Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 11 · Dialogue 16
DIAL. XVI.
Verses 19, 20. Thou wilt say then, the branches are broken off, that thou mighst be grafted in; well, because of vnbeleefe they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.
Tim.
VVHat doth this text containe?
Silas.
Two things: First, an obiection on the behalfe of the Gentiles, why they ought to boast, verse 19. Secondly, the answere of the Apostle thereunto, verse 20.
Tim.
What doe the Gentiles obiect and alleadge for themselues?
Silas.
That they might boast and reioyce against the Iew, because they were more worthy then they; for, for their sakes (that they might bee called to be Gods people) the Iewes were broken off and destroyed: as if they should say, The Iewes are broken off and cast out for my sake, they giuegive place vntounto me; but the lesse worthy doe giuegive place to the more worthy: therefore I excell them and may glory against them, for he is of more worthines for whose sake a thing is done, then is that which is done for his sake.
Tim
What doth this obiection teach vsus?
Silas.
This lesson, that humaine reason is exceeding proane to pride and arrogancy; which appeareth hereby, that not onelyonly no argument can be so sound and strong as to cal it back frōpride vntounto modesty, but it will rather take occasion to strengthen it selfe in arogancy, by that which is brought in to humble and take it downe. This hapned here vntounto Paul the Apostle, vsing this firm reason, to proue the Gentiles ought not to be proud, for that they had bin once as a wilde oliue, strangers from Christ, but were now planted into the true oliue, and become Gods people in stead of the Iewes.
This reason doeth but the more lift vp the Gentiles in pride, who attribute it to their owne worthinesse, that the Iewes were reiected and they receiued. This shewes the wicked pride of man, (to wit) how hard it is to reclaime it and bring it vntounto humility: for as other sinners hauehave their defence, the couetous pretend thrift, care of wife and children; the drunkard good fellowshippe, the wanton youthfulnesse, the reuenger iniuries of others prouoking; so the proud person pleads his owne excellent parts and worthinesse. And hence it commeth to passe, that fewe proude wittes are reformed and cured, because they are drunken with opinion of their owne woorth and goodnesse; which must bee denied and renounced, ere they bee pleasing to God, who loues the humble.
Tim.
What other thinges do ye obserue in the words of the obiection?
Silas.
The great difference which is betweene worldly grafting, and that which is spirituall, whereof Paul nowe speaketh: they are both like in this, that there is in both an vniting and coniunction, betweene the stocke and that which is grafted into it, they become one and hauehave a communion, the roote and branches. Christ and his Church be most neerely conioyned, so as the Church hath the appellation and name of Christ put vppon it for his vnion sake, see 1. Cor. 12. 12. howbeit these two kindes of grafting doe disagree in these two things. First, in the manner of grafting, a good science and graft is taken and set in a wilde and barren stocke, as a pipping or pearemaine, on a crab-tree: but in the spirituall it is clean contrary; for there branches of the wilde oliue (as the Gentiles were,) are taken and grafted into the true tree, the body of the Church and society of the godly, this is good: but the grafts are vnfruitfull, barren, and wilde oliue trees, (that is) wicked and vncleane men: and indeede it cannot bee otherwise, for whosoeuer is found without Christ and his Church, (his body) he can be no other but vngodly & accursed. Secondly, in naturall grafting the branch communicates sap to the tree, that by the fat and fruitfull sap of the good graft, the barrennesse and wildnes of the tree might bee amended: but in the spirituall planting, the branch and graft giuegive not, but receiue iuyce from the tree. So elect sinners by the grace of Christ to whome they are grafted, be changed to bee like to himselfe, holy and righteous as he is: and this to be the end of their incorporation into Christ, namely, to bee conuerted and beare his Image, is proued by Ephe. 4. 23. 24. Col. 3. 10.
Tim.
But were all the Gentiles that weere grafted into the tree of Christ and his Church, transfourmed into his Image?
Silas.
No verily; some were grafted into the Church of Christ, by profession of the mouth onelyonly: some also were planted into it by faith of the hearre; which distinction is proued plainely by Rom. 2. 28. by Math. 7. 21. 2. Tim. 3. 5. The former bee not altered from their wilde and barren nature by Christ, and therefore may bee broken off and perish; but the latter not so, because they passe into Christ, and by his Spirit are renewed to his owne glorious likenes. 2. Cor. 3. 18.
Tim.
What be the parts of Paul his answere?
Silas.
Two; first a concession, granting the thing obiected so farre as it was true; Well sayeth he, it is true, the branches (that is) the Iewes bee broken off in great number, and this was done, not because God delighted simply in their fall, but he vseth their reiection as a meanes to further the grafting in, and calling of the Gentiles; this Ideny not, saith Paul.
The second part of his answere is a negation, wherein hee doth deny that the worthinesse of the Gentiles was the true cause why the Iewes were reiected, and the Gentiles planted in; but infidelity, (because of vnbeleef) as if he should say, not for thee nor thy sake, but for their vnbeleefe are they cut off, euen because they proudly refused the faith of the promses and of the Gospell, (seeking to be iustified by their owne merites of workes, and not by the faith of Christ,) as before Rom. 9, 31 32. and 10, 3. And the cause why the Gentiles were ingrafted into the body of the Church, was not any dignity of their owne, but their faith whereby they rested vponupon Christ alone for righteousnesse and saluation, as it is said of them Rom. 9, 30. and heere [Thou standest by saith.] Thus in few and plaine words are laide downe the right causes of the destruction of the Iewes, and of the vocation of the Gentiles; whereof the one (to wit, vnbeliefe) is naturall and might befall both Iew and Gentile, beeing both borne in sinne and vnbeleefe. The other, to wit [faith] is a free guift of God, depending vponupon mercy alone, and from the hand of mercy giuen to the Gentiles, who therefore had no cause to bee high minded, but to feare and be humble.
Tim.
What is the doctrine which ye gather from the former part of this answere, [they are broken off through vnbeleefe?]
Silas.
First, that God is iust and most righteous in condemning and casting away the reprobate, because howsoeuer no man in Gods eternall counsell is refused for sinne, yet God in time doth not destroy men but by reason of their ignorance, vnbeleefe, and sinne: so as man beareth in his own bosom the roote of his own ruine, he may blame nothing but his owne vnbeleeuing heart reiecting Gods promises most wickedly. Secondly, wee learne that vnbeleefe is a sin most odious vntounto God and dangerous vntounto men in whom it raigneth. For as it cast Adam out of Paradice, and kept Moses from entring into the promised Land: So it depriued the Iewes of the couenant and promises of saluation. The reason why God doth so detest it, is first, because it robbeth him of his glory, quite taking from him the praise of his truth, power, and mercy, which in effect is to make no God at all, but an Idoll. Secondly, vnbeleefe doth reproach God, and maketh him a lyar, which is to make him not a God but a Diuell, who is the father of lyes. 1. Iohn 5. 10. Thirdly, because as faith is the mother of all good workes, so infidelity is the mother of all euill: for from thence it is that we runne into all euill, because we doe not beleeue the word of God; whereas other sins spoile God of his authority, the vnbeleefe strips him of his efsence and very being. Lastly, vnbeleefe is such a sinne as doth violate & deface the whole doctrine of the Gospell, whereas other sins are committed but against some one part or parcell of the word of God.
Tim.
What profite are Christians to receiue from the knowledge and meditation of this doctrine?
Silas.
It serues to informe vsus in what miserable case the members of the Church of Rome liue aud dye in; in so much as they do flye to the merite of their owne works for life and saluation before God, reiecting the grace of Christ by vnbeleefe, euen as these Iewes did. Secondly, it serueth to exhort vsus Christians, that we neuer seeke otherwise to be iustified and saued, then by the faith of Iesus Christ. For if the Iewes fell from the couenant of God, and lost all their dignity temporall and eternall, because they set vp their owne righteousnes by workes, and would not seeke to be iustified by beleeuing in Iesus Christ; how may we looke to keepe our dignity, degree, and standing, if we shall refuse Christ through infidelity, and trust in our owne merites.
Lastly, it warneth vsus aboue all other sinnes, to striue against an vnbeleeuing heart: for whatsoeuer sinnes wee hauehave, yet they destroy vsus not, so we hauehave faith to beleeue the remission of them: and wicked men are damned not so much for committing sinne, as for vnbeliefe, because they refuse mercy and pardon offered. Not but that the least sin hath in it the merite of eternall death, Rom. 6. verse last: much more the greatest. But as the smallest sin shall bee imputed to him which is an vnbeleeuer, so not the foulest shall bee laid to his charge, which truely repenteth and beleeueth in Christ; as wee learne from Marke 16. 16. Iohn 3. 16. 18. 35. Acts 10, 43.