certainly shall all men, and the secrets of || all mens' hearts, be judged by Jesus Christ. But was it not a presumption in St. Paul, to call the gospel his gospel? Answer, He means that he was the publisher, not the author of it; it was God's in respect of authority, St. Paul's in respect of ministry. It was God's in respect of revelation; his only in respect of dispensation.

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God. 18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law:

ters of religion, conceiting, That thou hast the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law: that is, such a method and measure of divine knowledge as may enable thee to instruct others, whether Gentiles or Jews, which never reached to thy attainments." These external privileges the presumptuous Jew rested upon, and thought them sufficient to salvation, though he lived loosely, and his practice gave his profession the lie. Hence learn, 1. That of and puffed up with church privileges, persons are exceedingly prone to be proud glorying in the letter of the law, whilst neither in heart nor life they are conformed to the spirituality of the law. Learn, 2. That gifts, duties, and supposed graces, rest upon, and repose their trust and conare the stay and staff which hypocrites fidence in: Thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law; that is, in the outward profession of the law, or in an external obedience to the law; the apostle speaks of this their resting in the law, not barely by way of narration, but by way of reproof, telling us not only what they did, but how ill they did in so doing. The duties which Christ has appointed, are the rest and trust of the hypocrites; but Christ himself is the trust and rest of the upright; they desire to be ever acting graces, never trusting to them; to be much in duty, and yet much above duty; much in it in point of performance; much above it in regard of dependence.

21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest, A man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest, A man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Here the apostle proceeds in his former argument; namely, to prove that the Jews could no more rationally expect to be justified before God by the law of Moses, than the Gentiles by the law of nature: the apostle allows them all their privileges which they so much doted upon, boasted of, and gloried in; but withal, assures them, that these, all these, yea, more than these, were insufficient to justify them before God. As if the apostle had said, "Thou bearest thyself mightily upon this, that thou art called a Jew, that is, a professor of the true religion, and a worshipper of the true God; thou restest in the law, that is, either in the divineness and perfection of it, or in thy external obedience to it, and in the outward performances of it: thou makest thy boast of God, as a God in covenant with thee above all the nations of the earth; and thou knowest his will, having his word and law in thy hands, the oracles of God committed to thee, and the writings of Moses and the prophets alone found with thee; and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; that is, thou thinkest that thou hast such a degree of knowledge of God's word and will, The apostle proceeds to the end of this that thou canst clearly discern between chapter to convince the Jews, that they sin and duty, and compare one duty with were equally in a sinful and wretched conanother, preferring that which is most ex-dition with the despised Gentiles, and therecellent: And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light to them that are in darkness; that is, thou hast a strong conceit that such are the measures of thy knowledge, that thou art able to be a guide to the blind Gentiles, who sit in darkness, and to be a teacher of babes: that is, such as have little or no knowledge in the mat

fore stood in need of Jesus Christ to justify them by his grace as well as they. And because the Jews were so exceedingly apt to dote upon, and rest in, their external privileges, he did in the foregoing verses recount and reckon up the several privileges which they enjoyed; Thou art called Jew, thou makest thy boast of God, &c. But

now, in the verses before us, he takes oc- || others, as with those that have blasphemed casion to aggravate their sins committed, his name, wounded his glory, trampled upon from their high privileges and preroga- his honour, and caused his holy ways to tives enjoyed, because they sinned against be evil spoken of, by reason of their wicklight and knowledge, against the convic- ed and unholy lives. Lord, let all that tions of their own consciences, and con- administer unto thee in holy things contradicted the dictates of their minds, as sider, that they have not only their own the Gentiles did; but besides all that, re- sins to account for, but also the sins of belled against the precepts of the written their people, if committed by their profliword, which was all in their hands. The gate example. law of Moses was near in their mouths, but far from their reins; for thus the apostle expostulates the case with them: Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself Thou that undertakest to be a teacher of, and a guide unto, the ignorant and blind Gentiles, wilt thou not practise thine own

instructions; but condemn thyself out of thine own mouth? 66 Wilt thou, O Jew! (as if the apostle had said) be guilty of theft, adultery, sacrilege, rapine, and murder, sins which the very heathens condemn, and all this while call yourselves the only people of God? Verily, the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Jews, who pretend to be the favourites of heaven, whilst you do the works of hell." Learn hence, 1. That it is much easier to instruct and teach others, than to be instructed and receive instruction ourselves. Learn, 2. That it is both sinful and shameful to teach others the right way, and to go in the wrong ourselves. It is a double fault in a private person, when his actions run cross to his profession; but it is an inexcusable, if not an unpardonable fault, in a teacher, when the crimes which he condemns in others may be justly charged upon himself: Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Learn, 3. That the name of God suffers much, very much, yea, by none so much as those who preach and press the duties of Christianity upon others, but practise them not themselves. The name of the Lord is blasphemed by such preachers, the wicked profane world taking occasion from thence to wound the name of God with the poisoned arrows and darts of reproach. The sins of teachers are teaching sins. True, sin strictly speaking cannot injure the name and glory of God. He is above the reach of any mischief that sin can do him: his essential glory is perfect, and can neither be increased nor diminished by the creatures: God can no more be hurt by our sins, than the sun can be hurt by throwing stones into the air, or the moon hurt by the barking of dogs. But his manifestative glory, or the present manifestations of his glory, these are clouded and eclipsed by sin; and therefore God will deal with knowing sinners, especially with such as undertake to be teuchers of

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumeision? 27 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?

It is sufficiently known what great stress the Jews laid upon circumcision; they taught, that this alone was enough to procure the favour of God, and to free them from hell; "God having," as they said, « promised Abraham, that if his children transgressed, he would remember the odour of the foreskins, and deliver them for the merit of circumcision:" but all this was a false and vain-glorious bustle. Our apostle, therefore, in the words before us, assures the Jews, that circumcision without holiness of conversation would never free them from condemnation; that a circumcised Jew, who walks not in obedience to the law of God, is in as bad or worse condition than any uncircumcised heathen; yea, the uncircumcision, that is, the uncircumcised person, that keeps the law, shall be accepted of God, as well as if he had been circumcised; and be preferred by God before the circumcised Jew that transgresses the law. The sum is, That the obedient Gentile shall condemn the disobedient Jew, and be sooner accept||ed by God, with whom there is no respect of persons, but with respect to their qualifications. That no church privileges, no external prerogatives, nor the highest profession of piety and holiness, without an humble, uniform, and sincere obedience, will be any thing available to salvation. And as then an uncircumcised Gentile found better acceptance with God than any circumcised Jews; even so an unbaptized heathen at the great day will not change place with many baptized Christians. It is a sad, but a certain truth, that the case

eyeing Christ in them, without desiring to derive holiness and sanctification from them; in like manner, multitudes of professors set up their rest in outward duties, and repose a fleshly, carnal confidence in ordinances, without either desiring of, or endeavouring after, any lively communion with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the exercise of faith and love, without any re

of the Pagan world will be much easier || the Jews rested in those externals without in the day of judgment, than others that live and die disobedient under the gospel of Jesus Christ. The heathens have abused but one talent, the light of nature; but we thousands, even as many thousands as we have slighted the tenders of offered grace. Lord! what a fearful aggravation doth it put upon our sin and misery, when we fall from the height of mercy into the depth of misery! We must certainly be account-gard to spiritual warmth in religious duable to thee at the great day, not only for all the light we had, but for all that we might have, had in the gospel-day; and especially for that light we have sinned under and rebelled against.

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh 29 But he is a Jew: which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

CHAP. III.

ties, and being by ordinances rendered more like to the God of the ordinances, which are the most desirable things next to heaven itself. So that I shall conclude the chapter with the same application to Christians now, as the apostle did to the Jews then: "Circumcision," saith the apostle, verily profiteth, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision: for he is not a Jew," &c. In like manner say I. "Baptism verily profiteth, if we which we entered into by baptism: but if perform the conditions of that covenant we do not, our baptism is no baptism; for Here our apostle comes close and home he is not a Christian, who is one outwardto the self-confident Jews, and touches them ly; nor is that baptism which is outward in the most sensible part. It was the hard- in the flesh, but he is a Christian which is est saying that could sound in a Jewish one inwardly; and baptism is that of the ear, to affirm, that circumcision which is out-heart, in the spirit, and not in the water ward in the flesh profiteth nothing; for they only; and such shall have praise, if not so gloried in it, that they accounted it of men, yet of God." equal to the keeping of all the commandments of God. Now our apostle here takes away the very foundation of this their boasting and glorying, by a plain and true distinction. There is, saith he, a Jew outwardly, that only has a badge of circumcision in his flesh. Now he is not a Jew in God's account, who is only so by outward circumcision; neither is that circumcision valuable or available which is only outward in the flesh: but then there is a Jew who is one inwardly; namely, by the purification of his heart from all filthy lusts, evil affections, and sinful dispositions ; and a circumcision of the heart, and in the spirit; that is, a circumcision wrought in us by the Spirit of God, and not barely by the letter of the law: and the praise of this is not of men, who cannot discern the heart, but of God, who is the searcher of the heart, and trier of the reins. Learn hence, That although men are very prone to rest upon church privileges and external performances, as evidences of Divine favour, yet they are no testimonies nor signs of the truth of grace. What circumcision, sacrifices, and the temple, were to the Jews of old, the same are baptism, the Lord's supper, and public assemblies, to professing Christians at this day. And as

Our apostle in this chapter proceeds in his grand design and purpose in writing this epistle namely, To prove all persons, both Jews and Gentiles, to be under sin, and consequently under an impossibility of being justified by works, but only by faith in Christ Jesus. In the former part of the chapter, he answers the objections of the Jews against what he had asserted in the foregoing chapter, and the first objection runs

thus:

WHAT advantage then hath the

Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much every way; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

The sense is this: But you of the Jews will object, and say, "If outward circumcision avails nothing, but the inward circumcision is all in all; and if the uncircumcised person, keeping the law, is to be reckoned as circumcised, what advantage then hath the Jew above the Gentile? or what profit is there of the circumcision above uncircumcision?" He answers it, ver. 2. saying, The advantage is much every way; but chiefly, because unto them were committed the oracles of God: that is, the holy scriptures contained in the Old Testament, the sacraments and seals of the covenant, the

Here follows a second objection: some might say, "True, the Jews had the oracles of God, but some of them never be

prophesies and promises of the Messiah, || not dark, though some places are difficult, and the whole revelation of the word and and that proceeds from the sublimity of the will of God, were then found with them, matter, not from the intention of the writer and in their hands only. Hence learn, 1. 3 For what if some did not believe? Great is that people's privilege and mercy shall their unbelief make the faith of who enjoy the word of God, the audible word in the holy scriptures, the visible God without effect? 4 God forbid: word in the holy sacraments. This en- yea, let God be true, but every man a lighteneth the eyes, rejoiceth the heart, liar; as it is written, That thou might quickeneth the soul. This is compared to est be justified in thy sayings, and gold for profit, to honey for sweetness, to mightest overcome when thou art milk for nourishing, to food for strengthening. O how many souls are blessing judged. God eternally for the benefit and blessing of divine revelation! The Jews had this special favour: to them were committed the oracles of God; that is, the writings of Mo-lieved them, nor gave any credit to the ses and the prophets. But we Christians have a privilege beyond them, the doctrine of Jesus delivered to us by evangelists and apostles; not like the killing letter of the law, but a gospel bringing life and immortality to light. Observe, 2. The title which St. Paul gives to the holy scriptures: he calls them the oracles of God. St. Stephen calls them the lively oracles, Acts vii. 38. partly because delivered by a lively voice from God, partly because they should be to us as oracles; that is, consulted with upon all occasions, for resolving all doubts, determining all controversies. Had the church of Rome consulted these oracles ⚫ more, and councils, &c. less, she had kept the doctrine of faith much freer from corruption than she has done. Observe, lastly, That the original word, here rendered oracles, is the same which profane wretches made use of for the dark and doubtful oracles of the devil: nevertheless, the Holy Ghost doth not disdain, nor decline, to make use of this word, as he doth also several others, though abused to heathenish superstition: which may serve to rectify their mistake, who scruple to make use of words, much more of some things, which have been abused to superstition. Verily there may be superstition in avoiding superstition; and though we cannot be too circumspect in our words and actions, yet we may be too nice and precise in both. Yet note, That though the same word, oya, signifies God's oracles and Satan's, yet these oracles were not delivered in the same manner. Satan delivered his oracles ambiguously and doubtfully, keeping his dark and blind votaries as much as might be in the dark; what he said might bear several constructions, that so whatever the event or issue proved to be, he, the father of lies, might have the reputation of speaking truth: but God's oracles are plain and clear, free from ambiguity and darkness; the scriptures are

promise of the Messias contained in them; therefore they had no advantage by them." Be it so, saith the apostle; yet shall the unbelief of some make the faith or fidelity of God in his promises of no effect to others? God forbid that such a thought should enter into our hearts; but on the contrary, let God be acknowledged true and faithful to his word, though all men should prove liars. Learn thence, 1. That man's infidelity cannot shake the stability of God's word, whether we believe the fidelity of the promises, or assent to the veracity of God in his threatenings, or not; his word standeth fast for ever. The promise shall be fulfilled, the threatening executed; only with this difference, we cannot personally find the comfort of the promise without faith, but we shall experimentally feel the terror of the threatening, whether we believe it or no. Learn, 2. The wonderful, condescending grace of God toward those who have any measure of true faith, though with great mixtures of unbelief. O how faithful is God to us (if in truth believers) in the midst of our unfaithfulness to him! the unbelief of men shall not make the fidelity or faith of God of no effect. Learn, 3. That as God is a God of truth, so all men are false and liars, compared with God. As God cannot lie, neither deceive, nor be deceived, so every man is fallible and false; that is, under possibility of deceiving and being deceived: Let God be true, but every man a liar. Learn, 4. That a good man under afflictions is very careful to justify and clear God from dealing unjustly with him in any of his several dispensations towards him. The apostle here quotes Psalm li. 4. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and clear when thou art judged. As if David had said, "I know the men of the world, when they see me afflicted, will be ready to judge hardly of God for it; therefore, to stop their mouths, to clear the justice of God,

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