New Testament in a Year

Footnotes

1. Romans 9:16 The conclusion of the answer: Therefore God is not unjust in choosing and saving of his free goodness, such as it pleaseth him: as he also answered Moses, when he prayed for all the people.
2. Romans 9:16 By will, he meaneth the thought and endeavor of heart, and by running, good works: to neither of which he giveth the praise, but only to the mercy of God.
3. Romans 9:17 Now he answereth concerning the reprobate or them whom God hateth being not yet born, and hath appointed to destruction, without any respect of unworthiness. And first of all he proveth this to be true, by alleging the testimony of God himself touching Pharaoh, whom he stirred up to this purpose, that he might be glorified in his hardening and just punishing.
4. Romans 9:17 God so speaketh unto Pharaoh in the Scripture, or, the Scripture bringeth in God, so speaking to Pharaoh, Exodus 9:16.
5. Romans 9:17 Brought thee into this world.
6. Romans 9:17 Secondly, he bringeth the end of God’s counsel, to show that there is no unrighteousness in him. Now this chiefest end, is not properly and simply the destruction of the wicked, but God’s glory which appeareth in their rightful punishment.
7. Romans 9:18 A conclusion of the full answer to the first objection: therefore seeing that God doth not save them whom he freely chose according to his good will and pleasure, but by justifying and sanctifying them by his grace, his counsel in saving them cannot seem unjust. And again, there is not injustice in the everlasting counsel of God touching the destruction of them whom he listeth to destroy, for that he hardeneth before he destroyeth: Therefore the third answer for the maintenance of God’s justice is the everlasting counsel of reprobation, consisteth in this word Hardening: which notwithstanding he concealed in the former verse, because the History of Pharaoh was well known. But the force of the word is great: for Hardening, which is set against Mercy, presupposeth the same things that mercy did, to wit, a voluntary corruption, wherein the reprobate are hardened: and again corruption presupposeth a perfect state of creation. Moreover, this hardening also is voluntary, for God so hardeneth being offended with corruption, that he useth their own will whom he hardeneth, to the executing of that judgment. Then follow the fruits of Hardening, to wit, unbelief and sin, which are the true and proper causes of the condemnation of the reprobate. Why doth he then appoint to destruction? because he will: why doth he harden? because they are corrupt: why doth he condemn? because they are sinners. Where is then unrighteousness? Nay, if he should destroy all after this same sort, to whom should he do injury?
8. Romans 9:18 Whom it pleased him to appoint, to show his favor upon.
9. Romans 9:19 Another objection but only for the reprobate, rising upon the former answer. If God do appoint to everlasting destruction, such as he listeth, and if that cannot be hindered notwithstanded that he hath once decreed, how doth he justly condemn them, which perish by his will?
10. Romans 9:20 The Apostle doth not answer that it is not God’s will, or that God doth not either reject or elect according to his pleasure, which thing the wicked call blasphemy, but he rather granteth, his adversary both the antecedents, to wit, that it is God’s will, and that it must of necessity so fall out, yet he denieth that God is therefore to be thought an unjust revenger of the wicked: for seeing it appeareth by manifest proof that this is the will of God and his doing, what impudency is it for man, which is but dust and ashes to dispute with God, and as it were to call him into judgment? Now if any man say that the doubt is not so dissolved and answered, I answer, that there is no surer demonstration in any matter, because it is grounded upon this principle, That the will of God is the rule of righteousness.
11. Romans 9:20 An amplification of the former answer, taken from a comparison, whereby also it appeareth that God’s determined counsel is set of Paul the highest of all causes, so that it dependeth not upon any respect of second causes, but doth rather frame and direct them.
12. Romans 9:20 This similitude agreeth very fitly in the first creation of mankind.
13. Romans 9:21 Alluding to the creation of Adam, he compareth mankind not yet made (but in the Creator’s mind) to a lump of clay: whereof afterward God made and doth daily make, according as he purposed from everlasting both such as should be elect, and such as should be reprobate, as also this word, making, declareth.
14. Romans 9:21 Whereas in the objection propounded, mention was only made of vessels to dishonor: yet he speaketh of the other also in this answer, for that he proveth the Creator to be just in either of them, as the rule of contraries doth require.
15. Romans 9:21 To honest uses.
16. Romans 9:21 Seeing then, that in the name of dishonor, the ignomy of everlasting death is signified, they speak with Paul, which say, that some are made of God to most just destruction: and they [that] are offended with this kind of speech bewray their own folly.
17. Romans 9:22 The second answer is this, that God, moreover and besides that he doth justly decree whatsoever he doth decree, useth that moderation in executing of his decrees, as declareth his singular lenity even in the reprobate in that, that he suffereth them a long time, and permitteth them to enjoy many and singular benefits, until at length he justly condemns them: and that to good end and purpose, to wit, to show himself to be an enemy and revenger of wickedness, that it may appear what power he is of by these severe judgments, and finally by comparison of contraries to set forth indeed, how great his mercy is towards the elect.
18. Romans 9:22 By vessels, the Hebrews understand all kinds of instruments.
19. Romans 9:22 Therefore again, we may say with Paul that some men are made of God the Creator to destruction.
20. Romans 9:23 The unmeasurable and marvelous greatness.
21. Romans 9:24 Having established the doctrine of the eternal predestination of God on both parts: that is, as well of the reprobate, as of the elect, he cometh now to show the use of it, teaching us that we ought not to seek the testimony of it in the secret counsel of God, but by the vocation which is made manifest and set forth in the Church, propounding unto us the example of the Jews and Gentiles, that the doctrine may be better perceived.
22. Romans 9:24 He saith not that all and every one of the Jews are called, but some of the Jews, and some of the Gentiles.
23. Romans 9:25 Our vocation or calling is free and of grace, even as our predestination is: and therefore there is no cause why either our own unworthiness, or the unworthiness of our ancestors should cause us to think that we are not the elect and chosen of God, if we be called of him, and so embrace through faith the salvation that is offered us.
24. Romans 9:27 Contrariwise, Neither any outward general calling, neither any worthiness of our ancestors is a sufficient witness of election, unless by faith and belief we answer God’s calling: which thing came to pass in the Jews, as the Lord had forewarned.
25. Romans 9:28 God purposeth to bring the unkind and unthankful people to an extreme fewness.
26. Romans 9:29 Armies, by which word the chiefest power that is, is given to God.
27. Romans 9:29 Even a very few.
28. Romans 9:30 The declaration and manifestation of our election, is our calling apprehended by faith, as it came to pass in the Gentiles.
29. Romans 9:30 So then, the Gentiles had no works to prepare and procure God’s mercy beforehand: and as for that, that the Gentiles attained to that which they sought not for, the mercy of God is to be thanked for it: and in that the Jews attained not that which they sought after, they can thank none for it but themselves, because they sought it not aright.
30. Romans 9:31 The pride of men is the cause that they condemn vocation, so that the cause of their damnation need not to be sought for any other where but in themselves.
31. Romans 9:32 Seeking to come by righteousness, they followed the Law of righteousness.