An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...

CHAP. X.

HEE further prosecutes the argument of the Jewes temporal rejection; shewing this to bee the cause, in that the Jews foolishly and stubbornly rejected the righteousness of God in Christ.

There are two parts of the Chapter. In the first hee shews the folly of the Jews, to ver. 14. In the other, their stubbornness, to the end of the Chapter.

Vers. 1. Brethren, my hearts desire, and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might bee saved.

The Apostle being about to shew the just causes of the Jews rejection, hee prefaces, as before, from his good affection, lest any thing should bee thought to bee spoken by him, out of hatred.

Vers. 2. For I hear them Record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Hee shews their preposterous zeal for God to bee the cause of his affection, which zeal was worthy of humane commiseration, though it was not to bee commended, be∣cause it did not arise out of knowledge, but ignorance, therefore it was blind zeal, the zeal of fools.

Vers. 3. For they, being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.

Hee proves the folly of the Romans, by six Arguments.

The first Argument. Out of ignorance of the righte∣ousness of God, imputed to us by Faith in Christ, they affected the inherent righteousness of their own works, and proudly rejected the righteousness of Christ offered

to them: Therefore they betrayed their folly.

Vers. 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteous∣ness to every one that believeth.

The second Argum. Christ is the end of the Law, for righteousness, to him that believes, i. e. the whole Law is therefore given, that men acknowledging their sins, manifested by the Law, might flee unto Christ, and might obtain righteousness by Faith: Therefore the Jews did foolishly, who making a shew of the Law, did not acknowledge Christ, which is the end of the Law.

Vers. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law, that the man which doth those things shall live by them.

Argum. 3. The righteousness of the Law, or Works, as Moses testifies, confers life upon none, but those that perform all things that are commanded in the Law, which is impossible: Therefore the Jews foolishly affect∣ed such a kind of righteousness.

Vers. 6. But the righteousness which is of Faith, speak∣eth on this wise; Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven▪ that is, to bring Christ down from above.

7. Or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to bring Christ up again from the dead.

Argum. 4. The righteousness of Faith (as the same Moses witnesseth) forbids those that believe in God, from being troubled for those things, which are so diffi∣cult, or impossible, as to ascend into heaven, or to de∣scend into the deep: Because seeing Christ hath already overcome those difficulties, descending from heaven, and rising from the dead, to bee any further troubled, how to attain righteousness, life eternal, and freedome from death, is no less than to destroy the foundations of the Christian Religion, and to enquire how it was possi∣ble to descend from heaven, or rise again from the dead: Therefore the Jews betray their folly, who renounce this righteousness of Faith.

Vers. 8. But what saith it? the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is, the word of Faith which wee preach.

Argum. 5. The righteousness of Faith, as it gives se∣curity to those that believe, touching the difficulties in the way of salvation, so also it holds forth an easie way to righteousness and salvation: For the Word of God, or the Word of the Gospel, the same which the Apostles preached, is neer us, that receiving it into our hearts, wee may acquiesce in it, and confess the truth of it with the mouth; As if hee should say to us, Bee not troubled, cast your care upon God, and believe him that speaks in the Gospel, and shew forth your Faith by your works: Therefore the Jews rejecting this easie way of righteous∣ness propounded, are very foolish.

Vers. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt bee saved.

Argum. 6. Opening and confirming the former; The sum of the Gospel is propounded under this most sweet condition, viz. If thou applyest with sincere affection to thy self the redemption procured by Christ, and mani∣fested in his Resurrection by the power of God, and stu∣diest to glorifie Christ with a sincere confession, with∣out doubt thou shalt obtain salvation: Therefore the Jews refusing this condition of Justification and Salvati∣on, betray their folly.

Vers. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righ∣teousness, and with the mouth confession is made un∣to salvation.

This hee confirms with five reasons:

The first Reason is, From the connection of Faith in the heart, and confession in the mouth, according to the order appointed by God, which is, that by Faith from the heart in Christ Jesus, wee might obtain righteousness or Justification; and that, justified by Faith, wee might proceed to the possession of Salvation, glorifying Christ, by confession of the mouth, or outward works: There∣fore they ought to bee joyned, Faith in Christ from the heart, and confession of Christ in the mouth: or inward Faith, and outward works, ought to bee joyned toge∣ther.

Vers. 11. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him, shall not bee ashamed.

Reason 2. Confirming the connection of true Faith and Salvation, from the testimony of Isai. 28.16. which shews, that they shall not bee frustrated in their hope, or their expected salvation, whoever believe in Christ: Therefore the connection of Faith and Salvation is firm.

Vers. 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him.

Reason 3. Confirming the generality of the connecti∣on, betwixt Faith and Salvation, there is no distinction of Jew or Gentile, nor exception made with God of any that believes: Therefore every one that hath Faith, without exception, shall bee saved, as well Jew as Greek.

The same] Reason 4. Confirming the universality of the connection, between Faith, and confession of the mouth, or sincere calling upon God and Salvation: The Lord Jesus Christ is the same, and alwayes like himself, and rich in his grace to all that call upon him: Therefore all that believe, and call upon Christ by Faith, or con∣fessing him with their mouth, shall bee saved.

Vers. 13. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall bee saved.

Reason 5. Confirming the connection betwixt true confession of the mouth, or calling upon Christ through Faith, and Salvation, from the testimony of Ioel 2.32. who pronounceth, All that call upon the Name of the Lord, shall bee saved.

The second Part.

Vers. 14. How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a Preacher?

15. And how shall they preach, except they bee sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The second part of the Chapter, wherein hee shews the stubbornness of the Jews, answering the objections which might have made for their excuse.

The first objection is from the conjunction of the means ordained to the righteousness of Faith, after this sense.

Seeing it is impossible for those that believe not to call upon the Lord Jesus, or for those that hear not the Word, to believe; or those that have not the Word preached to them, that they should hear, or the Word to bee preached to whom the Messengers are not sent, (which connection is gathered from the words of Isaiah, who joyns together the Gospel and the Preachers; the send∣ing of Messengers, and the Hearers rejoycing; the feer, or the coming of the Preachers with gladness in those that received them.) It follows, that the Jews are to bee excused, at least from a stubborn rejecting of Gospel righteousness, because they heard not the Gospel.

Vers. 16. But they have not all obeyed the Gospel: For Esaias saith, Lord, Who hath believed our report?

The Apostle answers, That the Jews heard and did not believe, which hee proves from the Prophets complaint, bewailing, that few believed the word of the Prophets: Therefore the Jews are not to bee excused from stubborn∣ness.

Vers. 17. So then Faith cometh by hearing, and ••earing by the Word of God.

From the same testimony hee confirms the connection

of Faith, hearing, and the Word of God, that hee might draw on the unbeleeving Jews, and provoke those that beleeved to use the means.

Vers. 18. But I say, have they not heard? yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Hee repeats the Objection, and answers that the al∣legation, to wit, that the Jews did not hear the Gospel, was false; because the sound of the Gospel went through∣out the whole world, as the voice of the day and night, as it is said, Psal. 19.5. to which place the Apostle alludes.

Vers. 19. But I say, Did not Israel know? first Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousie by them that are no people, and by a foolish Nation I will anger you.

Another Objection, But perhaps the Israelites did not know, or understand the offer of the Gospel, but through ignorance refused the doctrine they understood not: Therefore they may bee excused in point of per∣tinacy.

Hee refels this Objection, by a threefold testimony of Scripture; The first is out of Moses, Deut. 32.21. who foretells, that because of the Covenant of Grace rejected, or the conjugal Covenant violated, it should come to pass that the Jews should bee rejected from the Covenant, and that the Gentiles should bee taken in, in their stead: Therefore the Jews are guilty of stubborn refusing grace.

Vers. 20. But Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought mee not, I was made ma∣nifest to them that asked not after mee.

The second Testimony from Isaiah 65.1. who boldly, i. e. not fearing persecution from his people, foretells, that, for the Jews frowardness, and stubborn rejecting of grace, it should come to pass, that God casting off the Jews, would take the Gentiles that sought him not, into communion with him by faith.

Vers. 21. But to Israel hee saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands, unto a disobedient and gain-saying people.

The third Testimony, wherein out of Isa. 65.2. hee proves in express terms, that the Jews were condemned for their rebellion: Because God all the day long, or all the time of his forbearance, did offer himself to them as a Father, with his arms spread forth, but they refused him: Therefore the Jews are guilty of rejecting his grace, and for this cause are justly cast off by God.