Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 10

1. BRethren, ; my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. .

The Apostle begins this Chapter with another Prolepsis or Rhetorical Insinuation; professing his unfeigned Love of his Nation, and his hearty desire of their Salvation, q. d. as before (e. g.) so now again I declare openly (O ye Christian Iewes my Brethren) that what ever the generality of the Iewes do think of me, as if I hated them, or were their Enemy; yet there is none more passionately and tenderly Affected to them, than I am: and from hence it is, that I do so heartily desire and pray to God, for all that People, that they might be saved.

That they may obtain Eternal Salvation, and escape that Deluge of Wrath and Destruction that hangs over their Heads.

2. For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but . not according to knowledg. .

i. e. true and right knowledg. Though it be a warm, yet it is a blind Zeal. They know not the Will of God, or what that Righteousness is, which He will accept. They know not for what end the Law and Worship of God, under the Old Testament was Instituted. They knew not that Christ, in, and by whom, that Law is fulfilled.

That they have a fervent desire to maintain the Law of God, with all the Mosaical Rites and Ceremonies, as thinking thereby to promote the Glory of God

i. e. true and right knowledg. Though it be a warm, yet it is a blind Zeal. They know not the Will of God, or what that Righteousness is, which He will accept. They know not for what end the Law and Worship of God, under the Old Testament was Instituted. They knew not that Christ, in, and by whom, that Law is fulfilled.

i. e. I must Testify this of them, or of many of them,

Marginal references: Act. 21.20. & 22.3. Gal. 1.14. & 4.17. See Chap. 9.31.

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.

Here he shewes more particularly what Knowledge the Iewes wanted. They knew not the Righteousness of God (of which see Chap. 1.17. with the notes there) This was abundantly manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, cap. 3.21. and a thing very needful to be known, as being that wherein mans Happiness consisted; but they were Ignorant of it.

Their personal and inherent Righteousness, a home-made-Righteousness, which is of their own spinning; this they designed to set up in the room of Gods Righteousness.

This notes the Pride that accompanyed their Ignorance, and that is in the hearts of men by Nature. They wont go abroad for that, which they think, they have or may have at home: They wont be beholding to another, for that which they suppose they have in themselves. They have Righteousness enough of their own working; and therefore they Reject and withdraw themselves from that which is of Gods Appointing.

4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth.

He proves▪ That the Iewes were ignorant of the Righteousness of God, because they were ignorant of Christ, the true end of the Law.

q. d. The Law was given for this end, that Sinners being thereby brought to the knowledge of their sins; and their Lost and damn'd Estate, by reason thereof, should fly to Christ, and his Righteousness for Refuge, vid. Gal. 3.19.24. Or else, Christ is the end of the Law, i. e. the Perfection and Consummation thereof. The Word is taken in this sence, 1 Tim. 1.5. He perfected the ceremonial Law, as being the substance whereof all the Ceremonies of the Law were shadows; they all referred to him as their scope and end. He perfected also the moral Law, partly by his Active Obedience, fulfilling all the righteousness thereof, partly by his Passive Obedience, bearing the Curse, and punishment of the Law, which was due to us. What ever the Laws required, that we should do or suffer, he hath perfected it on our behalf. vid. cap. 8.4.

5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doth those things shall live by them .

In this and the following verses, he shews the great difference that is between the righteousness of the Law, and the righteousness of Faith; and this difference is Taught us in the bookes of Moses himself. As for the righteousness of the law, that is plainly described by Moses, Levit. 18.5. And it tells us expresly, That the Man, who doth personally, perfectly, and constantly observe, and do whatsoever the Law requires, shall be rewarded with Eternal Life, vid. chap. 2.13. and Notes there: And on the contrary it implyes thus much, That who so fails, or falls short, shall incur Death and Damnation. This also it declares in other places, Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10. This is a hard saying; who can hear it? It shuts us all out of Heaven, it turnes us into Hell, it lays upon us impossible Conditions. Let us hearken therefore to the righteousness of Faith. Of which in the next.

Marginal references: Ezek. 20.11, 13, 21.; Or, in them.

6. But the righteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wife , Say not in thine heart , who shall ascend into heaven ? that is to bring Christ down from above .

By a persopopeia (a frequent figure in scripture) he puts the person of a reasonable Creature upon the righteousness of Faith, and bringeth it in speaking and declaring its self, as followeth; or else the meaning is, That the Scripture or Moses speaketh thus of the righteousness of Faith. These words are taken out of Deut. 30.12.13. The question is, Whither Paul doth properly alleadge this place in Deut. or only allude to it; some think the Latter, That Moses directly speaks of the Law, and that the Apostle, by an Allusion, or by way of Accommodation, applies it unto Faith; Hence tis, that he doth not cite the very words of Moses, but alters and adds to them, as best served his Purpose. But Others think, That this would extenuate the force of St. Pauls Argument, if he should only allude unto this Testimony of Moses, and not confirm that which he intended by the same. Therefore their Opinion is, That these words are properly cited; and, That Moses himself, in that place; doth speak (though very obscurely) of the righteousness of Faith; yea, the foregoing words in that thirteenth Chapter of Deut. do belong to the times of the Gospel. Some of the Iewish Rabbies have confest, That Moses in that Chapter, especially the beginning of it, hath referrence to the dayes of the Messiah. He speaks there of the Isralites being driven among all Nations, and unto the utmost parts of Heaven, which chiefly hapned to them a little after the Ascention of Christ, and will abide upon them till their Conversation; of which see the 11 chap. of this Epistle, and then God will Restore them again to the Land of Promise, to that Ierusalem which is from above, the true Church of Iesus Christ; then He will Circumcise their Hearts, and the Hearts of their Seed, to love the Lord with all their Heart, and with all their Soul; then will the Lord rejoyce over them to do them good, as he reioyced over their Fathers; then according to Gods Covenant-Promise, the law of God shall be written in their hearts; It shall not be hidden, or afar off, but nigh them, in their Mouths, and in their Hearts. Thus the Apostle convinceth the Iewes by a Testimony out of Moses, in whom they Trusted.

i. e. Think not anxiously and despondingly within thy self.

i. e. To learn the Will of God there concerning our Righteousness and Salvation; and then Teach it to us: or, to see if there be any admission or room for such as I am there, and to carry me thither.

This is in effect to deny, That Christ has already come down from Heaven to Reveal it to us; and that He must now come to do it: Or else, that is, as much as to deny, That Christ hath already Descended from Heaven, to procure and purchase Salvation for us; and that he must come down again for that purpose. It were to deny the Ascention of Christ into Heaven; for he is gon thither, not as a private, but as a publick Person; He is gone thither as our Head, and thither He will bring all his Members; he is there as our forerunner, as one that is gone before to prepare a place for us. For Christians to distrust their going to heaven, is to doubt Whether Christ be in Heaven; he had never gon thither if he had not perfected our Redemption, and Salvation here.

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

By the Deep, here understand Hell, vid. Luc. 8.31. Rev. 20, 1.3. and 9.1. q. d. Don't enquire distrustfully, and despairingly, whether thou shalt go to Hell, or who shall go thither to see, and bring thee word, if such as thou are there.

This were in effect to frustrate, and make void the death of Christ; tis as much as to say, He never dyed for us, or he must come again, and suffer, and shed his Blood for the Remission of our sins. He dyed to deliver us from Death and Damnation; He endured the wrath of God, that we may escape it. The sence of the whole is this, That the Doctrine of Iustification by Faith, doth not propose such difficult and impossible Terms, as the Doctrine of justification by Works. The righteousness of the Law, that speaks terror, and puts us into a continual fear of Hell, and despair of Heaven; but the righteousness of Faith, that speaks Comfort, and forbids all amazeing fear and troubles about our Salvation or Damnation.

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 we preach .

i. e. What saith the Text in Deut. 30.14. Or what saith the Righteousness of Faith? what is its Stile and Language? In the sixth and seventh Verses, he did but tell us what it said not; but here he tells us what it saith.

i. e. The matter required of thee, in order to Life and Salvation: He seems in these words, to Declare the readiness, and easiness of the way of Salvation, as taught us in the Gospel, and by the Righteousness of Faith. God requires no hard thing of us; To Cross the Seas; to Climb the Mountains; to take long and painful Journeys, to find it out The way of Salvation under the Gospel hath but a short cut; it requires not so much the labour of the hand, as the confession of the mouth, and the belief of the heart; or the word that teacheth, it is at hand, it is as if it were in thy mouth and heart, a proverbial speech (as some think) to shew the readiness of it.

By the word of Faith, he means the Gospel, and the Doctrine of it: and the Gospel is so called, either effectively, because it works Faith; or objectively, because it is a received Faith, and is the proper Object of it.

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

q. d. There are but these two things, which the Gospel principally requires in order to our Salvation, The one is, the Confession of Christ with our mouths, and that in spight of all Persecution and Danger, to own Him for our Lord, and for our Iesus; and to declare, that we are and will be ruled and saved by him, and by him only. The other is to believe in our hearts, That God hath raised him from the Dead. This Article of the Resurrectioa of Christ, presupposeth all the rest, and fastneth together, as by a Link, all the Antecedents and Consequents of it; his Ascention, Session, at the right hand of God, and Intercession, which followed after. This Article therefore, by a Figure, is put for all the rest; and this is mentioned, because the death and passion of Christ, had availed us nothing, unless He had risen again; for thereby He obtained a perfect Victory over Sin, Death, and Damnation, for all the Elect. This is the principal Ground of our Iustification, as hath been said, chap. 4. ult.

Marginal references: Mat. 10.32.

10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness , and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation .

In the former Verse, Confession was set first in this believing. Faith indeed goes before confession. I believed, sayes the Psalmist; and the Apostle after him, Therefore I spake: Yet our Faith is discerned, and known by our confession.

i. e. Vnto Iustification. This Phrase may be Expounded by chap. 4.5. or 9.30.

Our Adversaries the Papists, make great Use of this Text: To prove that good Works, as confession, &c. are the cause of Salvation. Whereas confession is required here, not as the Cause, but as the Means thereof. The Apostle makes faith here, to be the cause, as well of Salvation, as Iustification; because confession of the mouth, to which Salvation is here ascribed, is it self an Effect, or fruit of faith; and so according to that known Rule in Logick, the cause of the cause, is the Cause of that which is caused thereby.

11. For the scripture saith , Whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed.

The saving Effect of faith and confession, spoken of immediately before, is here proved by Scripture. Either he refers to Isa. 28.16. or Psal. 25.3. Or else he means, That this is the general Doctrine of the Scripture. See Notes on chap. 9.33.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 49.23. [illegible: 1 word]. 17.7.

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 .

He gives a Reason for that universal Term (whosoever) which he had added in the precedent Verse, and is not found in Isaiah, as was noted before in chap. 9.33.

These words are a Reason why there is no difference now betwixt Iew and Greek. This Title is to be referred more especially to Iesus Christ, who was called Lord, ver. 9. and is called, Lord of all, Act. 10.36. He is Head of all the Elect, in all Nations of the World.

i. e. Is Bountiful unto All. So that the Iews need not envy the calling or coming of the Gentiles. They have never the less themselves; the Lord hath an inexhaustible Store of Grace and Mercy. The Fountain is above our Thirst.

Not to All, hand over head, but to such as call upon Him in Faith.

Marginal references: Chap. 3.22. Chap. 3.29.; 1 Tim. 2.5. Eph. 1.7. & [illegible: 2 letters]7.

13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved .

That the Lord is rich unto all that call upon him, is Confirmed here by a Testimony out of Ioel 2.32. which is also cited by St. Peter, Act. 2.21. The Apostles Argument may be thus formed: If whosoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved; then the Lord is rich to all that call upon him; for no Riches are comparable to Salvation; but the Former is true, therefore the Later.

Whether Iew or Gentile.

i. e. On him whose Name is the Lord. Iesus Christ is principally meant, as appears by many Passages in the Prophet. Compare this with 1 Cor. 1.2.

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?

The Connexion of this Verse, and the following Verses of this Chapter, is very obscure. Some connect these Words with the 12. verse; there he said, There is no difference between Iew and Greek, &c. And this he proves, because the Means to attain Salvation by the true Invocation of God, hath been made common to All; and consequently Faith; and so from time to time, the hearing and preaching the Word of God, according as the one is occasioned by the other. Others make this the Coherence, seeing the Righteousness of Faith, is the only true Righteousness, and doth, in common, by the Promise of God, belong to Iew and Gentile (as hath been said): It was therefore necessary, that some must be sent of God to both People, which is the ordinary way and means to beget Faith, and to bring Men to Christ. His way of Arguing is such, as Logicians call Sorites, Rhetoricians a Gradation; and 'tis very Forcible and Demonstrative. q. d. God hath, by his Prophets, promised Salvation, indifferently to Iew and Gentile: But without calling on Him, there is no Salvation; and without Faith, there is no Prayer; and without Hearing, there is no Faith; and without a Preacher, there is no Hearing; and without solemn Mission, there can be no Preacher. His manner of speaking all along, is by way of Interrogation, which is the more Convincing; because it carries in it, a kind of an Appeal to the Persons spoken to. Every Interrogation is Equivalent to a Negation.

There is no Foundation then for the Popish Doctrine of invocating Saints and Angels.

Amongst the Elect of God, there may be some that are born Deaf; and in these, God doth supply the want of outward Means, in an extraordinary way: But ordinarily, Hearing is as necessary to Faith, as Faith is to Prayer, or Prayer to Salvation.

15. And how shall they preach, except they be 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.

Viz. Immediately by God or Christ; or the Prophets, and the Apostles, vid. Gal. 1.1. Or mediately by Men, i. e. By such as have Authority from Christ, to Separarate and Ordain Others to this Work; without this orderly Mission or Ordination, How can they Preach, saith the Apostle? i. e. How can they do it Duely or Profitably, or in the Name, and by the Authority of Christ? For otherwise, there were, and still are, those that Run before they are sent, Ier. 23.21.

Their Arrival or Approach. The Persons of such are meant, though their Feet be named, because they carried them up and down to do this Work. The Scripture referred to, is found in Isa. 52.7. The Apostle here leaveth the Septuagint, and followeth the Hebrew Text: Yet he doth not Cite the Place in all Points, as the Prophet hath it. He leaveth out some words, as (upon the Mountains) which had respect to the Situation of Ierusalem; and he changeth the Number, turning the Singular into the Plural. Obj. But the Text in Isaiah speaks of such a Messenger, as was sent to Publish the Deliverance of the Iews, from the Bondage of the Assyrians. A. Though that be granted, it is applied and accommodated aptly enough to the Preaching of Peace and Salvation by Christ; because that Deliverance (as all other Temporal Deliverances) had its Foundation in the Redemption purchased by Christ.

Marginal references: Nahum. 1.15.

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

He here preventeth a Cavil of the Iews. Thus they might Reason, if the Apostles and Preachers of the Gospel, are sent with so great Authority from God, and bring such a welcome Message. How comes it to pass, that so few Receive it, and yield Obedience thereunto? To this he Answers, That it need not seem strange, because it was foretold long ago by the Prophet, Isaiah 53.1. It is not to be understood, as if this was the Cause of their Unbelief, because Isaiah said thus. The Particle (For) doth not shew the Cause, but the Consequence: It was not because the Prophet so said, that they did not Believe; but because they believed not the Prophet so foretold.

This is added by the Seventy for Explanation.

i. e. Very few, none in Comparison. Compare this with Iohn 3.32.

Marginal references: Joh. 12.38.; Gr. our hearing.; Or, preaching.

17. So then, faith cometh by hearing , and hearing by the word of God .

This is the Conclusion of the former Gradation v. 14. He speaketh here of the ordinary Means, whereby Faith is wrought; not Confining or Limiting the Spirit of God, who Worketh, or may Work, by extraordinary Means; yea, without any Means at all. See the Notes on ver. 14.

By the Command of God. q. d. The Gospel could not be lawfully Preached to them, for them to Hear it, but by God's command; and therefore the Apostles and Others, in Preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, had good Authority for what they did.

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 .

He answers an Objection, that some one might make in behalf of the Iews, to excuse them; that they could not Believe, because they had not heard; and Faith, as in the foregoing Verse, comes by hearing. To this he Answers, That the Gospel was Published to the whole World; therefore the Iews must needs have heard it. That the Gospel had been Preached all the World over, he proves by a Testimony taken out of Psal. 19.4. q. d. David tells you. That All have heard, or might hear; for the Sound of the Gospel is gone out into all the earth. Obj. But David speaks of the works of God; as the Heavens, the Firmament, &c. A. Some think, the Apostle only Alludes to this place in the 19. Psalm, and doth not alleadge it. Others think. That the Psalmist doth Literally and Historically speak of the Heavens, &c. And Prophetically of the Apostles, and Preachers of the Gospel. By all the earth, in this Verse, you may understand the greatest Part of it; and by the ends of the world, the remote Parts thereof.

19. But I say, Did not Israel know ? First, Moses saith , I will provoke you to Jealously by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you .

Here he proves by three Testimonies out of the Old Testament, That the Iews must needs have heard the sound of the Gospel, together with the Gentiles; only they Rejected it, when the other Embraced it. And so he layeth the ground of what he was purposed to handle, in the following Chapter, concerning the receiving of the Gentiles, and the casting off, and after calling of the Iews.

Here something must be supplied to make up the Sence. Either God, or the Gospel, or the Righteousness of Faith, or the conversion of the Gentiles: The Israelites could not well pretend Ignorance, Considering what Moses and Isaiah had said, in whom, or in whose Writings they were Conversant, viz. in Deut. 32.21. Still he follows the Translation of the Seventy.

Here God threatneth the Iews, That He would Punish them with jealousy and anger, by preferring the Gentiles before them; at the sight whereof, their Hearts should be sore vexed; to behold all their Priviledges taken from them, and given to a People, whom they accounted most Vile and Despicable; to be no People in regard of them; to be Dogs and Beasts rather than Man, vid. Act. 13.45. Read the cited place in Deuter. and you will find that God speaks of this, as a fit Punishment upon the Iews [illegible: 1 letter]or their Idolatry: They had chosen to themselves, such as were no gods; and therefore, to requite them, God would take to Him such as were no People: They had chosen to themselves (as it were) another Husband; and God, to be even with them, had Chosen another Wife.

Marginal references: Or, hath not Israel known?

20. But Esaias is very bold , and saith , I was found of them that sought me not , I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me .

i. e. He speaks more boldly concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and the casting off the Iews. He used a holy Freedom, though it cost him dear, Hierome saith, he was sawn asunder, with a wooden Saw. This is a commendable property in a Preacher, vid. Act. 4.13. and 28.31.

viz. in Isay 65.1. The Apostle in this Citation differs in some words, both from the Hebrew text, and the LXX. as may appear to him that will com[illegible: 2 letters]re them together.

Compare this with ch. 9.30. and see the Notes there.

Compare this with Eph. 2.2. the advantage and advancement of the Gentiles, was altogether of free Grace, and an effect of Gods free Election.

Marginal references: Or, I have been found.; Or, I have been made.

21. But to Israel he saith , All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people .

viz. in Isa. 65.2. In the former verse there is a consolatory Prophesy foretelling the vocation of ignorant and prophane Gentiles; and in this, there is a menacing Prophecy, threatning the rejecting of the rebellious and stubborn Iewes.

From the time of their first calling, to their dissipation.

As a Father holds forth his Armes to receive a rebellious Son. Compare this with Mat. 23.37.

The Prophet Isajah hath but one word Rebellious, and the Apostle renders it, by these two words disobedience and gainsaying: They were disobedient in heart, and gainsaying, with their Tongues, contrary to these two gracious qualifications mentioned, v. 9.10. Belief in the heart, and the confession of the mouth. Compare this with Act. 7.51, 52. and 13.45. and 19.9.