Archbishop of this Province, in August, 1817; and is now first published: THE THIRD Was never either preached or published. Gilling RectoRY, A SYNOPSIS OF The Argument OF ST. PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS TENDING TO ASCERTAIN THE MAIN SCOPE OF THE EPISTLE, WITH A VIEW TO A JUST INTERPRETATION OF THE IMPORTANT DOCTRINES THEREIN CONTAINED. place a comma after Justification read virorum -253- -8 read in ea 230- 14 instead of a colon place a semicolon after doctrine : read are conferred place a comma after Clearly 7 for turns this read turns all this 19 for impossible read possible 277-23 after Hell, the following sentence is omitted: God's goodness which pardons many sins which we could avoid, will not so easily throw them into Hell for what they could not avoid. 288 25 for Sect. 7. read Sect. 5. INTRODUCTION TO THE Synopsis. THE Epistle to the Romans is evidently written in opposition to certain Jewish pretensions and prejudices: these were, 1. A trust in the Works of the Law, and especially in the rite of Circumcision; as if by these they were already justified, and instated in the favour of God: this led them to neglect the offer of the Gospel : 2. A trust in their privilege, as the chosen seed of Abraham; as if by that title they were constituted to all ages God's peculiar people, the objects of his affection, and heirs of the promises: this led them to contemn the Gentiles, as aliens ; and to exclude them from all share in the benefits of Messiah's kingdom. B 1. THAT the Jews confided in their Law, as a means of Justification, we might safely infer from St. Paul's argument in the three first Chapters; a main conclusion of which, (no doubt, in opposition to the Jewish prejudice) is this: "Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.” (111. 20.) But it will be more satisfactory to produce St. Paul's express declaration, in this same Epistle: "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: but Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumblingstone." (Ix. 30, 31, 32.) And again: "For I * In opposition to the extravagant notions which the Jews entertained of the Justifying power of the Law, must be understood, I suppose, those very strong expressions of St. Paul :ROM. iv. 15. The law worketh wrath. v. 20. The law entered that the offence might abound. GAL. iii. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. 2 COR. iii. 7. The ministration of death, written and engraven in stones. |