COMMENTARY.

(1) Therefore thou art inexcusable, 0 man, whosoever thou art thatjudg- est, &c. In order to feel the force of the apostle's reasoning, it should be remembered that the principal ground on which the Jews expected accept- ance with God, was the covenant of God with Abraham, in which he promised to be a God to him and his seed after him. This promise they understood as securing the salvation of all those who retained their rela- tion to Abraham, by the observance of the law, and the rite of circumci- sion. They expected, therefore, to be treated as the favourites of God, and viewed, not so much in their own personal character, as in their rela-