Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 3 · Verse 9-12
VERSE. 9. And that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy, as it is written, For this cauſe I will confeſſe to thee among the Gentiles, and ſing vntounto thy name. 10. And againe he ſaith, Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people. 11. And againe, Praiſe the Lord all yee Gentiles, and laud him all yee people. 12. And againe Eſayas ſaith, There ſhall be a root of Ieſſe, and he that ſhall riſe to raigne ouer the Gentiles, in him ſhall the Gentiles truſt.
IN theſe Verſes he ſhewes that the Gentiles are receiued.
Here are two things; a Propoſition, that the Gentiles are receiued: and a Confirmation by diuers teſtimonies, which was needfull, becauſe the Iewes would hardly be perſwaded of the mercy of God vntounto the Gentiles.
The Propoſition is ſet downe by the effect; The Gentiles glorifie God for his mercy, for this is the effect of their receiuing: they had had no cauſe to glorifie God for his mercy, if they had not beene receiued to mercy.
The firſt teſtimony brought for proofe is, Pſal. 18.44. Dauid or Chriſt will praiſe God among the Nations: therefore they are receiued to mercy.
The ſecond, Deut. 32.43. Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people: therefore the Gentiles are ingrafted into the people of God; and the partition wall being taken away, there is become one ſheepfold vnderunder one Shepheard.
The third, Pſal. 117.1. Praiſe the Lord all yee Gentiles, and laud him all ye people: But in vaine ſhould they be exhorted to praiſe him with them, if they had not obtained like mercy.
The fourth, Eſay 11.10. where there is a Deſcription of our Sauiour Chriſt: from his humane nature, A root of Ieſſe: and from his office, which is, To raigne ouer the Gentiles, as their Emperour, Captaine, and King. In the Hebrew it is, that Chriſt ſhall ſtand as an Enſigne to the people, that is, he ſhall gather them together by the preaching of the Croſſe, as by an Enſigne.
This is amplified by the effect: The Gentiles ſhall truſt in him, or ſeeke to him, as in the Hebrew, which is all one; for they would not ſeeke if they did not truſt to finde him, and in him a glorious reſt.
The Gentiles are receiued to the glory of God by his mercy in Chriſt. Doctr. Eſay 49.22.23. I will lift vp my hand to the Gentiles, &c. Iohn 10.16. Other ſheepe I hauehave which are not of this fold, them alſo I muſt bring, and they ſhall heare my voyce, and there ſhall be one fold, Amb. lib. 7. com. in Lucan, c. 10. in ipſo initio.and one Shepheard. This was figured by the going of the cleane and vncleane beaſts into the Arke, and ſhewed to Peter in a viſion in the tenth of the Acts.
The Iewes and Gentiles are become one people of the New Teſtament; Ʋſe 1 therefore they are not to ſeparate one from another for ſuch ſmall matters as meates and dayes.
Let not the Gentile deſpiſe the Iew, becauſe Chriſt was the miniſter of the Circumciſion to performe it, &c. Let not the Iew condemne the Gentile, becauſe they are receiued, and doe glorifie God for his mercy.
So we are one people, of one Church: ſmall matters ſhould not diſunite our mindes and affections.
The Iewes were receiued for the truth of God; Ʋſe 2 the Gentiles for his mercy. Chriſt was promiſed to them; there was no promiſe made to vsus. There were Oracles and Prophecies of the Grace which ſhould be ſhewed vsus, but no Promiſe: and yet wee are not ſaued without truth, for the Oracles are fulfilled: nor the Iewes without mercy, for the promiſe was of mercy.
It is mercy that the Iew is ſaued by Chriſt; but greater that thou art which art a Gentile. The Iew might expect ſaluation becauſe of the promiſe; but he is found of vsus which ſought him not, Eſay 65.1.nor called vponupon his name.
The Gentiles praiſe God for his mercy and reioyce. Ʋſe 3 True ioy is becauſe of our Calling and receiuing to grace. This allayeth the force of the fiery trials, making vsus not onelyonly to reioyce in hope of glory, but euen in afflictions and tribulations. Rom. 5.2, 3.Doeſt thou laugh and reioyce? Thou haſt more cauſe to weepe, if Chriſt hauehave not receiued thee.
Chriſt is our Emperour and Generall, Ʋſe hee hath ſet vp his Standard among vsus, which is the Word and Sacraments: The Diuell, the world, and the fleſh are our enemies: Let vsus fight manfully vnderunder Chriſts Banner; let vsus neither play the Cowards, nor the Traytors; for hauing ſuch a Captaine, if we follow him, and obey him, wee cannot but conquer and be ſaued.