Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 9 · Verses 32-33
VERSE 32. For they ſtumbled at the ſtumbling ſtone,
33. As it is written, bEſay 8.14. & 18.16. 1 Pet. 2.6.Behold, I lay in Sion a ſtumbling ſtone, and Rocke of offence, and whoſoeuer beleeueth on him, ſhall not be cOr, confounded.aſhamed.
THe Iewes miſſe of Righteouſneſſe to Iuſtification, becauſe they beleeue not in Chriſt. Here is ſhewed the reaſon, why they beleeue not in Chriſt, who came of their fleſh, and preached amongſt them.
The Reaſon is ſet downe in the end of verſe 32. vnderunder a Metaphor continued by Paul.
The Iewes purſue and follow after righteouſneſſe: but as hee that runnes in a race, if hee ſtumble and fall, loſeth the prize, for another gets before him: So they ſtumbled at the meanes of Chriſt, in whom onelyonly righteouſneſſe was to bee had. Is not this the Carpenter, Maries Sonne ſay they? Mar. 6.3.Can he giuegive vsus a righteouſnes better then our owne? So when Chriſt told the woman of Samaria of Water of Life. Art thou (ſaith ſhe in contempt) Ioh. 4.12.greater then our Father Iacob that gaue vsus this Well? Canſt thou giuegive better water then this? Thou art a like man.
In this reaſon, Chriſt, in regard of his outward pouertie, is compared to a ſtumbling ſtone. And the Iewes refuſing to beleeue in him, becauſe of his pouerty, are ſaid to ſtumble, and not to attaine the righteouſneſſe for Iuſtification, which they purſued.
Wee ſtumble many times at a ſtone, which for the littleneſſe is not marked: ſo the littleneſſe of Chriſt was the occaſion of their ſtumbling: they thinking that the neglect of ſo meane a perſon (as hee outwardly ſeemed) could not preiudice them.
Now becauſe ſome might aske, who this ſtone is, and who laid it in their way? Paul ſhewes theſe things, with other, verſe 33. by the Teſtimonie of Eſay 8.14. and 28.16. where we hauehave fiue things.
1. Who this Stone is: namely, Chriſt: who is often called by Dauid his Rocke: Pſal. 118.22.not for offence, but defence: Epheſ. 2.20.and by him and Paul, a chiefe Corner Stone: becauſe as the walles of a building are ioyned and holden together by the Corner Stone, ſo the Church is vpholden by Chriſt. But here hee is a ſtumbling ſtone. Not in himſelfe, properly, in the firſt place: but by accident, when he is reiected of the builders. Hee is ſo Paſſiuely, not Actiuely: for hee is giuen to ſaue men, not to deſtroy them: to keepe them vp, not to make them fall: In his owne Nature he is a Ieſus: but when hee is not receiued, he is a Rocke of offence, and becomes a ſeuere Iudge.
A Stone to ſtumble at, and a Rocke of offence, are diuerſly by Interpreters applyed: The firſt, to the Gentiles: the ſecond, to the Iewes: and contrarily alſo by ſome; a Stone, to the Ignorant: a Rocke, to vnbeleeuers; by ſome a Stone to his Incarnation, a Rocke to his Paſſion, &c. but theſe are too curious, the beſt is to take them as ſignifying one and the ſame thing.
Three things made the Iewes to ſtumble. Firſt, the meaneneſſe of his Perſon, they expected that the Meſſiah ſhould hauehave come as another Alexander. Ioh. 7.48,49.Secondly, the meaneneſſe of his followers, his Diſciples, Fiſhermen: his Hearers, the meaneſt of the people. Thirdly, the qualitie of his Doctrine, full of reproofe of their Hypocriſie and vile dealing: They ſought to bee praiſed of all men: but hee vncaſed their Hypocriſie, and laid them open, denouncing woe, woe, woe, againſt them.
2. Where this ſtone is laid: in Sion, in Iewry, in the Church.
3. Who put it there. God himſelfe: in the firſt and chiefe end, to build men vp to ſaluation: but if they refuſe and diſobey: then to be a Rocke of offence.
4. To whom. To vnbeleeuers, noted by the contrarie.
5. The effect: They that ſtumble, ſhall be aſhamed, noted alſo by the contrarie. They that beleeue; ſhall not bee aſhamed.
doctrine Chriſt is a Rocke of offence to them which beleeue not, nor repent, Luke 2.34. 1. Cor. 1.23. 1. Pet. 2.6.
Vſe 1.Many ſpeake euill of the Goſpell, and of hearing Sermons. 2. Cor. 6.14.Be not offended at it: you ſee it is no new thing. If any wonder that the Goſpell hath ſuch enemies as the Diuell and the Pope are, and that it is ſuch a moat in their eyes: Let them remember that light and darkneſſe are contrary; and they which doe euill, hate the light: Ioh. 3.20.and Chriſt himſelfe is ſtumbled at.
Vſe 2.The Reaſon why ſo much preaching brings forth ſo little Faith, is becauſe men thinke not reuerently of it, but account the preaching and profeſſing of the Goſpell a meane thing.
The meane conceit the Iewes had of Chriſt, bred their Infidelitie. The meane conceit Nathaniel had of Nazaret, Ioh. 1.46.at firſt hindred his Faith. When the Woman of Samaria began to conceiue more highly of Chriſt, ſhe left ſcoffing, and beleeued. And when Nicodemus is perſwaded that Chriſt is a Teacher ſent from God, Ioh. 4.19. Ioh. 3.2.he reſorteth vntounto him for inſtruction.
So when we heare the Word, not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the Word of the liuing God, it will be powerfull, and worke Faith in our hearts.
Vſe 3.Nothing more Soueraine then Chriſt, yet an offence to wicked men. No ſauour more ſweet then of the Goſpell; yet a ſauour of death to the wicked. As wholeſome meate, to a healthfull man, hath a good relliſh: but to one that is agueiſh, euen honey is bitter: and as the light is cheerefull and comfortable to ſound eyes, but an offence to ſore: ſo to good men there is nothing more delightfull then the Word: then the which there is nothing more tedious to the wicked.
There are diuers kindes of them which ſtumble at Chriſt, and his Word.
1. The Iewes, as appeares in this place.
2. The Turkes, who cannot be brought to ſeeke for ſaluation in him, who hath hanged on a Tree.
3. The Papiſts: Tell them that their Maſſes doe no Good: that workes iuſtifie not; that the Virgin Mary cannot helpe vsus; that Chriſt is our onelyonly Mediator: They cry out, Sedition, Hereſie, &c. We are made blocks, good works are ſpoken againſt.
4. The Worldling: Who affecting pleaſure and gaine, and perceiuing the Croſſe to follow the Goſpell, is by and by offended.
5. Ignorant people; who are offended with the paucitie of Profeſſors: If this be the true Religion, why is it ſo much ſpoken againſt? Shall none be ſaued (ſay they) but they which follow Sermons, &c?
6. A ſort of people among vsus called Separatiſts, or Phariſes, whom I much pitie, becauſe I am perſwaded there are ſome amongſt them, that are conſcionable. Theſe ſtumble at our mixt aſſemblies; they will not know that the beſt field hath Tares, the beſt Wheate chaffe, the beſt men faults, and the pureſt Chriſtians defects. Yea, they will not ſee the beames in their owne company, but in our Church eueryevery moate troubles them.
7. Our ordinarie profane people, who cannot afford a good word either to a Preacher, or conſcionable Profeſſor. Theſe ſay; It was neuer merry world ſince there was ſo much Preaching: ſo much following of Sermons, is to make men Beggers, Fooles, to runne out of their wits. What is the matter with theſe men? What is that which troubles them? The Truth is: Theſe men which ſay after this manner, are either Drunkards, Whore-maſters, common Swearers, or giuen to ſome notorious lewdnes, and becauſe the Word findes them out, and diſeaſes them in their euill courſes, therefore they are offended at it: If they bee not controuled for their faults, they are quiet enough. Herod was a wonderfull Goſpeller for a while, till Iohn told him of his Inceſt: So the Preacher is a good man, till he tell them of their faults.
Ʋſe 4.Chriſt and his Word are good to them which vvalke vprightly! Mic. 2.7.Beleeue in CHRIST and obey his Word: then will Chriſt be thy defence, and his Word thy Comfort. But if thou bee profane, and thereby an enemy to thy ſelfe, then is the Word thy enemy, which if thou didſt louelove & obey, would be thy faithfull friend, euen in the houre of Death.
When Moſes threw his Rod out of his hand, it became a Serpent, and hee was afraid of it: but when he laid hold of it, and tooke it to him, it became That Rodde whereby hee wrought many Miracles. So, caſt the Word from thee, and it is a Serpent; but lay hold of it by Faith, and obey it, and thou ſhalt hauehave the great Worke of thy Saluation wrought thereby.
Bleſſed is the man which is not offended at Chriſt and his Word: It is hard to kicke againſt the prickes. If a man ſtrike his hand vponupon the point of a ſpeare, he hurts not the ſpeare, but his hand. If hee ſpurne at a ſtone, hee hurts not the ſtone, but his owne feete: ſo whoſoeuer maligne and ſpeake euill of the Word: Alas, they hurt not that, but themſelues, euen to their vtter condemnation, if they repent not. If thou haſt beene a deſpiſer, repent: louelove and obey the Word, that thou maiſt be ſaued.