Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 10 · Verse 3
VERSE 2. For they being ignorant of Gods righteouſnes, and going about to eſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe, hauehave not ſubmitted themſelues to the righteouſnes of God.
THat the zeale of the Iewes is not according to knowledge, is ſhewed in this verſe. The reaſon whereby it is ſhewed, is brought in by an Occupation. Some might ſay, Did not the Iewes abound in knowledge, who counted the very Letters of the Bible?
For anſwere, Paul affirmes that they were ignorant of that which they ſhould ſpecially hauehave knowne; namely, the righteouſnes of God, of which they ought to hauehave beene zealous.
In this verſe then we hauehave two things, 1. A Iuſtification, That the Iewes are zealous, but not according to knowledge: They are ignorant of the righteouſnes of God. 2. A declaration of the effects of ſuch ignorance, which are two, 1. Pride, They went about to ſtabliſh their owne. 2. Contempt of Gods righteouſneſſe: They hauehave not ſubmitted themſelues vntounto it.
Here is a diſtinction of righteouſnes, it is two-fold; Firſt, Gods. Secondly, Our owne. Gods righteouſnes is not aboliſhed, but eſtabliſhed by faith. Our owne righteouſnes, that is, which we hauehave wrought, as I may ſay, home-made righteouſnes, of our owne vvebbing; this is aboliſhed by faith: this was the righteouſnes which the Iewes boaſted of, vnable to abide the triall of the Law.
For they beeing ignorant of Gods righteouſneſſe; not whereby God is righteous in himſelfe, but which he giues to man, that he may be righteous by God. This is the righteouſneſſe of our Mediator. They are zealous of righteouſnes, but they are ignorant of that righteouſnes which God approues; vvhichwhich is a righteouſnes eueryevery way anſwerable to the Law. This we ſinfull men cannot performe, but Chriſt hath performed, and we cannot apprehend when God giues faith.
Going about to ſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe. Their owne: that is, which they in their owne perſons performe. To ſtabliſh, or to ſet vp. A Metaphor from the ſtaying vp of an old rotten houſe, which can be ſhored vp no longerbAretius.. Or from the ſetting vp of a dead man vponupon his feet, to make him ſtandcPareus.. Such is the labour of him that goeth about to be iuſtified by his owne righteouſnes.
Going about. The Nimrodians went about to build a tower whoſe top might reach to Heauen; they went about it, but brought it not to paſſe, but built a Babel: ſo the Iewes went about to be iuſtified by their own righteouſnes, but in vaine; working their owne confuſion in the ſight of God.
They did not ſubmit themſelues. This is the iſſue of pride; They will not be beholding to God for a righteouſneſſe of his appointing: They hauehave not ſubmitted; as Rebells, which will not be ſubiect to their lawfull Prince.
doctrine Ignorance breedes pride and contempt. Thus Chriſt imputes to the Scribes and Phariſes, Mat. 15.14. So Paul thought hee had no Peere while he was a Phariſe; and therefore he was mad againſt the faith: and this was through Ignorance, 1. Tim. 1.12.
Ʋſe 1.Zeale without knowledge, is dangerous, as appeared in the Iewes; as appeareth in the Papiſts, and Browniſts. It makes them proud; and hauing drunke in an opinion, they cannot be remoued with reaſon. As a man cannot write in a paper already written, or plow in a ground ouer-runne with buſhes; ſo is it hard to faſten any reaſon vponupon a mind prepoſſeſt with fancy.
2. It makes thē vncharitable, in abhorring all them which conſent not to their deuices; ſo farre, that they Iudge their Contraries to be men not worthy to liue; perſecuting vvith more eagerneſſe, them which renounce their opinions, then them which deny God.
This appeared in the Iewes, who crucified Chriſt, for reprouing their Traditions. And in the Arrians, vvho were more cruell in their time, to the Orthodoxall Chriſtians, in maintaining their opinions, then were the heathen Emperours.
The Papiſts doe not exerciſe ſo much cruelty againſt any, as againſt thoſe who conſent not with them in the doctrines of their owne deuiſing. A fantaſticall zeale.Alſo the Separatiſts exclaime of the Church of England, and can endure any thing, ſaue the gouernment of this Church, becauſe it confuteth their fancies.
I find by my little reading, and ſmal obſeruation, that too much zeale is more dangerous to the Church, then the contrary degree of coldnes.
3. It makes men impatient of admonition; It will not endure the hearing of any thing that contradicts it: as the Iewes would not heare Paul. Zeale is erroneous, if it vvant charitie, humilitie, and patience.
Vſe 2.Ignorance is the mother of Error, and excuſeth not, becauſe we are bound to know; as a ſubiect is bound to knowe the Lawes of his Prince: Ignorantia Iuris non excuſat. Regula.and if he offend, it will not ſerue his turne, to ſay he knew not the Law.
If a man be ignorant of that which concernes him not, it excuſeth him: as if a Miniſter be ignorant of the Art of Phyſike, or to plow an acre of ground; or a Phyſician, ignorant of the Art of Nauigation. But if a Miniſter be ignorant of the Scriptures, or a Phyſician of the difference and cauſe of diſeaſes, the complexion of his ſimples, &c. it excuſeth not. So for a Chriſtian to be ignorant of Gods righteouſnes, and the way of Iuſtification before him, is moſt dangerous.
So is it for a man to imagine he knowes, when hee is moſt ignorant; which is, as if a drunken man ſhould thinke himſelfe ſober, or a ſicke man well. Stop the fountaine of theſe inconueniences, by ſound knowledge; as a blind man, ſo an ignorant man muſt needes erre out of the way. As a man expects not a voice from fiſhes, ſo nor from ignorant men vertue.
If the vvoman of Samaria had knowne who it was that offred her vvater, Iohn 4.10.ſhe would not hauehave mocked him. If the Iewes had knowne many of them the Lord of life, 1. Cor. 2.8.they would not hauehave crucified him. If the Papiſts many of them knew better, they would accordingly profeſſe. Our profane perſons, if they knew the rigour of Gods iuſtice, the heat of his anger, the burning of hell, they would not (I thinke) ſo ſhameleſly carry themſelues.
Ʋſe 3.Truſt not in thine owne righteouſneſſe, in they ciuill and harmeleſſe carriage, there is no more goodneſſe in it, then life in a dead carkaſſe. It is like a childes baby made of clouts: theres not more difference between ſuch a puppet & a ſtrong man, then between our righteouſneſſe, and that vvhichwhich may iuſtifie vsus before God.
Ʋſe 4.They which receiue not Chriſts righteouſnes, are Rebels: then are the Papiſts Rebels, ſo are all they which ſeek not after faith. Whatſoeuer gifts of nature thou haſt, thou art a rebel if thou belieueſt not the Word, and receiueſt not the righteouſneſſe of God offred thee therein. A more open rebell is a drunkard, blaſphemes, &c. Alas! vvhat ſhal becom of theſe? A Iew is better then ſuch a one, ſo is a Papiſt; they can ſay ſomething for themſelues, and many of them are free from ſuch notorious crimes. Surely, ſuch ſhall be dealt withall as rebels, and becauſe they will not repent, and be ſubiect to the righteouſnes of God in faith, they muſt be ſubiect to the reuenging iuſtice of God in torments.