ouercome of the vertue of trueth that they coulde not but needes they must approue it For why should they institute religions but because they iudge that God is to bee worshipped why shoulde they bee ashamed of adulterie and theft but that they thinke them both euill vnaduisedly therefore is the power of our will drawen out of this place Paul speaketh not of the keeping but of the knowledge of the lawe Hearte for the intelect or vnderstanding as though Paule shoulde say the obseruation of the lawe were subiect to our power seeing hee speaketh not of the power of fulfilling the Lawe but of knowledge Neither is this woorde heart taken for the seate of the affections but for the intellect onely or vnderstanding as Deut. The Lorde hath not giuen thee a heart to vnderstande Also in an other place Deut. 29.4 O foolishe men and slowe of heart to beleeue Furthermore Luk. 24.25 neither is it hereby to be gathered that there is in men a full knowledge of the Lawe Imperfect knowledge in the Gentiles but onely that there are certaine seedes of iustice abiding in their witte such as these bee that all Gentiles in differently institute religions by lawes punish adulterie theftes and murder that they commende a good faith in bargaines and contractes For so they declare howe they are not ignoraunt that God is to be worshipped adulterie theft and murder are euill and honestie is commendable Neither is it meteriall what kind of god they imagine to be or how many gods they make it is sufficient that they vnderstande there is a God and that the same is to be honoured and worshipped It forceth not whether they permitte the concupiscence of another mans wife and possession or any other thing whether they can bridle the affections of wrath and hatred For that whiche they knewe was euill for them to doe the same was not lawfull for them to couette Their owne conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughtes c. Hee coulde not haue vrged them more straitly then with the testimonie of their owne conscience which is in steede of a thousande witnesses By the conscience of good deeds men support and comfort themselues they who in their conscience knowe they haue done euill are tormented and troubled in themselues As there is nothing more comfortable then the testimonie of a good conscience so on the contrary nothing more horrible then the testimonie of an euill conscience Whence these speaches of the Ethnickes came a good conscience is a large and noble theater but an euill is a most vile tormenter and more cruelly driueth the wicked frō poste to piller then any furie of hell There is therefore a certaine naturall knowledge of the lawe whiche sheweth this to be good and to bee followed after and that to bee abhorred And marke howe notably he discribeth the conscience when hee saith the reasons come into our minde whereby wee defende that is well done againe whiche accuse and reprooue vs of those thinges are euill done And these reasons of accusing and defending he deferreth vnto the day of the Lord not as though they shall then first appeare for they doe continually euen in this life vrge vs and exercise their office but because they shall then also preuaile least any should contēne them as friuelous and such as did vanish away And he hath put in the day for vnto the day as he did before 16 Wherein God shall iudge the secretes of men It is a very apt description of the iudgement seruing for the present place that they might knowe which willingly hide themselues in the darknes of vnsensiblenesse or dulnesse of minde that those inwarde cogitations which nowe are altogether hidde in the depth of their heartes shall then come forth into light As in an other place whiles he will shewe vnto the Corinthians of how smal force mans iudgement is which consisteth in external shewes he biddeth them tarrie till the Lorde come who will lighten the secretes of darknes and open the hidden thinges of the heart Which thinge when wee heare 1. Cor. 4.5 let vs remember that we are admonished if we will be in deede approoued of our iudge that then wee studie to come vnto that synceritie of minde He addeth according to my Gospell signifiyng that hee pronounceth such doctrine as euen mans reason naturally graffed in him doeth yeelde vnto How the gospell is called the Gospel of Paul And he calleth it his Gospel in respect of his ministerie For otherwise God onely hath authoritie to giue the Gospell onely the dispensation is committed to the Apostles Moreouer it is no marueile though part of the Gospell be called the messenger and solemne publishing of the iudgment to come For if the effect and accomplishment of those thinges hee promiseth be differed vntill the full declaration of the celestiall kingdome it must needes bee conioyned with the last iudgement Againe Christ can not bee preached but to the rising of some and the fall of other some both which apperteyne vnto the day of iudgement Concerning this parcell by Iesus Christ although it seeme otherwayes to some yet I referre it vnto the iudgement God will execute his iudgement by Christ after this maner that the Lorde shall execute his iudgement by Christ For hee is appointed of the Father to be iudge of the quicke and the dead Which the apostles alwayes count amongst the chiefest pointes of the Gospell and so the sentence shall bee more perfect which otherwise shoulde bee lame 17 Beholde thou art called a Iewe and restest in the law and gloriest in God 18 And knowest his will and allowest the thinges that are excellent in that thou art instructed by the lawe 19 And perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darknes 20 An instructer of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowlege and of the trueth of the lawe 21 Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest a man shoulde not steale doest thou steale 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adulterie doest thou commit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols committest thou sacrilege 23 Thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the lawe dishonourest thou God 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written 17 Beholde thou art a Iewe. In certayne olde copies is read Eide if verily which if it were so muche receiued shoulde be more allowed of me But because the greatest part of bookes is against it and the sence may stand otherwise I keepe the olde reading especially seeing it is but a small matter of one particle Now therefore hauing dispatched the cause of the Gentiles he returneth vnto the Iewes and to the ende he might more vehemently beate downe all their vanitie he graunteth vnto them all those thinges wherewithall they were proude and puffed
to the worde of GOD yet nowe it is so fallen from that beginning that there is no lesse differēce then betweene some holy place of chastitie and a stewes 3 Salute Prisca and Aquila Those testimonies whiche hee giueth heere vnto many doe partly tend to this ende that whiles they are had in honour who are honest and worthie both honestie it selfe might bee honoured and they might haue authoritie with such as coulde and woulde profite more then others partly that they mighte answere to their former life neither myght they faint in the course of godlinesse or their godly zeale quaile It is a singuler honour which hee giueth here to Prisca and Aquila specially in a woman Whereby the modestie of the holy man the rather appeareth who neither thinketh scorne to haue nor yet is ashamed to acknowledge a woman for his companion in the worke of the Lorde And this was the wife of Aquila himselfe Act. 18.1 whom Luke calleth Priscilla 4 To whom no◠I onely Because prisca and Aquila did not spare their owne life for the defence of the life of Paule hee testifieth that hee himselfe priuately doth giue them thankes yet hee addeth that thankes also are giuen vnto them of all the Churches that by this example he might also mooue the Romanes And worthily was the life of one man so deare and precious to al the Gentiles for it was an incomparable treasure wherefore it is no maruaile though all Churches of the Gentiles thought them selues bounde to his preseruers That which hee addeth of the Church in their house is worth the noting For hee coulde not more honourably adorne their familie then with the title of the Churche For I doe not like the worde congregation whiche Erasmus hath translated for it is euident that Paule by the way of honour hath vsed the sacred name of the Church 5 Who is the first fruites This is an allusion vnto the ceremonies of the lawe For because men are sanctified vnto God by faith they which obteine the first place in the oblation are fitly called the first fruits Furthermore as euery one was the formest It is no small honour when God choseth any for first fruites in respect of time called vnto the faith so Paul doth giue vnto him the prerogatiue of honour But this hath place whiles the end answereth the beginning And surely it is a singuler honour when God vouchsafeth to chose any for first fruites For by the continuance of time there commeth a greater and more ample proofe or tryall of faith whiles they which first begun are not wearie of running well He testifieth againe his thankfulnesse whiles he maketh mention of those things Marie did for him And it is sure hee ascribeth these prayses that hee might make them more commendable to the Romans whom he praised 7 Salute Andronicus Although Paul is wont to make no great account of kinred and other thinges appertaining to the fleshe yet because that consanguinitie which Iunia and Andronicus had with him might greatly help that they might bee the more easily knowen hee doth not neglect that prayse also There is more force in the second speech of praise whiles he nameth them his fellow captiues because amongest the ornaments of Christian warfare bondes are not reckoned in the last place Whiles in the third place hee nameth Apostles The name Apostle largly taken he taketh not this worde in his proper and vsuall signification But he extendeth it further namely vnto all those which doe not onely instruct one Church but for the publishing of the Gospell euery where doe bestowe their labour They therefore who by cariyng the doctrine of saluation hither and thither did plant churches are generally in this place called Apostles For other where he restraineth it vnto that principal order which Christ at the beginning ordeined in his twelue Disciples Otherwise it were absurd that so great dignitie should be ascribed vnto them amongest few Now because they had by faith imbraced the Gospel before Paule he doubteth not in that respect to preferre them before himselfe 11 Who are of the friendes of Narcissus It had been a thing too bad that Peter shold be omitted in so long a catologue if he had been then at Rome But he must needes haue bin there if wee beleeue the Romanes Howbeit if in doubtfull thinges there is nothing better then to followe a probable coniecture no man of indifferent iudgement will beleeue that is true they affirme For he had neuer bin omitted of Paule But it is worth the noting that none of those glorious and honourable titles are harde heere by the which it might be gathered that noble men were christians for whōsoeuer Paule reckoneth they were obscure vnnoble at Rome I take the Narcissus whō Paul nameth here to be the freeman of Claudius a man famous for many mischieuous naughtie deedes Whereby the goodnes of God is more wonderful which pearced into that impure house abounding withall wickednes not that Narcissus himselfe was conuerted vnto christ but this was a great matter that a house as it were like vnto hell should be visited with the grace of Christe And seeing they did worship Christ sincerely who liued vnder a huge Lion vnder a most cruell spoyler and corrupt man there is no cause why seruants should tary for their masters but euery one should follow Christ for himselfe Yea the exception added by Paule doth declare that his familie was diuided so that there were but a few which beleeued 16 Salute one another in an holy kisse It is euerye where apparant by the scriptures that a kisse was an vsuall common tokē of good will amongst the Iewes Perhaps lesse vsuall amongst the Romanes neither was it altogether strange amongst thē saue that it was not lawefull to kisse women other then their kinswomē only Howebeit that grewe into a custome with thē in old time that Christians before the communication of the Supper did kisse one another to testifie their good will by that signe thē afterward they gaue almes that they might cōfirm that in deed effect Whence the kissing of the pare proceeded which they represented by a kisse as appeareth out of a certaine homilie of Chrysostome Hence came that ryte which is at this day among the Papistes of kissing the Paxe making oblation The one whereof is meere superstition with out fruite the other serueth to no ende but to full vp the coueteousnes of the Priests if yet it may be filled Neuertheles paule seemeth not here precisely to exact a ceremonie but onely exhorteth them to maintaine brotherly loue which hee discerneth frō prophane friendships of the world which for the most part are either hypocritical or are brought to passe by naughtie deeds or are reteined by euill meanes and they neuer tend to a right ende And wishing health as much as in hym laye from the churches he studieth to bind all the members of Christe among them selues
this so greate wickednesse they descended euen vnto beastes and to those also in their kynde were most vyle Whereby their sottishnesse is to be seene more clearely Of these abhominations thou hast with Lactantius Eusebius Augustinus in his booke de Ciuitate Dei 24 Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their heartes lustes vnto vncleannes to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues 25 Which turned the truth of God vnto a lye and worshipped and serued the creature aboue the creator whiche is blessed for euer Amen 26 For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections for euen their women did chaunge the naturall vse into that which is agaynst nature 27 And likewise also the men left the naturall vse of the women and burned in their luste one towarde another and manne with manne wrought filthinesse and receyued in them selues suche recompence of their errour as was meete 28 For as they regarded not to know God euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a reprobate mynd to do those things which are not conuenient 29 Beyng full of vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnesse full of enuie of murther of debate of deceite taking all thinges in euill part whisperers 30 Backbyters haters of God doers of wrong proud boasters inuenters of euill thinges disobedient to parents without vnderstanding couenaunt breakers without naturall affection suche as canne neuer bee appeased mercilesse 31 Whiche menne though they knewe the Lawe of God howe that they whiche committe suche thinges are woorthie of death yet not onely doe the same but also fauour them that doe them 24 VVherefore also GOD gaue them Because impietye is a priuye or secrete mischiefe leaste yet they shoulde fynde some startinge hole by a more sensible demonstration hee sheweth that they canne no waye escape but they are iustelye condemned for because suche fruites followed that impietye as thereby might bee gathered euident tokens of the wrath of the Lorde And if so bee that the wrath of GOD bee alwayes iuste then it followeth that there went somewhat before whiche made them damnable From the tokens or signes of Gods indignation hee nowe vrgeth the Apostasie and reuoltinge or slipping awaye of menne Outragious sinning is a token of Gods wrathful indignation and a iuste punishment of the abuse of his maiestie for GOD verilye so reuengeth these alienate them selues from his goodnesse that he casteth them headlong into manifolde perdition and confusion And comparing the likelinesse of the vices wherewithall they were pestered with that impietye whereof hee accused them before hee prooueth that they were by the iust iudgement of GOD so plagued For seeyng nothing is more deere vnto vs then our owne honour this is extreeme blyndnesse when wee doubte not to bee reprochefull vnto our selues Wherefore it is a moste conuenience punishemente for the blasphemye committed aagaynst the maiestye of GOD. Hee prosecuteth this one thinge vnto the end of the Chapter but yet hee handeleth it diuerslye because the matter stoode neede of greate amplification This therefore is the summe of that hee goeth about namelye that heereby it doeth appeare the ingratitude of menne towardes GOD is inexcusable because by sure testimonyes they shewe foorth the fierce wrath of GOD agaynst them For they shoulde neuer haue beene plunged in so filthye lustes after the manner of beastes vnlesse the Maiestye of God had beene maruellouslye displeased and prouoked agaynst them Wherefore seeyng they euerye where abounded in moste detestable abhominations hee gathereth that the testimonies of Gods wrath were extante in them Gods wrath alway iust Nowe if this wrath of GOD neuer rage agaynst any temerously or vniustlye but alwayes it holdeth faste the moderation of equitye heereby hee sheweth it is a playne case that no lesse iuste then sure destruction hangeth ouer all menne Of the manner howe God doeth giue menne ouer vnto wickednesse it is not necessarye I shoulde make anye large discourse in this place For it is certayne he doeth permitte menne to fall not onelye by suffering and winking at them but also by his iust iudgemente hee so ordeyneth it that they shoulde bee ledde and carried both of their owne concupiscence and the Diuell into suche madnesse Therefore hee vseth the woorde deliuered according to the perpetuall manner of the Scripture whiche woorde they racke too violentlye who thinke wee are carried vnto sinne onely by the sufferaunce of God For as Sathan is the minister of Gods wrath and as it were his tormentoure so hee is armed agaynst vs not by the dissembling or sufferaunce but by the commaundement of the Iudge Sathan is the minister of Gods wrath And yet is neyther God cruell nor wee innocent seeyng Paule declareth plainlye that wee are not otherwise deliuered vnder his power then if we haue deserued suche punishment This onelye wee excepte that the cause of sinne commeth not from God The rootes of sinne remayne in the sinner seeyng the rootes thereof remayne still in the sinner For this muste alwaye be true Destruction is thine O Israell thy helpe is onelye in me When he ioyneth the lustes of mans hearte with vncleannesse Osce 13.9 priuily hee giueth vs to vnderstande what fruite our hearte bringeth foorth when it is once lefte vnto it selfe This clause betweene them selues hath his Emphasis or force for it expresseth more significantlye howe deepe and vncurable notes of infamye they had printed in their bodies 25 Whiche turned To the ende hee might plante it better in their heartes hee repeateth the same reason whiche hee handled aboue although not in the same woordes Whiles the trueth of GOD is turned into a lye his glorie is stayned They therefore deserue iustlye to bee imbrued in all kynde of ignominie whiche both goe aboute to robbe GOD of his honour and also to slaunder or blaspheme him And they worshipped That I might apply two verbes to one construction I haue thus translated it What honour for religion sake is giuen to the creature the same is vniustly takē from God He properly noteth the sinne of Idolatry for honour canne not bee giuen for religion sake vnto the creature but it shall bee vnwoorthelye and by the waye of sacriledge taken from God In vayne is the excuse that Images are woorshipped for Gods sake seeynge God acknowledgeth not this woorshippe neyther doeth hee accounte it acceptable to him And then the true God is not woorshipped at all but a faygned God whiche fleshe hath deuised vnto it selfe And that which is added who is blessed for euer Amen I interprete to bee spoken to the greater reproche of the Idolaters after this sence whome onelye they ought to haue honoured and woorshipped and from whom they oughte to haue derogated nothing though it were but a little 26 For this cause GOD gaue them vppe As though hee hadde interposed a Parenthesis hee returneth vnto that whiche hee hadde begunne before concerninge the reuengemente of the Lorde and hee bringeth the firste example in the horrible
if they had had no lawe at all so wee must beware least at this day it be turned agaynst vs. And surely it is too true in a great many who whiles they boast themselues to haue a certaine singuler knowledge as though the Gospell were not a rule of life they are giuen ouer vnto all kinde of vncleannesse Let vs not therefore dally so securely with the Lorde let vs remember what iudgement hangeth ouer such pratlers who shew forth the worde of God onely in iangling 22 Thou which abhorrest idols Verie aptely he opposeth sacriledge to idolatrie as a thing of the same kinde For sacriledge Sacrilege what it is simply is a prophanation of the diuine maiestie Which sinne was not vnknowen vnto the heathen Poets For this cause Ouide chargeth Lycurgus with sacrilege Metamorph. 3. For contemning the solemne feastes of Bacchus and in Fastis he calleth those Sacrilegas manus id est Wicked handes which violated the maiestie of Venus But seeing the Gentises gaue the maiestie of their gods vnto idols they counted that onely for sacrilege if any did steale that was dedicated to their Temples wherein they thought all religion consisted So at this daye where superstition raigneth in steade of the woorde of God they acknowledge no other sacrilege then the stealing of the riches of temples because with them there is no God but in idols no religion but in riot and pompe And here wee are admonished first that we flatter not our selues when wee haue obserued some part of the Lawe and contemne the residewe Two things to be noted Secondly that we glorie not so for externall idolatrie remoued that in the meane while wee haue no care to banishe and expell from vs that impietie lieth hidde in our myndes 23 Thou which gloriest in the lawe c. Although euery transgressour putteth God to reproche seeing all men are borne to this ende that they shoulde woorshippe him in righteousnesse and holinesse yet hee doeth iustly charge the Iewes herein with a speciall fault They in a speciall sort dishonour God who pretende his name and keepe not his lawe For whiles they preached God to bee their Lawgiuer and had no care to order their liues according to his rule they declared that the maiestie of their God which they so easely contemned was of no great count with them After which sorte at this day those defame Christ by the transgression of the Gospell who vainely talke of his doctrine whiche in the meane while by their licentious and lustfull life they treade vnder foote 24 For the name of God Ezech. 36 23◠Esay 52.5 I thinke this testimonie ratther to be taken out of Ezech. then out of Esay seeing with Esay there are no vpbraidings against the people whereof all that Chapter of Ezechiel is full Some thinke it is an argument taken from the lesse to the greater to this sence if the Prophete not without cause reprooued the Iewes of his time that for their captiuitie the glorie and power of God was despised amongst the Gentiles as though God had not been able to conserue the people which hee had taken into his protection much more are you a reproche and dishonour vnto God by whose maners his religion being estimated it is euill spoken of Which sentence as I doe not disproue The reproches of men fall vpō the name of God whom they professe so I wishe rather to haue one more sincere as though it were sayde wee see that all the reproches of the people of Israel doe fall vpon the name of God because seeing they are counted and called the people of God they beare the name of God grauen as it were in their foreheade whereby it must needes come to passe amongst men that that God in whose name they boast them selues shoulde be after a sort defamed by their filthinesse And this is a marueylous vnwoorthie thing that they whiche haue their glorie from GOD shoulde bee a reproche vnto his sacred name for at the least they ought to requite him otherwise 25 Circumcision verily profiteth if thou doest keepe the Lawe but if thou shalt bee a transgressour of the Lawe thy circumcision is turned into vncircumcision 26 If therefore vncircumcision shall keepe the righteousnes of the Lawe shall not his vncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision 27 And the vncircumcision which is by nature if it keep the lawe shall iudge thee which by the letter and circumcision art a transgressour of the Lawe 28 For hee is not a Iewe that is one openly neither is that circumcision which is outwarde in the fleshe 29 But he is a Iewe which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 25 Circumcision verily profiteth By a preoccupation he remoueth those thinges whiche the Iewes on the contrarie might take againe for the defence of their cause For if circumcision were a seale of the couenant of the Lorde whereby the Lorde chose Abraham and his seede for a peculiar people vnto him selfe they were thought to glorie therein not in vayne but because the trueth of the signe being omitted they aboade in the externall forme hee answereth that there is no cause why they shoulde arrogate any thing vnto them selues of the bare signe Wherein the veritie of circumcision consisted The veritie of circumcision did consist in the spirituall promise which required faith The Iewes neglected both as well the promise as faith Foolishe therefore was their confidence Wherby it commeth to passe that hee omitteth heere the principall vse of circumcision namely whiles he applyeth his talke vnto their grosse errour as hee doeth with the Galathians And that is diligently to bee noted For if hee shoulde intreate of the whole nature and propertie of circumcision it were absurde that there should be no mention of grace free promise But in both places he speaketh according to the circumstāce of the cause hee handleth Paul speaketh here of circumcision according to their opinion therefore he toucheth onely that part whiche was in controuersie They thought that circumcision of it selfe was a woorke sufficiente vnto the obteyning of righteousnes Therefore that he might speake according to their opinion he answereth that if the worke be respected in circumcision this is the condition of it that hee which is circumcised giue himselfe to worship God wholy and perfectly the worke therefore of circumsion is perfection And thus wee may speake of our baptisme If any trusting in the only confidence of the water of baptisme doth thinke himselfe to bee iustified as though hee had nowe gotten holinesse by that worke the ende of baptisme is to bee obiected namely that by that the Lorde doth call vs vnto holynesse of life Heere shoulde the promise and grace whiche baptisme doth testifie and seale vnto vs be passed ouer in silence because we are to deale with those who being content with the vaine shadowe
promiseth life to those do that it commaundeth But the lawe commaundeth not an externall shewe of woorkes onely but the syncere loue of God Therefore it followeth no merite of workes can bee admitted in the righteousnesse of faith Whereby appeareth it is but a friuelous cauill that wee are iustified in Christ because wee are renewed by the spirite as wee are the members of Christ that wee are iustified by faith because by faith wee are graffed into the bodie of Christ that wee are iustified freely because GOD doeth finde nothing in vs but sinne For therefore are wee iustified in Christe because out of our selues therefore by faith because wee must needes depende vpon his mercie and free promises therefore freely beecause GOD doeth reconcile vs vnto him selfe by buriyng our sinnes Righteousnes by the remission of sinnes is not to be tied to the beginning of righteousnes Neither can that bee tyed vnto the beginning of righteousnesse as they dreame For that definition Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen had place in Dauid when hee had long exercised him selfe in the woorshippe of GOD and Abraham thirtie yeeres after hee was called although hee were a singuler example of holinesse yet had hee no woorkes wherein to glorye with GOD and therefore it is imputed vnto him for righteousnesse that hee beleeued the promise And when Paule sayeth GOD iustifieth men by not imputing their sinnes hee reciteth that Sermon which ought dayly to bee rehearsed in the Church And that part of the conscience which is troubled in respect of woorkes is not of the continuaunce of one day but ought to laste the whole life whereby it followeth No beginning proceeding or perfection of righteousnes but in Christ onely wee are not otherwise iustified euen vntill the day of death but because wee haue respecte vnto Christe onely in whome GOD hath adopted vs and nowe holdeth vs acceptable Heereby also their cauill is refelled who charge vs of falsehood beecause wee affirme it to bee had out of the Scripture that wee are iustified by faith onely when as the particle exclusiue is no where extant in Scripture But if iustification bee both without the lawe and without vs why shall it not bee imputed vnto mercie onely if it bee of mercie onely then of fayth onely This particle nowe may simply bee taken aduersatiuely that it bee not referred vnto tyme as wee often say nowe for but yet If you had rather referre it vnto time whiche I doe willingly admitte leaste hee shoulde seeme to seeke any euasion yet notwithstanding the onely abrogation of ceremonies shall not bee vnderstoode because the purpose of the Apostle is onely by comparison to illustrate the grace wherein wee excell the fathers Therefore the sence shall be after Christ was exhibited in the fleshe the righteousnesse of faith was reueiled by the preaching of the Gospell Whereby yet it followeth not that it lay hidde before the comming of Christ A twofold manifestation of the grace of God For a twofolde manifestation is heere to bee considered the former is of the olde Testament which consisted in the woord and sacramentes the seconde of the newe Testament which besides the ceremonies and promises conteineth the fulnesse or filling vp in Christ whereinto also is added a more absolute clearenesse by the Gospell hauing witnesse He addeth this least in the dispensation of free righteousnesse the Gospell shoulde seeme to bee contrary to the lawe Therefore as hee denied the righteousnesse of faith to stande in neede of the helpe of the lawe The law giueth testimonie vnto the righteousnes of faith so nowe hee affirmeth it to bee confirmed by the testimonie of the Lawe And if the lawe beare witnesse vnto free righteousnesse it is apparaunt the lawe was not giuen therefore that it might teache men to get vnto them selues righteousnesse by woorkes Then they peruert the lawe who wrest it vnto that ende Moreouer if thou doest desire the proofe of this sentence prosecute in order the summe of Moses doctrine and thou shalt finde howe man at the beginning being cast from the kingdome of God had no other restitution then in the Euangelicall promises touching the blessed seede wherein the breaking of the Serpentes head is forspoken And wherein a blessing is promised or denounced to all nations In the commaundementes thou shalt finde the demonstration of thine iniquitie by the sacrifices and oblations thou shalt learne howe the satisfaction and purgation thereof is in Christ onely If you come vnto the Prophetes in them you shall finde most plentifull promises of free grace Concerning which matter see our institutions I say the righteousnesse of God What maner of righteousnesse the righteousnes of faith is In fewe wordes hee declareth what maner of righteousnesse this is namely that it resteth or abideth in Christ and is apprehended by fayth Although whiles hee inferreth agayne the name of God he seemeth to make God the authour and not onely an approuer of that righteousnesse of the which he entreateth as though hee shoulde say it commeth from him onely or it hath his originall from heauen and is made manifest to vs in Christ Therefore when we reason of this righteousnes we must proceede this way First the cause of our righteousnes must not be referred vnto the iudgement of menne but vnto the tribunall of God where no righteousnesse is accounted of but the perfect and absolute obedience of the lawe which thing may easily appeare by the promises and threatninges And if that no man can be founde that hath attayned vnto suche exact holines it followeth all are voyde of righteousnesse in them selues Then must Christ needes helpe who as he is onely iust Righteousnes is a real vertue in Christ and apprehended of vs by faith Gods mercy the efficient cause Christ the material cause and faith the instrumental cause of our righteousnes so by transferring his righteousnesse vnto vs he maketh vs righteous Nowe thou seest how the righteousnesse of fayth is the righteousnesse of Christ That we may therefore bee iustified the efficient cause is the mercy of God Christ is the matter or materiall cause the worde and fayth is the instrument or instrumentall cause Wherefore fayth is sayd to iustifie because it is the instrument to receyue Christ in whom righteousnes is communicated vnto vs. After that we are made partakers of Christ not onely we our selues are iust but our woorkes are reputed iuste before God namely because whatsoeuer imperfection is in them it is abolished or taken away by the blood of Christ The promises which are conditionall by the same grace also are fulfilled vnto vs in as much as God doeth rewarde our works as perfect because the deffect or imperfectiō of them is couered thorow free pardon To all and vpon all For amplification sake hee hath repeated the same thing by diuers formes of speaking to the end he might the rather expresse that we haue hearde namely that both sole faith is
he hath remoued all doubt And then the third clause not of workes but of the caller Nowe then let vs apply our mindes more neerely vnto this text If the purpose of God according to election be thereby established that before the brethren were borne had done either good or euill the one is reiected the other is chosen then if any would go about to attribute to their works the cause of differeÌ„ce the purpose of God shold so be ouerthroweÌ„ Now whereas he addeth Our election is grounded onely vpon the goodnes of god not of workes but of the caller Hee signifieth not of the behalfe of workes but of calling only For he goeth about to exclude all consideration of works Wherfore we haue all the stablenes of our election concluded in the onely purpose of God merites are worth nothing here which serue for nothing but vnto death no dignitie is regarded for ther is none but the onely goodnes of God raigneth And therefore the doctrine is false contrary to the word of God namely that God doth chose or reiect as hee foreseeth euery man worthie or vnworthie of his grace 12 The elder shall serue the younger Beholde how the Lord putteth a difference betweene the sonnes of Isaac yet beeing in their mothers wombe When the Lord called Iacob to that birthright was due by the order of nature to Esau therby he gaue a type of another matter For this is the answere of the heauenly oracle wherby it followeth that his pleasure was to shewe vnto the younger speciall fauour which he denied vnto the elder And although this did appertein vnto the law of birth right yet therin as in the type of a greater matter was the will of God declared And that may easily be seen if we doe consider how litle according to the flesh the birthright profited Iacob For therefore hee was both in great danger also for the auoiding of that danger he was forced to flee from his house countrie and was vncourteously intreated in exilement and when he returned trembling doubtful of life he prostrateth himfelfe at the feete of his brother humbly he beseecheth him to forgiue him his offence doth not liue but by his pardon Where is his Lordship ouer his brother of whom he is constrained by prayer to aske life Therefore there was some greater matter then the birthright which the Lord promised by his oracle 13 As it is written Yet he confirmeth by a surer testimonie how greatly that oracle giuen to Rebecca did auaile to the presente cause namely that by the Lordship of Iacob bondage of Esau the spirituall condition of theÌ„ both was testified Secondarily that Iacob obteined this grace by the goodnes of God and no merit of his Therefore this testimonie of the Prophet declareth why the Lord gaue vnto Iacob the birthright And it is takeÌ„ out of Malachie where the Lord vpbraiding the vnthankfulnes of the Iewes first maketh mention of his goodnes towards theÌ„ Malac. 1. I haue loued you quoth he and he addeth whence the beginning of loue proceeded was not Esau the brother of Iacob As though hee said what prerogatiue had he why I should preferre him before his brother none at all For there was an equall right sauing that by the law of nature this which was the younger ought to haue been subiect to him that was the elder yet haue I chosen hym refused this being moued thereunto by my mercy only and by no dignitie of workes And now I had adopted you to be my people that I might still prosecute the same loue towardes the seede of Iacob but I haue reiected the Edomites the progenie of Esau Therefore ye are so much the worse whom the remembrance of so great fauour cannot prouoke to the worship of my maiestie And although the earthly blessings are there also mentioned which god bestowed vpon the Israelites yet we must not otherwise take theÌ„ then pledges of his beneuolence For where the wrath of God is there foloweth death but where his loue is there followeth life 14 What shall we say then is there any vnrighteousnesse with God God forbid 15 For hee saith to Moses I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and will shew compassion on whome I will shewe compassion 16 So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy 17 For the scripture saith to Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp that I might shewe my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth 18 Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will whome he will hee hardeneth 14 What shall wee say then Fleshe cannot heare that wisedome of God but straightwayes it is troubled with tumultuous questions and in a sort striueth to bring God to a count Therefore wee see the Apostle so often as hee handeleth any high mysterie answereth many inconueniences wherewithall hee knewe the mindes of men otherwise to bee occupied And chiefly when men heare that of predestination whiche the scripture deliuereth they are tangled with many trifles For the predestination of God is truly a Labyrinth whence the wit of man can no way vnwinde it selfe but such is the importunate curiositte of man that the more dangerous the inquisitioÌ„ of any thing is the more boldly he rusheth thither so when talke is of predestination because he caÌ„not bridle himself Predestination is not therefore vtterly to be neglected because it is a hard daÌ„gerous question by his rashnes hee doth straightwaies as it were drowne himself in the depth of the sea What remedie then haue the godly should they flee all remembrance of predestinatioÌ„ no not so For seeing the holy ghost hath taught nothing but that which is necessary for vs to know assuredly the knowledge thereof shal be profitable if it keep it self within the word of God Let this theÌ„ be a sure obseruatioÌ„ with vs that we seek to know nothing of it but that the scripture teacheth where the Lord shutteth his holy mouth let vs also stop the way to our mindes of going further But because wee are men into whose mindes those foolish questions doe naturally come let vs heare of Paul how we may meet with theÌ„ Is there any vnrighteousnes with god This is a moÌ„strous furie of mans wit that rather it chargeth god of vnrighteousnes theÌ„ it wil reproue itselfe of câ—citie neither wold paul fetch things far of wherw t he might trouble the readers but at it were hee taketh away that wicked doubt which straitwayes creepeth in vpon many so soone as they heare that God doth determine of euery one according to his pleasure Furthermore this is that kind of vnrighteousnesse which flesh imagineth that one being neglected God doth respect another That Paul might loose this knot he deuideth the whole cause into two members in the former whereof he intreateth of the elect in the
dispaired of neyther were there any hope of repentaunce lefte And heere hee woorthily denyeth the saluation of the Iewes to be past hope or that they are so cast off of the Lord that there is no restitution to be looked for or that the couenant of grace is vtterly extinguished which God once made with them seeing there remained alway in that nation a blessed seede That his meaning is thus to bee vnderstoode it appeareth by this namely that before he ioyned most sure ruine vnto excecation now maketh hope of rising againe which two cold not agree in one Then they are fallen fallen to destruction who were obstinately offended at Christ yet the nation is not so fallen that it should follow of necessitie who so is a Iewe he is lost or fallen away from God But their fal is saluatiō to the Gentiles The Apostle in this place noteth two thinges namely that the fall of the Iewes turned to the saluation of the Gentiles but to this end that they might be kindled with a certaine ielousie so bethinke thēselues of repentance Surely he respected the testimonie of Moses which he had already cited where the Lorde threatneth Israel that as he was prouoked of them through false Gods vnto emulation so also by the lawe of retaliation he would prouoke them with a foolish people The word that is vsed there noteth the affection of emulation and ielousie namely that we burne when we see another preferred before vs. Then if the counsaile of the Lord be that Israel should be prouoked vnto emulation Israel is not therefore fallen that hee should be throwen into eternall destruction but that the blessing of God The Iewes are not therefore reiected that they should vtterly perishe which was contemned of them might come vnto the gentiles to the end that they also at length might bee stirred to seeke the Lorde from whom they are fallen But there is no cause why the readers shoulde greatly weary themselues in applying the testimonie for Paule doth not vrge the proper sēce of the worde but only alludeth vnto the vulgare and knowen manner For as emulation prouoketh the wife being reiected from her husband for her fault that she should studie to reconcile herselfe so now he saith it may come to passe that when the Iewes shall see the Gentiles placed in their roome they beeing touched with the sorow of their diuorcement should seeke for reconciliation 12 Wherfore if the fall of them Because he had taught that after the Iewes were diuorced the gētiles entred in their steed least he should make the saluation of the Iewes odious vnto the gētiles as though the saluatiō of the gētiles stood vpō the destructiō of the Iewes he preuēteth the false opinion putteth downe the cōtrary sētence namely that nothing serueth more to promote the saluation of the gētiles then if the grace of God did floorish and aboūd greatly with the Iewes Which thing that he might proue he vseth an argument frō the lesse If their fall could raise vp the Gentiles and their diminishing inritch them how muche more shall their fulnes For that was done against nature but this shoulde come to passe by the order of nature Neither doth it hinder this reason that the word of God came vnto the Gentiles If the Iewes receiued the gospel it should be so farre from hindering that it should greatly further the faith of the Gentiles after the Iewes by refusing of it had as it were vomited it For if they had receiued it their faith had brought muche more fruite then their infidelitie brought by this occasion For so both the trueth of God had beene confirmed because it had appeared to be fulfilled in them and they also by doctrine had brought many whom by their stubbornesse they rather turned away And he had spoken more properly if he had opposed rising of the gētiles against the fal of the Iewes Which I therfore note least any should seeke here for the elegancie of speech or be offended at the rudenes of speech For these are spoken not to frame the tongue but the heart 13 For I say to you Gentiles He proueth by a notable reason that the Gentiles shal loose nothing if the Iewes returned againe into fauour with God For he sheweth that the saluation of them both is so ioyned together that by one and the same worke it may be promoted For thus he speaketh vnto the Gentiles notwithstanding I am an Apostle peculiarly appointed for you and therefore ought in a speciall sort procure your saluation committed vnto me and as it were all other thinges layde apart to seeke that onely yet I shal doe my duetie faithfully if I can winne any vnto Christ of mine owne nation And that shall be to the glorie of my mynisterie and so for your wealth For whatsoeuer did serue to set foorth the mynisterie of Paule it was an ornament to the Gentiles whose saluation was the end thereof And here also he vseth the verbe Parazelosai to prouoke That the Gentiles might seeke for the euent of Moses prophesie such as he describeth Deut. 32.22 when they should vnderstand it to be profitable for them 14 Might saue How the minister is said to saue Here note how the minister of the worde is said in his manner to saue those whom he hath brought vnto the obedience of faith For the dispensation of our saluation must be so moderated that we know al the vertue and efficacie therof to be in God and giue vnto him due praise yet that we knowe also preaching is an instrument to bring to passe the saluation of the faithful which although it can profite nothing without the spirit of God yet the same spirite woorking inwardly it doeth mightily shew foorth his vertue 15 For if the reiection Some doe lewdely corrupt this place which many count to be obscure in my iudgemēt it ought to be so vnderstood that it is another argument taken from the comparing of the lesse and greater to this sence if the casting off of the Iewes could doe so much that it should giue cause to the reconciling of the gentiles of how much more force shall their receiuing be Ought it not euen to raise from the dead For Paul persisteth stil in this that the gentiles haue no cause of enuie as though the Iewes being receiued into fauour their estate should be the worse He reasoneth therfore that seeing God hath woonderfully brought life out of death and darknes out of light it is much more to be looked for that the raysing againe of a people as it were cleane dead should quicken the gentiles Neither letteth that which some alleadge namely that reconciliation differeth not from resurrection as we do here vnderstand resurrection namely whereby we are translated from the kingdome of death into the kingdome of life For although the thing be one yet there is lesse and more weight in the wordes which sufficeth to the force of
be smitten with the terrour of Gods iudgement Therefore hee doth not onely conuince them of their iniquitie but also being cōuicted doth rouse them from their drowsinesse First of all hee condemneth all mankinde since the worlde began of ingratitude that in so excellent a workemanship they did not acknowledge the workemaster yea when they were constrained to acknowledge him they did not worthily honour his maiestie but prophaned violated the same with their vanitie So all men are proued giltie of impietie then the which there is no more detestable wickednesse And to the ende it might more plainely appeare that all men are fallen from the Lorde hee rehearseth the fylthie and abhominable woorkes whereunto euery where men are subiecte Which is a manifest argument that they haue degenerate frō God for as much as they are tokens of Gods wrath which appeare not but in the godlesse And because certaine of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles hauing couered theyr inward wickednesse with the cloake of outward holinesse did seeme vnreproueable of these impious workes And therefore were thought to bee exempted from the common condemnation the Apostle directeth his stile against that fained holinesse And because that visarde before men coulde not bee drawen from those pettie saints he reuoketh them vnto the iudgement of God whose eyes beholde the verie hidden thoughts Afterward hauing made a distribution he citeth the Iewes by themselues and the Gentiles also by themselues before the tribunall seate of God Hee taketh from the Gentiles that excuse of ignorance which they pretended For their conscience whereby they were sufficiently conuicted was vnto them in steede of a lawe Hee vrgeth the Iewes with that chiefly which they tooke for their defence namely with the written law wherof in as much they were proued to be transgressours they could not cleare themselues of iniquitie seeing the mouth of God had alreadie pronounced sentence against them Hee preuenteth also that obiection which might seeme to make for them videliz that the couenant of God which was vnto thē the marke of sanctification was violated vnlesse there were difference put betweene them and others Here first he teacheth that the title of the couenant made them nothing better then others seeing through their vnfaithfulnesse they were fallen from it Secondly least the constancie of gods promise should be in any part diminished he graunteth vnto them some prerogatiue by the couenant but such as consisteth in the mercy of God and not in their merite Then finally by the authoritie of the scripture he proueth al both Iewes and Gentiles to bee sinners where also he speaketh somwhat of the vse of the law Thus when he hath depriued all mankind both of the trust of their own vertue and also of the glory of righteousnes and throwen them downe with the seueritie of gods iudgement he commeth vnto that which he purposed namely that wee are iustified by faith shewing what faith that is and howe wee obteine thereby the righteousnesse of Christe Heerevnto hee addeth in the ende of the third Chapter a singuler sentence to beate downe the fiercenes of mans pride least he should aduaunce himself against the grace of God And also least the Iewes should hemme in the grace of God within the compasse of their nation he proueth by the way that it appertaineth to the Gentiles also In the 4. chap. he argueth frō an example which because it was cleere and therefore free from cauillations he putteth it downe to wit in Abraham who in as muche as hee is the father of the faithfull ought too bee in steede of a rule generall example Hauing therfore proued him to be iustified by faith he teacheth that the same way is to be holden of vs And heereupon hee inferreth by the comparing of contraries to followe that the righteousnesse of workes must vanish where place is giuen to the iustification of faith Which thing he proueth by the testimonie of Dauid who reposing all the blessednes of man in the mercy of God doth take this from works that they should make a man blessed After this hee handeleth that more at large whiche hee had briefly touched before namely that there is no cause why the Iewes shold aduance themselues aboue the gentiles who are partakers of the same felicitie with them seeyng the Scripture declareth righteousnesse to haue happened vnto Abraham when hee was vncircumcised In which place hee taketh occasion to intreate of the vse of circumcision After this he addeth that the promised saluation doth depend vpon the onely goodnes of God for if it depended vpon the law then could it neither bring peace vnto our consciences wherein it ought to be firmely rooted neyther were it like euer to come vnto his perfection Wherefore that it may be firme and sure in imbracing of it we are to consider the onely truth of God and not our selues and that after the example of Abraham who not considering himselfe did wholly set before him the power of God In the ende of the Chapter to the intent hee might more aptlye applye the alleadged example vnto the generall cause hee conferreth those thinges which on both sides are like In the fift Chapter after he hath touched the fruite effect of the righteousnes of faith he is almost wholly occupied in amplifications whiche serue to make the matter more cleere For by an argument taken from the greater he sheweth how great things we now being redeemed reconciled vnto God are to expect looke for at his hands through his loue which was so bountiful towards vs being sinners vtterly vndone cast away that he gaue vnto vs his onely begotten only beloued sonne After this he compareth sinne with righteousnes which commeth by free grace Christ with Adā death with life the law with grace Wherby he declareth that the infinite goodnes of God doth ouermatch our sins how great so euer they are In the sixte Chapter hee commeth vnto sanctification which we haue in Christ For our fleshe is prone assoone as it hath tasted a little of this grace to cocker wantonly his sins concupiscences as though it had now dispatched al. Therfore Paule on the contrary declareth here that we cannot bee partakers of righteousnes in Christ vnlesse also wee lay holde on sanctification Hee fetcheth his argument from Baptisme wherby we are admitted in the felowship of Christ therin we are buried together with Christ that being dead in our selues by his life wee might be raised vnto newnes of life Whereupon it ensueth that no man without regeneratiō can put on his righteousnes From hence he draweth exhortations vnto puritie and holines of life which necessarily ought to appeare in those who are translated from the power of sinne into the kingdome of righteousnes hauing cast away the wicked cockering of the flesh which seeketh a more licentious libertie of sinning in Christ Finally he doth briefly make mention of the abrogation of the law in abrogating wherof the new
addeth those preceptes for the instruction of our life whiche hee had not mentioned before In the nexte chapter hee taketh on him an exhortation which was very necessarie for the present tyme. For there were some who through obstinate superstition beeing addicted to the obseruations of Moses could not without great offence suffer the neglect of them Agayne there were othersome who being confirmed touching the abrogation or taking away of them whiles they went about to remooue superstition purposely shewed foorth a contempte of them Both parties offended throughe vntemperatures For the superstitious condemned the others as contemners of the Lawe of GOD and they agayne without discretion despised the simplicitie of the others Therefore the Apostle putteth downe for them both a conuenient moderation calling those were stronge from pride and disdayne and those were superstitious of infyrmitie and weaknesse from their too muche frowardnesse Moreouer hee prescribeth a notable fourme of Christian libertie that it might consiste within the boundes of Charitie and edifycation hee giueth those are weake wholesome counsayle whiles hee forbiddeth them to attempt any thing agaynst their conscience The fifteenth Chapter beginneth with a repetition of the geenerall sentence as the winding vp of the whole disputation that those are stronge myght bestowe their strength to confyrme the weake And because there was a perpetuall strife betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles about the ceremonies of Moses the materiall cause of pride beeing taken out of the way hee endeth all the quarrell betweene them For hee teacheth them that the saluation of them both doth depende vpon the onelie mercie of GOD whereunto they leaning ought to lay downe all pride and wherin they being coupled together in the hope of one inheritance ought euerye way to imbrace one another Lastly he coueting to make a digression vnto the commendation of his Apostleship which brought great authoritie to his doctrine taketh occasion thereof whiles he exscuseth and craueth pardon for his rashnesse that he was so bolde to take vpon him the office of a teacher among them Furthermore hee putteth them in great hope of his commming whiche thing hee saith in the beginning of this Epistle hee had in vaine hitherto gone aboute and prooued and this hee doeth adding the cause which presently did hinder him Namely that the Churches of Macedonia Achaia had committed to his charge the carriage of that almes vnto Hierusalem which they had giuen to relieue the poore brethren there The last Chapter standeth wholly almost vppon salutations but that it being heere and there tempered with certayne preceptes not to be contemned is concluded with an excellent prayer ⧠A Commentarie of Ioh. Caluin vpon the Epistle of Paule to the Romanes The first Chapter 1 PAule a seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to be an Apostle put a part to preach the Gospel of God 2 Which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures 3 Concerning his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde which was made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh 4 And declared mightely to be the sonne of God touching the spirite of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead 5 By whom we haue receiued grace and Apostleship that obedience might be giuen vnto the faith in his name among the Gentiles 6 Among whom yee be also the called of Iesus Christ 7 To all you that be at Rome beloued of God called to be Saintes grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ The Commentarie of Ioh. Caluin PAul I would speak nothing at al of the name of Paul seeyng it is a thing of no such weight that wee should stand long vpon it and nothing can be brought whiche hath not been spoken of other interpreters before but that with small labour I may satisfie some without any great contempt of others this question shal bee dispatched in few wordes Those which thinke the Apostle did take vnto him this name as a testimony of his victory ouer Sergius that vnder cōsul Acts 13.7.9 whom ye conuerted vnto Christ they are confuted of Luke himselfe who sheweth that he was so called before that time neither doe I thinke it like that this name should be giuen vnto him euer since he was cōuerted vnto Christ Which thing I suppose pleased Augustine only that thereby he might take occasion of disputing wittingly whiles he saith that of a proude Saule hee was made an humble disciple of Christ The opinion of Origē is more probable Paule had two names who iudgeth him to haue had two names For it is not vnlike that this name Saule beyng a name of his auncestours was giuen vnto him of his parents to declare his religion and kinred the other name Paul to haue beene added for to testifie the title of the citie of Rome both because they neither would haue this honour obscured in him whiche then was greatly esteemed neither made they such reckoning of it that it should extinguishe the remembraunce of the stocke of Israel That he vseth the name of Paul oftener in his Epistles this may seeme to be the cause it was more famous and more vsed in the Churches vnto the which he wrote it was more gracious in the Romaine Empyre though lesse knowne in his owne kinred For it behooued him to haue great care to auoyde that vayne suspicion and hatred wherin the very name of a Iewe was at that time with the Romaines and Prouincials and to beware hee increased not the madnes of his Countriemen and to take heed to him selfe A Seruaunt of Iesus c. Hee adorneth himselfe with these titles Paule two wayes getteth authority to his doctrine that hee might gette authoritie vnto his doctrine And that he doth two wayes first whiles hee affirmeth his calling vnto the Apostleship Secondly when hee teacheth that the same calling is not strange from the Churche of Rome For it was both very expedient that he should be an Apostle by the calling of God and also knowen to bee appoynted to the Church of Rome Therefore he saith that he was a minister of Christ and called vnto the office of an Apostle whereby he signifieth that he did not rashly intrude himself thither Straight way after he saith he was separated or put apart that hee might the better proue he was no vulgare or common fellowe but an excellent Apostle of the Lorde In which signification he had also before descended from the generall vnto that was more speciall seeyng that the Apostleshippe is a kynde of ministerye For who so occupieth the function of teaching is to be counted amongest the seruauntes of Christ But Apostles by degree of honour are most excellent amongest all others This selection or putting a part whereof he speaketh doth declare both the end and vse of the Apostleship For his mynde is briefly to shewe to what end he was called vnto this function Therfore whereas he saith he was a seruaunt of Christ that
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 frō 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 mētion 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 takē both from his owne and their person The reason from their persō 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 cōteyned 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
Apostle to the Hebrewes ascribeth this light vnto fayth that a manne shoulde profite truely in the creation of the worlde And not without cause for throughe blyndnesse wee are so hyndered that wee can not come vnto the marke wee see so farre that we can not pretende anye excuse Paule declareth both these thinges notably when hee sayeth that God in tymes past suffered the Gentiles in ignoraunce Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse Acts 14.17 because he gaue vnto them rayne and fruitfulnesse from heauen Therefore this knowledge of God whiche auayleth onelye to take awaye excuse Io. 17.3 Iere. 9.24 differeth greatly from that knowledge bringeth saluation whereof Christ speaketh and wherein Ieremie teacheth we are to reioyce 20 Because that when they knewe God Heere hee testifieth plainely that God hath put into the myndes of all men the knowledge of himselfe that is to saye hee hath so manifested him selfe by his workes that needes they must beholde that whiche of their own accord they seeke not after namely that there is some God For neither the worlde was existant by chaunce neither did it come foorth of it selfe But wee must alwayes note in what degree of knowledge they abode in as nowe it followeth What manner of knowledge was in the Gentiles namely an vneffectuall they glorified him not as God God can not be conceiued without his eternitie power wisedome goodnesse trueth righteousnesse and mercie His eternity appeareth in this that hee is the Author of all thinges His power that hee holdeth all thinges in his hande and maketh that they consist in him His wisedome by the most apte disposing of all thinges His goodnesse because there was none other cause why he should make all thinges neyther canne hee bee mooued by anye other reason to conserue them then for his onelye goodnesse His iustice in the ruling or gouerning of all thinges beecause hee punisheth the guiltye and deliuereth the innocent His mercye that with so greate patience hee suffereth the peruersitye of menne His trueth in this that hee is immutable Therefore hee whiche hath conceyued the knowledge of GOD nowe oweth vnto him the glorie of eternitye wisedome goodnesse and righteousnesse Whiles menne doe not acknowledge suche vertues in GOD but dreame of him as vppon a vayne phantasie they are woorthilye sayde to robbe him wickedlye of his honour As we are indebted to God for infinite benefits so chiefly for that he hath reuealed him selfe vnto vs. And it is not without cause hee addeth they were not thankefull For there is no manne that is not indebted vnto him for infinite his benefites Yea and if it were in nothing else euen heerein hath hee sufficientlye made vs his debtoures that hee hath vouchesafed to reueale him selfe vnto vs. But they became vayne c. That is to saye hauing lefte the trueth of God were turned to the vanity of their owne sence all the quicknesse or sharpenesse whereof is but vayne and passeth away like a smoke And so their foolishe mynde coulde vnderstande nothing aright All mans sharpnes is but vaine to vnderstande and serue God aright but by all meanes was carried headlong into errours and lyes This is that vnrighteousnesse which by and by choketh through his prauitie the seede of true knowledge before it come to perfection 22 When they professed Out of this place commonlye they take an argumente to thinke that Paule hath heere to doe with Philosophers who speciallye challenged vnto them selues the prayse of wisedome And they thinke this to bee the course of Paules disputation that the excellencie of the great Doctours beyng beaten downe it might consequētly follow that there was nothing prayse worthie in the common sort of people But they seeme vnto mee to haue ouer slender a reason to mooue them For this thing was not peculiar vnto the Philosophers that they shoulde thinke them selues wise in the knowledge of God but it was a thinge common to the Gentiles of what degree or order soeuer they were Fore there was none whiche woulde not bring the maiestye of GOD vnder his capacitye and make God suche one as hee could conceiue in his owne sence This temeritie is not learned I saye in schooles but beeyng ingraffed in vs doeth come together with vs that I maye saye so euen foorth of our mothers wombe It hath beene a common faulte in all ages that men trusting to their owne wit haue imagined of God and his worship according to their owne phantasies For it is euident that this mischiefe hath raigned in all ages that men should take vnto them selues all libertie in coyning superstitions This arrogancie therefore is reprehended that when men ought in their humilitie to haue giuen the glorie to God they would bee wise in themselues and pull GOD downe vnto their humilitie For Paule holdeth this principle fast that it is his owne fault if anye man bee estraunged from the woorshippe of God As if hee shoulde saye beecause they haue proudelye lifte vppe them selues therefore through the iuste vengeaunce of God they haue beene infatuated or made foolishe Concerning that interpretation which I refuse my reason is at hande that maketh agaynst it because this errour of fayning an Image to GOD hadde not his originall from the Phylosophers but they hauinge receyued it of others with their sentence did approoue it 23 And they turned After they had faygned God to bee suche one as they coulde apprehende by their carnall sence it was farre from them to acknowledge the true God but they made a faigned and newe GOD or rather an image in the steede of God That is it hee sayeth They turned the glorye of the Lorde because like as if a manne shoulde suborne or put a straunge childe in the place of the naturall so they departed from the true God Neyther doeth this pretence excuse them that yet notwithstanding they beleeued GOD dwelled in heauen and that they counted not the wood for God but for an Image For euen this same is contumelious against God It is great contumely against God to imagin so grosely of him as to resemble him to a mortall yea or immortall creature that they imagined so grosely of his Maiestye that they durst make vnto him an image And from the guyltinesse of suche presumption no man can be exempted no not the Priestes nor Lawgiuers nor Phylosophers of whom he that was most sober euen Plato him selfe seeketh also for a fashion in God This madnesse therefore is noted that all woulde figure God vnto them selues which thing vndoubtedly declareth their grosse and foolishe imaginations of God And first they defiled the maiestie of God with the similitude of corruptible man For so I had rather turne it then with Erasmus of mortall man Because Paule doeth not onely oppose the immortalitie of God against the mortalitie of man but also that glory of his subiect to no corruptions against the miserable condition of man Secondly not beeyng content with
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 ope◠〈◊〉 â—n shall the Lambes bee
is a speciall Maxime of Christian Phylosophie The later is taken out of the Psalmes where Dauid confesseth Psal 116.11 there neyther commeth anye certainetye from manne neyther is there anye in him This place is notable and conteyneth verye necessarye consolation for suche is the peruersitie of menne in refusing or contemning the worde of GOD that the certainty thereof shoulde often come into questiō except it came to our remembrance that the trueth of God dependeth not vppon mans veritye But howe agreeth this with that was sayde immediatelye before namelye that the faith of men whiche may receyue the promise Obiection is required that the promise of GOD might bee effectuall For fayth is contrarye vnto lyinge It seemeth to bee an harde question yet it is easily resolued to witte that the Lorde by the lyes of men whiche otherwise are hynderaunces vnto his trueth will yet fynde vnto him selfe a waye where there is no waye that hee may ouercome Answeare by correcting in his elect that incredulitie is graffed in our nature and by subiecting into his obedience suche as doe seeme to bee vnruly Finally nowe the disputation is of the corruption of nature and nor of the grace of God which is the remedy of the said corruption That thou mightest be iustified The meaning is it is so farre off that the truth of God should be destroyed by our lie and vnfaithfulnesse Psal 51. ◠that thereby it is made more apparant and manifest As Dauid testifieth saying that therefore because hee was a sinner God was alwaye a iust and righteous iudge what soeuer he decreed against him and that he shoulde ouercome all the reproches of the wicked which would murmure against his righteousnesse By sayings are meant iudgementes By the sayinges of God Dauid vnderstandeth iudgementes which he bringeth foorth against vs. For whereas they commonly expound it of the promises that is too muche wrested Therefore this particle that is not only finall neither noteth a consequence farre fetched but is of as much value as an illation Inferring or bringing in to this sence I haue sinned against thee therefore thou maist by right punish me And that Paul hath alleadged the place of Dauid in his proper and naturall sence the obiection added a little after doth proue how shall the righteousnesse of God abyde perfect if our iniquity sette it foorth For in vayne as I haue partly shewed a little before and out of season should Paule stay the readers vpon this doubt except Dauid did vnderstand that God by his wonderfull prouidence doeth get prayse vnto his righteousnesse Though the iniquities of men by their owne nature serue to the dishonour of God subuersion of his truth Yet by his wonderfull prouidence he getteth vnto himselfe glorie thence and therby establisheth his trueth euen out of the iniquities of men The second member after the Hebrew is thus and thou in iudging pure which speech importeth nothing else then that God is woorthy of prayse in all his iudgements howsoeuer the wicked exclayme and odiously goe about by their complayninges to ouerwhelme his glory But Paule followed the Greeke translation which serued better for the present purpose For we know the Apostles in recyting the wordes of the Scripture to be more franke free or bold because they counted it sufficient if they applyed them vnto the matter Wherefore they stoode not so muche vppon the wordes Vnto the presente place therefore this shal be the application if all the sinnes of mortall men must serue to the setting forth of the glorie of the Lord he is specially glorified by his truth it followeth that the vanitie of men serueth rather to the establishing then subuerting of his truth And albeit this worde Crinesthai may bee taken as well actiuely as passiuely yet I doubt not but the Grecians haue translated it passiuelye besides the meaning of the Prophet 5 Now if our vnrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God what shall wee say is God vnrighteous whiche addeth wrath I speake as a man 6 Let it not bee so For nowe shall GOD iudge the worlde 7 For if the veritie of God hath more aboūded through my lye vnto his glory why am I yet condemned as a sinner 8 And not rather as wee are blamed and as some affirme that wee say let vs doe euill that good may come whose damnation is iust 5 Now if our vnrighteousnesse Although this is a digression from the principall cause yet was it necessarie the Apostle shoulde adde it This obiection is answered in the latter end of the 6. verie least hee shoulde seeme to haue giuen vnto the wicked that occasion of speaking euill which he knew to be voluntarilye sought for of them For seeing they were readie to take euery occasion that might make to the diffamation of the Gospell they had in the testimonie of Dauid whiche they might catche to the framing of their false detraction If God seeke nothing els at the handes of men then to be glorified of them Wherefore doth hee punishe them when they offend seeing by their offence they glorifie him Vndoubtedly hee is angrie without cause if hee take occasion at that to bee angry whereby hee is glorified Neither is it to bee doubted but this surmised accusation was vulgare and very common Paule speaketh not here his owne persuasion but taketh on him the person of the wicked as shall straightwayes bee saide againe Therefore Paule might not passe it ouer obscurely And least any shoulde thinke hee speaketh heere according to the perswasion or censure of his owne minde he◠first sheweth howe he taketh on him the person of the wicked And withal hee nippeth or sharply reproueth mans reason whose propertie he noteth to bee alwayes to chat and prate against the wisedome of God For he saith not I speake as the wicked but I speake as a man And it is certainely so seeing all the mysteries of God are strange or absurde vnto the fleshe it is so bolde that it doubteth not to rise vp against thē and which of them it cannot conceiue those it wantonly pursueth Whereby wee are admonished if we will become capable of the misteries of God first of all we must labour that our owne sense or sensuall iudgement beeing laide aparte wee may yeelde and giue our selues wholy ouer into the obedience of the worde This woorde wrath which is vsed for iudgement here hath respect vnto the punishment as if he had saide is god vnrighteous in punishing iniquities which set forth his righteousnesse 6 Let it not bee so In staunching this blasphemie hee aunswereth not directly vnto the obiection But firste beginneth at the abhorring thereof least Christian religion shoulde seeme to bring so great absurdities with it And that is some what more then if hee had simply refuted it For hee giueth to vnderstande thereby that this wicked saying is worthie to be abhorred and not to bee hearde Straightwayes hee addeth but as they
thinke an example to bee propounded which prooueth that it appertaineth vnto the ceremonies onely But wee haue alreadie declared why Paule hath named circumcision For neither doe any other swell with the confidence of workes then hypocrites And wee know howe they glorye onely in eternall shewes Secondely circumcision in their iudgement was a certayne entraunce vnto the righteousnesse of the lawe therefore it seemed also to bee a woorke of great dignitie And whereas they fight out of the Epistle to the Galathians where when Paule handleth the same cause yet hee directeth his stile vnto ceremonies onely that also is not firme inough to obtaine that they woulde Sure it is Paul had to doe with such as did insence the people with a false beleeue or confidence of ceremonies That he might remoue or take this away hee doeth not conteine him selfe within the compasse of ceremonies neither disputeth hee specially of what valewe they are but he comprehendeth the whole lawe as may appeare by the places whiche are all of them deriued from that fountaine Paul speaketh here of workes without exception Suche also was the state of that disputation which was holden at Hierusalem amongst the disciples And it is not without cause we laboure to prooue Paul in this place without exception to speake of the whole lawe For the verye stile and maner of disputation which hee hath hither to followed and doeth still prosecute doeth sufficiently fauour vs and many places doe not suffer vs to thinke otherwise It is therefore a sentence notable amongst the chiefest that no man shall bee iustified by the keeping of the lawe Hee hath shewed the reason before and repeateth it againe straightwayes because all men together being conuicted of transgression are reprooued of vnrighteousnesse by the lawe Flesh without some speciall restraint signifieth man These two are contrary one to the other as wee shall see more at large in the processe to bee thought righteous by workes and to be guiltie of transgression This worde fleshe without any speciall consideration betokeneth men but that it seemeth after a sort to pretende a more generall signification After which maner more is expressed when one sayth all mortall men or all mortall creatures then if hee shoulde name all men as you may see with or at Gellius For by the Lawe Hee reasoneth from the contrarie that we haue not righteousnesse by the Lawe because it conuinceth vs of sinne and damnation seeing life and death proceede not foorth of the same fountaine And whereas he reasoneth from the contrary effect of the lawe that wee can not be iustified by it wee muste vnderstande his argument proceedeth or holdeth not except wee keepe this as an inseparable Though the law be the rule of righteousnes yet it profiteth nothing by reason of our corrupcion perpetuall accident that the lawe reuealing to man his sinne taketh from him the hope of saluation that way The Lawe truely by it selfe because it instructeth vnto righteousnesse is the way to saluation but our prauitie and corruption letteth that this way it profiteth nothing Nowe this must needes bee added in the seconde place whosoeuer is founde to bee a sinner hee is spoyled of righteousnesse For it is friuelous to faigne with Sophisters an halfe righteousnesse that workes shoulde partly iustifie But nothing is gotten on this behalfe for the corruption of man 21 But nowe is the righteousnesse of God made manifest without the lawe hauing witnes of the lawe and the prophetes 22 To witte the righteousnesse of GOD by the faith of Iesus Christe vnto all and vpon all that doe beeleeue 21 But nowe is the righteousnesse c. It is doubted in what sence hee calleth that the righteousnesse of God whiche wee obteine by fayth whither therefore because it onely consisteth or standeth in the sight of GOD or for that the Lorde doeth giue the same vnto vs of his mercie Because both interpretations agree well wee will contende on neither part What righteousnes is called the righteousnes of God and howe the same is reueiled with out the lawe id est workes He saith therfore that that righteousnes which God both communicateth vnto man and also embraceth only and acknowledgeth for righteousnesse is reueiled without the lawe that is without the ayde helpe or supportation of the lawe so that by the lawe is meant woorkes For it may not bee referred vnto doctrine which straightwayes hee citeth for the witnesse of free righteousnesse by faith Where as some restraine it vnto ceremonies shortly after I shall shewe that to bee vayne and colde It remayneth therefore that we knowe the merite of workes to be excluded Where also wee see howe hee mixeth not woorkes with the mercie of God But all opinion of workes being remooued and abolished he establisheth the onely mercie of God Neither am I ignorant that Augustine doth expounde it otherwise for he taketh the righteousnes of God for the grace of regeneration and hee confesseth this grace to bee free because the Lorde reneweth vs being vnworthie with his spirite And from this hee excludeth the workes of the lawe that is whereby men goe about without renouation of them selues in deserue God And I knowe well inough that certaine newe beholders and vewers of matters doe arrogantly pronounce this doctrine as though it were at this day reueiled vnto them But it shall appeare plainely by the text howe the Apostle without exception comprehendeth all woorkes All workes excluded from iustification yea euen those god worketh in vs. yea those which the Lorde woorketh in his For surely Abraham was regenerate and was led by the spirite of God at such tyme as hee denieth him to bee iustified by workes Therefore he excludeth from the iustification of man not onely those workes which are morrally good as commonly they terme them and which are done by the instinct of nature but also what woorkes so euer the faithfull can haue Secondly if that bee the definition of the righteousnesse of faith blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen the question is not of this or that kinde of woorkes but the merite of workes being done away onely remission of sinnes is put downe for the cause of righteousnesse They thinke these two agree well man to bee iustified by faith by the grace of Christ and yet notwithstanding to bee iustified by woorkes which doe proceede from spirtuall regeneration because both God doeth freely renewe and by faith wee receiue his gift But Paule taketh a farre other principle namely that the consciences of men are neuer quiet till they leane or reste vppon the onely mercie of God â— Cor. 5.19 Therefore in another place after he hath taught GOD to haue been in Christ that hee might iustifie men hee doeth also shewe the maner saying in not imputing to them their sinnes Gal. 3.12 Likewise to the Gallathians hee therefore maketh the lawe contrary to faith in respect of the effect of iustifiing because the lawe
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 additiō 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 excellēt 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 lēgth 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 cōsisteth 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
our faith concerning free righteousnesse for it is a sealing of the righteousnesse of faith that to vs also whiche doe beleeue righteousnesse might bee imputed And so verie artificially Paule returneth those thinges vpon the aduersaries which might bee obiected of them For if the trueth and vertue of circumcision bee founde in vncircumcision there is no cause why the Iewes shoulde so greately aduaunce them selues aboue the Gentiles But seeing a doubt might arise whether wee also after the example of Abraham are not to confirme the same righteousnesse by the seale of circumcision Obiection why did the Apostle omitte it Answere Namely because hee thought the question to haue beene sufficiently answered by his woordes For seeing this sentence is admitted that circumcision serueth onely to seale the grace of GOD it followeth that at this day it were superfluous for vs who haue another Sacramente ordayned of the Lorde in place thereof Because therefore where baptisme is there is no vse nowe of circumcision hee woulde not to no purpose dispute of that whereof was no question at all to witte why the righteousnesse of faith shoulde not be sealed in the Gentiles by circumcision if they shoulde bee like vnto Abraham To beleeue by vncircumcision Is that the Gentiles beeing content with their estate are not to interpose the seale of circumcision And so this preposition dia by is put in steade of en in 12 Not to them which are c. This woorde are or bee in this place is taken for to bee reckoned or counted For hee checketh the carnall sonnes of Abraham who hauing nothinge but externall circumcision did boldelye glorye in it As for the other which is the principall they neglected it namely that they shoulde imitate the fayth of Abraham by whiche onely he obteyned health The circumcised Iewes were not otherwise iustified then as they beleeued the promise of grace Hereby may appeare how seriously he discerneth faith from the Sacrament not onely least anye should content him selfe with this without the other meaning with the Sacrament without fayth as though it were sufficient to iustification but also that the same fayth onely might fulfill all partes For whiles hee confesseth the Iewes whiche are circumcised to be iustified he doth precisely except so that they after the example of Abraham abyde in fayth onely For what shoulde be the meaning of faith in vncircumcision but that hee might shewe faith onely without any helpe elsewhere to be sufficient It is therefore to bee taken heede of least any man by deuiding or parting in halfes mixte together two causes of iustification By the same argument the schoole diuinitie is conuicted touching the difference of the Sacraments of the old and new testament for frō those they take away the power of iustifiyng to these they giue it But if Paule reason orderly whiles he proueth that circumcision iustifieth not because Abraham was iustified by faith the same reason is also of strength with vs that we may denie men to be iustified by baptisme seeing they are iustified by the same faith by the whiche Abraham was iustified 13 For the promise that hee should bee the heire of the world was not giuen to Abraham and his seede by the law but by the righteousnesse of faith 13 For the promise c. Nowe hee doeth more clearely repeate that antithesin or contrarietie of the lawe and faith with he touched before with also is diligently to bee noted because if faith borrow nothing of the Lawe that it might iustifie thence we vnderstande it hath rsepect vnto nothing but the mercie of God Furthermore the imagination of those which would haue this to bee spoken of ceremonies is easely refuted because if workes brought any thing vnto iustification then hee shoulde rather haue sayde not by the written lawe but by the lawe of nature But Paule doth not oppose spiritual holinesse of life against ceremonies but faith and his righteousnesse The summe therefore is the inheritaunce was promised to Abraham not because he had deserued it by keeping the law but because by fayth he had obteined righteousnesse And surely as Paule straightwayes declareth then doe the consciences of men inioye perfect peace when they feele that to be freely giuen them which is not due vnto thē by right Saluation in Christ apperteyneth no lesse vnto the Gentiles then vnto the Iewes Hereuppon also it followeth that the benefite is no lesse common to the Gentiles then to the Iewes the cause of which benefit doth equally appertayne vnto both For if mens saluation be founded vpon the onely goodnesse of God they restrayne and hynder the course thereof as much as in them lyeth who exclude the Gentiles from it That hee might bee the heyre of the worlde Seeyng eternall saluation is nowe in hand the Apostle seemeth out of season to carry the readers vnto the world But generally vnder this worde he comprehendeth the instauration or restoring which was looked for in Christ What is meant by the worde world Indeede restitution of life was the principall yet it behooued that the decayed state of the whole worlde shoulde be repayred Therfore the Apostle calleth Christ the heyre of all the goodes of God Heb. 1.2 Because the adoption which we obtayne through his grace hath restored vnto vs the possession of that inheritaunce from the which we fell in Adam And because vnder the type of the land of Chanaan not onlye the hope of eternall life was proposed vnto Abraham but also the full and perfect blessing of God the Apostle very aptly teacheth that the dominion of the worlde was promised vnto him The godly in this present life haue a certaine taste hereof because howsoeuer they are at diuers times pynched with pouertye yet for that with a quiet conscience they participate those thinges which God hath created to their vse Pouertie letteth not but the faithfull may be called the heyres of the world and with his fauour and will inioye the earthly blessinges as pledges and earnest pennyes of eternall life pouerty is no let vnto them wherefore they shoulde not acknowledge heauen earth and the Sea to belong vnto them The wicked albeit they heape vppe the riches of the worlde they canne call nothing theirs but rather they get them by stealth because they vse them with the curse of God And it is great comforte to the godlye in their pouerty that though they liue poorely yet they steale nothing from any but they receyue theyr lawfull commons or allowaunce at the hande of their heauenlye father vntil they see the full possession of their inheritaunce when all creatures shall serue for their glorye For to this ende both earth and heauen shal be renewed that according to theyr measure they might partly serue to illustrate the kingdome of God 14 For if they whiche are of the lawe bee heyres fayth is made voyde and the promise is made of none effect 15 For the Lawe causeth wrath for where
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 significatiō 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
consent is sinne but there is great difference between a set will and affections whereby we are tickled Therefore by this last precept God requireth such integrity of vs that no corrupt lust should moue vs vnto euil howsoeuer it be that we cōsent not vnto it And for this cause it was I saide Paule did mount higher then the common capacity of man is able to reache For politike lawes cry that they punishe the counselles and not the euentes and the Philosophers more subtilly place both vices and vertues in the mynde but God by this precept pearceth vnto the concupiscence which is more secrete then the will And therefore men did not count it for sinne Neyther was it onelye pardoned of the Philosophers but at this day the Papistes contend mightely that it is not sinne in the regenerate But Paule saith he found out his guiltinesse by this lurking disease whereupon it followeth that they are not excusable who so are sicke of it but so farre foorth as GOD doeth pardon the faulte A twofolde concupiscence In the meane while wee are to holde that distinction betweene euill lustes which come vnto consent and concupiscence which only so tickleth and mooueth the heartes that it stayeth in the middle way 8 But sin tooke an occasion So then whatsoeuer is euil it ariseth of sinne the corruption of the flesh the occasion only is in the law And although he may be supposed to speake of that prouocation only whereby through the law our lust is so stirred vp that it bursteth forth into greater madnes yet I refer it chiefly vnto knowledge as though it were saide it discouered in me all concupiscence which whiles it lay hidden seemed in a manner to be none And yet I denie not but the flesh is more vehemētly prouoked vnto cōcupiscēce by the law so this way it cōmeth into light which thing might also happen vnto Paule But that which I sayd of manifestation agreeth rather vnto the text For straightwaies he addeth For without the law sinne is dead 9 And I liued sometime without law But when the commandement came sinne reuiued 10 But I died and that commandement which was ordeyned vnto life was found vnto me to be vnto death 11 For sinne taking an occasion by the commandemēt led me out of the way and by that killed me 12 Wherefore the law is holye the commaundement holy and iust and good For without the law Here he doth plainely expresse the meaning of the former words For it is as much as if he said that knowledge of sinne without the law is buried And it is the generall sentence wherunto he doth by and by apply his example Wherfore I maruell what the interpreters meant to translate it in the preterimperfectence as though Paule spake of himselfe seeing it is apparant that his mind was to begin at an vniuersal proposition and afterward to open the matter by his example 9 And I liued sometime wthout lawe His meaning is to insinuate that there was a time wherin to him or with him sinne was dead For it is not to be vnderstood that he was at any time lawlesse but this word I liued is very significant because the absēce of the lawe made that he liued that is being puffed vp with the cōfidence of his owne righteousnes he chalenged life vnto himselfe when neuerthelesse he was dead That the sentence may be more cleare resolue it thus when somtime I was without law I liued And I said that this word was significant because in faining himselfe righteous hee claymed vnto himselfe life also This then is the meaning when I sinned without knowledge of the lawe sinne was so drowned that I did not obserue it and that it seemed almost to be dead On the other side I because I did not see that I was a sinner did please my selfe in my selfe thinking that I had life at home with my selfe For the death of sinne is the life of man againe the life of sinne is the death of man But the question is what time that was 2. Cor. 3.14 how paul being brought vp of a childe in the doctrine of the law is saide to haue liued sometime without law wherein by the ignorance of the lawe or as hee sayth by the absence of the lawe hee did confidently claime life vnto him selfe For sure it is hee was brought vp of a childe in the doctrine of the lawe But that was a litterall Diuinitie which doth not humble his Disciples For as he saith in another place the vaile was interposed that the Iewes coulde not see the light of life in the lawe So he also so long as he beyng voyd of the spirite of Christe had his eyes couered did please himself in the externall shew of righteousnesse Hee therefore counteth the lawe absent which though it were present before his eyes yet did not smite him with a perfecte sence of the iudgement of the Lorde Thus are the eyes of hypocrites couered with a vayle that they see not howe much this precept requireth wherein wee are forbidden of concupiscence But when the commaundement came So nowe on the contrary hee counteth the lawe then to come when it began truely to be vnderstoode The lawe therefore did as a man woulde say rayse sinne from the dead because it discouered vnto Paule with howe muche corruption the inwarde partes of his heart abounded and also did flea him And let vs alway remember that he speaketh of a secure confidence wherein hypocrites rest whiles they flatter themselues because they wincke at their sinnes 10 Was found vnto me c. Two thinges are said here 1. namely that the commaundement sheweth vnto vs the way of life in the righteousnesse of God therfore was giuen that we obseruing the law of the Lord The law in it selfe is the way of life But that none are saued by the law the cause is for that none doth keepe it might obteyne eternall life if the prauity of vs all did not hinder it 2. But because there is none of vs that keepeth the law but rather we are altogether carried headlong into that kinde of life from the which it doth call vs it can bring nothing els but death Thus we are to distinguish betweene the nature of the lawe and our corruption Whereby it followeth that wheras the law doth wound vs vnto death that is accidentical as if an incurable disease should be stirred vp the more by an wholesome medicine Indeed I confesse it is an insepararable accident and therefore the lawe in another place in respect of the Gospell is called the minister of death but yet this abideth firme 1. Cor. 3.7 that it is not hurtfull vnto vs of his own nature but because our corruption doth prouoke and cause his curse 11 hath lead mee out of the way Verily true it is although the will of God bee hidden from vs and no doctrine doth shine vnto vs the whole life of men
patiently expect a deliueraÌ„ce For he would that they being lift vp with the expectatioÌ„ of the blessednes to come should with stoutnes of mind ouercome al the preseÌ„t euils that they might not coÌ„sider what they are but what they shal be Which haue the first beginnings Wheras some interprete first fruits a rare singular excellency that I like not at all therfore to auoyd doubtfulnes I choose rather to translate it first beginnings For I doe not with theÌ„ take it to be spoken of the Apostles onely but of al the faithful who in this world are only sprinckled with drops of the spirit or certainly wheÌ„ they haue profited very wel being indued with a certaine measure thereof are yet farre froÌ„ the perfection thereof These therfore are vnto the Apostle the first beginnings or first fruits Wherunto the whole or entire increase is opposed For seeing wee are not yet indued with fulnes it is no maruel though we bee moued with disquietnes And wheras he repeateth we our selues addeth in our selues that he doth for the more vehemeÌ„cy that hee might expresse a more feruent desire And he doth not only name desire but a mourning for where there is a feeling of misery there is also mourning Expecting the adoption Adoption here improperly yet not without good reason Adoption put for that inheritance we are adopted vnto the fruition therof is called the fruitioÌ„ of that inheritance wherunto we are adopted For Paule meaneth that that eternall decree of God wherby he hath chosen vs for sonnes before the world were made of the which he testifieth vnto vs by the gospel the faith whereof he sealeth by his spirit in our hearts should be voyde vnlesse the promised resurrection were firme sure which is an effect therof For to what end is god our father but that this earthly pilgrimage being ended the celestiall inheritance might receiue vs Hereunto apperteyneth the redemption of our body which is straightwaies added For the price of our redemption was so paid of Christ that death neuertheles might hold vs yet bound in his bonds yea we carrie it within vs wherupon it followeth that the sacrifice of the death of Christ shoulde be in vayne and fruitles except there appeared fruite in the celestial renouation 24 For we are saued by hope Paul confirmeth his exhortatioÌ„ by an other argument Namely because our saluation cannot be separated from a kinde of death which he proueth by the nature of hope For seeing hope extendeth it selfe vnto things not yet knowen by experience and representeth vnto our mindes the image of things which are hid and farre off whatsoeuer is either openly seene or holden with the hand cannot be hoped for But Paule taketh it for a thing so grauÌ„ted that it cannot be denied so long as we liue in this worlde our saluation standeth in hope whereby it followeth that it is laide vp with God farre aboue our sences Whereas he saith that is no hope which is seene it is verily a hard speeche but yet such as obserueth not the sence for he goeth about simply to teach seeing hope is of good things to come not present it can neuer be ioyned with manifest possession So then if any thinke much to mourne they must needâ— euert the order is set downe of God who doeth not call his vnto the triumph before he haue exercised them in the warfare of sufferance But seeing it hath pleased God to nourish our saluation as it were secretly in his bosome it is expedient for vs to labour in earth to be oppressed to mourne to be afflicted yea to lye as it were halfe dead or like vnto those are dead For they who couet a visible saluation they put them selues by it renouncing hope which is ordeyned of God to be the keeper of it 25. But if we hope for that we see not This is an argument taken from the antecedent to the consequent because patience necessarily followeth hope For if it be grieuous to wante the good thing thou desirest vnles thou support and comfort thy selfe by patience thou must fall by desperation So then hope alway draweth patience with it So it is a most fitte conclusion namely that the doth vanquish away whatsoeuer the Gospel promiseth of the glorie of the resurrection except by bearing the crosse and tribulations patiently we passe through this present life For it life be inuisible then we must haue death before our eyes if glorie be inuisible then ignominy is present Therfore if thou wilt comprise this place in fewe wordes The saluation of the godly is laid vp in hope thou maiest digest the argumentes of Paule into this forme Saluation is layde vp in hope for all the faithfull it is the propertie of hope to inteÌ„d vpon good thinges to come and which are absent therefore the saluation of the godly is hidden vp Nowe hope is not otherwise mainteyned then by patience therfore the saluation of the godly is not consummated but by patience Patience is an inseparable companion of faith Finally heere wee haue a notable place that patience is an inseparable companion of faith The reason whereof is at hande because whiles wee comforte our selues with the hope of a better estate the sence or feeling of the present miseries is mollified and mitigated that they are not so hard to be â—oure 26 Likewise the spirite also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which caÌ„not be expressed 27 But he that searcheth the heartes knoweth what is the meaning of the spirite for he maketh request for the Saintes according to the will of God 26 Likewise the spirite also Least the faithful shoulde obiect that they are weaker then they are able to beare so many so hard burdens he setteth before them the helpe of the spirit whiche is aboundantly sufficient to ouercome al difficulties There is no cause then why any should complayne that the bearing of the crosse is aboue their strength seeing we are strengthened by vertue from aboue And the greeke word Sunantilambanesthai to helpe together is very significant namely that the spirit receiuing vnto it part of the burdeÌ„ wherwith our infirmity is oppressed doth not only helpe vs and succour vs but doeth so ease vs as though it vndertooke some part of the burden with vs. And in the word infirmities the plural number hath his augmentation For seeing experience doeth teach vs that vnlesse we be stayed by the power of God innumerable ruines are straight waies at hand Paule therfore admonisheth that notwithstaÌ„ding we are euery way weake diuers infirmities threateÌ„ falling vnto vs yet there is ayde inough in the spirit of God so that we shal neuer be moued or ouerthrown by any heape of euils Howbeit these helpes of the spirite teach vs more certainly that through the ordinaunce of God it is so brought to passe that by
floorish in our heartes that it might alway shine in the mist of afflictions For as the cloudes although they darken the cleare sight of the sonne yet doe not altogether depriue vs of his shine euen so God in aduersities sendeth through cloudes the beames of his grace least anie tentation should ouerwhelme vs with dispaire yea our faith being supported by the promises of God as by winges ought through all impedimentes which are in the way to pearce vp into the heauens Indeede it is true that aduersities are tokens of Gods wrath if they be esteemed by themselues but when pardon and reconciliation is gone before we are to be resolued that although God doeth chasten yet he wil neuer forget his mercy Verily he admonisheth what wee haue deserued but withall he testifieth that he hath a care of our saluation whiles he prouoketh vs vnto repentaunce And he calleth it the loue of Christ Because the father in a manner doeth open his bowelles vnto vs in him Seeing then the loue of God is not to bee sought for out of Christ woorthily doeth Paule call vs hither that in the beames of the grace of Christ our faith might beholde the cleere countenaunce of the Father The summe is that this faith ought not to bee shaken with anie aduersitie for God beeing gracious vnto vs nothing is against vs. Whereas some take the loue of Christ passiuely for that loue wherewith hee is loued of vs as though Paule armed vs vnto inuincible fortitude this imagination is easily refuted by the whole course of Paules speeche and straight way also Paule will remooue all doubt heerein by defining this loue more clearely Tribulation or anguishe or persecution The Pronowne masculine which he put downe of late conteineth a secrete Emphasis or force For when hee might haue saide in the newter gender what shall separate vs hee chose rather to attribute the person vnto the dombe creatures that hee might commit into the fight with vs so many champions as there bee kinds of temptations which assault our fayth How tribulation anguish and persecution differ Furthermore these three differ amongest themselues thus that tribulation comprehendeth euery kinde of griefe and discommoditie but anguish is an inward passion namely whiles extremities driue vs vnto our wits ende Such was the angush of Abraham Lot whiles the one was constrained to offer his wife the other his daughters because they beeing hard bestead and wrapped in on euery side coulde not tell what to doe Persecution properly noteth tyrannicall violence whereby the sonnes of God are vnworthily vexed of the wicked And although Paul denieth the sonnes to be destressed or to bee brought into narrow straites yet hee is not contrary to himself 2. Cor. 4. ◠because he doth not simply make them free from paynefull care but he vnderstandeth they are deliuered as also the examples of Abraham and Lot declare 36 As it is written Psal 44 2◠This testimonie bringeth great weight vnto the cause For he insinuateth howe wee ought to bee so farre off from falling away through the feare of death that this is almost fatall to the seruauntes of God to haue death as it were alway present before their eyes It is probable or like that the miserable oppression of the people vnder the tyrannie of Antiochus is described in that Psalme because it is precisely expressed that they raged against the worshippers of God so cruelly for no other cause then for the hatred of true godlinesse There is also added a notable protestation that yet they fell not away from the couenaunt of God which thing I suppose was chiefly noted of Paule neither doth it let that the Saintes there complayne of calamitie which then pressed them otherwise then it was wont For seeing they first hauing testified their innocencie then shewe how they were oppressed with so many euils an argument is conueniently taken thence namely that it is no newe thing if the Lorde permit the godly without deserte to bee cruelly intreated of the wicked And it is out of question that the same commeth not to passe but for their profite seeing the scripture teacheth that it is farre from the righteousnes of God Gen. 18.23 to destroy the iust with the vniust but rather it is meete to requite affliction to those doe afflict and deliueraunce to those are afflicted 2. Thes 1.6 7 Secondly they affirme that they suffer for the Lorde and Christ denounceth them blessed that suffer for righteousnes sake Mat. 5.10 And whereas they say they die dayly thereby they signifie that death doth so hang ouer their heades that such a life differeth nothing in a maner from death 37 We ouercome by him That is Wee wrestle forth alway and escape I haue reteyned the word which Paul vseth superuincing thogh it be not so cōmon with the latins For sometimes it happeneth that the faythfull seeme to be ouercome and to lie forlorne the Lorde doth not onely so exercise them but also so humble them Yet this ishue is alway giuen that they obteyne the victorie Neuertheles to the ende they might consider whence this inuincible strength is he repeateth that agayne which he sayde before For he doth not onely teach that God because he loueth vs therefore putteth his hande vnder vs to stay vs but also he confirmeth that same sentence of the loue of Christ And this one woorde doeth sufficiently declare that the Apostle speaketh not of the feruencie of that loue wherewith wee loue God but of the fatherly loue of God and Christ towardes vs the perswasion wherof being throughly printed in our heartes it wil alway drawe vs from the gates of hell into the light of life will be of sufficient strength to support vs. 38 For I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor angell nor principalitie nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come 39 Nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus That he might the rather confirme vs in those things whiche are felt nowe hee bursteth also into hyperbolicall or excessiue speeches Whatsoeuer quoth hee is in life or death which may seeme to be able to seperate vs from God shall prevaile nothing Yea the Angels themselues if they go about to ouerthrowe this foundation shall not hurt vs. Neither doth it withstande that angels are ministring spirites Heb. 1.4 ordeyned for the health of the electe For Paul here reasoneth from that which is impossible as he doeth also to the Galathians Where in wee may obserue howe all thinges ought to be vile vnto vs Gal. 1.4 in respect of the glorie of God seeing it is lawfull for the maintenaunce of his trueth not to care yea euen for the angels By the names of principalities and powers angels are also signified being so called because they are the special instruments of Gods power Why angels are called principalities and
powers And these two wordes are added to the ende that if the worde Angels were not significant inough by these some what more might bee expressed Except you had rather vnderstande it thus neither angels and whatsoeuer high powers there are which is a kinde of speech when wee talke of things that are vnknowen to vs and exceeding our capacitie 38 Neither things present nor things to come Althogh he speaketh hyperbolically or excessiuely yet in deede he affirmeth that by no continuance of time it can come to passe that we shoulde be seperated from the grace of God which was necessarie to haue been added because we are not onely to fight with the sorrowe which we feele of the present euilles but also with feare and carefulnes wherewithal the daungers to come do vexe vs. The meaning therefore is that wee are not to feare least the continuaunce of myseries how long so euer it be should put out the faith of adoption This doth plainly impugne the scholemen who babble that no man is sure to perseuer vnto the ende but by the benefite of speciall reuelation which they make to bee moste rare By which doctrine faith is wholly destroyed which in truth is none vnles it be extended vnto death and also after death But we on the contrary must beleeue that he who hath begunne in vs a good worke will performe it vntill the day of the Lord Iesus 39 Which is in Christ That is Mat. 3.17 whereof Christ is the bonde For he is the beloued sonne of God in whom the father is well pleased Wherefore if we cleaue vnto God by him we may assure our selues of the immutable and vncessant loue of God towards vs. Finally here he speaketh more distinctly then he did of late placing the fountayne of loue in the father and affirming that it floweth from Christ vnto vs. CHAPTER 9. 1 I Say the trueth in Christ I lie not myne owne conscience bearing mee witnesse together with the holy spirite 2 That I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrowe in my heart 3 I woulde wishe my selfe to bee accursed or abandoned from Christ for my brethren I say my kinsmen according to the fleshe 4 Who are the Israelites to whom perteyneth the adoption and glory and testamentes and the giuing of the law the seruice of God and the promises 5 Of whom are the fathers and of whome Christe is according to the flesh who is God ouer all blessed for euer Amen IN this Chapter hee beginneth to meete with those offences whiche myght turne away the heartes of men from Christ namely that the Iewes for whom hee was ordeyned by the couenaunt of the lawe did not onely refuse or contemne him but for the most part did abhorre him For hereupon one of these two were thought to follow eyther that the promises of God were not true or else that that Iesus whom Paul preached was not the anointed of the Lorde which was peculiarly promised to the Iewes Both which douts Paul doth notablie vnfoulde in that which followeth How be it he doth so handle this place that he doth bridle him selfe from all bitternes against the Iewes least he shold exasperate their minds yet he yeldeth not one hâ—ire breadth vnto them to the damage of the Gospel For hee so giueth to them their ornamentes that he derogateth nothing at all from Christ But hee passeth as it were so abruptly to make mention thereof that there appeareth no ioyning or hanging together of speech and yet hee so beginneth a newe matter as though hee had touched it before This he therefore doeth because hauing finished the treatise of doctrine when hee turneth his minde vnto the Iewes being astonied at their incredulitie as at a wonder hee bursteth foorth into a suddayne protestation no otherwise then if hee woulde intreate of a thinge handled before seeing there was none in whose minde this cogitation woulde not voluntarily arise if this be the doctrine of the lawe and the Prophetes howe commeth it then to passe that the Iewes do so stubbournely refuse it Adde that it was a thing euery where knowne whatsoeuer hitherto hee had saide of the lawe of Moses and the grace of Christ to haue been more detested of the Iewes then that by their consent the fayth of the Gentiles shoulde bee holpen Wherefore it was needefull this offence shoulde be taken out of the way least it shoulde hinder the course of the Gospell 1 I speake the trueth in Christ Because this opinion was presumed amongest the most part that Paule was as it were a sworne enemie of his nation so that he was greatly suspected also of those were of the housholde of fayth as though he taught a falling away from Moses before hee beginne to dispute of the purposed matter he vseth a preface to prepare the mindes of the readers vnto him where hee cleareth himselfe of that false suspition of euill will towardes the Iewes And because the thing was not vnworthie of an othe and hee also sawe his affirmation woulde scarsly be beleeued agaynst the alreadie conceiued preiudice he testifieth by an othe that hee speaketh the truth By which example and such like as I admonished in the first chapter wee ought to learne what othes be lawfull Paul cleareth himself concerning the Iewes namely which cause that trueth to be belieued which is both profitable to bee knowen and also woulde not otherwise bee beleeued This particle in Christ is as muche as according to Christe Whereas hee addeth I lie not thereby hee signifieth that hee speaketh without deceipte or guile My conscience bearing mee witnesse By these woordes hee calleth his conscience before the iudgement of God because he bringeth in the spirite to beare witnesse of his meaning For to this purpose he hath interposed the name of spirite that he might the rather prooue howe hee being voyde and cleare of all corrupt emulation did handle the cause of Christ at the direction and moderation of the spirite of Christ Often tymes it commeth to passe that a man being blinded with the affection of fleshe although he deceiue not yet wittingly and willingly hee doth obscure the light of the truth And this is properly to sweare by the name of God What it is to sweare by the name of God to call him for witnesse to the confirmation of doubtfull matters and also to binde our selues to his iudgement if we lie 2 That I haue great heauinesse It is not without great cunning that he hath so broken off his speech not as yet shewing whereof he spake For it was not yet tyme to expresse plainly the perdition of the people of the Iewes Adde also that hereby hee insinuateth greater vehemencie of sorrow because vnperfect speeches for the most part doe greatly set foorth the affections But straightwayes hee will declare the cause of his sorrowe when hee hath more fully testified his sinceritie Furthermore that the destruction of the Iewes which he knewe to come to
passe by the will and prouidence of God did so greatly grieue him hereby wee are taught that the obedince which wee giue to the prouidence of God letteth not but we may mourne at the fall of wicked men whereunto yet neuerthelesse wee know they were ordayned by the iust iudgement of God For the same mind may receiue this twofold affection How the godly may mourne euen for the destruction of the reprobrate that whiles it respecteth God it can willingly abide they shoulde perishe whom hee hath determined to destroy but when it hath turned his cogitation vnto men it sorroweth at their euill They therefore are farre deceiued who require in godlymen a sencelesnes voidenes of affection least they shoulde repugne the ordinaunce of God Anathema What it meaneth and howe Paul wished it for the Iewes 3 For I would wishe He coulde not expresse any greater vehemencie of loue then by protestation or declaration For this is perfect loue when one refuseth not yea euen to die for the health of his frinde But the particle that is added doeth declare that he speaketh not onely of a transitorie destruction but of eternall death And he alluded vnto the signification of Anathema when he sayde from Christ For it is called of segragating or seperating And what is it to be segregated or seperated from Christ but to be excluded from all hope of saluation it was therefore an argument of most feruent loue that Paule doubted not to wishe that condemnation to himselfe which hee sawe to hange ouer the heades of the Iewes that hee might deliuer them Neyther letteth it that hee knewe his saluation was grounded vppon the election of God which can by no meanes fall away For these feruent affections as they are caried headlong so they respect or consider nothing els but that they tende vnto Therefore Paule did not ioyne the election of God with his wishe but the remembrance of that being past by hee was wholly fixed vpon the saluation of the Iewes Nowe where as many doubt whether it were a lawfull desire that doubt may thus be vnfoulded namely that this is the perpetuallimitte of loue that it may proceed euen vnto death So that then if we loue in God and not out of God our loue shall neuer bee too much And such was this of Paule For whiles hee sawe his nation to bee indewed with so manye giftes of God hee loued the giftes of God in them and them for the giftes sake And also was verie sory that these graces shoulde perishe hence came it that his minde being as it were confounded hee burst forth into this extreme wishe So I receiue not their opinion who thinke Paule sayde these in respect of God onely and not in respect of men agayne neyther doe I consent vnto those who without consideration of God say that Paul gaue so much vnto the loue of men but I ioyne the loue of men with the studie of the glory of God And yet I haue not declared that which was the principall namely that the Iewes are here considered as they are decked with their ornamentes whereby they were distinguished from mankind For God by his couenant had so highly aduaunced them that if they fel the fayth and truth of God should fayle or decay in the world For the couenant had been voyde whose stablenes is sayd to indure Psal 12.1 so long as the Sun and Moone shall shine in heauen So that it were more absurde the same shoulde be abolished then that the whole worlde shoulde be turned vyside downe Wherefore it is not a simple and bare comparing of men for although it were better one member shoulde perishe then the whole bodie yet Paule therefore esteemeth the Iewes so highly because he giueth vnto them the person and as they commonly say the quality of elect people Which thing also appeareth better out of the text as we shall see straightwayes in his place These wordes I say my kinsmen according to the fleshe although they signifie no new thing yet they auayle muche vnto amplification For first least any should thinke hee doth willingly or voluntarily seeke a cause of debate with the Iewes he signifieth that he hath not so put off the sence of humanity but he is moued at this so horrible a destruction of his owne flesh Againe seeing the Gospel whereof he was a preacher must needs come forth of Sion it is not without cause that he doth so largely inferre the commendation of his kinred For this exception according to the fleshe in my iudgement is not added as els where for to extenuate but rather to cause trust or confidēce For although the Iewes had reiected Paule yet he dissembleth not that hee was borne of that nation in whose roote the election yet florished though the braunches were withered That whiche Budaeus saith of the woorde Anathema is contrary to the sentence of Chrisostome who maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all one 4 Who are the Israelites Here now he plainely sheweth the cause why the destruction of the people of the Iewes did so greatly grieue him that he was readie to redeeme them with his owne destruction namely because they were Israelites For the Pronowne relatiue is put in steede of an Aduerb causall So this anguishe grieued Moses when hee desired that he might be put out of the booke of life that the holie and elect seede of Abrahā might not vtterly perish Therefore besides humane affection Exod. 32.2 he noteth other reasons and the same also greater or weightier whiche ought to make him fauour the Iewes namely that the Lord had so aduanced them as it were by a certaine prerogatiue that they were separated frō the cōmon sort of men And these speeches of dignitie are testimonies of loue For we vse not to speake so fauourablie but of those whom we loue And although through their ingratitude they made themselues vnwoorthy who should be esteemed of according to these giftes yet Paule ceasseth not euen therfore to reuerence them Whereby he teacheth The good gifts of God can neuer be so defiled by the wicked but they are alway praise worthie that the wicked cannot so defile the good giftes of God but they are alway woorthy to bee praysed and had in admiration although vnto those doe abuse them there come nothing thereby but the greater obloquie And as we are not by hating the wicked to contemne the giftes of God in thē so on the contrarie we are to beware least by our fauourable esteeming and praysing of the giftes in them we puffe them vp much more also that our prayses carrie not a shew of adulation But let vs imitate Paule who graunteth vnto the Iewes their ornaments in such sort that afterward hee declareth all to bee nothing without Christ Finally he doth not in vain put this amongest their prayses that they were Israelites For Iacob prayed for that in steede of an excellent
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 frākly freely he doth denoūce 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 frō 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 cānot 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 whō he wil but because vnto God his owne onely authority is sufficient so that he standeth in no need of the defēce of any other it was sufficient vnto Paul that he was appointed a defēder of his owne right And Paul bringeth here the answere which Moses receiued of the Lord whē he prayed for the health of the whole people Exod. 33.15 I wil haue mercy saith the lord on whō I wil haue mercy I wil shew compassion to whō I wil shew cōpassion 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 secōdly 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 nūbred 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 saluatiō Pelagius hath gone about by another sophisticall but a
Heere especially the fleshe stormeth when it heareth howe it is referred vnto the will of God that they are destinated vnto death which perishe Wherefore the Apostle descendeth agayne vnto obiections by taking to him the speeche of the aduersarie because hee sawe the mouthes of the wicked coulde not bee stopped but with full mouthes they woulde barke agaynst the righteousnesse of God And hee doth notably expresse their affection For they not beeing content to defende themselues make God guiltie in their steade and then after they haue turned the fault of their condemnation vpon him they are grieued at his so great power In deed they are constrayned to yeelde but storming because they can not resist and attributing to him the principalitie they doe in a manner charge him of tyrannie muche like as Sophisters in their Schooles doe in such sort babble of his absolute as they call it righteousnes as though hee hauing forgotten his righteousnes woulde make a tryall of the might of his lordeshippe by mixting all thinges peruersely Thus therefore doe the wicked reason in this place what cause hath hee why hee should be angry at vs seeing he made vs such seeing hee leadeth vs whither hee lusteth at his pleasure what els doth hee in destroying vs but reuenge his owne woorke in vs neyther is it our part to contende with him and howe so euer we striue hee will haue the vpper hande Therefore both his iudgement shall be vniust if he condemne vs and also his power which hee abuseth nowe agaynst vs is licencious But what doth Paul answere to these 20 Who art thou O thou man Because in Greeke there is the participle it may also be read in the present tence which doest striue or contende or fightest on the contrary beecause this is expressed in the Greeke worde to this sence who art thou that takest vpon thee to contende with God The first answere but the sence is not muche diuers By this first answere hee doeth nothing els then represse the wickednesse of that blasphemie by an argument taken from the condition of man He will straightwaies adde another whereby hee will cleare the righteousnesse of God from all accusation This verily is apparaunt that no cause is brought aboue the will of God Seeing the answere was at hande namely that the difference doeth depende vpon iust causes why did not Paule vse this conpendious or short forme but placed the will of God in the highest degree that it onely might suffice vs for all causes assuredly if the obiection had been false that God doeth reiect or elect according to his pleasure whom hee eyther vouchsafeth not with fauour or whom hee loueth freely the refutation had not been neglected of Paule The wicked obiect that men are cleared from guiltines if the will of God beare the chiefest sway in their saluation and destruction Doth Paule denie it Yea by his answere hee confirmeth namely that God doeth decree or determine of men as it pleaseth him yet in vayne and madly doe men rise vp to contende because God by his right power or authoritie assigneth to his woorkes what lotte he will And they who say that Paule wanting reason did flee vnto brauling or chiding charge the holy Ghost with great reproch For hee woulde not at the first bring forth those thinges which might make to the defence of the equitie of God and which he had in a readinesse because they coulde not be conceiued or apprehended Yea hee also so tempereth the seconde reason that hee doeth not vndertake a full defence But yet so that hee declareth or sheweth forth the righteousnesse of God if it bee with deuout humilitie and reuerence weighed of vs. That therefore whiche was most meete hee admonisheth man of his condition as if hee sayd seeing thou art a man thou must acknowledge thy selfe earth and ashes why then doest thou contende with the Lord about a matter which thou canst not vnderstande to bee briefe the Apostle hath not brought that coulde bee sayde but that was expedient for our rudnesse Proude men storme that Paul not denying men to be reiected or elected by the secrete counsayle of God alleageth no cause as though the spirite of God wanting reason helde his peace and not rather by his silence did admonishe that the mysterie which the mindes of men do not comprehend is reuerently to be had in admiration so might bridle the waywardnesse of mans curiositie Let vs know therefore that God doeth not for any other end cease from speaking but because he seeth his infinite wisedome cannot be comprehended by our slender capacity and therfore sparing our infirmity prouoketh vs vnto sobriety and modesty Shall the thing formed We see that Paul hitherto doth alway stand vpon this namely that the wil of God although the reason therof is vnknowen to vs is to bee counted iust For he sheweth that the Lord hath his right taken from him The wil of God is alway iust howsoeuer we see not the reason of it if hee bee not at liberty to doe with his creatures what hee lust This seemeth hard to the eares of many And there are also some who alleadge that God is put to great reproche if such liberty be giuen vnto him as though they with their disdainfulnes were better diuines then Paule who hath appointed this rule of humilitie to the faithfull that they shoulde wonder at the power of God and not esteme it after their owne iudgement And hee represseth this arrogancie of striuing with God by a most fiâ— similitud wherein he seemeth rather to haue alluded vnto Esay Esay 5.9 Iere. 28.6 then Iere. For nothing els is taught with Ieremie then that Israel is in the hand of the Lorde so that for his sinnes hee maye breake him in peeces as a potter may his earthen vessel But Esay goeth higher saying woe be to him that gaine sayeth his maker namely to the pot the striueth with the potter Shall the claye say to his potter what makest thou c. And surely there is no cause why mortall man shoulde preferre himselfe before an â—arthen vessell when he compareth himselfe with God Neither are wee to be very curious in applying that testimonie to the present cause seeing the minde of the Apostle was onely to allude vnto the wordes of the Prophete that his similitude might haue the more waight 21 Hath not the Potter authoritie The reason why the thing formed ought not to striue with his former because the maker doth nothing but by his right or authoritie By the worde power he vnderstandeth not that hee hath strength and force to doe with his vessell what he lust but that this preeminence or authoritie doth agree vnto him by good right For his minde is not to giue vnto God any licencious power but such as is worthily giuen vnto him Furthermore in applying the similitude consider this as the potter doth take nothing from the claye what fourme soeuer hee giue it
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 whē 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 compassiō on thē 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 intētions do carry vs if we obey them Commonly this is thought to bee a good and very fit excuse when hee that is reproued
this office that he might instruct the people in the true rule of godlinesse Which thing if it be true it behoued him to preach repentance and faith but faith is not taught vnlesse the promises of Gods mercy and the same free promises be propounded or set before the people therefore it behoued him to bee a Preacher of the gospell which thing hee did faithfully as appeareth by diuers places And to the ende he might informe the people vnto repentance it was his part to teach what maner of life were acceptable to God that he hath comprised in the precepts of the lawe Now to the ende hee might put into the mindes of the people a loue of righteousnes and againe inserte a hatred of sinne promises and threatnings were to bee added whiche might declare how there are rewardes laid vp for the iust and horrible punishments for the wicked Now also it was the dutie of the people to coÌ„sider by how many wayes they were accursed and howe farre they were from that that they could merite God by their workes so they being in dispaire of their owne righteousnes might flee vnto the hauen of Gods goodnesse and that is vnto Christe himselfe This was the ende of Moses ministerie And now because the promises of the gospell are onely read heere and there in Moses and the same also verie obscurely but the precepts and rewardes appointed for the keepers of the lawe appeare eftsoones worthily is this office properly and peculiarly giuen vnto Moses to teach what true righteousnes of workes is secondarily to shewe what reward remaineth for the obseruation and what punishment for the transgression thereof In this respect Moses himselfe is compared with Christe in Iohn where it is saide The lawe was giuen by Moses grace and truth is fulfilled by Christe And so often as the lawe is taken so stricktly Iohn 1.17 Moses is couertly opposed vnto Christe and therefore wee are then to consider what the lawe conteineth in it selfe beyng separate from the gospell That therfore which is saide heere of the righteousnesse of the lawe must be referred not vnto the whole office of Moses but vnto this part which peculiarly in a maner was committed vnto him Nowe I come vnto the wordes For Moses describeth Paule hath Graphei in latine scribit in english he writeth Apheresis is yâ— taking away of a letter or sillable from the beginning of a word Leuit. 18.5 but it is the figure Aphaeresis for the word describit id est hee describeth And the place is taken out of Leuiticus where the Lorde promiseth eternall life to them shal keepe his lawe For thou seest that Paule also hath so taken it not of a temporall or transitory life onely which pleaseth a manie And Paule reasoneth thus from that place seeyng no man can obteyne righteousnesse prescribed in the lawe but he that fulfilleth exactly euery part thereof and all men haue alway beene farre from that perfection in vayne doth any seeke for saluation this way Israel therefore did amisse which thought he coulde obtayne the righteousnesse of the lawe from the which we are all excluded See howe he argueth from the promise it selfe that it profiteth vs nothing namely because of the impossible condition What a foolish toy is it then to alleadge legal promises to establishe the righteousnesse of woorkes For a sure curse abydeth for vs and theÌ„ so farre is it off that saluation should come thence vnto vs. The more abhominable is the sottishnes of Papistes who thinke it sufficient to proue merits by bare promises It is not in vayne quoth they that God hath promised life to his worshippers but in the meane while they see not that it is therefore promised that the sence of their transgressions might put into al men the feare of death so they being forced by their owne want might learne to flee vnto Christ 6 But the righteousnes whiche is of faith This place is suche as maye greatelye trouble the Reader and that for two causes For both it seemeth to bee improperly wrested of Paule and also the wordes seeme to be chaunged into another sence But concerning the words we shall see what is to be said of them First let vs consider the application For it is a place of Deuteronomie where as in the former place Moses speaketh of the doctrine of the lawe Deut. 30.12 and Paule draweth it vnto the promises of the Gospell This knotte maye bee well vntied thus Moses in that place sheweth the facilitye or easinesse of comminge vnto life because the wil of God was not nowe hidde nor sette a farre off from the Iewes but was layd before their eyes If he spake of the law onely it had beene a friuolous argument seeing the law of God being put before our eyes is nothing more easie to be done then if it were set a farre off Therefore he noteth not the lawe onely but in generall all the doctrine of God which comprehendeth vnder it the Gospell For the worde of the law by it selfe is neuer in our heart no not the least sillable thereof vntil it be put in by the faith of the Gospel Secondly yea euen after regeneration the worde of the lawe shall not properly bee saide to be in our heart because it requireth perfection from the which the faithfull themselues are farre off But the worde of the Gospel hath his seate in the heart although it filleth not the heart for it offereth pardon for the imperfection and want And Moses altogether in that Chapter as also in the fourth studieth to commende vnto the people the singuler loue of God because he had receiued them into his tuition and gouernment whiche commendation could not be taken from the bare lawe Neither letteth it that Moses preacheth there of reforming the life vnto the rule of the lawe for the spirit of regeneration is coupled with the righteousnesse of faith Therefore he collecteth the one out of the other because the obseruation of the lawe is of the faith of Christ Neither is it to be doubted but this sentence dependeth vpoÌ„ that principle the Lord shal circumcise thine heart which he had put downe a little before in the same Chapter Wherefore they are easily refuted who say that Moses intreateth there of good workes Indeede I confesse that to be true but I deny it to be absurd that the obseruation of the law should be drawen from this fountaine that is â—â—om the righteousnes of faith Nowe the opening of the words is to be sought for Say not in thy heart who shal ascende c. Moses nameth heauen the Sea as places furthest off hard for a man to come vnto But Paule as though there were some spirituall mystery hidden vnder these wordes draweth them vnto the death and resurrection of Christ If any alleadge that this interpretation is too muche wrested and too subtile let him know the minde of the Apostle was not curiously or exactly to
handle the place of Moses but onely to apply it vnto the treatise of the present cause He doeth not therefore recite sillable by sillable what is in Moses but he vseth a polishing whereby hee applyeth the testimonie of Moses more neerely to his purpose Hee spake of pâ—aces are not to bee come vnto Paule hath expressed those places whiche are most of all hidden from our eyes and yet are to bee â—eeâ—e of our faith Wherefore if you take these to be spoken by the way of amplification or polishing thou canst not say that Paule hath violently and vnaptly wrested the woodes of Moses but rather thou wilt confesse that without any damage to the sense hee hath notably alluded vnto the wordes heauen and Sea Now let vs expound the wordes of Paule simply Because the assurance of our saluation dependeth vpon two principles namely whiles wee vnderstande that life is purchased for vs and death conquered to vs. With both which he teacheth our faith is supported by the word of the Gospell For Christe by dying hath swallowed vp death by rysing againe he hath gotten life in his power Nowe in the gospell the benefite of Christes death and resurrection is communicated vnto vs then there is no cause that wee shoulde seeke further for any thing Therefore that it myght appeare the righteousnesse of faith is aboundantly sufficient vnto saluation hee teacheth that those two members which onely are necessary vnto saluation are conteined in it Who then shall ascend into heauen Is as much as if he said who knoweth whether that inheritance of eternall and celestiall life abideth for vs Who shall descend into the deepe As if thou said who knoweth whether eternall death of the soule also follow the death of the bodie Both which doubtes hee teacheth to bee taken away by the righteousnesse of faith For the one should bring Christ downe from heauen Christ in his humane nature hath taken possesion of the heauens for the faithfull the other froÌ„ death should bring him backe againe For the ascention of Christe into heauen ought so to establish our faith of eternall life that hee in a maner draweth Christe himselfe out of the possession of the heauens that doubteth whether the inheritance of heauen bee prepared for the faithfull in whose name and cause hee is entred in thyther Likewise seeing hee tooke vpon hym the great horrours of Hell that hee myghte deliuer vs thence to call it into question whether the faythfull be still subiect to this miserie is to make his death voide and in a maner to denie it 8 But what saith it That negatiue speech which the Apostle hath hitherto vsed did serue to take away the impediments of faith it remaineth therefore that he declare the maner of obteining righteousnesse vnto the which ende this affirmation is added And whereas there is an interrogation interposed when they might all haue beene spoken together in on course of speeche that is done to procure attention And also his meaning is to shewe what a great difference there is betweene the righteousnes of the law and the Gospel seeing that sheweth it selfe a farre off it doth driue away all men from comming vnto it but this offering it selfe at hand doth familiarly inuite vs vnto the fruition of it The word is neere thee First of all this is to bee noted that least the mindes of men beeing carried away by vaine circumstances shoulde erre from saluation the boundes of the worde are prescribed vnto them within the whiche they ought to keepe themselues For it is as if hee shoulde commaund them to bee contente with the worde onely and admonish them that in this glasse the secretes of heauen are to bee seene which would both dasill theyr eyes with their brightnes astonishe their eares and also make the mynd it self amased Therefore the godly receiue an excellent consolation out of this place touchyng the certaynetie of the worde namely that they may as safely rest therein as in the most present beholdyng of things or as in any thyng is present and in hande Secondly it is to bee noted that suche a worde is propounded by Moses wherein wee haue firme and sure trust of saluation This is the worde of faith Iustly doth Paule take that for the doctrine of the lawe doth not pacyfie and quiet the conscience neyther doeth it minister vnto the conscience those thinges wherewith it ought to bee content Yet in the meane whyle hee excludeth not the other partes of the worde no not the precepts of the lawe but his mynde is to put downe remission of sinnes for righteousnesse and that without suche exact obedyence as the lawe requireth Therefore the worde of the gospell wherein wee are not commaunded to merite righteousnesse by workes but to imbrace it by faith being freely offered sufficeth to pacifie mens consciences and establish their saluation And the worde of faith by the figure Metonymia is put for the worde of promise that is for the gospel because it hath a relation with faith For the contrarietie whereby the law is discerned from the gospell muste bee vnderstood And out of this note of distinction we gather as the lawe requireth workes so the gospell requireth nothing els but that men bring faith to receiue the grace of God This parcell whiche wee preache is therefore added least any shoulde suspect Paule to dissent from Moses For hee testifieth that in the ministerie of the Gospell hee agreeth with Moses seeing he also did not place our felicitie any other where then in the free promise of Gods grace 9 So that if thou confesse This also is rather an allusion then a proper and naturall interpretation For it is like that Moses by the figure Synecdoche did vse the worde mouth Synecdoche is when by one thing another is vnderstood for face or countenance But it was not vnseemely for the Apostle to allude vnto the worde mouth to this sense when the Lorde publisheth his worde before our face assuredly hee calleth vs vnto the confession thereof For wheresoeuer the woorde of the Lorde is there it ought to fructifie and the fruite is the confession of the mouth Whereas hee putteth confession before faith it is the figure Anastrophe very vsuall in the Scriptures For the order had beene better Anastrophe is an inuersion of wordes when that is first should be last c. if faith of the hearte being put in the first place confessioÌ„ of the mouth which proceedeth thence had beene added And he doth confesse the Lorde Iesus aright who adorneth him with his vertue acknowledging him to bee such one as hee is giuen of the father and described in the Gospell And whereas resurrection onely is named wee must not so take it as though his death were in no place but because Christ by rysing again made vp our saluation For albeit our redemption and satisfaction was accomplished by his death by the which we are reconciled vnto God yet the victorie
against sinne death and Satan was gotten by his resurrection Hence also came righteousnesse newnes of life and the hope of blessed immortalitie And therefore oftentimes resurrection only is set before vs for our confidence of saluation not that it shoulde lead vs away from his death but because it testifieth the effecte and fruite of his death to bee briefe his resurrection conteineth in it his death Whereof we haue said somewhat in the vi chapter And also that Paule requireth not onely an historicall fayth but hee compriseth the ende thereof in the resurrection For wee must remember wherefore Christe rose againe namely that in raysing him the counsaile or aduise of God the father was to restore vs all to life For although Christe had this power of himselfe to take his soule againe yet notwithstāding this worke for the most part in the scripture is ascribed vnto God the father 10 For with the hearte man beleeueth vnto righteousnes This place may further vs to the vnderstanding of the iustification of faith For it declareth that wee are thereby iustified that we imbrace the mercy of God offered vnto vs in the Gospell hence therefore is it that wee are iuste because wee beleeue that God is gracious vnto vs in Christe But let vs note that the seate of faith is not in the head but in the hearte and yet I will not contend about that matter in what part of the body faith resteth but because the worde hearte is almost alway taken for a serious and sincere affection What faith is I say faith is a firme effectuall confidence and not a bare knowledge onely With his mouth man maketh confession vnto saluation It may seeme marueilous why hee should now attribute a portion of our saluatiō vnto confessiō hauing so often before this testified that wee are saued by faith onely But thereby it may not bee collected that confession is the cause of our saluation onely his minde is to shew how God doth perfect our saluation namely whiles he causeth faith with hee hath put into our harts to appeare forth by cōfessiō Yea his mind was simply to note which is true faith The nature of a true faith whence this fruite proceedeth least any shoulde pretende a vayne title of faith for it for true faith ought so to kindle the hearte with the studie of Gods glory that the flame thereof may appeare foorth And surely hee that is iustified euen nowe alreadie hath obteined saluation therefore the faith of the hearte maketh no lesse vnto saluation then the confession of the mouth Thou seest hee hath so distinguished that hee referreth the cause of iustification vnto faithe and in the second place sheweth what is necessarie for the consummation of saluation For neither can any beleeue but hee must confesse with his mouth and there is a necessitie of perpetuall consequence not which may ascribe saluation vnto confession But let them see what they can answere vnto Paule who at this day proudly boast vnto vs an imaginarie faith whiche beeing contente with the secrecie of the heart leaueth out confession of mouth as a superfluous thing For it is too childishe to saye there is fire there where there is neither flame nor heate 11 For the scripture saith euery one that beleeueth in him shall not bee ashamed 12 For there is no difference betweene the Iewe and the Grecian for hee that is Lorde ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him For whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shal be saued 11 For the scripture saith hauing noted the causes why God did iustly reiect the Iewes hee returneth to affirme or proue the calling of the Gentiles which is the other part of the question wherein hee is nowe conuersant Because therefore he had declared the way whereby men come vnto saluation and the same is no lesse common and open for the Gentiles then the Iewes Nowe adding first an vniuersall signe hee doeth plainely extende it to the Gentiles secondly he also calleth the Gentiles by name vnto it And hee repeateth that testimonie which he had alreadie alleadged out of Esay that his sentence might haue the more authoritie and also that it mighte appeare howe well the Prophecies spoken of Christe doe consent with the lawe 12 For there is no difference or respect c. If confidence or faith only bee required whersoeuer the same shal be founde there againe the loue of God shall shew foorth it selfe to saluation then shal be no difference or respect of kinred or nation And he addeth a most firme reason for if he who is the Creator maker of the whole world be the God of all men hee will shew himself louing to all who shall acknowledge and cal vpon him as God For seeing his mercy is infinite it cannot be chosen but that it should extend it selfe to all who craue or seeke for the same Rich is taken in this place actiuely for bountifull and beneficial Where we must note that the richnes of our father can not be diminished or decreased by his bountie and liberalite and therefore that wee haue nothing the lesse albeit he in rich others with the manifolde treasures of his grace The riches of God cannot bee decreased Therefore there is no cause why wee shoulde enuie one anothers prosperitie as if thereby wee lost or wanted any thing And albeit this reason of itselfe was strong enough yet hee confirmeth it by the testimonie of the Prophet Ioel because the vniuersall particle being expressed hee includeth all men together But the readers shal perceiue much better by the circumstance that that which Ioel vttereth doth agree with this place Ioel. 2.32 Acts. 2.24 and likewise that in the Acts Both because in that place he doth prophesie of Christe his kingdome and also hauing foretolde that the anger of God shoulde burn exceedingly in the middest of this his threatning he promiseth saluatiō to all who shal cal vpon the name of God Whereupon it followeth that the grace of God doth pearce euen to the very deapth of death so farre foorth as it be sought for thence that it is not to be denied the Gentiles 14 How then shall they cal vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whō they haue not heard and how shal they heare without a Preacher 15 But howe shall they preache except they bee sent according as it is written Howe bewtifull are the feete of them who bring tidings of peace who bring tydings of good things 16 But all haue not obeyed the gospell for Isaias saith Lorde who hath beleeued our speech 17 Therfore faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Heere I will not busie the reader ouer long in reciting and refuting other mens opinions Let euery mā vse his own iudgement and let it be lawfull for me freely to say what I thinke Therefore that you may vnderstande what is
vntollerable to him Thus therefore hee speaketh They who enquired not of mee before and neglected my name nowe haue sought after me he vseth the preter perfectence for the future to set downe and note the certainetie of the prophesie they who sought not after mee haue founde aboue their hope and desire I knowe that this place is wholly peruerted by some of the Rabbins as if god did promise that he woulde bring to passe that the Iewes shoulde repent and returne from their defection or falling away from God But there is nothing more euident then that the Prophet doth speake of strangers because it followeth by and by in the text I sayd Beholde I am come to a people who haue not called vpon my name Therefore without question the Prophet doth pronounce that it shall come to passe that those should be receiued into the houshold of God by a new adoption who beforetime were strangers That is therefore the calling of the Gentiles in which notwithstanding the generall type figure of the calling of all the faithfull doth appeare For there is no man who preuenteth the Lorde but we are all without exceptiō deliuered from the bottomles pit of death by his free mercie where there is no knowledge of him no desire of worshipping him to conclude no sence or feeling of his truth 21 But of Israel c. The cause is added why God went to the Gentiles to witte for that he sawe his grace to be scoffed at among the Iewes But to the intent the readers might better perceiue that the excecatiō of the people was noted in the second member Paul doth expressely admonishe that the chosen people are vpbrayded with their malice Worde for worde it is thus Hee sayeth to Israel But Paule hath followed the Hebrewe phrase because lamed is often put for min. And he saith that he did stretch out his hande to Israel whome hee did dayly inuite vnto him both by his worde and also ceased not to intice or allure by all kinde of gentlenesse and bountifulnesse for hee vseth these two meanes to call men God doth cal vs vnto him not onely by his word but also by his lenitie bountifulnesse and goodnes c. Seeing whiles he doth so hee testifieth his beneuolence towardes them Howebeit hee complayneth especially of the contempt of his worde Which is so much the more detestable as God doth more euidently declare his fatherly care whiles he calleth men vnto him selfe by his worde And it is a very significant and forceable kinde of speech namely that he streatcheth out his hande because in procuring and furthering our saluation by the ministers of his woorde Hee doeth reache foorth his handes to vs as if a father being ready to take vp his sonne louingly into his lappe shoulde stretche out his armes And he saith dayly that it shoulde be no maruel to any mā thogh he were wearie of doing good to thē seeing he did auaile profit nothing by his assiduitie or continual doing good This is the same figure which is in Ieremie where he saith that hee rose vp early in the morning to admonish them Ie. 7.13 11.7 Furthermore their infidelitie is set forth by two most fit names for this participle Apeithounta I thinke good to translate stubborne or rebellious yet Erasmus and the olde interpreters translation whiche turne it not beleeuing is not altogether to be misliked But seeing the Prophet accuseth the people of stubbornesse and afterwarde addeth that they did erre in wayes which were not good I doubte not but the meaning of the Greeke interpreter was to expound the Hebrue worde Sorer by two words First calling them a disobedient and rebellious people afterwarde a gainesaying people For because their contumacie did shewe and bewray it selfe herein namely that the people did stubbornly reiect the holy admonitions of the Prophets with an vntamed pride and bitternesse CHAP. 11. 1 I Demaund then hath God cast away his people God forbid for I also am an Israelite of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin 2 God hath not cast away his people which he knew before Know ye not what the scripture saith of Elias how he maketh request vnto God against Israel saying 3 Lord they haue killed thy Prophets digged down thine altars and I am left alone and they seeke my life 4 But what saith the answere of God to him I haue reserued to my selfe seuen thousand men whiche haue not bowed the knee vnto Baal 5 Euen so then at this present time there is a remnant thorow the election of grace 6 And if it be of grace it is no more of workes or els were grace no more grace But if it bee of woorkes it is no more of grace or els were worke no more worke I Demande then c. That which he hath hitherto said of the cecitie obstinacie of the Iewes might seeme to tend vnto this as though Christ by his cōming had translated the promises els where the Iewes beeing put out from all hope of saluation Therefore he preuenteth that obiection in this place and so moderateth that hee had said before of the reiection of the Iewes that no man should thinke the couenant which GOD made in old time with Abraham was nowe abrogated or that God had so forgotten it that the Iewes now should be vtterly estranged from his kingdome as the Gentiles were before the comming of Christ Hee denieth that and will surely straightwayes shewe it to bee false Neither is this the question whether God hath rightly or vnrightly reiected his people For in the former Chapter it hath been proued that when the people through a preposterous zeale did reiect the righteousnes of God being iustly punished for their pride they were worthily blinded and at length cut off from the couenant So that now the cause of their reiection is not in disputation but the question is of another matter namely although they haue deserued such vengeance of God whether yet the couenant which God made in old time with the fathers be abolished which couenant that it should through anie infidelitie of men be ouerthrown were absurd For Paul reteineth this principle seeing the adoption of God is free is founded vppon God only not vppon men it doeth stand firme what incredulitie soeuer of men conspire to ouerthrow it this knot must be loosed least the truth and election of God should be thought to depende vpon the dignitie of men For I my selfe am an Israelite Before hee enter into the cause by the way hee prooueth in his owne example howe absurde it is to thinke that nation is vtterly forsaken of GOD. For he was an Israelite from the firste beginning not a proselite The nation of the Iewes is not vtterly cast off or newly receiued into the cōmon wealth of Israel And seeing hee was woorthely counted amongest the speciall seruantes of God it is an argument that the grace of God did
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 preseruatiō of God we must marke agayne Who are saue◠that they are said to be saued who abide soūd vndefiled in the faith of God And also the circumstance of iudgemēt 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 cāll 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 frō 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 cā be giuen And that is namely that Israel in seeking saluation laboured in vaine because he wēt 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
as a preseruatiue against proud contempt because as euery one taketh more vnto him then is meete so he is too secure at the length insolēt against others therfore so far forth we are to feare least our heart being lift vp by pride do aduance it selfe But he seemeth to cast a dout of saluation whiles he admonisheth them to take heed least they also be not spared I answere seeing this exhortatiō serueth to the taming of the flesh which alway is insolent As we are not to doubt of saluation so we must neither be secure nor insolent yea euen in the sonnes of God it derogateth nothing from the certainetie of saluation But chiefly we are to note and remember that I said of late namely that the speech of Paul is not so much directed against priuate men as against the whole bodie of the Gentiles amongst whom there might be many vainely puffed vp professing rather thē hauing fayth For their cause Paul not amisse threatneth cutting off to the Gentiles as wee shall see afterwarde agayne 21 For if he spared not the naturall braunches This is a most strong reason to beate downe all securitie For the reiection of the Iewes ought neuer to be remembred but it shoulde pearce and shake vs with horrour For what was it did destroy them but that through the retchles securitie of the preeminence they had gotten they contemned the iudgement of God they were not spared when they were naturall braunches what then shall become of vs being wilde and forraine if wee waxe proude aboue measure But this cogitation as it prepareth vs vnto distrust of our selues so it causeth vs that we cleaue faster and more surely to the goodnesse of God And heere againe it appeareth more certaynely that the speeche is generally directed vnto the bodie of the Gentiles because this cutting off of the which he speaketh coulde not agree vnto priuate men whose election is immutable namely being founded vpon the eternall purpose of God Therefore Paule denounceth agaynst the Gentiles if they aduaunce them selues agaynst the Iewes that there is prepared a rewarde for their pride because God wil againe reconcile to himselfe that former people with whom he made a diuorcement 22 Beholde therefore the lenitie and seueritie of God towardes them which haue fallen seueritie but towarde thee lenitie if thou doest abide in his lenitie Otherwise thou shalt also be cut off 23 And they if they abide not in their vnbeliefe shall bee graffed in For God is able to graffe them in agayne 24 For if thou wast cut out of the Oliue tree which was naturall to thee and wast graffed contrary to nature in a right oliue tree howe much more shall they which are by nature be graffed in their owne oliue tree 22 Beholde therefore By putting downe the thing it selfe yet hee doth more clearely and amply confirme that the Gentiles haue none occasion to bee proude They doe see in the Iewes an example of Gods seueritie which ought to feare them but in them selues they haue a testimonie of his grace and goodnes whereby they ought to be prouoked vnto thankfulnesse only and to prayse the Lord and not themselues These woordes therefore are as much as if he said if thou doest triumph at their calamitie first remember what thou wast for the same seueritie of God did hang ouer thy head but that thou wast deliuered by his free mercie Secondly consider also what thou art now for thou shalt not otherwise be saued then if thou acknowledg the mercie of God with humilitie but if thou forgeting thy self doest insolently triumph the same ruine doth abide for thee into the which they are fallen For it is not inough to haue once imbraced the grace of God vnles through the whole course of life It sufficeth not to haue begun well thou doest follow his calling For they who are illuminated of the Lorde must alway think of perseuerance seeing they abide not in the goodnes of God who after they haue sometime answered his calling at length begin to dispise the kingdom of God so by their vnthankfulnes deserue to be blinded again Furthermore he doth not one by one speak vnto euery one of the godly but as we said before he compareth the Gentiles together with the Iewes In deed it is true that euery of the Iewes did receiue the rewarde of their incredulity when they were banished from the kingdom of God and who so of the Gentiles were called they were the vessels of the mercy of God but in the meane while the counsell of Paul is to be holden For he would haue the Gentiles to depend vpon the eternall couenant of God that they might ioyne their saluation with the saluation of the elect people Againe least the reiection of the Iewes should breede offence as though their olde adoption were void he would haue thē terrified by the exāple of punishement that they might reuerently haue that iudgement in admiration For whence commeth so great licenciousnes of curious disputations but that we do almost neglect those things with ought worthily to instruct vs vnto humilitie because he desputeth not of euery one of the elect particularly but of the whole body a condition is added if they shal abide in his lenitie In deed I cōfesse so soone as any abuseth the goodnes of God he is worthy to bee depriued of the offered grace but improperly should this be spoken of any of the godly particularly that God had therefore mercie on him when he chose him if so that he did abide in his mercy For the perseuerāce of faith which maketh perfect the effect of the grace of God in vs proceedeth from election Paul therefore teacheth This is a necessarie watchword in all ages that the Gentiles are receiued into the hope of eternall life vpon this condition that by their thankfulnesse they shoulde holde the possession of it And surely that horrible defection of the whole worlde which followed afterward doth plentifully testifie how this admonition was not in vayne For when God had almost in a moment so watered far wide with his grace that religion florished euery where shortly after the veritie of the Gospel vanished the treasure of saluation was taken away And whēce came so sudden a change but because the Gentiles were fallen from their calling otherwise thou shalt also be cut off Nowe we vnderstand in what sence Paul threatneth vnto them cutting off whom before he confesseth to be graffed into the hope of life by the election of God For first albeit this can not happen to the elect yet they stand in neede of such exhortation to tame the pride of the fleshe which as it is in trueth contrary to their saluation so ought it to be terrified with the feare of damnation As christians therefore are illuminated by fayth they heare to their assuraunce that the calling of God is without repentaunce but as they carrie the fleshe about with them which
wantonly kicketh agaynst the grace of GOD by this speeche they are taught vnto humilitie take heede thou bee not cut off Howebeit that resolution which I brought is to be remembred namely that Paul speaketh not here of the particuler electiō of euery one but opposeth the Iewes to the Gentiles and therfore in these words he doth not so muche speake vnto the electe as vnto suche as did falsely boast them selues to haue gotten the place of the Iewes Yea he speaketh vnto the Gentiles to geather and generally the whole bodie wherein many were onely in title faythfull and the members of Christ Whereas the demaunde is made of particuler men howe any may be cut off from the grafting and howe after the cutting off he may be graffed in agayne set before thee a threefolde forme of graffing A threefolde for me of grafting and a twofolde forme of cutting off to be considered and a twofolde forme of cutting off For the children of the faithfull are graffed in to whome the promise is due by the couenant made with their fathers secondly they are also graffed in who conceiue the seede of the gospel in them but which either taketh no roote or els is choked before it come vnto fruite thirdly the elect are graffed in namely who are illuminated by the immutable purpose of GOD vnto eternall life The first sorte are cutte off when they refuse the promise giuen to their fathers or else doe not receiue it through their vnthankfulnesse The seconde When the seede of the Gospel withereth and is corrupted in them The perill of which euill seeing it hangeth ouer all men in respect of their nature wee must confesse that this admonition which Paule vseth doth in some sort appertayne vnto the faythfull least they shoulde cocker them selues in slothfulnesse of the fleshe But concerning the present place it ought to suffice vs that the same punishment which God executed vpon the Iewes is denounced against the Gentiles if they shall become like vnto them 23 For God is able This were a colde argument with prophane men For howesoeuer they graunt power vnto God yet because they beholde it a farre off as thoughe it were included in heauen they doe for the most part depriue it of his effect But because the faithfull as often as they heare the power of God to be named do behold it as a present worke hee thought this reason sufficient to pearce their mindes Adde also that hee taketh this as a maxime granted namely that God did so punish the vnbeliefe of the people that yet he forgate not his mercie as els often after he had seemed to haue banished the Iewes from his kingdome hee restored them agayne And by comparison he sheweth howe much more easily the present state of thinges might be vndone then it was done namely howe much more easie it is that the naturall branches if they were put in their place whence they were cut shoulde take substaunce from their owne roote then wilde and barren branches shoulde doe it of another For the same proportion was between the Iewes the Gētiles 25 For I woulde not brethren that yee shoulde be ignorant of this misterie least ye should be arrogant in your selues that cecitie is partly come to Israel vntil the fulnes of the gentiles be come in 26 And so all Israel shal be saued As it is written the deliuerer shall come out of Sion and hee shall turne away the vngodlinesse from Iacob 27 And this shal be my couenaunt to them when I shall take away their sinnes 25 I woulde not haue you ignoraunt Here he prepareth his auditours vnto greater attentiō whiles he professeth that he will vtter a thing which otherwise is secrete Neither doeth hee that without cause for hee goeth about to conclude this exceeding harde question in a briefe and playne sentence and yet he openeth that no man woulde euer haue looked for But the causall particle least yee shoulde bee arrogant in your selues doth declare what his purpose is now namely to brydle the insolencie of the Gentiles least they shoulde waxe proud against the Iewes Furthermore this admonition was verie necessarie least the falling away of that people shoulde trouble the weake aboue measure as though the saluation of them all were for euer to bee despaired of Although the same at this day is no lesse profitable for vs to the ende wee might knowe that the saluation of a nomber left which the Lorde at length will gather vnto him selfe lyeth hidde as it were sealed with a signet And so often as longer delay shall put vs in dispaire thereof let vs remember the name of mysterie whereby Paule clearely admonisheth that the maner of their conuersion shall neyther bee common nor vsuall And therefore they doe lewdly who shall goe about to measure it by their owne sence For what is more peeuishe then to count that incredible whiche is remooued from our sence Seeing it is therefore called a mysterie because it is incomprehensible vntill the time of reuelation Furthermore it is opened to vs as to the Romanes that our faith being content with the worde might supporte vs with expectation vntill the effect it selfe come to light That cecitie hath partly I suppose the worde partly neyther simply to respect the time nor multitude but I vnderstande it to bee put for in a sort By which particle hee seemeth vnto me onely to goe about to temper a worde otherwise bitter or sharpe by it selfe And the word vntill doth not inferre the proceeding or order of time but rather is as much as if it were said that the fulnesse of the Gentiles c. The meaning then shal be that God did so in a sort blind Israel that whiles they refuse the light of the gospel it might be translated to the gentiles and they might occupie the possession was emptie Therefore this cecity serueth the prouidence of God to woorke the saluation of the gentiles which he had ordeined What is meant by the fulnes of the Gentiles And the fulnes of the Gentiles is taken for a great concourse For it was not then as before that some fewe Proselites did assemble themselues to the Iewes but there was suche a chaunge that the Gentiles almost made the substance or bodie of the church 26 And so all Israel Many vnderstand this of the people of the Iewes as though Paul said the religion should be restored againe amongst thē as before but I extend the name of Israel vnto all the people of God to this sence whē the gentiles shal be come in the Iewes also shall turne from their defection vnto the obedience of faith and so the saluation of the whole Israel of GOD shal be fulfilled which Israel must be gathered of them both yet so that the Iewes haue the first place as the first borne in the house of God This interpretation doeth therefore seeme vnto me more conuenient because Paule here goeth about to note the consummation of
for that the grace of GOD descended from them to the posteritie according to the forme of the couenaunt Thy God and of thy seede Howe the gentiles haue obteined mercy by the vnbeleef it is alreadie declared namely God beeing angrie with the Iewes for their infidelitie conuerteth his fauour vnto the Gentiles And wheras it is straight wayes added they became incredulous for the mercy shewed to the Gentiles it is something harde yet there is no absurditie in it How it is saide the Iewes became vnbeleeuers through the mercy shewed to the gentiles because Paule doth not set downe the cause of their excecation or blinding but onely sheweth that that was taken from the Iewes which GOD translated to the Gentiles Furthermore least the Gentiles shoulde thinke that they obteyned that by the merite of theyr faith which the Iewes loste through their incredulitie there is onely mention made of mercy The summe therefore is because God woulde shewe mercy vpon the Gentiles by this occasion the Iewes were depriued of the light of faith 32 For God hath shut vp c. A notable sentence wherby he declareth there is no cause why they shoulde dispaire of others which haue some hope of saluatiō for whatsoeuer they are now they were as al others are so thē if through the only mercy of god they haue escaped forth frō vnbeliefe they ought to leaue place vnto the same mercy for others also For as cōcerning gyltines he maketh the Iewes equal with the gētiles that both of them might vnderstand the way to saluation is open to others as well as vnto them For there is one only mercy of God which saueth that may offer it selfe vnto them both This sentence therfore answeareth that testimony of Ose which he cited before Ose 9.25 I wil call that my people was no people Moreouer his meaning is not that God doth so blind al men as though their incredulity were to be imputed to him but by his prouidence he hath so disposed it that all should be guilty of incredulity and so he might haue them subiect to his iudgement to this end verily that all merits being buried saluation might be of his only goodnes Here therefore Paul intendeth two thinges First that there is nothing in anie man wherefore he should be preferred before others besides the meere grace of God And secondly that God in the dispensation of his grace is not let but hee may bestow the same vppon whom hee wil. There is an Emphasis in this word mercy for it signifieth that God is tied to none therefore doth saue all freely because all are in like sort lost Furthermore their dotage is too grosse who gather from hence that all shal be saued For Paul meaneth simply that as well Iewes as gentiles are saued no other way then by the mercy of God least he shoulde leaue vnto any some matter of complaint And sure it is this mercy is offered indifferently vnto all but which seeke it by faith 33 O the deepenes of the riches wisedom knowledge of God how incomprehensible are his iudgementes and his wayes past finding out 34 For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord Or who hath beene of his counsaile 35 Or who hath giuen to him first and it shal be restored him againe 36 Because all things are of him and by him and for him To him be glorie for euer Amen 33 O the deepenesse Here first of all the Apostle bursteth foorth into a speech which voluntarily ariseth from the consideration of the workes of God with the faithfull Secondarily he doth by the way restrayne the boldnes of impietie which is wont to murmure against the iudgements of God Therefore when we heare O the deepenes It cannot be saide how auaileable this admiration ought to be to beate downe the temeritie of the fleshe For after he had disputed out of the worde and spirite of the Lorde at length being ouercome with the highnesse of so great a secrete he can doe nothing but woonder and crie out that these riches of the wisedome of God are deeper then our reason is able to pearce into them If therfore at any time we enter into talke of the secret counsels of God let this bridle bee put alway before our wit and tongue that when we haue spoken soberly within the bounds of the word of God at length our disputation end with an admiration Neither ought we to be ashamed if we be no wiser then he who being rapt euen into the third heauen had seene secrets not to be opened vnto man yet here could finde no other end then so to humble himselfe Whereas some resolue the words of Paule thus O the deepe riches and wisedome and knowledge of God as though the nowne deepe were put for a common Epitheton expounding riches for liberality it seemeth vnto me to be wrested Therefore I doubt not but he extolleth the deepe riches of wisedome and knowledge in God Howe incomprehensible By diuers words according to the vsual iteration of the Hebrues he expresseth the same thing For hauing spoken of iudgements Way is put for the reason or maner of Gods iudgement he addeth wayes for the rules or reason of doing or order of gouerning of his iudgementes And still he persisteth in his exclamation wherein the more hee extolleth the highnes of the secrets of God the more hee frayeth vs from the curiositie of searching Let vs learne therefore to searche after nothing in the Lord but which he hath reuealed by his scriptures for otherwise we enter into a labyrinth whēce there is no easie passage for it is to be noted that heere the question is not of euery the mysteries of God but of those which being layde vppe within himselfe he wil haue onely to be wondered at reuerenced of vs 34 For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde Here hee beginneth as it were by laying hands on them to bridle the boldnesse of men least they shoulde murmure against the iudgements of God and that hee doeth by two reasons The first is that all men are altogether blinde to consider the predestination of God by their owne sense and to dispute of a thing that is vnknowne is temeritie and wickednesse The second reason is that wee haue no cause to complaine of God seeing no man can say that God is a debter vnto him but on the contrary all men are bounde vnto him for his bountifulnesse Let euery one therefore remember to keepe his minde within this compasse least in seeking after predestination he be carried aboue the reuealed will of God seeing we heare that man can iudge no more heerein then the blinde in darknesse Whiche neuerthelesse maketh not to shake the certaintie of faith whiche ariseth not of the dexteritie of mans wisedome but of the onely illumination of the spirite What moderatiō must be vsed in speaking of the mysteries of God For euen Paule himselfe in another place after
drawe and deriue all duties so heere Paule setteth downe the originall whence all the parâ—es of holinesse followe namely that wee are redeemed of the Lorde to this ende that we shoulde consecrate our selues and all our members to him But it is necessary to examine euery part 1 I beseech you by the mercies of God Wee knowe that godlesse men doe exceedingly abuse vnto the dissolutenes of the flesh whatsoeuer is spoken in the scripture of the goodnes of God Againe Hypocrites as though the grace of God extinguished the studie of a godlie life and opened the doore of boldnesse to sinne they doe maliciously as much as in them is obscure the knowledge of it But this contestation or beseeching doth teach that men can neuer seriously woorshippe God nor be sufficiently prouoked vnto his feare and obedience vntill they knowe howe much they are indebted vnto his mercie The Papistes count it enough if by terrour they wrest from men a certayne I knowe not what forced obedience But Paule that hee might bynd vs vnto God not with a seruile feare but with a voluntarie and cheerefull loue of righteousnesse allureth vs by the sweetnes of his grace wherein our saluation is conteyned and withall he chargeth vs with ingratitude vnlesse hauing experience of so bountifull and liberal a Father we studie againe to dedicate our selues wholly to him And so much the more efficacie hath Paule in this his exhortation as he excelleth all others in setting foorth the grace of GOD. For that heart must needs be harder then iron which through the doctrine he taught aboue is not inflamed with the loue of God whose bountifulnesse towardes him hee feeleth to be so plentiful Where then are they which thinke that all exhortations vnto honestie of life are taken away if the saluation of men be reposed in the onelye grace of God seeing a godly heart is not so much prepared vnto the obedience of God by anie preceptes or others as by the serious meditating vppon the goodnesse of GOD towardes him Heere also we may see the lenity of the Apostles spirit who had rather deale with the faithful by admonitions and friendly beseechinges then by seuere commaundementes because he knewe he shoulde profite more this way with those are tractable That yee giue your bodies This is then the entrance of the right course vnto good woorkes if we vnderstande that we are consecrated to the Lorde For thereupon it followeth that we must cease to liue to our selues to the ende all the actions of our life might tende to his obedience Therefore here are two thinges to be considered First that we are the Lords Two things to be considered secondly that therfore we ought to be holye because it is vnseemely for the holinesse of God that any thing should be offered to him which was not first consecrated to him This beeing put downe it followeth wee must meditate of holinesse all our life long yea it is a kinde of sacriledge if wee fall to vncleannesse because it is nothing els then to prophane a sanctified thing And euery where a maruellous proprietie of wordes is kept First hee saith our bodie must be offered in sacrifice vnto GOD whereby hee insinuateth that wee are not nowe in our owne power but altogether brought into the power of God Which cannot otherwise come to passe vnlesse we renounce our selues and so denie our selues Secondly by adding of Epithetons he declareth what kinde of sacrifice that must bee For by calling it liuing hee signifieth we are offered to the Lorde of this condition that our former life beeyng killed in vs we might be raysed vp vnto newnes of life Vnder the name of sanctitie or holinesse he noteth that of the whiche wee saide it is proper to the sacrifice for then it is a sacrifice indeede when sanctification goeth before The thirde Epitheton when hee admonisheth that our life is then framed aright when we direct this our sacrifice vnto the pleasure of the Lorde And also it bringeth vnto vs a rare consolation in that he teacheth our studie is pleasing and acceptable to God when we resigne our selues ouer to innocencie and holinesse By bodies hee meaneth not onely bones and skinne but the whole masse whereon we consist and he hath vsed that woorde whereby hee might best by the figure Synecdoche set foorth all our partes For the members of the bodie are instrumentes to execute our actions by Otherwise he requireth of vs not onelye integritie of bodie but also of spirite as he doth to the Thessa 1. Thes 5.23 Whereas he biddeth offer or present therein is an allusion vnto the sacrifices of Moses whiche are offered at the Altare as in the sight of GOD howebeit hee declareth howe readye wee ought to bee to receiue the commaundementes of GOD that without all delaye wee may obeye them Whereby wee gather that all they doe nothing els but erre and wander miserably whose purpose is not to worshippe the Lorde 〈…〉 Heere also wee see what Sacrifices Paule commendeth to the Christian Church For beeing reconciled by the onely sacrifice of Christe through his grace wee are al made priestes to dedicate our selues and all that is ours to the glory of God There remaineth no sacrifice of reconciliation and it were great contumelie done against the crosse of Christe to erect any Your reasonable seruice I thinke this clause was added the better to explicate and confirme that went before as though it were said if you minde from your heart to serue God giue your selues for a sacrifice to god for this is the right seruice of God froÌ„ the which who so departeth are but peruerse worshippers If God be then worshipped aright when we examine all thinges to his rule let all faygned worshippings goe which hee doth worthily abhorre because he esteemeth more of obedience theÌ„ sacrifice In deed the inuentions of men please them and they bragge as Paule saith in another place a vaine shewe of wisedome But we heare what the heauenly iudge denounceth of the contrarie by the mouth of Paule For by calling that a reasonable seruice which hee commaundeth whatsoeuer wee goe about without the rule of his woorde hee reiecteth as foolish sottish and temerous enterprices 2 And fashion not your selues to this worlde World put for the wisdome maners of men This worde worlde albeit it hath many significations here is taken for the wisedome and manners of men whereunto not without cause hee forbiddeth vs to bee conformed For seeing the whole worlde is set on mischiefe it is meete wee shoulde put off whatsouer is humane or belonging to the old man if wee will truly put on Christe And least that bee doubted on hee sheweth it by the contrarie when hee biddeth vs bee transformed into the newnesse of minde For these are vsuall contrarieties of the Scripture whereby a thing is more cleerely expressed And note heere what kinde of innouation is required of vs namely not of the fleshe
me to set that against intermission ceasing or leauing off which he commaundeth of seruing the time Furthermore because in many old copies Curio is read which worde although at the first sight it seemeth strange I dare not altogether reiect If so bee the reading be accepted I doubt not but the minde of Paule is to referre all those duties are done to our brethren and whatsoeuer serueth to the mainteynance of charitie to the worship of God that hee might make the faythfull more willing 12 Reioycing in hope These three are both ioyned together amongst them selues and also in a maner they seeme to appertein vnto that Seruing the tyme. For hee doth best applie himself vnto the time and vseth the occasion to run on couragiously who putteth his ioy in the hope of the life to come and beareth tribulations patiently Howesoeuer it be for it is no great matter whither you ioyne them together or seperate them first he forbiddeth vs to set our heartes vpon the present good things and in earth and earthly thinges to seeke our ioy as though our felicitie were there but he biddeth vs erect our mindes to heauē where we may inioye perfect and ful ioy If our reioycing shal be conteyned in the hope of the life to come thereuppon shall patience growe in aduersitie because no abiding or suffering of sorow can oppresse that ioy Therefore these two depende one of another ioy conceiued of hope and patience in aduersitie For no man will cheerefully and with a quiet mind submit himselfe to beare the crosse but he who hath learned to seeke for his felicitie out of the world that with the consolation of hope he may mitigate Ioy conceiued of the life to com and patience coupled together and qualifie the bitternes of the Crosse But because both these are farre aboue our strength we must bee earnest in prayer and beseech GOD continually that he suffer not our harts to faint fall to the ground or to be broken with aduersitie Finally Paul doth not only prouok vs to prayers but plainly requireth perseuerance of vs because wee haue a continuall warfare and dayly new conflicts arise to the bearing whereof yea euen the strongest are vnmeete vnlesse they nowe then gather new strength Howbeit that we faint not the best remedie is the continuance of prayer 13 Seruing the necessities of the Saincts c. Hee returneth vnto the duties of charitie the chiefest wherof is to do good vnto those of whome wee looke for no recompence Because therfore it almost cōmeth to passe that they chiefly are despised who aboue others are oppressed with pouerty stand in need of help for that is thought to be lost which is bestowed vpon thē God in a speciall maner commendeth them vnto vs. For then we are truly charitable in deede when we helpe our poore brethren for no other cause then to exercise our bountifulnesse Now hospitalitie is not the last kinde of charitie that is beneuolence liberalitie which is shewed towardes straungers because they chiefly are destitute of al things and are farre from their friends We see then that euery one ought by so much the more to be cared for of vs as they are commōly more neglected of men Note also the proprietie of speech in that he saith we must communicate to the necessities of the saintes whereby he insinuateth that wee ought so to relieue the want of our brethren as though wee succoured our selues And hee commaundeth specially to helpe the saintes The faithful are specially to be succoured For although our charitie ought to extende it selfe vnto all men yet it ought with a singular affection to imbrace those are of the houshoulde of fayth who are ioyned vnto vs in a neerer maner 14 Blesse them which persecute you Blesse I say and curse not 15 Reioyce with them that reioyce weepe with them that weepe 16 Be of like affection one towardes another not thinking arrogantly of your selues but applying your selues to base thinges Bee not wise in your owne opinions 14 Blesse them c. Once I woulde haue the reader admonished of this that in euery precept hee doe not curiouslye seeke for a precise order but to bee content heere to haue scattered preceptes whereby he may bee prepared vnto all the parts of a holy life and those also drawen out of that principle which the Apostle put downe in the beginning of the chapter Straightwayes hee will giue charge of not requiting iniuries doone Heere nowe hee requireth somewhat that is more harde namely that we wishe no harme to our enemies but howesoeuer they vexe vs and deale vncurteously with vs to wishe vnto them all prosperitie and to pray vnto God for the same Which meekenesse as it is more difficulte so it is more seriously to be laboured for For the Lorde commaundeth nothing wherein hee requireth not our obedience Neyther is any excuse to be admitted if we be voyde of that sence whereby the Lorde woulde haue vs to differ from the wicked and children of this worlde In deede I confesse it is a harde thing and altogether contrarie to the nature of man howebeit nothing is so harde but it is ouercome by the power of GOD whiche shall neuer bee wanting to vs if wee be not negligent to call for it And although thou canst scarsly find one which hath profited so muche in the lawe of GOD that hee can fulfill this precepte yet none can boaste hym selfe to bee the sonne of GOD or glorie in the name of a Christian who hath not partly put on this minde and dayly fighteth with the contrary affection I sayde this was harder then to remitte vengeance when any is hurt For some although they withholde their handes and are not themselues carried with the furie of hurting yet they coulde wishe that destruction or damage might otherwayes happen to their enemies Yea and if they bee so calme that they wish no harme yet scarcely one in an hundreth will wishe him to bee safe of whom he hath receiued iniury Yea a good part burst forth into cursynges But God by his woorde doeth not onely bridle our handes from euill woorkes but also tameth the bitter affections of our heart And not that onely◠but also woulde haue vs careful for the health of those who by hunting vs wrongfully bring destruction vpon them selues Erasmus was deceiued in the woorde Eulogein because hee obserued not that it was opposed against cursings Our patience must appeare not only in not wishing euill but also in wishing good to our enimies and maledictions For Paule in both of them woulde haue God to bee a witnesse of our patience howe not onely wee bridle the furie of our wrath in our wishes but also by praying for their remission we testifie that we are sory for them whiles they perish wilfully 15 Reioyce with them reioyce c. In the thirde place hee putteth a generall sentence that the faythfull imbracing one another with
verse namely and this also is to bee read by it selfe For it dependeth vpon the former doctrine as in latine we say adhaec vel pretereà Moreouer or furthermore He saith the time or season is knowē to the faithfull because the day of Gods calling and visitation requireth newe life and newe maners as for exposition sake he addeth afterwarde it is time to arise For it is not Chronos but Kairos by which worde is noted the occasion or fit time For nowe is our saluation neerer This place is diuersty wrested of the interpretours many referre the worde beleeued vnto the tyme of the law as though Paul said the Iewes beleeued before Christ came which interpretation I refuse as hard and coacted And surely to restraine a generall doctrine to some small part of the Church were absurde In all that congregation whereunto he wrote what one Iewe was there Then this speech shoulde not agree vnto the Romanes Moreouer the comparison of night and day in my iudgement taketh away this doubt This therefore seemeth vnto mee to be the simple meaning now is our saluation neerer then when we began to beleeue that it might bee referred vnto the time which went before faith For seeing this aduerbe hath an indifferent significatiō this proposition of the Apostle seemeth much more conuenient as appeareth by that which followeth 12 The night is past the day approcheth neere This is the occasion he made mention of a litle before For albeit the faithfull as yet are not receiued into the ful light yet very well hee cōparath the knowledge of the life to come which shineth vnto vs by the gospel vnto the morning Day here as in many other places is not put for the light of faith otherwise he wold not say it draweth neere but it is present yea now it shineth as in the midst of his course but for that brightnesse of the celestiall life whose beginnings are now seene in the gospell The summe is as by the spring of the day we gather that the full light of the sunne is at hand euen so as soone as God beginneth to call vs we gather that we ought to intend vpon the comming of Christe Hee saith the night is past because we are not so ouerwhelmed with a thick mist as the faithles are in whom there appeareth no sparkle of life but the hope of resurrection is set before our eyes by the Gospel Yea the light of faith whereby we know the brightnesse of the celestial glorie is at hand ought to stirre vs vp that wee freeze not heere vppon this earth But a little after where hee biddeth vs walke as vppon the day light hee keepeth not the same metaphore because hee compareth the present state wherein Christ shineth vnto vs to the day But by diuers waies he goeth about to exhort sometimes vnto the meditation of the life to come sometimes vnto the reuerence of the sight of God 13 Not in rioting and drunkennes He hath put downe here three sortes of vices of the which he hath noted euery one by two names to wit intemperancie excesse in liuing or in diet carnal lust and that vncleannesse is ioyned to it enuie and strife If these vices haue suche filthinesse in them that euen carnall men are ashamed to commit them in the sight of menne it is meete wee should alway absteyne from them whiche walke in the sight of God yea then when we are sequestred from the sight of men In the third pare although contention goeth before emulation yet there is no doubt but the mind of Paule is to admonish that contentions and strifes proceede foorth of this fountaine for whiles euery one seeketh to excel enuieth another And ambition is the cause of both euils 14 But put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ This Metaphor is very vsuall in the Scripture in those thinges which make eyther to the adorning or deforming of man both whiche is seene in apparrell For a filthie torne garment dishonesteth a man a handsome and cleane garment doeth greatly beautifie him To put on Christ heere signifieth to be euerie way defended by vertue of his spirite whereby we are made apt vnto all the parts of sanctitie or holinesse For so the image of God is restored in vs which is the only ornament of the soule For Paule hath respect vnto the ende of our calling because GOD adopting vs doeth graffe vs into the bodie of his onelye begotten sonne and verily vppon this condition that we putting from vs our former life may become newe men in him Wherefore in another place also he saith the faithfull put on Christ in baptisme Make no prouision for the flesh So long as we carry our flesh about we cannot altogether cast away the care thereof Gal. 3.27 for our conuersation is so in heauen that wee may soiourne in earth Therefore the thinges apperteyning to the bodie are to bee cared for How we should vse the thinges of this world yet no otherwise then helpes for our peregrination not that we should forget our countrie Yea prophane men haue said a few thinges suffice nature yet the appetites of men are insatiable He therfore which coueteth to fulfill the lusts of his fleshe must needes not onelie exceede but be drowned into a huge and deepe gulfe Paule labouring to restraine the concupiscences of men admonisheth that this is the cause of al intemperance whē no man is content with the sober and lawfull vse of thinges therefore hath hee prescribed this order that wee may serue the necessitie of our fleshe and not pamper the luste thereof So shall it come to passe that wee maye vse this worlde as not vsing it Chap. 14. 1 HIm that is weake in faith receiue not vnto doubtfulnes of disputation 2 He that beleeueth let him eate euery meate but he that is weake eateth hearbes 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not let not him which eateth not condemne him whiche eateth for the Lord hath receiued him 4 Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant He standeth or falleth to his owne Lorde Yea he shal stand for God is able to make him stande HIm that is weake Now he passeth vnto a precept very necessarie for Ecclesiastical instruction that they whiche haue profited more in the doctrine of Christ might apply thē selues to the ruder sort and bestow their strēgth to support their weaknes For amongst the people of God there are some weaklings who vnles they be handled with great curtesie gentlenes they are discouraged at length reuolt frō religiō Which thing euen at that time chiefly as it is like did happē seeing the churches were mixed of Iewes Gentiles of whom some hauing byn long accustomed with the obseruations of the law of Moses nousled therin frō their infancy were not easily drawen frō thē othersome seeing they had learned no such thing did reiect the yoke they were not acquainted withall And because man is prone
worth then that for their sakes the course of the Gospel shoulde bee hindered But righteousnesse and peace Hee hath by the way opposed these against meate and drinke not as though hee reckoned all those thinges whereon the kingdome of Christe consist The kingdom of Christ consisteth in spirituall thinges but that he might declare how it standeth vpon spirituall thinges Albeit to say the trueth he hath comprehended the summe in few wordes namely that wee beeing cleere in our selues might be at peace with the Lorde and possesse true ioye of conscience yea and that by the holie Ghoste dwelling in vs. Yet notwithstanding as I saide hee hath applied these fewe to the present argument for he that is made partaker of true righteousnesse hee inioyeth a most excellent and inestimable benefite namely the quiet ioy of conscience For hee who hath peace with God what canne hee desire more Whereas hee ioyneth peace with ioye hee seemeth vnto mee to expresse the manner of that spirituall ioye for howesoeuer the reprobate droupe or lifte vppe them selues yet the conscience is not otherwise pacified and quieted then whiles a manne feeleth that GOD is reconciled and mercifull to him neyther indeede is there any sounde or true ioye but whiche proceedeth from that peace And although it is necessarie when mention is made of so greate thinges to preache the spirite for the Authour of them yet in this place hee woulde secretely oppose the spirite agaynst externall thinges that wee might knowe howe without the vse of meates those thinges apperteyne vnto the kingdome of GOD maye abyde perfecte and sounde vnto vs. 19 For who so by these This reason is taken from the consequent for it cannot be when a man is accepted of God approoued of men but the kingdome of God shoulde liue floorishe in him Who so with a quiet and peaceable conscience serueth Christ in righteousnes approoueth himselfe as well before men as God Whersoeuer then is righteousnesse peace and spiritual ioy there is the perfect kingdome of God so then it standeth not vpon corporall thinges Furthermore he saith that that man is acceptable to God who obeyeth his will And testifieth that the same man is also approued of men because they cannot but giue testimonie to that vertue they see with their eyes Not that the wicked doe alway spare the sonnes of God yea rather when there is none occasion they poure out reproches against them with faigned calumniations slaunder them vnwoorthily finally by misconstruing their good deedes they turne them to reproche But Paule speaketh heere of sincere iudgement which is mixed with no morositie hatred nor superstition 19 Therefore let vs followe after such thinges as concerne peace and mutuall edification 20 Doe not destroy the woorke of God for meate All thinges indeede are pure but it is euil for him that eateth with offence 21 It is good not to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor to doe any other thing wherby thy brother may fal or be offended or be made weake 19 Therefore let vs. He doth what he can to reuoke vs from the bare consideration of meates vnto those greater thinges which ought to haue the first place in all our actions and so to ouerrule them For we must eate to liue and liue to serue the Lorde And hee serueth the Lorde who through beneuolence and curtesie edifieth his neighbour For vnder these two namely concorde and edification almoste all the dueties of charitie are conteyned And least that shoulde bee little esteemed hee repeateth that sentence whiche hee had put downe namely that corruptible meate is a thing vnworthie for whose cause the building of the Lorde should bee destroyed For wheresoeuer there is but a sparkle of godlinesse there a man may see the work of God whiche they ouerthrow who through their importunitie trouble the conscience that is yet weake And it is to bee noted that edification is therefore ioyned vnto peace because sometime they doe too much cocker one another so that they hurt greatly by theyr obsequie Wherefore there is choyse to bee kept in the studie of obeying and profit is to bee considered that wee may willingly graunt vnto our brother whatsoeuer serueth to the furthering of his saluation As Paul admonisheth in another place all thinges are lawfull to me 1. Cor. 10.28 but all thinges are not expedient and straightwaies after hee addeth the reason because all thinges doe not edifie And it is not in vaine that he repeateth againe not for meate signifiyng that hee requireth not an abstinence wherein there might bee a hassarde or losse of Godlinesse as hee saide of late although wee doe not freely eate euerie meate but abstaine from the vse of certaine meates for our brethren sakes yet the kingdome of God abideth perfect 20 All thinges indeede are pure Where as he saith all thinges are pure that is by the way of concession or graunting and whereas hee addeth but it is euill to the man that eateth with offence That is by the way of exception as though he said in deede the meate is good but the offence is euill For meates are giuen vs that wee might eate them without the breach of charitie hee therefore defileth the vse of pure meate who in eating of it violateth charitie Therupon he inferreth that it is good to abstaine from all thinges which may turne to the offence of our brethren And he putteth downe three words in order to fall to be offended to be weakened To this sense Let no cause of falling be giuen to your brethren yea nor of offence nor of infirmitie For to be weakened is lesse then to stumble or be offended and to be offended is lesse then to fall Hee is saide to be weakened into whose conscience there is put some wauering or doubting to be offended What it is to be weakened to be offended and to fall whose conscience is shaken with some greater perturbation to fall who in a maner is alienated from the studie of religion 22 Thou hast faith haue it with thy selfe before God Hee is blessed who iudgeth not himselfe in that whiche hee examineth 23 Hee which iudgeth if hee eate is condemned because hee eateth not of faith For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne 22 Thou hast faith That hee might conclude hee sheweth wherein the commoditie of Christian libertie doth consist whereby appeareth that they doe falsly brag of libertie who can not gouerne themselues in the vse of it He saith therfore that the knowledge of libertie seeing it is of faith doth properly respect God so then he who is indued with such certaintie he must cōtent himselfe with the peace of conscience before God neither is it necessary to come into possession before men It followeth then that of set purpose it commeth to passe if we offend our brethren in eating flesh because no necessitie inforceth vs thereto Besides this it may easily appeare how wickedly this place is wrested of many who
it were by supplying it For others had begunne before but hee did scatter it abroade further 20 Yea I inforced my selfe to preache the Gospel Because it stood Paule vpon not onely to prooue himselfe to bee a seruant of Christe and Pastor of the Christian Church but also to winne vnto himselfe the person and office of an Apostle that hee might the rather bee hearde of the Romanes hee putteth heere a proper and peculier note of Apostleship What it is to bee an Apostle For the office of an Apostle is to sow the gospel where it was not preached before according to that commandement Mar. 15.16 goe preache the Gospell to euery creature Which ought diligently to be noted least we drawe that vnto an vniuersall example which doth peculiarly agree vnto the order of Apostles Neither is it to be disliked that there is a successour substituted in his place who did builde the church So thē Apostles are as it were the founders of the church pastors which succeede them ought to mayntaine and increase that building which was raysed vp by them He calleth that another mans foundation 1. Cor. 3.11 Ephe. 1.20 which was layde by another mans hande Otherwise Christ is the only stone wheron the Church is founded 21 But according as it is written Hee confirmeth that by the prophesie of Esai which he said of the signe of his Apostleship Esai 52.10 For he in the 52. chap. 10. verse When he speaketh of the kingdom of the Messias amongst other things foresheweth that the same must be dilated ouer all the world And that the knowlege of the same Christ must be brought vnto the Gentiles to whome his name was not hard of before It was expedient this should be done by the apostles to whō specially cōmandement was giuen Therefore the Apostleshippe of Paul was thereby manifest that this prophesie is fulfilled in him Wickedly shall any man goe about to drawe this vnto the office of pastors because we knowe in Churches rightly ordered where the veritie of the Gospell was receiued long agoe the name of Christ must be continually preached To this ende therefore was Paul a preacher of Christ yet vnknowne vnto forraine nations that after his departure in euery place the same doctrine might dayly sounde foorth in the mouth of the pastors For it is sure that the Prophet intreateth of the beginnings of the kingdome of Christ 22 Therefore I haue also been often let to come vnto you 23 But nowe hauing no more place in these countreyes and being desirous many yeeres agoe to come vnto you 24 When I shal take my iourney into Spayne I will come vnto you For I trust to see you in my iourney to be broght on my way thitherward by you after that I haue bin somwhat filled with your company 22 Therefore c. Nowe also hee draweth that to another ende which he saide of his Apostleship namely to excuse himselfe that he neuer came vnto them seeyng hee was no lesse ordeyned for them then for others By the way therfore he declareth the sowing the Gospel frō Iudea euen vnto Illyricum hee did as it were accomplishe a certayne course inioyned him of the Lorde which being finished hee purposed not to neglect them And least in the meane while they shoulde thinke they were neglected he taketh away that suspicion when he testifieth there was no want of will long agoe That he therefore did it no sooner that came to passe by a iust let nowe hee putteth them in hope so soone as he may for his calling And out of this place a weake argument is drawne to proue Pauls going into Spayne For it followeth not straightwayes that he did it because he was so minded For he speaketh onely of hope whereof he as well as others of the godly many time might be made voyde 24 For I trust Hee toucheth the cause why hee wished of long time and nowe purposed to come vnto them namely that hee might see them and might inioy their sight and communication and also might shewe himselfe vnto them according to his office For vnder the comming of the Apostles is also conteyned an increase of the Gospel when hee saith That I may also be broght on in my way thither by you therby he declareth howe much hee promiseth vnto himselfe of their courtesie or humanitie Which wee haue admonished before to bee a notable kinde of getting fauour For looke by howe muche euery one heareth that greater trust is giuen to him by so much the more he thinketh himselfe to be bounde because wee count it filthie and vnciuill to deceiue the opinion conceiued of vs. And where as hee addeth after that I haue been somewhat filled with your companie hee testifieth the mutuall beneuolence of his minde towardes them whereof that they shoulde be perswaded it was greatly necessarie for the Gospel 25 But nowe I goe to Hierusalem to minister vnto the Saintes 26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a communication to the poore saintes which are at Ierusalem 27 It hath pleased them I say and their debters they are For if they haue made the Gentiles partakers of their spirituall thinges their duetie is also to minister vnto them in carnall thinges 28 When I haue therefore perfourmed this and haue sealed them this fruite I will passe by you into Spaine 29 And I knowe that when I shall come vnto you I shall come in the aboundaunce of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ 25 But nowe Least they shoulde looke for his comming strayghtwayes and thinke themselues mocked or deceiued if hee came later then they looked for he foresheweth what busines hee had then presently that he could not forthwith take that iourney namely that hee went to Hierusalem to beare the almes which was gathered in Achaia and Macedonia Yet wtall hereby hee taketh occasion to passe vnto the commendation of that communication to the ende that by a kinde of insinuation hee might prouoke them vnto the like For although he doth not plainly aske it yet whiles he saith that Achaia and Macedonia ought to doe it hee inferreth what was the duetie of the Romanes who were in the same predicament And that he had respect thereto he plainly cōfesseth to the corinth 2. Cor. 9.1 I boast quoth he of your readines to al Churches the they might be prouoked by your exāple And it was an argument of singuler loue Distaunce of place or diuersitie of natiō ought not to let vs from being bountifull to the faithfull that when the Grecians hearde that the brethren which were at Hierusalem stoode in neede they considered not by howe great distaunce of places they were seuered from them but counting them sufficientlye nigh with whom they were ioyned in the bonde of fayth did releeue their pouertie with their aboundance And we are to note the worde communication which hee vseth for it expresseth very well with what affection wee
ought to succour the want of our brethren namely because for the vnitie of the bodie there is a common and mutuall consideration I haue not translated the pronoune tina because it often aboundeth with the grecians and it seemeth to diminishe the emphasey of this place Whereas wee haue turned to minister in Greeke is the participle ministring but that seemed more fitte to expresse the minde of Paul For hee excuseth that through iust occasion he was stayed that hee coulde not straightwayes with haste come vnto Rome 27 And their debters they are Euery man doth see that that which is here sayde of debt is not said so much for the cause of the Corinthians as of the Romanes For the Corinthians or Macedonians were no more indebted vnto the Iewes then the Romanes And he addeth the cause of this bonde namely that they had receiued the Gospell from them hee taketh an argument from the comparison of the lesse with the greater which he also vseth in another place Namely 1. Cor. 9.11 that that recompence ought not to be though vniust or grieuous vnto them who for spirituall thinges giue carnall which by many degrees are more base And this sheweth the dignitie of the Gospel that it doeth not onely denounce them bonde to the ministers thereof but also to all that nation from whom their ministers came And note the verbe Leitourgesai for to minister which signifieth to doe his office in the common wealth and to vndertake the burden of his calling sometime also it is vsed in respect of sacred thinges And I doubt not but Paule signifieth that it is a kinde of sacrifice when the faythfull giue of their owne to relieue the pouertie of their brethren For so they doe that duetie of charitie which they ought to doe and also they offer vnto God a sacrifice of a sweete sauour but properly in this place he did respect that mutuall right of compensation 28 When I shall haue sealed this fruite vnto them A dislike it not that some doe thinke heere is an allusion vnto the maner of the olde fathers who were wont to shutte vp with rings or signets those thinges they woulde haue safe In this sort Paul commendeth his fayth and integritie as though hee sayde he were a syncere keeper of the money committed to him no otherwise then if it were sealed vnto him By the name of fruite he seemeth to vnderstande the increase which he sayde of late to come vnto the Iewes by the sowing of the Gospel Like as the fielde doth nourish his dresser by bearing of fruite 29 And I knowe that when I shall come These wordes may be vnderstood two wayes 1. The first sence is that hee should finde at Rome a plentifull fruite of the Gospell for this is the blessing of the Gospel when it fructifieth by good woorkes For whereas some restraine them vnto almes I doe not like it 2 Or to the ende hee might make his comming vnto them more worthie to be wished for he sayth that hee hopeth it shoulde not be vnprofitable because it shoulde bring great increase vnto the Gospel which he calleth the fulnes of blessing for a ful blessing whereby he signifieth prosperous successe and increase And this blessing depended partly on his administration partly an their fayth so then he promiseth that his comming vnto them should not be in vayne vpon whom he should not loose the grace giuen to him but shoulde bestowe it well through that alacritie of minde was in them to receiue the Gospell The first expositiō is more receiued and also doth like me better namely that hee hoped to finde that he chiefly wished that is the Gospel to flourishe with them and to proceede by notable successes because they would excell in sanctitie and all kinde of vertues For he sheweth the cause of his desire namely that he hoped for some singuler ioy by the sight of them whom hee should see to flourishe with spirituall riches of the Gospell 30 And I beseech you brethren by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the loue of the spirite that ye striue together with me in your prayers to God for me 31 That I may bee deliuered from the vnbelieuers in Iudea and that my ministerie which I vndertake towardes Hierusalem may be acceptable to the saintes 32 That with ioy I may come vnto you by the will of God together with you may be comforted And the God of peace be with you all Amen 30 And I beseech you brethrrn By many places it is sufficiently knowen howe greatly Paul was hated in his owne nation for false slanders as though he taught a falling away from Moses He knewe howe much reproches coulde doe to oppresse the innocent and specially with those are caried with a rashe zeale Hereunto also came the testification of the spirite whereof he maketh mention in the Actes Act. 20.23 Whereby he was oftentimes forewarned that bondes and afflictions were at hand for him at Hierusalem Therefore the more danger hee sawe the more he was moued Hence came it he was so carefull to commende his health vnto the Churches neither let vs maruell that he was so carefull ouer his life wherein hee knewe so great danger of the Church to be handled Therefore the vehemencie is in this obtestation beareth witnesse howe greatly the godly minde was troubled whiles vnto the name of the Lorde he addeth the loue of the spirite whereby the Saintes ought to imbrace one another but yet in so great feare hee ceaseth not to goe on neyther doth hee so feare danger but he was readie to die willingly Howebeit hee armeth him selfe with the remedies giuen vnto him of God For he calleth for the helpe of the Church that being holpen by their prayers hee might thereby feele some comfort according to the promise of the Lorde Where two or three shall be gathered together in my name Mat. 18.20 Mat. 18.9 there am I in the middest of them and of whatsoeuer thing they shall consent in earth they shall obtayne it in heauen And least any shoulde thinke this were a remisse or light commendation he beseecheth them by Christ and the loue of the spirite And that is called the loue of the spirite What is the loue of the spirite Prayers is the only hauen of refuge for the seruants of God in distresse wherein Christ doth ioyne vs together because it is not of fleshe nor of the worlde but of the spirite which is the bonde of our vnitie Seeing then it is so great a benefit of God to bee holpen by the prayers of the faythfull that euen Paul himselfe an elect vessell of God thought it was not to bee neglected of him what intollerable bthernesse shall it be if wee wretches and men of no price doe contemne it Howebeit out of such places to take occasion to maynetayne intercessions vnto dead Saints is a token of too much impudencie That ye might striue with me Erasmus hath translated
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 disturbāce for either they sow dissētions Two waies whereby the wicked labour to hinder the course of the Gospell whereby the mynds of men are distracted frō the vnity of the truth or they stirre vp offences wherby they may be alienated from the loue of the gospel That cōmeth to passe whiles the truth of God is scattered drawē asunder with new doctrines and deuised of mē 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 secōdarily he biddeth they should be auoyded because they are hurtful Neither is it without cause that he requireth here attētion or circūspectiō of the faithfull because oftētimes by our negligēce and retchlesnes it cōmeth 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 cōsidered And note that he speaketh vnto such as were instructed in the pure doctrine of God for it is a wicked horrible diuorcemēt to deuide those doe consent in the verity of Christ But it is an impudēt detractiō or surmise vnder the pretēce 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 mē 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
the Epistle as wee may see is concluded with the prayse of God and thankesgiuing for he maketh mention of that singuler benefite of God namely that he hath vouchsafed the Gentiles with the light of the gospel wherin appeareth his infinite and vnspeakable goodnesse Although this prayse hath also in it that which may serue to set vp and establishe the confidence of the godly that their mindes beeing erected vnto God they may assuredly looke for all those thinges which are heere ascribed to him and also by his former benefites may confirme their hope touching that is to come But because by gathering many thinges into one sentence hee hath made a long Period or stoppe which is wrapped with a disordered placing of wordes euery member is to be diuided of vs. First hee giueth to God onely all glory secondly to the ende hee might shewe howe it is due vnto hym by the way hee rehearseth certaine vertues of his whereby appeareth he onely is worthie of all praise Hee saith hee is onely wise which prayse whiles it is giuen to him it is taken from all the creatures Although Paul seemeth after hee hath spoken of the secrete counsaile of God purposely to haue added this prayse that he might drawe all men into reuerence and admiration of the wisedome of God For wee knowe when men in the workes of God finde not out the cause howe readie they are to murmure By adding that God is able to confirme the Romanes hee assureth them of final perseuerance And that they might more certainely depend on his power he addeth that the same is testified vnto vs in the Gospell where thou seest the gospel doth not only bring vnto vs presēt grace but also doth bring vnto vs assurance of grace still to continue For there God doeth not onely promise to be our father in presente but also that hee will bee vnto the ende Yea his adoption is extended beyonde death because it bringeth vs vnto the eternall inheritance The residue are put to commende the vertue and dignitie of the Gospell He calleth the Gospell the preaching of Christ so that surely the whole summe thereof is cōteined in the knowledge of Christ hee calleth his doctrine the reuelation of the mysterie which ought not onely to make vs more attentiue in hearing of it but also impresse an high reuerence therof in our hearts and howe high a secrete that is he signifieth when he addeth that from the beginning of the worlde by so many ages it was hiddē Verily it hath not a proud and hautie wisedome such as the sonnes of this worlde couet of whom also it is therefore contemned but it declareth those vnspeakable treasures of celestiall wisedome aboue euery capacitie which if the angels also themselues do reuerence with admiration surely no man can sufficiently wonder at it Neither ought this wisedom to be therfore lesse esteemed because it lieth hid vnder a base simple stile because so it hath pleased the Lorde to subdue the arrogancie of the flesh And because great dout might arise howe this mysterie which by so many ages was hiddē did so suddenly appeare forth he teacheth that that came not to passe through the temeritie of men nor by chaunce but by the eternall ordinance of God where also he shutteth the gate against curious questions which the waywardnes of mans wit is wont to moue For whatsoeuer cōmeth suddenly and besides their expectation they thinke it is done at vnwares whereby they gather oftentimes wickedly that the workes of God are absurd or at the least they intangle thēselues with many troublesome douts Paul therefore admonisheth that that which appeared nowe suddenly was decreed of God before the worlde were made But least any shoulde make a doubte therefore that he might charge the Gospell with newnes and to defame it he alleageth the scriptures of the prophets where that was forespoken which we see nowe fulfilled For all the Prophets haue giuen so large testimonie vnto the Gospel that it can not els where be better confirmed And by this meanes God did rightly prepare the mindes of his least the noualtie of a thinge wherewith they were not acquainted should too much astonishe them Obiection If any obiect that there is a contraryetie in the wordes of Paule because he saith that that mysterie of the which GOD hath giuen testimonie by his Prophetes was hidden in all ages this knot is easily vnfolded by Peter namely that the prophets Answere 1. Pet. 1.12 whiles they diligently inquired of the saluation offered to vs did not minister to themselues but to vs. Therfore God by speaking then helde his peace because hee helde the reuelation of those things of the which he would haue his seruants to prophesie in suspence Although it is not certainely agreed vpon among the learned Ephe. 3.9 Collos 1.27 in what sence both here and to the Ephes he calleth the Gospel an hidden mysterie The opinion of them is more firme which referre it to the calling of the Gentiles which Paul him selfe precisely toucheth to the Colos Yet I albeit I confesse that to be one cause Collos 1.27 can not be brought to beleeue that is the onely cause It seemeth more probable vnto me that Paul had respecte also vnto the other differences of the olde and newe Testament For although the Prophets in olde time taught all those things which are expounded by Christ and his apostles yet they taught them with such obscuritie in comparison of the cleare light of the Gospel that it is no maruell if they bee saide to haue bin hidden which now are made manifest Neither is it without cause that the prophet Malac. saith Mal. 4.2 there should rise the sonne of righteousnesse neither that the prophet Esai hath before hand so highly commended the embassage of the Messias Finally nor that the Gospell is called the kingdom of god but we may better gather by the thing it self that then at length were the treasures of celestiall wisedome opened when the shadowes being done away God appeared to them in olde time by his onely begotten sonne as it were face to face Hee maketh mention agayne of that ende of the preaching of the Gospell whereof he made mention in the beginning of the first Chapter namely that God might bring all nations into the obedience of fayth Laus Deo soli sapienti in secula Amen C. R. A Table or Index conteining certaine principall matters in the Commentaries of M. Ioh. Caluin vpon the Epistle to the Romaines the first number sheweth the Chapter the seconde the Verse A ABba father cha 6. verse 8 Abraham the father of the faithful chap. 4. ver 1. 16. Abraham iustified by faith onely chap. 4. 3. Abraham how he was the heire of the world chap. 4. 13. Abrahams laughter was without fault chap. 4. 20. Abrahams body barren before the blessing of God chap. 4. 19. Abrahams faith chap. 4. 3. Abuse of the kvowledge of the Gospel chap. 2.