A commentarie vpon the most diuine Epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes Containing for matter, the degeneration of our nature by Adams Fall; and the restauration thereof, by the grace of Christ. Together with the perfection of faith, and the imbecillity of workes, in the cause of iustification of elect sinners before God. For forme and maner of handling, it hath the coherence and method, the summe and scope, the interpretations & doctrines the reasons and vses, of most texts. All which, are set downe very familiarly and compendiously, in forme of a dialogue, betweene Tlmotheus [sic] and Silas, by Thomas Wilson, one of the six preachers in the cathedrall church of Canterbury.

DIAL. XXI.

Verses 26, 27. As it is written, there shall come a deliuerer out of Sion, and shall turne away vngodlinesse from Iacob; for this is my couenant with them, when I shall take away their sinnes.

Tim.

VVHat doth Paul performe in these words?

Silas.

After his owne testimony or prophesie touching the vocation of the fulnesse of the Iewes towards the end of the world; hee now proueth it by a double testimony of the Prophet Esay; whence ari∣seth a second argumēt, to confirme that secret of the Iewes conuersion, euen by Prophetical authority, which is a most sure worde that cannot faile nor deceiue. The Prophets haue fore-told the Iewes conuerfion, before the restoring of all things, therefore certainly it must be so.

Tim.

Here are two knots to be loosed, first shew vs how Paul calleth that a secret, verse 25, which beere in these verses hee sayeth was written before by the Prophet? if it were written and reuealed then it is no secret.

Silas.

Doctrines of the worde are secrets to some when they are not to others which know them; also they bee se∣crets in part, when in the whole they be not secrets. So it fareth with this particular doctrine, touching the future and full restauration of the vnbeleeuing Iewes: though it was written in the Scripture of the Prophets, yet it remay∣ned as to others, so to Paul himselfe a secrete and hidden thing, till it was taught him, yea and after he had learned it yet stil to others which knew it not, it did abide a mystery, yea & to himselfe in some sort, as in what manner, at what particular time, and by what meanes this vocation should be fulfilled. Thus what is not absolutely a secret, may yet be called a mystery in some respects.

Tim.

But was it not sufficient for the credit of this mystery, that Paul had affirmed it from the inspiration of the Holy Ghost? what needeth hee to bring Scripture to confirme it, his owne assertion being an Apostle was aboundantly enough?

Silas.

It is true, Paul his owne assertion might haue suf∣ficiently

authorised this doctrine, but for two or three e∣speciall* 1.1 reasons, hee doeth nowe (as aften heretofore) ap∣peale vnto Scriptures, repeating his wonted words (as it is written.) His reasons bee these; First, to manifest and make good that which in his defence before King Agrip∣pa hee had spoken, that hee did witnesse no other thinges then those which the Prophets did say should come, Acts 26, 22. Secondly, to preuent and put by the offence of the Iewes, that they might not be scandalized and grieued with the doctrine of the Gospell, wherein they should ap∣parantly behold a great and full agreement between it and the Gospell. Thirdly, to commend the vse of the Scrip∣tures, that it alone is a perfect rule of faith and manners & all-sufficient alone to demonstrate and proue all doctrines touching saluation; so as we neede not for this purpose au∣thority humane, or traditions of the Church and vnwrit∣ten word.

Tim.

What are we then to learne from this constant customs of Paul, still prouoking to the authority of the old Testament, for proofe of poynts and articles of religion?

Silas.

First, the great proportion and harmony or con∣sent which is betweene the Propheticall and Apostolicall writings. Nothing in the new Testament is taught to be beleeued vnto saluation, which is not fore-told and fore∣shewed in the olde; nothing promised in the old, which hath not the acomplishment in the new, so as the bookes of Euangelists and Apostles, bee as it were commentaries of the Prophets, as the Prophets be interpreters of Moses. The new Testament is the illustration of the old, as the old is the shadowing of the new: both bee but one word, and one Scripture, as there is but one faith, one Church; what∣soeuer, fanaticall and fantasticall men, as Marcionites, Ma∣nichees and others do dreame. Secondly, we learne that neither preachers publikely, for doctrine & matter of faith do teach ought which they cannot auouch and make good by authority of Scripture; nor the people embrace as truth of God vnto their saluation, ought, which cannot bee she∣wed

them to be contained in the written worde, eyther for words expresly, or for matter and meaning. If any* 1.2 thing in the matter of Faith and saluation be saide or al∣ledged without authority of Scripture, it may be reiec∣ted with the same facility as it was alledged, saith an an∣cient Father. Whatsoeuer is necessary, is manifest (sayth Augustine.) Againe, If I reade it not in the Canonicall Scripture, I will not beleeue it.

Tim.

From what Chapters of Esay, are these two autho∣rities drawne and fetched, and how are they fitted vnto Paule his purpose?

Silas.

Heere be two Oracles of Esay the Prophet con∣tracted* 1.3 into one, as was done before in verse 8. The for∣mer Text or sentence, taken out of the Prophet Esay, ch. 59. v. 20, there is a little alteration in the words, for in Esay it is, [The deliuerer shall come to Syon:] in Paul (follo∣wing the translation of the Septuagint) it is, [Shall come out of Syon.] This difference may thus be reconciled, ey∣ther 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is by the Notaries and Coppiers fault, crept into the Text for heneca, as the Septuagint rendred it [For Syons sake,] or if we read [out of Sion,] then it hath relation vnto the progresse of the Gospell, as if Paul (doing the office of an Interpreter) should say, that out of Sion (that is, the Church of God, signified by Sion, where the Tribes assembled to worship) should come the Gospell, which should conuert the Iewes to Christ: whereas Esay respe∣cting the very time and instant of the first comming of the Messias, said (Vnto Sion.)

There is another alteration in the wordes, though no change in the sence; for whereas Esay saith (vnto them which turne from iniquity) which implyeth repentance, Paul rising higher, nameth the very cause of their repen∣tance, namely remission of sinnes by faith in Christ. For none can turne away from sinne by repentance, ex∣God turne sinne from them by free remission: Or else, with Maister Iunius wee may say, that for his comming (whereof Esay makes mention) Paul setteth downe a

beneficiall consequent of his comming, which is remis∣sion of sinnes.

The second authority is fetched, the one part of it, [This shall be my couenaut] out of Esay 59, 21. and the o∣ther part out of Esay, Chap. 27. verse 9. This is al the fruite, the taking away of sinne. Some thinke it an allu∣sion to the words of the couenant, Ier. 31, 34. The Apo∣stle applieth this place to his purpose after this sort. See∣ing God meaneth by free couenant to bee reconciled to the Iewes, (forgiuing them their sinnes) and hath fore∣tolde it by his Prophet, therefore there is no doubt of it, but it should be: in which regard, the Gentiles haue no cause proudly to despise and insult ouer the Iewes, but in feare and humility to preserue themselues in the estate of grace. If we will heare the application of these Scriptures more at large, thus it is: What God hath pro∣mised by couenant, the same must bee fulfilled, because God is faithfull, and cannot lye or deny himselfe, 1 Tim. 1, 2. Shall he promise, and not doe? But by promise hee couenanted to giue a deliuerance, not temporall from Babylonish captiuity, but spirituall vnto remission of sinnes, and eternall life: which couenant, he hath made not with Gentiles onely, but with Iewes; not with one or with a fewe, but with the whole people signified by [Iacob] opposed against [In part] verse 25. This Coue∣nant of sending Christ, who is the deliuerer here spoken of, to conuert the whole Nation of the Iewes, and to saue them by forgiuenesse of sinne, is not yet accompli∣shed. Therefore in time to come, euen before the Con∣clusion of the world, it must be fulfilled: for one title or iot of Gods word, may not fall to the ground. This is like the prophesies of Math. 1, 21. Mich. 4, 7. Luke 1, 33. which are not yet done, therefore must be. For the Iewes being the chiefe part of the people, are but in smal num∣ber yet called to the kingdome of Christ.

Tim.

What is now the generall Doctrine of these two Ver∣ses? What is taught out of them?

Sil.

That there shall be a generall calling of the Iewes to the faith of the Gospell, before the second comming of Christ, as the Prophets haue fore-tolde it. It is not meant that euery one shall be saued, so as there shal not* 1.4 be any one beleeuer in the whole nation, but as the ful∣nesse of the Gentiles are saide to come into the Church because the most and greatest number shall imbrace Christ; so all Israel must be saued, and whole Iacob shall haue sinne forgiuen them, because this shall be done to the cheefest part, whereof the whole vseth to take deno∣mination.

For further proofe heereof, see the 21. Chapter of the Reuelation, which is a prophesie of this last and great* 1.5 vocation of the Iewes, as hath beene proued before. Vn∣to which wee may ioyne Ezekiels vision, touching the restoring (by certaine degrees) vnto life, strength, beau∣ty, and proportion, the dry bones which he saw scatte∣red in the fielde; which howsoeuer some by allusion doe apply to the resurrectiō of the dead at the general iudg∣ment, yet it is plaine by the text to be meant of Israelites being (in respect of spirituall life and grace, like drye bones and dead bodyes,) vnable throrough vnbeleefe to stirre toward God, but through the great and rich good∣nesse of God to be raised againe by the Gospell, and made aliue to God through Christ, not all at once, but by some degrees, whereof their comming out of their desperate captiuity of Babylon might bee a type and fi∣gure. For it is Gods manner in types of temporall de∣liuerances, to teach spirituall and heauenly things, con∣cerning eternall redemption by Christ. Beside these things the counsell of the most wise and almighty God in the wonderfull preseruation of the Iewes, ought dili∣gently to be considered & waighed of the godly: wher∣as sundry very ancient people and famous, as Persians, Chaldeans, Assirians, Troians, Vandales, Lombards, Gothes, Saxons, Picts, Hunnes, &c. are eyther quite extinct and destroyed, or else being seuered and scattered, haue not

so held their owne, as to keepe still their owne ordinan∣ces, and to be able to shew their originall and historye in sure record, and preserue themselues, for their ciuill life and religion, vnmixed with other people whither they came: (yet behold a strange thing and markeable) the Iewes onely, notwithstanding their great and long dispersions, and manifold calamities, desolations, and death in sundry countries, where they haue beene but∣chered like sheepe, as in England heere at London and Yorke, (by hundreds and thousands,) and elsewhere in other Countries, knocked downe by heapes, and others cruelly spoyled, do for all this not onely remaine in very innumerous multitudes, chiefely in Asia and Aphrica, (as M. Beza, and M. Grineus vpon certaine knowledge do re∣port,) but do keepe their Tribes distinct and vnconfoun∣ded, and their religion, all without commixtion as much as they may, reading and searching the Scriptures, but with very corrupt construction; yet with this fruite and commodity, that both their pedigree and descent from Abraham and the Patriarkes may appeare, & eke by their witnesse of our bookes, (out of which we deriue our holy Christian faith,) may be iustified and cleared from suspiti∣on of imposture and fraude, which the heathenish Philo∣sophers and other prophane Atheist-like persons cannot now charge vs with, seeing that people still remaines as preseruers of those oracles of God, which bee the foun∣taines of our religion. Of all which what other thing are we to deeme and iudge, but that they are reserued thus miraculously of God against the time of their conuersion and saluation to come heereafter, in Gods determinate season. Of this iudgement and opinion finally are many both moderne writers, M. Caluine, Beza, Peter Martyr, Iunius, Piscator, Pareus, and our learned industrious coun∣tryman M. Doctor Willet, who hath written an whole tract of this argument: and diuers of the ancient Fathers and Schoolemen, as namely Hilary, and Chrysostome, and Tho∣mas Aquinas, whose words are these: Vniuersi Iudaei, &c.

all the Iewes shall come to the Faith, not particularlie some, but vniuersally all; as many beleeued in the be∣ginning when the Gospell first was published, so verie many shall beleeue heereafter. The Meditation where∣of, should warne vs 1. of courtesie and charity towardes the Iewes. 2. of humility in our selues, that wee despise not them whome God will honour. 3. of sound amend∣ment of our liues, that we be no longer any occasion of their stumbling and auersion from Christianity, and that with daily and most feruent supplication we doe helpe their conuersion, that God may bee glorified in the free and mighty saluation of that forlorne people, and the kingdome of his Sonne enlarged: a deare thing vnto all which loue Christ.

Tim.

Yee haue now finished this generall instruction: Tell mee what particular Lessons ye haue to commend out of these two Verses?

Silas.

Both what be the benefites of Gods Couenant of grace, and in what order: Christ himselfe the deliue∣rer or Redeemer, whom except we receiue and embrace (being made one with him by Faith) wee can haue no part in his merits; as an house cannot bee borne vp and supported by a foundation, except first it bee close laide vpon it, nor a member takes motion from the body, if it be not knit to the body. The next benefit is remission, or taking away sinne, both guilt and punishment, by the death of Christ, whereunto is annexed imputation of Christ his actiue obedience, in keeping the whole Lawe for our righteousnes. For it is not enough to bee freed from condemnation and curse of sin, but there must bee title and interest giuen vs vnto glorification and life e∣ternal, that we may be fully blessed, & Christ may be to vs no halfe, but an absolute redeemer. Lastly, repentance or turning from sin vnto holinesse, which is sanctificati∣on, and is an vnseparable companion of iustification, a necessarie fruite of faith, and a spirituall benefit of Gods free Couenant, so as they doe in vaine boast of hauing

Christ and remission of sinnes by him, which haue not forsaken their iniquities, and begun to leade a new life. Obstinate sinners which still abide in their wicked lusts, without amendment, haue nothing to do with Christ as a deliuerer and Sauiour, but as with a fierce Iudge. Se∣condly, we are taught that we haue pardon of sinne and sanctification by the vertue of Gods couenant and free promise, whereupon all good benefits depend, but this is effectuall onely by faith. For as no Christ, no recon∣ciliation with God without the promise concerning Christ, the promise is vaine to vs, till we beleeue. There∣fore the Papists teach corruptly, which say, that the par∣ties baptized, are purged and sanctified by the worke done, whether they doe beleeue or not. Moreouer, if remission of sinnes bee by free Couenant, what be∣commeth of merite of Workes? For, if our Saluation stands in remission, then not in perfection of Vertues: if in the prerogatiue of Christ the Redeemer, and of Gods free Couenant, then not in the glorie of our Me∣rites.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Reasons why the Apostles doe proue their doctrine by Scripture of the old Te stament.
• * 1.2

  We must o∣therwise iudge of the canonicall Scripture, then Catho∣like authors.
• * 1.3

  Interpreta∣tion.
• * 1.4

  Explanation of the doc∣trine.
• * 1.5

  Ezek. 37. 1, 2. 3, 4. &c.