Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 1 · Dialogue 11
DIALOGVE. XI.
Verse. 19, 20.
For asmuch as that, which may be knowne of God, is manifest in them: for God hath shewed it vntounto them.
For the inuisible things of him, that is, his eternall power and God-head, are seene by the Creation of the world, being considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without ….
Tim.
WHat coherence and agreement hath this Text with the former, and how doth Paul proceeds?
Sil.
This verse with the rest that follow to the end of the first Chapter, doe by a very plaine and distinct order, more fully explicate and declare the matters briefly and concisely set downe in the 18, verse; as first, what that truth is which the Heathens did vniustly detaine, viz: the principles of Nature imprinted within them, both of God and of morall dutyes; and how they came by this naturall light, in this verse and next. Secondly, how by vniust detaining that truth, they proued impious to God by vnthankfulnesse and Idolatry, and iniurious towards themselues and their Neighbours, from verse 20, till 32. in which verse, lastly is taught what that wrath and punnishment is, which is from God in Heauen, reuealed and sent vponupon such wickednesse of men. Now the first word or Particle of this present Text [Because] or, [For] bewraieth this verse, to depend vponupon the former, as a reason thereof taken from the effect. He had said, the Gentiles violently oppressed truth, and as a Iaylor his Prisoner, so they kept in the same, which yet desired to burst out into actions as the Sun out of the Clouds: this he proueth thus, because such as had a certaine light and knowledge to leade them to God in some sort to know him, and to discerne betweene good and euill in common life, could not commit such impieties toward God, such vncleannesses against themselues, and such Iniustice to their Neighbours, but that they must bee iudged guilty of vnrighteous detention and suppression of the truth. If happily any would alleadge for the Heathens in their defence, that they wholly wanted the knowledge of the truth, and so are vntruely charged for with-holding it; for answere to this secret obiection he affirmeth; that the Gentiles had the knowledge of God, both by light of Nature, verse. 19. and by the view of Gods works v. 20.
Tim.
What is the drift of this Text?
Sil.
To shew what truth that is which the Gentiles detained in vnrighteousnesse: it was a certaine knowledge of God, which they learned by naturall instinct, and by the workes of Creation, and that they are iustly charged for with holding the same knowledge.
Tim.
How many things may be considered in this Text?
Sil.
Fiue thinges, First, that the Heathen had the knowledge of God: that &c. Secondly, that they had it from God, for God shewed it them. Thirdly, what things they knew touching God his eternall diuine power. Fourthly, out of what bookes they learned it, not Scriptures but Creatures, from his workes not from his word. Lastly, what was the euent of their knowledge.
Tim.
Did the Gentiles know all that was to be knowne of God?
Sil.
No, but knew somuch as they were capable to knowe, according to such meanes as they had, yet the Philosophers and wise men knew much of God, which they did not reueale to the common people. There are some things to be knowne of God, which are incomprehensible simply, and cannot be known of Gods regenerated Children, much lesse of Philosophers; as his perfit diuine essence, & most glorious maiesty, which dwels in a light that none hath accesse or aproach vntounto. 1, Tim. 6, 16. Also the reasons of his will and counsell touching the gouernement of the worlde, and especially of mankind, for they ought not to be searched, nor can be traced and found. Rom. 11. 33. And other things there be, which though they bee comprehensible, yet are not known without reuelation of the word and spirit (which Heathens lacked) as the Doctrine of the Trinity, of Christ his Incarnation, free Iustification by Faith, Remission of Sinnes by a crucified Christ, Resurrection, &c. By that therefore which may be knowne, is meant that which by ir-bred principles of truth, remayning in man after the fall, as some sparkles and fire-brands after a great fire; and by strength of naturall reason, as also by sight of the creature, the Gentiles coulde attaine vntounto, viz. that there was a God, & he insensible and spirituall, and for properties most mighty, most iust, most wise and good, which things they saw God the first cause could not bee without, seeing men, which were his effect and work, had such qualities in them. Whereas this knowledge is said here to be manifest (in them) it is expounded by Chap. 2, vers. 15. written in their hearts, neither in the Creatures, nor in the Philosophers, nor among them, nor to them, but in themselues, euen within their hearts: by which it is plaine, that he now speakes not of the Iewes, which had their knowledge of God from the word, but of the Gentiles and of those inward notions and principles which be natural; whereof some be contemplatiue, shewing them of God that hee is, and what one he is: and some practicke, teaching them the difference betweene that is godly and wicked, iust & wrong, honest and vnhonest, morally good and euill. Hence outwardly did arise the seeds of Arts, Sciences and Disciplines, and within a conscience, iudgeing of a mans owne deedes, whether good or ill; and admonishing of the diuine iudgement, approouing and rewarding what is well done, abhorring and reuenging euill actions; as Chap. 2. 15. This iustifieth that saying of Augustine, that by Adams fall all supernaturall things (such as enabled to please God, and concerned eternal life) are quite lost; whereas mans naturall guiftes are but onelyonly wounded and impairied, not wholy extinct, somuch abiding as is sufficient to free him from excuse, not to bring him to eternall life; that must bee done by the Grace which Christ hath brought in the Reuelation of the Gospell as before, Verse 15. 16. 17.
Tim.
Who gaue them this knowledge?
Sil.
God himselfe, who is the Authour of true knowledge, as it is written, God shewed it them: this witnesseth to vsus, that beside naturall light of minde, God did concurre withall, continually helping nature, and the weaknes of natural discourse, giuing strength to natural faculties and powers (much maymed by originall corruption;) that they might doe their office the better, in collecting and concluding effects by consideration of causes. Hence it came, that amongst the Heathens there were such worthy men, as Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Seneca, Pliny, Plautus, Plotinus, & Paracelsus, besides other moe which hauehave diued so deepe into the secrets of nature, and hauehave written so many true thinges very learnedly, both of Celestiall creatures, and humainc duties; euen because God was present by efficacie to stirre vp those instructions and principles which himselfe had first engrauen in Mans nature. If any bee desirous to know what the meanes are, by which God shewed and manifested in them what might bee knowne of him; it was neither inquisition and search of the written word, nor illumination of the spirit, nor humaine instruction, nor Angelicall Reuelation, nor miraculous operations, or diuine visions, for these were the priuiledges of his Church & people; but the meanes were meere naturall, as principles ingrafted, discourse of reason assisted with a diuine concurrence, & obseruation of the Creatures, by which (being visible) well marked and duely considred, their minds were erected (as by a ladder) to think vponupon the nature and properties of God, which were insensible and inuisible. For God being an essence separated from matter, and not subiect to senses, must be perceiued of men by some outward signes of wordes (as to the Iewes,) of Creatures as to the Gentiles; who by the beholding and experience of things created, hauehave their knowledge of the Creator more and more polished and encreased. The Doctrine and lesson which from all thisDoctrine. wee are to learne, it is, that whatsoeuer knowledge of God or duties the Gentiles got, they were beholding to God for it: who though he vsed certain Organs and Instruments both within man and without him, to engender this knowledge, yet this honour still remaines to God, that hee bee the Authour and giuer of it, and hence is entitled a God of Knowledge, which serueth to reprooue such of wicked vnthankfulnesse, las forgetting God, doe ascribe their great knowledge in diuine, naturall and humaine things vntounto their owne industry, or to the second causes which were vsed for this is to rob God of his glory. Withall it must admonish vsus, that fithence God delights in meanes and workes by them, (albeit hee is not tyed to them) that therefore howsoeuer it is our sinne to set them in Gods roome, by trusting in them, or referring all praise to them: yet it is our duty not to neglect them when wee hauehave them at hand, least wee be found to tempt God.
Nowe I pray you passe forward vntounto the 20. verse, which seemeth (as I conceiue it) to be joyned to the 19. by a Preoccuption; For it might be obiected, that God being inuisible, is vnsensible also, and therefore could not be knowne, because nothing commeth to the vnderstanding but by the senses; to which the Apostle replyeth, first by concession, that indeed God is not to bee seene and perceiued by sense: and then by a secret correction, that (notwithstanding) beside that inward manifestation of himselfe by naturall instinct, or imprinted light, hee hath outwardly by the things created, reuealed himselfe, and what may be knowne of him.
Tim.
You say aright, for now hee carrieth vsus forward to another new externall kind and way of knowing God, touching whome, tell me what things did the Gentiles know by this exterior way.
Silas.
His eternall Power and God-head, that is, his Eternity, Power, Deity, vnderunder which be meant his properties, which they learned of the great Booke of the Creatures, out of which they might learne many things. First, that they had a maker. Secondly, that this maker being before the things made, is Eternall, without beginning or ending, also of a spirituall Essence. Thirdly, that hee must needs be Almighty, which made all things out of nothing, and sustained such a masse of Creatures. Fourthly, the order, variety and distinction of his Creatures declare his maruelous wisedome. Lastly, this sheweth his great goodnes, that he made them all for our good & benefit. And finally, that he was a most excellent worke-man, a rewarder of good and euill.
Tim.
Whether ought this knowledge to lead the Gentiles and whereunto should it hauehave mooued them?
Silas.
To praise God, and to louelove him, to depend vponupon him, and to seeke to please him, as also to serue him with willingnes.
Tim.
What euent had this knowledge in the Gentiles?
Sil.
It made them excuselesse (that is) it tooke from them excuse of ignorance, which they could not plead for themselues. That this must bee the exposition of these words (so as they are without excuse) appeareth not onelyonly by the testimony of sundry learned men; as of Peter Martir, auouching that God reuealed himselfe to Heathens, not to this end, on Gods part to take away excuse but the same hapned thorough their owne default, that they had no other vse of their knowledge: So faith Pareus this came eorum culpa,; so Gualter, Gentium vitie by their own fault; so Chrysostome, by a consequent and euent vppon abuse of their knowledge, not as a proper directly intended end: but also by strength of reason for the end properly, principally and by it selfe, why God by those two Bookes of Nature and Creatures did manifest himselfe so farre as hee did to men, was his owne Glorie and mans Happines subordinate thereunto; that men acknowledging and glorifying him whome they knew might be blessed, as Ver, 21. doth not obscurely insinuate. In that it sell out otherwise, this was accidentally through Sinne, blotting out and defacing Gods Image, the remainders whereof (being withalperuerted) are weaker then to leade men to their ends, strong to remoue excuse of ignorance.
Tim.
But they might alleadge want of strength to do that they knew.
Sil.
They could not do so, because they thought vertue was in their owne power. Secondly, they had power giuen them in their creation, which they lost by their own falt. Thirdly, they did not so much to the glorifying of god, as they were able to do euen in their corrupt estate, for the which God might iustly condemne them.
Tim.
What may this teach vsus?
Sil.
First, that God loues to cleare his Iustice, from murmuring and complaints. Secondly, that if Christians doe not vse their knowledge well, they are much more without all excuse and defence, because they hauehave a better and a greater knowledge; for vntounto the law of nature they hauehave ioyned the Lawe of Moses, and the Doctrine of the Gospell: where GOD giueth much, there hee requireth much, and asketh much of them, to whome hee committeth much.