Study Desk

however, they expected to have seen him swell, or suddenly die away. but when they had waited a good while, and saw no harm come to him, they were of another opinion, and said he was a God.

three days after, Paul sent for the chief of the Jews: and when they were assembled, he said to them, "my brethren, tho' I have done nothing against the Jews, or against the customs of our fathers, I was made a prisoner at Jerusalem, and put into the hands of the Romans:

Having therefore set him a day, they came in great numbers to his lodgings; where he explain'd and confirm'd the reality of the gospel-dispensation, from morning to night, enforcing what the writings of Moses and the prophets had affirm'd concerning Jesus.

for the heart of this people is become gross, their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and I should heal them."

take notice therefore, that the offers of divine salvation are sent to the Gentiles, and they will receive them.

for ever since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divinity, things in themselves invisible, are clearly seen, being perceived by the things that are made; so that they are without excuse:

because when they knew God, they did not with gratitude glorify him as God, but their reasoning became extravagance, and their minds, void of judgment, were involv'd in darkness.

the honour due to God, who is immortal, they transferr'd to idols representing men, who are mortal, to birds, and beasts, and insects.

they changed the true God for an idol, and adored and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed for ever.

and the men unnaturally leaving the sex, were inflamed with mutual passions, which they shamefully indulged, and received in their own persons, the retribution that was justly due to such enormities.

who knowing the divine rule of right, did not perceive that they who commit such things are worthy of death, and not only they who do the same, but they who give countenance to those that do them.

for they shew that the duties prescrib'd by the law, are written in their hearts, their consciences bearing witness to it, by their own reasonings alternately accusing and excusing them.

"how then are we better than they?" why, not at all: for we have already convicted both Jews and Gentiles, of being all under the guilt of sin.

and the way of peace have they not known.

" happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

and he received the sign of circumcision, as a seal of the justification by that faith, which the uncircumcised have: that he might be the father of all those who believe, tho' they are uncircumcised, that it might be accounted to them also for righteousness:

for if they only who are of the law have right of possession, faith is made useless, and the promise becomes of no effect.

" I have made thee a father of many nations," then existing in the sight of God, whom he believed, who gives life to the dead, and calls forth things that are not, as if they were:

and not only they, but even those who have the first fruits of the spirit, even we our selves do inwardly groan for the fruit of our adoption, by the deliverance of our body from corruption.

for before they were born, and had done neither good or evil, that the distinction which God had purposed to make might appear to be, not in consideration of their actions, but of his own free call,