Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 11 · Dialogue 19
DIAL. XIX.
Verses 23, 24. And they also if they abide not still in vnbeliefe shall be grafted in for God is able to graft thē in againe. For if thou wast cut out of the Oliue tree, which was wilde by nature, &c.
Tim.
HOw doth Paul proceede?
Silas.
Now he addeth a new argument, to beate downe the pride of the beleeuing Romanes, and to teach them humility. It is taken from the hope of the Iewes reparation, whose restoring to Christ (howe desperate and forlorn their case may seeme to be,) he prooueth to bee possible in verse 23. also to bee probable and verie likely, verse 24.
Tim.
VponUpon what condition is it possible, and by what reason is it confirmed to be so?
Silas.
By a reason taken from the power of God, who by his almightines is able to engraft them into the Church on this condition, that they did not remaine in their vnbeliefe. As the Gentiles if they fall from the faith may bee cut off, so the Iewes might be planted in, and recouer their dignity of being Gods people, if they did not still continue vnbeleeuers and contemners of the grace of Christ. Where of it doth not follow, that to doe so is in their owne liberty, but it must come from God, who worketh both the will and deed.
Tim.
What are we to learne from these condition all wordes, [if they abide not in vnbeliefe?]
Sil.
First, the sinne of vnbeliefe (in the obstinate refusing of Christ and his grace offered so kindely and freely,) was the true cause why the Iewes were cast out from being Gods people; which shews what an horrible sin vnbeliefe is, of which a certaine Diuine hath truely written, that it is the grand-witch which worketh all euill and mischiefeM. Perkins. both to the body and soule of men in this life, and in the world to come. For it shutteth the hands of Gods bounty, that hee cannot giuegive good thinges; as it is written in the Gospell, that Christ could not do any great work because of their vnbeliefe, Math, 13, 58, also it openeth the hand of his iustice, and draweth down euen eternall vengeance as well as temporall; as it is saide afore, verse 20, Because of vnbeliefe they are broken off, and Reuela. 21, 8. which must cause men to hate this sinne, as they abhorre a Witch or a Serpent, and to striue against the same as against death hell, and destruction. Secondly, wee learne that though the Iewes being very grieuous offenders, as also very sore and very long plagued; yet their conuersion is not to bee despaired of; so they returne, repent, and beleeue, they may be saued, thogh through vnbeliefe they crucified the Lord of life. And withall wee are taught generally, that wee ought not to cast away hope, either of our owne or of the saluation of other, (howsoeuer great transgressors, and of a great time and standing in sinne,) so wee doe not abide still in our iniquity. The reasons hereof be, first, becauseReasons. Gods mercies, and Christes merites, doe farre exceede mens trespasses, for they be absolutely infinite, so bee not our sinnes. Secondly, God hath promised grace and saluation to such as returne to him, without exception, either of the kinde of sinne, or of the number, or of the time, but at what time soeuer, as the Prophet Eze. speaketh chap. 18. also, O house of Israel returne and thou shalt liue Eze. 18, 20. Repent that your sinnes may bee done away, Acts 3, 19. Lastly, if the Iewes were the greatest offendors that euer were, (for they killed that iust one, & desired a murtherer to be giuen them,) are not left without hope, so they returne: what good hope may other conceiue whose sins are not comparable to the Iewes, if they will repent of that is past, and hencefore liue godlily?
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this knowledge?Vse.
Silas.
It confutes the Nouatians and other like heritikes, who denied repentance vntounto such as after baptisme did fall into any … crime, though it were of feare or other infirmities. Secondly, it serueth to teach and instruct vsus touching the largenesse of Gods kindenesse and louelove, that it is exceeding rich and deepe, euen as a bottomelesse sea, beeing indeed without eyther bottome or bankes. And thirdly, it giueth comfort against finall despaire, to such as are out of heart with conceite and horror of their sinnes, because they may be many and manifold, being also most vgly; or for that they hauehave long liued in them: whereas these Iewes after abiding in their infidelity now a thousand yeares and a halfe, yet are raised vp to a comfortable hope. Lastly, heere is an admonition to such as hauehave eyther committed … great notorious sinne, and doe liue in ignorance, …, security, hypocrisie, prophanenes, worldlinesse, &c. that they make haste to repent and to get out of their sinne, (as a man would with speed leap out of a quagmire, or out of a deep dungeon, or hot furnace) for it is not the fil thinesse of their sinne that shall be able to condemne them, so they doe not abide in it. Sin damneth a man when it is abiden in and liued in without remorse or hatred against it, or eschuing occasions, and purpose of amendment: but such as turne vntounto the Lord with all their heart, shall not dye in their sinnes: the mouth of the Lord hath saide it.
Tim.
But it seemeth vnpossible that euer the vnbeleeuing Iews should be grafted in and restored to Christ, & his Church: for how can they leaue their infidelity, no more then an Ethiopian can change his skinne, or a Leopard his spots? or how can they giuegive to themselues faith, no more then an euill tree can againe make it selfe good, or a bough broken off, graft it selfe into the tree, no more can vnbeleeuers conuert themselues & become faithfull ones?
Silas.
It is true, yet that which is vnpossible both toSolution. our selues and others, it is possible with God. God that by his owne power could make the world of nothing by his word, which could diuide the sea and make it stand by his power as a wall, and stay the course of the Sunne, and open the earth, and ouerwhelmne the world with water, and cause the deafe to heare, the lame to go, the blinde to see, the dumbe to speake, the dead to liue; which could cast out Diuels and dispossesse vncleane spirites by his commandement; why shold not he be mighty enough to make an vnbeleeuing Iew to become a beleeuing Christian? did he not make Paul of a bloudy persecutor and a raging wolfe, to become a sheepe, yea a a shepheard and teacher of the flocke? and why then can he not change a blinde obstinate Iew, being an enemy to Christ, into a faithfull member of Christ? for God is able to graft them.
Tim.
Yea, but there be many … which might bee done of God in respect of his absolute power, and neuer were done norDoubt. shall be done. God could of stones raise vp children vntounto Abraham, and hauehave sent leg ons of Angels to his Sonne to deliuer him from the hands of the Iewes yet did neyther the one nor the other. Doe wee not finde fault with the Papists for reasoning a posse … in the matter of the Sacrament, because there bee sundry things which God neuer will doe, nor doeth though hee could doe them?
Silas.
It is true indeed: from the power of God seueredSolution. from his will, wee cannot firmely reason; for so wee might conclude that there bee many worlds, that the world should last alway, that men should not dye, that a man hath two soules, &c. because God can doe such things. Therefore it is foolish in the Papists to inferre that Christ his naturall body is locally present in the Sacrament, because God is able to do i:, vnlesse they could proue that it were his will to hauehave it so. We doubt not of Gods power if once wee see any sure euidence of his will out of his word. It followeth by good consequence, God is willing to do this or that, therfore he can do it, & it shal be done indeed. We hauehave thē to consider Gods almightines, not simply in it selfe as it is infinite & vnlimited, but as it is limited & boūded by his word & wil. The Apostle then reasoneth well, that seeing God by his power could conuert the Iewes to the faith of Christ, therfore it should be so, because Paul was assured by the prophesies of the word (see verse 26, 27.) and by good sound reason, that it was the will of God to hauehave it so, verse 24.
Tim.
What is then our lesson from hence?
Sil.
That in those things that God willeth & promiseth, wee must strengthen our faith by the meditation of Gods power and might, after the example of Abraham, Rom. 4. 21 also of Paul, 2. Tim. 1, 12. 1. Peter 1, 5. Iohn 10, 29, 30. Gods power is the maine prop of his childrens faith. Secondly, seeing the conuersion of the Iewes is attributed to the power of God, hence we learne that to repent lieth not in our hands. Therefore they doe erre which ascribe it to the power of their own will, in whole or in part: also such as bee conuerted, owe all praise vntounto God for such a wonderfull worke: and such as be not, to their owne endeuour must ioyne prayer earnest and constant, and wayte vppon God in reuerent and diligent vse of all good meanes.
Tim.
But how may it appeare to be a likely matter that God is willing the Iewes should be restored to Christianity?
Sil.
Thus; God did graft the Gentiles being wilde Oliues, into the true Oliue; therefore it is more then likely, that he will plant in againe the Iewes, being naturall branches: (the Iewes being so called, because they came and were born of parents to whome the promises did belong, and so were not the Gentils.) Now in reason it is an harder matter to graft in a wilde branch, then that which was once a true branch, because that is beside & against nature: but this is agreeable vntounto the order of nature, therefore more easie. Also there is more agreement betweene a graft or science which was broken off, and his owne stocke, then betweene a strange braunch and the tree. Lastly, if we regard Gods counsell, there was nothing in the wilde Oliue amiable, which might induce God to graft it in, or to take such paines, and be at such cost (as I may speake) as to take boughes from the wilde Oliue, to knit them to the true Oliue, that is, the holye Church of Christ. If then he did this, why may wee not iudge that he is willing to replant the Iewes into their owne oliue? Let all Christians then heartily pray to God that he wil hasten this happy work, and take heed lest by their dissolute and wicked liues, they be an hinderance vntounto it; woe to vsus if we be so.