Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verse 16
VERSE 16. For if the firſt fruite be holy, the lumpe is alſo holy: and if the roote be holy, ſo are the branches.
HEere is another Argument taken from the relation of the Iewes, to the couenant made with their fathers: thus, A holy people ſhall not be finally reiected: But the Iewes are a holy people: Ergo. The Minor is proued by the likeneſſe of the effect with the procreant cauſe, thus: That whoſe procreant cauſe is holy: is holy: But the procreant cauſe of the Iewes is holy: namely, Abraham, Iſaak and Iacob. Ergo.
The propoſition of the laſt Syllogiſme is heere auouched by Paul, vnderunder two elegant ſimilitudes. Firſt, from the law of Ceremonies in the firſt part of the verſe. Secondly, from the law of Nature, in the laſt.
The Patriarkes are compared to the firſt fruits and roote: the people of the Iewes, to the lump and branches. The Iewes then deſcending from thoſe Patriarkes, to whom and their ſeed for euer the Couenant is made, are ſtill in the Couenant, and therefore their ſtate not deſperate.
If the firſt fruits: This hath commonly beene rendred by a word which ſignifieth an Aſſay or Taſte: as whē a Cook by taſting a ſpoone full of his prepared broth, knowes how the whole meſſe taſteth. This taſte they make to be the Apoſtles: but this doth eneruate the Argument, and is not to the purpoſe. It is better tranſlated firſt fruits, hauing reference to the Patriarkes, to whom the Couenant was made.
Concerning theſe firſt fruits the law is ſet downe, Leuit. 23. where the people may not put ſickle into their corne, till they hauehave offered a ſheafe to the Lord, and then it was lawfull for them to reape it, and hereby they had aſſurance, ſafely to Inne their whole croppe. Hence by alluſion is our Sauiour called the firſt fruits of them that ſleepe, becauſe our Reſurrection depends vponupon, and is aſſured by his. Alſo when they had their corne in, and made ready of it for their vſe, they might not eat of it, till they had offered two loaues to the Lord and then was their whole lumpe ſanctified and made lawfull for them to eate.
Queſt. Why did God command theſe ceremonies?
Anſw. To teach the Iewes hereby, that they receiued all bleſſings from the Lord. So that as Princes and Nobles, when they beſtow Mannors vponupon deſeruing ſeruants, make reſeruation of ſome fealtie, ſeruice rent, or ſuch like; onelyonly to ſhew that they hold of them. So God required this of the Iewes, that they might know they held in chiefe of him. This law in regard of the Ceremonie is aboliſhed, but the morall part is perpetuall, namely, that we ought to be thankfull to God for his benefits: A thing that the wiſeſt Heathens obſerued, which may the more ſhame many of vsus, who day and night partake of Gods good bleſſings, and yet make none or a ſlender acknowledgement for the ſame.
But to returne to our matter: The ſanctification of Abraham, Iſaak and Iaacob, to be the people of God, ſanctifieth outwardly all their poſterity: As when the two loaues were offered, not only that lumpe or batch of dow, from whence they were taken: but eueryevery kernell was ſanctified to the nouriſhment of them and theirs: ſo the very laſt man, that ſhall bee borne of that Nation, hath right to the Couenant.
The ſame is the ſenſe of the other ſimilitude: The branches follow the Nature of the roote, ſo doe the Iewes the ſtate of of thoſe holy Patriarkes in regard of the outward things of the Couenant.
Obiect. I, the next Generation.
Anſw. Nay, euen as not only the loweſt boughs which are next the root partake of the nature of the root, but the higheſt twigg that is fartheſt of from the ſame; ſo not only the next generation partake of the benefit of the couenant to bee the people of God; or thoſe which returned out of Egiptian or Babilonian bondage; or thoſe which liued in Chriſts time, but eueryevery Iew to the end of the world. They are ſtill to be acknowledged a holy people and in the couenant in regard of right, though not in regard of poſſeſſion. For the couenant was not limited for any terme, but is euerlaſting.
Concerning the holineſſe here ſpoken of; Aquin.ſome diſtinguiſh it into actuall, and potentiall, denying the firſt and granting the ſecond: But potentially any Nation is holy as well as the Iewes; God can make them ſo: But heere is meant a preſent holineſſe, which is only in regard of the Couenant, and their right vntounto the promiſes by the ſame.
doctrine The Iewes are ſtill a holy people. This appeares by their euidence and their letters paten…s, the tenor of the firſt grant running thus: The God of Abraham, and of his ſeed after him, in their generations by an euerlaſting Couenant, Gen. 17.7. So reade Act. 2.38.39. and 3.25. They are called the children of the Couenant, being for euer ſeparated in the loynes of their Fathers, vntounto the Lord. And though ſome of them, for their particular hauehave forfeited their eſtate, yet ſ me particulars cannot forfeit the priuiledge granted to the whole Nation.
Ob. The Nation of the Iewes is before called Rebellious: how then can it now be called holy?
Anſ. There is a double holineſſe: Firſt, of Regeneration. Secondly, of the Couenant: in regard of the firſt they are rebellious; in regard of the ſecond, they are holy.
Ob. We are by nature the children of wrath as Paul acknowledgeth of himſelfe being a Iew. Epheſ. 2.3.How then can the Iewes bee holy by nature or birth?
Anſ. Both theſe may be in one ſubiect becauſe they are not in the ſame reſpect: The former definition of holineſſe makes it plaine. In regard of the firſt, Children of wrath: in regard gard of the ſecond, Holy by nature. The firſt cannot be conueyed by parents to poſterity: The ſecond is, as for example, A Gentleman is choſen to ſome great office, whereby he is a great Lord: he begets a ſonne; this ſonne is a Gentleman by birth, but not a Lord: becauſe the honor of his father was not inueſted in his bloud, but a ſpeciall grace conferred on his perſon. Indiuiduall and perſonal accidents, are neuer deriued, but common are; as to be the people of God: So we beget children, who though they are borne in originall ſinne, yet alſo within the Couenant. As a ſonne of a Free-man of London, is borne free, though lame or deformed: ſo are our children, free of the Church, though originally polluted. The ſame perſon may be the child of wrath by the common condition of Nature in Adam. And yet holy by the common condition of the Couenant in Abraham.
Vſe 1The children of Chriſtians, are borne Chriſtians and holy: by vertue of the Couenant hauing right to the initiating ſeale of the Couenant, which is Baptiſme: which right, if they were not borne Chriſtians, they could not hauehave. Before Baptiſme our children, are eyther Heathen or Chriſtians: But not heathens: for then they might not be baptiſed till they had made confeſſion of Chriſt with their owne mouth. Therefore they are borne Chriſtians. Baptiſme maketh not a Chriſtian, but ſignifieth. As there are Iewes by nature, ſo Chriſtians. If any alledge that of Hierome, Hieron. aduerſus vigil.we are not borne, but reborne Chriſtians,: the anſwere is ready: we are not borne regenerate Chriſtians, but to be regenerate. The ſaying muſt bee ſo vnderſtood, or elſe it is falſe: we beget Chriſtians, not Beleeuers.
Vſe 2.The children of Chriſtians dying before Baptiſme, dye not as Heathens and Turkes, but as Chriſtians, therefore they hauehave hope, and their parents may bee comforted ouer them. The Doctrine of the Papiſts, teaching that children dying vnbaptiſed are damned, is a cruell doctrine, without ground in the Scripture.
Queſt. But what is to bee thought of ſuch children which die vnbaptiſed, whoſe parents die without repentance?
Anſ. The ſinne of the next parents cannot barre the priuiledge of the childe: who may make claime from ſome others of his Anceſtors who hauehave beleeued. And by ſuch parents making profeſſion outwardly, ſuch a childe may hauehave a right to the outward things of the Couenant; yet parents would bee admoniſhed, to deliuer ouer their euidence and charter to their children as faſt as they hauehave receiued the ſame. For though the title of children whoſe parents are wicked is good to the ſacrament; yet it is more comfortably deriued, from next parents beleeuing.
Vſe 3.Thou ſhalt neuer hauehave comfort that thou art born a Chriſtian, til thou beleeueſt as a Chriſtian ſhould doe. He that is free borne, and will vſe his freedom, muſt obſerue ſome ceremonie, and receiue ſome inſtrument teſtifiing the ſame: ſo though we be borne of Chriſtian parents, yet there is ſomething to be done on our parts, we muſt beleeue and repent; the ſinne of the father preiudiceth not the beleeuing; nor the righteouſneſſe of the father ſaueth the vnbeeleeuing childe.
Its a credit to be borne of religious parents if we be religious. If a man hauehave a thouſand pound land a yeere left him, and ſpend it all in riotous liuing, what credit is it for him to brag that his friends left him ſuch an eſtate? nay it is a ſhame to him: ſo if the vertues of our parents liue in vsus, its a grace to vsus, otherwayes, the contrary. Its better to be religious, and the ſonne of wicked parents, then being the ſonne of godly parents to be wicked. He is truly noble that is good, but a wicked and vitious man, though he came of a worthyer father then Abraham, is to be accounted baſe. Walke in the ſteps of thy godly parents, and if they were not godly, redeeme the baſeneſſe of thy family, by thy holyneſſe and vertues.
Vſe 4.Art thou borne a Chriſtian? Why then liueſt thou like a Turke or heathen, in all manner of vitiouſneſſe and profaneneſſe? If thou beeſt free borne, why becōmeſt thou by thy wickedneſſe the diuels ſlaue? As thou beareſt the name of Chriſt ſo liue like him. When young Tobit, married her, whoſe ſeuen former husbands were ſlaine for their vitiouſneſſe, he ſpeakes to her the firſt night, being in the bed chamber, after this manner: ſiſter let vsus pray vntounto God; for we may not come together as the heathen, for we are the children of the Saints. So when thou art tempted to euill, thinke and ſay thus. I am a Chriſtian borne, God forbid that I ſhould defile my ſelfe with heatheniſh and wicked manners.