Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

1. Who are meant by the Gentiles here? It is ordinarily known, ¹that the Jews did call all those Gentiles that were not Jews, by way of contempt; as the Greeks and Romans called all other nations Barbarians. Hence sometimes in the Scripture the word is applied to wicked men, though Jews: as, Psal. 2. Why do the heathen rage? It may be interpreted of the Pharisees resisting Christ. Indeed, the Jews will not confess, that the word [Greek or Hebrew] Gentes, is any where applied to them: but this is very false, for Genes. 17. Abraham is there said to be the father of many nations, ([Greek or Hebrew] Gentes:) therefore they must either deny themselves to be Abraham's seed, or else acknowledge this word belonging to them. But generally it signifieth those that had not the Laws of Moses, nor did live by them. Therefore Gal. 2. 14. [Greek or Hebrew], to live like a Gentile, is, not to observe the Laws of Moses: and in this sense it is to be taken here; for the Apostles scope is to make good that great charge upon all mankind, both Jew and Gentile, that naturally they are wholly in sin; and God, being no accepter of persons, will destroy the one as well as the other. And whereas it might be thought very hard to deal thus with the Gentile, because no law was delivered unto him, as unto the Jew, the Apostle answereth that Objection in this place. But grant it be understood of such Gentiles, then there is a greater Question whether it be meant of the Gentiles abiding so, or the Gentiles converted and turned believers; for, that the Apostle speaks of such, most of the Latin Interpreters, both ancient and modern, do affirm: and so the Greek Father, Chrysostom, and Estius, a learned Papist, do think there are so many arguments for it, that it's certain. I confess, they bring many probable ⟨p. 59⟩reasons; but I will not trouble you with them: this seemeth a strong argument against them, because the Apostle speaks of such who are without a law, and a law to themselves, which could not be true of Gentiles converted: we take the Apostle therefore to speak of Gentiles abiding so; but in this sense there is also a dangerous exposition and a sound one. The poisonous interpretation is of the Pelagians, who understand the law written in their hearts, in the same sense as it is used,