Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 10 · Verse 16
VERSE 16. But they hauehave not all obeyed the Goſpell, for Eſayas ſaith, Lord, who hath belieued our report?
IN this verſe Paul preuents an Obiection, againſt that which was ſaid concerning the preaching of the Goſpel to the Gentiles, that it was of God. As if ſome Iew ſhould ſay: No, Paul, God neuer ſent you to preach to them; for if hee had, he would hauehave ſent you firſt to vsus, and hauehave bleſſed your labours: but the greater part obey you not, either of Iewes or Gentiles. It may be, here and there a few of the common ſort follow you: but where are the great Rabbines, the Phariſes? The fourth part follow you not, but perſecute you. Therfore, becauſe this buſines profits not in your hands, God neuer ſent you, but you runne of your own head.
This was a plauſible Argument to the Iewes, to vvhichwhich Paul anſwers by a Conceſsion, with a Correction annexed: as if he ſhould ſay, Indeed all doe not obey the Goſpel; yet you Iewes are not to be offended; becauſe, as our ſending vvas fore-told, ſo your and their incredulitie; and the ſmall fruit and effect was fore-told alſo.
In this verſe we note two parts; 1. A declaration of the ſucceſſe of the preaching of the Goſpel, Not all obey it. Secondly, a Confirmation of it out of Eſay.
All hauehave not obeyed; that is, beliued: So called, becauſe obedience is an inſeparable effect of faith. The effect is put for the cauſe: ſo we ſay of the trees in our Orchards: this is a Peare, that a plum, when they are the trees that beare ſuch fruit: ſo Faith is the tree that beares the fruit of obedience.
This obedience of Faith is two-fold; Firſt, or Reaſon: Secondly, of Works.
That of Reaſon is, when it giues place and way to the Goſpel, though it conceiue it not. For the Goſpel goes beyond reaſon, as in the point of the Trinitie, Incarnation of Chriſt, Iuſtification of a ſinner before God, Reſurrection, &c. Abraham belieued, aboue or againſt reaſon; and the Goſpel is ſaid to bring into ſubiection our Reaſon.2. Cor. 10.5.
That of vvorks is, when we obſerue the Law; for Faith worketh by louelove, and is to be ſhowne by our works.Gala. 5.6.
For Eſay ſaith, By this is rendred the cauſe, not of the thing, but of the Propoſition. For not becauſe Eſay fore-told, did not all obey, but becauſe all did not obey, Eſay fore-told it.
Lord: This is added by the Septuagint, for explanation.
Who hath belieued? The Interrogation is a forcible Negation; propounded, as ſome ſay, by way of Admiration; that ſo few ſhould belieue; but thats no wonder. Its rather a wonder that any doe, conſidering our corruption, and the diuels ſubtile tentations, then that many do not. Its no wonder to ſee men runne into all manner of ſinne, as tis no vvonder to ſee a ſtone roule downe from the top of a ſteepe hill. I thinke it is ſpoken rather by way of complaint, that ſo fevv ſhould beliue the Goſpell.
Report, or hearing; that is, preaching, by an vſuall Hebraiſme, becauſe nothing in the world is ſo worthy to be heard as it.
Our Report: vvhichwhich are the Prophets, Apoſtles, and Miniſters of the Goſpel.
Who hath: that is, none hauehave: ſo few, as in compariſon, None. So Iohn ſaith, Iohn 3.32.that No man receiueth the teſtimony of Chriſt. Did not Mary, Andrew, Peter, &c, Yes, but in compariſon of the multitude which did not, None.
doctrine When the Goſpell is preached, all are not conuerted by it, and belieue it, Iohn 3.32. and 12.37. Mat. 20.16. 2. Theſ. 3.2.
Vſe 1.Faith is called obedience. Obey thou in life, and make thy reaſon obey. No man ſtanding on his own reaſon euer belieued; an vnſanctified wit is a great hinderance of Faith. The greateſt Philoſophers, as the Epicures and Stoiks, moſt reſiſted Paul, Acts 17.18.as our greateſt Politicians moſt ſcoffe at Religion, and at preaching of the Word.
Ʋſe 2.All are bound to heare, and nothing ſo worthy to be heard as the Goſpel. Let vsus ſay of hearing, as Paul ſpeaks of knowing it: 1. Cor. 2.2.viz. that he eſteemed to know nothing beſides.
The Nurſes ſong doth not ſo quiet the babe, as the preaching of the Goſpell the Conſcience. Its the hand of GOD, offering vsus forgiuenes of ſinnes; Hee therefore who hath eares to heare, let him heare. He hath wel imployed his eares, who hath reuernntly heard the Goſpell; which the diuell keepes many from hearing, leſt by hearing they ſhould be conuerted and liue.
If thou wilt not Now beare that which may profit thee, thou ſhalt heare one day that which will make thy heart to ake, euen this, Goe you curſed, &c. For if any receiue you not, nor heare your words, ſhake the duſt off your feet: truely it ſhall be eaſier for Sodom in the day of Iudgement then for them.Mat. 10.14,15
Vſe 3.Miniſters muſt be affected and grieue, when they ſee the company of reuerent hearers ſo thinne, and their labours ſo fruitleſſe. The Prophet here complaines of this: ſo Chriſt grones for the hardnes of the peoples hearts, and weepes ouer the ſtubbornneſſe of Ieruſalem.
The ſhrewdeſt turne to be done to a Miniſter, is to depriue him of the ioy of his labours; and the way to reioyce them, is to embrace the Goſpel they preach. It will be vnprofitable and heauy for the hearers, to hauehave their Miniſter to complain of them with griefe vntounto God.
Ʋſe 4.Eſay and Paul gaue not ouer, though they had cauſe to cō plaine. As the Phyſician omits no point of his Art, though the recouery of his Patient be deſperate: So, though vvee preach to many deſperate and ſcoffing hearers, we muſt not giuegive ouer, but rather vſe the more diligence. For whether they profit by vsus, or no, we ſhall hauehave our fee. Not as the husbandman loſeth by an ill crop, ſhall I loſe. If I preach, and thou repent not, it ſhall neuer repent me of my paines. I will preach ſtill: for though my preaching be not a ſweet ſauour to thee: yet euen in thee I am a ſweet ſauour to God. Thou alſo ſhalt ſmart for it: for if we be offended when our words are deſpiſed, much more will God bee, at the contempt of his Goſpell.
Ʋſe 5.Although faith cannot be without preaching going before it; yet preaching may be without faith following it: as that which is to be knowne, may be without the knowledge of it. The word that ſounds without is not ſufficient faith, if God ſpeake not within in the heart.
There are two things required to faith; the determination of that which is to be beleeued, and the inclination and perſwaſion of the heart to beleeue. Aquinas.Preaching determines, but its God who perſwades by preaching: God can doe it without preaching, but preaching cannot doe it without God. Our voyce can ſay, Repent; but its God only that giues Repentance. Paul preacheth to Lidiaes eare, but God hath the key of her heart.
Pray that God would open our mouthes to ſpeake; pray alſo that he will vnlocke thy heart to beleeue; for as Rebecca cookt the Veniſon, but Iſaac gaue the bleſsing; ſo wee may plant and water, but its God that giues the increaſe.1. Cor. 3.7.