Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 10 · Verse 20
VERSE 20. But Eſayas is very bold, and ſaith; Eſay. 65.1.I was found of them that ſought me not: I was made manifeſt vntounto them that asked not after me.
HEre hee brings the Teſtimony of Eſay, a great Prophet, of the bloud royall, whom the Iewes greatly honored. This Teſtimony in effect, is the ſame with that of Moſes: it onelyonly differs in words. In it are to be conſidered two things: Firſt, The manner of the Teſtimony. Secondly, The matter of it. The manner is, that Eſay witneſſeth boldly, or audaciouſly; this being to be taken in the better part, not as a fault. It was not ſafe to preach as Eſay did; for the Iewes were not patient to heare their downe-fall, and of the aduancement of the Gentiles: therefore he had need be of a bold ſpirit: and this boldneſſe (like enough) coſt him his life. For by the cō mandement of Manaſſes, he was put to a cruel death, being (as it is ſaid) tHierom. li. 15 in Eſai. in fine.ſawne aſunder with a woodden ſaw.
doctrine Miniſters are boldly to preach the truth. Paul requireth ſo to be prayed for, Ephe. 6.19. And ſo he enioynes Titus, 2.13.
Vſe 1.Miniſters may not feare the faces of men, leſt God deſtroy them. They may not be timorous, nor clawbacks: neither of theſe can be faithfull. They muſt be men of courage, to ſtand for God and the truth, againſt all oppoſites, though they hauehave Iohn Baptiſts reward for their labour.
Art thou oppoſed in thy miniſtery? Tu contra audentior ito, be the more bold with diſcretion and wiſedome, and let not thy very life be deare vntounto thee, to fulfill the miniſtration thou haſt receiued of the Lord.Acts 20.24.
Ʋſe. 2.As it is our parts boldly to preach, ſo it is your parts meekly to heare, and cheerefully to follow that which is taught.Iam. 1.21.
The matter of the Teſtimony is two-fold. Firſt, of the Calling of the Gentiles in the reſt of this verſe. Secondly, the Reiection of the Iewes, verſe 21.
In theſe words are two things. Firſt, a deſcription of the Calling of the Gentiles. Secondly, an amplification of it.
The deſcription; I hauehave beene found and made manifeſt.
To finde God, is to know him, to finde fauour with him, to hauehave him, and enioy him as our portion, which they doe which beleeue and repent.
I hauehave beene made manifeſt, that is, not declared in ſhadowes and Ceremonies, but plainely. Theſe are ſet downe in the time paſt, for the future, becauſe it was then as ſure to be done, as it is now done.
The Amplification, is from the deniall of the cauſe of finding. They ſought not: They asked not, or minded him not. For we read of the wiſeſt of the Gentiles (as Pythagoras, Plato, Ariſtotle, &c.) that they trauelled and ſought into eueryevery corner of the world for Philoſophy, and to talke with learned men: but wee neuer read that they came into Iury to ſeeke God. And yet God was found, though not of them in particular, yet afterwards of the Gent…es in generall.
Or here is a deſcription of the Gentiles. A Gentile is ſuch a one, who ſeekes not after God. This is our glaſſe; for wee are Gentiles.
doctrine Our conuerſion and calling, is not from our owne wiſedome, merit, labour, but from the mercy of God. 2. Tim. 1.9. Iam. 1.18.
Ʋſe 1.We are well taught in our Liturgy to confeſſe, that wee hauehave gone aſtray like loſt ſheepe. Chriſt is compared to a Shepheard, we to loſt ſheep: He to a woman hauing loſt her groat; we to the loſt groat. The groat ſeekes not the woman, nor the ſheep the Shepheard: ſo nor wee Chriſt; its he man, nor the ſheep the Shepheard: ſo nor wee Chriſt; its he that ſeekes vsus, or we muſt be loſt for euer.Luke 15.
Abraham dwelt in Vr of the Chaldees, and was (as is probably gathered) an Idolater, and had ſo beene to his dying day, if God had not called him. We are deſcribed to be as a child caſt out and forſaken. Ezech. 16.Wert thou ſeeking God when thou wert called? No, thou wert ſeeking another, nay a contrary thing. What was Paul doing when hee was called? was he ſeeking Chriſt? Yea that he was, but to perſecute him in his Saints, not to beleeue in him. So if thou well remembreſt thy ſelfe, wert thou following thy owne luſts, when God called thee, hauing neither fore caſt to ſeeke, nor a heart to bee willing to bee found when God ſought thee, vnleſſe God had bowed and inclined it. Euen as Adam ranne from God, when he came to ſeek him, and was faine to dragge him from behind the buſhes: So, if God had not dealt with thee in like manner, thou hadſt been a loſt ſheep euen to this day: Prayſe God for finding thee out.
Vſe 2.A Heathen is one that ſeekes not after God; then hauehave we ſwarmes of heathens among vsus: for, though many be baptized, and come to our Aſſemblies; yet their hearts ſeeke not God, but the fulfilling of their owne abominable deſires. Such with men may be in the account of Chriſtians; but in the day of ſeparation, God will range then among the number of Heathens. A Conuert is ſuch a one to whom God hath manifeſted himſelfe, giuing him Faith and Repentance; and ſuch are happy.
Q. How is God to be found?
Ʋſe 3.A. Three things are to be obſerued for the finding of God. 1. The time. 2. The place. 3. The manner.
For the time, we muſt ſeeke God firſt: Mat. 6.33.Firſt ſeeke the Kingdome of God. Firſt our profit and pleaſure, and then God, is no good Method. Many make the ſeeking of God an Aftercare, a work of their Age. Its a hundred to one, that he which ſeekes the Diuell in his beſt age, ſhall neuer find God in his worſt age; when the dayes come, in which he ſhall ſay that he hath no pleaſure in them. GiueGive the firſt of thy time, and of eueryevery day to God, or elſe thou mayſt deſpaire to find him in the reſt of thy time and day. Seeke God early.
The place. God is eueryevery where, but not eueryevery where to be found ordinarily. The ordinary place is the Congregation of his Saints, where his name is called vponupon, and his Word preached, for there he hath promiſed his preſence. Mat. 18.20. Pſal. 105.4.Seeke the Lord and his ſtrength, ſeeke his ſtrength euermore. The meetings of the Saints are called the face of God, becauſe there he manifeſts himſelfe, diſpenſing his fauours and bleſſings. Where ſhould wee ſeeke for a man but at his houſe? The Church is the houſe of the liuing God. 1. Tim. 3.15.Seeke him there, for at Salem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling at Sion. The Church is directed for the finding of Chriſt, to get her forth by the footſteps of the flocke, Cant. 1.7.toward the Tents of the Shepheards, that is, to reſort with the people of God, to the hearing of the Word.
When then ſhall our Recuſants finde God, with ſuch as will not vouchſafe to ſtep ouer their Threſhold to heare his Word? There is a time when they ſhall finde him, but to their coſt, as a Iudge to puniſh them for their contempt.
The manner: In holineſſe: not in hypocriſie and profaneneſſe. Who (ſaith Dauid) Pſal. 15.ſhall aſcend into Gods hill, and ſtand before him? Euen he that hath cleane hands, and a pure heart, &c. This is the generation of them that ſeeke him; that ſeeke thy face, O God of Iacob. Pſal. 24.6.The pure in heart ſhall ſee God, Mat. 5.8.and without holineſſe none ſhall ſee him. Heb. 12.14.Away therefore with Drunkenneſſe, Pride, Vncleanneſſe, and beaſt-like liuing. This generation ſhall not finde God. He bleſſeth them who ſeeke him in goodneſſe.
Ʋſe 4.Haſt thou found GOD, when thou ſoughteſt him not? Seeke him then, and thou ſhalt more finde him. The heart of them ſhall reioyce which ſeeke him, much more the heart of them which finde him.Pſal. 105.3.
Examine then thy heart, whether thou canſt finde God there: Thou ſhalt know his preſence, by thy ioy, thy care, thy feare.
1. Art thou more glad of Faith and Repentance, then of all the vvorld? Of mercy ſhewed to thy Conſcience, then if thou wert an Emperour? Is thy deſire to God, and his Word, aboue all pleaſures? God is in thy heart, or elſe there could not be ſuch ioy.
2. Haſt thou a care to keepe God, in a godly conuerſation? Thou haſt him. He that hath a Treaſure, hath a care to keepe it: and that is not a mans, treaſure which he caſteth at his heeles.
3. Art thou afraid to loſe GOD, or to doe any thing to grieue him? Art thou humbled, if thou feeleſt any abſence, or emptineſſe of his Grace? and art thou ſtirred vp vvith the Church in the Canticles to ſeeke him whom thy ſoule loueth? Thou haſt a good heart: and thy God dwelleth in thee.