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.

DIALOGVE XIII.

Verse 22, 23, 24.

When they professed themselues to be wise, they became fooles: for they turned the glory of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man, and of Birds,

and of foure-footed beastes, and of creeping thinges: wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lust, vnto vncleannesse, to defile their owne bodies betweene them∣selues.

Tim.

HOw is this Text tyed and linked in with the last? by what orderly steps doth Paul go forward,

Sil.

Heere is a newe Anticipation, or fore-stalling of a priuy obiection: the obiection not expressed, but vnder∣stood is this. O Paul why doe you accuse the Heathenish people of foolishnes and darknesse of mind; doe you not knowe that they tooke themselues to bee wise, and had a same among men for great wisedome, yea & had the name (their teachers I meane) of Philosophers, that is persons studious, and louers of wisedome? The Romaynes had their Cato, and diuers others renowned for great wise∣dome:* 1.1 and Greece had her seauen wisemen. In Egipt were men learned in al wisedome; and do we not reade of wise men which came out of the East from amongst Heathens, to enquire where the king of the Iewes should be borne? To this obiection the Apostle answereth, first granting in∣deed that in their owne opinion, and by profession to the world, they were esteemed for wonderfull wise men; yet indeed and very trueth they were fooles: because by lea∣uing and leaping out of the boundes of that knowledge which God had imprinted in their mind, and manifested in his woorkes; and following their owne witty inuentions and sharpe conceits, they fell from that worship of GOD whereunto their engrauen light, and the sight of the Cre∣ature called them, vnto most grosse & abhominable Ido∣latry; not only making such their Gods as were but Cre∣atures, yea the basest Creatures, euen creeping things had diuine honour giuen them: but changing (what lay in them) the true Immortall and Spirituall God, and his glo∣rious Maiesty into earthly corruptible and contemptible shewes and similitudes, which they adored religiously, for∣saking the right spiritual worshippe of the onely true God, and so became fooles or rather mad in their folly, because

they would maintaine it by pretext of reason.

Tim.

Vpon what pretences and apparance of reason did the wisest of the Heathens maintaine their heathenish Idolatry, in making Creatures Gods, and woorshipping God by Images, also making pictures and shapes of God: what had they to say? what did they professe to bee the ground and motiue of such su∣perstition?

Sil.

Their pretexts and excuses deuised out of humane witte (wandering from light of nature) were sundry; not much vnlike (and some the very same) with these which our Papists stragling from the light of the worde, now doe vse in the very like case for defence of their abhominable Idolles; and which sometime the Israelites did pleade for* 1.2 themselues, when they declined from Gods loue and ser∣uice,* 1.3 to such their owne inuentions. As first, that God be∣ing a Spirit separate from sense, therefore the people whose vnderstandings were grosse, must haue God visible by some shape. Againe, that they were not so foolish as to thinke the Images to be God, but only tokens and re∣membrances, and helps whereby to come to God: that as men come to Emperours by vnder-officers, so accesse to God must be by Saints, and inserior Gods; which excu∣ses and such like, are answered by Athanasius, Ambrose, and Augustine.

Tim.

Now let mee know of you, in what respect the true God is called incorruptible; seeing mens Soules and Angels be so too, and how his glory can be said to bee changed, seeing it is immutable as himselfe is? For me thinks it doth wel follow, that God being incorruptible cannot change; and as himselfe is, so is his glory exempted from change, why then doth Paul say, they changed it?

Sil.

The Angels and mens Soules be incorruptible, that is, free from corruption, alteration and change; not ori∣ginally by themselues, but by the will of God, who him∣selfe is such of himselfe, most necessarily and euerlastingly exempt from chaunge and mutation: yea and his glory also absolutely considered, is such as shall abide the same

for euer, though heauen and earth passe away, it shall not alter: but his glory being relatiuely considered in respect of men as it is to be honoured and worshipped of his rea∣sonable Creatures, it may bee and is often changed by the lewd impiety of wicked Idolaters, who corrupt his glorie two wayes; both by making vnto them Gods, which by nature are not so, giuing diuine honour and seruice to things Created: and secondly by representation of God in visible shapes and Images, adoring him in and by such pi∣ctures and shewes as men fancy of him; and after both these sortes did the Gentiles dishonour God, worshipping for Gods such as had not diuinity in them, also by framing similitudes of God to which they attributed diuine honor by erecting vnto them Temples and Altars, also offering sacrifices and prayers vnto the figures of men, beasts, and creeping creatures, so foolish they were and without vn∣derstanding.

Tim.

What be the instructions of this Text which we are to consider of?

Silas.

First, such as in appointing Gods seruice doe lcanc to their owne reason and wit, they proue ridicu∣lous and foolish, because in the ordering of Gods wor∣ship, Gods word only must be the rule; when men leaue the word, they leaue wisedome and chuse folly. Se∣condly, that all wicked men are fooles, because in the ordering of their liues they leaue the word and follow their owne lusts. Thirdly, that euen the godly are so farre forth fooles, as they depart from the word of God which now to Christians is the square of Gods seruice, as the Law of Nature was vnto the Insidels.

Tim.

What other sinnes doth the Apostle charge the Gen∣tiles withall?

Silas.

With the sinne of Idolatry, which appeareth in these two things. First, they made similitudes & like∣nesses of God. Secondly, they worshipped those Ima∣ges.

Tim.

But they wil say, they worship God, & not the Images?

Silas

But the Apostle saith, they worship the Crea∣tures and not the Creator.

Tim.

They will say they wrong not God, because still they minde to worship him?

Sil.

That is not so, for they turned his glory into a base similitude, as of creeping things, which is a great dishonour to him. Secondly, they changed the truth into a lye, as if the incorruptible and inuisible God were like a mortall and corruptible Creature, which is a lye. Thirdly, they forsake the Creator, as verse 25.

Tim.

You thinks then that God is not worshipped at all if any other be worshipped with him?

Sil.

It is true, or if he be worshipped any otherwise then himselfe hath commanded; for as there is none to be religiously serued saue God alone, Math. 4. 10. so this God will be worshipped after his owne appoint∣ment.

Tim.

Doe not they also forsake God which are spirituall I∣dolaters, setting their harts vpon the Creature, as Riches, plea∣sures, &c?

Sil.

They do so, for God alone will be feared and lo∣ued aboue all, and trusted in alone, as the first comman∣dement enioyneth vs.

Tim.

What was the punishment of this their Idolatry?

Sil.

The giuing of them vp to vncleane and vnnatu∣rall lusts.

Tim.

What is meant by giuing vp men?

Sil.

Not an idle and bare permission, seuered from Gods will, or a putting of sinne into men, but a with∣drawing of his grace, or for saking the Creatures and de∣liuering them vp (as a iust Iudge) to be ruled by Sathan and their owne lusts; this is the greatest and most grieuous punishment that can befall a man in this life, because it is the encreasing of sinne, and hath new prouocations of Gods anger.

Tim.

How many kinds be there of giuing vp?

Silas.

Two; One in part onely, and for a time, into

which the children of God may fall, as appeareth in Ma∣nasses, Dauid, Salomon, and Peter: the other, wholly and for euer, which the Reprobates fall into, as appeareth in Cam, Esau, and Iudas.

Tim.

What was our instruction heere?

Silas.

To feare God greatly, seeing he can thus hor∣ribly and dreadfully punnish offenders, which disobcy his will: and if this be well thought vpon, it will make sinne far more hatefull to vs.

Tim.

What were they giuen vp vnto?

Silas.

Vnto all kinde of sinne: but namely, vnto vnchast and vncleane lusts, touching generation: they were as∣saulted with an whole army of burning and vnconquer∣able desires, which were both effectes and punishments of their Idolatry: from whence as Riuers they did flow.

Tim.

What did we learne from this?

Silas

To abhorre and abandon such filthy lustes, not only because they defile our bodies, which are the mem∣bers of Christ, the Temples of the Holyghost, bought with a great price; and are also sinnes against the bodie, 1 Cor. 6, 18. but because they are the punishment of I∣dolatry. This is the Cockatrice which hatcheth such a pestiferous brood, as the punishment of vncleane lusts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Act. 7, 22.
• * 1.2

  Fxod. 32.
• * 1.3

  Ezek 8. 10.