24 for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut off from the natural wild olive tree, and grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive 25 tree? Brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that hardness is in part happened to Israel, till the fulness 26 of the gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, * The deliverer shall come out of Sion, and 27 shall turn away iniquity from Jacob: And this is my cove28 nant with them, when I shall take away their sins. With regard to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as for the election, they are beloved, for the sake of their 29 fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are without 30 repentance. As then ye were once disobedient to God, but 31 have now obtained mercy through their disobedience: So these also have now been disobedient, that through your 32 mercy they may likewise find mercy. For God hath shut up all together in disobedience, that he might have mercy * Isaiah lix. 20. Verse 24. Contrary to nature-For according to nature, we graft the fruitful branch into the wild stock; but here the wild branch is grafted into the fruitful stock. Verse 25. St. Paul calls any truth known but to a few, a mystery. Such had been the calling of the gentiles: such was now the conversion of the Jews. Lest ye should be wise in your own conceits-Puffed up with your present advantages; dreaming that ye are the only church; or that the church of Rome cannot fail. Hardness in part is happened to Israel, till-Israel therefore is neither totally nor finally rejected. The fulness of the gentiles be come in-Till there be a vast harvest amongst the heathens. Verse 26. And so all Israel shall be saved-Being convinced by the coming of the gentiles. But there will be a still larger harvest among the gentiles, when all Israel is come in. The deliverer shall come-Yea, the deliverer is come; but not the full fruit of his coming. Verse 28. They are now enemies-To the gospel, to God, and to themselves, which God permits. For your sake: but as for the election-That part of them who believe, they are beloved. Verse 29. For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance— God does not repent of his gifts to the Jews, or his calling of the gentiles. Verse 32. For God hath shut up all together in disobedience-Suffering each in their turn to revolt from him. First, God suffered the gentiles in the early age to revolt, and took the family of Abraham as a peculiar seed to himself. Afterwards he permitted them to fall through unbelief, 33 upon all. O the depth of the riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and 34 his ways past tracing out! For who hath known the 35 mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Who hath first given to him, and it shall be repaid him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen. CHAP. XII. 1 I exhort you therefore, brethren, by the tender mercies of God, to present your bodies unto God, a * Isaiah xl. 13. and took in the believing gentiles. And he did even this to provoke the Jews to jealousy, and so bring them also in the end to faith. This was truly a mystery in the divine conduct, which the apostle adores with such holy astonishment. Verse 33. O the depth of the riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God— In the ninth chapter, St. Paul had sailed but in a narrow sea: now he is in the ocean. The depth of the riches is described, verse 35; the depth of wisdom, verse 34; the depth of knowledge, in the latter part of this verse. Wisdom directs all things to the best end; knowledge sees that end. How unsearchable are his judgments—With regard to unbelievers. His ways-With regard to believers. His ways are more upon a level; his judgments a great deep." But even his ways we cannot trace. 66 Verse 34. Who hath known the mind of the Lord-Before or any farther than he has revealed it. Verse 35. Given to him-Either wisdom or power? Verse 36. Of him—As the Creator. Through him-As the Preserver. To him-As the ultimate end, are all things. To him be the glory of his riches, wisdom, knowledge. Amen-A concluding word, in which the affection of the apostle, when it is come to the height, shuts up all. Verse 1. I exhort you-St. Paul uses to suit his exhortations to the doctrines he has been delivering. So here the general use from the whole is contained in the first and second verses. The particular uses follow, from the third verse to the end of the Epistle. By the tender mercies of God-The whole sentiment is derived from Rom. i.-v. The expression itself is particularly opposed to "the wrath of God," Rom. i. 18. It has a reference here to the entire gospel, to the whole economy of grace or mercy, delivering us from "the wrath of God," and exciting us to all duty. To present-So Rom. vi. 13; xvi. 19; now actually to exhibit before God. Your bodies-That is, yourselves; a part is put for the whole; the rather, as in the ancient sacrifices of beasts, the body was the whole. These also are particularly named in opposition to that vile abuse of their bodies mentioned, Rom. i. 24. Several expressions follow, which have likewise a direct reference to other expressions in the saine chapter. A sacrifice-Dead to sin, and living-By that life which is living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, which is your reasonable 2 service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will 3 of God. And I say through the grace which is given to me, to every one that is among you, not to think of himself above what he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as 4 God hath distributed to every one the measure of faith. For as in one body we have many members, and all members have 5 not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in 6 Christ, and every one members of each other. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us, whether it be prophecy, let us prophesy according to the analogy mentioned, Rom. i. 17 ; vi. 4, &c. Holy-Such as the holy law requires, Rom. vii. 12. Acceptable-Rom. viii. 8. Which is your reasonable service -The worship of the heathens was utterly unreasonable, Rom. i. 18, &c; so was the glorying of the Jews, Rom. ii. 3, &c. But a Christian acts in all things by the highest reason, from the mercy of God inferring his own duty. Verse 2. And be not conformed-Neither in judgment, spirit, nor behaviour. To this world-Which, neglecting the will of God, entirely follows its own. That ye may prove-Know by sure trial; which is easily done by him who has thus presented himself to God. What is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God-The will of God is here to be understood of all the preceptive part of Christianity, which is in itself so excellently good, so acceptable to God, and so perfective of our natures. Verse 3. And I say-He now proceeds to show what that will of God is. Through the grace which is given to me-He modestly adds this, lest he should seem to forget his own direction. To every one that is among you-Believers at Rome. Happy, had they always remembered this! The measure of faith-Treated of in the first and following chapters, from which all other gifts and graces flow. Verse 5. So we —All believers. Are one body-Closely connected together in Christ, and consequently ought to be helpful to each other. Verse 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace which is given us-Gifts are various: grace is one. Whether it be prophecy-This, considered as an extraordinary gift, is that whereby heavenly mysteries are declared to men, or things to come foretold. But it seems here to mean the ordinary gift of expounding scripture. Let us prophesy according to the analogy of faith-St. Peter expresses it, "as the oracles of God;" according to the general tenor of them; according to that grand scheme of doctrine which is delivered therein, touching original sin, justification by faith, and present, inward salvation. There is a wonderful analogy between all these; and a close and intimate connexion between the chief heads of that faith "which was once delivered to the saints." Every 7 of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he 8 that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that imparteth, let him do it with simplicity; he that presideth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is 10 evil; cleave to that which is good. In brotherly love be full of tender affection toward each other; in honour pre11 ferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in 12 spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoice in hope; be patient in 13 tribulation; continue instant in prayer; Communicate to 14 the necessities of the saints; pursue hospitality. Bless them 15 who persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with mined by this rule; every doubtful scripture interpreted according to the grand truths which run through the whole. Verse 7. Ministering-As deacons. He that teacheth—Catechumens ; for whom particular instructers were appointed. He that exhorteth— Whose peculiar business it was to urge Christians to duty, and to comfort them in trials. Verse 8. He that presideth-That hath the care of a flock. He that showeth mercy-In any instance. With cheerfulness-Rejoicing that he hath such an opportunity. Verse 9. Having spoken of faith and its fruit, verses 3, &c., he comes now to love. The ninth, tenth, and eleventh verses refer to chapter the seventh; the twelfth verse to chapter the eighth; the thirteenth verse, of communicating to the saints, whether Jews or gentiles, to chapter the ninth, &c. Part of the sixteenth verse is repeated from chap. xi. 25. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good-Both inwardly and outwardly, whatever ill-will or danger may follow. Verse 10. In honour preferring one another-Which you will do, if you habitually consider what is good in others, and what is evil in yourselves. Verse 11. Whatsoever ye do, do it with your might. In every business diligently and fervently serving the Lord-Doing all to God, not to man. Verse 12. Rejoicing in hope-Of perfect holiness and everlasting happiness. Hitherto of faith and love; now of hope also, see the fifth and eighth chapters; afterwards of duties toward others; saints, verse 13; persecutors, verse 14; friends, strangers, enemies, verses 15, &c. Verse 13. Communicate to the necessities of the saints—Relieve all Christians that are in want. It is remarkable, that the apostle, treating expressly of the duties flowing from the communion of saints, yet never says one word about the dead. Pursue hospitality—Not only embracing those that offer, but seeking opportunities to exercise it. Verse 14. Curse not-No, not in your heart. Verse 15. Rejoice-The direct opposite to weeping is laughter; but this does not so well suit a Christian. 16 them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Agree in the same affection toward each other. Mind not high, but condescend to low, things. Be not wise in your own 17 conceit. Render to no man evil for evil. Provide things 18 honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much 19 as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, revenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath for it is written, * Vengeance is mine; I will repay, 20 saith the Lord. Therefore if thy enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt 21 heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. CHAP. XIII. 1 Let every soul be subject to the supreme powers. For there is no power but from God: * Deut. xxxii. 35. + Prov. xxv. 21, &c. Verse 16. Mind not high things-Desire not riches, honour, or the company of the great. Verse 17. Provide-Think beforehand; contrive to give as little offence as may be to any. Verse 19. Dearly beloved-So he softens the rugged spirit. Revenge not yourselves, but leave that to God. Perhaps it might more properly be rendered, leave room for wrath; that is, the wrath of God, to whom vengeance properly belongs. Verse 20. Feed him-With your own hand: if it be needful, even put bread into his mouth. Heap coals of fire upon his head-That part which is most sensible. "So artists melt the sullen ore of lead, By heaping coals of fire upon its head; In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow, Verse 21. And if you see no present fruit, yet persevere. Be not overcome with evil-As all are who avenge themselves. But overcome evil with good. Conquer your enemies by kindness and patience. Verse 1. St. Paul, writing to the Romans, whose city was the seat of the empire, speaks largely of obedience to magistrates: and this was also, in effect, a public apology for the Christian religion. Let every soul be subject to the supreme powers—An admonition peculiarly needful for the Jews. Power, in the singular number, is the supreme authority; powers, are they who are invested with it. That is more readily acknowledged to be from God than these. The apostle affirms it of both. They |