Wherefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. For thou dost the same things which thou judgest.

“That we must not rashly judge of another. In the Gospel according to Luke: "Judge not, that ye be not judged: condemn not, that ye be not condemned." Of this same subject to the Romans: "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. But he shall stand; for God is able to make him stand." And again: "Wherefore thou art without excuse, O every man that judgest: for in that in which thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou doest the same things which thou judgest. But dost thou hope, who judgest those who do evil, and doest the same, that thou thyself shalt escape the judgment of God" Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians.: "And let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." And again: "If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet in what manner he ought to know."”

“"Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man; whosoever thou art that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself." These things he says, with an aim at the rulers, inasmuch as that city then had the rule of the world put into its hands. He anticipated them therefore by saying, Thou art depriving thyself of defence, whoever thou mayest be; for when thou condemnest an adulterer, and thyself committest adultery, although no man condemneth thee, in thy judgment upon the guilty person thou hast also passed sentence against thyself.”

“After the Apostle has shown that the Gentiles were not justified by the knowledge of truth which they had, here he shows that neither were the Jews justified by those things in which they gloried. And thus for both, the power of evangelical grace is necessary for salvation. First, therefore, he says that the Jews are not justified by the law. Second, that they are not justified by lineage, in which they gloried, chapter 3: "What advantage then is there?" Third, that they are not justified by circumcision, chapter 4: "What then shall we say?" Concerning the first point it must be considered that the Jews and the Gentiles, converted to the faith, judged one another concerning their former life. For the Jews reproached the Gentiles, that living without the law of God, they sacrificed to idols. But the Gentiles reproached the Jews, that having received the law of God, they did not keep it. First, therefore, he charges both with disordered judgment; second, he shows specifically that the Jews were not worthy of reward, because the things in which they gloried were not sufficient for salvation, at the place "for not the hearers of the law..." Concerning the first he does two things. First he refutes human judgment; second he establishes and commends the divine judgment, at the place "for we know..." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth that those who mutually judge one another are inexcusable; second he assigns the reason, at the place "for wherein..." First, therefore, he concludes from the foregoing, saying: because the Gentiles held back in injustice the truth known of God, "O man, whoever you are that judges another man, you are inexcusable," just as he said above: "so that they are inexcusable." But he adds "every one," as if to say, whoever you are, whether Gentile or Jew — because even the Gentile, of whom it seemed more likely, cannot be excused by ignorance, as was shown above. 1 Corinthians 4:5: "Judge not before the time." Then, when he says "for wherein," he assigns the reason, excluding the cause of excuse: first, indeed, ignorance; second, innocence, at the place "for the same things." Ignorance indeed is excluded by the judgment itself. For whoever judges someone as doing evil shows that he knows that thing to be evil, and from this he shows himself to be condemnable. And this is what he says: therefore, I say, you are inexcusable, for wherein you judge another as doing evil, you condemn yourself, that is, you show yourself to be condemnable. Matthew 7:1: "Judge not, and you shall not be judged." It must not be believed, however, that every judgment is a cause of condemnation. For there is a threefold judgment. One indeed just, namely that which is made according to the rule of justice. Wisdom 1:1: "Love justice, you that judge the earth." Another is unjust judgment, namely that which is made against the rule of justice. Wisdom 6:5: "Whereas you were ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged rightly." There is, moreover, a third, rash judgment, against which it is said, Ecclesiastes 5:1: "Do not speak anything rashly." This indeed is committed in two ways. In one way, when someone proceeds concerning that judgment which has been entrusted to him without due knowledge of the truth; against which it is said, Job 29:6: "The cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently." In another way, when someone usurps to himself judgment concerning hidden things, of which God alone has the right to judge; against which it is said, 1 Corinthians 4:5: "Judge not before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light," etc. There is, moreover, something hidden which pertains to the knowledge of God alone, not only with respect to us, but according to its own nature. First, indeed, the thought of the heart, according to that word, Jeremiah 17:9-10: "The heart of man is perverse and unsearchable, who shall know it? I am the Lord who search the heart, and prove the reins." Second, the contingent future, according to that word, Isaiah 41:23: "Show the things that are to come hereafter, and we shall know that you are gods." And therefore, as Augustine says in his work On the Lord's Sermon on the Mount: "There are two things in which we ought to beware of rash judgment: when it is uncertain with what intention a thing was done, or when it is uncertain what someone will turn out to be, who now appears either good or evil." The first judgment, therefore, is not a cause of condemnation, but the second and the third are. Then, when he says "for the same things," he excludes another cause of excuse, namely innocence. As if to say: therefore you who judge others condemn yourself, because you do the same things which you judge, that is, the things for which you condemn others, and thus it appears that you act against conscience. Matthew 7:3: "But why do you see the mote in the eye," etc. It must be known, however, that not always, when someone judges another concerning a sin which he himself commits, does he by this very fact always acquire condemnation for himself, because he does not always sin mortally in judging thus; nevertheless he always manifests his own damnation. For if he is publicly in the sin concerning which he judges another, he seems to give scandal by judging, unless perhaps he humbly reproves himself together with the other, groaning for his own sin. But if he is secretly in the same sin, he does not sin in judging another for the same sin, especially with humility and an effort to rise again, as Augustine says in the book On the Lord's Sermon on the Mount: "let us first consider, when necessity compels us to reprove someone, whether it is such a vice as we never had — and then let us consider that we too could have had it — or such as we had and now no longer have; and then let the common frailty touch our memory, so that mercy, not hatred, may go before that correction. But if we find ourselves to be in the same vice, let us not chide, but groan together, and invite the other to grieve along with us equally." Then, when he says "for we know," he establishes and commends the divine judgment. And concerning this he does three things. First he sets forth the truth of the divine judgment; second he excludes the contrary opinion, at the place "do you think"; third he manifests the truth, at the place "who will render to every man." He says, therefore, first: I say this, that you condemn yourself when you do the same things which you judge — for we know, that is, we hold it for certain, that the judgment of God is against those who do such things, that is, the divine judgment hangs over them. Job 19:29: "The sword is the avenger of iniquity, and know that there is a judgment." Ecclesiastes, last chapter: "All things that are done, God will bring into judgment." Likewise we know that this judgment is according to truth. Psalm 95:13: "He shall judge the world in equity." But the judgment of man, even if he judges justly, is not always according to the truth of the matter, but according to the statements of witnesses, which sometimes disagree with the truth. But this is not the case in the divine judgment, because, as he himself says, Jeremiah 29:23: "I am the judge and the witness." Nor is he deceived by false allegations, according to that word, Job 41:3: "I will not spare him for words of power, and framed to entreat." Then, when he says "but do you think," he excludes the contrary opinion, and first he sets it forth; second he assigns its cause, at the place "or do you despise the riches"; third he disproves it, at the place "do you not know." He says, therefore, first: I have thus said that the judgment of God according to truth is against those who do such things — but do you not, O man, whoever you are, who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, fear the judgment of the one above you? Do you think that you will escape the judgment of God? As if to say: if you think this, your estimation is false. Psalm 138:7: "Whither shall I go from your spirit? Or whither shall I flee from your face?" Job 11:20: "Flight shall perish from them." Then, when he says "or the riches," he shows the cause of this false estimation. For because man is not immediately punished by God for sin, he supposes that he is not to be punished, against what is said in Ecclesiasticus 5:4: "Do not say in your heart: I have sinned, and what sad thing has befallen me? For the Most High is a patient rewarder." And Ecclesiastes 8:11: "For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear." Nevertheless, the sinner, from the fact that he does evil a hundred times and is sustained through patience, ought not to despise this, but to note that it is good to those who fear him. And therefore here he says "or do you despise," according to that word, Proverbs 18:3: "The wicked man, when he has come into the depth of sins, despises." "Riches," that is, abundance. Ephesians 2:3: "God, who is rich in mercy." "Of his goodness," namely, by which he pours out good things upon us, according to that word, Psalm 144:16: "You open your hand, and fill all things with goodness." For the good, according to Dionysius, implies the nature of self-diffusion. Lamentations 3:25: "The Lord is good to them that hope in him." "And of patience," namely, by which he bears with those who sin gravely and out of malice. Psalm 7:12: "God is a just judge, and patient; is he angry every day?" "And of longsuffering," namely, by which he bears for a long time with men who sin out of weakness, yet who remain long in sin. 2 Peter, last chapter: "Account the longsuffering of our Lord Jesus Christ as salvation." Then, when he says "do you not know," he disproves the aforesaid cause, namely the contempt of divine patience, and first he demonstrates the fruit of divine patience; second, the danger of contempt, at the place "but according to your hardness." He says, therefore, first: it is a wonder that you despise it — do you not then know that the benignity of God, in delaying punishment, leads you to penance? 2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord delays not his promise, but deals patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance." Isaiah 30:18: "God waits for you, that he may have mercy on you." But the Apostle seems, as is said in the Gloss, to have touched upon three degrees of sinners: first indeed, of those who promise themselves impunity; second, of those who despise the goodness of God; third, of those who are ignorant. Whence the Gloss says: "You sin, O man, while you promise yourself impunity; you sin more gravely because you despise; and you sin most gravely, because you are ignorant." But this seems to be false, for ignorance lightens a sin rather than aggravates it. It must, therefore, according to some, be understood that "most gravely" means "most perilously," because he who is ignorant of his sin does not seek a remedy. Or "most gravely" on account of the species of ignorance which pertains to unbelief, which is the gravest sin. Whence it is said, 1 Corinthians 14:38: "If any man knows not, he shall not be known." Or "most gravely" in the genus of ingratitude. Augustine: "For he is more ungrateful who does not recognize a benefit than he who diminishes it, which is to despise it." Then, when he says "according to your hardness," he shows the danger of contempt, saying "but according to your hardness," namely, because he is not softened by the benefits of divine goodness. Ecclesiasticus 3:27: "A hard heart shall fear evil at the last," etc. — "and impenitent heart," namely, one which is not bent to penance by the patience and longsuffering of God. Jeremiah 8:6: "There is none that does penance for his sin." "You treasure up to yourself wrath," that is, you multiply for yourself the guilt of punishment. James 5:3: "You have stored up to yourselves wrath, against the last days." Whence here follows "against the day of wrath," that is, against the day of judgment, of which it is said, Zephaniah 1:15: "That day is a day of wrath" — because, namely, God does not now inflict the vengeance which he will then inflict, according to that word, Psalm 74:3: "When I shall take a time, I will judge justices." "And of the revelation of the just judgment of God," because then the justice of the divine judgment will be revealed, which now is not believed to exist, or does not seem to be just. Isaiah 56:1: "My salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed." And because the Gloss says here that by hardness and impenitent heart is signified the sin against the Holy Spirit, which is unforgivable, it is therefore necessary to see what the sin against the Holy Spirit is, and how it is unforgivable. It must therefore be known that, according to the ancient doctors of the Church who lived before Augustine, namely Athanasius, Hilary, Ambrose, Jerome, and Chrysostom, the sin against the Holy Spirit is called the blasphemy by which the works of the Holy Spirit are attributed to an unclean spirit, as is clear from Matthew 12:31. This indeed is said to be unforgivable both in this age and in the future, because for this sin the Jews were punished, both in this age through the Romans and in the future through the demons. Or because it has no ground of excuse, such as the blasphemy had which they spoke against Christ insofar as he was the son of man, according to that word, Matthew 11:19: "Behold a man that is a glutton and a drinker of wine." To which they could be led through the weakness of the flesh, just as also in the Old Testament, because the children of Israel murmured on account of the lack of bread and water, as is read in Exodus 16:2-3, which was, as it were, human and easily forgivable; but what they said afterward before the idol, as in Exodus 32:4: "These are your gods, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt" — in this they sinned against the Holy Spirit, namely, by attributing the work of God to demons. Whence also their sin is called unforgivable, since the Lord adds: "But I, in the day of vengeance, will visit their sin." Augustine, however, says that the sin against the Holy Spirit is a word or blasphemy which someone speaks against the Holy Spirit, through whom the remission of sins comes about, according to that word, John 20:22-23: "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive," etc. And this indeed in heart, namely in mouth and in deed, when someone perseveres in sin all the way to the very last end. And thus final impenitence is the sin against the Spirit, of which it is manifest that it is unforgivable. But the later masters say that the sin against the Holy Spirit is that which is committed out of set malice, which is contrary to that which is appropriated to the Holy Spirit, namely goodness — just as also the sin against the Son of God is that which is from ignorance, which is opposed to wisdom, which is appropriated to the Son. And likewise the sin against the Father can be said to be that which is from weakness, which is contrary to power, which is appropriated to the Father. Thus, therefore, the sin which is against the Father or the Son is called forgivable, because from this very fact the sin seems to have some excuse, since it is committed out of ignorance or out of weakness. But that which is committed out of set malice has in itself no cause of excuse; and therefore it is called unforgivable, because it does not have in itself that from which it might be forgiven, although sometimes God, out of his own goodness, forgives it, just as sometimes, by his own power, he cures a disease which is in itself incurable. And according to this, six species of the sin against the Holy Spirit are assigned, excluding those things through which sin is forgiven. Of these, the first two are taken with respect to those things which stand on the side of God, namely, hope of divine mercy, to which despair is opposed, and fear of divine justice, to which presumption is opposed. But the other two are taken on the side of man, namely, contempt of the changeable good, to which obstinacy is opposed — which here is called hardness, by which, namely, someone fixes his mind firmly upon sin — and settled resolve of turning away from God, to which impenitent heart is opposed, namely, which never proposes to return to God through penance. But the others are taken on the side of the gifts of God, one of which is faith, according to that word, Proverbs 15:27: "By faith sins are purged," and to this is opposed the impugning of known truth. The other is charity, according to that word, Proverbs 10:12: "Charity covers all sins," and to this is opposed envy of a brother's grace.”

“In the former chapter the apostle had represented the state of the Gentile world to be as bad and black as the Jews were ready enough to pronounce it. And now, designing to show that the state of the Jews was very bad too, and their sin in many respects more aggravated, to prepare his way he sets himself in this part of the chapter to show that God would proceed upon equal terms of justice with Jews and Gentiles; and now with such a partial hand as the Jews were apt to think he would use in their favour. I. He arraigns them for their censoriousness and self-conceit (Rom 2:1): Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. As he expresses himself in general terms, the admonition may reach those many masters (Jam 3:1), of whatever nation or profession they are, that assume to themselves a power to censure, control, and condemn others. But he intends especially the Jews, and to them particularly he applies this general charge (Rom 2:21), Thou who teachest another teachest thou not thyself? The Jews were generally a proud sort of people, that looked with a great deal of scorn and contempt upon the poor Gentiles, as not worthy to be set with the dogs of their flock; while in the mean time they were themselves as bad and immoral - though not idolaters, as the Gentiles, yet sacrilegious, Rom 2:22. Therefore thou art inexcusable. If the Gentiles, who had but the light of nature, were inexcusable (Rom 1:20), much more the Jews, who had the light of the law, the revealed will of God, and so had greater helps than the Gentiles. II. He asserts the invariable justice of the divine government, Rom 2:2, Rom 2:3. To drive home the conviction, he here shows what a righteous God that is with whom we have to do, and how just in his proceedings. It is usual with the apostle Paul, in his writings, upon mention of some material point, to make large digressions upon it; as here concerning the justice of God (Rom 2:2), That the judgment of God is according to truth, - according to the eternal rules of justice and equity, - according to the heart, and not according to the outward appearance (Sa1 16:7), - according to the works, and not with respect to persons, is a doctrine which we are all sure of, for he would not be God if he were not just; but it behoves those especially to consider it who condemn others for those things which they themselves are guilty of, and so, while they practise sin and persist in that practice, think to bribe the divine justice by protesting against sin and exclaiming loudly upon others that are guilty, as if preaching against sin would atone for the guilt of it. But observe how he puts it to the sinner's conscience (Rom 2:3): Thinkest thou this, O man? O man, a rational creature, a dependent creature, made by God, subject under him, and accountable to him. The case is so plain that we may venture to appeal to the sinner's own thoughts: "Canst thou think that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Can the heart-searching God be imposed upon by formal pretences, the righteous Judge of all so bribed and put off?" The most plausible politic sinners, who acquit themselves before men with the greatest confidence, cannot escape the judgment of God, cannot avoid being judged and condemned. III. He draws up a charge against them (Rom 2:4, Rom 2:5) consisting of two branches: - 1. Slighting the goodness of God (Rom 2:4), the riches of his goodness. This is especially applicable to the Jews, who had singular tokens of the divine favour. Means are mercies, and the more light we sin against the more love we sin against. Low and mean thoughts of the divine goodness are at the bottom of a great deal of sin. There is in every wilful sin an interpretative contempt of the goodness of God; it is spurning at his bowels, particularly the goodness of his patience, his forbearance and long-suffering, taking occasion thence to be so much the more bold in sin, Ecc 8:11. Not knowing, that is, not considering, not knowing practically and with application, that the goodness of God leadeth thee, the design of it is to lead thee, to repentance. It is not enough for us to know that God's goodness leads to repentance, but we must know that it leads us - thee in particular. See here what method God takes to bring sinners to repentance. He leads them, not drives them like beasts, but leads them like rational creatures, allures them (Hos 2:14); and it is goodness that leads, bands of love, Hos 11:4. Compare Jer 31:3. The consideration of the goodness of God, his common goodness to all (the goodness of his providence, of his patience, and of his offers), should be effectual to bring us all to repentance; and the reason why so many continue in impenitency is because they do not know and consider this. 2. Provoking the wrath of God, Rom 2:5. The rise of this provocation is a hard and impenitent heart; and the ruin of sinners is their walking after such a heart, being led by it. To sin is to walk in the way of the heart; and when that is a hard and impenitent heart (contracted hardness by long custom, besides that which is natural), how desperate must the course needs be! The provocation is expressed by treasuring up wrath. Those that go on in a course of sin are treasuring up unto themselves wrath. A treasure denotes abundance. It is a treasure that will be spending to eternity, and yet never exhausted; and yet sinners are still adding to it as to a treasure. Every wilful sin adds to the score, and will inflame the reckoning; it brings a branch to their wrath, as some read that (Eze 8:17), they put the branch to their nose. A treasure denotes secrecy. The treasury or magazine of wrath is the heart of God himself, in which it lies hid, as treasures in some secret place sealed up; see Deu 32:34; Job 14:17. But withal it denotes reservation to some further occasion; as the treasures of the hail are reserved against the day of battle and war, Job 38:22, Job 38:23. These treasures will be broken open like the fountains of the great deep, Gen 7:11. They are treasured up against the day of wrath, when they will be dispensed by the wholesale, poured out by full vials. Though the present day be a day of patience and forbearance towards sinners, yet there is a day of wrath coming-wrath, and nothing but wrath. Indeed, every day is to sinners a day of wrath, for God is angry with the wicked every day (Psa 7:11), but there is the great day of wrath coming, Rev 6:17. And that day of wrath will be the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. The wrath of God is not like our wrath, a heat and passion; no, fury is not in him (Isa 27:4): but it is a righteous judgment, his will to punish sin, because he hates it as contrary to his nature. This righteous judgment of God is now many times concealed in the prosperity and success of sinners, but shortly it will be manifested before all the world, these seeming disorders set to rights, and the heavens shall declare his righteousness, Psa 50:6. Therefore judge nothing before the time. IV. He describes the measures by which God proceeds in his judgment. Having mentioned the righteous judgment of God in Rom 2:5, he here illustrates that judgment, and the righteousness of it, and shows what we may expect from God, and by what rule he will judge the world. The equity of distributive justice is the dispensing of frowns and favours with respect to deserts and without respect to persons: such is the righteous judgment of God. 1. He will render to every man according to his deeds (Rom 2:6), a truth often mentioned in scripture, to prove that the Judge of all the earth does right. (1.) In dispensing his favours; and this is mentioned twice here, both in Rom 2:7 and Rom 2:10. For he delights to show mercy. Observe, [1.] The objects of his favour: Those who by patient continuance, etc. By this we may try our interest in the divine favour, and may hence be directed what course to take, that we may obtain it. Those whom the righteous God will reward are, First, Such as fix to themselves the right end, that seek for glory, and honour, and immortality; that is, the glory and honour which are immortal - acceptance with God here and for ever. There is a holy ambition which is at the bottom of all practical religion. This is seeking the kingdom of God, looking in our desires and aims as high as heaven, and resolved to take up with nothing short of it. This seeking implies a loss, sense of that loss, desire to retrieve it, and pursuits and endeavours consonant to those desires. Secondly, Such as, having fixed the right end, adhere to the right way: A patient continuance in well-doing. 1. There must be well-doing, working good, Rom 2:10. It is not enough to know well, and speak well, and profess well, and promise well, but we must do well: do that which is good, not only for the matter of it, but for the manner of it. We must do it well. 2. A continuance in well-doing. Not for a fit and a start, like the morning cloud and the early dew; but we must endure to the end: it is perseverance that wins the crown. 3. A patient continuance. This patience respects not only the length of the work, but the difficulties of it and the oppositions and hardships we may meet with in it. Those that will do well and continue in it must put on a great deal of patience. [2.] The product of his favour. He will render to such eternal life. Heaven is life, eternal life, and it is the reward of those that patiently continue in well-doing; and it is called (Rom 2:10) glory, honour, and peace. Those that seek for glory and honour (Rom 2:7) shall have them. Those that seek for the vain glory and honour of this world often miss of them, and are disappointed; but those that seek for immortal glory and honour shall have them, and not only glory and honour, but peace. Worldly glory and honour are commonly attended with trouble; but heavenly glory and honour have peace with them, undisturbed everlasting peace. (2.) In dispensing his frowns (Rom 2:8, Rom 2:9). Observe, [1.] The objects of his frowns. In general those that do evil, more particularly described to be such as are contentious and do not obey the truth. Contentious against God. every wilful sin is a quarrel with God, it is striving with our Maker (Isa 45:9), the most desperate contention. The Spirit of God strives with sinners (Gen 6:3), and impenitent sinners strive against the Spirit, rebel against the light (Job 24:13), hold fast deceit, strive to retain that sin which the Spirit strives to part them from. Contentious, and do not obey the truth. The truths of religion are not only to be known, but to be obeyed; they are directing, ruling, commanding; truths relating to practice. Disobedience to the truth is interpreted a striving against it. But obey unrighteousness - do what unrighteousness bids them do. Those that refuse to be the servants of truth will soon be the slaves of unrighteousness. [2.] The products or instances of these frowns: Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish. These are the wages of sin. Indignation and wrath the causes - tribulation and anguish the necessary and unavoidable effects. And this upon the soul; souls are the vessels of that wrath, the subjects of that tribulation and anguish. Sin qualifies the soul for this wrath. The soul is that in or of man which is alone immediately capable of this indignation, and the impressions or effects of anguish therefrom. Hell is eternal tribulation and anguish, the product of wrath and indignation. This comes of contending with God, of setting briers and thorns before a consuming fire, Isa 27:4. Those that will not bow to his golden sceptre will certainly be broken by his iron rod. Thus will God render to every man according to his deeds. 2. There is no respect of persons with God, Rom 2:11. As to the spiritual state, there is a respect of persons; but not as to outward relation or condition. Jews and Gentiles stand upon the same level before God. This was Peter's remark upon the first taking down of the partition-wall (Act 10:34), that God is no respecter of persons; and it is explained in the next words, that in every nation he that fears God, and works righteousness, is accepted of him. God does not save men with respect to their external privileges or their barren knowledge and profession of the truth, but according as their state and disposition really are. In dispensing both his frowns and favours it is both to Jew and Gentile. If to the Jews first, who had greater privileges, and made a greater profession, yet also to the Gentiles, whose want of such privileges will neither excuse them from the punishment of their ill-doing nor bar them out from the reward of their well-doing (see Col 3:11); for shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? V. He proves the equity of his proceedings with all, when he shall actually come to Judge them (Rom 2:12-16), upon this principle, that that which is the rule of man's obedience is the rule of God's judgment. Three degrees of light are revealed to the children of men: - 1. The light of nature. This the Gentiles have, and by this they shall be judged: As many as have sinned without law shall perish without law; that is, the unbelieving Gentiles, who had no other guide but natural conscience, no other motive but common mercies, and had not the law of Moses nor any supernatural revelation, shall not be reckoned with for the transgression of the law they never had, nor come under the aggravation of the Jews' sin against and judgment by the written law; but they shall be judged by, as they sin against, the law of nature, not only as it is in their hearts, corrupted, defaced, and imprisoned in unrighteousness, but as in the uncorrupt original the Judge keeps by him. Further to clear this (Rom 2:14, Rom 2:15), in a parenthesis, he evinces that the light of nature was to the Gentiles instead of a written law. He had said (Rom 2:12) they had sinned without law, which looks like a contradiction; for where there is no law there is no transgression. But, says he, though they had not the written law (Psa 147:20), they had that which was equivalent, not to the ceremonial, but to the moral law. They had the work of the law. He does not mean that work which the law commands, as if they could produce a perfect obedience; but that work which the law does. The work of the law is to direct us what to do, and to examine us what we have done. Now, (1.) They had that which directed them what to do by the light of nature: by the force and tendency of their natural notions and dictates they apprehended a clear and vast difference between good and evil. They did by nature the things contained in the law. They had a sense of justice and equity, honour and purity, love and charity; the light of nature taught obedience to parents, pity to the miserable, conservation of public peace and order, forbade murder, stealing, lying, perjury, etc. Thus they were a law unto themselves. (2.) They had that which examined them as to what they had done: Their conscience also bearing witness. They had that within them which approved and commended what was well done and which reproached them for what was done amiss. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness, though for a time it may be bribed or brow-beaten. It is instead of a thousand witnesses, testifying of that which is most secret; and their thoughts accusing or excusing, passing a judgment upon the testimony of conscience by applying the law to the fact. Conscience is that candle of the Lord which was not quite put out, no, not in the Gentile world. The heathen have witnessed to the comfort of a good conscience. - Hic murus aheneus esto, Nil conscire sibi - Be this thy brazen bulwark of defence, Still to preserve thy conscious innocence. - Hor. and to the terror of a bad one: - Quos diri conseia facti Mens habet attonitos, et surdo verbere caedit - No lash is heard, and yet the guilty heart Is tortur'd with a self-inflicted smart - Juv. Sat. 13. Their thoughts the meanwhile, metaxu allēlōn - among themselves, or one with another. The same light and law of nature that witnesses against sin in them, and witnessed against it in others, accused or excused one another. Vicissim, so some read it, by turns; according as they observed or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences did either acquit or condemn them. All this did evince that they had that which was to them instead of a law, which they might have been governed by, and which will condemn them, because they were not so guided and governed by it. So that the guilty Gentiles are left without excuse. God is justified in condemning them. They cannot plead ignorance, and therefore are likely to perish if they have not something else to plead. 2. The light of the law. This the Jews had, and by this they shall be judged (Rom 2:12): As many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. They sinned, not only having the law, but en nomō - in the law, in the midst of so much law, in the face and light of so pure and clear a law, the directions of which were so very full and particular, and the sanctions of it so very cogent and enforcing. These shall be judged by the law; their punishment shall be, as their sin is, so much the greater for their having the law. The Jew first, Rom 2:9. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon. Thus Moses did accuse them (Joh 5:45), and they fell under the many stripes of him that knew his master's will, and did it not, Luk 12:47. The Jews prided themselves very much in the law; but, to confirm what he had said, the apostle shows (Rom 2:13) that their having, and hearing, and knowing the law, would not justify them, but their doing it. The Jewish doctors bolstered up their followers with an opinion that all that were Jews, how bad soever they lived, should have a place in the world to come. This the apostle here opposes: it was a great privilege that they had the law, but not a saving privilege, unless they lived up to the law they had, which it is certain the Jews did not, and therefore they had need of a righteousness wherein to appear before God. We may apply it to the gospel: it is not hearing, but doing that will save us, Joh 13:17; Jam 1:22. 3. The light of the gospel: and according to this those that enjoyed the gospel shall be judge (Rom 2:16): According to my gospel; not meant of any fifth gospel written by Paul, as some conceit; or of the gospel written by Luke, as Paul's amanuensis (Euseb. Hist. lib 3, cap. 8), but the gospel in general, called Paul's because he was a preacher of it. As many as are under that dispensation shall be judged according to that dispensation, Mar 16:16. Some refer those words, according to my gospel, to what he says of the day of judgment: "There will come a day of judgment, according as I have in my preaching often told you; and that will be the day of the final judgment both of Jews and Gentiles." It is good for us to get acquainted with what is revealed concerning that day. (1.) There is a day set for a general judgment. The day, the great day, his day that is coming, Psa 37:13. (2.) The judgment of that day will be put into the hands of Jesus Christ. God shall judge by Jesus Christ, Act 17:31. It will be part of the reward of his humiliation. Nothing speaks more terror to sinners, or more comfort to saints, than this, that Christ shall be the Judge. (3.) The secrets of men shall then be judged. Secret services shall be then rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, hidden things shall be brought to light. That will be the great discovering day, when that which is now done in corners shall be proclaimed to all the world.”

“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man,.... Some think, from the connection of these words with the preceding chapter, that the Gentiles are here meant; and particularly those among them who seemed to be virtuous, and took upon them to be the reprovers of others, and yet did the same things themselves, as Socrates, Cato, Seneca, and others; and therefore must be inexcusable, because they knew better, and would be thought to have been so; wherefore such could never be justified before God by their works, but might be justly condemned by him, nor shall they escape his righteous judgment. Others think the Jews are meant, who despised and condemned the Gentiles, and thought themselves to be righteous persons, and justified in the sight of God; and who, though they were secretly guilty of many abominable iniquities, yet were very severe upon the sins of others, and therefore inexcusable: others think that magistrates are designed, whether among Jews or Gentiles, who reprove and punish sin in others, and therefore must be supposed to know the law, and the nature of sin, and so are inexcusable and self-condemned when they do the same things; wherefore though they may pass with impunity among men, they shall not escape the judgment of God. Rather the words respect every man, of whatsoever nation, office, or place; and may be particularly applied to hypocrites, and seem designed to correct censoriousness, and hasty judging, and to throw confusion on such who value themselves on being the censurers and reprovers of others: whosoever thou art that judgest; whether a Jew or a Gentile, a public magistrate or a private person: for wherein thou judgest another; that is, in what case or instance; the Complutensian edition and the Arabic version read, "in" "or with what judgment thou judgest another"; See Gill on Mat 7:2; thou condemnest thyself; by judging them: for thou that judgest dost the same things; art guilty of the same thing condemned in others, and therefore must be self-condemned.”

“Wherefore thou art inexcusable, &c. He seems to give a general admonition to every one, both Jews and Gentiles, not to blame, judge, or condemn others, when perhaps he, or those of his religion, may be guilty of the like sins. Let him rather call to mind the just judgment of God, which, they that are sinners, cannot escape. Let him also reflect, that if God hath hitherto deferred to punish him, it hath been through the riches and abundance of his goodness, patience, and long-forbearance, or longanimity: that he must take care not to harden his heart any longer, lest he heap up to himself a fatal treasure at the day of judgment, when God will render to every one according to his works, and not according to his faith only, says St. Chrysostom, hom. v. (Witham)”

“The approvers — those who sanction evil. "He that applauds the sin is far more guilty than he who commits it." St. Chrysostom. G. P. " not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." The Vulgate reading is found in St. Augustin: " he signifies that whatsoever things they may have done, not unwillingly, but by consenting to evil deeds, they approve of those things which they did : and therefore in reference to sins which are already committed, he says : ' Wherefore thou art inexcusable, 0 man, whosoever thou art who judgest.' "”