Romans 12

Romans 12:1

Seeing then the gospel, without any addition of legal performances, is the only way to salvation, (which is the thing on the proving of which all the former part of the epistle was spent,) and that the gospel is the spiritualizing and perfecting of the law, (which he shews by going ethically through the several parts of it, the ritual or ceremonial in this chapter, the judicial, ch. xiii. 1, the moral, ver. 8, &c.) I do therefore exhort you, brethren, by the bowels or exceeding great mercies of God, that (instead of the impure Gnostic practices that are so rife among you, and which pretend to be grounded on their mystical understanding of the law and scriptures of the Old Testament,) you preserve yourselves in all purity and holiness, and so offer up unto God (as a kind of heave offering) your bodies (the workhouses and shops of action and practice) a living sacrifice, (in opposition to their dead ones under the law,) an holy, pure one, (in opposition to those external, carnal, legal ones, which had no kind of intrinsical goodness in them, but only as they were commanded them for a time by God,) acceptable to God, (whereas the other were not so whensoever they were not joined with holy life, nor are now any longer so, having been abolished by Christ,) your rational worship of him, (in opposition to that wherein the irrational creatures, the cattle, &c. were offered up to God in his worship.)

[a] reasonable service] What notion of λογική λατρεία, which we have rendered rational service, is here to be fastened on, is not easy to determine. It may possibly be such as will be agreeable to the notion of ὁ λόγος, the word, as it signifies Christ, and then it is the Christian service. It may be as λόγος signifies the word or scripture, and then it will be that worship which is prescribed us in the scripture; and so the Syriac seems to understand it, setting down for λογική γέος, secundum os verbi, “according to the mouth of the word,” that is, such as the word prescribes. It may be also as λόγος, word, is opposed to νόμος, law, and then it will be the evangelical worship. And once more, it may note such a worship of God as is most agreeable to reason, and such as a rational man will resolve to be most agreeable to so excellent and pure a Deity. But the circumstances of the place, and opposition to the sacrifices of the law, the beasts that were offered there, seem to restrain it to the vulgar and ordinary notion of λογική, rational, in opposition to the irrational sacrifices under the law, as ζῶσα, living, before, to the dead bodies among them. Thus is the table of Christ called by Theodoret λογική τράπεζα, rationalis mensa, Serm. 6. de Provid. that is, “the table or altar where we offer up ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto God,” instead of those tables or altars on which the beasts were offered. Thus in Hermes in Piemandro, in the hymn or εὐλόγιον, which closes the book, this prayer is to be found, Διέξαι λογικὰς θυσίας, “Receive these rational sacrifices.” Thus I conceive may λογικὸν γάλα, rational milk, 1 Pet. ii. 2, be rendered also, not that milk of cattle, which men’s bodies are wont to be fed with, but this rational milk, by which men’s souls are improved, to wit, instruction, or Christian doctrine. And thus the ancient Latin translation hath rendered it in both places.

Romans 12:2

And suffer not yourselves to be ensnared with the filthy sensual practices of the Gnostics of this age, that by joining with the Jews against the orthodox Christians, avoid persecution themselves, and bring it upon others, and by that means seduce many, but by undertaking the Christian faith, and that renovation of mind and actions, wherein repentance (required of you at your baptism) consists, let your Christianity appear in the new form and shape of your lives, that ye may be able to discern and approve and practise (see note [f] ch. ii.) what it is that God now commands us Christians, even those evangelical commands of his, which are good (as all the Judaical law cannot be said to be, there being many things permitted for the hardness of their hearts which must not be permitted now) and well-pleasing (as now their ceremonial performances, sacrifice, &c. are not, nor ever were, but when joined with good lives) and perfect (as even the moral part, as it was understood by the Jews, was not till it was enlarged, or at least interpreted by Christ, Matt. v., and as the practices of the Gnostics certainly are not, which yet pretend to the highest perfection.)

Romans 12:3

For I, in respect of that apostolical authority which by the favour and commission of Christ is given unto me, take upon me to admonish every person among you, that he do not exalt himself above that which belongs to him, (as the Gnostics do, who pretend to such heights of knowledge and perfection, as to despise the governors of the church, (see note [d] Jude 8,) and consequently run into such extravagances,) but every man in sobriety to possess the graces which God hath given him, to the benefit of the church, and not the despising of others, especially those that are placed over him by Christ.

Romans 12:4

For as in the body of man, where there are many members, they have not all offices or places of the same esteem or dignity which some have;

Romans 12:5

So all we Christians make up one body, of which Christ is the head, and are fellow-members in respect of one another, but yet have several functions and offices in his church.

Romans 12:6

And having such peculiar functions to which we are designed, differing one from another, according to our several designations, let us exercise them to the edification of one another: if a man be designed

Romans 12:7

If to the office of a deacon, one designed to do some inferior services in the church, let him set himself to the discharge of that: the doctor, or he that teacheth the doctrine of the gospel where it is already planted, let him busy himself about that:

Romans 12:8

He that, when the doctrine of the gospel is taught and planted, is appointed to preach to them the practical use of it, and exhort them to live accordingly, let him employ himself thus: he that distributes his goods, or perhaps the goods of the church, to the poor, let him do it liberally: he that is to govern in the church, let him be very careful and diligent in government: he that gives alms, (which is the duty of every private Christian that is able,) let him do it merrily, not fearing or doubting that he shall impoverish himself or his posterity by that means.

Romans 12:9

Let your love of God appear to be sincere, and such as will abide the trial, Ephes. i. 4, Luke i. 6; and so also your love to one another, let it be unfeigned, detesting and flying from every impious practice, such as are observable among the Gnostics; and for the true Christian course, both toward God and men, cleave fast and zealously to it.

Romans 12:10

Made up of nothing but perfect kindness to one another, contrary to the envying, &c. ch. i. 29, in the Gnostics; humble, contrary to their fastidiousness and pride, ch. i. 30.

Romans 12:11

Industrious and nimble to do any thing that belongs to your calling, and having that earnest affection to God’s service that shall inflame and set you most ardently about it, and accordingly doing those things that in respect of the circumstances of time and place, wherein now you are, may most tend to the honour of God and building up of the church.

[b] serving the Lord] The authority of those copies is great which read καιρῷ δουλεύοντες in this place, serving the time or the season, which being written short thus, κῷ, might easily be mistaken for κυρίῳ. One argument that it is here to be retained is Ignatius’s Epistle to Polycarp, where he joins two precepts together, Πλέον σπουδαῖος γίνου οὗ εἶ, τοὺς καιρούς καταμάνθανε, “Become more diligent than thou art, observe or consider the seasons or times:” that is, the times being times of great corruption first, and then of persecution also, (both mentioned in the former part of the period, ἐτεροδιδασκαλοῦντες μὴ σε καταπληστίωσαν, “let not the heterodox or false teachers move thee or terrify thee;” στῆθι ἱδραῖος, “stand firm,” and μάλιστα δὲ ἕνεκεν Θεοῦ πάντα ὑπομένειν ἡμᾶς δεῖ, “we must beyond all persevere and endure all for God’s sake,”) he must not be slothful, but very diligent to defend his

Romans 12:12

In the midst of those afflictions that now fall upon you, rejoicing in respect of that bliss which we hope for in another world, and consequently never

see note [k] Matt. vi.

Romans 12:13

Shewing liberality to all that want, as earnest in it as in any thing that brings in most advantage to yourselves, or instead of pursuing others, ver. 14, doing them as much kindness as you can.

Romans 12:14

Repay nothing to contumelies, but friendly and kind usage.

Romans 12:15

Comply with the condition and state of other men, affected with all the good and evil that belongs to them.

Romans 12:16

Very affectionate and compassionate in your kindness one to another, pretending not to mysterious knowledge, as the Gnostics do, but behaving yourselves as the modestest sort of Christians do, not persuading or conceiting yourselves that you are wiser than the rest of your brethren.

Romans 12:17

Never acting any revenges upon them which you think have done you injuries; taking care beforehand, that whatsoever you do, it be that which is fit for you to do before the heathens, and which may not disgrace the Christian profession before them, or alien them from it by seeing your lives and actions vile.

Romans 12:18

And particularly, (as far as lieth in you, and is possible for you by all actions of meekness and charity to procure,) living peaceably among them.

Romans 12:19

To that end, (as ver. 17, so again,) not taking the matter of avenging the injuries done to you into your own hands, but referring it to the punishment of God or the magistrate under him, to whom, as he himself saith, Deut. xxxii. 25, it belongs to punish offences.

Romans 12:20

It being the Christian’s duty, and his only prudent method of overcoming enemies, to do them all acts of kindness and charity, whereby thou shalt melt them at length, be they never so hard-hearted; (as when an artificer that deals in metals cannot melt any metal by putting fire under it, he pours live coals on the top of it, and by that means melts any thing that is hardest to melt. This figure must be made use of to interpret this place, which if it were literally understood might seem to command that