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An Expofition of the Epifle to the Romans.

the gofpel preached by faithful fervants of Chrift, is no way diffonant from, but every way conform unto the doctrine delivered by fuch eminent and infallible officers; for that his doctrine may have weight with thefe Romans, he lets them know that he is an apofile, an eminent and infallible officer, raised up extraordinarily, and called immediately.

Chap. I.

of frail men, who are but earthen vesels, XVII. Such is the weakness and unfitnefs 2 Cor. iv. 7. and of fuch weight is the gin rious embaffage of the gofpel, that whofoever is employed thereabout fhould give himself wholly thereunto, 2 Tim. ii. 4. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may pleafe XV. As it is commendable for the fer- vi. 4. But we will give ourselves continually him who hath chofen him to be a foldier. Acts vants of Jefus Chrift, not to be fo lavish of to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. their office and authority, but in all chrifti- The work is of fuch importance, that it will an fobriety to speak fparingly of the fame, take up the whole man. And feeing it is fo, when no neceffity urgeth, leaft thereby they it is the duty of all minifters of the gospel, occafion contempt and become vain; fo, it is fo to walk in that calling, and fo to demean no lefs dangerous, upon the other hand, to themselves in every piece of their deportconceal the fame, when there is a fair door ment in that office, as men feparated and fet opened, and a call given thereunto, when apart for that employment folely; for Paul • the good of the gospel requireth the fame. fays he was fet apart and separate from other As here Paul (who feveral times writing to employments to that only. And the confiother churches, as to the Philippians and deration of this, that the Lord, in his eterTheffalonians, as alfo when writing to Phi-nal purpose, fet them apart for that employlemon, did forbear to ftile himself apoftle) fubfcribes himself fo, knowing that it might do no harm, but rather encourage thefe Romans fo much the more chearfully to welcome his doctrine, and give credit to the fame.

XVI. In a conftituted church, it is not enough for fuch as take upon them to preach the gospel, to pretend a call, but they must alfo be folemnly fet apart and ordained and feparated to that work; for here the apostle fays, he was not only called, but feparated alfo, viz. by prayer, fafting and impofition of hands, as you fee, Acts xiii. 2. 3. 4. And though it cannot be particularly inftanced in the rest of the apoftles, how they were thus fet apart, nor denied, that before that time, when he and Barnabas were fet apart at the Lord's fpecial command, he preached the gofpel, yet certain it is, the Lord would never have defired that thofe fhould be folemnly fet apart by prayer and laying on of hands, if not to fhew us what is the rule we ought to follow; and to fhew that it is his will, that this way fhould be followed in all time coming.

ment, fhould ftir them up to diligence therein, and to a walking anfwerably thereunto; for Paul was feparated from his mother's womb, as you fee, Gal. i. 15.

XVIII. It will be fo far from excufing the wicked, that fuch as carried the gospel on the contrary it will tend to aggravate their to them, had no other thing to do, that upguilt, that the Lord fent men to them for that end, only to preach the gospel to them, giving them a command to wait upon that employment, and do nothing elfe: And becaufe it is fo, ferious thoughts of this, that the Lord hath given fpecial command to fuch as might many ways win their living in a world, and follow a more gainful (as to worldly gain) and peaceable trade, than that is of preaching the gofpel, to preach the gofpel, and to attend upon that very thing, fhould move people to be convinced of the | Lord's loving kindness, willingness to welcome finners; of a reality of the gospel tendered, and of their duty to welcome the offer, and hearken to the gofpel; for Paul ufeth this as a motive to induce them to believe and obey what he was to deliver, that

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promifed, and fo fhould be heartily welcomed, for all his promifes fhould be gladly received when fulfilled, and fo fhould this promife of the gospel, which he hath fore-promifed by his prophets in the Holy Scrip

tures.

Hence learn,

he was one that was feparated to that employment, and might meddle with no other. XIX. As the gofpel contains nothing but the gladeft tidings, and fweetest news that ever was heard tell of, fo people thould be fo far from taking occafion hence to wax wanton, and hull themselves afleep in fecurity, and take their will of the flesh and the world, I. The people of God were faved by that fo much the more rather should they the fame gofpel under the Oid Teftamet, ftir up themselves to welcome heartily and that we under the New Teftament are to embrace with all acceptation the offer of faved by; after one and the fame way did Chrift in the gofpel; and therefore Paul the Lord bring his elect to glory then, and fays, it is the gofpel or good news he is a- now, viz. by faith in Jefus Chrift, Heb. xi. 2. bout to declare, and therefore they fhould Acts xv. 11. for he the fame gospel that make it welcome. Paul was toach, was that which was XX. The gofpel we preach, is newsomited by the Lord under the law: See of our own invention, be invention Gal. iii. 8. 9. and plot of the or, wife God; and because lours, nor are we the authors thereof, but God only, who found out this way of faving poor loft man, out of the depth of his infinite wifdom, which neither man nor angels would ever have fallen upon; therefore it were wifdom for people to take heed how they flight and undervalue fo great falvation, having fuch a one for its author for Paul would have them careful not to flight what he was to fay, becaufe it was not news that had their rife in his own brain, but the gospel of God, who will not take it well to have his gofpel flighted.

VERSE 2. (Which he had promifed afore by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures)

HE

Ere the apostle goes on to move the Romans to embrace his doctrine, becaufe of its worth and excellency, and there fore he fteps aide to the commendation thereof in this and in the following verfes. The arguments here contained for to prefs there people to welcome his doctrine, may be thefe, 1. The gofpel which I am feparated unto, and which I am to preach to you; is no new device, it is no new doctrine which was never heard of before; it is the fame that the people of God of old had revealed by the prophets. 2. It was a matter

II. However the gospel be the fame for fubftance under the Old and New Teftament, yet it seemed good in the Lord's eyes who divers ways and manners reveals himfelf, Heb. i. 2. to give to those under the law, a ftar light, or moon light only, and reserve the funshine and noontide to us under the gofpel, for they had the gospel only under promife; for the fufferings of Chrift and the glory that now is revealed was but then prophefied of, 1 Pet. i. 10. 11. See Gal. iii. 23. and iv. 1. 2. 3. 4.

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III. As people are to try the fpirits whether they be of God or not, John iv. 1. and to fearch the fcriptures to fee, whether the doctrine delivered be diffonant or confonant; fo the meffengers of the Lord fhould be careful they bring forth and broatch no doctrine but what is warranted by the word; for Paul Hays, the doctrine he was broatching, was the fame that was promifed by the prophets, and fo confonant to their doctrine, and no groundlefs fancy of his own head.

IV. It will not a little tend to aggravate the misbelief of people now a-days, that the gospel that is held forth and preached. to them, is no new invention of man, but the fame that hath been those many thoufand years, as the way by which many thousands have entered into glory, and fo

a proven and tried way by the experience of many, and a way attefted unto by the faithful fervants of the Lord in all ages, patriarchs and prophets; for it is the gospel that was promifed long fince by the prophets of the Lord, and for this caufe he Would have it welcomed.

what is to be believed as gofpel, and what not; for Paul here affirms, that the gofpel he was fet apart unto, and was about to preach, was conform to the writings of the prophets, and nothing else but what they prophefied of in their writings, and the Lord promised by them in the Holy Scriptures.

V. It will abundantly ftop our mouths, and take all excufe from us that obey not VIII. However the meffengers of the the gofpel of Jefus Chrift, that not only it Lord be little regarded or refpected in their is theme in fubftance with that, by which generations, and their meffage flighted and all under the Old Teftament were carried undervalued, yet the Lord will own them fafe to heav but alfo, that it is now no as his, and it will add to our guilt to reject more vailed undees, ceremonies, and what they deliver; and the gofpel fhould fo promises, but clearly revealed explained. I much the more be welcomed by us, that it And upon this fcore we fhould be moved to is accefted unto as truth, by fuch as the Lord welcome heartily the gofpel, because it is owns as his prophets now plain and perfpicuous, and Chrift now manifested in the flesh is no more wrapped up as formerly; for fo would Paul hence move them to a welcoming of his doctrine, that it was of old but promifed, and now more clearly exhibited.

VI. As all the promises of the Lord fhould be precious in our eyes, and their performances moft heartily accepted, and willingly embraced; fo in particular fhould the gofpel and the offer of a crucified Chrift and Saviour be imbraced with all acceptance; and it will tend to aggravate our guilt, if we neglect fo great falvation, which the prophets have enquired and fearched diligently, and when unto them it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minifter the things which are now reported unto us, 1 Pet. i. 10.12. and therefore Paul makes ufe of this as an argument, that the thing he was about to do was the fulfilling of a promise made of old by the Lord.

VII. The writings of the prophets of old, are fo far from being laid ide now, as useless to us under the gospel, that they are to be acknowledged and looked on as the rule whereby to try which is the true gofpel, and which not: the law and the prophets is to be a touch-itone whereby to try

IX. Such is God's goodness to poor man, that he will not only provide a way how they fhall be faved, but will make that way known unto them, and therefore he will fend prophets, to deliver it viva voce, and not only fo, but when they should cease, he will provide a more fure word of prophecy, 2 Pet. i. 19. and caufe the fame be written that it might continue on record, and be ftudied by all, and come to every one's hands, that none may pretend ignorance; and hence furely, misbelief will be fo much the more a heinous fin, that it is committed after the Lord hath taken all that pains to affure us of, and clear unto us the only way to happinefs; for here we fee the gofpel was promifed by the prophets, and then fet down for the good of pofterity in the holy Scriptures.

X. The Scriptures are holy, as having a holy God for their author, and breathing out nothing but holings, and containing a perfect rule how we should walk in all holinefs, and therefore fhould be locked on and used in all holy reverence; and therefore he calls them the Holy Scriptures, and also were written by holy men of God, moved by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. i. 21.

VERSE

VERSES 3. 4. Concerning his Son Fefus Christ our Lord, which was made of the feed of David, according to the flesh, And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the refurrection from the dead.

Ere is contained another new argument, to prefs them to a willing acceptance of his doctrine, as a further commendation of the gofpel, from its fubject-matter, or that whereof it treateth; which may be thus conceived: 1. The fubject-matter of this gospel, which I have gotten a commiffion to preach to you, and others, is the promifed Meffias, the Son of God. 2. Jefus, a Saviour. 3. Chrift, an anointed one, as Prieft, Prophet, and King. 4. And eur Lord, one in whom you have, or pretend to have intereft. 5. Who was man, and made man in an extraordinary manner: and as man come of the feed of David. 6. And who, notwithstanding whereof, was true God, being in power, and declared fo to be, by raifing up of himfelf from the dead the third day. So that every word almost may be looked on as a diftinct argument to prefs their chearful attention. In this fummed-up argument, we have the fum of the gofpel; even whole Chrift, and nothing but Chrift; and Chrift held forth under his titles, offices, and natures. His titles are, Son of God, Jefus, Chrift, Lord; his offices are couched up under his titles; his natures are two, and thefe are clearly held forth: For, 1ft, His human nature is here, 1. called fleh: and 2. he is faid to be made of the feed of David. 2dly, His divine nature is here held forth, 1. Under the title of the Son of God. 2. Under that other, the fpirit of holiness, or the fpirit that fanctified his human na3. And declared by his raining of his human nature when dead.

DOCTRINAL OBSERVATIONS. 1 Albeit the divine effence, in itself

confidered, be one effence, without any compofition, and a moft fimple and unmixt effence, yet is there in that effence feveral perfons, or diverfe ways of fubfiftence; neither is this a bufinefs repugnant to reason, seeing the effence, and the manner of exifting, are not one and the fame, but diftinct things; this fubfiftence is not one and the fame with that individual fubftance whereof it is the fubfiftence: for here is God (viz. the Father) and his Son, diftinct perfons, not effentially, or in refpect of their effence, but in refpect only of their manner of existence; and yet not fo, as that they can be feparated, John xiv. 10.----I am in the Father, and the Father in me.---See 1 John v. 7.

II. The fame divine effence which the Father hath, is communicated to the Son from eternity, wholly, in an unfpeakable and fpiritual manner; for he being called a Son, must be begotten, and the action of begetting, in the Father, is nothing elfe, than an eternal and perfonal action, whereby he communicateth all the fame effence which he hath himself, in a wonderful and unfpeakable manner, to his Son, and that from eternity, Prov. viii. 22. 30. Hence is he called, The brightness of his glory, and the express image of his perfon, Heb. i. 3.

III. Howbeit the divine effence be one and the fame in all the three perfons of the Trinity, yet fome things may be faid of the divine nature, confidered as it is in one perfon, which may not be faid of it, confidered as in another perfon; for it is faid here of the fecond perfon, that he was made of the feed of David, which cannot be faid of any of the reft. The divine nature confidered, neither fimply as in itfelf, nor as in either the Father, nor in the Holy Ghoft, but as in the Son, or under that fpecial manner of existence, was incarnate, and took on our nature.

IV. It was only the fecond perfon of the Trinity that was incarnate, and took

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on our flesh; for it is faid, the Son was made of the feed of David, and not another: Gal. iv. 4.made of a woman. fee Philip. ii. 7.8.

V. Chrift Jefus our Mediator is the fubject-matter of the gofpel, and of all the special prophecies and promifes under the law; for as the gofpel containeth nothing, and holdeth forth nothing but Chrift in his perfon, natures, and offices, fo the prophecies of old were concerning his Son Jefus Christ, &c.

to him, fo alfo the confideration of this, that he is moft willing to help, feeing Jefus, or a Saviour, is his name; for here, he that is the Son of God is Jefus by office and name, and fo a Saviour, Matth. i. 21. ready to welcome all.

IX. As it should commend Jefus to us, that he is fent, appointed, and defigned of the Father, and fo anointed, and the Chrift, for that end and purpose, to fave finners: and as it fhould be a ftrong motive to perfuade and confirm poor needy fouls in the faith of acceptance and welcoming; fo it will tend, on the other hand, to the heightening of their guilt that embrace not an offered Mediator; for Jefus is also called Chrift: and unless he be looked upon and taken up as one anointed and commiffionated, he cannot be rightly believed in: See Mark viii. 29. Luke ix. 20. John iv. 29. 42.

VI. It should highly commend the gofpel to us, that it holdeth forth and unfoldeth Jefus Chrift the Son of God, and our Lord, who is not only one excellent in himself, and worthy to be known, as being the Son of God, but also one whofe offices concern us nearly, and therefore called Jefus Christ our Lord; for fo it may be looked on as an argument to commend the gofpel, and to move them to embrace the fame, that it was a doctrine concerning his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. VII. The great love that Chrift hath manifefted unto poor loft man, in ftooping fo low, and condefcending fo far, as to take on him our nature, and affume frail human flesh, in one perfon with the divine nature, should also engage us to welcome the gofpel that treats of him, and holds him forth as thus letting out his bowels of love; for Paul would have thofe Romans welcome the gofpel hear-is tily, because it was concerning his Son, who was made of the feed of David, according to the flesh..

X. As it is a fpecial privilege that believers have beyond others, that they have an intereft in Chrift, as theirs in a fpecial manner; fo the confideration of this, that Chrift is their Lord and Commander, should mind them of the obedience which they owe: and in particular it fhould be a strong motive to prefs them unto a willing and hearty acceptance of any doctrine or news concerning him : therefore, that these Romans might welcome the gofpel, he tells them, that it concerning our Lord.

XI. As it is believers duty to avow their interest in Christ, fo, when their heart is in a good frame, they will no fooner fpeak of Chrift, or hear him fpoken of, but affoon their fouls will clafp to him. And it is a black mark when one can hear Chrift commended highly, as the Son of God, and as a commiffionat

VIII. As it highly commends the love of God to loft finners, in fending his Son to be a Saviour, and a Jefus; fo it fhould move us to welcome the falvation that 'cometh to us, and is wrought by fuch an one as the Son of God: to flight it willed and authorized Saviour, and not find highly tend to the aggravation of our guilt. And as the confideration of this, that Jefus is the Son of God, and fo allfufficient, and able to help finners, fhould encourage poor finful fouls to come

their affections moving towards him, and their fouls clafping about his neck, and embracing him as their Lord; for here, after Paul had fpoken of Chrift, and called him the Son of God, and Jefus

Chrift,

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