to God, above all things, for the powerful success of the gospel, in bringing sinners to the faith and obedience of Jesus Christ. This is our rejoicing, nay, this will be our crown of rejoicing in the day of Christ. We value our lives only by their usefulness to the souls of our beloved people: we live as we see some of you stand fast in the Lord, we die as we see others stick fast in their sins. holy. Observe, 2. After the inscription || happiness. Observe, 2. That this their follows the apostle's salutation, Grace to renowned faith was the ground, yea, the you, and peace from God our Father, and the highest and chiefest ground, of the aposLord Jesus Christ. Where note, 1. The tle's rejoicing; First, I thank my God that comprehensiveness of the salutation: your faith is spoken of throughout the whole Grace and peace comprehend all blessings, world; Learn thence, That it is both the spiritual and temporal; grace implies and duty and the disposition of the faithful minincludes both the spring and fountain ofisters of Jesus Christ, to be highly thankful all divine favour, and likewise the several streams which flow from that fountain, all the effects and fruits of grace. And peace, according to the Hebrew manner of speaking, implies all good things for soul and body, for time and eternity. Note, 2. The persons from whom these blessings are derived: from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ; from God as the sovereign and fontal cause; and from Christ as the Mediator of all, without whom we have nothing to do with any of the divine favours; for both grace and peace come by Jesus Christ. And whereas Christ is called Lord, and here joined with the Father, and the same blessings are said to flow from Christ as from the Father; we learn, That Christ is really and undoubtedly God equal with the Father, and blessed for evermore. Question, But why is the Holy Ghost here excluded, no mention at all being made of him? Answer, He is not excluded, though he be not named, but necessarily implied in the forementioned gifts; because grace and peace are the fruits of the Spirit, they come from God the Father, through the mediation of the Son, and are wrought in us by the operation of the Holy Ghost. Besides, in other salutations (though not in this) the Holy Ghost is expressly mentioned, as in 2 Cor. xiii. 13, 14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10 Making request, (if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God,) to come unto you. Here we have observable, 1. The apostle's solemn protestation of his affectionate love unto, and great care and concern for, these Roman converts, whom he was now absent from, yea, whose faces he had never as yet seen: Without ceasing, says the apostle, I make mention of you always in my prayers. Behold here, as in a glass, the face of every faithful minister of Christ; he continually bears his people upon his heart, whenever he goes in and out before the Lord, as Aaron bare the names of the children of Israel upon his breastplate; he pours his very soul in fervent supplications for them, and can sooner be forgetful of himself than unmindful of them. Without ceasing I make mention of you always the apostle was yet a stranger to them, in my prayers. Observe, 2. That because had never seen them, and it was imposObserve here, 1. The great and wonder- sible for them to know the outgoings of ful success of the gospel; it had produced his heart toward them, he solemnly apfaith in the hearts, and obedience in the peals to the heart-searching God, calls him lives, of the Romans, which had made to witness how affectionately he loved them famous throughout the world. Your them, and how frequently he prayed for faith, says the apostle, is spoken of through them; God is my witness. The words have out the whole world; that is, through all the the force, if not the form, of an oath, and Roman empire, which at that time ruled teach us, that it is unquestionably lawfu. over a great part of the known world. in important affairs to swear, to appeal to The entertaining of the gospel at Rome, God, and call him to be a witness of what made that place more celebrated and fa- we either say or do. We find St. Paul did mous than all the victories and triumphs it often, and our Saviour himself did not of the Roman emperors; faith and holi- refuse to answer upon oath, when solemnness make a place and people more re-ly adjured. Observe, 3. How the apostle nowned than all outward prosperity and swears by God, not by the creatures, which whole world. is the swearing condemned by our Saviour || and by St. James; see Matt. v. and James V. Note farther, How St. Paul appeals to that God, whom he served in or with his spirit; that is, with the apostle's own spirit, with his heart unfeignedly. From whence we may remark, That no service can be performed acceptably to Almighty God, except the heart and spirit of a Christian be engaged in it. True, the body has its part and share in divine worship as well as the soul; but the service of the body is never accepted by God, unless animated and quickened by an obedient soul. O Christian, serve thy God with thy soul and spirit, as well as with thy tongue and knee! and then thy offering will be more accept able to God than the most adorned temples, the most pompous ceremonies, and most costly devotions whatever, with the want of these. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established: 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me. The apostle having declared in the foregoing verses, how fervently he prayed for them, and how passionately he desired to come unto them; he now acquaints them with the reason of that desire, namely, For the furtherance of his own joy, and their establishment: I long to see you, that you may be established, and I may be comforted. Learn hence, 1. That establishment in faith and holiness is that which the holiest and best of Christians do stand in need of. Learn, 2. That the presence of the ministers of Christ with and among their people, as well as their preaching the doctrine of faith to them, is absolutely necessary, in order to their establishment; God has joined the duties of public preaching and private inspection together, and woe unto us, if by our non-residence, and not dwelling among our people, or if living with them we haughtily refuse or slothfully neglect personally to converse with them, we deny them one special means for their edification and establishment. Observe lastly, That the apostle desired to be personally present with the church and saints at Rome, for his own benefit as well as for their advantage, That I may be comforted. Learn hence, that the ministers of Christ do certainly improve and benefit themselves, as well as edify and establish their people, by their conferring with them; as iron sharpeneth iron, and the rubbing of one hand warmeth another, so the meanest of Christ's members may contribute to the advantage of the greatest apostle. God's weak servants may strengthen thy strong shoulders. Verily I have sometimes gained more knowledge by an hour's conference with a private and experienced Christian, than by half a day's study. Most certainly the ministers of God are great losers by being strangers to their people. 13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, but was let hitherto, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise. 15 So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. Here observe, How the apostle obviates an objection, and prevents a reflection upon himself. Some at Rome might be ready to say, If Paul had such a longing desire to see us as he expresses, why did he not come all this time and preach here, as he has done at Corinth, and Ephesus, and elsewhere? He truly tells them therefore, that it was not for want of inclination and will, but for want of opportunity; he had often intended it, and attempted it also, but was providentially hindered. From whence I gather, That the ministers of God cannot always dispose of themselves and of their labours according to their own inclinations and desires, but both their persons and ministry are directed and disposed of by the providence, and according to the pleasure, of Almighty God. Observe, 2. The great modesty and condescending humility of our apostle, in telling the Romans, that though he desired and intended to make this long journey to Rome to preach the gospel to them, yet this was rather a debt than a gift. He doth not intimate to them, that his coming amongst them was an arbitrary favour, for which they should be indebted to him, but a bounden duty which he owed to them: I am a debtor both to Jew and Greek, and ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. Here note, that the debt spoken of is the preaching of the gospel; St. Paul contracted this debt, and laid himself under an obligation to pay it then; (as every minister doth now at his first entering upon the office of the ministry;) by virtue of his mission, it was his duty to preach the gospel to all, both to the learned Greeks and unlearned barbarians. From whence learn, That to preach the gospel of Christ both far and near with a laborious diligence, when regularly called thereunto, is a ministerial debt and duty. We are first indebted to God that sends us forth; we are also indebted to the people we are sent unto. But O! how many people are there that would willingly forgive their ministers this debt! but we must tender payment at the time and place appointed, or we can never be discharged, whether the debt be accepted or not. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. teem it the highest honour that God can confer upon me to preach the gospel at Rome, though it should cost me my life." O how exceeding well doth a bold profession of the gospel become all the ministers and members of Jesus Christ! Let all say with the apostle, We are not ashamed of the gospel; none of the ministers of Christ to preach it, none of the members of Christ to profess and practice it. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Here the apostle produces an argument to prove that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation; Because by it the rightObserve here, 1. The glorious descrip- cousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. tion which the apostle gives of the gospel: That is, the righteousness of the Mediator, It is the power of God unto salvation. That called the righteousness of God, because is, the preaching of it is attended by and it is of his providing, and of his approv accompanied with an almighty power, ing and accepting, and for the sake of which renders it effectual to salvation, if which, God pardons our unrighteousness, we do not bolt our ears and hearts against and receives us graciously. This rightit. Learn, That the plain and persuasive eousness is by the gospel revealed to bepreaching of the gospel is the chosen in- get faith in men, even such a faith as goes strument in God's hand, which he uses from faith to faith; that is, groweth and and honours for the conveyance of spirit- increaseth from one degree and measure ual life into the souls of men, though it be to another; and thus the apostle falls upon despised and ridiculed by the men of the his main proposition, which is the scope world. The gospel is powerful, it is the and design of this epistle, namely, that power not of men or angels, but the power there is no possible way for the justificaof God; not the essential, but the instru- tion of a sinner, either Jew or Gentile, but mental power, of God; it works as an in- by faith in the Mediator. Learn hence, strument, yet not as a natural, but as a That the righteousness whereby we are moral instrument in God's hand, freely, justified in the sight of God, is discovered not arbitrarily. The word gives out to us, to us in the gospel to be only by faith in as God gives in to that; the power of the the Lord Jesus Christ, as the appointed gospel is not from the preachers of the Mediator betwixt God and us; The rightgospel, therefore do not idolize them; but eousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. they are the instruments in God's hand, The apostle proves this by a citation out their words are the vehicle or organ of the prophet Habakkuk, The just shall through which the vital power of the live by faith; that is, as the pious Jews in Spirit is conveyed, therefore do not vilify the time of the Babylonian captivity did and think meanly of them. Observe, 2. live and find comfort in their troubles, by The solemn protestation and bold profes- faith and affiance in God; in the like mansion which the apostle makes of his not ner the apostle shows, that he that is evanbeing ashamed of the gospel of Christ; gelically just or religious, shall live a life I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. of grace on earth, and glory in heaven, Where note, 1. He doth not say I am not by faith in Christ; that is, depending upon afraid to preach the gospel, but I am not the merits and righteousness of the Meashamed; because shame hinders our rea-diator, in the way of holiness and strict diness more than fear. A man may be fit and ready to preach the gospel, and yet be afraid to undertake it; but he that is ashamed of the work, can never be fit for it. Note, 2. That when the apostle says, he is not ashamed of the gospel, more is intended than expressed; I am so far from being ashamed, that I account it my glory. As if the apostle had said, "Verily I es- li VOL. II.-2 obedience to his commands. Learn hence, That a justified man lives a more holy, useful, and excellent life, than other men ; his life is from God, his life is with God; vea, he lives the life of God himself. 2. That whatever life a justified man lives, (in a more excellent manner than other men,) he lives that life by virtue of his faith, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness: Our apostle having asserted and laid down a general proposition, that the justification of a sinner is only to be expected by the righteousness of the Mediator in a way of faith; he now undertakes the proof and demonstration of it thus; he distributes the whole world into Gentiles and Jews; the former seeking righteousness by the dim light of nature, or the law written in their hearts; the latter by the works of the law, that is, by their external conformity to what the law of Moses exacted and required of them. Now his present business is to prove distinctly and fully, that neither Gentile nor Jew could ever find what they thus sought. He begins here with the Gentiles, and shows that indeed they had inbred notions of a God imprinted in their minds by nature, and also had the book of the creatures before their eyes, in which much, very much || of God might be seen; yet these common notices of God, and of good and evil, they did not obey and put in practice, but rebelled against the light and dictates of their natural consciences; for which cause the wrath of God was revealed from heaven against them. Here observe, 1. A dreadful manifestation of divine wrath: The wrath of God is revealed from heaven. The wrath of God; that is, the indignation or vengeance of God. This the sinner shall feel, who doth not fear it; for the fears of an incensed Deity are no bugbears; nor the effects of ignorance and superstition, as the Atheists fancy. This wrath is said to be revealed from heaven, that is, discovered and made manifest by the God of heaven; partly by the light of nature, their own consciences giving them notice and warning of it; and partly by the examples of others, in the lashes of a divine severity on the back of sinners, by the hand of an incensed God: Thus the wrath of God was revealed to the Gentiles from heaven. Observe, 2. The object or impulsive cause of his revealed and inflicted wrath; namely, all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Ungodliness compriseth all sins against God, or neglect of the duties of the first table; unrighteousness comprehends all sins against our neighbour, or the breaches of the second table. Note here, That the abstract is put for the concrete, the sins for the sinners ungodly and unrighteous persons: the meaning is, that God will certainly punish these sins upon the persons of the sinners. Observe, 3. The special aggravation of these their sins, or that which made them so very provoking to Almighty God, namely, that they held the truth in unrighteousness; that is, their natural convictions were kept down under the dominion and power of their corruptions. Lust in their wills and affections was too hard for the light in their understandings: they entertained the light of truth in their minds, but did not suffer it to have its proper effect and influence upon their hearts and lives; thus making that a prisoner which would have made them free. Learn, 1. That it is a very great aggravation of sin for men to offend against the convictions of their own consciences. 2. That the wrath of God is dreadfully incensed against all those that live in any course of sin, rebelling against the dictates and convictions of their own enlightened consciences. Dread it then as thou dreadest hell itself; to sin against knowledge, to rebel against the light of thy own mind, to slight the whispers, to stifle the voice of thy own conscience; but reverence and obey its dictates as the commands of God. 19 Because that which may be known of God, is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. That is, much of the nature and properties of God may be known by the light of nature; his infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, are manifest in the minds and consciences of all men; For God hath showed it unto them, partly by imprinting these notions of himself upon the hearts of all men, and partly by the book of the creatures, in which his glorious attributes are written in large and legible characters. Learn hence, That all men have a natural knowledge of God, and those great duties which result from the knowledge of him. 2. That the natural knowledge which men have of God, if they live contrary to it, it is a sufficient evidence of their holding the truth of God in unrighteousness, and is a God-provoking and wrath-procuring sin. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead: so that they are without excuse. that commit them; the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and un- The apostle here proceeds in acquaintrighteousness of men; that is, against all ||ing us with that knowledge of God which { tion. For though there be a natural theology, there is not a natural Christology; there is a natural divinity, but not a natu ral gospel; a knowledge of God by the light of nature, but no knowledge of Jesus the Mediator, without the light of scripture. All thanks, eternal thanks, be to God for his unspeakable gift! Lord, how will all such as contemn it be left without excuse! the heathens had by the light of nature, which was in their hearts, and augmented and increased by what of God they saw in the book of the creatures, namely, in the works of creation and providence: The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, &c. The sense I conceive is this: the wise and wonderful frame of the world, which cannot reasonably be ascribed to any other cause but God, is a sensible demonstration to all mankind of an eternal and powerful being, that was 21 Because that, when they knew the author and contriver of it. The strokes God, they glorified him not as God, of the Creator's hand are engraven in all || neither were thankful, but became parts of the universe; the heavens, the vain in their imaginations, and their earth, and the capacious sea, with all foolish heart was darkened: things contained in them, are evident testimonies of the excellency of their original From this verse to the end of the chapcause: and therefore such of the heathens ter we have a large and black catalogue of old as shut their eyes, and such of the of the sins which the old heathens or genAtheists at this day as wink hard, and will tiles were guilty of; some of which they not see the footsteps of a Deity in the voluntarily committed, and others they works of creation and providence, are, were judicially delivered up unto, (for God and will be, everlastingly left without ex- without any impeachment of his holiness cuse. Learn hence, 1. That much of the often punishes sin with sin.) Their sins being and essential perfections of God voluntarily committed are here recited, may be known by the light of nature, if and the first of them is their sinning attended to; and much more may be un- against light and knowledge. They had derstood by the book of the creatures, if some natural notices of God implanted attentively looked into. The invisible things || and imprinted in their minds, and such an of God are clearly seen from the creation; that additional knowledge of his being and is, the creation of the world is a plain de- attributes, as might be gained by an attenmonstration to men of the being and power tive study in the book of the creatures; but of God. Learn, 2. That all such persons they rebelled against this light, and therewill be left for ever without excuse before by contracted an aggravated guilt. Learn God, who either extinguish the light of thence, That to sin against light and knownature, and smother the natural notices ledge, either in the omission of duty, or which they have of God, or do not im- commission of sin, is the highest aggra prove them by a due consideration of the vation of sinfulness; as ignorance lessenworks of God. Without opening the eye eth, so knowledge aggravateth the maligof reason, the book of the creation is of nity of sin. The next sin charged upon no more use to us than to the brute beasts. them was, they did not glorify that God They see the creatures as well as we; but whom they had the knowledge of: that is, many of us consider the creatures, and see they did not conceive of him and worship God in the creation, no more than they; him as became his divine perfections and and this will leave us without excuse. Learn, excellences; they did not esteem so highly 3. How endearing are our obligations to of him as they ought, and pay that homage Almighty God, for the favour and benefit and honour to the Deity which they should. of divine revelation, that together with the Learn thence, That the knowledge which light of nature, we have the superadded we have of God and his attributes, if it do light of scripture; the law to convince us not engage us to honour, glorify, and worof our sin, the gospel to discover a Sa- ship him, suitably to his adorable perfecviour. The heathen had only those natu- tions, it is vain and useless in God's acral apostles of sun, moon, and stars, to count, and will but expose us to a more guide them to God, and instruct them in dreadful condemnation. Another sin mentheir duty to him; but we have the wis- tioned in this verse, which the heathens dom of the Father, the incarnate Son of were guilty of, was the sin of unthankfulGod, and his inspired apostles and minis-ness. They glorified him not as God, neither ters, to lead us into all truth, and his Holy were they thankful. That is, they had not Spirit to excite and quicken us in our obe- a due sense of the favours and benefits dience to him. Therefore eternally mag- of God conferred upon them; but ascrib nified be omnipotent love, for the light of ing the blessings of heaven to chance and scripture, for the benefit of divine revela- fortune, to fate and destiny, to the influ |