Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 10 · Dialogue 6
DIAL. VI.
Verses 6, 7, 8. But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heauen? (that is to bring Christ from aboue,) or who shall descend into the deepe? (that is to bring Christ from the dead,) but what saith it, &c.
Tim.
VVHat is the scope of this Text?
Silas.
As before he described the righteousnesScope. of the law out of Moses, so now by an antithesis, (out of Moses) he setteth foorth the righteousnes of faith by the effects, obiects, and properties, plainely shewing that it driueth away doubting and feare frō the conscience; & leaneth vponupon the word of promise, beeing possible, easie, and certaine; and in all these it is quite opposite vntounto the legall iustice.
Tim.
Declare now plainely the summe of this Text.
Silas.
It is thus much: that the righteousnesse of faithSumme. neyther leaueth the conscience doubtfull of saluation, nor striketh in it any feare of condemnation but: staying it selfe vponupon the manifest and sure worde of the Gospell concerning Christ dead for our sinnes, and risen againe for our righteousnesse, it engendereth firme quietnesse in the hearts of beleeuers, and draweth free confession from their mouth, of Christs death, resurrection, and ascension.
Tim.
What be the parts of this Text?
Sil.
Two: the first negatiue, shewing what faith speakethParts. not, or forbiddeth, with the cause and reason why. verse 6, 7. The other affirmatiue, teaching what it is that faith faith, and what manner of thing it is.
Tim.
What doth faith forbid, and why?
Silas.
All doubting about eternall life in heauen, vponupon this ground, because Christ is ascended thither for vsus. Secondly, it forbiddeth all trembling, and feare of beeing tormented in hell, vponupon this reason, because Christ being dead, hath by his death ouercome eternall death, not for himselfe, but for his members.
Tim.
Come wee to the words, and tell vsus what is meant by the righteousnesse of faith?
Silas.
That which before in verse three is called theInterpretation. righteousnesse of God, standing wholly in beleeuing; or the righteousnesse of Christ, being laid hold vponupon by faith, or a person iustified by faith in Christ; it is no matter which of these we follow.
Tim.
But how may this righteousnesse bee saide for to speake?
Sil.
By a figure called Prosopopoia, as Rom. 8, 19, 20. Paul putteth a person of a reasonable creature vponupon the iustice of faith, and bringeth it in speaking and declaring it selfe what manner of thing it is, and what it works in beleeuing hearts.
Tim.
What may we learne from these first words?
Silas.
That a liuely faith is necessarily required as an instrument1. Doctrine. to receiue true righteousnesse before God. Secondly,2. Doctrine. whosoeuer is indued with this faith, hath that righ teousnes which God alloweth of in iustice; not that faithFaith properly taken, is not our iustice before God. (as it is a quality, a worke, or guift, is this iustice,) but because God imputeth to faith the iustice of his Son Christ, which alone is able to appease him, and to abide the rigor of his law, which faith as a worke cannot doe.
Tim.
What may wee learne by this, that Paul confirmes the doctrine of free righteousnesse by faith, out of Moses his writings?
Silas.
That Paul the Apostle and Moses writings, had good agreement in the doctrine of the Gospell. Secondly, that the righteousnesse of faith hath witnesse from the law and the Prophets. Thirdly, that Moses knew and preached the Gospell as well as the Law; hence it is that Moses lawe doeth oftentimes signifie the whole doctrine of God, as Psal. 19. 7.
Tim.
Why then is Moses accounted a Preacher of theA doubt. lawe, and set against the Apostles and Christ, the preachers of the Gospell? Iohn 1. 17.
Silas.
Moses had this denomination of that which hee did for the most part, and that was to publish and expoundA solution. Therefore Law and Gos pell to be destinguished by the nature of doctrine and not by bookes. the lawe to the people: howbeit the promises of grace are contayned in his writings also, & he prophesied of Christ, Iohn 5. 46. For Moses wrote of mee: euen as Christ and his Apostle did preach the law and vrged repentance, Marke 1. 15. Yet because their chiefest endeuor was to set forth the promises of grace, they are therefore called the Ministers of grace, and dispencers of the Gospell.
Tim.
What vse of this poynt?
Silas.
It serueth to draw the Iewes the sooner to embraceVse. the righteousnes of faith, since it was taught by Moses, a Prophet whome they much honoured and respected, and yet refusing to beleeue in Christ, euen for that they thought therby to be drawn away from this Moses; wheras Paul tels them that there is no such matter, if they would beleeue Moses: but contrariwise they must receiue Christ, whome hee preached: as Iohn Baptist, so Moses prepared Disciples for Christ, the one more, the other lesse clearely.
Tim.
But how may it appeare to vsus, that Moses in this testimonyDoubt. did speake of Christ and the Gospell?
Silas.
First, out of Moses wordes, Deut. 30. 6. 11. theSolution. promises of conuersion to God, and circumcision of the heart are parts of the Gospell; and this was the commaundement, and not the legall precepts which that day hee spake. Secondly, out of Paul, who in this place tearmeth the word which Moses spake, to be the word of faith, verse 8. Thirdly, if Paul had vsed this text of Moses by allusion, agreement or proportion onelyonly (as if such wordes as were spoken by Moses touching the law, might fitly be applied by Paul to the Gospell,) then had they not serued the purpose of the Apostle; which was to confirme by testimony of Moses, that which hee had spoken before touching Christ, being the end of the law for righteousnesse to him that beleeues. They are then deceiued which think that Paul alludeth to Moses, citing him by way of consequence and not directly; or that he doth speake of the bare knowledge or performance of the law, either by natural strēgth, or as it is made easie by grace: for then Paul shoulde not hauehave spoken of righteousnesse by faith, but of sanctification and newnes of life; which is quite besides his drift and scope, which is out of Moses to commend the righteousnes of faith, as is very plaine in the text.
Tim.
But the Apostle doth not report Moses words.
Silas.
True, not in so many letters and sillables, for something is altered, also added and taken away; but in sence and meaning hee doeth alledge them, and that is sufficient.
Tim.
What is meant by [saying in thy heart?]Interpretation.
Sllas.
Thus much: thinke not doubtfully within thy selfe, or let not thy minde bee perplexed with wauerings, thoughts and reasonings.
Tim.
What is meant by this question [who shall a seend into heauen?]
Silas.
Thus much, as if it were sayd, Who shall goe thither for vsus, to bring vsus word, whether God bee pacified with vsus, and meaneth to giuegive vsus saluation there?
Tim.
What is meant by the other question [who shall descend to the deepe?]
Silas.
By the [deepe] is meant Hell, as Reue. 9. 1. 11. & 20. 1. To descend to the deepe signifies to goe downe into the place of torment: the meaning is, who shal go down thither to tell and assure vsus that we are free from the malediction and damnation of hell, and shall neuer be throwne down into that deep burning lake?
Tim.
What are we to learne from these questions?
Silas.
First, that they which sticke to their owneDoctrine. workes, and thinke to be saued by their owne deseruings, they hauehave wauering and vnquiet consciences, troubled with doubtings, tremblings, and feare; for that which the righteousnesse of faith speaketh not, that the legall iustice doeth speake. The reason of this doctrine is, because theReason. lawe which promiseth life to perfect obedience, giues no power to obey; it threatneth death against eueryevery transgression, but giues no remedy against any such euill and misery. Therefore it must needs be that such as follow the righteousnes of the law, must still be filled with anguish of Soule, because their conscience witnesses vntounto them, that they hauehave not done all which the law commaunds, but are transgressours manifold wayes in many thinges, and so remaine perplexed and without rest.
Tim.
What is the vse of this poynt?
Silas.
This sets foorth the miserable condition of allVse, such as seeke righteousnes and life, by their owne deedes; for such can neuer hauehave any sounde ttanquility; well may they hauehave benummed dead consciences, but pacified conscience, they cannot hauehave; because they alwayes lack what is required by the law, which condemneth to death eueryevery fault euen the least.
Tim.
What other thing is to be learned out of these questions?
Sil.
That there are two maine doubtings which vse toDoctrine. perplex and trouble mē, that are without faith in Christ, the one is how to be saued and to attaine heauen. The other how to escape hell and damnation. And these two doubtings are continuall and necessary effects of legall righteousnesse: for a man that hath not wholly kept the law, must needes doubt whether hee shall hauehave eternall life. For it is promised vponupon no other condition but of exact and strict performance, and he who knoweth that he hath done things against the lawe, must needs bee in feare of damnation, because it is threatned vntounto eueryevery sinne.
Tim.
HaueHave ye yet any other instructions out of these questions?
Sil.
Yea, namely this, that these doubtings are contraryDoctrine. and repugnant to the nature and property of faith, whose property is to expell doubting, as heate expels coldnesse; as appeareth by Iames, which tels vsus that faith forbids vsus to wauer, Iames, 1, 6. and by the wordes of Paul the Apostle, Rom. 4, 20, 21.
Tim.
But how then comes it to passe, that beleeuers are oftenDoubt. troubled with doubtings?
Silas.
This happens through the infirmity of theirSolution. flesh and naturall weakenesse, which wrestles and striues with the assurance of faith, which though it be certaine and firme, yet it is not perfect and full. And from the imperfection of faith, there comes doubting, as Christ saith to his Apostles, Why doubt ye, o ye of little faith? For the hand shaketh through palsie, or some other weakenesse, though the property of the hand be to holde fast: so of the weakenesse of faith ariseth doubting; but the property of faith is to breed affiance and confidence, and to driue away doubtings and feares, euen as the Sunne scatters mists, Ephes. 3, 12. Hebrewes 10, 2. 2. Colossians 2, 2.
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this point?
Silas.
It teacheth a maine difference betweene theVse. righteousnesse of the law and of faith: for of this springs tranquillity through the assurance of Gods louelove; and of the other trepidation and trembling through conscience of sinne. Secondly, it confutes the Papists, who deny infallible assurance and certainty to bee the office of faith, and destroy the very nature of faith which is, to assure men. Thirdly, it warnes vsus to detest doubting as a thing contrary to faith, and out of an hatred of it to fight against it. Fourthly, it exhorts all men to seeke after faith, by which alone they are able to get victory ouer doubtings; which may well assault faith, but must be ouercome by faith, 1. Iohn. 5, 4.
Tim.
But from whence fetcheth faith a remedy against doubtings and feares?
Silas.
From the ascension of Christ into heauen, against the doubting of saluation; for if Christ be ascended and possesse heauen in our names, and there make request for vsus, then wee must needs deny his ascension, and fetch him backe from heauen againe, if wee make question how to be saued.
Tim.
Whence hauehave wee the remedy against the feare of condemnation?
Silas.
From the faith of Christ his death and resurrection. For if Christ be dead and raised from the graue, then hath he gotten victory ouer sinne, death, hell, and Sathan. Therefore what is it else but to deny his death, and to bring him backe againe to the Crosse and graue, if wee should greatly feare the torments of Hell? Consider this well.
Tim.
What are we to learne from hence?
Silas.
That an vnbeleeuer denies the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, whatsoeuer profession he make. Secondly, that the articles of Christs death and resurrection and ascension, be as a fortresse against infidelity,To him who hath not the fruit of these, to him Christ is not dead, risen, and ascended. doubtings and feares; and serue as notable meanes and helpes to confirme and establish a Christian hearte in faith: therefore they ought to be well knowne, and often with good study meditated on.