Circumcision of no importance without keeping the law. ing the law dishon ourest thou God? V. 31 Rom. law, through break the law, as so excellent, and thinkest it such an SECT. honour to be acquainted with it, dost thou by the transgression of the law dishonour God, and act as if thou wert studying the declaration of his ii. 23 will, only to show him, in a more presumptuous and contumacious manner, that thou dost 24 For the name not regard it? It is not an improbable sup- 24 of God is blasphem- position that I have now been making; for I, ed among the Gen- who have had an opportunity of knowing by tiles through you, as it is written. long experience the temper and character of the Jewish people, know it to be such, that I will boldly say to their faces, "the name of the God of Israel, for which you profess so warm a zeal, is by your means blasphemed among the Gentiles, and his holy religion brought into contempt by your notorious and scandalous immoralities ; as it is written in your own scriptures concerning your fathers, whose evil deeds you so generally imitate." (Compare 2 Sam. xii. 14; Isai. lii. 5; Ezek. xxxvi. 23.) 25 For circumcis- My duty absolutely requires me to give 25 ion verily profiteth, such cautions, and to make such remonstrances if thou keep the law: but if thou be a as these: for circumcision is indeed profitable, breaker of the law, if a man keep the law :f his being a few, if he thy circumcision is be truly a good man, will give him many made uncircumcis- advantages for becoming a Christian ; and ton. were his obedience perfect, would entitle him to the blessings promised in the law. But if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is in effect become uncircumcision: thou wilt have no more benefit by it than if thou hadst never received it; as thou well knowest, that according to the tenour of the law itself, circumcision, far from being any excuse for thy offence, will rather expose thee in many 26 Therefore, if respects to a much greater punishment. the uncircumcision therefore, by a parity of reason, if the uncircumkeep the righteous- cision, that is, an uncircumcised person, observe ness of the law, shall and obey the greatest and most important precepts or righteous determinations of the law, For circumcision, &c.] It is most evident that yap cannot here signify that the following words are a reason for what was asserted in those immediately preceding it seems little more than an expletive, as the particle now among us often is. I shall not therefore in many passages take And 26 the pains of endeavouring to find such a connection as would justify the use of it in its strictest propriety; in attempting which, many have vainly perplexed themselves to no other purpose than to make the writings of St. Paul appear more obscure than they really are. 32 V. He is a few, that is one inwardly. circumcision? SECT. though without any acquaintance with the book not his uncircumcisthat contains them; if he faithfully and stead- ion be counted for ily conform himself to the main branches of ii. 26 virtue and rectitude it requires,shall not his un Rom. circumcision be imputed or reckoned as circum- the law? 27 cumstances to be his duty to practise it? Yea, 27 And shall notunit is certain, that the uncircumcision that is by circumcision which nature, a man who continues uncircumcised is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge as he was born, accomplishing the great moral thee, who by the purposes of the law, in subserviency to which letter and circumcisits rituals were appointed, shall judge and con- ion dost transgress demn thee; who while thou actest by the letter of its ceremonial precepts, and retainest circumcision and all its appendages with the greatest exactness, art nevertheless, in things far more essential and important, a transgressor of the law, to the spiritual meaning and extent of which thou continuest an utter stranger, and which thou encouragest thyself, by these ex28 ternal observances, to neglect. For upon the whole, as you would not allow any man to be Jew, which is one truly a Jew, merely for any outward rites outwardly; neither which he might observe, if he continued uncir- which is outward in cumcised, how carefully soever he might con- the flesh: ceal it; so must I freely declare to you, that he is not in the most sublime and important sense a Jew, that is, one of God's covenant and beloved people, who is merely so in outward shew, neither indeed [is that] the true circum29 cision which is apparent in the flesh. Noth ing merely ritual or ceremonial can recom- 28 For he is not a is that circumcision, 29 But he is a Jew, whichis one inwardis that of the heart, ly; and circumcision in the spirit, and not Reflections on the vanity of a mere external relation to God. 33 in the letter; whose there by the operation of the Divine Spirit SECT. praise is not of men, himself, and not merely in an external conform but of God. V. ity to the letter of the law, of which the worst Rom. IMPROVEMENT. 29 LET our hearts be always attentive to these lessons of inward verse religion which the sacred oracles fail not continually to inculcate. 28 It is the praise of God that is in question: and who can be so lost to all true greatness of mind, to all generous ambition, as that he should not long, and even burn to obtain it? Or who can enjoy, or attend to the praise of men, while he has any reason to fear that God condemns ? 17 To have the name of a Jew, or of a Christian! How little will it signify? To boast in an external and temporary relation to God, if we are such as shall finally be disowned by him, will make us the more wretched. To have known his will, to have distinguished things that differ, and set up for instructors or re- 18 provers of others, will only furnish out matter of condemnation from our own mouths; if, while teaching others, we teach not ourselves. Well may the punishment be aggravated, where the 19-21 guilt is so great; when it brings so peculiar a reproach upon religion, and in effect dictates so many blasphemies against the 24 name of God, at the very time it pretends to exalt it. We pity the Gentiles, and we have reason to do it; for they are lamentably blind and dissolute: but let us take heed, lest those appearances of virtue, which are to be found among some of them, condemn us; who, with the letter of the law, and the 26, 27 gospel, and with the solemn tokens of a covenant relation to God, transgress his precepts, and violate our engagements to him; so turning the means of goodness and happiness into the occasion of more aggravated guilt and misery. & Praise not of men, &c.] Perhaps here Judah, which signifies Praise. Compare is a reference to the etymology of the word Gen. xxix. 35; and xlix. 8. Jew; it being derived from the name of 34 Though the Jews had the oracles of God, and the promises, SECT. VI. SECT. vi. Rom. After removing some objections, the sad case both of Jews and Gentiles is further illustrated; and the representation shewn to be agreeable to the scriptures of the Old Testament. 1-19. be so, ROMANS III. 1. Rom. III. ROMANS III. 1. UT some may be ready to object, "If it WHAT advanthat no circumcision, but that of the tage then hath heart, will avail to men's final happiness; what the Jew? or what profit is there of cirii. 1 then [is] the advantage of the Jew, or what the cumcision? profit of circumcision, which yet you seemed to allow, when you said but just before, (chap. ii. 25,) that it in some circumstances profiteth?" 2 Nor do I deny it now; I say that it profiteth 2 Much every way: much every way, or in a variety of respects; as chiefly, because that I shall hereafter more fully shew, (compare mitted the oracles of chap. ix. 4, 5,) and chiefly in that they, who God. a unto them were com their unbelief make have received it, have been intrusted with the oracles of God in the divinely inspired scriptures; by which they are taught many important lessons, which may direct their lives, and dispose them to embrace the gospel, to the security of their final and everlasting salvation. 3 Of great importance indeed are these Divine 3 For what if some oracles to this purpose. And what if some, and did not believe? shall they a considerable number, of those who once the faith of God possessed these invaluable treasures, believed without effect? them not, or did not duly consider what they speculatively believed, and so rejected the gospel to which they were intended to lead: Shall their unbelief disannul and enervate the faith of God? Shall it destroy his fidelity to his promises, or prevent our receiving them and owning their accomplishment, with becoming regard? 4 God forbid, that we should insinuate any thing 4 God forbid : yea of this kind. No; let the blessed God ever be let God be true, but acknowledged to be true and faithful, though every man a liar; as The oracles of God.] This is so remarkable and important a testimony to the Divine inspiration of the Old Testament in general, that it can leave no doubt concerning the full persuasion of St. Paul upon this head. The faith of God.] This is an ambiguous expression, and may either sig nify, the fidelity of God, or that faith of ours which God has pointed out as the way of obtaining justification and life. The senses run at last into each other. I have included both; and hinted, in the last words of the paraphrase, at a sort of intermediate sense; as the attentive reader will observe. yet God is not unrighteous in taking vengeance. 35 Rom. it is written, That every man be esteemed a liar, and unfit to have SECT. thou mightest be jus- any confidence reposed in him; as it is writ- vi. tified in thy sayings, ten, (Psal. li. 4,)" that thou mightest be justi and mightest overcome when thou art fied in thy words, and mightest upon the whole .4 judged. overcome, when thou art called into judgment; that they, who insolently dare to arraign the equity of thy conduct, may soon meet with the confusion they deserve." с 5 But if our un- But a Jew may be ready further to object, 5 righteousness com- and say, "If our unrighteousness recommend mend the righteousness of God, what the righteousness of God, and illustrate his pershall we say? Is God fections in that way of becoming righteous by unrighteous who ta- faith, which he now ordains; what shall we keth vengeance? (I speak as a man.) and what are we to expect? Is not God unsay, righteous, who inflicteth that wrath, which it is well known, you assert, he will execute upon the whole Jewish nation for rejecting it?" I now speak as a man, who had a mind to cavil at the gospel, might plead; and by no means express my own sentiments, as you may well imagine. 6 God forbid : for then how shall God judge the world? No; God forbid, that I should harbour such 6 a thought, or allow such a consequence. For how then should God judge the world? With Abraham our Father, I acknowledge him under the character of the judge of all the earth; and maintain that he will always "do right." 7 For if the truth Gen. xviii. 25. And as for such a caviller, he 7 of God hath more might as well speak out, and say, " If the truth abounded through my lie unto his glo- of God hath abounded to his own glory by means ry: why yet am I al. of my lie, my falsehood and iniquity of any so judged as a sin- kind; if he has taken occasion to overrule my offence to the accomplishment of his word, and the honour of his administration; why am I nevertheless called into judgment as a sinner, and arraigned for that as a crime, which is at ner? When thou art called into judgment.] Elsner and Bos have abundantly shewn, that agar has this signification, (compare Acts xxv. 25; xxvi. 6,) and that way, in such a connection, signifies to carry the cause. See Elsner, Observ. Vol. II. p. 18, 19; and Bos in loc. The righteousness of God.] Though the phrase be in itself ambiguous, I think Dr. Whitby has abundantly proved it has here the sense we give it If the truth of God, &c.] The Prussian Testament renders this clause, "In the mean time if my lie conduces to the glory of God, by making the grandeur of his truth shine forth with superior advantage," &c. This is the clear and genuine sense, but it is not consistent with the rule I gener ally follow, to deviate so far from the words of the original, and I mention it as a specimen of many liberties, in which I have declined following that version after attentive examination of it. |