Rom. i. 20, 21. They are without excuse : because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God.
HERE the plan of the epistle begins to be deve- loped. St. Paul, intending to prove that there was one only way of salvation for the whole race of man- kind, begins with shewing, that the Gentile world were altogether guilty before God, and lying under a just sentence of condemnation. In the next chapter he shews the same respecting the Jews : and, in the third, he confirms, from the Scriptures of truth, all that he hath spoken respecting both the one and the other ; and from thence deduces the general con- clusion, that they are all shut up unto the faith of Christ, and must seek salvation by him alone.
In this present discourse we shall have to consider the state of the Gentiles, against whom universally the judgments of God are denounced ; " the wrath of God being revealed from heaven against all ungodli- ness and unrighteousness of men," and especially against " those who hold (or imprison) the truth in unrighteousness," which they have done in all ages of the world a.
But that we may bring the matter home to our- selves also, we shall shew
I. How inexcusable they are for their conduct towards God—
The Gentiles have in every age had sufficient oppor- tunities of attaining the knowledge of God —
[The things of God which are exclusively made known to us in the book of revelation, they could not be acquainted with, because the light of revelation was not vouchsafed to them : but the book of creation was open to them, and equally legible to all ; and from thence they might acquire a considerable knowledge of God's nature and perfections. In beholding the heavenly bodies all moving in their orbits ; and the earth so abundantly furnished with every thing for the accommodation
a ver. 18.