A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 2 · Exposition of verse 11
Verſe 11. For there is no reſpect of perſons with God.
NOw followes a reaſon, prouing the Lords impartialitie, both in merciemercy and iudgement: foreign, whether Iew or Gentile, it matters not, if they obay, they ſhall liue, if they be rebellious, they ſhall periſh. Reaſon, from the propertie of the Lord; with God there is no reſpect of perſons; explained, verſe 12. eſpecially in that part that reſpects puniſhment.
It may be demanded, Explanation. what it is to reſpect or accept perſons? Anſ. By perſon or face, as ſome reade agreeably to the phraſe of ſcripture, wee muſt here vnderſtand, not ſimply men themſelues, but their outward condition, and qualitie, as countrey, ſexe, wealth, pouertie, friendſhip, enmitie, and whatſoeuer outward thing impertinent to the cauſe: to accept or reſpect perſons, is, when a man is moued to reward or puniſh, onelyonly by theſe and the like outward circumſtances, ſo that the meaning, as I take it is this: that the Lord, in his iudgement, reſpects no man according to his outward condition, or ſtate; as nation, parentage, pouertie, wealth, &c. But whoſoeuer hee is, Iew or Gentile, male or female, poore or rich, bond or free, that feareth God and worketh righteouſneſſe is accepted with himsActs 10.34.: and whoſoeuer workes euill, is without partialitie puniſhed, Iob. 34.19.
Now the vſuall inference of Papiſts hence is this, that therefore there is no ſuch abſolute decree of election or reprobation as wee teach; whereby the Lord chuſeth one to ſaluation, and refuſeth another, of his meere foreign, and free power and right he hath ouer all, but that the decree is reſpectiue, to different behauiours foreſeene: Reaſon, otherwiſe God ſhall be a reſpecter of perſons. Anſ. It followes not: for though herein vnequall things be giuen to equall perſons, yet is not the Lord moued hereto with any externall circumſtances, ſuch as before are mentioned: ſecondly, it is a ſound rule, that ſchoole-men giuegive, that in gratuitis acception of perſons hath no place;Antonin. part. 2. Tit. 1. cap. 20. Aquin. in locum. neither is hee guiltie of accepting mens perſons, which prefers one before another, in things which dutie bindes not to giuegive: acception of perſons is oppoſed to iuſtice, and hath place onelyonly in things giuen as of debt. Exemp. that God giues grace to one ſinner by calling, denies grace to another, here is no acception of perſons; for God is not bound to giuegive to eyther, but of free merciemercy and grace giues to one, what hee iuſtly denies to another, being bound to neithertMat. 20.15.: this eaſily applyed to the purpoſe.
Hauing thus cleared the meaning of the text, ſee it verified in the Lords owne practiſe; the Lazars pouertie hindered not his ſaluation; neither the rich mans pompe free him from damnationvLuk. 16.22.23: It was no impeachment to Cornelius that he was a Gentile, nor immunitie to any, that hee was a Iewe; Saules ſcepter was no ſhelter from Gods wrath, nor Dauids ſheephooke an hold-backe from Gods bleſſings: Eſaus elderſhip remoued not Gods hate, nor Iacobs minoritie hinder his louelove, &c. What needs more words? ſith the Apoſtle pleaſeth to inſtance in one part, follow wee his ſteps, and tell mee who euer periſhed in obedience, or proſpered in rebellion? God ſpared not the Angels for their excellencie, nor the olde world for their multitude, nor Ieruſalem for faire buildings, nor Saul for his perſonage, nor Abſolon for his beautie, nor Sodome for her fatneſſe; but all theſe periſhed equally for diſobedience.
And what may this teach vsus? firſt comfort in our Ʋſe 1 meane if wee be ſuch as feare GODvvAct 10.34.: it is not enquired how wealthy or honourable, how olde or young, how learned or vnlearned, but how obedient, &c.
Terrour in euill doing, and filiall feare in all our Ʋſe 2 carriage, what euer our perſonall qualities arex1 Pet. 1.17.: it is not Gentrie, nor Lordſhip, nor kingdome, that can ſteede thee, if thou be a tranſgreſſoryIob. 34.19: GOD accepteth not the perſon of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more then the poore, ſeeing they are all the worke of his hands: Now Lord, that we could thus perſwade our ſelues: and that wee could euer conſider, how impartiall a iudge wee ſhall all one day ſtand beforezApoc. 20.12.: that Princes could thus thinke their ſwearing, epicuriſme, whoredome, ſabbath breaking, &c. layes equall guilt vponupon them, as vponupon others, if not greater, becauſe exemplarie, &c. but what times are we fallen into? wherein greatneſſe and ſmalneſſe, riches and pouertie, profeſſion and Atheiſme, are made ſo many exemptions from obedience, and taken as diſpenſations for wilfull tranſgreſſions: the poore man thinkes his pouertie will excuſe his pilfering; the rich, that riches ſhall beare out his oppreſſion, &c. Now had wee grace to remember that great day, when wee ſhall ſtand before GOD, ſtript of all our perſonall qualities, and regarded onelyonly according to our workes, how much of this libertiſme would be abated? But let vsus ſee other vſes.
Thirdly, we are here taught, to imitate the example Ʋſe 3 of this great iudge in all eſtates and conditions, wherein the Lord hath placed vsus; and you ſhall obſerue this dutie preſſed by the Scriptures, to euerie eſtate and cond…tion of men; to Iudges and MagiſtratesaDeut. 1.17.; you ſhall hauehave no reſpect of perſons in iudgement, but ſhall heare the ſmall, as well as the great, not feare the face of the mightie, nor eſteeme a poore man in his cauſebExod. 13.3.: not fauour the perſon of the poore, nor honour the perſon of the mightycLeuit. 19.15.: and would God we had not iuſt cauſe to complaine of our lawes, in reſpect of their execution, as Anacharſis did of thoſe of the Scythians; that they were like Spyders webbes, the great flyes breake through, and the ſmaller onelyonly are holden.
Secondly, to Miniſters vrged with ſtraite charge and adiurationd1 Tim. 5.21.: that they thus walke as in all parts of their miniſterie, ſo eſpecially in reproofe of ſinnes; obſeruing theſe things without preferring one before another, and doe nothing partially.
Thirdly, to common Chriſtians, that they hauehave not the faith of GOD in reſpect of perſonseIam. 2.1.: &c. Where the forme of ſuch regard to perſons is expreſſed, and reaſons of dehortation giuen; firſt, God hath choſen: ſecondly, rich in faith: thirdly, heyres of the kingdome; fourthly contrarie is ſinne. But hereof thus farre.