Exposition of Romans 4, Title page – Dedication
AN Expoſition vvith Notes, ON The whole Fourth CHAPTER TO THE ROMANES.
Wherein the grand Queſtion of Juſtification by Faith alone without Works, is controverted, ſtated, cleared, and fully reſolved, to the ſatisfaction of any judicious, conſcientious Proteſtant.
Together with variety of other ſolid obſervations, interwoven throughout the Work.
—Vivit poſt funera virtus.
By WILLIAM SCLATER, Doctor in Divinity, ſometimes Miniſter of Gods word at Pitmiſter, in Summerſet.
Now, Publiſhed by his Son WILLIAM SCLATER, Batchelar in Divinity, Miniſter at Collompton in Devon.
Hab. 2.4.
But the juſt ſhall live by his Faith.
Heb. 11.6.
But without faith, it is unpoſſible to pleaſe God.
Licenſed, Entred, and Printed according to Order.
LONDON, Printed by J.L. for Chriſtopher Meredith at the ſign of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1650.
To the Right VVorſhipfull, JOHN BAMPFIELD of Poltimore, in the County of Devon. Eſquire, a moſt eximious, and exemplary Worthy of the Weſt, a full Paradiſe of Gods Bleſſings.
SIR,
HAving now, (by the ſpace of full three weeks of years, and more) though not without various interruptions, had a ſtrong diſpute with my thoughts, whether under ſo prevailing a deluge of no leſs Dogmaticall, then practicall Athieſme, (that hath unawares engulfed this latter age) I might ſafely adventure from my private cloſet, as Noah did the aGen. 8.8.Dove from the windows of his Arke, to let this Poſthume volume (more ponderous perchance in matter, then numerous in pages) fly abroad to make a diſcovery of ſome aſſwaging of the waters: At length, I got the conqueſt over my dubious reſolutions, as not utterly deſpairing, but that, as with ſome gladſome embleme, it may return with an olive branch of good tidings, and acceptation in the Church of God: And ſurely, I knew not well, on what firmer ground to bottome thoſe hopes of mine, then on this, if it might but firſt ſet footing on that tree, which groweth upon your Mount; find acceſs and allowance at your Poltimore, a place by far more fertile in celeſtiall graces, then ever Mount Olivet abounded in bEccluſ. 50.10.fruitfull trees, or branches.
And indeed, from whence, or whom, could I have found a more approved Patron of a ſcholaſticall diſcourſe, (ſuch as this is) then ſo Honoured a Worthy as your ſelf; whoſe awfull power can protect it, and whoſe ſcientificall wiſdome can aright judg of it: I apprehend it not totally improbable, that the Author of this Book might be ſometime known to you by face, at leaſt upon report, or by his writings; but if not by the laſt, you may then poſſibly by this one ſingle grape, gueſſe at the fuller vintage of his other labours; the maturity of which in the proper ſeaſon, hath yielded (abſit verbo invidia,) the wholeſome liquor of ſoul-ſaving doctrine to Gods people: As to this particular Expoſition, I ſhall not ſpeake *Autorem commendet opus.encomiaſtically a word, onelyonly, if the great expectation before-hand, as ſome foyl to a diamond, abate not of the value; ſurely then, in that grand controverſie of juſtification by faith, as alſo of the foreign, and authority of the holy Scriptures; that Papall Idoll of works, and traditions ſo much adored by Bellarmine, (a learned Cardinall indeed, but a very ſophiſticall and prevaricating Champion) as Dagon of the Philiſtims before the Arke of God, falls c1 Sam. 5.3.flat to the ground, diſhivered into duſt and aſhes: And as a meete preparatory thereto, the Text it ſelf is ſo artificially analyſed, the ſcope as if diſcovered by a ſun beame, cleared, the terms diſtinctly elucidated, and then the Doctrinall obſervations ſo genuinely deduced thence, as if this ſingle Commentary were the only key to unlock the more deep, and abſtruſe myſteries of the great Apoſtle, whoſe writings are in many things ſo d2 Pet. 3.16.hard to be underſtood.
Give leave then, I beſeech you, to adorne the frontiſpiece hereof with the mention of your name, by the authority whereof it cannot but paſs into the hands, and as I hope alſo the hearts of the moſt judicious.
For if after that Apophthegme of Solomon, eProv. 27.8.oyntment, and perfume rejoyce the heart, then certes the ſavour of your fCant. 1.3.name, as a good oyntment powred forth, more refreſheth the age you live in, then the coſtly gJoh. 12.13.ſpikenard of that penitent in the Goſpell, did the houſe filled with the odour thereof; yea, it being ſo eximiouſly beautified, and adorned with hPſal. 112.6.righteouſneſs, it ſeems mounted on the wings of honour, and carried into your country with renown, as if it had borrowed the iPſal. 68.13.wings of King Davids Dove, in the Pſalme, covered with ſilver, and her feathers with yellow gold, embelliſhed with the richeſt, faireſt, and moſt laſting metalls, as aſſuring poſterity of an kPſal. 112.6.everlaſting remembrance: And indeed, it were injurious to doubt it; for as lAlbertus novicamp. in ſcopo Biblico, pag. 124, ex Cic. 2. offic.Albartus and Novicampianus acquaints us, Eſt compendiaria via ad gloriam, ut qualis quiſque haberi velit, talis ſit; Integrity being the moſt compendious way to glory, your Chriſtian, and holy practiſe enſtates you in it: having always followed, as mFranc. Guicciard. Hiſtor. Flor. lib. 1 p. 32. vol. 8.Guicciardine reports of Aloiſius the Father of Charles the Eight of France, magis res ipſas, quam rerum vmbras, more things themſelves, then the ſhadows of things; more the n2 Tim. 3.5.power of godlineſs, then the form alone, without it; and that too, in an irreprehenſible ſincerity (as oIgnat. Epiſt. ad Trallian.Ignatius a contemporary with the Apoſtle, commends the Tralliani) foreign, not to make uſe of, for oſtenſion, or oftentation; but to enjoy as a ſtable, and an p1 Pet. 1.4.immarceſſible poſſeſſion; your hearts and your hands, your affections and your actions, being ſweetly ſuited to divine lawes (to uſe the expreſſion of the ſame qIgnat. Epiſt. ad Philadelph.Ancient, to his Philadelphians) foreign, as ſtrings fitted to a well-tuned harp, melodiouſly warbling harmonious accords: inſomuch, that I may ſay, though not [to] you (whom were I a Chryſoſtome, or a Thucydides, of a golden mouth, or of a ſilver lip, to repreſent even in a moſt magnificent ſtyle, the moſt virtuous extractions, I ſhould but ſhew a mirrour of what you [are] already, as not ſcarcely needing to uſe inſtructions to what you [ſhould] be better) yet [of] you, I may in this paper monument, tell poſterity in the ſame language, that rSeneca ſua ſor. 6.Seneca ſometimes ſpake of that ſage Cato, that he was, and ſo are you, ſolus maximum vivendi Exemplum, as it were alone (within your ſtation) the greateſt patterne, and example for men to live by: And that, whether in your Naturalls, or in your Morals, or in your Theologicalls; in relation to all which, your defecated and refined ſoul, doth bene habitare, dwellaright, and is well lodged in a goodly receptacle; The portall ſhewes what gueſts are in the parlour, the caſe declares the Jewell.
But, it was not my purpoſe on this occaſion, (as being too-conſcious to my ſelf of my own weakneſs, for ſo high an attempt) to compoſe a Panegyrick; only, among the many of your obſervers, after my meaſure, as I [could,] though not after my wiſhes, as I [ *—Supereſt animoſa [voluntas] Ipſaque neſcio quid mens excellencius audet. Lucan. in Panegyr.ad Cal. purn. Piſonem.would] do; I was willing to let you know; however there may be more elegant Oratours, yet there is not, nor can be a more cordiall honourer of your Perſon, or Iſſue.
To dilate on thoſe your ſeverall endowments ſeverally, it would require for each a diſtinct volume; and it would be harder to finde a meaſure, or an end of ſpeaking of them, then a beginning; ſith, what ſM. T. Cic. orat pro lege Mamlia.Cicero ſaid of Cneius Pompeius, is much more verified in your worſhip: In vno Cn. Pompeio [ſumma] eſſeomnia, in one ſingle Pompeius his virtuous excellencies were all in the Superlative; ſo that what in ſome others may be good, or pious diſperſedly, or but in ſome one ſpeciall, as a Pelican in the wilderneſs [ tPſal. 102.6, 7.alone] loe, in your perſon are collected u1 Cor. 1.5, 7.all together; each virtue by a ſacred concatenation linked, and, as it were, intortelled one within the other, in an indiſſoluble chain, and laid up in your heart, as in a magazine of Gods favours on you: That as S. *Vade in Campaniam, et diſce Paulinum.Auſtin, when he would recommend a converſation, to be followed by any Chriſtian his friend, he wiſhed him to go into Campania; and learn of Paulinus: ſo may I ſay, goe to Poltimore, and there he ſhall ſee, for deſcent and pedigree, through many generations, an ancient Family, ſupported in the Honour, and reputation of Religion, and hoſpitality, in a preſent and hopefull ſucceſſion: There a Father, foreign, the moſt diſcreetly indulgent, and provident in the Nation, Reverend for Age, but more venerable for all manner of religious devotion; uMat. 6.6.ſecret in his cloſet, xZech. 12.12, 13.private in his family, and (in a conſcience of Gods Holy Ordinances) publique in the yHeb. 10.25. Pſal. 116.14.aſſembly; and (as if ſome bloud of thoſe noble Bereans ran along his veines) a moſt diligent, and aſſiduous zAct. 17.11. Ioh. 5.39.ſearcher of the holy Scriptures; as St. Luke records of him, whoſe name was Iuſtus, he was one that worſhiped God, whoſe houſe aAct. 18.7.joyned hard to the Synagogue; ſo that if devotion were elſe-where loſt, it might thence be repaired: There a maſter ſo bountifull, ſo munificent, that that houſe hath yielded a ſervant even very lately, of a bout an hundred years old, and ſtill hath ſome at this day, of above twenty years ſtanding, and attendance: There a foreign, a lover and bRom. 16.23.entertainer of Gods faithfull c1 Tim. 5.17. 2 Tim. 4.2.teaching Miniſters, (chiefly his own) upon all good occaſions; in whoſe countenance and ſpeech, evermore dwell ſuch plentifull comforts to the men of that function, that as 'tis ſtoried of Titus the Emperour, hardly any depart ſad, but with encouragement, ſuch, as adds fatneſs to the bones; yea, even a *Mr. Francis Bampfield.ſon of his own loynes: (as Iſaiah the Prophet is ſaid to be deſcended of cRabbi Solomon, apud Lyram, & Hicrom. proleg. in Iſai.noble blood) of exquiſite parts, is now a dMat. 9.38. & 20.1. foreign, Tit. 1.8.labourer in Gods Vineyard, under that calling: There a foreign, a true Lover and Honourer of Learning, and of learned good men; and (as a burning and ſhining *B. K.lampe of our Church eftſoones complained) in this unprofitable generation of ours, wherein men wonder at Schollars, *Iuvenal.ut pueri Iunonis avem, and Schollars wonder more at men of that temper; or rather indeed, hang up their fPſal. 1 37.2.harpes upon the willowes, lamenting the croſſe gSee Iſai. 6, 10. 2 Cor. 4.4.infatuation of the ſtupid times; yet learning never departeth diſcontented from your face; that as you have been long a ſtay, and a pillar to your Country, in the place of Authority, and Magiſtracy; ſo, as hIuſtin. Martyr. Dialog. cum Tryphon. Iudaeo, p. 172. col. 40.Iuſtin Martyr wrote of Plato, and Pythagoras, in regard of Philoſophy, foreign, they were as the very wall, columne, and prop of the times; in like manner are you (being Learned your ſelf) unto men of that quality: And, (that I may ſelect a more choyce Tulip or two, in this ſo well-furniſhed a garden of ſpirituall flowers) there may we finde for ſoftneſs, and i2 King. 22.19tenderneſs of heart a Ioſiah; for k1 Pet. 3.8.courteous affability, and alacrious lNum 12.3.meekneſs, another Moſes rediv'd, of whom mEccleſ. 45.1, 4.Siracides writeth, that he was beloved of God and men.
Again there, (in a reciprocation of duty) we may ſee, as in a piece of Arras diſplayed, the ſeverall pictures of the Parents, in a correſponding poſterity, in whom their graces are diffuſed, in as great variety as the faces: And though it be a maxime among the *Pure perſonalia non propagantur.Schoolmen, that purely perſonall excellencies, are not traduced by prop gation; yet now I ſee, that may deſcend by imitation:
— *Horat. Flac. carm. lib. 4. od. 4.nec imbellem feroces
Progenerant Aquilae columbam.
What ſhould genuinely deſcend frow an Eagle, but an Eagle like it ſelf? For loe, there may we ſee the *St. John Bampfield Baronet.Son, (a moſt accompliſhed gentleman) moulded at it were, into the like forme of piety, by a zealous patrization; the moſt awfull obſervant Son, of a religious Father in the Nation; whoſe virtuous n2. Epiſt. Iohn. 1.4.Lady (the devout Phoenix of the Weſt) with her oEph. 6.4.well-educated Children walking in the truth, becomes the p1 Cor. 11.7.glory of her husband, and an ornament of her Sexe: nor ſtayeth this here, but the ſame ſanctity is ſpread abroad into all, and every the branches of the ſame Stock.
But, methinks, yet among all thoſe graces, that as precious ſtones qRev. 21.19.garniſh your building, the richeſt Chryſolite, or Amethiſt, is your conſtant r2 Pet. 3.18.proficiency, and ſGal. 6.9.unwearied tMat. 10.22.perſeverance in all; not ſuffering your devotion as Hezekiah's Sun, to go back in its uIſai. 38.8.degrees; no not in theſe ſtagge ring, looſe, and exulcerated times. It is your honour, yea it ſhall be your glory, that you derive your light as thoſe twelve ſtars, (a type of the twelve Apoſtles, Rev. 12.1.) from the Fountain of light the yMal. 4.2.Sun of righteouſneſs, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in whoſe zPſal. 36.9.light alone it is, that you can ſee the true and ſolid light; nor is your motion in Chriſtianity, like that of the Planets in their Epicycles now aſcending, then deſcending; ſometimes ſtationary, anon retrograde; neither doth your devotion, like the river aMaginus Geograph.Jordan gliding in a ſweat, and limpid ſtreame, empty it ſelf into the dead ſea of bHeb. 3.12.Apoſtacy; but rather, as the ſhining of the cCant. 6.10.morning, which ſhineth dProv. 4.18.more and more unto the perfect day, it goeth from ePſal. 84.7.ſtrength to ſtrength; yea, and that even now, when your fEccleſ. 12.5.Almond tree doth flouriſh, your gCanities quaſi flos amygdali, veneranda quidem, ſed mortis nuncia. Anton. Corranus. ad loc.white haires diſcover the winter, and ſnowy time of your Age, yet ſtill you bring forth hPſal. 92.14, Rev. 2.19. & Gerard. Moringus.fruit in old age; your i laſt works, like thoſe of the Angell in Thyatira, being more (if it may be) then the firſt; kforeign. Some ſay the metaphor is taken from the ſilk worm which when it is about to ſpin the fineſt thread, is wont to faſt 2. or 3. dayes together and ſo ſtretcheth it ſelf out at the fulleſt length.ſtretching your ſelf out, as it were, and with your utmoſt endeavours, preſſing towards the mark of perfection, Phil. 3.13, 14. All which I mention with a kinde of tripudiant joy, and exultation of ſpirit, belonging ſo skilfull a Pilot; after the many ſtorms of trialls, and temptations in a tempeſtuous world, to give occaſion to Iſraelites indeed, to praiſe him in the lLaudari poteſt gubern ator in portu.Haven: and your ſun mVt Phaebi lumen dulcius eſſe ſolet jane jam cadentis.now about to ſet (though long may it be, before it ſet) to reflect upon us, at leaſt with ſo ſweet a light, and ſo delectable an influence.
Goe on, Noble Sir, thus to nTit. 2.10.adorn the Goſpell, and as a ſtarr of the greater magnitude, to oPhil. 2.15beautifie the Firmament of the Church; by your perſeverance (the pRev. 2.10.crowning grace) your precious ſoul (by far more ſhining and refulgent, then the moſt orient Rubies) ſhall be faſtened to the qMat. 7.24. & 1 Cor. 10.4.rock of your ſalvation, the Lord Chriſt Jeſus; and your memoriall after you ſhall be bleſſed.rProv. 10.7. Eccleſ. 45.1.
Nothing remains, but that I crave and impetrate pardon for this rude prolixity, and preſumption on your patience: It ſhall no way diminiſh, rather agrandize your greatneſs, that you condeſcend to an acceptation of this mean preſent; hereby, you ſhall ariſe in eminence, becauſe by ſuch a dignation, you become greater then your ſelf, in overcomming your ſelf, and likeſt the greateſt, who took in as good part (when it came from a good tNon de patrimonio, ſed de [animo] opus ejus examinans, &c. conſiderans non quantum, ſed [ex] quanto dediſſet. S. Cyprian. de opere, & cleemos Sect. 14.heart) the widdows uMar. 12.42, 43. Rom. 1.9.mite, as the richeſt offering: May the God of Heaven (whom you ſerve with your ſpirit) and that from your x2 Tim. 1.3.Forefathers, with pure conſcience fill you, and with you all yours, with yRom. 15.13.all joy, and peace of conſcience in this life; and compaſs you all with a diademe of bliſſe, and immortall glory, in the life to come; This is, and ſhall be the fervent prayer of, Sir,
Your humble ſervant in the Lord Chriſt, to be commanded. William Sclater. From my ſtudy in Collompton, April 3. 1650.