Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 9 · Verse 17
VERSE 17. For the Scripture ſaith vntounto Pharaoh: Exod. 9.16.Euen for this ſame purpoſe hauehave I raiſed thee vp: that I might ſhew my power in thee, and that my Name might be declared throughout all the earth.
THat God is not vniuſt in electing, appeared verſe 15.16. That hee is not vniuſt in reprobating others of equall condition with the Elect, is ſhewed in this Verſe; and in the next verſe both are concluded.
This verſe is to be referred to theſe words, ver. 14. God forbid. For the Scripture ſaith, &c.
The profe is from a teſtimony of Scripture; where we hauehave firſt, The Quality of the teſtimony: and ſecondly, The Subſtance.
The Quality is, that it is vvritten. Hence is to be obſerued, that Paul plainly proues theſe darke points by the Word of God.
Ʋſe 1.Pauls practice is for the imitation of Miniſters.
doctrine Vſe 2.Hearers are to receiue nothing, but that which is ſigned with the hand and ſeale of God, as we receiue no money, but that which hath the armes and ſeale of the King.
Vſe 3.The Scripture is a competent Iudge of cōtrouerſies of faith, becauſe it ſaith to Pharaoh; it ſpeakes to vsus: it is no mute letter, as the Papiſts affirme. For indeed it ſpeaketh not onelyonly of things contained in it, but to vsus: As the ſtatutes of the Land, not onelyonly containe the will of the King, but call to vsus for obedience.
The ſubſta…e of this teſtimony, is taken out of Exo. 9.16. vvhere is declared how God deales with Pharaoh: For this purpoſe I hauehave ſtirred thee vp, &c.
I hauehave ſtirred thee vp. That is, I hauehave raiſed thee vp*Beza., or I hauehave created theebCulu. ſuper Exod., or I hauehave raiſed thee vp to be KingcRupertus., or I hauehave reſerued thee aliue, that thou ſhouldeſt not die of thoſe plaguesdChald. para. et Septuag., or I hauehave made thee remaineeIun. et Trem., or I hauehave ſtirred vp the euilneſſe of thy heart, not made thee euillfAnſel., or I hauehave ſtirred vp thy ſinne, that thou ſhouldeſt be worſe, not giuing thee repentancegAquinas., or I hauehave ſtirred vp thy mind to reſiſt*Piſcator., or rebellaMartyr., or I hauehave cōtinued thee aliue, to make thee an example of my iuſticecAmbroſe., or as Pareus, (referring it to the whole ſtorie of Pharaoh, I hauehave created thee, left thee to thy ſelfe, made thee King, ſtirred vp thy rebellious mind, &c. for this purpoſe, that all the earth might ring of my glory and power.
In this we conſider two things. 1. The Action of God (implying his purpoſeiMartyr.,) I hauehave ſtirred thee vp, &c. 2. The End of it: the glory of God.
The Argument to proue that God is not vniuſt in reprobating equalls, is this; No man euer challenged God to be vniuſt in his dealing with Pharaoh: but as he dealt with Pharaoh, ſo is his dealing with reprobates. Therefore the very force of the reaſon is contained in the end of Gods dealing vvith Pharaoh; which alſo is the end of reprobation. Which end is not the deſtruction of the creature, but the glory of the Creator, and is thus concluded.
That which properly tends to the glory of God, is not vniuſt, but good, by the nature of contraries; for that is euill which dishonoreth God, that good, which glorifieth him. But to reprobate equalls, properly tends to the glory of God. For hereby his power is declared. Therefore it is not vniuſt. For all creatures were made to ſet forth Gods glory, according to his, not their will.
The Turke commaunds his Vaſſals to deſtroy themſelues, to ſhew his power. Is this iuſt? No. Yet is God iuſt, in reprobating for this end: Becauſe thoſe which hee reprobateth, deſerue it by their guiltineſſe.
doctrine God is not vniuſt in reprobating ſinfull men, to ſhew his power. For there are three things here to be conſidered. 2. Sam. 16.10 Iob 34.17,18,19. Prou. 16.4. Habac. 1.12.1. The right of GOD: to whom no man may ſay, Why dooſt thou ſo? 2. The end: not the damnation of men, but his owne glory. 3. The euilnes of the reprobate: in whō God alwaies findes iust cauſe, not onelyonly to damne them, but alſo to deſtinate them thereunto.
Vſe 1.Pharaoh & Tyrants do nothing in perſecuting the Church, but what God appoints: therefore be patient.
Ʋſe 2.Looke to thy end. As Pharaohs wickednes brought him to the bottom of the Sea; ſo will thine bring thee to the bottom of hell, if thou repenteſt not.
Ʋſe 3.Say not, nor thinke, that the doctrine of Predeſtination is hard or vniuſt. Is it hard that the excellent properties of God ſhould be made known? We complaine not that the creatures ſhould manifeſt their nature by their actions: vvhy ſhould we complaine of this in the Creator? The chiefeſt knowledge we hauehave of the creatures, is by their effects: and though it be not the chiefe way whereby we know God, yet is it an excellent way: we hauehave a more excellent way, which is the Word.
It is good therefore, that among them which are equally guilty, as ſome are elected, ſo ſome ſhould be reprobated; for ſo is Gods power knowne, and that is good. His authority alſo; and that is good: His vindicatiue iuſtice, and that is good: His mercy and truth, and that is good: So the Elect are ſtirred vp to prayſe him, and that is good: and to make ſure their election by a holy care, and that is good: and all are made to tremble and ſtand in awe, and that is good.
As of old (and ſo is it now alſo lawfull) Phyſicions begged the body of a condemned perſon, to anatomize it, that the puniſhment of the dead might further the good of the liuing; and as Apothecaries of dead mens fleſh make an expedient Triacle: ſo God makes Triacle of the Reprobate, to doe the Elect good, by ſtirring them vp to praiſe him for their mercy, and to repentance, to the purging out of the venimouſnes of their corrupt nature.
God will glorifie himſelfe vponupon Reprobates, though it be nothing to their eaſe: they will not glorifie God in the manner he will, but they ſhall glorifie him in the manner they would not.
Thou diſhonoureſt God in thy life, ſaying with Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? and trampling vnderunder thy feet his holy Commandements; ſhall God loſe his glory? No, hee will hauehave it ſpite on thy heart: he wil get himſelfe glory in condemning thee: Hee will make thy ſinnes bring forth glory to his Name, as ſome times he brought light out of darkneſſe, and as the Phyſicion drawes preſeruatiues out of ranke poyſons.
But for all this, let none ſinne, becauſe God ſhall thereby be glorified: as no man who hath his wits, will wound himſelfe, that the Surgeon may be condemned for his skill in healing him. For ſinne turnes to Gods glory, not of its owne nature, but by accident through the power of God. No thanke to the ſinner for it; the praiſe of it is Gods.
O that our grieuous ſinners, old Adulterers, horrible Blaſphemers, grinding Vſurers, monſterous proud perſons, &c. would repent; what glory would come to God thereby and prayſe! what reioicing and thankſgiuing would there bee in the Church! what melody in our Fathers houſe, at the comming home of theſe lewd Prodigals! How ſhould themſelues feele the ſweet of it! But if thou repenteſt not, thou ſhalt hauehave euerlaſting ſmart, and God euerlaſting glory, in thy condemnation.