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John Gill
Section 3 - Romans
11:29
For the gifts and calling of God are without
repentance.
The gifts
of God, such as
justification, pardon of sin, adoption, sanctification, and eternal
life, flow from his immutable decree of election, as appears from the
preceding verse. The calling here
spoken of, is that internal, effectual calling, with which God-s elect
are called according to
the purpose and grace of God. Now,
since the purpose of God to bestow the gifts of his grace stands firm
and sure, and these gifts, when
bestowed in calling, are without
repentance, and
will never be taken away, the final perseverance of these called ones
must be certain. And though the apostle is only speaking of the elect of
God among the Jews, the argument holds equally good of all others, who
have, or for whom God has designed, the same gifts and calling. But to
this is excepted,[1] that,
This "passage is evidently spoken of those Jews who were then hardened,
given up to a spiritual slumber, broken
off from their own olive-tree, and
in that state of infidelity in which they have continued almost one
thousand seven hundred years; and only intimates, that God will, in his
good time, receive them again into his favor." But nothing is more
evident, than that the apostle is speaking of the Jews in the latter
day, and of God-s eternal purposes and promises of grace concerning
them; which shall be accomplished when the fullness of the Gentiles is
come in, towards whom he had gracious designs, for whom he had gifts in
reserve, and whom he would call by his grace, in such a manner, as that
neither his gifts nor his calling should be repented of, and so all
Israel should be saved; and
not of that present generation, much less of those Jews who were then
hardened, given up to a spiritual slumber, and broken off; for these
were the rest that
were blinded, and
are distinguished from the
election that then obtained, and
who never were called, nor had any spiritual gifts or saving blessings
of grace bestowed on them. The arguments from the three last scriptures
are said to need very little answer, as being wholly alien from the
purpose, and very impertinent; but, whether they are so or no, the
reader must judge. Our author proceeds to consider the arguments which
seem to have a greater force in them, taken either from those scriptures
which seem plainly, or by just consequence, to assert this doctrine, or
else to promise this perseverance of the saints; the vindication of
which will be attended to.
ENDNOTES:
[1] Whitby,
p. 438: ed. 2.426; Remonstr. Coll. Hag. art. 5:p. 85, 86.
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