Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 36
VERSE 36. As it is written, Pſal 44.22.For thy ſake, are wee killed all the day long, wee are accounted as ſheepe for the ſlaughter.
THat No Tribulation can ſeparate vsus from the louelove of Chriſt, is here proued, by the example of the ancient Church, recorded in the Scriptures; which comes in good ſeaſon: for leaſt ſuch grieuous things ſhould ſeeme ſignes of deſertion; hee brings a propheſie, which not only ſhewes that the Saints hauehave in former times ſuffered theſe things and been in fauour; but alſo that this ſhould bee the ſtate of the Church in this life.
This Propheſie or holy Teſtimonie is taken out of the 44. Pſalme, Verſe 22. This Pſalme is intituled, A Pſalme of inſtruction to the ſonnes of Corah, which ſome interpret to the ſonnes of Martyrdome. It is queſtioned, when, and vponupon what occaſion this Pſalme was written. Some thinke vponupon occaſion of the 70. yeeres captiuitie at Babylon. But this is vncertaine, Becauſe That Captiuitie was a puniſhment for their ſinnes: It was not For thy ſake all the day long. It is more likely, to my ſeeming, to be vponupon the occaſion of the horrible perſecution of the Church vnderunder Antiochus Epiphanes, vntounto which in all likelihood Paul hath reference, Heb. 11. toward the latter end.
The ſumme is this; The Saints of old hauehave endured Tribulation vntounto death: and yet were not ſeparated from the louelove of God: Therefore ſuch tribulation cannot ſeparate vsus Now. That they hauehave endured, the Records of all times teſtifie: and that their ſufferings extinguiſhed not the ſenſe of Gods louelove, appeares, becauſe they endured for Gods ſake; which they could not hauehave done without an exceeding ſenſe of his louelove. Neither can ſuch things ſeparate, becauſe of the conſtant decree, true from Abel. They which will liue godly, muſt ſuffer perſecution: And through many tribulations we muſt enter into the Kingdome of Heauen.
In this report of the ſufferings of the ancient Church, we hauehave three things. 1. The greatneſſe of their ſufferings. They were killed: amplified by a ſimilitude, As ſheepe to the ſlaughter. 2. The cauſe; Not for Their Sinne, but for Thy ſake. 3. The continuance, how long? Euen all the day long.
We are killed: Not mortified, as the Vulgar, which Sarcerius followes, expounding of the killing of ſinne: namely, that all our Afflictions muſt tend to mortification, that there may be an end of ſinning, before there bee an end of liuing: but it is to be vnderſtood of bodily death, which is the extremity of troubles.
All the day long: A day is a meaſure of time, which is either taken for the whole time of the world, from Abel to the laſt Martyr; or for the time of eueryevery Chriſtians life, beginning at his conuerſion; This is the beſt.
Q. But how can one be killed all the day long? A man can be killed but once, and it requires not a day, nor an houre for it: our life is taken away in a moment.
A. It is to be vnderſtood either of eueryevery affliction, which is mors partialis, a kinde of death, and a paſſing vntounto it; or in regard of our continual danger and readineſſe to die, with the terror of it: being neuer ſecure, but alwaies expecting to be taken and killed, which is more terrible then Death it ſelfe. When we muſt die, it is a fauour ſuddenly to be diſpatcht; by nature all die but once, but by our willingnes we may ſuffer it eueryevery day, as Paul ſaid, 1. Cor. 15.31he died daily.
And are counted as ſheepe to the ſlaughter: Not innocent, humble, ready to heare and follow Chriſts voice, as elſewhere the terme ſheepe is taken. The enemies of the Goſpell doe not ſo reckon of vsus; but here it is meant as in that ſaying of our Sauiour, Math. 10.I ſend you as ſheepe among wolues. Therefore called ſheepe of the ſlaughter: That is, Tyrants make no more reckoning of the taking away of our liues, then a Butcher doth of cutting the throat of a ſheepe. Some ſheep are good for ſtore, ſome for ſlaughter: we are not counted for ſtore: Happy were it if here were alwaies ſtore of beleeuers, their liues would much profit the world. Gene. 18.If there had been found in Sodom ten ſuch ſtore-Chriſtians, it might hauehave ſtood to this day: but the world vſeth not to ſpare ſuch; but as a Butcher kills a ſheep, without making conſcience of the effuſion of the blood of it: nay, hee thinks well of his worke, and is glad when hee hath done it: So Chriſt ſaith, that Tyrants ſhall kill Chriſtians, and thinke that thereby they hauehave done good ſeruice to God.
doctrine True Christians are alwaies in danger, and ready to die for Chriſts ſake, Iohn 15.21. and 16.2. Luke 9.23. As the Sunne eueryevery day goes downe, ſo muſt Chriſts diſciple eueryevery day make account of croſſes, and death in the following his Maſter.
Vſe 1.Paul, to comfort vsus vnderunder the croſſe, brings Scripture; for there are the promiſes, which were Dauids comfort in trouble. There are the ſtories of the Saints, what they ſuffered, how they behaued themſelues, how they were aſſiſted by God, of the which whoſoeuer is ignorant, is as a ſouldiour without armor or weapons. Chriſt in his temptations vſed Scripture, ſo doe all the Saints.
When thou art tempted to couetouſnes, remember that of Paul, We brought nothing into the world. When to reuenge, then call to minde that God ſaith, Vengeance is mine. And ſo in other caſes defend thy ſelfe with this Target. Out of the booke of the Scriptures chuſe thee arguments, as ſtones: put them into the ſcrip of thy memory, and with thy tongue, as with a ſling, throwe them at thy Aduerſary the Diuell, who hath no more power to withſtand Scripture, then Goliah to ſtand, being ſmitten in the forehead by Dauid.
Ʋſe 2.So ſauage is the cruelty, that is vſed toward true Chriſtians by wicked men, that he is accounted to hauehave done a great exploit, who can inuent new, or adde any thing to old torments. The ſtory of the Heathen Emperors, of the Turks, of the Pope, where he and his whelpes ſet foore, ſhew this to be true. The fires in England in Queene Maries dayes; The maſſacre at Paris in the dayes of Charles the ninth, proue that the death of a Profeſſor of the Goſpell, is of no more account with them, then the death of a ſheepe, nay of a dogge. But O Papiſts, Pſalm. 116.15.Right deare in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. You can ſuffer Iewes, Turks, enemies to Chriſt, to liue among you; yea, you pitty Theeues, Traytors, & abet them; but the Proteſtant, Chriſts true ſeruant, is hated to the death.
Ʋſe 3.Martyrdom & Perſecution is, when not for our own ſake, but for Chriſts ſake vve ſuffer patiently. There are two principall things required in a Martyr; 1. That his doctrine be true. 2. That his life be holy.
The truth of our doctrine muſt be confirmed by the Scriptures: when we ſuffer for our owne opinions and fancies, for Toyes and Quiddities, it is not to be called Perſecution, but rather the Iudgement of God. The old ſaying is good which Cyprian and Auguſtine hauehave; Not the puniſhment, but the cauſe makes a Martyr. And therefore Auguſtine obſerues, that Dauid ſaith not, Iudge my puniſhment, but, Iudge my cauſe, O Lord. And againe; Bleſſed are they who ſuffer perſecution, not for wicked diuiſion, but for righteouſnes ſake.Pſal. 41. Non dixit, Diſcerne poenam, ſed cauſam meam. Aug Epiſt. 50.Non propter iniquitatē et Chriſtianae vnitatis impiam diuiſionem, ſed propter iuſtitiam. Auguſt. ibid.
Many are cenſured in the Church of England for their ſingularitie, ſeparation, and diuiſion, and then they ſay they are perſecuted. Shall Agar ſay ſhe is perſecuted, becauſe Sara deales with her according to her deſerts? No, let her carrie her ſelfe more humbly to her Dame. Remember then that it muſt be the weighty Truth for the which thou ſuffreſt; and that thou liue holily: both theſe ioyned together, make a Martyr.
Vſe 4.Three things comfort in perſecution. 1. Our Afflictions are but for a day, that is, a ſhort time. All ſhort troubles though great, are tolerable.
2. We hauehave the Saints of all times our companions, wee are not alone. Therefore Chriſt from hence comforteth: Mat. 5.12.For ſo perſecuted they the Prophets which were before you.
3. We ſuffer for Chriſt, who will reward vsus a hundred fold in this life, and in the world to come euerlaſting life, who alſo hath ſuffered for vsus. It is no maruaile if we ſeruants ſuffer for ſo good a Maſter; but this is maruailous, that ſo good a Maſter hath ſuffred for ſuch naughty ſeruants. We ſuffer nothing, but our ſinnes deſerue more, and yet our good Maſter imputeth not our puniſhments as ſuffered for our ſinnes, but for his owne ſake.
Ʋſe 5.All that beare the face of the firſt Adam, are ſubiect to ſuffrings: but when we beare theface of the ſecond Adam, then are we much more ſubiect. If thou be a Chriſtian, account of ſuffrings, and that thou haſt not ſuffred inough till thou ſuffer death. The Wheat endureth more then the chaffe, but the Wheat is for the Lords boord, and the chaffe is for mucke, or to be burnt with vnquenchable fire.
If God will hauehave his owne, which feare and worſhip him, to ſuffer grieuous things; what remaineth for drunkards, and profane beaſts? So Ieremie argues againſt Edom: Ier. 44.12.Behold, they whoſe Iudgement it was not to drinke of the cup, hauehave aſſuredly drunken: and art thou he that ſhalt eſcape free? Thou ſhalt not eſcape. So Peter, 1. Pet 4.17.If iudgements beginne at Gods houſe, how ſhall the wicked eſcape?