Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	effect_n	faith_n	good_a	3,186	5	4.5750	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17643	A commentarie vpon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romanes, written in Latine by M. Iohn Caluin, and newely translated into Englishe by Christopher Rosdell preacher. Whereunto is added a necessarie table for the better and more readie finding out of certayne principall matters conteyned in this worke; Commentarius in Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos. English	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Rosdell, Christopher, b. 1553 or 4.	1583 (1583)	STC 4399; ESTC S107213	360,940	450

farre forth as it obteineth for vs the grace of God Neither doeth he onely pronounce God the giuer of righteousnesse but also condemneth vs of vnrighteousnes that the liberality of God might helpe our necessity To be briefe Faith adorneth vs with the righteousnes of Christ which it beggeth of God none shall come vnto the righteousnesse of faith but he that is a sinner in himselfe For this circumlocution is to be applied vnto the circumstaunce of the place that faith doth adorne vs with the righteousnesse of another which righteousnes it beggeth of God And here agayne God is saide to iustifie vs whiles he doth freely pardon vs being sinners and doth loue vs with whom he might iustly be angrye namely whiles by his mercy he doth away our vnrighteousnes 6 Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednesse of man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without works saying 7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen whose sinnes are couered 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lorde imputeth not sinne 6 As Dauid c. Here wee may see they doe but cauil which woulde hemme in the woorkes of the lawe with in the compasse of ceremonies Seing he now calleth them simply and without any additioÌ„ works As works are here taken indefinitely for all workes so in the whole disputation which he called before the works of the law If no man can deny but a simple vnlimited speeche suche as we haue now in hand is indifferently to be vnderstood of euery woorke the same must alway hold in the whole disputation For there is nothinge lesse reasonable then to take the power or force of iustification away from ceremonies onely seeing Paule doeth indefinitely exclude workes Heereunto apperteyneth the contrary member that God doeth iustifie men by not imputing their sinne In whiche woordes also wee are taught that righteousnesse with Paule is nothing els then the remission of sinnes Lastly that this remission is free because it is imputed without woorkes which the verie name of remission sheweth For that creditoure or lendour whiche is paide doeth not remitte but hee which willingly of meere liberalitie doeth cancell or rase out the debte Away nowe with those teach vs to redeeme pardon of our sinnes by satisfactions from which remission of sinnes Paule fetcheth an argument to establishe the free gift of righteousnes For howe is it possible they shoulde agree with Paule they say by woorkes wee must satisfie the iustice of God that wee may obtayne pardon of our sinnes On the contrary Paule reasoneth that the righteousnesse of fayth is free and without workes because it dependeth vpon the remission of sinnes This were vndoubtedly a false argument if in the remission of sinnes there were any regarde or respect vnto woorkes at all In like sort by the same wordes of the prophete the follie of the Schole men is refuted touching halfe remission They babble that the fault being remitted the punishment is reteined of God but the Prophete he crieth that our sinnes are not onely couered that is taken awaye in the sight of God but also hee addeth they are not imputed How shall God take punishment of those sinnes hee doth not impute therefore there remaineth sound vnto vs God forgiueth not onely the fault but also the punishment this most excelleÌ„t sentence he is iustified by faith who is purged or clensed before God by the free remission of his sinnes Moreouer hence may be gathered the perpetuall continuance of free righteousnes or iustification through the whole life For when Dauid being weried with the continuall sting of his conscience burst foorth into this saying he spake surely by his owne experience And now also he had serued God many yeeres Therfore after great proceedings or goings forward at the leÌ„gth he proued it by experience true that all they are miserable which are cited before the iudgement state of God crying out there is none other way to obteine blessednes then if the Lorde receiue vs into fauour by not imputing our sinnes Whereby the imagination of those is verye well refuted which dreame that the righteousnesse of faith is but the entrance so that the faithfull by woorkes retayne the possession of righteousnes Righteousnes not only begun but also continued by faith which righteousnes they did not obteyne by any merites Where as some times workes are saide to be imputed vnto righteousnes and also other beatitudes are reckoned that doth nothing preiudice the sentence of Paul The psal .. 106.30 Psa 106.30 saith it was imputed for righteousnes vnto Phinees the priest of the Lorde that in taking punishment vpon the adulterer and the harlot hee tooke away the reproche of Israell In deede we heare in this place howe a man did a good woorke but wee knowe a man is not iustified for one deede For there is required a perfect and most absolute obedience as the promise saith He that shall doe these shall liue in them Leuit. 18.5 Howe then is this punishment of Phinees imputed vnto him for rigteousnesse surely it must needes bee he was iustified before by the grace of God For they which haue put on the righteousnes of Christ haue God not onely fauourable to them selues How righteousnes is sometime giuen vnto workes but also to their woorkes whose spots moles are couered with the puritie of Christ that they come not into iudgement whereby workes being infected with no corruptions are counted iust and that no woorke of man can any otherwise then by this fauour please God it is euident And if the righteousnes of faith be the onely cause why our works are counted iust see then how sottishly they reason because righteousnes is giuen to workes it is not of faith onely But I oppose an inuincible argument against them namely that all works are condemned for vnrighteous except a man be iustified by sole faith The like is to be vnderstood of blessednes they are denounced blessed which feare the Lord Psal 128.1 Psal 1.2 and walke in his wayes Which meditate in his law day and night but because no man doth that in such perfection as were meete that the commaundement of God might be fully satisfied al such blessednes is voide of none effect vntill that we being purified and clensed by the remission of sinnes be made blessed and so are made capable of that blessednes which the Lord promiseth for his seruants for the studie of the Lawe and good workes Therefore both righteousnesse of workes is an effect of the righteousnesse of fayth and the blessednesse commeth of workes an effect of the blessednes with coÌ„sisteth in the remission of sinnes If the cause neither ought neither can be destroyed of his effect they goe ill fauouredly to woorke if any goe about to ouerthrowe the righteousnesse of fayth by workes But why may not a man will some say by those testimonies contend to proue a man to bee iustified and also made blessed through woorkes

vs a very fruitfull doctrine which I will comprise in fewe wordes and leaue to the consideration of euery man Assuredly Paul defineth not the praise of our saluation to be in our selues but deriueth it wholly froÌ„ the fountayne of Gods free fatherly loue towards vs. Gods free fatherly mercy is the fountayne of health and saluation For hee maketh this the original that God loued vs. And what other cause was there of his loue then his meere goodnesse Hereupon not onlie our calling dependeth whereby in his time he sealeth his adoption in those Two things required in the true members of Christ faith in Gods mercy and the study of pietie whom he had freely chosen before But also we geather that none can rightly associate or couple himselfe vnto the number of the faithful but they must certainly beleeue that the Lorde is mercifull vnto them although they are vnworthy and miserable sinners and being stirred by his goodnes must giue all their studie to come vnto holinesse For hee hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse 1. Thes 4.7 Seing the Greeke may be translated by the second person I doe not see the reason why the person should be chaunged Grace and peace Before all other thinges it is to be wished that we may haue GOD fauourable towards vs which is signified by grace As all thinges fal out for good where Gods fauour shineth so on the contrary c. Then secondly that prosperitie and successe of al thinges may proceede from him which is vnderstood by the word peace For howsoeuer al things seeme to laugh vpon vs if God be angry euen blessing it selfe is turned into a curse Therefore the only foundacion of our felicity is the fauour of God whereby we inioy true and perfect prosperitie yea euen in aduersities also our saluation is aduaunced And whereas he prayeth for peace from the Lord we vnderstand that whatsoeuer good thing commeth vnto vs the same is a fruite of Gods fauour Neither is this to be omitted that he doth also pray for these good thinges from the Lord Iesus All good things come vnto vs through Christ For worthily is this honour giuen vnto him who is not only the minister and disposer of his fathers bountifulnes towardes vs but also together with the father worketh all thinges Yet the mind of the Apostle properly is to note that all the benefites of God come vnto vs through him There are some which by the worde peace had rather vnderstand the peace of conscience which signification I denie not but sometimes it hath but seeing it is most certayne that the mynd of the Apostle in this place was briefly to put downe the summe of good things that former interpretation whiche is approued of Bucer is more conuenient by a great deale Therefore hee willing to wishe the summe of felicitie vnto the godlye goeth vnto the fountayne as of late namely the grace of GOD which alone doeth not onelie bring vnto vs eternall blessednesse but also is the cause of all good thinges in this life 8 First I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all because your faith is published throughout the whole worlde 9 For God is my witnesse whom I serue in my spirite in the Gospel of his sonne that without ceassing I make meÌ„tion of you 10 Alwaies in my prayers beseeching that by some meanes one time or other I might haue a prosperous iourney by the will of God to come vnto you 11 For I long to see you that I might bestow among you some spiritual gift to strengthen you 12 That is that I might be comforted together with you through our mutuall faith both yours and mine 8 First c. Here beginneth the entraunce which is verie aptly applyed vnto the cause for by reasons taken as well from his owne person as from theirs he doeth conueniently prepare them vnto docilitie or easines to be taught Paule prepareth the mynds of the Romanes by reasons takeÌ„ both from his owne and their person The reason from their persoÌ„ is that he reporteth the famousnes of their faith For therby he insinuateth that they being laden with the publike prayse of Churches could not refuse an Apostle of the Lorde but they shoulde deceyue that opinion which all men had conceiued of them which is counted barbarous and in a manner nigh vnto infidelitie As this reporte therefore ought to induce the Apostle that hauing conceyued well of their obedience hee shoulde take vppon him according to his office to teache and instructe the Romanes so it bounde the Romanes agayne that they shoulde not despise his authoritie From his owne person hee stirreth them vnto docilitie with a testification of his sincere loue For there is nothing more effectuall to procure credite vnto him that counselleth then if hee haue gotten this opinion that hee is thought euen from his hearte to studie and prouide for our wealth First this is woorthie to bee noted that hee so prayseth their fayth that yet hee ascribeth it vnto GOD Faith is the gift of God as receyued of him Whereby wee are taught that fayth is the gifte of GOD. For if thankesgiuing bee an acknowledging of a benefite then hee doeth acknowledge fayth to bee of GOD who so doeth giue him thankes for it And in as muche as wee see the Apostle beginneth his gratulations with thankesgiuing We are at all times to vse such speeches as may moue vs others to acknowledge Gods goodnes wee maye knowe that we are admonished that all our good thinges are the giftes of GOD. And also it is expedient that wee acquaint our selues with suche kinde of speeches as thereby wee may the rather at all tymes bee remoued to acknowledge GOD to bee the giuer of all good thinges and prouoke others also vnto the same mynde And if it bee meete to obserue this in the least blessinges muche more in faith whiche is an excellent and singuler grace of GOD. We must giue thanks to God through Christ Furthermore heere wee haue an example howe wee are to giue thankes by Christe according to the commaundement of the Apostle to the Hebrues Heb. 13.15 euen as we aske and obteyne mercy at the hands of the father in his name Finally he calleth him his God This is a speciall prerogatiue of the faithfull to whom onely God giueth this honor For therin is coÌ„teyned a mutual respect Iere. 30.22 which is expressed in the promise I wil be their God and they shal be my people Although I had rather restrayne it vnto the person which Paule did beare that it might be an approbation of the obedience whiche hee performed vnto the Lord in the preaching of the Gospel So Ezechias calleth God the God of Esay Esay 27.4 when he would geue testimony vnto him that he was a true and faithful prophet So also by a kynd of excellencie he is called the God of

no lawe is there is no transgression 14 For if they whiche are of the lawe By an argument taken from that is impossible or absurde hee proueth that that grace which Abraham obteined of God was not promised vnto him in regarde of the Legall part or in respect of workes for if this condition had beene interposed that God woulde vouchsafe to adopt those onely whiche deserue it or which keepe the lawe no man shoulde haue durst to beleeue that it apperteineth vnto him For what man findeth suche perfection in himselfe that hee dare resolue himselfe the inheritaunce is due vnto him by righteousnesse of the lawe Then were faith made voide because an impossible condition doeth not onely holde the mindes of men in suspence and maketh them doubtfull but also doth smite them with feare and trembling So the effect of the promises shoulde vanishe away because they profite nothing except they be receiued by faith If our aduersaries had eares to hearken to this one reason If saluation were grounded vpon the keeping of the law then neither should mens consciences bee at peace neither the promise haue effect then shoulde the controuersie betweene them and vs easely come to an ende The Apostle taketh it for a thing out of all question that the promises of God can not be effectuall except we receiue them with sure affiaunce of minde And what should come to passe if the saluation of man were grounded vpon the keeping of the lawe the consciences shoulde haue no certaynetie but beeing vexed with a perpetuall vnquietnesse at length shal fall to desperation The promise also whose performance dependeth vppon an impossible thing shoulde vanishe away without fruite Let them goe now whiche teache the wretched people to saue themselues by works seeing Paule doth plainly pronounce that the promise is made of none effect if it depend vpon workes But that is very necessary to be knowen faith is made voyde if it stand vpon workes For therby we both learne what faith is and what kynde of righteousnesse that righteousnesse of workes ought to be whereunto men may boldly trust The Apostle teacheth that faith doth perishe vnlesse the soule rest securely in the goodnesse of God faith then is not either a naked knowledge of God or of his truth What faith is neither a simple perswasion that God is that his worde is trueth it selfe but a sure knowledge of the mercie of God conceiued by the Gospell which sure knowledge bringeth the peace and rest of conscience towardes God The summe therefore is that if saluation rested in the obseruation of the law the mynde of man coulde haue no certainty thereof yea what promises soeuer were offered vs of God they should be voyde and of none effect So miserable wretched are we if we be turned ouer vnto workes whiles the cause and certainty of saluation is to be sought for 15 For the law c. This is a confirmation of the former sentence taken from the contrary effect of the lawe For seeing the law begetteth nothing but vengeance it cannot bring grace To those were good and perfect it would shew the way of righteousnesse The law by reason of our corruption begetteth nothing but vengeance but in as much as it commaundeth those are sinfull corrupt what they ought to doe and ministreth not strength to performe the same it proueth them guilty before the iudgement seate of God For such is the corruption of our nature that the more we are taught what is iust and right the more plainely is our iniquity discouered Wrath for iudgement and chiefly our disobedience and so the greater iudgement of God is procured By wrath vnderstand the iudgement of God in whiche significatioÌ„ it is often vsed They whiche vnderstande it that the wrath of the sinner is inflamed by the lawe because he hateth and curseth the Lawgiuer whom he seeth to be aduersant to his lustes They say that wittily but yet vnfitly in respect of the present place For that Paule woulde not any thing els but shewe howe nothing except condemnation commeth vnto vs all by the lawe both the common vse of the woorde and also the reason which hee addeth straightwayes doth declare Where there is no lawe The second proofe wherby he confirmeth that whiche hee said For otherwise it would haue beene obscure how the wrath of God should be kindled against vs by the lawe vnlesse the reason were more apparant And that is because we hauing tasted the knowlege of the iustice of God by the lawe The more knowledge men haue the more heinous is their transgression offende so much the more greeuously against God as there remaineth lesse excuse vnto vs. For they are worthie to susteine more greeuous punishment whiche despise the knowen will of God then they sinne of ignoraunce The Apostle speaketh not of the simple transgression of righteousnesse from the which no man is exempted but hee calleth that transgression when a mans minde beyng taught what doth please or displease God doth wittingly and willingly burst the boundes prescribed vnto him by the worde of God And that I may speake in a worde transgression heere doeth not signifie a simple offence but a purposed stubbornes in violating iustice I take this particle ou aduerbially to wit for where Others turn it whereof as though it were a pronowne relatiue but the first reading agreeth best whiche is also most receiued Whether reading soeuer you followe the same sense abydeth namely that hee who is not instructed by the written Law if hee offende is not guiltie of so greate transgression as hee who stubbornely infringeth and breaketh the Lawe of God 16 Therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace and the promise might bee sure to all the seede not to that onely whiche is of the Lawe but also to that whiche is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all as it is written 17 I haue made thee a father of many nations euen before God Whome hee beleeued Gee 17. 4. who quickeneth the dead and calleth those thinges which bee not as though they were 16 Therefore it is of faith This is the windyng vppe of the argument so that you may gather the whole into this summe If the inheritance of saluation come vnto vs by workes then shall the faith thereof fall the promise of it shall be of none effect but both these must be sure Therfore it commeth vnto vs by faith that the firmenesse thereof beeing founded vpon the only goodnesse of God it might haue a sure effect See howe the Apostle esteeming faith by firme True faith excludeth wauering doubting and stable certaintie doth counct doubting and wauering for incredulitie whereby both faith is abolished and the promise abrogated And yet this is that doubting which the Schoole men terme Moral coniecture and if it please God they put it in steed of faith That it might come by grace Here first

So to what condition soeuer God create a man he taketh nothing from him Onely that is to be remembred namely that God is partly robbed of his honour vnlesse such autoritie be giuen vnto him ouer men that he may be iudge of life and death 22 What and if God would to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction 23 That he might also declare the ritches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glory The second answere 22 What and if The seconde answere wherein he doth briefly declare although the counsel of God be incomprehensible on this part yet it is apparant his equitie is vnblamable no lesse in the destruction of the reprobate then in the saluation of the elect He doeth not giue a reason of the election of God in such sort as though hee woulde assigne the cause why this man is chosen and that reiected For both it was vnmeete that those things which are conteined in the secrete counsayle of God should come vnder the censure of man and also that mysterie was vnfoldable therefore hee restrayneth vs from examining those things curiously which exceede the capacitie of man in the meane while he sheweth that so farre forth as the predestination of God doeth shewe forth it selfe therein appeareth true righteousnesse I take the particle eide which Paul vseth as though it were said what and if that this whole sentence may be interrogatiue For so the meaning shall be more apparant and it shall be a kind of silence or concealing wherein must be vnderstood who therefore can accuse him of vnrighteousnesse or appoint him a day For here appeareth nothing but the moste straight rule of righteousnesse But if wee will vnderstande the minde of Paule euery worde almost is to be examined For thus hee reasoneth there are vessels prepared for destruction that is bequeathed and destinated to destruction there are also vessels of wrath that is made and formed to this ende that they might be testimonies of the vengeance and wrath of God Now if God patiently suffer those for some time not destroying them at the first moment but differring the iudgement prepared for them and that to shew forth the testimonies of his seueritie that others might bee terrified by so horrible examples and also to set foorth his power whereunto hee maketh them diuersly to serue and lastly that thereby the greatnesse of his mercie towardes the elect might be better knowen and more clearely appeare what is woorthie to be reprehended in this dispensation howe be it it is no maruell though he shewe not whence it is that they are vessels prepared for destruction For out of that is gone before he taketh it to be a sure thing that the cause is hid in the eternall and vnsearchable counsell of God the righteousnes wherof we ought rather to worship then to search after And he hath put vessels in a generall signification for instrumentes For whatsoeuer action there is in any creature it is as a man would say the ministery of the power of God Very fitly therefore are wee the faithfull called vessels of mercie whiche the Lord doeth vse as instrumentes to shewe foorth his mercie and the reprobate the vesselles of wrath seeing they serue to shewe foorth the iudgementes of God 23 That hee might also declare the riches Because I doubted not but in these two particles kai ina and that there was a displacing of woordes that being in the first place shoulde bee in the last to the ende this member might the better agree with the former I haue translated it That he might also declare And it is the seconde reason By the destruction of the reprobrate Gods mercy towards the elect is made more manifest which manifesteth the glory of God in the destruction of the reprobate because thereby the greatnes of the goodnes of God towards the elect is more largely confirmed For what do these differ from those but that they are deliuered from the same goulfe of destruction by the Lord And that by no desert of their owne but of his free goodnesse Therefore it can not otherwise bee but that infinite goodnesse of God towardes the elect shoulde bee commended more and more when wee consider howe miserable all they are who doe not escape his wrath I interprete the word glory which is twise repeated heere to bee put for the mercy of God by the figure metonymia which is heere by putting the effect for the cause for his chiefest prayse consisteth in doyng good So to the Ephesians Ephe. 1.13 after hee hath taught how we are adopted of God to the prayse of the glory of his grace shortly after hee addeth that wee are sealed by the spirite of inheritaunce to the prayse of his glory the woorde grace being left out His meaning therefore is to signifie that the elect are instrumentes or vesselles whereby God doth exercise his mercie that hee might gloryfie his name in them And although in this seconde member hee doeth more expressely affirme that it is God who prepareth his elect vnto glorie when as before hee had simplie sayde that the reprobate are vesselles prepared vnto destruction yet there is no doubt but the preparation of them both doeth depende vppon the secrete counsayle of God Otherwise Paule had sayde the reprobate giue or cast themselues into destruction But nowe hee giueth to witte that before they are borne they are already addicted to their lot 24 Whom hee hath also called namely vs not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles 25 As he sayth also in Osee I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloued which was not beloued 26 And it shall be in the place where it was saide vnto them yee are not my people that there they shal be called the children of the liuing God 27 And Esay cryeth concerning Israel though the number of the children of Israel were as the sande of the sea yet shall but a remnant be saued 28 For he making his account short and gathering it into a briefe sum in righteousnesse because the Lorde will make a short account in the earth 29 And as Esay had said before except the Lord of hosts had left vs a seede we had been made as Sodome and had bin like to Gomorrha 26 Whom he hath also called Out of that disputation which hee hath hitherto had of the libertie of Gods election two thinges followed namely that the grace of God is not so included within the people of the Iewes that it can not also flowe forth vnto other nations and spread it self ouer the whole world Secondly that it is not so tyed to the Iewes that it must needs come vnto all the sonnes of Abraham according to the fleshe without exception For if the election of God be grounded vpon his pleasure onely whither so euer his will shall turne

the way they wearied themselues in vayne Nowe in the first place hee seemeth vnto mee to haue put the lawe of righteousnesse by the figure hypallage for the righteousnesse of the lawe Hypallage is when thinges are turned vpside downe and in the repetition of the seconde member in another sence to haue so tearmed the forme or rule of righteousnesse Therefore the summe is that Israel depending vpon the righteousnesse of the lawe namely that which is prescribed in the lawe had not the true maner of iustification And it is a notable allusion of woordes whiles hee teacheth that the legall righteousnesse was in cause that they fell from the lawe of ryghteousnesse 32 Not by fayth but as it were by woorkes Because commonly the excuse of preposterous zeale seemeth to bee iust Paule sheweth they are iustly reiected who seeke to gette vnto themselues saluation by the confidence of workes because so much as in them is they destroy fayth out of the which there is no health to be hoped for Therefore if they shoulde bee partakers of their desire that successe shoulde bee a making voyde of true righteousnesse Faith and the merit of works are vtterly contrary Furthermore thou doest see howe fayth and the merites of woorkes are compared together as thinges vtterly contrary Seeing then the confidence of workes is a great let whereby the way to obteyne ryghteousnesse is stopped vp agaynst vs it is necessary that that being reiected wee rest vpon the onely goodnesse of God For this example of the Iewes ought iustly to terrifie all those who seeke to obtayne the kingdome of God by woorkes For as it is alreadie declared hee calleth not the obseruations of ceremonies the woorkes of the Lawe but the merites of workes vnto the which faith is opposed which faith not regarding his owne worthynes doth that I may say so with both eyes beholde the sole mercie of God For they haue stumbled at the stumbling stone By an excellent reason hee confirmeth the former sentence For nothing is more absurde then that they shoulde obtayne righteousnesse whiche goe about to ouerthrowe it Christ is giuen vnto vs for righteousnesse hee laboureth to depriue him of his office who so thrusteth vpon GOD the righteousnes of woorkes And hereby it appeareth so often as men rest vpon the confidence of woorkes vnder the vayne pretence of being zealous for righteousnes by furious folly they fight with GOD. Moreouer it is no harde matter to bee knowen howe they stumble at Christ who trust to the confidence of woorkes for except wee acknowledge our selues to bee sinners Howe iusticiaries stumble at Christ bare and voyde of righteousnes that is our owne wee obscure the dignitie of Christ whiche consisteth in this that hee might bee light health life resurrection righteousnesse and medicine to vs all And to what ende serue all these but that hee might lighten the blinde restore the damned quicken the dead reare them vp are brought to nothing washe them are full of filth cure and heale those are deadly diseased yea if we clayme vnto our selues any righteousnes wee doe in a sort striue with the power of Christ seeing his office is as well to beate downe all pride of fleshe as to ease and comfort those labour and are heauie laden And the testimonie is properly cited For there God denounceth that he will be an offence to the people of Iuda and Israel where at they shoulde stumble and fall Seeing Christe is the same God spake by the Prophet it is no maruaile though that bee nowe fulfilled in him And calling Christe a stone of offence Hee admonisheth that it is not strange if they profited not in the way of righteousnesse who stumbled at the offence by their owne peruerse stubbornes wheÌ„ God had declared an easie way And it is to bee noted that this doth not properly and of it selfe agree vnto Christe but rather is accidentall by the malice of men as it followeth straightwayes 33 And euery one that beleeueth in him shal not be ashamed Hee adddeth this testimonie beeing taken other where to the consolation of the godly as if hee said where as Christe is called a stone of offence there is no cause that therefore wee shoulde bee afraide of him or in steede of truste conceiue trembling For hee is ordeined to the ruine of the faithlesse but to the life and resurrection of the godly Therefore as that Prophecie of stumbling and offence is fulfilled in the rebellious and faithlesse so there is another which is directed to the godly namely that he is a strong stone a precious and corner stone most firmely grounded vpon whom whosoeuer shall leaue he shall not fall And whereas hee hath put not to bee ashamed For not to make hast or precipitate that he had from the Greeke interpreter Assuredly the Lord there goeth about to confirme the hope of his And when the Lorde biddeth vs hope well thereby it followeth that we cannot be ashamed 1. Pet. 2. See the place of Peter not much vnlike vnto this CHAP. 10. 1 BRethren my heartes desire and prayer vnto God for Israel is that they might be saued 2 For I beare them recorde that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge 3 For they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going aboute to establishe their owne righteousnesse haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God 4 For Christe is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beleeueth HEreby we may see with how great carefulnesse the man of God doth occurre or meete with offences For yet that hee mighte temper whatsoeuer was bitter or sharpe in opening the reiection of the Iewes hee testifieth as before his good will towardes them and doth confirme the same by the effect namely that hee had a care of their saluation before the Lorde For this affection springeth from pure charitie Although perhaps for some other cause also hee was forced to testifie his loue towardes the nation whereof hee came for his doctrine had neuer beene receiued of the Iewes if they had thought him to be their sworne enemie and also his falling from the lawe had been suspected of the gentiles because they had thought that for the hatred of men he was an Apostata from the lawe as wee haue touched in the former Chapter 2 For I beare them recorde This apperteineth to procure credite to his loue for there was iust cause why he should rather haue compassioÌ„ on theÌ„ then hate them seeing that he saw they fell onely of ignorance not through wickednes of mind yea when hee saw that for no other cause then for some affection of God they were moued to persecute the kingdom of Christ But heereby let vs learne It is dangerous to follow our good intentions whether our good inteÌ„tions do carry vs if we obey them Commonly this is thought to bee a good and very fit excuse when hee that is reproued

testameÌ„t is made manifest where besides the forgetting of sin the holy spirite is promised In the 7. Chapter he entreth into a most necessary disputatioÌ„ of the vse of the lawe whiche hee had lightly by the waye touched before giuing a reason why wee are loosed from the law because that by it self it had no power but vnto condemnation And least this should turne to the reproch of the law he doth mightily cleare the lawe from all reproches For he sheweth that through our fault it came to passe that the lawe which was giuen for life was made the matter of death Declaring also howe sinne is encreased by it From hence hee passeth to the description of the fight between the spirite and the flesh which fight the children of God feele in themselues so long as they are shut within the prison of this mortall body for they beare the reliques of concupiscence wherby they are continually drawen partly from the obedience of the law The eight chapter is full of consolations least the consciences of the faythfull being feared with that disobedience which he reprooued before or rather imperfect obedience should be ouerthrowne But least that the wicked should take occasioÌ„ herby to flatter theÌ„selues first he sheweth that this benefit doth not appertein vnto any but vnto the regenerate in whoÌ„ the spirit of God liueth is of force Therefore he vnfoldeth two things the first that all those which are graffed into the Lord Christ by his spirit are freed froÌ„ the danger feare of condemnation howsoeuer they are yet laden with sinnes Secondly that they which yet remain in the flesh without the spirit of sanctification are not partakers of this so great a benefit theÌ„ afterward he declareth howe great the certainetie of our trust is seeing the spirit of God by his testimony doth driue away all douting and wauering Moreouer by an anticipation or preuenting he sheweth that the assurance of eternall life caÌ„not be interrupted or disturbed through the preseÌ„t miseries whereunto for the time of this mortall life we are subiect but rather by such exercises our saluation is furthered vnto the excellencie whereof if all the present miseries bee compared they are nothing This thing he confirmeth by the example of Christ Who as he is the first begotten obteining the principalitie in the house of God so he is the first paterne whereunto we ought all of vs to be conformed And therfore as vnto a thing most safe and sure hee addeth a notable triumphe wherein he triumpheth couragiously against the power and engines of Satan And for as much as many were greatly mooued when they sawe the Iewes which were the principall keepers and heires of the couenat to dispise Christ for thereby they gathered that eyther the couenant was translated from the posteritie of Abraham whiche contemned the keeping of the couenant or els this was not the promised Sauiour whiche prouided not better for the people of the Iewes he beginneth to meet with this obiection in the entraÌ„ce into the nienth chapter Hauing therefore first of all testified his goodwill towardes his countreymen the Iewes that they might not think hee spake any thing of malice and also hauing mentioned those ornaments whereby they excelled others he descendeth easily to the taking away of that offence which did arise of their cecitie or blindnes And deuideth the sonnes of Abraham into two sortes that he might declare how that all those which are borne of him according to the fleshe are not to bee reckoned in his seed to participate the grace of the couenant And on the contrary those which are not borne of his seed to be counted for sonnes if they be ingraffed by faith Wherof he proposeth an example in Iacob and Esau Therefore he calleth vs here vnto the election of God vpon the which this whole matter must necessarily consist and depend Againe seeing this election leaneth only vpon the mercie of God in vayne is the cause thereof sought for in the worthines of men Reprobation is contrary which notwithstanding it is most iust yet is there no cause aboue the will of God About the end of the chapter hee declareth by the testimonies of the Prophetes both the calling of the Gentiles and also the reprobation of the Iewes In the tenth chapter hauing begunne agayne with the testification of his good will towards the Iewes he sheweth that the vaine trust of workes was the cause of their ruine And least they shoulde pretende excuse by the lawe hee preuenteth that declaring howe by the lawe wee are also led as it were by the hande vnto the righteousnesse of faith Adding that this righteousnesse through the bountifulnesse of God is indifferently offered vnto all nations but yet to be apprehended of those onely whom God hath lightened with his speciall grace And whereas moe Gentiles then Iewes are partakers of that blessing he sheweth that that also was forespoken of by Moses and Esai The one whereof prophesied playnely of the calling of the Gentiles and the other of the hardening of the Iewes Here yet remayned a questioÌ„ whither the couenant of god put not some difference between the seede of Abraham other nations Whiles he goeth about to satisfie this question first he admonisheth that the worke of God is not to be bouÌ„d vnto the sight of the eye seeing many times the elect passe our vnderstanding Euen as in olde tyme Elias was deceiued who thought that religion was vtterly perished among the Israelites when as yet there were seuen thousande aliue Secondly that we are not to be troubled with the multitude of vnbeleeuers whiche wee see abhorre the Gospel At the length hee affirmeth that the couenant of God abideth yea euen in the posteritie of Abraham according to the fleshe but yet in those whom God according to his free election hath predestinated Then he conuerteth his talk vnto the Gentiles least they growing too proude through their adoption shoulde lift vp themselues against the Iewes as reprobates when in the meane time they excell theÌ„ in nothing but in the fauourable acceptation of the Lorde which ought rather to bee vnto them a cause of humilitie And the same also is not vtterly departed from the seede of Abraham for the Iewes at the length by the fayth of the Gentiles shall bee prouoked vnto emulation that so GOD may gather vnto him all his Israel The three Chapters following conteyne preceptes or instructions touching manners but they are diuersly distinguished The twelfth Chapter conteyneth generall preceptes concerning a christian life The thirteenth chapter for the most part is spent in establishing the authoritie of Magistrats Whereby wee may make a most certayn collection that there were then some vnquiet persons which thought christian libertie coulde not stande vnlesse the ciuill power were ouerthrowne But least Paul shoulde seeme to impose any thing vpon the Church besides the dueties of charitie hee sheweth that this obedience is also conteyned vnder charitie After this hee

before men but accused them by the iudgement of their conscience And by this he counted that vndoubtedly to be prooued whiche hee went about namely Hypocrits must be sharply reproued els they will not awake out of their securitie that if they descended into them selues and admitted the examination of Gods iudgemente they coulde not denye their iniquitie Neyther is that without great neede that with suche seueritie and sharpenesse hee reprooueth this counterfeyte holinesse For this sorte of men with wonderfull securitie truste in them selues vnlesse this vayne confidence be violently shaken from them Let vs remember therefore that this is the beste way to conuince hypocisie if it bee awaked from his drunkennesse and drawen into the light of Gods iudgement That thou shalt escape The argument is drawen from the lesser For if wicked deedes must bee subicet to the iudgement of man much more to the iudgement of GOD who is the onely iudge of all thinges It is verilye through an heauenly instinct that men are carried to condemne wickednesse but this is onely an obscure and small shadowe of his iudgement They therefore whiche will not let others escape their iudgement are greatly deceiued to thinke they can escape Gods iudgement Neither is it without speciall force that he expresseth agayne the name of man that he might compare man with God 4 Or despisest thou the riches c. I doe not thinke with many that there is here a Dilemma Dilemma is an argument that conuinceth euery way but a Preoccupation For because Hypocrites for the most part are puffed vp with the prosperous successe of thinges as though by their good works they had merited the clemencie of the Lorde and so they are more hardened in the contempt of God the Apostle meeteth with their arrogancie and by an argument taken from the contrary cause hee sheweth there is nothing shoulde moue them to thinke by reason of their externall prosperitie that GOD is pleased with them seeing the purpose of God in doing good is farre otherwise namely that he might conuert sinners vnto him Therefore where the feare of God raigneth not Without the feare of God security in prosperity is a contempt of Gods goodnes securitie in prosperous affayres is a contempt and mockerie of his incomprehensible goodnesse Whereuppon it ensueth that they shall suffer more grieuous punishmentes whome GOD hath spared in this life because vnto their other wickednesse this hath beene added that they haue refused the fatherly calling of GOD. And although all the benefites of God are so many testimonies of his fatherly goodnesse yet because hee often respecteth a diuerse ende the godlesse do wickedly to flatter themselues in their prosperitie as though they were beloued of him whiles hee nourisheth them tenderly and bountifully not knowing that the bountifulnesse c. For GOD by his leuitie declareth himselfe vnto vs that it is hee vnto whome wee ought to bee conuerted if wee desire to bee well and together hee cheereth vp the confidence of looking for mercye If we vse not the bountifulnesse of GOD to this ende wee abuse it Although it is not alwayes to bee taken after the same manner For whiles the Lorde doeth deale fauourablye with his seruauntes Diuersity betweene the ende why God bestoweth his blessinges vpon the godly and godlesse and blesse them with earthly blessinges by suche testimonies hee declareth his beneuolence and also teacheth them to seeke for the summe of all good thinges in him Whiles he dealeth with the transgressours of the lawe in the same sorte by this bountifulnesse hee goeth about to mollifie their stubbornesse and yet hee declareth not himselfe to be pleased with them but rather calleth them to repentance And if anye obiect Obiection that the Lorde singeth vnto deafe men so long as hee doeth not inwardly touche the heart it is to be aunsweared that nothing can be blamed here but our prauitie Moreouer Answere in the wordes of Paule I had rather say hee leadeth then hee inuiteth because that is more significant And yet notwithstanding I doe not take it for to driue or force but for to leade by the hand 5 But thou after thine hardnesse c. When we are once hardened agaynst the admonitions of the Lorde impenitencie doeth followe and those whiche haue no care to repent doe manifestlye tempt the Lorde This is a notable place where we are to learne as I touched before EueÌ„ those thinges which by their owne nature are good serue to the destrucion of the wicked that the wicked doe not onely so long as they liue heere daylye more and more heape vp the wrath of God againste them but also that it shall serue to their condemnation whatsoeuer of the giftes of God they vse continually For they shall giue accounte of all And then shall appeare that it shall bee imputed vnto them for extreeme wickednesse that through the bountifulnesse of GOD whereby they shoulde haue beene bettered they were made worse Let vs therefore take heede leaste by the vnlawefull abuse of good thinges wee lay vype for our selues this vnhappie treasure In the day of wrath So it is woorde for woorde But for Eis Hemeran against the day or into the day For the godlesse nowe gather againste themselues the indignation of God The day of iudgment is the day of wrath to the wicked but the day of redemption to the godly the force whereof shall then power it selfe vppon their heade they heape vp secrete destruction whiche then shall bee taken out of the treasures of God The day of the last iudgement is called the day of wrath so long as the speach concerneth the wicked for to the faithfull it is the day of redemption So likewise are all other visitations of the Lorde alwayes sette foorth in horrible and fearefull manner agaynst the wicked but on the contrarie sweete and pleasant to the Godly Therefore as often as the Scripture maketh mention of the nearenesse of the Lorde it biddeth the Godlie reioyce and be gladde and whiles it respecteth the reprobate it doeth nothing else but smite with terrour and feare That daye sayeth Sophonye Soph. 1.15 shall bee a daye of wrath a daye of tribulation and anguishe a daye of obscuritie and darkenesse a daye of cloudes and blackenesse Ioel 2.2 The like you haue in Ioel. And Amos also cryeth out woe vnto you that desire the daye of the Lorde Amos 5.18 what haue you to doe with it That daye of the Lorde is darkenesse and not light More ouer when Paule addeth the woorde declaration hee giueth to vnderstand what daye of wrath that is namely when the Lorde shall make his iudgement knowen of whiche iudgement albeeyt hee daylye giue certayne tokens The cleare manifestation of Gods iudgemeÌ„t reserued til the last day yet hee conserueth and keepeth the cleare and full declaration thereof vnto that day For then shall the bookes bee opeâ— ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ â—n shall the Lambes bee

Obiection for the woordes of the Scripture say no more that a man is iustified by faith and made blessed by the mercie of God then by workes Verily here as well the order of causes as the dispensation of the grace of God is to bee considered Answere For because what so euer is spoken either of the righteousnes or blessednes of workes it taketh no place vnles this sole righteousnes of faith goe before and onely fulfill all partes this must be reared vp and established that the other as fruite from a tree may growe and come forth of it 9 Came this blessednesse then vpon the circumcision only or vpon the vncircumcision also for wee say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnes 10 Howe was it then imputed when he was circumcised or vncircumcised not when he was circumcised but wheÌ„ he was vncircumcised Because there is mention made of circumcision and vncircumcision onely some foolishly gather there is nothing els in question then that righteousnesse is not obtayned by the ceremonies of the lawe But wee are to note with what sorte of men Paul hath to deale For wee knowe that hypocrites whiles in generall they boast their meritorious workes yet they pretende a colour in externall workes The Iewes also which thorowe the grosse abuse of the lawe were alienated from true and perfect righteousnesse had their peculier reason Paul saide no man is blessed but he whom God by his free mercie reconcileth to himself whereby it foloweth all they are cursed whose works come into iudgement Now this principle is holden that meÌ„ are not iustified by their worthines but by the mercy of God But yet that is not inough except remission of sinnes go before al works of the which circumcision is the first whereby the people of the Iewes were ingraffed into the obedience of God Wherefore hee goeth on in shewing that also Wee are alwayes to beare this one thing in minde that circumcision is reckoned here as the inceptiue worke if I may so terme it of the legall righteousnesse How the Iewes gloried in circumcision For the Iewes did not glorie in it as in the pledge or seale of the grace of God but as in a meritorious obseruation or keeping of the lawe Therefore they preferred themselues before others as though they were more excellent then others in the sight of God Nowe wee see the controuersie is not of one rite but vnder one kind are all the workes of the lawe that is all workes to the which wages can be due comprehended And for this cause chiefly is circumcision named because it was the foundation of legall righteousnesse But Paul disputeth from the contrary if the righteousnesse of Abraham bee the remission of sinnes which he bodily taketh for a thing granted and the same remission of sinnes came vnto Abraham before circumcision then it followeth the remission of sinnes was not giuen in regard of merites going before Thou seest it is an argument draweÌ„ from the order of the causes and the effects For the cause is euer before his effecte But righteousnesse was in Abraham before circumcision 11 After hee receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith whiche was in the vncircumcision that hee might bee the father of all them doe beeleeue by vncircumcision wherein righteousnesse is also imputed vnto them 12 And the father of circumcision not vnto them onely which are of the circumcision but vnto them also that walk in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham which he had when he was vncircumcised 11 After hee receiued the signe By the way of anticipation or preuenting hee declareth Though circumcision iustified not yet was it not in vaine that though circumcision iustified not yet was it not in vayne or superfluous seeing it had another and the same a very excellent vse namely whose office was to seale the righteousnes of faith as it were to make it sure And yet in the meane while froÌ„ the ende it self he insinuateth vnto vs that it is not the cause of righteousnesse For it tendeth vnto the confirmation of the righteousnesse of fayth yea and of that verily which was had in vncircumcision therefore it derogateth or taketh nothing from it Moreouer heere wee haue a notable place concerning the common vse of Sacramentes The common vse of Sacramentes for they are as Paule witnesseth seales whereby both the promises of GOD are after a sort sealed in our heartes and the certitude of the grace of GOD established And although they profite nothing by them selues yet GOD who woulde haue them to bee instrumentes of his grace doeth make that they wante not a secrete grace and profite in the electe And although they are vnto the reprobate only dead vnprofitable figures yet they alwaies retaine their vertue nature for albeit our incredulitie depriue vs of their effecte yet it shaketh not neither extinguisheth the trueth of God Wherefore let vs stande sure that the holy Sacramentes are testimonies wherewithall God sealeth his grace in our heartes Touching the Sacramente of circumcision this is to bee saide in particular therein was a twofoulde grace represented GOD promised to Abraham a blessed seede wherein both hee and all the worlde should hope for health Heerevpon depended that promise I will bee thy GOD. Gen. 17.7 Therefore the free reconciliation in GOD was included in that signe and the analogie or proportion serued that the faithfull might respect the promised seede Againe God required integritie and holinesse of life by the Sacrament hee declared howe it might bee come vnto namely if in man that bee cutte off whatsoeuer commeth of the fleshe because the whole nature of man is corrupted By the externall signe therefore hee admonished Abraham that he shoulde spiritually circumcise the corruption of his flesh wherevnto also Moses alluded Deut. 10.16 And that he might shewe it was not the woorke of man but of God hee wold haue tender infants circumcised who for want of yeres cold not as yet execute that commaundement For that spirituall circumcision is an effect or worke of the celestiall power Moses hath spoken as you haue in Deut Deut. 30.6 The Lorde shall circumcise thy heart The Prophetes also afterwarde declared the verie same more clearely Finally as at this day baptisme so in olde time circumcision consisted of two partes namely that therein was testified as well newnesse of life As circumcisioÌ„ in old time so baptisme at this day is a signe of a twofold grace namely of the remission of sinnes and sanctification as the remission of sinnes but where as in the person of Abraham circumcision was after righteousnesse that houldeth not alwaye in the Sacraments as it appeareth in Isaac and his posterite but GOD woulde once at the beginning shewe foorth such an example least any shoulde tye saluation vnto the externall signes That hee might bee the father Note howe the circumcision of Abraham confirmeth

themselues to bee lifted vppe by the spirite vnto the meditation of righteousnesse For wheresoeuer the spirite raigneth it is a signe of the grace of GOD bringinge saluation seeing that the grace of God hath no place there where the spirite beyng extinguished the kingdome of the flesh flourisheth But here I doe briefly make mention of that whereof I admonished before namely in the fleshe or after the fleshe is as muche as to bee voyde of the gift of regeneration And suche are all they who abide as the common speech is meere natural men 6 The wisedome or cogitation verilie of the flesh Erasmus hath put affection the olde interpreter wisedome But seeing it is sure that the woorde To Phronema is that with Paule Gen. 6.5 which Moses calleth the imagination of the heart and in this worde all the sences of the soule from reason and vnderstanding vnto the very affections are comprehended the name cogitation seemeth vnto me to serue better And although Paule hath vsed the particle causall Gar for yet I doubte not but he doth simply confirme For here is a kynde of concession or graunting because after that he had briefly defined what it is to be in the flesh now hee addeth what end remayneth For all those are giuen to the flesh What end abydeth for such as are still carnall And so on the contrarie hee sheweth howe they are not capable of the grace of Christe whosoeuer abide in the flesh who all their life long make haste and are carried vnto death And it is anotable place wherby we may learne how by the course of nature we rush headlong into death because we conceiue nothing of our selues but that whiche is deadly And straightwaies he hath opposed the contrary member that he might teach if any part of vs tend vnto life then the spirite sheweth foorth his vertue because there commeth no sparkle of life from our flesh He calleth the cogitation or wisedome of the spirite How the cogitation of the spirite is called life life because it quickeneth or leadeth vnto life And vnder the name of peace after the manner of the Hebrewes he noteth all the partes of felicitie For whatsoeuer the spirite of God worketh in vs it appertayneth to our blessednesse yet it followeth not that any should therefore ascribe saluation vnto works For although God doth begin our saluation in vs at the length doeth accomplishe it by fashioning vs to his likenesse yet the onely cause is his good pleasure whereby hee maketh vs partakers of Christ 7 Seeyng the cogitation or wisedome of the flesh Now hee addeth a confirmation of that he put downe before namely that nothing proceedeth from the studies of our fleshe but death because they fight fiercely with the will of God And the will of God is the rule of rigteousnesse whereupon it followeth that that is vniuste whatsoeuer disagreeth from the same and if it bee vniuste then is it also deadly Nowe then God beeing against it and offended in vayne doth any looke for life For after his wrath must needes foorth with followe death which is the reuengement of his wrath Mans carnall will is in all things contrary to the will of God And heere let vs obserue that the will of man is in all thinges contrary to the will of God For looke by howe muche crokednesse differeth from straightnesse so much muste we needes differ from God For it is not subiect to the lawe of God An exposition of the former sentence for it declareth howe all the meditations of the fleshe warre againste the will of God because the wyll of God is not els where to bee sought for then where hee hath reuealed it For in the lawe hee sheweth what doeth please him they therefore that will rightlye examine howe rightly they agree with God let them apply all their counsayles and studies vnto this rule For although nothing bee doone in the worlde but by the direction of the secrete prouidence of God yet vnder pretence of this to say that nothing is done but God doth allowe of it is intollerable blasphemie where about certaine phrensie persons cauill at this day For to seeke the difference of right wrong whiche the lawe hath distinctly and playnely set before our eyes in a deepe Labyrinth what madnesse were it We must conteÌ„e our selues with the reuealed wil of God in deede as I saide the Lorde hath his secrete counsayle whereby at his pleasure he disposeth all thinges but because it is incomprehensible to vs let vs knowe that wee are restrained from too curious searching after it In the meane while let this abide firme that nothyng pleaseth hym but righteousnesse neither can right iudgement bee gyuen of our workes but by the the lawe wherein God hath vnfeignedly testified both what doeth please or displease him Neither can it Beholde here the power of free will There is not free will in the naturall man which sophisters cannot sufficiently aduaunce Vndoubtedly Paule doth heere in plaine wordes affirme that which they with full mouth doe detest namely that it is impossible for vs to subiecte our affections vnto the obedience of the lawe They bragge that our hearte is plyaunt vnto both partes so it bee holpen by the instinct of the spirite and that in vs there is a free election of good or euill the spirite doeth onely helpe but it is ours to choose or refuse They faine also good motions whereby of our owne accorde wee are prepared Paule on the contrary saith our hearte is full of hardnesse and vntamed stubbornesse so that it is neuer moued naturally to vndertake the yooke of God and hee disputeth not of one or two affections but speaking indefinitely doth cast all those motions arise out of vs into this bundle Let that Ethnicall Philosophie therefore of freewill be farre from a christian minde Let euery man as in truth hee is acknowledge himselfe to bee the seruant of sinne that beeing manumised by the grace of Christ he may be free and it is altogether folly to glory in another liberty 8 They therefore whiche are in the fleshe It is not without cause that I haue expounded the particle aduersatiue de by the causall For verily the Apostle gathereth out of the premisses that they who deliuer ouer themselues to be lead by the lustes of the fleshe Who haue nothing to do with Christe are all of them abhominable to God And hitherto hee hath confirmed that sentence namely that all they haue nothing to doe with Christ which walke not after the spirite because they are voide of an heauenly life 9 Nowe yee are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so bee the spirite of GOD dwell in you for if any haue not the spirite of Christe the same is not his 10 And if Christe bee in you the body verily is dead because of sinne but the spirite is life for righteousnesse sake 11 If I say the spirit of hym

vnto all He calleth those the sonnes of the fleshe in whom there is nothing more excellent then carnall progenie as he calleth those the sonnes of promise who are peculierly sealed of the Lord. 9 For this is the worde of promise He addeth another testimonie in the explication whereof wee may see with what diligence and dexteritie he handeleth the scripture When the Lorde quoth hee saide hee would come Gen 18.10 and Sara should beare a sonne to Abraham thereby hee insinuated that his blessing was not yet extant but was yet to come Howbeit Ismael was nowe alreadie borne when that was spoken Therefore the blessing of God was out of Ismaell And let vs also by the way note with what circumspection he proceedeth heere least hee should exasperate the Iewes For first the cause beeing suppressed hee doth simply declare the matter then secondarily he openeth the fountaine 10 Neither hee onely but Rebecca also when shee had conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac 11 For yer the children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by works but by him that calleth 12 It was saide vnto her the elder shall serue the younger 13 As it is written Iacob haue I loued and haue hated Esau 10 Neither hee onely In this Chapter there are certain broken sentences as this is but Rebeeca also which had conceaued by one our father Isaac For hee endeth in the middest thereof before he come vnto the principall verbe Yet the meaning is that this diuersitie touching the inheritance of the promise may not onely bee seene in the sonnes of Abraham but also there is a farre more euident example thereof in Iacob and Esau For in the former some might alleadge the conditioÌ„ was not equall because one was the sonne of an handmaid But these were both of one wombe and twinnes yet was one reiected and the other receiued of the Lorde Whereby appeareth that the fulfilling of the promise doth not indifferently fall out a like in all the sonnes of the fleshe And because Paule did respect the persons to whome God made his counsayle knowen I choose rather to vnderstande the masculine Pronowne The special election was not only reuealed to Abraham but also to Rebecca then the Newter as Erasmus hath doone For the meaning is that the speciall election was not onely reuealed vnto Abraham but also afterward to Rebecca whiles shee did beare two twinnes in her wombe 11 For yer the children were borne Nowe hee beginneth to ascend higher namely to shewe the reason of this diuersitie which hee teacheth doth not consist in any thing els then the election of God For hitherto hee had touched in fewe wordes that there was a difference amongest the carnall sonnes of Abraham namely notwithstanding they were all by cirumcision adopted into the fellowship of the couenant yet the grace of God was not effectuall in them all and that they therfore are the sonnes of the promise who inioy the benefites of God But whence that came he had either not spokeÌ„ of it or els he had obscurely insinuated it But nowe he doth plainely referre the whole cause vnto the election of God and the same free and such as doth not depend vpon men that in the saluation of the godly nothing might be sought for aboue the goodnesse of God and in the destruction of the reprobate nothing aboue his iust seueritie The first proposition Let this therefore be the first proposition as the blessing of the couenant doth separate the people of Israel from all other nations so also the election of God discerneth the men of that nation whiles he predestinateth some vnto saluation and other some vnto condemnation The 2. proposition is that there is no other foundation of that election then the meere goodnes of God and also mercie since the fall of Adam The second proposition which mercie not for any consideration of woorkes at all imbraceth whom it pleaseth The third proposition that the Lord in this his free election is at libertie and loose from that necessitie The third proposition that he should indifferently impart the same grace vnto all But rather whom he will he passeth ouer and whom he will he chooseth All these thinges doeth Paule comprise briefly in one sentence then afterward he will prosecute the rest Finally in these wordes when they were not yet borne or had done good or euill he declareth that God in putting of a difference could not haue respect to the woorkes which were not yet And they which reason to the contrarie saying that doth not let but the election of God may discerne betweene men according to their merites because God doth foresee by the works to come who wil be worthy or vnworthy of his grace doe not see more then the Apostle but fal in that principle of religion which ought to be very well knowen to all Christians namely that God could see nothing in the corrupt nature of man such as was in Esau and Iacob whereby he might be moued to doe good Therefore when he saith that both of them had then done neither good nor euil it is also to be added which he presumeth namely that both of them were the sonnes of Adam by nature sinners indued with no crumme of righteousnesse Neither doe I therefore stand so long in expounding these as though the minde of the Apostle were doubtfull but because the Sophisters not being coÌ„tent with the simplicitie therof goe about by their friuolous distinctions to creepe out hence my meaning was to shew that Paule was not ignoraunt of those thinges they bring but that they rather are blinde in the first principles of religioÌ„ Moreouer although the corruption of nature which is dispersed ouer all mankynde before it come as they say into action is auayleable enough vnto condemnation wherby followeth that Esau was woorthely reiected because naturally he was the sonne of wrath yet least anye doubt should remayne as though through respect of any fault or sinne his condition was the woorse it was necessary as well sinnes as vertues should be excluded Surely true it is that the next cause of reprobation is for that wee are all accursed in Adam yet to the end we might learne to rest in the bare and simple will of God Paule dyd lead vs aside from the consideration thereof for so long vntill hee had established this doctrine namely that God hath a sufficient iust cause of election and reprobation in his owne will or pleasure That the purpose of God c. Almost in euery woorde hee vrgeth the free election of God for if works had place he should haue said that the reward of God might stande by workes But hee opposeth the purpose of God which is conteined that I might say so in his onely pleasure And least there shoulde remaine any doubt therof by adding the other parcel according to election

other of the reprobate and his will is that in those wee consider the mercy of God but in these we acknowledge the iuste iudgement of God First of all therefore hee aunswereth that this cogitation is execrable that vnrighteousnes should bee thought to be with God then secondly he declareth on both sides how there can be none Yet before we goe further this obiection testifieth cleerely that God hath elected some reiected othersome the cause is no where els to be sought for then in his purpose For if the difference were grounded vpon the respect of works in vaine had Paule moued question of the vnrighteousnes of God wherof there could be no suspition if he handled euery one according to his desert Now this also is to be noted in this second place that although he saw this part of doctrine could not bee touched but murmuring speeches also horrible blasphemies would straitwaies rise against it yet fraÌ„kly freely he doth denouÌ„ce it yea he dissembleth not what occasion of storming and murmuring there is offered vnto vs whiles we heare that before men are borne euery one hath his lot appointed by the secret counsaile of God yet neuerthelesse he goeth on without doubting he denounceth that which he had learned of the holy spirite Whereby it followeth that their nicenesse is intollerable who seeke to be wiser-in redeeming pacifying offences then the holy Ghost Least God should be charged with any fault they make religion of the matter simply to say that the saluation and destruction of men doth depend of his free election If they restrained their mindes from wicked curiositie and also brideled their tongues froÌ„ too muche lauishing their modestie sobrietie were to be allowed of but what boldnesse is this to bridle the holy ghost and Paule Let this magnanimitie therfore florish in the church of God that the true teachers be not ashamed of the simple profession of true doctrine howsoeuer it be hated and to refute whatsoeuer reproches the wicked thrust in 15 For he saith to Moses Touching the elect God cannot be charged with any vnrighteousnes for he voutsafeth them of mercy according to his good pleasure And yet here also the flesh findeth somewhat to murmure or complaine Because it caÌ„not yeeld this vnto God that he should voutsafe one with fauour rather then another vnlesse the cause appeare foorth Because therefore it seemeth absurd that some should be preferred before others without desert the frowardnes of men maketh warres with God as though he gaue vnto the persons more then equity Now let vs see how Paule defendeth the righteousnes of God First he obscureth not neither hideth that which he saw to be odious but in mainteyning thereof he proceedeth with immutable constancie Secondly he laboureth not to finde out reasons to mollifie the asperity but he counteth it sufficient by the testimonies of Scripture to restraine impure barkinges This might seeme to be a cold excuse that God is not vniust because he is merciful to whoÌ„ he wil but because vnto God his owne onely authority is sufficient so that he standeth in no need of the defeÌ„ce of any other it was sufficient vnto Paul that he was appointed a defeÌ„der of his owne right And Paul bringeth here the answere which Moses receiued of the Lord wheÌ„ he prayed for the health of the whole people Exod. 33.15 I wil haue mercy saith the lord on whoÌ„ I wil haue mercy I wil shew compassion to whoÌ„ I wil shew coÌ„passion By this oracle the Lord declared howe hee is debtor to no man that it is of his free goodnes whatsoeuer he giueth vnto them secoÌ„dly that this beneficency is free that he may bestow it vpon whom he will lastly that no cause can be imagined aboue his wil why he doth good vnto certayne men and willeth them well not vnto al. His words are as much as if it were said looke vppon whom I haue once determined to haue mercy I will neuer take my mercy from him and I will for euer shew bountifulnesse vnto him to whom I haue determined to bee bountifull And so hee noteth the highest cause of bestowing grace namely his voluntary decree and withall hee insinuateth that hee hath appoynted his mercye peculiarly for certaine For both this short speech excludeth all forreyne causes as when we chalenging to our selues free power of dooyng wee saye I will doe what I will doe And also the pronowne Relatiue expresseth plainely that mercy is not indifferently for al. This libertie is taken from God if his election be tyed to external causes In tow wordes which Moses vseth the onely cause of saluation is expressed for Chanan is to fauour or giue a benefit freely liberally but Racham is to shew mercy So that is brought to passe that Paul intendeth namely that the mercy of God because it is free is not tyed but he may shew it where he lust 16 So then it is not c. By that testimonie hee gathereth that without all controuersie it followeth the election of God is not to be attributed to our industrie or studie or indeuour but is wholy to be referred vnto the counsaile of God Least any shold thinke that they who are chosen are therefore chosen because they dyd deserue it or had wonne vnto themselues the fauour of God by any meanes or finally because there was in them any crumme of dignitie or worthinesse whereby the Lord might be prouoked And vnderstand it simply that it standeth not in our wil or studie for he hath put course for study that we should be nuÌ„bred amongest the elect but that standeth wholy on the goodnesse of God which choseth those freely that neither will nor studie no nor thinke of it And they who reason out of this place that there is in vs some force or vertue of studie but whiche can doe nothing by it selfe except it be holpen by the mercy of God they doe it foolishly For the Apostle doth not shewe what is in vs but excludeth all our indeuours It is therefore a meere cauillation that they bring in namely that wee will and runne because Paule denieth it to bee in the willer or runner seeing his minde is nothing els then that neither will nor running doth any thing Yet they are againe to bee reproued who to the ende they might giue place to the grace of God abide secure and idle For although we profite nothing by our owne study yet that studie which is inspired of God is not vneffectual These thinges are not therefore saide that wee shoulde by our waywardnesse or slouthfulnesse choke the spirite of GOD infusing his sparkles into vs but that we should vnderstand it is of him whatsoeuer we haue and therefore let vs learne both to aske all things of him to hope for all thinges and to ascribe all things to him also with feare trembling to seek our saluatioÌ„ Pelagius hath gone about by another sophisticall but a

and horrible confusion doeth thrust it selfe in all abroade yet the saluation of manie abydeth shut vp vnder the seale of GOD. But least any vnder this pretence should cocker their slouthfulnes as many doe seeke lurking places for their vices from the secrete preseruatioÌ„ of God we must marke agayne Who are saueâ— that they are said to be saued who abide souÌ„d vndefiled in the faith of God And also the circumstance of iudgemeÌ„t is to bee noted namely that those are they abyde safe who haue not so muche as by outwarde dissimulation prostrated their bodies to the woorshippe of Idols For he doeth not only giue vnto them the puritie of mynde but also that they haue kepte their bodies vndefiled from all vncleannesse of superstition 5 Euen so then at this present time He applyeth the example vnto his time and to the end he might make al things like he calleth them a remnant namely in comparison of that greate number whose eyes were set vpon vngodlinesse Although together alluding vnto that testimonie of Esay he alleadged before he sheweth that yet in a miserable and confused desolation the faith of God shined because there remayned some remnant And that he might confirme that more surely he doeth precisely caÌ„ll those remnauntes who being left by the grace of God doe testifie that the election of God is immoueable as the Lorde saide to Elias when the whole people was fallen to Idolatrie that he had reserued those seuen thousand Whereby is gathered that through his benefite they were preserued froÌ„ perishing Neither doth he simply preach grace but now also he calleth vs vnto election that we might learne reuerently to depend vppon the secrete counsell of God One proposition therefore is that but a few are saued in comparison of the great number of them take vnto themselues the name of the people of God Another that those are saued whom he hath chosen without respect of merite For election of grace after the Hebrue manner is put for free election 6 If by grace now then not of workes This is an amplification taken from the comparing of contraries for suche is the case betweene the grace of God and the merite of workes that he which mainteyneth the one ouerthroweth the other Againe if no consideration of workes can be admitted in election which doth not obscure the free goodnes of God which he would haue so greatly commended vnto vs therein let those phrensie persons which make the dignitie which God foresaw in vs the cause of election see what they will answeare vnto Paule For whither you shall giue place vnto workes to come or past this sentence of Paule will alway crye out against you whiche sayth that grace leaueth no place for woorkes Paule doth not here dispute onely of our reconciliation with God neither of the meanes or next causes of our saluation but he ascendeth higher namely why God before the world was made some being reiected did onely choose other some And he denieth that God was brought hereunto by any other cause then his meere pleasure Looke howe much is giuen vnto workes in iustification so much is taken from grace For if any place be giuen vnto workes so much he proueth to bee taken from grace Whereby it followeth that the foreknowledge of workes is wickedly mixed with election For if God haue chosen some reiected other some as he foreknew them to be worthy or vnworthy of saluation now the merite or wages of works being put downe the sole grace of God shall not raigne but shall onely be in halfe parte cause of election For as Paule reasoned before in the iustification of Abraham where wage is payde there grace is not freely giuen so nowe he taketh an argument from the same fountaine if works come in to be a cause when God adopteth a certayne number of men vnto saluation then wage is due and therefore it is not a free benefite And although he speake here of election yet because it is a general reason which Paule vseth heere it ought to bee extended vnto the whole cause of our saluation that we might knowe it is so often sayde there is no merite of workes as our saluation is attributed to the grace of God or rather that we might beleeue the righteousnes of works is so often brought to nothing as grace is named 7 What then Israel hath not obtayned that he sought but the election hath obtained it the rest haue beene blynded 8 As it is written God hath geuen them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they shoulde not heare vnto this day 9 And Dauid saith let their table be made a snare and a net and a stumbling blocke euen for a recompence vnto them 10 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not and bow downe their backe alway 7 What then Because he was occupied here in a harde question he maketh a demand as though he doubted Yet by this kind of doubting he goeth about to make the answere which followeth more certaine for he insinuateth that no other caÌ„ be giuen And that is namely that Israel in seeking saluation laboured in vaine because he weÌ„t about it by a preposterous study Although he make here no mention of the cause yet seeing he had expressed it before assuredly he woulde also haue it vnderstood in this place For his wordes are as much as if he said now it ought not to seeme straunge that Israel in striuing vnto righteousnesse hath profited nothing And thence is that brought to passe whiche he addeth straightwaies of election For if Israel hath obteined nothing by merite what haue others obteyned whose cause or condition was no better Whence commeth so great difference amongst equals Here who doth not see it is election only which maketh the difference And the signification of this word is doubtful For it seemeth vnto some to be taken collectiuely for the elect Election put for the elect themselues that the partes of the contrarietie may agree among themselues whose sentence I dislike not so that also they graunt vnto me that there is somewhat more in this worde then if he had saide the elect namely that he might inferre howe there was none other cause of obteyning then election as if he said not they who labour trusting to their merits but they whose saluation dependeth vppon the free election of God for he doth precisely compare that remnant whiche was saued by the grace of God with all Israel or the whole bodie of the people Whereby it followeth that the cause of saluation resteth not in men but in the meere good pleasure of God The rest haue beene blinded As the elect onely are deliuered from perishing by the grace of God so who so are not elected must needes remaine in blindnes For this is the meaning of Paul that touching the reprobate the beginning of ruine and condemnation is hence that they are forsaken of God The testimonies

whiche he bringeth although they are rather gathered out of diuers places of the scripture then taken out of one place yet all of them seeme to be strange from his purpose if you weigh them more neerely by their circumstances For euery where you may see excecation and hardening to be mentioned as the scourges of God whereby he punished the offences of the wicked alreadie committed But Paule here contendeth to proue by them that they are blinded not who haue already deserued it by their wickednes but which were reprobated of God before the creatioÌ„ of the world This knot thou maist thus briefly loose that the originall of wickednes which so prouoketh the furie of God is the peruersity of nature forsaken of God Wherefore not without cause hath Paule cited these testimonies of eternal reprobation which proceedeth thence as the fruite from the tree and riuer from the fountaine Surely the godlesse for their sinnes by the iust iudgement of God are punished with cecitie but if wee demaunde the fountaine of their perishing we must haue recourse thither that they being accursed of God can get and bring nothing by all their deedes sayinges and counsailes then malediction and curse Yet the cause of eternal reprobation is so secret that nothing els remayneth for vs The cause of eternall reprobation is a deepe secret then to woonder at the incomprehensible counsaile of God as at length wee shall see by the conclusion And they doe foolishly who as soone as there is speech of the next causes vnder preteÌ„ce of theÌ„ goe about to couer this first cause which is hidden from our sence as though God had not freely before the fall of Adam determined what hee thought good of all mankinde because hee doth condemne his corrupt and wicked seed secondarily because he doth recoÌ„pence to euery one particularly the reward of their wickednesse which they haue deserued 8 God gaue vnto them the spirite Esay 6.9 Mat. 13.14 Iohn 12. â—0 Acts 23.26 I doubt not but the place of Esay is cited which Luke saith in the Actes was alleaged of him yet the words being a litle altered Neither doth he here recite the words are had with the Prophet but only he gathereth this sentence namely that they are indued from aboue with the spirit of bitternes that they might remaine dull in seeing hearing Indeede the Prophet is commaunded to harden the heart of the people but Paule doth pearce vnto the fountaine namely that a brutishe dulnes doth possesse all the sences after that men are deliuered into this madnes that they sharpen theÌ„selues with poysonable prouocations against the truth For he doth not only cal that the spirite of giddinesse but also of compunction namely where a certaine bitternes of gall doth declare it selfe yea also where there is a furie in reiecting the truth And he saith the reprobate are made so foolish by the secret counsaile of God that they being amazed can iudge nothing For in that they are said by seeing not to see thereby the dulnes of al their sences is noted And Paule addeth of his owne vntill this day least any shoulde except that that prophecie was fulfilled long agoe and therefore was sinisterly drawen to the time of the Gospel he preuenteth this obiection declaring how that excecation which is described there was not for one onely day but did continue together with the incurable pertinacie of the people vntil the comming of Christ 9 And Dauid saith In this testimony also of Dauid there is some chaunging of the wordes but which doth not violate the sence Psal 69.23.24 For thus he saith Let their table bee made a snare before theÌ„ their prosperity their ruine There is no mention of recoÌ„pence or retribution In substance they agree sufficiently There the Prophet wisheth vnto the godlesse that whatsoeuer thing is otherwise to be wished for and wholesome might turne to their ruine and destruction And that he noteth by their table and prosperitie Secondly he bequeatheth them into the cecitie of spirit and eneruation or weakening of strength the one wherof he signifieth by the darkening of their eyes the other by the bowing of their backe Furthermore it is no maruell though it be extended almost vnto the whole nation seeing we know that not only the chiefest were enemies vnto Dauid but also the coÌ„mon people was against him so that it may easily appeare howe those thinges which are read there For spirituall sence the Author hath Anagoge which is when one ascendeth from an earthly and base matter vnto an heauenly high meaning doe not serue onely vnto a fewe but vnto a multitude Yea if we consider whose Image Dauid was there shall also bee an easie spirituall sence in the contrary member Seeing then this imprecation abideth for all the aduersaries of Christ that their meate shoulde bee turned into poyson to them as we see the Gospel is vnto them the sauour of death vnto death let vs imbrace the grace of God with humilitie and feare Adde also that seeyng Dauid spake of the Israelites who were begotten of AbrahaÌ„ according to the flesh and who then obteyned the first place in the kingdome Paule doth fitly appply his testimony vnto this matter least the excecation of a greate parte of the people shoulde seeme newe or straunge 11 I demand then haue they stumbled that they shoulde fall God forbid But by their fal saluation commeth vnto the Gentiles to prouoke them to follow them 12 Wherfore if the fal of theÌ„ be the riches of the world the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles howe much more shal their aboundance be 13 For I say vnto you Gentiles in as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I magnifie mine office 14 If by any meanes I might prouoke them of my flesh to follow and might saue some of them 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the worlde what shall the receiuing bee but life from the dead 11 Haue they stumbled c. Thou shalt trouble thy selfe greatly in this disputation vnlesse thou obserue that the Apostle sometime speaketh of the whole nation of the Iewes A note for the better vnderstaÌ„ding of the whole disputation sometyme but of particular men For thence commeth that diuersitie that sometime he saith the Iewes were banished from the kingdome of God cut off from the tree and by the iudgement of GOD throwen into destruction other some time againe he denieth theÌ„ to be fallen from grace but rather to abyde in the possession of the couenaunt and to haue place in the Church of God So then according to this distinction he speaketh now For seeyng the Iewes for the most part did reiect Christ so that that peruersitie did in a manner possesse the whole nation and there appeared but fewe amongest them of a better minde Hee demaundeth whither the nation of the Iewes had so stumbled that it were for euer to be

his higher powers For there is no power but of God for the powers which be are ordeyned of God 2 Therefore he which resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God and they which shall resist shall get vnto them selues iudgement 1 LEt euery soule c. that hee doeth so diligently handle this place yea that whiles he dealeth with the institution or fashioning of a christian life therby appeareth he was constrayned therunto by some great necessitie which seeing the preaching of the Gospell doeth alway bring with it at that tyme chiefly it was like to bring it For thereby alway tumultuous spirites who thinke the kingdom of Christ can not be sufficiently aduaunced vnlesse all earthly powers or authorities bee suppressed neyther that they can inioy the libertie giuen by him Causes mouing Paul to intreat of obedience to Magistrates except they shake off euery yoke of humayne subiection Howebeit this error did possesse the Iewes aboue others who thought it vnmeete that the progenie of Abraham whose kingdome florished before the comming of the Sauiour shoulde nowe after his manifestation abide in seruitude And there was also another thing which did no lesse alienate the Iewes then the Gentiles from their princes namely because they did not only all of them abhorre from pietie but also with most infestuous or deadly mindes did persecute religion Therefore it seemed an absurd thing to acknowledge them for lawfull Lords and princes who went about to take the kingdome from Christ the onely Lorde of heauen and earth For these causes it is like Paul was mooued that with greater care hee might confirme the authoritie of Magistrates And first of al he putteth down a generall precept where in summarily be comprehendeth that he is about to speake of then afterwarde he addeth those thinges which make vnto the exposition and confirmation of the precept Hee calleth them high powers not the highest powers as though they obtayned the highest empire or rule but which excell aboue other men In respect therefore of subiectes and not in respect of them selues one being compared with another Magistrates are so called And verily by this worde the Apostle seemeth vnto me to go about to take away the curiositie of men who are often wont to enquire by what right they which are in authoritie came by their power but to vs it ought to suffice that they doe rule For they haue not ascended vnto this estate by their owne strengthe but they are placed by the hande of God And whereas he nameth euery soule thereby hee taketh away all exception least any should pretende an immunitie or freedome from the common subiection For there is no power but of God A reason why we should be subiect to Magistrates A reason why wee should be subiect vnto Magistrates because they are ordayned by the ordinaunce of God For if it be the Lordes pleasure so to gouerne the worlde he goeth about to inuert the ordinaunce of God and so resisteth God him selfe who so despiseth or reiecteth the authoritie or higher power seeing to contemne his prouidence who is the author of ciuill gouernment is to fight against him Furthermore vnderstande that authorities or powers are of God not as the pestilence How the higher powers are of God hunger warre and such like punishments of sinne are sayde to bee of him but because hee hath appointed them for the lawfull and right administration of the worlde For albeit tyrannies and vniust dominations in as much as they are full of deformitie are not of the ordinarie gouernement yet neuerthelesse the right of gouernement is ordeyned of God for the health of mankinde Therefore seeing it is lawfull both to repell warres and also to seeke remedies agaynst other euilles the Apostle commaundeth the authoritie and gouernement of Magistrates to be willingly and cheerefully receiued and reuerenced of vs as profitable vnto mankinde For wee can not properly call those punishmentes which God layeth vpon men for their sinnes ordinaunces but those meanes which he hath purposely set downe for the conseruation of a lawfull order 2 And they which shall resist Because none can resist God but to their owne destruction hee threatneth that they shall not scape vnpunished who so oppose themselues in this respecte agaynst the prouidence of GOD. Therefore wee are to take heede least wee fall vnder this sentence By iudgemente I vnderstande not onely that punishment whiche is executed by the Magistrate as though hee woulde haue sayde they are iustly punished that rebell agaynst authoritie but also euery vengeaunce of GOD what way so euer it come For hee teacheth generally what ende abideth for those fight against God 3 For princes are not a terrour to good workes but to euill Wilt thou then not feare the power do good and thou shalt haue prayse of it 4 For he is the minister of God to thy wealth But if thou hast done any euill feare for he beareth not the swoorde in vayne For hee is the minister of God to take vengeance on those which do euill 3 For princes Nowe also he commendeth vnto vs the obedience of princes by that profite commeth of them Therefore this particle causal gar that is for is to bee referred vnto the first proposition and not vnto the last sentence Finally The commodity for which God hath ordeined magistrates this is the commoditie namely that God by that meanes will prouide for the tranquillitie of good men and for the brideling of the way wardnesse of euill men in which two thinges the saftie of mankind is conteined For vnlesse the fury of godles persons bee met withall and innocent men bee defended from their lust all thinges shall foorthwith come to naught If this then bee the onely medicine whereby mankinde is deliuered from destruccion it ought to be diligently conserued of vs vnlesse wee will professe our selues to be the publique enimies of mankinde And whereas hee addeth Wilt thou not feare doe good Thereby he insinuateth there is no cause why we should bee afraid of the Magistrate if that we be good yea The duty of the magistrate that this is a secrete testimonie of an euill conscience and one deuising some mischiefe if any goe about to shake off or put from him that yoke Howbeit heere hee speaketh of the true and as it were the naturall dutie of the Magistrate from the which although they oftentimes which beare rule do degenerate yet the obedience is to be giuen them which is due vnto princes For if an euill prince bee the scourge of the Lord to punish the sinnes of the people let vs remember it commeth to passe through our fault that the excellent blessing of God is made a curse vnto vs. Therefore let vs not cease to reuerence the good ordinance of God which thing we shall easily doe if we impute vnto our selues whatsoeuer euill is in it Hee therefore sheweth here to what end Magistrates are ordeined of the Lorde whose

effect shoulde alway be extant if through our fault so noble and healthfull an institution were not corrupted For seeing princes doe neuer so abuse their power in vexing the good and innocent but in their tyranny they reteyne some shewe of a iuste domination there can bee no tyranny which in some respect is not a defence to conserue the societie of men Heere also hee hath noted two parts of the which yea euen the Philosophers themselues haue thought the best composed administration of a commoÌ„ wealth to consist namely the rewarding of good men and the punishing of euill The worde praise hath heere a large signification after the maner of the Hebrewes 4 For hee is the minister of God to thy wealth Here euen the Magistrates themselues may learne what is their calling For they rule not for their owne cause but for the common profite neither are they indued with an infinite or vnlimited power but such as is tyed to the health of their subiects Finally they are bound vnto God and men in their principalitie For because they are the substitutes of God doe his businesse they shall giue account vno him Secondly that ministerie which God hath committed to theÌ„ respecteth the subiects wherfore they are also debters vnto theÌ„ And priuate men are admonished that this is of the bountifulnesse of God to defende them from the iniuries of wicked persons by the sworde of princes For they beare not the sword in vaine The other part of the office of Magistrates is that they ought to represse the lasciuiousnesse of wicked men whiche wyllingly doe not suffer themselues to bee gouerned by lawes and to take such punishment as the iudgemen of God requireth for their wickednesse For hee doth plainely denounce them armed with the sworde not for a vaine shewe only but that they might smyte euyll doers Moreouer this saying the reuenger of wrath is as muche as if it were saide the executour of the wrath of God And that hee proueth by the vse of the sworde which the Lorde hath giuen into their handes A notable place to proue the authoritie of the Magistrate For if God in arming the Magistrate hath also commaunded him to vse the sworde so often as hee punisheth the giltie with death by exercising the vengeance of God he obeyeth his commandements Therefore they contend with God who thinke it an abhomination that the blood of wicked men should be shed 5 Wherefore wee must needes bee subiect not onely for feare of punishment but also for conscience 6 And for this cause pay yee tribute for they are the ministers of God seruing for the same purpose 7 Giue to euery man therefore his dutie tribute to whome tribute is due custome to whom custome feare to whome feare honour to whom honour belongeth 5 Wherefore wee must needes bee subiect Nowe by the way of collection yet with a kinde of polishing he repeateth that whiche hee cammaunded in the beginning touchyng the obedience is to be giuen to Magistrates namely how they are to be obeyed not onely for the cause of mans necessitie The dueties of subiects towards magistrates but also that we may obey God For hee hath put this worde wrath for vengeance or reuengement which the magistrate may take for the contempt of his dignitie or calling as though hee had saide we must not therefore obey because wee cannot freely resiste the mightie and those are armed as iniuries are wont to be borne which cannot be repelled but voluntaryly we are to take vpon vs that subiection whereunto our conscience is bounde by the worde of God Therefore albeit the Magistrate were vnarmed and a man might prouoke and contemne hym freely to wit with out punishment for it yet is it no more to bee attempted then if wee sawe present vengeance to bee at hande for it For it is not the parte of a priuate man to take the regiment from him whome the Lorde hath placed with authoritie ouer vs. This whole disputation is of ciuile gouernmente Therefore in vaine goe they about by this place to establishe theyr abhominable tyrannie whiche exercise authoritie ouer mens consciences 6 And for this cause pay wee tribute By occasion hee maketh mention of tribute the reason whereof is taken from the office of Magistrates For if it bee theyr partes to defend and conserue in safetie the tranquillitie of good men and to oppose themselues against the godlesse practises of the wicked that they can not doe vnlesse they bee holpen by power and firme helpes Tributes therefore are well and worthilie paid for the maintenance of so necessary charges Concerning the maner of customes and tributes this is no place for any larg discourse neither is it our partes to prescribe princes how much they shoulde bestow on euery thing or call them to a reckoning Yet is it meete they should remember whatsoeuer they haue of the people it is as it were common goods not an instrument of priuate lust and ryot For we see to what vse Paule appointeth those tributes are paid namely that princes might be furnished with strength to defend their subiects 7 Giue to euery man therefore his dutie The Apostle seemeth to me here to goe about to comprise summarily in what thinges the dueties of subiects towardes Magistrates consist namely that they haue them in estimation and honour that they obey their statutes lawes and iudgements that they pay tributes and customes Vnder the name of feare he noteth obedience by customes and tributes hee meaneth not onely fraight paide for carriage and taxes but also other reuenewes And this place confirmeth that I saide before wee must obey kinges and euery other superiour not because wee are constrained but because it is an acceptable obedience to GOD. For hee will not onely bee feared but also be honoured with a voluntarie obedience 8 Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another For hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe 9 For this thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not beare false witnesse thou shalt not luste and if there bee any other commandement it is in few words comprehended in this saying thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy self 10 Charitie worketh no ill to his neighbour Therefore the fulfilling of the lawe is charitie 8 Owe nothing to any man There are some whiche thinke this is not spoken without a taunte as though Paule answered to their obiection who contende that Christians are ouercharged as who shoulde say other precepts then the precepts of charitie were inioyned them And surely I denie not but it may bee taken ironicÃ¨ to wit tauntingly that he might graunt vnto those admit no other lawe then of charitie their request But in another sense Yet had I rather take it simply because I thincke Paules meaning is to refer this precept of the authoritie of Magistrates least it should be thought of any to bee but weake vnto the lawe of charitie as though he had said

with the mutuall bond of loue 17 And I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which stirre vp diuision and offences against the doctrine which you haue alreadie learned that you maye auoid them 18 For they that are such serue not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly by faire speech flattering do deceiue the hearts of the simple 19 For your obedience is come abroad among al. I am glad therfore of you but yet I would haue you wise vnto that whiche is good and simple to that which is euill 20 And the God of peace shal tread Satan vnder your feete shortly the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you Amen 17 And I beseeche you c. Nowe he putteth an exhortation whereby all Churches stand in neede now and then to be called on because the ministers of Satan are alwayes at hand by occasions to trouble the kingdome of Christ And 2. wayes they goe about to make this disturbaÌ„ce for either they sow disseÌ„tions Two waies whereby the wicked labour to hinder the course of the Gospell whereby the mynds of men are distracted froÌ„ the vnity of the truth or they stirre vp offences wherby they may be alienated from the loue of the gospel That coÌ„meth to passe whiles the truth of God is scattered draweÌ„ asunder with new doctrines and deuised of meÌ„ this whiles by diuers deceipts it is made odious contemptible Who so therfore doe either of these he commaundeth they should be marked least they deceiue beguile the simple secoÌ„darily he biddeth they should be auoyded because they are hurtful Neither is it without cause that he requireth here atteÌ„tion or circuÌ„spectioÌ„ of the faithfull because ofteÌ„times by our negligeÌ„ce and retchlesnes it coÌ„meth to passe that such lewde fellowes doe greatly hurt the church before they be met withal also very often they creepe in to hurt with woonderful subtilitie except they be wisely coÌ„sidered And note that he speaketh vnto such as were instructed in the pure doctrine of God for it is a wicked horrible diuorcemeÌ„t to deuide those doe consent in the verity of Christ But it is an impudeÌ„t detractioÌ„ or surmise vnder the preteÌ„ce of peace vnity to defend conspiracie in lies and wicked doctrines There is therefore no cause why the Papists should seeke a colour out of this place to procure hatred against vs because we doe not resist or pull asunder the Gospel of Christ but the lyes of Satan wherewith the Gospel hath hitherto beene darkened Yea Paul sheweth plainly that he doth not without exception condemne euerie dissention but suche as diuideth Catholike faith For there is great waight in this saying Which you haue learned because before that the Romaines were taught aright they must needes depart from their old manners and institutions of their fathers 16 For they which are suche Hee addeth a perpetual note whereby false Prophets may be knowen from the serauntes of Christ A marke to know false prophetes namely that they seeke not the glorie of Christ but serue their belly Yet because they creepe in craftely and by taking vpon them the person of another doe hide their malice withall he noteth what crafts they vse least any should be deceiued namely that by faire speech they winne fauour vnto them The Preachers of the Gospel also haue their gentlenesse and sweetenes but yet ioyned with libertie or boldnes that neyther they flatter meÌ„ with vaine prayses or cocker their vices but those deciuers both by their flatterie steale vnto them the hearts of men also spare and cocker vices that they might hold them bound Hee calleth such simple as are not sufficiently circumspect to beware of deceyptes 19 For your obedience This is a Preoccupation or preuenting whereby he sheweth that he doth not therefore admonish them as though he thought amisse of them but because it is easie to fall here as if he said surely your obedience is commended euery where so that there is cause why I should be glad of you Yet seeing that oftentimes men fall here through simplicitie I would haue you rude and simple to commit euill but in that is good that is so often as is expedient for the conseruation of integritie What simplicitie is commended vnto Christians I would haue you very prudent Here we see what simplicitie is commended in Christians least they who at this day count sottishe ignorance of the woorde of God for a high vertue should pretend this title For although he prayse the Romaines that they were obedient and tractable yet he would haue prudencie and choyse to be added least their lightnesse of beliefe shoulde be a pray to euery deceipt Therefore he so reioyceth of them that they are without fraude that yet he woulde haue them wise to beware That which followeth namely God shall treade Satan is rather a promise to strengthen them then a prayer For hee exhorteth them that they fight couragiously against Satan promising they should shortly haue the victorie In deede hee is once ouercome of Christe but yet not so but he may continually renue warre he promiseth therefore the laste putting of him to flight which appeareth not in the midst of the battaile Although he speak not onely of the last day wherein assuredly Satan shal be troden vnder feete but seeing Satan at that time as it were his reines being loose or burst did proudly disturbe all thinges hee promiseth that shortly it would come to passe that the Lorde woulde subdue him and as it were giue him to be troden vnderfeete Straightwaies foloweth his praier that the grace of Christe might be with them that is that they might inioye all those blessinges which are prouided for vs by Christ 21 Tymothie my fellow lobourer and Lucius and Iason and Sosipater my kinsmen Salute you 22 I Tertius which wrote out this Epistle salute you in the Lorde 23 Gaius my host and of the whole church saluteth you Erastus the chamberlaine of the citie saluteth you Quartus a brother 24 The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ bee with you all Amen 25 To him now that is able to confirme you according to my gospel namely the preaching of Iesus Christ according to the reuelation of the mysterie which was kept secrete since the world began 26 But now hath been opened and published among al nations by the scriptures of the Prophets at the commandement of the euerlasting God for the obedience of faith 27 To God I say onely wise bee praise through Iesus Christe for euer Amen Written to the Romanes from Corinth and sent by Phaebe seruant of the Church Which is at Ceuchrea 21 Tymothy my fellow labourer c. The salutations he ascribeth serue partly to maintaine loue amongst those were farre asunder partly that the Romanes might knowe the subscription of their brethren in the Epistle Not that Paule stoode in neede of the testimonie of others but because the consent of the godly auaileth much And

difference of the old and new testament chap. 2. 28. Difference of meates cha 14. 5. The differeÌ„ce of the elect and reprobate cha 1. 13. 7. 15. 8. 9. 18. Difference of the Iewes and Gentiles cha 3. 1. Diuersity of the gifts of God cha 12. 6. Domitian how he is described of Plinie cha 3. 10. The doctrine of the Gospel not new cha 1. 2. Doubting called incredulity of Paule cha 4. 16. E Election founded onely vpon the good pleasure of God cha 9. 7. Election respecteth not workes to come cha 9. 11. Election of God free cha 2. 11. 9 11. 11. 5. Election not tied to external causes cha 9. 15. Election of the godly wholly to be referred vnto the couÌ„sel of God cha 9. 16. The cause of electioÌ„ must be sought in the purpose of God cha 9. 14. The certaintie of election whence it is cha 8. 33. Secret election câ—leth ouer the external calling cha 9. 7. The elect vessels of mercy cha 9. 23. The elect onely are inwardly called cha 10. 1â— The number of the elect knowen to God onely cha 11. 3. Al are not elect though the doctrine be vniuersal cha 10. 16. Our enimie must be loued cha 12. 20. Who is our enimy cha 12. 20. The special end of the scripture cha 5. 4. Esau why put behinde his brother cha 9. 13. Euil must not be requited with euil cha 12. 17. Euil must be ouercome with good cha 12. 21. No excuse left for men cha 1. 20. 24. Example in dumbe creatures cha 8. 19. What it is to expect adoption cha 8. 23. The excellencie of the Iewes cha 9. 5. The vse of examples cha 4. 25. Exhortations ought to follow doctrine cha 6. 12. Excecation how it is of God cha 11. 30. F FAith begottten by the worde of God cha 10. 13. 17. The seate of faith is the heart cha 10. 10. Faith the gift of God cha 1. 8. cha 10. 16. Faith for the principles of religion cha 12. 6. Faith for a constant perswasion of the mind cha 14 23. Faith onely iustifieth cha 1. 17. 21. 28. 4. 6. Faith how it iustifieth cha 3. 21. Faith the mother of inuocation cha 10. 14. Faith approued by the inuocation of God cha 8. 16. Faith is not by and by found where the word is cha 10. 16. Faith and inuocation ioyned together cha 10. 14. Faith and the merite of workes thinges vtterly contrary cha 9. 32. True faith what it is cha 10. 10. Whose faith is but an imagination ibidem The word faith hath diuers significations cha 3. 28. The faithful are sure of eternal life cha 8. 30. Who may truly be counted faithful cha 5. 2. The faithful how they are conformed to the image of Christ cha 8. 23 The faithful imperfect cha 6. 14. 7. 14. 15. The faithful how they are graffed into Christ cha 6. 5. The faithful predestinate to saluation cha 9. 11. The faithful why they are called the first fruites cha 8. 23. The faithful how they are iustified cha 4. 5. The faithful how they die vnto sinne cha 6. 10. The faithfull how they are approued before men cha 14. 18. Fame how farre it is to be regarded of vs cha 12. 17. The fathers saued by Christ cha 5. 6. The fewnes of the faithful cha 10. 16. Flesh taken for men cha 3. 20. Flesh for corrupt men cha 7. 14. 8. 3. Flesh for the whole man not regenerate cha 7. 18. What it is to walke according to the flesh cha 8. 1. To be in the flesh what it is cha 8. 5. Forme taken for that is commonly called appearance cha 2. 19. Foreknowledge of workes is wickedly mixed with election cha 11 6. Free will ouerthrowen cha 8. 6. 7. The fulnes of the Gentiles cha 11. 25. G GEntiles not excused by pretence of ignorance cha 2. 14. The glorying of the wicked cha 1. 28. The glorying of the faithful true cha 5. 2. 3. 11. 8. 23. The glory of the faithful is furthered by calamities cha 5. 3. God the iudge of life and death cha 9. 21. God a woonderful workeman cha 3. 8. God only worthy all prayse cha 16. 21. God onely the iudge of al men cha 2. 3. 3. 6. God how he is called iust cha 3. 26. God the lawgiuer of the Iewes cha 9. 4. God at liberty to elect and reiect cha 9. 11. God why he is called the God of patience cha 15. 5. God the beginning and end of all thinges cha 11. 36. God how he is called true cha 3. 4. God is to be worshipped in spirite cha 1. 9. God is debter to no man cha 9. 15. and 11. 32. 34. 35. God is no way to be figured cha 1. 23. God beholdeth the heart cha 14. 23. God how he iustifieth vs cha 4. 5. God preuenteth men but not on the contrary cha 11. 3. 5. God how he is to be sought cha 15. 12. God how he deliuereth man ouer vnto sinne cha 1. 24. Gods worship put for ceremonies and rites cha 9. 4. Gods giftes why they are distributed to diuers cha 1. 11. Gods fauour taketh away al sorow cha 8. 31. Gods glory how greatly it ought to be esteemed cha 8. 8. Gods glorie is manifested in the destruction of the Reprobate cha 9. 23. Gods grace what it is cha 1. 6. Gods grace the cause and fountaine of al good thinges cha 1. 6. Gods grace more effectuall then the fall of Adam cha 5. 15. Gods grace how it is common vnto al cha 5. 18. Gods grace is not bestowed alike vpon all cha 9. 11. Gods care towards the godly cha 8. 15. Gods iust iudgement to be seene in the reprobate cha 9. 15. Gods righteousnes what it is cha 1. 17. 21. Gods righteousnesse contrary to the righteousnesse of men cha 10. 3. Gods mercy what it is cha 1. 21. Gods mercy is to be seene in the elect cha 9. 14. Gods mercy vpon whom it is shewed cha 11. 32. Gods mercy peculiarly appoynted vnto certayne cha 9. 15. Gods mercy onely pacifieth consciences cha 3. 21. Gods mysteries are al of them absurd vnto the flesh cha 3. 5. Gods name how it is defamed cha 2. 24. Gods power what it is cha 1. 21. Gods power how it is to be considered cha 4. 21. 9. 21. 11. 13. Gods foreknowledge what it is cha 8. 29. Gods Preachers are stirred vp by the special prouidence of God cha 10. 15. Gods Predestination is not to be considered according to our sence cha 11. 34. Gods prouidence how it is to be considered cha 3. 8. 8. 7. Gods kingdome wherein it consisteth cha 14 17. Gods wisedome what it is cha 1. 21. Gods feare the beginning of wisedome cha 3. 10. Gods word is preached no where but by the special prouideÌ„ce of god cha 10. 13. Gods truth what it is cha 1. 21. Gods truth for true knowledge of God cha 1. 18. Gods truth cannot be ouerthrowen by mans vanitie cha 3. 4.

Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Text snippets containing the quad