Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 10 · Section 6
6. Morall obseruations.
1. Observ. Of the securitie and assurance of faith.
v. 6. Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heauen, &c. So long as a man is vnderunder the terror of the law, his mind is continually perplexed and troubled, doubting of heauen, how he shall come thither, and fearing hell who shall deliuer him from thence: but beeing iustified by faith, and so at peace with God, nothing doth trouble vsus: we neede not to say, who shall ascend to heauen, to bring vsus thither, or descend to hell to redeeme vsus thence, for Christ hath done both for vsus: in whom we are so sure of Gods louelove, that nothing can separate vsus from it: as S. Paul sheweth by his owne experiences, Rom. 8.38.39. so long then as the minde is doubtfull, perplexed, and wauering, it is a sure signe, that such hauehave not yet attained vntounto this iustifying faith.
Observ. 2. Against pride and vaineglorie.
Chrysostome vponupon these words, v. 11. He that beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed: taketh occasion to shewe the vaine desire of humane praise: whereas it is faith in Christ, that bringeth true praise, and delivereth from shame and confusion: I will abridge his morall vponupon this point.
1. First he describeth this vanitie, by the adiuncts thereof, quid illa sumptuosius, quid difficilius, &c. what is more sumptuous, and more hard: as to build goodly houses, to provide multitude of seruants, great horse, to set forth showes, to go in pompe, and all to get praise: what can be more costly?
2. By the event: it consumeth not onelyonly money, but devorat animas, it devoureth the soule, mater gehennae est inanis gloria, vaine-glorie is the mother of hell, and vehemently kindleth the fire thereof.
3. By the difference between this passion, and all other: quae morte finiuntur, which end by death: but this vaine desire sheweth it selfe after death, as in the immoderate cost bestowed in garnishing sepulchres: that they which could not affoard one halfepennie to the poore while they liued, morientes sumptuosam mensam vermibus praebeant, beeing dead to prepare a sumptuous table for the wormes.
4. By the condition and propertie of it: as there is no servitude, no not of the Barbarians, which is more grieuous, then the servitude of vaine-glorie: it commandeth most servile things: he which is ambitious refuseth no labour nor seruice, to further his vnsatiable appetite: so that there cannot be a greater slaue, then a vaine-glorious man.
5. The companions of vaine-glorie, are envie, couetousnes, adulteries: for many one in his foolish braverie vaunteth himselfe, hanc & hanc ego decepi, I hauehave deceiued this woman and that, and had my will of them.
6. Vaine-glorie is an vncertaine thing: though a man had tenne thousand commenders, they much differ not à graculis garrientibus, from so many cackling iayes: for they will vponupon any occasion be as readie to dispraise.
7. Beside, that which a man desireth to be praised, he soonest obtaineth by contemning of praise: for men doe not more wonder at any, then at him, qui non laudari sustinet, which can not endure to be praised.
8. This studie of vaine-glorie is farre vnlike all other studies and professions: in other artes men will make them their iudges that hauehave skill: but the vaine-glorious man, putteth himselfe vponupon the ignorant multitude: the harlot is not so vaine: for she contemneth and despiseth many louers; but the man ambitious of praise, doth fawne euer vponupon base and vile persons, for praise and commendation.
Now Chrysostome in this manner proceeding to lay open the vanitie of this desire of praise, doth also shewe the remedies against it.
1. There is a woe denounced to such, Luk. 6.26. Woe be vntounto you, when all men speake well of you: for so did their fathers to the false Prophets: euill men are sooner commended of the world, then good.
2. We must set before vsus the euerlasting praise of God, which will make vsus to tread vnderunder foote the praise of men: like as they which delight in the comelinesse of the bodie, alia splendidior facies visa à prima separat, a more beautifull face doth turne a mans desire from the former: the seruant looketh to his master, the scholar to his teacher, the labourer to his paymaster: but he that desireth the praise of men, looketh not to God his master and rewarder: Athleta in arena certans, in theatro probari cupit, the champion or combatant striuing in the sand and ground belowe, yet seeketh to be approoued in the theatre aboue: yet a vaine-glorious man, cum theatrum in coelo habet, spectatores in terris colligit, when he hath his theatre in heauen, yet doth seeke vntounto him spectators in earth.
3. We must consider the dignitie and excellencie of our calling, and say with S. Paul, knowe ye not that we shall iudge the Angels: and wilt thou then that shalt iudge the Angels, be iudged of vile and base persons here in earth?
4. We must set before our eyes, the examples of the Saints, that hauehave condemned the vaine-glorie of this world: as Helias, when the King and nobles and people were gathered together, and wondred at him: he sought not their praise, but checked them, saying, how long halt ye betweene two opinions? 1. King. 18.21. and when all Iudea assembled vntounto Iohn, be fawned not vponupon them, but reprooued them, O generation of vipers: to this purpose, Chrysostome.
Observ. 3. Against despaire.
v. 12. He that is Lord ouer all, is rich vntounto all: From this place Oecumenius collecteth a comfortable note: that seeing Christ is so desirous of our saluation, vt suas divitias existimet esse, that he couneth it his riches, if many be brought vntounto the faith: that no man should despaire of saluation: And that we should hauehave a desire vntounto our saluation, which our Blessed Sauiour so thirsteth after: as he did, when he wept ouer Ierusalem, which he would hauehave gathered vntounto him, … the henne doth her chickens, but they would not, Matth. 23.
Observ. 4. Against envie.
M. Calvin vponupon the same words, he is rich vntounto all, doth thus collect, that one should not envie another, as though they lost any thing by the graces bestowed vponupon an other: for God is aboundantly rich, eius opulentiam largitate non minui, his bountie and riches is not diminished by his giuing: God hath enough in store for all: it is therefore called the deepenes of his riches, c. 11.33. the bottome whereof can neuer be sounded, nor the fountaine drawne drie.
5. Observ. Of the reverent respect, which should be had vntounto the Ministerie, and Ministers of the word.
v. 15. How beautifull are the feete: seeing the Ministers of the Gospel doe bring vntounto vsus the tidings of saluation, and of peace with God: they ought to be more welcome vntounto vsus, then they which bring vsus newes of any worldly treasure whatsoeuer: and herein appeareth how earthly minded men of this world are, that hauehave no more regard vntounto those, who are the messengers of God for their soules health: that whereas, in eueryevery profession the Ministers thereof are honoured: as the Pagans did highly esteeme their idolatrous sacrificers; the Turks, their Musulmen, which are their Priests; the Papists their Masse-priests: yet among Protestants, their Ministers and Preachers, are of least regard, vnlesse it be among those few, that receiue comfort by their ministerie.
6. Observ. Against titulant Ministers, which hauehave the name onelyonly, and not the thing.
v. 15. How beautifull are their feete, which bring glad tidings of peace, &c. It is required men of Ministers, that if they would be honoured as Messengers, they should bring the Message with them, that is, to preach good things vntounto the people: this then maketh for the reproofe of idle or vnsufficient ministers, that either can not, or will not preach to the people: where is now their louelove vntounto Christ, seeing they feede not his flocke: as Christ said vntounto Peter, louest thou me, feede my sheepe, &c. Ioh. 21.
7. Observ. Of the necessitie of the preaching of the word.
v. 17. Faith commeth by hearing, &c. Where then there is no preaching of the word of God, there can be no hearing: where no hearing, there no faith: this sheweth the miserable state of those people, which want the ordinarie ministrie and preaching of the word of God: how can they but fall into the ditch, that either hauehave no guides, or those but blind: for the Scripture saith, where there is no vision, there the people decay, Prou. 29.18. where are no Prophets ordinarie or extraordinarie, there the people must perish: Chrysostome compareth the word of God, and the preaching thereof vntounto oyle, and faith as the lampe, without the word preached faith decayeth, as the lampe without oyle is extinguished: The consideration hereof should mooue Christian Magistrates which are the chiefe pastors of the Lords inheritance, to prouide, that the people be euerie where taught: and the people themselues should be incited chiefely to seeke for the foode of their soules.