fuch written law, they shall be both alike in this, that they shall be judged and condemned, the Jew, viz. according to the written law, but the Gentile not, but according to another law, whereof he speaks afterward. After this the apoftle, verfe 13th, anfwereth the objection which the Jews might propofe; they might fay, You do us wrong in putting us into the fame category with the Gentiles, feeing we have the law of Mofes, and hear it daily, which they want. To this he anfwereth, That this will not avail, or caufe God think more of them than of other Gentile finners, though it may move men to do fo; for whofoever will expect that God will approve of them more than of others, for the law's fake, must not be hearers only, but doers of the law. Then, in the next place, he answereth what might be objected by the Gentiles, who might fay, It were not equity to punish us fo as the Jews, feeing we have not had the means of knowledge that they have had; they had the written law, which we have not had. To this the apostle anfwereth likeways, verles 14. 15, and faith, That this will not be a sufficient ground for them to expect exemption upon; because tho' they have not a written law, yet are they not altogether without a law. And this he cleareth, by fhewing, that they have fome draughts of the law of nature (which is not totally and wholly obliterated) whereby they take up fome principles of equity and common reafon, and are able to deduce conclufions therefrom, tending to practice; this is the work of the law written in their bearts. Now, this the apoftle makes good by thefe grounds: 1. Becaufe by nature they do concur with the law, by practifing even fome of thofe things which the written law requireth, and by making precepts enjoining what was commanded in the written law; and thus they are a law unto themfelves. 2. Because they have a confcience within them which is privy to all their carriage, and doth confent unto, or

From Verse 12th OBSERVE,

1. It feemeth good in the eyes of the only wife Lord, who doth all things according to the good pleasure of his own will, Eph. i. 11. to reveal his mind more particularly and plainly to fome than to others, the more to fhew his fovereignty over all nations whatfoever, and his infinite wisdom in bringing about his own holy ends, to his own glory, in fo doing: for there is here. fome who are faid to be without a law; that is, not wihtout a law fimply, but without the written law of Mofes, wherein the mind of the Lord was revealed more fully and clearly..

II. Tho' the fin of. fuch as live under greater light, and clearer difcoveries of God's mind, be the greater, because of thofe clear manifeftations of God's will; yet the ignorance (even tho' invincible) of that law, wherein the Lord doth clearly and perfpicuously hold forth his mind, doth not wholly excufe men, and exeem them from guilt, fo as they fhould be outof a capacity of finning against God, however fin be the tranfgreffion of a law: for here there is fome without a law, (viz. written) and yet are finners; For as many as have finned without a law.

III. Death is the wages of fin, be it committed against a clearly revealed law, or against a law that is more dark, and whereby the Lord's mind is more ob fcurely and not fo fully held forth; fo juft and righteous is God: for here it is faid, that even fuch as finned without a law fhould perifb.

IV. At the great day, when God fhall be judging all flesh according to law, he will not judge the Gentiles who never faw the law of Mofes by it, but folely by the law of nature; for they shall perish without (Motes's) law.

V. It is not more light and more clear

difcoveries of God's mind, or more means whereby the knowledge of God's mind may be attained, that will keep folks from finning against God: So unwilling are we by nature to obey God, that convictions of our duty will not be fufficient to caufe us run the way of God's commandments; for here we hear of fome who finned in the law, or under the law of Mofes.

VI. Tho' none fhall escape the trial of God at the great day, but all and every one fhall be particularly examined, yet fuch on whom the Lord hath bestowed more means of knowledge, and unto whom he hath revealed his mind more clearly and diftinctly, and written his law more fully, and in more legible letters, will be examined by a more narrow rule than others; and they judged according unto all thofe advantages which they have had beyond others: for fuch as finned in the law, hall be judged by the law.

eafy way whereby to stand juftified at the bar of God's tribunal, and expect abfolution, than ever God carved out and as men fhould look diligently that their imaginations thus deceive them not, and that they stand on fure grounds; fo the faithful fervants of God fhould be careful to undeceive people, and to discover the vanity of their imaginations, and fhew the true grounds on which a man must stand justified before God in the great day: therefore doth Paul fhew, that not the hearing of the law, (which they imagined to be fufficient) but doing was required: Luke xiii. 26. Then shall ye begin to fay, We have eaten and drunk in thy prefence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

III. We fhould not value fo much what we are before men, or in mens account, as what we are before God, and in his estimation: therefore the apostle speaks of juftification before God.

From Verse 13th OBSERVE,

I. That ordinarily men are so far from looking upon their being within the vifible church, and bleffed of God with ordinances, and more means of knowledge than others, as a strong engagement on them to yield more hearty obedience unto his commands, that they make a fconce thereof under which they think to fhelter themselves in the day of wrath, and ward off the ftroke of juftice, and expect exemption from wrath; for they thought that all fhould have been right, because they had the law, and were hearers thereof, though they never minded obedience.

II. Men are ready to imagine a more

and

it, but they must refolve to yield perfect obedience thereto; for the law fays, Curfed is every one that abideth not in all that is written therein to do it, Deut. xxvii. 26. Gal. iii. 10. and whosoever offendeth in one point is guilty of all, James ii. 10. Therefore faith he, not the bearers of the law, but the duers of the law fhall be justified: not as if this were the only way to be juftified, for by the works of the law fall no flesh he justified, Rom. iii. 20. there is no way to be juftified but by faith in the blood of Christ, Rom. iii. 24. 25. 28. Gal. ii. 20. nor as if he were exhorting them to expect juftification by the doing of the law, but rather diffuading them from it, and preffing them to take another way, feeing it is impoffible to be juftified by the law, becaufe whoever would be fo juftified, muft refolve to keep it perfectly, which is impoffible to be done.

From

From Verfes 14. 15. OBSERVE, I. Tho' many are ready to fhelter themfelves under their ignorance, and to think that because they have not the means of knowledge which others have, therefore they fhall be excused; yet in that day of reckoning this fhall be found vain and ufelefs: and though by this means they think to rub the fault off themselves on God, yet they will meet with a disappointment: For this is the pretext the Gentiles had, and which the apoftle is here removing, by thewing, That tho' they were ignorant of the written law, as not having it com municated to them, yet that would not avail.

II. When men once imagine to fhelter themfelves under their ignorance, thro' want of the means of knowledge, then tho' every mean whereby the Lord manifefteth any thing of his mind, be of great price, yet they are ready to undervalue, and caft behind their back, any ferious confideration of fuch means, and think nothing of them, in comparifon of other means; for the Gentiles, tho' they had the law of nature, (a mean whereby God manifefteth fomething of his mind) yet that is quite out of mind now, when they think to fecure themfelves from wrath, under the pretext of ignorance, through the want of a written law.

III. Befide the law of Mofes, written on tables of stone, whereby the Lord did communicate his mind, touching mens carriage, in a more full, diftinct, and clear manner, to the people of the Jews, than before to other people and tongues, there is a law of nature, common both to Jews and Gentiles, whereby the Lord revealeth his mind, in fome measure, lefs or more; for it is faid, that by nature they did thofe things contained in the law.

IV. This light of nature, tho' it be but din, fhall be a fufficient ground of conviction of guilt, even in those who never heard of the moral law, in the day that God fhall reckon with them; and tho'

they never had the law written by Mofes, directing their walk, as a rule, yet they fhall be found not to have been altogether without a law, having had the light of na ture to direct them fome manner of way: for upon this ground the apostle looseth the fcruple of the Gentiles, who might expect exemption, because they had not the written law of Mofes, by saying, That they had the law of nature for a law, and thereby became a law unto themselves.

V. This light and law of nature, tho it be not fo clear, fo full, nor fo exact as the written law, and doth not hold forth the mind of God fo diftinctly as that doth; yet it agreeth with the moral law in fubftantials which it holdeth forth, fo as men, following the direction thereof, may do many things for fubftance (tho' not well, neither as to the principle from which, nor end to which) conform to the moral law; for it is faid, the Gentiles did by nature the things contained in the law.

VI. As other laws whereby God revealeth his mind to people, have a power and office to direct men to know God's mind, and to command them to obedience; so this light of nature in all men and women, hath this efficacy and power, to clear and hold forth what is wrong, what right; what is honeft, what difhoneft, &c. and therefore it is faid to have a work or office, the work of the law.

VII. The efficacy and influence of this law upon folks carriage, in directing them, and conftraining them to obedience, is a thing that can hardly be rooted out of the heart of the natural man, however he may do much to weaken its power, by making a trade of fin; therefore it is laid to be written in their heart, they fhew the work of the law written in their hearts.

VIII. This efficacy of the light of nature, as a law, is clear and manifeft by the carriage of mere natural men, and Hea thens, without all knowledge of the written law, enacting laws for virtue, and against vice, rewarding well-doers, and pu

ni:hing

nishing evil-doers; and by the practice of men, according to the common natural grounds of equity and juftice; for their doing the things contained in the law, and becoming a law unto themfelves, did evidence the work of the law written in their hearts.

IX. The Lord hath endowed every man, whether, meerly natural or chriftian, Jew or Gentile, with a confcience, to the end he may be acknowledged fovereign Lord and Ruler over all mankind, and may not leave rational creatures as beafts, but under his deputy and viceroy, which may put to duty, after it hath been held forth, and scar from vice; and may have fomething within themselves that may concur with him, in judging and fentencing them for their iniquities; for thefe Gentiles are faid to have a confcience, or a power (or fomething of that kind) in a man's foul, deputed by the great God, as his vicegerent, acting for God according as it receiveth inftruction and orders from him, taking knowledge of things together with God's knowledge; fomething befide a man's felf, taking notice both of God's law, and of the man's carriage, compared therewith.

X. Tho' the very name of confcience doth imply knowledge and light, (as being one knowledge with another or anothers) and tho' it be grounded upon knowledge as to its regular actings, (fo as if the mind be not clearly and distinctly informed, the confcience must accordingly mifcarry in its office) yet it is not one and the felf-fame thing with a man's light and understanding, but fome power, faculty, or act in the foul, diftinct from that illumination and light in the mind and understanding; for befide the light which they had whereby they knew what was right, and what was wrong, and fo became a law unto themfelves; they had a confcience (diftinct) bearing witness.

XI. This confcience within every man is particularly acquainted with, and taketh

notice of, the man's commiffions or omiffions, and is privy unto all his carriage, as his thoughts, words, and actions; and can bear witnefs and give true teftimony of them, whether done or omitted, and whether done in a right manner, and completely, or not therefore it is faid to bear them witness. Whatever they did, of whatever nature, confcience had fomething to fay of it, and a teftimony to give of it, viz. whether it was right or wrong, well or ill done, both as to the matter, and as to the form.

XII. This vicegerent of God is not only a witness of all our actions whatsoever, but also is diversely commoved and affected, according as the actions which it knoweth, and beareth witnefs unto, are good or evil; and fo fideth with God and his law, and acteth under him, and is not still in one and the fame pofture, but exchangeth its difpofition according unto the change in mens actions: therefore it is faid fometimes to accufe a man, fometimes to apologize and speak for a man, and take his defence, fometimes to befriend him, and fometimes not, it accufeth or excufeth, at diverfe occafions.

XIII. This deputy can moreover act God's part as Judge, and fo as under-judge in name of its Mafter; and by virtue of power and authority from him, can fet itfelf upon the bench, and give out fentence of abfolution or condemnation, according as the man, or his particular actions, are conformable unto the law of the Lord, or not; and fo it can reach the man and effect him, as his actions are good or bad; for it accufeth and excufeth the man, and this in order to a sentence.

XIV. All these actings of confcience in reference to mens carriage, in particular, or estate in general, abfolving or condemning, approving or difapproving, accufing or excufing, or the like, are not blind acts, but flowing from reafon, and conscience walking according to its warrant the word of God, and right information

laying down the law of the Lord as the rule, and examining impartially the man's actions, whether they be conform unto the law, or not; and fo comparing them to it, and accordingly concluding of the man, or his actions; and thus it proceedeth according to right reafon: and therefore it is faid, their thoughts, or ratiocinations, did accufe or excufe, that is, their confciences did accufe or excufe, by fuch thoughts as are made by reasoning and difceptation, according to the judgment of equity and reafon; fuch thoughts as flow from counfel and deliberation, which fometimes the word rendered thoughts fignifieth.

XV. It is but folly for people to pretend ignorance of God's mind, and think thereby to escape judgment at God's hand, when they have a confcience within them bearing them witness, and accufing or excufing; for where-ever this confcience, thus acting, is, there, of neceflity, muft be a law, unto which actions must be confidered as confonant, or diffonant, and a law known; for otherways the confcience would not bear witnefs, or teftify, that a man's actions were conform or not conform unto the law, and fo could not accufe or excufe: for this is the force of the next argument of Paul's; they wanted not a law, because they had a confcience bearing them witness, and accufing or excufing.

From Verse 16th OBSERVE,

I. It will be very ufeful and advantageous both for one and other, to be ferions and often upon the thoughts of the great day of judgment; and it is the duty both of the godly and wicked to be of tener thinking upon this day: therefore doth the apostle fo often make mention of it in writing to thefe Romans.

II. Howbeit many fhould conclude in their minds with thofe fcoffers mentioned by Peter, 2 Epift. iii. 3. 4. that because all things continue as they were fince the

creation, therefore this day of judgment will not come; yet let wicked men put this day as far off as they please, there is a certain day to come, a day, tho' unknown to man, yet certain and determined by God: Acts xvii. 31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteoufnefs, by that man whom he hath ordained.---- See 2 Pet. ii. 9.

III. At that day, tho' now wicked folk commit many acts of iniquity in the dark, which cannot be made known to men on earth, and fo efcape punishment at the hands of men, and they lurk all that time in the dark, and are not difcovered to be what they are, and let their hearts and thoughts feed on many unlawful things, which others fee not, and therefore give out themfelves to be what they are not; yet all those shall be made plain and visible; all their intentions and projects which never have been difcovered; all their hypocrifies which have been masked with fair colours; and all their actions, which have been committed in fecret, fhall then.appear in open view: And as the fecret pranks of the wicked fhall be made known at that day; fo fhall also the secret, unfeen fincerity and ftreightnefs of heart of the fufpected feekers of God, and all their good actions done in fecret, and not to be feen of men, be openly declared, and they rewarded openly therefore; Matth. vi. 4. 18. That thine alms may be in fecret: and thy Father which feeth in fecret, himself fhall reward thee openly. That thou appear not unto men to falt, but unto thy Father which is in fecret: and thy Father which feeth in fecret, fhall reward thee openly. For it is a day in which the fecrets of men fhall be judged: See 1 Cor. iv. 5. Ecclef. xx. 14.

IV. Tho' carnal men may now tush at all this, and think it impoffible that all that ever breathed fhall appear before God; and that every one, even the leaft, of their finful acts, committed in fecret, fhall be taken notice of, and they judged I

accord