Rom 11:22

“'" Such and so great futilities of theirs wherewith they flatter God and pander to themselves, effeminating rather than invigorating discipline, with how cogent and contrary (arguments) are we for our part able to rebut,-(arguments) which set before us warningly the "severity" of God, and provoke our own constancy? Because, albeit God is by nature good, still He is "just" too.”

“"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." And he does not say, Behold thy well doing, behold thy labors, but, "Behold the goodness of God" toward man, to show that the whole comes of grace from above, and to make us tremble. For this reason for boasting should make thee to fear. Since the Lord hath been good unto thee, do thou therefore fear. For the blessings do not abide by thee unmovable if thou turnest listless, as neither do the evils with them, if they alter; "For thou also," he says, "unless thou continue in the faith, wilt be cut off."”

“Paul is telling us that we ought to learn from both these things and consider how great God's love for us is, that we should have been counted worthy through faith. We ought to become ever more eager to live a godly life bearing in mind how God rejected them because of their unbelief and do everything in our power not to fall in the same way.”

“Then when he says, see then the goodness and the severity of God, he invites them to a close scrutiny of divine judgments: first, he invites them to consider; second, he instructs them as though unable to consider by themselves, at for I would not have you ignorant (Rom 11:25); third, as though he himself were not perfectly capable of this investigation, he exclaims in admiration of God's wisdom, at O the depth of the riches (Rom 11:33). In regard to the first he does three things: first, he shows what should be considered, saying: see then, i.e., give careful consideration to, the goodness of God, having mercy: how good, O Israel, is God to the upright of heart (Ps 72:1); or do you despise the riches of his goodness? (Rom 2:4). And his severity in punishing: O Lord, you God of vengeance (Ps 94:1); the Lord is a jealous God and avenging (Nah 1:2). For the first consideration begets hope; the second begets fear, so that despair and presumption are avoided. Second, he indicates the ones affected by each of these two qualities, saying: towards them indeed that are fallen, i.e., the Jews, the severity: the Lord has destroyed without mercy all the habitations of Jacob (Lam 2:2); but towards you, the engrafted gentile, the goodness: you have dealt kindly with your servant, O Lord (Ps 119:65). Third, he shows how the foregoing points should be considered, since the situation is not immutable but could change in the future. First, he shows this with respect to the gentiles, saying: towards you, I say, goodness, if you abide in goodness: remain in my love (John 15:9). Otherwise, if you do not strive to persevere through fear and humility, you also shall be cut off: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down (Matt 3:10).”

“Paul testifies that God is good to the Gentiles because, although they followed idols and deserved to die, he waited for them in his patience, and even though they did not seek him, he called them and forgave their sins. But God is severe toward the Jews and has even blinded them because they rejected God's gift. Here Paul is referring to those Jews who because of their wickedness have been permanently blinded. For this reason he says that they have fallen, whereas the others whom I mentioned above have not fallen, even though they have sinned, because Paul shows that they have been blinded for a time. But God has been severe to these, because they have become eternally blind and apostate.”