shame. — V. g.] — xai ffxXrtpoxap&av, and hardness of heart) Faith and a tender heart are always conjoined.
15. Kdff/iov, the world) Jesus Christ, the Lord of all, [is the fitting Giver of this command to preach in all the world], — T«<r?j, all), ver. 20 [everywhere^. This is said without limitation. If all men, of all places and ages, have not heard the Gospel, [the blame lies with] the successors of the first preachers, and those whose duty it was to have heard it, [who] have not answered the intention of the Divine will. — xrigeij creature) to men pri marily, ver. 16; to the rest of creatures secondarily. As widely extended as was the curse, so widely extended is the blessing. The creation of the world by the Son is the foundation of its redemption and His [coming] kingdom [reign] over it.
16. TLiffTfugcts, he that believeth) the Gospel. The close of this Gospel corresponds to its opening : ch. i. 15. — xa.1 /3eMrr/<r0g/j, and that is baptized) Whosoever once believes, is wont to receive baptism. — mtSpnwU) shall be saved: xaraxpiGr/girai, shall be con demned) There is a Synecdoche in both verbs : sJiall have right eousness [the antithetic term to xaraxpfaa involved in xaraxpi- 6i}gtrai], and salvation • shall be condemned, and perish [the anti thesis of ffttft)4tro/]t — aT/ffT^ffaj, he who believeth not) Those who did not believe, did not receive baptism. The want of baptism does not condemn, unless it be through unbelief [that baptism is refused]. The penalty of neglecting circumcision is more expressly indicated, Gen. xvii. 14.
17. ToTs T/ffrgitfaov, in the case of them that believe) by the instrumentality of that very faith, of which ver. 16 treats : comp. Heb. xi. 33, etc. The state of mind [faith] whereby Paul was saved, was not different from that whereby he performed miracles. Even in our day, faith has in every believer a hidden power of a miraculous character : every effect resulting from our prayers is really miraculous, even though that miraculous character be not apparent ; although in many, both on account of their own feebleness, and on account of the unworthiness of the world, — not merely because [as some say] the Church, being once planted, needs not the continuance of miracles, though no doubt the early miracles of the New Testament have i made' for the Lord Jesus " an everlasting name " (comp. Isa. Ixiii. 12), — that power does not exert itself in our day. Signs were