Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 9 · Verses 7-9
VERSE 7. Neither becauſe they are the ſeede of Abraham, are they all children: Gen. 21.12.but in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called.
8. That is, they which are the Children of the fleſh, theſe are not the children of God: but the children of the Promiſe are counted for the ſeede.
9. Gen. 18.10.For this is the word of Promiſe; At this time will I come, and Sara ſhall hauehave a ſonne.
THe Iewes did thus argue (as we hauehave ſeen) that if they be Reprobated; then the word of Promiſe takes no effect. The contrary whereof Paul auouched in the firſt part of the ſixt verſe.
Here Paul proues that which hee auouched; In which proofe hee takes away the ground on which the Iewes did inſiſt.
Their ground was this: that the Promiſe was made to Abraham and his ſeede, and to Iſaac and his ſeede: which ſeede they affirmed themſelues to bee, and from hence argued thus.
To Abrahams ſeede is the Promiſe made.
But we are Abrahams ſeed: therefore the promiſe of Remiſſion of ſin, and Eternall life, muſt be performed to vsus, and if it be not, then doth God faile of his promiſe.
Paul anſwers to this Argumēt, by a diſtinction of the ſubiect to whom the promiſe was made; which ſubiect is the ſeed of Abraham.
The ſeed of Abraham is of two ſorts. Carnall, to which the promiſe is not made: and Spirituall, to which it was made. The error of the Iewes was, that they made the Promiſe too generall; counting all that deſcended of Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob by a carnall generation, to be that ſeed to which the promiſes ſhould belong. But Paul ſhewes, that the promiſe was neuer meant to all that come of Abraham by the fleſh, but to the ſpirituall ſeed, which were the children of the promiſe.
So that there are two parts of Pauls anſwer. In the firſt part he ſheweth, that the promiſe is not meant to all them vvhichwhich are Iſraelites according to the fleſh. In theſe verſes, and ſo to the 24. The ſecond, that it is meant to the elect of all Nations, from the 24. verſe to the end of the chapter.
In this firſt part of Pauls anſwere, he ſhewes, that though many of the Iewes be caſt away, yet the promiſe is not made void; becauſe the promiſe was neuer meant to all the Iewes, thus:
If all were the Iſraelites to whom the promiſe is made, then if all that deſcend of Iſrael, were not ſaued, the promiſe failed: But all that deſcend of Iſrael, are not that Iſrael, to whom the promiſes were made, verſe 6. therefore.
The Minor is proued by a double inſtance: the firſt, of Abrahams children; the ſecond, of Iſaac and Rebeccaes children.
The firſt inſtance is in the 7.8.9. verſes. The ſecond, in the 10.11.12.13. verſes. In the firſt inſtance are two things: the Propoſition, verſ. 7. the ſumme whereof is, that though the tenor of the promiſe be to Abraham, and his ſeed, yet that ſeed is determined in Iſaac: ſo that all that are the carnall ſeed of Abraham, are not children: that is, of God, or of the promiſes. For Iſmael and his poſterity were excluded.
2. The expoſition, v. 8. confirmed, by a teſtimony, ver. 9. They which are the children of the fleſh: that is, of the fleſh of Abraham onelyonly, according to the courſe of nature, are not thereby the children of God, but thoſe which are the children of the promiſe, according to the word of promiſe, are accounted for the ſeed to whom the promiſes are made. Plainely, it is thus to be conceiued. Abraham hath diuers ſonnes, Iſmael, Iſaac, Zimram, Iocktan, Medan, &c. The promiſe is made to Abraham and his ſeed: As if you ſhould ſay, to Abraham and his heires; not meaning eueryevery ſonne, but the heires being nominated by God, namely Iſaac, and all ſuch which are after the manner of Iſaac: the ſeed being to be expounded and reſtrained to the children of promiſe, and extended no farther.
Q. What is meant by the children of promiſe, and vvho are they?
A. Iſaac was a child of promiſe, in this regard, becauſe hee was begotten not by the force of Nature, but by the force of the promiſe, Abraham and Sara being then ſo old, that it was as poſſible for Abraham to hauehave a child by Sara, in nature, as for a ſtone to flie. So that all thoſe which are after the maner of Iſaac, are children of promiſe, as is plaine, Gal. 4.18.
Abraham is the Father of the faithfull, not onelyonly becauſe he is an enſample to the faithful, but by belieuing the promiſe of the birth of Iſaac. For by that faith, he not onelyonly begat the promiſed Iſaac, but all other Beleeuers, which were comprehended in the promiſe which Abraham beleeued: Iſaac beeing a type of all Beleeuers both Iewes and Gentiles.
The ſumme then is, that all they which are after the manner of Iſaac, are the ſeed or children of Abraham, that ſhall be bleſſed with him.
doctrine All Beleeuers are the children and ſeed to which belong the promiſes, Iohn 1.12. Rom. 4.11. Gal. 3.7.9. and 4.28.
Vſe 1.All are not true Iſraelites, which are of Iſrael, nor all true Chriſtians, who are named of Chriſt. As there were many in Abrahams houſe, who were not his ſeed: ſo there are many in Gods houſe, which is the Church, which are not the children of God.
See how thou canſt proue thy deſcent from Abraham; it requires more then to make an outward profeſſion. It requires Faith which is the Correlatiue of the Promiſe. As Abraham by beleeuing becam the Father of the faithful, ſo thou by beleeuing becōmeſt the ſonne or daughter of faithful Abraham.
Children for the moſt part beare the face and countenance of their Parents, and look like them. Examine thy ſelfe. Abraham beleeued in God; was religious. If he came where there was no Altar, hee built one. If hee came where was an Altar, hee worſhipped God. Hee was alſo obedient, euen to the offering vp of his ſonne at Gods commandement. Doeſt thou beleeue, and religiouſly worſhippeſt God publiquely, priuately, dooing cheerefully what God commaunds thee? Surely thou haſt Abrahams face; thou art his child.
Zaccheus, by his faith and obedience became the child of Abraham. He was no Iew, as Chryſoſtome and others hold, though ſome ſay he was. If he were none, bee becomes an Iſraelite. If hee were, yet not a childe of Abraham by his fleſh, but by his faith. In like manner Peter tells vvomen, (whether Iewes or Gentiles, it matters not) that by well-dooing, they are the daughters of Sara.
Art thou an vncleane perſon, a drunkard, a Sabbath-breaker, proud, &c? All the wit in the vvorld cannot proue thee a child of Abraham. Was Abraham ſuch a one? No, no, thou haſt another manner of Father, as our Sauiour tells thee. Ioh. 8.44.Thou ſweareſt, lieſt, ſtealeſt, &c. This did not Abraham. Thou, art of thy father the Diuell; for in this are the children of God, & the children of the Diuell knowne aſunder: Ioh. 3.10.They that are of God, will doe righteouſnes; and they which are of the Diuel, delight in the contrary. Therfore I aduiſe thee to walke in the ſteppes of Abraham, if thou wouldeſt be his child.