Romans 9

Romans 9:1

I Say the truth] Because the Apostle puposeth to speak much of the casting off of the Jews, he useth an insinuation, declaring by a double, or rather triple oath, his great desire of their salvation, and his singular love towards them; and withall he freely granteth them all their true prerogatives.

in Christ, &c.] Entering into a profound discourse, hard to be beleeved by flesh and blood, that he might gain the more credit to the ensuing doctrine, and the protestation of his sincere affection to his countreymen, he produceth three witnesses beyond exception, Christ, the holy Ghost, and his owne Conscience.

Romans 9:2

continuall sorrow in my heart] For the incredlity of the Jews his kinsmen, and their rejection.

Romans 9:3

my self were accursed] Or, separated. These words admit of a double interpretation; either that such was his love to his brethren, that he desired, if it had been possible, and it might have stood with the good will of God, to have redeemed the casting away of the Israelites, with the losse of his own soule for ever. A desire utterly impossible indeed, and never to be accomplished and used by the Apostle; onely to witnesse his excessive love towards his brethren, and most fervent zeal for the glory of God, which he supposed would have been farre more illustrated by the saving of a whole Nation, then of one man. Or that here, by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he means onely to be excommunicated, and held as accursed & execrable, and as such exterminated and deprived of all communion with the Church; not as if the Apostle did with to be hardned in heart against Christ, and severed from his love, for that can never be wished by any pious man, but out of the overflowing of his love he wished, that he himself might bear the punishment which they might expect from the righteous judgement of God for their hardnesse, so they might be freed from this hardnesse and accursednesse. The like we know Moses did in the behalf of the Israelites. Exodus 32:32.

my kinsmen according to the flesh] Those of mine own countrey and nation: withall insinuating a double kindred, carnall and spirituall: by the carnall he was allied onely to the Jews, but by spirituall cognation, to all the houshold of faith, consisting as well of Gentiles, as Jews.

Romans 9:4

whom pertaineth the adoption] Gr. who are the adoption. For God preferred the Israelites before all nations of the earth, and accounted them his peculiar people, and named them not onely his Children, but, his first-born, Exodus 4:22. Israel is my sonne, yea, my first-born, Jeremiah 31:9.

and the glory] That is, the Ark of the Covenant, which was a visible token of Gods presence; so we read, 1 Samuel 4:21. The glory is departed from Israel, when the Ark was taken; and Psalms 63:3. To see thy glory, as I have seene thee in the sanctuary.

and the covenants] Or, testaments. The Tables of the covenant. Ephesians 2:12.

and the giving of the law] The judiciall and morall.

and the service of God] That is, the manner of his worship, prescribed by the ceemoniall law.

and in the promises] Made to Abraham and his posterity.

Romans 9:5

God blessed for ever] A most evident testimony, and pregnant proofe of Christs divinity. Blush for shame, saith Oecumenius, and be confounded, O thou wretched miscreant Arius, when thou hearest Christ glorified by the Apostle with the title of God, in the singular number, with the article, the God, or, onely God, and God over all, and blessed for ever.

Romans 9:6

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect] Gr. But it cannot be that the word of God hath failed.

are not all Israel, which are of Israel] That is, all are not that people of God, to whom the promises were made, who descend from the loines of Jacob; for there are three sort of Israels: according to the flesh onely; such are the unbeleeving Jews: according to the spirit onely; such are the faithfull among the Gentiles: according to the flesh and spirit; such was Jacob himself, and his beleeving posterity.

Romans 9:7

in Isaac shall thy seed be called] See Genesis 21:12. Isaac shall be thy true and naturall sonne, and therefore heir of the blessing, although Ismael also was born of Abraham, and circumcised before Isaac.

Romans 9:8

the children of the flesh, &c.] Not all they who are carnally born of Abraham by the course of nature, are the children of God, to whom the promise of grace was made; but the children of promise, that is, those who were born by vertue of the promise, those who by Gods speciall grace were adopted (as Isaac by a speciall and singular promise was begot by Abraham) they onely are accounted for that seed mentioned in the covenant, I will by thy God, and the God of thy seed.

the children of the promise] See Galatians 4:28.

Romans 9:9

At this time, &c.] Or, season. See Genesis 8. 10.

Romans 9:11

For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evill] Namely, whereby they might be differenced one from the other; for otherwise they were already conceived in sinne, and living in the mothers womb, when the sentence of God passed upon them; so that God had not regard unto faith in the one, or infidelity in the other, but that it was upon his own absolute pleasure, not upon any desert, that God preferred the younger before the elder.

any good] Gr. Tec. good, or, that good.

purpose of God according to election] Or, the purpose according to the election of God.

might stand] Gr. might remain.

not of works] That is, not at all by observing any condition depending upon the will of man, which would have made the decree wavering and uncertain, seeing that man is so variable in all that he doth, or undertaketh.

but of him that calleth] Out of underserved grace and favour, and calleth not onely outwardly, but inwardly and effectually, to bring men to faith and godlinesse. Romans 8:28; Romans 8:30-31. 2 Timothy 1:9.

The lder shall serve the younger] See Genesis 25:23. This prophecie is not to be understood of any outward service or dominion; for Esau did not serve Jacob after that manner; at least in his own person; but either it is to be understood of the posterity of Jacob and Esau, that the posterity of the elder should serve the posterity of the yonger, as they did also for a time; and for this the words of the Lord by Moses, Genesis 25:23. are expresse; Two nations are in thy wombe, and two sorts of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger then the other, and the elder shall serve the younger. Or else the prophecie is to be understood of the eternall and spirituall dominion which the children of God are to enjoy hereafter, whereof the inheritance and dominion in Canaan was a type, Hebrews 11:15-16. We may also thus expound the words, The elder shall serve the younger, that is, he shall be deprived of his birth-right, in token that from him and his posteritie should be taken away also the part and claim of the blessed seed; and that he should be no otherwise in the world, then as a servant in his fathers house, in comparison, namely, of Jacob, who shall be his heire.

elder] Or, greater.

younger] Or, lesser.

Romans 9:13

As it is written] Forasmuch as the word serving seemeth not to be clear enough to expresse the election of Jacob and rejection of Esau in the purpose of God, the Apostle brings in this other passage out of Malachi 1. 2. for a declaration of the former; and proveth, that this same servitude or subjection of Esau unto Jacob, was accompanied with Gods eternall and undeserved love of Jacob, and with his just and righteous hatred of Esau.

Jacob have I loved, &c.] Malachi 1:2-3.

Romans 9:14

God forbid] See Chap. 3. 4.

Romans 9:15

I will have mercy] See Exodus 33:19. I will be favourable and gracious to whom I list to be favourable. God is most free, and cannot be taxed with unjustice, though he cast brighter beams of his favour upon one then another; for although he chuse and predestinate to salvation them that are not yet borne, without any respect of worthinesse; yet he bringeth not the chosen to their appointed end, but by the means of his mercy, which is a cause next under predestination: now mercy presupposeth misery, and misery, sinne, and a voluntary corruption of mankinde, and this corruption presupposeth a pure and perfect creation. Moreover, mercy is shewed by degrees, to wit, by calling by faith to justification and sanctification, so that at the length we come to glorification: Now all these things ordinarily following the purpose of God, do clearly prove, that he can by no means seem unjust in loving and saving his.

I will have mercy] Or, I have mercy.

I will have compassion] Or, I have compassion.

Romans 9:16

not of him that willeth] These words contain the conclusion of the Apostles answere, therefore God is not unjust in chusing and saving of his free goodnesse such as it pleaseth him; as he also answered Moses when he prayed for all the people. By will, he meaneth here, the thoughts and desires of the heart; by running, our earnest endeavours, and good works, and commendable course of life; to neither of which yet hee ascribeth the praise, but onely to the mercy of God. Upon this verse S. Austine acutely observes in his Enchiridion, against the Pelagians, that when the Apostle saith, It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth; the meaning cannot be, that it is not wholly of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but partly of him that willeth, and partly of him that runneth, and partly of God that hath mercy: for according to that exposition, the Apostle might have said, It is not of him that hath mercy, but of him that willeth or runneth; because, according to their Pelagian tenet, it is not wholly of God that hath mercy, but partly of him that willeth, and of him that runneth. But if no man dare say that it is not of God that hath mercy, for that were in direct terms to contradict the Apostle; it remaineth therefore that this must be the sense, That it is not at all of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but wholly of God, who hath mercy, qui voluntatem praeparat adjuvandam, & adjuvat praeparatam.

Romans 9:17

Even for this same purpose, &c.] See Exodus 9:16.

have I raised thee up] Or, stirred, or set thee up. The words may beare either of these interpretations; I have made thee to stand, that is, I have reserved thee and not struck thee, or destroyed thee with the pestilence as I did the rest of the people, Exodus 9:15. Or, for this cause I have set thee upon the throne of Egypt, or have placed thee as it were in a high theater, to make thee an example to all that shall dare to set themselves against me, by the fearfull judgements that I shall inflict upon thee and thy people.

throughout all the earth] Gr. in all the earth.

Romans 9:18

he hardeneth] By Gods with-holding his grace, and not mollifying their rebellious hearts it cometh to passe, that all the means which he imployeth outwardly, though never so good and holy, are perverted by them, to the increase of their hardnesse. Moreover, it is to be noted, that as the Text saith, that God hardned Pharaohs heart; so it is said, Exodus 8:15. 32. that Pharaoh hardened his own heart, so that he could have none excuse; sith Gods induration was inflicted upon him most justly and deservedly for his wilfull opposing God, and maliciously rebelling against him.

Romans 9:19

Why doth he yet find fault] This is another objection, which may arise in mens minds, either from carnall reason, or by the suggestion of the devill: If God doth appoint to everlasting destruction such as he listeth, and that cannot be hindred, or withstood that he hath once decreed, how doth he justly condemn them which perish by his will?

Romans 9:20

but O man, who art thou] Although the will of God is alwayes grounded upon good reason for whatsoever he doth; (For his will is the rule of all righteousnesse, and is never severed from his wisdome, howsoever the reason be not manifest unto us, or transcend our understanding, Romans 11:33.) yet he is not to give an account to man or any other creature of his actions, and therefore the Apostle here stoppeth the mouth of all that dare to move such curious questions; why God disposeth thus or thus of men: God hath alwayes a reason of his will, but his will made known to us, ought to stand for an allsufficient reason, and it as little becomes man who is dust and ashes to expostulate with God, as it doth the clay to expostulate with the potter.

repliest against God] Or, answerest again, or disputest with God.

shall the thing formed say to him that formed it] Isaiah 45:9.

Romans 9:21

potter power over the clay &c] See Jeremiah 18:6. Wis. 15. 7.

of the same lump] By this metaphor, is intimated the originall of all mankind out of one blood, Acts 17:26. out of this corrupt masse, it is in Gods power of his free will to appoint some to everlasting glory, and others to everlasting shame and ignominie: as it is in the potters power at his pleasure, of the same stuffe to make up one vessell to serve for honorable uses, and occasions, as vessels for eating and drinking, and utensils for state and ornament, and another vessell for base and abject imployments.

one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour] Gr. this unto honour, and that unto dishonour.

Romans 9:22

What if God, willing] Gr. but if. As if he should say, Hast thou any just cause to reply against God? seeing that in exercising that absolute freedome of his soveraigntie, to save one and punish others, he useth such longsuffering toward the wicked to allure and draw them to repentance, which yet notwithstanding, doth but harden them so much the more in their evill, Rom. 2. 4, 5. In this speech the Apostle seemeth to have a speciall eye on the Jews, towards whom God had used the utmost of long-suffering before he would altogether reject them.

vessels of wrath] That is, those men on whom he will exercise his severe judgement, being formerly compared unto vessels of dishonour, and after said to be fitted to destruction, that is, whose state and condition is so sinfull and corrupted, that neither being pardoned, nor amended by the grace of God, it can serve for no other use, then to be a dreadfull example and subject of his just judgement.

fitted] Or, made up.

Romans 9:25

I will call them my people] Hosea 2:23. 1 Pet. 2. 10.

Romans 9:26

And it shall come to passe] Hosea 1:10.

Romans 9:27

Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea] Isa. 10. 22, 23.

a remnant shall be saved] Gr. Tec. a part taken out shall be saved.

Romans 9:28

For he will finish the work] Or, the account. Some take this as a threatning against the wicked Jews whom God should cut off, and reject, and thereby bring that unkinde and unthankfull people to an extreame fewnesse, alwayes preserving such as are his among that nation. Others understand here the constancie of the decree of God in keeping and preserving his, notwithstanding the rebellion of the greater multitude of others, which agreeth well with the verse following.

work] Or, reckoning, or word.

Romans 9:29

Except the Lord of sabaoth had left us a seed] Isaiah 1:9.

Romans 9:30

which followed not after righteousnesse] So then, the Gentiles had no workes to move and procure Gods mercy before-hand, and in that the Gentiles attained to that which they sought not for, the mercy of God is to be thanked for it; and in that the Jews attained not to that which they sought after, they are to thank none for that, but themselves, because they sought it not aright.

Romans 9:31

which followed] Gr. following.

attained] Or, is.

Romans 9:32

not by faith] That is, because they sought not righteousnesse in Christ in whom alone it is, and no otherwise to be obtained then by faith, and not by the merit of our own works.

by the works] Gr. Tec. by works.

stumbling-stone] By the stumbling stone, he meaneth Christ crucified, 1 Corinthians 1:23. and the same is implyed by Simeon, Luke 2:34. This child is set for the fall, and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against.

Romans 9:33

Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone] Isaiah 8:14. & Isaiah 28:16. 1 Pet. 2. 6.

ashamed] Or, confounded.