A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Romans · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
1. THerefore thou art unexcuſable, O man, whoſoever thou art, that judgeſt; for wherein thou judgeſt another, thou condemneſt thy ſelf; for thou that judgeſt doſt the ſame things.
1. Therefore thou that thinkeſt highly of thy ſelf, for thy Knowledg, and baſely of others, as ignorant or barbarous, art ſo far from being juſtified by this, that it aggravateth thy Sin, and leaveth thee without excuſe: For thou liveſt in as great Sin, as thoſe whom thou condemneſt as Ignorant.
2. But we are ſure that the judgment of God is according to truth, againſt them which commit ſuch things.
2. But we know that God will judge all Men in Truth and Righteouſneſs, according to their Works; and will condemn evil doers, whatever their Knowledge and Profeſſion be.
3. And thinkeſt thou this, O man, who judgeſt them which do ſuch things, and doſt the ſame, that thou ſhalt eſcape the judgment of God?
3. Is it not then thy manifeſt error, to think that thy Knowledge, and condemning Sin in-others will juſtifie and ſave thee, that liveſt in Sin?
4. Or deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs and forbearance, and long ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance. 5. But after thy hardneſs and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up to thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds.
4, 5, 6. While thou boaſteſt of Wiſdom and liveſt in Wickedneſs, thou ſheweſt the more contempt of God, even of the Riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering, not knowing Practically, that the goodneſs of God which thou doſt acknowledge in Words, ſhould lead thee to Repentance, and forſaking of Sin. 5. But thy Heart being hardened in impenitency, by Sin againſt Knowledge, thou doſt but treaſure up certain puniſhment againſt the Day when God will ſhew his Righteouſneſs by his Judgment; 6. And will judge and uſe Men according to their Deeds.
7. To them, who by patient continuance in well doing, ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life.
7. To them, who by a life of true obedience, and patient waiting for his Reward, do ſeek firſt for future Glory and Honour, and Immortal Happineſs, he will give Eternal Life.
8, 9. But to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſs, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh, upon every ſoul that doth evil, of the Jew firſt, and alſo of the Gentiles.
8, 9. But to them that reſiſt the Light, and contend againſt the revealed Truth, and obey it not, but live in the Practice of Uunrighteouſneſs, while they boaſt of Knowledge, God will pour forth his Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguiſh, even on every one that liveth in Sin and Wickedneſs, firſt on the Jews, who ſin under their boaſting of their Peculiarity, Law, and Jewiſh Knowledge; and the Greeks and Romans, who ſin under their boaſting of Learning and Philoſophy, and conceited Wiſdom.
10, 11. But glory, and honour, and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew firſt, and alſo to the Gentile. For there is no reſpect of perſons with God.
10, 11. But Glory, Honour, and Peace, to every Man that liveth a life of true Obedience and well doing; to the Jew firſt, according to their Covenant-Prerogative, and alſo to the Gentiles, as being in the ſame Covenant of Grace, for God ſaveth not Men partially, for their outward Priviledges, or their barren Knowledge and Profeſſion.
12. For as many as have ſinned without law, ſhall alſo periſh without law; and as many as have ſinned in the law, ſhall be judged by the law.
12. For all Men ſhall be judged according to the Obl…gations which they were under. They that ſinned againſt the Law of Nature and commmon Mercies, and were never under the Moſaical Law, or Supernatural Revelation, ſhall be condemned by the Law which they ſinned againſt, and not by that which was never given them. But the Jews that ſinned under Moſes's Law ſhall be judged by it.
13. For not the hearers of the law are juſt before God, but the doers of the law ſhall be juſtified.
13. For no Law of God, doth juſtifie Men meerly for having it, and hearing it, but for doing it, ſo far as they do it.
14. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, theſe having not the law, are a law unto themſelves. 15. Which ſhew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conſcience alſo bearing witneſs, and their thoughts the mean while accuſing, or elſe excuſing one another.
14, 15. For when the Gentiles, which have not the Jewiſh, or any written Law of God, do by Nature that which that Law commandeth, theſe having not that ſupernatural written Law, have Gods Law of Nature in themſelves; and ſhew the effects of this Natural Revelation written in their Hearts, their Conſciences naturally having ſome Conviction of Gods Soveraign Government and Mans duty, tells them as a Witneſs whether they do well or ill; and their Reaſon accuſing or defending them accordingly.
16. In the day when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt according to my Goſpel.
16. I mean not by any miſtaken ſelf judging in this World; but even at the Bar of Chriſt, when God ſhall open all mens ſecret Acts, and rectifie all miſtaken judgings, as I have preached in foretelling that judgment of Chriſt.
17. Behold thou art called a Jew, and reſteſt in the law, and makeſt thy boaſt of God, 18. And knoweſt his will, and approveſt the things that are more excellent, being inſtructed out of the law, 19. And art confident that thou thy ſelf art a guide to the blind, a light of them that are in darkneſs, 20. An inſtructer of the fooliſh, a teacher of babes, which haſt the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law.
17, 18, 19, 20. And that you may know that the Law will juſtifie no man for having or knowing it, but for doing it, conſider that it is but ſelf-deceit to think that thou ſhalt be juſtified for being called a Jew, and reſting in the Divineneſs and perfection of your Law, and boaſting that you are Gods peculiar People and that his Will and excellent things are known by you which the world knoweth not, and that it is you that by that Law muſt be the Lights and Guides of the Dark and Ignorant, to whom all others as Children ſhould come to School, becauſe you have the only True Knowledge by the means of your Law.
21, 22, 23. Thou therefore which teacheſt another, teacheſt thou not thy ſelf? Thou that preacheſt, a man ſhould not ſteal, doſt thou ſteal? Thou that ſaiſt, a man ſhould not commit adultery, doſt thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorreſt idols, doſt thou commit ſacrilege? Thou that makeſt thy boaſt in the law, through breaking the law diſhonoureſt thou God?
21, 22, 23. Will the Law juſtifie thee, that condemneſt thy ſelf by breaking it while thou boaſteſt of it? Will teaching others juſtifie thee, who teacheſt not thy ſelf? Will it juſtifie a Thief to Preach againſt Stealing, or an Adulterer to Preach againſt Adultery, or the Sacrilegious to abhor Idols?
24. For the Name of God is blaſphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
24. For as the Prophets truly told your fore-fathers, I may tell you, that you are ſo far from keeping your Law to Juſtification, that the ſcandal of your Sin occaſioneth the Gentiles to ſpeak evil of your Law, and blaſpheme God that made it.
25. For circumciſion verily profiteth if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumciſion is made uncircumciſion.
25. Indeed God made not the Law in vain: To keep it is required of the Jews as the matter of their Obedience: And if you keep it as the Covenant of Circumciſion obligeth you, you ſhall not loſe the promiſed Reward. But if you are breakers of the Law, you will be no more juſtified than the Uncircumciſed, but more condemned for violating your Duty and Covenant with God.
26, 27. Therefore if the uncircumciſion keep the righteouſneſs of the law, ſhall not his uncircumciſion be counted for circumciſion? And ſhall not uncircumciſion, which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumciſion doſt tranſgreſs the law?
26, 27. Therefore it being Performance which the Law requireth, if Uncircumciſed Perſons do that good which the Law requireth, it is them that the Law will ſo far juſtifie; and ſuch obedient Uncircumciſed Perſons, that by obeying the Law of Nature, perform the Matter of your Laws, ſhall condemn thoſe that have the Letter of the Law, and are by Circumciſion engaged to keep it, and yet tranſgreſs it.
28, 29. For he is not a Jew that is one outwardly, neither is that circumciſion which is outward in the fleſh: But he is a Jew that is one inwardly, and circumciſion is that of the heart, in the ſpirit, and not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God.
28, 29. But the Jew that God will accept, and juſtifie as the Seed of Believing Abraham, and that anſwereth the end of the Law, is not he that is only viſibly one in the outward Ceremony; nor is that the acceptable Circumciſion, which is only outward in the Fleſh: But he is the accepted Perſon with God, as his peculiar, who is ſuch at the Heart as the Law required Jews to be; and that is the acceptable Circumciſion, which cleanſeth and ſanctifieth the Heart in Spirituality, and not only in outward Letter, Form and Ceremony; which is approved of the moſt Holy Heart-ſearching God, and not that which is but approved of Men.