John Trapp on Romans 9

CHAP. IX. Verſe 1. I ſay the truth, &c.]

AS any one is more aſſured of his own ſalvation, the more he deſireth the ſalvation of others. Charity is no churl; as we ſee herein Paul.

Verſe 2. Continuall ſorrow] Such as a woman in travail hath. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. So Gal. 4 19.

Verſe 3. Were accurſed,] Devoted to deſtruction, as thoſe malefactours among the Heathens were, that in time of common calamity were ſacrificed to their infernall gods, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. for pacifying their diſpleaſure, that the plague might ceaſe. Out of greateſt zeal to God, and love to his countrey-men, the Apoſtle wiſheth himſelf Anathema, that is, not to be ſeparated from the Spirit and grace of Chriſt (for ſo he ſhould have ſinned) but from the comforts of Chriſt, the happineſſe that comes in by Chriſt, as one well interpreteth it.

Verſe 4. The adoption] For Iſrael was Gods firſt-born, and ſo higher then the Kings of the earth, Pſ. 89 27.

And the glory] The Ark of the Covenant, 1 Sam. 4.21. whence Judea is called the glorious land, Dan. 11.41.

The Covenants] The morall law in two tables.

The giving of the law] The judiciall law.

The ſervice] The ceremoniall law. [illegible: 1 word]

The promiſes] Of the Goſpel made to Abraham, and his ſeed for ever. Theſe promiſes are a precious book, every lear whereof drops myrth and mercy.

Verſe 5. Of whom is Christ] This is as great an honour to all mankinde (how much more to the Jews?) as if the King ſh[illegible: 1 letter]uld marry into ſome poor family of his Subjects.

Verſe 6. Not as though the word] That word of promiſe, v. 4. which is ſure-hold, Ye[illegible: 1 letter] and Amen.

For they are not all Iſrael] Multi ſacerdotes & panci ſacer dotes, ſaith Chryſostom, multi in nominc, & panci in opere. So here.

Verſe 7. Neither becauſe they are] This profiteth them no more then it did Dives, that Abraham called him Son.

Verſe 8. The children of the promiſe] Abraham by beleeving Gods promiſe, begat, after a ſort, all beleevers, yea Chriſt himſelf, the head of his ſeed, his Son according to the fleſh, but more according to the faith.

Verſe 9. At this time] See the Note on Gen. 18.10.

Verſe 10. But when Rebecca] She, and not Iſaac is named, becauſe ſhe received the Oracle; whether from the mouth of Melchiſedech, or ſome other way, I have not to determine.

Verſe 11. For the children, &c.] Here the Apoſtle wadeth into that profundum ſine fundo, Predeſtination.

Being not yet born] Sapores ſon of Miſdates, King of Perſia, began his raign before his life. For his father dying left his mother with childe, and the Perſian Nobility ſet the Crown on his mothers belly, acknowledging thereby her iſſue for their Prince, before ſhe as yet had felt her ſelf quick. God elects not of fore-ſeen faith or works, but of free-grace.

Verſe 12. Shall ſerve] Servitude came in with a curſe, and figureth reprobation, Gen. 9 25. Joh. 8 34 35. Gal. 4.30.

Verſe 13. Eſau have I hated] i. e. I have not loved him, but paſſed him by: and this praecerition is properly oppoſed to election.

Verſe 14. Is there] Carnall reaſon dares reprehend what it does not comprehend.

Verſe 15. Bonavent. in lib. 1. ſent. diſt. 41. [illegible: 1 letter] q. [illegible: 1 letter]. I will have mercy, &c.] Dei voluntas eſt ratio rationum, nec tantùm recta, ſed regula.

Verſe 16. So then it is not, &c.] Nec volentis, nec volantis (as a Noble-man gave it for his Motto) though a man could run as faſt as a bird can fire.

Verſe 17. Raiſed thee up] For a veſſel of wrath, and an inſtance of my juſtice.

Verſe 18. Therefore] God being a free agent, cannot be unjuſt: he is bound to none.

Verſe 19. Why doth he yet finde fault?] Queritur, ſaith the Vulgar: which interpretation cozened Aquinas, as if it had been written Quaeritur. So Luk. 15.8. Gregory the great and others, for Everrit, reade Evertit: which miſtake produced many groundleſſe gloſ[illegible: 1 letter]es.

Verſe 20. That repliest against God] Gr. That chatteſt and wordest it with him? [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verſe 21. Of the ſame lump] The Apoſtle alludeth to mans creation, and therehence aſcendeth to Gods eternall decree of predeſtination.

Verſe 22. Fitted to deſtruction] Non dicit Deum eos aptaſſe ad interitum, ne videretur dicere Deum eis indidiſſe peccatum, quo ad exitium praeparentur. Molinaeus in Anat. Armin.

Verſe 23. And that he might] He rejected ſome, that his mercy might the more appear in the election of others.

Verſe 24. Even us] Not me Paul only hath he aſſured of vocation, and ſo conſequently of election to eternall life.

Verſe 25. And her beloved] Jer. 12.7. God cals the Church, the beloved of his ſoul, or (as the Septuagint and Vulgar reade it) his beloved ſoul. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verſe 26. The children, &c.] This is ſuch a royalty, John 1.12. as the Apoſtle worthily wondereth at, and ſets an Ecce upon it.

Verſe 27. Aremnant] Reſerved for royall uſe. Diaconos, paucitas honorabiles fecit, ſaith Hierom: Sic & ſanctos, ſay I.

Verſe 28. A ſhort work] When once he ſets to work to cut off hypocrites.

Verſe 29. Except the Lord of Sabaoth] That is, Of Hoſts. God is Commander in chief of all creatures. The Rabbins well obſerve that he hath Magnleh Cheloth, and Matteh Cheloth, Kim[illegible: 1 letter]b[illegible: 1 letter], two generall troops, as his horſe and foot, the upper and lower troops ready preſt.

Verſe 30. Which is of faith] Faith wraps it ſelf in the righteouſnes of Chriſt, and ſo juſtifieth us.

Verſe 31. The law of righteouſnes] That is, The righteouſnes of the law.

Verſe 32. For they ſtumbled] So they doe to this day. Jo. Fox Chriſt. Triumphans [illegible: 1 letter]piſt. So do Papiſts and carnall Proteſtants. Non fruſtrà Lutherus in libris totiès vaticinatus videtur, ſeſe vereri dictitans, ne ſe extincto verailla juſtificationis diſciplina prorſus apud Chriſtianos exoleſcat.

Verſe 33. See the Note on 1 Pet. 2.6.