Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 12 · Dialogue 4
DIAL. IIII.
Verse 3. I say then through the grace that is giuen vntounto me to eueryevery one that is among you, that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand: but that he vnderstand according to sobriety, as God hath dealt to eueryevery man the measure of faith.
Tim.
VVHat is it that the Apostle doth now perform, and how doth he proceede?
Silas.
The Apostle hauing already giuen vsus his generall exhortation (in the two former verses) that we should serue God, first by studying how to please and obey him, by mortifying of our lusts: And secondly, by not studying how to frame our selues like the children of men: he doth in this verse descend to particular duties, whereof the first is an Apostolicall sanction, or proposition, touching the right vse of spirituall guifts, and the due administration of ecclesiasticall functions, vntill verse ….
Tim.
What is the summe of the speciall exhortation in this third verse contained?
Silas.
That no man carry himselfe proudly in respect ofSumme. his guifts, hauing an ouerweening opinion of himselfe, as if he knew more then hee doth know; but to thinke modestly of his owne knowledge and guifts, and to apply them with discretion to the good of others, according to the measure of them, and the meaning of God the giuer; which was not for ostentation and contention, but for mutuall edification.
Tim.
What be the parts of this present exhortation?
Silas.
They be two: First the exhortation it selfe. Secondly, the explication, with certaine reasons annexed, to giuegive an edge to the exhortation. The exhortation hath a preface and the matter. The preface pointeth at Pauls Apostolicall authority, enabling him to command; and putteth on the Romanes and all other Christians, a necessity to yeeld obedience. The matter of the exhortation consists of two precepts: First, that we bee not arrogant, presuming to vnderstand more then is meete, or to be too wise. Secondly, to vnderstand according to sobrietie, that is, modestly to esteeme of our guifts; the reasons are these: First from the author, because God is the giuer. Secondly, from the measure, no one man hath all, but each his portion. Thirdly, from the vniuersality of receiuers, eueryevery one hath his proper guift, there is none which hath not his talent. Fourthly, from the nature of the guift, it is no temporall but a spirituall guift, therefore no man ought to be insolent to despise others, but each to be content with his own grace and to vse it wel. The cause which moued Paul to this exhortation, was great emulation which burst out into contention, the Iewes would be preferred before the Gentiles, and the Gentiles despised the Iewes; such as had more worthy guifts disdained their inferiors.
Tim.
What things are to be obserued in Pauls preface?
Silas.
First, that he giues not a counsell but a commandement, for [I say] signifies as much as if hee had saide (I bid,) I command, I enioyne, as the manner of the Latine is to put (dico for iubeo,) so as this is no indifferent thingDeus dixit, Gen. 1. which men may doe or not, but a necessary precept which may not at any hand be omitted without sinne. We are further to marke, that whereas the Ministers of Christ may sometimes speake mildely out of louelove, as in verse 1. so sometimes they may command precisely out of that power which Christ hath giuen, as heere and 1. Tim. 6, 17. 2. Tim. 4, 1. The second thing to be noted, is the vniuersality of this precept, that it is to all and eueryevery one; it reacheth throughout to eueryevery member or officer of the Church whatsoeuer his office or guift be, there is none exempted, be he high or low, learned or vnlearned, they are bound to submit themselues to this precept, concerning humility in vsing rightly their guifts and offices. If they be inferior persons and hauehave meane guifts, they hauehave need of it for to keep them from enuying them which hauehave better: If superiors and hauehave more excellent graces then they hauehave need of it to keepe them from pride, and disdaining them which hauehave lesse. Lastly, whatsoeuer they bee they shall neuer turne their guifts to the profite of others, and of publike good, vnlesse they be modest and sober minded. The next thing to be noted in this preface is, that Paul doth bring foorth his Apostalicall calling and function to warrant his precept. For (grace) in this place signifies neither the guift of holy eloquence, or power in speech, nor yet the guifts of wisedome as some thinke, but (by a Metonymie of the cause for the effect) it is put for the Apostolicall vocation, as also Rom. 1, 7. and 15, 15. which is therefore called (grace) because hee receiued it freely, being put into this office when he thought not of it, yea he was a blasphemer and persecutor of the Church, Acts 9. 1. Tim. 1, 19. And this he doth to shew hee was no intruder or ambitious vsurper, which thrust in himselfe, doing more then he might well doe, in giuing precepts to Churches; as also to draw the Romanes, and in them all Christians to yeeld vntounto the practise of this precept with all good reuerence and submission, that they be not found to striue and fight against the Lord Iesus speaking to vsus by the Apostle Paul, whome to hearken to, and to reuerence, is to receiue and hearken vntounto Christ, Mat. 10.
Tim.
Now to the exhortation, what is the first part of it?
Silas.
Not to vnderstand aboue that which is meete, or not to presume to be wise ouer much.
Tim.
But how can any bee wise ouermuch, seeing none can hauehave too much wisedome, nor can vnderstand enough? how the shall any offend by vnderstanding aboue that which is meete? for we are bid to be wise as Serpents, Mathew 10, 16. Ephesians 5, 15.
Silas.
It is true, therefore heere is not condemned the excesse of wisedome, (for God will hauehave his children striue to perfection) but the proud opinion of such men as challenge to themselues all wisedome and knowledge, who both are proud of that which they hauehave, and also arrogate to themselues vnderstanding and guifts which they hauehave not, to the contempt of others, thinking themselues to know all, and to bee the onelyonly wise men, none to bee like them, or fit to be compared with them. This attributing too much to our own conceite, and detracting from others, is the maine vice heere forbid and condemned, out of which (as out of a noysome roote) there doe spring 3. noysome branches, all comprehended vnderunder this part: as first an itching desire to inuent new doctrines, forsaking the beaten path, and simplicity of the knowne and receiued truth, to runne into new and strange opinions. And that this pride and ouer-weening of wit, is the Mother of heresie & damnable errours, both Scriptures, 1 Tim. 6, 3, 4. and lamentable experience hauehave confirmed to vsus, that some to be thought wiser then others, hauehave hatched errors.
Secondly, a too great confidence of our vnderstanding, as if it were sharpe and quicke enough to pierce into the most secret thinges of God, which are vntraccable and past finding out. Whence it is, that many hauehave neglected things necessarie to be knowne, and fruitfull; to search out things which cannot bee sought out, and tend not a whit to edifying. Of these men Salomon saith, that such as search the maiesly shall be swallowed vppe; it is the wisemans counsel to content our selues with that which God hath commanded and taught, and not to seeke vntounto high things aboue our capacity. It is a needlesse matter (saith Augustine) to define that with daunger, what we may be ignorant of without danger: and better it is still to doubt of things hidden, then to contende about that which is vncertaine. The third branch is curiositie, when a man thrusteth his sickle into other mens haruest, rushing beyond the bounds of his owne calling, to run into and intermeddle with the matters which appertain to the vocation of other men, intruding vppon other mens gifts and functions; as King Vzza did vsurpe the Priests function, 2 Chron. 26, 16. and another Vzza put his hand to the Arke: as Romish Prelates not conoent to meddle with their owne Churches and affaires, woulde curiously busie themselues with other mens Churches & charges, and secular matters, till they did arise vntounto this height of tiranny which now they are growne vntounto: To be short, as all busie bodies do, which leaue their owne places and matters, to intermeddle with that which in no wise belongs to them, contrary to the precept of the Apostle, 1 Thess. 4, 11. Study to be quiet, and to do your own businesse. This curiosity draweth with it infinite contentions, and much waste of time, which might bee better spent: as Seneca saith, Men spend much time amisse in doing nothing, but more in doing euill thinges, and yet most of all in doing other things which bee not proper to vsus, but appertaine to our neighbors; and this is most properly meant heere.
Tim.
Now wee see what it is (to vnderstand aboue that is meete:) let vsus heare what it is (to thinke soherly) which is the second part of Pauls exhortation.
Silas.
There is a sobriety of the bodie, which is properlyDouble …. briety. temperance, and consistes in a moderation of our appetite about pleasurable things of this life; as meate, drinke, apparrell, generation, &c. Secondly, a sobriety of the minde, which is modesty or humility (the mother of all vertues, and the preseruer of the minde in soundnesse and temper:) as on the other side, pride is the oouerthrower and ouerturner of the minde, leading men oftentimes to folly and madnesse. This humilitie standeth in two thinges: First, the sight and acknowledgement of our owne infirmity. Secondly, in a contentment with our owne gifts and condition of life, without beeing puffed vp through our giftes, or thrusting our oares into other mens boats, by being busie in other mens callings. This is to bee wise according to sobriety, as the next verse opens it, when wee iudge or thinke of our selues, according to the measure of our owne graces and degree, esteeming meanly of our selues, and much better of others, then of our selues.
Tim.
What be the reasons whereby Paul perswadeth vsus to the exercise of this Christian modesty?
Silas.
First, because it is God, who is the distributer of our gifts, 1 Cor. 7, 7. 2 Cor. 12, 6. Now it is certain, that God administreth his gifts both most wiselie and most iustly; therefore, let not such as hauehave greater giftes, be insolent, seeing nothing is their owne, but all receiued, 1 Cor. 4, 7. nor men of lesser gifts repine at others, for this were to neglect Gods administration. Neyther let any man hide his talent in a Napkin, or burie it in the ground, with the naughty seruant in the Gospel, remembring that God will hauehave an account of his giftes, how they are vsed or bestowed. The second reason is, because God hath distributed a gift to eueryevery man; there is not a person in Gods family, but hath a talent committed to him: one hath the gift of teaching, another of exhorting, another of ruling, another of being ruled: one hath a publick gift, another hath a priuate gift: as in the naturall body each member hath a faculty, so in the mysticall body of Christes Church, 1 Cor. 12, 6. 7, 8, 9, &c. Therefore let no man imagine that himselfe hath all, but let him know, that each hath his gift and function too, & by this meanes, none shall despise nor yet hinder others, but each shall employ his proper gift vntounto the common good of the rest.
The third reason is, that to eueryevery man is dealt out a measure of Faith. Heere (by Faith) we are to vnderstand first the sound knowledge of Christ. Secondly, the effects thereof, namely, the infused habit of iustifying beleefe. Thirdly, those gifts of the Spirite, which accompany this habit of faith, which are therefore called by the name of (Faith,) both because Faith is the gifte by which all other are attained (Bee it done to thee according to thy faith, Math. 15, 28.) Also because these giftes are conferred vponupon the faithfull which belieue in Christ. A measure of this Faith, is set against fulnesse or perfection, which no meere man in this life can hauehave, because God giues it vntounto none, Phil. 3, 12. but dealeth to eueryevery man a certaine portion of faith, to some more, & others lesse, as he himselfe pleaseth, 1 Cor. 7, 7. Heereunto appertaineth the parable of the Talents, whereof fiue were committed to one, and ten to another, and one to another. Like as in our fleshly bodies there is great difference of giftes, our more excellent members, hauing more excellent faculties: so it fareth in the church, which is the body of Christ; there is grace giuen to eueryevery member of that body, but it is according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Ephes. 4, 7.
Tim.
What vse heere of?
Silas.
First, it must be a bridle vntounto arrogancie, and a motiue to humility, to thinke that no one man eyther hath al gifts, or those gifts which he hath in ful perfection, but a certain measure meated out to eueryevery ma, not by our deserts, but as it seemeth good in the eie of the giuer. Here also we may obserue, how the Pope doth walk by this rule, or how may we iudge him to be the seruant of Christ, who being but one man, yet arrogareth all to himselfe? he will hauehave the whole power of the Church, yea, and he will do all in the Commonwealth too, he alone will be both a temporall and spirituall Monark, he in grosseth all knowledge into his owne breast, nothing must be diuinity and truth which he saith is not so. At a word, according to the Latine Prouerbe, he alone will bee Dominus Fac-totum: and after our common English saying, He alone will hauehave all the Pipes. This is farre from contenting himselfe with his own portion and measure, as other fellow-seruants do: hee may very well and worthily be tearmed Antichrist, being so contrary to Christ, who himselfe was so full of humility, as Phil. 2, 6, 7. Iohn 13, 5. taught his disciples to be humble and meeke, Mat. 11, 29. whereas this Lucifer is the childe, nay the King of pride nay pride it selfe. Moreouer, seeing the measure of Faith is dealt of God, hence it followes that faith is Gods gift, and comes not by mans will in whole or in part, Eph. 2, 10. Also the measure of Faith is diuers: there is a little or a weake faith; againe, there is a great or a strong faith. Let not the strong in faith be lifted vp, but thinke of profiting and encreasing their measure, after the example of the Apostles (Lord encrease our Fayth:) neither let them of little faith despaire, for GOD that dealt their measure, will maintaine and augment it, so they do their part and endeauour. Finally, when Paule requireth vsus to be wise according to sobriety, hee condemneth in all Christians both blockishnesse or foolishnesse, and slothfulnesse; requiring in them both wisedome in the knowledge of vniuersall things both diuine and humane; and prudence in the choice of particulars, about things profitable to the Church and our selues: likewise industry in applying their vnderstanding vntounto the most benefite of our selues and our brethren.