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whofoever really do mind and intend glory, honour, and immortality, muft refolve to continue in well-doing unto the end and no impediment or distraction whatfoever will be able fo far to difcourage the expectations of glory and everlafting happiness, as to make them faint, and give over their courfe of well-doing: for it is by patient continuance in well-doing that they get life eternal; (and no backflider fhall ever wear the crown, Heb. x. 39.) for the word in the original tongue fignifieth perfeverance, Matth. x. 22. and xxiv. 13. as well as patience, or a sticking by our duty, even under the crofs.

mourning fhall be turned into joy, and they fhall have a bleffed, comfortable, fweet, and every-way defirable life; and a life that fhall never have an end for here, eternal life is the reward of fuch as feek glory, and immortality, tho' put to much patience-ufing, and fuffering: Whatever obftruction lie in their way, their noble and fpiritual defigns fhall be attained; and that they fhall not be difappointed of, and no adverfary fhall hold from them, or be able to keep them from.

Vil. However there be no intrinfical worth in mens feeking of immortal life by well-doing, fo as to merit at God's hand eternal life; yet it hath pleafed the Lord, for the declaration of the incomprehenfibleness of his goodness, out of free grace and love, to make fuch a connection betwixt feeking of glory, in a conflant courfe of well-doing, and the enjoying of everlasting life, that now whofoever fhall do the one fhall certainly enjoy the other: for it is faid, that the great Judge, who will render to every man according to his works, will render to fuch as feek glory, honour, and immortality, thro' patient continuance in well-doing, eternal life.

VIII. Albeit the feekers of God have but a forry life of it here-away, what with the continual onfets of Satan, the oppofition that the world maketh, John xvi. 33. the restlefs motions and ftirrings of a body of death, Rom. vii. 24. fo as they are ftill in fear and trembling, Phil. ii. 12. and must always have on their armour, Eph. vi. 13. and be in a pofture of war, ver. 18. looking for fresh onfets, with a purpose ftoutly to refift and withstand, 1 Pet. v. 9. and still meeting with fore hearts, at every occafion almoft; yea, and oft troubled with the Lord's hiding of his face and frowning upon them, or for other holy ends withdrawing himfelf, Pfal. xxx. 7. yet there is a time coming when their

From Verfe 8th OBSERVE,

I. All mankind fhall be ranked in two ranks at the great day, there fhall be no more; and all that belong not to the one, fhall certainly belong unto the other: for here the apostle puts them in two categories, and whoever are not among the feekers of glory, honour, and immortality, fhall be looked on as contentious, and fervants of unrighteoufnefs: See Matth. xxv.

II. However the wicked think much good of themselves, and cannot be perfuaded that they are abominable in the eyes of the Lord, and think little of their fins; yet the juft Lord, who judgeth according to truth, taketh them up under another notion, and looketh upon their fins as rebellion, and upon themselves as children of rebellion and ftrife, who are ftill contending against God, both by word and deed, and difpleafed with the actions and ftatutes of the Lord. And this is indeed the very nature of the wicked; they are men that are never satisfied with any thing that God doth, but ftill carp, fret at, and except againft it, and, in a manner, chide against God; for fo are they here ftiled, contentious, or men of contentioufnefs.

III. As carnal men have naturally a great antipathy against light, becaufe it difcovereth their fins and abominations, John iii. 20. and a prejudice against truth, or the law of the Lord, whatever way revealed, because it giveth check unto their abominable ways; fo do they hereby ven

their rebellious fpirit, and declare what | fhould imagine that God approveth of temper they are of, when they prove re- their courfes, because of outward profpefractory and difobedient to the light of na- rity and bleffings, which God beftoweth ture, or of the word, whereby truth is upon them; yet in end they fhall find manifefted and declared, and are unwil- the Lord to look upon them in another ling to be led and guided thereby; but pofture, in indignation and wrath, ready are given to wrangling, and contradicting to be avenged on them for all their inithe truth for thus are they faid to be quities: and this is the fure portion of all difobedient to the truth. And this is that feek not glory, honour, and immorjoined with the former, viz. their being tality; and this they may expect who serve contentious, to fhew, that by their difobe- unrighteoufnefs, when the great day of dience they evidenced their contentious the Lord cometh: for God, that will give fpirit; by their finning against the light of to every man according to his works, will their own confciences, and their runing render to fuch, wrath and indignation. over all banks, contrary to all reason, they fhow by what a rebellious fpirit they are

acted.

IV. Wicked folk, poffeffed with a fpirit of rebellion and contumacy, (as all of them are) as no reafon can bind them, nor no truth have fway upon their actions. and carriage; fo they will not think it enough to crofs their own confcience, in leaving undone, what the light they have directeth them to do, but alfo will give themselves to commit all wickedness with greediness, Eph. iv. 19. as willing fervants unto fin: therefore it is added, they were obedient unto unrighteousness.

VERSES 9. 10. 11. Tribulation and anguifh upon every foul of man that doth evil, of the Few firft, and alfo of the Gentile.

But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the few first, and alfo to the Gentile.

For there is no refpect of perfons with God.

As

S if all this had not been fufficient to have convinced them of the truth of what he was faying, anent the reward that should be given, both to fuch as had great things before their eyes, and V. Albeit there be many among the to fuch as were contentious, the apoftle wicked who fuppofe themselves to be in a cometh over it again; and, first, fheweth, good condition, because tho' they be not that fuch as were contentious, whom here fo zealous and forward for heaven as they he calleth doers of evil, fhould meet with fee fome, yet they are not fo graceless and tribulation (or pinching trouble and afflic-` profane as many are; yet whoever they tion, for the word in the original is a gebe that are not feeking glory, honour, neral, comprehending any affliction or and immortality, in a conftant courfe of trouble that preffeth, or pincheth) and well-doing, are flaves to fin and unrigh- anguish; we would fignify, that teoufnefs. And this is indeed the ftate of all the unregenerate; and fuch that do not propofe heaven to themselves to be attained, they are the bafest flaves in the world; flaves to fin and corruption: for this is given as another mark of them, that they ferve unrighteousness; there is no midft betwixt the two: See Rom. vi. 16. VI. Albeit the wicked fhould run on in their wickedness without controul, and

they fhould be fo pinched and ftraitened with God's hand upon their heads, as they fhould not know what hand to turn to: And this affliction and anguifh fhould not only feize upon their bodies, but upon their fouls; and that of every one, be they Jew or Gentile, without exception; yea, the Jew fhould be fo far from being exeemed, that they fhould rather get the first stroke. And, upon the other hand, H

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fuch as are well-doers, of what rank or condition foever they be, they fhould have glory, and honour, and peace, And the And the ground of all this is given, verfe 11th, for the Lord refpecteth no man's perfon,

From Verfe 9th OBSERVE,

I. So ftrong is the delufion under which poor fouls are keeped captive, that they cannot eafily be gotten convinced of any hazard or danger into which they are, by reafon of their fins, but are ready to blefs themselves in their finful courfes; for once telling thofe people, that indignation and wrath was the fure portion of all evil doers, will not fuffice, but the apoftle muft come over it again, and say, that tribulation and anguifh fhall be upon every foul of man

that doth evil.

II. Albeit men love not to dwell upon the thoughts of God's anger as their due, nor tremble at the threatnings, but tufh at God's difpleafure; yet his anger fhall have fad effects upon the ungodly, and thereby will they be made moft fenfible of God's indignation, as their due: therefore doth, the apoftle add, tribulation and an guifh, as effects of the Lord's indignation and wrath,

God's wrath fhall kindle against them, they fhall not efcape, but fhall be reduced to fuch ftraits, and fo fore oppreffed on all hands, as they fhall not know what hand to turn them to; they fhall be utterly non-plus'd when anguifh fhall feize upon them.

V. Tho' among the wicked there be fome who have not wrought fo much ini quity as others, and who upon this fcore may imagine exemption, and promife good to themfelves; yet fools fhall find that it is another thing to have to do with God than with man; for God's justice striketh impartially against all and every evil-doer, whether his evil deeds have been few or many; if he be one of thefe, he shall meet with indignation and wrath; for, fays the apoftle, indignation and wrath fhall be upon every foul that doth evil.

VI. It is the constant exercife and employment of the wicked to be perpetrating wickedness; and they think it not enough to be putting their hands to an ill turn, but they must continue in that work, until they have finished and perfected the wicked work which they have begun for they are here called doers, or workers out, finishers, and perfecters of wickedness: They fet about it accurately, and with great care and diligence, continuing ftill, untill they think to perfect the work.

VII. As the foul is mainly active in plot

III. Tho' now the wicked enjoy profperity, notwithstanding that they be walking till according to their own imaginations, and running at random in their wicked courfes; yet ere all be done they fhalling and contriving wickedness, and uferh meet with fore affliction, that fhall prefs them fore, and break them; and this all the wicked fhall meet with, foon or late: and they may expect to be other ways hemmed in, when the wrath of God, like a milftone, fhall be preffing them down to the bottomlefs pit; for tribulation, or fore preffing and griping affliction, fhall be the portion of the wicked.

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the body as its inftrument; fo the just Lord will execute his judgment upon it: and tho' all the punishment that men can inflict can only reach the body, yet God can reach the foul and fpirit of man, as easily as the body; and it is the height of mifery when God's wrath is poured upon the foul: therefore fays he, Indignation and wrath, and tribulation and anguifh fhal be upon the foul: And this is made the laf and fadeft ftroke, which God will inflict a the great day.

VIII. Privileges confered upon a peopl who abuse them, and become, notwith

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standing, practitioners of wickedness, will be fo far from exeeming them, and fecuring them from the hand of juftice, that, on the contrary, they will make their strokes the fadder; and fuch may be fure not to escape, escape who will: for it is to the Jew, (a privileged people) if an evil doer, first; juftice fhail, as it were, begin

at them.

IX. Such upon whom it hath pleafed God not to vouchfafe fo much favour as upon others, nor to honour with fo many privileges as others, here-away, will nevertheless be judged and fentenced at the great day, according to their evil deeds: God's difpenfing towards them in this world, will not prove a fconce in the day of wrath; for then the Gentiles (a people not fo privileged as the Jews) will meet with tribulation and anguish, if they be found evil-doers, in the day of reckoning.

From Verse 10th OBSERVE,

I. As the punishment is great which God will inflict upon the wicked, and cannot be foon expreffed, but many words must be used to fet it out; fo, upon the other hand, is the reward great and unfpeakable, which the Lord will bestow upon his own; and fo great is it, that it cannot be expreffed in one word, but the apostle maketh use of three, to fet it out. II. Howbeit the godly be put to many hardfhips, and have oft fad difpenfations to rencounter with, fo long as they are here away: yet they are not much to be pitied, feeing there is no less than glory provided for them, even that by which God is ftiled, being called the God of glo19, Acts ii. 7. and by which they become portioners with Chrift Jefus, John xvii. 22. They fhall fhine in fplendour, in majefty, and in excellency, and that for ever; and therefore it is faid to be eternal, 2 Tim. ii. 1o. not fadeing, 1 Pet. v. 4.

III. Tho' the godly be oftentimes low in the eftimation of the men of this world, and in little or no account; yet the Lord

carrieth a great respect to them, and in end fhall advance them to great dignity and preferment, when they shall be openly acknowledged by him, and brought into his glorious habitation, as veffels of honour, and put in poffeffion of the crown of glory, and fet upon the throne with Jefus Chrift; for they fhall have honour also.

And,

IV. Albeit the children of God have fad times of affliction and trouble, from the world, and corruption within themselves, ftill keeping them in hot-water, and in exercife; yet in Chrift they have peace, John xvi. 33. even then; and right to that peace of God which paffeth all understanding, Phil. iv. 7.; and being justified, they have peace with God, Rom. v. 1. in Chrift who is their peace, Eph. ii. 14. moreover, the Lord, who is called the God of peace, Rom. xv. 33. and xvi. 20. Phil. iv. 9. 1 Theff. v. 23. Heb. xiii. 20. will bless them with peace, Pfal. xxix. 11. and make their peace as a river, Ifa. xlviii. 18. and however it go with them for a while, yet their end fhall be peace, Pfal. xxxvii. 37. and when they fhall lay down their heads in peace, they fhall be put in poffeflion of peace, yea, perfect peace, for they fhall be far beyond the reach of trouble from Satan, corruption, and the world, because they all enter into peace, Ifa. Ivii. 2. Peace is added.

V. Albeit the godly have ftill a body of death within them, wherethrough they oft tranfgrefs God's law, and do that which they like not, and any good they do is but maim, and not perfect; yet the Lord looketh upon them as doers, workers, practitioners of good, and negotiators thereabout. And this is a true mark of a godly man, that he is one whofe work and occupation is about good, tho' he can never. win to be perfect in it: and all fuch who are making confcience of this trade, may be fure to enjoy honour and peace: All which the apoftie teacheth here, while he fays, that glory, honour, and peace thall be to every one that doth good. H 2

VI.

as to their reward or punishment in the day of reckoning, for there is no respect of perfons with God: See Col. iii. 25.

VI. Tho' the Lord bestow upon his, own, many privileges, favours, and good things, even on this fide of time; yet that will be fo far from being all which they will receive, that it will prove an inlet to more; for glory, &c. is to the well-doing Few first.

VII. Tho' a privileged people, or a people enjoying more of the ordinances of God than others, and fo lying nearer him, have a fair advantage; yet it is not to fuch only, to whom the Lord beftoweth glory, &c. for the Gentiles alfo, if well-doers, as well as the Jews, are made partakers thereof: And alfo to the Gentile.

From Verfe 11th OBSERVE,

I. It is very ordinary for folks to imagine, that God will caft an eye upon them, and carry a respect unto them because of any privilege, gift, or endowment, or temporal bleffing, or the like, which they have beyond others; and that he will fhew favour unto them in the day of reckoning because of thefe: for here the apostle fays, that God refpecteth no man's perfon, whereas he faid as much before, in saying, that God would render to every man according to his works: once will not ferve the turn. II. The Lord Jehovah is not one that much regardeth external advantages, or whatever carnal men ufe to dote on; he is not fwayed by these in any of his actions toward the children of men; he is not as man, nor feeth not as he doth; he is no refpecter of perfons.

III. The right confideration of this, that God is not moved with folks outward advantages and enjoyments, may fufficiently convince folk, that in judgment the Lord will not confider whether the man be rich or poor, noble or ignoble, wife or foolish, Jew, barbarian or Grecian, unless it be to aggravate his guilt, or take notice of any fuch externals, but will diftribute righie ously, according to juftice: therefore is this given as a reafon why there fhall be no difference betwixt Jew and Gentile,

VERSES 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. For as many as have finned without law, shall also perifh without law: and as many as have finned in the law, fhall be judged by the law:

(For not the bearers of the law are just be fore God, but the doers of the law fhall be justified.

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained

in the law, thefe, having not the law, are a law unto themfelves:

Which fhew the work of the law written in their hearts, their confcience alfo bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accufing, or elfe excufing one another.)

In

the day when God fhall judge the fecrets of men by Jefus Chrift, according to my gospel.

THE apostle having fhown, how juft

and righteous the Lord is in his judgment, and how impartially he will proceed in judgment against all perfons, of all qualities and conditions, in the day of judgment, he cleareth and confirmeth it a little farther in these verfes, both as to the Jews, and to the Gentiles; and, withal, loofeth what objections to the contrary might be made by either Jew or Gentile: and therefore he fheweth, that in the day when God hull judge the fecrets of men b Jefus Chrift, verfe 16th. (which must be conjoined to verfe 12th, the rest being couched in by way of a parenthefis, tha fo the fentence may be complete) neithe Jew nor Gentile fhail be exeemed; but i they fhall be found finners, however therways their condition be unlike, in tha the Jews have the law of Mofes writter wherein the mind of the Lord is clearl unfolded to them, and their duties diftin&t laid out; and the Gentiles are without ar

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