11 They (Tag 94.) verily not being yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God might stand by an election, not on account of works,2 but of him who calleth,

12 It was said to her, (Gen. xxv. 23.), The elder shall serve the younger :

13 As it is written, Jacob' I have loved, but Esau I have hated.2

14 JEW. What shall we say then? (un) Is not injustice with God?-APOSTLE. By no means.

15 For he saith to Moses, (Exod. xxxii. 19.), I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then, IT is not of him who willeth,' nor of him who runneth, (Gen. xxvii. 3, 4.), but of God who sheweth mercy.

17 (Tag, 91.) Besides, the scripture saith to Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose I have raised thee up,2 that I might shew in thee my son of Abraham to whom the promises were made, he is called, by God himself, Abraham's 'only son,' Gen. xxii. 2.

Ver. 11.-1. They verily not being yet born, neither having done any good or evil. The apostle makes this observation, to prevent the Jews from imagining that Esau lost the honour of being the root of the people of God, on account of his profanity in despising that honour, Heb. xii. 16.-The apostle's observation, that these children, before they were born, had done neither good nor evil, overthrows, as Whitby remarks, the doctrine of the pre-existence of souls. For if these children had pre-existed before they were born, they might have done good or evil, for which the one was favoured, and the other rejected.

2. That the purpose of God might stand by an election, not on account of works, but, &c.]-The apostle, according to his manner,cites only a few words of the passage on which his argument is founded; but I have inserted the whole in the commentary, to shew that Jacob and Esau are not spoken of as individuals, but as representing the two nations springing from them-Two nations are in thy womb,' &c. and that the election of which the apostle speaks, is not an election of Jacob to eternal life, but of his posterity to be the visible church and people of God on earth, and heirs of the promises in their first and literal meaning, agreeably to what Moses declared, Deut. vii. 6, 7, 8. and Paul preached, Acts xiii. 17.-That this is the election here spoken of, appears from the following circumstances: 1. It is neither said, nor is it true of Jacob and Esau personally, that 'the elder served the younger.' This is only true of their posterity. 2. Though Esau had served Jacob personally, and had been inferior to him in worldly greatness, it would have been no proof at all of Jacob's election to eternal life, nor of Esau's reprobation. As little was the subjection of the Edomites to the Israelites in David's days, a proof of the election and reprobation of their progenitors. 3. The apostle's professed purpose in this discourse being to shew, that an election bestowed on Jacob's posterity by God's free gift, might either be taken from them, or others inight be admitted to share therein with them, it is evidently not an election to eternal life, which is never taken away, but an election to external privileges only. 4. This being an election of the whole posterity of Jacob, and a reprobation of the whole descendants of Esau, it can only mean, that the nation which was to spring from Esau, should be subdued by the nation which was to spring from Jacob; and that it should not, like the nations springing from Jacob, be the church and people of God, nor be entitled to the possession of Canaan, nor give birth to the seed in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed. 5. The circumstance of Esau's being elder than Jacob was very pro. perly taken notice of, to shew that Jacob's election was contrary to the right of primogeniture, because this circumstance proved it to be from pure favour. But if his election had been to eternal life, the circumstance of his age ought not to have been mentioned, because it had no relation to that matter whatever.

Ver. 13.-1. Jacob I have loved.]-See Deut. vii. 6-8. Hosea uses the word beloved, to express God's restoring the Jews to the honour of being his church and people, after having cast them off for a time. See ver. 25.

2. But Esau I have hated.]-What God's hatred of Esau was, is declared in the words of the prophecy which immediately follow, namely, and laid his mountain waste.

Ver. 14. What shall we say then? is not injustice with God?-To judge of God's conduct in this election, we must distinguish between his justice and his benevolence. For whereas justice supposes some good or bad action, as the foundation of the rewards and punishments which it dispenses, benevolence in its operations supposes

Ver. 15. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. Here, mercy is not an eternal pardon granted to individuals, but the receiving of a nation into favour, after being displeased with it; for these words were spoken to Moses, after God had laid aside his purpose of consuming the Israelites for their sin in making and worshipping the golden calf, Exod. xxxiii. 19. See Rom. xv. 9. note 1.

Ver. 16. So then, it is not of him who willeth, &c.]-It may be thought that this conclusion should have been introduced imme. diately after ver. 13. But the apostle reserved it to this place, that he might have God's answer to Moses as its foundation likewise. For as in electing the Israelites to be his church and people, so in pardoning them as a nation for worshipping the golden calf, God acted from his mere good pleasure. But if God, from mere good pleasure, elected thein at the first, and afterwards continued them his people, notwithstanding they deserved to have been cast off for their idolatry, why night he not, under the gospel, make the Gentiles his people, although formerly idolaters?

Ver. 17.-1. Besides, the scripture saith to Pharaoh.]-Though Pharaoh alone was spoken to, it is evident that this, and every thing else spoken to him in the affair of the plague, was designed for the Egyptian nation in general, as we learn from Exod. iv. 22. 'Say unto Pharaoh, thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first born;' 23. And I say unto thee, let my son go that he may serve me. And if thou refusest to let him go, behold I will slay thy son, even thy first-born. For as Israel here signifies the nation of the Israelites, so Pharaoh signifies the nation of the Egyptians; and Pharaoh's son, even his first-born, is the first-born of Pharaoh and of the Egyptians. In like manner, Exod. ix. 15. 'I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou shalt be cut off from the earth; that is, thou and thy people shall be cut off; for the pestilence was to fall on the people as well as on Pharaoh. Then follow the words quoted by the apostle, ver. 16. And in very deed, for this same purpose I have raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power,' &c. Now, as no person can suppose that the power of God was to be shewn in the destruction of Pharaoh singly, but in the destruction of hitn and his people, this that was spoken to Pharaoh was spoken to him and to the nation of which he was the head.-Lastly, As in this discourse Jacob and Esau, ver. 12, 13. signify the people that sprang from them, it is reasonable to suppose, that in the same discourse Pharaoh signifies the people over whom he reigned, and for whom he appeared in all his transactions with Moses. See also Rom. x. 1. xi. 2. where Israel signifies the people descended from Israel.

2. Even for this same purpose I have raised thee up.)-This being spoken to Pharaoh as king of Egypt, it is to be understood of the nation which he governed, and not of himself as an individual. In the Hebrew, the words addressed to Pharaoh literally signify, 'stare te feci-I have made thee to stand' Accordingly they are translated by the LXX., EVIXIY TOUTOU SIEтhens, 'For the sake of this,' namely, of shewing my power, thou hast been preserved: Thou and the people whom thou governest have been raised to their present cele. brity, and have been preserved amidst the plagues hitherto sent on you, that thou and thy people, having an opportunity by your actions to shew your wickedness, I might shew the greatness of my power in punishing you. The apostle's translation of this passage, Eis auto του το εξεγείρωση, 'For this same purpose I have raised thee up, does

not alter its meaning. For the LXX. have used the original word ye in the sense of preserving, Isa. xlv. 13. &c. Taylor un derstands this of Pharaoh's being recovered from the plague of the blains, which is said to have been on him, Exod. ix. Î1.

3. That I might shew in thee (vvxμiv, LXX., 15%) my power.1God made Pharaoh and the Egyptians to stand in the midst of the plagues, by removing the plagues one after another, on Pharaoh's promising to let the people go. But this lenity being the occasion of hardening them, new plagues were sent to humble them, whereby God still farther shewed his power. At last, the prince and his people having discovered the greatest obstinacy, God destroyed them in the Red Sea, and thereby made an illustrious display of the greatness both of his power and justice in the government of the world. 4. And that my name might be published through all the earth.] -According to Warburton, God in this speech to Pharaoh declared, that Egypt was chosen by him as the scene of his wonders, and that the Israelites were sent thither for this very purpose, that through the celebrity of the Egyptian nation, the faine of the power of the true God, in destroying the people of that nation, and in delivering the Israelites, might be published far and wide, and draw the attention of all the nations who had any intercourse with the Egyptians. Accordingly, Rahab told the Israelitish spies, that the Canaanites had heard of the drying up of the waters of the Red Sea, Josh. ii. 9-11.; 1. Sam. iv. 8. And considering the communication which the other nations had with Egypt, on account of its being so early advanced in legislation, sciences, and arts, it is reasonable to believe that any thing extraordinary which happened in that country, would soon be divulged through all the earth.

Ver. 18. And whom he will he hardeneth.]-If this is understood of nations, God's hardening them means his allowing them an opportunity to harden themselves, by exercising patience and longsuffering towards them. See Ess. iv. 5. This was the way God hardened Pharaoh and the Egyptians, Exod. vii. 3. I will liarden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. For when God removed the plagues one after another, the Egyptians took occasion from that respite to harden their own hearts. So it is said, Exod. viii. 15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had said.' See Exod. viii. 32. If the expression, 'whom he will he hardeneth,' is understood of individuals, it does not mean that God hardens their hearts by any positive exertions of his power upon them, but that by his not executing sentence against their evil works speedily, he allows them to go on in their wickedness, whereby they harden themselves. And when they have proceeded to a certain length, he withholds the warnings of prophets and righteous men, and even withdraws his Spirit from them, according to what he declared concerning the antediluvians, Gen. vi. 3. My Spirit shall not always strive with inan.' The examples of Jacob and Esau, and of the Israelites and the Egyptians, are very properly appealed to by the apostle on this occasion, to shew that, without injustice, God might punish the Israelites for their disobedience by casting them off, and inake the believing Gentiles his people in their place. Here it is proper to observe, that the unbelieving Jews and Judaizing Christians, by putting an active sense on the verse under consideration, and on Rom. i. 24. xi. 7. and on some expressions in the Old Testament, made God the author of men's sin; a blasphemy which the apostle James was at great pains to confute, chap. i. 13. Ver. 19. Why doth he still find fault; for who hath resisted his will ?By this question the Jew, who objects to the apostle's doctrine, insinuates, that since God had not rejected his people for merly for their wickedness, as he might easily have done, there was no reason to think that he would ever cast them off.

Ver. 20.-1. Who art thou that repliest against God?]-In this question, the impiety of forming arguments against God on account of his distributing to some nations, or to souie individuals, favours

which he denies to others, is strongly represented. What God is obliged to give to none, he may, without injustice, withhold from whom he will.

2. Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, why hast thou made ine thus?]-The apostle alludes to Isa. xlv. 9. where, in answer to the Jews, who seem to have taken it amiss that their deliverance was to be accomplished by Cyrus, a heathen prince, the prophet says, Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker! let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth: shall the clay say to him that fashioned it, what makest thou? or thy work, he hath no hands?' Questions which imply, that nations who derive their existence and continuance inerely from the power and goodness of God, have no right to find fault with him, because he hath denied thein this or that advantage, or because he bears with the wickedness of some nations for a long time, while he instantly punishes others. Ver. 21.--1. Hath not the potter a just power over the clay !]This is the similitude which God himself used for illustrating his power and sovereignty, whereby he is entitled to make some nations great and happy, and to punish and destroy others. Jer. xviii. 6. 'O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter, saith the Lord? Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. 7. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up,' &c. Here every reader must be sensible, that nothing is said concerning God's crea ting individuals, some to be saved and some to be damned, by an exercise of absolute sovereignty. It is power and sovereignty in the disposal of nations only, that is described by the figure of the potter. 2. To make, of the same lump, one vessel to honour and another to dishonour. The same lump' signifies the mass of mankind, out of which particular nations are formed; consequently, the 'one vessel' means, not any particular person, but a nation or community. And 'a vessel to honour,' or an honourable use, means a na tion made great and happy by the favour and protection of God, and by the advantages which he confers on them. On the other hand, 'a vessel to dishonour' signifies a nation which God depresses, by denying it the advantages bestowed on others, or by depriving it of the advantages which it formerly enjoyed, Acts xiii. 17. The meaning of this question is, May not God, without injustice, exalt one nation by bestowing privileges upon it, and depress another, by taking away the privileges which it has long enjoyed?

Ver. 22.-1. And inake known his power. As this is the reason assigned by God for his upholding Pharaoh and the Egyptians amidst the plagues, ver. 17. we may reasonably suppose the apostle is speaking of God's dealings, not with individuals, but with nations. Besides, God's power is not made known in the present life by the punishment of individuals.

2. Hath carried with much long-suffering, &c.]-The word ve literally signifies to bear or carry, in which sense I think it is used here. For as the apostle hath termed the nations of the world tes sels, in allusion to the similitude of the potter, he terms the Jews vessels of wrath, because God would in wrath soon dash them in pieces. See the next note. Farther, he represents God as bearing these vessels in his hand for a long space of time before he cast them from him, that his power and justice might become the more conspicuous when he actually threw them away and broke them. 3. The vessels of wrath. ]-The apostle, by giving the Jews the ap pellation of vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction,' carries on the similitude of the potter, by which he had illustrated God's sovereign ty in his dealings with nations, ver. 21. For as a potter, when he finds that a vessel which he hath made does not answer the use he intended it for, casts it from him in anger, and breaks it, and hath a just title to do so, God, in like manner, was about to cast the Jewish nation away, and to destroy it in his displeasure; and he had a right to do so, on account of its multiplied idolatries and rebellions, and more especially for their crucifying Christ. See Psal. ii. 9. where the

CHAP. X.

that thou mayest see him crowned with glory and honour by the miracle of his resurrection, ver. 7.-For the gospel tells thee, the object as well as the duty of faith is brought nigh thee; it is explained and proved to thee in the clearest manner, and is easy to be performed, as it hath its seat in the mouth and in the heart, being the doctrine concerning Christ, which we preach by inspiration, and confirm by miracles, ver. 8.-namely, That if thou wilt confess with thy mouth before the world, that Jesus is Lord and Christ, and wilt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, and thereby declared him to be both Lord and Christ, thou shalt be saved; a reward which the law does not promise to any one, ver. 9.-For with the heart we believe, so as to obtain righteousness; and with the mouth confession of our faith is made, so as to have assurance of our salvation, ver. 10.-The righteousness of faith, therefore, enjoined in the gospel, is, in its nature and in its reward, entirely different from the righteousness enjoined in the law.

To the second objection, that the admission of the Gentiles into the church and covenant of God without circumcision, is contrary to the covenant with Abraham, the apostle replied, that the prophets have taught the salvation of the Gentiles by faith; particularly Isaiah, in these words, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed,' ver. 11.-And to shew that the expression whosoever does not mean whosoever of the Jews only, but whosoever of the Gentiles also, the apostle observed, that in bestowing salvation God makes no distinction between Jew and Greek; but, being equally related to all, is rich in goodness towards all who call upon him, ver. 12. -Besides, Joel hath expressly declared, ch. ii. 32. That whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved,' ver. 13.-But perhaps ye will reply, that Joel does not speak of the Gentiles, because it cannot be said that they believe on the true God, and worship him, since he was never preached to them by any messengers divinely commissioned, ver. 14.—although such messengers ought to have been sent to them long ago, according to Isaiah, who insinuates that they would have been received with joy, namely, in that passage where he says, 'How beautiful are the feet of them,' &c. ver. 15.-But to this I answer, that in the passage last mentioned, Isaiah declares what ought to have happened, and not what would have happened, if the true God had been preached to the Gentiles. For he foresaw, that even the Jews, who were well acquainted with the true God, would not believe the report of the preachers of the gospel concerning the Christ, notwithstanding it ought to have been as acceptable to them as the preaching of the true God to the Gentiles,

NEW TRANSLATION.

CHAP. X.- Brethren, indeed my heart's desire and prayer which IS to God for Israel is, that they may be saved.'

2 For I bear them witness, that they have (nov Oss) a great zeal, but not according to knowledge.

3 (Tag, 93.) Wherefore, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, (see ver. 10. note 1.), and seeking to establish their own rightcousness, (Phil. iii. 9.), they have not submitted to the righteousness of God:

4 (Tag, 98.) Although Christ is the end1 of the law for righteousness to every one who believeth.

ver. 16. However, granting that faith in the true God cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God preached, it will not follow, that the Gentiles could not believe on the true God, ver. 17.-For though ye say they have not heard concerning him, so as to be able to believe on him and worship him, I must tell you, Yes, verily they have heard; for, from the beginning of the world, God hath preached to all men his own being, perfections, and worship, by that grand exhibition of himself which he hath made in the works of creation, as is plain from Psalm xix. 4. Their sound hath gone through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.' All mankind, therefore, may know and worship the true God, and be saved, agreeably to Joel's declaration above-mentioned, ver. 18.-But ye will say, Is it not a great objection to this doctrine, that Israel, to whom the oracles of God were intrusted, is ignorant of the salvation of the Gentiles through faith, and of their reception into the church and covenant of God equally with the Jews? I answer, If the Jews are ignorant of these things, it is their own fault. For Moses foretold them in the law, ver. 19.

and Isaiah yet more plainly, ver. 20.-who insinuated, that the calling of the Gentiles to be the people of God by the preaching of the gospel, would provoke the Jews exceedingly, and harden them in their infidelity; insomuch, that though Christ in person, and by his apostles, should long and earnestly endeavour to persuade them, they would not believe on him, ver. 21.

In this manner did the apostle lay open the true causes of the unbelief of his countrymen. They rejected the gospel, because it reprobated that meritorious righteousness which they endeavoured to attain by performing the sacrifices and ceremonies of the law of Moses; and because it required them to seek salvation by believing on Jesus, as Lord and Christ, and offered salvation to all the Gentiles who believed. But the Jews were greatly to blame in rejecting the gospel upon these grounds, seeing their own prophets had taught, that whosoever believeth on the true God, and worshippeth him sincerely, shall be saved, although he be preached to them no otherwise than by the works of creation. To conclude, the same prophets having expressly foretold that the Jews, by the calling of the Gentiles, would be provoked to reject the gospel, and for that sin should themselves be cast off, the apostle represented these things to them, in the hope that such among them as were candid, when they observed the events to correspond with the predictions, would acquiesce in the appointment of God concerning the Gentiles; sensible that it was proper to preach him to all the nations of the earth, in whom all nations were to be blessed.

COMMENTARY.

Ver. 1. That they may be saved.]-Israel, or the whole body of the Jewish nation who were ignorant of the righteousness of God, being the subject of this wish, sared must mean their coming to the knowledge and belief of the gospel ;' a sense in which the word is used, I Tun. ii. 4. Who willeth all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.' Also Rom. xi. 26. And so all Israel

shall be saved.' Farther, if the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, mentioned ch. ix. 22. were the unbelieving Jews, and if that description implied that they were under God's curse of reprobation, the apostle would not here have prayed for their salvation at all. Ver. 4. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.-Estius and Elsner are of opinion, that by TEλ0, VOMOU is шeant the fulfilling of