duces very conspicuous and prominent [standing out palpable] effects.; comp. [God] bare them witness [giving them the Holy Ghost] Acts xv. 8. Farther, the surpassing excellence of these fruits, most effectually proves the worthlessness of men’s works.
19. *A vOptotfmvy after the manner of men) Language after the
manner of men, is frequent, and in some measure always occur- ring, whereby. Scripture condescends to suit itself to our capacity. Too plain language is not always better [the best] adapted to the subject in hand. The accusative is used for the adverb. [ According to our mode of speaking , it may be translated , Ich muss es euch mir massiv sagen, I must speak to you with great plainness and simplicity. — V. g.] — <3/a, because of) Slowness of understanding arises from weakness of the flesh, i.e ., of a nature merely human, comp. 1 Cor. iii. 3. ' AtOemav, weakness ) Those
who desire discourse to be continuously in all respects quite plain, should perceive in this a mark of their own weakness, and should not take amiss [take offence at] a more profound expression of the truth, but they should consider it with grati- tude, as an ample benefit, if in one way or the other, they have had the good fortune to understand the subject : at first, the mode of expressing the truth is more sublime, then afterwards it is more plain, as in the case of Nicodemus. — .John iii. 3, 15. That which pleases most [the greatest number] is not always the best.— V. g„ — rr dbo/x/a sis rriv avo/xiav, to iniquity unto ini- quity) A ploce1 not observed by the Syriac version. The word [to] iniquity [avo^'nf] (before which uncleanness is put, as a part before a whole) is opposed to righteousness; the word [unto] iniquity [avo/x/av] is opposed to holiness [end of verse] Righteousness corresponds to the Divine will, holiness as it were, to the whole of the Divine nature. Those who are the servants of righteousness, make progress [Le.y advance from righteousness to holiness , whereby they partake of the Divine nature] ; avc^oi, workers of iniquity are workers of iniquity, nothing more.
20. T tjg a/xapr/ac, of sin ) This case contains the emphasis of the sentence ; sin had taken possession of you. — rfj dixcuotvvp, to [towards] righteousness) that is in respect of righteousness.
1 See App., tit. Ploce. A word twice put, once in the simple sense, and *>nce again to express some attribute of the word.