An Expofition of the Epiftle to the Romans. dreadful judgments; blindness happened even to Ifrael, who were in covenant with God, and come of honoured Jacob. VIII. Tho' thefe external rods be fad which God bringeth upon a finful nation, as fword, famine, and peftilence; yet there are other judgments of a more fpiritual nature, which fpeak out a more angry God, and are more dreadful and lamentable, tho' people be leaft fenfible of them: the heavy ftroke which he fent upon finful Ifrael, was blindness, a judicial fenfeleffnefs and stupidity of heart, and uncapable nefs of the means of life: Blindness is happened to Ifrael. IX. How dreadful and raging foever the judgments be which are fent upon a land, yet the great and only wife God has a holy over-ruling hand about it, fo as he not only modifies it, and measures it out by fcruples and grain weights, but also meafureth out the duration of it, and has prefixed a certain period thereunto, which it cannot tranfgrefs: Blindness in part is happened to Ifrael. X. Tho' the Gentile nations were once without the pale of the church, living without God and without Chrit in the world; yet now, in the days of the gospel, the church door is caft open, and all welcomed who will come in: therefore it is faid, Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. XII. God, in the depth of his wisdom, hath tryfted the inbringing of the Jewish nation unto the gofpel, with the best days of the gospel among the Gentiles; for then they will be most provoked to jealoufy, and Chrift's name will be most glorious: Blindness in part is happened to Ifrael, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. VERSES 26. 27. And fo all Ifrael fhall be For this is my covenant unto them, when I I N the begining of this 26th verfe he fets down the rest of the mystery, which he explained in part in the laft verfe. He told that blindness was the judgment which God had inflicted upon Ifrael, until the gofpel fhould be at a full spring-tide among the Gentiles. But what then? then, fays he, All Ifrael fhall be faved; that is, The whole body of the nation of the Jews fhall be brought from under the plague of blinduefs, under which they lay, and brought under the gospel and the faving ordinances of Chrift, into a gofpel covenant church-ftate, yea, and poffibly then the faving influences of the Spirit of God fhall abound more than ever, and that viXI. Tho' Chrift in his gospel shall meet, fible church of the converted and pardonand doth meet daily with much oppofition, ed Jews, fhall be a pure church. Now, yet he thall be still upon the gaining hand,and after he has thus fet down this dark and his kingdom fhall be ftill growing and en- myfterious point of truth, he goes about creafing, till at length there be a fulness of to confirm the fame out of fcripture, and the Gentile nation flocking in to it, and his first confirmation is out of Ifa. lix. 20. embracing his offers; fo that his kingdom where it is faid; And the Redeemer fall fall run thro' the world, and there shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from be no confiderable nation but fhall accept tranfgreffion in Jacob; but the apoftle folof his offer; or, the nearer an end the lowing the Seventy, who vary a little from world fhall be, there fhall be a more gene- the original, fays, There hull come out of ral flocking of the Gentile people unto Zion, [for unto Zion,] the deliverer, and Chrift and his church; for there is men-hall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, [for tion made of the fulness of the Gentiles; unto them that turn from ungodliness, &c.] Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. but the difcrepancy is not very material; feeing. feeing, 1. when the Lord fhall come unto the Jews, it will be out of his Zion among the Gentiles, out of his church there: And, 2. when he is coming to enchurch them, it will be when they have repented and turned from their ungodlinefs; and this they cannot do, until he do it; it is his work, and his firft work among them, to turn away their tranfgreffion, and then to make them up into a glorious church. The next paffage, which is fet down, verfe 27. we conceive, is taken out of Jer. xxxi. 33. 34. of which the apoftle citeth no more than maketh for his prefent purpose. There is mention there of a covenant which God would make with the houfe of Ifrael, and among other things promifed in that covenant, this is one, that the Lord would forgive their iniquity, and remember their fin no more; and upon this the apostle pitcheth, as moft fuitable to his purpose; being not only to prove the main point touching the enchurching of the Jews, but alfo to confirm and clear further the last thing, viz. That when the deliverer cometh, he fhall turn away ungodlinefs from Jacob, and be reconciled unto them. Now, this is fully confirmed here, where he fhews it to be a covenanted mercy; and, withal, this paffage proveth, that when the Lord fhall have taken away their fins, then queftionless they shall become a people to God, a vifible national church; for in that place of Jeremiah the fum of the covenant is faid to be this, That God would be their God, and they fhould be his people; and therefore the apostle fays, For this is my covenant unto them, when I fhall take away their fins. There is one difficulty here, which muft be removed. Such as plead for Chrift's perfonal coming to reign with his faints a thousand years before the day of judg. ment, alledge this for a proof of his perfonal coming at the converfion of the Jews, when it faid, The Redeemer hall come out of Zion. But, in fhort, we anfwer, That this cannot import a fecond perfonal com ing of Chrift, to work a temporal deliverance unto the Jews; For, 1. the apoftle is not here fpeaking of the restoration of the Jews to their own land, but of mercies of a more fpiritual nature; as of their being made a visible national church, and becoming the profeffed covenanting people of God, enjoying the ordinances of life: And fo, 2. he must mean fuch a coming as is relative to this mercy, and the mercy being of a fpiritual nature, his coming muft be of a fpiritual kind alfo, even a coming by the power of his Spirit. 3. In the places cited, as it is true, that the Lord is fpeaking of temporal mercies and deliverances in the preceding verfes, Ifa. lix. 16. . yet it is as true, that, from ver. 20. he is fpeaking only of fpiritual mercies, and there only is there mention made of his coming. 4. The apoftle's making mention of one fpiritual fruit of Chrift's coming, fheweth what a coming he meaneth; He hall turn away iniquity from Facob: Now, this is a fpiritual mercy, and Chrift doth this where he comes, not perfonally, but in the power of his Spirit. 5. This is further confirmed from that other place cited out of Jeremiah, where there is nothing but fpiritual mercies mentioned. 6. The fcripture expreffeth but two perfonal appearances, one when he came to fuffer, and another when he cometh to judgment, Heb. ix. 28. ---- And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without fin, unto falvation. There is but a fecond time of his appearing, and by this opinion there should be a third coming of his. 7. This will be clear, if you confider Acts iii. 26. where, as would appear, the apostle Peter has an eye unto this very place, and fays, Unto you fir God having raifed up his Son Jefus, fent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Now, how was he fent to do this? certainly it behoved to be by his Spirit; for he was not fent perfonally immediately after his refurrection; but this fending is after his refurrection, 3 N and they fhall be a glorious and pure church, having pure ordinances, and God fignally among them, Zech. viii. 23. Micah iv. 1. 2. Thus all Ifrael fhall be faved. See further, Zech. x. 6. &c. Ezek. xxviii. 25. 26. xxvi. 8. &c. and xxxix. 25. &c. and a fending which then had immediate effects, and which was first-held forth unto the Jews, and fo no perfonal fending. 8. The very term whereby Christ is filed in the original, in that place of Ifaiah, clears it; where he is cailed Goel, which ordinarily being attributed to Chrift, implies a redemption by a price, being properly used to fignify the redemption of mortgaged or woodfet land, by the nearest kinfman, by laying down the price; fonances are in a happier condition than oChrift, as our kinfman, delivered his mortgaged people, by laying down his life a ranfom. Now, he may come thus, after he has laid down the price, and prove a Goel where he comes not perfonally. OBSERVATIONS. I. God may keep a land long under fad and fharp difpenfations, because of their rebellion and fin, and yet may turn gracious towards them at length; and when his anger is turned away, may make them enjoy better days than ever they have had before: Now, fays Paul, all Ifrael fhall be faved; this points out an excellent condition which they fhall then have, though now, in God's anger, they be a fcattered and peeled people, living in contempt, and under infamy and reproach. III. Tho' many may live long under the ordinances within the church of God, and never reach the crown of glory; yet a people under lively and powerful ordi thers who live without God and Chrift in the world, and fo in refpect of them may be faid to be faved; the gospel having that effect upon fome, as to fave them from their grofs abominations, as 2 Pet. ii. 20. and all of them being in a fair way for the kingdom of heaven, having the ordinances, the only way thereto, among their hands; for when the Jews fhall be enchurched again, and have the gospel ordinances fet up in purity among them, tho' there fhall be many hypocrites and hollow-hearted profeffors among them, Ezek. xx. 38.; yet all of them are faid here to be faved, as being in a fair way for falvation: So all Ifrael fhall be faved. IV. We must not obtrude any thing upon people without a warrant, under pretext that it is a mystery, or that which paffeth the reach of human reafon: tho' Paul called this bufinefs a mystery, yet he confirmeth it out of fcripture, faying, As it is written. II. When God fhall again gather the remnant of his flock out of all countries, Jer. xxiii. 3. and begin to rejoice over her with joy, and reft in his love, Zeph. iii. 17. then fhall the Jews become one church; even V. God's ordinary method of delivering all the tribes fhall unite together, and make a people from under the fad and fore strokes up one national church, Jer. 1. 4. 5. and of vengeance, which have been poured a church it fhall be, that fhail flourish in out upon them because of their iniquities, ordinances, and other church privileges, is first to pour upon them the fpirit of reJer. xxxi. 31. and xxxii. 38. and fhall en-pentance, and turn them from their iniquijoy much of God's favour, and many tefties: for to prove that they fhall be delivertimonies of his love, Jer. xxxi. 28. xxxiii. ed from the fad judgments under which 9. &c, xxxii. 41. &c. and xlvi. 27. Zeph. they have been lying this long time, he iii. 17. &c. Ezek. xxxiv. 25. &c. and theweth, that they fhall be delivered from fhall be a humble, mourning, holy people their iniquities; The deliverer fhall come unto the Lord, Jer. 1. 4. 5. having received out of Zion, who fball turn away iniquity pardon at the Lord's hand, Ifa. xxxiii. 24. from Fucob. Jer. xxxi. 24. Ezek. xxxvi. 26. etc.: Thus VI. It is not in man's power to repent and and turn home to God; nor will all the fad judgments which they may ly under, produce this effect, but it must be wrought in them by the almighty power of Jehoyah; it is the work of the deliverer who must come out of Zion: The deliverer hall come out of Zion, and shall turn away ungodliness from Facob. VII. All the pardon and delivery from fin which a people get, is only in and thro' Jefus Chrift, he is the only deliverer from fin and iniquity; for it is Christ who is here called the Deliverer, and he is called the Deliverer, by way of emphasis and eminency, to fhew, that there is not another: The deliverer shall come out of Zion, &c. See Acts iv. 12. VIII. Chrift the ranfomer and deliverer of fouls, cometh to them with pardon and remifion, in and thro' the gofpel, offering them pardon upon gofpel terms, and working repentance in them according to the tenor of the gofpel; and thus muft he be expected and looked for: The deliverer fball come out of Zion. IX. When a people who have been under the chaftifing hand of God, because of their tranfgreffions and iniquities, do once get repentance from the Lord, and turn from their ungodliness and finful courfes, they are then fair for deliverance from the ftroke, and a re-enjoyment of all their former favours: for here lieth the force of the apoftle's argument, whereby he would prove the re-enchurching of the Jew that the deliverer fhall come out of Zion, who fhould turn away ungodliness from Jacob. "X. When the nation of the Jews fhall have the fpirit of repentance poured upon them, and fhall turn from their unbelief, they have then a covenant to look to, whereby they may expect a reception into a covenant ftate, and a new inftalment into the church privileges which formerly they were excluded from: For this is my Covenant with them, &c. XI. Whatever deductions or inferences we bring from fcripture, they fhould not be groundlefs, but fuch as may be warranted by the word of God; for the apostle proves his inference from the first place of fcripture, by another place; he proves, that place where it is faid, The deliverer hall come out of Zion, &c. doth fignify, that the Jews fhall again be enchurched, and made partakers of their former privileges, by another, where it is faid, For this is my covenant, when I shall turn away their iniquity. VERSES 28. 29. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your fake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's fake. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. THE apostle proceedeth in the confirm ation of the future calling of the Jews, and gives fome grounds of reafon, of which there is one here, that he ushereth in with a prolepfis, or the obviating of an objection. The Gentiles might object and say, How can it be that the Jewish nation can ever be re-ingraffed, and made a church to Chrift, feeing they have vilipended, and caft behind their back, the gofpel of Chrift, and the offer of life thro' him, and for that caufe are now in a ftate of enmity with God? To this he anfwereth, 1. by granting, that the Jewish nation were indeed accounted enemies to God, and were hated and dealt with as enemies, for the contempt and flighting of the gospel; As concerning the gospel they are enemies. And, 2. fheweth the occafion of this, For your fakes; that is, because you Gentiles welcomed the gofpel fo chearfully, therefore the Jews ftumbled at it: Or, thefe words may be looked on as holding forth the advantage that the Gentiles got by the Jews rejecting of the gofpel: It was for your fake or advantage, for by means thereof ye were brought in into their room and place. Next, he addeth a reafon confirming the point in hand; 3 N 2 But But as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's fake: Tho' now, would he fay, the body and bulk of the Jewish nation have rejected the gofpel, and are therefore out of court with God, yet that nation hath a room in his affection; they are beloved, and that becaufe of the cove nant and promifes which God made with Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, their forefathers; for the father's fake: And the ground of all is given, as touching the election; that is, because of God's feparating them as his peculiar people among all the nations of the earth, Deut. vii. 6. in that refpect the nation is yet beloved of God, and fince they are beloved of God, they will be enchurched. In the next verfe he confirmeth this ground; for it might be faid, What tho' the Lord choofed that nation once, as his peculiar people, what fays that to their future converfion? O, fays he, the gifts and calling of God are without repentance: Whatever favour or gift he bestows upon a people or perfon, out of free love, he rueth not, he taketh it not back again; he changeth not his purpose and refolution of good to any. OBSERVATIONS. I. Tho' the gospel of our Lord Jefus Chrift be the most excellent and glad news that ever was heard tell of, yet many to whom it comes, make little good ufe thereof, they flight it and abufe the fame, and trample upon the offers thereof; for fo did the Jews here, they were enemies for the gospel's fake. II. Tho' men think light of the gofpel, and care not much to vilipend and trample upon the fame; yet the abufe thereof is one of the greateft controverfies which God hath against a people, and is fuch a quarrel as will provoke God to deal with fuch as open enemies, take his favour from them, and denude them of the enjoyments and privileges which they had by the gofpel: Thus the Jews were enemies concern ing the gofpel; their abufe of the gospel made God difpenfe with them, who were formerly dearly beloved friends, as ene mis. III. Tho' this unchurching of the Jewish nation, and dealing with them as enemies, was a fore punishment and lofs unto the people of the Jews; yet it was not a little to the advantage of the Gentiles, it being that which occafioned the gofpel's coming to them: So that, tho' God fhould have no church there, where he took most pains, yet he will not want a church and a people to avouch him, and accept of the gospel: They are enemies for your fake. IV. As the Lord maketh choice out of his rich, free and undeferved love, of particular perfons unto everlasting life; fo doth he make choice of particular king. doms and nations, to be his particular peo ple, among whom he will fet up his ordinances of life, and upon whom he will beftow many privileges and favours, of fpecial note, tending to life: So the Lord made choice of the people of the Jews; they were his chofen people; therefore he fays, As touching the election; there was an act of election that paffed upon them, fevering them from the reft. See Deut. xxxii. 8. 15. Pfal. cv. 6. Deut. vii. 6. 1 Chron. xvi. 13. V. God's fetting apart of a people for his inheritance, upon whom he will below many faving means and mercies, will not exeem them from fad and fore corrections for their abuse of his mercy and kindness; but the more love he has manifested towards them, the fadder will his anger be when kindled against them for their vilipending of his goodness; for here the Jews are faid to be elected, and a chofen people, and yet they are now accounted and dealt with as enemies, for the abuse and contempt of the gospel. See Amos iii. 2. VI. Tho' God's difpenfations may be fad and bitter at prefent, towards a poor people once privileged, and he may be dealing with them as enemies; yet there may |