Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/142

136 fancied they might be justified by it before God. " No," saith Paul, "be it known to you, that it is by Christ only that they who believe in him, and none else, are justified from all things, from all the guilt and stain of sin, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses;" (v. 39.) therefore they ought to entertain and embrace the gospel, and not to adhere to the law in opposition to it, because the gospel is perfective, not destructive, of the law. Note, 1. The great concern of sinners, is, to be justified, to be acquitted from guilt, and accepted as righteous in God's sight. 2. Those who are truly justified are acquitted from all their guilt; for if any be left charged upon the sinner, he is undone. 3. It was impossible for a sinner to be justified by the law of Moses; not by his moral law, for we have all broken it, and are transgressing it daily, so that instead of justifying us, it condemns us: not by his remedial law, for it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin, should satisfy God's offended justice, or pacify the sinner's wounded conscience. It was but a ritual and typical institution. See Heb. 9. 9.—10. 1, 4. 4. By Jesus Christ we obtain a complete justification; for by him a complete atonement was made for sin. We are justified, not only by him as our Judge, but by him as our Righteousness, the Lord our Righteousness. 5. All that believe in Christ, that rely upon him, and give up themselves to be ruled by him, are justified by him, and none but they. 6. What the law could not do for us, in that it was weak, that the gospel of Christ does; and therefore it was folly, out of a jealousy for the law of Moses and the honour of that institution, to conceive a jealousy of the gospel of Christ and the designs of that more perfect institution.

[2.] It is at their utmost peril if they reject the gospel of Christ, and turn their backs upon the offer now made them; (v. 40, 41.) "Beware therefore; you have a fair invitation given you, look to yourselves, lest you either neglect or oppose it." Note, Those to whom the gospel is preached, must see themselves upon their trial and good behaviour, and are concerned to beware lest they be found refusers of the grace offered. "Beware, lest you not only come short of the blessings and benefits spoken of in the prophets, as coming upon those that believe, but fall under the doom spoken of in the prophets, as coming upon those that persist in unbelief; lest that come upon you, which is spoken of." Note, The threatenings are warnings; what we are told will come upon impenitent sinners, is designed to awaken us to beware lest it do come upon us. Now the prophecy referred to, we have Hab. 1. 5. where the destruction of the Jewish nation by the Chaldeans is foretold as an incredible unparalleled destruction; and that is here applied to the destruction that was coming upon that nation by the Romans, for their rejecting of the gospel of Christ. The apostle follows the Septuagint translation, which reads, Behold, ye despisers: (for, Behold, ye among the heathen;) because it made the text more apposite to his purpose.

First, "Take heed lest the guilt come upon you, which was spoken of in the prophets—the guilt of despising the gospel and the tenders of it, and despising the Gentiles that were advanced to partake of it. Beware, lest it be said to you, Behold, ye despisers." Note, It is the ruin of many, that they despise religion, they look upon it as a thing below them, and are not willing to stoop to it.

Secondly, "Take heed lest the judgment come upon you, which was spoken of in the prophets; that ye shall wonder and perish, wonderfully perish; your perdition shall be amazing to yourselves and all about you." They that will not wonder and be saved, shall wonder and perish. They that enjoyed the privileges of the church, and flattered themselves with a conceit that those would save them, will wonder when they find their vain presumption overruled, and that their privileges do but make their condemnation the more intolerable. Let the unbelieving Jews expect that God will work a work in their days, which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. This may be understood as a prediction, either, 1. Of their sin; that they should be incredulous, that that great work of God, the redemption of the world by Christ, though it should be in the most solemn manner declared unto them, yet they would in no wise believe it, Isa. 53. 1. Who hath believed our report? Though it was of God's working, to whom nothing is impossible, and of his declaring, who cannot lie, yet they would not give credit to it. They that had the honour and advantage to have this work wrought in their days, had not the grace to believe it. Or, 2. Of their destruction; the dissolving of the Jewish polity, the taking of the kingdom of God from them and giving it to the Gentiles, the destruction of their holy house and city, and the dispersion of their people, was a work which one would not have believed should ever have been done, considering how much they had been the favourites of Heaven. The calamities that were brought upon them, were such as were never before brought upon any people, Matt 24. 21. It was said of their destruction by the Chaldeans, and it was true of their last destruction, All the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem as they did, Lam. 4. 12. Thus is there a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity, especially to the despisers of Christ, Job 31. 3.

42. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 43. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 44. And the next sabbath-day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 49. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. 50. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against