Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 9 · Verses 25-26
VERSE 25. As he ſaith alſo in Oſee, Oſe. 2.23I will call them My people, which were not my people, 1. Pet. 2.10.and her Beloued, which was not beloued.
26. And it ſhall come to paſſe, that in the place where it was ſaid vntounto them, Oſe. 1.10Yee are not my people, there they ſhall be called the children of the liuing GOD.
IN theſe two verſes, the Apoſtle proueth, that to the Gentiles belong the promiſes as well as to the Iewes: and that they hauehave an intereſt alſo in Chriſt, by Calling and Election. And becauſe the Iewes could not endure this, he brings two Teſtimonies out of Oſee, as if hee ſhould ſay; This that I write, and this that daily is fulfilled, concerning the calling of the Gentiles to Grace, is nothing elſe but that which God long agoe cauſed the Prophets to preach vntounto our Fathers: for the Prophet Oſee, brings in GOD himſelfe calling the Gentiles, his beloued, his people and children.
The firſt of theſe Teſtimonies is out of Oſee 2.23. The ſecond, Oſee 1.10.
Theſe words are not ſpoken of the Iſraelites, and applyed to the Gentiles by ſimilitude, as ſome hauehave thought. For theſe termes, A Nation not beloued, Not the people of God, are conſtantly in the Prophets taken for the Gentiles.
The matter then is thus to be conceiued. God commands Oſee to rebuke the Iſraelites by a Parable, Conſule Pareum ſuper Oſeam.wherein hee is commaunded to take to wife Gomer, and to beget children, which he doth. He takes Gomer, that is, hee preacheth Gomer, which ſignifieth Conſumption, Deſolation, and vtter Vaſtation to the Iſraelites. The effect of this Sermon, is ſaid to be a ſonne, begotten by the Prophet: at whoſe Sermon, the Iſraelites grew worſe and worſe, for the which they are called by God, Iidſreel: that is, Diſperſion. Hee preacheth Gomer againe, and begets a daughter, whoſe name is, Lo-Ruchama, No mercy: that is, the people perſiſt in their ſinnes, and therefore God threatneth to ſhew them no mercy. Hee preacheth Gomer the third time, and Lo-Ammi is borne; that is, Not my people. By which name, for their incurable peruerſneſſe, the Lord threatens them with extreme abiection. And, that they ſhould not complaine, that if they be caſt off, then the promiſe to Abraham, that his ſeed ſhould be as the ſand, ſhould faile: God in the 10. verſe of the firſt Chapter, tells them, that That promiſe ſhould be made good, though they all periſh. Yea, that when he hath deſtroyed them, that promiſe ſhould chiefly be fulfilled: a greater company of all Nations becomming the children of Abraham, then euer the Iſraelites were. For as all the ſand is not on the ſhore of Canaan; ſo not of the Iewes onelyonly, but of the Gentiles in all the world, is a poſterity to be borne vntounto Abraham.
In theſe verſes is a double deſcriptiō of the Gentiles; The 1. of their eſtate before their calling, expreſſed by Negatiues: Not beloued; Not receiuing mercy; Not my people. The 2. of their eſtate after their calling, expreſſed by Affirmatiues: My people, and Beloued, The children of the liuing God.
This ſecond eſtate is amplyfied three waies; Firſt, from the place: In the place, not in the ſtead, but in the place; as in England, France, Denmarke, in any place. Not onelyonly the Riuers of Canaan, but All Riuers ſhall flowe with Milke and Honey. Yea, the Hony and Milke of Canaan ſhall flow into all Countreys: As a Riuer being ſtopt, ouerflowes the banks, and drownes all; euen ſo the ſtreame of Gods mercies being ſtopt in Canaan by their ſinnes, flowes ouer into al parts of the world.
2. From the meanes or Inſtrument of conueying this grace to all Nations, which is the preaching of the Word, notified in this word, They ſhall be Called.
3. From the excellencie of their ſtate vntounto which they are called. The Iewes were called the people of God. The Gentiles ſhall bee called his children. It is more to be the ſonne of a King then his Subiect.
This is amplified by a Title giuen to God, whoſe children they are: foreign, vel foreign, quia foreign. Tacit. in Zen.The Children of the liuing God, ſo called in oppoſition to their Idols which they ſerued: or becauſe of his bounty a… goodneſſe, giuing life and all happineſſe to ſuch as worſhip him: as the Heathens called their chiefe god by a Title ſo ſignifying, as the Cauſe of life.
doctrine The Calling of the Gentiles to the ſtate of Grace and Saluation, was long agoe foretold by the Prophets, Oſee 1.10. & 2.23. So alſo, Gen. 9.27. Pſal. 2.8. Eſay 49.6. Haggai 2.8. Micah. 4.1. Mal. 1.11, &c.
Ʋſe 1.In all ſcruples hauehave recourſe to the Scriptures for ſatisfaction, by the example of Paul. The Iewes were offended that the Gentiles were preached vntounto. Paul tels them that it was ſo foretold by the Prophets. It ſhould not therefore hauehave bred in them ſcandall, but rather confirmation of their Faith, ſeeing the euent to hold correſpondence with the Word.
Let vsus apply it thus. Many are troubled and puzzeled, becauſe of hereſies, and erroneous opinions, and becauſe ſuch as feare God, are mocked and hated. This ſhould rather confirme vsus in the Faith, becauſe ſuch things are foretold. Theſe things (ſaith our Sauiour) Ioh. 16.4.I hauehave ſaid vntounto you, that when they come to paſſe, you ſhould not be troubled. Many alſo ſtagger, becauſe ſome after long profeſſion fall away. But this is no other but that which was by our Sauiour foretold; Mat. 19.30.Many which are firſt ſhall be last, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. As therefore in the darke thou lookeſt not about, but to the Lanthorne, that thou mighteſt not ſtumble: ſo in theſe euill dayes attend to the Word, and thou ſhalt be ſatisfied.
Vſe 2.We are Gentiles; we ought to conſider what wee were, that we may be ſtirred vp to thankefulneſſe, for the grace we are come vntounto. Epheſ. 2.11,12.We were without Chriſt, aliants from the commonwealth of Iſrael, Strangers from the Couenants of Promiſe, without hope, yea, without God in the world, and walked abominably. But now we are beloued, and the ſonnes of the liuing God.
To be the people of God, was not alwayes the eſtate of England: but time was, when we were like the Indians and Armenians. O, the darkneſſe that was ouer the face of our land, about 80. or 90. yeeres agoe! What grace and light hauehave we aboue our Forefathers! Be thankefull, England, and ſhew forth his vertues, who hath called thee both out of the darkneſſe of Heatheniſme, and Papiſme, into his maruellous light. Yea, let eueryevery one in particular apply it. What were thou before thy effectuall Calling? It may be, a drunkard, an vncleane perſon, prophane, vnconſcionable, &c. but now a Sonne or Daughter of the liuing GOD. Praiſe thy God, who hath loued thee, and deliuered thee out of the power of darkneſſe, tranſlating thee into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne. I was (ſaith Paul) 1. Tim. 1.13. &c.a blaſphemer, &c. but God hath ſhewed grace. Therefore to the King euerlaſting, &c. bee praiſe and honour for euer.
Vſe 3.Highly eſteeme of the Word, by which ſo much grace is conueyed vntounto thee. Many are like proud Seruing-men, which are aſhamed to bee ſeene in their Maſters liuery. If thou beeſt not aſhamed of thy Maſter Chriſt, bee not aſhamed dayly to wait vponupon him in thy liuery, vvhichwhich is the hearing of his Word, and the receiuing of the Sacraments.
Ʋſe 4.Examine whether thou bee beloued, and the ſonne of God indeede, or Titular only. The Iewes gloried, that they were the people of God, when hee would not acknowledge them. And the Diuell can transforme himſelfe into an Angell of light, and ſeeme to be one. Wilt thou for his faire ſhew ſay hee is a good Angell, perceiuing the blacke drifts of his Tentations? So many ſeeme to bee the children of God, who in their conuerſation expreſſe the affection not of children, but of enemies.
Thy Conſcience tels thee, thou drunkard, thou Strumpet, thou painted Sepulchre, that thou art a Pagan, though thou haſt the outward badge of a ſon, of one beloued. Nay, thou art ſo much the leſſe beloued, becauſe bearing the badge of God, thou ſerueſt the Diuell. If thou beeſt Gods Spouſe, keep thy ſelfe chaſte to him: if his ſonne or Daughter, honour him. If of his people; learne his Statutes, and obey them. It is a grieuous thing, to bee caſt out, to bee diuorced from God, to bee dis-herited of heauen. Hee is the euerliuing God, to ſaue his children, and to confound them which are his enemies.