Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verse 32
VERSE. 32. For God hath concluded them all in vnbeleefe, Or ſhutte them all vp together.that he might hauehave merciemercy on all.
SAint Paul in the two former verſes, brought a ſimilitude to proue the calling of the Iewes: now becauſe ſimilitudes doe more illuſtrate then proue, therefore he in this verſe confirmes the parity of Gods dealing with the Iew, as with the Gentile, from the end of Gods purpoſe in the ſame.
The end of Gods concluding Gentiles and Iewes in infidelitie was not to deſtroy them, but to ſhew merciemercy on them. Therfore if the Gentiles obtaine this end ſo a ſo ſhal the Iew: and thus he concludes this matter as he began it, that Gods end in caſting off the Iewes, is not their deſtruction, but the ſaluation both of Gentile, and alſo of Iew, as verſ. 11.
In this verſe are two things. 1. A Propoſition, God hath concluded all in vnbeleefe.
2. The Amplification from the end: That hee might hauehave mercy on all.
In the Propoſition are, firſt the Action, ſecondly, the Perſons.
The Action, Concluding in vnbeleefe, a metaphoricall ſpeaking, where vnbeleefe is compared to a chaine, or rather a priſon, in the which men are concluded, till it pleaſe God to hauehave merciemercy on them, giuing them faith.
The perſons are twofold: 1. Committing: 2. Committed.
The perſon committing or concluding, is God moſt iuſt, and moſt mercifull.
Queſt. But is not God hereby made guiltie of their Infidelitie.
Anſw. No: no more then a Iudge committing a malefactor to priſon is guiltie of his fault. God makes them not vnbeleeuers, but finding them ſo, puniſheth them with continuance in that eſtate during his pleaſure.
The parties committed: Them all, that is, Iewes and Gentiles; Iewes as well as Gentiles, and Gentiles as well as Iewes.
Heere is an elegant ſimilitude. Men vnconuerted are priſoners, God the Iudge, Vnbeleefe the priſon, the Diuell the gaoler, the Law the Sergeant or the Mittimus, and naturall corruption the fetters, in regard of our indiſpoſition to goodneſſe, and diſpoſition only to euill.
doctrine God hath ſhut vp all in vnbeleefe. This is the common condition of all men, Rom. 3 9.19 23. Gal. 3.22.
Vſe 1.Saint Paul hath in the paſſage of this buſineſſe, ten times told vsus of our miſerable condition by nature: Heere wee are poore priſoners, it is our part to take knowledge of our corrupt nature.
Vſe. 2.Great is the miſerie that accompanies impriſonment, reſtraint of libertie, hunger, cold, baſeneſſe, ſhame, chaines, fetters &c. but no dungeon more lothſome then an vnbeleeuing heart, though a man ſhould ſtand vp to the knees in mire among toads and ſnakes. O that we could be ſenſible of it, that we might ſigh to God for deliuerance, as once did the Iſraelites from their bondage in Egypt. When a man is arreſted, and to bee carried to the gaole, what lamenting among his friends: but our very ſoules are impriſoned in the worſt of priſons, vnderunder the worſt of gaolors, and yet we are merry and iocound, as though it were but a trifle.
Alas, what heart can a condemned wretch hauehave to be merrie, that tarries but for the diſmall houre, wherein he is to bee made a ruefull example So if vnbeleeuers knew their preſent miſerie, and the damnation following, they would ſurely crie for merciemercy to bee repriued, that they might repent and beleeue.
Vſe. 3.We may know whether wee bee yet in this priſon, by two things: Firſt, by faith in God: Secondly, by faith in his Word.
1. Doeſt thou beleeue there is a God? If thou doeſt not, there needs no Iurie to goe on thee, to find thee guilty or not: guiltie: thou art in the very bottome of the dungeon. But thou ſayeſt there is a God. Doeſt thou beleeue alſo that he is iuſt, Almightie, preſent eueryevery where, knowing all things? for as good to ſay there is no God, as not ſuch a God.
Thou art indited of vnbeleefe; How wilt thou bee tried? Euen by thy life ſhalt thou, the beſt triall in the world. What is thy life? Thou doeſt not openly ſteale, commit whoredom, ſo that all the world ſhall ſee thee: but if it be in ſecret, thou wilt make no conſcience. Loe thou art an vnbeleeuer; for if thou diddeſt beleeue as thou ſhouldeſt, thou wouldeſt bee as afraid to commit theſe things in thy ſecret chamber, as in the market place, in the darke as in the light, becauſe the eye of God pierceth into eueryevery place, and through all impediments. It muſt needes argue extreame impudencie for a wife to proſtitute her ſelfe in the eye of her husband.
2. He is an Infidell that beleeues not the Scriptures. Are there any ſo vile (wilt thou ſay) that beleeue not the Bible? yea thouſands in the Church: for the Scripture threatens vngodly men with the plagues of God, and promiſeth eternall life to the godly. Did men beleeue this, durſt they ſo runne on in all prophaneneſſe? No verily, hereby they proclame to the world, that they beleeue not the word of God.