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Verses 15, 16. What then? shall we sinne because we are not vnder the Law but vnder grace? God forbid. Know ye not that to whomsoeuer ye giue your selues as seruants to obey, his seruants ye are whom ye obey, whether it be of sinne vnto death, or of obedience vnto righteousnesse?
VVHat doth this Text contayne?
An answere of the Apostle Paul vnto a cauilling obiection, made against his former doctrine.* 1.1
First of all tell vs what he meaneth by [Sinne,] when he saith, What then, shall we sinne? v. 15.
By (Sinne) is meant heere, not one act of sin, but a continuall course of sinning, and it is as much as if it had beene said; Shall wee liue or leade our liues in sinne, as before verse 2. or shall we serue sinne, verse 6. or shall we obey sinne? This then is the meaning of the obiecti∣on, Shall wee giue ouer our selues licenciously to sinne, because wee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace? Which obiection did arise from the ill vnderstanding of the Apostles words. For his words were so taken of some as if hee had meant (by not beeing vnder the Law) our freedome from the gouernment and doctrine of the law, and so the bridle being cast loose in our necks, we might haue liued as we list; which was very farre from the Apo∣stles meaning.
What may we learne from this Obiection?
Our first instruction from this Obiection, is to learne how ready and prone sinnefull men bee to snatch vp all manner of occasions which may nourish liberty in sinne, peruerting holy doctrine to this end: therefore al men must watch ouer their owne hearts, being naturally bent to these crooked shifts, auoyding the company of sinnefull men which affect such naturall licenciousnesse. Secondly, that the il vnderstanding of things wel taught, breeds errors and cauillings, and therefore we must take heed of mistaking good doctrine. Thirdly, that there is no doctrine so sound, but one or other will carpe at it & wrest it: therefore Teachers must arme themselues with patience. Fourthly, that Ministers of the word, must* 1.2 haue skill not onely to teach the truth, but how to meet* 1.3 with, and conuince such gaine-sayers.
Now tell vs what answere the Apostle makes vnto the former cauillations, and how the Obiection is wiped away?
It is first to be noted, that the Apostle doeth not directly answere their cauilling argument which is Sophi∣sticall, being a fallacy from the ambiguity of the speech, (of not beeing vnder the law) which the obiectours tooke as beeing meant of a freedome from the obedience of the law; wheras the Apostle vnderstood it of the rigorous ex∣action of the law, forbidding euill thinges, and giuing no strength to forbeare them; but rather prouoking our lusts more after such euils as it forbids. Our Apostle therefore contents himselfe to answere the consequent of the argu∣ment: namely, that which was vntruly concluded and ga∣thered from his owne doctrine; to witte, (that we might freely sin:) this consequent he answereth two wayes. His first answere is, by words of detestation [God forbid] in 15, verse: hereby teaching vs that all wicked and false things inferred from the worde, must bee abhorred of vs. In the second part of his answere, he proues the quite contrary to the obiection, namely that such as bee not vnder lawe, but vnder grace, ought not to serue sin, but Christ their Lord.
How doth he proue this, by what argument?
By these two reasons: the first is taken from the condition of Seruants, in the beginning of the 16. verse. This reason standeth thus; It is meete that euery one obey him, whose seruant he is: but all true beleeuers are the ser∣uants of God and not of sin: therefore are they bound not to obey sin, but God, in doing his will. Which the Apostle doeth confirme and backe by the testimony of euery mans conscience: know ye not that a seruant must obey him that is his Lord, and that Christ is your Lord, and not sin? ye all know this, by the light of nature the one, and the other ye know by the light of the word.
What thinges are wee to learne out of this first rea∣son?
First, that it is wisedome in the Ministers of the word, to build their doctrine vppon knowne and receiued principles, of which euery one is conuicted, that they are true. Secondly, wee must iudge of our seruice, either to
sinne or to God, not by our profession, but by our practise and obedience: if we do fulfill and obey the lusts of sinne, then are we the seruants of sin, whatsoeuer wee professe or say to the contrary. Thirdly, that it standes with great reason, that a Christians life should be a continuall obedi∣ence to Christ, because he is our Lord, and hath admitted vs to be his seruants; who by nature through Adams fall, were wholly captiues to Sathan and sin: but Christ by his death hath freed vs from this captiuity, and addicted vs to himselfe, to this end that we should not now serue sin our former Lord, but Christ our new maister, who hath deliue∣red vs from sin and Sathan; as seruants which paste from* 1.4 one maister to another, doe euer please and serue the latter maister.
What is the second reason whereby he proues that wee ought to obey Christ, and not sin?
The second reason of this text, is taken from the effects which follow the seruice of Christ and of sin, which be death and life: (whether it bee of sin to death, or of o∣bedience vnto righteousnesse.) This second reason hath two branches, and may be thus framed; such as obey and serue sin must haue death for their reward, therefore wee ought not to serue sin, least we dye for it. Againe, such as obey Christ by doing righteous things, shall haue eternall life for their reward: therefore wee ought to obey Christ, and renounce the seruice of sinfull lusts, that wee may liue for euer.
What instructions do ye gather from hence?
First of all, that sin and righteousnes be two con∣trary Lords, as fire and water, as God and Mammon; loue the one, and hate the other. Secondly, that all men must doe seruice to one of these two Lordes, no man can serue both at once, because they commaund contrary thinges. Thirdly, wee learne here the nature of sin, that it is repug∣nant to the obedience of the lawe or vnto righteousnes, therefore a filthy, vnrighteous and bitter thing. Fourth∣ly, that the seruice of sin is to bee auoyded as a damnable or deadly thing, bringing to destruction in hell, and de∣seruing
it. Lastly, that a righteous life that yeelds o∣bedience vnto God, shall end in eternall life, though it cannot merite it.
But our Apostle hauing said (whether of sin to death,) why did he not likewise say, (or of righteousnesse to life?) but saith thus, of obedience to righteousnesse. What are we to learne by this kinde of phrase and stile?
These three things: First, that this is the righte∣ousnesse of workes, to liue obediently vnto the will of God, reuealed in his word, as the righteousnesse of faith is to haue sinne forgiuen by Christ. Secondly, that this is the beginning of eternall life, to leade heere a righte∣ous life, which is the entrance of it, and the way to it. Thirdly, because he would haue none to thinke that life* 1.5 eternall is due to obedience, in such sort, as death eter∣nall is due to sinne. For this is due as merite, the other by the promise of mercy: the one is a debt and stipend of sinne, the other is of grace, and a fruite of righteous∣nesse, depending on Gods meere goodnesse, and not on mans desert: for how can creatures and Children make their Creator and Father indebted?
1. Part. Obiection.
Titus. 1,9.
2. Part. Answere.
1, Cor, 6, 20, Luke 1, 74, 75
Psal. 119, 1, & 112, 1. 2, Pet, 1, 11.