Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 7 · Dialogue 18
DIAL. XVIII.
Verse 24, 25. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? I thanke God through Iesus Christ my Lord. Then I my selfe in my minde serue the Law of God, but in my flesh the Law of sinne?
Tim.
VVHat doth this Text containe?
Silas.
A conclusion both of the whole chapter, and of the spiritual conflict with sin, which hath bin set forth in the person of Paul.
Tim.
What is the Sum of this conclusion?
Silas.
Hee confesseth himselfe miserable, because hee was obnoxious to sinne and death, desiring full deliuerance from them; giuing God thankes for the grace and merit of Christ Iesus.
Tim.
What be the parts of this conclusion?
Silas.
Three: First, an exclamation or complaint of his miserie, in these words [O wretched man, &c.] Secondly, a consolation in respect of his victory by Christ [I thanke God through Iesus Christ.] Lastly, an acclamation, [So then in my minde I serue, &c.]
Tim.
What is meant heere by wretched man?
Silas.
Not one that is accursed, as being out of Gods fauour, but one tyred and wearied with the continuall and miserable conflictcs and striuing with sinne. It is a wretched and wofull thing, to bee toiled and troubled with filthy motions, but euerie such man is not in damned case.
Tim.
What instructions are we to learne from this?
Silas.
First, that it is a wretched thing, to carry about one but the remainder of sinne, and to be troubled with the continuall assaults and force of it. The reasons hereof be: First, because sinne euen in the godly doth defile their conscience within, and their actions without, Mat. 15, 18. Iames 1. 21. Secondly, it offends their most good and louing Father, being contrary to his Law, Ro. 7, 7. Thirdly, it doth grieue and make sad the holy Spirite of God, Ephes. 4, 30. Lastly, it procures many temporall chastisements, and deserues eternall punishment. See Dauids example, 2 Sam. 12, 10. Rom. 6, 23.
Tim.
What profit are we to make of this instruction?
Silas.
First, it reproues them that make slight & slender reckoning of their sinnes. Secondly, it admonisheth the godly to be humbled, because howsoeuer they bee blessed with forgiuenesse of sinne: yet their blessednesse is not perfect, but mixt with some misery.
Tim.
What other instruction from hence?
Silas.
It is the marke and token of a regenerate man, to feele the misery he is cast into by the force of sinne, to mourne for it, and complaine of it. The reason hereof is, because none but such as hauehave the Spirit of Christ, can thinke themselues miserable in this behalfe, that thorough sin they are drawne from the obedience of Gods Law: for they that be vnre generate, thinke themselues wretched for bodily euils, as if they bee blinde, or dease, or maymed, or imprisoned, or extreame poore; they neuer take themselues wretched in that they are full of spirituall euils, and thereby hindred in the seruice of God.
Tim.
What vse of this poynt?
Sil.
First, it affoords a great comfort vntounto such as can vnsaignedly sigh because of their sinnes, which still sticke in their nature and striue against grace. Secondly, here is a testimony against such as beare their sins without griefe, that they are not Gods children. If there be a strugling in the wombe, Rebecka feeleth it; but the barren which bring not forth, feele no such wrestling.
Tim.
What other instructions from hence?
Sil.
From hence, wicked and impenitent sinners may consider how extreame their wretchednesse is, that hauehave sin raigning in them; when as the godly count it their misery but to hauehave sin dwelling in them.
Tim.
Proceed and tell vsus now what is meant by the body of this death?
Silas.
Some expound it thus; for a mortall body subiect to death, and then the meaning is, that Paul doth desire to be freed from this conflict with sin by his corporall death.
Tim.
If we follow this meaning, what lessons then will arise for our instructions?
Silas.
That the battell of sinne will not be at an end, while the godly liue in this worlde: in which regards, the sighes and repentance, the exercise and striuings of a Christian man, are continuall and hauehave no other tearme but death. And thus God will hauehave it bee for many good purposes: to exercise patience, stirre vp prayer, watchfulnesse, to humble vsus by sight of our weaknesse, and comfort vsus by experience of his power.
Tim.
What other meaning is giuen of these words?
Sil.
Some by body doe vnderstand our corrupt and vncleane nature, euen the whole masse of sinne as it is yet vnmortified; which is called a bodie of death, to signifie that it is a deadly thing deseruing both temporall and cternall death, this is the best interpretation.
Tim.
What instruction from hence?
Sylas.
In that sinne is likened to a body, it teacheth that it is no idle & weake thing, but as it were a thing subsisting full of force and power, and therefore not to be neglected. Secondly, as a body hath many members, so sin hath innumerable lusts. See Rom. 1. 29. 30. Gal. 5, 19, 20.
Tim.
What instruction from hence, that it is called the body of death?
Silas.
That the bondage of sinne, euen such as it is to the godly, is a verie grieuous and heauie thing, often thrusting them into the iawes, and wrapping them in the bondes of death both worldly and euerlasting; which makes them cry out, wretched man, and blessed are they which for this can cry thus.
Tim.
What is meant by being deliuered?
Sylas.
To be wholly and perfectly freed from the corruption of sin,
Tim.
Did Paul doubt or knew he not who should deliuer him?
Silas.
No such thing, these be the words not of doubting, but of desire.
Tim.
What is the instruction from hence?
Sil.
That it is the note of a regenerate person, constantly to desire perfect liberty from his sins.
Tim.
What are we to learn from hence, that he doth not say who hath deliuered mee, but who shall deliuer mee?
Silas.
That the grace of sanctification is neuer perfect while wee abide in this life: the godly are so deliuered as there is still cause to say, who shall deliuer mee?
Tim.
What are we to learne from hence, in that hee sayeth (thanks be to God through Iesus Christ our Lord?)
Sil.
That as Paul faints not in the combate, but comforts himselfe with a certaine hope of victory: in like manner all the godly must fight against sinne, with assurance of hope to ouercome in the end, so they striue lawfully. 2. The godly must bee so sure to ouercome, as that they doe reioyce and triumph as if they had already ouercome. Thirdly, their trust to ouercome, relieth not so much vponupon their owne vertues, workes, and merites, as vponupon the mercies of God the Father, by whose aide & grace they looke certainly to preuaile. Lastly, their hope of helpe and aid from the mercies of God, is grounded vponupon the merites and grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and not vponupon the law, or good works or good conscience: not these things, but Christ hath appeased Gods wrath, reconciled, and continually pacifieth him.
Tim.
What are we to learne from the last words?
Sil.
First, that Paul deuides himselfe into two parts, mind and flesh; not wholly flesh nor wholly the mind, but partly the one, partly the other. Secondly, that according to these two beginnings or grounds, his purposes and endeuors were diuers: for in his mind he serued the law of God, to know and to do it; and in his flesh he serued the law of sin, that his corruption which still stuck in him, did solicite him to euill, and sometimes ouercame him.
Tim.
What vse of this?
Sil.
Snfull infirmity must keepe the Saintes from pride, and their grace must stay them from despaire: they cannot nor ought to be proud which carry sinne in their heart as a law, neither neede they faint which hauehave grace for a gouernour in their mind.
Tim.
What obserueye in this that he saith, I my selfe?
Sil.
First, that he speaks of no other then himselfe. Secondly, that he speakes not in time past but present; which serues to consute the Palagians and Libertines; who take it so as if Paul spake all this from the 14. verse forward, in the name and person of a meere natural man, and had set forth no other fight but, that which is between reason directing to things right and honest; and affection or will drawing vntounto thinges crooked and vnhonest: as if Paul had in all this, shewed himselfe an Arestotelian, and not an Apostle, extolling the power of nature, and not the force of grace; debasing and disgracing sensuality, and not sin and birthcorruption, which both in reason and will euen after regeneration, vttereth force and great power, like a mighty rebell, striuing and fighting euen against the good worke of the Spirit, in regenerate ones.