TEXT. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the jew and the greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher ? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, PARAPHRASE. above-cited, mentioned both heart and mouth; there is use of both in the case. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the 11 mouth confession * is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, "Whosoever believe on him, shall "not be ashamed:" shall not repent his having be12 lieved, and owning it. The scripture saith, Whosoever, for in this case there is no distinction of jew and gentile. For it is he, the same who is Lord of them all, and is abundantly bountiful to all that call 13 upon him. For whosoever shall call upon his 14 name, shall be saved. But how shall they call upon him, on whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear, without a 15 preacher? And how shall they preach, except NOTES. 10 Believing, and an open avowed profession of the gospel, are required by our Saviour, Mark xvi. 16. 13+ Whosoever hath, with care, looked into St. Paul's writings, must own him to be a close reasoner, that argues to the point; and therefore, if, in the three preceding verses, he requires an open profession of the gospel, I cannot but think that "all that call upon him," ver. 12, signifies all that are open, professed christians; and if this be the meaning of calling upon him," ver. 12, it is plain it must be the meaning "of calling upon his name," ver. 13, a phrase not very remote from "naming his name," which is used by St. Paul for professing christianity, 2 Tim. ii. 19. If the meaning of the prophet Joel, from whom these words are taken, be urged, I shall only say, that it will be an ill rule for interpreting St. Paul, to tie up his use of any text, he brings out of the Old Testament, to that, which is taken to be the meaning of it there. We need go no farther for an example than the 6, 7, and 8th verses of this chapter, which I desire any one to read as they stand, Deut. xxx. 11-14, and see whether St. Paul uses them here, in the same sense. .TEXT. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 66 PARAPHRASE. they be sent ? As it is written, "How beautiful "are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things?" 16 But, though there be messengers sent from God, to preach the gospel; yet it is not to be expected, that all should receive and obey it †. For Isaiah hath foretold that they should not, saying, "Lord, who 17" hath believed our report?" That which we may learn from thence is, that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing from the word of God, i. e. the revelation of the gospel, in the writings of the sacred scriptures, communicated by those, whom God sends as preachers thereof, to those who are ignorant of it; and there is no need, that Christ should be brought down from heaven, to be personally with NOTES. 15 * St. Paul is careful, every-where, to keep himself, as well as possibly he can, in the minds and fair esteem of his brethren, the jews; may not therefore this, with the two foregoing verses, be understood as an apology to them, for professing himself an apostle of the gentiles, as he does, by the tenour of this epistle, and in the next chapter, in words at length, ver. 13? In this chapter, ver. 12, he had showed that both jews and greeks, or gentiles, were to be saved, only by receiving the gospel of Christ; and if so, it was necessary that somebody should be sent to teach it them, and therefore the jews had no reason to be angry with any that was sent on that employment. 16" But they have not all obeyed." This seems an objection of the jews, to what St. Paul had said, which he answers, in this and the following verse. The objection and answer seem to stand thus: You tell us, that you are sent from God to preach the gospel; if it be so, how comes it that all that have heard, have not received and obeyed; and since, according to what you would insinuate, the messengers of good tidings (which is the import of evangelion, in greek, and gospel, in English) were so welcome to them? To this he answers out of Isaiah, that the messengers, sent from God, were not believed by all. But from those words of Isaiah he draws an inference, to confirm the argument he was upon, viz. that salvation cometh by hearing and believing the word of God. He had laid it down, ver. 8, that it was by their having phua wisews," the word of faith," nigh them, or present with them, and not by the bodily presence of their deliverer amongst them, that they were to be saved. This phμa, word, he tells them, ver. 17, is, by preaching, brought to be actually present with them and the gentiles; so that it was their own fault if they believed it not to salvation. 66 TEXT. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. PARAPHRASE. 18 you, to be your Saviour. It is enough, that both jews and gentiles have heard of him, by messengers, whose voice is gone out into the whole earth, and words unto the ends of the world, far beyond the 19 bounds of Judea. But I ask, Did not Israel know * this, that the gentiles were to be taken in, and made the people of God? First Moses tells it them, from God, who says, "I will provoke you to 66 jealousy, by them who are no people; and by a 20" foolish nation I will anger you." But Isaiah declares it yet much plainer, in these words: "I was "found of them that sought me not; I was made 21" manifest to them that asked not after me." And to Israel, to show their refusal, he saith: "All day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a dis"obedient and gainsaying people." 66 NOTE. 10" Did not Israel know?" In this, and the next verses, St. Paul seems to suppose a reasoning of the jews, to this purpose, viz. that they did not deserve to be cast off, because they did not know, that the gentiles were to be admitted, and so might be excused, if they did not embrace a religion, wherein they were to mix with the gentiles; and to this be answers, in the following verses. THE apostle, in this chapter, goes on to show the future state of the jews and gentiles, in, respect of christianity; viz. that, though the nation of the jews were, for their unbelief, rejected, and the gentiles taken, in their room, to be the people of God; yet there were a few of the jews, that believed in Christ, and so a small remnant of them continued to be God's people, being incorporated, with the converted gentiles, into the christian church. But they shall, the whole nation of them, when the fulness of the gentiles is come in, be converted to the gospel, and again be restored to be the people of God. The apostle takes occasion also, from God's having rejected the jews, to warn the gentile converts, that they take heed: since, if God cast off his ancient people, the jews, for their unbelief, the gentiles could not expect to be preserved, if they apostatized from the faith, and kept not firm in their obedience to the gospel. TEXT. 1 I SAY then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew. Wot PARAPHRASE. 1 I SAY then, "Has * God wholly cast away his people, "the jews, from being his people?" By no means, for I myself am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, 2 of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not utterly cast off his people, whom he formerly owned †, with so NOTES. 1 This is a question in the person of a jew, who made the objections in the foregoing chapter, and continues on to object here. 2 + See chap. viii. 29. TEXT. ye not what the scripture saith, of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so, then, at this present time also, there is a remnant, according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is PARAPHRASE. peculiar a respect. Know ye not what the scripture saith, concerning Elijah? How he complained to 3 the God of Israel, in these words: "Lord, they "have killed thy prophets, and have digged down "thine altars, and of all that worshipped thee, I 4" alone am left, and they seek my life also." But what saith the answer of God to him?" I have re"I "served to myself seven thousand men, who have "not bowed the knee to Baal," i. e. have not been 5 guilty of idolatry. Even so at this time also, there is a remnant reserved and segregated, by the favour 6 and free choice of God. Which reservation of a remnant, if it be by grace and favour, it is not of works, for then grace would not be grace. But if NOTES. 4 * "Baal," and Baalim, were the names, whereby the false gods and idols, which the heathens worshipped, were signified in sacred scripture; see Judges ii. 11-13, Hos. xi. 2. 6"It is not of works." This exclusion of works, seems to be mistaken by those, who extend it to all manner of difference in the person chosen, from those that were rejected; for such a choice as that excludes not grace in the chooser, but merit in the chosen. For it is plain, that by works here, St. Paut means merit, as is evident also from ch. iv. 2—4. The law required complete, perfect obedience: he, that performed that, had a right to the reward; but he, that failed and came short of that, had by the law no right to any thing but death. And so the jews, being all sinners, God might, without injustice, have cast them all off; uone of them could plead a right to his favour. If, therefore, he chose out and reserved any, it was of mere grace, though in his choice he preferred those who were the best disposed and most inclined to his service. A whole province revolts from their prince, and takes arms against him; he resolves to pardon some of them. This is a purpose of grace. He reduces them under his power, and then chooses out of them, as vessels of mercy, those that he finds least infected with malice, obstinacy, and rebellion. This choice neither voids, nor abates his purpose of grace; that stands firm; but only executes it so, as may best comport with his wisdom and goodness. And, indeed, without some regard to a differ |