Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verse 1
VERSE 2. For I alſo am an Iſraelite, of the ſeed of Abraham, of the tribe of Beniamin.
THis is the ſecond part of Pauls anſwer, by a ſpeciall inſtance of himſelfe. God hath not caſt away the Iewes wholly: not eueryevery indiuiduall; for, ſaith, Paul, I my ſelfe am a Iew, and I am not reiected, but am aſſured that I am the child of God through faith in Chriſt. Therefore the reiection of the Iewes is not totall. God caſts away no Iewes but rebels, and receiues no Gentiles but beleeuers, If all are caſt away, then I: But not I: Therefore not all.
An Iſraelite: that is, a Iew: but he vſeth the terme Iſraelite, becauſe more ancient and more honorable, the name Iew at that time being very odious.
Of the ſeed of Abraham; becauſe many became Proſelites, and ſo were numbred with the Iews, which were not ſo borne.
Of the tribe of Beniamin: this is added becauſe he might hauehave bene of the ſeed of Abraham by Iſmael. Hereby therefore he ſhewes that he came of the promiſed and bleſſed ſeed, and was of no obſcure, but of one of the moſt worthy Tribes. Something is here to be ſupplied, which muſt neceſſarily be vnderſtood: as But I am not caſt away, but elect, or ſuch like.
doctrine Paul is firſt a Iew, ſecondly an elect, thirdly and knowes it. A Iew, 2. Cor. 11.22. Phil. 3.5. Act. 22.2. Elect, this is manifeſt by his conuerſion, Act. 9. he was receiued to merciemercy, 1. Tim. 1.16. he knew he was elect…; elſe his arguments from himſelfe were of no force. Alſo his confident writing of himſelfe, ſhewes it, Rom. 8.2. Gal. 2.20. Rom 8.38. 2. Tim. 1.12. and 4 7,8,17.
Vſe 1.Paul was ſure of his eſtate, and knew it; ſo may all: for we hauehave the ſame Spirit and faith, though not in the ſame meaſure. The Papiſts ſay, it is preſumption to ſay we are ſure, (not what we are) but that we ſhall ſo continue: but all are ſure alſo to perſeuere. The excellent things which God hath prepared for them that louelove him, the Spirit reueales vntounto vsus. And we hauehave receiued the Spirit of God, that we might know the things which are giuen vsus of God. 1. Cor. 2.10. 1. Cor. 2.12.And perſeuerance is one of thoſe things: therefore we may be ſure to perſeuere.
Ob. But Paul knew it by ſpeciall extraordinarie reuelation.
Anſ. I denie it: let them ſhew that. He had his aſſurance no other way then all may hauehave it; namely by his faith and obedience. I liue, ſaith Paul (in aſſurance of ſaluation) by faith, Gal. 2.20. And henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteouſneſſe. How know you that Paul? I hauehave fought (ſaith he) a good fight of faith, &c. 2. Tim. 4.7.8.By which way we alſo know it, and therefore it followeth, And not for me onelyonly, but for them that louelove the appearance of Chriſt.
Indeed I maruell not, that the Papiſts teach, we cannot be ſure, when they rely vponupon Traditions as well as Scriptures, and hold all are iuſtified morally by inherent righteouſneſſe: and therefore becauſe of the mutabilitie of our wils, their aſſurance muſt needs be but morall, which may be otherwiſe. Their doctrine is moſt vncomfortable. He that calleth vponupon God, ſhall be ſaued; but he that prayeth doubting, obtaineth nothing. The Papiſts pray for ſaluation, and doubt: how then can they hauehave it? I am. 1.6.7. by which place it manifeſtly appeares, that a doubting faith is not a ſauing faith. We reade often in the Pſalmes, Bleſſed are they which truſt in the Lord; neuer, Bleſſed are they which doubt.
No maruell though many alſo among vsus cauill at this doctrine: alas, they ſpeake out of their owne feeling. In regard of their naughtie liuing they hauehave iuſt cauſe to doubt, and therefore they thinke none can be ſure. To liue wickedly, and to hauehave a prophane heart, contemning all goodneſſe, makes men ſure indeed, but of damnation: but he which beleeues and repents, is as ſure euen now of ſaluation, as if euen now hewere reigning with Chriſt in heauen.
Vſe 2.When we beleeue and repent, we are perfectly reconciled to God: who retaineth not the leaſt memorie of our iniquities. Of this Paule is an example.
Queſt. What was Paule before his conuerſion?
Anſw. Let himſelfe tell you. I was ſaith Paule, a blaſphemer, a perſecutor, an oppreſſer, impriſoning the Saints: and when they were put to death I gaue ſentence. I puniſhed them in all the Synagogues, compelling them to blaſpheme, and being more madde perſecuted them to ſtrange Citties &c.1. Tim. 1.13. Act. 22.4.5. Act. 26.10.11.
Such a notorious wretch was Paul, and yet behold the infinite goodneſſe of our God; euen Paul is receiued to grace: and not onelyonly to grace to be pardoned and conuerted, but preſently he is aduanced to the higheſt dignitie in the Church: of a perſecuter made an Apoſtle. God ſayes not to him: Well Paule, I will receiue thee to favour, but looke for no great preferment or priuiledge: but he aduanceth him, as though from his cradle he had crept on hands and knees to pleaſe him.
O the ſweet merciemercy of our God, who when he receiues ſinners, neuer comes in within odde items & back reckonings, but forgiueth and forgetteth our ſinnes as if they neuer had been done; nay vſeth vsus as if we had ben the beſt children that could be. So when the prodigall child returnes to himſelfe and to his father, doth his father ſay, Ah ſirra hauehave you ſpent all. &c. Well I am content to receiue you, but as long as I liue Ile thinke on you? No, no. But he fals on his neck, and weepes for ioy, Luc. 15.with O my ſonne, O this my ſonne was loſt but now is found, was dead, but now is aline. Bring out the beſt rayment, the ſhoes, the ring, theiewells, kill the fat calfe, make a feaſt, ſend for muſick that wee may reioyce. All is fogotten. Haſt thou beene a drunkard, a blaſphemer, an vncleane perſon &c. If thou repenteſt and turneſt to God, euen ſo will he vſe thee. He will neuer vpbraid thee with what thou haſt beene; he will remember thy ſinnes no more.Heb. 8.12.
Paule in this is an example to all ſinners, propounded by God himſelfe to vsus, 1. Tim. 1.16.that from the experience of his dealing with him, all might be ambitious of his fauour, and be excited to come vntounto him.
If a Surgeon ſhould come among vsus and vndertaking to cure ſome deſperately diſeaſed perſon, ſhould make him fiſh whole (as we ſay) and as ſound as euer he was, and that freely: Conſule Aguſt; ſerm. 9. et 10. de veibis Apoſt et Anſel…m in loc. Tim.this would allure others to reſort to him for the recouery of their paynes; or as a Phyſitian, deſiring to get a fame, would looke out ſome perſon euen at deaths dore and cure him, that by ſuch experiment, be might get a name, and come into practiſe: So Chriſt deſires fame and glory, he would hauehave all our cuſtome; he would all ſicke conſciences ſhould come vntounto him for cure: and for this purpoſe he takes Paul, in the eye of man ſicke of incurable deſeaſe, he phyſickes him, heales him and highly preferres him, receiuing nothing, but giuing all good things to his patients. for he ſeekes nothing but glory.
Then conſider; haſt thou any old can kerd ſoare about thee? Art thou a ſoule leaper, or haſt thou any or many loth ſome diſeaſes? Yea thou haſt. And as the woman in the goſpell, could not be cured by any Phyſitian, though ſhe had ſpent her whole eſtate that way, ſo no men nor Angells can cure thee: Its onelyonly Chriſt can doe it: and he is moſt gentle to all that come to him, freely healing them, and aduancing them to glory. Why then doſt thou deferre to come vntounto him for ſauing health? Why doeſt thou rather chooſe to periſh and rot in thy ſinnes? He that hath receiued Paule and Mary Magdalene to merciemercy, will not reiect thee if thou repenteſt.