Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 11 · Dialogue 14
DIAL. XIIII.
Verse 17. And though some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a … Oliue tree was grafted in for them, and made partaker of the roote and fatnesse of the Oliue tree; boast not thy selfe &c.
Tim.
HOw doth the Apostle Paul proceede?
Silas.
He bringeth forth a third argument to dehort the beleeuing Gentile from despising and reproching the reiected and vnbeleeuing Iewe. Hee had first saide that their casting off was to the great commodity of the Gentiles, namely the vocation of them to God by the Gospell. Secondly, he gaue hope to the Iew of their repairing, because they were an holy people, and separated from all other Nations, by the promises and couenant of life which was giuen them. Now thirdly hereasoneth from the condition of the Gentiles, both that which is past (they were a wilde Oliue,) and that which is present, (they were grafted into the true Oliue,) whervpon dependeth a double grace; one, that the Gentiles are made partakers of the roote of the Oliue: and secondly, that they doe inioy the fatnesse that commeth of the roote, that is, they hauehave communion with Christ, the Church and the Gospell. The summe of the argument is thus much: Yee Gentiles beeing once like a wilde Oliue, are now planted into the true Oliue; therefore doe not proudly boast your selues with the reproch of the Iewes. This argument is wholly contained in the texte, and hath two parts both expressed. One is the antecedent part in verse 17. The other is the consequent, in verse 18. which is enforced by a new reasō drawne from that which is absurd or vnhonest, because we Gentiles bare not the Iewes, but their roote doth beare and sustaine vsus; now it were an vnthankeful and vnhonest part to disdaine that which doth support vsus.
Tim.
But how is this Scripture knit and coupled to the former?
Sil.
By a prolepsis or preoccupation, thus: The Gentiles might say, What did it profite the Iewes to come of an holy roote, seeing they are cut off from the stocke of the holy Patriarches? To which Paul answereth, What though they were once holy branches, and now indeed broke off? yet not all but some onelyonly; whereas you Gentiles were a long time vnholy, a wilde Oliue, strangers from God, and now of free fauour are grafted into their place; therefore be not proud, but modest and humble.
Tim.
What is meant by [broken branches?]
Silas.
The Israelites which were like vntounto branches broken off from a tree, and are good for nothing but to perish and wither: So the Iewes were cast out from grace and saluation as rotten branches.
Tim.
Why doth he say [some] and not many or all, seeing the greatest number of Iewes were refused in Pauls time?
Silas.
Paul speakes not of one age of them, but of the whole nation in all ages, euer since they were separated in Abraham to be Gods owne peculiar people, and so from thence to the end of the world: and then who perceiueth not that the Apostle might well say [some] seeing so very great a part were saued? for there were many Patriarches, Kings, Prophets, Priests, and innumerable priuate men and women, all deare to God, and wee reade of fiue thousand conuerted at the beginning of the Gospell by Peter and other Apostles, Acts 2, and 4. And towards the consummation of the world, in great heaps they shal be drawne to Christ: So as Paul did well to say, a certaine number onelyonly were broken off.
Tim.
But if many of the branches be broken off, it may seeme the elect may perish, for what are the branches but Gods owne elected people?
Silas.
It is impossible that the elect should perish, Christ hath saide it, Mat. 24. 24. For the gifts of election, faith, and iustification, &c. are without repentance, such as God neuer changeth and taketh away; but if the elect perish, thē must God change, Rom. 11, 29. Paul therefore speaketh not heere of right and true branches, such as elect and faith full persons be, which cannot be cut off; but of counterfeite seeming branches, who be such in their owne opinion, and in the account of the Church, but not beeing indeed elected and called to Christ; and these may and doe fall away. The ground and proofe of this difference we hauehave in Iohn 15, 2, 3, 4. also Rom. 9, 7. where is a plaine oddes betweene the children of Abraham: and Rom. 2. 31. where is mention made of Iewes inward and Iewes outward, in the Spirit and in the letter. And 1. Iohn 2, 19. it is said that some were of vsus, and some were among vsus; the former remayned in the Church, the other did not, but plaide Apostataes and reuolcers, running to the enemies campe.
Tim.
These knots being loosed, shew vsus the instructions wee hauehave from these first wordes.
Sil.
The doctrines from them be two; first, the promise of grace and saluation is not fixed or tyed to fleshly generation: the reason is, because grace commeth by regeneration at the pleasure of God, and not by generation at the will of man, Iohn, 1. 12. 13. Godly parents doe conuay their corrupt seed to their children, but not their sanctifying Spirit: else all that descend of faithfull parents should bee saued, which is not so, as in Ismael, Esau, Cayne, Absolon, &c.
Tim.
What profit is to be made of this doctrine?
Silas.
It warneth all children which come of godly parents, to striue to bee like them in faith and vertue; as Christ exhorteth the Iewes, Iohn 8, 39. to doe the workes of Abraham; and Paul, Rom. 4. 12. to tread in the steppes of his faith: otherwise the piety of progenitours will not helpe: for, not springing from good parents, but beeing like them makes vsus happy; the Iewes were of Abraham, and yet were broken off.
Tim.
What is the second doctrine?
Silas.
This breaking the branches teacheth vsus, that it is not enough to professe God, for so did these Iewes; nor to know him and hauehave the Sacrtments, for so had they; but to labour to bee well grounded and rooted in Christ by a liuely faith working by louelove. For all they that bee notReason. thus, seeme they neuer so holy and glorious, may & shall fall & be broken off, either at death, or when the winds of temptation blow, Math. 7, 25.
Tim.
What vse of this instruction?Vse.
Silas.
It serues to reprooue such as rest in externall things, neuer trying themselues: their end is to bee deceiued at last; as they which trust in a crackt Title, or leane on a broken staffe.
Tim.
What is meant by the wilde Oliue tree?
Silas.
The wilde Oliue is put for a branch or grift: forInterpretation. whole trees vse not to be grafted, but branches; & these braunches of the wilde Oliue signifie all the Gentiles which serued Idolles for the liuing God; because they were as the wilde Oliues, namely heerein, that as the wilde Oliue, though it hauehave the forme and shape of a true Oliue, yet lackes the generous and fruitfull iuice of a true Oliue, and therefore yeeldes no pleasant fruite: so the Gentiles being without the faith and profession of Christ, and true pietie, had shaddowes of manie Vertues, and shewes of goodnesse, yet indeede were verie vncleane and accursed, as Ephesians 2, 1, 12. and 4, 17; 18, 19.
Tim.
What do we learne from hence?Doctrine.
Silas.
The miserable condition of vsus al without Christ, that howsoeuer we may be commended for very honest men, and hauehave some appearance of the Image of God, & some shew of faith and godlinesse, yet before our incorporation into Christ, we lacke his Spirit vtterly, & bring forth fruite which is bitter, euen fruite to death, such as be reckoned vp, Gal. 5, 19, 20, 21. The Reason is, becauseReason. all is sinne and death, which is estraunged from Christ.
Tim.
What profit is to bee made by the knowledge and meditation of this condition?
Silas.
It serueth to instruct and stirre vsus vp vntounto modestyVse. and humility, vntounto which end it is heere presented to the Gentiles, euen to suppresse their pride and arrogancy. Also it prouoketh vsus to thankfulnesse for the benefit of deliuerance from it, when it is compared with the contrary condition wherein men did lye before such deliuerance, as Eph. 2, 4, 5. And the benefit when it is perceiued in the worthines of it (which without such comparison cannot be) causeth an higher esteeme and sweeter sence of it; and that kindleth the more louelove towards the giuer God, & more reioycing in his bounty, whence floweth all Christian and true gratitude.
Tim.
What other matter do ye obserue heere?
Silas.
The difference which is betweene naturall andDoctrine. spirituall grafting. For in naturall grafting a good and sweete science or braunch, is grifted to a sower crabbed stocke, by slitting and pricking the same: the bad sappe whereof, is chaunged into the good iuyce of the good branch: but in the spiritual in grafting it is quite contrary; for then wild branches (which are wicked vnnatural men) are grafted & ioyned to the good and noble stock Christ, by whose spirit and grace, they are altered and made new creatures like himselfe, Ephe. 4, 24. otherwise both kindes of planting agree in this; that they make the branch and stocke to be one.
Tim.
What is this roote into which they were grafted?
Silas.
It is Abraham, in regard of the couenant made with him, and as he was ioyned to Christ. And to beeInterpret. grafted into this roote, is to become one people of God with the Iewes, growing vp into one church with them, as if they had beene deriued from Abraham by carnall generation, and so to bee made members and partes of the bodye of Christ, which is the fellowship of al faithfull people.
Tim.
What is meant by Oliue?
Silas.
The Church of the Iewes, whereof Abraham was the roote and father: so called for resemblance sake vntounto an Oliue. Which Metaphor, we finde in Ier. 11, 16. and Psal. 52, 8. and Iudges 9, 9. And it is like those other Metaphors of a Vine, Iohn 15, 1. and of a Figge tree: all which fitly represent the estate of the true Church of God, in respect of the coniunction which is betweene the roote and the stocke; and in regarde of theyr great fruitfulnesse, and sweete pleasantnesse.
Tim.
What is meant by the fatnesse of the Oliue?
Silas.
The Doctrine of the Gospell, all the benefites of Christ, all the graces of the Spirit, with the priuiledges of the Church, called in the Psalme, the marrow and fatnesse of Gods house, Psal. 63, 3.
Tim.
What learne we hence?
Silas.
That we bring no merits to our owne iustification, no more then a branch can helpe to graft it self, or a man to beget himselfe. Secondly, it is a great excellency to be a true member of Gods Church: for such be vnited with Christ, as the branch & the oliue be. Thirdly, that they which are such, ought to abound in all the fruites of the Spirit, mentioned Gal. 5, 22, 23. Fourthly, the Iewes before Christ, and the Gentiles which nowe do beleeue in Christ, hauehave the same roote, the same Spirit, & faith, the same Church and Sacraments, with some difference in outward signes and rites: Contrary to their wicked Doctrine, who teach, that the Iewes had but the figures onelyonly of that, whereof wee hauehave the truth and substance; a Popish fantasticall conceite, crossed by many hundred places of Scriptures.