_There is_ therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Ver. 1. _There is therefore now_] Now, after such bloody wounds and gashes, chronicled Romans 7:1,25. Though carried captive, and sold under sin, yet not condemned, as mig... [ Continue Reading ]
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Ver. 2. _For the law of the Spirit_] That is, Christ revived and risen hath justified me. _See Trapp on "_ Rom 4:25 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Ver. 3. _It was weak through the flesh_] Which was irritated by the law, and took occasion thereby. _ In the likeness of sinful fl... [ Continue Reading ]
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Ver. 4. _Might be fulfilled_] In us _applicative, _ in Christ _inhaesive._... [ Continue Reading ]
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Ver. 5. _Do mind the things_] For want of a better principle. The stream riseth not above the spring.... [ Continue Reading ]
For to be carnally minded _is_ death; but to be spiritually minded _is_ life and peace. Ver. 6. _To be carnally_] The quintessence of the flesh's wittiness, or rather wickedness, φρονημα .... [ Continue Reading ]
Because the carnal mind _is_ enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Ver. 7. _Because the carnal mind_] The best of a bad man is not only averse, but utterly adverse to all goodness. _Homo est inversus decalogus, Job 11:12_, an ass's foal for rudeness, a... [ Continue Reading ]
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Ver. 8. _Cannot please God_] Their best works are but dead works, saith the author to the Hebrews; but silken sins, saith Augustine. Lombard citeth that Father, saying thus, _Omnis vita infidelium peccatum est: et nihil bonum sine summe bone._ T... [ Continue Reading ]
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Ver. 9. _He is none of his_] As the merchant sets his seal upon his goods, so doth God his Spirit upon all his people, Ephesians 1:13 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And if Christ _be_ in you, the body _is_ dead because of sin; but the Spirit _is_ life because of righteousness. Ver. 10. _The body is dead_] Death to the saints is neither total, but of the body only, nor perpetual, but for a season only,Romans 8:11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Ver. 11. _Your mortal bodies_] As he hath already quickened your souls.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. Ver. 12. _Not to the flesh_] We owe the flesh nothing but stripes, nothing but the blue eye that St Paul gave it. It must be mastered and mortified. Drive this Hagar out of doors, when once it grows haughty.... [ Continue Reading ]
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Ver. 13. _If we live after the flesh_] We must not think to pass _E coeno ad Caelum, _ from the mire to heaven, to dance with the devil all day, and sup with Christ at night,... [ Continue Reading ]
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Ver. 14. _For as many as are led_] As great men suffer their sons to go along with them, but set tutors to overlook and order them; so dealeth God by his; the Spirit leadeth them into all goodness, righteousness, and truth, Ephe... [ Continue Reading ]
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Ver. 15. _The spirit of bondage_] Δουλειας, as 2 Timothy 1:7, Δειλειας. The law will convince the judgment; but it is the gospel that convinceth the lust and the... [ Continue Reading ]
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Ver. 16. _Beareth witness_] What an honour is this to the saints, that the Holy Ghost should bear witness at the bar of their consciences.... [ Continue Reading ]
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with _him_, that we may be also glorified together. Ver. 17. _And if sons, then heirs_] All God's sons are heirs; not so the sons of earthly princes. Jehoshaphat gave his younger sons great gifts of silv... [ Continue Reading ]
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time _are_ not worthy _to be compared_ with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Ver. 18. _Are not worthy to be, &c._] Heaven will pay for all; hold out therefore, faith and patience. When Saul had the kingdom, some despised him, but he held his... [ Continue Reading ]
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Ver. 19. _For the earnest expectation_] Gr. "The intent expectation of the creature expecteth:" a Hebrew pleonasm, _a_ and also a metaphor either from birds that thrust a long neck out of a cage, as labour... [ Continue Reading ]
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected _the same_ in hope, Ver. 20. _Subject to vanity_] The creature is defiled by man's sin, and must therefore be purged by the fire of the last day; as the vessels that held the sin offering were purged... [ Continue Reading ]
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Ver. 21. _Because the creature itself_] See Mr Wilcox's discourse upon these words, printed, together with his Exposition of the Psalms, Proverbs, &c., in folio. The... [ Continue Reading ]
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Ver. 22. _The whole creation groaneth_] Even the very heavens are not without their feebleness and the manifest effects of fainting old age. It is observed that since the days of Ptolemy, the sun runs nearer the... [ Continue Reading ]
And not only _they_, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, _to wit_, the redemption of our body. Ver. 23. _The firstfruits_] Which the creatures have not, and yet they groan: how much more we! _ The redempt... [ Continue Reading ]
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? Ver. 24. _For we are saved by hope_] Hope is the daughter of faith, but such as is a staff to her aged mother.... [ Continue Reading ]
But if we hope for that we see not, _then_ do we with patience wait for _it_. Ver. 25. _Then do we with patience_] Religious men find it more easy to bear evil than to wait till the promised good be enjoyed, Hebrews 10:36. The spoiling of their goods required patience; but this more than ordinary.... [ Continue Reading ]
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Ver. 26. _Helpeth our infirmities_] Lifts with us and before us in our prayers. Or helpeth us as the nurse... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what _is_ the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to _the will of_ God. Ver. 27. _Knoweth the mind, &c._] _Quomodo enim non exauditur spiritus a patre, qui exaudit cum patre?_ (Augustine.)... [ Continue Reading ]
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to _his_ purpose. Ver. 28. _All things work together_] Not affliction only (as some would here restrain it), but sin, Satan, all. _Venenum aliquando pro remedio fuit, _ saith Seneca. _Medi... [ Continue Reading ]
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate _to be_ conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Ver. 29. _Conformed to the image_] In holiness, say some; in glory, say others; in affliction, is the apostle's meaning. Art not thou glad to fare as Pho... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Ver. 30. _Them also he called, &c._] If ye feel not faith (said that holy martyr), then know that predestination is too high a matter for you to be disp... [ Continue Reading ]
What shall we then say to these things? If God _be_ for us, who _can be_ against us? Ver. 31. _What shall we say then?_] _q.d._ Predestination, vocation, justification, glorification? What things be these? We cannot tell what to say to these things, so much we are amazed at the greatness of God's l... [ Continue Reading ]
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Ver. 32. _He that spared not_] _Qui misit unigenitum, immisit spiritum, promisit vultum, quid tandem tibi negaturus est?_ saith Bernard. _Nihil unquam ei negasse credendum est,... [ Continue Reading ]
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? _It is_ God that justifieth. Ver. 33. _Who shall lay anything_] This is that confident interrogatory of a good conscience, επερωτημα, 1 Peter 3:21 . _ It is God that justifieth_] Some read it questionwise thus, Shall God that justifieth? No suc... [ Continue Reading ]
Who _is_ he that condemneth? _It is_ Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Ver. 34. _Who is he that condemneth?_] To the sentence of death he opposeth Christ's death. _ Who is even at the right hand_] And as Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? _shall_ tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Ver. 35. _Who shall separate us_] Who shall separate me? saith the Syriac.... [ Continue Reading ]
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Ver. 36. _We are killed all the day_] In Diocletian's days 17,000 Christians are said to have been slain in one month. In the Parisian massacre 30,000 in as little time, and within the year 3... [ Continue Reading ]
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Ver. 37. _We are more than conquerors_] What is that? Triumphers, 2 Corinthians 2:14. We do over overcome; because through faith in Christ we overcome before we fight, and are secure of victory. _a_ And again, "we are m... [ Continue Reading ]
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Ver. 38. _For I am persuaded_] Or, I am sure by what I have heard out of God's word. _a_ He that hath this full assurance of faith goes gallantly to heaven. What (sa... [ Continue Reading ]
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ver. 39. _For the love of God_] viz. Wherewith he loved us. For he loveth his own to the end, and in the end, John 13:1. See the note there. The wife of Camerarius he... [ Continue Reading ]