Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 11 · Dialogue 3
DIAL. III.
Verse 4. But what saith the answere of God to him, I hauehave reserued to my selfe seauen thousand men, that hauehave not bowed their knees to Baall.
Tim.
VVHat doth this text containe?
Silas.
The answere of God vntounto the accusation and complaint of Elias his Prophet.
Tim.
What signifies this word [answere?]
Silas.
It hath two significations, one proper and strickt, to wit, the Oracle or answere of God, giuen in the Tabernacle from the Mercy-seate. The other generall and more large for any diuine answere, oracle, or direction receiued from God, eyther in dreame, as Mat. 2, 11. or by any other reuelation; as Noah is saide to bee warned of God, Heb. 11, 7. Thus it is taken heere.
Tim.
Doth Paul rehearse the whole answere of God to Elias?
Silas.
No, for the answere had foure parts, as his complaint was foure-fold: for first he complaineth of cruelty, and secondly of impiety; to which God gaue this remedy, that Hazael beeing annointed King of Syria, and Iehu King of Samaria, they should bee reuenged on the Idolatrous and cruell Israelites, 1. kings 19, 16, 17. Then hee accuseth them of tyranny to him-selfe, whom they meant to kill, that God might hauehave neuer a Prophet; to which God appointed this remedy, that Elisha should be made Prophet in his place, to maintaine Gods worship and glory. Now the last part was touching the small number of true worshippers in Israel: to this part God answereth, that he had reserued many thousands besides Elias, which were not defiled with Idols. This part of the answere because it serueth to Pauls purpose, hee setteth it downe alone, passing by the rest, as impertinent to his matter.
Tim.
But Paul hath left out some words (as eueryevery mouth that hath not kissed Baall.)
Silas.
It is true: the reason is because hee citeth the Scripture as an Interpreter, and therefore may vse more or fewer words as hee shall see it most meete to expresse the sence and drifte of the Spirite, from which Paul neuer taketh any thin… or addeth, or altereth; howsoeuer he vse his liberty in alleadging the words of the Text, to teach that Scriptures be in sence, and not in sillables.
Tim.
Come now to the words, and tell vsus what is meant by reseruing?
Silas.
To cause to remaine and abide free from and vntouched by Idols.
Tim.
What is meant by seauen thousand?
Silas.
It is a certaine number put for an vncertaine, and signifieth a multitude, or a great number, as fiue foolish and fiue wise Virgins: see the like, Mat. 18. 22. Pro. 24, 16. &c.
Tim.
What is meant by men?
Tim.
Women also, as well as men, euen all that continued the true worshippers of God, the more worthy sexe being vsed for the lesse worthy, a thing very vsuall in Scripture.
Tim.
What signifies Baal?
Silas.
A Lord or a husband, to shew that Image worshippers, make their Idols their Lords by submission to them, and espouse themselues by louelove vntounto them. Hence Idolators are plainely tearmed in Scripture fornicators, and Idolatry called Whoredome, because they forsake their Faith plight to God, and turn after strange Gods. Also they make their Idols their Patrons and defenders, as is to be seene in the Papacie, where eueryevery Countrey and Citty hath some Saint for their Lord and defender, as S. Andrew for Scotland, Saint George for England, Saint Iames for Spaine, Saint Patrick for Ireland, &c.
Tim.
What signifies it [to bow to Baal?]
Silas.
Thereby is signified all the adoration and worship which is giuen to that Image, by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole: also it teacheth the behauiour of Idolators toward their Images whom they bow vntounto, in token of subiection, and did kisse them in signe of dilection and louelove; which superstitious gesture, is vntounto this day obserued in Popery, where the Images of the virgin Marie and Apostles, are honoured with the bending of the knee, and the kisses of the mouth.
Tim.
Now what Doctrines do we learne from these words soDoctrine. declared and made plaine?
Sil.
That when the eye of men cannot, yet God knowesReason. and sees many thousand his seruants and children which belong to his Church. The reason is, because God knoweth who be his, and nothing can be hid from his eyes.Deus est totus Oculus. Thus howsoeuer Elias then, and Paul afterwards, and after them M. Luther, Wickliffe, and Caluin seemed to bee alone, yet as in Israel and amongst the Iewes, so in England, Bohemia, France, and Germany, there were euen amiddest the Papistes verie many, which misliked the superstition of Rome, and receyued the true Doctrine of Christ, though they were not for a time knowne and apparant to the world. Though Elias see much beeing a Prophet, yet he is blinde where God doth clearely see,Doubt. for Gods knowledge is infinite. If any shall ask how this may be, seeing either in those times they lacked the publickeSolution. Ministery, or had it corrupt: the answere is, that they had so much of the doctrine of God priuatly as was sufficient to instruct them, and saue them, through Gods blessing, who can saue by weake and few meanes, as wel as by strong and many. God needs no meanes, it is man for whose weakenesse sake meanes be prouided.
Tim.
What profit is to be made of this Doctrine?
Silas.
It stops the Papists mouths, who ask where was our Church some eighty or a hundred yeares ago. VntoUnto whom we say, it was hid amongst themselues, as a little wheat is hid in a great heape of chaffe, and a little Gold amongst a great deale of drosse: and howsoeuer men did not or could not marke them, yet vntounto God they were all times seene, and in due time stoode vp to reproue the great Whore, and to maintaine the Gospell.
Tim.
What other instruction hauehave we to marke?
Silas.
That not mens merits, nor their owne free will,Doctrine. but Gods onelyonly grace is the cause why some are sound, when most are corrupt. Therefore, it is not said they are reserued, or they hauehave reserued themselues: but (I hauehave reserued) to exclude all power of will and of merit, & to attribute all wholly vntounto the grace and free election of God, as verse 6. This confutes the Papists, which say wee bring one part, & God another: parting stakes betweenVse. Nature & grace; for what hauehave we that we hauehave not receyued? It is God worketh in vsus both to will and to do, and both according to his good pleasure, Phil. 2, 13.
Tim.
What learne we hence, that [to himselfe] bee reserueth them?
Silas.
That Gods Children must liue to his gloric, and be addicted to please and honour him, who alone saueth them. Secondly, that they hauehave much and sound comfort that cleaue to God alone, in that hee will euer defende them, as he hath reserued them. As Maistes defend their Seruants, Kings their Subiects, and Fathers their Children which be deare vntounto them; so will God keepe his owne whom he to himselfe hath reserued.
Tim.
What other Doctrine may bee collected from these wordes?
Silas.
That howsoeuer in the inuisible Church of the faithfull, there be multitudes perfectly and plainely seene vntounto that God (who knoweth who bee his and where his bee) yet the visible Church of such as are outwardly called, is oftentimes obscured and decayed, in such sort as the publike exercise of religion faileth; the people of God by persecution beeing driuen into corners, as Conies by vermine are chased into their holes and Doues by the Kite into the cleft of the rocke. The Christian Church which is alwaies glorious within or inwardly, as a Queene which sitteth in her chamber cloathed with gold: yet shee is not euer glorious and illustrious without to the eye of the world, but is sometime like a desolate, solitary, and forsaken widow. For the Church once consisted in two persons Adam and Eue, and afterwardes in the family of Abraham and of Lot: also euen in Iuda the visible Church was somtime driuen into straite and narrow places, as in the dayes of Idolatrous Ahaz, 2, Kings 16, 17, also in the raigne of Ammon and Manasses 2, Kings 25, 4, 5, 22. when for the most part they fell to Idolatry, and forlooke the true God and broke his couenant. Againe, how was the Church visible at the time of Christs passion, when the Virgin Mary only, and a few others did appeare and prosesse him openly, the rest being fled away for feare of the Iewes? Also afterward in the raigne of the beast, when Sathan was let loose, howsoeuer there might many be, & no doubt were many, which feared God and serued him in secret, yet there was a time when to the appearance of men there seemed to be but one Luther in Germanie, one Husse in Bohemia, one Caluine in Sauoy, one Zuinglyus in Heluetia, and one Waldos in France, one Wickleff in England, and one Patrick in Scotland: as heere in our Text we finde, that among all the ten tribes Elias did dreame or iudge himselfe to bee left alone. Thus as the sea sometimes flowes and sometimes ebs, and the Moone is some time in the full, sometime in the wanc, so the visible Church is by the dispensation of God, some times greater and more copious; and againe, other while it is more lesser and more slender euen according as the doctrine of the word is more or lesse cleare and pure; for the doctrine and the Church depend one vppon the other, and do shine together, or be darkned together.
Tim.
But the Papists write that the complaint of Elias, touching the fewnesse of true worshippers, is not well applyed by vsus Protestants vntounto the decay of Religion, vnderunder the Pope at the first reformation by Luther: and to this purpose, sundry exceptions are alledged by Master Stapleton, and the Rhemists in their readings vponupon this place. The which exception I will here repeate, expecting your answere vntounto them seuerally as I shall propound them. First, they say the Nation of the Isralites was then no part of the Church of God. Secondly, that these seauen thousand were at Ierusalem, in the kingdome of Iuda; wherein were many more then seauen thousand that openly worshipped God. Thirdly that the Christian Church, resteth vppon better promises then the Iewish Church did. Fourthly, that not onelyonly seauen thousand, but not so many as seauen, nay not scarce one could be found of Luthers beleefe, at the least not to consent with him in all poyntes of the faith: These are their maine obiections: shew vsus I pray you what answere may bee giuen vntounto them?
Silas
The Papists hauehave beene long obserued to bee as a very murderous and bloudy, so a lying and very bold generation. If they speake or write any thing in defence of their errours, which seemeth but probable, they care not how little soundnesse and substance of truth there is in it, as will appeare in the sisting and scanning of these their exceptions particularly. And therefore this I say to the first, that howsoeuer the Nation of the Iewes weere exceeding corrupt and Apostaticall, hauing broken their first faith, plight vntounto God: in stead of whome they worshipped Baall, the God of the Sidonians, as sacred story reportes: yet God had not giuen to them a bill of deuorce, it remayned still a Sinagogue, and part of the visible Church. Had it bin otherwise, God would not hauehave giuen vntounto them his, word & sent them his Prophets, as Elias, Elzeus, and others to instruct them in his statutes, except there had beene in Israel, some of that people, which he had knowne before, and loued from euerlasting; and certaine it is that where soeuer there is a Preacher, and some to receiue the word, there is a Church. The Church may consist in one man that receiueth the word, as Luther writeth of himselfe, that if he were alone, and did alone beleeue, he himselfe were the Church, yea (saith he) if the word of God were in hell, euen in hell there would be a Church: likewise there was a Church in Israel so long as they receiued the worde, the hauing or not hauing whereof, maketh a Church or no Church.
To the second, it is very sure that these seauen thousand were not in Iuda, but in the backe-sliding kingdome of Samaria: for there it was that knees were bowed vntounto Baal; also there it was that Elias was left alone, and there did Obediah hide the hundred Prophets of the Lord: as for Iuda, Elias had no cause to complaine of it, for hee knew very well that there were many true worshippers of God, the very Souldiors amounting to ten hundred thousand, 1. Chron. 17, 14, 15. &c. Now to the thirde exception I say, that indeed the Christian Church if wee respect the promises of saluation, had better (that is to say) more clearer and full ones, shaddowes and tipes being now ceased, and Christ being now come in flesh; but touching (continuance) the Iewish Church had no lesse the promise of God to abide till his first comming, then the Church had for her continuance, till his second comming. And concerning the outward estate of the Church eyther of the olde or of the new Testament, God did neuer promise that it should bee alwayes visible. To the fourth it is true, for besides all such as consented vntounto him in the kingdomes of Armenia, Gracia, Slecia, Morania, where 54. noble men wrote to the Councell in behalfe of Maister Iohn Husse, to iustifie his opinions and teaching to bee Orthodoxe; there were innumerable in the midst of Popery, which were of Luthers minde, both in France, England, Scotland, Calabria, Piemont, &c, (See the French story) who were by nick-name called of the Popish route, Waldenses, Wickcleuians, Lollards, Pauperes De Lugduno, …, Picardi; & this was three hundred yeares afore Luther. There was two hundred yeares betweene Wickliffe and Luther, and very … so much betweene Husse and Luther. Also … of Prage was a professor, an hundred yeare before him. One Sir Iohn Old-Castle Knight, and Lord Cobham, suffered martyrdom for the truth, about an hundred yeares afore Luther preached: So did Sir Roger Acton knight, and Sauanarola. Ioannes Picus Earle of Mirandula, published in Rome the doctrine of the Gospell, certaine yeares ere euer Luther appeared. What should I speake and tell you of numbers of the Popes owne dearest friends and followers, which long before Luther, began to distaste Romish superstition, and to foretell by a spirite of prophesie, the reformation which Luther by preaching the Gospell of Christ, should bring into the world? As in England one Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne, and one … to a certaine yong man which came to visite him, said: Thou shalt liueSee du Pless. his booke of the mystery of iniquity. to see the day when al Diuines in a manner, shal abhor & hisse at the Romish doctrine. One Tilemannus Spendebarge spake thus on a time to his sonnes, saying, Shortly this religion which now flourisheth, shall come into extreame contempt. Also Ioannes Keiserbergius a Preacher at Argentiue, There shall (saith he) come a certaine man stirred vp of God, which shall restore religion. Ioannes Hilten beeing cast into prison, for freely rebuking the abuses of Monkes, did thus say to one who repaired to him, That he had done nothing against Monasticall life, but there would one arise (in the yeare 1516.) who should ouerthrow the Monkes, nad they shold in no wise be able to withstand him; and that very same yeare Luther began to preach. A certaine ancient Diuine named Andreas Proles spake thus to some about him: O brethren, the estate of Christianity hath need of strong and great reformation, which (methinkes) I see now to approach apace. And to one who demanded of him, why he did not beginne to discouer and resute corruptions in doctrine and life? he answered, I am stricken in years, weake in strength of body and minde: but GOD shall raise vp one of an heroicall spirite, full of courage and strength, industrious and eloquent, which shall mightily oppose himselfe vntounto errors, and begin the reformation of the Church; to whom God shall giuegive such an heart, as he shalbe bold to resist euen the Potentates of the earth; which thing was afterward fulfilled in Mayster Luther.
Finally, those two fore named men, Husse and Hisrome of Prage, vttered these propheticall words of Luther. Ierome saide to the Councel of Constance, I cite you al within one hundred yeares, to answer to me before the iust Iudge; thus in Latine ( … & Deo respondabitis,) and at the end of an hundred, yeares, was Luther borne. Iohn Husse faide at his Martyrdome; This day you do roast and broile a goofe (Husse in the Bohemian tongue signifies a Goose) out of whose ashes shall arise an Egge, which you shall not bee able to breake, but it shall breake you all in pieces. This was verified in Luther. Also he saide, … que dixi sub … super tecta. And againe hee added, That the Church must be reformed, and all thinges made new: also, that … would send one after him, that should bee more valiant, & that the power of Antichrist should be shortned. Now, whereas Papists do say, that none were in all points of Luthers beleefe, that is a … cauil: for it was enough that they did agree in the chiefe matters. Amongst the Fathers, Irencus differed from Victor, Anicetus from … from … from Cyrill, Augustine from Ierom, yet they were all counted to be of one Church. At Rome, … & Scotists, Dominicans and Franciscans, Priests and Iesuires, be knowne to iarre, yet are they still reckoned of one religion.
Tim.
What profit are we Christians to make to our selues of this point?
Silas.
First, it confuteth the Papists, which make vniuersality, multitudes, and visibility, to be markes of the true Church, which may bee and often is in the Worlde without these things: nay these markes belong to Paganish, and impious prophane popish societies. Secondly, it affoords a comfort to Gods people, when they are brought to a small contemptible number and estate, hauing people, Priests, Princes, and the whole Worlde against them: no new or straunge matter, often so heeretofore. Thirdly, an admonition to warne vsus, that we do not looke euer to hauehave such externall peace as now wee enioy, and such great companies to ioyne with vsus in the profession of Christ and his Gospel, & by their examples and encouragements to whet vsus on. Lastly, that we doe not thinke the worse of the truth and doctrine of God, for the few followers of it; nor any whit the better of Idolators for their huge multitudes. Neyther that wee rashly censure, nor hastily sende all to the diuell which are not knowne to vsus, nor appeare to vsus to bee the Seruants of Christ, Rom. 14. 4. What art thou that condemnest another Mans seruant: he standeth or falleth to his owne Maister.