from hell; "God having, as they said, promised Abraham, that if his children transgressed, he would remember the odour of the foreskins, and deliver them for the merit of circumcision:" but all this was a false and vain-glorious bustle. Our apostle therefore, in the words before us, assures the Jews, that circumcision without holiness of conversation would never free them from condemnation; that a circumcised Jew, who walks not in obedience to the law of God, is in as bad or worse condition than any uncircumcised Heathen; yea, the uncircumcision, that is, the uncircumcised person, that keeps the law, shall be accepted of God, as well as if he had been circumcised; and be preferred by God before the circumcised Jew that transgresses the law. The sum is, That the obedient Gentile shall condemn the disobedient Jew, and be sooner accepted by God, with whom there is no respect of persons, but with respect to their qualifications. That no church privileges, no external prerogatives, nor the highest profession of piety and holiness, without an humble, uniform, and sincere obedience, will be any thing available to salvation. And as then an uncircumcised Gentile found better acceptance with God than any circumcised Jews; even so an unbaptized heathen at the great day will not change place with many baptized christians. It is a sad, but a certain truth, that the case of the Pagan world will be much easier in the day of judgment, than others that live and die disobedient under the gospel of Jesus Christ. The heathens have abused but one talent, the light of nature; but we thousands, even as many thousands as we have slighted the tenders of offered grace. Lord! what a fearful aggravation doth it put upon our sin and misery, when we fall from the height of mercy into the depth of misery! We must certainly be accountable to thee at the great day, not only for all the light we had, but for all that we might have had in the gospel-day; and especially for that light we have sinned under and rebelled against. 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh 29 But he is a Jew; which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Here our apostle comes close and home to the self-confident Jews, and touches them in the most sensible part. It was the hardest saying that could sound in a Jewish ear, to affirm, that circumcision which is outward in the flesh profiteth nothing; for they so gloried in it, that they accounted it equal to the keeping of all the commandments of God. Now our apostle here takes away the very foundation of this their boasting and glorying, by a plain and true distinction. There is, saith he, a Jew outwardly, that only has a badge of circumcision in his flesh. Now he is not a Jew in God's account, who is only so by outward circumcision; neither is that circumcision valuable or available which is only outward in the flesh but then there is a Jew who is one inwardly; namely, by the purification of his heart from all filthy lusts, evil affections, and sinful dispositions; and a circumcision of the heart, and in the spirit; that is, a circumcision wrought in us by the Spirit of God, and not barely by the letter of the law and the praise of this is not of men, who cannot discern the heart, but of God, who is the searcher of the heart, and trier of the reins. Learn hence, That although men are very prone to rest upon church privileges and external performances, as evidences of Divine favour, yet they are no testimonies nor signs of the truth of grace. What circumcision, sacrifices, and the temple, were to the Jews of old, the same are baptism, the Lord's supper, and public assemblies, to professing christians at this day. And as the Jews rested in those externals without eyeing Christ in them, without desiring to derive holiness and sanctification from them; in like manner, multitudes of professors set up their rest in outward duties, and repose a fleshly, carnal confidence in ordinances, without either desiring of, or endeavouring after, any lively communion with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the exercise of faith and love, without any regard to spiritual warmth in religious duties, and being by ordinances rendered more like to the God of the ordinances, which are the most desirable things next to heaven itself. So that I shall conclude the chapter with the same application to christians now, as the apostle did to the Jews then: "Circumcision, saith the aposbut if thou be a breaker of the law, thy tle, verily profiteth, if thou keep the law; circumcision is made uncircumcision: for he is not a Jew," &c. In like manner say I. "Baptism verily profiteth, if we perform the conditions of that covenant which we entered into by baptisin: but if we do not, our baptism is no baptism; for he is not a christian, who is one outwardly; nor is that baptism which is outward in the flesh, but he is a christian which is one inwardly; and baptism is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the water only; and such shall have praise, if not of men, yet of God." CHAP. III. Our apostle in this chapter proceeds in his grand design and purpose in writing this epistle: namely, To prove all persons, both Jews and Gentiles, to be under sin, and consequently under an impossibility of being justified by works, but only by faith in Christ Jesus. In the former part of the chapter, he answers the objections of the Jews against what he had asserted in the foregoing chapter, and the first objection runs thus: WH HAT advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much every way chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. The sense is this: But you of the Jews will object, and say, "If outward circumcision avails nothing, but the inward circumcision is all in all; and if the uncircumcised person, keeping the law, is to be reckoned as circumcised, what advantage then hath the Jew above the Gentile? or what profit is there of the circumcision above uncircumcision ?" He answers it, ver. 2. saying, The advantage is much every way; but chiefly, because unto them were committed the oracles of God: that is, the holy scriptures contained in the Old Testament, the sacraments and seals of the covenant, the prophecies and promises of the Messiah, and the whole revelation of the word and will of God, were then found with them, and in their hands only. Hence learn, 1. Great is that people's privilege and mercy who enjoy the word of God, the audible word in the holy scriptures, the visible word in the holy sacraments. This enlighteneth the eyes, rejoiceth the heart, quickeneth the soul. This is compared to gold for profit, to honey for sweetness, to milk for nourishing, to food for strengthening. O how many souls are blessing God eternally for the benefit and blessing of divine revelation! The Jews had this special favour: to them were committed the oracles of God; that is, the writings of Moses and the prophets. But we christians have a privilege beyond them, the doctrine of Jesus delivered to us by evangelists and apostles; not like the killing letter of the law, but a gospel bringing life and immortality to light. Observe, 2. The title which St. Paul gives to the holy scriptures: he calls them the oracles of God. St. Stephen calls them the lively oracles, Acts vii. 38. partly because delivered by a lively voice from God, partly because they should be to us as oracles; that is, consulted with upon all occasions, for resolving all doubts, determining all controversies. Had the church of Rome consulted these oracles more, and councils, &c. less, she had kept the doctrine of faith much freer from corruption than she has done. Observe, lastly, That the original word, here rendered oracles, is the same which profane wretches made use of for the nevertheless, the Holy Ghost doth not disdain, nor decline, to make use of this word, as he doth also several others, though abused to heathenish superstition: which may serve to rectify their mistake, who scruple to make use of words, much more of some things, which have been abused to superstition. Verily there may be superstition in avoiding superstition; and though we cannot be too circumspect in our words and actions, yet we may be too nice and precise in both. Yet note, That though the same word, Xoya, signifies God's oracles and Satan's, yet these oracles were not delivered in the same manner. Satan delivered his oracles ambiguously and doubtfully, keeping his dark and blind votaries as much as might be in the dark; what he said might bear several constructions, that so whatever the event or issue proved to be, he, the father of lies, might have the reputation of speaking truth: but God's oracles are plain and clear, free from ambiguity and darkness; the scriptures are not dark, though some places are difficult, and that proceeds from the sublimity of the matter, not from the intention of the writer. dark and doubtful oracles of the devil : in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. Here follows a second objection: some might say, "True, the Jews had the oracles of God, but some of them never believed them, nor gave any credit to the promise of the Messias contained in them; therefore they had no advantage by them." Be it so, saith the apostle; yet shall the unbelief of some make the faith or fidelity of God in his promises of no effect to others? God forbid that such a thought should enter into our hearts; but on the contrary, let God be acknowledged true and faithful to his word, though all men should prove liars. Learn thence, 1. That man's infidelity cannot shake the stability of God's word, whether we believe the fidelity of the promises, or assent to the veracity of God in his threatenings, or not; his word standeth fast for ever. The promise shall be fulfilled, the threatening executed; only with this difference, we cannot personally find the comfort of the promise without faith, but we shall experimentally feel the terror of the threatening, whether we believe it or no. Learn, 2. The wonderful, condescending grace of God toward those who have any measure of true faith, though with great mixtures of unbelief. O how faithful is God to us (if in truth believers) in the midst of our unfaithfulness to him! the unbelief of men shall not make the fidelity or faith of God of no effect. Learn, 3. That as God is a God of truth, so all men are false and liars, compared with God. As God cannot lie, neither deceive, nor be deceived, so every man is fallible and false; that is, under possibility of deceiving and being deceived: Let God be true, but every man a liar. Learn, 4. That a good man under afflictions is very careful to justify and clear God from dealing unjustly with him in any of his several dispensations towards him. The apostle here quotes Psalm li. 4. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and clear when thou art judged. As if David had said, "I know the men of the world, when they see me afflicted, will be ready to judge hardly of God for it; therefore, to stop their mouths, to clear the jus. tice of God, that he may overcome, when he is judged for dealing rigorously with me; I do freely confess my sin unto him, with all the aggravating circumstances of it; that all the world may justify him, how great soever my sufferings may be from him." A child of God, under the 5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? I speak as a man. 6 God forbid : for then how shall God judge the world? A third objection here followeth, namely, "That if the unrighteousness of men, that is, both of Jews and Gentiles, tends so visibly to commend, that is, to illustrate and recommend, the righteousness of God, namely, his wisdom, grace, and favour, in appointing this way of justification by faith in Christ; how can it be right in God to punish them for this unrighteousness, which tends so highly to illustrate the glory of his gospel-grace?" The apostle tells us, that in making this objection, he spake as a man, that is, as natural and carnal men are ready to think and speak: But, says he, God forbid that we should entertain such a thought, as if God either were or could be unrighteous; for then how shall God judge the world for their unrighteousness? Learn hence, 1. That although the unrighteousness and wickedness of men be overruled by God, to subserve the purposes of his glory; yet is God just in punishing all unrighteousness and wickedness whatsoever. God is never intentionally, but is sometimes accidentally, glorified by the sin of man. There never was such a hellish wickedness committed as crucifying Christ; nothing by which God ever reaped greater glory, than by the death of his Son; yet is the wrath of God come upon the Jews to the utmost, and that most justly, for their committing of that wickedness. Learn, 2. That the righteous God neither doth nor can do any iniquity or unrighteousness whatsoever? Is God unrighteous? How then shall God judge the world? God is the judge of all the world, and cannot but do right; because the universality of his power puts him above all possibility of error in the exercise of his power. The very reason why God cannot exercise his power beyond the limits of justice, is because his power is altogether unlimited; he can do whatsoever he will do; and whatsoever he will do, is for that reason just: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8 And not rather as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say, Let us do evil that good may come? whose damnation is just. We must by no means understand these words as spoken by the apostle himself in his own name, as if he had told lies for upholding of the truth, and that the truth of God had abounded to the glory of God through his lies; but he speaks in the person of a profane objector. Thus some man (as if the apostle had said) may possibly plead for his sins: "The truth of God hath gained by my lie, the faithfulness of God is made more manifest by the unfaithfulness of men; therefore why should I be judged and condemned as a sinner, when the glory of God will shine more bright upon the occasion of my sin? The free grace of God discovered in the gospel will be manifested, say some, and magnified in the pardoning of our sin : let us therefore sin our fill, that the immeasurableness of divine goodness may appear, and the abundance of pardoning mercy may abound." The apostle rejects this doctrine and practice of doing evil that good may come, with the greatest abhorrence and utter detestation, affirming, That their damnation is just, who either fasten this doctrine upon the apostles, or affirm it themselves. Learn hence, That no person must adventure to do the least of evils; no, not for the sake of the greatest good. True, Almighty God can bring good out of evil, by the same word of his power by which he brought light out of darkness, and something out of nothing; but to do any thing really evil for obtaining the greatest good, is dangerous and damnable. Sin, or that which is sinful, ought not to be chosen, whatever we choose. Learn, 2. That nothing is more just and righteous than their damnation, who will adventure to do evil that good may come. A good intention will not excuse, never justify, a bad action in the sight of God; he will condemn evil. doers, though they do evil that good may come. Learn, 3. That the apostle pronounces their damnation just, who laid these slanders to the apostle's charge, as if their doctrine did allow of this damnable practice, to do evil that good might come: Their damnation is just who thus slander- 9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; Here the apostle starts another objection in the name of the Jews: some of them might say, "Are we not better than the Gentiles? Do we not excel them in outward privileges? Is not the knowledge of the law found with us, and the oracles of God committed to us?" True, says the apostle, the Jews are better than the Gentiles in respect of outward dispensations, but not in respect of inward qualifications. Jews and Gentiles are alike by natural corruption; alike under sin by actual transgressions, and so stand in need both alike of justification by faith; and the gospel-righteousness is no less necessary for the one than for the other. To prove what he had said, namely, That the whole race of mankind, both Jew and Gentile, were under sin, and void of all true righteousness, and goodness, and consequently standing in need equally of justification by Christ! the apostle produces several texts out of the Old Testament, and particularly out of the fourteenth Psalm, which speaks fully of the original corruption and universal depravation of all mankind, in the following words. 10 As it is written, There is none 11 There righteous, no, not one : is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood : 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. Observe here, How the apostle proves his assertion, namely, That both Jew and Gentile were under the guilt both of original and actual transgression, from the testimony of David, Psal. xiv. where the state of corrupt nature is described, and the natural condition of all men declared, till they are either restrained or renewed by the grace of God: There is none righteous, no, not one. Which words are true in several respects. 1. There is none originally righteous, no, not one; none righteous in their first plantation in the world, until they are transplanted into the body of Christ, wrought and fashioned by his Holy Spirit. 2. There is none. efficiently righteous, no, not one; none have a righteousness of their own making, but of God's. The righteousness of justification and sanctification both are from Christ, not from ourselves; we are his workmanship, not our own. 3. There is none meritoriously righteous, no, not one; none that can deserve or demand any thing as a due debt at God's hand: but the most righteous and holy saints are but unprofitable servants. 4. There is none perfectly and completely righteous, no, not one; but inchoatively only. None righteous in a strict and legal sense, but in a gospel and qualified sense only. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, in the account of God; and as such, shall be accepted and rewarded by him. Observe, 2. How the apostle proves the corruption of mankind in general, by an induction of particulars. He surveys him in all the principal faculties of his soul, and members of his body; his understanding, will, and affections; his eye, hand, tongue, and feet, all corrupted and depraved: their mouth is full of cursing, and bitter speeches; their throat is an open sepulchre, gaping after and de vouring the good name of their neighbours, and belching out filthy, ill scented, and unsavoury words, against them. They seek not God in any thing they do, and there is no fear of God, no respect of God, before their eyes. The apostle shuts up all with this, because want of the fear of God before our eyes, is the fountain from which all other evils do proceed and flow. The fear of God is the bridle and curb which restrains from sin; where that is is present and prevalent, it keeps the soul wanting, all iniquity abounds; where that close to God, Jer. xxxii. 32. I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me. We usually depart far, yea, run fast from, those we fear; but the true fear of God will make us cleave close unto him, because love is intermixed with it, and renders it a delightful fear. 19 Now we know, that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world God. may become guilty before Observe here, Lest the Jews should think to elude or evade the force of the foregoing testimonies concerning man's corruption and depravation as not belonging to them, but to the Gentiles only, he tells them, that what the law, that is, the books of the Old Testament, do thus say, it says to those that are under the law; that is, to those that are subjects of it and obliged by it; to such as are under the instruction and direction of it, as the Jews are known to be; and if so, then every mouth must be stopped, Jew and Gentile both must own themselves before God obnoxious to his wrath, without being able to say any thing for themselves. Learn hence, that the holy law of God brings such plain evidence and conviction with it, that no man can have a word to speak against it. When God spreads before men the purity of his laws, and the impiety of their own lives, every man must sit down silent, and lay his hand upon his mouth, not having one word to object why sentence should not be executed, because they have all transgressed. law there shall no flesh be justified 20 Therefore by the deeds of the in his sight: For by the law is the knowledge of sin. |