48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.



Ver. 48. Glorified in the word] That is, received it into their hearts (as some copies read this text, åäåîáíôï ), suffering it to indwell richly in them (as becometh such a guest), Col_3:16; yea, to rule and bear sway, yielding thereunto the obedience of faith, which is the greatest honour that can be done to the word; as the contrary is, to despise prophesying, 1Th_5:19, to cast God’s word behind our backs, Psa_50:17, to trample on it; which the very Jews and Turks are so far from, that they carefully take up any paper that lieth on the ground, lest it should be any part of the Scripture, or have the name of God written in it. (Paraeus, Proleg. in Gen.)



As many as were ordained, &c.] Election therefore is the fountain, whence faith floweth; men are not elected of faith foreseen, and because they believe, as the Arminians would have it.