Romans 14

1. To me to live is Christ, that is, Christ is the principle of my life. I fetch my spiritual life from Christ, as the branch fetches its sap from the root (Galatians 2:20). Christ lives in me. Jesus Christ is a head of influence, he sends forth life and spirits into me to quick…

8. We glorify God by living to God (2 Corinthians 5:15): That they which live should not live to themselves, but to him who died for them. (Romans 14:8): Whether we live we live to the Lord. The Mammonist lives to his money, the Epicure lives to his belly; the design of a sinner…

The seed springs up by degrees; first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. Therefore be not discouraged; God, who would have us receive them that are weak in faith (Romans 14:1), will not himself refuse them. A weak believer is a member of Christ, and though C…

How fervently did they pray, whom God made joyful in the house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7). 3. Joy is the beginning of Heaven here; it is called the Kingdom of God (Romans 14:17), because it is a taste of that which the saints have in the Kingdom of God. What is the Heaven of the an…

When we pray, "Your kingdom come," we pray: 1. That the kingdom of grace may come into our hearts. This is Regnum Dei[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], God's lesser kingdom (Romans 14:17). "The kingdom of God is righteousness."

Christ will cut off rotten members, but not weak members. Therefore Christian, be not discouraged: God who would have us receive them that are weak in faith (Romans 14:1), will not himself refuse them. 2. The second means whereby we escape the curse and wrath due to sin, is by r…

1. A bad debtor does not love to be called to account. There is a day coming, when God will call all his debtors to account (Romans 14:12): so then every man shall give an account for himself to God, but we play away the time, and do not love to hear of the day of judgment. We l…

Amen. Romans 14:10, 11, 12. For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ; as it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us, shall give an account of himself to God.

(4) To admit them being approved into the order and fellowship of the Gospel in the Church. Acts 8:20, 23; Titus 1:10; Revelation 2:2; Jeremiah 15:19; Acts 18:26; 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8, 11; Acts 9:29, 27; Romans 14:1. Qu. 50 What is the duty of the whole Church in reference to…

This is the first thing that faith regards in divine worship; it rests not in any thing, closes nor with any thing, but what it discerns that God has commanded, and therein it eyes his authority as he requires it (Malachi 1:6): If I be a Father, where is mine honor? if I be Mast…

And as to both parties the advice he gives them is, that whereunto they have attained, wherein they do agree, which were all those principles of faith and obedience which were necessary to their acceptance with God, they should walk by the same Rule, and mind the same things; th…

Q. Justification, Adoption, and Sanctification are excellent benefits that come to believers through Christ; tell me what other benefits do accompany or flow from these? A. In this life there does accompany or flow from them assurance of God's love, lively hope, and expectation…

Q. Are there any for whom we must not pray? A. Yes; we must not pray for the dead, because we cannot do it of faith, as having neither precept nor example, nor any good warrant for it in the world (Romans 14:23). Q. Why else may we not pray for the dead?

Which two glorious and incommunicable attributes of his that description of the word of God (Hebrews 4:12-13) seems fully to hold forth to us. Where, as at the gate of paradise was set a cherub with a flaming sword to keep our fallen parents from ever entering in again, so there…

Answer. So long as he doubts, he must defer the performance of it. For, he that does a thing doubtingly, condemns himself in the thing he does, because he does it not of faith: and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin, Romans 14:23. Question. 3. What if a man be urged by fear to t…

Far be it from him to judge so rashly of the Ages and Generations past, or present, concerning their final estate; for he is commanded to judge no man before the time, knowing that they stand and fall to their own Master. And, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Chris…

So also (2 Timothy 1:12), [in non-Latin alphabet], I know whom I have believed, and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him. He uses the same expression in matter of faith (Romans 14:14). (3) There is a certain perswasion of mind, that is founded…

In these things consists that state of perfection which the Church is called to under the New Testament, which it could never attain by the Levitical priesthood. This is that kingdom of God which is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Roman…

This the whole Scripture testifieth to, namely, a real communication of glory to Christ by the Father after his ascension which he had not before. See Luke 24:16; John 17:24; Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; Romans 14:9; Ephesians 1:20, 21, 22, 23; Philippians 2:9, 10, 11; Hebrews 1:3; Cha…

And as Christ by his death does not take away death absolutely, but only as it was penal; so on his second appearance, he does not take away judgment absolutely, but only as it is a condemnatory sentence, with respect to believers. For as we must all dye, so we must all appear b…

If by any means I might attain, [in non-Latin alphabet], the resurrection of the dead. This is [in non-Latin alphabet], a living again; as it is said of the Lord Christ distinctly, [in non-Latin alphabet] (Romans 14:9), he rose and lived again, or he arose to life. With respect…

Hence is [in non-Latin alphabet], one that upon trial is approved, found sound, and therefore is accepted (1 Corinthians 11:19; 2 Corinthians 10:15; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:12). [in non-Latin alphabet] (Romans 14:18): accepted with God, and approved with men. Hence [in non-Latin…

And when the Apostle bids Timothy, turn away from such; does not this simply that they were scandalous persons, and apparently wicked? It is not likely that the Apostle would else have commanded to turn from them, sith he himself did so lovingly converse with so many sorts of me…

Kingdom being taken thus specially, is also twofold. The first is the kingdom of grace, of which mention is made (Romans 14:17): The kingdom of God stands not in meat and drink, but in righteousness: that is, the assurance of our justification before God in the righteousness of…

This day, that is, at the time of your incarnation, but especially at the day of your resurrection, have I begotten you, that is, I have made manifest that you are my Son: so is this place expounded by Saint Paul in the Acts (Acts 13:32-33). 2. Christ's rising from death by his…

First, a sure estate, or terms of amity with God: this is called in Scripture peace with God, and is the immediate effect and fruit of actual justification (Romans 5:1). And then secondly, there is a sense of this sure estate, or the reflex of this amity upon the conscience, and…

And certainly, since God set him at his right hand, and confirmed this power to him, after he had purged our sins; it was certainly out of the high value God had for him, and therefore must be the intent of God, that he should govern all things in reference to the design of that…

Under the power and dominion of sin we were, and could not be delivered without a ransom. Christ died and rose, and lives again, that he might be our Lord (Romans 14:9), and so deliver us from the power of all other lords whatever. It is true there was no ransom due to sin or Sa…

It is not ministerial gifts that makes a man a minister to every Church, nor invests him with spiritual power over them, nor though he dwell among them, unless they call him, and he accept of that call. And as they have power to choose their officers, so likewise to choose their…

The kingdom being taken thus specially is also twofold. The first, is the kingdom of grace, of which mention is made (Romans 14:17): The kingdom of God stands not in meat and drink but in righteousness, that is, the assurance of our justification before God, in the righteousness…

Chapter 10:23. All things are lawful to me, but all things edify me not. Romans 14:20. All things are clean: but evil to him that eats with offence: It is good neither to eat flesh, nor drink wine, nor do any thing whereat your brother stumbles, wherewith he is offended, or weak…

This must be prayed, when we feel any repugnancy to God's will, in the deed or manner of doing. For here we request by one, all the fruits of the kingdom; righteousness, joy, peace, &c. (Romans 14). The other sorts of request have this general, that we pray in common for the who…

Hence, Observe, 1. That all men and women, even all the elect themselves, are by nature liable to an arraignment before the justice-seat of God; that they are justified, supposes a bringing of them, as it were, before His tribunal, before they can be justified, and have the sent…

2. Faith as justifying is always held forth as making use of, and giving credit to, that which is revealed in the word; hence we that hear the gospel have that revealed to us therein, binding us to the belief of it, that heathens have not, as it is (Romans 1:17): "I am not asham…

2. Consider, that this contributes most to God's end, which is to glorify himself, especially in his grace, in the justification of sinners, even to hold forth the manifold riches of his grace; and nothing contributes to this so much, and so well, as that which speaks the sinner…

I grant it was not that righteousness of God through faith (Philippians 3); yet it was a fruit and infallible sign of that righteousness, and such as did prove them to be in Christ. And 2. all our acts of sanctification are no acts, no infallible marks of justification to my sou…

Answ. 1. We are to make believers know if they believe not, and walk not worthy of Christ, in all holy duties; their faith is a fancy, and a dead faith, and the wrath of God abides on them, and they are not believers. 2. Though they be believers, wrath must be preached to them,…

Argument 6. Christ's Lordship and Princedome through his resurrection, is in turning of hearts (Acts 5:31; Romans 11:23). Grace is stronger than devils, sin, hell and death (Romans 14:4; Ephesians 3:20; Jude 24; 1 John 2:14; 1 John 4:4). Arg. 7. If it must lie at our door more t…

For, first, Christ's dominion and authority that he has acquired by death is not a free-will-power or possibility, by which he may, upon such and such conditions, kill or save, though all may eternally perish. But Christ is made Lord of living and dead by dying (Romans 14:9), th…

4. Since this glory is for the body, do not debase the body, to make it an instrument of sin (1 Thessalonians 4:4). Possess your vessels in sanctification and honor, do not offend God to gratify the body, as they do (Romans 14:13), who make provision for the flesh to fulfill the…

Both do as it were deliver over to Christ their whole dispensation, and lay it down at his feet, as the magistrates that are to go out of office, solemnly resign the ensigns of their authority to him that succeeds, and also they come both to reverence the majesty of their suprem…

It may also be applied to other works. He that works, prays, or suffers without Christ, works, prays and suffers in vain: for all that is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). It profits a man therefore nothing at all to be outwardly circumcised, to fast, to pray or to do any othe…

But we are earnestly to seeke after the things that make vs accepted with God; as true faith, righteousnes, and good conscience. Rom 14:17. Againe, superiours must be admonished to deale moderately with their inferiours, Coloss. 2. 11.

Answer: Upon like grounds we may, if we have a warrant, and calling from God so to do. For all judgment is God's (Romans 14:10): if this judgment be in truth: if it be in charity, for the amendment of the parties, and for the good of others. Otherwise, if these grounds fail us,…

3. The beginning and principal part of God's worship is in the heart. He that serves God in the righteousness of his heart, in peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, is accepted (Romans 14:17). 4. In our hearts no wicked or carnal thought, will, desire, or lust must reign, but only G…

Here I consider four things: 1. what this liberty is. 2. the author of it. 3. the persons to whom it belongs. 4. our duty touching this liberty. For the first: Christian liberty is called, the good, or commodity of Christians (Romans 14:16). It is a spiritual right or condition,…

Let every man prove his own work. The word translated prove, signifies also to approve, as (Romans 14:22): Blessed is he that condemns not in himself in the thing that he approves. (1 Corinthians 16:3): Whoever you shall approve or allow of by letters.

In the meantime, he fills the hearts of the faithful with unspeakable joy, as well in showing himself pacified towards them, as in causing them to feel his favor and good will, by giving a happy success to their affairs. Yet the chief and principal joy consists in the peace of c…

The old translator has repeatedly fallen into mistakes about this word, and through that ignorance has given us a corrupted sense of some very beautiful passages. One of these occurs in the writings of Paul, where he enjoins every man to be fully persuaded in his own mind, (Roma…

Before men can truly worship God, they must obtain peace of conscience, as David speaks, “There is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou may be feared,” (Psalm 130:4:) for those to whom God has given peace are graciously invited and led to approach him willingly and with a cheerful d…