of the Messiah's kingdom, and partly, no doubt, from the peculiar hardships and oppressions to which they were exposed. The prevalence of this indisposition among them is proved by its being a matter of discussion whether it was even lawful to pay tribute to Caesar; by their assertion that, as Abraham's seed, they were never in bondage to any man; and by their constant tumults and rebellions, which led first to their banishment from Rome, and, finally, to the utter destruction of their city. The circumstances of the church at Rome, composed of both Jewish and Gentile converts; surrounded by Jews who still insisted on the necessity of circumcision, of legal obedience, and of connexion with the family of Abraham in order to salvation, and disposed on many points to differ among themselves; sufficiently account for the character of this epistle.

TIME AND PLACE OF ITS COMPOSITION.

There are no sufficient data for fixing accurately and certainly the chronology of the life and writings of the apostle Paul. It is therefore, in most cases, only by a comparison of various circumstances that an approximation to the date of the principal events of his life can be made. With regard to this epistle, it is plain, from its contents, that it was written just as Paul was about to set out on his last journey to Jerusalem. In the fifteenth chapter he says that the Christians of Macedonia and Achaia had made a collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem, and that he was on the eve of his departure for that city (v. 25). This same journey is mentioned in Acts 20, and occurred most probably in the spring (see Acts 20: 16) of the year 58 or 59. This date best suits the account of his long imprisonment, first at Cesarea and then at Rome, of four years, and his probable liberation in 62 or 63. His subsequent labours and second imprisonment would fill up the intervening period of two or three years to the date of his martyrdom, towards the close of the reign of Nero. That this epistle was written from Corinth appears from the special recommendation of Phebe, a deaconess of the neighbouring church, who was probably the bearer of the letter (ch. 16:1); from the salutations of Erastus and Gaius, both residents of Corinth, to the Romans (ch. 16: 23); compare 2 Tim. 4: 20, and 1 Cor. 1: 14; and from the account given in Acts 20: 2, 3, of Paul's journey through Macedoni into Greece, before his departure for Jerusalem, for the purpose of carry ing the contributions of the churches for the poor in that city.

AUTHENTICITY OF THE EPISTLE.

That this epistle was written by the apostle Paul, admits of no reasonable doubt. 1. It in the first place purports to be his. It bears his signature, and speaks throughout in his name. 2. It has uniformly been recognised as his. From the apostolic age to the present time it has been referred to and quoted by a regular series of authors, and

recognised as of divine authority in all the churches. It would be requisite, in order to disprove its authenticity, to account satisfactorily for these facts, on the supposition of the epistle being spurious. The passages in the early writers, in which this epistle is alluded to or cited, are very numerous, and may be seen in Lardner's Credibility, Vol. II. 3. The internal evidence is no less decisive in its favour. (a) In the first place, it is evidently the production of a Jew, familiar with the Hebrew text and the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, because the language and style are such as no one, not thus circumstanced, could adopt; and because the whole letter evinces such an intimate acquaintance with Jewish opinions and prejudices. (b) It agrees perfectly in style and manner with the other epistles of this apostle. (c) It is, in the truth and importance of its doctrines, and in the elevation and purity of its sentiments, immeasurably superior to any uninspired production of the age in which it appeared. A comparison of the genuine apostolic writings with the spurious productions of the first and second centuries, affords one of the strongest collateral evidences of the authenticity and inspiration of the former. (d) The incidental or undesigned coincidences, as to matters of fact, between this epistle and other parts of the New Testament, are such as to afford the clearest evidence of its having proceeded from the pen of the apostle. Compare Rom. 15: 25-31 with Acts 20: 2, 3. 24: 17. 1 Cor. 16:1-4. 2 Cor. 8:1-4. 9: 2. Rom. 16: 21-23 with Acts 20: 4. Rom. 16: 3, et seqq. with Acts 18: 2, 18 -26. 1 Cor. 16: 19, &c. (see Paley's Hora Paulinæ.) 4. Besides these positive proofs, there is the important negative consideration, that there are no grounds for questioning its authenticity. There are no discrepancies between this and other sacred writings; no counter testimony among the early fathers; no historical or critical difficulties which must be solved before it can be recognised as the work of Paul. There is, therefore, no book in the Bible, and there is no ancient book in the world, of which the authenticity is more certain than that of this epistle.

ANALYSIS OF THE EPISTLE.

The epistle consists of three parts. The first, which includes the first eight chapters, is occupied in the discussion of the doctrine of justification and its consequences. The second, embracing chapters 9, 10, 11, treats of the calling of the Gentiles, the rejection and future conversion of the Jews. The third consists of practical exhortations and salutations to the Christians at Rome.

THE FIRST PART the apostle commences by saluting the Roman Christians, commending them for their faith, and expressing his desire to see them, and his readiness to preach the gospel at Rome. This readiness was founded on the conviction that the gospel revealed the only method by which men can be saved, viz. by faith in Jesus Christ, and this me

thod is equally applicable to all mankind, Gentiles as well as Jews, ch. 1:1-17. Paul thus introduces the two leading topics of the epistle.

In order to establish his doctrine respecting justification, he first proves that the Gentiles cannot be justified by their own works, ch. 1: 18—39; and then establishes the same position in reference to the Jews, ch. 2. 3:1-20. Having thus shown that the method of justification by works was unavailable for sinners, he unfolds that method which is taught in the gospel, ch. 3: 21-31. The truth and excellence of this method he confirms in chs. 4th and 5th. The obvious objection to the doctrine of gratuitous acceptance, that it must lead to the indulgence of sin, is answered, and the true design and operation of the law are exhibited in chs. 6th and 7th; and the complete security of all who confide in Christ is beautifully unfolded in ch. 8.

In arguing against the Gentiles, Paul assumes the principle that God will punish sin, ch. 1: 18, and then proves that they are justly chargeable both with impiety and immorality, because, though they possessed a competent knowledge of God, they did not worship him, but turned unto idols, and gave themselves up to all kinds of iniquity, ch. 1: 19–32.

He commences his argument with the Jews by expanding the general principle of the divine justice, and especially insisting on God's impartiality by showing that he will judge all men, Jews and Gentiles, according to their works, and according to the light they severally enjoyed, ch. 2:1-16. He shows that the Jews, when tried by these rules, are as justly and certainly exposed to condemnation as the Gentiles, ch. 2: 17-29.

The peculiar privileges of the Jews afford no ground of hope that they will escape being judged on the same principles with other men, and when thus judged they are found to be guilty before God. All men, therefore, are, as the Scriptures abundantly teach, under condemnation, and, consequently, cannot be justified by their own works, ch. 3: 1—20. The gospel proposes the only method by which God will justify men; a method which is entirely gratuitous; the condition of which is faith; which is founded on the redemption of Christ; which reconciles the justice and mercy of God, humbles man, lays the foundation for a universal religion, and establishes the law, ch. 3: 21-31.

The truth of this doctrine is evinced from the example of Abraham, the testimony of David, the nature of the covenant made with Abraham and his seed, and from the nature of the law. He proposes the conduct of Abraham as an example and encouragement to Christians, ch. 4:1-25.

Justification by faith in Christ secures peace with God, present joy, and the assurance of eternal life, ch. 5: 1–11. The method, therefore, by which God proposes to save sinners, is analogous to that by which they were first brought under condemnation. As on account of the offence of one, sentence has passed on all men to condemnation; so on accoun of the righteousness of one, all are justified, ch. 5: 12--21.

The doctrine of the gratuitous justification of sinners cannot lead to the indulgence of sin, because such is the nature of union with Christ, and such the object for which he died, that all who receive the benefits of his death experience the sanctifying influence of his life, ch. 6: 1—11. Besides, the objection in question is founded on a misapprehension of the effect and design of the law, and of the nature of sanctification. Deliverance from the bondage of the law and from a legal spirit is essential to holiness. When the Christian is delivered from this bondage, he becomes the servant of God, and is brought under an influence which effectually secures his obedience, ch. 6: 12-23.

As, therefore, a woman, in order to be married to a second husband, must first be freed from her former one, so the Christian, in order to be united to Christ and to bring forth fruit unto God, must first be freed from the law, ch. 7: 1-6.

This necessity of deliverance from the law, does not arise from the fact that the law is evil, but from the nature of the case. The law is but the authoritative declaration of duty; which cannot alter the state of the sinner's heart. Its real operation is to produce the conviction of sin (vs. 7—13), and, in the renewed mind, to excite approbation and complacency in the excellence which it exhibits, but it cannot effectually secure the destruction of sin. This can only be done by the grace of Goa in Jesus Christ, ch. 7: 7-25.

Those who are in Christ, therefore, are perfectly safe. They are freed from the law; they have the indwelling of the life-giving Spirit; they are the children of God; they are chosen, called, and justified according to the divine purpose; and they are the objects of the unchanging love of God, ch. 8: 1–39.

THE SECOND PART of the epistle relates to the persons to whom the blessings of Christ's kingdom may properly be offered, and the purposes of God respecting the Jews. In entering upon this subject, the apostle, after assuring his kindred of his affection, establishes the position that God has not bound himself to regard as his children all the natural descendants of Abraham, but is at perfect liberty to choose whom he will to be heirs of his kingdom. The right of God to have mercy on whom he will have mercy, he proves from the declarations of Scripture and from the dispensations of his providence. He shows that this doctrine of the divine sovereignty is not inconsistent with the divine character or man's responsibility, because God simply chooses from among the undeserving whom he will as the objects of his mercy, and leaves others to the just recompense of their sins, ch. 9: 1–24.

God accordingly predicted of old that he would call the Gentiles and reject the Jews. The rejection of the Jews was on account of their unbelief, ch. 9: 25-33. 10: 1-5. The two methods of justification are then contrasted, for the purpose of showing that the legal method is impracticable, but that the method proposed in the gospel is simple and

easy, and adapted to all men. It should, therefore, agreeably to the revealed purpose of God, be preached to all men, ch. 10: 6—21.

The rejection of the Jews is not total; many of that generation were brought into the church, who were of the election of grace,'ch. 11: 1-10. Neither is this rejection final. There is to be a future and general conversion of the Jews to Christ, and thus all Israel shall be saved, ch. 11: 11-36.

THE THIRD or practical part of the epistle, consists of directions, first, as to the general duties of Christians in their various relations to God, ch. 12; secondly, as to their political or civil duties, ch. 13; and, thirdly, as to their ecclesiastical duties, or those duties which they owe to each other as members of the church, ch. 14. 15: 1—13.

The epistle concludes with some account of Paul's labours and purposes, ch. 15: 14—33, and with the usual salutations, ch. 16.