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. XXXII.

Verses 38, 39. For I am perswaded that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things pre∣sent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord.

Tim.

VVHat doeth this text containe, orwhereto tendeth it?

Silas.

The same which did the former, euen to prooue that no enemies or euils, how many, sundry, or mighty so∣euer, can breake off Gods loue to the faithfull, that hee should cease to loue them, and cast off the care of their sal∣uation, which beleeue in his Son Iesus.

Tim.

What be the parts of this text?

Silas.

Two, first an enumeration or rehearsall of the se∣uerall enemies, which may terrifie and threaten our separa∣tion from Gods loue. Secondly, a most sweet consola∣tion, that Gods loue to beleeuers is constant, doe all ene∣mies against them what they can doe. This comfort is set foorth by the certainty thereof in these wordes, (for I am perswaded &c.) Thirdly, by the cause of it, verse 39. be∣cause it is grounded on the merits of Christ the Redeemer, and not on themselues or any creature, (Which is in Christ Iesus our Lord.)

Tim.

Resken vp those enemies which wrestle against be∣leeuers, and shew vs the meaning of euery one of them in parti∣cular?

Silas.

They bee nine in number; as, 1. life, 2. death, 3. Angelles, 4. principalities, 5. powers, 6. things present, 7. things to come, 8. height, 9. depth. Saint Paul in Ephe. 6. 12. reduceth them all to two heads. First, flesh and bloud. Secondly, spirituall wickednesses; the meaning of them is this: By life and death is meant all things which endanger vs about life and death, or prosperity and aduersity, which be companions of life and death. By Diuels is meant wick∣ed Spirits, which seeke by all meanes to lead vs from God,

and endeauour to separate vs from his loue; yea & good Angels are meant too (by supposition hyperbolical) like to that saying, Gal. 1, 8. Also by principalities & powers is meant such Angels as are set ouer Empires and King∣domes, also ouer Cities and particular Countries, as Dan. 11. or tyrants of the world with their whole power, ac∣cording to that threatned, Mat. 10, 17, 18. Moreouer, by things present and to come, wee are to vnderstand all things which do presently, or heereafter may happen to vs, in this worlde and the worlde to come, or all both good and euil things, which now or heerafter shal come to vs. By [height] is meant things high and marucllous, or whatsoeuer strange and vnaccustomed thinges hap∣pen from Heauen by high; and by deepe, is meant whatsoeuer thinges burst foorth of the lower partes and Regions of the earth: and lastly, by Creatures is meant euery thing created in the vniuersality of this whole world.

Tim.

What learne we by this magnificent rehearsal?

Silas.

That Christians and Christianity bee assaulted with meruailous and sundry enemies. Of this see before, what hath bin said.

Tim.

What is the vse of th s?

Silas.

That euery Christian hath neede of a strong Faith, and much patience and continuall watchfulnesse, so much the more, by how much the more the malice & number of enemies are greater.

Tim.

What are we to learne of this, that hee sayth of these particulars, that they cannot separate vs from the loue of God?

Silas.

That the loue which God beareth his elect, is im∣moueable and most firme; the reasons hereof are, First, because nothing in the world is able to hinder & break it off. Secondly, he himselfe will neuer alter it, because hee is vnchangeable.

Tim.

What vse heereof?

Silas.

It conuicteth both the Papists and Lutherans of error, who teach that such as are in the state of grace &

Gods loue, may loose it and fall from it. Se condly, it af∣fordeth much consolation and ioy in time of deep temp∣tations to al such as are infallibly assured, that they stand in the loue of God; whatsoeuer they lose, yet they keep still Gods loue: whereof before enough.

Tim.

But may any Christian be after this sort assured?

Silas.

Yes, Paul the Apostle was so, as himselfe con∣fesseth in this place, [I am perswaded, &c.]

Tim.

Yea, but he speaketh this of his owne person, what is that to vs? there is great diffrence between Paul & other christians.

Silas.

Paul speaketh many things of himself, which are not peculiar to himselfe, but in common do belong to al Christians, as Gal. 2, 20. & 6, 14. Phil. 1, 21. and often els∣where. Secondly, in the last words of this text, he wraps vp all other beleeuing Christians with himselfe, saying; Who shall separate vs. Thirdly, euery true beleeuer may be certainly assured of his own saluation, vpon the same grounds that Paul was of his: which grounds are eyther Theologicall and necessary, others are but Logicall and profitable only. The Theological and necessary grounds bee first, the foreknowledge and immutable purpose of Gods election, Rom. 8, 30. manifested in calling Iustifi∣cation, Sanctification. The second, is the inward perswa∣sion of the holy Spirit, witnessing to their spirites that they are Gods children, Rom. 8. 16. Thirdly, the most faithfull promise of God, that such as do beleeue in him shall haue euerlasting life, Iohn 3, 18. Fourthly, Christ his deliuering himselfe to death, and his nowe making re∣quest in heauen for them, Rom. 8, 32, 33. Lastly, the ef∣fects of Gods sanctifying Spirit in their hearts (to wit,) vnfained faith, and diligent loue, 1 Thess. 1, 3, 4. The Lo∣gicall and probable grounds, be all the outward prote∣ctions and blessings of God, which being very many & great, though they haue no force in themselues to per∣swade vs to the loue of God, yet being ioyned vnto the former, they helpe well to strengthen our assurance, and to make the matter more euident. For Gods Children

haue them as testimonies of their Fathers loue, and fruits of redemption.

Tim.

Now shew vs what vse is to be made of this?

Silas.

First, it conuicteth the Papists of errour, in that they teach that we haue but a probable and coniectural assurance of our election (to wit) by hope as they speak, to hope well of it; vnlesse it be some certaine men, who knew by reuelation Gods loue, as Abraham, Isaac, Ia∣cob, Dauid, Paul, &c. or of the predestinate in generall: but for any particular man to assure himselfe that God loues him, and that he is iustified and shall be saued, they esteem it presumption, and an illusion of the diuel. Their reasons be, First because none can be certaine of his per∣seuerance in grace, contrary to Rom. 8, 29, 30. Secondly,* 1.1 because they finde the word heere Englished [Perswaded] to be elsewhere in Scripture applyed vnto coniecturall knowledge, as 1 Thess. 1, 4. Rom. 15, 14. 2 Tim. 1, 5. Heb. 6, 9. The cause whereof is, because in these places the Apostle speaketh not of his own, but of the faith & ele∣ction of others, wherof we can haue but a charitable per∣swasion. The second vse of this doctrine, is to prouoke all that finde not this certaine perswasion of Gods loue, to labor for it, and those which haue it, to be exceeding thankfull to God for it.

Lastly, this reproues those that build their perswasion of Gods loue and their title to eternall life, on grounds which be probable onely, as because they are baptized, and haue knowledge and make protestation, and come to Sermons and Sacraments, and do some good things, and refraine from some euil things, and haue bin manie waies blessed and holpen of God; for al these things are common both to good and bad which liue in the bosom of the Church. See Eccl. 9. 2. 1 Cor. 10, 1, 2, 3, 4. Hypo∣crites may haue, and many haue them all in a farre grea∣ter plenty and proportion, then very many of Gods chil∣dren haue them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Duplex persua∣sio: vna fidei, altera charita∣tis: haec aliquā∣do sallitur, illa nunquam. Lutherus.