Cor 1. Ghott -/, nd 11, The Avnoſtic bing about to Treat of rhe RejeCtion of the Jews, : and the Calling of rhe Genrzles: Before he enters upon it, he pre- 3al. x. 50, mifſeth a Preface to prepare the Minds of the Jews, to a patient '1. 8. Revding or Hearing the fame : And in this Preface, he ſolemnly 1M.2.7 Protefieth his Love to his Nation, and his hearty Grief for their Rejection, that fo ir mightthe better appear, thot theſe things were not Written out of any Spleen or Malice, but out of Conſcience towards God and the Truth. a Or, +4 Chrift : So the word (in) is taken, Mar. 5.34, 35.36. This 3s the Form of an Oath, which the Scripture elſewhere uſeth in matters of Importance, wid Gen, 22. 16. Dan. 12. 7. and Epheſ. 4. 17. b This is added for Confirmation, Or to gain the greater Credit ro what he ſaid or ſwore. It was the manner of the Hebrews to an Affirmative, to add a Negative, vid, 1 Sam.3 18 John 1.20, c As being torthis purpole placed in Man by God, and js inſtead of a thoxſand 1. itne ſs. d 1. e. In the preſence of the Holy Ghoſt, who .s Privy to what I fay, and who isa Witneſs alſo to the Trurh thereof; Or, as ſome, by the Guidance of the Hoiy Ghoſt
who cannot Lye.
*Chap. 109. 2 * That have great heavineſs and continual ſorrow
"4 in mv hearte.
e His grirf for his Nation and People he expreſſeth, 1. By the greatneſs of 1t; it was ſuch as a Woman hath in Travail; 1o the Vord imports. 2. By the continuance of it; It was continual, or without intermiſſion. 3. By the ſear of it; Ir was in his Heart, and nct outward in his Face. The Cauſe he doth not here ſer down, but it is eafily gathered from what follows, viz. The Obilinicy ind infidelity , together with the RejeCtion of the Jews. { Or, an _ 3 Forl could withthac my felt were || accurled from Auathema. Chriſt f, for my brethren, my kinſmen according to the
Or , 3: pa» fleſh o. "i rated. f Or Separated from Chrift, Thus Verſe hath greatly vexed Inter- preters. Some read it, 1 «id wiſh my ſelf accurſed from Chriſt, q. d. Before my Converſion, I was willing to be accurſed from Chriſt, to be a violent Perſecutor of the Chriſtians; and ſo to be held of them as accurſed for my Brethrens ſake. The vulgar Latine, and many Romaniſts thus render the word yu 50uny in the Text : Bur the gene- rality of interpreters Read it as we do; not Indicatively , but Potentially ; and they make an Ellipſis in the words (tvygpnr pro nugoipry ay) the hike is frequent, wid. AF, 25. 22, 1 Cor. 2. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 1- But then ſtill the difficulty is, How and in what Sence the Apoſtle wiſht himſelf accurſed or ſeparated from Chriſt. The received Opinion 1s, That out of Zeal to the Glory of God, and Love to his Brethren he was willing to be damned, that they all might be ſaved. Many of the Ancients did thus Expound this place, Chriſt became a curſe for us; And what Marvel is it (ſays one) if the Lord would be made a curſe for the Servants, that a Servant fheuld be willing to become au Anathema for the Brethren. He doth not wijl; (ſays another) for h:s brethrens ſake, to be Separated from the love and grace of Chriſt, bur from the comforts of Chriſt, ard the future happineſs that we have by him : He is content to loſe his part in the heavven!y Glory, if that might promote the Glory of Chriſt, which would be more 1!luſtratca by the ſaving a whole Nation, than a prrticular Perſon, q. d. If this might be the Fruit of it, if it would rend to this eni, I could methinks be content to part with all my hopes in Chriſt, even my eternal Happineſs, upon condition my Brethren might be Partakers thereof, ſo Paſſimate, and abundant Love have 1 to and for them. This expolition 1s not Satisfatory. Therefore ſome think, the Apoſtle here ſpeaks of being 8ccurſt only for a Seaſon, or of be. ing an Anathema 1n this World, An Anathema ſometimes ſignifieth Corporal Death and Deſtruction; of old, in times of common C:lamity, they were wont to Sacrifice Men to their 1dols, and in- ternal Gods, tor the pacifying of their Anger : Such a Sacrifice they called 4na:hema, which is a word here uſed, q. d. - For my Brethrens ſake, that ſo they might be ſaved, I could be content to be ext off, to be made a Sacrifice, to Die the worſt of Deaths, But if this be admitted, How then is that Clauſe to be underſtood (from Chrift: ) Tis notT could wiſh my ſelf an Anathems, but an Anathe- ma from Chriſt; to this, they Anſwer that favour this Interpretati- on; that inſlead of from Chriſt, you may read 5y Chriſt. q. d. I could be content to be cut of or deſtroyed by Chriſt, that my Brethren might be ſaved, This Sence of the words {uits well with the Zeal and Kindneſs of ſes to his Brethrey, Exod. 32. 32. rather than
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