Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verse 31
VERSE 31. Euen ſo hauehave theſe alſo now not beleeued, Or obeyed.that through your merciemercy they alſo might obtaine merciemercy.
THere hauehave beene many queſtions about the meaning of theſe words, ariſing from the differing pointing of it: as whether the Inciſum, be to follow beleeued, or your mercy, and ſo whether (through your merciemercy) be to be read to the firſt clauſe of the verſe, or the ſecond.
They that hauehave read it to the firſt: Coment. Hieron. aſcrip.hauehave ſome of them expounded your mercy, of Chriſt, called our mercy as he is our peace, becauſe the author of theſe things: but this cannot be the meaning becauſe of the termes of the ſimilitude; and it agrees not with the words.
Others expound that becauſe god ſhewed the Gentiles mercy therefore the Iewes beleeued not but this is falſe, Eraſmus.for firſt they refuſed to beleeue, and then the Gentiles were called.
Others giuegive this meaning, Aquin.that the Iewes beleeued not, that the Gētiles might obtaine mercy: but this was ſayd before ver. 30. And therefore not the ſame muſt here be ment, but ſomething to anſwere vntounto it.
To auoid theſe impertinent expoſitions, the right is, to read it according to his Maieſties tranſlation, where there is a neceſſary trajection of this word (that) which word if it be referred to the Iewes, notes the euent: but if to the counſell of God, as is beſt, here it notes the end.
Here there are three things of the Iewes; anſwerable to the thre things ſpoken of the Gentiles ver. 3. 1. The Gentiles were in an eſtate of vnbeleefe, the Iewes are in ſuch an estate. 2. The Gentiles hauehave receiued mercy. The Iewes ſhall. 3. The Gentiles receiued merciemercy, by the vnbeleefe of the Iewes; the Iewes ſhall receiue mercy, by the mercy ſhewed to the Gentiles.
So the argument is, that as God hath dealt with the Gentile, ſo will he deale with the Iew, and this is brought in to abate the pride of the Gentiles, who deſpiſed the Iewes, as if there were no merciemercy for ſuch wretches. Now (ſaith Paul) conſider thy ſelfe thou Gentile, what wert thou before thou wert called? wert thou not a worſhipper of diuels, in a grieuous eſtate of ſinne? If then there was merciemercy for thee, why not for them? Why ſhould their infidelitie be a greater impediment to them, then thine was to thee? Nay, there is more likelihood of their calling then was of thine, in regard of the occaſionall meanes; for thou cameſt in by their vnbeleefe: they ſhall come in by thy faith, which is more effectuall for the bringing of ſuch a thing to paſſe.
doctrine The Iewes are now in an eſtate of vnbeliefe, but they ſhall be receiued to merciemercy. Eſa. 46.4. and Ier 24.6.7. If the reiection of the Iewes be finall, how are they caried to old age, and not rooted out and deſtroyed, contrary to theſe propheſies. And their receiuing ſhall be occaſioned by the mercy ſhewed to the Gentile. v. 11.
Vſe 1.There is yet mercy for the Iewes, by the example of the like merciemercy to the Gentiles.
Ob. But it is now almoſt ſixteene hundred yeares ago ſince they were caſt off, is it likely that after ſo lōg time they ſhould be called?
Anſ. Yes: for the Gentiles lay longer vnderunder their infidelitie, and yet at laſt receiued grace, and were called: for from the time of Abrahams calling to the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, is about two thouſand yeares, therefore the Iewes may be yet called notwithſtanding this long time, though it were not this hundred or two hundred yeares. Surely the preſeruation of that people in the prouidence of God (notwithſtanding all their affliction) to be a people diſtinguiſhed, not only in name and apparell, but in cuſtomes, ceremonies, religion, from all other nations, argues, that God hath ſome good purpoſe to them; becauſe we ſee the Troians, Vandals, Hunns, and diuers other nations to be quite entinguiſhed, eſpecially for their deſtinction from other people. Therefore if thy authorities and reaſons againſt the generall calling of the Iewes be not of more force then the authorities and reaſons alledged for ſuch calling from the 11. ver. hitherto: at leaſt ceaſe to contradict it whoſoeuer thou art.
Vſe 2.Faith is not in the power of man, nor can any meanes effect it without Gods bleſſing: one would thinke that this long affliction of the Iewes might make them crie peccaui, beſide other meanes God hath affoorded them; but yet they are obſtinate. When therefore thou art viſited with trouble, pray it may be ſanctified to thy profit. When thou comeſt to the word, pray alſo for a bleſſing, elſe it will be vnprofitable, though the preacher were a ſonne of thunder.
Vſe. 3.Carry thy ſelfe meekly toward a Iew, and toward vnbeleeuers among our ſelues, and that conſidering thy ſelfe, who wert ſometime in the ſame condemnation. Iudge not thy neighbour for damned, though he be now a wretch: he that conuerted thee, can in his good time conuert him alſo. Remember how thou hadſt thy time of infidelitie, and (it may be) accompanied with whoredome, drunkenneſſe, blaſpheming Gods name, &c. which God hath winked at and pardoned.
In the ſenſe of this ſtep to thy wicked neighbour, be ſeuere againſt his ſinne, but hauehave compaſſion on his perſon: and as when thou viſiteſt thy friend ſicke of a diſeaſe, out of which thou haſt recouered, thou art preſcribing medicines vponupon thy experience: ſo play the phyſition to thy neighbours ſoule: ſhew him of the merciemercy thou haſt receiued, that he alſo may be ſtirred vp to ſeeke to him who is mercifull.
The conuerſion of the Gentiles ſhall occaſion the conuerſion of the Iewes: ſo doe thou vſe the grace which thou haſt receiued, to winne others to grace. God gaue Paul conſolation in diſtreſſe, that he might comfort others: ſo if he giuegive thee knowledge, faith, &c. vſe them in like manner.
Vſe 4.Who then is the better for thy gifts? haſt thou occupied them to thy maſters aduantage? The Iew compaſſeth ſea and land to make a Proſelite. The Ieſuites winde themſelues like ſerpents into eueryevery place to make a Papiſt. Drunkards and other vngodly perſons ſeeke to draw others to their practiſes: labour thou much more to gaine others to become zealous and true Chriſtians; elſe thou ſhatlt be called an vnprofitable ſeruant; how much more, all ſuch which are cauſes and occaſions, by their wicked examples and counſels, to peruert men and to make them worſe by their acquaintance.
Vſe 5.Let the Iew follow the faith of the Gentile, ſo do thou the example of good Chriſtians among whom thou liueſt. It is a great furtherance to godlineſſe to hauehave an example to the rule. It is a help to the ſcholer, to hauehave a coppie to write by, but a greater furtherance to his profiting to ſee his maſter make the letters.
By Gods prouidence it comes to paſſe, that good men and women dwell not all in one towne; but God hath ſcattered them ſome in one towne, ſome in an other, ſetting them vp as lights, that by the light of their liues, we might be directed, in the way of godlineſſe. Haſt thou a godly man dwelling by thee? Why hath God giuen thee ſuch a neighbour? not that thou ſhouldeſt wrong him, but that thou ſhouldeſt be bettered by his example. Looke thou profiteſt by him, for as the contempt of the word, ſo by proportion the contempt of good examples makes vsus ſubiect to Gods wrath.