Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 5 · Dialogue
Verse 4. And patience worketh Experience, and Experience hope.
Tim.
VVHat doth this Text containe?
Silas.
Two things: First, a fruite of patience, which is experience: Secondly, a fruite of experience, which is hope.
Tim.
What is the meaning of these wordes [And Patience worketh Experience?]
Sil.
Euen this: that Gods Children by their suffering afflictions patiently, doe get experience of Gods assistance and gracious presence, thorough the worke of Gods Spirit in them.
Tim.
What do ye call experience?
Silas.
Experience is the knowledge which anie man getteth of any thing, vponupon some proofe and triall of it. The experience which the Apostle heere meaneth, is not ciuill experience in humane things, but Christian and godly experience in things of God and saluation.
Tim.
How … is that experience which the godly get by their suffering afflictions? Are there sundry kinds, and which be they?
Sil.
It is sundry and manyfold. It concerneth eyther God, Satan, others, or our selues. Concerning God first, wee hauehave experience of his great might, in that he can vphold vsus, 2 Cor. 12, 9. Secondly, of singular merciemercy, in that he will sustaine and strengthen our mindes. Thirdly, of his meruailous wisedome, in that when hee hath exercised and tried his children, he knoweth how to rid them out of it, 2 Pet. 2, 9. Secondly, concerning Satan, wee hauehave experience first of his malice and subtilty in tempting and seeking to hurt and destroy vsus. Secondly, of his vnablenesse to harme them whom God will preserue. Thirdly, of his subiection to God, that he is at his becke for the time and measure of tempting, both how long, and how farre to tempt. Thirdly, concerning other men in our afflictions, wee hauehave experience of the godly, for they doe manifest vntounto vsus in our afflictions, their sound Christian louelove, by their counsel, prayers, and other duties, as Onesiphorus to Paul, 2 Tim. 1, 16. Also the wicked make knowne their hatred to vsus in our afflictions, as Alexander the Coppersmith vntounto Paul. Neuters and indifferent ones, do also bewray their vnconstant and vnstable mindes, and the rottennesse of their friendship, as they that forsooke Paul, 2 Tim. 1, 15 Fourthly, the faithfull concerning themselues in their afflictions, they hauehave experience both of their corruptions, and of their graces. For their afflictions open vntounto them the peruersenesse of their Nature, which before was hid from them, as in Iob. 5. Also their weaknes, how vnable they bee to beare, and how apt to faint vnderunder burthens, Psal. 116, 11. and moreouer, they hauehave experience by their afflictions of their louelove to God, and of their faith and trust in God, as also of their meckenesse towards men, and of their fortitude and courage. And lastly, it wil leade them by the hand to another experience of themselues, that they are the sonnes of God, truly and indeede, not in name and profession onelye & this last experience is especially meant heere, as appeareth by the 5. verse of this chapter.
Tim.
What is the fruite of this Christian experience?
Sil.
Hope, which is a sure expectation, whereby beleeuingWhat Hope is. Christians do certainly look to enioy the good things promised, especially the blessednesse of eternall life.
Tim.
How is it meant, that experience bringeth foorth Hope, seeing there is no patience nor experience, except first there be an hope of glory? How is it that hope doth beget experience, and yet experience doth bring forth hope? how can hope be both the mother & daughter of experience?
Silas.
The case standeth thus hope of glorie causeth that afflictions are suffered patiently in this patience, Gods Children hauehave triall and experience, not onelyonly of the great might of God strengthning them, but also, of his great louelove in conforming them vntounto his own sonne: this triall breedeth a better, and a larger measure of Hope:
Tim.
By what meanes doe the faithfull attaine this greater Hope?
Sil.
By this Christian consideration, that seeing God was present with them to aide them vnderunder their crosses, therefore they will hope he will likewise do it still, and in the end make them happy. For as an honest poore man, who vppon confidence he hath in some rich man, borroweth of him money in his neede, and being pleasured, often and chearefully he gathereth new hope of like fauour in the like necessity; so Gods Children being kept and blessed with patience in some great affliction, vppon this triall conceiue good hope, that God will strengthen and deliuer them. Like vntounto this is the saying of the Prophet, Psal. 9, 10. Let him that knoweth the Lord trust in him; and teacheth the same instruction with this Text, namely, that such as by triall in their afflictions know the goodnesse and power of God, hauehave cause by this experience to gather much trust and hope in God for the time to come.
Tim.
What are we learne of this?
Silas.
First, the maruailous goodnesse of God, in raising vp the hearts of his Children, vntounto a more strong hope, by afflictions, whereby Sathan seeketh by all means to driue them to dispair. Secondly, Christians are bound to make this good vse of their experience, thereby to gaine much heart and more confidence in Gods goodnesse for heereafter. Example we hauehave in Paul, God hath deliuered me (saith he) and he will … me, 2 Tim. 4, 17, 18. Also of Christ, who by the long experience of his Fathers helpe, gathered good hope euen in the very agony of death, saying; My God, my God. Math. 27, 46. Thirdly, the Kingly prophet Dauid, as appeareth in Ps. 23, 6. and 1 Sam 17, 35, 36. for we our selues make bolde to trust them whom we hauehave alwayes found friendly & faithfull vntounto vsus.
Tim.
But is it not presumption to beare our selues thus bold towards God?
Sil.
No such thing: it is presumption to leane vponupon our owne strength and wisedome, merits and works, but to rest stedfastly vponupon God his mercy and truth, it is the duty of Christian hope: and also, it is an honour which is due to God; for euen by our stedfast hoping in him, he is acknowledged to be a God constant in his truth & mercies. Therefore it is a grieuous sinne in such, as by their long experience of Gods kindnesse in blessing and protecting them, do not grow in hope of his goodnesse and power for heereafter, but waxe rather more faint & distrustfull. This is a token of a very weake, if not of a wicked heart.