24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the de sires of their hearts, to dishonour their bodies among themselves, 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature above the Creator, who is blessed for ever! 26 Amen. Therefore God gave them up to vile affections; for even their women changed the natural use to that which is against na27 ture; And likewise also men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust toward each other, men with men working filthiness, and receiving in themselves the just recompense of their 28 error. And as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to an undiscerning mind, to do the things 29 which were not expedient, Filled with all injustice, fornication, maliciousness, covetousness, wickedness: full of envy, murder, con30 tention, deceit, malignity: Whisperers, backbiters; haters of God,

violent, proud: boasters, inventors of evil things: disobedient to 31 parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natu32 ral affection, implacable, unmerciful. Who knowing the righteous

judgment of God, that they who practise such things are worthy of

case is expressed by God gave them up. If a man will not worship God as God, he is so left to himself, that he throws away his very manhood. Reptiles-Or creeping things: as beetles, and various kinds of serpents.

24. Wherefore-One punishment of sin is from the very nature of it, as ver. 27. Another, as here, is from vindictive justice. Uncleanness-Ungodliness and uncleanness are frequently joined, 1 Thess. iv, v, as are the knowledge of God and purity. God gave them up-By withdrawing his restraining grace.

25. Who changed the truth-The true worship of God, into a lie-False, abomi. nable adolatries, and worshipped-Inwardly, and served-Outwardly.

26. Therefore God gave them up to vile affections-To which the heathen Romans were then abandoned to the last degree; and none more than the emperors themselves.

27. Receiving the just recompense of their error-Their idolatry; being punished with that unnatural lust, which was as horrible a dishonour to the body, as their idolatry was to God.

28. God gave them up to an undiscerning mind-Treated of ver. 32, to do things not expedient-(Even the vilest abominations) treated of ver. 29-31.

29. Filled with all injustice-This stands in the first place, unmercifulness in the last. Fornication-includes here every species of uncleanness. Maliciousness-The Greek word properly implies a temper, which delights in hurting another even without any advantage to itself.

30. Whisperers-Such as secretly defame others. Backbiters-Such as speak against others behind their back. Haters of God-That is, rebels against him; deniers of his providence, or accusers of his justice in their adversities. Yea, having an inward heart enmity to his justice and holiness. Inventors of evil things-Of new pleasures, new ways of gain, new arts of hurting, particularly

in war.

31. Covenant breakers-It is well known, the Romans, as a nation, from the very beginning of their commonwealth, never made any scruple of vacating altogether the most solemn engagement, if they did not like it, though made by their supreme magistrate, in the name of the whole people. They only gave up the general who had made it, and then supposed themselves to be at full liberty! Without natural affection-The custom of exposing their own new-born children to perish by cold, hunger, or wild beasts, which so generally prevailed in the heathen world, particularly among the Greeks and Romans, was an amazing in. stance of this; as is also that of killing their aged and helpless parents, now common among the American heathens.

32. Not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that practise them-This is the highest degree of wickedness. A man may be hurried by his passions to do the thing he hates. But he that has pleasure in those that do evil, loves wicked.

death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that practise them.

II. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest; for in that thou judgest the other, thou condemnest 2 thyself; for thou that judgest practisest the same things. For we know that the judgment of God is according to truth, against them 3 who practise such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and dost the same, that 4 thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering, not 5 knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up to thyself wrath in the day of wrath, and revelation, and righteous judgment 6 of God? Who will render to every one according to his works: 7 To them that by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, 8 and honour, and immortality, eternal life. But to them that are

contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, 9 shall be indignation, and wrath, tribulation and anguish, Even ness for wickedness' sake. And hereby he encourages them in sin, and heaps the guilt of others upon his own head.

II. 1. Therefore-The apostle now makes a transition from the Gentiles to the Jews, til at ver. 6 he comprises both. Thou art inexcusable-Seeing knowledge without practice only increases guilt. O man-Having before spoken of the Gentile in the third person, he addresses the Jew in the second person. But he calls him by a common appellation, as not acknowledging him to be a Jew. See ver. 17, 28. Whosoever thou art that judgest-Censurest, condemnest : for in that thou judgest the other-The heathen: thou condemnest thyself, for thou dost the same things-In effect; in many instances.

2. For we know-Without any teaching; that the judgment of God-Not thine, who exceptest thyself from its sentence, is according to truth-Is just, making no exception, ver. 5, 6, 11, and reaches the heart as well as the life, ver. 16.

3. That thou shalt escape-Rather than the Gentile.

4. Or despisest thou-Dost thou go farther still, from hoping to escape his wrath, to the abuse of his love? The riches-The abundance of his goodness, forbearance, and long suffering-Seeing thou both hast sinned, dost sin, and wilt sin. All these are afterward comprised in the single word goodness; leadeth theeThat is, is designed of God to lead or encourage thee to it.

5. Treasurest up wrath-Although thou thinkest thou art treasuring up all good things. O what a treasure may a man lay up either way, in this short day of life: to thyself—Not to him whom thou judgest; in the day of wrath, and revelation, and righteous judgment of God-Just opposite to the goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering of God. When God shall be revealed; then shall also be revealed the secrets of men's hearts, ver. 16. Forbearance and revelation respect God, and are opposed to each other; long suffering and righteous judg. ment respect the sinner; goodness and wrath are words of a more general import.

7. To them that seek for glory-For pure love does not exclude faith, hope, desire, 1 Cor. xv, 58.

8. But to them that are contentious-Like thee, O Jew, who thus fightest against God. The character of a false Jew is disobedience, stubbornness, impatience. Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, alluding to Psalm lxxviii, 49. He cast upon them-The Egyptians, the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble; and finally intimating, that the Jews would in the day of vengeance be more severely punished, than even the Egyptians were when God made their plagues so wonderful.

9. Of the Jew first-Here we have the first express mention of the Jews in * Prov. xxiv, 12.

upon every soul of man who worketh evil, of the Jew first, and 10 also the Gentile: But glory, and honour, and peace shall be to every one who worketh good, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.

11

For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have 12 sinned without the law, shall also perish without the law; and as many 13 as have sinned under the law, shall be judged by the law. For not

the hearers of the law are just with God, but the doers of the 14 law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these not having 15 the law, are a law to themselves; Who show the work of the law written upon their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts among themselves, accusing or even defending 16 them, In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Christ Jesus, according to my Gospel.

this chapter. And it is introduced with great propriety. Their having been trained up in the true religion, and having had Christ and his apostles first sent to them, will place them in the foremost rank of the criminals that obey not the truth.

10. But glory-Just opposite to wrath, from the Divine approbation, honour, opposite to indignation, by the Divine appointment, and peace now and for ever, opposed to tribulation and anguish.

11. For there is no respect of persons with God-He will reward every one according to his works. But this is well consistent with his distributing advan tages and opportunities of improvement, according to his own good pleasure.

12. For as many as have sinned-He speaks as of the time past, for all time will be past at the day of judgment. Without the law-Without having any writ ten law; shull also perish without the law-Without regard had to any outward law; being condemned by the law written in their hearts. The word also shows the agreement of the manner of sinning with the manner of suffering. PerishHe could not so properly say, shall be judged without the law.

13. For not the hearers of the law are even now just before God; but the doers of the law shall be justified-Finally acquitted and rewarded. A most sure and important truth; which respects the Gentiles also, though principally the Jews. But St. Paul speaks of the former, ver. 14, &c, of the latter, ver. 17, &c. Here is therefore no parenthesis: for the 16th verse also depends on the 15th, not on the 12th.

14. For when the Gentiles-That is, any of them. St. Paul having refuted the perverse judgment of the Jews concerning the heathens, proceeds to show the just judgment of God against them. He now speaks directly of the heathens, in order to convince the heathens. Yet the concession he makes to these, serves more strongly to convince the Jews. Do by nature-That is, without an outward rule; though this also, strictly speaking, is by preventing grace. The things contained in the law-The ten commandments being only the substance of the law of nature. These not having the written law, are a law unto themselves -That is, what the law is to the Jews, they are, by the grace of God, to themselves; namely, a rule of life.

15. Who show-To themselves, to other men, and in a sense, to God himself; the work of the law-The substance, though not the letter of it; written on their hearts-By the same hand which wrote the commandments on the tables of stone; their conscience-There is none of all its faculties which the soul has leas in its power than this; bearing witness-In a trial, there are the plaintiff, the defendant, and the witnesses. Conscience, and sin itself, are witnesses against the heathens. Their thoughts sometimes excuse, sometimes condemn them. Among themselves-Alternately, like plaintiff and defendant. Accusing, or even defending them-The very manner of speaking shows that they have far more room to accuse than to defend.

16. In the day-That is, who show this in the day-Every thing will then be shown to be what it really is. In that day will appear the law written in their

17 But if thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and gloriest in 18 God, And knowest his will, and discernest the things that differ, 19 being instructed out of the law: And art confident that thyself art 20 a guide to the blind, a light of them that are in darkness, An

instructer of the ignorant, a teacher of babes, having the form of 21 knowledge and truth in the law: Thou that teachest another, dost not teach thyself: thou that proclaimest, a man should not steal, 22 dost steal: Thou that sayest, A man should not commit adultery,

dost commit adultery: thou that abhorrest idols, committest sa23 crilege. Thou that gloriest in the law, by transgressing the law 24 dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among 25 the Gentiles through you, as it is written, Circumcision indeed

profiteth, if thou keepest the law; but if thou art a transgressor of 26 the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. Therefore

if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not 27 his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? Yea, the uncirhearts, as it often does in the present life; when God shall judge the secrets of men-On secret circumstances depends the real quality of actions, frequently unknown to the actors themselves, ver. 29. Men generally form their judgments even of themselves, merely from what is apparent. According to my GospelAccording to the tenor of that Gospel which is committed to my care. it appears that the Gospel also is a law.

Hence

17. But if thou art called a Jew-This highest point of Jewish glorying, (after a farther description of it interposed, ver. 17-20, and refuted, ver. 21-24,) is itself refuted, ver. 25, &c. The description consists of twice five articles; of which the former five, ver. 17, 18, show what he boasts of in himself; the other five, ver. 19, 20, what he glories in, with respect to others. The first particular of the former five answers to the first of the latter; the second to the second, and so on. And restest in the law-Dependest on it, though it can only condemn thee; and gloriest in God-As thy God: and that too, to the exclusion of others.

19. Blind-in darkness—ignorant-babes-These were the titles which the Jews generally gave the Gentiles.

20. Having the form of knowledge and truth-That is, the most accurate know. ledge of the truth.

21. Thou dost not teach thyself—He does not teach himself, who does not prac. tise what he teaches. Dost thou steal-commit adultery-commit sacrilegeSin grievously against thy neighbour, thyself, God. St. Paul had shown the Gentiles, first their sins against God, then against themselves, then against their neighbours. He now inverts the order. For sins against God are the most glaring in a heathen, but not in a Jew. Thou that abhorrest idols-Which all the Jews did, from the time of the Babylonish captivity; thou committest sacrilege -Dost what is still worse, robbing him, who is God over all, of the glory which is due to him.

None of these charges were rashly advanced against the Jews of that age. For as their own historian relates, some even of the priests lived by rapine, and others in gross uncleanness. And as for sacrilegiously robbing God and his altar, it had been complained of ever since Malachi. So that the instances are given with great propriety and judgment.

25. Circumcision indeed profiteth-He does not say justifies. How far it profitted is shown in the 3d and 4th chapters; thy circumcision is become uncircumcision-Is so already in effect. Thou wilt have no more benefit by it, than if thou hadst never received it. The very same observation holds with regard to baptism.

26. If the uncircumcision—That is, a person uncircumcised, keep the lawWalk agreeably to it; shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision— In the sight of God?

27. Yea, the uncircumcision that is by nature-Those who are, literally speaking, * Isaiah lii, 5.

cumcision that is by nature, fulfilling the law, shall judge thee, who 28 by the letter and circumcision transgressest the law. For he is not a Jew, who is an outward Jew, neither is that circumcision which 29 is apparent in the flesh. But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God."

What then is the advantage of the Jew, or what the profit of 2 the circumcision? Much every way; chiefly in that they were 3 entrusted with the oracles of God. For what if some believed 4 not? Shall their unbelief disannul the faithfulness of God? God forbid let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, *That thou mightest be justified in the saying, and mightest over5 come when thou art judged. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is not God 6 unjust, who taketh vengeance? I speak as a man. God forbid; 7 otherwise how should God judge the world? But if the truth of God hath abounded to his glory through my lie, why am I still 8 judged as a sinner? And why may we not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm us to say) do evil, that good may come? Whose condemnation is just.

uncircumcised, fulfilling the law-As to the substance of it, shall judge thee— Shall condemn thee in that day: who by the letter and circumcision—Who having the bare, literal, external circumcision, transgresseth the law.

28. For he is not a Jew-In the most important sense, that is, one of God's beloved people, who is one in outward show only; neither is that the true acceptable circumcision which is apparent in the flesh.

29. But he is a Jew-That is, one of God's people, who is one inwardly-In the secret recesses of his soul; and the acceptable circumcision is that of the heart, [referring to Deut. xxx, 6,] the putting away all inward impurity. This is seated in the spirit, the inmost soul renewed by the Spirit of God, and not in the letter, not in the external ceremony: whose praise is not from men; but from God-The only Searcher of the heart.

III. 1. What then, may some say, is the advantage of the Jew, or of the cir cumcision-That is, those that are circumcised, above the Gentiles?

2. Chiefly in that they were entrusted with the oracles of God-The Scriptures, in which are so great and precious promises; other prerogatives will follow, chap. ix, 4, 5. St. Paul here singles out this, by which, after removing the objection, he vill convict them so much the more.

3. Shall their unbelief disannul the faithfulness of God ?--Will he not still make good his promises to them that do believe?

5. But, it may be farther objected, if our unrighteousness be subservient to God's glory, is it not unjust in him to punish us for it? I speak as a man-As human weakness would be apt to speak.

6. God forbid-By no means. If it were unjust in God to punish that unrighteousness, which is subservient to his own glory; how should God judge the world?—Since all the unrighteousness in the world will then commend the righteousness of God.

7. But, may the objector reply, if the truth of God hath abounded-Has been more abundantly shown, through my lie-If my lie, that is, practice contrary to truth, conduces to the glory of God, by making his truth shine with superior advantage, why am I still judged as a sinner ?-Can this be said to be any sin at all? Ought I not to do what would otherwise be evil, that so much good may come? To this the apostle does not deign to give a direct answer, but cuts the objector short with a severe reproof.

8. Whose condemnation is just―The condemnation of all who either speak or act in this manner. So the apostle absolutely denies the lawfulness of doing evil, any evil, that good may come.

* Psalm li, 4.