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of light and knowledge afforded in each particular :

ii. 11, 12. » γαρ ετι προσωποληψια, &c.

"For there is no respect of persons with God: for as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law."

1. Then, in opposition to the former prejudice, he lays down this principle, of God's final dealing with mankind:

ii. 13. 8 yap

οι

ακροαται το νόμο δικαιοι, &c.

"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."

THE effect of which principle is, on the one hand, to shew, contrary to the Jewish prejudice, that the Gentile may be accepted with God, notwithstanding his want of Moses' law for by honestly walking according to the dictates of his

conscience, he shews sufficiently that he has the substance of the law of God written in his heart, and becomes a law to himself, and as open to the favour of God, as if he had been put in possession of the law of Moses:

ii. 14, 15. όταν γαρ εθνη τα μη νομον έχοντα, &c.

"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law; these having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another :"

AND, on the other hand, to shew, ver. 17-24, that the Jew would not be at all benefited by the mere possession and knowledge of the Law; but, on the contrary, inasmuch as he offended against clearer light and fuller conviction, would receive to himself the greater damnation.

2. In opposition to the latter prejudice, he shews, ver. 25, to the end of the Chapter, that

although Circumcision does indeed convey extraordinary advantages, as being the rite of admission to all the privileges of God's peculiar people; (see II. 1, 2; 1x. 4, 5.) yet, that without a corresponding circumcision of the heart, in the mortifying of the evil and corrupt affections, it will, in fact, signify nothing at all in the end: by transgressing the Law, the Jew forfeited his privilege, his circumcision became uncircumcision.

ii. 25. περιτομη μεν γαρ ωφελει, εαν, &c.

"For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the Law; but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision."

Which being the case, it was reasonable to conclude, on the other hand, that if the Gentile kept the law, according to the degree of light vouchsafed to him, his uncircumcision would be imputed for circumcision; he would be accepted of God, and admitted into the number of his chosen people. (See Acts x. 34, 35.)

ii. 26. εαν εν ή ακροβυσία, &c.

"Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision."

So that, upon the whole matter, the Jew had no reason to presume upon his nearness and dearness to God, through the possession of the Law, and the rite of Circumcision; for the despised Gentile, if he walked humbly before God, according to the measure of light dispensed to him, stood far fairer for acceptance, than the presumptuous Jew, who made no other use of the Law, but under the cover of its ritual observances, to skreen his shameful violations of its moral precepts.

ii. 27. και κρίνει ή εκ φύσεως ακροβυσία, &c.

"And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?”

THE presumption, therefore, founded upon these groundless prejudices, being thus removed;

the Jew stood self-convicted, in the gross and scandalous profligacy of his nation.

ii. 24. το γαρ ονομα τι θες, &c.

"For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you."

CHAPTER III.

THE general result of the two deductions (in Chapters I. and II.) concerning the moral and religious state of Gentiles and Jews, is set down in

CHAP. iii. 9. προητιασαμεθα Ιεδαίες τε και Έλληνας,

&c.

"We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin."

Which sentence of general condemnation the Apostle thinks proper to confirm, so far as the Jews were concerned, by passages out of their own scriptures, ver. 10—18.

iii. 19. ἵνα παν ςομα φραγη, &c.

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