Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verse 36
VERSE 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
THis verſe is a proofe of the infinite wiſedome of God: and that being moſt ſufficient to & in himſelfe, he needes not the counſell, nor the guifts of any creature; but giues all things to all, whereby they are, and are ſuſteined: and ordaynes all things to and for himſelfe.
In theſe words are two things. 1. A propoſition. All things are of God, and through God, and to God. 2. An amplification. To whom be glorie for euer. Amen.
The Ancients from hence proue the Trinitie, applying the three propoſitions, to the three perſons, and it is likely, that from hence, that Antient depologie had originall, which we vſe in our liturgy. Which Ierom Hier. ep. ad Damaſum.deſired to be ſayd in all Churches at the end of eueryevery pſalme. Baſil reports Baſilius lib. de ſpi ſanct. ca. 7.27.29.it as a forme of thankſgiuing to hauehave bene in vſe from the time of the Apoſtles vntounto the which for the more confutation of the Arrians and Macedonians, was added by the Counſell of Nice that other verſute. As it was in the beginning, is now, and euer ſhall be world without end. Amen.
Caſſianus who liued in Chryſoſtomes dayes, reports, Caſſianus Monaſti. Inſtitut. lib. 2. qui eſt de canon. Noctur. orat. et pſal. mod. cap. 8.that it was an auntient cuſtome in the Eaſt Churches, for that prayer, as he cals it, to be ſayd at the end of the pſalme, by him that ſung the pſalme, with the ſilēce of the people: but in the Weſt Churches that the people ſtanding vp did vſually with a loud voice repeat the ſame. Which I thought good to ſhew that it might appeare, that this vſe in our liturgie is from ſound antiquitie, and vniuerſall preſcript of the Eaſt and Weſterne Church.
All things are of him, as of the Creator and giuer: all things of nature and grace, all good things: not ſinne, but as it hath entity. For ſinne is not a thing ſeperate, hauing a being and exiſtence by it ſelfe as the creature; but it is in the creature, and a priuation: and therefore though the Creature which is euill is from God as from the cauſe, yet the euilneſſe and ſinne of the creature is not.
Through him: preferring all things in their eſtate.
To him: to be referred to him, that is to his glory as to their chiefe end.
This propoſition is amplified with a comprecation. To whom be glory for euer: Amen. Wherein we hauehave 1. The thing glory. 2. The ſubiect to whom it is giuen, God. 3. The duration, for euer 4. The affection with which it is giuen, teſtifyed in this word, Amen.
This word, Amen, is Hebrew, growne familiar in all languages: it comes of a root that ſignifies beleife. It was vſed of auntient time in the end of prayers. Our Sauiour ſo concludes that diuine forme of prayer, which he taught his Apoſtles.Deut. 27.15 & ſeq. Nehe. 8.6. 1 Cor. 14 16.
It was the wont of the people in auntient times, to anſwere Amen, at the end of prayers and prayſes ſo loud, that it was a noiſe like thunder which may reproue our faſhion, (arguing great coldnes) who ſome one man excepted (qui ſupplet locum idiotae) can ſcarſe be heard to pronounce the ſame.Hieron in prol. lib. 2. in Ep. ad Galat.
Tertullian Tertul. lib. de ſpectac. prope ſinem.vſeth this as an argument why it ſhould not be lawfull for a Chriſtian to applaud Idolatrous plaies, becauſe it is not fit to honour ſuch things with that mouth, which hath ſaid Amen, in the ſeruice of God.
This word may be taken three wayes. 1 as a Nowne. 2 as a Verbe. 3 as an Aduerbe.
As a Nowne: ſo is it a name of Chriſt.Reuel. 3.14.
As an Aduerb ſo is it vſed eyther in the beginning of our ſpeech, for confirmation of that which is to be ſayd, ſignifiing verily, as our Sauiour often vſed it: or in the end of our ſpech, as in prayer wherein we aske ſomething of God, and then, as the ſpeaking of it notes our conſent to that which is craued, ſo the ſubſtantiall meaning is to ſhew our faith, in beleeuing to receiue that which wee hauehave prayed for: where vppon ſome hauehave ſaid that this one word, is more excellent then the prayer it ſelfe, as our faith is more excellent then our deſire, and yet I ſee not, but that faith it ſelfe is expreſſely conteined in the prayer, otherwiſe how could we ſay, Our Father: Porf. in exporat. Dom.as a verbe, and ſo it is as much as So be it, hauing the nature of a prayer; being in this ſenſe, principally to be vnderſtood, at the end of prayſes and thankeſg uings, as in this place, noting an affectionate deſire, that God may be glorified.
doctrine God is of all his creatures, ſpecially of his Church, to be prayſed and glorified, ſo Pſalm 92.1.2. and 95.2. and 96. through the whole Pſalme, ſo Pſal. 148. and 150. So Chriſt concludeth his prayer: For thine is the Kingdome, Power and Glory. So Paul often, Epheſ. 3.20.21. &c.
Vſe. 1.Thy being and preſeruation is from God, and he hath appointed thee to glorifie him: Glorifie him then in thy bodie and ſoule by a ſober and holy carriage, and as thou haſt receiued thy nature from him, ſo ſeeke grace alſo from his hands, from whom all good gifts doe deſcend, otherwiſe the oxe and aſſe are as neere heauen as thy ſelfe.
Vſe. 2.Glorie not in thy ſelfe, nor in any good thing thou haſt: for thou haſt receiued it from him, who though hee hath granted thee the vſe, yet reſerues the glorie for himſelfe. Art thou rich, beautifull? theſe are his gifts. Art thou holy? it is the Spirit that ſanctifieth. Art thou wiſe and eloquent? It is God who giueth wiſdome to the heart and vtterance to the mouth. If thou wert equall to Eliah, Paul, Apollos, thou mighteſt not be proud, but muſt giuegive the glory to God.
As the commendation of the brightneſſe of the Sun-beame is not to be aſcribed to the wall, on which it ſtrikes: nor the words of wiſdome to the teeth and lips of the ſpeaker: nor the faireneſſe of the picture to the pencill; ſo nor the praiſe of any good thing to vsus, in as much as it is from God, as the Author, and we but the inſtruments of the ſame.
Vſe. 3.Glorifie Gods name: The firſt grace which Chriſt teacheth vsus to begge of God, is this, and it ought to bee the chiefeſt ayme of our whole life.
We ought to preferre the glorie of God before our liues, yea before the ſaluation of our ſoules, much more ought wee ſo to inſtitute and lead our liues, that God may be honored by vsus. God hath endued thee with life and many good gifts; what glory haſt thou brought to God or his Goſpell? If none, it had beene better thou hadeſt not beene borne.
Be you carefull hereof, you profeſſors of the Goſpell: It is your profeſſion. Be ware you commit nothing which may cauſe God or his Goſpell to be blaſphemed. If you ſhould be couetous, proud, &c. as other men, it were as if the Sunne ſhould be darkened, and the Moone withdraw her light. EueryEvery little aberration in a profeſſor is noted: Euen as, though a thouſand of the leſſer ſtarres bee eclypſed, none takes knowledge of it, but if the Sunne be eclypſed, eueryevery man ſpeakes of it: So that which is not accounted of, in a profane man, from whom no goodneſſe is expected; is intollerable in you, whoſe calling it is to ſet forth the prayſes of God.
Be you affected with the glorie of your heauenly father, as his true and deare children; and be you ſenſible of the diſhonor which is offred to his name. Put on the affections of Phinees, Dauid, Eliah, and of that holy woman, who died for ſorrow, becauſe of the diſhonour which came to God and his Arke.1. Sam. 4.21.22
It was good Hezekiah his ſault not to render according to that which he receiued: 2. Chro. 32.25for which God was angry, and puniſhed it. See that thy praiſes be proportionable to the cauſes God giues thee of prayſing him. It is a ſigne of emptineſſe of grace, to be a niggard of our prayſes to God, who is our Creator, Preſeruer, Redeemer.
Account no time long enough for this exerciſe. I mitate the Nightingale, who ſpends the night in prayſing the Creator, as if the day were not ſufficient. Let thy heart, thy tongue, thy life prayſe God. It is hee who hath giuen thee life, health, food, rayment, yea his owne Sonne and holy Spirit. To him therefore, that is, to the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghoſt, one God and three Perſons, be all glory for euer. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Elnathan Parr, Exposition of Romans 8-11 (1618)