Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 3 · Verse 22-24
VERSE 22. For which cauſe alſo I hauehave beene much hindred from comming to you. 23. But now hauing no more place in theſe parts, & hauing a great deſire theſe many yeares to come vntounto you, 24. Whenſoeuer I take my iourney into Spaine, I will come vntounto you: For I truſt to ſee you in my iourney, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if firſt I be ſomewhat filled with your company.
HItherto he hath excuſed his manner of writing; now in theſe words, and ſo to the end of this Chapter hee excuſeth his not comming to the Romanes.
And this he excuſeth two wayes: firſt, that hee hath not come yet; ſecondly, that he doth not come now.
The firſt of theſe in theſe verſes, the other in the reſt.
This is brought in by a Prolepſis: for from the 19. verſe ſome might obiect: Paul, you hauehave trauelled into many Countries for the ſpace of theſe 20. yeares; in all this while could you find no time to ſee vsus? muſt we of all other bee the moſt neglected?
To this Paul anſweres: of which his anſwer there are two parts: firſt, the rendring of the reaſon, why hee came not to them as yet. The other a promiſe to come vntounto them.
The reaſon: he was hindred: as if he ſhould ſay; It was not, my brethren, any want of good will, but I hauehave bin hindred.
This is amplified firſt by the greatneſſe of the impediment; I hauehave beene much hindred: if it had beene but a ſleight matter, Paul would hauehave ſtept ouer it, and hauehave come, but it was very waighty.
Secondly, by ſetting downe the thing it ſelfe which hindred him; in theſe words, for which cauſe; namely, preaching Chriſt where hee had not beene named; mentioned in the 20. and 21. verſes. The Romanes were conuerted already, and if Paul had gone to them, he had loſt ſo much time for the conuerting of many people which neuer heard of Chriſt; and ſo had preferred a matter not ſo neceſſary, before the neceſſary and moſt waighty duty of his Apoſtleſhip, which was to plant Churches where there were none. In ſome other place he mentioneth Satans hindring him, who is moſt buſie to oppoſe the preaching of the Goſpell, as that which brings ruine to his kingdome, 1 Theſ. 2.18.but here hee mentioneth the other, which is the let he ſpeakes of, Chap. 1.13.
His promiſe is in the 23. and 24. verſes, where we hauehave the promſe; I will come to you; and the amplification.
Firſt, by two reaſons: the firſt, a kind of neceſſity; ſeing I hauehave no more place in theſe parts, being now come to the borders of Italy; and to the ſea coaſt, planting the Goſpell eueryevery where.
The ſecond, from his deſire to come vntounto them, ſet forth by the antiquity of it; theſe many yeares: That which wee truly deſire we endeauour to enioy, but I hauehave had a long deſire to come vntounto you, therefore I will come.
Secondly, from the time: whenſoeuer I take my iourney into Spaine: It is probable that Paul neuer was in Spaine, though ſome and thoſe ancients too bee of another mind, Howſoeuer, Pauls proiect was, to hauehave by Rome trauelled into Spaine, and there to hauehave preached Chriſt.
Thirdly, from an expoſition: for I truſt, &c. where is firſt a correction; I truſt to ſee you: hee doth not abſolutely promiſe, but he truſteth: which word here importeth fallability, and vncertainty, though when it is vſed of the Supernaturall grace of hope, grounded vponupon ſaith, it notes certainty infallible; but here Paul had no word of faith, though afterward he came to Rome, as in the Story of the Acts. He was not ignorant that many things fall betweene the Chalice and the chinne, according to the prouerb, and therefore he addeth this correction.
Secondly, here is mentioned the benefit comming to Paul by his iourney to Rome, which maketh vp a moſt Chriſtian complement. The benefit is double: Firſt, to bee brought on his way toward Spaine by them: not that Paul affected any ſtate, but to be furthered by their aduice and intelligence, that, being one of their famous Prouinces. The other, contentation, and much ſatisfaction in their company: that I may be filled ſomewhat with your company: He ſaith filled, leſt they ſhould thinke he meant to make no ſtay with them; and ſomewhat filled; to let them vnderſtand, that in his opinion he could neuer be weary of their company, nor ſatisfie himſelfe with it.
The ſumme is, that Paul deſires to come to Rome, but is yet hindred; and he will come if God permit.
The purpoſes and deſires of men, Doctr. are ruled and ouer-ruled by the prouidence and will of God. Prou. 16.9. A mans heart deuiſeth his way, but the Lord directeth his ſteppes. We hauehave a quotidian experience hereof, as witneſſeth our ordinary ſpeech: Man purpoſeth, but God diſpoſeth.
The Goſpell commeth to a Countrey not by chance, Ʋſe 1 nor by the will of man, but by the will of God: and the iourneyes of Miniſters are ſpecially directed, yea their words, as a godly man hauing to admiration ſpoken, Moyſes Abbas, apud Caſſian. collat. 1. c. vlt.confeſſed, ſaying, That though at that time he was ſo enabled, yet he had obſerued, that at ſome other time, being entreated, and hauing a deſire, he could not vtter one ſentence profitably.
Augustine alſo ſaith, That at a Sermon hee conuerted an Hereticke, by a paſſage which was giuen him at that inſtant, of which he had no way meditated before.
In the Reuelation, Chriſt is ſaid to hauehave Starres in his hight hand, which are the Preachers of the Word, enlightning the world with the Goſpell: and ſaid to bee in the right hand of Christ, not onelyonly for protection, but becauſe they riſe and ſette at his appointment, now ſhining in one Country, now in another.
By the mercifull and good prouidence of God, the Goſpell hath ſhined many hundred yeares agoe to this Land: Let vsus take heed vntounto it, and walke in the light while wee hauehave it, that it neuer may be ſaid to vsus, as ſometime to Corazin, Bethſaida and Capernaum, If the preaching that hath been in England, had been in the Eaſt or Weſt Indyes, they would long ſince hauehave conuerted, at leaſt, not ſo hauehave ſleighted and abaſed it, as England doth.
From Pauls practice obſerue a point of wiſdome: Obſer. 1 Paul preferreth planting of Churches, before ſeeing eyther Rome or the Romanes. So preferre thou things neceſſarie before vnneceſſarie, the maine duties of godlineſſe and thy calling, before things of meaner conſequence.
Martha is reprooued by our Sauiour Chriſt, Luke 10.41.42.for want of this wiſdome; and they are not to be excuſed in the Parable, who preferre the trying of Oxen, &c. Luke 14.16.17. & ſeq.before comming to the great Supper.
Eſteeme not by-matters, as maine; nor the maine, as thoſe of the by. It is the great fault of many, that purſue matters of pleaſure, profit, and vnneceſſary and vnprofitable trauaile, leauing the principall and neceſſary duties of their calling and grauer and more weightie employments, Phraſis Ennianae apud Gell. Noct. Att. l. 19. c. 10.praeterpropter vitam viuentes, liuing to any end rather, then that to which they ſhould liue.
Here alſo note a ſecret: Obſer. 2 A man may will that which is contrary to Gods will, without ſinne. This Riddle is aſſoyled, by diſtinguiſhing Gods will: which is eyther of the ſigne, and reuealed, or of his good pleaſure and ſecret.
Whatſoeuer thought or deſire is contrary to the firſt, is a ſin; but not ſo in the ſecond, if it be ſubordinate thereunto.
Paul deſireth and plotteth to come to Rome, and commeth not; to goe into Spaine, and goeth not: Act. 16.6.7.to preach the Word in Aſia, and is not ſuffered, for God willeth otherwiſe, and yet Paul ſinneth not.
Auguſtine giueth a notable inſtance: A man lyeth very ſicke; God willeth that hee ſhall dye of that ſickneſſe; Aug. tom. 3. Enchir. cap. 101.hee hath two ſonnes, one prayeth heartily for his fathers life, the other heartily wiſheth his death: The piety of the one pleaſeth God, though willing another thing then hee willeth; and the impiety of the other diſpleaſeth him, though willing the ſame thing which he willeth.
Dauid alſo is an enſample: He purpoſeth to build a ſumptuous houſe for the Arke: I, ſaith he to Nathan, dwell in an houſe of Cedars, 1 Chron. 17.and the Arke of the Couenant remaineth vnderunder curtaines: I will therefore build an houſe for it.
Nay, ſaith God, thou ſhalt not build me an houſe; yet thou ſhalt be no loſer by it, for I will build thee an houſe, and raiſe vp thy ſeed after thee, and ſtabliſh thy kingdome.
Though God willed otherwiſe then Dauid, yet Dauids will was accepted, as may appeare by the bleſſing, for which Dauid feelingly gaue thankes.
Let vsus ſtudie and deſire to glorifie God, to doe good in our callings, and in the places where we dwell, in repreſſing and reforming ſinne, and in countenancing and furthering godlineſſe, we hauehave a ſweet encouragement, though our purpoſes want effect, yet they ſhall not want a reward.
In all thy promiſes and purpoſes, Ʋſe 2 hauehave this reſeruation: Act. 18.21. Rom. 1.10. 1. Cor. 4.19. Philip. 2.19.If God will; So Paul diuers times: ſo alſo the Heathen, as Tully, Si Dij velint: as Taurus a Philoſopher in Gellius; Dijs beneuolentibus: as Homer, foreign: So that it is a kinde of Atheiſme, not to acknowledge the euents of all things to be in the hands of God.
Though the Lawyers hauehave a Rule, that that is idly expreſſed, which is neceſſarily vnderſtood, becauſe the expreſſion thereof worketh nothing: yet let vsus often expreſſe this, which is alwayes to bee vnderſtood, both to preſerue our ſelues in the faith and remembrance of Gods prouidence; and alſo to inſtruct others therein who heare vsus.
Say not thou, Iames 4.13.14.15.I will goe into ſuch a Citie, and continue there a yeare, and buy and ſell; whereas thou knoweſt not what ſhall bee on the morrow, and thy life is like a vaniſhing vapour: But ſay if the Lord will, I ſhall liue and doe this or that.
Nor ſay thou wilt be reuenged on thy contrary; for not thy will, 1. Kings 19.2. 1. Kings 20.10.but Gods ſhall ſtand: Ieſabel threatneth Eliah, and Benhadad threatneth Ahab, but it is not in their power to bring to paſſe.
Promiſe not to thy ſelfe proſperitie for a long time, eſpecially liuingwickedly: for the life of all men is vncertaine; and the deſtruction of wicked men ſodaine, ſo that they ſhall not eſcape.
The rich foole in the Goſpell will build his barnes bigger, and promiſeth to his ſoule many merry yeares, when he had not one night to liue: Thou foole, Luke 12.18. & ſiq.this night ſhall thy ſoule be taken from thee.
Boaſt not thy ſelfe of to morrow, for thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth, Prou. 27.1. To boaſt of to morrow, is to ſell the Lions skinne while it is on his backe, and he in the forreſt.
To day heare Gods voice, Nemo tam Diuos habuit fauentes Craſtinum vt poſſit ſibi polliceri. Senec. in Thyeſte. Act. 3. Pſal. 102.24.thou canſt not promiſe thy ſelfe a morrow: Dauid prayeth, O my God, take mee not away in the middeſt of my dayes: which ſome expound, Take me not away then when I thinke to liue longer: For it cannot be but exceeding dangerous, then to be called to iudgement, when a man thinketh of longer life, a thouſand to one that mans account is not ready.
Filled with your company. Ʋſe 3 Moſt ſweet and full of content is the Communion of Saints, a kind of Paradiſe to conuerſe with ſuch as feare God: as to ſoiourne in Meſech and Kedar, or in Sodom, with them that hate peace and godlineſſe muſt needs be a vexation to a righteous ſoule.
It is a great corruption not to delight in the ſocietie of the godly: and as great, ſo to ſpeake, liue, and behaue our ſelues, that the godly can take no delight in our ſocietie. What pleaſure can it be, nay it is rather a kinde of Hell, to liue in the company of blaſphemers, drunkards, and prophane wretches.