Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 5 · Dialogue 7
DIAL. VII.
Verse 7, 8. Doubtlesse one will scarce die for a Righteous man, but yet for a good man one dare dye: but God setteth out his louelove toward vsus, seeing that while we were yet sinners, Christ dyed for vsus.
Tim.
VVHat is the drift of this Text?
Silas.
To set foorth and extoll the louelove of God towardes vsus, by a comparison of the lesse with the greater. The sum of this comparison is this; There is scarse any mans louelove so great, as that he will die for a iust person, though hee bee also good and profitable vntounto him: how great then was that louelove that moued God to giuegive his Son to death for vsus which were sinners and his enemies? From whence the Apostle doth gather, that if Gods louelove bee such, as our sinnes before we did beleeue, and whiles we were enemies, could not hinder him from giuing his son to die, much lesse shall those sins which wee do afterwards, be able to hurt our saluation; therefore the hope which the godly hauehave in God, cannot make them ashamed.
Tim.
What he the parts of the comparison contained in this Text?
Silas.
Two: First, a proposition, verse 7. Secondly, an application, verse 8.
Tim.
What is heere meant by righteous?
Sil.
Not a iust matter or cause, but a iust man, as is to be seene both by the 6. and 8. verses, where hee vseth words noting persons.
Tim.
What difference is there betweene a iust man, and a goodman?
Silas.
Some vnderstand a good man to be Christ, for whom Martyrs dyed. Others, by a good man vnderstand one who is profitable to vsus: this is most probable. Others put righteous and good both for one thing.
Tim.
Why doth the Apostle say, [It may bee one dare dye for a goodman?]
Si.
Either for that if any did die for others, it were more for their owne sake, then for another mans sake: or else for that he neuer found nor knew any such example. As if he should say, it may be, but for my part, I knowe of none that euer did so.
Tim.
What instruction now doe ye gather from these first words?
Sil.
That a mans life is a deare and precious thing: for seeing so few are found, that will giuegive their life for righteous men; this sheweth that men holde their liues in very greataccount.
Tim.
What doth this put vsus in mind of?
Sil.
Surely of thus much, that the charity of the best men is faint and faulty, because the Apostle knew none whose louelove had carried them so farre as to die for their brethren, whereas we ought to do so, 1 Iohn 3, 16.
Tim.
Can ye tell vsus of none that hauehave aduentured their lines for others sake?
Sil.
Yea, the Apostle Paul as he witnefleth of himselfe, 2 Corinth 12, 13. also Aquila and Priscilla, Rom 16, 4. and the Martyres. This was great charity, but yet not to bee compared with the charity of Christ, which he shewed towards vsus.
Tim.
One would thinke that it did rather exceed his louelove, for it is a greater matter for a meere man to dye, then for him that is more then a man: (hrist could take vp his life againe, and so could not other men resume theirs.
Sil.
The charity of Christ yet far exceedeth that other; for first, Christ is of more dignity by farre then any man, therefore his life by far more worth then ours. Secondly, the louelove towards sinners is far more, then that louelove which is towards good men; for that is free from all selfe respect, and therefore is the more pure lone.
Tim.
What instructions gather ye from hence?
Sil.
That the louelove of Christ to his Church far surmounteth all the louelove of al men towards men.
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this … singular louelove?
Sil.
First, it serueth for confirmation, that hee will not cast out and condemne such as he hath thus loued as verse 10. Secondly, it serueth for imitation, for it Christ so loued vsus, wee ought also to louelove one another, Iohn 15, 12. 1 Iohn 3, 16. This is the marke we must aime at, and wherin we come short, we ought to be sorry and amend.
Tim.
But when the Apostle sayth, Christ dyed for vsus while wee were yet sinners: hath his death brought this to passe, that we are now no more sinners?
Sil.
After wee beleeue that Christ dyed for vsus, and are regenerate by his Spirit, we hauehave sinne still, but we are not any longer to be called sinners; because that now our sins by forgiuenesse are blotted out, and that which remaineth still in our nature it raigneth not, and the denomination of a person or thing, is euer from that which is more excellent and worthy. But here the Apostle meaneth by sinners, such as be vnderunder the guilt and dominion of sinne, as al men are before faith.
Tim.
What could God see in vsus then to moue him to louelove vsus?
Sil.
First, he saw in vsus his own creation, which he loued with a generall louelove, as he doth all the works of his hands. Secondly, he saw in vsus much misery through sinne, and this made him louelove vsus with a pittifull louelove. Thirdly, her loued his elect being yet sinners, in that he purposed in himselfe to call and iustifie them in due time. And nowe lastly, hauing grafted his elect in his Sonne by faith, and instified them, he loueth them actually, hauing set his owne image in them.
Tim.
You hold then that there are seuer all degrees and kinds of Gods louelove, euen towards his …
Sil.
There be so, for hee cannot louelove his elect with that degree and kinde of louelove when they are sinners, as he doth after they are now in his Sonne iustified and sanctified: for now sinne which bred hatred and enmity, is defaced and cast out by remission; and holinesse which God loueth, is imprinted in them, and brought in by renouation.