A

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

TO THE

PARAPHRASE AND NOTES

ON

THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

THIS celebrated epistle was probably written from Cor

inth, when Paul was travelling through Greece, after finishing his tour in Macedonia, about the year of our Lord 58, which was the fourth of the Emperor Nero. The chief arguments to prove this have been already stated in a few words, Vol. III. p. 295, note; and they are drawn from comparing Acts XX. 1-4, with Rom. xv. 25-27; xvi. 21. But for the sake of those who may not have the third volume before them, I shall exhibit them again in my notes on those texts as they occur in the epistle, and shall observe the same method elsewhere on the like occasions.

The design of the epistle has been much more controverted than its date; and yet it seems so obvious, that hardly any thing has surprised me more than the different and inconsistent plans which ingenious writers have given of it. I should but confound the reader, as well as swell this preface beyond all due bounds, if I should attempt distinctly to propose and examine them here. Instead of this, I shall therefore content myself with exhibiting (not my own hypothesis, for truly it has been my care to have no hypothesis at all, but) what upon reading the epistle, without any view but that of following the apostle whithersoever he should lead me, I find to be assured fact; and I will state these contents in as few and as plain words as I can, and so every reader will

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easily see what this great author intended, by seeing what he has done; for no doubt he answered his own design.

Now I think it must be evident to every reader of common discernment and attention, that Paul is labouring through all this epistle,"to fix on the minds of the Christians to whom he addresses himself, a deep sense of the excellency of the gospel, and to engage them to act in a manner agreeable to their profession of it." For this purpose, after a general salutation, (chap. i. 1-7,) and profession of his ardent affection for them, (ver. 8-15,) he declares, that he shall not be ashamed openly to maintain the gospel at Rome; for this general reason, that it is the great and powerful instrument of salvation, both to Jews and Gentiles, by means of faith. (ver. 16, 17.) And then to demonstrate and vindicate its excellency in this view of it, the apostle shews,

I. That the world greatly needed such a dispensation; the Gentiles being fallen into a most abandoned state, (ver. 18, to the end, and the Jews, though condemning others, being themselves no better; (chap. ii. throughout ;) as notwithstanding some cavils, which he obviates, (chap. iii. 1—8,) their own scriptures testify. (ver. 9-19.) So that there was an universal necessity of seeking for justification and salvation in this method. (ver. 20, to the end.)

II. That Abraham and David themselves sought justification in such a way as the gospel recommends, that is, by faith, (chap. iv. 1-12,) and that a very illustrious act of it entailed everlasting honour on that great patriarch from whom the Jews boasted their descent. (ver. 13, to the end.)

III. That hereby believers are brought into so happy a state, as turns the greatest afflictions of life into an occasion of joy. (chap. v. 1—11.)

IV. That the calamities brought on the seed of the first Adam by his ever to be lamented fall, are with glorious advantage repaired to all who by faith become interested in the second Adam. (ver. 12, to the end.)

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V. That far from dissolving our obligations to practical holiness, the gospel greatly increases them by a peculiar obligation, (chap. vi. 1-14,) which the apostle strongly urges upon them. (ver. 15, to the end.)

By these general considerations, St. Paul illustrates the excellency of the gospel in the six first chapters of this epistle, and they must be acknowledged considerations of the highest importance.

There were great numbers of Jews at Rome, many of whom had embraced the gospel; to make them therefore more sensible how glorious a dispensation it was, and to take them off from a fond attachment to the Mosaical law, now they were married to Christ by a solemn profession of his religion, (chap. vii. 1-6,) the apostle largely represents how comparatively ineffectual the motives of the law were to produce those degrees of obedience and holiness, which by a lively faith in the gospel we obtain. (chap. vii. 7, to the end. chap. viii. 1, 2.) And here, in all the remainder of this celebrated chapter, the apostle gives a more particular view of those things which rendered the gospel so much more efficacious for this great purpose, viz. that of forming the soul to holiness, than the legal economy had been: (chap. viii. ver. 9.) The discovery it makes of the incarnation and death of Christ; (ver. 3,4;) the spirituality of temper to which it calls us; (ver. 5-8;) the communication of the sanctifying and comforting influences of the spirit of God, whereby true believers are formed to a filial temper; (ver. 9-17;) the views which it exhibits of a state of glory, so great and illustrious, that the whole creation seemed to wait for the manifestation of it; (ver. 18-25;) while in the mean time believers are supported under all their trials by the aids of the Spirit, (ver. 26, 27,) and an assurance that all events should cooperate for their advantage; (ver. 28;) since God has in consequence of his eternally glorious plan already done so much for us, (ver. 29, 50,) which emboldens us to conclude, that no accusation shall

prevail against us, and no temptations or extremities separate us from his love. (ver. 31, to the end.)

As the blessings so affectionately displayed above had been spoken of as the peculiar privileges of those who believed in the gospel, this evidently implied, that as all believing Gentiles had a full share in them, so all unbelieving Jews must necessarily be excluded from them. But as the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jews was a topic of great importance, the apostle employs the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters in the discussion of it, and so concludes the argumentative part of this epistle.

He introduces what he had to say on this interesting subject, by declaring, that he thought most honourably and affectionately of the Jewish nation; (chap. ix. 1-5;) and then shows,

1st, That the rejection of a considerable part of the seed of Abraham, and even of the posterity of Isaac too, was an incontestible fact, which the Jews themselves could not but grant to have happened, that is, with respect to the descendants of Ishmael and of Esau. (ver. 6-13.)

2dly, That the sovereign choice of some individuals to peculiar privileges, to which none had any claim; and the sovereign appointment of some, from among many criminals, to peculiar and exemplary punishment; was perfectly consistent both with reason and scripture. (ver. 14-24.)

3dly, That the taking the Gentiles to be God's peculiar people, when Israel should be rejected, had been accurately foretold, both by Hosea and Isaiah. (ver. 25, to the end.)

4thly, That God hath graciously offered the gospel salvation to Jews and Gentiles, on the same equitable and easy terms; though Israel, by a bigotted attachment to their own law, had rejected it. (chap. x. throughout.)

5thly, That, nevertheless, the rejection of Israel, though according to their own prophecies it be general, and attended with astonishing blindness and obstinacy, yet is not total, there

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still being a number of happy believers among them. (chap. xi. 1-10.)

6thly, That the rejection of the rest is not final, but that the time shall come, when to the unspeakable joy of the whole Christian world, the Jews shall in a body be brought into the church of Christ. (ver. 11-31.)

And lastly, That in the mean time their obstinacy and rejection is overruled to such happy purposes, as serve, through the whole various scene, to display, in a glorious manner, the unsearchable wisdom of God. (ver. 32, to the end.)

The remainder of the epistle is taken up in a variety of practical instructions and exhortations, which hardly admit, and indeed do not need so particular an analysis. The grand design of them all is, to engage Christians to act in a manner worthy of that gospel, the excellency of which he had been illustrating." He more particularly urges, an entire conse cration to God, and a care to glorify him, in their respective stations, by a faithful improvement of their different talents; (chap. xii. 1-11;) devotion, patience, hospitality, mutual sympathy, humility, peace, and meekness; (ver. 12, to the end;) and in the whole thirteenth chapter, obedience to magistrates, justice in all its branches, love as the fulfilling of the law, and an universal sanctity of manners, correspondent to the purity of those religious principles which they professed. In the fourteenth, and part of the fifteenth chapter, he dilates more largely on mutual candour, especially between those Christians who did, and those who did not think themselves obliged in conscience to observe the ceremonies enjoined by Moses; and pleads a variety of most pertinent and affecting considerations in this view; (chap xvi. 1, to chap. xv. 17;) in prosecuting some of which, he is led to mention the extent of his own labours, and his purpose of visiting the Romans; in the mean time recommending himself to their prayers. (ver. 18, to the end.) And after many salutations, (chap. xvi. 1-16,) and a neces

sary caution against those that would divide the church, he