Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 15 · Section 6
6. Morall obseruations.
Observ. 1. How we ought to reade the Scriptures.
v. 4. Whatsoeuer things are written, are written for our learning, &c. Thus ought euerie one to reade the Scriptures, that he may edifie himselfe thereby: either informe his iudgement, correct some error of life, be stirred vp to some holy dutie or other: as Dan. c. 9. by reading the prophesie of Ieremie receiued some comfort concerning the deliuerance of Gods people out of captiuitie: If euerie one that taketh Gods booke into his hand, did make this the ende of his reading and hearing, the Scriptures should not be turned ouer in vaine, as now they are of many: Some will not consult with Gods booke at all: some looke into it but of curiositie to encrease their knowledge: some of a corrupt minde to wrest the Scripture to confirme their errors: but the true reading of Scripture, is thereby to be edified.
Observ. 2. Praiers to be ioyned with preaching the word and reading of Scripture.
v. 5. Now the God of patience and consolation, &c. S. Paul vntounto his exhortation addeth prayer, shewing the right kinde of preaching, to ioyne vntounto the interpretation of Scripture prayer, as Ezra. 9.4. the Israelites in that their solemne feast, did reade in the booke of the lawe fowre times a day, and as often did they pray, and confesse their sinnes: so they which reade the Scriptures should with prayer make a way, that God would open their vnderstanding, and make their reading profitable vntounto them.
Observ. 3. What an excellent thing it is to be of one minde.
v. 6. That ye with one minde and one mouth, &c. Origen here taketh occasion to set forth what an excellent thing vnanimitatis gratia, the grace of vnanimitie is, to be of one mind: as Matth. 18. our blessed Sauiour promiseth, that when two or three are gathered together in his name, he will be present in the middes among them: whereof see a president, Act. 2.1. where the Apostles beeing with one heart assembled together in prayer, receiued the holy Ghost. Origen alleadgeth an other example taken out of the old Testament, how in the diuision of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, whom the earth for their rebellion swallowed vp quicke, the three sonnes of Core, Assir, Elkanah, and Ebiasaph, with one heart and consent did sequester themselues from that conspiracie, and died not with their father: see Numb. 26.11. and 1. Chron. 6.23. where these sonnes of Core are named as surviuers to their father: And for this cause he thinketh that S. Paul ioyneth with himselfe in his epistles sometime Softhenes, sometime Syluanus and Timothie in the salutations, to shew their consent of minde and vnanimitie, vntounto the which they exhorted others.
Observ. 4. How we ought to entertaine one an other with louing affection, euen those which hate vsus.
v. 17. Receiue ye one an other, &c. Chrysostome hath here an excellent morall, that though one be averse from vsus, we should not be averse in affection from him: say not, if he louelove me, I will louelove him. 1. this is as if thou shouldest say, si me dexter oculus non dilexerit, eff…diam illum, if my right eye doe not louelove me, I will pull it out: if one of the parts of thy bodie be in danger, to be cut off from the rest, nihil non molimur quo iliud vniamus itreum, we vse all meanes to vnite it againe: so must we seeke by all meanes to winne those vntounto vsus by our louelove, that are alienated in minde from vsus. 2. maior expectanda tibi merces, &c. thou a…o expect a greater reward, if thou louest him, that loueth not thee: for he that loueth thee againe hath recompenced thee, but he that being loued, loueth thee not againe, Deum tibi pro seipso debitorem constituit, doth make God thy debter for him. 3. co magis te imitatorem esse Christi declarabis, thou shalt so much the more make thy selfe an imitator of Christ, who prayed for his enemies. 4. by this meanes, nullam non animam emollies, thou shalt mollifie any heart, though neuer so hard, for if one louelove him, of whō he is loued, much more shall they win louelove, that louelove where they are hated. 5. Dost thou not see turpes amatores alapas ferre, &c. that filthie louers do suffer blowes, checks, taunts, at the hands of their paramours: shall not the louelove of God as much preuaile with vsus, as that diabolicall louelove? 6. Moses aversari non potuit illos qui illum toties aversati, Moses could not be averse to those, which had beene averse to him, but wisheth rather to be blotted out of Gods booke, then they should not be spared. 7. aversaris hominem fidelem, quem Christus cum adhuc infidelis esset, non est aversatus; dost thou turne away from a faithfull man, whom Christ disdained not, beeing yet an infidel, but vouchsafed to die for him?
Observ. 5. How God is to be praised, not with the mouth onelyonly but the heart.
v. 6. That ye with one minde and one mouth may praise God, &c. Chrysostome also well sheweth, how we should sing vntounto God. 1. Cythara Davidica nobis opus est, we hauehave need of Dauids harpe: for the deuill goeth about to strangle vsus as he did Saul, strangulat nos malis artibus; he doth strangle vsus with wicked workes: he that singeth with his mouth, and haltech in his life, is like vntounto Saul, who was more inflamed at Dauids playing: psallenti malis operibus repugnat, he with euill workes resisteth and spurneth against the singer. 2. when we are about to heare or sing Dauids Psalmes, timet malius ille daemon, &c. the wicked spirit feareth, least after we hauehave heard, we should frame our life thereafter: but when he seeth vsus to continue the same which we were before, nothing reformed, isto protinus timore exuitur, he is ridde of this feare. 3. psallamus ita que operum cantionem, &c. let vsus then sing a song of good life and workes, and so cast out sinne worse then the deuill: for the deuill oftentimes prodest vigilanti, profiteth him that is watchfull and vigilant, but sinne is altogether vnprofitable: the deuill doth assault a man against his will, voluntarius daemon est peccatum, & spontanea insania, sinne is a voluntarie deuill, and a selfewilled madnes: incantemus igitur anima peccatis obsessae ex Scripturis, let vsus therefore enchaunt the soule possessed with sinne by the Scriptures. 4. howsoeuer let vsus vse to sing Psalmes, for this is a thing of no small moment: for if we teach our tongue to sing, psallente illa pudefiet anima, contraria ab eo quod psallitur, volens, for while the tongue singeth, the mind will be ashamed to will things contrarie to that which is sung.
Observ. 6. That Pastors and Ministers should temper their reprehensions with due commendations.
v. 14. I my selfe am perswaded of you brethren, that yee are full of goodnes, &c. S. Pauls commendable vse is, as sometime sharpely to rebuke, so also to commend the good things, which he sawe in them, to whom he writeth; as writing to the Corinthians, he calleth them carnall, 1. ep. 3.1. yet before he said of them, that they were made rich in all kind of speach, and in all knowledge: so the Galatians he calleth foolish, Gal. 3.1. and yet he commendeth them for their zeale toward him, that they would hauehave plucked out their eyes to hauehave giuen him, Galat. 4.15. by this example of the Apostle, Ministers must learne discreetly and wisely to mixe their commendations and rebukes together: this the Poet could see, laudata que virtus crescit, & immensum gloria calcar habet, vertue praised doth encrease, and glorie is as a spurre to doe well: as the Poet saith of the horse,
Acer & ad palmae per se cursurus honores,
si tamen horteris fortior ibit equus,
though horse be quicke to runne his race,
yet runneth he better with thy praise:
for if the Minister shall alwayes be chiding and rebuking, it will discourage the people: whereas their due praise and commendation will encourage them.
Observ. 7. What things are required in them, that should admonish others.
v. 14. That ye are full of all goodnes and knowledge, and are able one to admonish an other. He which should instruct an other, must both be furnished with knowledge, that he be not ignorant how, and wherein to instruct an other: he must also hauehave goodnes, that he be not culpable in that, wherof he doth admonish an other: for if he want the one he is as an vnwise builder, that knoweth not how to lay a good foundation, & if he want the other he is as one which pulleth downe that by example of life, which before he seemed to build vp: Socrates required three things in a teacher, foreign, knowledge, foreign, good will, and boldnes: both these latter may be referred to foreign, goodnes: that as he must hauehave knowledge, so must he be readie and willing to vse it to an others good: and boldnes to reprooue, that he himselfe be not touched with that which he reprooueth in an other.
Observ. 8. How God is delighted in the conuersion of a sinner.
v. 16. That the offring vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable: he calleth the calling and conversion of the Gentiles vntounto God, an offring: signifying therby, that god is so desirous of the saluatiō of men, vt sit instar acceptissimae victimae, that it is as a most acceptable sacrifice: yea the Apostle saith, 2. Cor. 5.20. As though God did beseech you thorough vsus, we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled vntounto God, &c. God doth as it were pray and beseech vsus to hauehave care of our owne soules, and to be reconciled vntounto him, that we may be saued: Then how senselesse is man, that hath no care of his owne saluation, which Christ so thirsteth after and longeth for.
Observ. 9. Of the louelove which ought to be betweene the Pastor and his people.
v. 24. After I hauehave beene somewhat filled with your companie, &c. Chrysostome by occasion of these words, sheweth what ardent affection the Apostle did beare toward the Romanes, that he could neuer be fully satisfied with their companie: whereupon he further declareth how necessarie a thing it is in a Pastor, to louelove his sheepe. 1. he beginneth with the example of Peter, to whom Christ said, if thou louest me, feede my sheepe for he that loveth Christ, loueth his flocke: so God appointed Moses to be the captaine of his people, after he had shewed his louelove to his brethren, Exod. 2. and Dauid first shewed an experiment of his louelove to the people of God, in killing Goliah, before he was inaugurated to the kingdome: So Dauid, when the land was smitten with the plague, offered himselfe for his sheepe: and therefore he made choice of the plague, rather then famine, or the sword, whereby he hoped other might be safe, se vero ante reliquos omnes è medio tollendum, and that he might be taken away first: which when he saw not to be done, then he lamentably cryeth out, in me sit manus tua, let thy hand be against me, and if that be not enought, against my fathers house. 2. he propoundeth also the example of Abraham, which had such great respect and care of those, qui non erant sibi concrediti, which were not committed to his care and trust, that he offred himselfe to many dangers for them, as when he pursued after the armie of the Persians to rescue not onelyonly Lot, but the Sodomites also, for whom he earnestly besought God at the time of their destruction: how much more carefull should the Pastor be for the people committed to his charge. 3. he maketh mention of the sheepeheards of Cappadocia, which in keeping of their sheepe, vniversum triduum nive adobruti perdurant, doe endure three dayes covered with snowe: and in Lybia the sheepheards for louelove of their sheepe, integres menses difficilem illam solitudinem, &c. circument, whole moneths doe goe vp and downe in that vast desert full of wild beasts? what excuse then shall idle and careles Pastors hauehave, cui rationales animae concreditae sunt, to whom reasonable soules are committed to keepe? 4. dost thou not know the dignitie of this flocke, for the which Christ did so many things, yea sanguinem suum fudit, & tu requiem quaeris, he shed his blood for it, and art thou careles, and seekest thine ease, quid poterit peius esse pastoribus istis, what can be worse, thē such sheepheards? 5. consider also the danger of the flocke, that it is beset with many rauenous wolues: seest thou not, how the gouernours of the people beeing to consult of temporall affaires, beeing not content with the day, doe, watch all night, and we which striue for heauen, ipsa quo que die dormimus, doe sleepe in the day: quis ab eo nos supplicio eripiet, quod istis debetur, who shall deliuer vsus from the punishment which is due vntounto such sheepheards? let euerie one consider with what minde then he take vponupon him this office: and seeing the danger is such, numquid ad hoc munus, tanquam ad nundiuas currendum erit, shall men run vntounto this function, as vntounto a faire. 6. Then Chrysostome turneth himselfe to the people, that they should louelove their Pastors also: hac audiant oves, vt alacriores faciant Pastores, let the sheepe also heare this to make their Pastors more chearefull: for a good sheepheard, such an one as Christ would hauehave, innumeris certat martyrijs, doth put himselfe vponupon many martyrdomes: Christ died for him once, hic millies propter gregem singulis diebus mori potest, but he a thousand times, yea eueryevery day is in danger to die for his flocke: wherefore knowing our labour, dilectione vestra nos iuvate, & vos nostra, helpe vsus with your louelove, as we doe you with ours: then he concludeth, with this modest insinuation, these things be spoken, de optimis Pastoribus, non de meipso & mei similibus, of the best sheepheards, not of such as I am, and others like vntounto me. 6. Lastly, he saith vntounto the people, and they which are vnderunder their Pastors, euen eueryevery one also must, pro parte pastorem agere, domus suae, vxoris, liberorum, domesticorum, play the part of a pastor, ouer his house, wife, and children, and houshold servants: Thus excellently Chrysostome, according to his manner doth followe this morall, which I hauehave abridged.