WHAT advantage

to other nations; and the available circumcision is that of him who cuts off all superfluities and pollutions which are spiritually, though not literally, meant by the law of circumcision, and so becomes pure in heart, (see note [g] Matt. v.,) who hath that law, of which circumcision was the sign and seal, (the law of purity, or abstinence from those unnatural sins &c.,) printed in his spirit or inner man, his soul (that is, that practises it); not he who hath literally obeyed it, and been circumcised outwardly in the flesh: even he whose praise is not of men,) who see the outside only, and among whom it is counted a great dignity to be a circumcised Jew,) but he who so behaves himself (whether he be a Jew or Gentile) that God may accept of him as a sincere performer of his commands, an obedient servant of his.

CHAP. III.

1. The former two chapters having been chiefly spent then hath the Jew? or on the Gnostics, (those heretics that, leading villainwhat profit is there of circumcision? ous, heathen lives, pretended zeal to the legal Mosaical observances,) in persuading and fortifying others against their pretences, not to be seduced by them to depart from the church, or to condemn the uncircumcised Gentile Christians for not having the carnal circumcision, the apostle now proceeds to the defence of his doctrine (and withal, of that great apostolical practice, so heavily objected against him by the Jews and Judaizers, of preaching to the Gentiles, departing from the unbelieving obstinate Jews, and of that great disposition of God's providence in Christ, the receiving the Gentiles and rejecting the Jews); and that he may vindicate it, he first proposes some vulgar objections against it: as, first, If this which was said ch. ii. 28, 29. be true, (if God reward the cleanness of the heart and inward purity without any discrimination of birth or regard of circumcision, that is, if the Gentiles remaining uncircumcised may be received into the church,) then it may seem that a Jew hath no advantage or privilege or prerogative above the Gentiles, no benefit of the promises made to Abraham when he was appointed to be circumcised, he and all his seed. But all this is thus answered:

1

2 Much every way: [a] chiefly, because that 2unto them were

2. That, this notwithstanding, the advantages of the Jews have been in many respects very great; for,

1 as first. 2 they were intrusted with, émiσTEÚDNσAV.

committed the ora- first, this is one advantage that they have had above cles of God. the Gentiles, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God, that is, received all the revelations of his will, the law, (which, ch. ii, the Jew so much boasted in,) and also the prophecies, as the people with whom God thought fit to deposit all these for the benefit of the whole world.

God without effect?

3 For what if some 3, 4. Which certainly, though many Jews dealt 3 did not believe? unfaithfully in that trust of theirs, heeded them not shall their unbelief so far themselves as to perform obedience to them, or 'make the faith of to render themselves capable of the benefit of them, 4 God forbid: yea, were nevertheless real exhibitions of God's mercy, let God be true, but evidences of his favour, and so performances of God's every man a liar; as promises (see 2 Tim. ii. 13.) sealed to Abraham at his it is written, That circumcision, as also trusts of God, (so Theophylact thou mightest be jus- renders it,) God's committing or intrusting his oracles tified in thy sayings, and mightest over- to them, ver. 2, and special favours to that people of the come when thou art Jews above what was afforded others; there being no [b] judged.

5 But if our un

appearance of reason that any default of ours, upon which the promises (being conditional) cease to belong to us, should be charged on God, as if his promises had not been made good unto us. For whatsoever falseness or unfaithfulness there may be in man, it were sure blasphemy to think there should be any in God; he is most faithful in performing what he hath promised, although every man should be unfaithful, and fail to perform his duty in making use of it; nay, the greater and more provoking the sins of men are, the more illustrious is his fidelity in making good his part toward those that are so unworthy, according to that scripture, Psalm li. 4, to this sense spoken of God by David, That thou mayest be justified &c., that is, That thou mayest appear just and faithful in performing all thou sayest, and overcome whensoever thou art impleaded or questioned by any.

5. But here it will be objected, If God's way of righteousness com- gracious economy under the gospel (see note [b] ch. i.) mend the righteousness of God, 6 what may be thus set out, and more illustriously seen by shall we say? 7 Is the sins of men, why should God then thus punish God unrighteous the Jews (as the apostles say he will, every where who taketh venge- foretelling their approaching destruction) for these ance? (I speak as sins of theirs, which thus tend to his glory? (I recite a man) the objection of some men;) or if he do, is it not injustice in him to do so?

8

3 Or, obeyed not: for the King's MS. reads, hei@noav. 4 make void the fidelity of God? τὴν πίστιν τοῦ Θεοῦ καταργήσει; 5 contendest. 6 what say we? тl èpoûμev; 7 Is

not God unjust ? μὴ ἄδικος ὁ Θεός ;

8 according to man, κατὰ ἄνθρωπον.

6 God forbid for 6. God forbid that we should say any thing on then how shall God which this may be inferred, for that were to deny him judge the world?

7

For if the truth

sinner?

9

to be God, who, as such, is judge of all the world. (This seems to be here inserted by way of parenthesis, as a note or expression of aversation and detestation of any such blasphemous inference, after which he again proceeds in the proposed objection, ver. 7, repeating it again in other words, which therefore must connect with ver. 5. and cannot be the reason of what is said here in this verse.)

7, 8. For, say they, if the faithfulness and merciof God hath more fulness of God in performing his promises to Abraabounded through ham, that is, of giving the Messias, hath appeared my [c] lie unto his glory; why yet am more abundantly, and hath tended more to his glory, I also judged as a by or through occasion of the Jews' sins or infidelities, there will then be no reason why they that are guilty of 8 10 [d] And not such sins, so much tending to God's honour, should rather, (as we be still be impleaded, or complained of, or proceeded slanderously reported, and as some af- with in judgment, arraigned and punished as sinners, firm that we say,) that is, that God should so complain and avenge that Let us do evil, that in the Jews which tends to his honour; but, on the good may come? other side, men might do well to commit such sins whose damnation is from which so much good (or glory to God) might just. come. This indeed by some is thought to be an objection of great force against me, who am falsely accused to have delivered this very saying, in the case of the heathens having the gospel preached to them, viz. that the greatness of the heathen's sins makes God's mercy appear the more illustriously great in vouchsafing to call them by the preaching of the gospel, and that therefore it is lawful to live heathenish sinful lives, by that means the more to illustrate and set out God's mercy to us in pardoning such great sins. But as I shall speak more to that anon, ch. vi. 1, so now, in a word, it is a calumny, a consequence by mistakers falsely laid to my charge, and all that is needful to reply to it at this time is, to express detestation of it, and my opinion, that it is a damnable doctrine in any that should teach it, and such as will render the destruction of those Jews most just who thus object. In opposition to which, I distinctly affirm, that no one sin is to be committed, though it be in order to and in contemplation of the greatest good, even the illustrating the glory of God.

9 am 1 any longer impleaded ? ἔτι κἀγὼ κρίνομαι ;

10 And why should we not &c.

9

11 What then? 9. Some further objection there would be against are we better than what we have said, if indeed the Jews were much they? No, in no wise: for we have before better by having received the law, less sinful, more 12 proved both Jews innocent than the Gentiles; for then it might be said, and Gentiles, that that when the Gentiles are taken in, who were the they are all under greater sinners, and the Jews, who were better than

sin;

IO As it is written,

eous, no, not one:

they, cast off, there were some unequal dealing indeed. But the truth is, we Jews were not better or more innocent than they; but as we have before charged the Jews (as they do the Gentiles) with wilful damnable sinning, so it is most true of them, they were in a very foul course of vices when Christ came, and long before, the far greatest part of them, (where the sinfulness of the Gentiles being supposed by them to whom he writes, and not needing to be proved, but only that of the Jews, he insists on the proof of that only see ver. 19.)

10. This may be confirmed by the several testimoThere is none right- nies of scripture, spoken of the Jews in several texts of the Old Testament, all which were too truly appliable to the Jews at the time of Christ's coming: They are universally depraved to all iniquity, Psalm xiv. 1. II There is none and liii. 1. that understandeth,

seeketh after God.

11. They live almost atheistically, Psalm xiv. 2. there is none that 12. They are apostatized from all piety, so far from 12 They are all gone having done God any faithful service, that they do out of the way, they the quite contrary, Psalm xiv. 3, (see note [h] ch. i. are together become and note [a] Luke xvii,) men of putrid noisome converunprofitable; there sations; and this so generally, that there is not any conis none that doeth siderable number of pious men discernible among them. good, no, not one. 13 [e] Their throat 13. Their talk or discourse (of which throat, is an open sepulchre; tongue, lips are the principal instruments) is most with their tongues murderous and malicious, Psalm v. 9, like the poison they have used de- of asps, incurably mortal, Psalm cxl. 4.

asps is under their

lips:

ceit; the poison of 14. They curse and deceive, Psalm x. 7, speak contumeliously and falsely against their brethren. 14 Whose mouth 15. They are most bloodily disposed, delight, and is full of cursing and are ready to do any injury, Isaiah lix. 7, to wrong [f] bitterness:

15 Their feet are

any

innocent person.

swift to shed blood: 16. Their actions are very oppressive and grievous 16 13 Destruction to others, grinding the face of the poor, and afflicting and misery are in them sadly.

their ways:

17 And the way of

17. But for aught that tends to the good of any, to peace have they not charity or peaceable-mindedness, they know not what belongs to it, Isaiah lix. 8.

known:

11 What therefore? do we excel them? Tí obv; πρоexóμeðα; προῃτιασάμεθα.

13 bruising, ouvтρiμμа.

12 accused, or, charged,

18 There is no fear

18. They have utterly cast off all care or thought

of God before their of piety, Psalm xxxvi. 1.

eyes.

19. Now this we know, that what the books of the 19 Now we know that what things so- Old Testament, the Psalms, and the Prophets, thus ever the law saith, say, they say to and of the Jews, and so by comit saith to them who plaining so much of their universal defection, and are 14 under the law: their all manner of wickedness, they conclude them be stopped, and all (and not only the Gentiles) to be obnoxious to God's the world may be- vengeance, and most justly punishable by him, withcome guilty before out any thing to say for themselves, as they are considered barely under the law, having so visibly sinned against that, and incurred destruction by the rules of it.

God.

20 Therefore by the 20. To conclude then, there is no justification (see deeds of the law there note [b]) to be had for any Jew (that hath been guilty shall no flesh be jus- of any sin) by the legal observances, by circumcision tified in his sight: for by the law is the and the rest of the Mosaical rites, without remission 15 knowledge of sin. of sins, through the grace of God in the new cove

nant. Nor indeed can it be imagined that justification and salvation can be hoped from thence, from whence comes the acknowledgment of our sin and guilt; and such indeed is the law, and such is circumcision particularly, whose nature it is only to oblige us to purity, and to tell us what we should do, and, when we offend, to give us knowledge, and to reproach us of that, and to denounce judgment against us, and appoint sacrifices, (which are only the commemorating of our sins before God, Heb. x. 3, not the expiating of them;) but not to help us to justification, without the mercies of God in the new covenant: (see note [g] Matt. v.)

21 But now the 21, 22. Whereas, on the other side, there is now a righteousness of God sure, clear, new way to bliss, see note [b] ch. i. (to without the law is wit, that which was in the world before, and so doth manifested, being witnessed by the law not depend at all upon the Mosaical law, see note [p] and the prophets; Matt. v.) manifested to men by Christ, but mentioned 22 Even the right- also and obscurely set down in the Old Testament, of God namely, that way of justifying men by faith in Christ, which is by faith of or by that course which is now prescribed us by and upon all them Christ, which way shall belong and extend to all, that believe : for both Jews and Gentiles, (circumcised or uncircumthere is no differ- cised, without any discrimination,) who shall believe

eousness

Jesus Christ unto all

ence:

there is mercy to be had for all true penitents through Christ, and so set themselves to a new life, whatsoever their sins have formerly been.