Romans 9:19-21

1599 Geneva Bible

Footnotes

1. 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?
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Romans 9:20 This similitude agreeth very fitly in the first creation of mankind.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Romans 9:21 To honest uses.
8. 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.