Romans 10:11 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For the Scripture saith, &c.— In this and the two preceding verses, the Apostle intends to shew the nature and efficacy of the gospel faith and profession, in opposition to the mean opinion which the Jew might have of them, in comparison with the several branches of his dependence; and which, in his eye, appeared much more honourable and magnificent. It is not necessary to spend time in settling the precise difference between believing with the heart, and confessing or professing with the mouth. Thereby the whole of true religion, both in principle and practice, is denoted;—the root in the heart, and the fruit in the life: only, professing with the mouth may be particularly mentioned, because that gives a right to the present privileges of Christ's kingdom;—none but professed believers have right to a place and standing in the church of God. Nor need we be curious to inquire into the distinction between righteousness or justification, and salvation. The Apostle's design, it seems evidently, is to express all the blessings which God will bestow in this and the future world: that the one or the other of these comprehends the present blessings and privileges of the kingdom of God, none perhaps will question: and that the one or the other takesin the final and eternal salvation of the faithful saints of God will appear, if we consider that the 11th verse, Whosoever believeth, &c. certainly refers to final salvation, or the full accomplishment of Christian faith and hope. But this quotation in the 11th verse is intended to confirm at least one of the clauses in the foregoing verse, and therefore one of these clauses must refer to the final issue of faith in everlasting life to the persevering Christian. Faith is the grand principle of the Gospel; a professed faith intitles us to present privileges; and faith, as a principle in the heart, discerning, valuing, and improving the grace of God in the Redeemer, and enabling us to resist temptation, to be stedfast and unmoveable in adhering to truth and dutyis that which constitutes the Christian, the life of sobriety, righteousness, and godliness, and such as, if persevered in (the power and blessing of God supposed) will carry us safe to eternal life. And as we are to be saved, not by mere power considered abstractedly, but in a moral way, nothing less than this faith can be appointed, or be effectual to our salvation.