A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 1 · Exposition of verse 7
Verſe 7. To all you that be at Rome beloued of God, called to be Saints: grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
Obſer. TO all at Rome, &c.] Note here the indifferencie of Pauls affection and care, towards all the people of God, within his charge, whether bond or free, noble or baſe, &c.
And it may teach vsus the leſſon that Iames commands vntounto vsus, Ʋſe. Iames 2.1. not to hauehave the faith of God, in reſpect of perſons: his reaſons: Firſt, God hath choſen the poore: Secondly, he hath made them rich in faith: Thirdly, giuen them right to his kingdome, and a ſhare in the inheritance of the Saints: to which may be added, that they are equally purchaſed by Chriſts bloud, all equally deare vntounto him; all equally committed to our charge. Act. 20.28. But hereof more at large hereafter.
Obſer. Secondly, it may here be collected that the Apoſtle would hauehave this Epiſtle free to all the people of God to read, meditate, &c. as in other places wee ſee his charge giuen this way:g… Theſ. 5.27. ſundry reaſons may be giuen of it: precept of Chriſt:hIoh. 5.39. practiſe of Saints, Act. 17.11. 2 Tim. 2.14.15. duties required of all Gods people, firſt, to diſcerne Chriſts voyce from the voyce of a ſtranger:Ioh. 10.4.5. 1 Ioh. 4.1. 1 Theſ. 5.21. Heb. 5. ſecondly, to make Apologie for the faith, and giuegive a reaſon of their hope; 1 Pet. 3.15. with ſundry other, whereof read, Rom. 15.4.
The Romaniſts here iuſtly taxed as enemies vntounto the comfort of Gods people, Ʋſe. that bar the people of free vſe of Scriptures: See Verſ. 1. Their pretenſes are many, as care to keepe the Scriptures from deriſion of Atheiſts; ſecondly, feare of peoples miſvnderſtanding, &c. but the true cauſe is this, becauſe they feare diſcouery of their groſſe adulterating of the word of God, in matter of faith, worſhip, manners, &c.
Beloued of God.] There is a generall louelove of God, whereby he embraceth all men; as appeares by his beneficence, Math. 5.44. There is a ſpeciall louelove, wherewith he loueth his elect in Chriſt, and of this is the place to be vnderſtood.
And the euidences hereof hee makes effectuall calling: for whom God loues, Obſer. and in his louelove chuſeth to ſaluation, him in his time he calls to Communion and fellowſhip with Chriſt: ſee Rom. 8.30. 2 Tim. 1.9. So that this is one ſpeciall character of Gods ſpeciall louelove, effectuall calling. Yea, the firſt certaine euidence whereby God declares his louelove to vsus in Chriſt.
It is a dangerous errour of worldlings whereby they conclude from common bleſſings, ſpeciall louelove; Ʋſe. as wealth, proſperity, though Salomon hauehave taught that no man can know louelove or hatred by any externall bleſſing.kEccle. 9.1. In as much as all theſe things come alike to all,lMat. 5.44. let vsus if we deſire to hauehave comfort by aſſurance of Gods ſpeciall louelove, looke to this ſpeciall worke and fruit of his louelove, effectuall calling.
Called to be Saints.] That is, by calling made Saints: for this is the nature of Gods call; to make them that which they are not by his calling, Rom 4 17.
Obſer. So then calling is not procured by our holineſſe, but holineſſe wrought by calling, 2 Tim. 1.9. Tit. 3.4.5.6.
Ʋſe. Therefore it followes that God neither in calling or election reſpects our preſent or future holineſſe, as to be moued thereby to elect or call vsus, he hath choſen vsus to be holy, not becauſe wee were, or were to be holy, further then he according to the good purpoſe of his will determined to worke holineſſe in vsus. Ephe. 1.4. 1 Pet. 1.2. Rom. 9.11.
Obſer. Againe, obſerue here the neceſſarie effect and inſeparable conſequent of effectuall calling, though it finds vsus not Saints, yet it makes vsus Saints; for thereby is faith wrought in vsus; by faith, vnion with Chriſt, Ephe. 2.17. from this vnion flowes a Communication of the ſpirit, to ſanctifie and renue vsus after Gods image, 2 Cor. 5.17. 1 Ioh. 3.24.
Hereby then may wee try our calling, euen by the effect thereof, our ſanctification;m1 Cor. 1.2. a number of people pretending faith in Chriſt, vtterly diſclaime holineſſe and ſanctification, and being reproued for their ſinnes, their ſmall ſinnes eſpecially as they terme them, throw off all with this excuſe, we are not Saints; what then? Diuels? for I know no medium, 1 Ioh. 3.8.9. yet that we erre not; know that there are degrees of ſanctitie: ſome perfectly ſanctified, as the Saints in heauen; ſome not perfectly in themſelues.
Quest. Wherein then conſiſts this ſanctitie, that by calling we are made pertakers of in this life? Anſwer. Firſt, fruition of Chriſts holineſſe by imputation: ſecondly, inchoation of inherent holineſſe wrought by the ſpirit:n1 Cor 6.11. thirdly, endeauour to be holy:oAct. 24.16. fourthly, ſeperation from the vncleaneneſſe of the world, and conſecrating of our ſelues wholly to the ſeruice of God. 2 Cor. 6.17. & 7.1.
Now followes the ſaluation or foreign: where are three things; firſt, the thing wiſhed for vntounto the Romanes, Grace and peace. Secondly, the fountaine, God the Father. Thirdly, the mediatour or meane, by whom they are procured and conuayed vntounto vsus, Chriſt Ieſus.
By grace here vnderſtand the fauour and good will of God, with all thoſe other gifts of grace flowing therfrom: the firſt called grace making acceptable; the other grace freely giuen, as Rom. 5.15. by peace, after the phraſe of the Hebrewes, all proſperity inward and outward, and which is not the leaſt part of this happineſſe, the ſweet peace of a good conſcience, ariſing from aſſurance of Gods louelove to vsus in Chriſt Now this ſalutation is at large and diſtinctly handled by many; ſee eſpecially Maſter Perkins in Gal. 1.3. vntounto whom I referre the Reader for further explanation. Some generall things onelyonly I will propound. Firſt a queſtion.
Quest. How Paul acknowledging theſe Romanes to be alreadie in ſtate of grace, prayes yet for grace and peace vntounto them? Anſ. Firſt, hee prayes for a more plentifull manifeſtation of Gods louelove, encreaſe of inherent grace and peace of conſcience, as Peter, 1 Pet. 1.2. 2 Pet. 1.2. for ſo it pleaſeth God to manifeſt his louelove by degrees; to worke grace by degrees: ſecondly, hee prayes for continuance and confirmation in this bleſſed eſtate, 1 Pet. 5.10. 1 Theſ. 5.23.
Where obſerue that prayers for grace are not vnneceſſarie for men in grace, Obſer. no not for thoſe very graces whereof they are made partakers in a meaſure, it is euident here.
And I apply it to the detection of that odious ſcoffe of Papiſts at our doctrine of aſſurance of Gods louelove and pardon of our ſinnes; Ʋſe. they from this doctrine thus inferre, that according to our principles our people are bound neuer to aske God forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes. Reaſon. Becauſe they hauehave already obtayned it? Anſ. It followes not, for euen thoſe that hauehave obtayned remiſſion muſt ſtill pray, firſt, for encreaſe of this aſſurance: ſecondly, for continuance of this benefit: thirdly, for a new act of pardon in the conſcience, according as new ſinnes are daily committed.
Obſer. Againe, whereas the Apoſtle praying for all happineſſe vntounto the people of God, prayes for Gods fauour, and the peace of a good conſcience, obſerue wherein true happineſſe of a Chriſtian conſiſts; viz: fauour of God, peace of his conſcience: therefore the Lord preſcribing vntounto Aaron, and his ſonnes, a forme of bleſſing the people,pNumb. 6.23.24.25.26. preſcribes the very ſame things to be wiſhed for; The Lord bleſſe and keepe thee, the Lord make his face ſhine vponupon thee, and be mercifull vntounto thee; the Lord lift vp his countenance vponupon thee and giuegive thee peace. And from this forme it ſeemes the Apoſtles in the new Teſtament with a little alteration of words, tooke their forme of ſalutation and bleſſing.
Theſe things none can iudge of a right but thoſe that either hauehave felt how comfortleſſe want thereof is; or taſted how ſweet and comfortable the fruition of them is; conferre Pſal. 32.1.2.
Ʋſe. 1 Now then let all Gods children in the midſt of all the miſeries of this life, comfort themſelues in this; that howſoeuer miſerable they may ſeeme either to themſelues or others in reſpect of outward eſtate, yet they are in deed truly bleſſed, becauſe they are fauoured of God, and enioy the fruit; peace of a good conſcience, that Salomon cals a continual feaſt,qPro. 15.15. and which the wicked in their agonies would redeeme with the world, as ſuch out-cries are heard from them in their feares: all the world for a good conſcience.
Secondly, let worldlings that deſire to know mans Ʋſe. 2 true happineſſe here learne wherein it conſiſteth: many large diſputes there are in the writings of the heathen, what ſhould be the chiefe good of man, ſome placing it in honour, ſome in pleaſure, ſome in vacuity of griefe, ſome in action of vertue, &c. Againſt all which read Salomons Eccleſiastes, and thou ſhalt ſee what he concluded of them all, They are vanitie and vexation of ſpirit; that that makes a man truly happy is the feeling of Gods louelove, and the fruition of a good conſcience, pacified by the bloud of Chriſt. And thus much of the two firſt parts of the Introduction, the Inſcription and Salutation.