will
then be brought into the reckoning, and that each one will be judged,
and his state determined by the law, under which he had lived and
acted during his probation. This is the spirit of the context from
verse six to the sixteenth, inclusive. "Who will render to every man
according to his deeds: To them who by a patient continuance in well
doing, seek for glory, and honor and immortality, eternal life: But to
them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, indignation and wrath; tribulation and anguish, upon
every soul of man that doeth evil; of the Jew first, and also of the
Gentile: But glory, and honor, and peace, to every man that worketh
good; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. _For there is no
respect of persons with God_. For as many as have sinned without law,
shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law
shall be judged by the law. For not the hearers of the law are just
before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. (For when the
Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in
the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which
shew the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience
also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or
else excusing one another.) In the day when God shall judge the
secrets of men, by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."

This whole paragraph is an illustration of divine justice and
impartiality as exercised toward mankind. It shows that they are here
for trial--that those who act uprightly will meet the divine
approbation, and be rewarded with eternal rewards; but that a
contentious disregard of duty, and willful continuance in known
wickedness will be the object of divine indignation, which will
occasion tribulation and anguish that in the decisions at the great
day, family and national distinctions will be disregarded--that it
will be required of every one according to the talents committed to
him, and no more, whether he be Jew or Gentile.

Some have doubted whether those left to the light of nature could
possibly meet the divine approbation and find mercy with God; or were
not doomed without remedy to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.
This we apprehend to be here determined. "Those who have not the law,
may do by nature, the things contained in the law; and the doers of
the law shall be justified."

By "doing the law," no m