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
is not put down which might answere the former The inconsequent doth somewhat darken the speech because the seconde member in the comparison is not expressed which might answere to the former But wee will doe our diligence to make both playne when wee come vnto the place Sinne entered into the worlde c. Marke here what order hee vseth For hee saith sinne was first and of that death followed For there are some that goe about to prooue vs to bee so cast away by the sinne of Adam as though we perished through no fault of our owne but therefore onely as though hee sinned for vs. Yet Paule affirmeth plainely that sinne hath entered into all which suffer the punishment of sinne And that hee vrgeth more strickly when a litle after he setteth downe the reason why all the posteritie of Adam is subiect to the power of deathe namely quoth he because we haue all sinned Furthermore this fame to sinne is to be corrupte and faultie Sinne taken for corruption of nature For that naturall prauitie which we bringe out of our mothers wombe althoughe it doe not so sone shewe fourth his fruites yet neuerthelesse it is sinne before the Lorde and deserueth his vengeance And this is that sinne they call originall For as Adam by his firste creation as well receyued for him selfe as for his posteritie the gifts of Gods grace so hee falling from the Lorde corrupted viciated defiled and destroyed our nature in him selfe For hee being put away from the similitude of God could begette no seede but like vnto himselfe Howe all are said to haue sinned Wee haue all therefore sinned because wee are all indued with naturall corruption and so are become sinnefull and frowarde For that imagination was friuelous whereby in olde tyme the Pelagians went aboute to shift of the wordes of Paule saying that sinne hath descended from Adam to all mankinde by imitation for so Christ shoulde bee onely an example of righteousnesse and not the cause Here also it may easely be gathered that the question is not of actuall sinne for if euery one shoulde woorke giltinesse to him selfe to what ende should Paul compare Adam with Christ it followeth therefore that ingraffed and naturall corruption is noted 13 Vntill the lawe This parenthesis contayneth a preoccupation For because it seemeth not there is any transgression without the lawe it might bee doubted whither there were any sinne before the Lawe That there was after the lawe there is no doubt onely the question was of the time went before the lawe Therefore he answereth that albeit God had not as yet denounced sentence by the written lawe yet was mankinde vnder the curse yea and that from his mothers wombe and therefore much lesse were they absolued from the condemnation of sinne who liued wickedly before the publishing of the lawe For there was alway a God to whom worshippe was due If al men be sinners as they come out of their mothers wombe much more are they which liue wickedly and there was alway some rule of righteousnesse This interpretation is so playne and cleare that it doth sufficiently of it selfe refell all contrary interpretations But sinne is not imputed Without the reprehēsion of the law we are in a maner a sleep in our sins And although we are not ignorant that we do euil yet as much as in vs is we ouerwhelme the knowlege of euill offering it self at the least we put it out throgh suddain forgetfulnes but whiles the law reproueth checketh vs as it were pulling vs by the eare it doth awaken vs so that now then we returne to thinke vpō the iudgement of God Therefore the Apostle noteth how peruerse men are when they are not stirred vp by the law namely the difference of good and euill for the most part being driuen away securely and sweetely to pamper thēselues as though there were no iudgement of God Otherwise that iniquities haue bin imputed vnto men of God the punishēnt of Cain the flood where in all the world was destroyed the destruction of Sodom the plages fell vpon Pharao and Abimelech for Abraham lastly the euils came vpō Egipt do proue that men also amongst thēselues haue charged one another with sin it is manifest by so many cōplaints expostulations wherin one accuseth another of iniquitie againe by their apologies wherin they studiously go about to clere their deeds Finally that euery mā was gilty of euill good in his owne conscience there be many examples with proue But for the most part they did so wincke at their euil facts that they would impute nothing vnto thēselues for sinne but that they were constrayned Therefore when he denieth sin to be imputed wtout the lawe How sin is said not to be imputed without the lawe hee speaketh by the way of cōparison namely because whē they are not pricked by the sting of the law they bury thēselues in slothfulnes Furthermore Paul hath inserted this sentēce very wisely that the iewes might therby the better learn how great blame they shuld sustein whō the law did opēly condēne For if they were not free frō punishmēt whō God neuer sōmoned gilty before his tribunal seat what shal come vnto the Iewes to whō the lawe like a cryer sheweth their giltines yea denoūceth iudgement another reasō also may be brought why he may plainly say that sin rained before the law yet was not imputed namely Another reason why sin is saide to haue raigned but not to haue bin imputed before the lawe that we might know the cause of death not to come of the law but to be shewed by the law Hee saith therfore that all men were forthw t frō the fal of Adā miserably cast away albeit the destruction was long after reueiled by the lawe If you translate the particle aduersatiue de although albeit the text shal run better for the meaning shal be albeit men flatter thē selues yet they cānot escape the iudgement of God yea whiles the law doth not reproue thē Death raigned frō Adā He openeth more clearly how it profited men nothing that frō Adam vntil the publishing of the law they liued licenciously securely the choise or difference of good euil being reiected so wtout the admonition of the law the remēbrance of sin was buried because neuerthelesse sin was of force vnto condemnation Wherefore then also death rained because the cecitie hardnes of mē cold not oppresse the iudgement of God 14 Yea euen ouer them Although this place bee commonly vnderstood of infantes who not being giltie of any actuall sinne dye through originall corruption yet had I rather expound it generally of all those sinned without lawe This sentence muste be annexed vnto the wordes wente before where it was said that they which wanted the lawe did not impute sinne vnto themselues They therefore sinned not after the similitude of the transgression of Adam How they who sinned without law are
helpe forthwith Iudgement for tract iustice Gifte signifieth free pardon When to iudgement he opposeth gift the first signifieth rigor as the other signifieth free pardon For of seueritie or rigour commeth condemnation of pardon cōmeth absolution Or which is all one if God deale with vs according to iustice we are all vndone but hee iustifieth vs freely in Christ 17 For if through the offence of one death hath rained by one much more shal they which haue receiued the abūdāce of grace and gyfte of righteousnes raigne in life by Iesus Christ 17 For if through the offence of one Againe hee addeth a generall correction wherein he persisteth the rather because his purpose is not to prosecute euery part but to set down the speciall summe of the matter Before he said the power of grace had ouermatched the power of sinne Hereby he comforteth confirmeth the faithful withall he prouoketh exhorteth thē to reuerence the bountifulnes of God For this is the meaning of so studious a repetitiō that the grace of God might be cōmended according to the dignitie therof that men might be drawen frō trust in thēselues vnto Christ that we hauing obteined his grace might inioy full assurance whence at length springeth thankfulnes The sum is because Christ excelleth Adam the righteousnes of Christ ouercōmeth the sin of Adā the curse of Adā is ouerthrowen by the grace of Christ◠the death came of Adam is swallowed vp of the life is come of Christ But yet euen the members of this comparison do not answere one another For he shoulde haue said the benefit of life raigneth florisheth more by the abundance of grace in steed thereof he saith the faithfull shall raigne which is as much in value because the kingdome of the faithfull is in life also the kingdome of life is in the faithful A twofold difference betweene Christ Adam Furthermore it is necessarie to note here two differences betweene Christ and Adam which the Apostle hath not therfore omitted as though he thought them meet to be neglected but because concerning the present argument it was no matter to reckon them The first is that through the sinne of Adam we are not condemned by sole imputation as though the punishment of anothers faulte were exacted vppon vs but therefore susteyne wee the punishment of his sinne because wee are also guiltie of his crime Namely in as muche as our nature beeing corrupted in him is holden guiltie of iniquitie before GOD. But by the righteousnesse of Christe wee are restored in another sorte vnto saluation For it is not therefore imputed vnto vs as though it were within vs but because wee possesse Christ himself with all his graces giuen vnto vs by the bountifulnes of the father Therefore the gifte of righteousnes signifieth not a qualitie where with God indueth vs as some haue very wickedly expounded but the free imputation of righteousnes For the Apostle declareth what he ment by the word grace The second difference is that the benefite of Christe hath not redounded vnto all men as Adam hath plonged al his progenie in condēnation And the reason is at hand for seeing this malediction or curse with wee draw from Adam is deriued vnto vs by nature it is no maruayle though it comprehend the whole masse But veryly that we may come into participation of the grace of Christ wee must be graffed into him by faith Therefore to obtayne the miserable inheritaunce of sinne it is inough to be a man for it abideth in flesh and blood But to obtaine the righteousnes of Christ thou must needs be a faithfull man because that by faith his felowship is obtayned It is cōmunicated to infantes by a speciall maner for they haue the priuiledge of adoption in the couenant whereby they passe into the societie of Christ I speake of the children of the godly vnto whom the promise of grace is directed for others are not exempted from the common estate 18 Therefore as by the offence of one condemnatiō came vpon all men so by the iustification of one iustification of life is come vpon all men 18 This is an imperfect speech which may be made perfect if the words condemnation and iustification be read in the nominatiue case as sure they must bee resolued if you will haue the sence perfect And it is the generall conclusion of that comparisō which went before For now hauing omitted the mention of the interposed correction he knitteth vp that similitude as by the offence of one we are made sinners so the righteousnes of Christ is effectual to iustifie vs although he putteth not dikaiosunen That is the righteousnes of Christ but dikaioma that is the iustification of Christ that he might admonish how Christ is not iust priuately to himselfe but that righteousnes wherewithall hee was indewed doeth extende further How the righteousnesse of christ is common to al namely that bee might inriche the faithfull with the gift bestowed vpon him He maketh it a grace common to all because it is offered to all not that all men are partakers of it indeede For albeit Christe suffered for the sinnes of the whole worlde and bee indifferently through the goodnesse of God offered vnto all yet all doe not receiue him And those two wordes which hee vsed of late may be repeated in this sense as by the iudgement of God it came to passe that the sinne of one shoulde redownd to the condemnation of many so shal grace be effectual to the iustificatiō of many Iustificatiō of life in my iudgement is taken for absolution whiche restoreth life vnto vs as though hee called it a quickening iustification For thence commeth the hope of saluation if God bee mercifull vnto vs and of necessitie wee muste be iuste that wee may bee acceptable to him Therefore life commeth of iustification 19 For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many bee made iuste This is no superfluous speeche but a necessary declaration of the former sentence For it sheweth that we are so guiltie by the offence of one man that we are not innocent Hee said before we were damned but least any man should attribute vnto himselfe innocencie he woulde also adde that euery one is condemned because he is a sinner Moreouer when hee saith wee are iustified by the obedience of Christe heereby wee gather Christe in that hee satisfied the father to haue purchased righteousnesse for vs. Righteousnes is a qualitie in Christ and is made ours by imputation Whereupon it followeth the qualitie of righteousnesse is in Christe but that is imputed vnto vs whiche is proper to him And also hee openeth what kinde of righteousnesse the righteousnesse of Christe is when hee calleth it obedience where let vs note I pray you what we must bring into the sight of God if we wil be iustified by workes namely obedience of the lawe not such as is
perfecte in som one part or other but which is euery way perfect For if the iust man fall all his former righteousnesse is not remembred Here also wee are to learne that they are peruersly ledd in pleasing God who of themselues deuise what they may thrust vpon him For then wee worship him best when wee followe that which he hath commaunded vs and giue obedience to his worde Let them goe now who boldly claime vnto themselues the righteousnes of works which is not otherwise then when the law is fully and perfectly kept Likewise wee gather that they are deceiued who brag before god those works they haue inuented thēselues which he esteemeth no better then dounge For obedience is better then sacrifices 20 Moreouer the lawe entred that the offence shoulde abound for where sinne abounded grace super abounded 21 That as sinne raigned by death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. 20 Moreouer the law entred This question dependeth of that he said before namely that sin was before the law were published for that being once heard this followed straightwaies to what end then was the law needfull Wherfore of necessitie this difficultie was to be vnfolden but because then it was not meet to make any longer digression hee differred it vnto this place And now also by the way he doth dispatch it The law was partly giuen that men might the better see their own destruction saying the law entred that sin might abound He doth not here shew the whole office vse of the law but toucheth one onely parte which serued for the present purpose For he teacheth that to the end the grace of God might haue place it was expedient men should better see their owne destruction They were verily before the lawe castawaies yet because they did seeme vnto thēselues to swim in their owne destruction they are thrust downe into the deepe that their deliuerance might be the more excellent whiles beyond all mans iudgement they escape thence Neither was it absurd that the law should partly be giuen for this cause that men alreadie once condemned it might twise condemne for there is nothing more iust then that men by all meanes might be brought yea being conuicted might be drawen to feele their euils That sinne might abound It is knowen howe some after Augustine are wont to expoūd this place namely that cōcupiscence is so much the more prouoked whiles it is restrained by the barres of the law because it is naturall vnto man to striue after that is forbidden But I vnderstand no other augmētatiō to be noted here then of knowledge and obstinacie For by the lawe sinne is laide open before the eyes of man that he might be compelled to see condēnation prepared for him So sin occupieth the conscience which otherwise being cast behinde them men made no account of Moreouer he which before did simply passe the bounds of iustice now a law being giuen is a despiser of the authoritie of GOD since the time that the will of God was knowen vnto him which he according to his lust hath shamefully contēned How sinne is increased by the lawe Whereupon it followeth that sin is increased by the law because then the autority maiestie of the lawmaker is despised Grace also hath superabounded After that sin had holden men being ouerwhelmed therewith then grace did helpe For this he teacheth that the greatnes of grace was by so much the more apparant as that when sin aboundede it did powre out it selfe so aboundantly Why condemnation is set before vs in the lawe that it did not onely ouermatch that deluge of sinne but also swallow it vp And here we are to learne that cōdemnation is not therfore set before vs in the law that we should abide in it but that our own miserie being sufficiently acknowledged Esa 61.1 we might be lift vp vnto Christ who is sent to be a Phisition to the sicke a deliuerer of the captiue a cōforter of the afflicted a sauiour of the oppressed 20 That as sin raigned in death As sin is called the sting of death because death hath no power against man Death hath no autoritie at all ouer mā but by sin therfore sin executeth his autoritie by death but for the cause of sin so sin executeth his power by death Therefore is it said to exercise his authority by death In the latter parte of this verse there is the figure Synchesis that is when the order is euerye way confused and yet it is not superfluous The antithesis had been simple if he had said thus that righteousnes might raigne by Christ But Paule not being content to haue opposed cōtraries to contraries addeth grace to the end he might print more deepely in memory that it is not of our merite but wholy of the bountifulnesse of God Before hee saide that death raigned Now he ascribeth the kingdome vnto sin but whose end and effect is death And he saith in the pretertence it raigned not that it hath nowe ceased to raigne in those that are borne onely of flesh and blood but he distinguisheth so betweene Christ Adam that he assigneth to either of them his time As sone therefore as the grace of Christ beginneth to florish in euery one the kingdome of sinne and death ceaseth CHAP. 6. 1 VVHat shall wee say then shall we abide in sinne that grace may abound 2 God forbid for howe shall wee which are dead to sin liue any longer therein WHat shall wee say then In this whole Chapter the Apostle declareth that they doe wickedly rente Christe asunder who imagine free righteousnes to bee giuen of him vnto vs without newnes of life Although he goeth further obiecting that then it seemeth there is place giuen vnto grace if men bee plunged in sinne For wee knowe there is nothing more readie then that fleshe shoulde euery way flatter it selfe and that Satan shoulde deuise reproches wherewith he might slaunder the docrine of grace which thing to doe is no harde matter for him The dotrine of grace must not therefore be suppressed because many take occasion of licentiousnes at it For seeing that is most strange vnto mans reason whatsoeuer is preached of Christe it ought to bee no maruaile if the flesh after it hath hard the iustificatiō of faith doe so often as it were dash vpon diuers rockes Howbeit wee must goe on for Christ is not therefore to be suppressed because he is vnto many a stone of offence and rocke of stumbling For looke by what way he shal be vnto the ruine of the wicked the same way againe hee shal bee to the rising of the godly And yet notwithstanding we are alway to occurre vnreasonable questions least the docrine of Christ shoulde seeme to drawe with it any absurditie Moreouer the Apostle now pursueth that obiection whiche commonly is obiected against the doctrine of the grace of God namely
power to raigne in vs for the vertue of sanctification ought to haue the superioritie ouer it that our life might testifie we are indeed the members of Christ Of late I admonished that this worde bodie is not to be taken for the flesh skinne and bones By body is meant the whole corrupted masse of man but if I may say so for the whole masse of man And that may be gathered more certainly out of this present place because another member which hee will adde straight wayes concerning the partes of the bodie is also extended vnto the soule And so Paule meaneth euen grosely the earthly man For the corruption of our nature causeth that we shew forth nothing worthy of our originall So God also whiles he complaineth that man is become fleshe or carnall as the bruite beastes leaueth nothing vnto him but that is earthly Gen. 6.3 Hereunto apperteineth that saying of Christ That which is borne of flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 For if any obiect that there is another consideration of the soule the aunsweare is at hande namely as wee are nowe degenerate our soules are so fastened to the earth and so addicted to our bodies that they are fallen from their dignitye or excellencie Furthermore the nature of man is called corporall because he being depriued of celestiall grace is onely a certayne deceiueable shadow or image And adde that this bodie is called mortall of Paule by contempt that he might teache howe the whole nature of man inclineth vnto death and destruction Nowe verily he calleth sinne that firste corruption abyding in our soules which draweth vs to sinne whence properly all euill deedes and abhominations flowe Betweene that and vs he putteth concupiscences in the middest that that might be in steed of a king concupiscences as statutes and commaundements 13 Giue not your members When sinne hath once gotten the dominion in our soule all our members are straight wayes giuen ouer into his obsequie or obedience Wherefore he describeth here the kingdome of sinne by the sequeles that hee might declare the better what we must doe if we will shake off his yoke And he borroweth his similitude from warfare whiles he calleth our members weapons like as if he saide as a souldier hath alwayes weapons in a readinesse to vse them as often as he shal be commaunded by his captaine and neuer vseth them but at his appointment so Christians ought to esteeme all their members to be weapons of the spirituall warfare We are the souldiers of Christ ought to haue nothing to doe with the campes of sinne If therefore they abuse any member of theirs vnto wickednesse they are woorthy to be blamed But by the othe of warfare they haue bound themselues to God and Christ by which othe they are tyed They ought therefore to haue nothing to doe with the campes of sinne They may see here by what right they can pretend the name of Christian whose whole members beeing as it were the brothell houses of Sathan are ready to commit all filthinesse On the contrarie nowe he biddeth vs giue our selues wholly to God namely that we restrayning our minde and heart from all wandering whereunto the lustes of the fleshe drawe vs might intende vppon the will of God onelie might be ready to receiue his commaundementes and prepared to obey his precepts that our members also might be destinated and consecrated to his pleasure that al the powers of our soule and body might fauour nothing but his glorie And the reason is added because it is not in vayne that the former life being done away the Lord hath created vs to a new after which actions deeds ought to follow 14 For sinne shal not haue dominion ouer you For you are not vnder the law but vnder grace 15 What then Shal we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid 16 Know ye not that to whom ye haue giuen your selues seruauntes to obey his seruantes yee are whom yee doe obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse 17 But thankes be to God that yee were the seruantes of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the heart the type of doctrine whereinto ye haue beene brought 18 And being freed from sinne ye are made the seruants of righteousnesse 14 For sinne shall not haue dominion It is not necessary to abide long in reciting and refuting those expositions which haue none or but litle shew of truth There is one which may more probably be suffered then the rest namely whiche taketh this worde vnder the lawe For to be subiect vnto the letter of the lawe which doth not renewe the mynde as againe to be vnder grace is as much as by the spirite of grace to bee freed frō euill concupiscēces But that exposition is not simply allowed of mee For if we take that sence whereunto shall that interogation tende which followeth straight wayes Shall wee sinne because wee are not vnder the lawe The Apostle woulde neuer haue subiected suche a question excepte bee had meant that we are freed from the rigour of the lawe that God might no more deale with vs according to extreeme iustice wherefore there is no doubt but his meaning is to shewe heere some deliueraunce from the bondage of the lawe of the Lorde But all contention layde aparte I will briefly declare what I thinke And first heere seemeth vnto mee to bee a consolation wherewith the faithfull are confirmed that they faynte not in the studie of holines through the feeling of their weakenesse Hee did exhort them that they shoulde apply all their powers vnto the obedience of righteousnesse But so long as they carrie about the relikes of the flesh they muste needes halte somewhat Therefore least they being ouercome with the knowledge of their infirmitie shoulde dispayre he preuenteth this in time comforting them in this that their workes are not to be examined according to the seuere rule of the law but their impuritie being remitted God doth fauourably mercifully accept of them The yoke of the law cannot be borne but it breaketh or crusheth those that beare it it remayneth therefore that the faithful flee vnto Christ and desire him to be their deliuerer And so he offereth himself For to this end tooke he vpon him the seruitude of the law wherunto otherwise he was not a debter that he might deliuer those were vnder the lawe as the Apostle saith vnto the Galathians Gal. 4.5 What is the meaning when it is said we are not vnder the law Therfore not to be vnder the law signifieth not only that by the dead letter is prescribed vnto vs that which maketh vs guilty because we are vnable to performe it but also that we are not subiect vnto the lawe as it requireth perfect righteousnes pronouncing death against all those transgresse it in anie part Vnder the name of grace we vnderstand likewise both partes of redemption that is the remission of
prayer A twofold spirit except it assured vs of free remission And to the end he might that rather set out that matter he setteth down a twofold spirite one he calleth the spirite of bondage which we may cōceiue by the law◠the other of adoptiō which is by the gospel He saith that was giuen in olde time vnto feare Heb. 12.18 and this at this day vnto assuraunce By such comparison of contraries the certaintie of our saluation is as thou seest made more manifest The authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes when hee saith wee are not come vnto the mount Sinai where all thinges were so terrible that the people being ouerthrowen as it were with the present sentence of death did pray they might not bee spoken vnto yea Moses him selfe confessed hee was afrayde but we are come vnto Sion the hill of the Lorde and his citie the celestiall Hierusalem where is the mediatour of the newe Testament Iesus By the aduerbe agayne wee gather that the law is heere compared with the Gospell because the sonne of God by his comming brought vnto vs this inestimable benefite that the seruile condition of the lawe should no more binde vs. Yet thou mayest not gather hereby eyther that none had the spirite of adoption before the comming of Christ or that who so receiued the lawe were seruauntes and not sonnes For he doth rather compare the ministerie of the lawe with the dispensation of the Gospell then persons with persons In deede I confesse that the faithfull are admonished here howe muche more liberally God hath nowe dealte with them then hee did in olde time with the fathers vnder the olde Testament yet hee respecteth the externall dispensation in respecte whereof onely wee excell because howesoeuer the sayth of Abraham Moses and Dauid was more excellent then ours yet for as muche as God in a maner kept them vnder a schoolemistresse they were not yet come vnto that libertie which is opened vnto vs. And also it is to bee noted that I haue purposely because of false Apostles put an antithesis or contrarietie betweene the litterall disciples of the lawe and the faithfull whome Christ the heauenly maister doeth not onely speake vnto with sounde of mouth but also inwardely doeth teache effectually by his spirite And although the couenaunt of grace is conteined in the lawe yet he remoueth it thence because opposing the Gospell hee considereth nothing but that which was proper to the lawe namely to bidde and forbidde and by the denouncing of death to bridle sinners and so hee giueth vnto the lawe What was proper to the lawe that qualitie whereby it differeth from the Gospell Or if any had rather hee propoundeth the bare lawe as God therein couenanteth with vs in respect of workes Thus therfore we are to thinke of the persons amongst the people of the Iewes whē the law was published also after it was published the godly were illuminated with the same spirit of faith therfore the hope of eternall inheritance whereof the spirite is a pledge seale was sealed in their heart Here onely is the difference that the spirite is powred out more aboundantly plentifully in the kingdome of Christ But if thou hast regarde vnto the dispensation of doctrine saluation shall seeme to haue been then for a suertie first manifested when Christ was exhibited in the flesh with such obscuritie were all thinges couered vnder the old Testament in comparison of that light is vnder the Gospell Furthermore if the lawe be considered in it selfe it can do nothing but binde men that are subiect to miserable seruitude with the horrour of death because it promiseth no good thing but with condition and it denounceth death against all transgressours Wherefore as vnder the lawe there was the spirite of bondage which pressed the conscience with feare so vnder the Gospell there is the spirite of adoption whiche cheereth our soules with the testimonie of our saluation And obserue that feare is ioyned to bondage because it can not otherwise be but the law should with wonderful disquietnes vexe and torment our soules so long as it exerciseth his power How feare is ioyned with bondage Wherefore there is no other remedie for the quieting of them then whiles God forgiuing our offences doeth fauour vs as a father his children By whome wee crye Abba Hee hath therefore changed the person that hee might expresse the state of all the godly as though hee sayde yee haue receiued the spirite whereby you as well as wee and the residue of all the faithfull doe crye And the figure mimesis here vsed of the Apostle is very significante Mimesis which is when one taketh on him the person of another for in the person of the faithfull hee pronounceth the name of father The doubling of the name by diuers woordes contayneth an amplification For Paule giueth to vnderstande that the mercie of God is nowe so published through the whole worlde that he is indifferently prayed vnto in all tongues as Augustine noteth Therefore his meaning was to expresse the consent amongst all nations Whereuppon it followeth that nowe there is no difference betweene Iewe and Gentile seeing they are knit together amongst them selues The Prophete Esay speaketh otherwise saying that the tongue of Chanaan shoulde bee common vnto all yet all one sence Esai 19.18 because he respecteth not the externall fourme of speeche but the consent of heart in woorshipping God and the same and simple studie in professing his true and pure woorshippe The woorde crie is put to expresse the constancie as if hee sayde wee pray not doubtingly What is ment by crying vnto God but boldely wee lift vp our voyce vnto heauen In deede the faythfull vnder the lawe did call God father but not with such sure confidence seeing the vayle did driue them farre from the sanctuarie but nowe when an entraunce is opened vnto vs by the blood of Christ wee may familiarly and as it were with full mouth glorie that wee are the sonnes of God from whence this crye proceedeth Finally by this the prophesie of Osee is fulfilled I will say vnto them you are my people and they shall answer agayne thou art our God Ose 2.23 For the more cleare the promise is so muche more boldenesse is there in prayer 16 For the spirite Hee doeth not simplie say the spirite of GOD is a witnesse to our spirite but hee vseth a compounde verbe which may bee translated to witnesse togeather if contestation were not somewhat els with the latines But Paul meaneth that the spirit of God doth giue vnto vs such testimonie that by the direction and gouernance thereof our spirite is assured the adoption of God is firme For our minde of it selfe except the testimonie of the spirite went before coulde not bring vnto vs this confidence Moreouer here is an exposition of the former sentence For whiles the spirite testifieth that we are the sonnes of God it
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