Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 11 · Dialogue 24
DIAL. XXIIII.
Verses 33, 34, 35, 36. O the deepenesse of the Riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God, howe vnsearchable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out? for who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde, or who was his Counseller? &c.
Tim.
VVHat doth this Text containe?
Silas.
A conclusion of the former argument, touching election and reprobation, but especially of the mystery touching the reiecting and calling of the Iewes: at the consideration of which things, he as one striken with amazement, exclaimeth that they are too high or deepe for him, eyther to vnderstand or vtter, being worthy to be admired and adored, because of the admirable wisedome and iustice of God in them, and so shuts vp the Chapter with glorifying God for them.
Tim.
What be the parts of this present Text?
Silas.
Two: First, an exclamation in three Verses: and secondly, a petition in the latter end of the thirtie sixe verse.
Tim.
What is the summe and substance of the exclamation?
Silas.
The Apostle by his owne example, teacheth all men to wonder at the most wise counsels of God, in disposing the endes of them; but especially, touching the finall estate of elect and reprobate men, forbidding eyther curiously to search them, or wickedlie to murmure against them, vponupon these three Reasons. First, for that they are vnsearcheable, (that is,) such thinges as neyther ought to bee searched after, neyther can they bee found, Verse 33. by way of interrogation; and in verse 34. by the testimonie of the Prophet Esay, Chapter 40. verse 13. Secondly, because they are most iust without any wrong done vntounto the creature, Verse 35. Thirdly, in respect of their end, because God who is the beginning of al things, hath deereed and done al things to his owne glory.
Tim.
What is signified by [deepenesse?]
Silas.
The abstract is put for the contract, deepenesse for deepe, as Romanes 11, 6. Election for Elect, 2 PeterInterpret. 3, 13. righteousnesse for righteous persons. And by riches, is vnderstoode the immense or vnmeasurable aboundance of any thing, as Romanes 9, 23. Riches of Glorie for his most plentifull glory, Ephesians 2, 7. Riches of his grace, for his most abundant grace. See Romanes 24. This phrase is much like vntounto that in Colossians 2, 3. All the Treasures, &c. In both places there is a comparison from earthly riches and treasures, which are so deepely hidde in the verie bowelles of the earth, that they cannot be come at, and digged vp: euen such is the knowledge and wisedome of GOD, touching the end of man, they bee inaccessible, farre aboue and beyond the reach of our capacity. If Paul such a worthie Apostle perceiued it to be so, how much more ought others to thinke it so?
Tim.
What may bee meant (By Knowledge and Wisedome?)
Silas.
These wordes are sometimes put passiuely for that knowledge whereby God is knowne of man, as 1. Cor. 12, 8. But they are heere vsed actiucly, for that whereby God doth perfectly beholde himselfe and all other things to be done, or not to be done, & most wisely disposeth of his creatures ro most due ends. So the words be vsed, Col. 2, 2. as attributes in God, not as affects in vsus.
Tim.
What Doctrine hauehave we to learue from hence?
Silas.
The wisedome of God in his purposes towardesDoctrine. men, and in the administration or gouernment of men and their finall estate, cannot throughly and perfectile of vsus be perceiued and seen into. As why God would elect this man, and not that man, Peter and not Iudas, both being alike corrupt: why for many yeares hee would make the Iewes his people, and not the Gentiles, and then the Gentiles and not the Iewes, by courses, and not both together, &c. These things were such as euen Paul himself found too high for him. The Reasons hereof be first, becauseReasons. cause the knowledge of God is infinite like to the wide and vnbounded Ocean, like the treasures which are many thousand fadomes shut vppe in the earth, and cannot bee fetched and drawne out.
Secondly, our vnderstanding is finite and limited. Looke what a spoone is to the holding of the whole sea, or a spanne to the measuring of heauen: or ones fiste to the griping of the earth, that is mans knowledge being compared with Gods knowledge. Gods knowledge is most excellent, and not onelyonly first, for the immensity and largenesse of it, knowing himselfe and all things, but 2. for the perfection of it, knowing all thinges perfectlie; and thirdly also for the manner, needing no meanes of knowledge at all: and fourthly, for the celeritie of it, in a moment knowing all. Fiftly, the certainty, it cannot be deceiued. Sixtly, the eternity. Seauenthly, the efficacie, being the cause of all, and enlightning all. Thirdly, there be many things which God keepes and reseruesReason. as secrets in his owne bosome, and cannot bee knowne of vsus, no more then we know anothers thoughts or the reasons of others doings, especially of the actes of Princes, whose wayes are like a great deepe, saith Salomon; which if we cannot alwayes looke into, how much lesse into all Gods matters? As our bodily eyes, howsoeuer quicke-sighted, yet are not able directly to looke vponupon the sunne shining in his brightnesse: so the perfect wisedome of God by many degrees, doth exceede the most perfect and profound wisedome of man.
Tim.
Tell vsus what duties this Doctrine may put vsus in minde of?
Silas.
That wee are bound most reuerently to thinkeVse. and speake of those words and works of God which we do not know, as being assured they proceede from most excellent knowledge, and infinite wisedome. Secondly, it may moue vsus to consider with humility, the weaknesse of our owne knowledge, which we shall neuer perceiue how poore and simple it is, till we put it in the ballance, and compare it with Gods knowledge. As Peter the better saw his owne vilenesse, when the maiesty and diuine power of Christ, appeared at the draught of Fishes; and Abraham beholding the vnspeakable glory of God, was the more easily brought to perceiue his owne basenesse, that he was but dust and ashes: and as the most piercing and sighted eye, will proue dull, if it bee set against the beames of the Sunne: so the best and greatest knowledge of any man (howsoeuer it may seeme much,) when hee compareth himselfe with others that are farre more ignorant then he, yet in respect of God it will bee found mecre ignorance and blindnesse, euen as darknesse is in comparison of the light: let eueryevery man therefore as hee feeles knowledge to puffe him vp, so beat it downe with this thought: O Lord, how little a portion of wisedome hauehave I in regard of thee.
Tim.
What do Iudgements and wayes signifie?
Silas.
Some take them to signifie one thing, the counsell of God touching mankinde, and the euents of those counsels, but the best is to distinguish them, & to expoūd iudgements of the meanes which God vseth in the disposition & gouerment of mankind, acording to his eternall counsels: in which sence the Hebrewes doe vse to take this word for Gods administration, as Psal. 9, 7. and 67, 4. Iudges 7, 26. Iohn 5, 22. By [Wayes] are meant the purposes and decrees of God, touching all persons, and touching their eternal condition, together with the reasons why he doth this to that man, and not to that. And whereas his wayes be two-folde, either those by which we come vntounto him, which are his precepts and promises, Psal. 112, 1. and 119, 1. (for as by the way wee are led to the City, so by the word of promise and commaundement wee are brought to God:) or those by which God comes to vsus, which are the wayes of his prouidence and decrees of mercy and iustice: These latter are vnderstood heere, and these are tearmed [vnsearchable,] because they ought not to bee searched nor enquired into, and [vntraceable and past finding out,] because by no search they are to be found; as the way of a ship in the Sea, and the way of an Arrowe in the ayre, so the wayes of God cannot be knowne as touching the cause and manner of them, & vntil they bee reuealed. That Ioseph was so exalted in Egypt, and Dauid so aduanced in Israel, and Ismael not chosen when Isaac was, and Christ sent to redeeme the world by death: these are Gods iudgements which we may search, because they are knowne by the worde. But why Ioseph & Dauid exalted, rather then any of their other Brethren: Why Iacob taken and Esau refused, (both being eueryevery way equall:) Why Redemption by Christ, was rather wrought by Iudas his treason, then by any other meanes: Finally, why the Iewes a long time hauing beene Gods people, should be broken off, and that in the time of grace; and the Gentiles at that time planted in, when they were grosse Idolaters, and why the calling of the Iewes is deferred so many hundered yeares; these and such like are the wayes of God that cannot be known nor ought to be searched, but are to be thought vponupon with great admiration and silence, after Paules example.
Tim.
What instructions hauehave wee from these last words of the 33. verse?
Silas.
First, it is the duty of Gods children (auoyding alDoctrine. curiosity) to adore and wonder at the secrets of God, as did Mary, Luke 2. and the Euangelist Iohn, Reue. 5, 4. And the reason hereof is, both because strange thinges deserueReason. to bee admired, and ignorance is euer a iust cause of wondering, for no man wonders at what he knows, but at what hee knowes not; therefore God neuer wondereth at any thing, and wise men wonder lesse then fooles, because they know more; and yet both fooles and wisemen must wonder at somethings which they cannot know.
Tim.
To what profit serues this doctrine?
Silas.
It serues to rebuke blockishnes in such as are not moued to wonder at the admirable waies of God. Secondly, the curiosity of others, who in steade of wondering and being amazed, breake out into murmuring and blaspheaming of the thinges which they vnderstand not; as many Papistes, Palagians, and Lutherans vse to doe about the matter of predestination and other high poynts, condemning what by thē is notconceiued. Thirdly, the prophanenes of some who deride and iest at things which they cannot perceiue: the worlde is too full of such Atheistes and mockers; all such must be sent to schoole to sober & godly minded Paul, to reuerence and adore things which bee aboue them.
Tim.
What other instructions from hence?
Sil.
The cause and reasons of Gods eternall counsel cannot be sought out nor foūd; which instruction admits 2. ex ceptions. First, (of the blessed Trinity, of which ech person knowes the hidden things of God. 1. Cor. 3. Secondly, of such things as are manifest by the workes and worde of God, 1. Cor. 2, 16. Mat. 11. So much of Gods wayes as Christ hath taught, wee may, nay wee ought to learne, but we may not be learners where God is no teacher; nor hauehave eares to heare, wher God hath not a mouth to speak. Learned ignorance is much better and safer then proude and curious knowledge; for hee that searcheth the glory shall be consounded of the maicsty; and secret things belong vntounto God. Deut. 29, 29.
Tim.
What profite are we to make our selues of this point?
Silas.
First, it condemnes such curious persons which like Adam, Gen. 3. and Peter, Iohn 21. neglect to search what they may well finde and know, and desire to pry into that which they cannot know; these lose their labor and themselues. Secondly, it exhorts vsus all vntounto Christian sobriety, to content our selues with things reuealed, and letting passe that part of Gods minde, which hee hath reserued to himselfe, because he needeth none to be the men of his counsell, as Esay well speaketh. For as hee knowes all the counsels of all his creatures, and is sufficient to himselfe to be his own Councellor, hauing none to aduise him when he purposed to create & how to gouerne the world: so it bootes not for any man to looke after those counsels of his which hee will hauehave kept secret; there is no more dangerous madnesse then not regarding that which wee ought, and may know, to molest our selues in hunting out what cannot be knowne.