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. VI.

Verses 30, 31, 32, 33. Now I beseech you brethren, for the Lord Iesus Christs sake, and for the loue of the Spirite, that you do striue together with me in your Prayers to God for mee, 31. That I might be deliuered from those which do not beleeue in Iudea, and that my seruice which I haue for Ierusalem, may be accepted of the Saints. 32. That I may come to you with toy, by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. 33. Now the God of peace be with all, Amen.

Tim.

LEt vs haue the meaning method, and matter of these 4. verses with most perspicuous breuity.

Silas.

They containe the last part of this Chapter, his commending himselfe to their prayers, with an exceed∣ing religious obtestation (euen as Christ or his Spirit be deare vnto them) so that they be ready (not to help) but to fight togither with him in prayer to God the authour

all good, the protector against all euill, verse 31. Then in verse 32. the subiect of their prayer, or things to be prai∣ed for on Pauls behalfe are two: First, to be set free from the vnbeleeuing and cruell Iewes which maligned Paul most of all other Apostles and disciples of Christ.

Secondly, that the poore Church of Ierusalem, might as thankfully accept the almes brought them by him, as it was freely and voluntarily giuen them. Afterwards he notcth the effects and fruits of their mutual praiers; one was, that he might come to them, being saued from the fury of enemies; and the other, that he might come with more gladnes, if he vnderstood his seruice for the poore Brethren to be accepted, otherwise his comming would be with griefe, verse 32, 33.

Tim.

Come to the matter, and touch the Doctrines, reasons, and vses, verse by verse, as ye did before.

Silas.

The first Doctrine out of the 30. verse is, that the stronger do neede the praiers of the weaker. The rea∣son is, because there will be still somewhat wanting to the best, and the force of prayers depends not vpon the worthinesse of persons (for the Romanes were lesse wor∣thy then Paul) but on Christes merites, in whose name whosoeuer come to God, shalbe heard for themselues & other. For that God which commands vs to pray for our selues, enioyneth vs to pray for others: especiallie, our teachers, as hauing more neede vnto, and more right in our prayers, then other Christians haue.

The Vse is to warne the weaker to shew their charitie in praying for the worthier, and the worthiest their hu∣mility in seeking the request of the meanest. How much more ought the infirme to desire earnestly the helpe of the zcalous prayers of the strong, when the strongest, such as Paul, dooth craue the weaker sort to remember him. Secondly, Gods prouidence which is first and so∣ueraigne cause, and mens prayers which are second cau∣ses, be not repugnant but subordinate; the one destroies not the other, but they mutually require one the other.

Paul was sure to come to Rome by Gods power, yet hee neglecteth not the meanes, hee prayeth, and entreateth them to pray for him: see Acts 23, 32. Math. 7, 7, 8. The reason is, because God hath ordained prayer and other meanes, with a commandement to vse them: also hee v∣seth to serue his prouidence by meanes, though he bee free and vntied to any meanes, yea, euen when he setteth Instruments aworke, yet he doth all, because he wil: for he is a most free agent.

This checkes such as foreslow prayer and other helpes as neede requireth, and as God offreth them; they are in his obedience and feare to be vsed, least he be tempted. When a certaine Pastor had saide to a great Warriour, going to battaile, that hee would pray for him; who re∣plied that it should not need, because if God meant him victory, it should come without his prayers; to whome the Preacher replied, Then also cast away your weapons and Soldiers, for without them (if he will) God can saue. So he saw his error.

Likewise, a certaine Physitian hauing a Patient who was an Atheist, told him, his Physicke would not worke without prayer to God, and so cured both his atheisine and sicknesse at once. Thirdly, Christian prayer must be feruent, cold suters be ill speeders, Iames 5, 16. Of zea∣lous prayers, Poperie can giue no examples, because their prayers be vttered in a strange tongue: they labor with their lips, not with their mindes.

Fourthly, feruent prayer of the faithfull, is as a strife or conflict, wherein sundry ioyne their forces against a common enemy. In worldly combats, as souldiers mutu∣ally beseech the aide one of another, so the faithfull by Pauls example, are to incite one to ioyne with another, and to conflict or fight together by prayers: for this du∣tie hath many and great hinderances: as namely Sathan, because it doth him much hurt, hee suggesteth into the mindes of men at their prayers, thoughts of doubting, of wrath, reasonings, vaine immaginations, strange cogita∣tions:

so as it is a verie difficult thing in time of inuocati∣on, to haue the whole heart fixed and stayed on God, and on the things which are payed for. This thing nedeeth an holy strife and contention: Most men do not account it thus: which causeth faigned and fainting prayers to proceede from many, such as vanish and fall to nothing ere they come a quarter of the way to heauen, whither they cannot reach without a spirituall violence. Fiftly, no better buckler in extreamity then prayer, feruent and faithfull. The Apostle being in great danger of his coun∣trymen the Iewes, craues not the Romanes to bring forth their weapons (as swords and Speares, &c.) to encounter them and rescue him, but to fight with God by heartie prayer for his safety, wherein lyeth more security then in force of armes, by how much Gods power exceedeth all earthly might. Our degenerate and new Romanes take a readier way and shorter cut to quit them of their ene∣mies (not by running so farre as heauen,) but by sediti∣ons, rebellions, murthers, treasons, stabbing of Princes, blowing vp of English Parliament-houses, and such o∣ther monstrous vnnaturall courses, whereof godly Paul neuer once dreamed, vnlesse it were to denounce hell∣torment, and heauens losse to them. Oh how vnlike bee the spirit of Paul and of the Pope, who dares not trust God by prayer to flye to him onely, but to impious, dia∣bolical, and hellish practises and policies, to effect his ac∣cursed will against such as hee accounts his foes, yet in truth Christs friends? How far be they from Antichrist, which delight so in the blood of Gods people, in barba∣rous sauage cruelty, such as amongst Scythians & Can∣nibals is not to be heard of? Doeg is condemned for tru∣sting in riches, Achás in his Physitians, what shal be done to Papists which trust in murther and violence?

Tim.

Touching the thing prayed for in verse 32. what rea∣son had the Apostle to desire this deliuerance from the disobe∣dient Iewes, (vnbeleefe is the greatest disobedience, refusing to submit to the commandement which bids vs belieue in Christ,

and makes men disobedient to the word of precept, as well as of promise) was he so timorous as he feared to bee slaine and killed of them? And what need was there to pray for acceptation of his Almes (a matter so desired and delightful to the poorer sort) & out of all this verse, what should we learne for our edisication in godlinesse, as also out of the v. 33. what say ye to these things?

Sil.

Of the former petition, the cause was not immode∣rate feare of danger, or a mind vnprepared to suffer affli∣ctions, see Actes. 21, 13. but partly, the prophesies of the Spirit, reuealing to him continuall and great troubles to happen to him at Ierusalem, Act. 20, 22. 23. & the extreme malice of the Iewes, hating Paul as a most resolute cham∣pion of the Messias doctrine, and a rigorous enemy or oppugner of the legall ceremonies and Mosaicall rites, (as shadowes which were to giue way to the presence of the body, which is Christ,) and finally, that he might not be wanting to his owne preseruation (the care whereof nature & God haue laid on euery mā, yea euery creature. Hereby teaching vs first, that the Gofpell hath no more fierce enemies then ignorant zeale: witnes the fury prac∣tised by Iewes and Papists a gainst the Gospell of Christ, and the true professors thereof. 2. that sound and painful Preachers, are exposed to perillous aduersaries for the words sake. For such as hate the Lord, hate his seruants, as Christ told his Apostles: therefore Pastors haue neede of much Christian courage, & of the prayers of the flock for their desert. 3. Against such our owne, and the Chur∣ches praiers, are to be opposed as chiefest refuge; because of the promise which God made them, Mat. 18, 20. Ps. 50 15. a guard of a thousand Souldiers, cannot make Gods children so safe and sure, as one sighe or prayer of a con∣trite heart. For it is God onely, that makes men dwell in safety. All saluation belongs to God, and he heares their praiers that feare him, and grants their desires. Heere are reprooued such as neglect their Pastors safety, neuer cō∣mending it to God in their praies, much more such as be∣tray and be procurers of their peril and trouble, as Alex∣ander the Coppersmith, &c.

Touching his latter request, though almes be accep∣table and welcome to the needy (as bread and drinke to the hungry or thirsty) yet euen such Iewes as were be∣come Christians, and had not whollye shaken off Moses Law, had and held a great iealousie and sinister suspition of Paul, see Acts 21, 21. which made Paul feare the suc∣cesse of his seruice, how it would be taken, being broght by one not very gracious to them, yet obliged vnto this office by his owne promise, and the Churches impulsion, Gal. 2, 10. Learne, that Saints haue frailties, poor Saints haue infirmities; for their Sanctification is not absolute. Hence it is, that good offices cannot alwayes bee done to them, but with some feare of vnthankfulnesse and vn∣tow ardnesse in accepting, & of il construction of friend∣ly endeauours: which as it did not dishearten Paul, so it ought not vs, who are to pray to haue such weaknes∣ses cured & amended in the people, but not to be with∣held by them from doing duty: but goe on to fulfill our vocation, as Dauid did in the matter of Goliah, notwith∣standing his brethren did peruersely interprete his en∣deauour. So did Christ in preaching and working Myra∣cles, albeit the Iewes sinisterly attributed all hee did to vainglory, and to the worke of Belzebub. In the other words following with Paul in future euents, let vs learn quietly and contentedly to waite vpon the will of God, because it rules all, and turnes all to the best, verse 32. by the will of God; also to seeke refreshing and ioy in the society, conference, consolation, and exhortations of the godly. For as many hot coales put together, doth make one another burn the more, & giue the greater warmth, so conferring and mutuall communicating of gifts kind∣leth zeale, encreaseth godlinesse, and confirmeth in the faith of Christ: therefore such are enemies to themselues and others, which be enemies to godly conferences, and vnto brotherly fellowship.

Finally, it is a great mercie both to haue God pacifi∣ed to vs; & one of vs at peace with another in the Lord.

This is the onely work of God, who is very often there∣fore stiled the God of peace, Rom. 15, 5. Phil. 4, 9. Thus the God of peace be with you all, Amen. This of hauing God with vs (that is,) the presence of his fauour aswell as of his essence and power, is a most blissefull thing, the cause of all peace, prosperity, and welfare to our souls and bo∣dies, now and for euet: as men be miserable without it, so most happy by it. Therefore in Scripture very often prayed for. & much promised as the foundation of al our good. See Exod. 4, 12. Iosh. 1, 9. Iudg. 6, 16. Genes. 39, 2. Acts 10, 38, &c.