The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans
Romans 9
Chapter IX · Vol. IV, pp. 332–334
1 Paul is sorry for the Jews. 7 All the seed of Abraham were not the children of the promise. 18 God hath mercy upon whom he will. 21 The potter may do with his clay what he listeth. 25 The calling of the Gentiles and rejecting of the Jews were foretold. 32 The cause why so few Jews embraced the righteousness of faith.
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,Cited in HC 102
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;Cited in WLC 63
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.Cited in WSC 6 · WLC 36 · WCF 2.2, 8.2 · HC 35
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:Cited in WLC 61
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise, At 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 vthe 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;)Cited in WLC 67 · WCF 3.2, 3.5, 10.2
A.M. cir. 4064. A.D. cir. 60.
v ch. 4. 17; 8. 28-30. Ep. 1. 4; 2.9. 2 Ti. 1. 9. Tit. 3. 5. ch. 11.5-7,29. Is.46.10.ver.16,18.
13 As it is written, yJacob have I loved, but Esau have I zhated.Cited in WCF 3.2, 3.5
y Mal.1.2,3.
z Ge.29.30. De.21.15. Pr. 13. 24. Mat. 10. 37. Lu.14.26. Jn.12.25.
15 For he saith to Moses, cI will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.Cited in WLC 12 · WCF 3.1
c Ex.33.19. ver.16,18,11.
16 Sod then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.Cited in WCF 3.2, 3.5, 16.7
d ver.11,15,18,20,21. Ps.115.3. Is.65.1. Mat.11.25,26. 1 Co.4.7; 1.26-31. Ps.110.3. Phi.2.13. 2 Th.2.13,14. Tit.3.5.
17 For ethe scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Eveng for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.Cited in WLC 13 · WCF 3.7, 5.1
18 Thereforeh hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he ihardeneth.6Cited in WLC 12, 13 · WCF 3.1, 3.2, 3.7
h Lu.10.21;12.32. ch.5.20,21;11.5-7. See ver.11,15,16,20-24. Tit.3.5.
i Ex. 4.21; 8.15,33. 1 Ch.21.1. 1 Ki. 22.21,22. ch.1.24,26,28. Ps.81.12. 2 Th.2.11.
6 'Whom he will he hardeneth' is a judicial expression. God's judgment upon sinful creatures is executed in various ways; by sickness, by persecution, by death, by removal of means of grace, by rendering the mind less sensible to the offers of mercy, &c. 'The fact is patent,' as Alford says, 'whether declared by revelation or read in history; but to the solution of it, and its reconciliation with the equally certain fact of human responsibility, we shall never attain in this imperfect state, however we may strive to do so by subtle refinements and distinctions.'—P.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, jWhy doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted his will?Cited in WLC 113
j Ge. 50. 20. 2 Ch.20.6. Da.4.35. Job 9.19;41.10. Is. 46. 10. Je. 49.19; 50.44.
20 Nay but, O man, kwho art thou that repliest against God?7 Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?Cited in WLC 113 · WCF 3.8
21 Hath not the lpotter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?Cited in WLC 13 · WCF 3.7
22 Whatn if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the ovessels of wrath 8fitted to destruction:9Cited in WLC 12, 13 · WCF 3.3, 3.7, 33.2
n Pr.16.4. ch. 2. 4,5; 11.7,8. 1 Pe.2.8. Jude 4. 1 Th.5.9.
o 2 Ti.2.20.
8 Or, made up, Ge. 15. 16. Mat. 23. 32, 33. ch.2.5. Ja.5.3.
9 Fitted to destruction—'by their own sins' (Haldane).—C.
23 Andp that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,Cited in WLC 12 · WCF 3.3, 33.2
p ch.5.20,21; 8.28; 2.4. Ep. 2. 7,8; 1.3-7, 18. Col.1.27. 2 Ti.1.9; 2.21. 2 Co. 5. 5. 1 Pe. 1.3,4. 2 Pe.1.
24 Evenq us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
q He.3.1. ch.8.28,30. 1 Pe.2.6. 1 Co.1.9. 2 Ti.1.9. ch.3.22,29,30; 4.11,12, 16; 10. 12,13; 11.11-32. Ga. 3. 28. Ep.2.12-20. Col.1.6,23;3.11.
25 As he saith also in Osee, rI will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 Ands 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.
s Ho. 1. 10, with Is. 11. 10; 43. 6; 49.12; liv.; 56.8; 27. 12, 13; lx.-lxii. &c.
27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, tThough the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
A.M. cir. 4064. A.D. cir. 60.
t Is.10.22,23. Eze.6.8. ch.11.5. Je.5.10; 46.28.
28 Foru he will finish the work,1 and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
u Is.28.22. Je.16.16; 14.22. Is.30.13,14.
1 Or, the account.
29 And as Esaias said before, vExcept the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which xfollowed not after righteousness, havey attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
x ch.1.18-32. 1 Co.6.9,10. Ep.2.12. Tit.3.3. Ep.4.17-19. 1 Pe.4.3. Is.65.1.
y ch.3.22,30; 4.11; 10.20; 11.11,12; 15.8-19; 1.17. Phi.3.9.
31 But Israel, which zfollowed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.Cited in WLC 60