Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 9 · Verses 22-23
VERSE 22. What if God, willing to ſhew his wrath, and to make his power knowne, indured with long ſuffering the veſſels of wrath aOr made vp.fitted to destruction,
23. And that hee might make knowne the riches of his glory, on the veſſels of glory, which hee had afore prepared vntounto glory?
IN theſe Verſes is a reall anſwere to the obiection, which was this. If Gods will bee the cauſe of hardening, then (ſaith the Cauiller) I would ſee, how God can iuſtly puniſh me, if in proceſſe of time I obey him not.
Pauls anſwere is from the manner of Gods dealing, namely, that he may iuſtly puniſh, becauſe hee ſuffers them with long patience, not onelyonly giuing them ſpace to repent, if they can or will, but alſo affording them many outward helpes which he is not bound to doe.
And becauſe they might obiect, that if GOD would giuegive them grace, they alſo would obey; and why did not GOD deſtroy man, hauing ſinned, and create him anew without ſinne?
Paul tels them that God could giuegive them grace, or hauehave created man anew, but it is his pleaſure to ſuffer wicked men with much patience, that hee may make knowne his power and wrath vponupon the wicked, and ſo declare the riches of his mercy on the Elect. And what hath any to doe with it, if God would hauehave it ſo, who doth all things iuſtly?
Here is a Reticentia, whereby ſomething is to bee ſupplyed. If God will, what is that to thee? or what canſt thou ſay againſt it?
For the meaning, this is to be remembred, that principally theſe two verſes ſpeake of Reprobates, and what is ſpoken of the Elect, is ſpoken by occaſion.
Here are two things. 1. A deſcription of the Reprobates and the Elect. 2. That which is ſpoken of Reprobates.
Reprobates are Veſſels of wrath prepared to deſtruction. The Elect are veſſels of mercy, which God hath prepared to Glory.
In theſe deſcriptions are two things. 1. The Parts. 2. The Amplification. The Parts are two. 1. The Genus. 2. The Difference.
The Genus in both: They are Veſſels. The forme on the part of the Reprobates, they are Veſſels of wrath: On the part of the Elect. They are veſſels of Mercy.
The Amplification on the part of the Reprobates: They are veſſels prepared to deſtruction. Of the other: They are veſſels which God hath prepared to Glory.
Ʋeſſels: The word in the Originall, ſignifieth not onelyonly a Veſſell by the hollowneſſe capable to receiue and containe things, but an Inſtrument or any Vtenſil, as all the miniſtring veſſels in the Tabernacle, as Fire-pans, Tongs. Beſomes, &c. are called in the Hebrew, by the word here vſed: Heb. 9.21. foreign.ſo alſo are called the furniture of a horſe and warlike munitions: and the tackling of a ſhip is called by a word like vntounto it. Act. 27.10.Now it may be tranſlated an Inſtrument; but more fitly and fully a veſſel, ſuch as wee vſe to containe things liquid or dry. So that the Reprobates and Elect, are veſſels vponupon whom God powreth Wrath and Mercy, as we powre Water into a Veſſell.
A Veſſell in Scripture is applyed two wayes. 1. Theſ. 4.4. 1. Pet. 3.7. Act. 9.15.To the body alone; or to the whole Man: and ſo in three reſpects. 1. Of Sexe, of Office, of Eſtate, and ſo in this place.
There are two things in which the Elect and Reprobate are alike. Firſt, they are both Veſſels of the ſame lumpe. Secondly, they ſerue both for one generall vſe, that is, for Gods glory.
Their mayne difference is, that the Reprobates are Veſſels of Wrath vntounto Damnation: The Elect, veſſels of Mercy vntounto Saluation; and both for the glory of God.
A veſſell of Wrath is ſuch a one vponupon whom GOD will will ſhew no mercy, but will be angry with him for his ſinne, leaue him in it, and at laſt take vengeance on him for it. A veſſell of Mercy, ſuch a one vponupon whom God purpoſeth to ſhew mercy, in forgiuing his ſinne, bringing him out of it, and vntounto ſaluation.
Here care is to be had of diſtinguiſhing ſome like phraſes, as a Veſſell of Wrath, and a child of Wrath. Theſe differ. A child of wrath may bee a veſſell of Mercy, but a veſſell of Wrath cannot. As Paul and the Elect Epheſians are by Nature the children of Wrath, as well as others. Epheſ. 2.3.A child of wrath notes our corrupt eſtate. A veſſell of wrath the Deſtination of ſuch a one to damnation. But a child of Diſobedience and a veſſell of Wrath, are all one.
Prepare to deſtruction: and which God hath prepared to glory.
In both theſe are two things. Firſt, the Action. Secondly, the End. The End both of the Reprobate and Elect, not the end of election, and reprobation. For the end of Gods Decree in both, is Gods glory, but the end of the veſſels decreed, is their honour or dishonour.
The Reprobate are prepared: but God hath prepared the Elect. This diuerſitie of ſpeaking is not without great weight. The Reprobate are prepared or fitted. By whom? Doubtleſſe by God: but yet the Participle Paſſiue, here vſed, and not of the Elect, notes that all the preparation of the Elect vntounto glory, is of God: of the Reprobate to deſtruction, is both of God and of themſelues. Of themſelues, being apta, fit, of God, being aptata, fitted to deſtruction, for that prauity in them, whereby they are fit to be deſtroyed.
To deſtruction: Not as it is the miſery of the Creature, but the way to glorifie the Creator.
doctrine Both the Elect and Reprobate are Gods Veſſels. The Elect prepared to glory, the Reprobate to deſtruction: That they are veſſels is proued, 2. Tim. 2.20. that they are prepared as aforeſaid, 1. Theſ. 5.9.
Ʋſe 1.There is great difference betweene the Elect and Reprobate; both in their vſe, and end; and hereby appeares the happineſſe of the Elect, and the miſery of the Reprobate.
1. For vſe: The Elect are for Mercy, the Reprobate for Wrath. VVhen God pleaſeth to ſhew mercy, the Elect are brought forth. When Wrath, then the Reprobate, who are the proper ſubiect of Wrath, as the Elect are of Mercy.
As the houſholder hath diuers veſſels, ſome for baſe vſes, and ſome for the vſe of his Table, and hee vſeth not the baſe veſſels at his Table: ſo God will for nothing but for vengeance of the Reprobate. And as the Apothecarie hath diuers boxes and pots, in ſome of which hee putteth nothing but Cordials, in other nothing but poyſons, and things of the like dangerous nature, and carefully diſtinguiſheth them: So doth God with the Elect and Reprobate. Alſo as a Carpenter hath ſome courſe tooles which he vſeth about ſtones and grauell, about which hee vſeth not his choyſe tooles: ſo if God hath a baſe worke to effect, he hath a Reprobate, if a more honourable, he vſually hath one of his Elect at hand. If Chriſt bee to bee crucified, hee will not vſe the Virgin Mary or ſuch choyſe pieces; but a Iudas, a Pilate, a Caiphas, and ſuch like.
We preach Mercy: if thou be a Reprobate, it is not meant to thee. Wee preach Wrath: if thou be an Elect, this is not meant to thee, but to the Reprobate. It may be, that when mercy is preaching and powring downe, the Reprobate lookes after it, and thinkes to hauehave it; but bee deceiues himſelfe. When a Father is cutting bread among his Children, their little eyes are vponupon eueryevery piece that is cut: It may be alſo the dogge ſtands by (Reprobates may not grudge the compariſon, whoſe ſtate is worſe then the dogs.) The dogge it may be ſtands by, and gapes for the bread: but the Father giues the bread to the children: he giues to the dogge alſo, but it is a cudgell or whip, and ſpurnes him from him. So Mercy is the childrens bread, it hangs not for the Reprobates tooth.
2. There is great difference alſo betweene the Elect and Reprobate, in regard of their end. The Elect ſhall bee ſaued, the Reprobate, aſſuredly damned. Sometimes hee vſeth the Reprobates as a rodde, to chaſtiſe his children, but when hee hath ſerued his pleaſure by them, he deales with them as he did with the King of Aſſur, Eſay 10.5,12.he throwes them into the fire.
God vſeth them, who cannot but vſe them well, and they doe no more but what he hath appointed; and when they hauehave done according to his ſecret appointment, they ſhall be damned, for not obeying his reuealed appointment. Yea, he will make that which they doe againſt his will, to ſerue his owne will, and our good.
Iudas is ſicke of Couetouſneſſe, ſo that hee will doe any thing for lucre: God will make the couetouſneſſe of Iudas ſerue for his glory, and the eternall ſafety of his Elect.
Ʋſe 2.The Reprobates are prepared and fitted for deſtruction: not ſimply onelyonly for Gods pleaſure, but alſo for their own deſert; for if they deſerued it not, it would bee his pleaſure to ſaue them.
Ʋſe 3.God prepares the Elect for glory. He ſaues none, but hee prepares them by ſanctification, and ſo makes them fit to bee ſaued. The Elect doe not by and by from a corrupt eſtate goe to a glorified: but a fitting and holy preparation comes betweene. If a man hauehave a garment, hee will hauehave it fit before he weare it, ſo God will hauehave vsus caſt into new mould, that we may be fit for heauen before we come there. If thou liueſt in drunkenneſſe, whoredome, pride, &c. Theſe things make thee fit for hell, but as for heauen, being ſuch, thou art ſure neuer to come there.
Ʋſe 4.An Elect and Reprobate are diſcerned, not by their matter; for they are both veſſels of the ſame lumpe; but by their vſe. Looke therefore what is within: what doth God put into thee? Is there any of the heauenly liquor in thee, as Faith, Repentance, louelove to the Word? Is Chriſt there with his merits? Thoſe which hauehave theſe rich graces in them, are veſſels of honour. But if there bee nothing in thee but Infidelitie, Pride, Hypocriſie, Couetouſneſſe, &c. and they continue, without queſtioning, thou art a veſſell of dishonour.
It may eaſily be knowne what wee hauehave within: for as a Pomander if you chafe it, yeelds a comfortable ſmell; and Aſſafaetida or the like ſtrong thing if it be rubbed offends; ſo deale with one truely godly, and thou ſhalt heare nothing but ſauoury and gracious ſpeeches; the opening of his mouth will be as the opening of a Box of ſweet ointment: thou ſhalt alſo hauehave none but conſcionable dealing at his hands. But deale with a wicked man, vncalled, and he will ſome way or other, by euill words, or deeds, diſcouer the carrion-like corruption of his heart.
Now followes the ſecond part of theſe two verſes, which is the conſideration of that which is ſpoken of the Reprobates; which is, that hee ſuffereth them with long patience, &c. Where we hauehave the Act: He ſuffers them. Hee doth not make an end of them at once, but ſuffers them. Secondly, the end: Which is to be conceiued in a double reſpect. Firſt, of the Reprobates, to ſhew his power and wrath vponupon them. Secondly, of the Elect: that ſo the riches of his mercy and glory toward the Elect, might more famouſly appeare.