Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verses 12-17
VERSE. 12. Therefore, brethren, we are debters, not to the Fleſh, to liue after the Fleſh.
Verſe 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.
HEre beginnes the Exhortation, the Effect wherof is this; ſeeing we expect ſuch things, & the ſtate of them which liue after the fleſh is ſo miſerable, wee ought to liue after the Spirit, and not after the Fleſh.
There are diuers Arguments whereby this Exhortation is vrged; The firſt is in the 12. verſe, which is taken from Equitie and Iuſtice. Suum cui que To giuegive eueryevery man his owne is the voyce of Iuſtice. But we are debters to the Spirit: therfore our life muſt be ſpirituall.
Therefore: an Illation ſending vsus to the things before deliuered: wherin (me thinks) the Apoſtle dealeth like a braue Generall, who hauing ſpoken of the glory of them which conquer, and the ſhame of them which are conquered, doth animate his ſouldiers to fight it out manfully, and to ſubdue the Fleſh.
Brethren: This is an Inſinuation, the better to perſwade them.
Wee: Not including others, and excluding himſelfe, but concluding all.
Are Debters: Debters are of two ſorts: Ciuill, which owe money, &c. to men: Secondly, Theologicall: And this is alſo double. 1. Sinne. 2. or Obedience. Sinne is a debt, ſo called in the Lords Prayer, not that we owe ſinne, or that our ſinnes are owing to be done: but becauſe we owe the puniſhment to be vndergone; hauing by our ſinnes forfeited body and ſoule to be damned. And therefore ſinnes are ſo called by a double figure: Metaphora. Metonim. effecti.but this debt is not here meant.
The other Theologicall debt, is the debt of obedience; which we owe to God, for our Election, Vocation, Iuſtification, &c. So it is taken here; not ſo in the Lords Prayer, for we doe not pray, neither may we, to hauehave the debt of obedience forgiuen.
Not to the Fleſh: Fleſh here, not for the body, but for corruption: for we are debters to the body; to cloath it, to feed it, &c. that it may bee a fit inſtrument for the ſoule to ſerue God: but we are not debters to the corruption to liue thereafter.
Here the Antitheſis is omitted, but neceſſarily to bee vnderſtood. But to the ſpirit, to liue after the ſpirit, that is, holily.
This verſe hath two parts: Firſt, an Affirmation. Secondly, an Amplification. The Affirmation, We are debters. This is amplified; firſt, by an Illation, Therefore. Secondly, by a Friendly compellation, Brethren. Thirdly, by a generality, We. Fourthly, by the Creditor, who is here ſet downe Negatiuely, Not to the Fleſh. The Affirmatiue to bee ſupplied, But to the Spirit. Fiftly, by the debt which we muſt pay, Life, or liuing; that is, thoughts, words, deeds. And this is alſo negatiuely ſet downe, and to bee marked, Not to liue after the Fleſh. For we owe ſomething to corruption, but death, not life.
doctrine All the Regenerate are to liue to God in obedience, not to the Fleſh. This is proued out of the Preface of the lawe, Where, before God requires any thing, he ſhewes that we are in his debt. I am the Lord thy God, &c. So Ioſhua 24.15,16. 2. Corinth. 7.1. Gal. 5.25.
Vſe 1.Here is a double note for Miniſters: firſt, to vſe louing and friendly words to winne their Auditours to ſuffer the words of Exhortation. Secondly, not to exempt themſelues: but as they would hauehave part in the promiſes they offer; ſo to acknowledge the duties which they vrge. As Nepthali, they muſt giuegive goodly words*Gen. 49.21., and alſo bee examples to their flocke*1. Pet. 5.3., putting their own ſhoulders to the burden which they lay vponupon other*Mat. 13.4..
Vſe 2.Our Obedience is debt, therefore not merit. What wee receiue of GOD, is of Grace, what wee render, is due debt: and when wee hauehave payd all wee can, wee are vnprofitable ſeruants.
Ʋſe 3.The Grace wee receiue, frees vsus not from Obedience, but binds vsus the more. If thou make another vſe of Gods fauor, thou art a Libertine. The mercies of God, make vsus debters to offer vp our bodies and ſoules to his ſeruice.Rom. 1. ver. 1.
Vſe 4.Thou oweſt Obedience to God. Pay, pay. The borrower is a ſeruant to the Lender, Pro. 22.7.and hee that receiueth, to him that giueth. Thou haſt receiued all of GOD: therefore thou oweſt for all. Thinke of payment. So did Dauid: O ſaith he, Pſal 116.I am greatly indebted to God: What ſhall I pay? As men, that hauing gotten other mens goods into their hands, will not pay, but breake, or run away, are infamous: So thou, if hauing receiued Body and Soule, and all from God, ſhouldſt deny thy ſeruice.
Hee that lets a Farme, lookes for his Rent; and hee that hires a ſeruant, expects his worke; yea, Baalam is offended, if his Aſſe ſerue him not. Should not God much more exact thy ſeruice; who hath Created, Preſerued, and Redeemed thee, euen by the bloud of his Sonne? If a Prince commit to his ſubiect a Peece of Importance, and hee render it vp to the Enemy, will not all men hold ſuch a ſubiect for a ranck traytor? What art thou better then a Traytor; if, hauing receiued many Caſtles of thy Lords to keepe, as thy Tongue, thy Eyes, thy Hands, thy Body, thy Soule, thou yeeld and ſell them to the Diuell by Blaſphemy, Drunkenneſſe, Pride, Vncleanneſſe? &c. Ah wretch, thou receiueſt with one hand from God, and giueſt to the Diuell with the other.
If thy neighbour bee offended with thee, thou vſually ſaiſt, I care not for him, I owe him nothing. Remember thou oweſt the Diuell nothing, why ſhouldſt thou ſerue him? When Sathan tempts thee to ſinne, anſwere him thus: I owe thee nothing, Sathan, why requireſt thou my ſeruice, which is due onelyonly to GOD, from whome I hauehave receiued all things?
Policarpus being vrged to remember Chriſt, and to ſweare by Caeſars fortune: anſwered, Euſeb. Eccleſ. hiſt. lib. a. cap. 15.This 86. yeeres hauehave I ſerued my Lord Chriſt, and he hath been alwaies my good Maſter; I will not now deny him. Remember this holy man, and pay thy Vowes and Debts to God.
Vſe 5.Men that are runne farre in debt, and pay, and pay, and ſee no end of their debt; many times grow deſperate. Thou oweſt much to God, and art vnable to pay, be not thou therefore negligent and careleſſe. The Prodigall Child ſpent all: but he recouered all and more by humble repentance, begging pardon. Doe thou ſo. Pay as farre as thou canſt: Craue pardon and remiſſion for the reſt, by the Obedience of Chriſt. God accepts of a willing minde for the deede. There is great difference betweene debts owing to men, and owing to God. The more wee pay of our debts to men, the leſſe we hauehave; but the more we pay to God, the more we hauehave, and are the better able to pay. The more thou prayeſt, the better able thou ſhalt be to pray, &c.