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Romans Capitolo 12
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The apostle, having at large cleared and confirmed the prime fundamental doctrines of Christianity, comes in the next place to press the principal duties. We mistake our religion if we look upon it only as a system of notions and a guide to speculation. No, it is a practical religion, that tends to the right ordering of the conversation. It is designed not only to inform our judgments, but to reform our hearts and lives. From the method of the apostle's writing in this, as in some other of the epistles (as from the management of the principal ministers of state in Christ's kingdom) the stewards of the mysteries of God may take direction how to divide the word of truth: not to press duty abstracted from privilege, nor privilege abstracted from duty; but let both go together, with a complicated design, they will greatly promote and befriend each other. The duties are drawn from the privileges, by way of inference. The foundation of Christian practice must be laid in Christian knowledge and faith. We must first understand how we receive Christ Jesus the Lord, and then we shall know the better how to walk in him. There is a great deal of duty prescribed in this chapter. The exhortations are short and pithy, briefly summing up what is good, and what the Lord our God in Christ requires of us. It is an abridgment of the Christian directory, an excellent collection of rules for the right ordering of the conversation, as becomes the gospel. It is joined to the foregoing discourse by the word "therefore." It is the practical application of doctrinal truths that is the life of preaching. He had been discoursing at large of justification by faith, and of the riches of free grace, and the pledges and assurances we have of the glory that is to be revealed. Hence carnal libertines would be apt to infer. "Therefore we may live as we list, and walk in the way of our hearts and the sight of our eyes." Now this does not follow; the faith that justifies is a faith that "works by love." And there is no other way to heaven but the way of holiness and obedience. Therefore what God hath joined together let no man put asunder. The particular exhortations of this chapter are reducible to the three principal heads of Christian duty: our duty to God t ourselves, and to our brother. The grace of God teaches us, in general, to live "godly, soberly, and righteously;" and to deny all that which is contrary hereunto. Now this chapter will give us to understand what godliness, sobriety, and righteousness, are though somewhat intermixed.
1-21
Consecration to God; Duty towards God; Duty towards Ourselves; Due Exercise of Spiritual Gifts; Duty towards Our Brethren; Brotherly Love; Love to Enemies (58 AD)
简体中文
献身于神；向神当尽的本分；向自己当尽的本分；属灵恩赐的正当运用；向弟兄当尽的本分；弟兄之爱；爱仇敌（公元58年）
¹ 所以，弟兄们，我以神的慈悲劝你们，将身体献上，当作活祭，是圣洁的，是神所喜悦的；你们如此事奉乃是理所当然的。 ² 不要效法这个世界，只要心意更新而变化，叫你们察验何为神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。 ³ 我凭着所赐我的恩对你们各人说：不要看自己过于所当看的；要照着神所分给各人信心的大小，看得合乎中道。 ⁴ 正如我们一个身子上有好些肢体，肢体也不都是一样的用处。 ⁵ 我们这许多人，在基督里成为一身，互相联络作肢体，也是如此。 ⁶ 按我们所得的恩赐，各有不同。或说预言，就当照着信心的程度说预言； ⁷ 或作执事，就当专一执事；或作教导的，就当专一教导； ⁸ 或作劝化的，就当专一劝化；施舍的，就当诚实；治理的，就当殷勤；怜悯人的，就当甘心。 ⁹ 爱人不可虚假。恶，要厌恶；善，要亲近。 ¹⁰ 爱弟兄，要彼此亲热；恭敬人，要彼此推让。 ¹¹ 殷勤，不可懒惰；要心里火热，常常服事主。 ¹² 在指望中要喜乐，在患难中要忍耐，祷告要恒切。 ¹³ 圣徒缺乏，要帮补；客，要一味地款待。 ¹⁴ 逼迫你们的，要给他们祝福；只要祝福，不可咒诅。 ¹⁵ 与喜乐的人要同乐；与哀哭的人要同哭。 ¹⁶ 要彼此同心；不要志气高大，倒要俯就卑微的人（人或作事）。不要自以为聪明。 ¹⁷ 不要以恶报恶；众人以为美的事要留心去做。 ¹⁸ 若是能行，总要尽力与众人和睦。 ¹⁹ 亲爱的弟兄，不要自己伸冤，宁可让步，听凭主怒（或作：让人发怒）；因为经上记着：「主说：伸冤在我；我必报应。」 ²⁰ 所以，「你的仇敌若饿了，就给他吃，若渴了，就给他喝；因为你这样行就是把炭火堆在他的头上。」 ²¹ 你不可为恶所胜，反要以善胜恶。
按照目录中所提的纲要，我们在此可以看到使徒的劝勉——
一、论到我们向神当尽的本分。我们在此看到何为敬虔。
- 它就是将自己献给神，借此立好根基。我们必须先把自己献给主（林后8:5）。此处作为一切本分与顺服之源头而被坚持（罗12:1-2）。人由身体和灵魂构成（创2:7；传12:7）。
(1) 身体必须献给他（罗12:1）。「身体是为主，主也是为身体」（林前6:13-14）。此处的劝勉以极动情的话引出：「我劝你们，弟兄们」。虽然他作大使徒，却称最小的基督徒为「弟兄们」——这是亲爱与关怀之词。他用恳求；这是福音的方法：「神借我们劝你们一般」（林后5:20）。虽然他可以凭着权柄吩咐，却为爱的缘故恳求（门8-9）。「贫穷人说哀求的话」（箴18:23）。这是为使劝勉深入，使其带着更悦人的力量临到。许多人若被友善地招呼，更容易被感动；更容易被牵引，胜于被驱赶。如今请注意——
[1] 所坚持的本分——献上「身体当作活祭」，暗指律法之下的祭物，这些祭物在祭坛前被呈献或摆在神面前，预备献给他。「身体」——你们全人；如此表达是因为在律法之下献的是牲畜的身体（林前6:20）。我们身体与心灵都含括在内。祭物由祭司宰献，但由献祭者呈献——他将自己在祭物上的一切权、名分、利益都转移给神，按手在它头上。此处的「祭」所指的，乃一切照神自己命定而分别为圣献给他的东西；参彼前2:5。我们既是殿、是祭司、又是祭物，正如基督在他特殊的献祭中那样。律法下有赎罪之祭，也有感谢之祭。基督「一次被献，担当了多人的罪」，是惟一的赎罪祭；但我们的人和我们的行为，借着我们这位祭司基督献给神，便如同感谢之祭归荣耀于神。献上它们表明一个自愿的举动，是借着意志对它身体及一切肢体所具有的绝对主宰之权而作的。它必须是甘心祭。「身体」；不是「牲畜」。那些属律法的祭物，其能力来自基督，也终止于基督。将身体献给神，含意不仅在于逃避那借身体、违身体所犯的罪，更在于使用身体作为灵魂服事神时的仆人。这就是「在身子上荣耀神」（林前6:20），就是使我们的身体投入直接敬拜的本分，并殷勤地尽我们各别的呼召，并且在我们蒙召之时，甘心为神用身体受苦。这就是「将肢体作义的器具献给神」（罗6:13）。虽然身体的操练本身益处不多，但它在自己的位置上，却是我们灵魂奉献给神的凭据与果子。第一，献上它们「当作活祭」；不像律法之下的祭物那样被宰杀。基督徒虽然不将自己的身体交给人焚烧，却使身体成为献给神的祭。一个真诚奉献给神的身体，就是活祭。「活祭」——借暗指而言：自死的物不可吃，更不可献祭（申14:21）；又借对照而言——「祭物原是要宰杀的，但你们可以被献为祭却仍活着」——一种不流血的祭。野蛮的异教徒将他们的儿女献给他们的偶像，不是活的，而是被宰杀的祭物：但神所要的是怜悯，不要这样的祭，虽然生命是欠他的。「活」的祭，即被灵魂属灵生命所激励的祭。正是基督借信住在灵魂里，才使身体成为活祭（加2:20）。圣洁的爱点燃祭物，将生命注入本分之中；参罗6:13。「活」即向神而活（罗6:11）。第二，必须是「圣洁的」。每一祭物既有奉献给神的关系上的圣洁。但除此之外，还必须有那真实的圣洁——在于内心与生活完全的端正，借此我们在两者上都与神的本性与旨意相符：连我们的身体也不可作罪恶与不洁的器具，而当分别为圣归给神，并用作圣洁的用途，正如会幕中的器皿因奉献于神的服事而成为圣洁。灵魂才是圣洁的正当主体；但成圣的灵魂将其圣洁传达给它所运用、所激励的身体。凡符合神旨意的事便是圣洁的；当身体的行动如此之时，身体便是圣洁的。它们是「圣灵的殿」（林前6:19）。「成圣尊贵守着自己的身体」（帖前4:4-5）。
[2] 为加强这一本分的论据有三：第一，思念神的慈悲：「我以神的慈悲劝你们」。这是一句充满感情的呼吁，应当融化我们使之顺服：原文作 dia ton oiktirmon tou Theou——「借着神的怜悯」。这是一个最甜美而有力的论证。神里面有怜悯，从神也发出怜悯——怜悯在泉源，怜悯在溪流：两者都含括在此；特别是福音的怜悯（在罗11:1-36中已提及）——犹太人因不信所失落的，转归我们外邦人（弗3:4-6）：那「大卫那可靠的恩典」（赛55:3）。神是慈悲的神，所以让我们将身体献给他；他必以善待它们，并知道如何体恤它们的状况，因他怜悯无穷。我们每日从他领受他怜悯的果子，特别是向我们身体的怜悯：他造了它们，他维持它们，他买了它们，他使它们大有尊荣。我们未被消灭、我们灵魂仍存生命，都是因耶和华的慈爱；而最大的怜悯乃是基督不仅将他的身体，更将他的灵魂献为赎罪祭，他为我们舍己，也将自己赐给我们。如今我们当然不能不思量当向耶和华献上什么作为报答。我们要献上什么呢？让我们献上自己，作为这一切恩惠的承认——我们一切的所有、一切所能做的；在这一切之后，对那极丰盛的领受而言，仍是极其微薄的回报；然而，因为这是我们所拥有的——第二，这是「神所喜悦的」。我们众人当劳力以求的伟大目的，就是得主喜悦（林后5:9），使他悦纳我们的人和我们的行为。如今这些活祭是神所喜悦的；而恶人的祭物虽肥美昂贵，在耶和华眼中却是可憎的。神竟肯悦纳我们身上任何东西，是他极大的降卑；并且我们不能有所求使 ourselves 更为有福；而若献上自己便能讨他喜悦，我们便易断定不能把自己献得比这更好。第三，这是你们「理所当然的」事奉。其中含理性的作用；因为是灵魂献上身体。以无知为母为乳母的盲目虔诚，只配献给那些有眼却看不见的粪堆之神。我们的神必须在灵与悟性中被事奉。这事有万般理由，并不能提出任何好理由反对。「来吧，我们彼此辩论」（赛1:18）。神不把任何艰难不合理的事加在我们身上，乃是把那与正直理智之原则完全相符的事加在我们身上。原文作 ten logiken latreian hymon——「你们按话语的服事」；如此可读。神的话在圣洁的敬拜中并不排除身体。惟有照着写下来的话而作的服事才蒙神悦纳。它必须是福音的敬拜、属灵的敬拜。这就是「理所当然的」事奉——我们能为之说理、在其中有自我悟性的服事。神待我们如同有理性的受造者，也要我们如此待他。如此身体必须献给神。
(2) 心思必须为他而更新。这是所坚持的（罗12:2）：「心意更新而变化」；务要在你们里头作成那拯救的改变，并使之继续。归正与成圣就是心思的更新——不是灵魂本质的改变，而是其品质的改变。这与造一个新心、新灵相同——新的性情与倾向、新的好恶；悟性得蒙光照，良心变为柔软，思想归正；意志顺服神的旨意，情感变得属灵属天：于是这人不再是从前的样子——旧事已过，都变成新的了；他从新原则而行，按新规则，以新设计。心思是我们里头那行动、统治的部分；因此心思的更新就是全人的更新，因为一生的「果效是由心发出」（箴4:23）。成圣的进展——越来越向罪死、越来越向义活——乃是这更新之工的继续，直到它在荣耀中得以完全。这被称为我们的「变化」；它如同换上新的形状和样式。原文作 Metamorphousthe——「你们要变形」。基督的「变了形像」正是用这个词（太17:2），那时他穿上属天的荣耀，使他的脸面发光如日头；同一词用于林后3:18，那里说我们「变成同样的形像，从荣耀到荣耀」。这变化在此被坚持为一个本分；并不是说我们能自己作成这样的改变：我们凭自己的能力造一个新心，如同造一个新世界一样不可能；这是神的作为（结11:19，36:26-27）。但是「要变化」，意即「使用神为此所设立所命定的方法」。神使我们回转，我们便回转；但我们当「将所行的归向」他（何5:4，旁注）。「将你们的灵魂放在那赐福之圣灵那改变人、变化人的影响之下；在一切恩典之法的使用中向神寻求恩典。」新人虽是神所创造的，我们却必须「穿上」他（弗4:24），并向完全竭力前进。如今在这节中我们可进一步观察到——
[1] 这更新的劲敌是什么，我们必须避免；那就是效法这个世界：「不要效法这个世界」。一切主耶稣的门徒和跟随者，都必须作这世界的「不效法者」。原文作 me syschematizesthe——「不要照这世界的模样塑造自己」。我们不可效法这世界的事物：它们是可变的，其样子快要过去。不要效法肉体的情欲或眼目的情欲。我们也不可效法世上的人——那躺在恶者手下的世界，不可「随从今世的风俗」（弗2:2）而行；即不可「随众行恶」（出23:2）。罪人若引诱我们，我们必不可附从，反当在自己的地位上作见证反对他们。不，连在那些本身中性的事上——那些本身不是罪的事上——我们也不可如此效法世界的习俗与做法，以至于以世界的指示为我们首要的规则，或以世界的恩宠为我们最高的目标。真基督教十分在于一种清醒的独特性。然而我们当防备那种矫揉造作的粗鲁与阴郁的极端——有些人陷入了这种极端。在世事上，自然之光与列国的习俗是为引导我们而设的；在那些情形下，福音的规则是指导的规则，不是相反的规则。
[2] 这更新的大效果是什么，我们当为之劳力：「叫你们察验何为神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意」。此处的「神的旨意」当理解为他关于我们本分所启示的旨意——主我们神向我们所要求的。这是一般而言神的旨意，即我们的成圣，那我们祈求能照天使所行而行在我们身上的旨意；特别是他在新约中所启示的旨意——在这些末世借他儿子晓谕我们的。第一，神的旨意是「善良、纯全、可喜悦的」——律法的三样极佳属性。它是善良的（弥6:8）；它与善恶永恒之理完全相符。它本身是善良的。它对我们是善良的。有人以为福音的律法在此被称为「善良的」，是为与礼仪律法相对——后者包括「不善良的律例」（结20:25）。它是「可喜悦的」，是神所喜悦的；惟独他所 prescribed 的才如此。要得他恩惠为目标的惟一途径，是顺服他的旨意为规则。它是「纯全的」，不能在其上增添什么。神所启示的旨意是信仰与实践的充足准则，包含一切使属神的人得以完全的事，使我们「预备行各样的善事」（提后3:16-17）。第二，基督徒有责任察验何为神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意——即以判断与认可之心认识它，在经历上认识它，借与它相符的经历来认识神旨意的卓越。这就是「喜爱那美好的事」（腓1:10，旁注）；原文作 dokimazein（与本处所用同一词）「察验」那有分别的事，在疑难情形中迅速领悟何为神的旨意并附从之。这就是「以敬畏耶和华为乐」（赛11:3）。第三，那些借心思更新而变化的人，最能察验何为神善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。活泼的恩典之律在灵魂里，就其得胜的程度而言，对属神之事是一种无偏见、无成见的判断。它使灵魂适合领受并采纳神圣旨意的启示。应许如此说（约7:17）：「人若立志遵着他的旨意行，就必晓得这教训。」好的才智能辩论并分别关于神旨意之事；而诚实谦卑的心——就是那属灵的知觉已经习练得通达、并被模成神话语之模子的人——却爱慕它、实行它，并尝到其中的滋味。如此敬虔便是将自己献给神。
- 这事既做成，便要在各样福音的顺服上事奉他。此处我们略有提示（罗12:11-12）：「服事主」。我们将自己献给他，岂不正是为要事奉他吗？（徒27:23）「我所属的」——下文接着说，「我所事奉的」。虔诚就是事奉神。如何事奉？(1) 我们必须以此为本业，不可在此本业上懒惰。「殷勤不可懒惰」。世务——我们各别呼召的俗务——也是其中之一，我们不可懒惰（帖前4:11）。但此处似乎指的是事奉主的本业——我们父的事（路2:49）。凡要显为真基督徒的，必须把信仰当作本业——必须选择它、学习它、专心致志于它；必须爱它、从事它、坚守它，作为他们伟大主要的事业。既把它当作本业，我们就不可在其上懒惰：不可贪图自己的安逸，在与本分相争时优先考虑安逸。我们在信仰上不可驱驰缓慢。懒惰的仆人必被算为恶仆。(2) 必须「心里火热」常常服事主。神必须在灵里被事奉（罗1:9；约4:24）——在圣灵的影响之下。我们在宗教上所做的，惟有照着被神的灵所激发的灵而做的，才蒙神悦纳。并且在灵里必须有火热——一种圣洁的热心、温暖与情感的炽烈，贯穿我们所行的一切，如同那不仅尽心、且尽全心、尽全灵魂爱神的人。这就是那点燃祭物、将其升到天上作为馨香之祭的圣火。——「服事主」。原文作 to kairo douleuontes（某些抄本如此读）——「服事时候（机会）」，即善用你们的时机、充分利用它们，与现今的恩典季节相合。(3) 「在指望中要喜乐」。神借我们对他的仰望与信靠得敬拜、得尊荣，尤其当我们在此指望中喜乐、对此信靠之中得着满足之时——这表明对所望之事的真实性大有把握，并对所望之善的卓越深为看重。(4) 「在患难中要忍耐」。神也如此被事奉——不仅当蒙他呼召去工作时为他作工，也当蒙他呼召去受苦时安静坐候。为神的缘故、着眼于他的旨意与荣耀而有的忍耐，便是真敬虔。请注意，那在指望中喜乐的人，也必在患难中忍耐。正是那摆在前面的喜乐之信心的盼望，支撑着心灵在一切外在压力之下不至屈服。(5) 「祷告要恒切」。祷告是指望与忍耐的朋友，我们在其中事奉主。原文作 Proskarterountes。它含祷告中的恳切与坚持。我们在本分上不可冷淡，也不可很快厌倦（路18:1；帖前5:17；弗6:18；西4:2）。这是我们那直接指向神的本分。
二、论到关于我们自己当尽的本分；这就是节制。
- 对自己有清醒的见解（罗12:3）。它以一个庄重的前言引出：「我凭着所赐我的恩对你们各人说」——所赐的智慧之恩，借此他明白这本分的必要与卓越；使徒之职的恩，借此他有权威坚持并吩咐它。「我说这话——我是奉差遣奉神的名说的。我说这话——并非你们所能反驳。」这话是对我们各人说的，一个与另一个一样。骄傲是我们众人骨中之罪，因此我们各人都需要受警诫、武装自己防备它。「不要看自己过于所当看的」。我们必须防备对自己估价过高，或对我们自己的判断、才能、人格、行为估价过高。我们不可自命不凡，不可过分看重自己的智慧和其他成就，不可以为自己是什么（加6:3）。有一种对自己的高看是我们可以也必须有的——看自己过于作罪的奴仆和这世界的苦工。但另一方面，我们当「看得合乎中道」——即我们必须对自己和自己的才能、对自己的恩赐和恩典有谦卑谨慎的见解，按照我们从神所领受的，不越过这个界限。我们不可在疑惑争辩的事上自信而激烈；不可越过自己的界限；不可判断并论断那些与我们不同的人；不可企图在肉体上「外貌体面」。这些以及类似的事，都是对自己有清醒见解的果子。这话也可有另一个相当合理的意思。「自己」一词在原文中没有；因此可读为：「不要作智慧过于所当智慧的，但要作智慧以至于节制」。我们不可「谋算大事」（诗131:1-2），不可「 intrude 」于所未见过的事（西2:18），不可窥探不属于我们的隐秘之事（申29:29），不可奢求超过所记之事之上作智慧人。有一种使人自大的知识，是伸手摘禁果的。我们当防备这事，并追求那导向节制、导向心之归正与生活之 reform 的知识。有人将这话理解为那保守我们留在自己的地位与本分中的节制，免得我们越分到别人的恩赐与职分里。参林后10:13-15。此处也涉及那句劝勉（罗12:16）：「不要自以为聪明」。聪明是好的，但自以为聪明是坏的；因为愚顽人比那「自眼中看为有智慧的人」更有指望。摩西面皮发光并不自知，是极美之事。如今我们为何必须对自己、对自己的才能和成就持有如此清醒的见解，其理由如下——
(1) 因为我们所有任何良善之物，都是「神所赐给」我们的；各样美善的恩赐「都是从上头来的」（雅1:17）。我们有什么不是领受的呢？若是领受的，为何还自夸呢？（林前4:7）。世上最好、最有用的人，也不过如此，不会超过、也不会更好于神白白的恩典每日所造成的他。当我们想到自己时，我们必须记得不要思想我们如何取得，仿佛我们的力量和我们手的能力为我们得了这些恩赐；而当思想神向我们何等恩慈，因为是他赐我们力量行任何善事，我们一切的全备都在他里面。
(2) 因为神按一定的度量赐下他的恩赐：「照着……信心的大小」。请注意，属灵恩赐的度量，他称之为「信心的大小」，因为这是根本的恩典。凡我们所有、所行的善，唯独在它以信心为根基、由信心发出之时，才是正确而蒙悦纳的。如今信心及与之同来的其他属灵恩赐，是按着分量赐下的——照无穷的智慧看为合适而赐。基督领受圣灵是「没有限量」的（约3:34）。但圣徒领受的是「按量」（弗4:7）。那恩赐无限量的基督尚且「柔和谦卑」；我们这些「限量」的人，难道要骄傲自满吗？
(3) 因为神不仅赐给我们，也赐给别人：「分给各人」。假如我们对圣灵有垄断权，或有凭据作属灵恩赐的惟一拥有者，那么这自命不凡或许还有几分借口；但别人与我们一样也有分。神是一切圣徒共同的父亲，基督是他们共同的根，他们都从他得着能力；因此我们高举自己、轻视别人，仿佛惟独我们才是天上所宠爱的人、智慧要随我们一同死灭，这是不合宜的。这一论证他用一个取自天然身体肢体的比方加以说明（如林前12:12；弗4:16）：「正如我们一个身子上有好些肢体」等等（罗12:4-5）。在此请注意：[1] 一切圣徒在基督里构成一个身体——他是身体的头，是他们合一的共同中心。信徒并非像一堆混乱无序的物体散落在世上，而是当他们联于一个共同的首，并被一个共同的灵所激发所激励之时，便被组织并联合在一起。[2] 个别信徒是这个身体的肢体——构成的部分，这表明他们小于整体，并且是相对于整体而言，从头领受生命与心灵。身体上有些肢体比别的更大更有用，每一肢体按其比例从头领受心灵。假如小指领受与腿一样多的滋养，那是何等不相称、何等有害！我们必须记得我们不是整体；我们若如此想，便是想得过分；我们不过是部分、是肢体。[3] 「肢体也不都是一样的用处」（罗12:4），每一肢体都有其各自的地位与所指派的功用。眼的功用是看，手的功用是做工。在奥秘的身体中也是如此：有人蒙资格、蒙呼召去作一种工；另有人照样蒙资格、蒙呼召去作另一种工。官长、牧者、百姓，在基督教共和国中各有各的职分，不可彼此越分，也不可在履行各自职分时相互冲突。[4] 每一肢体有其地位与职分，是为全体的益处，也是为每一其他肢体的益处。我们不仅是基督的肢体，更是「互相联络作肢体」（罗12:5）。我们彼此之间有相关的关系；我们当尽力彼此行善，并合力为共同的益处而行动。详见林前12:14等处。因此我们不可因对自己成就的自满而自高自大，因为我们所有的，既是领受的，领受时也非为我们自己，乃是为别人的益处。
- 谨慎运用神所赐的恩赐。我们一方面不可因自己的才能而骄傲，另一方面也不可将其埋藏。当心：不可在谦卑与舍己的托辞之下，懒于为别人的益处而发挥自己。我们不可说：「我什么也不是，所以我要坐而不动，无所作为」；而当说：「我在我自己里面什么也不是，所以我要在基督恩典的能力中尽己所能」。他列举了各特定教会中所设立的教会职分——在履行这些职分时，各人当尽力尽自己的本分，以保持教会的秩序并促进造就，各人知道自己的岗位并尽上它。「按我们所得的恩赐，各有不同」。以下的细节列举为这概括的话提供了含义。「所得的恩赐」——我们当用它。从事传道事工的权柄与能力是神的恩赐。「各有不同」——直接的设计不同，尽管至终的趋势都相同。「按着恩赐」——原文作 charismata kata ten charin。神白白的恩典是一切赐给人之恩赐的源头与本源。是恩典设立职分，使人合格并使其有此倾向，在人心里「运行，使他立志行事」。在初期教会有说方言、辨别诸灵、医病的特殊恩赐；但他在此处所论的是那些常设的恩赐。参林前12:4；提前4:14；彼前4:10。他具体列举七样恩赐（罗12:6-8），似乎是论到许多初期教会——尤其是较大的教会——审慎宪制中所采用的许多不同职分。其中有两个是一般性的，在此以「说预言」和「作执事」来表达——前者是主教的工作，后者是执事的工作，这是仅有的两种常设职分（腓1:1）。但属于这两者的具体工作，可以、似乎也是借共同的同意与协议而加以分配的，为要使工作更有效地进行，因为「人人有责的工作便是无人有责的工作」，而最善办自己事务的人是 vir unius negotii——专务一业的人。大卫如此分派利未人（代上23:4-5），「智慧人的心，能以适时行事」。因此后五样可归入前两样之中。
(1) 「说预言」。「或说预言，就当照着信心的程度说预言」。这并非指着预告未来的特殊恩赐，而是指着传神话语的常设职分：「说预言」在此意取于林前14:1-3，11:4；帖前5:20。旧约先知的工作不仅在于预告未来的事，更在于就罪与本分警告百姓，并就他们先前所知道的事作他们的提醒者。福音的传道者也是如此作先知，并且就神话语的启示范围而言，他们确是预告未来的事。讲道涉及世人永远的结局，直指未来的状态。如今那些传讲神话语的人必须「照着信心的程度」而行——原文作 kata ten analogian tes pisteos，即：[1] 论到我们说预言的方法，必须照着信心之恩的程度。他曾提到（罗12:3）分给各人的「信心的大小」。让传道的人尽用他所有的信心，先把他所传的真理印在自己心里。百姓不能好好听，照样传道人也不能好好传——没有信心便不能。「我因信，所以如此说话」（诗116:10；林后4:13）。我们当记得信心的程度——虽然并非人人都有信心，但除了我们之外，许多人是有的；因此我们必须容许别人也有一分知识与教导的能力，正如我们自己一样，连那些在次要之事上与我们不同的人也当如此。「你有信心吗？就当在自己面前持守」；不要把它当作统管别人的准则，记得你所有的不过是你的那一分。[2] 论到我们说预言的内容，必须照着新旧约圣经所启示的「信之道理」的程度。庇哩亚人正是用这「信之规矩」来察验保罗所传的（徒17:11）。参徒26:22；加1:9。有一些可称为「主打真理」的——一些 prima axiomata——首要的公理，在圣经中清楚而一致地被教导，是讲道的试金石，借此（虽然我们不可藐视先知的讲论）我们当「凡事察验」，然后「善美的要持守」（帖前5:20-21）。较暗昧的真理当用较清楚的真理来考察；当发现它们与信之相符相合时才可接受；因为一个真理绝不会与另一个真理相矛盾，这是确定的。在此我们看到传道人当大大留意的事——按着「纯正话语的规模」传讲纯正的教义（多2:8；提后1:13）。说预言当按着信的程度，并非如此必要于按着「技艺」的程度——逻辑与修辞的规则；但按着信的程度是必要的：因为我们所传的乃是「信主之道」。如今那说预言的人有两样具体的工作当留意——「教导」和「劝化」，由同一人在同一时间作十分合适；他作这一样时当专心，作那一样时也当尽力而为。若按一所会众中传道人之间的协议，这工作被分配——无论是常设的或交替的——以致一人「教导」，另一人「劝化」（即用我们现今的话说，一人讲解，另一人讲道），便让各人照着信心的程度尽自己的本分。第一，那「教导的」就当专一教导。「教导」是单纯地解释并证明福音真理，不作实际应用，如同解经一般。「牧师和教师」是同一职分（弗4:11），但具体的工作略有不同。凡有教导才干并已承担那职任的，便当坚持。这是好的恩赐，他当善用，并专心于其上。「那教导的，就当在他的教导上」——有人如此补充，原文作 Ho didaskon, en te didaskalia。他当频繁而恒切殷勤地作；当停留在自己正当的工作中，如同在自己的「元素」中一般。参提前4:15-16，那里用两个字来解释：en toutois isthi 和 epimene autois——「在这些事上」和「继续在这些事上」。第二，那「劝化的」就当专一劝化。他当专心于那事。这是牧师的工作——前者是教师的工作——把福音的真理与规则更切近地应用到百姓的处境与情形上，并把更实际的事压在他们心上。许多在教导上十分精确的人，在劝化上可能十分冷淡与生疏；反过来也是。前者需要更清晰的头脑，后者需要更温暖的心。当这些恩赐显然分开（一人在这一样上杰出，另一人在那一样上杰出）之时，把工作相应地分开便有助于造就；无论我们所承担的是何工作，我们都当专心。「专心于我们的工作」就是把最好的时间与心思花在其上，抓住一切机会去作，并努力不但作成它，而且要作得好。
(2) 「执事」。若人有 diakonian——「执事之职」——即牧师和教师的助手——便当善用那职分：例如教会干事、长老、或贫民督察；也许在初期教会中，担任这些职分的人更多，这些职分更为庄严，其所负的责任与事务也比我们如今所了解的更为重大。它含括一切关乎教会 ta exo——「神殿外面的事务」的职分。参尼11:16。「管理饭食」（徒6:2）。如今凡承当这服事之责的人，当以忠心与殷勤赴之；特别是：[1]「施舍的，就当诚实」。那些作教会周济管事的教会职分人员，收取钱财，并照着穷人的需要分发。他们当「诚实地」行——原文作 en aploteti——慷慨而忠实地；不将所收的转为己用，也不带任何隐秘的用意或按貌待人分发：不对穷人粗暴急躁，也不寻借口把他们推搪过去；而当以一切诚实与正直行之，其中没有别的用意，惟独为荣耀神并行善。有人将这话一般地理解为关于一切的周济：凡有力量的人，就当施予，并且当丰厚而慷慨地施予——这词在林后8:2，9:13 中译为「慷慨」。神喜爱那「慷慨施予的人」。[2]「治理的，就当殷勤」。看来他所指的是那些在执行教会纪律上作牧师助手的人——作他们的眼、手、口——在教会治理中辅助，或是那些在会众中主要负责并专心致志于这治理之工的牧者；因为我们发现那些「劳苦传道教导人的」也「善于管理」（提前5:17）。这样的人当以殷勤为之。这词含发现错失、挽回走迷之人、责备并劝诫失足之人、保持教会纯洁的用心与勤奋。凡要在这一托付上显为忠心的，必须大费心力，并不放过一切能促进并推进那工作的机会。[3]「怜悯人的，就当甘心」。有人将这话一般地理解为凡以任何方式施怜悯的人：他们当甘心去行，并以此为乐；神喜爱「甘心乐意」的施予者。但这话似乎指的是某些特定的教会职分人员——他们的工作是照顾病人和客旅；这些通常是寡妇——在这事上作教会执事的女执事的仆人（提前5:9-10），虽然别人也可能受派。这事必须「甘心」而行。在怜悯的举动中，和悦的面容对受苦之人是极大的安慰与抚慰；当他们看见这事不是勉强不愿地做，而是带着和悦的面容和温柔的话语，并一切可能的表达显示出乐意与殷勤之时，便得着安慰。那些与患病、伤痛、通常又乖戾暴躁之人打交道的人，需要穿上不仅「忍耐」，更是「甘心」的心，使工作对他们更轻易愉快，也更蒙神悦纳。
三、论到关于弟兄那部分本分——我们在此有许多简短劝勉的实例。我们彼此之间的一切本分，总括在一个词里——一个甜美的词——「爱」。一切互相的本分之根基都在其中；因此使徒先提到它，这是基督门徒的标记，是我们宗教的大律法：「爱人不可虚假」——不在客套与托辞中，而在真实中；「不要只在言语和舌头上」（约壹3:18）。正当地爱，就是「无伪的爱」；不像仇敌的亲嘴那样诡诈。我们当乐于寻找机会「证明我们爱心的真诚」（林后8:8）。更具体地说，有一种当向朋友尽的爱，也有一种当向仇敌尽的爱。他两者都列举。
- 向我们的朋友。凡有朋友的，必须显出友善。基督徒彼此间有一分互相的爱，当尽当付。
(1) 亲爱的爱（罗12:10）：「爱弟兄，要彼此亲热」——原文作 philostorgoi——它不仅含爱，更含一种乐意与倾向去爱的心——最真挚而自然的情感，如泉水涌出般的恩慈。它本来指着父母对儿女的爱——这是最温柔、也是最自然的爱，毫不勉强，毫不勉强；我们彼此之间的爱也当如此——只要有新性情，爱之律写在心上，便必如此。这种亲爱之情促使我们以所能有的最大礼节与殷勤，用言语和行动表达自己。「彼此」。这一点可以向 we 推荐「爱」这恩典：因为爱别人既是我们的本分，别人爱我们同样是他们的本分。在天这一边，还有什么比爱与被爱更甜美的呢？如此「浇灌别人的，也必自己得浇灌」。
(2) 恭敬的爱：「恭敬人，要彼此推让」。与其争竞优越，不如甘心把优先让给别人。这在腓2:3 中有解释：「各人看别人比自己强」。其中也有充分的理由：我们若认识自己的心，就我们所知自己身上的邪恶，比世上任何别人身上的都多。我们当敏锐地留意弟兄的恩赐、恩典与行为，并相应地看重他们；更敏锐地称赞别人，比别人被称赞时更为高兴——原文作 te time allelous proegoumenoi——「在恭敬上彼此前导」或「在恭敬上彼此带领」——有人如此读：不在「受」恭敬上，而在「给」恭敬上。「你们当中谁愿最先在向当受恭敬之人表达敬意上领头，并在有机会时向弟兄尽一切基督徒爱心的本分（这一切都含括在「恭敬」一词之中），就让他如此争竞吧。让你们一切的争竞都是谁最谦卑、最有用、最俯就人。」如此意思与多3:14 相同：「要学习」——原文作 proistasthai——「在善事上领先」。因为虽然我们必须「推让」别人（如我们的译本所读），把别人看作比自己更能干、更配得，我们却不可以此为借口躺在那里无所作为；也不可在「恭敬别人」及其「有用」与「行为」的托辞下，放纵自己于安逸与懒惰之中。因此他紧接着加上（罗12:11）：「殷勤，不可懒惰」。
(3) 慷慨的爱（罗12:13）：「圣徒缺乏，要帮补」。当弟兄的需要呼求真实的供应，而我们手中有能力供给之时，那停留在口头表达恩慈与尊敬上的爱，不过是嘲弄的爱。[1] 圣徒在世上缺少维持天然生活所需的物品，并非稀奇之事。在那些初期时代，普遍的逼迫必使许多受苦圣徒陷入极大的困境；而且「常有穷人和穷圣人」与我们同在。这世界的物当然不是最好的物；若是，那些为天上宠儿的圣徒，必不至被 dismiss 以如此微薄的一份。[2] 凡有力量的人有本分「帮补」——或更当读作「供给」——那些需要。仅是「倾心」是不够的，我们还须「倾囊」给饥饿之人。参雅2:15-16；约壹3:17。「供给」——原文作 koinonountes。它含我们的穷弟兄在神所赐给我们之物上有几分权益；而我们 relieve 他们当出于对他们缺乏的感知与同感，如同我们自己与他们同受。腓立比人对保罗乐善的捐助被称为「与我同受患难」（腓4:14）。我们必须照着我们的能力与机会，预备 relieving 任何缺乏之人；但我们有特别的本分供给圣徒。我们对同类受造之人有一般的爱，但对同作基督徒的人有特别的爱（加6:10），「信徒一家的人更当如此」。「供给」——原文作 tais mneiais——「向圣徒的记忆」——古教父中有人如此读，代替 tais chreiais。我们对于那些「因信和忍耐承受应许」之人的记忆，也欠一笔债——看重它、维护它、保存它。「义人的记念是当称赞的」——箴10:7 有人如此读。他提到这慷慨之爱的另一支：「客，要一味地款待」。凡自己有房屋的人，当乐意接待那些「周流行善」的人，或因惧怕逼迫而流浪求庇护的人。那时他们没有如今这样多的旅店便利；流浪的基督徒不敢上那里去；或者他们无力承担费用，因此「白白地」欢迎他们是特别的恩慈。这责任至今并未过时失效；我们当照机会接待客旅，因为我们「不知道客旅的心」。「我作客旅，你们留我住」，被列为那些将蒙怜悯之人所施怜悯的一个实例——原文作 ten philoxenian diokontes——「追求」或「追逐」款待。它不仅暗示我们当抓紧机会，更暗示我们当寻求机会如此施怜悯。如亚伯拉罕坐在帐棚门口（创18:1），罗得坐在所多玛城门口（创19:1），等候旅人，好主动以亲切的邀请迎接他们——如此他们「不知不觉就接待了天使」（来13:2）。
(4) 同情的爱（罗12:15）：「与喜乐的人要同乐；与哀哭的人要同哭」。在奥秘身体的肢体之间若有互相的爱，便必有如此的「同感」。参林前12:26。真爱使我们彼此关心对方的忧愁与喜乐，并教导我们将它们当作自己的。请看这世上一般的混杂——有的喜乐，有的哀哭（如百姓，拉3:12-13），为要试验——像别的恩典一样——弟兄之爱与基督徒同情。并非我们要参与任何人犯罪的欢乐或哀伤，而只参与那合理正当的喜乐与忧愁：不嫉妒那兴旺的人，反与他们同乐；真心为别人得着我们所未得的成功与安慰而高兴；不藐视那在患难中的人，反关心他们，并预备帮助他们，因为我们自己也「在身内」。这就是效法神所作的——他不仅「喜欢他的仆人平安」（诗35:27），更「在他们一切苦难中」同受苦难（赛63:9）。
(5) 合一的爱：「要彼此同心」（罗12:16），即尽力在领悟上彼此相合；并且，在你们未能达到这一点之时，至少在情感上相合；努力合而为一，不存意相争相驳相阻；而是「在和平的联系中，保守圣灵的合一」（腓2:2，3:15-16；林前1:10）——原文作 to auto eis allelous phronountes——「愿别人得着你愿自己得的同样好处」——有人如此理解。这就是爱弟兄如己，愿他们的福祉如同自己的福祉。
(6) 俯就的爱：「不要志气高大，倒要俯就卑微的人（人或作事）」（罗12:16）。真爱不能没有谦卑（弗4:1-2；腓2:3）。当我们的主耶稣为门徒洗脚以教导我们弟兄之爱时（约13:5，14:34），这是特为向我们暗示：正确地彼此相爱，就是甘心为彼此的益处而俯就最微小的恩慈服事。爱是俯就的恩典：「威严与爱难以相合」。请看此处如何被坚持：[1]「不要志气高大」。我们不可贪慕尊荣与升迁，也不可过分看重贪恋世俗的浮华与高位，反当以圣洁的轻视看待之。大卫高升之时，他的心仍谦卑（诗131:1）：「我不谋算大事」。罗马人住在那「管辖地上众王」的京城（启17:18），那时正值其鼎盛，或许因此易趁机对自己估价更高。连圣洁的种类也被这酵所染。罗马基督徒正如有些市民看待乡下人一般；因此使徒屡屡警诫他们防备心高气傲；参罗11:20。他们住在王宫附近，每日与宫廷的奢华辉煌来往：「好」，他说，「不要把它放在心上，不要爱上它」。[2]「倒要俯就卑微的人（事）」——原文作 Tois tapeinois synapagomenoi。第一，可指着「卑微的事」，我们当俯就。若我们在世上的光景贫穷卑微，我们的享受粗陋贫乏，我们的职业卑贱被人轻看，我们仍当使自己的心适应它，并安于其中。边注如此：「要以卑微的事为足」。要与神护理所安排我们的地位相和，无论它是什么。除了罪以外，我们不可把任何事看作低于自己：卑微的居所、粗陋的饮食、简陋的衣服、简陋的陈设——当这些是我们的份时，当甘心领受，不可发怨言。不，我们当被新性情的力（原文 synapagomai 一词本意如此，含义深远）所带，在神安排我们之时趋向卑微的事，正如旧的败坏本性趋向高大的事一般。我们必须适应卑微的事。我们当使卑微的光景和情形成为我们愿望的中心，胜过高大的光景。第二，可指着「卑微的人」；如此我们如此读（我认为两者都当含括在内）：「俯就卑微的人」。我们当与那些在世上贫穷卑微却敬畏神的人交往，并适应他们。大卫虽是坐在宝座上的王，却是这一切人的同伴（诗119:63）。当伟大的神鉴察天地看顾这样的人之时，我们与他们交往并不必以为耻。真爱看重 rag 中的恩典，也看重 scarlet 中的恩典。珠宝虽在尘土中，仍是珠宝。与此俯就相反的，被雅2:1-4 所责备。「俯就」；即调整自己迎合他们，为他们的益处而向他们俯就；如保罗（林前9:19等）。有人以为原文的词是借旅客而来的隐喻——当那些更强壮更快脚程的人等候那些软弱慢脚的人，停步并带他们一同前行之时；如此基督徒当对自己的同行者温柔。为促进这事，他加上：「不要自以为聪明」——与罗12:3 同义。只要我们在自己里头发现如此大的自满，我们便永不会从心里俯就别人；因此这事必须被治死。原文作 Me ginesthe phronimoi par heautois——「不要凭自己作智慧人」；不要对自己智慧的充足如此自信，以至于轻视别人，或以为自己不需要他们（箴3:7），也不可吝于将自己所有的交通给别人。我们「互相联络作肢体」，彼此依赖，彼此有责；因此，「不要凭自己作智慧人」，记得我们所宣信的乃是智慧的「 merchandise 」；而 merchandise 在于 commerce——彼此的授受。
(7) 那使我们「与众人和睦」的爱（罗12:18）。连那些因地位或职业悬殊而我们不能亲密熟悉地与之同住的人，我们仍当与他们和睦同居；即我们必须无害而不冒犯人，不给人向我们争闹的因由；并且我们必须无怒而不报复，不趁机向他们争闹。如此我们必须努力保守和睦，不使它破裂；并在它破裂时修补它。「从上头来的智慧」先是清洁，后是和平。请注意这劝勉是如何设限的。它并非如此表达以至于要求我们作不可能的事：「若是能行，总要尽力」。如此来12:14「要追求」；弗4:3「竭力保守」。「察验那些有助于和睦的事」。「若是能行」。若不能不冒犯神、不伤痕地保守和睦，便不可能：「Id possumus quod jure possumus——我们能行的，是我们能合理合法地行的。」从上头来的智慧「先是清洁，后是和平」（雅3:17）。没有纯洁的平安，是魔鬼宫中的平安。「总要尽力」。和议的成交需要双方的话。我们只能为自己说话。我们可能无可避免地被人相争；如耶利米——他是「相争之人」（耶15:10），这是我们不能控制的；我们所当留意的，是我们在自己这一边保守和睦上毫无所缺（诗120:7）：「我愿和睦；但我发言，他们就要争战」。
- 向我们的仇敌。人既成为神的仇敌，他们便十分容易彼此为仇。爱的中心一旦被弃，路线便或冲突相扰，或处于不安的距离。在一切人中，那些接受宗教的人最有理由预期在这世界中遇到仇敌——这世界的笑容很少与基督相合。如今基督教教导我们当如何对待仇敌；在这一教导上，它与其他一切规则和方法完全不同——后者通常以得胜与统治为目标；但这一个以内在的平安与满足为目标。无论谁是我们的仇敌——愿我们受害并寻机害我们的——我们的规则是「不向他们行恶，反尽我们所能地向他们行善」。
(1) 不向他们行恶（罗12:17）：「不要以恶报恶」——因为那是 brutish 的回报，只适合那些对自己以上或以前的状态毫无知觉的动物。或者，假如人类被造（如有人所梦想的）在争战状态中，这样的回报便相当合适；但我们并非如此学过神——他为仇敌作那么多（太5:45），更不是如此学过基督——当我们还作仇敌之时他为我们死（罗5:8、10），如此爱那「无故恨他」的世界。「不要向任何人」；不论犹太人或希腊人；不向那曾作你朋友的，因为以恶报恶，你必失丧他；不向那曾作你仇敌的，因为不以恶报恶，你或许能得着他。同义的话在罗12:19：「亲爱的弟兄，不要自己伸冤」。为何这一劝勉比本章其他劝勉更当以如此亲爱的称呼引出呢？岂不是因为这是为要平息那些在忿怒激动中热切报复之人的心吗？他用这亲爱的称呼向他们说话，为要柔化他们、安抚他们。凡含爱之事都使血变甜，平息风暴，并冷却那过度的热。你要使一个被得罪的弟兄 retrace 吗？称他为「亲爱的」。如此合宜的一句软话，能有效地转消忿怒。「不要自己伸冤」；即当有人行了恶事害你，你不可愿也不可努力要把同样的损害或不便加在他身上。这并不禁止官长借着刑罚行恶者向受害之人施行公义；也不禁止制定并执行反对罪犯的公正健全的法律；但它禁止那出于愤怒与恶意的私人报复；这十分合理地被禁止，因为推定我们在自己的案件中是不合格的审判官。不，若受害之人寻求法律的保护、官长授予保护时，是出于任何特殊的私人怨恨或争吵，而非出于维护公共和平秩序和秉公行义的关切，那么这样的程序——虽看似正当——仍属这被禁止的「自己伸冤」。请看基督的律法在这事上何等严格（太5:38-40）。不仅禁止我们亲手自己伸冤，更禁止我们图谋并渴慕法律为我们案件所提供的判决——为要满足一种报复的心。这对败坏的本性是一门艰难的功课；因此他附上：[1] 一项对策：「宁可让步」——不是向我们自己的怒气；向它让步便是给魔鬼留地步（弗4:26-27）。我们必须抵挡它、压制它、扑灭它、抑制它；但是——第一，向我们仇敌的怒气。「让步给它，即作一个退让的人；不要以怒还怒，反要以爱还怒。柔和能免大过」（传10:4）。忍受侮辱和伤害，如同石头被扔进一堆羊毛——羊毛让步，石头便不弹回，也不再前进。如此这就解释了我们救主的话（太5:39）：「有人打你的右脸，连左脸也转过来由他打」。与其图谋报一个冤仇，不如预备承受另一个。当人的怒气正盛、势流正猛之时，让它有它的路线，免得不合时宜的反对反而使它越发汹涌。当别人发怒时，我们当镇静；这是报复的对策，看来是正当的含义。但是——第二，许多人将这话应用于神的怒气：「让位给它，让他登上审判的宝座，任凭他独自对付你的对手」。[2] 一个理由：「因为经上记着：『伸冤在我』」。这话见于申32:35。神是主权的君王、公义的审判官，施行公义乃属于他；因为他是无限知识的神，借着他行为都被无误的天平所衡量；并且他是无限纯洁的神，他恨恶罪，不能容忍观看邪恶。他已将这权柄的一部分交在官长手中（创9:6；罗13:4）；因此他们合法的刑罚当被视为神报应的一个分支。这是我们不当自己伸冤的好理由；因为伸冤若是属神的，那么——第一，我们不可行。我们若行，便是登上神的宝座，从他手中夺去他的工作。第二，我们不必行。因为神若我们谦卑地把这事交托给他，他必为我们伸冤——只要有理由和公义可言；更进一步，我们也不能奢求它。参诗38:14-15：「我听不见，因为你必听见」；若神听见，何需我听见？
(2) 我们不仅不当向仇敌行恶，我们的宗教更进一步，教导我们向他们尽我们所能的善。这是基督教特有的命令，也是它大受称赞之处：「要爱你们的仇敌」（太5:44）。我们在此受教，在言语和行为上向他们显示那爱。
[1] 在言语上：「逼迫你们的，要给他们祝福」（罗12:14）。受逼迫——或借有力的手，或借恶毒的舌头——一向是神百姓的普通份。如今我们在此受教，为那些如此逼迫我们的人祝福。「祝福」他们；即——第一，「说他们的好话。他们身上若有可称赞可嘉许之处，留意它，提说它以为尊荣」。第二，「按着他们的地位恭敬地对他们说话，不以辱骂还辱骂，不以苦毒还苦毒」。第三，我们必须愿他们好，渴望他们的益处，远不寻求任何报复。不，第四，我们必须借为他们祷告，将那愿望献呈给神。即使我们手中无力为他们做别的，我们却能借为他们祷告表明我们的善意——为此我们的主不仅给了我们规则，更给了榜样来支持这规则（路23:34）。「只要祝福，不可咒诅」。这表明在一切实例和表达上彻底的善意；不是「祷告时祝福他们，在别的时候咒诅他们」；而是「常常祝福他们，完全不咒诅」。咒诅不配出那些其工作为祝福神之人的口，他们的福乐乃是被他祝福。
[2] 在行为上（罗12:20）：「你的仇敌若饿了」——按着你的能力和机会——当乐意并甘心地向他显示任何恩慈，并为他的益处向他行任何爱的服事；并且不要因他曾作你的仇敌而减少甘心，反要因此更加甘心，借此证明你饶恕他的真诚。据说 Cranmer 大主教的特点是：要使他成为某人的朋友，便是向他行一件恶事。这诫命引自箴25:21-22；可见这诫命虽看似高超，旧约却并非对此陌生。请注意——第一，我们当做什么。我们必须向仇敌行善。「他若饿了」，不要因他的缺乏嘲弄他说：『如今神为我伸冤了，他为我辩屈了』；不要如此解释他的缺乏。「反而要给他吃」——当他需要你的帮助、你也有机会让他挨饿并践踏他之时——「给他吃」（原文作 psomize auton，一个有意义的词）——「丰厚地喂他，不，温柔体贴地喂他」：frustulatim pasce——「以小片喂他」，「如同我们喂孩子和病人那样，带着许多的温柔。设法如此表达你的爱。他若渴了，给他喝」（原文作 potize auton）——「给他喝」，作为和好与友谊的凭据。如此向他们确立你的爱」。第二，我们为何当如此行。因为「你这样行，就是把炭火堆在他的头上」。对此有两种解释，我以为两者都当分取其一地接受。「你将炭火堆在他的头上」；即——「你或者」1.「使他融化以至于悔改和友谊，并使他的灵向你柔软」（借冶金者之暗指；他们不仅把火放在金属下面，更把火堆在其上；如此扫罗被大卫的恩慈融化并征服了——撒上24:16，26:21）——「你将因此得一个朋友；若你的恩慈没有那个效果，那么」2.「它将加重他的定罪，使他对你的恶意更加无可推诿。你将因此 hasten 他身上神怒气与报应的记号」。这并非我们施恩的用意，但为鼓励我们，其效果必将如此。最后那一节的劝勉正是为此目的，其中提出一个世人难以理解的悖论：在一切争竞相争的事上，那报复的人是被征服的，那饶恕的人才是征服者。(1)「你不可为恶所胜」。不要让任何挑衅之恶对你有如此的能力，或在你身上留下如此深的印象，以至于使你失去自己、扰乱你的平安、毁灭你的爱、激怒搅扰你的灵、使你 transport 到任何不雅之事上，或使你图谋或尝试任何报复。那不能安静忍受伤害的人，是完全被它征服了。(2)「反要以善胜恶」——以忍耐与宽容的善，不，以向那害你之人的恩慈与善行的善。学习击败他们对你的恶意设计，或改变他们，或至少保守你自己的平安。那「治服己心的，强如取城」。
- 总结：还有两条尚未触及的劝勉，它们是一般性的，并把其余一切作为本身为善、又有好名声的事加以推荐。
(1) 本身为善（罗12:9）：「恶，要厌恶；善，要亲近」。神已指示我们何为善：这些基督徒的本分都是命令；与它们相反的便是恶。如今请注意——[1] 我们不仅不可行恶，更要「厌恶恶」。我们必须以一种彻底的、不可调和的恨恶来恨罪，把它当作最坏的邪恶而与之对立——与我们的新性情相违，与我们的真益处相违——恨恶罪的一切表现，连那被肉体玷污的衣服也恨恶。[2] 我们不仅当行善，更要「亲近善」。它含一种深思熟虑的选择、一种真诚的情感、一种对善的恒切坚持。「要亲近它，使之既不能被引诱也不能被恐吓而离开它，亲近『那良善的』，就是主」（徒11:23），带着依赖与安息。这话附加在弟兄之爱的诫命上，作为它的指导；我们必须爱弟兄，却不可因他们的缘故行任何罪或忽略任何本分；不可因犯罪者的人格而把任何罪看得更好，反当弃绝世上一切的朋友，以亲近神和本分。
Originale inglese
Consecration to God; Duty towards God; Duty towards Ourselves; Due Exercise of Spiritual Gifts; Duty towards Our Brethren; Brotherly Love; Love to Enemies (58 AD)
¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
³ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
⁴ For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
⁵ So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
⁷ Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
⁸ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
⁹ Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
¹⁰ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
¹¹ Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
¹² Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
¹³ Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
¹⁴ Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
¹⁵ Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
¹⁶ Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
¹⁷ Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
¹⁸ If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
¹⁹ Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
²⁰ Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
²¹ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
We may observe here, according to the scheme mentioned in the contents, the apostle's exhortations,
I. Concerning our duty to God, We see what is godliness.
1. It is to surrender ourselves to God, and so to lay a good foundation. We must first give our own selves unto the Lord, 2Co 8:5. This is here pressed as the spring of all duty and obedience, Ro 12:1,2. Man consists of body and soul, Ge 2:7, Ec 12:7.
(1.) The body must be presented to him, Ro 12:1. The body is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, 1Co 6:13,14. The exhortation is here introduced very pathetically: I beseech you, brethren. Though he was a great apostle, yet he calls the meanest Christians brethren, a term of affection and concern. He uses entreaty; this is the gospel way: As though God did beseech you by us, 2Co 5:20. Though he might with authority command, yet for love's sake he rather beseeches, Phm 1:8,9. The poor useth entreaty, Pr 18:23. This is to insinuate the exhortation, that it might come with the more pleasing power. Many are sooner wrought upon if they be accosted kindly, are more easily led than driven. Now observe,
[1.] The duty pressed—to present our bodies a living sacrifice, alluding to the sacrifices under the law, which were presented or set before God at the altar, ready to be offered to him. Your bodies—your whole selves; so expressed because under the law the bodies of beasts were offered in sacrifice, 1Co 6:20. Our bodies and spirits are intended. The offering was sacrificed by the priest, but presented by the offerer, who transferred to God all his right, title, and interest in it, by laying his hand on the head of it. Sacrifice is here taken for whatsoever is by God's own appointment dedicated to himself; see 1Pe 2:5. We are temple, priest, and sacrifice, as Christ was in his peculiar sacrificing. There were sacrifices of atonement and sacrifices of acknowledgment. Christ, who was once offered to bear the sins of many, is the only sacrifice of atonement; but our persons and performances, tendered to God through Christ our priest, are as sacrifices of acknowledgment to the honour of God. Presenting them denotes a voluntary act, done by virtue of that absolute despotic power which the will has over the body and all the members of it. It must be a free-will offering. Your bodies; not your beasts. Those legal offerings, as they had their power from Christ, so they had their period in Christ. The presenting of the body to God implies not only the avoiding of the sins that are committed with or against the body, but the using of the body as a servant of the soul in the service of God. It is to glorify God with our bodies (1Co 6:20), to engage our bodies in the duties of immediate worship, and in a diligent attendance to our particular callings, and be willing to suffer for God with our bodies, when we are called to it. It is to yield the members of our bodies as instruments of righteousness, Ro 6:13. Though bodily exercise alone profits little, yet in its place it is a proof and product of the dedication of our souls to God. First, Present them a living sacrifice; not killed, as the sacrifices under the law. A Christian makes his body a sacrifice to God, though he does not give it to be burned. A body sincerely devoted to God is a living sacrifice. A living sacrifice, by way of allusion—that which was dead of itself might not be eaten, much less sacrificed, De 14:21; and by ways of opposition—"The sacrifice was to be slain, but you may be sacrificed, and yet live on"—an unbloody sacrifice. The barbarous heathen sacrificed their children to their idol-gods, not living, but slain sacrifices: but God will have mercy, and not such sacrifice, though life is forfeited to him. A living sacrifice, that is, inspired with the spiritual life of the soul. It is Christ living in the soul by faith that makes the body a living sacrifice, Ga 2:20. Holy love kindles the sacrifices, puts life into the duties; see Ro 6:13. Alive, that is, to God, Ro 12:11. Secondly, They must be holy. There is a relative holiness in every sacrifice, as dedicated to God. But, besides this, there must be that real holiness which consists in an entire rectitude of heart and life, by which we are conformed in both to the nature and will of God: even our bodies must not be made the instruments of sin and uncleanness, but set apart for God, and put to holy uses, as the vessels of the tabernacle were holy, being devoted to God's service. It is the soul that is the proper subject of holiness; but a sanctified soul communicates a holiness to the body it actuates and animates. That is holy which is according to the will of God; when the bodily actions are no, the body is holy. They are the temples of the Holy Ghost, 1Co 6:19. Possess the body in sanctification, 1Th 4:4,5.
[2.] The arguments to enforce this, which are three:—First, Consider the mercies of God: I beseech you by the mercies of God. An affectionate obtestation, and which should melt us into a compliance: dia ton oiktirmon tou Theou. This is an argument most sweetly cogent. There is the mercy that is in God and the mercy that is from God—mercy in the spring and mercy in the streams: both are included here; but especially gospel-mercies (mentioned Ro 11:1-36), the transferring of what the Jews forfeited and lost by their unbelief unto us Gentiles (Eph 3:4-6): the sure mercies of David, Isa 55:3. God is a merciful God, therefore let us present our bodies to him; he will be sure to use them kindly, and knows how to consider the frames of them, for he is of infinite compassion. We receive from him every day the fruits of his mercy, particularly mercy to our bodies: he made them, he maintains them, he bought them, he has put a great dignity upon them. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, that our souls are held in life; and the greatest mercy of all is that Christ hath made not his body only, but his soul, an offering for sin, that he gave himself for us and gives himself to us. Now surely we cannot but be studying what we shall render to the Lord for all this. And what shall we render? Let us render ourselves as an acknowledgment of all these favours—all we are, all we have, all we can do; and, after all, it is but very poor returns for very rich receivings: and yet, because it is what we have, Secondly, It is acceptable to God. The great end we should all labour after is to be accepted of the Lord (2Co 5:9), to have him well-pleased with our persons and performances. Now these living sacrifices are acceptable to God; while the sacrifices of the wicked, though fat and costly, are an abomination to the Lord. It is God's great condescension that he will vouchsafe to accept of any thing in us; and we can desire no more to make us happy; and, if the presenting of ourselves will but please him, we may easily conclude that we cannot bestow ourselves better. Thirdly, It is our reasonable service. There is an act of reason in it; for it is the soul that presents the body. Blind devotion, that has ignorance for the mother and nurse of it, is fit to be paid only to those dunghill-gods that have eyes and see not. Our God must be served in the spirit and with the understanding. There is all the reason in the world for it, and no good reason can possibly be produced against it. Come now, and let us reason together, Isa 1:18. God does not impose upon us any thing hard or unreasonable, but that which is altogether agreeable to the principles of right reason. Ten logiken latreian hymon—your service according to the word; so it may be read. The word of God does not leave out the body in holy worship. That service only is acceptable to God which is according to the written word. It must be gospel worship, spiritual worship. That is a reasonable service which we are able and ready to give a reason for, in which we understand ourselves. God deals with us as with rational creatures, and will have us so to deal with him. Thus must the body be presented to God.
(2.) The mind must be renewed for him. This is pressed (Ro 12:2): "Be you transformed by the renewing of your mind; see to it that there be a saving change wrought in you, and that it be carried on." Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind, a change not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. It is the same with making a new heart and a new spirit—new dispositions and inclinations, new sympathies and antipathies; the understanding enlightened, the conscience softened, the thoughts rectified; the will bowed to the will of God, and the affections made spiritual and heavenly: so that the man is not what he was—old things are passed away, all things are become new; he acts from new principles, by new rules, with new designs. The mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind is the renewing of the whole man, for out of it are the issues of life, Pr 4:23. The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more and living to righteousness more and more, is the carrying on of this renewing work, till it be perfected in glory. This is called the transforming of us; it is like putting on a new shape and figure. Metamorphousthe—Be you metamorphosed. The transfiguration of Christ is expressed by this word (Mt 17:2), when he put on a heavenly glory, which made his face to shine like the sun; and the same word is used 2Co 3:18, where we are said to be changed into the same image from glory to glory. This transformation is here pressed as a duty; not that we can work such a change ourselves: we could as soon make a new world as make a new heart by any power of our own; it is God's work, Eze 11:19,36:26,27. But be you transformed, that is, "use the means which God hath appointed and ordained for it." It is God that turns us, and then we are turned; but we must frame our doings to turn, Ho 5:4. "Lay your souls under the changing transforming influences of the blessed Spirit; seek unto God for grace in the use of all the means of grace." Though the new man be created of God, yet we must put it on (Eph 4:24), and be pressing forward towards perfection. Now in this verse we may further observe,
[1.] What is the great enemy to this renewing, which we must avoid; and that is, conformity to this world: Be not conformed to this world. All the disciples and followers of the Lord Jesus must be nonconformists to this world. Me syschematizesthe—Do not fashion yourselves according to the world. We must not conform to the things of the world; they are mutable, and the fashion of them is passing away. Do not conform either to the lusts of the flesh or the lusts of the eye. We must not conform to the men of the world, of that world which lies in wickedness, not walk according to the course of this world (Eph 2:2); that is, we must not follow a multitude to do evil, Ex 23:2. If sinners entice us, we must not consent to them, but in our places witness against them. Nay, even in things indifferent, and which are not in themselves sinful, we must so far not conform to the custom and way of the world as not to act by the world's dictates as our chief rule, nor to aim at the world's favours as our highest end. True Christianity consists much in a sober singularity. Yet we must take heed of the extreme of affected rudeness and moroseness, which some run into. In civil things, the light of nature and the custom of nations are intended for our guidance; and the rule of the gospel in those cases is a rule of direction, not a rule of contrariety.
[2.] What is the great effect of this renewing, which we must labour after: That you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. by the will of God here we are to understand his revealed will concerning our duty, what the Lord our God requires of us. This is the will of God in general, even our sanctification, that will which we pray may be done by us as it is done by the angels; especially his will as it is revealed in the New Testament, where he hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son. First, The will of God is good, and acceptable, and perfect; three excellent properties of a law. It is good (Mic 6:8); it is exactly consonant to the eternal reason of good and evil. It is good in itself. It is good for us. Some think the evangelical law is here called good, in distinction from the ceremonial law, which consisted of statutes that were not good, Eze 20:25. It is acceptable, it is pleasing to God; that and that only is so which is prescribed by him. The only way to attain his favour as the end is to conform to his will as the rule. It is perfect, to which nothing can be added. The revealed will of God is a sufficient rule of faith and practice, containing all things which tend to the perfection of the man of God, to furnish us thoroughly to every good work, 2Ti 3:16,17. Secondly, That it concerns Christians to prove what is that will of God which is good, and acceptable, and perfect; that is, to know it with judgment and approbation, to know it experimentally, to know the excellency of the will of God by the experience of a conformity to it. It is to approve things that are excellent (Php 1:10); it is dokimazein (the same word that is used here) to try things that differ, in doubtful cases readily to apprehend what the will of God is and to close in with it. It is to be of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, Isa 11:3. Thirdly, That those are best able to prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, who are transformed by the renewing of their mind. A living principle of grace is in the soul, as far as it prevails, an unbiassed unprejudiced judgment concerning the things of God. It disposes the soul to receive and entertain the revelations of the divine will. The promise is (Joh 7:17), If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. A good wit can dispute and distinguish about the will of God; while an honest, humble heart, that has spiritual senses exercised, and is delivered into the mould of the word, loves it, and practises it, and has the relish and savour of it. Thus to be godly is to surrender ourselves to God.
2. When this is done, to serve him in all manner of gospel obedience. Some hints of this we have here (Ro 12:11,12), Serving the Lord. Wherefore do we present ourselves to him, but that we may serve him? Ac 27:23, Whose I am; and then it follows, whom I serve. To be religious is to serve God. How? (1.) We must make a business of it, and not be slothful in that business. Not slothful in business. There is the business of the world, that of our particular calling, in which we must not be slothful, 1Th 4:11. But this seems to be meant of the business of serving the Lord, our Father's business, Lu 2:49. Those that would approve themselves Christians indeed must make religion their business—must choose it, and learn it, and give themselves to it; they must love it, and employ themselves in it, and abide by it, as their great and main business. And, having made it our business, we must not be slothful in it: not desire our own ease, and consult that, when it comes in competition with our duty. We must not drive on slowly in religion. Slothful servants will be reckoned with us wicked servants. (2.) We must be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. God must be served with the spirit (Ro 1:9, Joh 4:24), under the influences of the Holy Spirit. Whatever we do in religion it is pleasing to God no further than it is done with our spirits wrought upon by the Spirit of God. And there must be fervency in the spirit—a holy zeal, and warmth, and ardency of affection in all we do, as those that love God not only with the heart and soul, but with all our hearts, and with all our souls. This is the holy fire that kindles the sacrifice, and carries it up to heaven, an offering of a sweet-smelling savour.—Serving the Lord. To kairo douleuontes (so some copies read it), serving the time, that is, improving your opportunities and making the best of them, complying with the present seasons of grace. (3.) Rejoicing in hope. God is worshipped and honoured by our hope and trust in him, especially when we rejoice in that hope, take a complacency in that confidence, which argues a great assurance of the reality and a great esteem of the excellency of the good hoped for. (4.) Patient in tribulation. Thus also God is served, not only by working for him when he calls us to work, but by sitting still quietly when he calls us to suffer. Patience for God's sake, and with an eye to his will and glory, is true piety. Observe, Those that rejoice in hope are likely to be patient in tribulation. It is a believing prospect of the joy set before us that bears up the spirit under all outward pressure. (5.) Continuing instant in prayer. Prayer is a friend to hope and patience, and we do in it serve the Lord. Proskarterountes. It signifies both fervency and perseverance in prayer. We should not be cold in the duty, nor soon weary of it, Lu 18:1, 1Th 5:17, Eph 6:18, Col 4:2. This is our duty which immediately respects God.
II. Concerning our duty which respects ourselves; this is sobriety.
1. A sober opinion of ourselves, Ro 12:3. It is ushered in with a solemn preface: I say, through the grace given unto me: the grace f wisdom, by which he understood the necessity and excellency of this duty; the grace of apostleship, by which he had authority to press and enjoin it. "I say it, who am commissioned to say it, in God's name. I say it, and it is not for you to gainsay it." It is said to every one of us, one as well as another. Pride is a sin that is bred in the bone of all of us, and we have therefore each of us need to be cautioned and armed against it.—Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. We must take heed of having too great an opinion of ourselves, or putting too high a valuation upon our own judgments, abilities, persons, performances. We must not be self-conceited, nor esteem too much our own wisdom and other attainments, not think ourselves to be something, Ga 6:3. There is a high thought of ourselves which we may and must have to think ourselves too good to be the slaves of sin and drudges to this world. But, on the other hand, we should think soberly, that is, we must have a low and modest opinion of ourselves and our own abilities, our gifts and graces, according to what we have received from God, and not otherwise. We must not be confident and hot in matters of doubtful disputation; not stretch ourselves beyond our line; not judge and censure those that differ from us; not desire to make a fair show in the flesh. These and the like are the fruits of a sober opinion of ourselves. The words will bear yet another sense agreeable enough. Of himself is not in the original; therefore it may be read, That no man be wise above what he ought to be wise, but be wise unto sobriety. We must not exercise ourselves in things too high for us (Ps 131:1,2), not intrude into those things which we have not seen (Col 2:18), those secret things which belong not to us (De 29:29), not covet to be wise above what is written. There is a knowledge that puffs up, which reaches after forbidden fruit. We must take heed of this, and labour after that knowledge which tends to sobriety, to the rectifying of the heart and the reforming of the life. Some understand it of the sobriety which keeps us in our own place and station, from intruding into the gifts and offices of others. See an instance of this sober modest care in the exercise of the greatest spiritual gifts, 2Co 10:13-15. To this head refers also that exhortation (Ro 12:16), Be not wise in your own conceits. It is good to be wise, but it is bad to think ourselves so; for there is more hope of a fool than of him that is wise in his own eyes. It was an excellent thing for Moses to have his face shine and not know it. Now the reasons why we must have such a sober opinion of ourselves, our own abilities and attainments, are these:—
(1.) Because whatever we have that is good, God hath dealt it to us; every good and perfect gift comes from above, Jam 1:17. What have we that we have not received? And, if we have received it, why then do we boast? 1Co 4:7. The best and most useful man in the world is no more, no better, than what the free grace of God makes him every day. When we are thinking of ourselves, we must remember to think not how we attained, as though our might and the power of our hand had gotten us these gifts; but think how kind God hath been to us, for it is he that gives us power to do any thing that is good, and in him is all our sufficiency.
(2.) Because God deals out his gifts in a certain measure: According to the measure of faith. Observe, The measure of spiritual gifts he calls the measure of faith, for this is the radical grace. What we have and do that is good is so far right and acceptable as it is founded in faith, and flows from faith, and no further. Now faith, and other spiritual gifts with it, are dealt by measure, according as Infinite Wisdom sees meet for us. Christ had the Spirit given him without measure, Joh 3:34. But the saints have it by measure; see Eph 4:7. Christ, who had gifts without measure, was meek and lowly; and shall we, that are stinted, be proud and self-conceited?
(3.) Because God has dealt out gifts to others as well as to us: Dealt to every man. Had we the monopoly of the Spirit, or a patent to be sole proprietors of spiritual gifts, there might be some pretence for this conceitedness of ourselves; but others have their share as well as we. God is a common Father, and Christ a common root, to all the saints, who all drive virtue from him; and therefore it ill becomes us to lift up ourselves, and to despise others, as if we only were the people in favour with heaven, and wisdom should die with us. This reasoning he illustrates by a comparison taken from the members of the natural body (as 1Co 12:12, Eph 4:16): As we have many members in one body, etc., Ro 12:4,5. Here observe, [1.] All the saints make up one body in Christ, who is the head of the body, and the common centre of their unity. Believers lie not in the world as a confused disorderly heap, but are organized and knit together, as they are united to one common head, and actuated and animated by one common Spirit. [2.] Particular believers are members of this body, constituent parts, which speak them less than the whole, and in relation to the whole, deriving life and spirits from the head. Some members in the body are bigger and more useful than others, and each receives spirits from the head according to its proportion. If the little finger should receive as much nourishment as the leg, how unseemly and prejudicial would it be! We must remember that we are not the whole; we think above what is meet if we think so; we are but parts and members. [3.] All the members have not the same office (Ro 12:4), but each hath its respective place and work assigned it. The office of the eye is to see, the office of the hand is to work, etc. So in the mystical body, some are qualified for, and called to, one sort of work; others are, in like manner, fitted for, and called to, another sort of work. Magistrates, ministers, people, in a Christian commonwealth, have their several offices, and must not intrude one upon another, nor clash in the discharge of their several offices. [4.] Each member hath its place and office, for the good and benefit of the whole, and of every other member. We are not only members of Christ, but we are members one of another, Ro 12:5. We stand in relation one to another; we are engaged to do all the good we can one to another, and to act in conjunction for the common benefit. See this illustrated at large, 1Co 12:14, etc. Therefore we must not be puffed up with a conceit of our own attainments, because, whatever we have, as we received it, so we received it not for ourselves, but for the good of others.
2. A sober use of the gifts that God hath given us. As we must not on the one hand be proud of our talents, so on the other hand we must not bury them. Take heed lest, under a pretence of humility and self-denial, we be slothful in laying out ourselves for the good of others. We must not say, "I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing;" but, "I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out myself to the utmost in the strength of the grace of Christ." He specifies the ecclesiastical offices appointed in particular churches, in the discharge of which each must study to do his own duty, for the preserving of order and the promotion of edification in the church, each knowing his place and fulfilling it. Having then gifts. The following induction of particulars supplies the sense of this general. Having gifts, let us use them. Authority and ability for the ministerial work are the gift of God.—Gifts differing. The immediate design is different, though the ultimate tendency of all is the same. According to the grace, charismata kata ten charin. The free grace of God is the spring and original of all the gifts that are given to men. It is grace that appoints the office, qualifies and inclines the person, works both to will and to do. There were in the primitive church extraordinary gifts of tongues, of discerning, of healing; but he speaks here of those that are ordinary. Compare 1Co 12:4, 1Ti 4:14, 1Pe 4:10. Seven particular gifts he specifies (Ro 12:6-8), which seem to be meant of so many distinct offices, used by the prudential constitution of many of the primitive churches, especially the larger. There are two general ones here expressed by prophesying and ministering, the former the work of the bishops, the latter the work of the deacons, which were the only two standing officers, Php 1:1. But the particular work belonging to each of these might be, and it should seem was, divided and allotted by common consent and agreement, that it might be done the more effectually, because that which is every body's work is nobody's work, and he despatches his business best that is vir unius negotii—a man of one business. Thus David sorted the Levites (1Ch 23:4,5), and in this wisdom is profitable to direct. The five latter will therefore be reduced to the two former.
(1.) Prophecy. Whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. It is not meant of the extraordinary gifts of foretelling things to come, but the ordinary office of preaching the word: so prophesying is taken, 1Co 14:1-3,11:4, 1Th 5:20. The work of the Old-Testament prophets was not only to foretel future things, but to warn the people concerning sin and duty, and to be their remembrancers concerning that which they knew before. And thus gospel preachers are prophets, and do indeed, as far as the revelation of the word goes, foretel things to come. Preaching refers to the eternal condition of the children of men, points directly at a future state. Now those that preach the word must do it according to the proportion of faith—kata ten analogian tes pisteos, that is, [1.] As to the manner of our prophesying, it must be according to the proportion of the grace of faith. He had spoken (Ro 12:3) of the measure of faith dealt to every man. Let him that preaches set all the faith he hath on work, to impress the truths he preaches upon his own heart in the first place. As people cannot hear well, so ministers cannot preach well, without faith. First believe and then speak, Ps 116:10, 2Co 4:13. And we must remember the proportion of faith—that, though all men have not faith, yet a great many have besides ourselves; and therefore we must allow others to have a share of knowledge and ability to instruct, as well as we, even those that in less things differ from us. "Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself; and do not make it a ruling rule to others, remembering that thou hast but thy proportion." [2.] As to the matter of our prophesying, it must be according to the proportion of the doctrine of faith, as it is revealed in the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament. By this rule of faith the Bereans tried Paul's preaching, Ac 17:11. Compare Ac 26:22, Ga 1:9. There are some staple-truths, as I may call them, some prima axiomata—first axioms, plainly and uniformly taught in the scripture, which are the touchstone of preaching, by which (though we must not despise prophesying) we must prove all things, and then hold fast that which is good, 1Th 5:20,21. Truths that are more dark must be examined by those that are more clear; and then entertained when they are found to agree and comport with the analogy of faith; for it is certain one truth can never contradict another. See here what ought to be the great care of preachers—to preach sound doctrine, according to the form of wholesome words, Tit 2:8, 2Ti 1:13. It is not so necessary that the prophesying be according to the proportion of art, the rules of logic and rhetoric; but it is necessary that it be according to the proportion of faith: for it is the word of faith that we preach. Now there are two particular works which he that prophesieth hath to mind—teaching and exhorting, proper enough to be done by the same person at the same time, and when he does the one let him mind that, when he does the other let him do that too as well as he can. If, by agreement between the ministers of a congregation, this work be divided, either constantly or interchangeably, so that one teaches and the other exhorts (that is, in our modern dialect, one expounds and the other preaches), let each do his work according to the proportion of faith. First, let him that teacheth wait on teaching. Teaching is the bare explaining and proving of gospel truths, without practical application, as in the expounding of the scripture. Pastors and teachers are the same office (Eph 4:11), but the particular work is somewhat different. Now he that has a faculty of teaching, and has undertaken that province, let him stick to it. It is a good gift, let him use it, and give his mind to it. He that teacheth, let him be in his teaching; so some supply it, Ho didaskon, en te didaskalia. Let him be frequent and constant, and diligent in it; let him abide in that which is his proper work, and be in it as his element. See 1Ti 4:15,16, where it is explained by two words, en toutois isthi, and epimene autois, be in these things and continue in them. Secondly, Let him that exhorteth wait on exhortation. Let him give himself to that. This is the work of the pastor, as the former of the teacher; to apply gospel truths and rules more closely to the case and condition of the people, and to press upon them that which is more practical. Many that are very accurate in teaching may yet be very cold and unskilful in exhorting; and on the contrary. The one requires a clearer head, the other a warmer heart. Now where these gifts are evidently separated (that the one excels in the one and the other in the other) it conduces to edification to divide the work accordingly; and, whatsoever the work is that we undertake, let us mind it. To wait on our work is to bestow the best of our time and thoughts upon it, to lay hold of all opportunities for it, and to study not only to do it, but to do it well.
(2.) Ministry. If a man hath diakonian—the office of a deacon, or assistant to the pastor and teacher, let him use that office well—a churchwarden (suppose), an elder, or an overseer of the poor; and perhaps there were more put into these offices, and there was more solemnity in them, and a greater stress of care and business lay upon them in the primitive churches, than we are now well aware of. It includes all those offices which concern the ta exo of the church, the outward business of the house of God. See Ne 11:16. Serving tables, Ac 6:2. Now let him on whom this care of ministering is devolved attend to it with faithfulness and diligence; particularly, [1.] He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity. Those church-officers that were the stewards of the church's alms, collected money, and distributed it according as the necessities of the poor were. Let them do it en aploteti—liberally and faithfully; not converting what they receive to their own use, nor distributing it with any sinister design, or with respect of person: not froward and peevish with the poor, nor seeking pretences to put them by; but with all sincerity and integrity, having no other intention in it than to glorify God and do good. Some understand it in general of all almsgiving: He that hath wherewithal, let him give, and give plentifully and liberally; so the word is translated, 2Co 8:2,9:13. God loves a cheerful bountiful giver. [2.] He that ruleth with diligence. It should seem, he means those that were assistants to the pastors in exercising church-discipline, as their eyes, and hands, and mouth, in the government of the church, or those ministers that in the congregation did chiefly undertake and apply themselves to this ruling work; for we find those ruling that laboured in the word and doctrine, 1Ti 5:17. Now such must do it with diligence. The word denotes both care and industry to discover what is amiss, to reduce those that go astray, to reprove and admonish those that have fallen, to keep the church pure. Those must take a great deal of pains that will approve themselves faithful in the discharge of this trust, and not let slip any opportunity that may facilitate and advance that work. [3.] He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Some think it is meant in general of all that in any thing show mercy: Let them be willing to do it, and take a pleasure in it; God loves a cheerful giver. But it seems to be meant of some particular church-officers, whose work it was to take care of the sick and strangers; and those were generally widows that were in this matter servants to the church-deaconesses (1Ti 5:9,10), though others, it is likely, might be employed. Now this must be done with cheerfulness. A pleasing countenance in acts of mercy is a great relief and comfort to the miserable; when they see it is not done grudgingly and unwillingly, but with pleasant looks and gentle words, and all possible indications of readiness and alacrity. Those that have to do with such as are sick and sore, and commonly cross and peevish, have need to put on not only patience, but cheerfulness, to make the work the more easy and pleasant to them, and the more acceptable to God.
III. Concerning that part of our duty which respects our brethren, of which we have many instances, in brief exhortations. Now all our duty towards one another is summer up in one word, and that a sweet work, love. In that is laid the foundation of all our mutual duty; and therefore the apostle mentions this first, which is the livery of Christ's disciples, and the great law of our religion: Let love be without dissimulation; not in compliment and pretence, but in reality; not in word and tongue only, 1Jo 3:18. The right love is love unfeigned; not as the kisses of an enemy, which are deceitful. We should be glad of an opportunity to prove the sincerity of our love, 2Co 8:8. More particularly, there is a love owing to our friends, and to our enemies. He specifies both.
1. To our friends. He that hath friends must show himself friendly. There is a mutual love that Christians owe, and must pay.
(1.) An affectionate love (Ro 12:10): Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love, philostorgoi—it signifies not only love, but a readiness and inclination to love, the most genuine and free affection, kindness flowing out as from a spring. It properly denotes the love of parents to their children, which, as it is the most tender, so it is the most natural, of any, unforced, unconstrained; such must our love be to one another, and such it will be where there is a new nature and the law of love is written in the heart. This kind affection puts us on to express ourselves both in word and action with the greatest courtesy and obligingness that may be.—One to another. This may recommend the grace of love to us, that, as it is made our duty to love others, so it is as much their duty to love us. And what can be sweeter on this side heaven than to love and be beloved? He that thus watereth shall be watered also himself.
(2.) A respectful love: In honour preferring one another. Instead of contending for superiority, let us be forward to give to others the pre-eminence. This is explained, Php 2:3, Let each esteem other better than themselves. And there is this good reason for it, because, if we know our own hearts, we know more evil by ourselves than we do by any one else in the world. We should be forward to take notice of the gifts, and graces, and performances of our brethren, and value them accordingly, be more forward to praise another, and more pleased to hear another praised, than ourselves; te time allelous proegoumenoi—going before, or leading one another in honour; so some read it: not in taking honour, but in giving honour. "Strive which of you shall be most forward to pay respect to those to whom it is due, and to perform all Christian offices of love (which are all included in the word honour) to your brethren, as there is occasion. Let all your contention be which shall be most humble, and useful, and condescending." So the sense is the same with Tit 3:14, Let them learn, proistasthai—to go before in good works. For though we must prefer others (as our translation reads it), and put on others, as more capable and deserving than ourselves, yet we must not make that an excuse for our lying by and doing nothing, nor under a pretence of honouring others, and their serviceableness and performances, indulge ourselves in ease and slothfulness. Therefore he immediately adds (Ro 12:11), Not slothful in business.
(3.) A liberal love (Ro 12:13): Distributing to the necessities of saints. It is but a mock love which rests in the verbal expressions of kindness and respect, while the wants of our brethren call for real supplies, and it is in the power of our hands to furnish them. [1.] It is no strange thing for saints in this world to want necessaries for the support of their natural live. In those primitive times prevailing persecutions must needs reduce many of the suffering saints to great extremities; and still the poor, even the poor saints, we have always with us. Surely the things of this world are not the best things; if they were, the saints, who are the favourites of heaven, would not be put off with so little of them. [2.] It is the duty of those who have wherewithal to distribute, or (as it might better be read) to communicate to those necessities. It is not enough to draw out the soul, but we must draw out the purse, to the hungry. See Jam 2:15,16, 1Jo 3:17. Communicating—koinonountes. It intimates that our poor brethren have a kind of interest in that which God hath given us; and that our reliving them should come from a sense and fellow-feeling of their wants, as though we suffered with them. The charitable benevolence of the Philippians to Paul is called their communicating with his affliction, Php 4:14. We must be ready, as we have ability and opportunity, to relieve any that are in want; but we are in a special manner bound to communicate to the saints. There is a common love owing to our fellow-creatures, but a special love owing to our fellow-christians (Ga 6:10), Especially to those who are of the household of faith. Communicating, tais mneiais—to the memories of the saints; so some of the ancients read it, instead of tais chreiais. There is a debt owing to the memory of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises—to value it, to vindicate it, to embalm it. Let the memory of the just be blessed; so some read Pr 10:7. He mentions another branch of this bountiful love: Given to hospitality. Those who have houses of their own should be ready to entertain those who go about doing good, or who, for fear of persecution, are forced to wander for shelter. They had not then so much of the convenience of common inns as we have; or the wandering Christians durst not frequent them; or they had not wherewithal to bear the charges, and therefore it was a special kindness to bid them welcome on free-cost. Nor is it yet an antiquated superseded duty; as there is occasion, we must welcome strangers, for we know not the heart of a stranger. I was a stranger, and you took me in, is mentioned as one instance of the mercifulness of those that shall obtain mercy: ten philoxenian diokontes—following or pursuing hospitality. It intimates, not only that we must take opportunity, but that we must seek opportunity, thus to show mercy. As Abraham, who sat at the tent-door (Ge 18:1), and Lot, who sat in the gate of Sodom (Ge 19:1), expecting travellers, whom they might meet and prevent with a kind invitation, and so they entertained angels unawares, Heb 13:2.
(4.) A sympathizing love (Ro 12:15): Rejoice with those that do rejoice, and weep with those that weep. Where there is a mutual love between the members of the mystical body, there will be such a fellow-feeling. See 1Co 12:26. True love will interest us in the sorrows and joys of one another, and teach us to make them our own. Observe the common mixture in this world, some rejoicing, and others weeping (as the people, Ezr 3:12,13), for the trial, as of other graces, so of brotherly love and Christian sympathy. Not that we must participate in the sinful mirths or mournings of any, but only in just and reasonable joys and sorrows: not envying those that prosper, but rejoicing with them; truly glad that others have the success and comfort which we have not; not despising those that are in trouble, but concerned for them, and ready to help them, as being ourselves in the body. This is to do as God does, who not only has pleasure in the prosperity of his servants (Ps 35:27), but is likewise afflicted in all their afflictions, Isa 63:9.
(5.) A united love: "Be of the same mind one towards another (Ro 12:16), that is, labour, as much as you can, to agree in apprehension; and, wherein you come short of this, yet agree in affection; endeavour to be all one, not affecting to clash, and contradict, and thwart one another; but keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Php 2:2;3:15,16;1Co 1:10; to auto eis allelous phronountes—wishing the same good to others that you do to yourselves;" so some understand it. This is to love our brethren as ourselves, desiring their welfare as our own.
(6.) A condescending love: Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate, Ro 12:16. True love cannot be without lowliness, Eph 4:1,2, Php 2:3. When our Lord Jesus washed his disciples' feet, to teach us brotherly love (Joh 13:5,14:34), it was designed especially to intimate to us that to love one another aright is to be willing to stoop to the meanest offices of kindness for the good of one another. Love is a condescending grace: Non bene conveniunt—majestas et amor—Majesty and love do but ill assort with each other. Observe how it is pressed here. [1.] Mind not high things. We must not be ambitious of honour and preferment, nor look upon worldly pomp and dignity with any inordinate value or desire but rather with a holy contempt. When David's advancements were high, his spirit was humble (Ps 131:1): I do not exercise myself in great matters. The Romans, living in the imperial city, which reigned over the kings of the earth (Re 17:18), and was at that time in the meridian of its splendour, were perhaps ready to take occasion thence to think the better of themselves. Even the holy seed were tainted with this leaven. Roman Christians, as some citizens do upon the country; and therefore the apostle so often cautions them against high-mindedness; compare Ro 11:20. They lived near the court, and conversed daily with the gaiety and grandeur of it: "Well," saith he, "do not mind it, be not in love with it." [2.] Condescend to men of low estate—Tois tapeinois synapagomenoi. First, It may be meant of mean things, to which we must condescend. If our condition in the world be poor and low, our enjoyments coarse and scanty, our employments despicable and contemptible, yet we must bring our minds to it, and acquiesce in it. So the margin: Be contented with mean things. Be reconciled to the place which God in his providence hath put us in, whatever it be. We must account nothing below us but sin: stoop to mean habitations, mean fare, mean clothing, mean accommodations when they are our lot, and not grudge. Nay, we must be carried with a kind of impetus, by the force of the new nature (so the word synapagomai properly signifies, and it is very significant), towards mean things, when God appoints us to them; as the old corrupt nature is carried out towards high things. We must accommodate ourselves to mean things. We should make a low condition and mean circumstances more the centre of our desires than a high condition. Secondly, It may be meant of mean persons; so we read it (I think both are to be included) Condescend to men of low estate. We must associate with, and accommodate ourselves to, those that are poor and mean in the world, if they be such as fear God. David, though a king upon the throne, was a companion for all such, Ps 119:63. We need not be ashamed to converse with the lowly, while the great God overlooks heaven and earth to look at such. True love values grace in rags as well as in scarlet. A jewel is a jewel, though it lie in the dirt. The contrary to this condescension is reproved, Jam 2:1-4. Condescend; that is, suit yourselves to them, stoop to them for their good; as Paul, 1Co 9:19, etc. Some think the original word is a metaphor taken from travellers, when those that are stronger and swifter of foot stay for those that are weak and slow, make a halt, and take them with them; thus must Christians be tender towards their fellow travellers. As a means to promote this, he adds, Be not wise in your own conceits; to the same purport with Ro 12:3. We shall never find in our hearts to condescend to others while we find there so great a conceit of ourselves: and therefore this must needs be mortified. Me ginesthe phronimoi par heautois—"Be not wise by yourselves, be not confident of the sufficiency of your own wisdom, so as to despise others, or think you have no need of them (Pr 3:7), nor be shy of communicating what you have to others. We are members one of another, depend upon one another, are obliged to one another; and therefore, Be not wise by yourselves, remembering it is the merchandise of wisdom that we profess; now merchandise consists in commerce, receiving and returning."
(7.) A love that engages us, as much as lies in us, to live peaceably with all men, Ro 12:18. Even those with whom we cannot live intimately and familiarly, by reason of distance in degree or profession, yet we must with such live peaceably; that is, we must be harmless and inoffensive, not giving others occasion to quarrel with us; and we must be gall-less and unrevengeful, not taking occasion to quarrel with them. Thus must we labour to preserve the peace, that it be not broken, and to piece it again when it is broken. The wisdom from above is pure and peaceable. Observe how the exhortation is limited. It is not expressed so as to oblige us to impossibilities: If it be possible, as much as lies in you. Thus Heb 12:14, Follow peace. Eph 4:3, Endeavouring to keep. Study the things that make for peace.—If it be possible. It is not possible to preserve the peace when we cannot do it without offending God and wounding conscience: Id possumus quod jure possumus—That is possible which is possible without incurring blame. The wisdom that is from above is first pure and then peaceable, Jam 3:17. Peace without purity is the peace of the devil's palace.—As much as lieth in you. There must be two words to the bargain of peace. We can but speak for ourselves. We may be unavoidably striven with; as Jeremiah, who was a man of contention (Jer 15:10), and this we cannot help; our care must be that nothing be wanting on our parts to preserve the peace, Ps 120:7. I am for peace, though, when I speak, they are for war.
2. To our enemies. Since men became enemies to God, they have been found very apt to be enemies one to another. Let but the centre of love be once forsaken, and the lines will either clash and interfere, or be at an uncomfortable distance. And, of all men, those that embrace religion have reason to expect to meet with enemies in a world whose smiles seldom concur with Christ's. Now Christianity teaches us how to behave towards our enemies; and in this instruction it quite differs from all other rules and methods, which generally aim at victory and dominion; but this at inward peace and satisfaction. Whoever are our enemies, that wish us ill and seek to do us ill, our rule is to do them no hurt, but all the good we can.
(1.) To do them no hurt (Ro 12:17): Recompense to no man evil for evil, for that is a brutish recompence, and befitting only those animals which are not conscious either of any being above them or of any state before them. Or, if mankind were made (as some dream) in a state of war, such recompences as these were agreeable enough; but we have not so learned God, who does so much for his enemies (Mt 5:45), much less have we so learned Christ, who died for us when we were enemies (Ro 5:8,10), so loved that world which hated him without a cause.—"To no man; neither to Jew nor Greek; not to one that has been thy friend, for by recompensing evil for evil thou wilt certainly lose him; not to one that has been thine enemy, for by not recompensing evil for evil thou mayest perhaps gain him." To the same purport, Ro 12:19, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves. And why must this be ushered in with such an affectionate compellation, rather than any other of the exhortations of this chapter? Surely because this is intended for the composing of angry spirits, that are hot in the resentment of a provocation. He addresses himself to such in this endearing language, to mollify and qualify them. Any thing that breathes love sweetens the blood, lays the storm, and cools the intemperate heat. Would you pacify a brother offended? Call him dearly beloved. Such a soft word, fitly spoken, may be effectual to turn away wrath. Avenge not yourselves; that is, when any body has done you any ill turn, do not desire nor endeavour to bring the like mischief or inconvenience upon him. It is not forbidden to the magistrate to do justice to those that are wronged, by punishing the wrong-doer; nor to make and execute just and wholesome laws against malefactors; but it forbids private revenge, which flows from anger and ill-will; and this is fitly forbidden, for it is presumed that we are incompetent judges in our own case. Nay, if persons wronged in seeking the defence of the law, and magistrates in granting it, act from any particular personal pique or quarrel, and not from a concern that public peace and order be maintained and right done, even such proceedings, though seemingly regular, will fall under this prohibited self-revenging. See how strict the law of Christ is in this matter, Mt 5:38-40. It is forbidden not only to take it into our own hands to avenge ourselves, but to desire and thirst after event that judgment in our case which the law affords, for the satisfying of a revengeful humour. This is a hard lesson to corrupt nature; and therefore he subjoins, [1.] A remedy against it: Rather give place unto wrath. Not to our own wrath; to give place to this is to give place to the devil, Eph 4:26,27. We must resist, and stifle, and smother, and suppress this; but, First, To the wrath of our enemy. "Give place to it, that is, be of a yielding temper; do not answer wrath with wrath, but with love rather. Yielding pacifies great offences, Ec 10:4. Receive affronts and injuries, as a stone is received into a heap of wool, which gives way to it, and so it does not rebound back, nor go any further." So it explains that of our Saviour (Mt 5:39), Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Instead of meditating how to revenge one wrong, prepare to receive another. When men's passions are up, and the stream is strong, let it have its course, lest by an unseasonable opposition it be made to rage and swell the more. When others are angry, let us be calm; this is a remedy against revenge, and seems to be the genuine sense. But, Secondly, Many apply it to the wrath of God: "Give place to this, make room for him to take the throne of judgment, and let him alone to deal with thine adversary." [2.] A reason against it: For it is written, Vengeance is mine. We find it written, De 32:35. God is the sovereign King, the righteous Judge, and to him it belongs to administer justice; for, being a God of infinite knowledge, by him actions are weighed in unerring balances; and, being a God of infinite purity, he hates sin and cannot endure to look upon iniquity. Some of this power he hath trusted in the hands of the civil magistrates (Ge 9:6, Ro 13:4); their legal punishments therefore are to be looked upon as a branch of God's revengings. This is a good reason why we should not avenge ourselves; for, if vengeance be God's, then, First, We may not do it. We step into the throne of God if we do and take his work out of his hand. Secondly, We need not do it. For God will, if we meekly leave the matter with him; he will avenge us as far as there is reason or justice for it, and further we cannot desire it. See Ps 38:14,15, I heard not, for thou wilt hear; and if God hears what need is there for me to hear?
(2.) We must not only not to hurt to our enemies, but our religion goes higher, and teaches us to do them all the good we can. It is a command peculiar to Christianity, and which does highly commend it: Love your enemies, Mt 5:44. We are here taught to show that love to them both in word and deed.
[1.] In word: Bless those who persecute you, Ro 12:14. It has been the common lot of God's people to be persecuted, either with a powerful hand or with a spiteful tongue. Now we are here taught to bless those that so persecute us. Bless them; that is, First, "Speak well of them. If there be any thing in them that is commendable and praiseworthy, take notice of it, and mention it to their honour." Secondly, "Speak respectfully to them, according as their place is, not rendering railing for railing, and bitterness for bitterness." And, Thirdly, We must wish well to them, and desire their good, so far from seeking any revenge. Nay, Fourthly, We must offer up that desire to God, by prayer for them. If it be not in the power of our hand to do any thing else for them, yet we can testify our good-will by praying for them, for which our master hath given us not only a rule, but an example to back that rule, Lu 23:34—Bless, and curse not. It denotes a thorough good-will in all the instances and expressions of it; not, "bless them when you are at prayer, and curse them at other times;" but, "bless them always, and curse not at all." Cursing ill becomes the mouths of those whose work it is to bless God, and whose happiness it is to be blessed of him.
[2.] In deed (Ro 12:20): "If thine enemy hunger, as thou hast ability and opportunity, be ready and forward to show him any kindness, and do him any office of love for his good; and be never the less forward for his having been thine enemy, but rather the more, that thou mayest thereby testify the sincerity of thy forgiveness of him." It is said of archbishop Cranmer that the way for a man to make him his friend was to do him an ill turn. The precept is quoted from Pr 25:21,22; so that, high as it seems to be, the Old Testament was not a stranger to it. Observe here, First, What we must do. We must do good to our enemies. "If he hunger, do not insult over him, and say, Now God is avenging me of him, and pleading my cause; do not make such a construction of his wants. But feed him." Then, when he has need of thy help, and thou hast an opportunity of starving him and trampling upon him, then feed him (psomize auton, a significant word)—"feed him abundantly, nay, feed him carefully and indulgently:" frustulatim pasce—feed him with small pieces, "feed him, as we do children and sick people, with much tenderness. Contrive to do it so as to express thy love. If he thirst, give him drink: potize auton—drink to him, in token of reconciliation and friendship. So confirm your love to him." Secondly, Why we must do this. Because in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Two senses are given of this, which I think are both to be taken in disjunctively. Thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head; that is, "Thou shalt either," 1. "Melt him into repentance and friendship, and mollify his spirit towards thee" (alluding to those who melt metals; they not only put fire under them, but heap fire upon them; thus Saul was melted and conquered with the kindness of David, 1Sa 24:16,26:21)—"thou wilt win a friend by it, and if thy kindness have not that effect then," 2. "It will aggravate his condemnation, and make his malice against thee the more inexcusable. Thou wilt hereby hasten upon him the tokens of God's wrath and vengeance." Not that this must be our intention in showing him kindness, but, for our encouragement, such will be the effect. To this purpose is the exhortation in the last verse, which suggests a paradox not easily understood by the world, that in all matters of strife and contention those that revenge are the conquered, and those that forgive are the conquerors. (1.) "Be not overcome of evil. Let not the evil of any provocation that is given you have such a power over you, or make such an impression upon you, as to dispossess you of yourselves, to disturb your peace, to destroy your love, to ruffle and discompose your spirits, to transport you to any indecencies, or to bring you to study or attempt any revenge." He that cannot quietly bear an injury is perfectly conquered by it. (2.) "But overcome evil with good, with the good of patience and forbearance, nay, and of kindness and beneficence to those that wrong you. Learn to defeat their ill designs against you, and either to change them, or at least to preserve your own peace." He that hath this rule over his spirit is better than the mighty.
3. To conclude, there remain two exhortations yet untouched, which are general, and which recommend all the rest as good in themselves, and of good report.
(1.) As good in themselves (Ro 12:9): Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. God hath shown us what is good: these Christian duties are enjoined; and that is evil which is opposite to them. Now observe, [1.] We must not only not do evil, but we must abhor that which is evil. We must hate sin with an utter and irreconcilable hatred, have an antipathy to it as the worst of evils, contrary to our new nature, and to our true interest—hating all the appearances of sin, even the garment spotted with the flesh. [2.] We must not only do that which is good, but we must cleave to it. It denotes a deliberate choice of, a sincere affection for, and a constant perseverance in, that which is good. "So cleave to it as not to be allured nor affrighted from it, cleave to him that is good, even to the Lord (Ac 11:23), with a dependence and acquiescence." It is subjoined to the precept of brotherly love, as directive of it; we must love our brethren, but not love them so much as for their sakes to commit any sin, or omit any duty; not think the better of any sin for the sake of the person that commits it, but forsake all the friends in the world, to cleave to God and duty.
使徒既已详尽地阐明并证实了基督教首要的根本教义，便转而强调主要的本分。我们若只把信仰看作一套观念和思辨的指南，便是误解了我们的信仰。不，它是一种实践的信仰，旨在引导我们行事为人归正。它不仅为要教导我们的判断，更是为要更新我们的内心与生活。从使徒在此书信中的写作方法（正如在另外几封书信中一样），正如从基督国度中主要国务大臣的治理之道中，神奥秘的管家可以得着如何「按着正意分解真理的道」的指引：不可脱离特权空谈本分，也不可脱离本分空谈特权；要让两者并进，相互交织，便会彼此大大促进、相得益彰。本分是借着推论从特权中引申出来的。基督徒实践的基础必须建立在基督徒的知识与信心之上。我们必须先明白自己如何接受了主基督耶稣，然后才能更好地知道当如何在他里面行事为人。本章规定了许许多多的本分。这些劝勉简短而精炼，扼要地概括了何为善，以及主我们的神在基督里向我们所要的是什么。它是基督徒行为指南的摘要，是按福音所当行的来规范言行的出色规则汇编。它借着「所以」一词与前文的论述相连。教义真理的实际应用，正是讲道的生命所在。他先前已详尽论述了因信称义、白白恩典的丰富，以及我们对所要显明之荣耀的凭据与确据。属肉体的放纵者由此容易推论说：「所以我们可以随心所欲而行，照我们心和眼所愿的去走。」然而这并不成立；那使人称义的信心，是「使人生发仁爱的信心」。除了圣洁与顺服之路以外，再无别路通向天堂。所以神所配合的，人不可分开。本章的具体劝勉可归纳为基督徒本分的三大要项：我们对神、对自己、对弟兄的本分。神的恩典教导我们，笼统而言，要「敬虔、节制、公义」地生活，并弃绝一切与此相悖之事。本章将使我们明白何为敬虔、节制和公义——尽管三者略有交织。