Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 3 · Verse 4
VERSE 4. For whatſoeuer things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we throughpatience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might hauehave hope.
THe firſt Propoſition of the Argument, verſ. 3. was this: Whatſoeuer is written of Chriſt we muſt follow. This is here proued by an argument taken from the end of the Scriptures, they are written for our learning.
It ſeemeth to be inferred by a Prolepſis; It is written that Chriſt pleaſed not himſelfe: ſome might ſay, what is that to vsus? Much ſaith Paul; For, whatſoeuer is written aforetime, is written for our learning. That of Chriſt is written afore.
Therefore &c.
Here are two things deliuered of the Scriptures, making for the commendation of them: Their end, which is Doctrine; Their vſe, which is Hope; which Hope, is ſet forth by the meanes whereby it is nouriſhed; Patience and Conſolation, which are noted by their Instrument whereby they are wrought, the Scriptures.
Whatſoeuer things are written aforetime: This notifieth the old Teſtament which was then onelyonly written, and is to be applied to the New alſo; for there is the ſame end of both, which is Chriſt.
Learning: that is, heauenly learning: For other matters, as the Art of Nauigation, Husbandry, &c. may be learned by other writings; but, to know God aright, to vnderſtand his prouidence, the Redemption of man by Chriſt, &c. by no booke to be attained, but onelyonly by the Scriptures.
There is a great booke which ſheweth vsus the Inuiſible things of God, which is the Booke of the Creatures: but the Scripture onelyonly able to make vsus wiſe in ſuch things to ſaluation.
That we might hauehave hope, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures. Hope is the certaine expectation of eternall life to be giuen freely for Chriſt, the daughter of faith, yet being as ancient as the mother. Faith beleeues, hope expects.
Patience is a voluntary ſuffering of things grieuous, for piety ſake.
Comfort is better felt then by words declared; yet you may ſay that it is a ſweet effect of our Iuſtification, vponupon the affections, whereby we re…oyce in the promiſes of God.
Some reade exhortation, becauſe the Greeke word ſignifies both, and M. B…za doth not much diſallow it; Ambroſebut it cannot bee ſo taken here, for the reſuming of both theſe in the next verſe, The God of patience and conſolation; for I remember not that God is any where called the God of exhortation.
Patience and comfort: though they beget not hope, yet they are as the two breſts which nouriſh and confirme it.
Iob ſaid, Though hee ſlay me I will truſt in him: and againe, All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait, Iob 13.15. Iob 14.14.till my change come. His patience, and the comfort he felt, ſuſtained him in this hope.
Of the Scriptures: Scripture is a Latine word, and ſignifies writing: now the bookes of the Old and New Teſtament are called the Scriptures or writings, in regard of their excellency; as onelyonly worthy to bee written: Scriptures, with this addition, Holy.
So we call the Scriptures in one volume, the Bible; which is a Greekiſh word, as if wee ſhould ſay, The Bible, becauſe as Dauid ſaid of Goliahs ſword, there is none to that, ſo we may ſay of this Booke: a Caedar in Lebanon not more exceeding the lowlieſt ſhrub, then this all other bookes. As the gold and ſiluer, and raiment of the Iſraelites comming out of Aegypt was nothing comparable to the riches of Ieruſalem in the dayes of Salomon: Auguſt. l. 2. de Doct. Chriſt. ca. 42.ſo neither the learning of all prophane writings, with the holy Scriptures, as ſaith Saint Auguſtine; For, ſaith he, Quicquid homo extra didicerit, &c. Whatſoeuer a man learnes in other bookes, if it be ill, it is in the Bible condemned, if it be good it is there to be found; and ouer and aboue, there are things of exceeding profit to bee found, which we ſhall meet with in no other booke.
Theſe holy Scriptures worke patience and conſol…tion: that patience and comfort which is gotten elſewhere, will faile in the time of need.
The Scriptures were written for our edification in learning, Doctr. and hope, by patience and comfort. Pſal. 19 7.8.9.10.11. where the effects of the law, or Scriptures of the old Teſtament are ſet downe to bee moſt ſoueraigne and wholeſome; much more now in the addition of the New Teſtament: Rom. 4.23. 1 Cor. 10.11. Ioh. 20.31. 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17.
The Scriptures are moſt excellent. Vſe 1
1 In regard of their Author which is God; but this is not in our Text.
2 In regard of their Contents, which is the heauenly Doctrine, whereby the wounded and dead conſcience is comforted and reuiued.
3 In regard of their perfection; there is no errour in them; there is nothing idle or ſuperfluous: for whatſoeuer is written, (as Paul here (and elſewhere, all Scripture) is exceeding profitable to learning and hope.
We reade the ancient Fathers with ſingular comfort, but in them as in all moderne writers, there is ſomething, if not erroneous aConſule Aug. Marcellino. Ep. 7, yet that might bee ſpared; but this Booke, the whole and eueryevery part of it is profitable, vſefull, and neceſſary; and this onelyonly hath this priuiledge, as S. Auguſtine twice in one Epiſtle acknowledgeth bAug. Hieron. Ep 19., and elſewhere cAug. Vincent. Ep. 48..
Quaeuis bracteola dChryſoſt. Hom. 1. ad pop. Anteoch., eueryevery little filing, the leaſt ray, is of great value.
Singuli ſermones, ſyllabae, apices, puncta, in diuinis Scripturis plena ſunt ſenſibus: In the diuine Scriptures eueryevery word, ſyllable, accent, point, is full of ſenſe, ſaid S. Hierome eHieron. com. in 3. ca. Ep. ad Epheſ..
The Anabaptiſts are here confuted, Ʋſe 2 who refuſe the Old Teſtament. Alſo the Papiſts to be taxed for diuers points.
1 For equalling vnwritten traditions, to the written word in authority.
2 For denying lay people as they call them, to reade the Scriptures, leſt they ſhould thereby proue Hereticks, but in very deed leſt the common people by that light ſhould diſcerne their impoſtures; and therefore whereas the Councell of Trent licenced young men to reade the Bible, hauing a certificate from their Curate of their wiſdome and ſincerity: the Pope, after reſtrained that liberty.
3 For holding the Scriptures not to be neceſſary but onelyonly to the well, and more conuenient being of the Church. They make them neceſſary no otherwaies, then riches to our life, or a horſe to our trauaile: but we hold them, as neceſſary as our daily bread for life; and as our legges for trauailing on foot.
Though when God ſpake face to face to the Patriarcks, and by dreames, &c. there was not ſuch neceſſity of writing, yet now thoſe meanes being ceaſed, S. Iude ſaid, Iude v. 3.it was needfull for me to write.
The Scripture is neceſſary for all, Vſe 3 for learned and vnlearned, for old and young, if they deſire knowledge, comfort, and hope.
Quae nullis animis, nullis non congruit annis,Eſp. in 2. Tim.
Lacte rigans paruos, pane cibans validos.
Saint Auguſtine ſaith, His praua corriguntur, Aug. Veluſ. Ep. 3.parua nutriuntur, & magna oblectantur ingenia: Here ill diſpoſitions may find for them amendment, weak ones for their nouriſhment, good ones for their delight.
Let the vnlearned ſtudy them that they may come to knowledge; and the learned, that they may be put in mind, and ſtirred vp to doe according to that they know.
If thou beeſt faint, here are the Flaggons of wine, and apples of Paradiſe to comfort thee: if thou beeſt ſtrong and healthfull in grace, here is the ſalt, which will keepe thee from putrifying and corrupting.
If the Diuell aſſault thee, here is the Riuer out of which thou maiſt chooſe thee ſmooth ſtones to repell and throw him vnderunder thy feet.
If thy luſts rebell, here is the Sword to cut them off.
If thou beeſt ſicke, here is the Apothecaries ſhop of Cordials, Conſeruatiues, and Reſtoratiues.
It were infinite to trauaile in this commendation.
Let vsus all reade the Scriptures and learne them; let vsus teach our children to ſay Hoſanna, Timothy, knowing the Scriptures from a child, proued an admirable man.
Get thee a Bible, at the leaſt a new Teſtament; it is the beſt implement of houſhold: As he is a ſimple Souldier that wants a ſword, ſo hee is a very ſory Chriſtian that wants a Bible.
The booke of the Scriptures giuen for our learning, Ʋſe 4 alſo to teach vsus patience, and conſolation, and hope.
They are Gods letters to vsus to make vsus not onelyonly more learned, but alſo more godly.
Apply the Scriptures to thy life, and turne the words into workes, or thou loſeſt thy labour.
Many the more they know, the nearer they are to hell, becauſe they liue not according to their knowledge.
As meat plentifully eaten, and vndigeſted, deſtroyeth the body; ſo much knowledge, not digeſted into works, damneth the ſoule.
Therefore If you know theſe things, happy are ye if ye doe them: Iohn 13.17.