Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 11 · Dialogue 5
DIAL. V.
Verses 6, 7. And if it be of grace it is no more of workes, or else were grace no more grace, but if it be of works, it is no more grace, or else were works no more works: What then? Israel hath not obtained that he sought; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest hauehave beene hardened.
Tim.
VVHat doth this text containe?
Silas.
These two thinges: hauing set downe grace to be the efficient cause of election and of effectuall calling, now he excludeth workes, or denieth them to be any cause thereof. Secondly, he concludeth the first part of this Chapter, touching the casting away of the Iewes, in the seauenth verse; That all which were freely elect amongst them, were certainely saued, none perished but the reprobates, and that through their owne default, because they were hardened in their sinnes, and namely in their disobediēce of the Gospel of Christ, which they obstinately and rebelliously refused, beeing graciouslie and first tendred to them.
Tim.
What signifies Grace?
Silas.
[Grace] signifies Gods free fauour, or his euerlasting gracious louelove and mercy; and [workes] doe signifie merite of workes or meritorious workes; for these bee contrary to grace, and not woorkes simply considered as duties.
Tim.
By what argument doeth Paul shut out workes, from being any cause of election or vocation, or how proueth hee that these come not from merit of workes?
Silas.
The argument is taken from the opposition or repugnancy of flat contraries, such as in no wise can stand and consist together, being immediate contraries. The argument may thus bee framed: If election and calling bee of meritorious works, then it is not of grace; but they both come of grace, therefore not of workes.
Tim.
But why might not the Iewes bee elected and reseruedDoubt. to God, both by grace and merite of workes?
Silas.
That is not possible, for if election were both ofSolution. grace and workes, then workes were no workes; because what doth proceede of grace, that commeth freely not of debt; but what commeth by merite of workes, that commeth by debt; but debt and no debt, that which is free, and by deseruing, bee most contrary thinges. Therefore to say, that men are elected and called, partly of grace, partly of the merit of foreseene workes, that were to put togither things that cannot agree, to make debt no debt, merit no merit, workes no workes, Grace no grace, and so to affirm and deny one and the same thing; which is a most absurde matter, and vtterly not possible to make contradictories to be both true. For as a sonne that is willed to go on an errand to Rochester on foot, his father promising him a crowne or an angell at his comming backe: if his Father aske him how he will hauehave his money? suppose that hee aunswere, that he will hauehave it partly by fauour, and partly by desert: the reply to him is ready, Thou canst not so hauehave it; for if it be of fauour, then it commeth freely, therefore not by desert of the worke: and if it be by desert of the worke, then not by fauour; for it is due that commeth by merit & desert, and there is no being beholding to fauour for that.
Tim.
What is the Doctrine to be learned from hence?
Silas.
That mens workes hauehave no place nor stroke atDoctrine. all in the election and calling of sinners, neither in their iustification nor saluation. The reason is, because worksReason. presuppose merit, and merit presupposeth debt, debt is flat against grace; but men are called & elected of grace, also iustified and glorified, as appeareth verse 5. & Rom. 3, 24. therefore election, calling, and the rest, depend not vppon workes, which destroy grace, and grace destroyeth them, when the cause of eternall life is disputed and debated.
Tim.
But good workes come of grace, how then are they such enemies?
Silas.
This is true, grace is the mother and roote of eueryevery good worke, wee hauehave no power at all to thinke or will well naturally, 2. Cor. 3, 5. Iohn 15, 5. but grace and workes cannot be ioynt causes of election and saluation. In this case they fight together, as put and admit the one, and the other is taken away and shut out; affirme the one, and deny the other. This Antithesis or opposition, is to bee marked against all iusticiaries, whose mouth is stopped and sealed vp, with this one short sentence.
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this doctrine?
Silas.
First, it confuteth such as will hauehave grace andVse. workes to ioyne together, in the iustification and saluation of sinners, which they say is partly of Gods grace, partly of mens merites. Wee say with the Apostle, they bee altogether of grace, and therefore not at all by merits.
Tim.
But howe can such auoyde this conclusion of Paul, If it be of workes, then not of grace?
Silas.
The enemies of Gods grace hauehave sundry shifts to auoide the force of this consequence: for some-times they say that the Apostle speaks only of ceremoniall worksPopish cuasions. of the law, as of Circumcision, Sacrifices, &c. But this cannot be so, because Pauls words be generall, shutting out all workes whatsoeuer, whether naturall, morall, or legall ceremonies. Of them all he saith, that if election to life eternall come of them, then it commeth not of grace. Also Abraham and Dauid had morall workes as well as ceremoniall, yet in Chap. 4. verse 4, 5, 6. Paul denieth that Abraham or Dauid were iustified and saued by any workes which they had done, but by faith.
Secondly, they say that the Apostle speakes of the works of nature, which (say the Rhemists) doe exclude grace, fauour, and mercy, challenging of debt, not of guift: but not of Christian mens workes, which come from the Spirite and grace of God; these workes comming from grace may euidently consist with the same, and be ioyned with Gods grace as causes of saluation. This shift cannot bee currant, not onelyonly for that his words be generall, but because Paul speakes of the election by grace, by which all are saued. Therefore the merite of all workes are excluded, by whomsoeuer they bee done, whether by circumcised Iewe, or baptized beleeuing Christian, or vnbeleeuing Gentile, Secondly, in Ephe. 1, 4. good workes are saide not to be the cause of election, but the end, and fruite, and effect thereof. Lastly, Ephe. 2, 8, 9. Paul saith expresly, we are saued not of works, but by grace through faith: where note, that grace and faith may well stand together, but they doe shut out all sort of workes from being any moouing or meritorious cause of our iustification and saluation.
Thirdly, they say that good workes are shut out from election to the first grace, but not from election to the second grace, that is, they say that the elect are chosen of grace onelyonly, and are also freely called and illuminated of the Holye-Ghost, without all workes: but the seconde grace, that is, iustification, also sanctification, and glorification, these do admit merite of works to ioyne with grace. VntoUnto this shifte of theirs I answere, that that Scripture which saith that election is of grace, and, we are called according to grace, 2. Tim. 1, 9. doth also say that wee are iustified by grace, not by workes, Rom. 3, 24. that eternall life is the gift of God, Rom. 6, 23. also iustification and glorification bee fetched from Gods eternall louelove and foreknowledge, as the first and onelyonly efficient cause, as well as election and calling, Rom. 8, 30. Moreouer, election is not onelyonly to the first grace, but to all the meanes and to heauenly glory, which is the end, Rom. 9, 11, 23. Lastly, the Pharisie who ascribed righteousnes and saluation partly to grace, and partly to his good workes, went away vniustified. Whatsoeuer therefore the Papists can alleadge to shake and weaken the credite of this texte, yet it is so strong to ouerthrow the doctrine of popish merites, and iustification by workes, as one of themselues Andreas Proles was wont to say in his publike readings, My brethren, sithence holy Scripture attributeth whatsoeuer we are, or hauehave, al vntounto grace, whence commeth that horrible darkenesse and superstition, to ascribe so much to merite of workes? Truely the estate of Christianity needes very great and speedy reformation.
Tim.
What other vse of the former doctrine?Vse.
Sil.
Here is an admonition to all Christians, that albeit they are bound to doe good workes of all sorts, and to abound in them, yet it is their duty to renounce the merite of them, and all trust in them, and to sticke whollye and onelyonly in the grace of God through Iesus Christ, for all things belonging to their saluation, least if wee put neuer so little trust in any thing done by vsus, we be found the aduersarics of Gods grace. Further we are taught heereby, that the Romish Synagogue cannot be the true Church of Christ, because most obstinately & impudently they persist to ascribe mans iustification and saluation partly to grace, & partly to merite of works; and thereby doe ouerthrow the doctrine of grace, which is the very soule and life of a true Church: for take away the doctrine of free election, iustification, and saluation, and presently the very foundation of all religion is shaken to pieces; so farre it is off that they can bee the true Church, hauing cast downe the groundworke whereon it resteth. Lastly, it conuicteth such of error, as vnderstand this text to bee meant of grace infused into mans heart, whereas grace being set against workes: therefore as workes doe sticke in men as in their proper subiect, so grace heere spoken of hath no other subiect but God.
Tim.
What doctrine doth arise out of the seauenth verse?
Silas.
First, that in the Church of God there are sundryDoctrine. which seeke for righteousnesse and saluation, and neuer obtaine it, as Rom. 9, 31.
Tim.
How comes this to passe, seeing it is promised to such as seeke that they shall finde?
Silas.
The reason is, because they seeke amisse, andReason. not as they ought; whereas that promise is made to such as seeke aright. VntoUnto which, two things are to be considered: First the manner, that we seeke these things by faith: and secondly, that we intend Gods glorye as the end of our seeking: see Rom. 9, 30. Many Israelites failed in both these, for they sought righteousnes and life by their owne workes, and therefore obtained it not, as it is written, Rom. 9, 31, 32. and 10, 3. And they robbed God of the glory of his grace.
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this doctrine?
Sil.
It warneth vsus that it is not enough for vsus to seekeVse. to be iustified and saued, vnlesse we take the right course prescribed in the worde; for many pray and neuer obtaine, because they pray amisse; and many striue to enter and neuer enter, because they striue not aright: so many seeke and neuer finde, because they seeke God not for himselfe, but themselues, and for their owne benefites and not for louelove of his goodnesse, that they may praise his grace, and set foorth his glory.
Tim.
What other Doctrine from this 7. Verse?
Sil.
That in the bosome of the Church of God, there hauehave alwayes liued two kinds of people, some elect and called, some Reprobate and hardened. This diuision beganne in Adams family in Caine and Abell, whence did spring two Cities (as Augustine obserueth) one of God, another of the world; it was continued in the family of Abraham, in Isaac and Ismael, the one of them beeing the childe of the Flesh, and the other the Childe of the promise. Also in the house of Isaac in Esau and Iacob: and Christ saith, That at his comming two shall bee in the fielde, the one taken, and the other refused, Luke 17, 34. And lastly, Paul writeth, that of the same lumpe of mankinde, there are made some vesselles of merciemercy to honour, others vessels of wrath to destruction. The highReason. and soueraigne cause heereof is the wil of God, shewing mercy to whom he will, and hardening whom hee will, Rom. 9, 17. The subordinate cause and second reason is, that there are two beginnings of mankinde, the seed of the woman Christ Iesus, the heade of the elect; and the Serpent Satan, the Prince of this world, which begetteth children of differing and contrary dispositions and qualities, 1 Iohn 3, 8, 9. and Iohn 15, 19.
Tim.
What vse are Christians to make of this truth?Vse.
Silas.
It reprooues both such as beleeue all men are elect and shall be saued, and such as liue so securely, as if none should perish, and warns vsus not to stumble though we see many wicked to be in the world.
Tim.
What is the next Doctrine from this verse?
Silas.
That all the elect shall certainly bee saued, for they attaine what they seeke for, (to wit) Christ and his faluation; as it is not possible for the Reprobate to bee saued, so it is impossible that any of the elect should perish. The reasons heereof be, First the election of GOD which is vnchangeable. Secondly, the promises of GodReasons. which are vndeceiueable. Thirdly, the Prayers of Christ which can neuer be denied. Lastly, the power of Christ, to whose keeping they are committed, which is vnresistable.
Tim.
What Vse of this point?
Silas.
First, they are from hence confuted, which say the elect may vtterly and for euer fall from Gods fauour and faith in Christ. Secondly, heere is great comforte to such as hauehave the true markes of their owne election, to assure vntounto them their standing in grace vntounto saluation, in despight of Satan, sinne, themselues, and the whole world. For they are by grace of election kept from beeing hardned to destruction.