invall;” ise. it is Christ the head, who perfecteth the church, by supplying and : — g¢allthingsto allthe members, to make them what they are, and ought. “tebesin that body See chap. v. 18, Col. ii, 40, and ili, 10, 11. a te “s Pash? sayy A “ae E@g2 459 EPHESIANS. 3 dae rent TEXT en il IL. 1 And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and > sins, Sura A rite fe e - PARAPHRASE. tet. ae f 22 gt wo) td LY a | ae from whom comes all, that gives any thing of excellency and perfection to any of the members of the church : © where to be a jew, or a greek, circumcised, or uncir-_ cumcised, a barbarian, or a scythian, a slave, or a*free- man, matters not; but to be united to him, to partake his influence and spirit, is all in all, De II. 1 And* you, being also dead in trespasses and NOTE. - ELA (kes Le rl 4k Kal, “and,” gives us here the thread of St. Paul’s discourse, which is possible to be understood without seeing the train of it: without that vi would be like a rope of gold-dust, all the parts would be excellent, and of but would seem heaped together, without order, or connexion. This * here, it is true, ties the parts together, and points out the connexion “rence of St. Paul’s discourse; but yet it stands so far from indice, * set,” ver. 20, of the foregoing chapter; and cvveCwomsinze, “* quickened,” this chapter, which are the two verbs it copulates together; that by acquainted with St, Paul's style, it would scarce be observed or a ai therefore it may not be amiss, to lay it in its due light, so as to be ordinary reader. St. Paul v. 18—20, prays that the ephesians may lightened, as to see the great advantages they received by the gospel _ he specifies are these: 1. What great hopes he gave them. 2 ceeding glory accompanied the inheritance of the saints, 3. Then exerted by God on their behalf, which bore some proportion to that: employed in the raising Christ from the dead, and placing him at his 1 upon the mention of which, his mind being full of that glorious ima his pen run into a description of the exaltation of Christ, which lasts | of that chapter, and then re-assumes the thread of his discourse; v stands thus: “‘ I pray God, that the eyes of your understandings ¢¢ lightened, that you may see'the exceeding great power of God, w « ployed upon us who believe: [xdl& ry] corresponding to tha: «< with he raised Christ from the dead, and seated himat his right hand; i _ & has he raised you, who were dead in trespasses and sins: us, I say « dead in trespasses and sins, has he quickened, and raised toge! «¢ and seated together with him in his heavenly kingdom.” the train and connexion of his discourse, from chap. 1. 18, toii.5, interrupted by many incident thoughts ; which, as his manner is, hi upon by the way, and then returns to the thread of his discourse. 1 again, in this first verse of the second chapter, we must observe, the mentioned their being dead in trespasses_and sins, he enle estate of the gentiles before their conversion; and then com signed, that God out of his great goodness, quickened, raised, together with Christ, in his heavenly kingdom. In all which it more regard to the things he declared to them, than toa nice, struction of his words: tor it is manifest », ‘‘and,” ver. 1,2 copulate covelwomaince, -€© quickened,”’ ‘with gxeQscer, ** set,” foregoing chapter, which the two following words, ver. 6, make evident " CHAP. LI. EPHESIANS. — 453 TEXT. 2 Wherein, in time past, ye walked, according to the course of this * PARAPHRASE. 2 In which you gentiles, before you were converted to the gospel, walked, according to the state and constitution of this world', conforming yourselves to the will and plea- ; NOTES. Syeiet 1) cvrexaidscer ev fmvgarioss, ‘and hath raised up together, and hath made “© sit together in heavenly places.” St. Paul, to display the great power and energy of God, showed towards the gentiles, in bringing them into his heavenly kingdom, declares it to be xala sav ivegysiay, proportionable to that power, wherewith he raised Jesus from the dead, and seated him at his righthand. To express the parallel, he keeps to the parallel terms concerning Christ ; he says, chap. i. 20, iyeigas auley ix Tov vExgaiys nas tvcbicer ev Ocksa avtod by rol: éwrepa- Hoss, “raised him from the dead, and set him at his right hand, in heavenly « places.” Concerning the gentile converts his words are, chap. ii. ver. 5, 6, pad Bilas hydis vores trois wagamlopact, cuvelwomoince TH Xeisd, nat ournysge xed cuvexdbicer tv tregarioss, “and us, being dead in trespasses, he hath quickened together-with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together « in heavenly places.” It is also visible that dpac, “ you,” v. 1, and nude, * us,” v. 5, are both governed by the verb cuveCworsincs, “* quickened toge- “ ther,” ver. 5, though the grammatical construction be somewhat broken, but “Gs repaired in the sense, which lies thus: “‘ God, by his mighty power, raised “© Christ from the dead; by the like power you, gentiles of Ephesus, being dead _ in trespasses and sins; what do Isay, you of Ephesus; nay, usall, converts of “© the gentiles, being dead in trespasses, has he quickened and raised from the dead. __ & You ephesians were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you walked according “€ to'the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, "© the spirit that yet worketh in the children of disobedience, and so were we, © all the rest of us, who are converted from gentilism; we, all of us, of the 4 « ‘same stamp and strain, inyolved in the same conversation, living, heretofore, "4 according to the lusts of our flesh, to which we were perfectly obedient, doing _ € what our carnal wills and blinded minds directed us, being then no less chil- _ © dren of wrath, no less liable to wrath and punishment, than those that re- © mained still children of disobedience, i.e. unconverted ; but God, rich in _ *© mercy, for his great love, wherewith he loved us, hath quickened us all, being _ «© dead in trespasses, (for it is by grace ye are saved) and raised us, &c.”” This » Gs St. Paul’s sense, drawn out more at length, which, in his compendious way of _ “writing, wherein he crowds many ideas together, as they abounded in his mind, co not easily be ranged under rules of grammar. The promiscuous use St. Paul here makes of “ we” and ‘* you,” and his so easy changing one into the ‘other, plainly shows, as we have already observed, that they both stand for the ~ «same sort of persons, i.e. christians, that were formerly pagans, whose state and whilst they were such, he here expressly describes. ~* 21 Ajdy may be observed, in the New Testament, to signify the lasting state a ‘constitution of things, in the great tribes, or collections of men, considered i reference to the kingdom of God; whereof there were two most eminent, and \ “principally intended, if I mistake not, by the word aiSen¢, when that is used ee 2: and that is 6 vd» aidy, “this present world,” which is taken for that state © of the world, wherein the children of Israel were his people, and made up his ingdom upon earth, the gentiles, i.e. all the other nations of the world, being. * eae MDa 6 q 4 oye eT Dts 1 ie | re. 454 _ EPHESIANS. — TEXT. Wea’ seeortliees to the prince of the power. of hie hig a e spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. oat 5 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times pa’ the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, =e mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, hanes others, PARAPHRASE. § dience °. Of which ca even we 2 avi : ee N OTES. ina state of apostacy and revolt from him, the professe ; the devil, to whom they paid homage, obedience, and worship; and «the waxkt tocome,”” i.e. the time of the gospel, wherein Go down the pattition-wall between jew and gentile, and opened a wa ing the rest of mankind, and taking the gentiles again iar Jesus Christ, under whose rule he had PUt-itesle of i hieasalel .-™ In these words St. Paul pointsout the devil, the | ince of the revolted par of the creation, and head of that kingdom, which stood in opposition to, and was at war with, the kingdom of Jesus Christ... _, we "Eveeyoisl Oni as the proper. term, whereby, i in the greek, i is eet f oan and acting of any person by an evil spirit, . Children of disobedience,” are those of the gen in their apostacy, under the dominion of Satan, who ruled and returned not from their reyolt, described Rom, i. 18, &c. God, now that Jesus Christ had opened an entrance into ‘S to an obeyed not, his call ; and thus.they are called, chap. v. 6. 3 P Ey obs cannot signify “¢ amongst whom we also all had on for if jueiss *¢ we,”” stands for either, the converted j jews, ‘or it is not true. If ‘* we,”* stands (as is evident it for 1 tiles, of what force or tendency is it for the apostle. to. BAY W gentiles, heretofore lived among the unconverted may force, and. to his, purpose, in magnifying the free grace ¢ §* we of the gentiles,. who are.now admitted to the king ‘¢ merly of that very sort of nen, in whom the p prince. igs “© ruled, leading lives in the lusts of the flesh, obeying the will a s¢ thereof, and soas much exposed to the wrath of God as §* in their apostacy under the dominion of the devil.” 4 This was the'state that the gentile world were given up. 24, Parallel to this 3d verse of this 2d chapter, we have a 17—20, of this same epistle, where naliig nab re Aovmat 26um $¢ gentiles”’ plainly ANSWErS wo xb. of Acrrols §¢ even as idlecsorals rod vosg evar, eoxchopévor 77 dtcrvotcy “i in \e ff. haying: their understandings darkened,” answers ty To er, ToVoDVTEs Te SeAnora, Tg capHos nak Tov Drauvoraavy ce 6§ flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,” these places, and considers that, what is said 1 - the fourth ; character-of the gentile world, of whom it is poken; I s cgnsiders these two places well together, and the corresponds eres suf f CHAP. Ih, EPHESIANS, ~ ASS TEXT. 4 so eal who is rich in mercy, for, his great, loye wherewith he loved us, ‘ ; , § Even when ye were dead in sins, hath quickened.us, together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) ; és om - And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in hea- venly places, in Christ Jesus. PARAPHRASE. 4 thereof, and of our blinded perverted mind. But’ Sod who is rich in mercy’, through his great love, wherewit 5 he loved us, Even us, gentiles, who were dead in tres- passes‘, hath he quickened", together with Christ, (by ‘6 grace ye are saved) And hath raised” us up together with ~ Christ, and made us partakers, in and with Jesus Christ, of the glory and power of his heavenly kingdom, which God has put into his hands, and put under his rule: NOTES. cannot doubt of the sense I understand this yerse in; and that St. Paul here, under the terms ‘* we” and our” speaks of the gentile Eonveltc.: 40 Tee 41 ‘@ &, §* But,” connects this verse admirabl well'with the immediately "preceding, which makes the parts of that incident discourse cohere, which ending in this yerse, St- Paul, in the beginning of ver. 5, takes up the thread of his dis- course again, as if nothing had ‘come between, though 6 d:, “ but,”” in the be- ginning of this 4th verse, rather breaks, than continues the sense of the whole. yar pre The d : fb sche ett, it ie eb eb _ s ** Rich in mercy.” e design e apostle being, in this epistle, to set forth the exceeding great mercy aia arnieay God ‘deh gentiles, under fhe gospel, as is manifest at large, ch, iii. it is plain that mpc, * us,” here in this -yerse maust mean the gentile converts. Ty Sua ta a. 5 t ¢* Dead in trespasses,”” does not mean here, under the condemnation of _ death, or obnoxious to death for our transgressions ; but so under the power and dominion of sin, so helpless in that state into which, for our apostacy, we were _ delivered up, by the just judgment of God, that we had no more thought, nor hope, nor ability, to get out of it, than men, dead and buried, have to get out of the graye. This state of death he declares to be the state of gentilism, Col. ii. .48, in these words: “ and you, being dead in trespasses, and the uncireumcision ~& of your flesh, hath God quickened together with him,” i.e. Christ." ~~ * TG Quickened.”” This quickening was by the ‘Spirit of God, given to those who, by faith in Christ, were united to him, became the members of Christ, and sons of God, partaking of the adoption, by which spirit they were put into a state of life; see Rom. viii. 9—15, and made capable, if they would, to live ‘to God, ~ and not to obey sin, in the Justs thereof, nor to yield their members instiiiments _ of sin unto iniquity; but to give up themselves to God, as men alive from ‘the ~ dead, and their members to.God as instruments of righteousness ; as our apgstle _ 11 Wherefore, remember that ye being, in time flesh, who are called -uncircumcision, by that) circumcision in the flesh, made by hands; | PARAPHRASE. 11 Wherefore remember, that ye, who were k tiles, distinguished and separated from circumcised by a circumcision made with flesh, by your not being circumcised in , NOTE. rei - 41 a This separation was so great, that, toa jew, the w were counted so polluted and unclean, that they were no their boly places and service; but from their tables and o CHAP. IT. EPHESIANS. 461 TEXT. 12 That, at that time, ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus, ye, who sometimes were far off, are made nigh, by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished, in his flesh, the enmity, even the law of com- . PARAPHRASE. 12 Were, at that time, without all knowledge of the Mes- siah, or any expectation of deliverance, or salvation, by _~ him’; aliens from the commonwealth of Israel‘, and strangers to the covenants of promise“, not having any hope of any such thing, and living in the world without _ having the true God for your God*, or your being his 13 people. But now you, that were formerly remote and at a distance, are, by Jesus Christ, brought near by his ‘14 death’. For it is he, that reconcileth us® to the jews, a and hath brought us and them, who were before at an _ irreconcileable distance, into unity one with another, by __. removing the middle wall of partition*, that kept us at ‘15 a distance, Having taken away the cause of enmity’, or P a}. NOTES. 42 > That this is the meaning of being “ without Christ,” here, is evident this, that what St. Paul says here, is to show the different state of the gen- tiles, from that of the jews, before the coming of our Saviour. . © Who were alone, then, the people of God. @ « Covenants.” God, more than once, renewed his promise to Abraham, isaac, and Jacob, and the children of Israel, that, upon the conditions proposed, te would be their God, and they should be his people. © It is in this sense, that the gentiles are called aes 5 for there were few of - them atheists, in our sense of the word, i.e. denying superiour powers; and many of them acknowledged one supreme, eternal God; but as St. Paul says, Rom. i, 21, “¢ When they knew God, they glorified him not as God;”" they. owned not him alone, but turned away from him, the invisible God, to the worship of ¢ Bax and the false gods of their countries. 18 £ How this was done, the following words explain, and Col. ii. 14. a 14 ‘Hua, * our,” inthis verse, must signify persons in the same condition , ae those he speaks to, under the pronoun dyzic, ‘ yes” in the foregoing verse, “or else the apostle’s argument, here, would be wide, and not conclusive; but e,”” in the foregoing verse, incontestibly signifies the convert gentiles, and so es ‘ya in this verse. -h See Col. i. 20. agi Nar ie Titual law of the jews, that kept them, and the gentiles, at ax 5 4 wi 462 EPHESIANS. CHAP. Tf, _ PARAPHRASE. i _ flistance; between, us, by abolishing* thatypant of the law, NOTES. ssc ont av ath phe arreconcileable.distance; so that they could comé to no terms of a fair correspon= dence, the force whereof was a great, that even after posit ah e, and i" tan.end tothe obligation of that law; yet it was almost impossible to bring ere. and ee that which, - the Coste pen tructed the progress of the gospel, and disturbed the gentile siete HES OS, WI aie v®. « By abolishing.” I do not remember that the law of Moses, or any part of it, is, by an actual repeal, any where abrogated; and yet we are told here, — and in other places of the New: Testament, that it is abolished. The want of a right understanding of what ‘this abolishing was, and how it was brought about, has,’ I suspect, given’ occasion to the misunderstanding of several texts of sacred scripture; I beg leave, therefore, to offer what he eecked eet on , ry i of ordinances, given by Moses, viz: «lone, every one, that would, had th ° 4 daw, because God was the author of it; and so coné to remain the people of God for ever, and also. thie’ they calls, over and over again, a mystery, and a mystery hi ; "Now he, that will look’a little farther into this ki ‘dom of God, ‘w two different dispensations, of the law and the ‘go vel, will ‘find, "that _ rected by God, and men, were recalled into it, out of the g enera BS 4 NOTE. r Lord and maker, for the unspeakable goad and benefit of those who, by that rar te tee ar ua ine away and capacity of bein restored to that happy cate of anol Eas (CHAP. II. EPHESIANS. 463 g F 7 B e Rae F | f hey were made the of God, under that constitution of God's zdom, in this world,-was, “‘dethis, and live ;” but “the, that continues rot Sin all these things to’ do them, shall dic.” » But.the condition of the covenant, =b they became the people of God, im the constitution of his kingdom, — saimde: = Messiahyis, “« belicvey and repent; and. thou shalt be saved, i.c. take Sd AER shcepcaploot Gail yebvut-~was au piohihitien-tmanpanseethemas vised before conversion, to observe them. And accordingly werseey Gal. SBlanied“his carriage at Antioch, than he did-his-observing the. law-at, Jeru: ah. - : x __ Wheapastle here tells us, what part of the mosaical law it was, that Christput Osby hie deathy-wiz. cer aduerrar dleAd2 is Oinacs; * the Jaw of eom- 464 EPHESIANS. CHAP. IL TEXT. iy By mandments, contained in ordinances, for to make in himself, of twain, one new man, so making peace; " ; a PARAPHRASE.. . oak _ which consisted in positive commands and ordi % NOTES. ; ; - revolted from their allegiance, and withdrawn themselves cant 1¢ | = q x HAP. II. EPHESIANS. — 465 ‘TEXT. 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God, in one body, by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby : 17 And came and preached peace to you, which were afar off, and ; to them that were nigh. 18 For, through him, we both have access, by one Spirit, unto the _.»» Father. 19 Now, therefore, ve are no more strangers and foreigners, but oe fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the houshold of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, .., Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. 21 In whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an _ ~ holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom you, also, are builded together, for an habitation of ' God, through the Spirit. : = -_ PARAPHRASE. 16 between them; And might reconcile them both to God, being thus united into one body, in him, by the cross, whereby he destroyed that enmity, or incompatibility, that was between them, by nailing to his cross the law 17 of ordinances, that kept them at a distance: And, being come, preached the good tidings of peace to you gen- tiles that were far off from the kingdom of heaven, and ___ to the jews, that were near, and in the very precincts of ‘18 it. For it is by him, that we, both jews and gentiles, _, have access to the Father, by one and the same Spirit. ig Therefore ye, ephesiaus, though heretofore gentiles, now __. believers in Christ, you are no more strangers and _fo- _ reigners, but without any more a-do fellow-citizens of 20 the saints, and domestics of God's own family: Built upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, 2 whereof Jesus Christ is the corner-stone: In whom all _ the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy ba temple in the Lord: In which even the gentiles”, also we : 5 " ; , NOTES. which he had now put into the hands of his Son, they were no longer the People of God; and, therefore, «ll those of the jewish nation, who, after that, Would return to their allegiance, had need of reconciliation, to be re-admitted ato the kingdom of God, as part of his people, who were now received inte eace anc “covenant with him, upon other terms, and under other laws, than ing the posterity of Jacob, or observers of the law of Mosés. ~ —— 22 2 The sense of which allegory I take to be this: it is plain, from the ate Hh “a a > 466 EPHESIANS. “oar. am : PARAPHRASE. | are built up, together with the believing jews, for an ha- £ bitation of God, through the Spirit. ae ” ; , ee ae } E NOTE. | a testation of the apostles and prophets, that the gentiles, who believe in Christ, are thereby made members of his kingdom, united together, under him, their head, into such a well-framed body, wherein each person has his rank, and function to which he is fitted, that God will accept and delight i as his people, and live amongst them, as in a well-framed building, set apart to him, whereof the gentiles make a part, and without an put between you, are framed in equality, and promiscuously with the bel ; jews, by the Spirit of God, to be one people, amongst whom he will dwell, and be their God, and they shall be his people, 2 SECT. V. CHAP. III. 1—®1. - CONTENTS. Tuis section gives a great light to those foregoing, more clearly opens the design of this epistle: for he Paul, in plam words, tells them it is for preaching this trine, that was a mystery till now, being hid from ages, viz. that the gentiles should be co-heirs lieving jews, and, making one body, or people, should be equally partakers of the promises, un siah, of which mystery he, by particular favour and a 7 ment, was ordained the preacher. n he exhorts them not to be dismayed, or flinch, in the least, fir m the belief, or profession of this truth, upon his b uted ‘and in bonds upon that account. For his suf who was the preacher and propagator of it, was being a just discouragement to them, for stand the belief of it, that 1t ought to be to them a confirmation of this eminent truth of the g peculiarly taught; and thereupon he tells th his prayer to God, that they might be stre and be able to comprehend the largeness of tl ’ e _ CHAP. 111. EPHESIANS. A67 in Christ, not confined to the jewish nation and constitu- tion, as the jews conceited ; but far surpassing the thoughts of those who, presuming themselves knowing, would confine it to such only, who were members. of the jewish church, and observers of their ceremonies. TEXT. ie FOR this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you gentiles : . - @ If-ye have heard of the dispensation vf the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward ; 8 How that, by revelation, he made known unto me the mystery, (as I wrote afore in few words. PARAPHRASE. 1. For my preaching of this*, I Paul am a prisoner, upon. - account of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the sake and ~@ service of you gentiles*: Which you cannot doubt of, since* ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of _ God, which was given to me, in reference to you gentiles: 3 How that, by special revelation, he made known unto me, in particular’, the mystery‘, (as I hinted to you above, . NOTES. 1 2 See Col. iv. $3, 2 Tim. ii. 9, 10. _» See Phil. i. 7, Col. i. 24. 2 © Eiye, is sometimes an affirmative particle, and signifies in greek the game that siquidem does in Latin, and so the sense requires it to be understood here ; for it could not be supposed but the ephesians, amongst whom St. Paul had lived so long, must have heard, that he was, by express commission from God, made apostle of the gentiles, and, by immediate revelation, instructed in the doctrine he was to teach them; whereof this, of their admittance into the king- dom of God purely by faith in Christ, without circumcision, and other legal observances, was one great and necessary point, whereof St. Paul was so little shy, that we see the world rung of it, Acts xxi. 28. And if his preaching and writing were of a piece, as we need not doubt, this mystery of God’s purpose to the gentiles, which was communicated to him by revelation, and we hear of so often in his epistles, was not concealed from them he preached to. 3 4 Though St. Peter was, by a vision from God, sent to Cornelius, a gentile, Acts x. yet we do not find, that this purpose, of God’s calling the gentiles to be his people, equally with the jews, without any regard to circumcision or the ‘osaical rites, was revealed to him, or to any other of the apostles, as a doctrines _ which they were to preach and publish to the world: neither, indeed, was it needful, that should be any part of their commission, who were apostles only of _ the circumcision, to mix that, in their message to the jews, which should make them stop their ears and refuse to hearken to the other parts of the gospel, whick: they were more concerned to knqw and be instructed in. ~ © See Col. i. 26. Hh ,, 468 EPHESIANS. = omAP aT. , TEXT. si aiken cual Re: ee 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 2) Oy) pie ee) a 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, ~ as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets, by the — Spirit ; 6 That the gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, — - . . . - : i ' #1 . d . and partakers of his promise, m Christ, by the gospel: 2 7 Whereof I was made a minister, accordmg to the gift of the grace — of God, given unto me, by the effectual working of his power. / 108 ee -PARAPHRASEvietitap id Yih daa 4 viz. chap. i.9. By the bare reading whereof ye may be assured of my knowledge in this formerly concealed and” 5 unknown part of the gospel of Christ*:) Which in form : ages was not made known to the sons of men, as itis now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets, by the Spirit, 6 viz. That the gentiles should be fellow heirs, be u into one body, and partake of his promise® in Cl 7 jointly with the jews*, m the time’ of the gospel; NOTES. * alee fy 4 f One may be ready to ask, * to what purpose is this, which this parent] «* contains here, concerning himself?? And, indeed, without having < on the design of this epistle, it is pretty hard to give an account of se being carried in view, there is nothing plainer, nor more pertinent am | per: than this here; for what can be of more force to make them stand firm to doctrine which he had taught them, of their being exempt fron 1S and the observances of the law? * If you have heard, and I *¢ epistle, that this mystery ofthe gospel was revealed in a parti ‘me from heaven: the very reading of this is enough to satisfy yor «well instructed in that truth, and that you, may safely depend 1 “«* haye taught you, concerning this point, notwithstanding I am in “«¢ which is a thing you ought to glory in, since I suffer for a truth, “ are so nearly concerned ;”* see chap. vi- 19, . ait _ 6 & The promise here intended, is the promise of the Spirii ‘which was not given to any, but to the people.and children o fore, the gentiles received not the Spirit, till they became by faith in Christ, in the times of the gospel. per’ ‘ “h Though the jews are not expressly named here ;_ yet Aoregoing chapter, ver. 11, &c. that it is of the union of | ; jews, and making with them one body of God’s people, equally she _privileges and benefits of the gospel, that he is here speaking, th 7 teaches, Gal. iii. 26-29. ‘ mS nh : __ 1 aia 7% evayleaig signifies, here, in the time of the gos] ‘Custac signifies, in the ‘* time of uncircumcision,” Rom, i ‘Rom. vii. 5. ‘The same thing being intended'here, which, « expressed: ‘that in the dispensation of the fulness of time; i. €, int CHAP. I1T. | EPHESIANS. © 469 TEXT. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace. PARAPHRASE. which doctrine I, in particular, was made the minister *, according to the free and gracious gift of God, given unto me, by the effectual working of his power, in his so won- 8 derful converting the gentiles by my preaching’; Unto NOTES. ‘the gospel, all things might be gathered together, or united, in Christ, or by ‘© Christ.”” 7 * Though he does not, in express words, deny others to be made ministers of it, for it neither suited his modesty, nor the respect he had for the other apos- tles, so to do; yet his expression here will be found strongly to imply it, espe- cially if we read and consider well the two following verses; for this was a ne- cessary instruction to one, who was sent to convert the gentiles, though those, who were sent to their brethren the jews, were not appointed to promulgate it. This one apostle of the gentiles, by the success of his preaching to the gentiles, the attestation of miracles, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, joined to what Peter had done, by special direction, in the case of Cornelius, would be enough, in its due season, to convince the other apostles of this truth, as we may see it did, Acts xy. and Gal. ii. 6—9. And of what consequence, and how much St. Paul thought the preaching of this doctrine his peculiar business, we may see, by what he says, chap. vi. 19, 20, where any one may see, by the different treat- ment he received from the rest of the apostles, being in bonds upon that account, that his preaching herein differed from their’s, and he was thereupon, as he tells ‘us himself, treated ‘* as an evil-doer,”” 2 Tim, ii. 9. The history whereof we have, Acts xxi. 17, &c. as we have elsewhere observed. And it is upon the account of his preaching this doctrine, and displaying to the world this concealed truth, which he calls every-where a hidden mystery, that he gives, to what he had preached, the distinguishing title of, “‘ my gospel,” Rom. xvi. 25, which he is concerned, that God should establish them in, that being the chief design of his epistle to the romans, as here to the ephesians. The insisting so much on this, that it was the special favour and commission of God to him, in parti- ‘cular, to preach this doctrine, of God’s purpose of calling the gentiles to the word, was not out of vanity, or boasting, but was here of great use to his present ‘purpose, as carrying a strong reason with it, why the ephesians should rather be- lieve him, to whom, as their apostle, it was‘made manifest, and committed to be preached, than the jews, from whom it liad been concealed, and was kept as a mystery, and was in itself dveZsyviasov, inscrutable by men, though of the best _ natural parts and endowments. I This seems to be the energy of the power of God, which he here speaks of, as appears by what he says of St. Peter, and of himself, Gal. ii. 8, “Oo evepynoag | ‘Tlérpw cis drrasoany tn¢ aeptlounes EVLEYNCE % ewol che TH EBva, “ He that wrought _*© effectually in Peter to the apostieship of the circumcision, the same was € mighty, or wrought effectually in me,” as zvegys.a is here translated, of which ‘his very great modesty could not hinder him from speaking thus, 1 Cor. xv. 9, 10, ** I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, _ © because I persecuted the church of God: but, by the grace of God, I amwhat x “¢ T am, and his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain, but I la. '® boured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God that 470 EPHESIANS. CHAP. IIL - TEXT. i given, that I should preach, among the gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ ; 1 Pree 9 And to make all men see, what is the fellowship of the mystery, — which, from the beginning of the world, hath been hid in God, — - who created all things by Jesus Christ : «Ane analy PARAPHRASE. me, I say, who am less than the least of all saints, is this favour given, that I should preach among the gentiles the -9 unsearchable riches of Christ™: And make all men” per- — ceive, how this mystery comes now to be communicated® to the world, which has been concealed from all past ages, lying hid in the secret purpose of God, who frames and manages this whole new creation, by Jesus Christ?; ) NOTES. : : es ‘e¢ was with mes"’ a passage very suitable to what he says, in this and the next oy verse. ; aon _ 8™ i.e. That abundant treasure of mercy, grace and favour, laid up in et 4 Christ, not only to the jews, but to the whole fame world, which was beyond — the reach of human sagacity to discover, and could be known, only by sah lation. 7. oa 9 1 « All men,” i.e. men of all sorts and nations, gentiles as well as jews. © Tis % xosvwrie, * what is the communication,” i.e. that they may a ve ak light from me, to see and look into the reason and ground of the discovery, or communication of this mystery to them now by Jesus Christ, who is now exhi bited to the world, into whose hands God has put the management of this whole dispensation. ‘ ml P To open our way to a right sense of these words, ra ta wala. lee io nd ow *Inc®, it will be necessary, in the first place, to consider the terms of it, they are used by St. Paul. iit 1.-As to “ical, “ created,” it is to be acknowledged, that it is the word used, in sacred scripture, to express creation, in the scsiptural sense of cre far j.e. making out of nothing; yet that it is not always used in that sense, : Paul, is visible from the 15th verse of the foregoing chapter, where our tr: tors have rightly rendered sion, ‘* make,” and it would contain a manifest abe Surdity to render it there, create, in the theological sense of the word, a 2. It is to be observed, that St. Paul often chooses to speak of the work chief end of the creation, or whether it were because there was no less seen of the wisdom, power and goodness of God, in this, than in the first creation, and ~ the change of lost and revolted man, from being dead in sins, to newness of was as great, and by as great a power as at first making out ofnothing; orwhe= ther it was because the avaxeParatworc, under Jesus Christ the head, mentioned ~ chap. i. 10, was a restitution of the creation to its primitive state and or which, Acts iii. 21, is called droxclasdcswg warlwy, ** the restitution o! * things,” which was begun with the preaching of St. John the baptist, (wha was tne Elias that restored all things, Matt. xvii. 11, i.e. opened the kingdom *5 of heaven to believers of all nations, Luke xvi, 16) and is completed in Chris : e CHAP, III. EPHESIANS, - 471 TEXT. 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers, in heavenly places, might be known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God, !' 11 According to the eternal purpose, which he purposed, in Christ Jesus our Lord: PARAPHRASE, 10 To the intent that now, under the gospel, the manifold wisdom of God, in the ordering and management of his heavenly kingdom, might be made known to principa- 11 lities and powers by the church’, According to that pre- NOTES. coming with his saints, in the glory of his father, at the lastday. But,whether some, or all, of these conjectures, which I have mentioned, be the reason of it, this is certain, that St. Paul speaks of the work of redemption, under the name of creation. So 2 Cor. v. 17, “ If any one be in Christ, (xatvn xlicts,) he is a « new creature, or it isa new creation.” And Gal. vi. 15, “ In Christ Jesus, ¢¢ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but xeivn xliotcs «¢ the new creation.” : Tt is then to be considered, of which creation rz wavla dlicavl, “* who cre- * ated all things,” is here to be understood. ‘The business St. Paul is upon, in this place, is to show that God’s purpose, of taking in the gentiles to be his peo- ple under the gospel, was a mystery, unknown in former ages, and now, under the kingdom of the Messiah, committed to him, to be preached to the world. This is so manifestly the design of St. Paul here, that no-body can mistake it. Now, if the creation of the material world, of this visible frame, of sun, moon, and stars, and heavenly bodies that are over us, and of the earth we inhabit, hath no immediate relation, as certainly it hath not, to this mystery, this design of God’s, to call the gentiles into the kingdom of his Son, it is to make St. Paula very loose writer and weaker arguer, in the middle of a discourse, which he seems to lay much stress on, and to press earnestly on the ephesians (for he urges it more than once) to bring in things not at all to his purpose, and of no use to the business in hand. We cannot, therefore, avoid taking the creation, and things created here, to be those of the new creation, viz. those, of which the __ kingdom of Christ, which wasthis new creation, was to be made up, and in that sense rd waila ulicail dice Incd Xpic¥, “ who created all things by Jesus s¢ Christ,”” is a reason to show, why God kept his purpose, of making the gen- tiles meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints, or, as he expresseth it, _ chap. ii. 10, that they ‘* should be his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,” concealed from former agés, viz. because this new creation was in Christ Jesus, and so proper to be preached and published, when he was come, which is strongly confirmed by the words of the following verse, vize *¢ that now, in its due time, by this new piece of workmanship of his, viz. the church, might be made known the manifold wisdom of God.” ‘This taking in the gentiles, into the kingdom of his Son, and after that, the re-assuming again of the jews, who had been rejected, St. Paul looks on, as so great an instance, and display of the wisdom of God, that it makes him cry out, Rom, xi, 33, «* O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of Ged; how *¢ unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”’ 10 4 There be two things, in this verse, that to me make it hard tg determine 472 EPHESIANS. NOTE. 0 i, JAR RS the precise sense of it; the first is, what is meant by apxats and Z that sometimes, in sacred scripture, signify temporal mage viour uses them, Luke xii. 11, and St. Paul, Tit. iii. 4.° Sometimes who are vested with any power, whether men or angels, so 1 Cor. xv. Sometimes for evil angels; so they are understood, chap. vi. 19. "Sometimes. they are understood of good angels, so Col. i. 16. Now, to which of these to _ determine the sense here, I confess myself not sufficiently enlightened. Indeed — zy Toig éwepaviosc, in the things of his heavenly kingdom, would do Tt is from the head that the body receives its healthy and vigorous con= stitution of health and life; this St. Paul pronounces here of Christ, as | of of the church, that by that parallel which he makes use of, to represent the 4 relation between husband and wife, he may both show the wife the reasonable ness of her subjection to her husband, and the duty incumbent en the husband. R to cherish and preserve his wife, as we see he pursues it in the following i VEISCi> “a Peta ie a CHAP. V. EPHESIANS, — 489 TEXT. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it : 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the'washing of water, by the word, 27 That. he might present it to himself a glorious church, not hav- ing spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies: he that loveth his wife, loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. PARAPHRASE. 25 to their husbands, in every thing, And, you husbands, do you, on your side, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself to death for it ; 26 That he might sanctify and fit it to himself, purifying it by the washing of baptism, joined with the preaching 27 and reception of the gospel; That so he himself* might present it to himself an honourable spouse, without the _ least spot of uncleanness, or misbecoming feature, or: any thing amiss; but that it might be holy, and without £8 all manner of blemish. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies; he that loveth his wife, lov- 29 eth himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord Christ 30 doth the church: For we are members of his body, of NOTES. 26 © “Ey gayanrs, “ by the word.” The purifying of men is ascribed so much, throughout the whole New Testament, to the word, i.e. the preaching of the gospel, and baptism, that there needs little to be said to prove it; see John xv. 3, and xviii. 17, 1 Pet. i. 22, Tit. iii. 5, Heb. x. 22, Col. ii. 19795, and as it is at large explained in the former part of the sixth chapter to the romans. ; ° 27 4 “ He himself,” so the alexandrine copy reads it ards, and not adrhy, more suitable to the apostle’s meaning here, who, to recommend to husbands Jove and tenderness to their wives, in imitation of Christ’s affection to the «hurch, shows, that whereas other brides take care to spruce themselves, and set off their persons, with all manner of neatness and cleanness, to recommend themselves to their bridegrooms; Christ himself, at the expence of his own pain and blood, purified and prepared himself his spouse, the church, that he might present it to himself, without spot, or wrinkle. 490 ‘EPHESIANS, cnAar. we TEXT. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shalt be joined unto his wife,and they two shall be one flesh. ae $2 This isa great mystery: but | speak concerning Christ and the — church. " ae 385 Nevertheless, let every one of you, in particular, so love his wiie, even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. iy arial . PARAPHRASE. sh. nc eee 81 his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall be jomed unté $2 his wife, and they two shall be one flesh®. "These words 33 contain a very mystical sense in them‘, I mean in refer- ence to Christ and the church. But laying that aside, their literal sense lays hold on you, and therefore do you husbands, every one of you in particular, so love his ~ wife, as his own self, and let the wife reverence her hus- ¥ \ ; " . NOTES. va $0 and $1 © These two verses may seem to stand here disorderly, so as to disturb the connexion, and make the inference disjointed, and very loose, and — inconsistent to any one, who more minds the order and grammatical construce : tion of St. Paul’s words, written down, than the thoughts that possessed his mind, when he was writing. It is plain the apostle had here two things in view; the one was, to press men to love their wives, by the crample of 4 Christ’s love to his church; and the force of that argument, lay in this, that a — man and his wife were one flesh, as Christ and his church were one: but thia latter, being a truth of the greater consequence of the two, he was as intent — ‘on settling that upon their minds, though it were but an incident, as the other ~ which was the argument he was upon; and therefore, having ‘gald, ver a8 that “every one nourisheth and cherisheth his own flesh, as Christ doth ¢ church,” it was natural to subjoin the reason there, viz. because ** we are «¢ members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones:”” a proposition te Soule as much care to have believed, as that it was the duty of husbands to love theii wwives; which doctrine, of Christ and the church’ being one, whien he I > strongly asserted, in the words of Adam concerning Eve, Gen: ii. 23, which h in his concise way of expressing himself, understands both of the wife and the church, he goes on with the words in Gen. ii, 24, which makes their t one flesh the reason why a man was more strictly to be united to his wife, to his parents, or any other relation. Ha ‘aan $2 £ It is plain, by ver. $3, here, and the application thereimof Gen, ii. 23, to Christ and the church, that the apostles od. sages in the Old Testament, in reference to Christ and the gospel, w gelical, or spiritual, sense was not understood, until, by the assi Spirit of God, the apostles so explained and revealed it. This is the St. Paul, as we see he does here, calls mystery, He that has a true notion of this matter, let him carefully read 4 Cor, ii, where & “particularly explains this matter, ae olin iia S CHAP. VI. EPHESIANS. | a *:) | PERT, VI.1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promise) : 3 That it may be yell with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And ye, fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, iu singleness of your heart, as unto Christ : . 6 Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the ‘servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart ; j 7 With good-will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. 9 And ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threat. PARAPHRASE. VI.1 band. Children, obey your parents, performing it as required thereunto by our Lord Jesus Christ; for this is 2 right and conformable to that command, Honour thy fa- ther and mother, (which is the first command with pro- _ 3 mise) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest be _ & long-lived upon the earth. And on the other side, ye fathers, do not, by the austerity of your carriage, despise and discontent your children, but bring them up, under such a method of discipline, and give them such instruc- y tion, as is suitable to the gospel. Ye that are bondmen, _ be obedient to those who are your masters, according to the constitution of human affairs, with great respect and subjection, and with that sincerity of heart which should _ 6 beused to Christ himself: Not with service only in those ; ‘) v outward actions, that come under their observation; aim- ing at no more but the pleasing of men; but, as the ser- vants of Christ, doing what God requires of you, from 7 your very hearts; In this with good-will paying your duty 8 to the Lord, and not unto men: Knowing that whatso- ever good thing any one doth to another, he shall be con- _ sidered and rewarded for it by God, whether he be bond 9 oriree. And ye masters, have the like regard and rea- , oa ‘Gh EPHESIANS. CMAP. vi. TEXT. ning: knowing that your Master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him. - ¢ m : PARAPHRASE. diness to do good to your bond-slaves, forbearing the roughness even of unnecessary menaces, knowing that — even you yourselves have a Master in heaven above, who will call you, as well as them, to an impartial account for your carriage one to another, for he is no respecter of persons. | be SECT. XI. CHAP. VI. 10—20. CONTENTS. ; He concludes this epistle, with a general exhbitatin 0a them, to stand firm against the temptations of the devil, in — the exercise of christian virtues and graces, which he pr - poses to them, as so many pieces of christian armour fit t iO arm them cap-a-pee, and preserve them in the conflict. | ‘] ne TEXT. 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and i in the ke of his might. a 11 Put on the whole*arnioacoF God, that ye may v 7 to stand © against the wiles of the devil. ‘ . 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, se aunnerere 4 PARAPHRASE. 10 Finally, my brethren, go on resolutely in the profes of the gospel, in reliance upon that power, and in exercise of that strength, which is ready for your ‘11 port, in Jesus Christ; Putting on the whole art God, that ye may be able to resist all the attacks 12 devil: For our conflict is not barely with men, but wi \ CHAP. VIE EPHESIANS, | 493 TEXT. , Palities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, _, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness ; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of eace ; 16 bene all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirif, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and PARAPHRASE. principalities, and with powers*, with the rulers of the darkness, that is in men, in the present constitution of the world, and the spiritual managers of the opposition 13 to the kingdom of God. Wherefore, take unto your- selves the whole armour of God, that you may be able to make resistance in the evil day, when you shall be attacked, and, having acquitted yourselves in every thing 14 as you ought, to stand and keep your ground: Stand fast, therefore, having your loins girt with truth; and 15 having on the breast-place of righteousness; And your feet shod with a readiness to walk in the way of the gos- pel of peace, which you have well studied and consi- 16 dered. Above all taking the shield of faith, wherein you may receive, and so render ineffectual all the fiery 17 darts of the wicked one, i.e. the devil. Take also the hopes of salvation for an helmet; and the sword of the 13 spirit, which is the word of God’: Praying, at all sea- é - NOTES. 12 2 *¢ Principalities and powers” are put here, it is visible, for those re- volted angels, which stood in opposition to the kingdom of God. 17 » In this foregoing allegory, St, Pau! providing armour for his christian ‘soldier, to arm him at all points,’ there is no need curiously to explain, wherein the peculiar correspondence between those virtues and those pieces of armour _ €onsisted, it being plain enough, what the apostle means, and wherewith he ~ would have believers be armed for their warfare. Oh 2 ‘ 404 -_- EPHESIANS? cman wel TEXT. 3 watching thereunto, with all perseverance, and supplication, for all saints’ ; "\er tee “a 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel : BA : ae 0 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may ; speak boldly, as I ought to speak. ie @ PARAPHRASE. a sons, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, at» tending and watching hereunto, with all perseverance, — 19 and supplication, for all the saints; And for me, in par- ticular, that I may, with freedom and plainness of speech, preach the word, to the manifesting and laying open that — part of the gospel, that concerns the calling of the gen- tiles, which has hitherto, as a mystery, lain concealed, — 20 and not been at all understood. But I, as an ambas- — sador, am sent to make known to the world, and am now in prison, upon that very account: but let your — prayers be, that, in the discharge of this my commission, — I may speak plainly and boldly, as an ambassador from _ God ought to speak. | ‘i SECT. XII. CHAP. VI. 21—24. EPILOGUS. TRKT. ta 21 But.that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, ‘Tychicus, 4 a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make — known to you all things. af a PARAPHRASE. oo) = 21 Tychicus, a beloved brother, and faithful minister of he? Lord, in the work of the gospel, shall acquaint you how — = _ CMAP. VI. EPHESIANS, - 495 TEXT. 22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brethren, and love, with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sin- cerity. Amen. Ni PARAPHRASE. _Matters stand-with me, and how I do, and give you a 22 particular account how all things stand here. I have sent him, on purpose, to you, that you might know the state of our affairs, and that he might comfort your 23 hearts. Peace be to the brethren, and love, with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those that love our Lord Jesus Christ’ with sincerity *. NOTE. 24 2 "Ey dpbapciz, “in sincerity,” so our translation; the greek word sig- nifies, “* in incorruption.”” St. Paul closes all his epistles, with this benedic- tion, ‘¢ grace be with you;"" but this here is so peculiar a way of expressing himself, that it may give us some reason to inquire what thoughts suggested it. It has been remarked, more than once, that the main business of his epistle is that, which fills his mind, and guides his pen, in his whole discourse. In this «to the ephesians he-sets forth the gospel, as a dispensation so much, in every thing, superiour to the law; that it was to debase, corrupt, and destroy the gospel, to join citcumcision and the observance of thelaw, as necessary to it. Having writ this epistle to this end, he here in the close, having the same thought still upon his mind, pronounces favour on all those that love the Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption, i.e. without the mixing, or joining any with him, in the work of our salvation, that may render the gospel useless and ineffectual. For thus he says, Gal. v. 2, ‘ If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you no- 4 thing,” This I submit to the consideration of the judicious reader. INDEX. wv. B. Where Letters are added to the Numbers, they refer to Notes at f “ the Bottom of the Pages. 4 : A. hep in the same calling, how c this phrase i is to be understood, p- 126, f, Abolished. how the law of Moses was abolished by Christ, 462, k. Accursed, to whom the apostle ul | timately applies this, (Gal. i.) 32, Cc. Meta, aff men became mortal by $0 his sin, 323, a. Adoption belonged only to the al Pity ‘before Christ’s. coming, 440, h. Aid», how used in the New Testa- ment 453, 1: 473, r. Anointed, what it signifies, (2 Cor. pit - ) bo ai? by a. ) ss 5 Siw (.1 10 B. ED ies it obliges to ho- 333, a. Bap into one’s name, what it 84, c. ey what it signifies, (1 ii, 123, a. how taken from the jews the ‘gospel, ~ 306, a. Dodies, why St. Paul requires tem f to be presented to God, 398, a. Bondage, what it signifies, . Cor. xi.) 257,e. Born after the flesh, and s irit, beautiful expressions, da, d. out of due time, the apostle Paul's saying so of wae ex- plained, 85, a. Brother, why Paul called Timothy sO, ~ 206, a. By his own power, how to be un- derstood, 120, s. By, sometimes signifies, in the time of, 468, i. C. CALLING upon Christ,'themean- ing of that expression, 384, n. Clear in this matter, what it signi- fies, 238 + Covenant of grace and works, how they differ, 452, k. Covetousness, used for exorbitant lust, 479, ce Created all dhinigs by Jesus Christ, | what that phrase means, 470, p. D. DEAD in and sins, meaning of that phrase, 455, t. Kk INDEX. Deeds of the law, what are meant by them, 303, |. Discerning, what it imports, (1 Cor. xi.) 160, g. EAT and drink unworthily, (1 Cor. xi.) what it signifies, 158, c. eG what it signifies, ham xi.) eG Ends of the world, what that ex- pression means, 144, g. Endured with long- sufferance, what that expression implies, 378, y- Enemies, how the unbelieving jews are so called, 394, t. Epistles of Paul, causes of their obscurity, TN, OCC. ——— expositors often put their own sense on them, eT ———— the author's way of study- ing, and method of interpreting them,.. XII. ¥sau have I hated, to be taken in a national sense, 374, m ‘Establishment of the gentile chris- tians, how taken care of by St. Paul, 279, | ® Every soul, the meaning of it, (Rom, xiii.) 405, a. Examine, (1 Cor. xi.) how to be understood, 159, e. Expedient, (1 Cog. vi.) what it re- lates to, 118, p. F. FAITH, what it imports, (a Cor. xii.) 166, g, what Paul meant by hear- _ ing of the ephesians faith, 447 ,a, Faithful in Christ Jesus, ss a this description signifies, 436, b, Flesh, what to be in the flesh means, 360, y- Fleshly tables of the heart, ie apostle’s allusjon in that phrase, i 218, c. From: faith to faith, that phrase means wholly of faith, 283, e Fulfilled in us, in what sense to , be understood, G. ; Pt GATHER together in one all things, what is to be understood by this expression, Gentiles, several epithets given them by St. Paul, 317, e. how, being converted, they gloried in Ged, 320, h. St. Paul speaks of them in | the style of we and us, 437, b. Glory of God, (Rom. ili. 23.) what meant by, 304, ¢ Glory, or boast, how St. Paul did it, 259, 1 i. —— how the gentile converts did it, 316, b: 320, ge —— how God is the father of it, 449, C. God, in what sense it is. said God is one, (Gal. iii.) 51, c Gods many and Lords many, ins what sense to be understood, 133, ¢. Grace how it is said much more to abound, (Rom. v.) 317, éu what it is to be under grace, 337, O« the glory of it appeared pe- culiarly in the first converts, 444, u: 456, x, He Ly que was : Ng HABITATION of God, how the church is so called, _ 465, n. Have pleasure in, me i.) what it imports, - 288, es Heavenly places, (Ephes, i.) ho _ to be understood, AAQ: 45) 0, & Heir of the world, in what : oF | Abraham was so, (312, Him, (1 Cor. xvi.) refers to the spiritual man, Hoped first in Christ, who a5 were, ; bwieay aye Ady Uy 14 0 We ~ 442, Tr. ‘ 358, qQ. INDEX. 9 IT and J. JACOB have I loved, &c. to be taken in a national sense, 374, m. Jews, whence they had great au- thority among the gentiles, 273 — remained zealous for the law of Mosesafter they believed, 274 the only distinction between them and the gentiles under the _ gospel, 289, y. Inexcusable, upon what account the jews were so, ibid. Inheritance of God, the gentiles on their believing became so, 443, s. Inns, not used in eastern countries as among us, 422, b. Israel, in a spiritual-sense, includes. _ the believing gentiles, 372, h. Israelites, in respect of what their minds were blinded, 221,n, Justification, how ascribed to our Saviour’s resurrection, 383, l. - of life, (Rom. v.) _ what it means, 313, m. as a KNOWLEDGE, (Rom. i.) signi- fies acknowledgment, 287, rT. i. LAW, by St. Paul usually called flesh, 46, c. =——— what is meant by being with- out a law, 292, g. —— taken for the whole Old Tes- tament, 302, k. _=—— what deeds of the law sig- nify, 303, I. _=—— used in scripture for a com- “ mand with a penalty annexed, \ 324, c. _-—— how the phrase the law en- tered (Rom. y.) is to be under- stood, 342, c. | —>— in what respect sincere chris- tians are not under it, 337, 0. ~—— how its dominion over a man is to be understood, 342, ¢. Law, in what setise belicvets ate dead to it, 344, h. —— how it is weak through the flesh, 357, ks of the jews, how said to be weak and beggarly, 57, g- of sin and death, what is meant by it, S50 Lord is that spirit, the meaning of this expression, 223, r. Lye, the apostle plainly uses it for sin in general, 301, f. M. MALICE, (1 Cor. xiv.) used in an extensive sense, 179, k. Man, the two principles in him, flesh aud spirit, described, 66-7. Manifestation of the sons of God, the meaning of that phrase, qj 365, t. Many, put for all mankind, 325, e. Men, carnal and spiritual, distin~ guished, 99,.b, ¢ Messiah, how the jews expected deliverance from him, 383,-k. Ministration of righteousness, why the gospel is so called, 220, 1- Mortal and incorruptible, ({ Cor. xv.) how to be understood, ® 195;0. Mystery, the meaning of, 426, i. N. NEWNESS of spirit, what meant by it, 346, 1. Not named or known, what it sig- nifies, 113, ¢. O. OFFENCE, how the law entered, that the offence might abound, 330, b. Offended, (Rom. xiv.) what it means, 434, m. One God, (Rom. iii. 30.) how to be understood, 307.4. INDEX. One'God, (Gal. iii.) the meaning of the expression, but God is one, . 307, Gysa face, (2 Cor. xiv.) what it means, (} WQQB5-te P. PASSING sins over, how God iis said to do this, 305, w. Paul, ‘his epistle to the galatians ‘ explained, : 25 the general design of this epistle shown, 27 how said tobe an apostle not of men, nor by men, ibid. ~—— how‘he was'said not to please men, “0 B4yd. —— wentinto.Arabinimmediately . after his conversion, 34, e. —— his first epistle to the ‘corine _thians explained, 79, &c. —— his second epistle to the co- rinthians explained, 205, &c. ~— his epistle to the romans.ex- rik rice and its generaliscope, 273, &e. —— his wisdom im treating the unbelieving jews, 280, &c. —— whathe means by my gos- pel, 298,.h. —— his epistle to: the ephesians explained, ° 431, &e. _ + taught the expiration: of the Jaw more than the other apos- tles, 433, &c. —— is wont to join himself ‘with the believing gentiles in speak- ‘ingito:them, . 437, \b. Perfect, (1 Cor. ii.) how to:be-un- - derstood, | 89, a. Phoebe, why she is called a suc- courer of many, 422, b. Power, what the phrase brought under power, (1 Cor. vi.) refers » tay “ pATS ps Pray cai the understanding, what it means, 178, g. _ Praying and prophesying, how to be understuod, 151, (3). Present evil world, (Gal. i.) what js meant by it,, 29, €.. Princes of this world, how to be understood, . 92, Cal Principatities, powers, . persons mata with: authority, k i} ogeron wih Z : Prophesying @ Cone) the no no-— ‘tien of it, | Proportion of faith, what it signe 2 fies, Ty Waa (372; he ! Put on Christ ithe oxtiinimgotdthat bi arenes a. Gate 7 t0G olde | ld o97ue. ew), 8, ty Qe ho 99 8 vei aa ie0u0d anivolisd-fiodd QUICKEN - ‘mortal %od . this: piers largely» i LA} a 5 +b eal }.acoUeoli io 17Tve wt 6 YuGiy rs REDEMPTION, howe ded cby the author,” ceous 1) Geug 5 7 Reprobate mind, what it signiagl ~y 287, sf | Resurrection of the dead, ql Cory, Xv.) how «to ‘Bey cpm erstoads Revellings, what-they were, 69, h. Right hand of fellowship, what it, | signifies, él 40, q. Righteousness often, taken — libe- ¢ rality, FOU oT Te ia Sib of the law, thissphrase . largely explained,: — of God, whatismeant by it, #003 tO) Oy OG Stee Rose:up to play, ql Cor. x: what it refersito, ) 0) 485 de Running, what it means s and al- dudes to, raph 30; wight -_— Ss. SANCTIFIED in nv Ses, what it means, Saved, (Rom, xi.) whatiit means; — ~