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. XI.

Verses 18, 19. Being then made free from sin ye are made the seruants of righteousnesse, I speake after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh; for as ye haue giuen your members &c.

Tim.

VVHat doth this text contayne?

Sylas.

Three new reasons to disswade from liuing in the seruice of sin.

Tim.

What is the first reason?

Sil.

Because Christ hauing set them free from the bon∣dage* 1.1 of sin, they are not now bound to obey the lusts of it: as bondmen and seruants doe giue obedience to their Lords, whiles they are their seruants, but being once free, they do not serue them any more: nay now they ouer-rule sinfull lusts, or else in vaine they profesle Christianity; it is to no purpose to put on the purple kingly robe, if there be no man to command; so in vaine to professe thy selfe a Christian, if thou hast no commaund ouer thy passions and lusts.

Tim.

What is the second reason?

Sil.

They are made the seruants of righteousnesse, there∣fore* 1.2 they must not serue nor obey sin but God; this reason may be declared two wayes. First, by comparison of bo∣dily seruants, who are carefull to please their maisters, so ought Christians to be, being Gods seruants, Rom. 14, 4. Secondly, by consideration of his goodnesse and bounty, whome wee serue, declared both in the manifolde good things, spirituall and corporall which wee haue from him; and in those which we further hope for, to wit, the preser∣uation and sustentation of our liues in this world, and eter∣nall life in heauen with God and his Angels.

Tim.

Let me heare of you what we are to learn by this that he calleth them the (seruants of rigteousnesse) which bee the seruants of God?

Silas.

It helpeth vs to distinguish the true seruants of God from the counterfeit: for such as truely serue God,

haue care to please him by dooing the righteous things which he commandeth in his word. Whereas false ser∣uants neglecting his righteous precepts, do yet professe themselues to be his seruants, and therefore bee his ser∣uants in name onely, and not in truth and deed.

Tim.

What is the third Reason?

Silas.

The third reason is taken from things which be* 1.3 like or equall, as thus: The elect before their conuersion diligently serue sinne in doing the lustes thereof; there∣fore being conuerted, they must with like diligence serue God in doing his will reucaled in his word.

Tim.

What doe ye consider in this third reason?

Silas.

1. The preface or entrance. Secondly, a similitude with his parts, which setteth downe two parts of Gods seruice, 1. subiection, 2. warre with sinne.

Tim.

Now shew vnto vs in what words the preface is con∣tained, and the meaning of the words.

Sil.

The preface is contained in these words (I speake after the manner of men.) This phrase hath sundry sig∣nifications, one is this: I require no harde matter, but such as men are able to performe. The second is this, I require no vniust thing, but such as any that hath the reason of a man, would grant to be equall and iust. Third∣ly, I speake plainly and familiarly, as euery man may ea∣sily vnderstand me, fetching a similitude from common matters knowne to all men, because ye should the better perceiue what I say. Of all these expositions the last is best to be allowed of, because of that that followeth in the verse, where he borroweth his comparison from the worldly affaires of men, such as all men by reason and common experience knew and were well acquainted with.

Tim.

What is the cause why the Apostle would teach the Romanes after such a plaine manner, by comparisons from easie and homely things?

Silas.

Because of the infirmity of their flesh, by which is meant their carnall and corrupt vnderstanding, which

hindereth that they could not receiue heauenly thinges, being taught them in profound and exacte manner, as appeareth by the example of Nicodemus, and also by the words of our Sauiour to him, Iohn 3, 12.

Tim.

What were the instructions gathered from hence?

Sil.

Three-fold: First, it concerns Ministers, that they apply themselues in their teaching, to the capacitie and rudenesse of their hearers, which being rude, therefore the plainer we speake, the better it is. The second, con∣cernes hearers, for whom it is safest to bee taught with the greatest plainnesse that may be, because of the weak∣nesse of their vnderstanding; which euen in regenerate persons is more carnall then spirituall, their blindnesse and ignorance being far more then their sight & know∣ledge. Lastly, it reprooues such Ministers which teach darkly and couertly, affecting obscuritie in matter and in maner of teaching; and such people as loue to bee so taught, loathing simplicity.

Tim.

Now come to the similitude it selfe, and tel vs whence it is fetched?

Sil.

From worldly matters, wherein it is vsuall for ser∣uants to serue their seuerall Maisters, with like dili∣gence and promptnesse; which the Apostle doth thus fit to his purpose. It is meete, that Christians should bee as willing, forward, and cheerefull in seruing God, nowe they are regenerate, as they were in seruing sinne before they were regenerate, seeing bodily seruants equally please their Lords.

Tim.

What be the partes of this similitude or comparison?

Silas.

Two: First, a proposition, contained in these words [As ye haue giuen, &c.] In which words is contay∣ned the conditions of that seruice which the elect yeeld vnto sin, while they are naturall men.

Tim.

What conditions do ye obserue in their seruice to sinne?

Silas.

These foure: First, they wholly serued sin [Your Members] that is to say, your selues. Secondly, they ser∣ued sinne with all readinesse, and with their whole

strength [Ye haue giuen] that is, yee haue willingly pre∣sented your selues before sinne, as a Seruant before his Lord to do his will. Thirdly, they did and fulfilled not one, but all manner of sinne, which is meant heere by vncleannesse and iniquity. Fourthly, they proceeded & went forward from one degree of sinne to another (To commit iniquitie) whereby is meant the outward work of sin, and that they rested not in the inward lust and con∣sent of sin.

Tim.

What doth vncleannesse and iniquity signifie?

Silas.

Vnder vncleannesse bee contained sins that tend to our commodity and pleasure; and vnder iniquity such sinnes by which we are iniurious and hurtfull vnto our Neighbour.

Tim.

What is the secondpart of this similitude?

Silas.

It is an application of the former proposition, contained in these wordes (So now giue your Members, &c.)

Tim.

What thinges do ye obserue out of the second part of this reason?

Sil.

These foure things: First, the elect beeing con∣uerted, are bounde to serue God with the whole man,* 1.4 [Your Members,] that is your selues. Secondly, they must do it with great readinesse and alacrity [Now giue.] Thirdly, they must serue God in euery duty, [Righteous∣nesse, which hath our dutie to man, and Holines which hath our dutie to God.] Lastly, they must goe forwards, and profit daily in godlinesse and in the seruice of God, as they did before in the seruice of sin and wickednesse. For there is no standing at a stay: Men goe backeward, which go not forward in goodnesse; and the Nature of* 1.5 sanctifying grace, is to grow and encrease to perfection, as Scripture and all experience teach vs: wherein men may take a true triall of themselues, whether they bee led by the spirit of sanctification.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Reason.
• * 1.2

  2. Reason.
• * 1.3

  3. Reason.
• * 1.4

  Iustitioe serui∣endum. 1. liben∣ter. 2. vigilanter 3. celeriter. 4. potenter. 5. ar∣denter. 6. inde∣sinenter.
• * 1.5

  Non 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & deficit, qui non proficit,