Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verse 21
VERSE 21. For if God ſpared not the naturall branches, take heed leſt he alſo ſpare not thee.
IN the 20. verſe, the Apoſtle admoniſhed the Gentile, thus: Be not high minded, but feare: In this verſe is a reaſon of that Admonition, and in the 22. ver. the Concluſion of this whole Digreſſion.
The reaſon is taken from the effect of the contrary: If they be high minded and feare not, God will puniſh them; as if he ſhould ſay, Thou ſtandeſt on the top, thou muſt not hane high conceits, leſt thou come tumbling downe. A man that is on the top of a tree, bragges not of his height, but lookes to his hold: ſo doe thou (ſaith Paul) or elſe thou ſhalt fall.
This is confirmed by an argument a Maiori, thus, If God ſpared not the naturall branches, much leſſe will he ſpare thee. This reaſon is doubly amplified: Firſt from a caution, Take heed: Secondly, by an Antitheſis betweene the naturall branches (the Iew) and the ingraffed (the Gentile). That which is naturall is ſurer then that which is ingraffed; As a natural child is more affectionately beloued then an adopted: If the Iewes were caſt off, which were borne of Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob, and who had many priuiledges, much more the Gentiles, if they take not heed, which are ſublimed with no commendation.Nullae commendaetione ſublimatur. Amb.
doctrine All without reſpect which continue not in grace, ſhall be broken off, Luk. 13.3.5. Reuel. 2.
Vſe.God is not moued with outward priuiledges to ſpare any, or to tolerate in his orchard thoſe which are fruitleſſe, and onelyonly cumber the ground: Thou art planted in the Church, which is Paradiſe, and art watered with thoſe Riuers of God, the word and Sacraments; If thou bringeſt foorth no fruite, though Chriſt himſelfe had come of thy ſtocke, thou ſhalt be broken off, and throwne away.
Vſe 2.Heere is a good Take-heed or Item for many,
1. For England, Germany, all Reformed Chuches: The Iewes were the famous people of God, and yet caſt away for their faithleſſeneſſe: where are thoſe renowned Churches of Aſia, of Greece? Let vsus be warned by their harmes: If we continue not to bring forth fruit, we muſt look for the ſame meaſure which God hath meated out to them.
2. For prophane perſons: If iudgement beginne at Gods owne houſe, how ſhall the wicked eſcape? If an Iſraelite goe to the pot, what ſhould a Canaanite, an Hypocrite, a Rebell looke for? The Scribes and Phariſees, the great obſeruers of the Law, whom the world could not challenge of drunkenneſſe, whoredome, &c. are for all that damned in hell, becauſe they receiued not the Goſpell: If thou, beſides horrible irreligious prophaneneſſe, beeſt oppreſt with all vnrighteouſneſſe, how ſhalt thou eſcape damnation.
3. For the children of God: Art thou one of theſe? walke according to thy profeſſion; if thou groweſt cold as others, take heed. Haſt thou faith? keepe it. Haſt thou a good conſcience, better the peace of it eueryevery day by righteous liuing. Hold that thou haſt. It is worth thy care, and thou haſt a dangerous enemie.
Remember what is come to the Iewes: when thou ſeeſt thy neighbours houſe on fire, it is time to prouide water to ſaue thine owne. When two ſhips ſet forth, if the formoſt run vponupon a rocke and ſplit, her confort that followes will be warned. Thou ſeeſt couetouſneſſe to bee the deſtruction of this man, pride of that, whoredome of another; pray thou againſt theſe ſinnes, and all other, and be carefull.
He that is the childe of God cannot be damned, but he may ſo wound his conſcience, that he ſhall thinke the torments of hell not equall to that which hee feeles: though wee cannot loſe true grace totally, yet it may be ſo abated, that it may breed vsus woe vnſpeakable Dauid ceaſed not to be the child of God by his ſinne, but he receiued ſuch a wound, and was ſo ſhaken, that he loſt for a time all feeling of Gods fauour, and I make queſtion whether hee receiued his former glorious feelings to his dying day. Thou knoweſt when Dauid fayled, where Demas fell, why the Iewes were broken off: watch and pray leſt thou alſo fall into temptation, and approue thy ſelfe a fruitfull branch, leſt thou be broken off.