Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 5 · Dialogue 15
DIAL. XV.
Verses 18, 19. Likewise then as by the offence of one, the fault came on all men to condemnation; so by the Iustifying of one, the benefit abounded towardes all men to Iustification of life. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of that one, many shall bee made Righteous.
Tim.
WHat doth this Scripture containe?
Silas.
First, a rehearsall of the comparison betweene Adam and Christ, begun in the twelfth verse. Secondly, a laying forth the ground of this whole comparison.
Tim.
Declare the comparison, as it is rehearsed in the 18. Verse?
Silas.
As by the offence of one Adam, guiltinesse came ouer all men to make them subiect to death, so on the contrary part, the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to beleeuers through Gods free fauour, iustifieth them, that they may become partakers of eternal life. Or thus; as by Adam, guiltinesse came on all men to death eternall, so by Christ, righteousnesse is giuen to all beleeuers vntounto life eternall.
Tim.
What is the ground of all this comparison?
Silas.
That Adam and Christ, by the decree of God, are not as two particular persons, but as two rootes or stocks or heads of all mankinde: that as out of the one, springeth sin and death by Nature, so out of the other springeth righteousnesse and life by Grace.
Tim.
Whereunto tends all this?
Silas.
To make vsus to vnderstand, that we are iustified not by our owne workes, but by Faith in Iesus Christ. For hauing in our selues (by meanes of Adams offence) guiltinesse & death, how can our workes iustifie vsus? and if they do not, then Christs his obedience apprehended by faith, must be our Iustice before God.
Tim.
Now let vsus expound the words and gather instructions: What doth he meane heere by the offence of one?
Silas.
The sinne of Adam, which was but one sinne, as himselfe was but one person.
Tim.
What learne yee by this, That guiltinesse came on all men to condemnation?
Sil.
That there is not one that came of Adam by naturall generation, which escaped the condition of sinne and death: Christ onelyonly is exempted, who was conceyued by the Holy ghost, and not by the seede of man.
Tim.
What do ye obserue heerein?
Sil.
This; namely, how dreadfull a thing the offence of Gods Iustice is, when but one sinne done in a moment, could wrap a world of men in euerlasting death and paine.
Tim.
What learne ye heereby, That the Iustifying or righteousnes of Christ is set against the offence of one?
Silas.
That as the offence is without vsus, which makes vsus all guilty, so is the righteousnesse which iustifies vsus, not in vsus but in Christ. Secondly, that iustifying is an absoluing or acquitting vsus from guilt and condemnation.
Tim.
What meanes he by all men?
Silas.
All the Children of God which beleeue, whereof there is an vniuersality, as there is an vniuersality of the Reprobate.
Tim.
Why doth he ioyne life vntounto Iustification [Iustification of life?]
Sil.
Not onelyonly by the custome of speech peculiar to the Hebrewes, but to teach that life is knit to righteousnesse;The iust shall liue by faith, Rom.1. and heereof it is also, that faith and life are so often ioyned together, because it is by Faith that wee take hold on righteousnesse, which bringeth with it lifeI liue by faith Gala. 2. as a proper and necessary effect.
Tim.
What learne yee generally out of the whole 19. verse?
Sylas.
That Adam and Christ are not to be considered of, as other particular persons bee: but as two heades or rootes of all mankind, which depend on them.
Tim.
What seuerall and speciall things do ye now learne out of the 19. verse?
Sylas.
That Adams offence was disobedience to Gods word. Secondly, this disobedience ought to be familiarly known, and what hurt we get by it; therefore by an excellency called that disobedience, as exceeding al others both for the quality and effects. Thirdly, this disobedience is communicated to all men to the making of them sinners, which is done by an action called imputation, and so it is eueryevery mans owne sin, no lesse then Adams. Fourthly, that distrust or doubting is the roote of all sinne, and so to bee greatly taken heed of: Adams fall began at doubting, that carried him to disobedience. Fiftly, that wherein we disobey Gods will, therein we bewray old Adam, whose children wee shewe our selues to bee by our disobedience against Gods blessed commandement.
Tim.
What do ye call disobedyence?
Sylas.
It is a vice which causeth vsus not to beleeue God promising or threatning, nor to obey him, forbidding nor commanding, either because the commandements be troblesome, or because we cannot see the reason of them.
Tim.
Now tell vsus what was that whereby righteousnes and life entred into the world?
Sil.
The obedience of Christ Iesus.
Tim.
What is obedience?
Sil.
It is a power by which a godly man is ready to do, and to obey the will of God, though the reason of it bee not vnderstood, nor it appeare to be any way profitable.
Tim.
Wherein did Christ shew his obedience to God?Christs-obedience actiuein doing, passiue in suffering.
Sil.
Throughout his whole life, doing alwayes in all things what his Father appoynted without any regard of men; but especially in his death, wherin he submitted himselfe wholy to the will and pleasure of his Father.
Tim.
Is the actiue obedience of Christ in fulfilling the morall law by doing it, necessary vntounto the iustification of a sinner before God, or his passiue obedience in sufferiug death doth it alone iustifie vsus? for the Scripture ascribeth our purging, remission of sins, and saluation, to his bloud and death in many places, & it may seem that Christ kept the Law not for vsus, but for himselfe, to make him a meete high Priest.
Sil.
Iustification hath two parts: First, the forgiuenesse of sinnes, secondly the making of vsus iust. For as we owed vntounto God a satisfaction by death for the breach of the Law, so we were bound to performe subiection to God with all power of body and soule, and all the might of those powers euen from the time of our being. Therefore as we needed the passion of our Lord to discharge the first debt of paine and punishment, so the other debt of homage and conformity to the will of God, was answered in the obedience of his life; that so we might not onelyonly escape death, but finde an entrance into life eternall, which without perfect obedience to the commandement, might not bee granted, according to the tennor of the Law, Doe this and liue, Leuit. 18, 5. By which words it is plaine, that by meere passiue obedience wee could not hauehave possession of life, which is promised to doing all that is required in the Law: for euen Christ himselfe by his doing the Law, may claime and challenge eternall life, and it cannot be denied him in rigor of iustice, because hee fulfilled the condition of workes enioyned by the Law: and how should we think to hauehave life without the Law done? which not beeing possible by our selues, therefore Christs obedience in his life, must be imputed to make vsus capable of life. For seeing eueryevery iote and tittle of the Law must bee done, Mat. 5, 18. therefore the sum and substance much more. Now the summe of the lawe is to louelove God with all our harts, &c. and this cannot be done by vsus which are sinners; then there must be a translation of the lawe from vsus in our persons, vntounto the person of our mediatour who must do eueryevery iot for vsus: therefore he saith it behooued him to fulfill all righteousnesse, Math. 3. and that hee is the end of the law for righteousnes, Rom. 10 and hath made vsus iust by his obedience, as in our text; and became subiect to the law, to redeeme vsus which were obnoxious to the law, Gal. 4, 4. 5. And indeed seeing Christ himselfe was giuen vsus, and that he was borne for vsus, wrought miracles, suffered death, arose, ascended, &c. how must not his life also be ours? Againe, is it not written that Christ was made our sanctification as well as our righteousnesse, and our righteousnesse as well as our redemption? 1 Cor. 1, 30. Moreouer, he that continueth not to doe all things contained in the law is accursed, Deut. 27. last verse. Where of it followes, that if any wil auoyd the curse of the law, he stands bound constantly from his conception till his death to keepe the law: which forsomuch as none can do by himselfe, therefore all the contents of the law must be accomplished by our surety, or else no escaping the curse. Besides, if the actuall obedience of Adam made vsus sinners, howe should we be iust without the actuall obedience of Christ? and it seemes that Christ should be but halfe a Sauiour, only suffering, and not doing things pleasant to his Father for vsus. What meaneth that, that Christ sanctified himselfe for vsus? Iohn 17. and who knowes not that it is written of Christ, that hee came to doe his Fathers will? Heb. 10. Whereas Scripture attributeth our saluation to his bloud, that is a Synecdoche, a part put for the whole: likewise where iustification is placed in forgiuenesse of sins, Rom. 4, 5, 6. and the bloud of Christ shedde, beeing his chiefest obedience; as it comprehends the rest that went afore, so it excludeth onelyonly legall sacrifices, as not meritorious.
Tim.
Is not this a speciall marke of a good Christian, to follow the example of Christ his obedience in our doings and sufferings?
Sylas.
It is so, hereby men are knowne to be Christians, if after Christs example they doe indeuour to doe the will of God, and not by their profession only, which may be in an hypocrite.
Tim.
Why doth hee say, many shall bee made iust, and not in the present time, many are made iust?
Sylas.
Because this obedience is giuen to the elect, at what time they shall liue in the world and beleeue.