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16

Reflections on Paul's Zeal for the Gofpel of CHRIST,

Sect. 2. Superftitions, to which the Empire is fupposed to

owe its Greatness and Felicity: Yet ftill, at all Rom. I. 15. Events, I am willing to come, and publish this divine Meffage among you; tho' it fhould be at the Expence of my Reputation, my Liberty, or Life.

Ver. 15.

Ver. 9.

Ver. 10.

Ver. 14.

Ver. II.

Ver. 12.

Ver. 10.

IMPROVEMENT.

APPY is the Church of Christ, when its Minifters are thus conscious of the Excellency of the Gospel, and thus earnestly defirous, in the Midft of Reproach, Perfecution, and Danger, to extend its Triumphs; when they can thus appeal to GOD, that it is with their Spirit that they ferve him in the Gospel of his Son.

This will give them a Largeness of Heart, well becoming their Office. Devotion will then flourish in their fecret Retirements, as well as be maintained by them in publick Affemblies; and the Concerns of the Churches, and fometimes of far diftant Churches, will have a Place in their Thoughts and Prayers at fuch folemn Seasons.

May they ever remember, that as the Servants of Christ, they are to be the Friends of Mankind; and that their Master has laid fuch Obligations upon them, that for his Sake they are Debtors to the whole World, in every Office of Chriftian Friendship, and especially as to any Spiritual Gift, which by their Miniftration they may be instrumental in imparting. The more they exert themselves in fuch Services, the more will their own Faith and Comfort, as well as that of their People, be confirmed.

But in whatever Station we are, let us be forming Schemes for the Service of God, and Good of Men; projecting our Journeys and Vifits on that plan, yet always with a becoming Senfe of our Dependence on the Smiles of Heaven, for Profperity and Succefs; and as dutiful Children,. referring it to the infinitely fuperior Wisdom of our heavenly Father, to put a Negative, at his facred Pleasure, upon thofe Purposes which lie nearest to our Hearts, and in which we moft fincerely intend his Glory..

SECT

The Gospel the Power of GOD for Salvation both to Jews and Greeks. 17

SECT. III.

The Apoftle declares his Readiness boldly to preach the Gospel at Rome, fupported by a Senfe of its Excellency; to illuftrate which, he fhews, that the World greatly needed fuch a Difpenfation. And firft he introduces a Difcourfe of the abandoned State into which the Gentiles were fallen. Rom. I. 16,---3.2.

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I

ROMANS I. 16.

HAVE told you (Ver. 15.) that I am ready Sect. 3. and defirous to preach the Gofpel at Rome, tho' the Capital City of the World; and indeed Rom. I. 16. there is nothing that I more earnestly wish, than Opportunities of bearing the most publick Testimony to it: For, with whatever Contempt that facred Difpenfation, and they who publish it, may be treated, on Account of the Circumstances and Death of its Founder, the Character of its Minifters, and the Nature and Tendency of its Doctrines; I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Chrift, but rather glory in it. And I have great Reason to do it; for while other Methods, intended to promote the Reformation and Happinefs of Mankind, have been all ineffectual; it has clearly appeared that this is the Power of GOD for compleat and eternal Salvation, to every one that believeth. It contains the most glorious Display of the Divine Power, efficaciously exerted for this important Purpose, and operating in Favour of every one who cordially embraces it. Thus falutary is it to the Jew, who is far from being above the Need of it, and to whom, by the fpecial Command of our Lord, it is to be firft preached and propofed (a), wherever its Embaffadors come;

yet

(a) To the few first, &c.] There is a noble Frankness, as well as very comprehensive Sense in thefe few Words of the Apoftle; by which, on the one Hand, he ftrongly infinuates to the Jews, their abfolute Need of the Gofpel, in order to Salvation; and on the other, while he declares to them, that it was alfo to be preached to the Gentiles, he tells the politeft and greatest of these Nations, to whom he might come as an Embaffador of Christ, both that

VOL. IV.

C

their

18 The Gofpel reveals the Righteoufnefs of GOD by Faith,

Sect.

3.

Rom. I. 16.

17 For therein is the

Righteoufness of GOD reAs it is written, The Juft fhall live by Faith.

vealed from Faith to Faith:

yet not to be limited to him, but proclaimed alfo to the Greek, and the Roman, and Gentiles of every Nation under Heaven; who are all, with equal Freedom, invited to partake its important Bene17 fits. And it is admirably adapted to fecure this great and bleffed End; for in it the Righteoufnefs of GOD (b) by Faith, that is, the Method which GOD hath contrived and propofed for our becoming Righteous (Ifai. lvi. 1.) by believing his Testimony, and cafting ourselves on his Mercy, is revealed to our Faith (c), and most clearly exhibited, as the great object of it. As it is written in the Prophet Habakkuk, Chap. ii. 4. "The Just shall "live by Faith (d)," and as good Men were then delivered from the Ruin which involved others, by trufting to and acting upon the Divine Declaration; fo now, the like Principle of Faith, receiving and embracing this great Difcovery which GOD hath made of his Mercy in Chrift, fecures our 18 Life and Salvation. And as in this View it is well worthy of our Regard, fo there is an abfo GOD is revealed from Healute Neceffity of its being attended to: for the

Wrath

18 For the Wrath of

ven

their Salvation alfo depended upon receiving it, and that the firft Offers of it were every where to be made to the defpifed Jews.

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(b) The Righteoufness of GOD.] Axiodum plainly fignifies in feveral Paffages of this Epiftle, not the effential Righteousness of GOD's Nature, but the Manner of becoming Righteous, which God hath appointed and exhibited in the Gofpel. Compare Chap. iii, 21, 22. x. 3. Compare Phil. iii. 9. Mat. vi. 33. And the Phrafe may perhaps have the fame Sense, in feveral Paffages of the Old Teftament, See Ifai. xlvi. 13. li. 5, 6, 8. lvi. 1. Mr. Mace generally renders it the Divine Juftification; yet cannot always render Sixion fo.

(c) By Faith, is revealed to Faith.] I would connects with Aixatorum, and fuppofe is to be governed of amoxaldas, thinking the Tranfpofition easier than the Interpretation given by many others, as if it implied its being wholly by Faith, as Mr. Mace renders it; or going on from one Degree of Faith to another: For though it is true that this is the Cafe, I find no Example in which the Phrase is used in either of these Senfes. Those which Mr. Locke produces to juftify the former of thefe Interpretations, (viz. Chap. vi. 19. and 2 Cor. iii. 18.) being by no Means exactly parallel. And it is fo plain, that is in the Clofe of this Verfe, fignifies, by Faith, that I wonder it fhould have been rendered fo differently in the former Clause.

(d) As it is written, The Just shall live by Faith.] The Prophet Habakkuk, fpeaking of the Destruction to come upon ferufalem by the Chaldeans, obferves how different the Behaviour and States of good and bad Men would be. The Sinner's Heart would be vainly lifted up to his Destruction, while trusting to his own Wisdom and Power, (and accordingly Prince and People became the Sacrifices of this foolifh Self-Confidence :) Whereas the Righteous, the truly good Man, would preferve bis Life by believing the divine Declarations, and acting according to them; and thus under the Gofpel, he that believes, fhall live. Some would render it, the Just by Faith fhall live, or he fhall live who is juftified by Faith; but however this might fuit the Greek Phrafe, it seems less agreeable to the Hebrew, from whence it is taken.

(e) For

ven against all Ungodlines, and Unrighteoufnels of Men, who hold the Truth in Un righteousness.

19

Rom. I. 18.

and the Wrath of GOD against all Unrighteousness of Men. Wrath of GOD is revealed from Heaven (e), by Sect. 3. many fingular Interpofitions of divine Providence, and efpecially by the most express Declaration of the facred Oracles, which teach us to look on the grand and final Revelation of it, as nearly approaching. And the Terrors of this Wrath are apparently levelled against all Impiety and Unrighteousness of Men, who wickedly restrain the Truth in Unrighteousness; when that Heaven-born Captive would exert its Energy upon their Minds, and urge them to obey its Dictates. This is, more or lefs, the generally prevailing Character; and it exposes Men to a Sentence, the Terrors of which, if they were well understood, would foon drive them, with the greatest Solicitude, to feek their Refuge in that Gofpel, the Tidings of which they now fo arrogantly despise.

19 Because that which

may

be known of GOD, is manifeft in them; for GOD

hath fhewed it unto them.

aware.

The fad Character I hinted at above, of re- 19 ftraining and imprisoning the Truth in Unrigh teoufnefs, is more general than Mankind are We find it hot only among those who have enjoyed the Benefit of a Revelation from GOD, but in all the Gentile Nations. For the main fundamental Principles of what is by any Means to be known of GOD, that is, that he is the great Original of all, is manifeft among them, for GOD bath fhewed it to them, by a Light univerfal as the Sun. For thofe Things of Him which are invifible, are, and have been from the very Creation of the World, not only intimated, but being clearly feen, being underftood by the Things that are duly attended to (f), clearly feen by the Things made, which are made; the whole Syftem of which, bears fuch eminent Signatures of the great Artificer, as loudly to proclaim his Name and Attri

20 For the invifible Things of him from the Creation of the World are

butes,

(e) For the Wrath of GOD is revealed, &c.] Commentators differ much in fixing the Connection of these Words.---Some have confidered this Verfe as another Reafon, why he was not afhamed of the Gofpel; because it contained fo awakening a Declaration of the Wrath of GOD against Sin, and by that Means, had a moft powerful Tendency to awaken Men's Confciences and fave their Souls: in which View, fome treating the Particle yap as an Expletive, have rendered it, there the Wrath of GOD is revealed. And Mr. Locke brings it nearly to the fame, where he explains it as a Reafon, why Paul was fo ready to preach the Gospel at Rome.----But the Connection hinted in the Paraphrafe, feems most rational and natural. The Sentences in Paul's Writings often run into each other.

(f) Being duly attended to.] Nova feems to have this Signification, and to be, as it were, included in a Parenthefts; fo that los wonu is govered of xatopala..

C 2

(g) Divi

20

ངས། ང་

A

20 The Gentiles, taught the Knowledge of GOD by the Works of Creation.

Sect.

Rom. I. 20.

3. butes, even his eternal Power and Divinity (g);
fo that if any
of the Gentile Nations neglect to
trace it, with Reverence, Love, and Obedience,
they are without Excufe, and would be deftitute
of every juft or plaufible Apology for themselves,
if he should enter into Judgment with them :
21 Because knowing GOD (b), as the great Former of
all, and a Being of fupreme and incomparable
Perfection, they have not adored and glorified [him]
as GOD their Maker, neither were duly thank-
ful (i) to him as their great and conftant Benefac-
tor; but acted as if they had neither Opportunity
nor Capacity of acquainting themselves with him.
This has generally been the Character of the
Gentiles, without excepting those of the politeft
Ages and most learned Nations. Inftead of fet-
ting themselves to inquire into the Will of the fu-
preme Being, and with becoming Gratitude and
Zeal devoting themselves to his Service; they be-
came vain and foolish in their boafted Reafonings (k)
intangling themfelves with a thousand unpro-
fitable Subtleties, which only tended to alienate
their Souls from every Sentiment of true Religion;
and their unintelligent Heart, inftead of being en-
lightened by thefe Sophiftries, was more and

more

made, even his eternal Pow-
they are without Excufe:

er and Godhead; fo that

21 Because that when they knew GOD, they glorifed him not as GOD, neither were thankful, but became vain in their Imaginations, and their foolish

Heart was darkened.

667

(g) Divinity.] It is obfervable that Auguftine (Civ. Dei, vii. 1.) nicely diftinguifhes between Bella, and Badla the Word here used; maintaining that the one fignifies Deity, or Divine Nature; the other, Divinity, or Divine Majefty and Glory: And if there be that Diftinction, the latter Word is apparently more proper here, as Divine Glory refults from that eternal Power which is comprehended in the Divine Nature.

(b) Knowing GOD.] Some understand it as if he had faid, whereas they might have known GOD; but I think what Paul charges upon the Philofophers, is, that though they actually knew there was one fupreme GOD, they neglected him, to conform (for low and bafe Confiderations) to the established Idolatry; which was really the Cafe, to their aggravated Guilt and Condemnation; as appears from moft of the Paffages in which the Pagan Writers bear a Teftimony to the Doctrine of the Unity; a Specimen of which may be feen in Dr. Sykes's Connect. Ch. xiv. pag. 364.---383. Dr. Ab. Taylor of Faith, pag. 12,---17. not. and Cudworth's Intellect. Syftem, chap. iv. S. 10.-31. efpecially §. 19,-28.

(i) Neither were thankful.] It is worthy our Obfervation, that Gratitude to GOD is here put for the Whole of Religion; and no Principle can be nobler, and none can be stronger or more extenfive.

(k) Vain in their Reasonings: paranoar ev tais dañogsopers acular.] Mr. Locke illuftrates this by the ftupid Folly of their Idolatry, 2 Kings xvii. 15, 16. Acts xiv. 15. But I rather think the Word Ahoyous refers to the perplexing Sophiftry of the Philofophers. I have often thought Lucretius one of the moft remarkable Illuftrations of the Character here drawn.--What vain Reafonings, and how dark a Heart, in the midst of the most pompous Profeffions of oracular Wifdom.

(1) Pro

1

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