Commentary on Romans, Treatise · Chapter 8 · Dialogue 29
DIAL. XXIX.
Verse 32. Who spared not his owne Son but gaue him for vsus all, to death: how shal he not with him, giuegive vsus al things also?
Tim.
VVHat doth this Text containe?
Silas.
First, a sound proofe that God is with the faithfull as a louing sather, to protect them, and to take care for them. Secondly, an … to a particular assault touching want, penurie, and extreame pouerty and neede of all thinges. The former temptation was (de … mali,) this is (de absentia boni) for lacke of thinges needefull; … hauing our Sauiour Christ, they can lacke nothing.
Tim.
How doth he proue that God is with beleeuers?
Silas.
By an vndoubted signe or fruite of his louelove, because he freely gaue them his owne Sonne to bee their redeemer and Sauior, both by merit and efficacy: this is such an argument of his louelove, as there cannot be a stronger. Other Fathers giuegive all to spare and redeeme their children; but God hauing but one childe, gaue him to spare vsus, which are vngodly and his enemies. Of this louelove, Rom. 5. 8. Iohn 4. 9.
Tim.
How is this gift set forth in this text?
Silas.
First by the giuer, God. Secondly, by the meanes and end [free and precious gift.] Thirdly, by the substance of the gift [his owne Sonne.] Fourthly, by the persons to whome: to wit, [all elect beleeuers.] Lastly, by the consequents or appurtenances of this guift. With Christ all thinges are giuen.
Tim.
What learne wee from hence, that God is the authour of this great gift?
Silas.
That not onelyonly our saluation, but euen the sending of Christ, the worker of it, depends vppon the good will of God. 1 Iohn 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8.
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this instruction?
Silas.
It confuteth the opinion of merite by workes, for if Christ bee not the soueraigne and first cause of our saluation (but Gods louelove is aboue it) then much lesse are our workes the cause of eternall life. Secondly, it commends the exceeding louelove of God, that hee being so great would respect vsus so little: which should moue vsus to louelove and reuerence him againe, and to expresse it by our sincere and entire obedience to his word, and by suffering for him.
Tim.
What are we to learne from hence, that he sayth God spared not his Sonne?
Silas.
That this guift for the kinde and quality, is rare and precious; because things which are rare and excellent vse to be spared, and are seldome or neuer to be spent, but when it is to purchase something which is more deare & excellent. An Emperor of Rome, chused rather to spareMauritius who dyed most miserably. his money, then to redeeme his Souldiers beeing taken prisoners: but to redeeme vsus, God woulde not spare, no not his owne Son; because no mony nor treasurie would serue the turne, but only the bloud of his Sonne, 1 Pet.Non … tradid. t, sed occisions. 1, 18, 19.
Tim.
What profit of this?
Silas.
It should warne vsus, that wee spare neyther our selues, goods, or any thing how deare soeuer, to please and glorifie God. Shall not God spare his Sonne, but kil him for vsus? and shall we spare to mortify our sinful lusts, to please and honour him?
Tim.
What learne wee from hence, that the gifte is called [His owne Sonne?]
Silas.
It teacheth (against the Arrians) that Christ is God coessentiall to his Father, Iohn 5, 18. Secondly, it distinguisheth Christ the naturall Sonne, from adopted ones, which are not his proper or owne sons, but by acceptation and grace. Thirdly, it highly extolles the louelove of God, which hereby appeares to be very great, by the greatnesse of the thing giuen: If Abraham shewed how he esteemed of God, in that he offered to hauehave giuen his Son Isaac, how dooth God declare his louelove to vsus, by giuing his owne Son for vsus?
Moreouer, this serues to comfort Gods people in all their wants & necessities whatsoeuer: for seeing God gaue vsus his Sonne, it is not possible that he should keepe any thing frō vsus, which is good for vsus. The reasons hereof bee very strong: First, because Christ is the greatest good thing, he is more worth then a thousand worldes, and he that giues the greatest good, wil not sticke at the lesser. Thus Christ reasons, Math. 6, 25. If he giuegive you life, he will much more feede you and cloath you. Secondly, Christ is the Fountaine of all other good thinges: it is for him and through him, that wee hauehave any thing else that is good; and al good things come from him, as riuers from the spring, and beames from the Sun; therefore hauing him we can want nothing, and possessing him, wee possesse all things. The due meditation heereof, affoordes strong comfort, in time of any want or penury: it is not…. 1, 5. so forcible a remedy against the temptation of want, toHebr. 13, 5. heare God say, that he will not forsake the righteous, & he will not faile nor forsake them, or they that feare him shall lacke nothing that good is; as to heare and belieue that he hath giuen his Sonne for vsus, in whom the sicke, the needy, and disgraced, may finde health, riches, and honour and all things else.
Tim.
What else are wee to learne from the latter part of this sentence?
Silas.
That Christ, and the things of Christ cannot be diuided, but that he which hath the one, must hauehave the other; his person and benefits be inseparable. See Iohn1 Cor. 3, 22, 23 6, 40. These benefits they are either spiritual, as righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1, 30. or earthly good things, so farre as they are behoouefull for his members: either they be supernal things, as God; or equall, as Angels; or inferiour, as the worlde; all is giuen with Christ.
Tim.
What vse is to be made of this point?
Silas.
It reproues two sorts of men: First Papists, who shut out the wicked from eternall life, and yet affirme, that they eate Christ in the Sacrament. Secondly, such as would hauehave vsus partake in the benefits of Christ, without partaking with himselfe: as if a branch could hauehave the iuice and life of the Vine, and not be in the Vine. Besides, it greatly comforts such as be married to Christ by faith: for hauing him, they are sure to hauehave al his things, euen as a woman maried to her husband, communicates in all his honour and wealth.
Tim.
What are wee to learne from hence, that Christ is saide to be giuen for vsus?
Sil.
It teacheth, that wee hauehave not deserued Christ, because he is a gift, yea a free and frank gift, proceeding of meere fauour and louelove (as the worde heere signifies.) Also it stirreth vsus vp to thankfulnes, that Christ so holie, so high, so blessed, should be giuen for vsus, so prophane, so vile, so wretched.
Sil.
What vse of this is further to be made?
Tim. It ouerthroweth humane merit of all sorts, seeing no man giueth ought vntounto God, but God giueth all that he hath vntounto him, and that freely.
Tim.
What more may we learne from hence?
Silas.
This: whatsoeuer is giuen to any man, if Christ be not giuen withall, it can be no good thing to him, for as hee that possesseth Christ must needes hauehave all goodIohn 6, 17. things, so hee that possesseth not Christ, hath no good thing. Aboue all thinges then labour for him to hauehave him, and iudge all losse and dongue to him.
Tim.
Who are the persons for whom Christ was giuen?
Silas.
For vsus, that is euen Paul and all others which are like him, (to wit) such as God hath predestinated and called.
Tim.
But is not Christ sufficient to saue all men?
Silas.
Yes, he is, were it that all men had Faith to receiue him: but as the Sun giues vsus no light without an eye to behold it, nor cloathes warme vsus, except we put them on, nor meate feede vsus vnlesse it be eaten: so neyther doth Christ auaile any man but beleeuers, of whom there is an vniuersality and a world, as there is a world and vniuersality of vnbeleeuers.
Tim.
What vse of this?
Silas.
To prouoke all men to labour for to becom true beleeuers: better neuer to hauehave bin, then not to bee of this number. Note further, that the world [All] is so limited to the faithful, as Gal. 3, 22. that it serueth also to take away the difference between Iew & Gentile, as Ro. 10, 11, 12.