Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 8 · Dialogue 19
DIAL. XIX.
Verses 19, 20. For the feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shall bee reuealed, because the creature, &c.
Tim.
VVHat may bee the purpose of the Apostle in these verses?
Silas.
His drift and purpose is, first to prooue heauenlyDrift. glory which followes afflictions, in this life, to bee certaine: and secondly to exhort Gods children to be patient in afflictions, vnderunder hope of that glory. The former is proued by a secret and very great desire, which thingsSumme. created, hauehave after the glory of Gods Children till it bee manifested. Now this desire being put into them of God, it cannot be frustrate and vaine, and therefore the glory must needs be certaine. The latter is prooued by the example of the cretures bearing their misery, (vnderunder which they are through mans fault) in hope of restoring: therfore much more ought Gods Children patiently to suffer their afflictions, seeing our restoring shall be farre more excellent then the restoring of the creatures: and there comes no afflictions vponupon vsus from God, but they are by our sinnes most iustly deserued; whereas the creatures suffer for our sake.
Tim.
Now let vsus know what be the parts of this Text?
Silas.
It setteth forth these two things vntounto vsus: First,Part. the condition of the creatures, both in respect of their present misery, which is heere signified by the names of vanity, corruption, and bondage, verse 20, 21. Also of their futher restauration, which is heere called deliuerance, glory, liberty, verse 21. The second thing is the affection of the creature, in regarde both of the misery, and restoring of them. This affection is declared both for the kinde and measure of it, by the tearmes of feruent desire, waiting, groning, trauelling in paine, verses 19, 22.
Tim.
Expound new the words, and tell vsus what is meant by the feruent desire of the creature?
Sil.
It is to bee read word for word, (the expectationInterpretatiō of the Creature expecteth,) that is, with greedinesse and continuance looketh for. There is in this phrase both a Prosopopoea, and a Pleonasmus. For he putteth vponupon the creature the person of one who most desirously expecteth and looketh after some person or thing; such are wont to put foorth their heads, and to looke when such persons or things should appeare, Psal. 121, 1. So the creature lookes after liberty.
Tim.
What are we to vnderstand by Creature?
Silas.
Neither the Angels as Origen, nor men good nor bad, as Augustine thought; but the whole frame of Heauen and earth, with creatures therein contained, as the Starres, Elements, all celestiall bodyes, bruite beastes, fruite of the earth, fishes of the sea, with whatsoeuer else was made for mans vse.
Tim.
But what manner of desire is it that thinges created hauehave?
Silas.
It is a certaine instinct, or inclination put into them of God, whereby they secretly (after a manner vnknowne to vsus) are moued to couet to attaine to the end for which they were made. This ende is that perfection and most glorious estate in which the creature was at first created, and from which it is now fallen for mans sinne, and vntounto which it still tendeth by a naturall desire, euen as heauy things by natural propension tend downwards, and light things vpwards.
Tim.
What is meant by the reuealing of the sonnes of God?
Silas.
The meaning is, vntill that glory which is prepared for the sons of God, be indeed manifested: the sons of God (by a Metonymy of the subiect for the adioynt) are put for the glorious liberty that is ordained for thē, as verse 21. expounds it.
Tim.
What instruction doth arise from hence?
Silas.
A two-fold instruction: First, that the glory ofDoctrine. Heauen is most certaine & sure, it is not doubtfull whether there be such a thing or no, or a thing in aduenture, but there is such a thing indeed: and it shall be certainly performed to all Gods Children which beleeue theReason. promises, and repent of their sinnes. The reason heereof is because God hath inspired the creatures with an instinct and desire after the glory of Gods sonnes; and seeing God doth nothing in vaine, it must needs bee that this desire is after some-thing that truely is, and not a Chimera or fiction.
Tim.
What is the vse of this instruction?
Silas.
Such as are Gods children by adoption, mustVse. learne from hence to strengthen their faith, as concerning the truth and certainty of their glory to come, if haply any doubt through temptation should arise about it. Secondly, it informes our iudgements about the estate of the creature, what it shall bee after this world is ended, that they shall after their sort and manner be partakers of the glory of Gods sonnes, for otherwise they should desire it in vaine.
Tim.
What other doctrine will arise from this 19. verse?
Silas.
Seeing the creatures doe greedily and continually2. Doctrine. desire the glory of Gods sonnes, the sonnes themselues ought much more feruently to desire it; because the glory of the creature doth but depend vponupon the glory of Gods children, and is very farre inferiour vntounto it. Therefore if their desire bee great and constant after it, ours ought a great deale more so to be, seeing that glory shall be fully reuealed chiefly for our sakes, and our state shall by many degrees exceed the estate of all other creatures.
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this Doctrine?
Sil.
It is two-fold, both in respect of godly and the vngodly. In respect of the vngodly, it serueth mostVse. sharpely to reproue them as being worse then the dumb, sence-lesse, vnreasonable creatures, in that they hauehave no desire nor longing at all after the glory to come; wheras euen the creature doth couet it feruently. The heart of the wicked it is set vponupon riches, they trust in vncertaine goods, they mind earthly things, their portion and their treasure is heere; and therefore their ioy is heere, they doe not once looke after heauenly glory, whatsoeuer they professe, much lesse seriously: nay they doe persecute the seruants of God which doe put their trust in God, and hope for his glory, 2. Tim. 1, 11, 12. also 2, 9, 10. Thus the louelove of the world, and strength of sinfull corruption, hath quenched that desire and hope of the wicked concerning heauenly glory, which still liues in vnreasonable creatures: this is a miserable condition. Secondly, in respect of the godly, this must serue first to checke and reproue the weaknesse and coldnesse of their desires after celestiall glory, where of the very creature is so greedy. Secondly, to prouoke and whet themselues to a more eager thirst and longing after it by example of the creature, and in consideration that the same glory doth especially belong to them in a more speciall manner and measure, and therefore ought in an especiall sort to be coueted of them; for which purpose very great care must be had as for the mortification of al sinfull corruptions, so chiefly for the crucifying of the world to themselues; because heauen is more or lesse desired, as worldly things are more or lesse beloued of vsus.
Tim.
What is the reason that the creature is kept from his desired end, to wit, his perfection?
Silas.
That is declared in the 20. verse to be the vanity, that is, the vanishing and flceting condition of the creature, consisting in bondage and corruption.
Tim.
What is meant by being subiect vntounto this vanity?
Sil.
To be put vnderunder such a condition, or to bee ordained to be vnderunder such an estate as is vaine and corruptible. Which vanity commeth vntounto it, not by it owne will and inclination, (for we all know that all creatures doe desire their owne preseruation and perfection,) but by the commandement and will of their Creator, which hath thereunto subdued it.
Tim.
What doctrine ariseth from hence?3. Doctrine.
Silas.
That all the creatures of God which bee vnderunder the third heauen, bee liable to vanity, beeing at the first created of God in a most noble and excellent condition. The reasons heereof, is first mans sinne deseruing it to beReason, so. Secondly, Gods counsell appointing and ordaining it to be so, to wit, that they beeing made for mans sake; should stand or fall together with him.
Tim.
What vse of this Doctrine?
Silas.
It admonisheth vsus how much God is offendedVse. with mans sinne, in that he punisheth the very creatures for it.
Secondly, to humble man, in consideration that all the creatures are impaired and made the worse for hisA righteous man regards the life of his beast saith Saloman. sinne. Thirdly, seeing all creatures partake with vsus in our punishment, it should cause vsus to bee mercifull vntounto them which need our mercy, and be in our danger. What concernes this matter, shall bee further handled in the next verse.