Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verse 11
VERSE 11. I ſay then; HaueHave they ſtumbled that they ſhould fall? God forbid, but rather through their fall ſaluation is come to the Gentiles, to prouke them to Idolatry.
IN the former part of this Chapter hitherto, Paul hath ſhewed that the Reiection of the Iewes is not totall; now hee proues to verſe 33. that ſuch their Reiection is not finall, but that the multitude, (I ſay not, eueryevery Indiuiduall) ſhall be generally called before the end of the world, that Iewes and Gentiles may make one ſheepe-fold and one flocke, vnderunder one Shepheard Ieſus Chriſt.
To proue this poynt, diuers arguments are brought by Paul, who alone plainely handles this ſecret, in which he inſiſteth the longer, (which is our aduantage alſo in the vnderſtanding of it) for the comfort of the poore Iewes, and for the admonition of the Gentiles, as was touched in the beginning of the Chapter.
So hauehave we in this paſſage two things: firſt, arguments to proue the generall calling of the Iewes before the end of the world: and an admonition to the Gentiles not to inſult, interſerted at ver. 17. to verſ. 23.
I confeſſe that a very learned man, makes all the verſes to the 17. to be arguments of admonition to the Gentiles, and that the Apoſtle comes not profeſſedly to the poynt of the calling of the Iewes, till the 23 verſe. In effect it is all one. For if the Gentiles out of that reaſon ought not to inſult, then it muſt be taken for graunted that the Iewes ſhall be called. But this in my opinion is more naturall and plaine.
The firſt argument is in this 11 verſe. From the end of Gods caſting off the Iewes, which is ſet downe two wayes: firſt, negatiuely: ſecondly, affirmatiuely.
The negatiue end is in theſe words. I ſay then: hauehave they ſtumbled that they ſhould fall? God forbid. And it is ſet downe by a Queſtion & an Anſwere to it: the more familiarly to take away all ſcruple out of the minde of the Iewes, who might hauehave runne mad at the hearing of thoſe direfull curſes out of Eſay and Dauid. For from thence they might ſay; if wee be thus accurſed by thoſe holy Prophets, then there is no hope left for vsus to recouer the fauour of God and be ſaued. O ſayth Paul deſpare not. God hath not caſt you off to that end; he hath not made you ſtumble that you ſhould fall and neuer riſe againe (for to fall is to be vnderſtood, finally to fall.) This Negation is ſet downe with great earneſtneſſe, as is vſual with Paul, God forbid. God purpoſed no ſuch thing, but he propoū ded ſome other end to himſelfe.
Queſt. What is that? An. viz. That through their fall ſaluation might come to the Gentiles, to prouoke them to Ielouſy.
Here are two ends; one iſſuing out of an other. The 1. That ſaluation might come to the Gentiles, amplified by mentioning the occaſion of it: which is the fall of the Iewes.
Queſt. God it ſemes reiects the Iewes that the Gentiles might be called in: may euill bee done that good may come of it?
Anſw. No. And the reiection of the Iewes is not euill but good: an effect of Iuſtice: a puniſhment of their rebellion.
Queſt. Could not God hauehave ſaued the Gentiles, if the Iewes had not bene caſt off?
Anſw. Doubtleſſe he could, but he pleaſed not ſo to doe. The Iewes would not themſelues receiue Chriſt; nor were they content the Gentiles ſhould; being herein like the dog in the manger; it was fit this dog ſhould be driuen away, that the Gentiles might be intromitted and let in at Heauen gates.
The end beyond this: to prouoke them to Ielouſy; that is, to an earneſt emulation, to recouer the louelove of God their huſband.
The reiection of the Iewes begets the calling of the Gentiles and this, the emulation of the Iewes.
To prouoke them to Ielouſie. The Greeke word tranſlated to prouoke to Ielouſy, cannot be expreſſed in any one engliſh word which I can call to minde. It was before tranſlated; to prouoked to follow: both which tranſlations, will make vp the ſence, Ielouſy being here taken, for emulation as it is rendred. ver. 14.
The roote from whence the word in the text is deriued, ſignifies: either enuy or emulation. Which though they be ſometime confounded, yet they differ greatly.
Enuy is a griefe of minde conceiued at the good of our neighbour, with a deſire and endeuour to diminiſh it, being perſwaded that our excellency is thereby obſcured. Thus Caeſar and Pompey enuied one another. Stimulos dedit aemula virtus Nec quenquam iam ferre poteſt Caeſarve priorē Pompeiuus ve parem.Thus did diuers Preachers enuie Paul, ſeeking to ecclipſe his fame. This is not meant here.
Emulation is alſo a griefe of minde for the good of our neighbour. But here is the difference: not becauſe that good is in him, but becauſe it is not in vsus; not becauſe he is ſo good, but becauſe our ſelues are no better. When a man beholding the graces in his neighbour, and his owne backwardneſſe and wants, is grieued at himſelfe, and prouoked to vſe meanes to attaine ſuch graces. This is emulation. And this emulation ſhal the calling of the Gentiles at length breed in the Iewes, whereby they ſhall not be grieued that the Gentiles are ſaued, but that themſelues hauehave bene ſuch beaſts, and are ſo farre behind the Gentiles, whom they ſhall be ſtirred vp with a holy zeale to ouertake. God dealeth with the Iewes, as a ſchoole-maiſter with ſome one ſcholler, in whom he would faine breed a louelove of learning and diligence at his booke; he praiſeth another before his face, and aduanceth him, to ſet his teeth on edge, that ſeeing another praiſed and preferred, he might be prouoked to plie his booke, to obtaine the like commendation.
The argument then you ſee is moſt artificially and cunningly framed thus: If this be the end of Gods reiecting the Iewes to call the Gentiles, that themſelues might be prouoked to follow the Gentiles; then the Iewes ſhall be called: but the firſt is true, as in the text: therefore the laſt.Conſule epiſt. Hierom ad laetae de inſtitutione filioe. Ratio argutisſima Melancthon.
The propoſition is cleared from this, that the end ſpoken of is Gods end. If the Iewes neuer do imitate the Gentiles in receiuing the Goſpell: Then God failes of his end. But this cannot be. Therefore the Iewes ſhall receiue the Goſpell.
Here are two generall doctrines.
doctrine The Iewes are reiected that the Gentiles might be called. Math. 21.43. Act. 13.45. experience alſo proues this.
Vſe 1God delights not in the death of a ſinner, neither is that the chiefe end of his decree, though it follow it. He propounds his owne glorie, which is fit ſhould be ſet forth in their puniſhment, who will not glorifie him in their obedience.
God, when the Iewes contemne his fauours, doth not refuſe to be fauourable to any, but then beſtowes them on the Gentiles. This is contrary to our practiſe and words. If we hauehave done good to one that hath rewarded vsus ill, then we vow neuer to do the like for any. This is corruption: and nothing elſe but an excuſe for the ſpare of our purſes. God doth not ſo: imitate him.
When the Iewes refuſe the Goſpell, God giues it to the Gentiles. He is not tied to any nation. Thinke of this O England, which deſerueſt to be ſtripped of the ſweete bleſſings thou enioyeſt. God hath a nation in ſtore, to put into the poſſeſſion of the fauours thou holdeſt of him, if thou bringeſt not forth fruites worthy of the Goſpell thou haſt. He that vſed not his talent well, had it taken from him, and giuen to another before his face. When Saul behaued not himſelfe well in his kingdome, it is giuen to Dauid. Hold that thou haſt, O England, leſt another take thy crowne.
doctrine 2 The vocation of the Gentiles is the prouocation of the Iew. Deuter. 32.20. and ver. 15. following.
Vſe 1.God is in finitely good, who out of the greateſt euill, the ſinne of the Iewes, can bring ſo great good as the ſaluation of the Gentiles and Iewes. He makes treacle of our poiſon: and neuer would ſuffer any euill to be, if he knew not how to bring good out of it. Our very enemies who ſeeke to miſchiefe vsus, ſhall thereby promote our good: as in the example of Ioſeph. So hauehave I ſeene ſome mans reputation ſhine the more being enuied. For enuie diminiſheth not, but increaſeth our praiſe. Some hauehave grieued that they hauehave not bene enuied, and others hauehave wiſhed this as a great plague vntounto a man, not to be enuied, becauſe enuie hath bene holden a true marke of vertue in the partie who is enuied.Themiſtocles. Qui ducis vultus et non legis iſta libenter, Omnibus inuideas, Inuide, nemo tibi. Martial.
The Iewes ſhall be prouoked to embrace the Goſpel, by the faith of the Gentiles. Learne what vſe to make of the good gifts thou ſeeſt in others. Praiſe God for the vertues of thy neighbour, and pray to hauehave the like in rhy ſelfe. Looke vponupon thy wants by the glaſſe of his goodneſſe, and ſay, Father bleſſe me alſo. Let it ſtirre thee vp to a holy emulation and ſtrife to do as well, nay better: as Peter and Iohn ſtroue to outrunne one another to the ſepulchre. Let vsus conſider one another, and prouoke to good workes.
Vſe. 2.There are three ſorts of men offending herein. 1. Such as neuer regard good or bad men, all are alike vntounto them. They after a ſtupid maner, conſider not a mans gifts, but a gay coate or a gold ring: they walke without obſeruation.
2. Some will conſider their neighbour and their gifts, how they are qualified and ſpend their liues, but as the diuell conſiders the ſeruants of God, to miſchiefe them. Theſe are enuious perſons, moſt grieuous ſinners. Enuy is noted by the Fathers to be the worſt of all ſinnes, and therefore one of them ſaith, Greg. Mag. li. 5. cap. 34.that indeed, in other ſinnes the Diuell powres his poyſon into men; but when he workes vponupon an enuious man, he ſhakes his bowels, as when we would hauehave dregges and all, we ſhagge and ſhake the veſſell vp and downe. Beware of this ſinne, it ſeldome obtaineth pardon. As it is the worſt of ſinnes, ſo the iuſteſt, as a Viper eating out the bowels where it is bred.Hieron. in cap. 5. epiſt. ad Galat.
3. Some conſider the good, but not thoſe which are better then themſelues: only looking at their inferiours: as the Phariſee pickes out the Publican for compariſon. This conſideration breeds not a ſtriuing vntounto more godlineſſe, but a ſpirituall ſloth. If thou be a Magiſtrate or Miniſter, or common Chriſtian, it may be there are ſome inferiour vntounto thee in good abilities: but looke thou vponupon the beſt, and ſtriue to attaine to them. If beneuolence be to be gathered for the poore, follow not him that giues leaſt, but weighing thy ability, proportion them who are moſt liberall. Occupat extremum ſcabies.It is a ſhame to be in the lagge, ſtriue to be formoſt: As the light of the Sunne drawes men out to their labour and buſineſſe; ſo if thou haſt a neighbour ſhinning as a ſtarre in grace, let his light draw thee to pleaſe God.