A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Romans · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
1. I Commend unto you Phebe our Siſter which is a ſervant of the church which is at Cenchrea. 2. That ye receive her in the Lord as becometh ſaints, and that ye aſſiſt her in whatſoever buſineſs ſhe hath need of you: for ſhe hath been a ſuccourer of many, and of my ſelf alſo.
1, 2. I pray you kindly receive and aſſiſt Phebe, &c. For ſhe hath been a great help and reliever of many Saints, and me.
3. Greet Priſcilla and Aquila my helpers in Chriſt Jeſus: 4. Who have for my life laid down their own necks, unto whom not only I give thanks, but alſo all the Churches of the Gentiles.
3, 4. Salute in my name Priſcilla and her Husband Aquila, eminent in helpfulneſs, and willing hazards, by which all the Gentiles take themſelves beholden to them, as means of my deliverance.
Note, The preſerving and helping an eminent Miniſter, may oblige many Churches.
5. Likewiſe greet the Church which is in their houſe.
5. Salute all their Chriſtian Family, and the Saints that uſe there to aſſemble in Communion.
5, 6. Salute my well beloved Epenetus, who is the firſt fruits of Achaia unto Chriſt. Greet Mary, who beſtowed much labour, on us.
5, 6. Note, that God would have the good works and ſervice of his Saints to be valued and praiſed.
7. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinſmen, and my fellow priſoners, who are of note among the apoſtles, who alſo were in Chriſt before me.
7. Noted for their ſufferings and ſervice among the Apoſtles.
8. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 9. Salute Urbane our helper in Chriſt, and Stachys my beloved. 10. Salute Apelles approved in Chriſt. Salute them which are of Ariſtobulus houſhold. 11. Salute Herodion my kinſman. Greet them that be of the houſhold of Narciſſus, which are in the Lord. 12. Salute Tryphena and Tryphoſa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Perſis which laboured much in the Lord. 13. Salute Rufus choſen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14. Salute Aſyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. 15. Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his Siſter, and Olympias, and all the ſaints which are with them.
8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15: That you may ſee that I mind them in particular, ſalute ſpecially theſe whom I have notice of.
16. Salute one another with an holy kiſs. The churches of Chriſt ſalute you.
16. And exerciſe ſuch love one to another, expreſſed by (not an immodeſt and laſcivious, but) an Holy Kiſs (the uſual expreſſion of friendſhip in thoſe times) The Churches which have notice of my writing ſalute you.
17. Now I beſeech you, brethren, mark them which cauſe diviſions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them.
17. And though I ſeem to have ended, I will reaſſume my exhortation for Love and Concord, for which I have ſaid ſo much in this Epiſtle, Beſeeching you to mark thoſe Men, that bring falſe and new Doctrines which the Apoſtles never taught you, and to promote them, and for other ſinful ends, draw parties, and make Diviſions and Scandals among you, avoid theſe, and turn from them.
18. For they that are ſuch, ſerve not our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but their own belly; and by good words and fair ſpeeches deceive the hearts of the ſimple.
18. For tho this ſort of Men pretend to be the chiefeſt ſervants of Chriſt, and promoters of Truth and Holineſs, and Happineſs; yet it will be found, that it is not Chriſt, and his Goſpel, Kingdom, and Intereſt, which indeed they ſerve: (For theſe are much diſ…ſerved by Diviſions and Scandals.) But it is their own Belly, and Fleſhly Intereſt in ſome Carnal Deſign, for to eſcape ſuffering, or proſper, or be followed and cried up as excellent Perſons: And though it is uſual with them to have good Words and fair Pretences of Wiſdom and Excellency, and to uſe ſubtile Arguments, which the Simple are much taken with, as if they were clear Truth, and holy Zeal; yet indeed they do not edifie them, but deceive the Hearts of ſuch ignorant undiſcerning, Perſons.
19. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men; I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wiſe unto that which is good, and ſimple concerning evil.
19. Think not that I accuſe you, but warn you: I rejoice that you are famous for your Obedience to the Apoſtolical Doctrine of Faith, Love, Peace, and Concord: But yet I know ſo much of the way of Dividing Seducers, and of the Weakneſs and Injudiciouſneſs of many zealous Chriſtians, that I ſee cauſe to warn you and all others, and to tell you, that there is need of much Wiſdom to eſcape this Snare, and to diſcern Good from Evil; and to wiſh that you may be wiſe, as well as zealous, to all that is good; and ſimple or unacquainted with Sinning and Hereſies.
20. And the God of peace ſhall bruiſe Satan under your feet ſhortly. The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with you, Amen.
20. And to encourage you, I foretell you, That God, who would be known to us as the God of Peace, and hath promiſed that the Holy Seed ſhall break the Serpents Head, will e're long bruiſe Satan under your Feet, overcoming his Temptations, and ſubduing the Tyrannical and Perſecuting Inſtruments that ſerve him againſt the Church. That the great Riches of all Chriſts Grace may be with you, is the beſt Benediction and Wiſh that I can have for you. Amen.
21, 22. Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jaſon, and Soſipater, my kinſmen ſalute you. I Tertius, who wrote this epiſtle, ſalute you in the Lord. 23. Gaius mine hoſt, and of the whole church, ſaluteth you. Eraſtus the chamberlain of the city ſaluteth you, and Quartus a brother.
21, 22, 23. The Brethren here with me ſalute you, &c.
24. The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, be with you all, Amen.
24. From the abundance of my Affection to you, I again repeat my great Benediction and Deſire, The Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with you all. Amen.
25, 26. Now to him that is of power to eſtabliſh you according to my goſpel, and the preaching of Jeſus Chriſt, according to the revelation of the myſtery which was kept ſecret ſince the world began; but now is made manifeſt, and by the ſcriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlaſting God, made known to all nations, for the obedience of faith; 27. To God only wiſe be glory through Jeſus Chriſt for ever, Amen.
25, 26, 27. I conclude (as Chriſt taught us in his Prayer) with that which is the End of all Religion, and of our Lives, and ſalvation it ſelf, the Glorifying of God. To him that can make all our Exhortations effectual, and is of Power to eſtabliſh you according to that Goſpel which we preach, as it is now a Myſtery openly revealed, which was more darkly delivered from the beginning, and not clearly underſtood by Jews or Gentiles; but now is openly made manifeſt by Chriſt the Light of the World, and his Spirit in his Servants, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets now opened, and agreeing with our Goſpel, which by Gods Command we make known to all Nations, to bring them to this Faith, which now is the eminent and neceſſary Obedience to the Command and Covenant of Grace: I ſay, To God only be Glory, (as the End of all our Grace and Glory) through Jeſus Chriſt, (whom he hath ordained to be the Chief Means and Glaſs in whom his Glory ſhall ſhine forth to Man) for ever. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
WHy do we read ſo much in the ſcriptures [of the Obedience of Faith]? Some would not have Faith called [Obedience] leſt that ſignifie [Works]. Anſ. God hath not made Believers or Unbelievers Lawleſs, or under no Command. No Act of Man pleaſeth God, whicn is not Obedience to his Will. When God ſendeth abroad the Goſpel or Word of Faith, he commandeth Men to hear it, believe it, and obey it: But bare Commanding is not all; but with it he giveth convincing Evidence of its Truth, and perſuading Reaſons and Motives to obey it. Therefore we tranſlate the ſame Word ſometime [believing], and ſometime [being perſuaded]; and the ſame ſometime [unbelieving], and ſometime [unperſuaded] and [diſobedient]. And Chriſt is called, The Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him. To ſay, that [Faith as it is Obedience], is the Condition or Qualification for Salvation, but [not for Pardon or Juſtification], is a perverſe Invention of Mans Brain. But cannot Men diſtinguiſh between obeying the Law of Innocency or of Moſes, and obeying the Law of Faith and Grace? yea, and between obeying this Goſpel initially by believing, repenting, and entring into the Baptiſmal Covenant, (which entreth into a State of Juſtification and Right to Life) and the progreſſive Obedience of performing that Covenant to the End, (which is neceſſary to Survivors for actual Glory)? Chriſt knew what he ſaid to the Jews, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom the Father hath ſent: and Paul was ſent to the Gent…le World to preach the Obedience of Faith; that is, that Obedience which conſiſteth in actual Faith performed to the Doctrine and Command of Faith; and which hath the Promiſe of Pardon, Grace, and Glory, freely given for the Merits of Chriſt.