originally from Second Cauſes,much leſs do they come by Chine: i The Abſtra& isput for the Concrete ; he means unrighteoy, 194 ungodly Men ; but he chuſeth this way of ſpeaking, becauſz Gr; when he puniſheth, aims at rhe Sins of Men ; ind would ng w. nith their Perſons, but for their Sins. By Ungoalineſs, underf.ind Sins againſt the Firſt Table, which are mentioned, wer. 21 23. bh Unrighreouſneſs, fins againſt the Second, of which'there is mer, tion at large, from wer. 26. to the end of that Chapter. & By 7544 underftand all that Light which is left in Man ſince the Fx, There are in all Men ſome common Notions of God, his Nature 1g} Will : Some commonPrinciples alſo of Equity and Charity towa; Men, which Nature it ſelf teacheth,and upon which the Conlciences of the Gentiles did Accuſe or Excuſe them. Theſe naturil Notion; concerning God and their Neighbour they did not obey and fo. low, but wickedly ſuppreſt them. They impriſoned the Tn! which they acknowledged, that they might Sin the more ſecurel;, The Metaphor is taken from Tyrants, who opprels the Innoczar, and Imprifon them : Sothe Genziles did by the Truth, which they had by their Nature ; they kept it in and under, 19 Becauſe *chat which may be known of God /ism-*| nifeſt || in them 2, for * God hath ſhewed it unto them nr 1 Or, that which is knowable of God, viz. by the Light of Nature, The Apoſtle, by a Prolepſis, prevents an ObjeQtion whic' ſome! might make in excuſe of the Genriles, How could they ſuffociteor ſuppretfs the Truth, ſeeing they wanted the Scripture, and were without the knowledge of it ? Tothis he Anſwers, That they weir not wholly without Knowledge, for That which might be knwn God, was manifeſt in them, and Revealed to'them. m 4. e, in thei!
| Hearts and minds, vid. Chap. 2. 15. or 70 and among them; 3s +
pears by many of their Learned Writers, who have left behinl them many clear Diſcourſes, and wiſe Eflays and Sayings about this Matter; though they themſelves did act contrary thereunto, n i.e. as before by the Light of Nature'in their Conſciences, or by the conſideration of the Creatures, as it follows in the next Vette
20 For o * the inviſible things of him p from ths cre, tion of the world, are clearly ſeen, being under{tooddy, the things that are + made, even his eternal power and,; Godhead, || fo that they are without excuſe 7. il
o Becauſe it might be further ObjeQed in behalf of the Gentiles ;7\ that the Notions of God imprinted in their Nature are ſo weak! that they may be well excus'd : Therefore the Apoſtle adds, Thats the certainty of them is further confirm'd by the Book ot the Cret- tures, which was Written before them in Capital Letters; 16 tl he that runs may read. p The Apoſtle tells us aftzrwards himlel, what he means by the inviſible things of God, wiz. his Being, inl his Attributes; particularly his Erernity and Aimighty Power; to which we might add his Wiſdom, Goodneſs, &: Thele, rhougi inviſible in themſelves, yet are diſcernable by his Works, and - ever ſince the Creation of the World. By what they fee pgs they may eaſily colle& or underſtand, that there 1s an Ecernal - Almighty Creator ; they may argue from the Effe&tsto the Caule. 9 Some render it, that they may be without Excuſe ; but cps” rendred in our Tranſlation: The meaning is not, thit God oh them that Knowledge for this end and purpoſe, that ney be inexcuſeable ; for they. might catch even at that tor an _ " But the plain Sence is this, That God harh given all Mcn fs. means of Knowledge, as ſufficeth to leave them without Excule 5 there can be no pretence of Ignorance. we
21 Becaule » that when they knew God «, the) ou fied him not as God r, neither were thanktul a At = came vain in their imaginations w, and tieir foolith heai was darkned x. |
y Either this muſt be refer'd to the words immediately foreg? incxculable ; yo cauſe, that when they knew God, they oJoritied him not as Go , L Or elſe it refers to wer. 18. and then'ris a Proof of ther ww ding the Truth in Unrighreouſnets, becauſe, &6. 5 They ha Lis tural Knowledge of God; it was taught chem as before,by the - of Nature, and by the Book of the Cicature. Though ths 8 px {ſufficient to ſave them ; yet it was ſuthcient to leave them Wl
» . . Fa 4 "oY h;1 him 3 Exculs, £ They didags Conceive of him, and Wert | Sa
Chy 10N, the Ve, end thereby ſtimon; the Pro. ak of a L FO oe unde; | thadgw
: Com. Enteinces hole Þ,,. via, \ar | Lives th | C 1n fem. ICtion, om hez.
of Men,
| down 6 as much, ©* aulc they hey them, rentiles an] Em, from ad then ha the 114 ner by the | Hearn, oceed ng y Chance, weous 1nd cauſe God Id not py. inderit.nd 1.23, By re 1S mens \ By Tut e the Fall Nature ind ty towards oniciences al Notions ey and fol. the Truth re ſecurely, Innoczar, which they
d /i5ma-* | 0 them 1 of Nature, \ chict ſomeit Uufocite or , and were t they wer be known © e. 1n their "7m; 15 30s left behind FINgs about 7 thereunto, nces, or by next Verk, | the crev, r{toodUy \ owe andy fl rhe Gentile; \ re ſo weiks! adds, Thith of the (:xet- ers; fothit cds himlelf, Being, ® ty Pow; ele, thougi ks, and thi ſee Created, Erernal and ) the Cauſe. ut "tis better if God Gave they might an Excule; 11 Men ſuch out Excule 5
they glort ;, bur *bb" z0lith heart!
ately forego: culable ; be "tas God.&% cir with-bok ey had a 0 by the Light | this was nd hem without 2:1þip 109
be (als
3Þ, I.
, God, into an image made F like to corruptible man,
£o0m thence "tis borrowed.
became ill uy They did
refer vidence, hath chie
the Influence of the Stars, &c. w Or, Reaſonings.
Iy 1t waAS a [ if Gods and thoſe either corporeal or incorporeal.
{:cond or inferior Cauſes, as the Steicks. "This is the Vanity which
the Apoſtle here ſpeaketh of. Note alſo that 1dels, the trame of are called Vanities, vid. Deut. 32.21. Jer. 10.15, A.14.
idle Brains, - x By the Heart is meant the Mind, their very under- Rndings were darkned ; the natural Reaſon in them was obſcur'd : This was a juſt Judgment upon them for their abuſe of Know- ledge and Pride, of which in the next Verſe.
22 Protetling themſelves to be wiſe, they became
fools ». y Some think, that all along this Context the Apoſtle hath refe-