Rome. He seizes this opportunity, and gradually proceeds to recommend this contribution, that he might excite the Romans, by hints, to imitate the conduct of their Achaian and Macedonian brethren. For, although he does not openly request the Romans to make a collection, yet, by stating that it was the bounden duty of Macedonia and Achaia to adopt the course, which, on this occasion, they had observed, he gently intimates the same duty to be required of the Romans, since they were in circumstances precisely similar. His open confession to the Corinthians proves this to have been his object, where (2 Cor. ix. 2) he states, "I boast of you to them of Macedonia, and Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal hath provoked very many." It was, indeed, an instance of rare piety, that the Greeks, on hearing of the poverty of their Christian brethren at Jerusalem, did not consider the great distance by which they were separated from them ; but, in consequence of their union by the bond of faith, they regarded Zion as not too far removed from Corinth, and relieved the indigence of the believers in that city out of their own abundance. The word contribution, or communication, is very properly used, for it very well expresses the affection and feeling with which we ought to assist the poverty of our brethren, on account of the common, mutual, and reciprocal relation, arising from the unity which exists among the members of the body of the church. Because the Greek pronoun, which means a certain contribution, is often redundant, and does not add to the emphasis of the passage, I have entirely omitted it in my version. I have translated the Greek participle, which signifies ministering, by the verb to minister, since it seemed to express more properly the meaning of Paul; for he assigns, as an excuse for not hastening immediately his journey to

Rome, the just and useful business of supplying the want of the saints, in which he was then engaged.

And their debtors they are-Every reader must feel convinced, that the obligation here mentioned applies as strongly to the Romans as the Corinthians; for the former people were as deeply indebted to the Jews, as the Macedonians, or inhabitants of Corinth. Paul assigns, also, the cause of the obligation, which was the receiving of the gospel from the Jews, and derives his argument from the less to the greater. He uses this reasoning, 1 Cor. ix. 11: "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" which are immensely much more vile and contemptible than the blessings of the gospel. Paul shows the value of the kingdom of heaven by declaring the heathens to be debtors, not only to the ministers and servants of divine truth, but to the whole Jewish nation, from whom these ministers had been descended. The Greek word, here translated minister, signifies, to perform the duty assigned by the state, and to undergo the burdens of the calling determined by Providence. On some occasions, also, it is referred to the performance of sacred duties. Paul, I have no doubt, meant, by this term, a kind of sacrifice to be offered by believers, when they supplied the necessities and poverty of their indigent brethren out of their own substance. For the duty of love, which they owe, is paid in such a manner as to be offered at the same time as a sacrifice of sweet-smelling savour to Jehovah, the King of glory. Paul, however, had a peculiar regard, in this passage, to the mutual satisfaction and recompence, which could be claimed as a just debt by the Jews from the heathens, on account of the spiritual` blessings flowing to the latter from the former, who ought to repay them by temporal comforts.

When I have sealed to them this fruit—I think Paul here made an allusion to the custom of the ancients, who secured and shut up by the seal of a signet their valuable treasures. Paul thus commends his fidelity and integrity, and declares he will be as faithful a keeper of the money intrusted to his hands as if he carried it under a seal. Fruit indicates the yearly profit and revenue accruing to the Jews, as Paul had just mentioned, from the sowing of the gospel; just as the field, properly cultivated, supports the husbandman by the fruit which it yields.

And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness-These expressions admit of two explanations. The first sense is, that he would find an abundant fruit of the gospel at Rome; for good works, the fruit of faith, form the great blessing of the gospel, since I am by no means satisfied with the interpretation which limits the meaning of this expression to alms-giving. The second explanation follows: "Paul, for the purpose of making the Romans more earnest in wishing for his arrival, expresses a hope, that he would not be unfruitful, since a great increase of the gospel, here called the fulness of the blessing, or by a Hebraism full blessing, and which means the prosperous success and enlargement of the divine kingdom, would be the consequence of his exertions. This blessing depended partly upon Paul's ministry, and partly upon the faith of the Romans. He promises, therefore, that he would not visit them in vain, since he would not uselessly throw away among them the grace which he had received, but lay it out to a good purpose, on account of the alacrity with which they were prepared to receive the gospel." The former interpretation is more commonly received, and more completely meets my approbation, "that Paul, on his arrival, expected he would have his most earnest desires gratified by

finding the gospel flourishing and prospering among them with distinguished success, by the great holiness of their lives, and their excellence in every kind of virtue. He assigns, as a cause of his desire, the uncommon joy which he expected to derive from an interview with believers, whom he would behold abounding in all the spiritual riches of the everlasting gospel."

30 Now, I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; 31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; 32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Now I beseech you-Very many passages prove the malignant and spiteful grudge entertained against Paul by his own nation, on account of the false complaints and calumnies raised to ruin his character, as if he taught the forsaking of Moses and of the law. Paul knew how easily the greatest innocence may be oppressed by unfounded accusations, particularly among those who are hurried off by inconsiderate and blind zeal. The witnessing of the Spirit, mentioned Acts xx. 23, occasionally forewarned him "that bonds and afflictions abode him at Jerusalem." His trouble increased, therefore, with the extent of the danger to which he saw he was exposed. Hence proceeded his very great anxiety in commending his own safety to the various churches; nor need we be surprised at his

solicitude on account of his own life, since he knew its loss would be accompanied with so great a danger to the church. Paul testifies what trouble and care distressed his pious breast: what vehemence also appears in his calling God to witness, while to the name of the Lord he adds the love of the Spirit, by which the saints ought mutually to embrace each other. He ceases not, however, in the midst of so much fear and trembling, to pursue an onward course; nor is he so afraid of danger, as not to be willingly prepared to undergo it; but he furnishes himself with divine remedies. He summons to his assistance the aid of the church, that, by their prayers, he may receive comfort, according to the Lord's promise, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them;" (Matt. xviii. 20;) and again, “I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. xviii. 19.) And he beseeches them by Christ and the love of the Spirit, that none might imagine what he commended them to do was slight or trifling. That is called the love of the Spirit, in which we are united by Christ, because it is not of the flesh, nor of the world, but proceeds from his Spirit, which is the bond of our unity. Since, therefore, to be assisted by the prayers of the faithful is so great a divine blessing that even Paul himself, that most chosen instrument of God, did not think of neglecting it, what sloth and indolence is it on our part, who are misery, vileness, and nothingness itself, to despise this powerful means of obtaining the smiles of Omnipotence. It is the height of impudence to take this passage as an occasion and handle for supporting the doctrine of the intercession of dead saints. That ye strive together with me-The version, by Erasmus, to