Romans 11

The sight of Caesar's bloody robe incensed the Romans against them that slew him: The sight of Christ's bleeding body should incense us against sin; let us not parley with it, let not that be our joy which made Christ a man of sorrow. Use 2. Is Christ our Priest sacrificed, see…

They who are effectually called, are candidates of heaven, they are princes in all lands (Psalm 45:16), though princes in disguise. 3. It is an immutable call (Romans 11:9). The gifts and calling of God are without repentance; that is, those gifts which flow from election, (as v…

Reason thinks God must go such a way to work, or the business will never be effected. This is to limit God to our reason, whereas he is infinite, and his ways are past finding out (Romans 11:33). In the deliverance of the church it is a limiting God either to set him a time, or…

It is he that has made us. We think it a great kindness in a man to spare our life, but what kindness is it in God to give us our life; we draw our breath from him, and as life, so all the comforts of life are from God: he gives us health, which is the sauce to sweeten our life;…

(Romans 9:20) Who are you, O man, that dispute against God? The plumb line of our reason is too short to fathom the depth of God's Justice, (Romans 11:33) How unsearchable are his Judgments! We are to adore God's Justice, where we cannot see a reason of it.

First, Take heed of presumption: Do not presume upon your own strength. Exercise a holy fear and jealousy over your own hearts (Romans 11:20). Be not high minded but fear (1 Corinthians 10:12).

1. Here was the masterpiece of divine wisdom, to contrive a way to happiness between the sin of man, and the justice of God. We may cry out with the Apostle (Romans 11:33), [illegible], O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! This posed men and angels.

2. We could give Christ nothing in lieu of his love. (Romans 11:35) Who has first given to him? We were fallen to poverty; if we have any beauty, it is from Christ.

17. It is mercy that there is a possibility of happiness, and that upon our pains taking we may have a kingdom; by our fall in Adam we forfeited Heaven; why might not God have dealt with us as with the lapsed angels? They had no sooner sinned but were expelled Heaven never to co…

Of this, speaks the Apostle, Romans 8:30. Whom God predestinated, them also he called: and Romans 11:29. The calling of God, is without repentance.

Answer. We must understand the Apostle according to his meaning: for, Romans 11.15, he expounds himself, and shows what he means by the world; saying, That the falling away of the Jews, is the reconciling of the world: which cannot be understood of men in all the ages; but in th…

5. See here the wisdom of God, who can make the worst things imaginable turn to the good of the Saints; he can by a divine Chemistry extract Gold out of dross. [...] — O the depth of the wisdom of God! Romans 11.33. It is God's great design to set forth the wonder of his wisdom.

And again it is said, that God by his son made the world (Hebrews 1:2). As for the Holy Ghost, the work of creation is also ascribed to him: and therefore Moses says, The spirit moved upon the waters (Genesis 1:2): and Job says, His spirit has garnished the heavens ([reconstruct…

For all works done are in the matter of justification and salvation opposed to the grace of Christ. Romans 11:6: Election is of grace, not of works; if it be of works, it is no more of grace. Again, whereas they teach that we are saved by the works of Christ which he works in us…

If any ask the cause of this distinction, I answer: it is the very will of God, vouchsafing mercy to some and forsaking others by withdrawing his mercy from them, for the better declaration of his justice. Thus says the Lord in Romans 11:4: I have reserved seven thousand that ne…

Ans The same Apostle shall againe answer for himselfe. Rom. 11. 15. The casting away of the Jews, is the reconciling of the world, that is, of the Gentiles in the last age of the world: for so he said before more plainly, The falling avvay of the Ievv, is the riches of the world…

Thirdly, to what is the native use it calls for; and lastly, to some considerations to press this. For the first, when we say to all that hears this Gospel that there is a necessity of a powerful work of grace before this Word can be profitable, you should 1. Abstain from, and l…

Some are ready to think (as was hinted before) that the elect by nature were better than others, or that God foresaw they would be better, and therefore he elected them. This piece of Arminianism is in all naturally; but this text in down-right contradiction to such a groundless…

Thus you see what is the meaning of these words, "my people" — that is, his elect people in or by the decree of election. I shall shortly give you some few grounds from Scripture to clear and confirm this truth; the first of which is taken from the names that the people of God g…

4. They have a rich portion from Him, and are well provided for. 5. What good they get, is for His sake, who is their Father; here we may allude to that word (Romans 11), they are beloved for the Father's sake, by a right and title to Him; they come to have a good and goodly por…

It is so, first, that the Lord may humble all flesh, as the Apostle says (Romans 3:19): that every mouth may be stopped, and that all the world may become guilty before God. Second, it is so ordered, that His grace may shine the more conspicuously; when the person is found guilt…

A second sort, are such as want not affection to truth; nor love to piety, yet to them the studying of this doctrine, that concerns Christ, and His offices, is somewhat tasteless, and wearisome; they would be at hearing of duties, cases and questions spoken of; though we may, in…

Object 3. If the promise be made sure of God to faith, of grace, then it is not first made sure of faith to works. But the promise is made sure of God, to faith, out of grace (Romans 4:5), to him that works not, but believes: the opposition between grace and works (Romans 11:6;…

Argument 5. God (as Augustine says) has a greater dominion over our wills, than we have over them ourselves; as he is more master of the beings, so of the operations, (that are created beings) than the creature is, and so he must use the creature's operations at his own pleasure…

Answer. The word "world" refers to the nations and Gentiles, and believers are elect of both Jews and Gentiles (John 3:16), "God so loved the world." (Romans 11:12), "If the fall of them be the riches of the world; if the casting away of them be the reconciliation of the world"…

All the sheaves in a field being unholy of themselves, there was some one sheaf in the name and room of all the rest, (which was called the first-fruit) which was lifted up, and waved before the Lord; and so all the sheaves abroad in the field, by that act done to this one sheaf…

If we see them to sink under the burden of sin, not there to let them lie, but though we could find in our hearts there to let them lie, yet we ought not so to satisfy ourselves, but to look to our brethren in such a case, and do the best we can to recover them from going astray…

As the Heathens of old said to the Christians, Do but touch the Censer. The commendation of God's servants was, that they had not bowed the knee to Baal (Romans 11:4). The devil knows, if he can get us to a little, he shall get us to more; and the least reverence is too much to…

Likewise when Paul so highly commends his calling, he seeks not his own praise, but with a necessary and holy pride he magnifies his ministry. As to the Romans 11, he says: For as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I will magnify my office: that is to say, I will that men…

Whereas Paul beginnes his prayer with grace, we learne that Grace in God is the first cause and beginning of all good things in vs. Election is of grace. Rom. 11. v. 5. Vocation to salvation is of Grace. 2.

The last point is, that the Jews are a holy people by nature: not because holiness is conveyed to them by generation, but because even from their beginning, and birth, by virtue of the covenant, they are holy. If the root be holy, the branches are holy (Romans 11:16). If either…

That our frailty and weakness may not be hurtful to us, we must remember two rules. One is, not to have a conceit of anything in us: but to hold our faith and religion in fear, as in the presence of God (Romans 11:20). The second, to take heed that there be not in us an evil, co…

In respect of this second estate, the Church may be in desolation. This was the condition of the Church in paradise upon the fall of our first parents, of the Israelites at Mount Horeb, when they worshipped the golden calf, and in the days of Elijah (Romans 11:3), and afterward…

Hence that phrase and forme of speech in our English Liturgie, or Common prayer booke, (though misliked by some, and cauilled at by others) has his warrant and ground, when the Minister says, The Lord be with you; and the people answer, And with your spirit, wishing the same to…

He will yet choose Israel] (says he.) The election of God is eternal: for he chooses us not, as if he thought not on it before: and even as we were chosen before the foundations of the world, so does he never repent himself of the same his election (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 11:29).…

For this word heritage has a greater emphasis in it than we commonly think. For questionless that same covenant which God made first with them gave them such a privilege as could not be annulled by their unthankfulness; because the gifts and callings of God are without repentanc…

For thereby he expresses the steadfastness of their election: as if he should say; I have not left or forsaken you, though you have given me many occasions: for the ingratitude of the Jews was so great, that he had just cause to have cast them off, but that he meant to show hims…

Let us know that the same is now said to us: for as this people was planted; so also have we been. We ought also to call to mind that which Saint Paul says, that we were but wild Olives, and they were the true and natural Olive (Romans 11:24). We then which were strangers are gr…

Where he adds, a better name; it may be demanded whether the Lord compares the Jews which were then in the Church, with the faithful which afterwards he will call into their room: or the estate of the people to come, with that it was then. For it is certain that the name of the…

We must therefore distinguish these things without separating or confounding them together, and so hold fast the foundation of our salvation. Saint Paul alleges this place, to show, that there yet remains some hope of salvation for the Jews, however by their untamed obstinacy we…

For the reason of God his eternal counsel belongs not to us; but we must look to the cause which is before our eyes, to wit, their rebellion, by which they made themselves unworthy of so many and great benefits. Saint Paul also shows from this place not once but often, that all…

All whom he has joined by faith to the children of Abraham are accounted the true Israel. Though the Jews, by their revolt, have separated themselves from the church of God, yet the Lord will always preserve till the end some "remnants" (Romans 11:5;) for his "calling is without…

He contrasts the Gentiles with them, in order to excite them to faith by a holy jealousy: as Paul writes, that "it will be a distinguished honor of his ministry, if he excite any of his nation and blood to such an emulation," (Romans 11:13,14.) The Jews must have been stung by i…

Hence it follows, that all are corrupted in Adam; for the mouth of the Lord charges all with pollution. It is in perfect consistency with this, that the Jews are spoken of, in other passages, as "holy branches of a holy root," (Romans 11:16): for this benefit did not properly be…

Christ is not truly acknowledged as a Savior, till, on the one hand, we learn to receive a free pardon of our sins, and know that we are accounted righteous before God, because we are free from guilt; and till, on the other hand, we ask from him the Spirit of righteousness and h…

Besides, it ought to be observed that, so long as the covenant of God remained in the family of Abraham, there was such force in it, that the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom belonged peculiarly to them. With respect to God himself, at least, they were holy branches from a ho…

This dishonor was the completion of the divine vengeance on the Jews, when God cut them off, and ingrafted wild branches into the stock of the olive-tree, (Romans 11:17;) when he threw them off, and received the polluted and filthy Gentiles into his house.

And this, no doubt, was once spoken to them, but was written for the sake of all of us, that, if God choose us to be His people, we may not grow wanton through a vain and wicked confidence in the flesh, but may endeavor, on our part, to perform the duties which he enjoins on his…

and why does he wish that they should perish twice or three times? There is nothing left for us but to ascribe glory to the judgments of God, by exclaiming with Paul, that they are a deep and unfathomable abyss, (Romans 11:33.) But it is asked, How does he declare that the proph…

It was because his grace dwelt in the people whom he had adopted; and, that his covenant might not fail, some were elected and appointed to salvation by his eternal purpose. Hence Paul ascribes to free election (Romans 11:5) the reason why out of an immense nation a remnant only…