V erí. 7,8,9. the Epiffle to the Romans. DIALOGUE IV. Verfes 7, 8, 9. For none of us liveth to himfelfe, neither Both any die to himfelfe. For whether we live , we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord : whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lords. For . Che'fl, ere. TimoroauS. WHat is it that Paul doth in there ver- fes? How do they fuit and fort with the former ? S L. Paul refumeth and enlargeth the argument put down in verfe 4. that all being fervants to one common Lord (who with like good will, embraceth and ruleth over all his fervants with e- quail dominion, purchafed by fa great price as his own death) therefore they ought to diffent no longer,or mutually to condemne and judge one another, efpecially teeing the glory of the Lord ught for by his fervants. Scope. The (cope and drift, is to teach and confirme all beleevers, to whom and to what they muff Live and die ; not to themfelves, and to their owne private purpofes and praife, but to Chrifl their Lord, that he in our life and death may be glorified. He confirmes and com- forts the godly that live in all ages,that they fhould be very full of comfort and joy, feting they have a Lord, who ta- keth more care of them in life and death, then they could do of themfelves, being both able and willing to preferve them during their lifc,and being dead, to re- (lore them to a never dying life. For his power is omnipotent, overcoming death in himfelf,being univerfall Judge of all ; and for his will, he is fo affe &ed to all faithfull ones as to his owne re- deemed, dearly purchafed to be his peculiar. The order of thefe words is this :Firl, a propofition that no man liveth or dy- eth to himfelfe, verfe 7. Secondly, a reafpn, becaufe our life and death is to another, even to the Lord Chris, verfe 8. Thirdly, a caufeof this in the fame verfe, becaufe we are the Lords In life and death, therefore muff live and die to him only. Fourthly, an anfwer to a ferret Obje &ion , it ohe fhould aske, How came Chrifl by this right and power in us, and over us ? it is anfwered verfe 9. By his death and re- fttrre&ion, the end whereof was to give him Lordfhip over his Church. In his death was paid the ranfome,in his refur- re &ion hepol %ffed his dominion. For being dead fo long, he could not be Lord and Conqueror, but by rifing again he obtained it : and thathe might for ever exercife this dominion, hemufl both rife from death and revive, or con- tinue alive to continue an eternal! Lord, as it is written, I war dead, and am a- live; and, Behold I live for ever and ever, Revel. '8. Rom. 6. 9.. Chrill being dead, dyeth no more, death hath no more do minion over him. The fumme of all is, that not onely in indifferent things, but in all our Chriflian anions we muff like good fervants leek the honour of Chriff our general and right- full Lord, and therefore muff lay afide our divifions and difcords, which are neither after his pleafure, nor to his praife and glory. T' M. Interpret the words, and tell to what it is [To live to our felves, and to die to our [elves ?] S ' L. To live to himfelfe bath a two- fold fignification, firfl civili, which is double : Firft,to depend on no man, but to live of himfelfe, without help from others, to be beholden to no man : as Abraham would not take a fhoo- latchet from the four Kings which warred with him, Gen.' 4.2 3.Elifba would not at any hand take a gift from Naaman the Syrian, 2 Kings 5. ' 5,'6. Alto in a civill ante it may import to care for none but for our (elves, only to minde our own benefits, with negle& and contempt of al others: As in covetous miters , many unmar- ried Batchellors, and all worldlings do, having a care of themfelves and theirs alone, as if they were borne for none other. The other fence wherein the Apo - lie ufeth theft words, is Theological) and 577
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