mean While accufing, or elfe excufing one another) 16 In the Day when GOD fhall judge the Secrets of Men by Jefus Chrift, according to my Gospel. Sect. 4. Rom. II. 15. Reflections on the righteous Judgment of GOD. feience alfo bearing Witnefs, to Mofes: their Confciences joining to bear Witand their Thoughts the nefs to it, aud [their] mutual Reasonings among themfelves, accufing thofe that break fuch Precepts, or defending thofe who obferve them, atteft the fame Thing. As therefore there are fure Traces 16 of fome natural Knowledge of the Law, a due Regard will be maintained towards them, and on this most equitable Principle will the grand Procefs be conducted, in that awful Day, when GOD fball judge the Secrets of the Hearts of Men by Jefus Chrift, according to the Tenor of that glorious Difpenfation which I may call my Gofpel (1), as it is committed to my Care; in which no Doctrine is more important, or evident, than that of a univerfal and most impartial Judgment. IMPROVEMENT. ET us revere the righteous Judgment of GOD, which is here laid before us in fo particular and affecting a Manner; remembring we are each of us to have our Part in that Day of final Retribution, and that the Secrets of our Hearts will then be made manifeft. Let us often Ver. 16. reflect upon the awful Refult; and confider, that Indignation and Wrath, Ver. 8. Tribulation and Anguifh will be our Portion, if we are contentious and Ver. 9. difobedient to the Truth, yea, if we do not, by a patient Continuance in well doing, feek the promised Glory, Honour, and Immortality; which if Ver. 7. we do, we fhall, through the Grace of GoD, fecure everlasting Life. Ver. 1. Vain will our Knowledge and our Profeffion otherwife be, and our Testimony against the Sins of others will only inflame the Guilt of our own. Let it ever be remembered, that the Goodness of GOD, which we have fuch daily Reafon to acknowledge and adore, gently takes us, as it were, by the Hand, and leadeth to Repentance; and while we con- Ver. 4. tinually live upon it, let us not act in Contempt of it, or abuse it to our own inconceivable Detriment. Is the Wrath already laid up fo fmall, that (1) According to my Gofpel.] Nothing is more contrary to the Apoftle's Meaning, as exprefsly declared above, than that all Men are to be judged by the Gospel. He only means, that the Gofpel teaches fuch a Judgment. Therefore, fome tranfpofing the laft Claufe, render it, very plainly and properly, In the Day when GOD fhall, according to my Gospel, judge the Secrets of Men. Mr. Mace tranfpofes, the whole fixteenth Verfe to join it with the Twelfth; and I think it very evident, the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth Verfes come in as a Parenthefts: But the Tranfpofition of Verfes feems a dangerous Thing; though I think in fome evident Cafes, that of a few Words may be pardoned, confidering the different Genius of Ancient and Modern, Eaflern and Western, Languages. 33 The Jews, tho' they made their boast in the Law, Sect. 4. that we should be increafing the Treafure? Increafing the Terrors of the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of GOD? Ver. 5. It will be a most impartial, as well as important Day. Nor are we concerned to know how the Heathen will fare in it: Let it fuffice us, Ver. 14, 15. that if they are condemned, they will be righteously condemned; not for remaining ignorant of the Gospel they never had an Opportunity of hearing, but for violating thofe Precepts of the divine Law which were infcribed on their Confciences. Let us blefs GOD that he has written it there, and reverence the Traces of his Hand on our own Minds; always remembring, that the Discoveries of Revelation were never intended to erafe or difcredit the Dictates of Nature, but to illuftrate and confirm them. Ver. 12. We shall be judged by the Difpenfation we have enjoyed; and how Ver. 13. devoutly foever we may hear and speak of it, fhall be condemned, if we have not acted agreeably thereto. The Lord grant that we may all find that Mercy of the Lord, which we shall every one of us need, in that Day; and that we may find it, may we keep that Day continually in View, and direct all our Actions with a Regard to its grand Decifions. Sect. 5. Rom. II. 17. SECT. V. Paul proceeds to fix the Charge upon the Jews, that they were Sinners, as well as the Gentiles; and confequently food in Need of Juftification by the Grace of the Gospel, as well as they. Rom. II. 17, to the End. I ROMANS II. 17. HAVE hitherto been speaking of the inexcufable Guilt of thofe, who have the greatest Opportunity of knowing their Duty, and in Confequence of this acknowledge it, and condemn others for acting contrary to it; while yet they are guilty of the fame Evils. I will now keep on the Reserve no longer; but will boldly declare, that in what I have faid concerning fuch, I meant the Conviction, not merely of Heathen Philofophers, but of wicked Jews; and if thou, Oh Reader, art fuch an one, I apply myself perfonally to thee. Behold thou beareft the Name of a few, Boaft of God; 18 And knoweft his Will, and approveft the Things that are more excellent, being inftructed out of the Law, 33 Rom. II. 17. were yet Sinners against GOD as well as the Gentiles. he Law, and makeft thy a few (a); and thou repofeft thyself on the Sect. 5. Knowledge and Profeffion of the Law, as if that would fave thee; and thou glorieft in the true GOD, in whom thou believeft; as if thy Descent and Profeffion, by Virtue of the peculiar Covenant he made with thy Fathers, must neceffarily intitle thee to his Favour. Thou boafteft of it as thine Honour and 18 Happiness, that thou knoweft [his] Will; not merely by uncertain Conjecture and Reasoning, but by an express Revelation; and that thou accurately difcerneft and distinguisheft upon Things that differ (b), which untaught Nature may in many Refpects confound; being thy felf well inftructed out of the Law, having been from thy Infancy catechifed and educated in the accurate Knowledge of it. And in Confequence of 19 this, thou art very confident, that thou thyfelf art fit to teach the whole Gentile World; to be a Guide of the Blind, as thou thinkest them to be; a Light to them, that for Want of the Light thou difperfeft, are in Darkness; An Inftruc- 20 tor of the Ignorant, a Teacher of thefe Babes (c), as thou efteemeft them in Comparison with thyself; having perhaps not only the Sacred Oracles in thine Hands, but also, in order to render thee more expert and methodical in the Use of them, a Summary, a compendious Syftem and Form of the Knowledge and Truth, which is contained in the Law (d). 19 And art confident that thou thyfelf art a Guide of the Blind, a Light of them which are in Darkness, 20 An Inftructor of the which haft the Form of Knowledge, and of the Foolish, a Teacher of Babes, Truth in the Law. Now (a) Beareft the Name of a few.] The Apoftle frequently addreffes bimfelf to unconverted Jews in this Epiftle, and especially here; for no Doubt there were many of them at Rome, who might be curious to know, what he, who had been fo violent an Enemy to Christianity, would fay to recommend it. And Paul's great Love to them engaged him, on the Contingency of fuch an Event, to infert fuch Paflages; and other Paffages are calculated for the Conviction of other Unbelievers, as well as for the Edification of Chrif tians. (b) Difcernet Things that differ.] So Beza renders Sexual es va diapsporta; and Elfner vindicates it in a Manner which feems very fatisfactory; tho' Cappellus, Hammond, and Erafmus defend our Translation, approvest Things which are more excellent. See Elfner, Obferv. Vol. ii. pag. 17: (c) Blind, ignorant, Babes.] Thefe were Titles, which the the Gentiles. (d) Form.] pop@was has this Signification, 2 Tim. iii. 5: 100, 101.) fhews, that it often fignifies the Sketch, or Out-lines the Interpretation here given, better than he feems to apprehend. VOL. IV. E proud Jews often gave to And Bos (Exercit. pag. of a Thing; which fuits. L'Enfant renders it, hav ing $34 22 Expoftulation with thofe, who commit the Crimes they condemn. 21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyfelf? Thou that preachest a Man fhould not fteal, doft thou fteal? 22 Thou that fayeft a Man fhould not commit Adul tery, doft thou commit Adultery? Thou that abhorreft Idols, doft thou commit Sacrilege? Sect. 5. Now I deny not, that thine Advantages are in this Refpect very great; but I muft caution thee, Rom. II. 21. that thou art not deceived by any abfolute Dependence upon them; and muft prefs thee to reflect, how far thine own Temper and Conduct is agreeable to this Knowledge and Profeffion. Let me afk therefore, Thou that teacheft another, teacheft thou not thyself? Doft thou act, as if thou hadft forgotten thine own Precepts, or didft imagine, they did not oblige thee? Thou that preacheft, for Inftance, a Man fhould not fleal, doeft thou think thyself tolerated to feal (e)? Thou that forbiddeft a Man to commit Adultery, doft thou commit Adultery? Thou that doft fo abominate Idols, and fpeakeft of them at all Times with fuch great and juft Abhorrence, doft thou commit Sacrilege, by robbing the true GOD of what he fo justly claims from thee, whether of outward Tribute, or inward Homage; while thou fo ftrenuously disputest against any other Object of Wor23 hip? In one Word, thou that glorieft in the Law, as fo excellent, and thinkeft it fuch an Honour to be acquainted with it, dost thou by the Tranfgreffion of the Law dishonour GOD, and act as if thou wert ftudying the Declaration of his Will, only to fhew him, in a more prefumptuous and contamatious Manner, that thou doft not regard it? It is not an improbable Suppofition, that I have now been making; for I, GOD is blafphemed among who have had an Opportunity of knowing by long Experience the Temper and Character of the Jewish People, know it to be fuch, that I will boldly fay to their Faces," the Name of the "GOD of Ifrael, for which you profefs fo warm a Zeal is by your Means blafphemed among 24 "the 23 Thou that makest thy Boaft of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonou reft thou GOD? 24 For the Name of the ing in the Law the Rule of Knowledge and Truth; but I know not whether powers ever fignifies Rule; and if the Article has any Force, it is in Favour of the Rendering we have preferred. (e) Doft thou steal?] Grotius on this Text proves from Jofephus, that fome of the Jewish Priests lived by Rapine, depriving others of their due Share of the Tithes, and even fuffering them to perifh for Want; that others were guilty of grofs Uncleanness; and as for facrilegiously robbing GOD and his Altar, it had been complained of as early as Malachy's Days, Mal. i. 8, 12, 13. So that the Inftances are given with great Propriety and Judgment. (f) For Circumcifion of no Importance without keeping the Law. the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 25 For Circumcifion verily profiteth, if thou keep the Law: But if thou be a Breaker of the Law, thy Circumcifion is made Un circumcifion. 35 Rom. II. 24. "the Gentiles, and his holy Religion brought into Sect. 5. My Duty abfolutely requires me to give such 25 Cautions, and to make fuch Remonftrances, as thefe: For Circumcifion is indeed profitable, if a Man keep the Law (f): His being a Jew, if he be truly a good Man, will give him many Advantages for becoming a Chriftian; and were his Obedience perfect, would intitle him to the Bleffings promised in the Law. But if thou be a Tranfgreffor of the Law, thy Circumcifion is in Effect become Uncircumcifion: Thou wilt have no more Benefit by it, than if thou hadst never received it; as thou well knoweft, that according to the Tenor of the Law itself, Circumcifion, far from being any Excufe for thy Offence, will rather expofe thee in many Refpects to much great26 Therefore if the Un- er Punishment. And therefore, by a Parity 26 circumcifion keep the Righ- of Reafon, if the Uncircumcifion, that is, an unnot his Uncircumcifion be circumcifed Perfon, obferve and obey the greatest and most important Precepts or righteous Determinations of the Law, though without any Acquaintance with the Book that contains them; if he faithfully and steadily conform himself to the main Branches of Virtue and Rectitude it requires, fhall not his Uncircumcifion be imputed or reckoned, as Circumcifion? Shall he not be treated as favourably by GoD in his final Account, as if he had been circumcifed, when his not being fo does not proceed from any Contempt of the Divine Authority, but from his knowing nothing of the Rite, or not apprehending it in his particular Circumftances to be his Duty to 27 And shall not Uncir- practise it? Yea it is certain, that the Uncir teousness of the Law, fhall counted for Circumcifion! cumcifion cumcifion (f) For Circumcifion, &c.] It is most evident that yag cannot here fignify, that the following Words are a Reafon for what was afferted in thofe immediately preceding: It feems little more than an Expletive, as the Particle now among us often is. I fhall not therefore in many Paffages take the Pains of endeavouring to find fuch a Connection, as would juftify the Ufe of it in its ftricteft Propriety; in attempting which many have vainly perplexed themselves to no other Purpose, than to make the Writings of St. Paul appear more obfcure, than they really are. E 2 (g) Praife 27 |