Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 7 · Dialogue 1
DIAL I.
Verse 1, 2, 3. Know yee not Brethren (for I speake vntounto them that know the Law) that the Law hath dominion ouer a man as long as he liueth? For the womā which is in subiection to a man, is bound by the Law to a man while he liueth, but if the man be dead, she is deliuered from the Law of the Man: so then, if while the man liueth, she taketh another Man, she shall be called an Adulteresse. But if the man be dead, shee is free from the Law; so that she is not an Adulteresse, though she take another man.
Timotheus.
WHat parts may this seauenth Chapter be diuided into, and what take you to be the purpose of the Apostle therein?
Silas.
The purpose of Paul is to confirme & illustrate that Paradox or strange Doctrine propounded in the former Chapter, of beeing not vnderunder the Law, but vnderunder grace, which haply some of the Iewes might hauehave taken, as if the Apostle had bin an enemy to the knowledge and obedience of the Law: therefore, now he sheweth how our freedome from the Law is to be vnderstood, and vponupon what groundes and reasons it is founded. This is shewed and declared by the similitude of ciuill marriage, wherein the woman during natural life, is obliged to the Husband, 1. to be his, or to him onelyonly, 2. not to depart from him, 3. nor to marry with another; but the husband being dead, she is free, being, 1. his no more; 2. and may (without guilt of Adultery) marry to another. 3. to bring forth fruite to another, to the second man. So all the elect before new byrth, are in bondage to sin, to which they bring forth Children, that is euill workes by the force of the Lawe;Of this freedome therebe three reasons in verse 4. but after regeneration, the vigour and coaction of the Law ceaseth (in part at least) and they 1. are free, being dead to the Law. and 2. married vntounto Christ. 3. do now bring forth good workes (as children) to God. Paul exemplieth in the woman, rather then in the man, because her Obligation and bond is straighter toward the man, then of him toward her (for by the Lawe the man was suffered to giuegive a Bill of Diuorce to the woman, so was it not on the contrary) also because his meaning was to compare vsus to the wife.
The Chapter consisteth of three parts. The first, settethVerse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. out our liberty from the Law, and proueth it by 3. reasons, in verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Secondly, he aunswereth certaine obiections made against the Law, which he excuseth and commendeth by the manifest and necessarieFrom v.6. … 14. effects; also by the properties and Nature of the Law, & all this in his owne person. Thirdly, the spirituall combate betweene grace consenting to the Law, and flesh or corruption resisting the Lawe, is described in his owne example, both touching the fight and battell, and theFrom v. 14. to the end. yssue or end of it.
Tim.
What be the parts of this similitude?
Silas.
They be two: First, a proposition in three Verses. Secondly, an application in the fourth verse. The proposition is thus; that the Law bindeth a man so long as he liueth, the which is amplified two wayes. First, by the testimony of the Romanes themselues, of whom hee saith they knew the truth of it.
Tim.
What are wee to learne from the first proofe of the proposition?
Silas.
First, the wisedome of the Apostle, in preuenting the offence of the conuerted Iewes, to whom hee wrote not onelyonly by a louing Title in calling them Brethred, but by attributing the knowledge of the Law to them, and by taking vponupon him the defence of the Lawe. Secondly, Gods people ought not to bee ignoraunt of Gods Law; for it doth both helpe the teachers to speak to a people endued with knowledge, and the people to know those things whereof their teachers speake.
Tim.
What is the vse of this?
Silas.
It reproueth such as lacke knowledge, and labour not for it, as being iniurious both to themselues & to their teachers. Secondly, it must stirre vp all men to endeauour to encrease in knowledge, as they doe desire their owne profiting, or the ease and comforte of their teachers. Lastly, it warneth Ministers by Paules example in their teaching, to preuent offences, and to speake wisely.
Tim.
What is the other way by which hee doth explaine the proposition?
Silas.
By the example of marriage, whereby the wife duplicate page duplicate page is linkt vntounto her husband, and is not free till death: so asVerse 1, 2, 3. if she marry another while he liues, she commits adultery; but he being dead, she is free to marry to whom shee will, that shee may bring foorth to her new husband. Euen so our first husband, to wit; sinnefull corruption (by the Lawe irritating and prouoking it) broughtVerse 4. foorth euill workes as Children to death: but our corruptionBy the Law is meant neither Law of Gospell, or of Nature, or of Romanes, but Moses doctrin. being mortified by the death of Christ, wee are dead to the Law, and it is dead to vsus, as the vigor of sin, hauing now no force to engender or encrease sin in vsus; so as we are free to passe ouer and to marry our selues to Christ, as to a new husband, by his spirit to bring foorth good works (as fruites) to God.
Tim.
What thinges are we to learne from this example of Mariage?
Sil.
First, that the bond of Mariage is exceeding strickt which nothing but death can dissolue and breake. TrueThe bond of marriage by Law diuine & naturall, is indiuidable vntill death. it is, that Adultery doth breake the knot of marriage, and the Iewes gaue vntounto their wiues, bils of diuorse by permission, to auoid an inconuenience; yet the Apostle doth truely say of the wife, that she is bound till death, because he speaketh of a marriage well ruled and rightlyAdu'torium sohut vniculum gouerned, wherein nothing hath force to loose the knot saue death: Marriage by Gods institution (which Paul heere respecteth,) was to continue so long as life lasteth, Gen. 2.
Tim.
Whereof should this put vsus in mind?
Silas.
Of the exceeding great care that both ParentsQuod faciendum nist semel, deliberandum diu. and Children-should hauehave about the entring into this estate of marriage, which doth oblige and tie persons euen till death: that which is but once to be done, & lasts for the space of life, carying continual weale or woe with it, had neede long to be thought of before it bee done; rashnesse is the mother of late repentance, in marriage especially therefore be wise.
Tim.
What other thing is to be learned out of this example?
Silas.
That the woman being married, hath not power ouer her owne body, which by the Law of marriage is subiect to her husband, for lawfull begetting of Children.A woman is three wayes bound to her liuing husband, first she is the mans power, second ly she may not depart from him, Thirdly, she is an Adulteresse if shee marry to another. Therefore if she withdraw her body from her husband and giuegive it to another man, shee committeth that most odious and most dangerous sinne of Adultery, so doth the man likewise, if he giuegive the power of his body for generation to any other saue vntounto his wife; but if so be that adultery bee committed by either partie, seeing the offending partie by Gods law ought to dye, and is ciuilly dead, therefore the innocent party by vertue of the Law is free to marry where they will, the knotte of marriage being loosed. Mat. 5. 32, and 19. 9. Also heere we learne the lawfulnesse of second marriages. Lastly, that the law doth rule ouer the liuing onelyonly, not at all ouer the dead, because the liuing can keepe or breake it, so cannot the dead.