Exposition of Romans 4, Exposition · Verse 17
VERS. 17.
Before him, or (as ſome better render) like unto him, or, after the example of him, whom he believed, even God who quickneth the dead and calleth thoſe things which be not, as though they were.
THe Fatherhood of Abraham is here illuſtrated, Cajetan. Beza. Sasbout.as ſome think by the quality, or manner of it; as I rather, with Chryſoſtome, and Theophylact, by ſimilitude. Thoſe that follow the firſt ſenſe, thus render and interpret: Before God that is in the ſight of God, or, in Gods eſteem: the ſenſe is, Not ſo much by carnall generation, which hath place with men; as by ſpiritual cognation, wherein faith combines us, which God principally reſpects: Chryſoſtome and Theophylact follow the other interpretation; foreign that is, ad inſtar Dei, or as the word natively ſignifies, Ex adverſo Dei, that is, after the example of God: Exemplar enim ex adverſo opponimus, ſaith Sasbout. Senſe So that the ſenſe is this; So far hath God honoured Abrahams faith, that in reſpect thereof, he hath made him like himſelf, a father, not of this or that nation; but univerſally of all, amongſt all nations, believing after his example.
The ſcope of which particle is thus conceived by Theophylact: The Iews ſeemed zealous of Abrahams honour and prerogatives, and thought them much impeached, if his works were excluded from his juſtification, &c. but in the mean time, denying his fatherhood to be the reward of believing, Theoph. ad loc.and reſpective to faith in his poſterity, they impaired much that honour, that God vouchſafed him, in making him like himſelf, a father of many nations; which honour he could not preſerve, if it accrewed from the naturall nexus, and tie of bloud, and not rather from the propinquity of faith.
The ſecond point of illuſtration, is the means, whereby Abraham became father of nations; and that is, by believing: like him whom he believed: take the addition cauſally, and that faith of Abraham is explicated by the ground of it. The power of God intimated in that deſcription of God, by his powerfull effects, annexed; Which raiſeth the dead &c.
Obſerv The points are theſe: Firſt, That Abraham by believing, or in reſpect of faith, became father of the nations, as Theophylact pro praeſtita fide; for the faith which he ſhewed, he received this as a reward, to be father of Nations.
The inferences thence are theſe: Firſt, That the Jewes carnall deſcent from Abraham, ſevered from faith, made them not the ſeed of Abraham; I mean that ſeed, to which the promiſes of Abraham belonged: compare Ioh. 8.39, 40. and Rom. 9.7, 8. &c.
The ſecond this; That Gentiles believing, are that ſeed of Abraham, though they deſcended not out of his loyns: Know ye, ſaith the Apoſtle, That they which are of faith, the ſame are the children of Abraham; and again, They which be of faith, are bleſſed with faithfull Abraham; Gal. 3.7, 9.
That this may the better appear; Let us conſider the relation, wherein Abraham and the Nations ſtand: The Relative, is Abraham; The Correlative, the Nations, or his ſeed. What is here the foundation of the relation between them? Namely faith; that is it, that makes Abraham Father of nations; that it therefore, that makes the nations his children: Abraham by believing, became Father unto the Nations; we therefore by believing, become Children of Abraham: Where faith hath place, there is place for this relation to Abraham; where that is wanting, the relation ceaſeth; for that is in this relation, the fundamentum.
So that vainly do unbelieving Jewes, lay claim to Abrahams Covenant, in reſpect of the naturall bond of bloud between them: and on the other ſide; ſoundly do Gentiles believing, make title to Abrahams Covenant, in reſpect of the propinquity faith hath founded betwixt them.
Obſerv The Second point here obſervable, is the ground of Abrahams faith; that was the power of God, which he conſidered in the wonderfull effects whereto it extends: And let us note it, as a piller for faith to reſt on; the infinite, and unreſiſtable power of the promiſer: It it well obſerved by Zanchius, that in great prudence, the pen-men of the Apoſtles creed, prefixed the article of Gods omnipotency, as a ſtaff to ſupport our frail faith, when ever the ſtrange and ſupernaturall works of God, after mentioned, ſhould come into queſtion: It is a point of faith, that God made all things of nothing; conſult with nature, ſhe hath this principle, ex nihilo nihil fit; but hold this ground, God is omnipotent, the article is eaſily credited: It is a point of faith, that the body diſſolved into the firſt principles ſhall live again; naturall principles are againſt it: A privatione ad habitum impoſſibilis eſt regreſſus; but conſider, that the promiſers power can quicken the dead; the point eaſily admits credence.
Let us (frail creatures) when ever we feel faith wavering, as touching Gods promiſe, caſt our eyes to the tranſcendent power of the promiſer; able, as *Eph. 3.20.Paul ſpeaks, to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we can ask, or think: To particularize a little, for help of the ſimple: We have a promiſe, that hell gates, that is, Satans policy, and power, Mat. 16.18.ſhall not prevail againſt us, to overthrow our faith; Let a weak man conſider his naturall conſtitution of fleſh, and blood, the ſmall meaſure of faith given him, together with the might of ſpirituall enemies, principalities, and powers, as Eph. 6.12. How impoſſible ſeems perſeverance to a man exerciſed with temptations? But if a man would remember the comfort, in like caſe miniſtred to the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 12.9. From the power of God, perfected in our weakneſs, herein hath the weakeſt amongſt Gods little ones, cauſe of confidence, and inſulting over the malice of Satan: This wiſdome learn we in our weakneſs.
One Caveat by the way muſt be remembred: That in reaſoning from Gods power to any event, for the ſtabliſhing of faith, there muſt be evidence alſo of Gods (will,) to perform it: It hath been in all ages, an uſuall ſophiſme of Heretiques, to fly from Scriptures to the power of God, for confirmation of their abſurdities.
Praxeas, Tertullian, adverſ. Prax.in Tertullian, maintains this hereſie, That God the Father is alſo the Sonne, and was incarnate: How proves he it? Nihil Deo difficile, nothing is hard to God; and thoſe things that are impoſsible to men, are poſſible to God: Therefore it was not hard for God, to make himſelf the ſame perſon, both Father and Son: To whom Tertullian well anſwers, That this ſentence is of undoubted truth, Nothing at all is hard unto God; but yet, if we ſhall thus abruptly uſe this ſentence, in our preſumptuous and ground leſs conceits we may feign any thing of God, as if he had wrought it, becauſe he had power to work it: Non autem quia omnia poteſt facere, ideo credendum eſt illum feciſſe etiam quod non fecerit ſed an fecerit requirendum: God could have furniſhed man with wings to flie; he hath done it to kites; follows it thence, that he hath done it? yea, or that ever it ſhall be done? In a word; Dei poſſe, velle eſt; & non poſſe, nolle: Quod autem voluit, & potuit, & oſtendit, &c. Pſal. 115.3.Gods power muſt be conſidered with his will and ſignifications thereof: what he will do, he can do; what he hath ſignified he will do, let us build upon it, that it ſhall be effected; but where we want evidence of his will, we ſhall but abſurdly expect the event, in reſpect of his power: for he can do more then ever ſhall come to paſſe.
With like frand do our Tranſubſtantiatours, and their of spring Ubiquitaries, delude the ſimple, perſwading the reall preſence of Chriſts body; ſome, in many; ſome, in all places; by this as one argument, God is omnipotent: Quis hoc neſciat? To vield, that it is poſſible for God to make reall communication of immenſity (part of his incommunicable glory) to Chriſts Humanity; and to grant, that God can uphold a body in its eſſence, without that eſſentiall property of a body, Circumſcription: What Divinitie teacheth to believe (that) as actually true, which God hath power to effect, where is no evidence of his will, to work it? Abraham reſted on Gods power, and therewith ſupported his faith; but it was for things whereof he had a promiſe; as after followeth, foreign. And of the generalis thus far. Let us now view the words.
Who quickneth the dead, and calleth things that be not, as though they were] Theſe effects ſubject to Gods power Abraham conſidered fittingly for ſupport of his faith, in the particular promiſed him.
Senſe For theſenſe of the words: Sasbout, Cajetan, & alii.Many Interpreters take them particularly; and thus interpret: Who quickeneth the dead] That is, that gives generative virtue, to men diſabled for generation, ſo putting (as it were) a new life into them. And calleth the things that are not as if they were] That is, that makes eximious, things contemptible: the Gentiles that were no people, a people of God.
I rather think, they are to be taken in their largeſt ſenſe, according to the immediate purport of the words; though I confeſs, Abraham from them inferred the particulars of his promiſe: and thus conceive Abraham to have reaſoned, for the eſtabliſhing of his faith. His firſt concluſion is this; My body now as dead, in reſpect of the act of generation, God will quicken, and make vigorous. His argument; God by his power can quicken the dead; therefore, he can give generative vigour to my dead body.
His ſecond Concluſion: The ſeed promiſed, though it yet ſubſiſt not; yet ſhall have being. His argument, God by his word makes things to be, that are not: Ergo.
The queſtion here moved by ſome ſeems to me impertinent: Whether it be Gods property onelyonly to raiſe the dead? inaſmuch as the Apoſtles purpoſe here is, not to deliver theſe, as effects peculiar to Gods power; but rather to ſhew, that they are things ſubject to his power; Which was that, that Abraham conſidered, for eſtabliſhment of his faith. In the mean time, I joyn with them in the concluſion; That theſe effects fall not under the compaſs of any created power: for howſoever we read of ſome Prophets, and Apoſtles, that rayſed up the dead; yet was not the virtue that quickened them inherent in them; they being but inſtruments, if ſo much; rather ſignifiers of Gods will to effect ſuch miracles. In a word, in all miraculous effects, three ſorts of cauſes muſt be diſtinguiſhed. 1. The principall efficient, that is, Gods power. 2. The inſtrument, or mean cauſe; which ſometimes are creatures, and their actions; not ſo much elevated above their naturall ability; as choſen of God to be attended with his divine virtue. 3. The cauſe diſpoſitive, which is fides miraculoſa. Gregor. Dial. lib. 2. cap. 30.Gregory goes far, yet ſtayes within theſe bounds; Sancti aliquando, ex poteſtate miracula exhibent, aliquando & poſtulatione; utrolibet tamen modo. Deus principaliter operatur, &c. ſaith Thomas. If therefore at any time, this effect be aſcribed to Saints, it is to them onelyonly as inſtruments or means by faith obtaining the miracle to be wrought, by the power of God.
Sive ſit Elizaeus, ſive ille magnus Elias, mortuorum uti que ſuſcitatores, ipſi quidem ſuo non imperio ſed miniſterio for is exhibent nobis nova, & inſueta; Deus verò in ipſis manens ipſe facit opera: Bern. ſuper Cantic. Serm. 13.
Ʋſe Let us ſee to what uſe the meditation of theſe mighty effects of Gods power may ſerve us. God quickneth the dead, and calleth the things that be not, as if they were, that is, by his word gives things being, that erſt had no being in nature. When there was no light, he onelyonly ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light; when no firmament, he called for a firmament, and there was a firmament. Theſe and the like effects of Gods power Abraham meditated; and thereby aſſured himſelf of obtaining the promiſes, that had no help of performance in nature.
As comfortable and great promiſes God hath made us, as he did to Abraham; as, to raiſe our bodies out of the duſt of the earth, and to make them like to the glorious body of the Lord, his Son Chriſt, Phil. 3.21. Why ſhould it ſeem encredible to any, as Paul ſpeaks, that the Lord ſhould raiſe the dead? Acts 26.8. He could, at firſt, build the body in that excellent figure, out of the duſt; why not again repair the ruines death hath wrought in it? He quickneth the dead.
He hath promiſed to *Iſa. 5 7.15.revive the ſpirit of the humble, and to bring them up from the gates of hell: Why are our ſouls ſo diſquieted with our preſent apprehenſion of Gods wrath, as if our ſtate were remedileſs: He quickens the dead.
Promiſed to work faith knowledge, ſanctification in the hearts of all, that conſcionably ſeek them in the means. What now, if we feel nothing but infidelity? Let him but call for faith, by his word he works it in the moſt incredulous: and as he cauſed the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, ſo can he cauſe the light of the glorious Goſpel of Ieſus Chriſt, to ſhine in the hearts, that yet ſit in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death.
In theſe ſpirituall effects of his power inſtances we have daily. How many dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, hath he quickened by his ſpirit, to newneſs of life? How many incredulous, yea oppoſites to faith, hath he by his word, brought to the obedience of the faith? His hand is not ſhortned; it is ever true of him, He can quicken the dead; and ſtill by his word give being to things, that erſt had no ſubſiſtence. This may ſerve to direct us, in uſe of theſe marvellous effects of Gods power, for ſtabliſhing of faith. And of the firſt member of this Chapter, thus far. The ſecond followeth, from the 18th verſe, to the 23.