Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 3 · Verse 15
VERSE 15. Neuertheleſſe, Brethren, I hauehave written the more boldy vntounto you, in ſome ſort, as puting you in mind, becauſe of the grace which is giuen to me of God.
IN this Verſe beginnes the ſecond part of Pauls anſwer, which is a correction: in which he ſhewes how that by a kind of neceſſity he was enforced ſo to write vntounto them: and herein Paul ſets vsus a copy of a moſt louing, modeſt, courteous, and ciuill manner of writing.
In it there are 2. parts: 1. an affirmation: 2. a confirmation.
The affirmation in theſe words, I hauehave written the more boldly vntounto you, in ſome ſort. where we hauehave, firſt, the fact; ſecondly, the manner of it.
The fact, I hauehave written: The manner, the more boldly in ſome ſort.
In ſome ſort, ex parte, foreign, not on the part of ſome; nor I hauehave written in part; that is, imperfectly, as Stapleton would hauehave it; nor in part of the Epistle; nor referring it to the words following, in part putting you in mind, as Faius; though this be very good, yet it is ſufficiently there implied with a quaſi; but more boldly in part, in ſome ſort; or as wee vſe, ſo he what boldly.
More boldly: this boldneſſe is to be referred both to the ſeuerity and to the prolixity of his Epiſtle. The nice and dainty ſtomackt Romanes could abide neither: not the firſt, becauſe they were great ones; not the laſt, becauſe they were learned. Neither can great ones endure plaine and ſharpe reproofes; nor learned ones long and tedious diſcourſes. Verbum ſapienti. Our Apoſtle is ſharpe and ſeuere to the Gentiles in the firſt Chapter: to the Iewes in the ſecond: to Iewes and Gentiles in the 11. and 14. Chapters. And if we meaſure his Epiſtle by the due proportion of a Letter, it ſeemes rather a booke then a Letter.
The confirmation is in the reſt of the words; wherein Paul excuſeth not himſelfe, as Siracides in the beginning, or the author of the Machabees in the end of his worke: but iuſtifies and auowes his boldneſſe; yet with ſuch ſweetneſſe as becomes his Apoſtolicall breſt, and is for our imitation. Boldneſſe is confeſſed, not culpable, but commendable.
There are two arguments of iuſtification: The firſt taken from the perſons writing, and written vntounto: the ſecond from the cauſes of writing.
The perſons appeare in this word, Brethren: a terme much vſed by Paul, but ſcarce in any place more forcibly, and to purpoſe then in this. I am, ſaith Paul, your brother; the force of my louelove hath extorted this both ſeuerity and prolixity. When friends meet, they draw out the time in diſcourſing, a day ſeemes but an houre, and in the end they are loath to part: and he is no true friend, who when he ſees there is need, will not admoniſh his friend.
The cauſes are two: Finall, Efficient.
The Finall; as putting you in minde: He ſaith not, to teach you being ignorant; nor to correct you being diſordered, but to put you in mind, being a wiſe and very good people. The word ſignifies in the double compoſition, a light, and ſecret putting in mind, as by a becke or holding vp of the finger, by which euen the diligent are admoniſhed: which is farther allayed by a quaſi, foreign, as it were, that the curſteſt among them might hauehave no occaſion to be offended.
The efficient is his calling & duty thereby enioined; which calling, is in the laſt words of this verſe more generally ſet downe, according to the grace giuen to me of God: and more particularly in the next verſe.
In the generall, we hauehave the quality, it is a Grace: the Author, giuen of God.
Grace, that is, ſpeciall fauour, with the gifts iſſuing there from, fit for the Apoſtolicall function. This, and theſe are from God: and it is as if Paul ſhould ſay; By Diuine Grace I am appointed a Preacher, an Apoſtle, and a Teacher of the Gentiles: and you are the top of the Gentiles; 2 Tim. 1.11.therefore I could not omit to write vntounto you; more boldly it may bee you thinke; but not then is warrantable and fit, it being from God.
Miniſters muſt faithfully and diligently performe their office, Doctr. 1 Cor. 4.2. It is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull, 1 Cor. 9.16.—Neceſſity is layd vponupon mee, yea woe is mee if I preach not the Gospell. Read alſo the 4. Chapter of 2 Tim. ver. 1, 2.
A modeſt and ciuill writing and ſpeaking, Ʋſe 1 exceedingly becomes religion: Saint Paul excelled all others herein, who, if euer any, knew foreign to change his voice, Gal. 4.20.and to attemper his ſtyle, that he might profit.
Some are ſo ſowre and rigid, that they account ciuill and well nurtured language, dawbing with vntempered morter; and interpret that to bee zealouſly ſpoken, which is vnciuilly and rudely. But Paul teacheth and practiſeth otherwiſe, as in that his famous Apology, in the 26. Chapter of the Acts of the Apoſtles, verſe 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29. As alſo in all his Epiſtles.1 Tim 5.1, 2. Blanditiis enim obtineri ſolent, quae authoritate non poſſunt. Amb. in loc. Tim.
To this belong thoſe inſtructions hee gaue Timothy, that hee ſhould not rebuke an Elder, but intreat him as a Father, younger men as brethren, &c. Wee preuaile many times more with gentle then with rough ſpeeches. The very beaſts are tamed more with gentle ſtroking and coyeing, then with fierce blowes.
The best need to be put in mind, euen the Romanes, Ʋſe 2 a wiſe and good people.
Acer et ad palmae per ſe curſurus honores,
Si tamen horteris, fortius ibit equus.
A free horſe, if you remember him with the ſpurre, will the more eagerly put forward. 1 Joh. 2.21.I hauehave not written vntounto you, (ſaith Saint Iohn) becauſe you know not the truth, but becauſe you know it. 2 Pet. 1.12, 13.And Saint Peter writeth, I will not bee negligent to ſtir you vp by putting you in remembrance of theſe things though you know them, and be ſtabliſhed in the preſent truth: and againe, to ſtirre vp your pure mindes by putting you in remembrance. 2 Pet. 3.1.So alſo Iude, verſe 5.
This is profitable and ſafe, Phil. 3.1. A Garment double died holds the colour the ſurer, ſo decies repetita (placebunt) manebunt: often teaching the ſame things deeply imprints them. God bids vsus remember the Sabbath in the fourth Commandement; Chriſt bids vsus remember, Iohn 15.20.
We are all dull to learne that which wee ſhould doe, and flow to doe that which wee hauehave learned. The ſharpeſt knife growes blunt, and euen the beſt are ſubieſt to abatements and forgetfulneſſe.
Hence wee may take knowledge of two things. Firſt, of the neceſſity of often preaching, if it were for no other thing then this, to put vsus in minde. Philip the haughty King of Macedon, commanded one to cry eueryevery morning at his chamber doore, Memento te eſſe mortalem, Remember that thou art a mortall man; which his Sonne Alexander the Great, though he knew, yet had almoſt quite forgot. For our forgetfulneſſe we hauehave need of often preaching.
The ſecond thing wee may hereby take knowledge of, is our corruption and reprobateneſſe vntounto that which is good, that we may bee humbled for it, which as it ſhewes it ſelfe in other things, ſo eſpecially in our forgetfulneſſe of the beſt things. We eaſily forget good things, not ſo things vaine and worldly.
As, if you put meale into a ſeiue, the fineſt flower with the leaſt motion falls through, but the branne and courſe skufflings …ine: So if our memories loſe any thing, it is the beſt not the werſt.
What is the reaſon hereof? Surely becauſe we louelove not nor delight in good things as wee doe in vaine and tranſitory. Did you euer know a couetous man forget where he had beſtowed a bag of gold? and Can a Maide forget her ornaments, Ier. 2.32.or a Bride her attire? Yet we forget good leſſons without number. Did we LoueLove theſe as our richeſt treaſure, and delight in them as the beauty and ornament of our ſoules, we would alſo remember theſe.
Be carefull to remember good things, and the rather becauſe Satan is ſo buſie to filch theſe things from vsus. If thou heareſt a Sermon, twenty to one, but the Diuell by inward ſuggeſtions, or outward obiects, will make thee forget it: but if thou heareſt vanity, hee will neuer tempt thee to ſuch obliuion. As a theefe breaking into a houſe takes not away earthen veſſels, or vnproſitable and cumberſome luggage, but gold or ſiluer, or plate, or iewels, or fine linnen; ſo Satan empties not our heads of vanity, and idle ſtuffe, but if there be a leſſon of price, that he ſeekes for a prey.
For help of your memories, heare often, repeat often, continually practiſe, and alwaies pray, that you may louelove and delight in that which is good, and that your minds and memories may be ſanctified to retaine it: which God grant.
The miniſtery of the word is a Grace: It was to Paul, Ʋſe 3 of which ſee my expoſition vponupon Rom. 12.3. It is alſo to vsus: in reſpect of our ſelues, and of our hearers.
1 We are graced by it, being hereby Chriſts embaſſadours, 2 Cor. 5.20. 1 Cor. 3.9.and labourers together with God in the ſaluation of men.
2 And it is a great grace and fauour to you, that wee are enabled with gifts to reueale vntounto you the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt: not for our owne ſakes doth God thus gift vsus, but for yours; See that you profit by vsus.
Among many, Ʋſe 4 there are two things required in a Miniſter in this place; Diligence, and boldneſſe. Hee of all other men muſt not be idle; but either preaching, or ſtudying or praying, &c. alwayes in preparation, or execution, publike, or priuate, till he be tranſlated. As a ſhepheard or husbandman neuer wants worke, as plowing, and ſowing, and reaping, and then plowing againe, and ſo from yeere to yeere. So yee are Chriſts flocke, yee are Gods husbandry, we muſt diligently, teach you, and rather then wee ſhould hauehave nothing to do, put you in minde of the things you hauehave learned. But why doth God require ſo of vsus, that wee may not hauehave our liberty nor take our eaſe? euen that you may thriue and grow fruitfull. Be anſwerable therefore to our paines, or you are nigh vntounto curſing.Heb. 6.8.
He muſt hauehave alſo audacity. When Iethro aduiſed Moſes for the choiſe of Iudges and Iuſtices in Iſrael; the firſt thing he required in ſuch, was, that they ſhould be men of courage: this alſo is requiſite in a Miniſter, not to be afraid, to tell an Ahab or a Herod, if there were ſuch, and wee ſaw cauſe, of their faults. Paul alſo deſires the Epheſians to pray for him that he may boldly vtter the Goſpell. Eph. 6.19.By vertue of our calling we dare tell blaſphemers and drunkards, &c. of their ſinnes. If you dare offend God, we dare reprehend you. Ah my brethren theſe times require bold Preachers: for ſinne is growne impudent: It is rare, to make euill men, afraid, aſhamed of their doings.
It is our part to inſtruct the ignorant, to confirme the weak, to comfort the troubled conſcience, to terrifie the rebellious, to preach mercy to the penitent, to thunder out iudgements againſt the impenitent: to commend the good, to reproue the bad; to encourage the zealous, to put in minde the negligent and forgetfull: and it is your duty meekely to heare and readily to reforme, that you may be bleſſed. Amen.