1. BECAUSE the many in the last claufe muft be fuppofed of equal extent with the many in the former, which I think cannot be denied without doing violence to the text; I infer therefore, that as the many who are made righteous by CHRIST's obedience, are only a chofen part of the human race, fo by the many made finners, we are here to understand the very fame perfons and no other.--

2. I CANNOT find that many in fcripture, any where fignifies the whole of mankind univerfally; but a part only, in diftinction from the whole, or a great multitude in oppofition to a few.---Thus wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it *. That paffage in Daniel, many of them that fleep †,&c. is no objection to what is here alledged; probably that prophecy was fulfilled at CHRIST's refurrection as mentioned Matt. xxvii. 52, 53. if not; it is certain that all men will not be raised at once at the last day, for the dead in CHRIST fhall rife first ; and perhaps a thousand years before the rest of the dead are raised.

3. By the fcope of the apoftle's argument, we are -led thus to understand him; his express design is, to fhew forth the exceeding riches of God's grace D 4

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in CHRIST towards them that are faved; who died for us when we were void of strength, ungodly, enemies, and finners; wherein GoD commendeth his love towards us; fetting it forth in the most confpicuous light, and fhewing it to the greatest advantage, by giving his fon to die for us, and fave us from the wrath to come, when we lay thus dead in fins, helpless and vile; and it cannot be rationally doubted but that having reconciled us when enemies by the death of his Son, he will fave us afterwards by his life; fo that we may joy in GoD through our Lord JESUS CHRIST; this is evident from verfe 6---12. Then in the 3 following verfes viz. 12, 13, 14. he proceeds to fhew how all mankind came into this naturally finful and helpless con dition; even by the firft Adam's tranfgreffion, who was conftituted a covenant bead to all his feed, who reprefented them all, and acted for them all; and is therefore called the figure of him that was to come, that is of CHRIST JESUS, which brings the apostle back to his grand defign; who, in the 15th verse returns to the plain scope of his argument, viz. To fet forth and magnify God's marvellous grace, and diftinguishing love to the objects of his mercy in CHRIST, whofe blood cleanfeth them from all fin both original and actual. On this grace to God's chofen he enlarges, and continues to speak of it particularly, unto the end of the chapter.

1.

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1. He points at their being diftinguished from the rest of the dead in Adam, and that whilst lying in their fins, and children of wrath even as others. But as God's everlasting love was towards them, the ineftimable gift of his dear Son by that grace, chath abounded to their effectual relief and falvation; and they being also quickened and made alive unto GOD in CHRIST JESUS, his grace towards them through CHRIST, is manifeftly fuperior to the fin and curfe whereby they were flain in the first Adam: for if by the offence of one, many be dead, much more the grace of GoD, and the gift by grace of one JESUS CHRIST bath abounded unto that many, verse 15.

By many here are undoubtedly meant God's chofen in CHRIST, as diftinguished from the univerfal all mentioned verfe 12. and whereas, they not only finned in their firft bead unto condemna- tion, but in their own persons have many times alfo actually offended; the free gift is of many offences unto juftification, verse 16.

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THEIR prefervation also in that juftified state unto eternal life, is fure and certain beyond all difpute; for if by the fingle offence of one man, death reigned by that one, much more they which receive abun dance of grace from GOD, even the FATHER, toge ther with the gift of an imputed righteousness fhall reign in life by one JESUS CHRIST, verse 17.

BUT

1.BUT left it should be doubted whether this grace. and gift by grace is intended for all, and fure to all the chosen feed both Jews and Gentiles; therefore he adds, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men, (that is, upon every one of God's elect who equally finned and died in the firft Adam unto condemnation ;) even fo by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto juftification of life, verfe 18. that is of eternal life; by the all in this verfe is meant not all mankind univerfally, as in verfe 12. but every one of the many GOD had chofen from among them, mentioned verses 15, and 19. in the clofe of the chapter he shows how the law alfo entered for their fakes, that by confidering themselves therein fin might abound, not unto eternal death, nor in their practice and converfation; but in their confcience unto felf-condemnation; and that grace to wards them might fuper-abound as it follows: but where fin abounded there did grace much more abound; that as fin bath reigned unto death, even so grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life by JESUS CHRIST our LORD *.

THUS hath the grace of God through CHRIST JESUS abounded unto all whom according to foreknowledge he hath chosen and ordained to eternal -life; not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles; and they are many.---And whereas they all were equally

Rom. 5. 20, 21.

equally involved in guilt and condemnation by the firft man's offence; the free gift by the righteouf nefs of the fecond manJESUSCHRIST came not upon a few only, but upon all and every of them unto juftification of life.---The prophet Ifaiah, chap. liii: fpeaks much after the fame manner: all we like Sheep have gone aftray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD bath laid on him the iniquity of us all, verfe 6. which all he afterwards fhews are only a part of the human race; but not a few; my righteous fervant fhall justify many, for be Shall bear their iniquities; and again, be bare the fin of many, verse 12. Thus alfo in Romans, chap. 8. verfe 32. GOD is faid not to have fpared his own, SON, but delivered him up for us all; who these all are, the context plainly fhews, for they are called in the next verfe GOD's elect.--

IN the fame reftrained fenfe is the word all to be understood, 1 Cor. 15. as in Adam all die, even fo in CHRIST fhall all be made alive; the apoftle here fpeaks of the Saints only, as plainly appears by the close of his argument, concerning the refurrection of the body; it is fown (faith he) in corruption, it is raifed in incorruption, it is fown in weakness, it is raised in power, it is fown in difhonor, it is raised in glory, it is fown a natural body, it is raised a fpiritual body; which is evidently true of the refurrection of the just only, of whom alone he speaks, which is further manifeft by what follows; as we

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