Ro 9:1
9:1 I say {1} the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also
    bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

 (1) The third part of this epistle, which goes to the twelfth
     chapter, in which Paul ascends to the higher causes of
     faith: and first of all, because he purposed to speak much
     of the casting off of the Jews, he uses a declaration,
     saying by a double or triple oath, and by witnessing of his
     great desire towards their salvation, his singular love
     towards them, and in addition granting to them all their
     privileges.

Ro 9:3
9:3 For I could wish that myself were {a} accursed from Christ
    for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the {b} flesh:

    (a) The apostle loved his brethren so completely that if it
        had been possible he would have been ready to have
        redeemed the castaways of the Israelites with the
        loss of his own soul forever: for this word "accursed"
        signifies as much in this place.
    (b) Being brethren by flesh, as from one nation and country.

Ro 9:4
9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom [pertaineth] the adoption, and
    the {c} glory, and the {d} covenants, and the giving of the
    {e} law, and the {f} service [of God], and the {g} promises;

    (c) The ark of the covenant, which was a token of God's
        presence.
    (d) The tables of the covenant, and this is spoken by the
        figure of speech metonymy.
    (e) Of the judicial law.
    (f) The ceremonial law.
    (g) Which were made to Abraham and to his posterity.

Ro 9:5
9:5 Whose [are] the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh
    Christ [came], {2} who is over all, God blessed for ever.
    Amen.

 (2) Or, "who is God over all, blessed for ever."  A most
     manifest testimony of the Godhead and divinity of Christ.

Ro 9:6
9:6 {3} Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.
    For they [are] not all {h} Israel, which are of Israel:

 (3) He enters into the handling of predestination, by means of
     presenting an objection: How may it be that Israel is cast
     off, and that in addition we must also make the covenant
     which God made with Abraham and his seed, frustrated and
     void?  He answers therefore that God's word is true,
     although Israel is cast off: for the election of the people
     of Israel is so general and common, that nonetheless the
     same God chooses by his secret council those as it pleases
     him.  So then this is the proposition and state of this
     treatise: the grace of salvation is offered generally in
     such a way, that in spite of how it is offered, the
     efficacy of it pertains only to the elect.
     (h) Israel in the first place, is taken for Jacob: and in
         the second, for the Israelites.

Ro 9:7
9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they]
    all children: {4} but, In {i} Isaac shall thy seed be
    called.

 (4) The first proof is taken from the example of Abraham's own
     house, in which Isaac only was considered the son, and that
     by God's ordinance: although Ishmael also was born of
     Abraham, and circumcised before Isaac.
     (i) Isaac will be your true and natural son, and therefore
         heir of the blessing.

Ro 9:8
9:8 {5} That is, They which are the children of the {k} flesh,
    these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the
    {l} promise are counted for the seed.

 (5) A general application of the former proof or example.
     (k) Who are born of Abraham by the course of nature.
     (l) Who are born by virtue of the promise.

Ro 9:9
9:9 {6} For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I
    come, and Sara shall have a son.

 (6) A reason of that application: because Isaac was born by the
     power of the promise, and therefore he was not chosen, no,
     he was not at all, except by the free will of God: by which
     it follows that the promise is the fountain of
     predestination, and not the flesh, from which promise the
     particular election proceeds, that is, that the elect are
     born elect, and not that they are first born, and then
     after elected, by God who predestinates.

Ro 9:10
9:10 {7} And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had
     conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac;

 (7) Another strong and persuasive proof taken from the example
     of Esau and Jacob, who were both born of the same Isaac,
     who was the son of promise of one mother, and were born at
     the same time, and not at different times as Ishmael and
     Isaac were: and yet nonetheless, as Esau was cast off, only
     Jacob was chosen: and that before their birth, that neither
     any goodness of Jacob's might be thought to be the cause of
     his election, neither any wickedness of Esau to be the
     cause of his casting away.

Ro 9:11
9:11 (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done
     any good or evil, that the {m} purpose of God according to
     election might {8} stand, not of works, but of him that
     calleth;)

     (m) God's decree which proceeds from only his good will, by
         which it pleases him to choose one, and refuse the
         other.
 (8) Paul does not say, "might be made", but "being made might
     remain".  Therefore they are deceived who make foreseen
     faith the cause of election, and foreknown infidelity the
     cause of reprobation.

Ro 9:12
9:12 {9} It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the
     younger.

 (9) He proves the casting away of Esau in that he was made
     servant to his brother: and proves the choosing of Jacob in
     that he was made lord of his brother, although his brother
     was the first begotten.  And in order that no man might
     take what God had said, and refer it to external things,
     the apostle shows out of Malachi, who is a good interpreter
     of Moses, that the servitude of Esau was joined with the
     hatred of God, and the lordship of Jacob with the love of
     God.

Ro 9:14
9:14 {10} What shall we say then? [Is there] {n} unrighteousness
     with God? God forbid.

 (10) The first objection: if God loves or hates without any
      consideration of worthiness or unworthiness, then is he
      unjust, because he may love those who are unworthy, and
      hate those who are worthy?  The apostle detests this
      blasphemy, and afterward responds to it in depth, point by
      point.
      (n) Man knows no other causes of love or hatred, but those
          that are in the persons, and thereupon this objection
          arises.

Ro 9:15
9:15 {11} For he saith to Moses, I will {o} have mercy on whom I
     will have mercy, and I will have {p} compassion on whom I
     will have compassion.

 (11) He answers first with regard to those who are chosen to
      salvation, in the choosing of whom he denies that God may
      seem unjust, although he chooses and predestinates to
      salvation those that are not yet born, without any respect
      of worthiness: because he does not bring the chosen to the
      appointed end except by the means of his mercy, which is a
      cause discussed under predestination.  Now mercy
      presupposes misery, and again, misery presupposes sin or
      voluntary corruption of mankind, and corruption
      presupposes a pure and perfect creation.  Moreover, mercy
      is shown by her degrees: that is, by calling, by faith, by
      justification and sanctification, so that at length we
      come to glorification, as the apostle will show afterwards.
      Now all these things orderly following the purpose of God,
      do clearly prove that he can by no means seem unjust in
      loving and saving his.
      (o) I will be merciful and favourable to whom I wish to be
          favourable.
      (p) I will have compassion on whoever I wish to have
          compassion.

Ro 9:16
9:16 {12} So then [it is] not of him that {q} willeth, nor of
     him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

 (12) The conclusion of the answer: therefore God is not unjust
      in choosing and saving from his free goodness, such as it
      pleases him: as he also answered Moses when he prayed for
      all of the people.
      (q) By "will" he means the thought and endeavour of heart,
          and by "running", good works, to neither of which he
          gives the praise, but only to the mercy of God.

Ro 9:17
9:17 {13} For the {r} scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for
     this same purpose have I {s} raised thee up, that I might
     {14} shew my power in thee, and that my name might be
     declared throughout all the earth.

 (13) Now he answers concerning the reprobate, or those whom God
      hates who are not yet born, and has appointed to
      destruction, without any respect of unworthiness.  And
      first of all he proves this to be true, by alleging the
      testimony of God himself concerning Pharaoh, whom he
      stirred up to this purpose, that he might be glorified in
      Pharaoh's hardening and just punishing.
      (r) God speaks unto Pharaoh in the scripture, or, the
          scripture in talking about God, in this way talks to
          Pharaoh.
      (s) Brought you into this world.
 (14) Secondly, he brings the goal of God's counsel, to show
      that there is no unrighteousness in him.  Now the main
      goal is not properly and simply the destruction of the
      wicked, but God's glory which appears in their rightful
      punishment.

Ro 9:18
9:18 {15} Therefore hath he mercy on whom he {t} will [have
     mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth.

 (15) A conclusion of the full answer to the first objection:
      therefore seeing that God does not save those whom he
      freely chose according to his good will and pleasure, but
      by justifying and sanctifying them by his grace, his
      counsels in saving them cannot seem unjust.  And again,
      there is not injustice in the everlasting counsel of God,
      with regard to the destruction of those whom he lifts to
      destroy, because he hardens before he destroys: therefore
      the third answer for the maintenance of God's justice in
      the everlasting counsel of reprobation, consists in this
      word "hardening": which nonetheless 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", presupposes the same things
      that mercy did, that is, a voluntary corruption, in which
      the reprobate are hardened: and again, corruption
      presupposes a perfect state of creation.  Moreover, this
      hardening also is voluntary, for God hardens in such a
      way, being offended with corruption, that he uses their
      own will whom he hardens, for the executing of that
      judgment.  Then follow the fruits of hardening, that is,
      unbelief and sin, which are the true and proper causes of
      the condemnation of the reprobate.  Why does he then
      appoint to destruction?  Because he wishes: why does he
      harden?  Because they are corrupt: why does he condemn?
      Because they are sinners.  Where then is unrighteousness?
      Nay, if he would destroy all after this manner, to whom
      would he do injury?
      (t) Whom it pleased him to appoint, to show his favour
          upon.

Ro 9:19
9:19 {16} Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find
     fault? For who hath resisted his will?

 (16) Another objection, but only for the reprobate, rising upon
      the former answer.  If God appoints to everlasting
      destruction, such as he wishes, and if that which he has
      decreed cannot be hindered nor withstood, how does he
      justly condemn those who perish by his will?

Ro 9:20
9:20 {17} Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against
     God? {18} Shall the thing {u} formed say to him that formed
     [it], Why hast thou made me thus?

 (17) The apostle does not answer that it is not God's will, or
      that God does not either reject or elect according to his
      pleasure, which thing the wicked call blasphemy, but he
      rather grants his adversary both the antecedents, that is,
      that it is God's will, and that is must of necessity so
      happen, yet he denies that God is therefore to be thought
      an unjust avenger of the wicked: for seeing that it
      appears by manifest proof that this is the will of God,
      and his doing, what impudency is it for man, who 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.
 (18) An amplification of the former answer, taken from a
      comparison, by which it also appears that God's
      determinate counsel is set by Paul as the highest of all
      causes: so that it depends not in any way on the second
      causes, but rather shapes and directs them.
      (u) This similitude agrees very properly to the first
          creation of mankind.

Ro 9:21
9:21 {19} Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same
     lump to make one {20} vessel unto {x} honour, and another
     unto {21} dishonour?

 (19) Alluding to the creation of Adam, he compares mankind not
      yet made (but who are in the creators mind) to a lump of
      clay: who afterwards God made, and daily makes, according
      as he purposed from everlasting, both such as should be
      elect, and such as should be reprobate, as also this word
      "make" declares.
 (20) Whereas in the objection propounded, mention was only made
      of vessels to dishonour, yet he speaks of the others also
      in this answer, because he proves the Creator to be just
      in either of them.
      (x) To honest uses.
 (21) Seeing then, that in the name of dishonour the shame of
      everlasting death is signified, those agree with Paul, who
      say that some are made by God for most just destruction:
      and they that are offended with this kind of speech betray
      their own folly.

Ro 9:22
9:22 {22} [What] if God, willing to shew [his] wrath, and to
     make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the
     {y} vessels of wrath fitted to {23} destruction:

 (22) The second answer is this, that God, moreover and besides
      that he justly decrees whatever he decrees, uses that
      moderation in executing his decrees, as is declared his
      singular mercifulness even in the reprobate, in that he
      endures them a long time, and permits them to enjoy many
      and singular benefits, until at length he justly condemns
      them: and that to good end and purpose, that is, to show
      himself to be an enemy and avenger of wickedness, that it
      may appear what power he has by these severe judgments,
      and finally by comparison of contraries to set forth
      indeed, how great his mercy is towards the elect.
      (y) By vessels, the Hebrews understand all types of
          instruments.
 (23) Therefore again, we may say with Paul, that some men are
      made by God the creator for destruction.

Ro 9:23
9:23 And that he might make known the {z} riches of his glory on
     the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto
     glory,

     (z) The unmeasurable and marvellous greatness.

Ro 9:24
9:24 {24} Even us, whom he hath called, not of the {a} Jews
     only, but also of the Gentiles?

 (24) Having established the doctrine of the eternal
      predestination of God on both parts, that is, on the part
      of the reprobate as well as of the elect, he comes now to
      show its use, teaching us that we ought not to seek its
      testimony in the secret counsel of God, but by the calling
      which is made manifest, and set forth in the Church,
      propounding to us the example of the Jews and Gentiles,
      that the doctrine may be better perceived.
      (a) He does not say that each and every one of the Jews
          are called, but some of the Jews, and some of the
          Gentiles.

Ro 9:25
9:25 {25} As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people,
     which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not
     beloved.

 (25) Our vocation or calling is free, and of grace, even as our
      predestination is: and therefore there is no reason 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 are called by him, and so
      embrace through faith the salvation that is offered us.

Ro 9:27
9:27 {26} Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the
     number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
     a remnant shall be saved:

 (26) Contrary to this, 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 foretold.

Ro 9:28
9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut [it] {b} short in
     righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon
     the earth.

     (b) God chooses and goes about to reduce the unkind and
         unthankful people to a very small number.

Ro 9:29
9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of {c} Sabaoth
     had left us a {d} seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been
     made like unto Gomorrha.

     (c) Armies, by which word the greatest power that exists is
         attributed to God.
     (d) Even as very few.

Ro 9:30
9:30 {27} What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which
     followed {e} not after righteousness, have attained to
     righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

 (27) The declaration and manifestation of our election is our
      calling apprehended by faith, as it came to pass in the
      Gentiles.
      (e) So then, the Gentiles had no works to prepare and
          procure God's mercy before hand: and that the Gentiles
          attained to that which they did not seek, the mercy of
          God is to be thanked for it: and in that the Jews did
          not attain that which they sought after, they can only
          thank themselves, because they did not seek for it in
          the proper way.

Ro 9:31
9:31 {28} But Israel, which followed after the law of
     righteousness, hath not attained to the law of
     righteousness.

 (28) The pride of men is the reason that they reject their
      calling, so that the cause of their damnation need not to
      be sought for in any other place but themselves.

Ro 9:32
9:32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it
     were by the {s} works of the law. For they stumbled at that
     stumblingstone;

     (s) Seeking to attain righteousness, they followed the law
         of righteousness.