Romans 9

Romans 9:1-5

The apolls. 1. Expresses his days concern for his countrymen who re-justed the peissel, ver. 1—5. 2. He proves that the promifes made to the fathers are nevertheless made good, ver. 6—13. 3. He anspores the objectant raised against God’s sovereigns and pro-defination, both with regard to his dealings with Teus and Gentises, ver. 14—29. 4. If the Gentiles obtained restionsshals and saluation, and the Teus missure, it was besuse they sought it in a wrong way, ver. 30—33.

1. • Say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost, 2. That ‘I have great heavens and continual forrow in my heart. 3. For ‘I could with that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the fesh: 4. ‘Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth ’the adoption, and ’the glory, and ’the covenants, and ’the giving of the law, and the fervice of God, and the ‘promifes; 5. ‘Who se are the fathers, and ‘of whom as concerning the fesh Christ came, ‘who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

The Jewish bigots looked upon Paul as a signal apositate, and persecuted him with peculiar virulence and enmity. He wished therefore to sosten their exasperated spirits, whist he makes profession of his own tender concern for tsseir welfare and saluation. And there is a peculiar propriety in his introduction, when we consider the offisnsive truths he was about to advance.

1. He makes a solumn protessation of the very fervent regard he bore towards them. I say the truth in Christ, isolumnly appealing to him who is the feascher of hearts, and knoweth that I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost to the simplicity and sincerity of what I am going to lay, that far from entertaining the leash prejudice or ill-will against my countrymen, I have great heaviness and continual ferive in my heart, testing the acutesh pangs of grief, when I think of their fearful condition, and what must he the inevitable consequences of their unbelief. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ (overhaue), content to be cut off from all my privileges as an apollie, and to be separated from the society of the faithful with shame and sesgrace, yea to undergo the mosh ignominious and tormenting death, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the fesh.

2. He mentions the distinguished privileges with which they had been favoured of God, which could not but make their re-justion peculiarly grievous to him. Who are Israelites, bearing the name of their eminent progenitor Jacob; is whom pertaineth the adoption, taken into that covenant of peculiarity in which God regarded the whole nation as his children, Exod. iv. 22. and the glory, the ark, the shechthah, the mercy-seat, the tekena and emblems of the Divine Presence in the miself of them; and the covenants, the covenant of circumcsion made with Abraham, and procured with Isaac and Jacob, and that of Sinai with the whole body of Israel; and the giving of the law, containing God’s ordinances, moral, judsent, and ceremonial; and the fervice of God, in what manner his worship should be performed; and the promifes, of temporal prosperity, which would be the reward of their obosience, and of the Messiah and his great saluation; whose are the fathers, the descendants of the famed patriarchs; and of whom, as concerning the fesh, Christ came, the promifes send of Abraham in his human nature; but who, in his divine, is ever all, God blessed for ever. Amen? Note, (1.) The divinity of our incarnate Saviour is a chief article of our creed. Thereon depends the perfection of his work on our behalf. (2.) As God, the Lord Jesou is the great object of worship, and our prayers and praises must be addersed immediately to him.

3. • Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For * they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7. * Neither because they are the feed of Abraham, are

they all children: but * in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8. That is, They which are the children of the fesh, these are not the children of God: but * the children of the promifes are counted for the feed. 9. For this it the word of promifes, ‘As this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10. And not only this, but when * Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac. 11. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, * not of works, but of him that calleth) 12. It was said unto her, * The elder shall serve the younger. 13. As it is written, ’ Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Romans 9:6-13

Grief for his unhappy countrymen filled the apossle’s heart: but, though the generality of them perissed, the promifes made to Abraham would not be soustrated. He would not therefore have them suppose as though the word of God had taken none effect, and failed of its accomplsisments, because they believed not. It is not parsible (as the words may be rendered) that the word of God should fall. For they are not all Israel, true Israelites, and savousely interested in the spiritual blessings of the covenant, which are of Israel, the offspring of Jacob; neither because they are the sass of Abraham, are they all children of God, and sure of acceptance with him and of saluation, as they stat-tured themselves. External privileges never immised any soul to life and glory. And they might very early observe that,

1. In the difference made between the two sons of Abraham, not in Ishimself, but in Isaac (says God, Gen. xxi. 12.) shall thy seed be called, from him the Messiah was to spring, in his line only was the favoured postlerity of Abraham to be reckoned; and like him were the spiritual feed to be, the children of the free woman, Gal. iv. 22. and partakers of eternal blessedness. That is, They which are the children of the fesh, the natural descendants of Abraham, they are not all the children of God: but, as was evident from the fesh in the case of Ishimself and Isaac, the children of the promifes are counted for the feed, even those who, as Isaac, are born not of the will of the fesh, nor of man, but of God, and through such embrace the great promifes of saluation through Jesou Christ. For this is the word of promifes, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. When Sarah had been long since past child-bearing, this son, the type and figure of the spiritual send, was raised up through the super-natural agency of God according to his promifes.

2. The same distinction is also observable between the sons of Isaac, though spring from the same mother, and this too before they were born, and could have done any persional acts to cause the difference which God was pleased to put between them. And not only was this the case with the sons of Abraham, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, though twins in the same womb, God preferred one to the other. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, there could be nothing in them to influence God’s choice, both being alsko born in his eye were they sovereignly distin-gusished from each other, that the purpose of God according to election might stand som and immutable, not of wards, either done or forseem, but of him that calleth effectually, according to the good pleasure of his will). When therefore the children were yet in the womb, it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger, Jacob inheriting the birthright and blessing, whist Esau was rejested; and in after ages the postlerity of the elder became tributary to Israel, 2 Sam. viii. 14. As it is written, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.’ Which some refer to the election and rejection of their postlerity; others of their per-sons, God sovereignly elusing Jacob to be an heir of grace, and leaving Esau under the corruption and wrath of a fallen nature. Note, Though none are damned but for their sins, yet all who are sasved owe it to God’s free and sovereign grace alone.

3. What shall we say then? * Is there unrighteouf-ness with God? God forbid. 15. For he saith to Moses, * I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16. So then * it is not of him that willed, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17. For the scripture saith unto Isharnah, ‘Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18. * Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet sind saith? For who hath restled his will? 20. * Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliset against God? I shall the thing formed say to him that formed it; Why hast thou made me thus? 21. * Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make

one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22. What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory? 24. Even us whom he hath called, ’not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.

6. 14-24. The apostle proceeds to vindicate the ways of God to men, and to answer the objections which every fallen spirit naturally raises against the sovereignty of God. What shall we say then? If he thus of his mere pleasure chutes one, and leaves another, Is there not unrighteousness with God? Is not this procedure unjust and partial? God forbid. His grace is his own. The favour shewn to some is no injustice to others from whom he is pleased to withhold it.

7. He Sovereignty extends mercy to some. For he saith to Major, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compulsion on whom I will have compulsion. And such an exercise of his power and grace, in rescuing some of the apostles race of mankind who deserve nothing from him, can be no injustice to the rest. His prerogative it is to do what he will with his own; and whatever he doth must be right. So then it is not of him that will see, nor of him that woman, but of God that favours mercy; the sinner’s salvation comes not from any works or will, or ability of his own, recommending him to the divine favour in preference to another, but is an act of sovereign mercy, according to God’s eternal purpose.

8. He Sovereignty passes by others, and leaves them to the miseries of their fallen nature; as in the case of Pharaoh. For the foregoing saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up to the throne of Egypt, that I might shew my power to thee, making this impious king’s stubbornness and rebellion the means of more gloriously displaying his own might, and shewing, that those who walk in pride he is able to abide; and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth, in the manifestation of my patience and righteous vengeance towards my enemies, and of my love and faithfulness to my choices.

9. Therefore, it is evident, he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, according to the good pleasure of his own will; and whom he will be hardened, leaving them, like Pharaoh, to the stupidity and pride of their fallen hearts; and, when they have resisted all his warnings and corrections, he delivers them up to judicial lawfulness and impenitence. And herein he is righteous: as he owes no man any thing, those who are left to themselves have no right to complain, since they are alone the authors of their own miseries; whilst those who are rescued from the ruins of their fallen nature ascribe their recovery to his sovereign and boundless grace.

10. The apostle foresees an objection which would immediately be started against the sovereignty of God, in believing his peculiar and distinguishing grace on some, and withholding it from others. Why doth he yet find souls? and threaten to punish the disobedience he will not prevent? for who hath resisted his will? if he gives men up to follow their own hearts, and they cannot but do evil, how can that be construed withance against him which he abandons them to commit? Now, When we hear the same objections now raised against us as were of old against the apostle, it is a strong presumption that our doctrine is the same; and we will answer as he doth.

11. Nor has, O man, who art thou that replest against God? what arrogance for a despicable worm to dispute with his Creator? for a fallen sinner to question 2 holy God on his promotion? and for folly itself to arraign infinite wisdom at its bar? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why half thou made me thus? in the dispensations of thy providence and grace leaving me to perish, whilst others equally guilty are saved? Hath not the putter power over the slay, of the same lamp to make me vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? and hath not God the same authority, out of the same mass of the human nature, to form vessels of wrath and mercy; exalting some to undelivered blissness, and leaving others to most deserved contempt? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, in punishing the wicked, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: Is this unrighteous? No. The objects of his vengeance most justly suffer. They are corrupted creatures, children of wrath by nature, have rejected his warnings, abused his patience, and fitted up the measure of their iniquities; and if God hath taken this course, that he might more eminently make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, can any man object to the riches of his grace, manifested to those who in his eternal purposes were appointed, and in the fulness of time prepared, for the inheritance among the saints in light? Surely he hath fall right to exercise such sovereign grace to others as he hath done more to us unless he hath called, out of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. If they are the objects of his love, and the people of his choice, it matters not of what nation they are, he regards them as Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Note, (1.) How hard is it to submit to God’s sovereignty, and to be satisfied to lie passive

as the clay in the hands of the potter? (2.) None go to hell but those whose sins have been shown for destruction: now go to heaven but those whom God hath afore prepared unto glory. For which place then are we on the wheel?

25. As he saith also in Ofen, ‘I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her, beloved, which was not beloved. 26. And ‘it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 27. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, ‘Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a common shall be saved.’ 28. For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 29. And as Esaias said before, ‘Exerge the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

26. 25-30. As it was a truth to hard to be digested, and so contrary to the apprehensions of the Jews concerning the promises made unto their fathers, the apostle from the Old Testament proves, that the calling of the Gentiles to all the privileges of children of Abraham had been long since financial.

27. In Horea it was said, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved; bringing the Gentiles, who before were aliens, and disregarded of God, into a covenant relation as his chosen, and treating them as the objects of his peculiar love. And again in another place, It shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there shall they be called the children of the living God, admitted to all the privileges of adoption and grace.

28. In Isaiah the rejection of the far greater number of the Jews is declared, into whose room the Gentiles were so decreed. Thus Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a common only, according to the election of grace, shall be saved; for, the prophet in another place adds, He will finish the work, and close his accounts, and cut it short in righteousness, confirming with full vengeance the apostates: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth; those who are left as monuments of grace will be comparatively but few, whilst the generality of the Jewish nation will quickly be consumed from the face of the earth. And again, as Esaias had said before to the same purpose, he adds, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, at whose disposal are all the hosts of heaven and earth, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrha, utterly cut off as these devoted cities. Note, Considering the sinfulness of man, the wonder is not that so few but that any should be saved. When justice might well have destroyed all, it is a matter of astonishing grace that mercy hath been extended to so many.

29. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: 31. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law: for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone; 33. As it is written, ‘Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and rock of offence; and whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed.

30. 30-33. Having proved the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, he sugges the reason. What shall we say then farther in vindication of God’s free grace in saving some, and leaving the rest to perish? It is evident, that the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, neither knew their malady nor sought their remedy, have notwithstanding attained unto righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith, being accepted of God as righteous through faith in Christ Jesus: but Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, and sought justification before God by their own obedience, hath not attained unto righteousness, not being capable of performing that perfect righteousness which the law demands, and therefore being less under the curle as transgressors. Wherefore have they not attained? Should they sought it not by faith in the righteousness of another; but as it were by the works of the law, placing their dependence upon their own doings and duties, either in part or in the whole, for their acceptance with God: for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone, the crucified Galilean, whose lowly appearance offended them, and they could not think of embracing him as their Messiah. As it is written in Isaiah, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and rock of offence, that Messiah who should be the tried slave and sure foundation to those who believed, and would to those who rejected him be as the rock which dulles those to pieces who fall thereon: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed; though the generality perish in their impenitence and unbelief, yet those few who dare trust him

him

him for pardon, life, and salvation, shall never be disappointed of their hopes, but find him a Saviour to the utterance. Note, Nothing is so fatal to the soul as dependance upon our own righteousness, either in whole or in part, for acceptance with God; which those who, self-defeating, fly to the righteousness of faith revealed in the gospel, are sure to be justified from all things, and saved with an everlasting salvation.