Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 5 · Dialogue 5
DIAL. V.
Verse 5. And hope maketh not ashamed, because the louelove of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, which is giuen vsus.
Tim.
What doth this text contayne?
Sil.
Two things; first, a property or effect of hope that it doth not confound, or it doeth not make ashamed. Secondly, a reason or cause why Christian hope of heauenly glory is so certaine, as it doth not make the faithfull ashamed, because the Holy Ghost perswadeth them that God loueth them, in that hee gaue his Sonne to death for them being his enemies: here it is that they do most surely hope in God: for how may they not firmely looke for all things from him, who spared not his Son for them? Rom. 8. 32.
Tim.
What hope is here spoken off?
Sil.
That Hope mentioned before in the second verse, which is there called the hope of glory, and this is the hope that doth neuer make ashamed; because this hope doeth not frustrate or voyd men of the thing hoped for.
Tim.
How many wayes do men become ashamed?
Sil.
Two wayes, first vponupon the conmitting some sinne, Rom. 6, 21. Secondly, by missing our desires and hopes.
Tim.
How doeth this help to the vnderstanding of our text?
Sil.
Thus: they which hauehave the hope of blessednesse in them, shall not misse and forgoe the thing they hoped for, and so shall hauehave no cause of beeing ashamed: againe, by considering the nature of humaine and ciuill hope, which if it doe not attaine the thing hoped for, there is shame, which is not here in Christian hope, because it alwayes is sure to attaine the glory which is hoped and looked for, therefore no shame can follow it.
Tim.
Wherefore doe some translate it thus [hope confoundeth not]?
Sil.
They had regard to that perturbation of minde, which goeth after shame; for the missing of our hope bringeth shame, and shame bringeth trouble or confusion in the mind. It is also saide of faith, Rom. 10. 11. that it confoundeth not: and this is not to bee maruailed at, because faith and hope be of so neere kindred, hope looking to the performance, and faith to the trueth of Gods promise.
Tim.
What is the doctrine of these words [hope maketh not ashamed?]
Sil.
That the godly are assured to be saued and glorified in heauen; for first the hope of the godly shall not make them ashamed: but the godly do hope for euerlasting life; therefore they are sure and certaine of it, otherwise their hope would bring shame. Secondly, the godly are saide to reioyce vnderunder the hope of glory; but there is no reioysing with godly wisemen, but in thinges assured and most certaine. Thirdly, the godly do stay their hope vppon Gods mercifull and true promises, which are constant and cannot deceiue, therefore their hope is certaine. Fourthly, their hope looketh to the power of God, by perswasion whereof their hope is nourished. Lastly, if their hope were not certaine, how could they call God their Father, which cannot be done in truth, where there is not affiance and confidence in his louelove?
Tim.
But though the hope of the godly bee certaine for the present, yet their great and many sinnes, and the changeablenesse of their will, may make their perseuerance to the end to be doubtfull.
Sil.
First, if hope were at any time vncertain, and might misse of glory, then it should make ashamed, contrary to the saying of the Apostle. Secondly, great and many sins cannot make hope vaine, because all sinnes are forgiuen to the godly which beeleeue and repent, 1 Iohn 1. 9. Thirdly, the godly are taught of Christ, to pray for forgiuenesse of sins, and the confirming of their wils to the end, Math. 6, 12. And that which they aske according to the will of God, is granted them. Finally, though mens wils in their nature bee changeable, yet the hope of glory is founded vponupon the vnchangeable will and counsel of God.
Tim.
What vse and profit is to be made of this doctrine?
Sil.
First, it controlleth the opinion of the Papists, which ground hope (at least in part) vppon merit of good workes, from whence will follow continuall vn certainty, and doubt of saluation; for that they neuer are sure when their merits are sufficient. Also their corrupt opinion wil proue vnsound by these reasons. First, because all hope and confidence is accursed, which doth not rest vpō God, Iere. 17. 10. and our good woorkes are not God, therefore no hope is to be put in them. Secondly, such as are newly conuerted vntounto Christ, from some wicked life and grieuous sins, they hauehave hope then, but they … no merit of woorkes going before; therefore their hope cannot rest vponupon their merits which be not: but as for those who hauehave good workes and liue well, they hauehave more cause to hope well, because good workes are a good signe of good hope, and some prop they are to helpe hope; but they may not be hoped in, or taken as a cause why we must hope. If any say that patience is a good worke, and Paul faith, hope springeth of patience, therefore hope springeth out of works: I answere, hope commeth of patience, but not as from a cause of it, no more then afflictions bee cause of patience. Furthermore, from hence wee are admonished, that such as alwaies doubt of their Saluation, can hauehave no Christian hope, therefore they must striue against doubting. Lastly, there is great vse for them which feele themselues indued with Christian hope; for whatsoeuer their afflictions, or enemies, or sinnes bee, yet they cannot bee confounded, but at last must be happy, for we are saued by hope, Rom. 8.
Tim.
Now come to the second part of this text, and tell vsus how many wayes is the louelove of God taken in Scripture?
Sil.
Two wayes, either passiue for that louelove wherewith God is loued of vsus, 1 Iohn. 4, 12. or actiuely, for the louelove wherewith God doeth louelove vsus in his Sonne; this is meant here.
Tim.
How may it appeare that it is put here, for that louelove wherewith God loueth and embraceth vsus?
Sil.
First, by the reason vsed in the next verse (for Christ dyed for vsus) which proueth Gods louelove to vsus. Secondly, by the 8. verse following, where it is written, (God commendeth his louelove to vsus.) Thirdly, wee hauehave not our hope certaine and vnshaken because we louelove God, but because God (who deceiueth not) loueth vsus.
Tim.
In what meaning is Gods louelove said to bee shed abroad in our harts?
Sil.
It is thus much; that the sence and feeling of his louelove, is shed and powred into the hearts of his children.
Tim.
Did not God louelove the elect from euerlasting before they were borne?
Silas.
It is true: howbeit that was onelyonly in purpose and decree, and so it was secretly knowne to himselfe. But Paul speaketh of the manifestation of this louelove vntounto the elect, after they are borne a new: for when the elect are regenerate, then God dooth expresse his louelove vntounto them, and they do by faith lay hold of the louelove of God, beleeuing that they are loued of God, and hauehave their harts affected with a ioyous feeling of it. For as the box of costly and precious ointment which the woman poured vponupon Christs head, Mathew. 26, 7. gaue no fauour while it was shut up in the box, but being shed & powred out, did yeelde a most sweete sent and sauour vntounto all which were in the roome: euen so, the louelove of God is pent and shut vp (as it were) in Gods decree, before regeneration and faith, so as it is not felt of the elect; but at their new birth, when they hauehave faith to beleeue the promise of saluatiō by Christ, thē this louelove is as an ointment powred out, and doth exceedingly and plentifully refresh the hearts of the elect, with the sence and feeling of it.
Tim.
What then is the doctrino we learne heere?
Silas.
That the most louing God is content not onelyonly to louelove his children, but withall doth assure them of his louelove, so as they certainly know that they are loued, and are cheared in their hearts by the perswasion of his louelove. For, as it is nothing to a blinde man to know that the Sunne is a glorious bright creature when himselfe cannot see it: or to a poore man to know where much treasure is, whiles himselfe cannot come at it: so it is nothing to heare and know that there is much louelove hid in God, except our selues feele it, and become partakers of it. Examples we hauehave of the Apostles, & many other beleeuers, Acts 5, 41. Rom, 8, 38, 39. who hauehave had the sence of Gods louelove in their hearts, and hauehave reioyced therein euen in their extreame afflictions, in the flames of fire, and depth of Dungeons horrible and darksome.
Tim.
HaueHave the faithfull a feeling of Gods louelove alwaies in one tenor, and like measure?
Silas.
Neither of both: but by sinnes and temptations it is often interrupted, as the light of the Sunne is darkned and lessened by mistes and clowdes: yet this louelove of God shall alwayes endure in them, because God altereth not.
Tim.
Whence commeth the feeling of Gods louelove?
Silas.
It is the especial worke of Gods spirite of Adoption, Rom. 8, 16. and it commeth by the free gift of God, who giueth it to all the members of his son, Rom. 8, 9. Ephes. 1, 13.
Tim.
What doth the sence of Gods louelove giuen them by the spirit worke in the faithfull?
Silas.
First, a feruent and vnfaigned louelove of God, 2. Cor. 5, 14. 1 Iohn 4, 19. We louelove him because hee loued vsus first. Secondly, an hearty louelove of our neighbor for Gods sake, 1 Iohn 4, 21. Thirdly, ioy in the holy Ghost, 1, Pet, 1, 8. Lastly, great encrease of hope in a more full assurance of inioying the glorie looked for, inasmuch as God who loues vsus and holds vsus deare vntounto him, cannot change nor deceiue vsus.
Silas.
I pray you tell vsus heere, is it the nature of hope to bee certaine, and to giuegive this assurance ye speake of?
Silas.
Of hope generally taken, it is the property only to looke and expect for a thing which wee hauehave not, Rom. 8, 24, 25. but the certainty and assurance of hope growes from the nature of the things hoped for, which if they be certaine and hauehave sure and certaine causes, the hope is certain and assured; otherwise it is not: for hope of worldly things (which we may call humaine or ciuill hope) it is of things vncertaine, which may fall out, or not fall out, because they hauehave vncertaine causes; and this hope hath no assurance, but is ioyned with continuall doubting: but Christian hope, it hath alwayes assurance and certainty ioyned with it, because it is of spirituall blessings and protections; also of heauenly glory which commeth of a most firm cause, namely the vnchangeable good will and louelove of God, as also his most free and firme promise in Christ.
Tim.
Whereunto doth this serue?
Sil.
To reproue both the Papist and ignorant prophane Protestants, which seuer assurance from Christian hope, wherein they doe iniury to God himselfe; and shewe that they are not such, who hauehave his louelove shed abroade in their harts.