Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 11 · Dialogue 35
DIAL. XXXV.
Verses 35, 26. Who hath giuen him first and it shall be recompenced to him againe? For of him, and through him, and for him are all things: to him be glory for euer, Amen.
Tim.
HOw doth this text agree with the former?
Silas.
Hauing saide wee cannot pierce into Gods secrets, hee giueth a reason, because they depend not vponupon vsus, but we rather depend vponupon God as the first beginner of all things; he conferres all vponupon others, none confers ought to him; withall he now quitteth God frō accusations of iniury to any creature, by a reason taken from his Iustice, because he is a debter to none, but all are beholden to him for all that they be or hauehave. Also, he hath both made all at first, and still gouerneth all thinges vntounto his owne glorie, therefore hee cannot bee vniust in his wayes.
Tim.
Doth Paul allude to any place of Scripture in saying, [Who hath giuen, &c.]
Silas.
Yea, to a place in Iob, Chap. 41. verse 2. & such an interrogation, hath the force of a negation or denial, as if it were saide; None hath ought giuen vntounto him to binde himto make recompence to them.
Tim.
What is signified by [First,] and by [recompence?]
Silas.
First, signifies before: and recompence, signifies due reward by debt.
Tim.
What is the Doctrine from these words?
Silas.
That God hath absolute right and power in, & ouer all men, so as hee oweth nothing to any, or takes ought of any; he may do to them, or not doe, what hee will, giuegive or not giuegive, what, and to whom, & how much, as he pleaseth, being independant vponupon any creature, & free from all obligation which might oblige or tye him vntounto any of his creatures. No Potter ouer his clay, or Lord ouer his vassals, can hauehave more absolute right and iurisdiction then God hath oueral things created: Adam in Paradice, or the good Angels which be in heauen did not nor could demerit God, or make him in least degree bounde to them, they giuing or adding nothing vntounto him, but taking all their goodnesse, wisedome, integrity, and whatsoeuer excellency from him; and that freely out of his owne good will and pleasure; as being himselfe of himselfe a most full perfection, and an absolute most free Agent, himselfe before all thinges, cause of all things, vpholder and sustainer of all things, end of all things. As the Sea hath nothing from the Riuers, but they from it, nor the Sun takes any light from the moon, but it borroweth all from the Sunne; nor the soule borrowes any life from the body, but the bodies life is from the soule, so is it betweene God and all his creatures. No Monarch in the world, Emperour or King, is or can be so absolute and independing as the soueraigne King of the worlde is; for they cannot subsist without their people, (as a King in royall authority) who by their multitude, strength, and riches, doe maintaine the safetie of their Kings and Rulers, & by their submission do honor them: but God had no neede of his creatures, he did and can for euer hauehave subsifted, and beene perfect and al-sufficient to himselfe, and of himselfe without them: and so not they without him, of whome they hauehave being, when they were not; and all thinges when they had nothing. This made Iob to say, that as mans wickednesse hurt not God, so his goodnesse did not profit him. And Dauid, Psal. 16, 2. that his goodnes or liberality did not extend to God, but to the Saints, which were of excellent Vertue, it might doe them some good, and none can giuegive God any thing. Whereas God calles for our affections, GiueGive me thy heart, Prou. 23. and for our goods, Offer thy substance vntounto God, and hee looketh for our-thankes and praises, Render vntounto me praises, Psal. 50, 14. Wee are to know that we giuegive God nothing, but what hee first gaue vsus. Also by our giftes he may be honored, but cannot be enriched, being an infinite perfection. And lastly, in our gifts to him, wee expresse our dutie, but make him no debter; for we owe vntounto him more then wee do or bee.
Tim.
VntoUnto what profit and vse are we to turne this doctrine touching Gods absolutenesse?
Silas.
First, it serues for instruction, to teach that God cannot do wrong, or offer iniustice to any, seeing he is in debt to none, and might do with his owne what he would: therefore, though he hauehave no mercy on Cain, Ismael, Esau, Saul, Achab, Iudas, or others, yet heerein is he not vniust, for hee oweth them nothing: nay, had hee denyed mercy to all mankinde, and appointed all the sonnes of Adam to endlesse and remedilesse misery, (as he did the Angels which fell) this plea woulde hauehave freed and quitted God, that none gaue him first; and therefore how can any complaine of him, sithence all was in his owne power to dispose of them as hee himselfe listed? Let then all mouthes be stopped. Secondly, this exhorts the elect and godly, to great and continuall louelove and thankfulnesse towardes God, because of his gracious fauour, they holde themselues and whatsoeuer they enioy; they enioy it not onelyonly besides and without their owne deseruings, but indeede directly against their merite, as being by guilt of sin worthy of the same condition with the reprobate; it is the meere goodnesse of God, who hath separated them and allotted them a better estate; for they gaue him nothing, they preuented him not by any merite or desert on their part.
Tim.
Yet the Scripture often affirmeth, that GodrendrethDoubt. to the godly, according to their workes, Rom. 2. 6. and that hee doeth this as a righteous iudge, 2 Thessal. 1. 6. 7. 2. Tim. 4, 8. Therefore it should seeme God is not iust, except hee recompence the godly for that which they hauehave giuen him, see Luke 14. 14.
Silas.
Whatsoeuer workes the faithfull hauehave, they bee Gods guifts, who worketh in them both the will and deed according to his pleasure, Phil. 2. 13. they be no otherwise called our workes, but as our bread is tearmed ours, Mat. 7, 11. because it is giuen vsus; wee are they which receiue it, to vse it by Gods liberality, and as his blessing vppon our industry. So good workes being wrought in vsus and giuen vsus by Gods holy Spirit, are therefore named ours; and not because they proceed from our wil: which made Augustine to say, Lord looke not vponupon my owne workes, but vppon thy workes which thou hast done in mee: and again, God crowneth in vsus his owne guifts, not our merites: and againe, He doeth vsus a double mercy, first hee giueth vsus power to do well, and then recompenceth and crownes that worke which we did well by his grace. Now God hauing freely promised a reward to good workes; hence he is called iust and righteous, not because he oweth any thing to any persons, but for that he keepeth his promise, which is the part of righteousnesse. Wherefore popish hypocrites and iustitiaries are little better then mad, which presume to make God obnoxious & a debter to them by their works, as if they gaue him something of their owne, and so were vniust, except by order of iustice (not of clemency) he did requite, euen for the worthines of the worke. See Rhemish notes on 2. Tim. 4, 8. Heb. 6, 10. Lastly, heere is confuted predestination vponupon faith and workes foreseene, which bindeth Gods fore-appointment to the quality of the creature, as if it (being the supreame cause of al things) did depend vponupon something in men which they should (as ye would say) giuegive vntounto him.
Tim.
What doth the last verse of this Chapter containe?
Silas.
A proofe of that which went before, that hee is debter to no man, because he is the beginning of al things; and that he cannot doe vniustly with any, because his glory is the end of al things: for it is rightfull that eueryevery thing be referred to his owne end, but God himselfe is the ende for which some men are elect, and others reprobate; therfore whether he doe elect or not elect, hee cannot wrong any man, for it is iust that God should promote his owne glory as he list.
Tim.
What is meant in this sentence by [him] thrice repeated?
Silas.
Some vnderstand it of the three persons in the Trinity, without any ground, therefore the best is generally to expound it of God.
Tim.
In what sence are all things saide to be [of God?]
Silas.
Not as of the matter where of they are, (for then al things should be deified) but as of the first cause and beginning: for he giueth being to all, all things made are of him by creation; all persons elect bee of him by predestination; all the Saints that are beleeuers, are of him by regeneration; there is nothing in them cyther of nature or grace, but it is of God: originall sinne being an euill thing is not of God, but of the malice of Sathan, and of mans corruption, though sinne be of God passiuely; for he suffereth it; and deficiently, for hee doeth with-drawe his grace: yet not from God as efficient and originall working cause, it is by him, being by him turned to good, and for him, because it tends to the praise of his iustice.
Tim.
In what meaning are all things said to be [by or through him?]
Silas.
They are [through him] by administration, because he gouerns all things, euen the least, to a sparrow on the house top, Math. 10. 29. Secondly, they are through him by preseruation, because he vpholds all things in their being so long as they bee; for God is the preseruer of man and beast, and sustaines all thinges by his mighty worde, Heb. 1. 3.
Tim.
In what meaning is it sayed, that all thinges are through Christ, and doe consist by him? 1. Cor. 8. 6. Colos. 1 17.
Silas.
Not as by an instrument, and one inferiour to the Father, as the toole is inferiour to the crafts-man, (as the Arians would hauehave it) who are confuted by this our present text, where it is said of God the Father, that all things are (through him) yet he is very God; in which sence it is elsewhere of Christ written, that all thinges are thorough him: as by a working cause, or as by the wisedome of the soueraigne creator of the world, see Pro. 8. 27. 28. 29. as an Artificer exerciseth his art by his wisedome, so God rules all by his Sonne, Iohn 5. All iudgement is committed vntounto the Sonne.
Tim.
What is the doctrine from these wordes thus expounded?Doctrine.
Silas.
That the same God who is the maker of al things, is both the ruler and supporter of all things, disposing of all things as he will, or sustayning them so long as he will, for hee doeth whatsoeuer pleaseth him, Psal. 115, 3. and worketh all things after the counsell of his will, Ephesians 1. 11. hence he is called the iudge of the worlde, Gene. 18. 25. the King of nations, Icr. 10, 7. because hee hath all thinges subiect to his direction and becke, both within & without the Church: he turneth the hearts of Kinges, as the riuers of waters, Prou. …, 1. The answere of the tongue is from God, Pro. 16, 1. and verse 33. Though the lot (saith Salomon) be cast into the lap, yet the disposition is from God, and he is tearmed in scripture, The God of battell. Now, if the issue of Lots and warres be through God guided by his prouidence, then other thinges that are further off from chaunce and fortune, must needes bee ordered by his will.
Tim.
What profite may wee draw from the knovvledge heereof?
Silas.
It instructeth Christians to depend on God alone for all good thinges, and in the vse of meanes by prayer, to seeke vntounto him for a blessing; for as his goodnesse giues vsus the meanes, so his prouidence must make it effectuall to our benefite. Secondly, it exhorteth all men that receiue any good, spiritually or bodily, thankfully to acknowledge it to come from God, and in euill things to bee patient and wel-pleased with God, because they are sent of him after the example of Iob 1, 21. and of Dauid. Psal. 39.
Tim.
Wherefore doth the Apostle say, that all thinges are [for God?]
Silas.
His meaning is, that all things are of him, and of no other moouing cause, and by himselfe none other helping him; so they are onelyonly for his owne glorie, and for no other end, for he made all thinges for himselfe, Prou. 16, 4. Reuel, 4, 11. hee predestinateth, adopteth, and iustifieth men to the praise of his glorious grace, Ephes. 1, 5, 6. Hence our duty is to giuegive him glory in and for all things, 1 Cor. 10, 30. as the riuers which flow out of the Sea returne thither againe: so God is to bee praised for all good things, because of him alone they proceed: & herein true children are discerned frō Bastards, who hauehave no affection toward the glory of God; whereas his adopted children make it the scope of all their actions.
Tim.
What may we learne by the last wordes, [To him bee glory, &c?]
Silas.
That all must effect and approoue Gods glorie vponupon all good occasions, desiring it with all our heartes and gladsomnesse, willingly ratifying it: which is a very sure token of an adopted childe of God, to wish and approoue his Fathers honour, with griese to thinke of the hurt done to it by blasphemies and other wickednesse; and with much ioy studying how to promote it in their liues and callings, by praiers and praises, good practises1 Cor. 10, 30. especially: where there is this good minde in any measure after the hallowing of Gods name, it is a good mark of one, who in truth saith (O our Father.)