Romans

ANNOTATIONS ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE  ROMANS.

Transcribed by Benjamin C. L. Pratt and Joseph Weissman

The argument and analysis of the epistle to the Romans

The main scope and end of the apostle in this epistle to the Romans, is to convince both Jew and Gentile of their corrupt and deplorable estate by nature, and how impossible it is to obtain righteousness and salvation by the works of the law, and consequently to draw all men to embrace the doctrine of the gospel, wherein grace and mercy, in the remission of sins, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, comfort in affliction, and conquest in all temptations, together with the adoption of sons, and eternal life are offered to all believers.

It contains in it:

(1) Theological doctrines and conclusions:

[1] Concerning justification, which he proves to be by faith, without the works of the law, from 1:16-chapter 6.

[2] Concerning sanctification, which he proves to be imperfect, yet true and sincere (chapters 6-9).

[3] Concerning predestination, which he proves to be of the mere love of God, and not upon any merit in us (chapters 9-11).

(2) Moral exhortations to holiness of conversation, subjection to magistrates, and charity towards all, especially our weak brethren (chapters 12-15).

(3) Christian salutations and prayers, with a promise shortly to see them (chapter 16). 

CHAPTER 1

Verse 1. {Paul} Paul, the holy apostle, who wrote this epistle and the rest, either had two names given him formerly (at his circumcision) Saul and Paul, as the first Evangelist in order, had two names, Matthew and Levi, which the words of Saint Luke (Acts 13:9) seem to import; (Saul which also is called Paul) or, after his separation to the work of the ministry, and his converting Paul the proconsul, his former name Saul was changed into Paul, either by the proconsul Sergius Paulus, who graced him with the name of his illustrious family among the Romans, as Titus, did Josephus the Jew with the name of Flavius; or, by himself in memory of that great work God wrought by him, as well in the conversion of the proconsul as the confusion of Elymas the Sorcerer; so Saint Augustine and Saint Jerome, victoriae erexit vexillum ut Paulus diceretur e Saulo.

{servant} The word is not here taken as opposed to a free man, but signifies a minister, or a man wholly addicted to Christ’s service, whose service is perfect freedom: in which sense Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5) and Joshua (Joshua 24:29) and David (Psalm 18:1) and other holy men are called the servants of the Lord.

{called} He expresses here his calling, partly because it was extraordinary; not of man, nor by man but immediately by Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:1); partly to show the Romans presently in the beginning that what he wrote to them in this epistle was done according to the duty of his calling, and that he had good warrant and commission for it.

{apostle} The word apostle is derived from ἀποστέλλω, and signifies a legate or ambassador of Christ sent to declare the gospel to all nations, and such a one was Saint Paul, who had a general commission to preach both to Jew and Gentile, though specially by the appointment of God with the consent of both parties the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to Paul, as the gospel of circumcision to Peter (Galatians 2:7).

{separated} See Acts 13:2. Or, set apart for. From his mother’s womb in God’s appointment (Galatians 1:15); but actually set apart by the command of the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel among the Gentiles (Acts 13:2). In the word separate, he seems to allude to the name of Pharisee, which signifies a man separate; of which sect he was before his conversion: and hereby he implies that he is still a separated man, but to a better purpose, namely, to the preaching of the gospel of Christ.

V. 2. {promised} Or, foreshowed. Showed before in the types of the law, and promised before in the words of the prophets which were since the world began.

V. 3. {made} See Galatians 4:4. In regard to his human nature, which is a true creature assumed by the Son of God in the unity of his person. He uses the word made here and Galatians 4:4 rather than born, to intimate his miraculous incarnation whereby he took flesh of a pure virgin.

{seed} That is, of the substance of the virgin Mary, who was of David’s posterity.

{flesh} That is, his human nature (John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16), flesh being a part is by a synecdoche taken for the whole man.

V. 4. {declared} Greek: determined. Not made the Son of God as he was truly made the son of man; but declared to be the Son of God. The word in the original signifies more than a definitive judgment, Psalm 2:7: I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son.

{with power} Greek: in power.

{spirit} That is, according to his divine nature called spirit (1 Timothy 1:16, Hebrews 9:14).

{holiness} Or sanctification; that is, holy in himself, and makes us holy by his merit and virtue (Hebrews 2:11).

{resurrection from the dead} Greek: resurrection of the dead. The godhead was formerly veiled under the infirmity of the flesh, but in the resurrection, and after it was manifested in Christ in the glory of divine power, and by effects most admirable (2 Corinthians 13:4).

V. 5. {grace and apostleship} Either he uses here a figure, ἓν διὰ δυοῖν, and means the grace and eminent gift of being an apostle: or by grace he means the favor of God, and pardon for his former offense in persecuting the church, or supernatural gifts to qualify him for an apostle, or grace for his own conversion and apostleship for the conversion of others.

{for obedience to the faith} Or, to the obedience of faith. To bring the Gentiles to the obedience of Christ and faith (Acts 26:16), or to make the Gentiles submit by faith to receive the gospel, whereby Christ reigns over men, (Acts 6:7).

{name} That his name might be known and glorified by them; or for him in his name, by his authority and commission.

V. 6. {called} Outwardly by the Word, and inwardly by the Spirit: for in the next verse he calls them the beloved of God; and afterwards saints.

V. 7. {Grace to you, and peace} Either by grace he understands all spiritual and supernatural; and by peace, all temporal blessings, agreeable to the signification of the Hebrew shalom; which implies happiness, or prosperous success in all things: or by grace, God’s free will and favor; and by Peace, the fruit and enjoying of the same; which brings peace of conscience, termed Christ’s peace (John 16:33) and peace with God (Romans 5:1).

V. 8. {for you all} Greek: Or concerning you all.

{whole world} That is, spread and made known to the churches of the world. A figurative expression, yet thus far it has ground in the letter; that there was a resort to Rome from all parts of the world, and everyone might relate of it in his own country.

V. 9. {with my spirit} Or in my spirit. That is, from my heart and inward affection; or in my spirit, that is, in my soul, which is as the spiritual temple, wherein God is worshiped, and served by the faithful.

{that} Or how.

V. 10. {will of God} This he adds, for that in the publishing of the gospel he still followed the order, which God prescribed him by his Spirit.

V. 12. {comforted} Or admonished, as Hebrews 12:5. For the Greek bears both alike; and though Paul were never so excellent, yet he might be instructed, or at least admonished by the church: for the angels themselves received more particular knowledge by the Church of the manifold wisdom of God (Ephesians 3:10. 1 Peter 1:12).

{with you} Or in you.

V. 13. {but was} Or and was.

{let hitherto} Sometimes by accidental difficulties, sometimes by the express commandment of God, (Acts 16:7).

{fruit among you} Or in you. Of my ministry and calling to be an apostle of Christ among the Gentiles to convert them unto him; or at least to confirm them more and more in their faith; or that I might make my ministry to fructify among you Romans to the advancement of the glory of Christ, and salvation of his church.

{among} Or in.

V. 14. {I am debtor} That is, obliged by my apostolic charge to seek the salvation of all, and to communicate the talent unto them, which I received from God to that purpose, to the utmost of my power, without distinction of either nation, or condition of men. (1 Corinthians 9:16-17).

V. 16. {ashamed} I am not fainthearted; I do not seek to withdraw myself or shrink back from the publishing of the gospel, as men are wont to do in things whereof they are ashamed.

{power of God} That is, the only and most effectual means to save men by faith in Christ set forth in the same; whereas man of his own nature was void of strength thereunto, Romans 5:6. and the law was weak through the flesh, (Romans 8:3, 1 Corinthians 1:14,24).

{Jew first} As unto that nation to which it was requisite the gospel should be first preached, (Acts 13:46).

{to the Greek} This word Greek is sometimes set in Saint Paul against the word Jew, so it signifies the Gentiles in general, the greater part whereof and the nearest and best known to the Jews were in those days Greeks both by nation and language: sometimes as it is set against the word barbarian (Colossians 3:11) and so it signifies the more civilized and learned sort of Greeks; and in this sense, Athens was termed ελλασ ελλαδος, that is, the Greece of Greece.

V. 17. {righteousness of God} Of Christ given to us by God, and received by faith; or it is called the righteousness of God, because God ordained his Son true God, to fulfill and procure the same, imparting it of mere grace to his elect; and receiving it for their absolution, for this is that everlasting righteousness which is able to subsist before God’s judgment, (Daniel 9:24). Or lastly, because it is the accomplishment of all his promises; for so is the righteousness of God sometimes taken for his faithfulness and mercy (Romans 3:26).

{from faith to faith} Or, out of faith to faith.

{faith to faith} That is, from one degree to another, so that according as faith does more and more increase and get strength the more likewise it is assured of that righteousness. Or the revelation of the righteousness is received by a continual act of faith which must never cease till it arrive to its accomplishment, to wit, in the life eternal, (Psalm 84:7).

{The just shall live by faith] Or, the just by faith shall live. See (Habakkuk 2:4, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38). Either the just shall live by his faith, or he that is just by faith shall live, which well agrees with the Hebrew (Habakkuk 2:4) and likewise with the principal drift of the apostle. Here he proves that man obtains life and salvation by the gospel; for as much as the gospel offers unto us the only cause of life, namely: the true righteousness, which is that of Christ imputed to man by grace, and embraced of him by a lively faith, whereunto the allegation out of Habakkuk is pertinent, for the prophet attributing unto faith the obtaining and possessing spiritual life, does consequently attribute unto the same the means of getting that righteousness which is the only cause of life (Galatians 3:26).

V. 18. {ungodliness and unrighteousness} Under ungodliness are comprehended all sins repugnant to the first table; under unrighteousness, all sins against the second table.

{who hold} The Greek word signifies a forcible holding; and we may render it an enslaving the truth by their perverseness and malice; whereby she is so let [impeded] and hindered that she cannot exercise her command over their actions.

{the truth} By truth, he means all the light which is left in man since the fall; especially those common notions of God, his nature, power and will, imprinted in man by nature; as also the knowledge of moral good and evil.

{in unrighteousness} That is, unjustly smothering the truth; or that do contrary to all justice and equity, which requires that we give unto God that belongs unto him. And they may be said truly to withhold the truth in unrighteousness, who suppress it, forcing their own minds as knowing better than they do; like Medea in the poet, video meliora probo{que} deteriora sequor.

V. 19. {manifest in them} Or to them. That is, in the inwards of their mind or conscience; or else in them, that is, among them; namely, their wise and learned ones, who did leave a number of clear and judicious essays and sentences hereof in their writings, although they did contrary to the same.

{has shown] Partly by the light of nature in their consciences, partly by the consideration of the creature of God, whereby his attributes are evidently notified, and after a sort tasted and felt (Psalm 34:8, 19:2, 148:4-6, Acts 14:17, 17:27).

V. 20. {so that they are} Or that they may be.

{{without excuse} The apostle’s meaning is not, that God gave them that knowledge to that end and purpose to make them inexcusable: for they might catch even at that for an excuse: neither does he intimate that they being led by that divine light of nature might thereby come into favor with God, but that their own reason did condemn them of wickedness both against God and men: Or, he so far revealed the truth unto them that they cannot be excused, namely: before the righteous judgment of God, as if they had not known that which either they did, or might have known.

V. 21. {as God} As it belonged to the divine majesty, according to that very knowledge they had of him.

{vain} By the curiosity of their conceits, being fallen off to vain apprehensions of God, and of his worship, which they framed not according to the knowledge they had of God; but suitable to the dispositions of their perverted minds, in devising so many strange and different worships; and in setting up so many fabulous and idle deities, whereby the knowledge of God became still more and more obscured.

{imaginations} Or disputes, or reasonings.

{darkened} (Ephesians 4:18)

V. 22. {Professing} He speaks of the philosophers and wizards among the heathen, who carried a semblance of wisdom in their discourses, and seemed to be much better minded than others; but yet did still follow the perverseness and vanity of others.

V. 23. {And changed the glory of the incorruptible God, etc.} (Psalm 106:20, Ezekiel 8:10).

V. 24. {Wherefore} The contempt of Religion is the fountain of all mischief.

{God] For their superstitions, and the dishonor they offered to him, he abandoned them, and did not bridle their swerving desires; but let them have their full swing: and moreover by his just judgment more and more deprived them of those gifts of nature which they abused and slighted.

{gave them up} As a just Judge, leaving them over to Satan who tempted and led them to all iniquity: as they dishonored God by their idolatry; so God made them ignominious; delivering them up to the unclean spirit and their own natural corruption.

{uncleanness} Idolatry being spiritual uncleanness, is commonly followed with corporal; as you shall see these two sins joined together (Numbers 25:1-2. Revelation 17:1, 21:10). As on the contrary, religious kings, as namely Asa reformed both these abominations together (1 Kings 15), taking away both the idols, and male stews.

{through the lusts} Or in the lusts.

{between themselves} Or in themselves.

V. 25. {more than the Creator} Or, besides. For though they sometimes worshiped the true Creator, yet their idolatrous worship of the creature far exceeded it. Or, more than, in this place is not taken comparatively, but exclusively; as when Christ says in the parable, The publican went home rather justified, than the pharisee: the meaning is, he went home justified, and not the other: so the apostle’s meaning in this place seems to be, They worshiped the creature, and not the Creator: at the least the major part did so, if not all.

V. 26. {vile affections} That is, dishonorable: for as we are exhorted in 1 Thess. 4:4-5 to possess our vessels in honor; that is, to keep our bodies from all uncleanness: so on the contrary, those that give themselves unto uncleanness dishonor both themselves and their bodies; especially those who are active and passive in such filthiness as the apostle afterwards gives an example of.

{against} Or beside.

V. 27. {And likewise also the men, etc.} (Genesis 19:5, Leviticus 18:22).

V. 28. {to retain} Or to acknowledge.

{a reprobate mind} Or, a mind void of judgment. Into a perverse and froward [deceitful] mind, whereby it comes to pass that the light of conscience being once put out, and having almost no more remorse of sin, men run headlong into all kinds of mischief. The word in the original, αδοκιμον, may be taken either actively or passively; actively for a mind which disapproves all good courses, or does not prove or try good or bad; nor put difference between that which is vile, and that which is honorable; or passively for a mind disallowed of God: and so in this sense it is a metaphor taken from goldsmiths trying metals, and making choice of that which is good and precious, and rejecting and reprobating that which is vile.

V. 29. {unrighteousness, etc.} The apostle here reckons various kinds of vices; not that every man is subject to all these, but some men to all of them, and all to some of them: and therefore that none may stand upon his innocence before God, but that all need, and must fly to the righteousness of Christ.

{envy, murder} In the original there is an elegant paronomasia, as in the verse. following; which as it shows the lawful use of rhetorical figures in sermons and holy discourses; so the very affinity of the words may give us occasion to consider how easy it is to fall from one of these vices to the other; for he that is ασυνετους, that is, understands not the nature and conditions of covenants, will soon be ασυνθετους, that is, a covenant-breaker: and he that is transported with envy, has for the most part his feet swift to shed blood: as Cain first was guilty of φθονου, that is, envy, and after of φονου, murder: first he envied his brother Abel, and after slew him. (Galatians 5:21).

{malignity} Or ill conditions. That is, an evil disposition; such a perversity of mind and nature as is apt to construe all things to the worst.

V. 30. {haters of God} Or hated of God. The word in the original, θεοστυγεις, may indifferently be rendered haters of God, or hateful to God, and hated of him; yet seeing the apostle here rehearses the most heinous and reigning sins among the Gentiles, the former signification seems best to fit the text (Psalm 81:15).

{despiteful} Greek: injurious.

V. 31. {without natural affection} Or unsociable. The Greek word implies properly the affection and love which is between parents and children; and the sin here taxed by the apostle, did likewise reign among the Gentiles, who sacrificed in some places their aged parents, and sometimes their children unto their idols; exposed them to ruin, and destroyed them though not guilty of any capital crime, (2 Timothy 3:3).

{implacable} Or truce-breakers.

V. 32. {have pleasure in them} Or consent with them. Approve and commend them (Psalm 10:3, 49:18). This is even the highest pitch of wickedness, not only to do evil, but also to take delight in seeing it committed by others: such come near the malignity of the devil, who takes pleasure in evil, because evil, and instigates others to the like without any bait of a false seeming good, or sensual pleasure, which in other sins blinds men, and allures them to the commission thereof.

CHAPTER 2

Verse 1. {Therefore thou} Or Wherefore thou. He convinces them which would seem to be exempt out of the number of other men’s faults, and says, that they are least of all to be excused; for if they were well and narrowly searched, as God surely will search them, they themselves will be found guilty in those things which they reprehend and punish in others: so that in condemning others, they pronounce sentence against themselves.

{that judges} That does check, correct and punish others. Here the apostle taxes such among the Gentiles as either were lawgivers and judges amongst them; or led a more strict and austere life than the rest, as some of the philosophers did; whereby they seemed to judge and condemn the practice of others, when as yet they were inwardly full of hatred, envy, arrogance, and so on, and committed the same sins in secret when they thought they could hide them from the eye of man: all these men’s seeming wisdom and justice serves but to condemn them; and therefore though they thought themselves exempted from the ordinary sort of men, yet they are in the same, or a worse condition with them: and if they will be saved, must have recourse to the only righteousness of the gospel, seeing that their own is nothing but a vizard or false show.

{for wherein thou judge another, etc.} (Matthew 7:2).

V. 2. {we are sure} Greek: we know.

{truth} That is, uprightly and justly; not according to the outward appearance, but as things are indeed. God regards not the outward show and profession of leading a virtuous and commendable life, but strictly examines the heart and the thoughts, words and works, proceeding from thence (John 7:24, Luke 16:15).

V. 4. {despisest thou} Has no care at all to employ the same to the right and proper use, which is to give thee space of repentance, and afford thee many inducements thereunto; but contrarily you do profane them, and draw occasions from them to strengthen thyself in evil as if you should never be punished, because God has so long tolerated you.

{riches} That is, the multiplicity and variety of God’s outward blessings. A phrase used by the heathen, also, as we may see in Simplicius’ Disputation de bono & malo. Here the apostle especially argues against those who were of opinion that their case stood not ill with God forasmuch as God blessed them many ways in this world, and gave them abundance of wealth and honor, as he did to the Romans above other people, who had the command over all nations.

{repentance} Since the apostle speaks as yet of men under the law of nature, without the light of the word of God, and the efficacy of the Spirit of regeneration, among whom there could be no true or saving conversion unto God: it seems that repentance here signifies only an outward forbearing of grossest sins, and changing their vicious courses into such as were morally honest and commendable. Or it may be meant also of true repentance: For the favors of God allure men to their duty to God (Hosea 11:4).

V. 5. {treasurest up} See James 5:3. You heap up God’s judgments upon yourself in manner of a treasure, which increases still by daily addition.

{wrath} That is, punishment, which shall be at the last day inflicted to the full.

{day} and the day of. The last day, when God shall reveal and judge the sins of all men, even those which are most secret (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, Revelation 20:12-13).

{revelation} Greek: Tec: the retribution.

V. 6. {Who will render, etc.} (Psalm 62:12, Matthew 16:27, Revelation 22:12).

V. 7. {by patient continuance} Greek: according to patient continuance. That is perseverance with an equal and constant tenor of holiness and righteousness according to the commandment, (Deuteronomy 27:26).

{glory} Which follows good works: which he lays not out before us as though there were any that could attain to salvation by his own strength; but by laying this condition of salvation before us, which no man can perform; to bring men to Christ, who alone justifies believers, as he himself concludes, Chap. 2:21-22. Following.

V. 8. {contentious} Greek: them of conscientiousness. Kicking and striving against the righteousness of God, (Hosea 4:4). chiefly by alleging and objecting their own righteousness, and outward observing of discipline, which is usual with hypocrites.

{truth} The light and knowledge of moral good imprinted in their souls by nature, (Romans 1:18-19).

{indignation, and wrath} Greek: wrath and indignation.

V. 9. {Tribulation} Or affliction.

{doeth evil} Greek: works out evil.

{Jew first} Though God inflicts punishment indifferently upon all transgressors, without distinction of either nation or person: yet for all that the judgment of God begins at his own house; and those that have had more knowledge and do not accordingly, shall receive the heavier punishment: (Amos 3:2, Luke 12:47, Matth. 11:22, 1 Peter 4:17).

{Gentile} Greek: Greek.

V. 10. {peace} By peace he means according to the Hebrew signification of the word, happiness, health, and salvation.

{works good} Or does good.

{Gentile} Greek: Greek.

V. 11. {there is no respect, etc.} (Deut 10:17, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Job 34:19, Acts 10:34, Galatians 2:6, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25, 1 Peter 1:17).

{respect of persons} That is, he regards not the quality or outward condition; he measures not men by their country, nation, power, riches, or honor; either to receive them, or to cast them away. The Greek word signifies as well countenance, as person, and the sense comes all to one; for by countenance we are to understand the outward appearance of men in the world, or those things by which men are outwardly valued and esteemed: (Acts 10:34, 1 Sam. 16:7).

V. 12. {perish without law} Be judged and condemned by the testimony of their own conscience.

V. 13. {not the hearers, etc.}. (Matthew 7:21, James 1:22).

{hearers} Not those who only know the law, and boast of it, and fulfill it not. For as much then as the law cannot bring salvation to man by the knowledge and profession of it, as the Jews do believe, and none among them can be found who live answerable to his knowledge, it follows that the Jews are comprehended in the same malediction with the Gentiles, and have as much need to seek to Christ for righteousness as they do.

{justified} Shall be pronounced just before God’s judgment seat, which is true indeed if any such could be found that had fulfilled the law. But seeing as Abraham himself was not justified by the law, but by faith, it follows that no man can be justified by works.

V. 14. {not the law} That is, the written law, for they have the law of nature imprinted in their souls.

{things contained in the law} Greek: the things of the law. To wit, to restrain the outward man, and stir up in him a desire of virtue and moral honesty, and prescribe and follow some things which God commands in his law.

{law unto themselves} In commanding or forbidding that which the law of God commands and forbids.

V. 15. {their conscience also bearing witness} Or the conscience witnessing with them. Because the conscience is nothing else but the correspondency of the spirit of man unto the law, to bind or loose him; to accuse or excuse him; to condemn or absolve him; therefore since the Gentiles have a conscience, they must have a law also.

{their thoughts} Or, their reasonings. Chap. 1:21.

{the mean while etc} Or, between themselves.

{excusing one another} Greek: defending.

V. 16. {when God} Greek: in which God.

{my gospel} As my doctrine witnesses which I am appointed to preach. From this text of Saint Paul it seemed that the ancients namely, Clement in his epistle to the Corinthians: “Take blessed Paul’s epistle into your hands; mark what he writes in the beginning of his gospel.”

V. 17. {Behold, thou} Greek: But if thou. From hence forward the apostle deals especially against the Jews that boasted still of their offspring, their knowledge of the law of God, their circumcision, and other outward advantages whereon they relied; and proves that they are not more to be justified by these before God, than the Gentiles are by the law of nature.

{makest thy boast of God} Or gloriest in God.

V. 18. {approves of the things that are more excellent} Or tries the things that differ. Or different, that is: you are able to judge what things are commanded, what things are forbidden, or what is truly good, which you are to follow, instead of that false good which carnal reason or sense presents (Philippians 1:10).

{instructed out of the law} Greek: catechized out of Luke 1:4, Galatians 6:6 word for word according to the Greek; catechized from a child; carefully taught and tutored.

V. 19. {guide of the blind} Wise men only in Scripture are termed seers פִּקְחִים (Exodus 23:8. The gift blinds the wise (Hebrew: the seers) and all fools are blind.

V. 20. {babes} Those that have little or no knowledge, like children, (Matthew 11:25, 1 Corinthians 13:11). In this sense the word is also taken by the heathen, as in that proverbial speech delivered by Hesiod: παθὼν δέ τε νήπιος ἔγνω.

{form of knowledge} The way to teach and inform others in the knowledge of the truth; for the word in the original is not μορεη, but μορφωσιν, which signifies a pattern to work by or a perfect frame; not only of what belongs unto the true service of God in itself; but likewise of all that which we comprehend and judge of it in ourselves; it may be rendered a set manner or model of knowledge.

V. 21. {Dost thou steal} That is, by subtle and sinister ways and practices draw the goods of others unto yourself; which the Jews were ever much taxed with, and still are to this day.

V. 22. {commit sacrilege} Some here make a question, why the apostle changes the word, and says not as before: You which says a man shall not steal, do you steal? You which says a man shall not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? So here, you which abhors idols, do you commit idolatry? he says not so, but, Do you commit sacrilege? varying the crime. Hereunto a double answer may be given, first, that the apostle uses an aggravation, as if he should say, “You which abhors idols do you commit a worse sin, to wit, sacrilege?” Secondly, it may be answered that idolatry is spiritual sacrilege, because it robs God of his honor, for if by the imperial law in the code: titulo de crimine sacrilegii, it is defined sacrilege, Imperatori eripere quodejus est, to take away from the emperor anything that is his; it ought to be much more accounted sacrilege to take away from God that which is his.

V. 23. {breaking} Greek: transgressing.

{among the Gentiles} Or, in the Gentiles.

{through you} For your sake, by your sins and the sins of your forefathers.

{as it is written} Isa. 52:5, Ezek. 36:20, 23.

V. 25. {keep the law} Greek: do the law.

{breaker} Greek: transgresser.

V. 26. {righteousness of the law} Greek: righteous ordinances of the law.

{counted for circumcision} Shall not the uncircumcised be in as good state as if he were circumcised? Not that the apostle does absolutely reject circumcision before it was abolished, but he here deals with the Jews that followed the doctrine of the Pharisees, and placed their righteousness in keeping the outward and ceremonial worship of God; otherwise circumcision was a sign and seal of the justification by faith (Romans 4:11) and was fulfilled, and consequently abolished by Christ, together with other ceremonies and shadows.

V. 27. {fulfill the law} He speaks not as if there were any that had fulfilled in all respects, for that is expressly denied (Romans 3:9) but this he says to convince the Jews, that they must as well as the Gentiles seek for righteousness out of themselves, in Christ, who alone has fulfilled the law.

V. 28. {outwardly} Greek: openly.

{outward in the flesh} Greek: openly in the flesh.

V. 29. {inwardly} Greek: in secret.

{not the letter} In any outward sign or ceremony, which are like unto some writing or picture, without any power, life, or motion (Romans 7:6, 2 Corinthians 3:6-7).

{not of men, but of God} That is, has not its origin from the abilities or works of men, but from God, who wrought the same in them by his Spirit (Romans 9:16, 1 Corinthians 3:7, 2 Corinthians 4:6) or which has the approbation, not of man, but of God, (2 Corinthians 10:18).

CHAPTER 3

Verse 1. {Advantage} Since both Jew and Gentile lie both under the same malediction, and the Jew in regard of his greater knowledge and outward profession of observing the law, if he fail in the practice thereof (as he proved in the former chapter the best of them do) is likely to receive more and smarter stripes, what benefit or preference has the Jew, above the Gentile?

{Profit} If so be that there is no virtue in it, for want of the perfect observation of the law, whereof circumcision was but a holy sign.

V. 2. {chiefly} Or, first.

{Chiefly} Forasmuch as the Jews have received of old the promises of God in Christ, whereof the circumcision was a seal, according to the true order of God (Romans 1:11). They had the first offer: and this is the chiefest and foundation of all other advantages, which the apostle doth set forth more at large, (Chap. 9:4, Ephesians 1:11-12).

{Oracles of God} The instruments, deeds, and evidences of the covenant, contained in the writings of Moses and the prophets (Psalm 147:19-20. Acts 7:38). The oracles of God were committed to the Jews, that is, entrusted as a pawn or precious pledge which they have kept and preserved for the whole church; and in this regard, Saint Augustine and other fathers term the Jews Scriniarios Christianorum, the registers or record keepers of the Christians; for they, dispersed among all nations, bear as it were before them the Scriptures, those glasses, whereby we Christians clearly see the right way to heaven, and their manifold errors and wanderings.

V. 3. {Faith of God, etc.} That is, if any do say that this advantage was lost by the unbelief of a great part of the people, the answer is, that the faithfulness of God and his promises and covenants were still verified and performed in his elect, in whose behalf they were made, notwithstanding their manifold defects, which God always supplies by his grace and mercy, and thereby his glory was the more illustrated.

V. 4. {God forbid} Greek: be it not, or, far be it from us so to think or say.

{yea, let} Or but, let.

{let God be true} That is, be confessed and acknowledged true in maintaining of his covenant, and fulfilling his promise, notwithstanding the unbelief of some, and the unworthiness of all.

{every man a liar} Psalm 116:11.

{That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings} Psalm 51:4.

{justified} Acknowledged to be righteous and faithful.

{overcome} That is, found so clear, and without blemish in thy judgments, that all mouths shall be stopped (Psalm 107:42). David breaks out into this confession upon the consideration of his sin against God, and the promise of forgiveness which Nathan had declared unto him.

{judged} Or judgest: the Greek bears it either way, but the Hebrew text requires the active rather, which also better agrees with the scope of Paul; which is to show that God remains pure and righteous still in judging, that is, in punishing the sins of men in the children of disobedience, according to their desserts, as also, in pardoning according to his promise; which is likewise an act of God’s justice, though it be done in mercy (Matth. 17:20). and the truth of God in keeping his promises, is also expressly called justice and righteousness, in Scriptures (Psalm 143:10, 1 John 1:9).

V. 5. {taketh vengeance} Greek: who inferreth or inflicteth anger.

{speak as a man} I speak not these words in my own person, as though I thought so; but this is the talk of man’s wisdom, which is not subject to the will of God.

V. 6. {God forbid} See Verse 4.

{How shall God} How is it possible that there should be iniquity in God, the sovereign judge of all the world; whose will is the absolute rule of justice?

V. 7. {through my lie} Or, in my lie.

V. 8. {not rather} The apostle answers to the former objection by way of disdain: as if he should say, “Why, if this objection were of any force, might not as well the profane wretch break out into this extremity of impudence, why then let him lay up as much matter of glory as may be by the boundless multitude of all manner of wickedness?” But there is not that desperate soul in the world that dares go so far, for the conscience of the most wicked, dictates unto them, that they shall be judged according to the manifest and public law of God, as the rule and square of all their actions, and not according to his secret providence, which ordains the permission of sin itself for certain ends, but much different from those of men.

{damnation is just} By these words the apostle shows, that he is so far from approving of such consequences as were made by profane slanderers of the truth of God, mentioned verses 7-8. that he threatens them with the judgment of God that made them.

V. 9. {No in no wise} Greek: not altogether.

{proved} Greek: charged.

{under sin} Guilty of sin, under the power and penalty of sin.

V. 10. {written} By all these places the apostle proves that not only the Gentiles, but the Jews also are unrighteous in themselves before God; most of them speak of the unregenerate among the people of the Jews, among whom there was always a very great number; and therefore these reproofs of the prophets were still in force, and the apostle makes use of them; to show that, without the grace of God and the special working of the Spirit, all are liable to them.

{There is none righteous, no not one} Psalm 14:1-3.

V. 11. {there is none that seeketh after God} Psalm 53:2.

{seeketh after God} Or seeketh out God.

V. 12. {become unprofitable} Unfit to do any good, like rotten and unsavory things that are cast out of doors. The prophet takes his similitude from corrupted wines, or meats putrefied and unsavory, good for nothing.

{good} Greek: goodness.

V. 13. {Their throat is an open sepulcher, etc.} Psalm 5:9.

{the poison of asps is under their lips} Psalm 140:3.

V. 14. {Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness} Psalm 10:7.

V. 15. {Their feet are swift to shed blood} Prov. 1:16, Isai. 59:7-8.

V. 16. {Destruction} Or contrition, according to the Greek; that is, breaking all to pieces; the word destruction is not here taken passively, but actively, for that destruction they bring upon others.

V. 17. {way of peace} To live quietly themselves, and to let others live quietly by them; they know not how to lead an innocent and peaceable life.

V. 18. {There is no fear of God before their eyes} Psalm 36:1.

{fear of God} The fear of God is the ground and fountain of all other virtues, with the want whereof the apostle concludes, not as if the vices above mentioned did always break out with like force in all natural men, but because the corrupt fountain of all these is within them, and that some of them are ever to be discerned in their life and conversation. See Genesis 20:11 and Malachi 3:5.

V. 19. {under the law} Under the special jurisdiction of it, or under that outward covenant, whereof the law was as it were the contract or condition to be performed on their parts. These words are used by the apostle, to show that he charges these points home upon the Jews; and them especially, because God speaks to them directly and immediately in his word by the prophets.

{mouth may be stopped} That is, silenced. These things I propound after this manner, that not only the Gentiles, but the Jews also, a nation so much privileged by God above others, might humble themselves in the confession of their sins, and in the acknowledgement, that all the good that is in them depends on the sole mercy of God.

{guilty before God} Or, subject to the judgment of God.

V. 20. {Therefore by the deeds} Because man is utterly disabled by sin to fulfill the law, either natural or written, it can neither be a ground of hope, nor argument unto him, either of righteousness or of life: all the efficacy which it has, is to discover unto him his iniquity, and without God’s mercy in Christ, to seal up his condemnation. Galatians 2:16.

{no flesh} Flesh is here taken for man, as in many other places; and furthermore has here greater emphasis, for it is put to show the contrariety between God and man; as if you would say: “Man who is nothing but a piece of flesh, defiled with sin, and God who is a pure Spirit, and most perfect in himself.”

{justified} That is, absolved before the judgment seat of God, and acquitted from sin and damnation, and so to be accounted righteous; so the word is taken - Job 9:20, Romans 8:33-34, Galatians 2:16-17. It cannot be here taken for making just, by infusing righteousness or holiness; for there would be then no sense nor truth in the words, if we thus interpret them, no flesh can have righteousness infused into it before God.

{in his sight} Here is a secret setting of the righteousness which is before men, be they never so just, against the righteousness which can stand before God: now there is no righteousness that can stand before God, but the righteousness of Christ only.

V. 21. {But now} After the coming of Christ, God has clearly revealed the true righteousness, which he has appointed and given unto man for his justification, according to the doctrine of all the prophets; namely: that of Christ, imputed to all that receive it by a lively faith, without any consideration of the works of the law (in the point of justification) either natural or written, and without any difference of nations, be they Jews or Gentiles.

V. 22. {faith of Jesus Christ} Greek: in Jesus Christ. Which we yield to Jesus Christ or which faith rests upon him.

{difference} Greek: distinction.

V. 23. {all have sinned} The remedy is common to all indifferently, because on the other side the malady of sin is common unto all.

{come short} The Greek word signifies properly to remain behind, or to come too short of getting something, as the prize in running of races; so likewise do all men come short, that seek to obtain everlasting life by their works.

{glory of God} By the glory of God is meant that mark which we all shoot at, that is, everlasting life, which stands in this: that we are made partakers of the glory of God. Or by glory of God is meant his image after which we were created, for so the word glory seems to be taken in 1 Corinthians 11:7.

V. 24. {justified} From henceforward the apostle describes all the causes, and the proprieties of justification revealed unto us in the gospel; the first and supreme cause is the undeserved grace and favor of God; the moving and meritorious cause is redemption and reconciliation purchased by Christ; the instrumental cause whereby the same is imputed, is faith in the blood of Christ; the final is the glory of God in the declaration of his righteousness and faithfulness; the property is, that all human boasting is excluded by it.

{freely} Of his free gift and mere liberality.

{through} Or, by.

{redemption} The word is sometimes taken in a larger sense for all manner of deliverance, but here it properly implies such a deliverance, as is brought to pass by purchasing or paying of a ransom, according as Christ himself speaketh, Matthew 20:28, 1 Corinthians 7:23, 1 Peter 1:18.

V. 25. {set forth} Or foreordained. First, in the eternal counsel, and after in the execution of the same in the fullness of time; and lastly, by preaching of the gospel, 2 Tim. 1:9-11, 1 Peter 1:20-22.

{propitiation} Or, propitiatory, placatory or mercy seat: for the apostle seems to allude to the mercy seat or propitiatory made of pure gold, which covered the ark of the covenant, in which the tables of the law lay, which is called ιλαστηριον (the word here used), Hebrews 9:5, and it was a type of Christ, who by his purity and obedience covers our transgressions of the law, from the sight of God, and reconciles us to him.

{in his blood} The name of blood calls us back to the figure of the old sacrifices, the truth and substance whereof is in Christ.

{for} Or by.

{remission} Or passing over.

{that are past} Of those sins that were committed when we were his enemies.

{through the forbearance} Greek: in the forbearance. Through his patient and suffering nature; or, word for word according to the Greek, in the forbearance or the time of his patience; that is, when God did show forth his goodness in suspending his judgments upon the world, not suffering then to perish for their sins, although he had not as yet fully opened the treasure of his grace for an absolute pardon, the clear manifestation whereof he reserved for the time of the gospel. Romans 16:24-26.

V. 26. {at this time} Or, in this present season.

{that he might be just} That all might learn to acknowledge and approve this new way of proceeding of the justice of God in justifying him that is a sinner in himself by faith in the righteousness of Christ. Or, the word just is here taken for true and faithful, or, him who observes strict justice, who would not justify man by any means, but by full payment and satisfaction.

{which believeth in Jesus} Greek: which is of the faith of Jesus. In the Greek, word for word, justifying him who is of the faith of Jesus; that is, who is of that number who renounce all confidence in their own works, and seek life and salvation by faith in Jesus.

V. 27. {boasting} Who is he that can or dare boast of justification before God by his own righteousness? 1 Corinthians 1:31, Ephesians 2:9.

{law of faith} That is, the precept or doctrine of faith, which, according to the Hebrew manner of speaking, is called a law, Isaiah 2:5. Or by that new order or covenant of God which doth strip man of all worth and righteousness of his own, and clothe him by grace with that of Christ.

V. 28. {conclude} Greek: collect; or, gather by argument.

{deeds of the law} Or, works of the law. Not only such as were done before his conversion, but after the same also, as is proved by the apostle in the next chapter, by the example of Abraham and David.

V. 29. {God of the Jews only} God is said to be their God in the Scripture phrase, who are in covenant with him; whom he dearly loves and attends to.

V. 30. {which} Or who.

{circumcision} That is, the circumcised Jews: as likewise by uncircumcision he means the uncircumcised Gentiles.

{by faith} Or of faith.

{by faith} According to the original, of faith, or out of faith. The apostle seems to distinguish of these two kinds of expressions – of faith and through faith – attributing the former to the Jews, the latter to the Gentiles; the former to the Jews, in whom, though they were adorned with many good qualities and graces above the Gentiles, yet God had only regard to their faith, and out of that consideration received them to mercy; the latter, to the Gentiles, who through faith passed as it were into a new spiritual estate.

V. 31. {void} Do we utterly nullify the law, and make it of no force or validity.

{we establish the law} Greek: we make it valid and sufficient. In the edition of Tecla [it reads that] we make the law sufficient and effectual to that end for which it was given: but if we read ιστωμεν, that is, we confirm and establish the law; then the meaning is, we demonstrate by the gospel how firm and irrevocable it is, seeing God made Christ under the law, to make satisfaction to the law to redeem man; and by his fulfilling the law, to purchase to him a right to the life it promises; (Matthew 5:17-18, Galatians 4:4). Moreover, God renews those that are justified by him, through the Spirit, that they endeavor to regulate their life according to all God’s commandments (Romans 8:1-3). Not that thereby they may be justified before God, but partly to perform their duty, and to testify their thankfulness unto him for this his incalculable benefit, and partly to be themselves more and more assured of their justification in such sort, as the apostle after declares (Romans 6:7-8).

CHAPTER 4

Verse 1. {What shall we say then} that is, seeing then that all men are under condemnation and cannot be justified, but by faith without works, Romans 3:28. It follows that Abraham himself, the father and chief of all those that enter into the covenant of grace, was not justified in any other manner. For although he did so much to excel his children, yet he did not obtain life and glory by his own works, and that therefore his children cannot claim more advantage than he.

{as pertaining to the flesh} These words may be either referred to father, or to found: if to father, the meaning is, what did Abraham the father of us Jews according to the flesh find? If they referred to the later word found, the meaning is, what found he according to the flesh, that is, according to his works that are seen outwardly, as the verse following declares, and the word flesh is also so taken, (Phil. 3:4).

{found} Got, or obtained, as the word is taken (Hosea 12:8. and Matthew 11:29).

V. 2. {if Abraham} The reason stands thus, if Abraham had obtained anything by way of justification by his own works, he should have had somewhat whereof to glory before God: but he hath nothing for the justification by faith which he obtained (verse 7) strips men off all self-glory (Romans 3:27).

V. 3. {Abraham believed God} (See Genesis 15:6, Galatians 3:6, James 2:23). That is, the promise of God to be his shield, and great reward, and to give him an heir of his own body (Genesis 15:4-5) and to multiply his seed, whereby not only his numerous posterity is to be understood according to the flesh, but chiefly Christ his son in whom all generations of the earth were to be blessed: see hereafter (verses 11-13, Galatians 3:16).

V. 4. {Now} Or but.

{to him that worketh} In opinion or hope to obtain or merit justification by his work: or to him that works, that is, goes about this way of works, and grounds himself thereon, and expects thereby the reward of life promised in the Law.

{not reckoned of grace} Or, according to favor. In case he should have fulfilled the condition propounded by perfect obedience.

{but of debt} Not indeed of an absolute merit, and as a natural equivalence, which can never be between God and man, nor between the work and the reward: because there is no proportion at all neither in the persons, nor in the actions: but only by virtue of that voluntary covenant of God, Do this and you shall live.

V. 5. {worketh not} That is, who not able to fulfill the condition of works, nor grounding himself thereupon takes the other way to be saved, namely: that of faith in the mercy of God towards sinners, whereby righteousness is bestowed upon him, and he clothed therewith, and by virtue of the same absolved from sin and condemnation.

{justifies the ungodly} That makes him who is wicked in himself just in Christ.

{his faith} Not considered in itself as a work, but in its relation to Christ, and as an act of receiving him, and lively applying him to himself according as eating nourishes, that is, the meat eaten, (Isaiah 55:1, Romans 5:18-19, 1 Corinthians 1:3).

{for} Or, to.

V. 7. {Saying, Blessed} (See Psalm 31:1). In the beginning of Psalm 32, the argument which the apostle draws from thence is undeniable. For he that is justified by his works, the same has no need at all of any pardon of sin to make him thereby blessed; and he who prays that God would not impute his sin unto him, the same prays withal that God would impute unto him the righteousness of Christ, in regard these two cannot be separated in the judgment of God (See Romans 3:24, 5:19, Ephesians 1:7).

V. 9. {Cometh this blessedness} This pronouncing or making blessed. Whereby it appears that the word to pronounce blessed, and to make blessed is taken by David for one and the same thing: and the reason is, that the ground and foundation of our blessedness lies in the forgiveness of our sins, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.

{sign of circumcision} Greek: he received circumcision the seal. That is, circumcision which is a sign as we say, the sacrament of baptism, for, baptism which is a sacrament.

{a seal} Circumcision was called before a sign in respect of the outward ceremony, now Saint Paul shows the force and substance of that sign, that is, to what end it is used; that is, not only to signify, but also to seal the righteousness of faith, whereby we come to possess Christ himself, for the Holy Spirit works that inwardly and indeed, which the sacrament being joined with the word outwardly represents.

{might be the father} God was pleased so to dispose both of the sign and the time with Abraham, to show that the Gentiles as well as the Jews are to be reputed true children of Abraham, and comprised in the covenant made with him and his posterity, so they followed his faith; whether they were circumcised, as during the time of the ceremonial law they were to be according to God’s order, or not circumcised, to wit, after that God instead of that had instituted another sacrament, to wit, baptism.

V. 13. {heir of the world} That all the nations of the world should be his children. Or by the world may be understood the land of Canaan; a most renowned and fruitful part of the world. Or the words may carry this sense: that he should be restored as a son of God into the same condition and degree which Adam had before his fall, to be lord over all the creatures, which was figured out to Abraham by the possession of the land of Canaan, promised to him and his posterity, and is performed in part by the just and comfortable enjoying of the creature, which God gives to his children as members of Christ, but it shall be perfectly accomplished in the kingdom of heaven. (See the 1 Corinthians 3:2, 23, 1 Timothy 4:3, Hebrews 1:2).

{through the law} For works that he had done. Or, upon the condition that he should fulfill the law.

V. 14. {of the law} If they be heirs, which fulfill the law.

V. 15. {Because the law} It is clear that these two means of getting righteousness cannot consist together; the law being altogether rigorous and requiring perfect obedience, or denouncing death and damnation to the transgressors: the promise on the other side is of grace and reconciliation, and acceptance of the will for the deed.

{worketh wrath} Or, worketh out. That is, manifests the wrath of God against the transgression thereof, and binds the sinner thereunto, and aggravates sins through the perverseness of man’s nature, (Romans 7:8).

{for where no law is, there is no transgression} Greek: but if there be no law. as (Chapter 5:13. 1 John 3:4).

V. 16. {Therefore it is of faith} Since the first way of obtaining life by the law which God had proposed unto man, was by sin not only made unprofitable, but hurtful and pernicious, there must of necessity be recourse had to the other way, which is by faith; faith being the only virtue that can in this case stand with the free grace of God, in a much as faith does not work by procuring and meriting, but merely by receiving what is given and bestowed upon (John 1:12).

{be sure} Or, firm. That is, grounded upon God and his immutable good pleasure, and on the perfect and everlasting righteousness of Christ, and not upon the variable and inconstant obedience of man (Ezekiel 16:61, chapter 9:11, 11:19).

{all the seed} Or, the whole seed.

V. 17. {I have made thee a father} (See Genesis 17:5). Not of those only that should issue from him according to the flesh, but also of those among all nations that by faith should be adopted and received into his spiritual family.

{before him} Or, like unto him. That is, God, that is by a spiritual kindred, which has place before God, and makes us acceptable to him, or according to a spiritual and divine fatherhood gained by faith, according to which God is able to make a child of Abraham when he pleases (Matthew 3:9) even as of nothing he has created all things and raises the dead: and after this fatherhood, he judges which are the true children of Abraham, that he approves, whereas according to man’s judgment none but the Jews could be counted such. If we read like unto him, then the meaning may be this, that as God is a Father, not only in regard of those which are already, but even of all such whom he shall create anew by his omnipotent word; so Abraham in some conformity thereunto has been the adopting father of the Gentiles, though as yet destitute of all spiritual life and faculties, requisite for the being of such his children (Ephesians 2:12). Lastly, if we read the words (with some) before that he believed, which the Greek will hardly brook, then the meaning is, before the time that he believed, God made him, that is, designed him to be the father of many nations: and this the apostle adds, that God’s promise depends not upon Abraham’s belief; as likewise, in Romans 9, he proves that the election of God depended not upon foreseen works, because before the children were born or had done good or evil, it was said: The elder shall serve the younger.

{calleth those things} maketh them to be by his word, and as it were calls them to come forth and appear for that end to which he has ordained them, and as he did in the creation of all things, saying, Let there be light, etc. and in the miraculous raising from the dead; Damsel I say unto thee, arise; and, Lazarus come forth, etc.

V. 18. {against hope} Or, besides. Besides or above all causes, arguments and appearances of natural hope, such as carnal reason and understanding could afford.

{in hope} Grounded upon the truth and power of God.

{So shall thy seed be} (See Genesis 15:5).

V. 19. {he considered not} Not as thereby to be weakened in his confidence, for other ways he had indeed objected in regards to his and Sarah’s age (Genesis 17:17), but howsoever he rested not upon the order of nature, according to which all hope of issue was taken from him, for true faith overcomes all apprehensions of man’s own disability by a lively persuasion of the truth of God’s promises.

{now dead} Void of strength and unable to conceive children; howsoever God afterward renewed strength and vigor in that kind (Psalm 103:5; see also Genesis 25:2-3).

V. 20. {staggered not} Or, doubted not of.

{giving glory} Acknowledged and praised God as most gracious and true, and of infinite power, to overcome all natural difficulties, and perform what he had promised, though never so contrary to the course of nature.

V. 21. {what he had promised} Or, what was promised.

V. 22. {for} Or, to.

V. 24. {if we believe} Or, believing.

V. 25. {our offenses} Greek: fallings, or faults. To pay the ransom for our sins.

{our justification} God having declared by raising him from the dead, that he has accepted the death of his Son, as a sufficient ransom for our sins: for if Christ had remained still under the power of death, his satisfaction could not have been perfect, neither could he have applied the virtue thereof to us. We may also conceive Christ’s resurrection to be our justification after this manner. Christ was our true pledge. He therefore, after he had satisfied for us by his death, returning unto life, gives us a clear evidence and affords us a sure argument that God was fully reconciled and purchased life for us. The assurance of which we could not have had if Christ our pledge had still remained under the power of death, for as much as his continuance in his payment would ever have argued the imperfection of it (See 1 Corinthians 15:17).

CHAPTER 5

Verse 1. {Therefore being} Another argument taken from the effect. We are justified by that which truly appeases our conscience before God, but says in Christ appeases our conscience and not the Law, as was before proved, therefore by faith we are justified and not by the law.

{peace with God} That is, reconciliation to him, whereby our consciences are quieted, out of a true sense and apprehension of his favor.

V. 2. {By whom also we have access} (See Ephesians 2:18).

{by faith} Greek: in faith. Whereas quietness of conscience is attributed to faith, it is to be referred to Christ originally, who is the giver of faith itself, and in whom faith itself is effectual, grounding itself upon him.

{grace} Greek: this joy.

{wherein we stand} By which grace, that is, by which gracious love and good will: or that state whereunto we are graciously taken.

{rejoice} Greek: glory.

{hope of the glory} Here he prevents an objection which might be made against him, by those who beholding the daily miseries and calamities of the Church, might think that the Christians dream when they glory of their happiness: to whom the apostle answers, that their happiness is laid up under hope in another place, which hope is so certain and sure, that they do no less rejoice for that happiness than if they did presently enjoy it.

V. 3. {tribulations} Or afflictions.

{knowing} (See James 1:3).

{tribulation} Or affliction.

{worketh patience} Greek: worketh out. Tribulation accustoms us to patience, and patience assures us by experience of the goodness of God, and this experience confirms and fastens our hope which never deceives us. When the apostle says, tribulation works out patience, we are not so to understand him, that of itself and its own nature it does so, for it produces a contrary effect in the wicked, but it does so as it is sanctified to us by the Spirit, out of the consideration of God’s will, and our conformity thereby to Christ (Romans 8:29).

V. 4. {experience} Greek: proof or trial. In Greek δοκιμήν proof or trial, either of God’s favor to us, and the comforts of his Spirit, or of our faith, which being much more precious than gold that is tried by the fire, is thereby found unto praise and honor (1 Peter 1:7).

{experience} Greek: proof or trial.

V. 5. {The love of God} Not whereby we love him, but wherewith he loves us. And this affords great comfort in adversity, that our peace and quietness of conscience be not troubled; for he that so loved them that were of no worth, and while they were yet in their sins, that he died for them, how can he neglect them being now sanctified and living in him?

{shed abroad} Or, hath been shed. The sense and feeling thereof is shed abroad in our hearts, for we have a sensible feeling that we are beloved of God, and we taste and see how good and gracious the Lord is (Psalm 34:8).

V. 6. {in due time} Or, according to the time, or season. To wit, when the fullness of time came (Galatians 4:4) which was the fittest and most convenient time and therefore is termed here καιρὸν, and in 2 Corinthians 6:2) the accepted time.

V. 7. {yet peradventure for a good man} Some will have these words to be read with an interrogative point, and render them thus, Scarce will one die for a righteous man, for even for a good man will any man easily undertake to die? but if the words be to be read without an interrogative point, then the apostle’s meaning is, that, though it may be, some may be found so courageous and kind as to undertake such a task, as to die for another, be he never so good a man, yet it is a thing very rare and that seldom happens.

V. 8. {yet sinners} In the state of sin, or, while sin reigned in us, and we were wholly under the power of sin. For other ways we are still sinners. For if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and there is no truth in us (1 John 1:8). Yet we are not, in the apostle’s sense, in this place sinners, or so reputed, because our sins are forgiven us, and sin hath not now dominion over us; because we are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14, 1 John 3:8-9).

V. 9. {from wrath through him} Some translate the words, from that wrath; and the original will bear it, for it is, ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς. If we like that translation, the meaning is, a futura ira, from wrath to come (Matthew 3:7). But if there be not an emphasis in the article τῆς, then wrath is to be taken more generally; for the punishments of sin as well in this life, as in the life to come; which are the effects of God’s wrath.

V. 11. {joy in God} Greek: glorying in God.

{through} Or by.

V. 12. {Wherefore, as} Here is the general conclusion of the precedent discourse, concerning justification by faith; wherein the apostle, briefly resuming what he had said, altogether lays down the ground of it: which is, that God of his good pleasure has appointed Christ to be the head of grace, and the fountain of justice and life to all his elect; by the imputation of whose righteousness they are restored to the favor of God, and consequently sanctified and glorified; in like manner as Adam was made the head and root by nature of all mankind; whence by his sin imputed to all his posterity, they became all under the curse of God, were deprived of original righteousness, corrupted through their whole nature, and subject to death eternal.

{by one man} namely: Adam and Eve, comprehended together in one; as they two were one flesh, and the common stock of all mankind (Ephesians 5:31, 1 Timothy 2:14).

{sin} By sin is meant that disease which is ours by inheritance, and men commonly call original sin, for so he calls that sin in the singular number; whereas when he speaks of the fruits thereof, he uses the plural number, calling them sins.

{passed upon all men} Or passed over to all.

{for that} Or in whom.

{for that all have sinned} Greek: had sinned. Or, in whom; for the preposition ἐφ’ is taken for in, in other places (as Mark 2:4, John 9:17, etc.) and so the word “in” is used also by Saint Paul, treating of the same matter (1 Corinthians 15:22). As in Adam all die; or else the words are to be translated, forasmuch, or for that all have sinned; and all comes to the same sense: for all that die, have not committed actual sins in themselves; as it is plain in some infants that die before they come to the use of reason and therefore can be said no other ways to have sinned, then in this one man in whose loins they were, as Levi is said to have paid tithes, being in the loins of Abraham (Hebrews 7:9).

{is not imputed} Greek: was not counted. Where there is no law made, no man is punished, as faulty and guilty. If we admit of the translation according to Tecl. edition, sin was not imputed, until the law was given, then the apostle’s meaning according to the interpretation of the Greek fathers, is, [ὁμοίως ελογιζετο], that is, was not imputed in such sort; because there was no punishment set upon particular sins; neither could the number and heinousness of sins be so exactly known.

{there is no law} Greek: there being no law.

V. 14. {Nevertheless} Greek: but.

{is the figure} The first Adam answers the latter, who is Christ, as it is afterwards declared. Adam and Christ were like two roots or stocks, the one whereof, to wit, Adam, conveyed to his branches, sin and death; but Christ, to all that are engrafted in him, righteousness and life.

V. 15. {But not as the offense} Adam and Christ are compared together, in this respect, that both of them do give and yield to theirs, that which is their own: but herein they differ; that Adam by nature, has spread his fault to the destruction of many, but Christ’s obedience has by grace overflowed to many.

{many be dead} The word many is oftentimes in Scripture taken for all, as in Daniel 12:2: Many that sleep in the dust shall awake, that is, all (and Romans 8:29). First begotten among many brethren; and here verse. 16. Of many offenses to justification: for Christ’s blood cleanses us from all our sins 1 John 1:9, 19). By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, that is, all: so in this verse, through the offense of one man, many be dead, all are become liable unto death.

{much more} Greek: much more therefore.

V. 16. {And not as it was by one} Here the apostle sets down a second difference between Adam and Christ, that by Adam’s one offense, men were made guilty; but the righteousness of Christ imputed unto us freely, not only absolves us from that one fault, but from all others.

{by one} Or of one.

V. 17. {if by one man’s offense} Or by one offense. The third difference is that the righteousness of Christ, being imputed to us by grace, is of greater power to bring life, and that a glorious and eternal life, wherein we shall reign with Christ; then the offense of Adam was to make his posterity liable unto death.

V. 18. {by the offense of one} Or by one offense.

{judgment} that is, guilt.

{by the righteousness of one} Or by one righteousness. Greek: δικαιώματος. So Saint Paul styles the obedience of Christ, as having virtue in it to justify others also, as the Greek word implies and here it is set in opposition to the transgression of Adam, wherein likewise there was a power to involve others, and make them culpable and liable to condemnation.

{upon all men} Either all sorts of men indifferently, though not all universally; or to all that pertain to Christ and are engrafted unto him by faith.

{justification of life} Not only, because our sins are forgiven, but also, because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us.

V. 19. {by the obedience of one} The apostle leaves out the word man in this member, either for the sake of brevity; or, because Christ was not a mere man, as Adam was, but θεάνθρωπος, God and man in one person.

V. 20. {Moreover} Or but.

{that the offense might abound} Chrysostom and Oecumenius, and the Greek fathers generally observe, that the conjunction ἵνα, ut, is not taken, αιτιολογικός, causally, nor doth any way imply, that God gave his law to this end (See Romans 1:20): that sin might abound, but rather to diminish it, and keep men from it; they therefore thus paraphrase the words; By the coming in of the law, so in fell out, that sin abounded through the corruption of man’s nature, and per accidens not according to God’s intention. Others who take the conjunction causally make this sense: that the law came in through God’s appointment to improve the benefit of Christ, and make it much more glorious by the manifestation and declaration, how far sin had abounded, that is, the law entered, that the offense might appear much more to abound, for the greater illustration of Christ’s glory in taking it away.

{grace did much more abound} Grace was poured so plentifully from heaven that it did not only countervail sin, but above measure passed it.

V. 21. {reigned} See on Chapter 6:21.

CHAPTER 6

Verse 1. {What shall we say then} Here the apostle passes from justification to sanctification, making his way by solving an objection framed after this manner, because where sin abounds there grace more abounds, shall we from this lewdly conclude that we ought therefore still to abide in the state of sin and corruption, and let the reins loose to all manner of wickedness, that grace may still more and more abound? Shall we, like the spider, suck poison from the sweetest flower of paradise, the doctrine of free justification? God forbid.

{Shall we continue} Greek: Let us continue.

{in sin} That is, in that corruption, for though the guiltiness of sin be not imputed unto us, yet the corruption remains still in us, which sanctification that follows justification kills by little and little.

V. 2. {God forbid} Greek: Be it not, or, by no means. See Chap. 3, 4.

{How shall we} The benefits of justification and sanctification are always joined together inseparably and both of them proceed from Christ by the grace of God: Now sanctification is the abolishing of sin, that is, of our natural corruption, into whose place succeeds the clearness and pureness of nature reformed.

{that are dead} They are said by Paul to be dead to sin, which are in such of the sort made partakers of the virtue of Christ, that natural corruption is dead in them; that is, the force of it is taken away so that it brings not forth its bitter fruits: and, on the other side, they are said to live to sin, which are in the flesh; that is, whom the Spirit of God has not delivered from the slavery of this corruption of nature.

V. 3. {Know ye not} There are three parts of sanctification; to wit, the death of the old man, or sin, his burial, and the resurrection of the new man; derived from the virtue of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; of which benefits our baptism is a sign and pledge.

{that so many of us, etc.} (Galatians 3:27).

{into Jesus Christ} That is, by baptism are engrafted into him, that growing up in one with him, we should receive his strength to conquer the power of sin in us.

{baptized into his death} That is, that we should be partakers not only of the merit of his death in our justification, but also of the efficacy of his death in the mortifying of our fleshly members.

V. 4. {are} Greek: were.

{buried with him by baptism} (See Coloss. 2:12). In this phrase, the apostle seems to allude to the ancient manner of baptism, which was to dip the parties baptized, and, as it were, to bury them under the water for a while, and then to draw them out of it, and lift them up to represent the burial of our old man and our resurrection to newness of life.

{by the glory of the Father} That is, by the glorious power of the Father, as Lazarus was raised (John 11:40). Or else the preposition διὰ is put for πρός; as likewise the (2 Peter 1:3) he that called us, διὰ, by glory, that is, πρός, to glory and virtue; and so some translate it here, raised from the dead to the glory of the Father; that Christ himself being discharged of his infirmity and weakness might live in glory with God forever.

V. 5. {planted together} By this elegant similitude the apostle represents unto us, that as plants engrafted, receive moisture, and juice from the stock, whereby they sprout out and bear fruit; so we receive vigor from Christ, whereby we live spiritually, and bear the fruit of good works: and as a plant that is set in the earth lies as dead and immovable for a time, but after springs up and flourishes; so Christ’s body lay dead for a while in the grave, but sprung up and reflourished in his resurrection: and we also when we are baptized are buried, as it were, in the water for a time, but after are raised up to newness of life.

{likeness of his death} In so much as by the means of the strength which comes from him to us, we so die to sin as he is dead.

{likeness of his resurrection} That is, as he arose from the dead to a new and heavenly life, so we rise from dead works to walk in newness of life.

V. 6. {old man} All our whole nature, as we are conceived and born into this world with sin, which is called old, partly by comparing that old Adam with Christ, and partly in respect of the deformity of our corrupt nature, and the disability to do any good. It is called our old man, because it sets on work all the faculties of our mind, and members of our body, as if it were our very selves; and because, as the Greek fathers note, because we make much of it, and love it as ourselves, or more than ourselves.

{crucified with him} Our corrupt nature is attributed to Christ, not in deed but by imputation. The apostle says our old man is crucified because through the merits of Christ crucified, we obtain the Holy Spirit, which crucifies our old man; for Christ by his death hath merited to us, and for us, not only remission of sins, but also the spirit of regeneration, whereby our corrupt affections are mortified, and we [are] renewed in the spirit of our minds.

{body of sin} That naughtiness which sticks fast to us, and is as near unto us as our flesh; or he terms it the body of sin, because it has a real subsistence in us of itself, as if it were a body; or thirdly, because this corruption is not in one part or member, but diffused through the whole; neither is it seen and descried [discerned] in the breach of one commandment, but of all, making a kind of body of wickedness consisting of many parts.

{might be destroyed} Greek: should be destroyed.

{not serve sin} That is the end of our sanctification, which we shoot at, and shall at length come unto, when God shall be all in all.

V. 7. {freed} Greek: justified.

V. 8. {now if} Or but if.

V. 9. {dieth no more} For he therefore died, that he might destroy death, both in himself, and in his members.

V. 10. {he died unto sin} He died unto sin, not in regard of himself, for he knew no sin, but as charged with the sins of the elect, and in the name of his church, that he might expiate and take away the sins of all that believe in him.

{liveth unto God} That is, with God, or to the glory of God, or in the sense our Savior says (Luke 20:38) that Abraham and Isaac and all the faithful live to God; that is, though they appear not to live to men, yet they live to God; that is, in his account, and before him.

V. 11. {reckon} Or account.

V. 12. {Let not sin} He takes sin, either indefinitely for any sin, or for sin which is the genus to original and actual; or, he takes it, according to Saint Augustine’s interpretation in On Marriage and Concupiscence, for concupiscence, or the original corruption that is in us, which (he says) is called sin – quia a peccato facta est, sicut vocatur lingua locutio quam facit lingua, manus vocatur scriptura quam facit manus; because it is the issue or offspring of sin, to wit, the sin of Adam; as our speech is called our tongue, because the tongue utters it; and our writing is called our hand, because our hand makes or draws it: Howbeit, we must not so understand Saint Augustine’s words, as if it were only in that respect called sin; for it is all three, both the daughter of sin, and mother of sin, and sin itself: the daughter or effect of Adam’s sin in us, the mother of all actual sins, and formally sin itself, because repugnant to the law, which saith, thou shalt not lust.

{reign} By reigning, Saint Paul means that sovereign or high rule which no man strives against, or, if any do, it is in vain: or, Let not sin reign, that is, not have the upper hand of the motions of God’s Spirit within you, (Romans 8:13-14, Galat. 5:16-18).

{in your mortal body} This is not said as if evil lusts were in the body alone, or as if they had the original only from it, and not from the soul, for Christ teaches the contrary (Matthew 15:19-20), but because these evil lusts do most of all show and manifest themselves in and through the body (Galatians 5:19). Or the words may bear this interpretation, Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that is, while you live this bodily life here, which being subject unto death, it appears thereby, that there are some remnants of sin yet behind to be strived against, that we may mortify and destroy them more and more.

V. 13. {yield} Or offer up.

{as instruments} Greek: as arms, or, weapons. He fitly compares our members, that is, parts of our body, and faculties of our mind, either to such tools as artificers work together, or weapons wherewith soldiers fight; for as those, so these may be used well or ill. For example, with the same hand one man gives an alm, and another steals; with the same tongue one blesses, and another curses.

{yield} Or offer up.

{instruments} Greek: arms, or weapons.

V. 14. {For sin shall not have dominion, etc.} He grants that sin is not yet so dead in us that it is utterly extinct, but he promises victory unto them that contend manfully against it, because we have grace given us, which works in us so effectually, that the law is not now to us the power and instrument of sin, but the rule of righteousness.

V. 15. {under the law} To be under the law and under sin, signifies all one in respect of them which are not sanctified; as on the contrary, to be under grace, and righteousness, agrees to them that are regenerate. Now these are contrary, so that one cannot agree with the other, therefore let righteousness expel sin.

V. 16. {to whom you yield yourselves, etc.} (See John 8:34, 2 Peter 2:19).

V. 17. {form of doctrine} Greek: mold. The word in the original signifies most properly a pattern or mold, and the apostle would have us thereby to understand that the doctrine of the gospel is such a pattern or mold which we are cast into, that we may be formed and fashioned like unto it.

{which was delivered you} Greek: whereto ye were delivered.

V. 18. {of righteousness} Greek: to righteousness.

V. 20. {from righteousness} Greek: to righteousness.

V. 21. {What fruit had ye then} The apostle in this verse deters from sin by a threefold argument, drawn from the three parts of time past, present, and to come. Sin for the time past has proved unfruitful; {What fruit bid ye then?} for the time to come pernicious and deadly: {for the end of these things is death}.

{end} Or reward.

V. 22. {unto holiness} Or, unto sanctification.

{end} Or reward.

V. 23. {For the wages of sin is death} That is, the reward due unto sin. The comparison is taken from soldiers in war, who at the end of their service receive their pay or stipend. By death we are to understand, not only temporal, but eternal death; as appears by the opposition that it hath here to eternal life.

{but the gift of God} Or, free gift. By the gift, here many understand the gift of sanctification or righteousness, which is set against sin in the other member, and they say, the apostle affirms this gift to be eternal life, because it brings or has for its end eternal life: but it may be referred to eternal life itself, which is here termed not the wages of righteousness, but the free gift of grace; as Saint Augustine acutely observes; lib. de grat. & lib. arbit. cap. 9. The apostle, says he, might have said, “The wages of righteousness is eternal life”: but he altered the phrase of set purpose, and chose rather to say, “The gift of God is eternal life”: ut hinc intelligeremus non pro meritis nostris Deum nos, sed pro sua misericordia vocare: unde dicitur in Psalmo, Coronat te in miseratione: that we might from this change of the phrase learn that God calls us not to eternal life for our merits, but for his mercy’s sake, where it is said in the Psalms, “He crowneth thee in mercy and compassion”.

CHAPTER 7

Verse 1. {Know ye not} By propounding the similitude of marriage, he compares the state of man both in sin and after regeneration together: the law of matrimony, says he, is this, that so long as the husband lives, the marriage abides in force; but if he be dead, the woman may marry again.

{over a man} He does not say over the husband, or over the wife, but τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, hominis, a word which signifies either sex, and may be applied to either; to teach us that both are subject to the law of wedlock while they live.

V. 2. {the woman, etc.} (1 Corinthians 7. 39).

V. 3. {she shall be} Greek: Tec. the wife or woman.

V. 4. {Wherefore my brethren} Here he applies the former similitude; as it fares with the wife whose husband is dead, and she free to marry again, so it is with us; for now we are joined to the Spirit, as it were to the second husband, by whom we must bring forth new children. We are dead in respect of the first husband; but in respect of the latter, we are, as it were, raised from the dead.

{dead to the law} We are not only dead to the law, but the law also is dead unto us, because it cannot thrust out its sting at us, either to curse us, or to provoke us unto sin; the law has no more power over us than dead men in either of these respects.

{body of Christ} In as much as his body was mortified and crucified for us; by which his mortification, he obtained to us remission of sins, and the holy spirit; whereby our flesh, or rather sin dwelling in our flesh is mortified in us.

{forth fruit} He calls the children which the wife bears to her husband, fruit (Psalm 127:3). As in the salutation of the angel, Christ is called the fruit of the virgin’s womb: Blessed art thou, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

{unto God} Which are acceptable unto God: or if by fruit he understands not children, as before, but good works; then to God is here understood, to the glory of God (as Matthew 5:16). Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (See Phil. 1:11).

V. 5. {were in the flesh} When we were in the state of the first marriage; which in the next verse, he calls, the oldness of the letter; or by flesh he means the carnal observations of the law, concerning meats and drinks, and leprosy, and the like: or when we were in the flesh, that is, when the flesh was not mortified in us by the Spirit, but was yet lively and strong in us, chapter 8:8.

{motions} Greek: passions.

{by the law} He says not of the law, but by the law, because the spring of sin which dwells within us, takes occasion to work thus in us by reason of the restraint that the law makes; not that the fault is in the law, but in ourselves.

V. 6. {delivered} Or, loosed.

{that being dead wherein we were held} Or, he being dead in whom we were held. The Greek scholiast reads ἀποθανόντες, we being dead to that which held us, to wit, the law, or sin; from which we were free by Christ. Others read ἀποθανόντος, it being dead; that is, the reigning power of the law and of sin being abolished in us; by the death and Spirit of Christ, the reign of sin being destroyed in true believers, there ceases altogether that accidental effect of the law, which is to provoke and stir up the malignity of sin in us. Or he being dead, that is, the old man, of whom he speaks in the former chapter (verse 6). Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin: and this sense is very agreeable to the main scope of the apostle.

{in newness of Spirit} As becomes them which after the death of their old husband are joined to the Spirit, as whom the Spirit has made new men. Or in newness of the Spirit, that is, in true holiness, whereunto we were renewed in the spirit of our minds by the preaching of the gospel which is called the administration of righteousness, and of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:8-9, Ephesians 4:23). Whereas the law wrought nothing else but that it showed man his duty, as a writing or picture, without imparting unto him any lively or efficacious ability to perform: wherefore also that old means of attaining righteousness and holiness is now abolished as of itself unprofitable and impotent.

{oldness of the letter} Either by the letter he means the law in respect of that old condition. For before that our will be framed by the holy ghost, the law speaks unto us but as to deaf men and therefore it is dumb and dead to us as touching the fulfilling thereof. And in the word oldness, he insinuates also the abolishing thereof in regard of the insufficiency thereof (Hebrews 8:13). Or by the oldness of the letter he understands the old corruption which by the outward letter of the law is more and more stirred and provoked in us, in as much as the law though it condemned the sinner, yet it affords no power at all to abolish or destroy sin; in which regard it is called a killing letter, and the administration of death (2 Corinthians 3:7).

V. 7. {Is the law sin} Because he had said before (verse 5) that the motions of sin which were by the law had force in our members; lest any should mistake his meaning and from thence infer that he condemned the law, as being a kind of factor for sin, he opportunely here moves a doubt after this manner: What then, is the law the cause of sin? Or are the law and sin all one? Or do they agree together? No, says he, sin is reproved and condemned by the law, but because sin cannot abide to be reproved, and was not in a manner felt until it was provoked, and stirred by the law, it takes occasion thereby to be more outrageous, yet by no fault of the law.

{not known lust} Or, concupiscence. By lust in this place he means not evil lusts in particular which flow from concupiscence; but rather the corrupt fountain from which they spring: for the very heathen philosophers themselves condemned wicked lusts and unclean desires; but as for the fountain of them they could not so much as suspect it, and yet it is the very seat of that natural and unclean spot and filth.

{Thou shalt not covet} (Exodus 20:17, Deuteronomy 5:21).

V. 8. {sin wrought in me concupiscence} These words seem to be contrary to the words of Saint James; (Jam. 1:15.) for Saint James says, lust brings forth sin, but Saint Paul here, that sin brought forth or wrought in him concupiscence. But they may be easily reconciled: for they do not take the words in the same sense. For Saint Paul, by sin, as before has been shown, understands the corruption of our nature and proneness to sin, which produces in us actual lusts, called by him all kind of concupiscence; but Saint James by lust understands the pravity of our appetite, and by sin outward actual sins; in which sense if we construe their words, the apostles are so far from contradicting one the other, that they both affirm the selfsame thing though differently expressed.

{concupiscence} Or lust.

{was dead} Though sin be in us, yet it is not known for sin, neither does it so terrify the conscience, nor stir up our natural concupiscence, nor rage after such sort in our members, as after the law is known, and in these regards it is said to be dead.

V. 9. {For} Greek: But.

{alive without the law} When I knew not the law, then I thought I lived indeed; for my conscience never troubled me, because it knew not my malady: or while the law stood aloof off (χωρὶς often is so taken) and was not brought home to my conscience, I thought myself in a good condition.

{I died} That is, I felt my conscience deadly wounded, whereas before I was secure and thought myself in a safe way, though I pursued my former lusts.

V. 12. {holy, just, and good} Holy because it teaches holiness, and forbids all wickedness and uncleanness: just, because it punishes all sinful lusts: good, because it was given to direct us into the paths of life. Or the epithet holy, may have a reference to the ceremonial law; just, to the judicial; and good, to the moral.

{made death to me} That is, the cause of death; to this the apostle answers, That the law is not the cause of death, but our corrupt nature being therewith not only discovered, but also stirred up, and taking occasion thereby to rebel. For the more things are forbidden from our corrupt nature, the more it desires them; nitimur in vetitum: and from hence comes guiltiness and occasion of death, (Proverbs 9:17).

{God forbid} So Chapter 3:4.

{might become exceeding sinful} That sin might show itself to be sin, and spit forth, as it were, all its venom.

V. 14. {For we know} Hitherto the apostle spoke of the power of the law and sin in corrupt and unregenerate man, as he also himself found it by his own experience in his former state (verse 9). But now he proceeds and speaks of himself as he was since his conversion, and declares what power the remainder of sin had over him still after that now he was delivered from the dominion thereof.

{the law is spiritual} Given by the spirit, and requiring a spiritual and heavenly life and disposition; but men such as they are born, are bondslaves of corruption.

{But I am carnal} In part, in regard to the remainders of the flesh that are in me: for that the regenerate also in respect of some weakness that is yet remaining in them may be called carnal, is evident (1 Corinthians 3:1).

{sold under sin} Not as a willing slave to obey and follow the desire of sin in all things; as it is said of Ahab (1 King. 21:20), but as a captive yet detained, though his ransom be paid; as one that against his will and purpose is yet subject to the assaults and lusts of sin, not being able wholly and entirely to rid himself of them, although he does vehemently resist them, and often subdues them by the Spirit of God that is within him (Galatians 5:17-18).

V. 15. {I allow not} Greek: know not. My actions answer not every way, no, they are contrary to my will; therefore by the consent of my will to the law and repugnancy of my actions thereunto it appears evidently, that the law and a right ruled will do persuade one thing, but corruption, which has her seat also in the regenerate, another thing.

{what I would} It is to be noted that the selfsame man is said to will and not to will in diverse respects; to wit, he is said to will in that, that he is regenerated by grace, and not to will, so far as he is not regenerated; but such as he was born of his parents: howbeit, because the part which is regenerated at length becomes conqueror, therefore Saint Paul sustaining the part of the regenerated, speaks in such sort as if the corruption which sins willingly were something without a man, although afterwards he grants that this evil is in his flesh, or in his members (See 1 John 3:6, 9).

V. 17. {no more I, but sin} That natural corruption which cleaves fast even to them that are regenerated, and is not quite conquered. He speaks this for the comfort of himself and others who groan under the servitude of their natural corruption, and that he would infer is this, that he stands not in fear to be rejected of God for these remains of sin in him; because God judges of his children that are thus divided between flesh and spirit, according to the better and sounder part, which is that of the spirit as most prevailing within them, and unto which they do most heartily and willingly adhere, which has likewise a subsistence and root of a permanent life; and not according to the flesh, which they renounce and resist, and which by little and little decays in them, and in the end is reduced to nothing.

{that dwelleth in me} That is, as yet remains in me, but disarmed of that mortal sting of condemnation, by Christ: as also of its power and dominion, by his spirit; being now no more but a trouble to the faithful (Hebrews 12:1). Therefore these three things ought to be well distinguished, the dominion of sin, the habitation, and the combat: the first is abolished in true believers, the other two remain yet for their exercise and humiliation.

V. 18. {dwelleth no good thing} He denies good to dwell in us, but affirms sin to dwell in our flesh, because we sin continually, and thereby contract a habit which has a permanent abode in the soul.

V. 20. {do it} Or perform it.

V. 21. {I find then a law} Here follows the conclusion of the apostle’s discourse, which is this; that as the law of God exhorts to goodness, so does the law of sin, that is, the corruption wherein we were born forcibly incline us to wickedness: but the spirit, that is, our mind, in that, that it is regenerate, consents to the law of God; but the flesh, that is, the whole natural man, is a bondslave to the law of sin: therefore wickedness and death are not of the law, but of that corruption which so reigns in them that are not regenerated, that they neither will nor do good, but will and do evil continually: but in the regenerate, though it reigns not, yet it abides and strives against the spirit or law of the mind, so that they can neither do so well as they would, nor be so void of sin as they desire (Galatians 5:17).

V. 22. {I delight in} Greek: I am delighted with.

{after the inward man} The inward man and the new man are all one, and are answerable and set up contrary to the old man: neither does this inward man signify man’s mind and reason, and the old man the powers that are under them: but by the inward man is meant whatsoever is either without or within man, from top to toe, so long as that man is not born anew by the grace of God.

V. 23. {the law of my mind} Mind is not here taken for the understanding part of the soul, as it is naturally in us from our birth but for the whole soul of man, as it is renewed by the Spirit of God. Ratio recta est ratio lumine Spiritus sancti directa.

V. 24. {O wretched man} It is a miserable thing to be yet in part subject to sin, and to be wearied with continual conflicts; but we must cry to the Lord, who will by death itself at length make us absolute conquerors, as we are already conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37).

{who shall deliver me} That is, O that I were out of this animal and earthly life, wherein I must suffer sin yet to remain within me, by which I am subject still to the necessity of death! O that I were translated once into the glorious liberty of the saints of God, in the happy life to come! (Romans 8:21, Phil. 1:23).

{from the body of this death} Or from this body of death. That is, from these carnal lusts which are a death unto me, or threaten my spiritual death. Or, by this body we may understand the remainders of sin and of the old man, which are here called the body of death, as Romans 6:6. the body of sin (see there the note.) Or else by the body of death is here meant our mortal body subject to death by reason of sin, (Romans 8:10). in as much as we shall never be perfectly delivered from these remainders of sin, and our captivity under it, till we shall have laid down this mortal body of ours.

V. 25. {I thank God} That he has delivered me from the curse of the law, and the dominion of sin; and has promised also perfectly to free me from all the power of sin by translating me into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

{I myself} The apostle ranks himself among them that groan under the yoke of sinful corruption for as Saint Jerome, and Saint Augustine both testify against the Pelagian heretics; this is the true perfection of them that are born anew, that they are sensible of their infirmities and corruptions, and confess as well in truth as humility that they are imperfect.

{serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin} How may this be that the apostle should serve the law of God and the law of sin? Since no man can serve two contrary masters. I answer, that we must distinguish either of faculties, so far forth as renewed, or not; or of times. The apostle does not say that in the same part, or with the same faculty as renewed he serves the law of God, and the law of sin; as namely, that in or with the mind as renewed he serves the law of God and sin; but that in or with one as renewed, he serves the law of God, but in or with the other as not yet renewed the law of sin. Neither does he say that at the same time he serves both the law of God and the law of sin: but that though ordinarily, and for the most part he serves the law of God; yet that sometimes through the strength of corruption he is as it were enforced against his will, to serve the law of sin.

CHAPTER 8

Verse 1. {There is therefore} A conclusion of all the former disputation from verse. 16. Chap. 1. to this place; seeing that we being justified by faith in Christ, do obtain remission of sins, and imputation of righteousness, and are also sanctified by the Spirit: it follows from hence that they that are engrafted into Christ by faith are out of all danger of condemnation.

{who walk not} The fruits of the Spirit or effects of sanctification, which is begun in us, do not engraft us into Christ, but declare that we are engrafted into him.

{after the flesh} By the flesh, he understands the carnal state of sin and corruption, in which all men are born, and naturally follow before they are regenerated by grace; and those are said here not to walk after the flesh who follow not the flesh for their guide: for he is not said to live after the flesh that has the Holy Ghost for his guide, though sometimes he step awry.

V. 2. {For the law} That is, the power and authority of the Spirit, which is set in opposition to the tyranny of sin. Here the apostle prevents an objection, seeing that the virtue of that there is no condemnation to them who have received that virtue? because, says he, that virtue of the quickening spirit which is so weak in us, is most perfect and mighty in Christ; and being imputed to us which believe, causes us to be so accounted of as though there were no relics of corruption and death in us.

{Spirit of life} That is, the Spirit which mortifies the old man, and quickens the new man, whereby those who are regenerated lead a new and spiritual life.

{in Christ Jesus} That is, which is perfectly and absolutely in Christ, and resides in him as the head, and from him has influx to all the members. This spirit is as a law commanding us, and appointing what we ought to do, and how to carry ourselves through our whole life.

{from the law of sin and death} There is in the words a figure like that, pateris libavit & auro, id est pateris aureis: so here the law of sin and death, that is, of sin bringing death and killing the soul: and as before he termed the power of the spirit the law of the spirit: so here he calls the power of sin the law of sin; because like a law it commands evil actions, and rules in the children of disobedience.

V. 3. {For what the law could not do} He uses no argument here but expounds the mystery of sanctification, which is wrought in us: for because, says he, that the virtue of the law was not such by reason of the corruption of our nature that it could make man pure, perfect, and free; and for that it rather kindled the fiery malady of sin, than put it out, and extinguished it: therefore God clothed his Son with flesh like to our sinful flesh, wherein he utterly abolished our corruption, that being accounted thoroughly and without fault in him, apprehended and laid hold on by faith, we might be found to have fully that singular perfection, which the law requires; and therefore that there might be no condemnation in or to us.

{in that it was weak} Not of itself, but through our fault.

{through the flesh} Or, by. In men not born anew by the Spirit, whose disease the law pointed at; but neither did, nor could heal.

{in the likeness of sinful flesh} Greek: flesh of sin. Christ took our nature upon him with all our natural affections; yet without sin: and therefore the apostle here says, God sent his son in the likeness of sinful flesh, not in the likeness of flesh, as if he had not taken true flesh upon him; but in the similitude of sinful flesh: thus acutely Saint Augustine also distinguishes: non in similitudine carnis, quasi caro non esset caro, sed in similitudine carnis peccati, quia caro erat, sed peccati caro non erat.

{for sin} Or, by a sacrifice for sin. Either there is an ellipsis, and the word θυσία is to be understood, as it is in the Septuagint (Leviticus 4:5). and also in Saint Paul (Hebrews 10:6): καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας Οὐκ εὐδόκησας: in for sin you had no pleasure: that is, in sacrifices for sin, you had no pleasure; and then the meaning is evidently this: God abolished, and utterly destroyed sin in the flesh by the expiatory sacrifice for sin, which Christ offered upon the cross. Or we are thus to render the words, of sin he condemned sin in the flesh; that is, he condemned our sin in the flesh of his son of sin, namely: of that capital crime: that it was the meritorious cause of the death of Christ who was most innocent. Or because it had wrought death in man by that which was good, and by occasion of the law became above measure sinful (Romans 7:13).

{in the flesh} Or, of flesh.

V. 4. {righteousness of the law} The very substance of the law of God might be fulfilled, or that same righteousness which the law requires, that we may be found just before God. For if with our justification from sin there be joined that active obedience of Christ which is imputed to us, we are just before God according to that perfect form which the law requires.

V. 5. {they that are after the flesh} They that are in their carnal state of sin and corruption, which we drew from the loins of our first parents: or they that are led by the flesh, and follow it in the lusts thereof.

V. 6. {to be carnally minded is death} Greek: the minding of the flesh. or the wisdom of the flesh. The word in the original is φρόνημα, which sometimes is rendered the desire, or affection; sometimes mind or meaning; sometimes wisdom; and in all these senses that which the apostle here calls φρόνημα σαρκὸς, is death; that is, tends to death, or brings death: as on the contrary, the desire, affections, and wisdom of the spirit are life, and peace; that is, tend to life, and procure our peace.

{to be spiritually minded} Greek: the minding of the Spirit. or, wisdom of the Spirit.

V. 7. {the carnal mind is enmity against God} Greek: the minding of the flesh. or, wisdom of the flesh.

V. 8. {they that are in the flesh} The apostle here by this phrase means not those that are married, as Siricius the Pope absurdly interpreted this Scripture, and wrested it to the disparagement of holy wedlock in the clergy: nor does he thereby understand all that are clothed with flesh: for then no men upon earth should please God; but to be in the flesh, and to be after the flesh, and to war, and walk after the flesh, signify one and the same thing; to remain still in our carnal estate, and to be led by the motions and lusts of the flesh. Those that are so led, until God gives them a better guide, and delivers them out of their corrupt estate by nature, cannot please God.

{Now if} Greek: But if.

V. 10. {if Christ be in you} He confirms the faithful against the relics of flesh and sin, granting that they are yet (as appears by the corruption which is in them) touching one of their parts which he calls the body an impure lump, which is not yet purged from earthly filthiness and death; but therewithal willing them to doubt nothing of the happy success of this combat, because that even this little spark of the Spirit, that is, of the grace of regeneration, which appears to be in them by the fruits of righteousness, is the seed of life (1 John 3:9).

{because of sin} Greek: for sin.

{because of righteousness} Greek: for righteousness.

V. 11. {shall quicken your mortal bodies} He speaks either of the resurrection from death, or regeneration. For although the work of the spirit quickening us be principally wrought and felt in our soul: yet the virtue of it is derived also into our body, as the instrument of our soul. Therefore the apostle exhorts, Chap. 12. verse. 1. that we give up our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God Chap. 6. verse. 12.

{by his Spirit} Or, because of his Spirit.

V. 12. {We are debtors} Here follows an exhortation to subdue the flesh daily more and more, by the virtue of the spirit of regeneration; because, says he, you are debtors unto God for so much as you have received so many benefits from him.

V. 15. {ye have not received the spirit of bondage} He declares and expounds by the way in these two verses, by what right this style to be called children of God is given to believers: because, says he, they have received the grace of the gospel; wherein God shows himself not as before in publishing of the law terrible and fearful, but a most benign and loving father in Christ: so that with great boldness we call him Father, the Holy Ghost sealing this adoption in our hearts by faith. By the Spirit of bondage he means the operation of the Spirit of God by the law, which casts down and affright the hearts of men by the dreadful threatenings against transgressors; as we see in the Israelites when God did proclaim the law of the ten commandments in their hearing upon the mount (Exodus 20:19). which the apostle has an eye unto here, as likewise Hebrews 12:18-19.

{The Spirit of adoption} (Galatians 4:6). By the Spirit of adoption, he understands the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost by the preaching of the gospel, which quickens the heart of true believers, and assures them of their adoption.

{whereby we cry} Greek: in whom, or, in that we cry. With an holy boldness, sweetly and tenderly calling on our heavenly father, and importuning him as his children.

{Abba, Father} Abba signifies Father in the Syriac tongue, and the apostle kept it on purpose, it being a word implying much tenderness and affection; it being also used by children almost in all languages, when they begin to speak: and he joins here the word, Πατήρ, Father, unto it, not only to explain the former word, but also the better to express the eager and earnest and vehement desire and affection of the faithful in their calling upon God, as Christ himself redoubled the word Father to the same purpose (Mark 14:36), he said Abba, Father, etc, and on the cross likewise, he doubled the words: My God, my God. The Syriac interpreter translates Abba, our Father, and a learned interpreter truly notes that sometimes the article: which is here prefixed to Father, has the power and signification of an affix, and if it be so, then it should seem the apostle here alludes to our compellation of God in the Lord’s Prayer. Our Father, etc.

V. 16. {beareth witness with our spirit} The Holy Spirit does not only stir us up to call upon God as our father, but does also seal unto our hearts, that we are truly his children: thus the Spirit testifies to our spirit; (as some render the words) but if we translate them beareth witness with our spirit, the meaning is that the Spirit witnesses together with our own spirit, which likewise helps to bear witness by observing the proper marks of God’s adoption, which our spirit finds in ourselves by the Spirit of God. This witness, though it is not always similarly evident and powerful in true believers, yet it does oftentimes manifest itself, even when they are in their lowest estate and greatest extremity.

V. 17. {then heirs} Partakers of our Father’s goods, and having a right to his kingdom, and that freely, because we are his children by adoption and grace.

{if so be that we suffer with him} Now Saint Paul teaches by what way the sons of God come to that felicity, to wit, by the cross, as Christ himself did, and therewithal opens unto them three fountains of comfort: the first, that we have Christ a companion and fellow of our afflictions: the second that we shall be his fellows also, and co-heirs with him in everlasting glory: the third, that this glory we look for, does a thousand parts surmount the misery of our present affliction.

V. 18. {For I reckon} Greek: Tec. but I reckon or count.

{that the sufferings of this present time} Word for word, according to the Greek, of this now season. Whereby the apostle intimates two things: first, that our tribulations and afflictions last but for a νῦν, that is, a moment in comparison: secondly, that now, that is, this present life is the proper season and opportune time, to lay out for a crown of celestial glory.

{are not worthy to be compared} Holds no proportion or correspondence with the reward, neither in respect of the dignity and worth, nor in respect of the time: and if the sufferings of martyrs fall thus short, how much more the best actions of saints?

{with the glory} Greek: are not worthy to the glory.

{shall be revealed in us} It is now partly in us, but hidden, and therefore he says, shall be revealed. For now our life is hidden with Christ in God, but when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory.

V. 19. {earnest expectation of the creature} Greek: the looking out, or, putting forth of the head. By the creature, he understands the world; and the singular number which he uses, implies the unity thereof: and the doctrine which he delivers from this verse to the 23rd, concerning the world is, that as the world was not at the beginning in that state which now it is, but by the sin of man came to be subject to a vanishing and flitting estate; so it shall at length be restored with the elect, to a more stable and glorious estate.

{manifestation of the sons of God} The word manifestation is not here taken actively, but passively, that is, the creature waits for the time when the sons of God shall be manifested, and their glorious and happy estate, to which those words of Saint John have a reference in 1 John 3:2: Behold, now we are the sons of God, and it does not yet appear, what we shall be, but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him.

V. 20. {not willingly, but by reason of him} Not by their natural inclination, but in obedience to the Creator’s command, whom it pleased to show by their fickle estate, how greatly he was displeased with man for his disobedience.

{subjected the same in hope} Or, upon hope. That which before he called the expectation, he here terms the hope, for hope is an earnest expectation of a thing: and it is called so in this place, for that God had promised a universal deliverance of the creature from the corruption and abuse of man, which the angels and blessed souls do long for (Revel. 6:10) and the rest of the creatures seem to have a natural instinct or inclination thereunto, which in the next verse save one, is by a metaphor called a groaning and travailing in pain. The ground of this hope or expectation of the creature is that, having by reason of the fall of man suffered for part of his malediction, when it shall come to pass at the last day, that man shall be completely restored to grace again, then all the steps and traces of that malediction shall be utterly razed out of the world, as is declared in Isaiah 51:16, 65:17, and 66:22.

V. 21. {delivered from the bondage of corruption} Shall be subject no more to any such alteration or corruption as now it is; much less to serve for the object and instrument of sin: but according to every ones degree and nature, shall partake of the glorious estate of the children of God; and be fully delivered from all vanity and evils.

{into the glorious liberty} Greek: into the liberty of the glory.

V. 22. {For we know} Greek: Tec. but, or now we know.

{the whole creation} Or, every creature.

{travelleth in pain} This elegant metaphor expresses not only the exceeding sorrow of the creature, but the fruit also that follows after it. For albeit the world does seem for the present to be even at the height of its splendor and beauty, yet there lies that evil upon it which does press it down, and sink it into perdition, and that is sin, whereof it does strive and struggle to the utmost to ease and disburden itself, as it were, much like unto a woman in travail.

V. 23. {And} Greek: But.

{not only they, but ourselves also} If the rest of the world look for a restoring, and groan as it were for it, and that not in vain, let us not think much also to sigh and groan, but groan out of hope, because we are more certainly persuaded of redemption to come, for as much as we have the first fruits of the Spirit.

{first fruits of the Spirit} That is, the first degree of regeneration and of the gifts of the Spirit, which is conferred upon us in this life for a pledge of the whole crop as it were, which we shall receive in the life to come (2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:14).

{groan within ourselves} Even from the bottom of our heart. The which the world does by a secret instinct without sense & discourse; we the faithful do by a certain knowledge, and well grounded judgment, sighing and groaning for anguish under the heavy burden of sin that lies upon us, and for the vehement and ardent desire of our full and final deliverance.

V. 23. {waiting for the adoption} That is, the full manifestation and effect of our adoption, the possession and fruition of the inheritance which is promised to us in our adoption.

{redemption of our body} (See Luke 21:28) That is, the freedom thereof, not only from the miseries which they are subject unto in this life, but also from the power of death and corruption: and in this sense our Savior takes the word redemption in those his gracious and comfortable speeches to the faithful, when he treats of the dissolution of the world. When these things come to pass, lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near (Luke 24:28).

V. 24. {For we are saved by hope} Hope is necessarily joined with faith. Seeing then that we believe those things which we are not yet in possession of, and hope expects not the thing that is present but future, we must therefore patiently wait for that which we believe shall come to pass.

{But hope that is seen, is not hope} As the object of faith is often termed faith; so here by a metonymy, the object of hope is termed hope: hope, that is, the thing hoped for, the possession of our heavenly inheritance (Colos. 1:5).

V. 26. {Likewise the Spirit} There is no cause why we should faint under the burden of affliction, seeing that prayer ministers unto us a present and most sure help which cannot be frustrated, seeing it proceeds from the spirit of God which dwells in us.

{helpeth} The Greek word, συναντιλαμβάνεται does properly imply such a help, as when another man of strength and ability steps in to sustain the burden that lies upon our shoulders, setting his shoulders under it, to lift it up and bear part of it with us.

{our infirmities} Greek: Tec. Infirmity. Which we are yet subject unto; especially under the cross, and in afflictions, both in regard of our spirit which is apt to murmur, as we see in Job and David, and of our flesh also which is most tender and frail. If we read according to Tecl. edition, infirmity in the singular number, then the meaning seems to be this, the Spirit helps our weakness and inability to pray as we ought, assisting us by his holy inspiration, both with powerful and effectual words, and sighs and groans also that cannot be expressed.

{maketh intercession} Provokes us to prayers, and tells us as it were within, what we shall say, and how we shall groan. The son does properly make intercession for us, who is our advocate with the Father (1 John 2:11) yet by a figure, the Holy Ghost is said to make intercession for us also; because he arouses and stirs us up to prayer, and prompts, as it were, our lesson unto us, how we ought to pray in all our necessities (John 16:13, Galatians 4:6).

{with groanings which cannot be uttered} That is, whose fervency, force and efficacy proceeding from the supernatural motion of the Spirit none is able to conceive or express. Others read [without speaking] that is, whose virtue and excellency does not consist in the number and flourish of words, as the prayers of hypocrites (Matthew 6:7) but in most lively feelings, pangs and prickings of the Spirit.

V. 27. {And he} Greek: But he.

{mind of the Spirit} Or meaning. That is, what sobs and sighs proceed from the instinct of the Spirit, and what the Spirit means by those sighs and groans.

{because} Or that.

{for the saints} Though the remains of sin cleave so fast to the best of God’s children, that they cannot utterly shake them off; yet they are here termed saints, partly in regard of their sincere and unfeigned desire of sanctity, and earnestly striving for it; partly in regard of God’s gracious acceptance, who takes the will for the deed, and out of his infinite mercy in Christ, accounts them for saints, by not imputing their sins unto them (Rev. 8:3, Psalm 32:1; See Romans 1:7).

{according to the will of God} That is, praying for such things, and in such a manner as God requires and allows (1 John 5:14).

V. 28. {And we} Greek: But we.

{know} That we are not afflicted either by chance, or to our harm, but by God’s providence for our great profit, who as he chose us from the beginning, so has he predestinated us to be made like to the image of his Son, and therefore will bring us in his time, being called and justified, to glory by the cross (Hebr. 12:10).

{that all things work together for good} Greek: Tec. that God worketh or maketh all things work together for good.

{according to his purpose} Or, decree. He calls that purpose which God has from everlasting appointed with himself, according to his good will and pleasure (Matthew 11:26, Ephesians 1:11, 2 Timothy 1:9).

V. 29. {For whom} Here he proves by a sorites or golden chain, the glorification of God’s children, no link whereof can be unclinched, because the fastening thereof is the work of God’s omnipotence.

{he did foreknow} For his own, as the word is taken (John 10:14-27) those whom he marked out as it were out of all other men in the world, and set his affection upon (Psalm 1:6, Jeremiah 1:5, Matthew 7:23).

{he also did predestinate} Ordained to conformity, both in grace and glory, with his Son their head, not only in their sufferings, but also in their sanctification and glorification.

{that he might be the first-born} Intending that his own Son should have many adopted brethren, of whom he might be the head, as the firstborn was wont to be in all families (Coloss. 1:15-18).

V. 30. {Moreover} Greek: But, or, And.

{them he also called} To the obedience of faith, by the outward preaching of the word, and the inward and effectual operation of the Spirit.

{them he also glorified} That is, will certainly and infallibly glorify them; the cause, ground and pledge whereof is, the glorification of Christ our head already obtained.

V. 31. {What shall we then say} We have no cause to fear that God will not give us whatsoever is profitable for us, seeing that he has not spared his own Son to save us.

V. 33. {Who shall lay anything to the charge} A most comfortable conclusion of the whole second part of this epistle, that is of the treatise of justification. There are no accusers that we have need to be afraid of before God, seeing that God himself absolves us as just, and therefore much less need we fear damnation, seeing that we rest upon the death, and resurrection, and the almighty power of Jesus Christ. Therefore what can there be of so great moment in this life, or of so great force and power, that might affright us, as though we might fall from the love of God wherewith he loves us in Christ? Surely nothing, seeing that it is in itself most constant and sure, and also to us, being confirmed by steadfast faith.

V. 34. {Christ that died} Greek: Tec. Christ Jesus that died.

{even at the right} Greek: in the right.

V. 35. {tribulation} Or, affliction.

V. 36. {For thy sake, etc.} (Psalm 44:22).

{for the slaughter} Greek: of the slaughter.

V. 37. {Nay in all} Greek: But, or, Nevertheless in all.

V. 38. {nor angels, etc.} Under the name of angels he also comprehends archangels; and by principalities and powers, those that are in the highest places of authority, and have greatest power upon earth, as kings in peace, and commanders in war.

{from the love of God} The words may bear either of these constructions, Nothing can separate us from the love which God bears to us, or we bear to him in Christ Jesus: but this latter seems better to agree with the antecedents, For thy sake are we killed, etc.

CHAPTER 9

Verse 1. {I say the truth} Because the apostle purposes to speak much of the casting off of the Jews, he uses an insinuation, declaring by a double, or rather triple oath, his great desire of their salvation, and his singular love towards them; and altogether he freely grants them all their true prerogatives.

{in Christ, etc.} Entering into a profound discourse, hard to be believed by flesh and blood, that he might gain the more credit to the ensuing doctrine, and the protestation of his sincere affection to his countrymen, he produces three witnesses beyond exception, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and his own conscience.

V. 2. {continual sorrow in my heart} For the incredulity of the Jews his kinsmen, and their rejection.

V. 3. {myself were accursed} Or, separated. These words admit of a double interpretation; either that such was his love to his brethren, that he desired, if it had been possible, and it might have stood with the good will of God, to have redeemed the casting away of the Israelites, with the loss of his own soul forever. A desire utterly impossible indeed, and never to be accomplished and used by the apostle; only to witness his excessive love towards his brethren, and most fervent zeal for the glory of God, which he supposed would have been far more illustrated by the saving of a whole nation, than of one man. Or that here, by ἀνάθεμα, he means only to be excommunicated, and held as accursed and execrable [abominable], and as such exterminated and deprived of all communion with the church; not as if the apostle did with to be hardened in heart against Christ, and severed from his love, for that can never be wished by any pious man, but out of the overflowing of his love he wished, that he himself might bear the punishment which they might expect from the righteous judgment of God for their hardness, so they might be freed from this hardness and accursedness. The like we know Moses did in the behalf of the Israelites (Exodus 32:32).

{my kinsmen according to the flesh} Those of mine own country and nation: altogether insinuating a double kindred, carnal and spiritual: by the carnal he was allied only to the Jews, but by spiritual cognation [kinship] to all the household of faith, consisting as well of Gentiles, as Jews.

V. 4. {whom pertaineth the adoption} Greek: who are the adoption. For God preferred the Israelites before all nations of the earth, and accounted them his peculiar people, and named them not only his children, but, his first-born (Exodus 4:22). Israel is my son, yea, my firstborn (Jer. 31:9).

{and the glory} That is, the ark of the covenant, which was a visible token of God’s presence; so we read in 1 Samuel 4:21: The glory is departed from Israel when the ark was taken; and Psalm 63:3: to see thy glory, as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

{and the covenants} Or, testaments. The tables of the covenant (Ephesians 2:12).

{and the giving of the law} The judicial and moral.

{and the service of God} That is, the manner of his worship, prescribed by the ceremonial law.

{and in the promises} Made to Abraham and his posterity.

V. 5. {God blessed forever} A most evident testimony, and pregnant proof of Christ’s divinity. “Blush for shame,” says Oecumenius, “and be confounded, O you wretched miscreant Arius, when you hear Christ glorified by the apostle with the title of God, in the singular number, with the article, the God, or, only God, and God over all, and blessed forever.”

V. 6. {Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect} Greek: But it cannot be that the word of God hath failed.

{are not all Israel, which are of Israel} That is, all are not that people of God, to whom the promises were made, who descend from the loins of Jacob; for there are three sorts of Israels: (1) according to the flesh only: such are the unbelieving Jews; (2) according to the Spirit only: such are the faithful among the Gentiles; and (3) according to the flesh and Spirit: such was Jacob himself, and his believing posterity.

V. 7. {in Isaac shall thy seed be called} See Genesis 21:12: Isaac shall be your true and natural son, and therefore heir of the blessing, although Ishmael also was born of Abraham, and circumcised before Isaac.

V. 8. {the children of the flesh, etc.} Not all they who are carnally born of Abraham by the course of nature, are the children of God, to whom the promise of grace was made; but the children of promise, that is, those who were born by virtue of the promise, those who by God’s special grace were adopted (as Isaac by a special and singular promise was begot by Abraham) they only are accounted for that seed mentioned in the covenant: I will by thy God, and the God of thy seed.

{the children of the promise} (See Galatians 4:28).

V. 9. {At this time, etc.} Or, season (See Gen 8:10).

V. 11. {For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil} Namely, whereby they might be differenced one from the other; for otherwise they were already conceived in sin, and living in the mothers womb, when the sentence of God passed upon them; so that God had not regard unto faith in the one, or infidelity in the other, but that it was upon his own absolute pleasure, not upon any desert [merit], that God preferred the younger before the elder.

{any good} Greek: Tec. good, or, that good.

{purpose of God according to election} Or, the purpose according to the election of God.

{might stand} Greek: might remain.

{not of works} That is, not at all by observing any condition depending upon the will of man, which would have made the decree wavering and uncertain, seeing that man is so variable in all that he does, or undertakes.

{but of him that calleth} Out of underserved grace and favor, and calls not only outwardly, but inwardly and effectually, to bring men to faith and godliness (Romans 8:28, 30-31, 2 Tim. 1:9).

{The elder shall serve the younger} See Genesis 25:23. This prophecy is not to be understood of any outward service or dominion; for Esau did not serve Jacob after that manner; at least in his own person; but either it is to be understood of the posterity of Jacob and Esau, that the posterity of the elder should serve the posterity of the younger, as they did also for a time; and for this the words of the Lord by Moses (Genesis 25:23). are expressed: Two nations are in thy womb, and two sorts of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger. Or else the prophecy is to be understood of the eternal and spiritual dominion which the children of God are to enjoy hereafter, whereof the inheritance and dominion in Canaan was a type (Hebr. 11:15-16). We may also thus expound the words, The elder shall serve the younger, that is, he shall be deprived of his birthright, in token that from him and his posterity should be taken away also the part and claim of the blessed seed; and that he should be no otherwise in the world, then as a servant in his father’s house, in comparison, namely, of Jacob, who shall be his heir.

{elder} Or greater.

{younger} Or lesser.

V. 13. {As it is written} Forasmuch as the word serving seems not to be clear enough to express the election of Jacob and rejection of Esau in the purpose of God, the apostle brings in this other passage out of Malachi 1:2. for a declaration of the former; and proves, that this same servitude or subjection of Esau unto Jacob, was accompanied with God’s eternal and undeserved love of Jacob, and with his just and righteous hatred of Esau.

{Jacob have I loved} etc (Malachi 1:3).

V. 14. {God forbid} See Chapter 3:4.

V. 15. {I will have mercy} (See Exodus 33:19). I will be favorable and gracious to whom I wish to be favorable. God is most free, and cannot be taxed with injustice, though he cast brighter beams of his favor upon one than another; for although he choose and predestinate to salvation them that are not yet born, without any respect of worthiness; yet he brings not the chosen to their appointed end, but by the means of his mercy, which is a cause next under predestination: now mercy presupposes misery, and misery, sin, and a voluntary corruption of mankind, and this corruption presupposes a pure and perfect creation. Moreover, mercy is shown by degrees, to wit, by calling by faith to justification and sanctification, so that at the length we come to glorification: Now all these things ordinarily following the purpose of God do clearly prove that he can by no means seem unjust in loving and saving his.

{I will have mercy} Or I have mercy.

{I will have compassion} Or I have compassion.

V. 16. {not of him that willeth} These words contain the conclusion of the apostle’s answer, therefore God is not unjust in choosing and saving of his free goodness such as it pleases him; as he also answered Moses when he prayed for all the people. By will, he means here, the thoughts and desires of the heart; by running, our earnest endeavors, and good works, and commendable course of life; to neither of which yet he ascribes the praise, but only to the mercy of God. Upon this verse Saint Augustine acutely observes in his Enchiridion, against the Pelagians that when the apostle says, “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,” the meaning cannot be, that it is not wholly of him that wills, or of him that runs, but partly of him that wills, and partly of him that runs, and partly of God that has mercy: for according to that exposition, the apostle might have said, “It is not of him that hath mercy, but of him that willeth or runneth,” because according to their Pelagian tenet, it is not wholly of God that has mercy, but partly of him that wills, and of him that runs. But if no man dare say that it is not of God that has mercy, for that were in direct terms to contradict the apostle; it remains therefore that this must be the sense, That it is not at all of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but wholly of God, who has mercy, qui voluntatem praeparat adjuvandam, & adjuvat praeparatam.

V. 17. {Even for this same purpose, etc.} (See Exodus 9:16).

{have I raised thee up} Or stirred, or set thee up. The words may bear either of these interpretations: “I have made you to stand,” that is, “I have reserved you and not struck you, or destroyed you with the pestilence as I did the rest of the people (Exodus 9:15).” Or: “For this cause I have set you upon the throne of Egypt, or have placed you as it were in a high theater, to make you an example to all that shall dare to set themselves against me, by the fearful judgments that I shall inflict upon you and your people.”

{throughout all the earth} Greek: in all the earth.

V. 18. {he hardeneth} By God’s withholding his grace, and not mollifying their rebellious hearts it comes to pass, that all the means which he employs outwardly, though never so good and holy, are perverted by them, to the increase of their hardness. Moreover, it is to be noted, that as the text says, that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart; so it is said (Exodus 8:15, 32) that Pharaoh hardened his own heart, so that he could have no excuse; since God’s induration [hardening, congealing] was inflicted upon him most justly and deservedly for his willful opposing God, and maliciously rebelling against him.

V. 19. {Why does he yet find fault} This is another objection, which may arise in men’s minds either from carnal reason or by the suggestion of the devil: If God does appoint to everlasting destruction such as he wishes, and that cannot be hindered, or withstood that he has once decreed, how does he justly condemn them which perish by his will?

V. 20. {but O man, who art thou} Although the will of God is always grounded upon good reason for whatsoever he does (for his will is the rule of all righteousness, and is never severed from his wisdom, howsoever the reason be not manifest unto us, or transcend our understanding, Romans 11:33), yet he is not to give an account to man or any other creature of his actions, and therefore the apostle here stops the mouth of all that dare to move such curious questions, why God disposes this or that of men. God has always a reason of his will, but his will made known to us, ought to stand for an all-sufficient reason, and it as little becomes man who is dust and ashes to expostulate [demand] with God, as it does the clay to expostulate with the potter.

{repliest against God} Or answerest again, or disputest with God.

{shall the thing formed say to him that formed it} (Isaiah 45:9).

V. 21. {potter power over the clay etc} (See Jeremiah 18:6, Wisdom 15:7).

{of the same lump} By this metaphor is intimated the origin of all mankind out of one blood (Acts 17:26) out of this corrupt mass, it is in God’s power of his free will to appoint some to everlasting glory, and others to everlasting shame and ignominy [infamy]: as it is in the potter’s power at his pleasure, of the same stuff to make up one vessel to serve for honorable uses, and occasions, as vessels for eating and drinking, and utensils for state and ornament, and another vessel for base and abject employments.

{one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor} Greek: this unto honor, and that unto dishonor.

V. 22. {What if God, willing} Greek: but if. As if he should say, “Have you any just cause to reply against God?” seeing that in exercising that absolute freedom of his sovereignty, to save one and punish others, he uses such longsuffering toward the wicked to allure and draw them to repentance, which yet notwithstanding, does but harden them so much the more in their evil (Romans 2:4-5). In this speech, the apostle seems to have a special eye on the Jews, towards whom God had used the utmost of longsuffering before he would altogether reject them.

{vessels of wrath} That is, those men on whom he will exercise his severe judgment, being formerly compared unto vessels of dishonor, and after said to be fitted to destruction, that is, whose state and condition is so sinful and corrupted, that neither being pardoned, nor amended by the grace of God, it can serve for no other use, than to be a dreadful example and subject of his just judgment.

{fitted} Or, made up.

V. 25. {I will call them my people} (Hos. 2:23, 1 Peter 2:10).

V. 26. {And it shall come to pass} (Hos. 1:10).

V. 27. {Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea} (Isa. 10:22-23).

{a remnant shall be saved} Greek: Tec. a part taken out shall be saved.

V. 28. {For he will finish the work} Or, the account. Some take this as a threatening against the wicked Jews whom God should cut off, and reject, and thereby bring that unkind and unthankful people to an extreme fewness, always preserving such as are his among that nation. Others understand here the constancy of the decree of God in keeping and preserving his, notwithstanding the rebellion of the greater multitude of others, which agree well with the verse following.

{work} Or reckoning, or word.

V. 29. {Except the Lord of sabaoth had left us a seed} (Isa. 1:9).

V. 30. {which followed not after righteousness} So then, the Gentiles had no works to move and procure God’s mercy beforehand, and in that the Gentiles attained to that which they sought not for, the mercy of God is to be thanked for it; and in that the Jews attained not to that which they sought after, they are to thank none for that but themselves, because they sought it not aright.

V. 31. {which followed} Greek: following.

{attained} Or, is.

V. 32. {not by faith} That is, because they sought not righteousness in Christ in whom alone it is, and no otherwise to be obtained than by faith, and not by the merit of our own works.

{by the works} Greek: Tec. by works.

{stumbling-stone} By the stumbling stone, he means Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23) and the same is implied by Simeon (Luke 2:34). This child is set for the fall, and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against.

V. 33. {Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone} (Isa. 8:14, 28:16, 1 Peter 2:6).

{ashamed} Or confounded.

CHAPTER 10

Verse 1. {Brethren} The apostle intending to set forth in the Jews, an example of marvelous obstinacy, begins with a sweet insinuation, as it were anointing the brim of the cup with honey, out of which they were to drink a bitter potion.

V. 3. {For they being ignorant} The ignorance of the law which we ought to know, excuses none before God; especially, it excuses not them who are of his household.

{of God’s righteousness} That is, the righteousness of Christ, both active and passive, imputed to every believer.

{going about to establish their own righteousness} Greek: Tec. being zealous to establish. The first entrance into our vocation to salvation, is to renounce our own righteousness: the next to embrace the righteousness by Christ which God freely offers us in the gospel.

V. 4. {For Christ is the end of the law} Christ is said to be the end of the law, partly, because all the ceremonies of the law prefigured him and had reference unto him, as their scope, end, and accomplishment: partly, because by the law ceremonial, moral, and judicial, the consciences of all that were under the law were convinced of sins, the expiation whereof could nowhere be found, but in the sacrifice of Christ’s death. Or Christ may be said to be the end of the law; because the end of the law is perfect righteousness, that a man may be justified thereby, which end we cannot attain of ourselves through the frailty of our flesh, but by Christ we attain it, who has fulfilled the law for us.

{for righteousness} Greek: to righteousness.

{to everyone} Not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles.

V. 5. {That the man which does those things} (See Leviticus 18:5, Ezek. 20:11, Galatians 3:12).

{shall live by them} Greek: in them. In the Greek it is in them, which is a kind of Hebraism, signifying by them, for such is the condition of the law: he that does the works of the law shall live; but cursed is he that confirms not all the works of the law to do them (Deuteronomy 27:26). To which our Savior’s answer to the young man in the gospel, who demanded of him what he should do to obtain eternal life, agrees, saying; Keep the commandments; Do this and thou shalt live.

V. 6. {Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven} (See Deut 30:12). That the law has regard, and tends to Christ, that is a manifest proof, for that it propounds such a condition as can be, and is fulfilled of none but Christ only, which being imputed unto us by faith, our conscience is quieted, so that now no man can ask, “Who can ascend up into heaven, or bring us from hell?”, seeing as the gospel teaches that both of these are done by Christ, and that for their sakes who with true faith embrace him, who calls them. Or, God has so plainly and fully shown the way of salvation, that we need not seek further for it, above or below.

V. 8. {The word is nigh thee} (Deuteronomy 30:14). By the word, Moses understood the law which the Lord published with his own voice, and Paul applies it to the preaching of the gospel, which was the perfection of the law.

V. 9. {the Lord Jesus} Greek: the Lord Jesus Christ.

V. 10. {believeth unto righteousness} Greek: belief is to righteousness. Faith is said to justify; and furthermore, seeing as the confession of the mouth is an effect of faith, and it is the way to come to salvation, it follows that faith is also said to save.

V. 11. {Whosoever believeth on him} (See Isa. 28:16). To believe in God, is to yield and consent to God’s promise of salvation by Christ, and that not only in general, but in particular, that the promises pertain to us, whereupon arises a sure trust.

V. 12. {difference between, etc.} Greek: distinction of Jew and Greek.

V. 13. {For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord} (See Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21). True calling upon the name of God is the testimony of true faith, and true faith of a true vocation, and a true and effectual vocation or calling, of true election. By calling on God’s name he understands the whole worship of the true God.

V. 15. {How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace} Greek: who bring glad tidings of good things. (See Isa. 52:7, Nahum 1:15).

V. 16. {Lord, who hath believed our report} (See Isaiah 53, 1 John 12:38).

{our} Greek: the hearing of us.

{report} Or preaching.

V. 18. {But I say, Have they not heard} As for the Jews who have not believed, what can be said thereof? Is it because they have heard nothing of the gospel? Surely, no; for the gospel like unto the Sun (Psalm 19:5) has cast his beams over the whole world: May we not therefore say, that the fault lies in themselves, who rejected that light of saving knowledge which the Gentiles have embraced? The apostle answers in verse 19 that it is not to be gainsaid [denied], seeing Moses had protested the very same of old.

{their sound went} (See Psalm 19:4). This place is taken out of Psalm 19:4 and is properly meant of that knowledge of God which all men may have by contemplation of the heavens, and the creatures therein; yet it is by the apostle very fitly applied to the sound of the word preached by the apostles.

V. 19. {Did not Israel know} Or Hath not Israel known.

{I will provoke you} (See Deuteronomy 32:21).

{them that are no people} He calls the heathen no people, because they are not said to live, but to die, who are appointed for everlasting condemnation: Or else we are to understand the pronoun “my”, and the sense is this: “I will provoke you to jealousy by a people, that is not my people, that is, not comprised within my covenant.”

V. 20. {I was found} Or, I have been found. (See Isaiah 65:1).

{I was made} Or, I have been made.

{All day long, etc.} (See Isaiah 65:2).

CHAPTER 11

Verse 1. {Hath God cast away his people} Greek: his people whom he foreknew. Now the apostle shows how the doctrine formerly delivered is to be applied to others; teaching us, that all the Jews in particular are not cast away and therefore we ought not to pronounce rashly of private persons, whether they be of the number of the elect or not.

V. 2. {which he foreknew} Which he loved and chose from everlasting, and decreed to save before the foundations of the world were laid.

{Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias} Greek: in Elias. In the days of Elias [Elijah] when there appeared no face of the church to the world, yet God knew his elect, and of them a great store and number; whereupon this also is concluded, that we ought not rashly to pronounce of any man or people, that they are reprobate, seeing the church is oft times brought to that state, that even the most watchful and sharp-sighted pastors may think it to be clean extinct and put out.

{maketh intercession to God against} Or, communeth with God against.

V. 3. {Lord, they have killed thy prophets, etc.} See 1 Kings 19:14.

{digged down thine altars} The prophet by these words does not any way approve of those altars which were erected in Israel, contrary to the law which designed a certain place, namely, at Jerusalem, where they ought to have offered their sacrifice to God; but he taxes the impiety and idolatry of that people, who erected altars to Baal and sacrificed upon them, but pulled down the altars which were erected in honor of God, and would by no means sacrifice unto him, or serve him.

{life} Greek: soul.

V. 4. {answer of God} Greek: oracle of God.

{I have reserved to myself} See 1 Kings 19:18. He speaks of remnants, and the reserved people which were chosen from everlasting, and not of remnants which should be chosen afterwards; for they were not chosen because they were not idolaters, but rather, they were not therefore idolaters, because they were chosen, and by God’s grace kept from that and other foul sins.

{seven thousand men} That is, a very great number, by a synecdoche. So we read (Genesis 33:3) that Jacob bowed himself to the ground before his brother seven times; and (Psalms 12:6) silver is said to be tried in the furnace seven times, that is, very often; and Christ tells Peter, that he is to forgive his brother not seven times, but seventy times seven times, that is, how often so ever he offends him, if he be sorry for it, and seek to be reconciled unto him.

{the knee to the image of Baal} The article in the original, is feminine, τῇ Βάαλ, not that the heathen believed Baal to be a feminine idol, for by Baal, as Sanchoniacho and others affirm, they meant Phoebus or the sun; but the article agrees with εἰκών, understood, that is, the image of Baal. The word Baal signifies as much as patron, or one in whose power another is, which name the Romish idolaters at this day give to their idols, naming them patrons or patronesses, or ladies guardians.

V. 5. {at this present} Greek: in this present.

{there is a remnant} That is, God hath left some Jews yet to remain, which do not reject but embrace the gospel, and are effectually called also; though in comparison of the great multitude that rejected and continued in their unbelief, they are but as a small remnant or parcel torn from the rest  (Isaiah 6:13).

{the election of grace} Not whereby men choose grace, but whereby God chooses us of his grace and goodness.

V. 6. {And if by grace} This seems to be added against those amongst the Jews, that having received the profession of Christianity, yet still did put part of their righteousness and confidence in the works of the law; which the apostle here proves to be a false and vain persuasion, forasmuch as those two sorts of righteousness and salvation, to wit, by the covenant of grace, and the covenant of works, were altogether incompatible (See Romans 4:2, 4 and Galatians 5:2, 4).

{no more of works} This saying beats down flat to the ground the doctrine of merit, and of all kind and manner of works, whereby our justifiers of themselves do teach that works are either wholly or partly the cause of our justification.

{otherwise grace is no more grace} Whatsoever is given for the merit of our works, is not freely given, and consequently is not χάρις, or, gratia; for, as Saint Augustine speaks elegantly against the Pelagians, Gratia non est gratia ullo modo, nisi sit gratuita omni modo: Grace is not said to be grace any way, or in any sense, if it be not free every way.

{otherwise work is no more work} That is, it loses the nature of a work done to merit by, for if we are elected and chosen partly for our works sake, and partly by grace, then the merit of our works is no merit; for as Bernard rightly concludes, “If merit enter first, it excludes grace; and if grace enter first, it excludes merit:” non been convenient, nec in una seed morantur.

V. 7. {Israel hath not obtained} That is, those among the Jews who boasted that they were Israelites, and gloried in the flesh, and sought to establish their own righteousness.

{the election hath obtained} That is, the elect {have obtained} by a metonymy, which the apostle uses, more emphatically to express the cause of their adoption and salvation; to wit, God’s free election.

{blinded} Or, hardened.

V. 8. {God hath given them the spirit of slumber} So the Hebrew signifies in Isaiah 29:10, out of which the apostle took these words; yet in citing them he follows the translation of the LXX here and elsewhere, that the Gentiles to whom he wrote, who understood that translation, and not the Hebrew, might not take any offense by reason of some seeming differences between it and the original. The Greek word used by the apostle, κατανύξεως, comes not from νύξ, night; as if he should say, “The spirit of men in a deep sleep in the night”; but from νυξω, “to prick or bore through”: κατανυγηναι, says Oecumenius, “is to be fastened, and as it were nailed in evil, to be obstinately wicked;” howbeit the Hebrew original, and the translation of the Septuagint, which the apostle follows, may be easily reconciled, if by the spirit of slumber, we understand such a dead sleep, as may be observed in those that are pricked or stung with venomous serpents, out of which they hardly or never awake.

{slumber} Or, remorse; or, pricking through.

{eyes that they should not see, etc.} (See Isaiah 6:9). That is, eyes unfit to see with, and ears unfit to hear with; or eyes and ears, wherewith (as the case stood with them) they could neither see nor hear.

V. 9. {Let their table be made a snare} See Psalm 69:22. As unhappy birds are enticed to death by that which is their sustenance: so did that turn to the Jews destruction, of which they sought life; to wit, the law of God, for the preposterous zeal whereof they refused the gospel.

{and bow down their back} Greek: bow together. or crook. If we follow this translation of the septuagint according to the letter, then as the Greek Scholiast [commentator] observes, we have here a prediction of the Jews’ captivity and subjection to the Romans, who forced them to bow, with the heavy burdens they laid upon them. But if we follow the Hebrew original, and render the words, Make their loins continually shake, then we may well understand the prophecy of terrors of conscience, and the spirit of bondage, to which the unbelieving Jews are subject even to this day.

V. 11. {I say then, Have they stumbled} God appointed this casting off of the Jews, that it might be an occasion to call the Gentiles, and again that this calling of the Gentiles might be an occasion to restore the Jews, to wit, that they being inflamed and provoked by the emulation of the Gentiles, might themselves at length embrace the gospel. And hereby we may learn that the severity of God serves as well to the setting forth of his glory, as his mercy does; and also that God prepares himself a way to mercy by his severity, so that we ought not rashly to despair of any man, nor proudly triumph over others; but rather provoke them to an holy emulation, that God may be glorified in them also.

{God forbid} (See Chapter 3:4).

{to provoke them to jealousy} By this means, their fall through God’s goodness conduces to their rise, for through their fall salvation came to the Gentiles, and this salvation of the Gentiles bred emulation in the Jews, and this emulation was a means to bring them to believe the gospel, whereby they might be raised from their fall.

V. 12. {the riches of the world} By riches, he means the knowledge of Christ in whom all the treasures of riches and knowledge are hidden; and by the world, all nations dispersed throughout the whole world.

{diminishing} Or, decay. or loss.

V. 13. {I am the apostle} Greek: I remain the apostle.

V. 15. {but life from the dead} The words may bear a double construction, either they may have reference to the Jews that their assumption into the Church will prove no less than their raising from their death of sin to the life of grace: or that the coming in of the Jews will serve as a great means to bring in all the Gentiles, and by the gospel make them partakers of eternal life. For it shall come to pass that when the Jews generally embrace the gospel, the world shall as it were quicken again and rise up from death to life. When that nation shall be converted, there shall be such perfect and entire joy as in the end of the world at the resurrection of the dead, says the Greek Scholiast.

V. 16. {For if the first-fruit be holy} He alludes to the first-fruits of those loaves, by the offering whereof all the whole crop of corn was sanctified (Ezek. 44:30) so that the owners might use the rest the year following with a good conscience (Leviticus 23:14).

{if the root be holy} The nation of the Jews – being considered in their stock and root, that is, in Abraham – is holy, although that many of the branches be cut off. Therefore, in judging our brethren, we must not stick in their unworthiness, to think that they are all at once cast off; but we ought to consider the root of the covenant, and rather go back to their ancestors which were faithful, that we may know that the blessing of the covenant rests in some of their posterity; as we also find proof thereof in ourselves (Isaiah 65:8).

V. 17. {And if} Greek: But if.

{amongst them} Or for them.

V. 18. {Boast not against the branches} There is no cause why the Gentiles which have obtained mercy should triumph over the Jews, which now refuse the grace of God, seeing they are engrafted into the stock of the Jews ancestors; but let them rather take heed that that be not found in them which is worthily condemned in the Jews: and hence we are further to learn that we ought to be studious of God’s glory, even in respect of our neighbors; so far ought we to be from bragging and glorying for that we are preferred before others by special grace.

V. 20. {because of unbelief} Greek: by unbelief.

{but fear} See that you stand in awe of God modestly and carefully. By fear, he means not a fear of dissidence or distrust, but a fear of watchfulness or circumspection.

V. 21. {natural branches} He calls them natural, not because they had any holiness by nature, but because they were born of them whom the Lord set apart for himself from other nations by his league and covenant which he freely made with them.

{take heed lest he also spare not thee} Greek: neither will he spare thee.

V. 22. {and severity of God} In the original κατανύξεως, which signifies a resection or cutting off, and the metaphor seems to be taken from a gardener who with a pruning knife cuts off dead boughs, or luxuriant [excessive] stems; Or it may allude to the speeches of a man moved in choler [anger], which are for the most part abrupt, and cut off as it were in the midst; and thereby is signified the rigor of judgment, or God’s severe justice.

{on them which fell} That is, over the Jews that stumbled at the rock of offense through their unbelief in Christ, and therefore were justly rejected of God. Which severity God used towards them that we should take example and warning by them to give good heed, lest we fall into the same unbelief with them, and be rejected alike as they were.

{goodness} Greek: the goodness of God.

{if thou continue in his goodness} In the state of grace wherein thou art set, that is, if thou bear the fruits thereof, and render God thanks for the same.

{otherwise thou also shalt be cut off} As an unfruitful branch (John 15:2). But here it is to be noted that this passage ought to be understood of the outward incorporation into the church by profession, whereof many hypocrites do partake, and not of the inward and efficacious engrafting into the mystical body of Christ by a lively faith and the communion of the spirit according to the election of God, which is ever accompanied with perseverance (See Matthew 15:13, 2 Timothy 2:19).

V. 23. {shall be grafted in} Many are now for a season cut off, that is, are without the root, who in their time shall be grafted in; and again there are a great sort, which according to the outward show seem to be grafted in, who notwithstanding through their own fault afterwards are cut off and quite cast away; which thing is especially to be considered in nations and peoples, as the Jews and Gentiles.

V. 24. {which is wild by nature} Understand nature not as it was first made, but as it was corrupted in Adam, and so derived from him to his posterity.

{contrary to nature} Greek: beside nature.

{good olive-tree} Into the people of the Jews which God had sanctified of his mere grace, and he speaks of the whole nation taken into covenant with God.

{own} Or, proper.

V. 25. {of this mystery} That is, touching the last conversion of the Jews obscurely intimated by the prophets (Isaiah 11:11, Zechariah 12:10), but clearly set forth in the gospel (Matthew 23:39, Luke 21:24, 2 Corinthians 3:16).

{in your own conceits} Greek: in yourselves.

{blindness} Or, hardness.

{in part} He speaks in respect of the greater part of all the people, of whom there were accepted but a very small number of the elect ones.

{happened} Or, come.

{the fullness of the Gentiles} The full number or multitude, and as it were the body of them.

{be come in} Into the Church of God by professing the Christian faith.

V 26. {all Israel} The body of this people in general, shall be brought again into the way of salvation, and reestablished into the church. Or, the whole Israel of God consisting of Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 6:10).

{There shall come, etc.} (See Isaiah 59:20).

{out of Zion} Isaiah speaking of the first coming of Christ in the flesh, says, he shall come into Zion; but the apostle applying that passage to his second manifestation in grace toward the Jews, says here out of Zion, that is: out of the midst of the church where he has his dwelling and abode by his Spirit, will he call and recollect the Jews again.

{the deliverer, and shall turn} Greek: and the deliverer shall turn.

V. 28. {touching the election} In that God respects not what they deserve, but what he promised to Abraham.

V. 30. {for as ye in times past} Although they which are hardened are worthily punished, yet has not God suffered this stubborness of the Jews so to come to pass properly for any hatred to that nation, but that an entry might be as it were opened to bring in the Gentiles. And that afterwards the Jews – being inflamed with emulation of that mercy which is shown to the Gentiles – might themselves also be partakers of the same benefit, and so it might appear that both Jews and Gentiles are saved only by the free mercy and grace of God, which could not have been so manifest, if at the beginning God had brought all together into one church; or if he had saved the nation of the Jews without this interruption.

{believed} Or obeyed.

V. 31. {believed} Or obeyed.

V. 32. {concluded} Or shut them all up together.

V. 33. {O the depth of the riches} The apostle cries out as astonished with this wonderful wisdom of God, which he teaches us religiously to reverence, and not curiously and profanely to search beyond the compass of that, which God has revealed unto us in his word.

V. 34. {For who hath known, etc.} (See Isa. 40:13, Wisd. 9:13, 1 Corinthians 2:16).

V. 36. {For of him} As of the first cause, that disposes and orders all things according to his wise counsel.

{through him} Greek: by. As working himself whatsoever is necessary for man’s salvation, and powerfully performing whatsoever is once ordained, and decreed by his counsel.

{and to him} As to the utmost end, to whose glory everything must tend, and be reduced (Proverbs 16:4), “The Lord hath made all things for himself”.

{all things} Not only those that concern the creation, preservation, and government of all things in this world: but also, and principally whatsoever belongs to the glorious work of man’s eternal salvation, whereof the apostle does here specially treat.

{to whom} Greek: to him.

CHAPTER 12

Verse 1. {I Beseech you} The fourth part of this epistle, which after the finishing of the chief points of Christian doctrine, consists in the delivering precepts of Christianity: and first he lays general grounds, whereof the chiefest is this, that every man consecrate himself wholly to the spiritual service of God, and do as it were sacrifice himself, trusting to the grace of God.

{your bodies} That is, yourselves, by a synecdoche. In times past, other bodies than our own, to wit, the bodies of beasts were offered, but now our own must be offered.

{a living sacrifice} In times past dead sacrifices were offered, but now we must offer such as have the spirit of life in them; by life he means the new life in the regeneration of the spirit, and this sacrifice is to be offered not as in the old law, by presenting it alive before the Lord, and shedding the blood upon the altar, but by a spiritual slaying and mortifying our carnal lusts and affections (Romans 6:11, 2 Corinthians 5:15, Colos. 3:9).

{acceptable} Greek: well pleasing.

{reasonable service} Or, worship. That is, a spiritual service, so called in opposition to the carnal rites of the ceremonial law; and he calls it a reasonable service because it consists not in the outward offering up of unreasonable beasts, as in the old testament: but in the offering up of ourselves, who are men endued with reason. The like exhortation we have (Hebrews 13:15, 1 Peter 2. 5). Or, agreeable to the rules of true reason.

V. 2. {be not conformed to this world} That is, take not upon you the form and fashion of this world, which lies altogether in wickedness (1 John 5:19). Apply yourselves not to the customs, dispositions, and practices of worldly and corrupt men, described by the apostle (Romans 13:13, Ephesians 4:18-19, 1 Peter 4:3, 1 John 2:16).

{but be ye transformed} (See Ephesians 4:23). Changed, or altered in form and fashion, not according to the body, but according to the soul and the faculties thereof; That is, be regenerated and changed from your natural depravation in all parts of your soul, beginning from the very highest; namely, the understanding and reason, by which also the Spirit of God works upon all other inferior faculties.

{by} Or, in.

{that ye may prove} (See Ephesians 5:17). Give proof by your godly life, that you understand indeed what is the good will of God; or that by the gift of a spiritual judgment you may discern and approve that the law of God is altogether good, and perfectly complete (Psalms 19:8, 11, Romans 7:22) and to submit ourselves unto the same; or that we may discern what according to the law is good and acceptable unto God, and exactly correspondent to his will revealed in his word, which is the perfect rule according to which we are to frame our lives.

{acceptable} Greek: well pleasing.

V. 3. {through} Or, by.

{through the grace given unto me} By grace he means his apostolical office freely bestowed upon him, as the word is taken (Romans 1:5).

{to think of himself more highly} Or, to be wise.

{but to think soberly} Greek: to sobriety. We shall be sober if we take not that upon us which we have not, nor brag of that which we have. In the Greek there is a most elegant paronomasia in three words of like sound, ὑπερφρονεῖν, φρονεῖν, and σωφρονεῖν, which cannot be expressed in any other language; and the Greek Scholiast thereupon observes, that the apostle sometimes uses choice figures of rhetoric to show that he was not ignorant of that art: and yet not over frequently, that he might retain the simplicity and majesty of his apostolic style.

{to every man, etc.} See Ephesians 4:7.

{the measure of faith} By faith, he means the knowledge of God in Christ, and the gifts which the Holy Ghost pours upon the faithful.

V. 4. {For as we have many members} See 1 Corinthians 12:12. There is a double reason of the precept going before; the one is because God has not appointed everything to be done by every man, but constituted diverse vocations, the bounds whereof men ought not to pass: the other for that the diversity and inequality of vocations and gifts redounds to our commodity, seeing the same is therefore instituted, that we should be bound one to another: whereupon it follows, that no man ought to be grieved thereat, seeing that the use of every private gift is common.

{office} Greek: action or operation.

V. 6. {Having then gifts} Or, but having gifts (See 1 Peter 4:10-11).

{whether prophecy} By prophecy, he understands not the extraordinary gift of foretelling things future, but the gift of expounding the holy Scriptures, as the apostle himself declares the meaning of the word (1 Corinthians 4:3).

{proportion of faith} Some by proportion of faith understand an analogy to the articles of the creed, and from hence they collect this doctrine, That in all interpretations of holy Scripture we have an eye to the articles of the Christian faith, and give expositions conformable thereunto; and that rule is good. But yet it seems that the apostle’s words have another meaning here: that he who has the gift of prophecy ought to exercise it according to the proportion of faith, that is, according to the measure of that knowledge of heavenly mysteries revealed in Scripture, and given unto him.

V. 7. {he that teacheth} Greek: gift of teaching. Here he divides (as some conceive) prophets into doctors and pastors; the doctors simply searched into the meaning of Scripture, but the pastors besides the exposition of the text, or commenting upon it, applied the sense of Scripture to the special use of their hearers. The former resemble our readers in the university; the latter our preachers.

V. 8. {giveth} Or imparteth.

{with simplicity} Or liberally.

V. 9. {Let love be without dissimulation} Now he comes to the duties of the second table, which he derives from charity, which is, as it were, the fountain of them all; and he describes it by sincerity, hatred of evil, earnest study of good things, and good affection to help our neighbor. If it be demanded, why the apostle adds here the epithet sincere, or without dissimulation, to love rather, than to other virtues? The answer is twofold, either because they are all comprised in love, or because there is almost no man who makes not some show of love or friendship to his neighbor, though he bear secret rancor and malice in his heart.

{Abhor} Greek: abhorring. or, hating.

{cleave} Greek: cleaving.

V. 10. {Be kindly affectioned} (See Hebrews 13:1). Φιλοστοργία signifies natural affection, and φιλαδελφίᾳ love of the brethren. His meaning therefore is, that we should improve the natural affection we bear towards any to a higher pitch, even to Christian charity.

{with brotherly love} Or, in the love of the brethren.

{in honor preferring one another} Greek: going before one another. The meaning is not that we should ambitiously strive to outstrip one another in getting places of honor or [preference] one before another; but strive to prevent one another in offices of courtesy and humanity, and in giving honor one to the other, and yielding the place and the hand. For Christian humility teaches not only not to prefer ourselves above our equals, nor to equal ourselves to our betters, but also in some cases to equal ourselves to our inferiors – yea, and to prefer them also above us. Primus gradus, etc. 1. Inferiorem se exhibere aequali. 2. Aequalem se exhibere inferiori. 3. Inferiorem se exhibere etiam inferiori. Bernardus.

V. 11. {Not slothful in business} Or remiss in industry. In the original it is word for word, not remiss in your study or diligence, that namely which everyone ought to employ about his calling, in a spiritual carefulness to the glory and service of God, and to the good of the church and the salvation of the godly.

{fervent in spirit} Zealous, not cold, not luke-warm, but earnest in a holy spiritual affection.

{serving the Lord} In some editions it is not Κυρίῳ, but καιρῷ, that is, serving the time; which reading if we should admit, we must not understand the apostle as if he commanded us to be temporizers, or to apply ourselves to the corrupt customs and manners of the times; but to keep time in all our actions, and do them in the fittest season, and as the apostle elsewhere exhorts, to walk wisely towards them that are without, redeeming the time, (Colossians 4:5, Ephesians 5:16) because the days are evil. But in the most ancient copy of Tecla, and generally in the most correct editions, the word is not καιρῷ, but Κυρίῳ: not the time, but the Lord; and the meaning is, that we should have no other aim or scope in all our actions than his service, and whatsoever our employment be, to consider with all diligence as servants of the Lord, what his service and honor requires (Psalm 2:11, Ephesians 6:7).

V. 12. {tribulation} Or affliction.

V. 13. {Distributing} Greek: communicating.

V. 14. {Bless them, etc.} (See Matthew 5:44).

V. 15. {Rejoice with them that do rejoice} In these words he condemns stoical stupidity or apathy, and commends Christian sympathy. Some conceive that he alludes to the two gates in Solomon’s temple, at the one whereof they entered who were to be married, who were joyful and merry; at the other those who were to do penance, and for a time were excluded from the company of the faithful, and these were always sad and mournful. Drusius ex Rabbi Judah.

V. 16. {Mind not} Greek: not minding.

{condescend, etc.} Or, be contented with mean things. or, being carried with the low, or lowly.

{Be not wise, etc.} See Proverbs 3:7 and Isaiah 5:21.

V. 17. {Recompence to, etc.} (See Prov. 20:22, 1 Thes. 5:15, 1 Peter 3:9).

{of all men} Greek: Tec. of God and all men.

V. 18. {live peaceably with all men} (See Hebrews 12:14).

V. 19. {avenge not} Greek: not avenging.

{give place unto wrath} The words may admit of a double construction; either give place to the wrath of your enemy according to that precept, currenti cede furori, “be not as forward to provoke and wrong him as he is to wrong thee”: or else, “give place to the wrath of God, that is his judgment, prevent or hinder it not by revenging thyself”.

{Vengeance is mine} Greek: belongs to me (See Deuteronomy 32:35, Hebrews 10:30).

V. 20. {Therefore if, etc.} Greek: Tec. But if (See Prov. 25:21).

{in so doing} Greek: doing this.

{coals of fire on his head} Either the meaning seems to be, you shall heap God’s judgments like coals of fire upon him: or, as Saint Augustine (lib. 3. de doc. Christ. c. 16) Urentes poenitentiae gemitus, quibus superbia sanatur ejus qui dolet se inimicum fuisse hominis a quo ejus miseriae subvenitur: by rendering good for evil you shall bring heart-burning and sorrow to him; his own conscience checking him, for intending mischief to such an one, who has deserved well of you, and relieved you in your greatest danger and want. Yet whether he means by coals of fire God’s judgments, or his enemies conscience pricking and vexing him, we must not do good unto him and relieve him in his necessity to this end, that God may take vengeance on him, or he on himself for his evil mind towards us, for that were to be overcome of evil; but we must do it out of pure love and Christian charity, for that is to overcome evil with good.

V. 21. {Be not} Greek: Be not thou.

{overcome} Greek: overcome thou.

CHAPTER 13

Verse 1. {Let every soul} That is, every man, though an apostle, though an evangelist, though a prophet, says Saint Chrysostom, therefore the tyranny of the pope over all kingdoms must [go] down to the ground. And as this text overthrows the pope’s temporal monarchy, so also the exemption of monks and ecclesiastical persons from the power of the civil magistrate.

{be subject} (See Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:12). Not only obeying them, but also dutifully acknowledging and honoring them.

{unto the higher powers} Not only to the supreme magistrates, but also all those that are in authority under them (1 Tim. 2:2, 1 Peter 2:13-14).

{there is no power, etc.} (See Wisd. 6. 3).

{ordained of God} Or, ordered. That is, instituted of God among mankind to rule and govern men in order as in God’s stead. For God is the author of this order in the world, and all those which attain unto this dignity or excellency do attain unto it either by his manifest will and approbation when the means are just and lawful; or else by his secret providence, with permission and toleration, when the means are unlawful: and it is just and equal that man should approve and tolerate that which God himself approves and tolerates; and that he approves and tolerates which we cannot by any lawful means appointed by him decline or avoid. All therefore who resist authority make war after a sort with God himself.

V. 2. {to themselves damnation} Or, judgment. The word in the original signifies as well judgment as damnation, and thereby we are to understand punishment which they shall receive as well from God as the magistrate, who resist the powers ordained of God, not only by open rebellion, as Absalom, but also by not yielding obedience to their commands in those things that are not against the word of God.

V. 3. {to good works} Greek: of good works.

{to the evil} Greek: of the evil.

{do that which is good} What the apostle means by doing that which is good here is well expressed by the Emperor Justinian in the entrance to his laws: honest vivere; alterum non laedere; suum cuique tribuere: to live honestly, to hurt no man by word or deed, and to give every man his due.

V. 4. {for good} Greek: to good.

V. 5. {but also for conscience sake} That is, out of the fear of God, that we may keep a good conscience before him, who has set the magistrate over us: but this our subjection out of conscience must be restrained to such their commands as are agreeable to God’s law. For if they command unlawful things, we must answer as Peter teaches us, That it is better to obey God than man.

V. 6. {pay you} Or, ye pay.

V. 7. {Render therefore etc.} (See Matthew 22:21).

V. 8. {hath fulfilled the law} For the whole law commands nothing else but that we love God and our neighbor: but seeing Paul speaks here of the duty we owe one to another, we must restrain the word law to the second table.

V. 9. {Thou shalt not commit adultery} (See Exodus 20. Deuteronomy 5).

{comprehended in this saying} Greek: reduced to this head.

{Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself} (See Levit. 19:18, Matth. 22:39, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8).

V. 11. {And that} An application taken from the circumstance of time, which also itself puts us in mind of our duty, seeing the darkness of ignorance and wicked affections by the knowledge of God’s truth is driven out of us; we ought now to order our life according to that sure and certain rule of all righteousness and honesty, being fully grounded upon the efficacy of the Spirit of Christ.

{knowing the time} To wit, of the light of the gospel, which is like the dawning of that great eternal day which grows still more and more lightsome; and therefore it is now full high time to leave the sleep of sin and ignorance wherein we were drowned as it were formerly.

{our salvation} That is, the accomplishment of it in the life to come, the end of our faith (1 Peter 1:9). The prize of our heavenly calling in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, Philippians 3:14).

{nearer than when we believed} That is, than when we first believed, or began to believe. A Hebraism like unto that which we often find in the book of Kings, as Hosea reigned, Ahaz reigned, that is, he began his reign. In these words the apostle takes a metaphor from those who run in a race, who the further they have run from the stand, the nearer they draw to the mark. The beginning of our conversion is like the entrance into that race; the continuation thereof and our growth in grace is like our progress in that race, and salvation is as the goal or prize. The meaning then is, we are now come nearer unto salvation by our Christian course, and even ready to lay hold on it (Philippians 3:12, 1 Timothy 6:12) and therefore we must not faint but continue our speed to the end (2 Timothy 4:7), for it would be to great shame and damage also, being so near the mark, that by faintness or turning out of the way we should not obtain: for the nearer we come to the prize, the harder we ought to put forward to attain it.

V. 12. {The night} Either the night of ignorance (1 Thessalonians 5:5, Acts 17:31). Or the time of this present world’s abiding, which is but as an obscure night compared to the world to come, and the better part thereof is spent already, the eternal day drawing on a main (1 Corinthians 7:29).

{the day is at hand} We [have] arrived unto the saving knowledge of Christ, but not perfectly as yet, so long as we continue in this life: but we enjoy such a light here as there is, when the day begins to break.

{cast off} As men when they see the glimmering of the day, cast off their night clothes; so we seeing a glimmering of the gospel, ought to cast off the works of darkness like night attire, and have no more to do with them (Ephesians 4:22).

{the works of darkness} That is, sins, which fly and shun the light: which may be termed works of darkness in three regards: (1) because they proceed from darkness, to wit, ignorance in the understanding; (2) because for the most part, such works are done in the dark, so that the obscurity of the night may shadow them; and (3) because they tend and bring men, if they cast them not off in time, to utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

{put on} As those that rise out of their sleep, put on their apparel to cover their nakedness, and fit themselves for the business of the day: So now seeing the night of your ignorance is past, shake off your carnal security, and adorn yourselves with divine virtues, which are both the habit and armor of a Christian.

{the armor of light} Greek: Tec. the works of light. The word signifies whatsoever the body is covered together against any hurts or wounds, and by it we are to understand all those graces of the Spirit, wherewith our souls are not only adorned, but armed and fenced against the hurts and wounds of the world and of the flesh, and the devil’s temptations (2 Corinthians 6:7, Ephesians 6:11).

{of light} That is, bright and glistening armor in perpetual use, not rusty through disuse; or such armor as shines to the glory of God, and casts a luster from the light of true knowledge, for such becomes those that are called to the light, and desire to walk honestly as in the light.

V. 13. {honestly} Or, decently.

{not in rioting and drunkenness, etc.} (Luke 21:34)

V. 14. {But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ} To put on Christ, is to be possessed and ruled by the spirit of Christ, to embrace his righteousness by faith, and follow all his virtues, adorning our souls with a true and lively resemblance of him, in heart and life.

{make not provision for the flesh} (See Galatians 5:16, 1 Peter 2:11). The apostle forbids not to provide for the bodies decent raiment, meat, drink, physic, and the like necessaries [necessities] for the sustenance of this present life, for that is commanded (Ephesians 5:29, 1 Timothy 5:8, 23). But to satisfy men’s boundless desires, or provide such things as tend to excess and pride, gluttony, drunkenness, and uncleanness.

{fulfill the lusts thereof} Greek: Tec. to concupiscence thereof.

CHAPTER 14

Verse 1. {Him that is weak} Now the Apostle shows how we ought to behave ourselves towards our brethren in things indifferent, offending in the use of them not of malice, but for lack of knowledge in the point of Christian liberty. In this case they are to be instructed gently and patiently, so that we apply ourselves to their ignorance in such matters according to the rule of charity, bearing with them for a time, till they are more fully instructed.

{in the faith} Either by weak in the faith, he means a new convert, as Alipius sometimes was, who by reading this very text of scripture, and Saint Augustine’s discourse thereupon, was thoroughly and fully resolved in the Christian profession, as Saint Augustine was by reading the former verse. Or by faith here, the apostle means not such a one who doubts the fundamental points of Christian faith, but is not sufficiently instructed concerning the use of things indifferent; such a one the apostle will not have us shun, but receive him into our company, yet not at the first, to trouble his conscience with those scrupulous points, lest by our doubtful and uncertain disputations he go away in doubt more than he came, or start back, with a wounded conscience.

{not to doubtful disputations} Or not to judge his doubtful thoughts. Or the discernings of reasonings.

V. 2. {may eat all things} He that is perfectly instructed in the doctrine of Christian liberty knows by faith, that the difference of meats appointed by the ceremonial law is now taken away, and that he now may without scruple of conscience, eat of any wholesome and savory meat with giving God thanks.

{eateth herbs} This he speaks, says Oecumenius, of some Jews who embraced the Christian faith, yet out of tenderness of conscience, being not sufficiently instructed in the doctrine of Christian liberty, abhorred from swine’s flesh, and other meats prohibited by the law, and to the end they might give no offense, neither to the Jew zealous of the law of Moses in eating such meats, nor to the Christian by refusing them, and by their practice condemning them for eating such meats, they contented themselves with herbs.

V. 3. {Let not him that eateth} In such matters, says the apostle, let neither they which know their liberty, proudly despise their weak brother, neither let the unlearned frowardly and perversely condemn that which he understands not.

{despise} Greek: Tec. judge.

{for God hath received him} Into his family, that is, the church, seeing he that eats, and he that eats not, are notwithstanding the members of Christ, neither he that eats not can justly be condemned, neither he that eats be justly condemned.

V. 4. {Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant} (See James 4:12). Because, says the apostle, “He that is ignorant today, may be endued tomorrow with farther knowledge, that so he may also stand sure, therefore it belongs to God, and not to man, to pronounce the sentence of condemnation.”

{master} Greek: Lord.

{Yea, he} Greek: But he.

{holden up} Or established.

V. 5. {one day above another} He speaks not of such, who after a heathenish manner accounted some days good and fortunate, but others evil and unlucky. For such at all are not to be born withal among Christians. But of such converted Jews, who though they believed in Christ, yet thought such days as were appointed by the law for fasting, or feasting, to be more apt and fit them others for the worship of God.

{fully persuaded in his own mind} Or fully assured. That he may say in his conscience, that he knows, and is persuaded by Jesus Christ, that no meat or day is unclean, or profane in itself, and this persuasion must be grounded upon God’s word.

V. 6. {that regardeth} Or observeth.

{regardeth it unto the Lord} Or observeth. That is, he that keeps the difference of days, he does it in honor of God, who in his law appointed such difference of days, and this weak Christian knows not but that that law is yet in force.

{regardeth} Or observeth.

{to the Lord he doth not regard it} That is, he does not observe the difference of days in honor of the Lord Christ, who has freed all true believers from all legal observations, which he being now perfectly instructed in the faith, knows to be but shadows vanishing at the presence of the body, which is Christ. Now because he that observes the day, observes it to the Lord, as likewise he that observes it not, observes in not to the Lord, God shall judge whether these do well or not, and therefore you should rather strive about this, how everyone of you may be allowed of God, then think upon other men’s doings, and rashly and uncharitably censure them.

{eateth to the Lord} Giving God thanks, he that eats indifferently of all meats, eats in honor of God, giving him thanks both for the meat he has given him, and for the liberty he has granted him to eat of it.

{to the Lord the eateth not, etc.} He that tastes not of any meat prohibited by the law of Moses does it in honor of God, who appointed such a difference to be observed, and he gives him thanks both for the meat he affords him, and for the direction of his choice delivered in the law, which he knows not as yet to be abrogated.

V. 7. {For none of us liveth to himself } We must not stick in the meat itself, but in the use of it: so that he may justly be reproved, who so lives that he casts not his eye upon God. For both our life and death ought to be dedicated to him, and for this cause properly and principally Christ died, and not simply that we might eat this or that meat.

V. 8. {For whether we live} Greek: If we live.

{whether we die} Greek: If we die.

V. 9. {died, and rose, etc.} Greek: Tec. died, and lived.

V. 10. {But why dost thou judge thy brother} The conclusion is, we must leave to God his right, and therefore in matters which, according as the conscience is affected, may be neither good or evil, the strong must not slight, much less condemn the weak brethren.

{we shall all stand before the judgment seat, etc.} (See 2 Corinthians 5:10).

{of Christ} Greek: Tec. of God.

V. 11. {As I live, saith the Lord} (See Isa. 45:23, Phil. 2:10). This is the form of an oath proper to God only. For He and none but He has life and being of himself.

V. 13. {that no man put a stumbling block} He rebukes by the way those malicious judgers of others, who occupy their heads about nothing so much, as to find fault with their brothers’ actions; whereas they should rather bestow their wits upon this: that they do not by their disdainfulness, or rash censuring, either cast their brethren clean down, or give them any offense by the unseasonable use of their Christian liberty. Here the difference between scandalum datum and scandalum acceptum must be retained: a scandal taken and not given is, when any takes offense at us for discharging our duty, as the pharisees took offense at Christ’s doctrine and miracles; a scandal given is, when by our indiscreet carriage, or unseasonable use of our Christian liberty, we minister a just occasion of offense to our brother.

{occasion to fall in his brothers way} Greek: occasion of offense to his brother.

V. 14. {unclean} Greek: common.

{of itself} Or by itself.

{unclean} Greek: common.

V. 15. {with thy meat} Greek: for, or, by occasion of thy meat.

{now walkest thou not charitably} Greek: according to charity. Because you bear not with your brother’s infirmity, but being puffed up with the knowledge of thy Christian liberty, take no care how you wound his weak conscience.

{Destroy not him with thy meat} (See 1 Corinthians 8:11). That is, give him not such offense by the abuse of thy Christian liberty, that you alienate his mind from the Christian profession, and thereby become the ruin of him for whom Christ died, whose example we ought to follow, who was so far from destroying the weak with meat, that he gave his life for them.

V. 16. {good be evil spoken of} By the abuse of Christian liberty, the gospel comes to be evil spoken of, as though it opened a way to attempt anything whatsoever, and emboldened us to all things.

V. 17. {is not meat and drink} That is, depends not upon, or consists not in these outward things, but in the study of righteousness, and peace, and comfort of the holy ghost.

V. 18. {in these things serveth} Greek: Tec. in this serveth.

V. 19. {follow after the things which make for peace} Greek: things of peace. Here is a general conclusion; the use of our liberty, yes, and of our whole life, ought to be referred to the edifying of one another; insomuch, that we esteem that unlawful by reason of the offense of our brother, which is of itself pure and lawful.

V. 20. {All things indeed are pure} (See Titus 1:15).

V. 21. {It is good neither to eat flesh, etc.} (See 1 Corinthians 8:13).

V. 22. {Hast thou faith} Here he gives a double warning in these matters: one which pertains to the strong, that he who has obtained a sure knowledge of this liberty, keep that treasure to himself, to the end that he may use it wisely and profitably; the other which respects the weak, that they do nothing rashly by other men’s example with wavering consciences – for that cannot be done without sin, whereof we are not persuaded by the word of God that he likes it and approves it.

{alloweth} Or proveth.

V. 23. {he that doubteth} Or, discerns and puts a difference between meats. He that is well assured of the Christian liberty, he may well abstain even from lawful things, to condescend to the weakness of his brethren: but he that is not so assured, neither may, nor ought thus to pleasure another against the dictate of his own conscience.

{is damned} Or condemned. He that is not fully assured as yet, that all kinds of meat is clean and lawful, if he notwithstanding eats of meats forbidden by the law, he wounds his own conscience, and makes himself guilty of condemnation.

{for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin} Or, and whatsoever. Although Saint Prosper and other divines both ancient and later, allege this text, to prove that all the works of infidels are sins, because they are done by men who have not faith, and by consequence, this rule of the apostle may some way serve to discover, and refute that error of Papists and Pelagians, who deny all the works of infidels to be sins: yet the proper and genuine meaning of this assertion of the apostle, is not, whatsoever is done by an infidel is sin: but whatsoever is done even by a believer with a wavering conscience, without assurance that the work he does is pleasing unto God, and has warrant from his word, to him is sin.

CHAPTER 15

Verse 1. {We then that} Greek: But we that.

V. 2. {good to edification} In the Greek, there is an article set before the adjecture good, which imports the chief good, which tends to the eternal salvation, which is expressed in the next word edification, signifying their profit and increase in godliness, which has the promise of this life and the life to come.

V. 3. {The reproaches of them, etc.} (See Psalm 69:9).

V. 5. {Now the God of patience and consolation} See 1 Corinthians 1:10.

{grant you} Greek: give to you.

{according to Christ Jesus} Or, after the example of.

V. 6. {and one mouth} Greek: in one mouth.

V. 7. {as Christ also received us} He did not disdain us, but received us of his own accord, to make us partakers of God’s glory.

V. 8. {Now I say} Greek: Tec. For I say. He applies the example of Christ to the Jews, whom he vouchsafed [endorsed] this honor for the promises which were made unto their fathers, although they were never so unworthy that he executed the office of a minister amongst them with marvelous patience, therefore much less ought the Gentiles despise them for certain faults, whom the Son of God so much esteemed.

{minister of the circumcision} Not because he administered the sacrament of circumcision to any, for contrariwise, he instituted baptism instead of circumcision: but by circumcision here the Jews are meant, as Abraham (Romans 4:12) is called the father of circumcision, that is, of the circumcised Jews: Now though Christ preached to all, both Jews and Gentiles, the glad tidings of the gospel; yet having taken upon him the form of a servant, to purchase and work out salvation for his Church, he had still a special eye to them, amongst whom he did personally execute his ministry.

{for the truth of God} In the common reception both of the Jews and Gentiles, there is this only difference: that in that of the Jews, God did in a singular manner manifest his truth, that is: his faithfulness in performing his promises made unto them; but in that of the Gentiles he did more especially show forth the greatness of his mercy to his utter enemies, namely, to a people that stood in opposition against him; and therefore there is no reason, why the Jews being honored by Christ’s own ministry, and by the old promises and covenant and God, should be despised and vilified by the Gentiles; nor on the other side, that the Gentiles to whom God had showed mercy should be condemned by the Jews.

V. 9. {For this cause, etc.} See Psalm 18:49.

V. 10. {Rejoice ye Gentiles with his people} See Deuteronomy 32:43.

V. 11. {Praise the Lord all ye Gentiles} See Psalm 117:1.

V. 12. {There shall be a root of Jesse} See Isaiah 11:10.

V. 13. {Now the God of hope} That is, the God in whom we hope, or, the God who is the author of hope, who by the graces of his Spirit works in us both faith and hope. This very title of God may serve as a sovereign antidote against despair; for why would any despair of his mercy, who is the God of hope?

{fill you} Greek: {shall fill you}.

{peace in believing} That is, peace of conscience, free, not only from all terrors of wrath to come, but scrupulous doubtings concerning things indifferent, of which he spoke before.

{through the power} Greek: in the power.

V. 14. {filled with all knowledge} That is, knowledge of all things that appertain to the doctrine of salvation; or perfect knowledge, so far as it may be attained of us in this life, wherein the best and most learned know but in part, and see but as through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12).

{admonish one another} Or, instruct one another.

V. 16. {the minister} Or, a minister.

{ministering the gospel of God} Greek: {serving in the holy work of the gospel}.

{offering up of the Gentiles} Or, sacrificing. He speaks not of any holy oblations of the Gentiles, or anything they offer unto God; but of the Gentiles themselves, whom the apostle offered to God as a sacrifice (Romans 12:1).

V. 17. {I have therefore whereof I may glory} He extols apostleship very highly by the marvelous effects thereof; but yet so, that he gives all the glory to God, as the only author; and does not properly respect himself, but this rather, that men might less doubt of the truth of the doctrine which he propounds to them.

{glory through Jesus} Or, rejoice in Jesus.

{in those things} Or, concerning those things.

V. 18. {which Christ hath not wrought by me} Christ was so with me in all things, and by all means, that if I would never so fain [constrained], yet I cannot say what he has done by me to bring the Gentiles to obey the gospel. Or, I will speak only of things done by my ministry.

{to make the Gentiles obedient} Greek: to the obedience of the Gentiles.

V. 19. {Through mighty signs} Greek: in the power of mighty signs.

{by the power of the Spirit} Greek: Tec. by the power of the Holy Spirit. The word power in the former part of this verse signifies the force and working of wonders; and in the latter it signifies God’s mighty power, who is the worker of those wonders: so that in these words the apostle implies a double action of God; outward, in working wonders by the hands of Saint Paul to the conversion of the Gentiles; and inward, whereby by the grace of his Spirit, he wrought faith and repentance in them.

V. 20. {another man’s foundation} That is, preach the gospel where the church has been planted by another man: for that were as it were to graft on his stock, and build upon his foundation; that is, the foundation of Christian doctrine laid by him.

V. 21. {To whom he was not spoken of} See Isaiah 52:15.

V. 22. {much} Or, many ways, or, oftentimes.

V. 24. {will} Or, shall.

{with your company} Greek: with you, verse. 32.

V. 25. {to minister unto the saints} Greek: ministering to the saints. That is, to perform this office and service for the saints, to carry them that money which was gathered for their use; for otherwise if the word minister be taken for the exercising his ministerial function, Saint Peter, to whom the ministry of the circumcision was specially commended (Galatians 2:7), as the apostleship of the uncircumcision to Paul, was properly the minister of the Jews, where God specially blest his labors; though, as Saint Ambrose rightly observes, Saint Peter’s ministry was not so confined to the Jews, but that he might, and did sometimes, preach to the Gentiles, as likewise did Saint Paul to the Jews.

V. 27. {If the Gentiles, etc.} (See 1 Corinthians 9:11).

V. 28. {have sealed} I have really performed, and sealed as it were with my ring.

{this fruit} By fruit he means the money gathered for the use of the poor, which he fitly here, as also Philippians 4:17, calls the fruit, not because (says he) I desire a gift, but that I desire fruit that may abound to your account. Alms-deeds may be called a fruit, as well because every good tree, that is, every faithful man, bears such fruit; as also because such good works are fruitful, that is, beneficial and profitable, both to the poor who receive, and the rich that give.

V. 29. {And I am sure that when I come} He promises them through the blessing of God, not to come empty unto them; and requiring of them the duty of prayers, he shows what thing we ought chiefly to rest upon in all difficulties and adversities.

{blessing of the gospel of Christ} Greek: Tec. benediction, or, blessing of Christ.

V. 30. {for the love of the Spirit} For that mutual conjunction wherewith the holy ghost has tied our hearts and minds together.

V. 31. {do not believe} Or, are disobedient.

V. 32. {with joy} Greek: {in joy}.

CHAPTER 16

Verse 1. I {Commend unto you, etc.} Having made an end of the whole disputation, he comes now to familiar commendations and salutations, and that to good purpose; to wit, that the Romans might know who were most to be honored and made account of among them, and also whom they ought to set before them to follow, and therefore he attributes to every of them peculiar and singular testimonies.

V. 2. {In the Lord} That is, for Christ’s sake, which is proper to the Christians, for the heathen philosophers have resemblance of the same virtues – namely: humanity and hospitality – yet because what they do in this kind is not done out of faith in Christ, nor to the glory of God, but for their own fame and honor; the works they most brag of, are no better than shining sins, or glittering abominations. Or the meaning of the phrase may be: receive her in the Lord, that is, into the communion of the faithful, and esteem her as a member of the Lord’s mystical body.

{succourer} Or, assister.

V. 3. {Priscilla and Aquila} See Acts 18:2, 16.

{helpers} Greek: fellow-laborers.

V. 5. {the church} That is, the company of the faithful. For in so great a city as Rome was, there were diverse assemblies of believers which were held in some private men’s houses, where they might meet safest, the state then, and for some hundred years after, not permitting them any public temples or auditories.

{the first-fruits of Achaia} That is, the first of Achaia that believed in Christ, and consecrated himself and his family to God, and after him there followed a great crop of true believers there.

V. 6. {bestowed much labor on us} Or, labored in many things for us.

V. 7. {among the apostles} That is, are eminent evangelists or preachers of the gospel; for the word apostle is not ascribed alone to the twelve apostles, but, sometimes in a larger sense to other doctors and ministers of the church, as [in] 2 Corinthians 8:23, Philippians 2:25. Or ἐπίσημοι ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις may signify, not that these men were apostles, but men very well known to the apostles, and highly esteemed of them.

{were in Christ before me} In the church by the profession of the faith of Christ, being converted before me, or engrafted by faith into Christ, who is the true vine (John 15:1).

V. 10. {household} Or friends.

V. 11. {household} Or friends.

V. 14. {Hermas} Origen, a very learned and ancient writer, conceives that this Hermas was the author of the book entitled Pastor, because the angel therein is said to appear in the likeness of a shepherd, this book he conceives to be divinely inspired; but Saint Jerome in his Prologus Galeatus reckons it among apocryphal books: and Eusebius in his third book of Ecclesiastical Story, says, “That many in his time took exception against this book, though by many it were ascribed to this Hermas, whom Saint Paul salutes.

V. 16. {Salute one another with a holy kiss} See 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, and 1 Peter 5:14. He calls that a holy kiss which proceeds from a heart which is full of holy love. Now this is to be referred to the manner used in those days.

V. 17. {mark them} Either set a brand upon them (2 Thessalonians 3:14), or warily and diligently observe them, as though you would scout out for your enemies in a watchtower; or observe them to shun them.

{contrary to the} Or, beside the.

V. 18. {fair speeches} The word which he uses signifies a promising which performs nothing.

{simple} Or, harmless.

V. 19. {simple} Or, harmless.

V. 20. {the God of peace} The author and conserver of the true spiritual peace of the church, which these schismatical and factious men, set on by the devil, do endeavor to their utmost to disturb.

{bruise Satan} Or, tread. Shall make that by Christ you shall overcome him. The apostle seems here to have an eye unto the first evangelical promise (Genesis 3:15).

V. 21. {Timothy, etc.} Acts 16:1.

V. 22. {wrote this Epistle} This Tertius was not the author of this epistle, or penman of the Holy Ghost, but Saint Paul’s scribe, who wrote from his mouth as Baruch did from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 36:18).

V. 23. {chamberlain} Greek: steward.

V. 25. {that is of power} He sets forth the power and wisdom of God, with thanksgiving, which especially appears in the gospel; and he makes mention also of the calling of the Gentiles, to confirm the Romans in the hope of this salvation.

{which was kept secret} See Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:26.

{since the world began} Greek: secular, or, everlasting times.

V. 26. {for the} Greek: to the – See Romans 1:5.