16 iii. Rom. and the wrath of God against all unrighteousness. ness. SECT. kuk, chap. ii. 4, "The just shall live by is written, The just faith" and as good men were then delivered shall live by faith. from the ruin which involved others, by trusti. 17 ing to and acting upon the Divine declaration; so now the like principle of faith, receiving and embracing this great discovery which God hath made of his mercy in Christ, secures our 18 life and salvation. And as in this view it is 18 For the wrath well worthy of our regard, so there is an abso- of God is revealed lute necessity of its being attended to; for the all ungodliness, and from heaven against wrath of God is revealed from heaven, by many unrighteousness of singular interpositions of Divine providence, men, who hold the and especially by the most express declaration truth in unrighteousof the sacred oracles, which teach us to look on the grand and final revelation of it as nearly approaching. And the terrors of this wrath are apparently levelled against all impiety and unrighteousness of men who wickedly restrain the truth in unrighteousness; when that heavenborn Captive would exert its energy upon their minds, and urge them to obey its dictates. This is, more or less, the generally prevailing character; and it exposes men to a sentence, the terrors of which, if they were well understood, would soon drive them, with the greatest solicitude, to seek their refuge in that gospel, the tidings of which they now so arrogantly despise. 19 The sad character I hinted at above, of restraining and imprisoning the truth in unrightousness, is more general than mankind are 19 Because that As it is written, The just shall live by For the wrath of God is revealed, &c.] faith.] The prophet Habakkuk, speaking Commentators differ much in fixing the of the destruction to come upon Jerusa- connection of these words. Some have lem by the Chaldeans, observes how dif- considered this verse as another reason ferent the behaviour and states of good why he was not ashamed of the gospel; and bad men would be. The sinner's heart because it contained so awakening a dewould be vainly lifted up to his destruction, claration of the wrath of God against sin, while trusting to his own wisdom and and by that means had a most powerful power, (and accordingly prince and peo- tendency to awaken men's consciences, ple became the sacrifices of this foolish and save their souls: in which view, some selfconfidence :) whereas the righteous, the treating the particle yag as an expletive, truly good man, would preserve his life by have rendered it, there the wrath of God is believing the Divine declarations, and act- revealed. And Mr. Locke brings it nearing according to them; and thus under ly to the same, where he explains it as a the gospel, he that believes shall live. reason why Paul was so ready to preach Some would render it, The just by faith the gospel at Rome. But the connection shall live, or he shall live who is justified by hinted in the paraphrase, seems most faith; but however this might suit the rational and natural. The sentences in Greek phrase, it seems less agreeable to the Paul's writings often run into each other. Hebrew, from whence it is taken. The works of creation teach the knowledge of God. which may be known aware. 17 Rom. We find it not only among those who SECT. have enjoyed the benefit of a revelation from iii. God, but in all the Gentile nations. For the main fundamental principles of what is by any i. 19 means to be known of God, that is, that he is the great Original of all is manifest among them, for God hath shewed it to them, by a light uni20 For the invisi- versal as the sun. For those things of him 20 ble things of him which are invisible, are, and have been from the the world are clearly very creation of the world, not only intimated, seen, being under but being duly attended to, clearly seen by the stood by the things things which are made; the whole system of that are made, even which bears such eminent signatures of the and Godhead; so great Artificer, as loudly to proclaim his name that they are with- and attributes, even his eternal power and di from the creation of his eternal power out excuse: him not as vinity; so that if any of the Gentile nations neglect to trace it, with reverence, love, and obedience, they are without excuse, and would be destitute of every just or plausible apology for themselves, if he should enter into judg 21 Because that ment with them: Because knowing God,h as 21 when they knew the great Former of all, and a Being of suGod, they glorified God, preme and incomparable perfection, they have neither were thank- not adored and glorified [him] as God their Maker, neither were duly thankful to him as their great and constant Benefactor; but acted as if they had neither opportunity nor capacity of acquainting themselves with him. has generally been the character of the Gentiles, without accepting those of the politest ages and most learned nations. Instead of setting themselves to inquire into the will of Being duly attended to.] Noμva seems to have this signification, and to be, as it were, included in a parenthesis; so that 94; πείμασι is governed of καθοραζαι. This es upon the philosophers is, that though they actually knew there was one supreme God, they neglected him, to conform (for low and base considerations) to the estab Divinity. It is observable that Au- lished idolatry; which was really the case, gutine (Civ. Dei, viii. 1) nicely distin- to their aggravated guilt and condemnaguishes between Son, and 97 the tion ; as appears from most of the passa word here used; maintaining that the one ges in which the Pagan writers bear a Signifies deity, or divine nature; the other testimony to the doctrine of the Unity; a or divine majesty and glory and specimen of which may be seen in Dr. if there be that distinction, the latter Sykes's Connect, chap. xiv. p. 364-383; Dr. word is apparently more proper here, as divine glory results from that eternal power which is comprehended in the di. -31, especially § 19-28. drinity, Cudworth's Intellect. System, chap. iv. § 10 Neither were thankful.] It is worthy our observation, that gratitude to God is Knowing God.] Some understand it here put for the whole of religion; and no vine nature. as if he had said, Whereas they might have principle can be nobler, and none can be known God; VOL. 4. but I think what Paul charg stronger or more extensive, 18 The Gentiles, though thus taught, ran into the most stupid idolatry, Rom. ser SECT. the Supreme Being, and with becoming grati- ful, but became vain ii. tude and zeal devoting themselves to his in their imagina tions, and their foolvice; they became vain and foolish in their ish heart was darki. 21 boasted reasonings, entangling themselves ened. with a thousand unprofitable subtleties, which only tended to alienate their souls from every sentiment of true religion; and their unintelligent heart, instead of being enlightened by these sophistries, was more and more involved in darkness, and rendered impenetrable to the 22 simplicity of the most important truths. So 22 Professing that professing themselves to be wise, far be- themselves to wise, they became yond the common pitch, assuming and glorying fools. in the title of sages or wise men, at least in that of lovers of wisdom,' they became fools and idiots, degrading, in the lowest and most infamous manner, the reason which they so arrogantly pretended to improve, and almost 23 to engross. And as this was evident in a va- 23 And changed riety of other vices, in which the philosophers the glory of the unof heathen nations joined with the vulgar, so corruptible God, in to be fourfooted beasts, and creeping to an image made particularly in the early, and almost universal like to corruptible prevalence of idolatry amongst them, by which man, and to birds, they changed the glory of the immortal incor- and ruptible and eternal God, even all the majestic things. splendors in which he shines forth through earth and heaven, into the representing image of mortal and corruptible man; which, how elegantly soever it might be traced, was a great and insufferable degradation, had their folly proceeded no farther. But not content with this, they set up, as emblems of deity, and objects of worship, brutes and their images, birds and four footed animals, and even such vile reptiles as beetles, and various kinds of serpents which creep on the dust.m k Vain in their reasonings, εματαιώθησαν εν τοις διαλογισμοις αυτών.] Mr. Locke illustrates this by the stupid folly of their idolatry, 2 Kings xvii. 15, 16; Acts xiv. 15. But I rather think the word Aino μ refers to the perplexing sophistry of the philosophers. I have often thought Lucretius one of the most remarkable illustrations of the character here drawn. What vain reasonings, and how dark a heart, in the midst of the most pompous profession of oracular wisdom! 1 Professing themselves.] aoxoves SAVOL op, seems just equivalent to Xenophon's φασκονίας φιλοσοφείν, which so evidently refers to the pride they took in the title of lovers of wisdom. See Raphel. in loc. Beetles and serpents.] Of this amaz ingly stupid, yet prevalent idolatry, the worship of serpents, see Fenk. Reas. of Christianity, Vol. II. p. 246-248; Tenni son of Idol. chap. xiv. p. 352-354; Owen on Serp. chap. iv. and v. Stillingf. Orig. Sac, p. 516, &c. and were abandoned to the most infamous passions. 24 Wherefore 19 This was such scandalous and pernicious SECT. God also gave them superstition, that it is no wonder that God should iii. in righteous judgment withdraw from those Rom. up to uncleanness, through the lusts of He there- i. 24 their own hearts, who introduced and encouraged it. to dishonour their fore not only left them to sink lower and lower own bodies between in these absurd methods of worship, but also themselves: delivered them up to the viiest uncleanness, in [gratifying] the detestable lusts of their own heart; which grew more and more outrageous and enormous when the restraint of his common influences was thus withdrawn from their minds. Thus he left them to dishonour their bodies among themselves, as much as they had before dishonoured their rational faculties by 25 Who changed such senseless idolatries. This was so preva- 25 the truth of God in- lent an evil, that even many of them who knew th a lie, and wor; much better, and had in their own minds soundthe creature more er apprehensions of things, yet from mere secthan the Creator, ular motives, suppressed that better knowledge, who is blessed for- and conformed to popular superstitions and shipped and served ever. Amen. follies, and thereby changed the truth of God, the May he ever be held in the highest veneration, 26 For this cause throughout all succeeding ages. God gave them up even their wo Therefore, I say, because of this inexcusable 26 For vile affections. neglect of the ever blessed God, he abandoned me did change them to the most infamous passions; for even their natural use in their women, from whom the strictest modesty to that which is might reasonably have been expected, changed 27 And likewise the natural use of the other sex to that which is also the men, leav- against nature. against nature: And likewise their males, 27 Changed the truth of God into a lie.] known that idols are often called lies. Isa. Elener takes great pains to shew, that the xliv. 20; Jerem. iii. 23; xiii. 25; xvi. 19. wrath of God here signifies what he really • To that which is against nature.] Many and a lie, a false representation. See horrible illustrations of this may be seen in Elsner's Observ. Vol. II. p. 11. It is well Bos, Exercit. in loc. 20 SECT. Rom. i. . They were given up to an undiscerning mind, ed in their lusts one toward another; leaving the natural use of the female, have been ing the natural use iii. inflamed with the most scandalous and abomi- of the woman, burnnable desires towards each other, males with 1.27 males perpetrating that which is most shameful men with men workto mention, and detestable to think of, and re- ing that which is unceiving in themselves the just recompense of their seemly, and receiv ing in themselves error, in that stupidity and degeneracy of mind that recompence of 28 to which they were evidently left. And thus, their error which upon the whole, as they were not solicitous, to was meet. retain God in their knowledge, nor to propagate they did not like to suitable conceptions of him, or address him by retain God in their God proper acts of rational and pure devotion, God knowledge, gave them over to a delivered them over to an undiscerning mind, to reprobate mind, to do things most inexpedient and enormous; as do those things he cannot more dreadfully punish one sin than which are not con29 by giving up the offender to more. And ac 28 And even as venient : 29 Being filled cordingly, universal depravation and corrup- with all unrighte tion seized and possessed them; and the ousness, fornication whole series of their discourses and actions wickedness, covetousness; maliciousshewed that they were full of all manner of inness; full of envy, justice, lewdness, mischief, covetousness, and ma- murder, debate, delignity; perpetually injuring each other, and ceit,malignity; whisdrawing damage and misery on themselves; perers, while they were filled and intoxicated with every imaginable vice, envy, murder,contention, fraud, the inveteracy of all evil and pernicious habits, which no sense of decency, or regard 30 to reputation or interest could reform. In- 30 Backbiters, hastead of entertaining those friendly regards to ters of God, despiteeach other which common humanity might have taught them, they were whispering something against those that were present, as well as backbiting such as were absent; and being haters of God, discontented with his government, and disaffected to his rule as a righteous and holy Being, who could not but be highly displeased with their abominations, they were violent and overbearings in their behaviour to P Were not solicitous.] Edaxiaoar imports a concern to bring things to a trial or touchstone, which this translation expresses much better than ours, which coldly renders it, they liked not. Mischief, malignity, inveteracy.] According to some vnpa signifies doing mischief, xaxa a malicious temper, and axons a custom of repeating it frequently. acute commentators, • Things most inexpedient.] The original Violent and overbearing] rss is expression is a meiosis, to express things properly opposed to aap, and expresses most detestable; as aux pa signifies all the character of a man who is resolved to the inhumanities which Achilles most un- gratify his own appetites and passions, generously practised on the corpse of and to pursue what he apprehends his Hector. Compare Wisd. xiv. 22-27. See own interest, right or wrong; without at all regarding those inconveniences or Bos in loc. |