116 which may be obtained by Jew and Greek through faith in Christ. xxii. SECT. is, as I may in this view accommodate the bring Christ down passage, to conduct Christ down with him [from from above ;) thence,] to teach and instruct us, or to atone for Rom. x. 7 the our offences: or, Who shall descend into the deep 7 Or, Who shall abyss, that is, to bring Christ again from his descend into abode among the dead, in the bowels of the earth." deep? (that is, to bring up Christ aNo; blessed be God, Christ hath already de- gain from the dead.) scended from heaven to bring down the gospel, and he hath in a triumphant manner arisen from the dead to set an everlasting seal to its Divine authority; so that there is no more room to puzzle ourselves about difficulties, or to wish for a power of doing what to human skill or 8 strength is impossible. But what saith he 8 But what saith afterwards? even these words, so remarkably it? The word is nigh applicable to the subject before us; "The word thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy is nigh to thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thine heart: that is, the heart; easy to be understood, easy to be re- word of faith which membered; and if thine heart be rightly dispos- we preach, ed, easy to be practised too." And that is eminently the case with relation to the word of Jesus, and shalt be 9 Christian faith which we preach : For God 9 That if thou hath given a very plain and intelligible revela- shalt confess with tion in his gospel; and the substance of it is thy mouth the Lord this, That if thou dost courageously confess with lieve in thine heart, thy mouth, that Jesus is the Lord, and at that God hath raisthe same time believe in thy heart, with a vital ed him from the dead, thou shalt be and influential faith, that God hath raised him saved. from the dead, in proof of his Divine mission; thou shalt assuredly be saved, whoever thou art, and how heinous and aggravated soever thy 10 past sins may have been. For it is with the 10 For with the heart that a man believeth to righteousness, or so heart man believeth as to obtain justification, nor can any thing but unto righteousness, and with the mouth a cordial assent secure that; and with the mouth confession is made confession is made to salvation, and that public unto salvation. profession of Christianity is maintained, without which a secret conviction of its truth would only condemn. Let therefore the heart and the tongue do their respective parts on this occasion, and your salvation and happiness will be secure; though your obedience to the law of God may have been very defective, and you could have no claim to reward, or forgiveness 11 For the scrip11 from thence. For the scripture in reference ture saith, Whosoto Christ, as in the forecited text, (Isa. xxviii. him, shall not be a16,) saith," Every one that believeth in him shall shamed. ever believeth on Reflections on the clear knowledge we have in the gospel. the Jew and the Greek for the same 117 not be in danger of being ashamed, and put to SECT. confusion in any imaginable circumstance :" xxii. 12 For there is no Every one without distinction, for, you see, Rom. difference between there is no difference between Jew and Greek. x. 12 For the same Lord of all, the Creator, Governor, Lord over all, is rich Preserver, and Benefactor of the whole human unto all that call up- species, displays his riches, and magnifies his bounty, to all that call upon him, imparting to them all the same blessings of his providence For whosoever shall invoke the 13 on him. name of the Lord shall be saved. 13 For whosoever and grace. IMPROVEMENT. LET our hearts, after the example of St. Paul here before us, verse be overflowing with love and compassion to our brethren; and 1 let us be earnestly interceding with God for their salvation. Where we see a zeal for God, let us pay all due regard to it, and 2 compassionate that ignorance which may sometimes be mingled with it; especially if it affect so important an article as that of our becoming righteous before God by a better righteousness 3 than our own. Let us pray that God would teach us, and would enable us, according to our respective situations, in a proper manner to teach others, that Christ is indeed the end of the law, 4 of all the laws which God ever gave to fallen man, for righteousness; all were intended to convince men of their need of coming to him, that righteousness and life may be obtained. Great reason have we to adore the Divine goodness, and to congratulate ourselves, and one another, upon our great happiness in this respect, that God hath given us a revelation, so obvious and intelligible in all the grand points of it. We have indeed no necessity, no temptation to say, Who shall go up into 6, 7 heaven? or, Who shall descend into the deep? or, Who, like the industrious, but bewildered, sages of antiquity, shall cross the seas, to bring that knowledge from distant countries, which is wanting in our own? The word is nigh to us: It is indeed in 8 cur mouth: 0 that it may be in our heart too. We know a Invoke the name of the Lord, &c.] Bishop apostle's argument is quite inconclusive. Pearson argues at large from hence, that Pearson on the Creed, p. 149. if Christ be not here called Jehovah, the 118 verse The gospel then is to be preached to the Gentiles; SECT. descending, a risen Redeemer. He still visits us in his gospel, xxii. still preaches in our assemblies, and stretches out a gentle and compassionate hand, to lead us in the way to happiness. May 9, 10 our profession of faith in him be cordial; and then it will be open and courageous, whatever sacrifices we may be called to make. Believing on him, we shall not be ashamed; calling on his name, we shall be saved; though we can meet with nothing 5 but despair from a dispensation, that saith, The man who perfectly doth these precepts, shall live by them. SECT. xxiii. Rom. SECT. XXIII. The apostle pursues the view given in the last section, and shews, that the gospel had been diffused widely through the world; though according to other prophecies, which he here mentions from Moses, and Isaiah, the Jews had rejected it, while the Gentiles embraced it. Rom. X. 14, to the end. ROMANS X. 14. ROMANS X. 14. ROM the promise of salvation to them How then shall OW not believed? and a F that shall call on the name of the Lord, I have just been inferring, (ver. 12,13,) that there in whom they have 14 is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, as how shall they be to the possibility of obtaining salvation from lieve in him of whom God. And from hence, we may farther infer they have not heard? and how shall they what is very sufficient to justify me and my hear without brethren, in preaching the gospel to the Gen- preacher ? tiles, though we are the objects of so much reproach and persecution on that account. Let us therefore attend to the inference. For how shall they call on him on whom they have not believed, as worthy to be invoked with Divine honours and adoration? and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear of him without a preacher to carry these important tidings which the light of nature could never be able to discover? 15 And, as for the ministers of the gospel, how 15 And how shall should they preach, except they be sent expressly they preach, except they be sent ? as it is for that purpose? For, as we were originally Jews, our own prejudices on this head were so strong, that we should never have thought of carrying the gospel to the Gentiles, if God had not particularly charged us to do it. But blessed be God, that the charge has been given, and the embassy sent; and most welcome should it be to all that receive it, as it for faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word. 119 written, How beau- is written and described in that lively proph- SECT. tiful are the feet of ecy,a (Isa. lii. 7, 8,) "O how beautiful are the xxiii. them that preach the gospel of peace, and feet, the very footsteps, of those who bring the bring glad tidings of good tidings of peace, who bring the good tidings Rom. good things! of those various good things which God hath x. 15 believed our report? now been pleased to bestow on his church. It 16 But they have But alas, all have not obeyed the gospel, glori- 16 not all obeyed the ous as its tidings are, nor given it that cordial gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath reception which its happy contents might well have demanded. And they who are well acquainted with the oracles of the Old Testament, and study them impartially, will not be surprised at it. For Isaiah saith, in that very context, which contains so many illustrious testimonies to the cause in which we are engaged, (Isa. liii. 1,) "Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed, and 17 So then, faith made bare?" Faith indeed [cometh] by hearing, 17 cometh by hearing, and hearing in the case now before us by the and hearing by the word, the express command of God, to make the word of God. 18 But I say,Have come, declaration. It is therefore our duty to de- This is our duty, but a duty which we can- 18 not perform without some discouragements; that in Sophocles, the hands and feet of those who come upon a kind design, are represented as beautiful to those who received benefit by their arrival. In that lively prophecy.] Most com- pare Gen. xxv. 30, in the original. But I mentators think, that the liid chapter of think the turn given in the paraphrase, ilIsaiah is to be explained as a prophecy of lustrates it much better. Bos observes, the return of the Jews from Babylon, and that the text here quoted refers to the joyful welcome that should be given to the messengers who brought the first tidings of Cyrus's decree for their dismission. • Faith indeed [cometh.] Mr. L'Enfant And if it were so, the apostle might very would transpose the 16th and 17th verses; justly infer from thence the superior joy and it is certain, as any one may easily with which the messengers of the gospel perceive, that the connection of all from should be received. But, I think, a great the 15th to the 18th, would in that view deal may be said to shew it probable, that be clearer; but as no copies warrant it, I the context in question has in its original think it is by no means to be presumed sense a farther reference. Compare Isa. I have therefore translated apa, li. 4-6. But not judging it necessary, in which is often a sort of an expletive, by the paraphrase, to build upon it as an argu- the word indeed, which throws this verse ment, I shall not by any means discuss the into some kind of connection with the next, and if referred to anna there, will The very footsteps.] L'Enfant thinks I hope be thought agreeable enough to the feet are put for the arrival. Com- the Greek idiom. matter here. upon. 120 The Jews might have known this from Moses and Isaiah. Rom. x. 18 SECT. yet I may confidently say, it hath in the main they not heard? Yes xxiii. been practised; and I may appeal to what you verily, their sound went into all the at Rome knew of the matter, in consequence earth, and their of your correspondence with all parts of the words unto the ends empire. Have they not heard of the gospel all of the world. abroad, so that I may take up the words of David, (Psal. xix. 4,) when describing the course of the celestial luminaries, and apply them to the zeal, and in some measure to the success, with which the missionaries of this holy religion have exerted themselves, assisted by the blessed Spirit of God, and animated by the hope of that glorious immortality to which they have taught others to aspire. Of them may I say, that "verily their voice is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world:" many distant nations have already heard these glad tidings which God will at length render universal. (Col. i. 6, 23.) 19 But I may farther say, Hath not Israel 19 But I say, did known, or had an opportunity not only of know- not Israel know? ing that the gospel should be preached, but I will provoke you to First, Moses saith, that it should be carried to the Gentiles too? jealousy by them that For first, Moses saith, in that celebrated song of are no people, and his, which the children in all generations were will anger you. by a foolish nation I to learn, (Deut. xxxii. 21,) "I will raise your jealousy by [those who were] not a nation, [and] your anger with a foolish people;" which may well be understood as ultimately referring to 20 this great scheme. And Isaiah hath the bold 20 But Esaias is I was found of them ness to say, in a context, where so many things very bold, and saith, evidently refer to the gospel, (Isa. lxv. 1, 2,) that sought me not; "I was found of them that sought me not; Iwas I was made manifest made manifest to them that inquired not for me, unto them that asked nor discovered any concern to be informed of not after me. 21 my nature, or my will;" Whereas, invidious as 21 But to Israel he he knew it would be to a nation so impatient of saith, all day long I rebuke, with relation to Israel he saith, in the have stretched forth my hands unto a disvery next verse, “All the day long have Istretch- obedient and gained out mine hands, in the most importunate and saying people. affectionate addresses, to a disobedient and gainsaying people, who are continually objecting and cavilling; whom no persuasion can win to regard their own happiness, so as to be willing to admit the evidence of truth, and the counsels |