Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verses 26-27
VERSE. 26. As it is written, Eſay. 59 20.then ſhall come out of Syon the deliuerer, and ſhall turne away vngodlines from Iacob.
27 For this is my couenant vntounto them, when I ſhall take away their ſinnes.
PAul had this doctrine of the calling of the Iewes by reuelation, which is ſufficient for our fayth: but yet he farther prooues it, both by ſcripture, in theſe words, and by vndeniable reaſons, in the other verſes to 33.
As it is written: Obſ. Who ſo obtrudes any opinion to the Church without warrant from the Scripture is a deceiuer.
This ſcripture is taken out of Eſay, who propheſies of deliuerance to the Iewes, which Paul interprets of this deliuerance we ſpeake of.
In this teſtimonie are fiue things. 1. The perſon deliuering. 2. The perſon deliuered. 3. The deliuerance. 4. The confirmation. 5. The meanes.
1. The deliuerer ſhall come out of Syon. The perſon deliuering is Chriſt deſcribed here by his office, and by his originall.
His office, the deliuerer; the word which Paul vſeth ſignifies deliuering by ſtrong hand, to reſcue by force, as Dauid deliuered the Lamb out of the Lyons paw.
This word is vſed in the Lords prayer, but deliuer vsus from euill. And in other places. Eſayes word ſignifies a kinſman, Ruth. 4.and hath reſpect to the law mentioned. Leuit. 25.25. Of which is an example about the marriage of Booz and Ruth. So Chriſt is our Ioel or next kinſman, to whom belongs the right of our redemption and therefore Iob calls Chriſt by that name, Iob. 19.25.I know my redeemer liueth. In Chriſt there is lawfull redemption. He hath right as Eſayes word; and power as Pauls word imports; and both theſe are needfull; for the priſoner that wrongfully eſcapes is in more danger.
The diuell is the ſtrong man: Chriſt the ſtronger: wee the ſpoyles recouered and redeemed.
His originall: ſhall come out of Syon: De▪ Veniet hum… natus. Aqu.Syon the church of the Iewes, the meaning, ſhall come in the fleſh of the Iewes: the Septuagint, for Syons ſake: Eſay to Syon. But Paul out of Syon, writing by the ſame ſpirit, to ſhew the greater probability of the Iewes deliuerance: for if we hauehave comfort becauſe he tooke the nature of man; the Iewes muſt hauehave more, becauſe hee tooke the ſeed of Abraham.
2. The perſon deliuered. Iacob: that is Iacobs poſterity. The Iewes.
3. The deliuerance, ſhall come and turne away iniquities ſo is their conuerſion deſcribed; for when God forgiues ſinne, he giues the grace of true conuerſion.
4. 5. The confirmation is ver. 27. That this is Gods couenant: which is then fullfilled when God calls them of which Eſay ſpeakes. Or this latter part is taken out of Ieremy: and then it is the ſubſtance of the couenant.
Howſoeuer, the argument ſtrongly conuinceth the calling of the Iewes, thus.
Thoſe who ſhall be pardoned their ſins, ſhall be effectually called.
But the Iewes ſhall be pardoned: therefore.
The minor is proued; becauſe that God hath couenanted to pardon them: This is my Couenant vntounto them. This couenant concerning the pardon of their ſinnes, and deliuerance by Chriſt is not yet fulfilled; therefore for the truth of God, certainly to be expected.
Ob. Christ ſhall come ſayth the Prophet: and he came in his incarnation.
Anſw. Chriſts comming is to be, according to his couenant: which implieth a comming in regard of his merrit and effecacy. In regard of his merrit, he came, when he tooke fleſh of the Virgin Mary: but in regard of his effecacy, effecting that by his ſpirit in their hearts, which he hath effected by his merit on the croſſe, hee is not yet come. For then are we ſayd to reape the benefit of the couenant, when we feele the effecacy of it, ſealing to our conſciences, the pardon of ſinne, and turning our hearts to ſerue God according to his goſpell. Both theſe are comprehended by Peter when he ſayd, Act. 3.25.that the Iewes are the children of the couenant, for whoſe bleſſing, and turning away from their ſinnes God ſent and raiſed vp Ieſus Chriſt: which is not yet performed, but muſt be, for the couenant.
Ob. Some of the Iewes are conuerted.
An. But the couenant wins to the people, nation, houſe of Iacob: if two or three engliſh men get much wealth; wee ſay not: the whole nation is inriched, this implies the multitude & body of that nation.
doctrine Not only ſome now and then, but the people of the Iewes ſhall be called. Chriſt ſhall reigne in the houſe of Iacob for euer: Luk. 1.33. which yet he doth not: for they yet acknowledge him not, but defie him. But this muſt come to paſſe, becauſe the ſcripture cannot be looſed.
Vſe 1.Wil Chriſt yet come, and forgiue the Iews? What the Iews? who fill vp the meaſure of their fathers iniquitie by blaſpheming him dayly? Will he come a Sauiour to theſe? O infinite proportion of merciemercy, who ſhall now deſpaire? Whatſoeuer thy ſins are, if thou canſt repent, doubt not of his merciemercy, who will graciouſly receiue a Iew.
Vſe. 2.Redemption is a taking away of ſinne, by iuſtification and ſanctification. Such as are in their ſinnes are vnredeemed, and remaine vnderunder the power of the diuell, who holds thē, though not by a viſible poſſeſſion which is fearfull, yet by an inuiſible operation, which is worſe.
Many ſay, they defie the diuell, who by conſenting to his ſuggeſtions, worſhip him in their liues: for as true obedience is a worſhipping of God, ſo ſinne and diſobedience is the worſhip of the diuell, as Paul ſheweth, ſaying, Rom. 6.16.His ſeruants ye are to whom ye obey. God ſaith, ſweare not; the diuell ſaith, ſweare and eaſe thy ſtomack. God ſaith, be ſober; the diuell ſaith, be drunken. To whom doeſt thou yeeld? If thou refuſeſt to doe Gods will, and obeyeſt the fiend, thou art Gods enemie, and the diuels ſlaue.