Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 10 · Dialogue 8
DIAL. VIII.
Verse 10, 11, 12. For with the heart man beleeueth vntounto righteousnesse: and with the mouth man confesseth vntounto saluation. For the Scripture saith, &c.
Tim.
WHat doth this Text containe?Coherence.
Silas.
First, a repetition and confirmation also of that which was saide touching saluation, the effect of righteousnesse by faith; togither with an explication of the persons to whom righteousnesse and saluation belongeth. The thing here repeated is, that a Christian that beleeueth in Christ dead and raised to life, and confesseth this his faith before men, shall certainly and without doubt be saued. Wherefore let vsusMethod or disposition of the Text. obserue these things, that faith and confession are coupled together, as the tree and her fruite, and as the Mother and the Daughter. Also they be set soorth by their proper subiect or seats whereto they cleaue, and wherein they sticke and rest, Faith in the heart, and confession in the mouth. Lastly, not the parts but the degrees of saluation be pointed at. The first degree or beginning of it, is righteousnesse, to wit, absolution from sinne, by free pardon, through the merit of Christ his death, and2. Degree of Saluation. being accounted iust before God, by the worthinesse of his obedience to the Morall Law. The second degree, is perfection of saluation in heauen, & all the proceedings thereunto, from Iustification till Glorification in Heauen, heere called saluation.
Tim.
Whence is the Confirmation of this proposition fetched?
Sil.
From authority of Scripture, as of Esay 28, 16, v. 11. and Ioel 2, 32. verse 13.
Tim.
What dooth Paul in the explication of the persons, which shall be partaker: of this saluation?
Silas.
First, hee noteth them by an vniuersall particle [Whosoeuer,] without difference of Nation, or sex, or age, or condition. Secondly, he particularly nameth both Iew and Gentile, which in respect 1. of saluation, 2. and the neede thereof by sinne, 3. with the meanes thereof by Faith, are equal, as he proueth by two Reasons: one from the vnity of Gods effence, who is the same Creator andIewes & Gentiles be equal, wherein and why. Sauiour of all the elect, Iew and Gentile. Secondly, from the immensiuenesse of Gods merciemercy, which is so large, as that it can suffice all sortes of people which trust in his Sonne, and cal vponupon him, verse 12, 13. Therefore by calling of the Gentiles, nought was taken from the Iewes; these were no whit endamaged by sauing them; God is sufficient for both.
Tim.
Come we now to the Interpretation, and tell vsus what isInterpret. meant by [Man,] As also what is meant [by beleeuing?]
Sil.
By man is meant eueryevery true Christian, man or woman. And by beleeuing is meant, not onelyonly to assent vntounto the Doctrine of Christ, but with confidence and sure affiance to embrace it.
Tim.
What is meant by the Heart?
Silas.
The soule, with all the faculties thereof, but especially the will and affections; which are therefore in phrase of Scripture tearmed the heart, because the soule keepeth her chiefest residence in that fleshie part of man called the heart, sitting and shewing her selfe there, as it were in her chaire of estate.
Tim.
What is it [With the heart to beleeue to Righteousnesse?]
Silas.
It is the same with that phrase, Ro. 4, 5. to hauehave Faith imputed for righteousnesse; or with that, Ro. 9, 30 to attain to the righteousnes of faith: or Gal. 3, 14, 24. To receyue righteousnesse, or to bee made righteous by Faith.
Tim.
What Lessons are wee to learne from the first part of the tenth verse?
Silas.
First, that vntounto righteousnesse before GOD,Doctrine. (that is, to remission of sinnes, and perfect Iustice by Christs death and resurrection) there needes on mans part, nothing but a true and liuely Faith. Indeede good workes are witnesses to testifie the truth of this faith beforeReason. men, and vntounto our selues; but when the speech is of getting and receiuing righteousnesse (euen pardonAl that be iustified by faith onelyonly, are freely iustified, Amb. in 3. ad Rom. of our sinnes and eternall life by Christe) workes are cleane to be shut out and excluded, as hauing no power to enable vsus to embrace Christ: and this is the controuersie between vsus and the Church of Rome, that whereas they do part the instrumentall cause of our righteousnesse betweene Faith and workes, wee attribute it vntounto Faith onelyonly, according to the doctrine of the Scripture,God hath Iustified vsus, v. sing thereto no workes but saith onelyonly, cbrys. in 3. Rom Rom. 3, 27, 28, 29, 30. Gal. 2, 16. and of the Fathers agreeable thereunto. The beleeuing man shall bee iustified in Faith onelyonly. Ambrose on 1 Cor. 1. Whosoeuer trusteth in Faith onelyonly is blessed. Hierom Chap. 3. vntounto the Gal. By Faith onelyonly shall Christ saue the offenders of the Lawe,OnelyOnly Faith in Christ doeth make vsus cleane Aug. Chrysostome on the Ephesians. To these might bee ioyned Basil, Theophylact, Hilarie, Cyprian, & many more, which teach the same truth as we now do.
Tim.
What vse of this Doctrine?Vse.
Silas.
First, it instructeth vsus to know how necessarie Faith is: for where this is, there righteousnesse is; and there is no righteousnesse where Faith is wanting. Secondly, it conuieteth the Papists of greeuous slaunders, in that they charge Luther to be the first inuenter of this Doctrine touching righteousnes by Faith alone. WhereasQuod primam, id verum: sal. sum quod posterim. before him, the learned Doctors of the Church, yea, Apostles, Prophets, and Christ himselfe, had deliuered this truth to the Church, euen from the beginning. How then can it bee an heresie in Luther to teach thus, but it must be an heresie also in the Pen-men of the holy Ghost to write thus?
Tim.
What is the next Doctrine?2. Doctrine.
Silas.
That the seate and subiect of Faith is not the minde alone, but the will also, which is more speciallie signified by heart, Acts 8, 37. Ephes. 3, 17. For this confidenceReason. is at least a necessary companion of faith, but confidence hath place in the heart, therefore Faith lodgeth there also.
Tim.
What vse are we to make of this Doctrine?
Sil.
It serueth to teach, that vntounto a liuely Faith, thereVse. is required a double worke of the Spirit: First, to enlighten the minde, that it may certainly see and assent to the things written in the Gospell. Of this first worke it is, that Faith is often in Scripture tearmed Vnderstanding,Colos. 2, 2. and knowledge, and seeing. The other worke is to bowIohn 17, 3. the affections that they embrace, and fully rest in thatIohn 6, 40. which the minde hath fully assented vntounto. From thisEphes. 3, 12. worke. Faith in Scripture is tearmed trust, confidence, and affiance. Secondly, this Doctrine serueth to confute the Romanists, which place Faith in the supernal part of the soule onelyonly, and will hauehave it to bee nothing else but the assent of the minde to the will of God: whereas it is not written heere, that with the vnderstanding, but with the heart man beleeueth to righteousnesse. There may indeede bee worthy knowledge and notable assent in the vnderstanding part, but it is the heart which beleeueth to iustification. Thirdly, here is an exhortation to all Christians (as they will bee assured of this iustifying faith,) not to rest content with a naked knowledge of the Gospell, or that in their mindes they hauehave yeelded agreement and consent to the trueth of it; but neerely to looke vntounto this, whether faith hauehave taken holde of their will and affections, to make them obediēt to their illuminated vnderstanding, with some measure of peace and ioy; and to resist all contrary thoughts and motions, with a loathing of them, being ready to make confession of Christ in our mouthes.
Tim.
What is signified here by [confession of the mouth?]
Silas.
Not onelyonly a plaine and cleere acknowledgement of Christ, to be the onelyonly Lord and Sauiour of mankinde; and of all that doctrine which concerns his office, natures, persons, and benefits: but the calling vponupon his name with trust in him, as in our owne Lord and Sauiour, as it is expounded in the 13. verse following, wherein vocation is put for consession.
Tim.
Wherefore is this worke of confession added vntounto fayth?
Silas.
To distinguish and put difference betweene a dead and a liuely faith, by a peculiar fruite of it.
Tim.
But why is this work named as the witnes of faith, ratherDoubt. than any other worke?
Sil.
First, because it is easily gathered out of the wordsSolution. of Moses before alledged in verse 8. where Moses spake of the mouth, and ioyned it with the heart. Secondly, because it is a principall token of a true faith, when occasion serueth, sincerely to confesse the doctrine of Christ, and to call vponupon his name faithfully; which no hypocrites doe, for they draw neere with their lippes onelyonly, Math. 15. 8. but this consession which is a sure marke of faith, comes from faith as from the root of it. Thirdly, because great promises are made to this duty of confession, Math. 10. 32. and heere saluation is promised to such as confesse Christ out of a liuely faith.
Tim.
But in what sort and sence is saluation annexed toDoubt. confession?Solution.
Silas.
Not as the effect to his cause, but as the way toConfessio est via qua peruentur … Bez Note. the end; for confession is but the way onelyonly by which iustified persons doe come to their perfect blessednes in heauen, which is here signified by saluation, as the highest degree of our happines. Seeing righteousnes is attributed to faith, and saluation necessarily follows righteousnes; therfore faith is the onelyonly instrumentall cause, whereby we be iustified and saued; and not confession, which is but the path onelyonly wherein the godly are to walke to heauen, and a … of a sauing faith: 10 as vaine is that Popish note, vppon these wordes, that faith without workes iustifieth not: it iustifieth without workes, but it is not in a Christian without workes.
What doctrines are taught from this latter part?
Silas.
That a liuely faith bringeth forth good workes,Doctrine. and namely the consession and inuocation of Christ; which where they are, there is true faith, and there is no true faith where they bee not; as there is no fire where there is no light nor heat, for it is the nature of faith to witnesse it selfe vppon occasion, as fire sendeth forth heate. Therefore are wee wronged by the Papistes, who accuse vsus to teach a weake and a dead faith voyde of workes: and Christians are to be warned to get such a faith as can shew it selfe by workes, and such workes as proceede from faith; for wee teach that true faith workes by louelove, and all works which come not of faith, to be sinnes. Secondly, we learne that confession is a worke necessary to saluation, and is to bee done of all those that will be saued; necessarily, as a duty and a thing commanded vsus of God, but not as a meritorious cause.
Tim.
But what things belong vntounto Christian confession?
Silas.
First, knowledge, to see the trueth concerning Christ. Secondly, wisedome, to espy the due occasion of confession; to wit, when God may bee glorified, and our neighbour edified. Thirdly, boldnesse, to doe it freely without feare of man. Fourthly, sincerity without dissimulation and guile. Fiftly, reuerence, as in Gods quarrell and presence. Sixtly, meekenesse, 1. Pet. 3, 15. Such as bee drowned in ignorance of the Gospell and vnbeleefe; also rash, presumptious, and vaine-glorious persons, timorous and fearefull ones, hypocrites and falsehearted men and women, proud and mallepart people, be not fit and meeke to performe this duty of confessing Christ.