Romans 11

Romans 11:2

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias?

God hath not cast away those of his people, whom he elected, and acknowledged for his: howsoever, those fashionable counterfeits, which make an empty profession of the name of his people, be justly rejected, &c.

Romans 11:5

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

As it was in the time of Elias, so it is still: there are, amongst a number of false hypocrites, some few left, whom God hath graciously selected to himself.

Romans 11:7

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

What shall we conclude then; Even this: all the natural sons of Israel, his posterity according to the flesh, have not obtained that which they seek for, namely, Righteousness before God, and Salvation; but those, whom God hath mercifully selected out of the rest, have obtained it; and the rest, through their own wilful infidelity, are hardened in their hearts, and blinded in their understandings.

Romans 11:11

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

I say then, Have the whole nation of the Jews so stumbled, as that they are utterly fallen; and that there is no recovery and salvation for any of them? God forbid: no; there are many of them, whom God will call and save. Rather, as upon their fall, the Gentiles are succeeded into their room, and partake of that grace and salvation which they refused; so, God means to make use of the emulation, which the Jews do hereupon conceive against the Gentiles, to stir them up to an earnest endeavour to recover and attain the same grace and happiness.

Romans 11:12

Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness!

Which happy issue shall be a notable advantage to the Church of God: for, if, upon their fall, the world of Gentiles were enriched; and, upon their decay and loss, the Gentiles were the gainers of those honours and privileges which were taken from them; how much more shall their full recovery and receipt into favour be both gainful and glorious, when there shall be a happy union betwixt all believers, and one Church shall be made up of both Jews and Gentiles! XI. 13, 14. For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For I speak to you, Gentiles; as one, that, howsoever I am by birth and blood a Jew, yet challenge a special interest in you, and profess an especial care of you, inasmuch as I am appointed to be the Apostle of the Gentiles; and, therefore, in thus setting forth your privileges and blessings, I magnify my own office; Which I purposely do, that, by thus extolling God’s favour and mercy to you, I might provoke those of my own flesh and blood to a holy emulation of you, and might save some of them.

Romans 11:15

For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

For, if, upon the casting away of them, the rest of the world were received into favour, how much more must all the world needs be received, by their receiving again into favour! While they are excluded, the Church hath not that full and complete life, which then it shall enjoy, upon their restoring.

Romans 11:16

For if the first-fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

For, certainly, it must needs be granted, that there is a special privilege of spiritual nobleness; and, by reason of the covenant, an hereditary kind of dedication to God in the nation of the Jews, more than, naturally, of the Gentiles: for, if the Patriarchs, which were the first-fruits of the Jews, were holy, then the whole bulk or lump of the nation is holy also; and, if those faithful men, which were the roots of that nation, were holy, so must they also, which, as branches, are issued out from them be holy. XI. 17, 18. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree: Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. And, if some of these Jewish olive branches be broken off; and thou, being but a branch or scion of a wild olive, be graffed in instead of them, and, together with the true natural boughs, partakest of the juice and fatness that arises from the root of the olive tree: Boast not against those branches that are broken, as if thou wert better than they, or against those other branches that yet grow and stand, as if thou wert more assured and better regarded than they; plainly, do not ye Gentiles insult over the Jews, into whose spiritual stock ye are ingraffed: but if any will needs be so insolent, let him know, that, as the root is not beholding to the branches, but

Romans 11:19

Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.

But, thou wilt perhaps say, Why should I not boast myself as better respected of God? Those natural branches were broken off, to give way unto me.

Romans 11:20

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.

Well, it is true; Those natural branches, viz. the nation of the Jews, were broken off, for their unbelief, which once thought themselves as strong and sure as thou; and thou standest now in their room, by professing faith in that Christ, whom they rejected: be not puffed up, O ye Gentiles, as if ye, in your several nations, could not be stripped of these privileges; but rather, if ye presume too much, fear the very same issue:

Romans 11:21

For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

For if God spared not the Jews, which were the natural branches, but brake them off from being a Church or people, take heed lest he spare not you.

Romans 11:22

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Behold therefore a notable proof and example of both the goodness and severity of God: on the Jews that are fallen, just severity in forsaking them, and casting them out from his protection; but towards you, O Gentiles, singular goodness and mercy, if ye continue in that state, which may be fit to receive and hold that his mercy and goodness; otherwise, even ye Churches of the Gentiles also shall be cut off.

Romans 11:23

And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in; for God is able to graff them in again.

And they also, if they cast off their unbelief, and shall humbly submit themselves to their true and only Messiah, shall be received into this holy communion again; for the same God, who rejected them, is as able also to shew mercy upon them.

Romans 11:24

For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree!

For, if ye, of rude, barbarous, and savage Idolaters, were taken and admitted into the holy Church of God; how much more easy and proper may it be for them, which were before the noted and peculiar people of God, to be readmitted into the same holy fellowship! XI. 25, 26. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, lest you be puffed up with the proud conceit of your presently happy condition, and grow scornful of the forlorn Jews; that a great part of the Jews is now obstinate and hardened against the Gospel, through their own unbelief; and God hath hereby taken occasion to feoffe the Gentiles in the privileges which they once had: but that, withal, this obduration of theirs shall not be perpetual: the time shall come, when this blindness and obstinacy shall be removed; when the number of the converted Gentiles shall be fully made up. Then shall the Jews generally be converted, and be received to grace and salvation; as it is written, There shall come, &c. See Isaiah lix. 20.

Romans 11:28

As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.

Will ye therefore know what, in short, to think of the Jews? If ye look to the Gospel of Christ, which they reject, they are indeed enemies; but this is for your advantage, for their refusal thereof brought it sooner unto you: but if ye look to the covenant of God made with their fathers, so there are of them chosen vessels, and such as are dear unto God.

Romans 11:29

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

For the gifts and calling of God, whereby it hath pleased him to adopt these of Abraham’s posterity for his sons, and to engage himself by covenant to his seed, are inviolable, and such as shall never be reversed or repented of. XI. 30, 31. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For as ye, in times past, have not believed God, and yet now, upon their unbelief and rejection, have obtained mercy; God graciously proffering to you those means of salvation which they refused; So it is now, for the present, with them: they have not believed that Gospel, which ye have received; and God will make this use of it, to extend unto them, in his good time, the same mercy which he hath showed unto you.

Romans 11:32

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

For God hath, in his just judgment, given them up both to their unbelief as their deserved punishment of their former sins, so as that he now thereupon hath fit occasion and matter for his mercy to work upon; that as all, both Jews and Gentiles, had laid themselves open to the displeasure and wrath of God, so both Jews and Gentiles are now partakers of his mercy.

Romans 11:33

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

O the wonderful depth of God’s counsel! O the infinitely rich treasures of his wisdom and knowledge! how unsearchable are the reasons of his decrees, and the passages of his executions past our tracing and finding out!

Romans 11:36

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

For, of him, without any other motive; and through him, without any help and assistance; and to him and for his own sake alone, without all other respects; are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.