A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Romans · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
1. THerefore being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
1. Therefore I may conclude, that being Conſtituted, Accounted of God, and judged Righteous by Faith, we have Peace with and towards God, as Reconciled and Adopted through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, (notwithſtanding we are not juſtifiable as fulfillers of the Law.)
2. By whom we have acceſs by faith into this grace, wherein we ſtand, and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God.
2. By whoſe mediation it is that we came or had acceſs by Faith, into this bleſſed ſtate of Grace and Gods Favour wherein we now are; and greatly rejoyce in hope of the promiſed Glory of God.
3. And not onelyonly ſo, but we glory in tribulations alſo, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, 4. And patience experience, and experience hope, 5. And hope maketh not aſhamed; becauſe the love of God is ſhed abroad on our hearts by the holy Ghoſt which is given unto us.
3, 4, 5. Yea, more than ſo, but alſo in all our tribulations which we undergo in the World for Chriſt and Righteouſneſs, we exult with glorying and joy; knowing that this tribulation doth by exerciſe increaſe our Patience, and being tryed, our patient and conſtant ſuffering maketh us the more certain by experience that our Faith is ſound, and giveth us experience of Gods ſupporting Grace. And this experience much confirmeth our hope of Gods acceptance, and our Salvation, which we ſhould be apt to doubt of, if our Faith and Gods Grace had not been thus tryed; it being eaſie by ſelf-flattery to think untryed Faith is better than it is. And this confirmed hope will never leave us to ſhame by diſappointment, for it is accompanied and ſealed by that ſpecial gift of the Holy Ghoſt, which ſheddeth abroad on our Hearts the effects and ſenſe of the Love of God through Chriſt, and ſo repleniſheth us with Reflecting-love to God, (even as the Summer Rains and Sunſhine moiſten and warm the Earth, and repleniſh it with pleaſant Fruits.)
6. For when we were yet without ſtrength, in due time Chriſt died for the ungodly.
6. For when we were worthleſs, helpleſs, loſt and miſerable, in the fitteſt ſeaſon Chriſt died even for the ungodly guilty Sinners; to recover them to God, and ſave them.
7. For ſcarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man ſome would even dare to die.
7. For among Men, few (or ſcarce any one) would die for an Innocent Man; though perhaps ſome few of rare Charity and ſelf-denial, would venture on death for a Man of eminent worth and goodneſs.
8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet ſinners Chriſt died for us.
8. But the love of God to us was ſo tranſcendently declared and magnified, that while we were yet Sinners againſt his Law and him, Chriſt died to reconcile and ſave us.
2. Much more then being now juſtified by his blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath through him.
9. And if he loved us ſo far, as to give his Son to die for us when we were meer guilty Sinners, we may be ſure that now he hath made and accepted us as Righteous, pardoning all our Sin for the Sacrifice of the Blood of Chriſt, he will certainly ſave us from Damnation.
10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we ſhall be ſaved by his life.
10. For if God reconciled us to himſelf by his Sons death, when we were his Enemies, doubtleſs he will ſave them that are now reconciled, and pardoned Believers, by the Interceſſion of him that liveth in Glory, and is now our Head, the Lord of Life, by giving us his Spirit, and juſtifying us at laſt, and receiving us to himſelf in Glory. He that loved his Enemies, will not damn his beloved Children.
11. And not only ſo, but we alſo joy in God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom we have received the atonement.
11. And now moreover, through this reconciliation by Chriſt, which we have received upon our believing, God is ſo far from being our terrifying, avenging Judge, that he is become our greateſt glorying and joy; he being our God and we his People, and he being our Father, and alſufficient Portion and Felicity.
12. Wherefore as by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin, and ſo death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned.
12. In all this we have notice of this great Myſtery, that as Adam was the Root, or firſt cauſe of Mans Sin and Death, and by that one Man ſin entred into the World, and death by Sin, and ſo all being Sinners, death paſſed upon all, even Temporal death actually and Eternal death by the Sentence of the Violated Law, as being our due.
13. For until the law ſin was in the world; but ſin is not imputed where there is no law. 14. Nevertheleſs death reigned from Adam to Moſes, even over them that had not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion, who is the figure of him that was to come.
13, 14. For it is certain that Sin was in the World before Moſes's Law, even from Adam's fall: And whereas that is no Sin, nor imputed to Guilt and Puniſhment, which is againſt no Law; yet death reigning from Adam's fall till Moſes; and therefore all were under ſome Law, Sin being ſo far imputed to them; though they ſinned not themſelves as Adam did, againſt an expreſs particular command and penal threatning by ſupernatural Revelation from Heaven, nor all that died (e. g. Infants) did actually and perſonally tranſgreſs: Therefore it was from him, as his vitiated guilty Seed, that they derived Original Sin, and by this vitious nature they at age ſinned actually, againſt that Law which they were under, and by both were the Children of death; ſo that we may compare Adam as the root of Sin and Death to all, with Chriſt who is to all true Chriſtians the root of Holineſs and Life.
15. But not as the offence, ſo alſo is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man Jeſus Chriſt, hath abounded unto many.
15. But the diſparity muſt be noted: For if the ſin of one Man had ſuch malignant power and pernicious efficacy as to procure the guilt and death of many, we may be ſure that the Grace and Mercy of God, and the gift of that ſaving Grace which is from the Merits, Interceſſion and Spirit of Chriſt, ſhall be more effectual to the Life of many.
16. And not as it was by one that ſinned, ſo is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto juſtification.
16. And there is this further differences, that Adam, one Man by one ſin, brought the Sentence of Death on all the World, which had not paſſed elſe upon us. But it is many Sins, of many Men, which Chriſt doth deliver us from in the free gift of our Juſtification.
17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteouſneſs, ſhall reign in life by one Jeſus Chriſt.
17. For if one offence of one Man made all Men Subjects to Death by that one; much more powerfully and effectually, they which receive from one Redeemer abundance of Grace, and the gift of Righteouſneſs, in the healing and pardoning of all their Sins, ſhall certainly Reign in the purchaſed and promiſed life of Glory, by that one Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even ſo by the righteouſneſs of one the free gift came upon all men to juſtification of life.
18. Therefore, as by the offence of one the Sentance of Death was paſſed upon all his poſterity; ſo alſo by the Righteouſneſs of one, as the meritorious and procuring cauſe, the free gift came on all Men, for Juſtification and Life. That is, A free Gift is made and offered promiſcuouſly to all, on condition of believing, ſuitable acceptance, and actually juſtifieth all to Life, who ſo believingly accept it, and unthankfully reject it not.
19. For as by one mans diſobedience many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one ſhall many be made righteous.
19. For as by one, Adam's diſobedience, all Men, as receiving their Nature from him, are made guilty and corrupt, and puniſhable as Sinners, ſo by the procuring meritorious Obedience of one (in performing all that was required of him as our Redeemer, in perfect holineſs of Soul and Life, fulfilling the Law of Innocency, and of Moſes, and the peculiar Law of Mediation, being obedient to the Death on the Croſs) ſhall the many that by Faith receive him, be conſtituted Righteous, and ſo accounted and judged of God, even reconciled, pardoned, adopted, and made the Heirs of Life.
20. Moreover the law entred, that the offence might abound: but where ſin abounded, grace did much more abound.
20. And Moſes's Law, which came in afterward, was made to increaſe Mens obligation againſt Sin, and more expreſly and terribly forbid it, that if the Jews would ſin, their Guilt and Puniſhment ſhould be the greater (as alas, they did even to abundance:) But when guilt was increaſed (and Sin by Mens abuſe of the Law), Grace did ſuperabound, being victorious againſt Sin and Guilt, and the curſe in all true Believers, and extending to many more than Moſes's Law did, even to all the called Nations of the World.
21. That as ſin hath reigned unto death, even ſo might grace reign through righteouſneſs to eternal life, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
21. That as Sin hath had its reign and ſad effects in the Death and Miſeries of the Sons of Adam, even ſo ſhall Grace have its more victorious Dominion, and Reign by the Meritorious Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, in making all his Members or Spiritual. Offſpring Righteous, by his Pardoning, Adopting, Sanctifying Mercy, and bringing them to Eternal Life, by the Power and Efficacy of Jeſus their Redeemer.