Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 1 · Verse 12
VERSE 12. — Let vsus therefore caſt off the workes of darkneſſe, and let vsus put on the Armour of light.
IN theſe words are the generall Exhortation, iſſuing out of the Reaſon contained in the firſt words of this verſe, of which before.
This Exhortation hath two branches, according to the two parts of the Reaſon; The night is farre ſpent; therefore caſt off the workes of darkneſſe: The day is at hand, therefore put on the armour of light: In each of theſe are two things: The Act: the Obiect.
In the firſt branch, the Act is, Caſt off: the Obiect, the workes of darkneſſe.
Darkneſſe is the priuation of light, cauſed by the abſence of the Sunne, when the body of the Earth is interpoſed betweene vsus and it: here tranſlated to ſignifie an vnregenerate eſtate, when the cogitation is darkened, and the ſoule deſtitute of the light of Grace: and there is an excellent Analogie and ſimilitude betweene bodily and ſpirituall darkneſſe, and that in fiue things.
1 Tenebra eſt viſus impeditiua, J…an à S Ge…ano, lib. 1 de … & cl…, …p. 3….darkeneſſe hindereth ſight: and therefore tenebrae, à tenendo, becauſe our eyes are as holden that wee cannot ſee, to reade, to diſtinguiſh colours, &c. In the Night Coloromnthus vnus: So an vnregenerate man is blinde, he ſees not the foul…neſſe of ſinne, the danger of his ſoule, &c.
2 It is greſſus prohibitiua, it hinders a mans going and trauell: when the plague of thicke darkneſſe was vponupon Aegypt, Exod. 10.23.it is ſaid that no man roſe from his place for three dayes; they might hauehave candle and fire, yet the darkneſſe was ſo thicke, that the light of theſe could not pierce it: it was a darkneſſe that might hauehave been felt.
So the vnregenerate, in regard of their blindneſſe, lye and die in their ſinnes, if God mercifully enlighten them not.
3 Darkneſſe is caſus inductiua, cauſeth a man dangerouſly to fall: He that walkes in the night, here runnes againſt a poſte, there tumbles into a ditch.
So the way of the wicked is as darkneſſe, P…. ….9.they know not at what they ſtumble, as Salomon ſaith.
4 It is timoris incuſſiua, darkneſſe ſtrikes a feare into a man. In the darke night a little noyſe, any vnexpected thing in our way, yea ſometimes a mans owne imagination will make h… afra…d, though otherwiſe of good courage.
So the darkneſſe …f the vnregenerate makes them feare, where no feare is; as in the ſuperſtition of the Heathen is manifeſt. So the Papiſts are afraid of eating an egge in Lent, and thinke the Diuel would fetch them away if they ſhould eate freſh vponupon a faſting-day; but it is their darkneſſe, for if they had light, they would diſcerne, that not for theſe things, but for the…r …dolatries, Act 10.cruelties, blaſphemies, &c. they had cauſe to feare. Peter was afraid to eate out of the ſheete, but it was his ignorance.
5 Darkeneſſe is Ʋerecundiae diminutiua, it diminiſheth ſhamefaſtneſſe, and makes men bold to doe that then, of which they would be… ſhamed in the day-light: Nox & Amor vinum que nihil moderabile ſuadent.
So the vnregenerate becauſe of their darkneſſe, are not aſhamed of drunkenneſſe, whoredome, ſwearing, lying, &c. they are impudent as an harlot, they hauehave a whores forhead, and reiuſe to be aſhamed.
But a regenerate man, if hee bee by infirmitie ouertaken with a fault; how is he aſhamed of himſelfe, and to ſhew his head before God or men? If a man doe ill, and be not aſhamed, it is his darkneſſe.
Work…s of darkneſſe. By workes are meant all ſuch practices and courſes which come from an vnregenerate eſtate, which are called of darkneſſe in three reſpects.
1 Becauſe they iſſue from the darkneſſe of the minde, for it is that which bringeth forth drunkenneſſe, &c. All ſinnes come from our corruption, and from Satan the Prince of darkneſſe.
2 Becauſe they are done in darkneſſe, 1. Theſſ. 5.5.
3 Becauſe they lead vsus to darkneſſe, for ſuch workers are ſentenced to vtter darkneſſe.
Caſt off: as a man when he begins to riſe, caſteth off his blankets and bed-clothes; but becauſe a man that doth ſo, at night returneth thither againe to bee couered with ſuch things: therefore rather ſo to caſt off, as a man that hath ſo long worne a ſuite, that now it beginneth to doe him diſcredit to weare it; or yet rather, as a man comming out of priſon, hauing filthy ragges about him, and full of vermine; goeth aſide, putteth them off, and hurleth them away on ſome dunghill, or into ſome ditch, and neuer purpoſeth to touch them more: ſo are wee to caſt off the workes of darkneſſe, as whoredome, drunkenneſſe, &c. theſe naſtie ragges, with indignation, throwing them into Hell, their proper place from whence they came.
And let vsus put on the Armour of light. The Action here, is putting on; the Obiect, the Armour of light.
1 Light, in oppoſition to Darkneſſe, implying a holy and ſanctified eſtate, being renued by the Spirit of God.
Grace of ſanctification is called light: becauſe as the light, Iames 1.17. Malachy 4.2.it comes from heauen, from the Father of lights, and from Ieſus Chriſt the Sunne of righteouſneſſe. An eſtate of Grace, is a heauenly eſtate.
2 Becauſe as light manifeſteth dangers and ſnares, ſo the minde being renued, and enlightned with grace, diſcerneth betweene good and bad, truth and falſehood, and ſeeth that the end of euill wayes is aſſured deſtruction, &c.
3 Becauſe, as light is comfortable, ſo the conſcience is cheared by grace.
4 Becauſe he that liueth holily, is a light to others, who by the ſhine of his good workes, glorifieth God.
Armour of light: foreign, Bez… tranſlateth with a circumſtance of words, Induamur habitu qui luci conucniat; put on a habite ſutable to the light: but the word foreign, properly ſignifieth Armour, and it is ſo proper to Paul to ſpeake after this manner, that I wonder M. Beza would not retaine the antient and proper tranſlation herein.
Rom. 6.13. We reade of Inſtruments or weapons of vnrighteouſneſſe, and righteouſneſſe: and when Paul reckoneth vp the particular graces of Sanctification, he doth it vnderunder the termes of ſuch pareels of armour, which are vſed in the war. So Epheſ. 6.11. put on, ſaith he, foreign the whole armour of God, the parcels whereof follow in that place. So 1. Theſſ 5.8. faith and louelove are called a breſt. plate, and hope a helmet of ſaluation.
Workes of light, are called Armour, becauſe of their defenſiue, and offenſiue property: they helpe to defend our conſciences againſt Satan, and they offend Satan; nothing almoſt vexeth the foule ſpirit more, then our conſcionable and vpright proceeding in godlineſſe.
Put on: a metaphor from the putting on of apparell, familiar with Paul, of which more, verſ. 14.
M. Beza tranſlateth it in the paſſiue, Induamur, let vsus bee put on, becauſe this armour is beſtowed vponupon vsus from aboue, it is the holy Spirit which faſhioneth it, and girdeth it to vsus.
The conſideration of our holy calling to the ſtate of grace, Doctr. ought to teach vsus to hate and abhorre euill workes, and to doe the good. Epheſ. 5.8. Yee were ſometimes darkneſſe, but now yee are light in the Lord; walke as children of light. 1. Theſſ. 5.8. Let vsus who are of the day be ſober. Tit. 2.11.12. The grace of God hath appeared, teaching vsus to deny vngodlineſſe, &c. 1. Ioh. 2.8.
EueryEvery man ought to manifeſt his regeneration, Ʋſe 1 by the light of his life: nay it will be ſo, if once enlightned, there will be as much difference from our former eſtate, as between light and darkneſſe; if once grafted into Chriſt, our fruit will bee ſo changed, that there will be as much difference from that which was, as betweene the faire and ſweet fruit of Paradiſe, and the moſt bitter Coloquintida.
EueryEvery thing doth agree performam, worke according to, and by the forme: fire will heate, if it bee fire, and light will diſpell darkneſſe: if we hauehave receiued grace, our conuerſation and whole behauiour will be gracefull: If we ſay that wee hauehave fellowſhip with him (who is the light) and walke in darkeneſſe, we lye, and doe not the truth.
If thou beeſt ord…narily drunke, if thou delighteſt in vanitie, art a common blaſphemer, &c. there is no light, no grace. Eſay 8.20.To the law, and to the teſtimony; if they ſpeake, (and do) not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no light in them.
We muſt caſt off euill with hatred to it, Ʋſe 2 and put on goodneſſe with delight in it.
Many will ſpet at the naming of the Diuell, and ſay they defie him; but haſt thou caſt him out of thy heart? Many will ſay they cannot abide hypocriſie, diſſembling, malice, ſlandering, pride, &c. which yet continually practiſe ſuch things: when thou heareſt or ſeeſt euill, as ſwearing, drunkenneſſe, &c. doth thy heart riſe againſt ſuch euils, for the true hatred thou beareſt to them, and in this hatred doſt thou abandon the workes and workers of ſuch darkneſſe? If ſo, this is a good ſigne.
Many will commend the Word, but if the Preacher come home to their conſcience, and tell them of their beloued ſinne, they will ſtorme and rage: many will commend ſobrietie, chaſtitie, humilitie, patience, but put thou them on, and weare them.
Put on the Armour of light. Where there is vſe of armour, Ʋſe 3 there is ſome feare of danger; yet if there come danger, bleſſed be God that we hauehave Armour.
A godly man is armed from top to toe, Satan may buffet him, but deſtroy him he cannot, for he is armed in proofe.
Miſerable is the vnregenerate man, for hee is both blinde and naked: how eaſily are ſuch aſſaulted, wounded, and in body and ſoule deſtroyed by Satan.
Let vsus put on the armour of light: and for as much as Chriſt hath ſuffered for vsus in the fleſh, foreign arme your ſelues with the ſame minde, namely, to ceaſe from ſin, 1. Pet. 4.1.2.3.and to liue the reſt of our time, not to the luſts of men, in laſciuiouſneſſe, exceſſe of wine, &c. but to the will of God.