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and his ways to an account, and examine them by their own fhallow apprehenfions, and condemn, as none of his, all fuch ways as agree not with their model; fuch fhould know that God took no advice of them, nor needed to do: Or who hath been bis counfeller?

III. God hath abfolute power and fovereignty over all flesh, to difpose of them in his everlasting purpofes, and in accomplifhing his defigns, as he thinks fit, he being independent in himself, upon any creature, and fo free from all obligations; fo that if any fhould quarrel God for his purposes or difpenfations towards them; they would fay as much, as that the fupreme, independent Jehovah was obliged unto them for fome favour received; Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompenfed to him again?

Ív. If we were rightly confidering God's tranfcendency and independency, we would not quarrel with any thing he doth, how cross foever unto our humours, but would filence ourselves, and be taken up with a holy admiration; for thefe are the grounds of Paul's admiration here.

VERSE 36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for ever.

FOR

Amen.

OR the further confirmation of God's independency and abfolute fovereignty, he fhews, how all men and angels, and all things, depend upon him, both as to their first being and to their continuance in their being, and alfo to their end; 1. Of him are all things; that is, He is the firft caufe of their being, and from him alone they have the being which they have. 2. Thro' him, or by him, are all things; that is, As they have their being from God, fo have they their dependence upon him; they would not fubfift in their being with out him; he is the preferver of both man and beast, and of all things. And 3. To bim are all things; they are not ordered for

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I. It is the ignorance of our depend ence upon the Lord, that makes us ready to quarrel with him for difpofing of us o therways than we would with. Knew we once that we had our life and all of him, we would not wax fo proud as we do, nor think that he wrongs us, do what he will; for, to fhew that God is obliged to none, but may do with all his creatures as he pleaseth, he telleth here, that of him, and through him, and to him are all things.

11. God, whofe being is in and of himfelf, his name being Lam that I am, is the fole author of being unto all his crea tures, lefs and more; all of them, how glorious foever they be, are but pieces of life and being, borrowed from the fountain and well-fpring of all being: Of him are all things.

III. When God has given a being unto his creatures, and quickened them with a ray of his life, they cannot fubfift without him; he has fo framed the creature, that it must owe its dependence upon its Creator every hour and moment, and must be preferved by him: He who kindled this fpark of life firft in the creature, must still be blowing at the coal, or elfe it will die out again; for in him we move, we live, and have our being, Acts xvii. 28. Thro' him are all things; foon would the creatures fall into pieces, if the fame omnipotent band were not still upholding which gave being at first.

IV. As the being of all creatures came firft from the Occan of all being, fo like

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a ftream it must run back into him again: Himself was the ultimate end of all these borrowed beings, and there is no creature, no man nor angel that is created for themfelves; but God's giving them a being, and preferving that being, and difpofing of it, is wholly for the Author of all. God may difpofe of all his creatures, to whom he was graciously pleafed to give a being, as fuits beft with his own ends; as all things are of him, and thro' him, fo all things are to him.

V. It is commendable for minifters fo to deliver truths concerning God's goodness towards us, as to be teaching people what their duty should be in reference thereunto, and that by their own example, going before them, in a fong of praife; as here the apostle cries out, To whom be glory.

VI. Never fhould we hear of any receipt from God, but our hearts fhould be raifed up to fing a fong of praife to him; especially when we hear of his beftowing upon us a natural being, or a being in grace, and prefervifig us in that state; for after the apostle has faid, that of him, and thro' him, and to him are all things, then he fings a fong of praife, and addeth, To whom be glory.

VII. In all our fongs of praise to God, for all his benefits beftowed on us, we give nothing to him of our own; and our beft way to praise him, is to acknowledge him to be glorious and excellent in himfelf, and worthy of all glory and honour from others, and wishing that this glory of his might be known unto, and acknowledged and declared by all: To him be glory.

VIII. As God's end in creating and conferving all things, was, the manifefta

tion of his own glory: fo a gracious foul fhould and will join in here with God, and do what in them lieth for promoting and advancing this great end; and fo wifh that God may get glory of all things, feeing it is his due: When the apoftle had faid, T him are all things; that is, to his glory and honour; then he adds, To whom be glory: I am heartily content of that, and wish it may be fo; and O that it were fo!

IX. As God is worthy to be extolled for ever and ever, and his glory cannot be feen or held forth; fo a gracious foul rightly affected with the fenfe of God's goodnefs towards it or others, will be fo ravished with the defire of having God extolled and magnified, that it will not take a fhort term-day to the matter, it will take an endless age to get his glory fet out; and a foul truly fenfible of his goodness, will fee it to be fuch, as for it they are not able fufficiently to extoll him in time, and therefore cry out with the apostle here, To him be glory for ever. See Gal. i. 5. and 1 Pet. v. 11.

X. As our defires of extolling and praifing God, should be real, hearty, fincere and earnest, and not fuperficial, complementing and verbal; fo we may reft confident and be perfuaded that God will have glory to himself, by his works of creation and providence; for the apostle closeth the fong of praife, with an, Amen, which not only imports the vehemency and earnestnefs of our defire to have it fo, as being the fame with fo be it; but alfo, imports at perfuafion or confidence, that it will be fo as we fay; and upon this fcore we add, Amen to our prayers, and fo to our praises.

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CHAPTER XII.

HE apoftle having difcourfed at large of the theoretical part of religion, and

Tfpoken at length unto fome fundamentals thereof moft neceffary to be be

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lieved, and thus inftructed these Romans touching what they were to believe; now he comes to speak of the practical part, and to prefs chriftian duties upon believers, and fo to fhew them what duties they ought to follow, that they may adorn their profeffion, and may not be a fcandal to the gofpel.

In this chapter he, first, exhorteth them to a holy christian deportment, in general, verfes 1. 2.; and that, 1. pofitively, and then, 2. negatively. Secondly, He exhorteth, in a special manner, the officers of the Lord's houfe, unto fome duties concerning them in particular, to verfe 9. And, thirdly, preffeth fome particular duties, common to all Chriftians, to the end of the chapter.

VERSE I. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye prefent your bodies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reafonable fervice.

IN

N this verfe he seriously exhorteth them in general, to holiness and a chriftian converfation, pofitively, and that under borrowed terms, alluding unto the facrifices under the law; that as they under the law had their facrifices, which they offered up in teftimony of their thankfulnefs, (befide their expiatory facrifices,) fo Chriftians now fhould offer up fome facrifice too, feeing they are all now advanced to that ho nour and dignity, to be priests to the Lord; and that not any facrifice of beafts, but themselves, foul and body, fo dedicate and confecrate themfelves wholly to his fervice, as not being any more their own, but God's; and fo fhould no more live to themselves, but to him and his glory. And befide this duty, there are other two things in the verfe; 1. The manner how this offering fhould be made, or the qualifications of this facrifice, which are thefe: (1.) It must be a living facrifice; that is,

your facrifice muft flow from a fpirit of life within, the life of Chrift, Gal. ii. 20. and must be the motions and actions, not of a foul void of the Spirit of Chrift, but of one who is the temple of the Holy Ghoft, and hath Chrift living within him. (2.) It must be holy; that is, flowing from a new heart, a foul regenerate, a fpirit fanctified with grace; grace must be the fountain it flows out of, and it muft un through a channel of holiness; it must not be contaminated or defiled with any carnal, corrupt ingredient; and purged by Christ's blood. (3.) It must be acceptable to God; fervice performed unto God's glory, fo that that be our laft end; and duties performed according to God's revealed word, and fo a fervice that he will accept and be well pleased with. (4.) It must be reafonable; not in outward thew and ceremonies of time and place, but in fpirit and in truth, John iv. 20. &c. And (5.) it mut be willing, free, ready, hearty, and cheerful; this is couched up in the word, prefent yourself; as the Jews facrifices were prefented at the altar before they were offered. 2. There is the arguments, or motives,

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motives,, which he ufeth to perfuade them to this duty, and they are thefe: (1) I befeech; I obteft you, I earnestly and feriously exhort you, I prefs you as heartily as 1 can; and 1, the apostle Paul, do it; therefore you must obey. (2.) In the word therefore, which relateth unto what the apoftle had been difcourfing of before, viz. anent the doctrine of election and predeftination, and the Jews rejection, and carrieth this argument in it: Seeing God, out of his mere free grace and love, hath chofen you to falvation, present yourfelves a living facrifice. (3.) A third argument in the word brethren, to this purpofe: I affect you dearly as my brethren, and fo it is out of no ill-will I exhort you to this, but out of love and tenderness of affection, knowing the neceffity of it; therefore hear and obey. (4) There is a fourth argument in it: You are brethren, partakers of the fame grace with me, the adopted fons of God; and therefore you ought not to deny this fervice to God which I call for. (5.) The laft argument is in thefe words, by the mercies of God, and it is a main one, to this purpose: God in his mercy hath let out bowels of tender affection to you, and for that caufe I beg you would follow this exhortation; much tender love hath flowed towards you, and therefore it is your duty to offer. up your felves to this tender-hearted God..

OBSERVATIONS.

I. Chriftians ought not to content themfelves with the knowledge of fundamental truths of religion, touching things to be believed; but also they fhould labour for the practical part, and to know what is their duty, both towards God and man: And as minifters fhould be careful to clear folks judgments anent thefe things which are to be believed, fo they fhould not reft there, but moreover they ought feriously to inftruct them in, and perfuade and move them to, their duties: all which is clear in the apostle's practice, in exhorting them

to a chriftian converfation, after he had inftructed them in truths to be believed.

II. Until folks be once clear and well inftructed in the matter of their juftification tion before God, and have followed forth that way, they will not be able to follow forth chriftian duties, and yield obedienceunto chriftian commands, acceptably: therefore doth Paul firft clear the bufinefs touching juftification, and then preffeth them to holiness.

III. The' the Lord hath armed his fervants with power and authority to com-mand, yet they need not always ufe that authoritative way in enjoining duties; but as they fee it most advantageous for the gaining of their point, to ufe it fometimes, and at other times to take a more calm way, rather entreating, as it were by way of beging a favour or courtesy, than commanding; when love and entreaty are most likely to gain, more is needlefs: fo doth the apostle Paul here befeech them, feeing it was most likely that the very fense: of these admirable mercies and favours he

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had been speaking of in the former chapter, would have melted and foftened their hearts, fo that with fmall labour they would have received any impreffion of that: kind.

IV. It is not enough for ministers to clear duties unto people, but they ought to prefs them home with all earnestness and ferioufnefs, and let people know, that they are dealing with them in ferious fadnefs; and knowing what averfenefs and reluctancy is in people ordinarily, and how active and bufy their fpiritual enemies are to perfuade them to the contrary; and therefore Paul here befeecheth them, or vehemently entreateth them, as the word. may be rendered..

V. When people fee the fervants of the Lord exhorting and preffing them to their duty, with all vehemency and earnestness, as feeing fome great neceffity, by reafon: of profit upon the one hand, and lofs upon the other hand, in the matter, it fhou'd

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fhould be a forcible inducement to move them to a willing obedience; and if obedience be not yielded, their ferioufnefs will make the peoples cafe more fad, both in regard of guilt and punishment; for the force of Paul's argument fheweth this.

VI. The doctrine of predeftination and election, is not a doctrine tending to lull folk afleep in fecurity, and to cause them hake themselves loofe from all pains and. endeavours; nor a doctrine deftroying the freedom and liberty of man's will, in willing or nilling; nor yet a doctrine inconfiftent with exhortations; for after Paul hath been treating of that doctrine, and as comprehending fome of them at least, he finds a place for an exhortation to them all, and doth not look upon them as ftocks or ftones, but as rational creatures, endued with a faculty of willing and nilling, without any natural neceffity, or external compulfion; and notwithstanding of their election he preffeth them to holy duties.

VII. The doctrine of election is fo far from making folks fecure, that if it be rightly confidered, it will be a fharp fpur in the fides of his people, to run about all commanded duties: following of duties flows from it, by a clear and natural confequence; for the apoftle deduceth this exhortation by way of an undoubted confequent, therefore; fo that they turn the grace of God into wantonnefs and lafcivioufaefs, who, because they are elected, as they think, do therefore shake off all obedience.

VIII. However believers, in respect of the measure of grace beftowed upon them, be of different fizes, fome babes, fome young men in grace, and fome grown, exercifed, and experienced Chriftians; yet as there is a firm union of fraternity betwixt them, fo are they all children of one father, and ftand under that relation to him; for they are all brethren, and this fuppofes a father.

IX. As this relation of brotherhood betwixt believers, layeth on a tye on each

to be helpful to other in fpiritual things, according to their places and ftations; fo it layeth an obligation on them to receive the help one of another, whether by direction, reproof, or admonition, in very good part, and fubmit unto and obey their wholesome counfel and advice: for that they might yield obedience unto this his command, he ftiles them brethren.

X. The best and moft edifying way for minifters to prefs duties upon their flocks, and Chriftians upon one another, is, fo to urge them as those whom we exhort may fee and be convinced of our love to them; and where exhortations that come forth enwraped in love are flighted, the guilt will be the greater: this is Paul's argument, brethren; thereby discovering his love and brotherly affection to them, the more to gain their obedience.

XI. It is the want of the ferious confi deration of the relation wherein believers ftand in to God, that makes them flack in their christian duties; and as this relation layeth on ftronger obligations to duty, fo believing thoughts of it will be as oil to make their wheels run more fwiftly: therefore the apoftle, to incite them to this duty, puts them in mind of this, that they were brethren, and so had the fame relation to God as their Father which he had.

XII. Believers, and none but believers, are the peculiar privileged people, whom the Lord maketh partakers of his fatherly and tender affections, and commiferations; for fuch Paul prefeth by the mercies of God.

XIII. As God is the author of all mercy toward his children, hence called the Father of mercies, 2 Cor. i. 3.; fo upon fuch he thinks it not enough to bestow one, but many fuch acts of mercy; every mercy carrying many in the bofom of it, and making way for more; and therefore we hear of mercies of God in the plural

number.

XIV. The more expreffions of God's compaffion and merciful difpofition toward

us,

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