protection and fatherly care which hee alway had ouer them shall minister consolation in aduersitie the iudgements and punishments of God executed vpon the wicked shall helpe vs if they put into vs a feare which may replenishe our heartes with reuerence and pietie And whereas he saith not for him onely thereby hee seemeth to insinuate that it was partly written for his sake whereby some vnderstande that to the praise of Abraham it is saide what he obteined by faith because the Lorde will haue his seruants committed to eternall remembrance Pro. 10.7 as Salomon saith Their name is blessed But what if you take it more simply The example of Abraham as all other examples are written for our instruction as though it were some speciall priueledge which mighte not be drawen into an example but that it also apperteineth to our instruction who must be iustified by the same maner this shal be the fitter sense 24 Which beleeue in him c. I haue alreadie admonished what value these circumlocutions be of namely Paule hath inserted them that according to the circumstance of the places they might diuersly shewe the substance of faith concerning the which the resurection of Christe is not the last part whiche resurrection is vnto vs the grounde of the life to come If he had simply saide that wee beleeue in God it had not beene so easie to gather what this did make to the obteining of righteousnesse but whiles Christe appeareth in his resurrection doth offer a sure pledge of life it is euident from what fountaine the imputation of righteousnesse floweth 25 Which was deliuered He doth prosecute illustrate at large that doctrine whiche I touched immediatly before For it standeth vs vpon not onely to haue our mindes directed vnto Christ but also to haue it distinctly opened vnto vs how he hath purchased saluation for vs. And albeit the Scripture when it speaketh of our saluation standeth onelie vpon the death of Christe yet here nowe the Apostle goeth further For because his purpose was to deliuer the cause of saluation more clearely hee reckoneth two braunches thereof And first he saith our sinnes are done away by the death of Christe Secondly that righteousnesse is purchased by his resurrection The fruite of Christs death resurrection is perfect righteousnesse The meaning is when wee holde the fruite of Christes death and resurrection nothing is missing vnto vs as concerning perfect righteousnesse And there is no doubt but whiles he distinguisheth the death of Christe from his resurrection hee applieth his talke to our capacitie for otherwise it is true the obedience of Christe which hee shewed in his death was the righteousnesse purchased for vs as he also will shew in the Chapter following But because by rising from the dead Christe declared how much he had preuailed by his death By the death of Christ our saluation is begun by his resurrectiō it is perfected this distinction serueth to teach vs that by that sacrifice wherein sinnes are done away our saluation was begunne and by his resurrection it was perfected For the beginning of righteousnesse is that wee be reconciled to God and the perfection is that death beeing ouercome life might raigne Paule therefore signifieth howe satisfaction for our sinnes was accomplished on the crosse For that Christe might restore vs againe into the fauour of the father it was meete our giltinesse were abolished by him which coulde not bee vnlesse hee woulde suffer that punishment for vs which we were not able to abide For the chastisement of our peace was vpon him Esay 53.5 saith Esay and hee choseth rather to say he was deliuered then dead because the satisfaction dependeth vpon the eternall pleasure of God who would be pacified this way And is risen againe for our iustification Because it was not sufficient for Christe to oppose himselfe to the ire and iudgement of God and to take vpon him the curse due to our sinnes vnlesse hee shoulde also goe foorth the conquerour thereof How iustification is ascribed vnto the resurrection of Christe that beeing receiued into the celestiall glory by his intercession hee might reconcile God vnto vs. The vertue or power of iustification is ascribed vnto the resurrection whereby death was ouercome not that the sacrifice of the crosse whereby wee are reconciled to God did further our righteousnes nothing but because in the new life the perfection of this grace doth more clearely appeare And yet I cānot consent vnto those who referre this seconde member vnto newnesse of life For the Apostle as yet hath not begunne to speake of the matter secondly it is sure that both members appertaine to one ende Wherefore if iustification signifie renouation then to haue died for our sinnes were to bee vnderstoode in this sense namely that hee died to purchase for vs the grace of mortifiyng the fleshe which thing none graunteth Therefore as hee was saide to die for our sinnes because the price of sinnes being paide by his death hee hath deliuered vs from the calamitie of death So nowe he is saide to bee risen for our iustification because by his resurrection hee hath perfectly restored life vnto vs. For first hee was smitten by the hand of God that in the person of a sinner he might susteine the miserie of sinne Secondly he was exalted into the kingdome of life that he might indue his with righteousnesse and life So then hee speaketh still of iustification by imputation and that which followeth in the next Chapter will prooue the same CHAP. 5 1 THen being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ 2 By whome we haue accesse through faith into this grace wherein wee stand and glorie vnder the hope of the glorie of God THEN being iustified The Apostle beginneth to illustrate that which he hath hitherto saide of the righteousnes of faith by the effects Therefore this whole chapter consisteth vpon amplifications which are of no lesse force to explicate or make plaine then they are to confirme For thee had saide before that faith was made voide if righteousnesse were sought for by woorkes Because a perpetuall disquietnesse shoulde trouble the miserable consciences which finde nothing firme and sure in themselues Now on the contrary he teacheth they are quieted and pacified after wee haue by faith obteined righteousnesse We haue peace A singuler fruite of the righteousnesse of faith for if any man goe about to get the peace of conscience by works which is seene in prophane and barbarous men he goeth about it in vaine For either his hearte is on sleepe with the contempt or forgetfulnesse of Gods iudgemēt or els full of trembling feare vntill he repose himselfe vpon Christe For he onely is our peace Therefore the peace of conscience signifieth that serenitie and quietnesse What the peace of conscience signifieth which riseth hence that a man feeleth God is reconciled to him Neither the Pharisee which
downe before For the similitude he bringeth in taketh away al ambiguitie because grafting doth not onely note the conformitie of example but a secret coniunction whereby wee growe vppe together with him so that hee quickening vs with his spirite powreth his vertue into vs. Therefore as a graft hath the condition of life and deathe common together with the tree in the which it is grafted so it is reason wee shoulde no lesse bee partakers of the life then of the death of Christe For if wee bee grafted into the similitude of the death of Christe and that is not without his resurrection then no more shal our death be without a resurrection But the wordes may haue a two folde exposition either that wee are grafted in Christ into the similitude of his death or simply we are grafted into his similitude The first acception would require the greek Datiue homoiomati that is to the similitud to be referred to the shewing of the maner And I denie not but that hath a fuller sense yet because the other agreeth better to the simplicitie of the worde I haue thought good to preferre it Albeit it is but a small matter seeing both come to one sense Phil. 2.7 Chrysostome thinketh Paule said the similitude of death for death as in another place How wee are grafted into the similitude of the death of Christ beeing made in the similitude of men But me thinke I see some greater Emphasis in this worde For besides that it auaileth to inferre the resurrection it seemeth to tende vnto this not that wee shoulde die like Christe by a naturall death but that wee haue this congruencie with his death that as he dyed in the fleshe which hee receiued of vs so wee shoulde die in our selues that wee may liue in him Then is it not the same death but the like for the resemblance or proportion betweene the death of this present life and spiritual renouation is to bee noted Graffed This worde is very significantâ— for it declareth plainely that the Apostle doth not exhort onely but rather deliuereth the doctrine of the benefite of Christe For he requireth not any thinge of vs which is to be done by our studie or industrie Wherein the similitude of grafting holdeth not but he preacheth that grafting which is done by the hand of God Neither is it conuenient a man shold goe about to apply the metephor or coÌ„parisoÌ„ to euery part For betwene the graftinge of trees and this oure spirituall graftinge there will straightwayes appeare a diuersitie for in that the graft dothe drawe his nourishment from the roote but yet reteineth his naturall propertie of bearing fruite but in this insertion or grafting of ours wee doe not onely drawe the iuice and strength of life from Christe but also wee passe from our nature into his Howbeit the mynde of the Apostle is to note nothing els then that efficacie of the death of Christe which sheweth it selfe in the mortification of our fleshe and that of his resurrection to renew in vs a better nature of the spirit 6 That our olde man It is called the olde man as the old testament is so called in respect of the new For it beginneth to be olde when our regeneration being begunne How it is called the old man it is by litle and litle destroyed and he meaneth the whole nature which we bring out of our mothers wombe which is so vncapable of the kingdom of God tâ—â— must needs perish so farre foorth as we may be restored into 〈◊〉 life He saith this old man is fastened to the crosse of Christ because through his vertue it is slayne And he hath precisely alluded vnto the Crosse that he might expressely shew How the old maÌ„ is crucified how we haue not mortification else where then by the participation of his death For I doe not agree vnto them who vnderstand that he said rather crucified then dead because it liueth yet and floorisheth on some part That is verily a true saying yet it agreeth but litle with the present place The body of sinne What is meant by the body of sin which he addeth a litle after signifieth not the flesh and bones but the masse of sinne and corruption For manne beeing lefte to his owne nature is a masse contracted of sinne Hee noteth the end of this abolishing when he saith That wee shoulde not serue sinne any more Whereby it followeth that so long as we are the sonnes of Adam and nothing els but men we are so subiect vnto sinne that wee canne doe nothing els but sinne but beyng grafted into Christ we are deliuered from this miserable necessitye not that by and by we cease altogether to sinne but that at lengthe wee become Victorers in the fight 7 For hee that is dead is iustified from sinne 8 For if so that we be dead with Christ wee beleeue that wee shall also liue him 9 Knowing that Christe beeyng raysed from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more power ouer him 10 For in that he dyed he died to sinne once but in that he liueth he liueth vnto God 11 So yee also esteeme your selues dead verily vnto sinne but liuing vnto God in Christ Iesus our Lord. 7. For he that is dead This is an argument taken from the property or effect of death For if death put downe all the actions of life we which are dead must needes cease from the actions of that life which actions it exercised whiles the same life coÌ„tinued For iustified vnderstand freed and deliuerâ—â—â—â—om seruitude or bondage For as he is loosed from the bâ—â—â— of accusation who is freed from the sentence of the Iudge so death loosing vs from this life doth free vs from all the actions therof Furthermore albeit there is no where amongest men suche an example extaunt yet there is no cause why thou shouldest thinke this that is sayde here eyther to be a vayne imagination or shouldest despayre because thou findest not thy selfe in the number of those who haue vtterly crucified the flesh For this worke of God is not perfected the same day it is begun in vs but it increaseth by little and little by daily increments as by degrees is brought to perfection The fruite of our communicatioÌ„ with the death of Christ is that the fleshe with his concupiscences be mortified To be briefe then take it thus if thou art a Christian there must appeare in thee the signe of thy communication with the death of Christ whose fruite is that the flesh be crucified with all his concupiscences Howbeit thou mayest not therefore counte this communication as none because as yet thou doest feele some reliques of the fleshe to liue in thee but thou art continually to studie for the augmentation thereof vntill thou arte come vnto the marke For it is well if our fleshe be continually mortified and we haue profited wel when the flesh beyng subdued hath yeelded to the
holye spirite There is another communication of the death of Christ whereof as the Apostle speaketh often els where so to the Cor. namely 2. Cor. 4. the bearing of the crosse after which followeth the participation of eternall life 8. For if we bee dead This he repeateth to no other end then that he might adde a declaration which followeth afterwarde that Christ beyng once raysed from the dead dyeth no more Whereby hee teacheth that this newnesse of life must be folowed after of Christians their whole life For if they ought to represent in themselues by the mortification of the fleshe the image of Christ and life of the spirite How mortification must be once for all that must be done once for all but this must continue still Not as though the fleshe were mortified in vs in a moment as we said of late but because wee must not reuolt or goe backe in mortifiyng the fleshe For if wee turne backe vnto our filthines we deny Christ of whom we cannot be partakers but by newnes of life euen as he leadeth a life incorruptible 9 Death hath no more power ouer him Hee seemeth to insinuate that death did once conquere or rule ouer Christe And verily when hee gaue himselfe to death for vs hee did in a sort subiect him selfe vnto the power of death yet with that condition that it was impossible for him to bee holden bounde with the sorowes of it to be ouercome or swallowed vp of it Therefore in yeelding vnto the power of death for a moment Christ for a while yeelded vnto death he swallowed vp death for euer Albeit in speaking more simplye the power of death is referred vnto the voluntary condition of death to whom resurrection hath set an ende The meaning is Christ who nowe quickeneth the faithfull with his spirite or inspireth life into them by his secrete power from heauen was exempted from the power of death when he rose agayne that he might deliuer all his from the same 10 He dyed to sinne once Whereas he said that we after the example of Christ are loosed for euer from the yoke of death now he applyeth it vnto his purpose namely that we are no longer subiect vnto the tyranny of sinne and that he declareth by the finall cause of the death of Christ in as much as hee dyed that he might extinguishe sinne Furthermore in the phrase of speech is to bee noted what is proper vnto Christ For he saith not hee is dead vnto sinne that he might cease to sinne like as it must be sayd if the talke be of vs but because hee dyed for sinne that offering himselfe the price of our redemption hee might bring the power and authoritie of sinne vnto naught And he saith that he dyed once not onely because eternall redemption beeyng purchased by his only one sacrifice purgation of sinne being made by his blood he hath sanctified the faithfull for euer but also that we might be aunswearable by a mutuall resemblance or similitude For albeit death spirituall hath his continuall proceedinges in vs yet are we properly saide to die once whiles Christ by his blood reconciling vs to the father Heb. 10.14 doth also by the vertue of his spirite regenerate vs. In that he liueth Whither you expound it with God or in God all commeth to one sence For his meaning is he now liueth a life subiect to no mortalitie in the immortall incorruptible kingdome of God The figure of Christ his celestiall life ought to appeare in the regeneration of the godly the figure whereof ought to appeare in the regeneration of the godly Here we are to keepe in minde the word similitude For hee saith not we shall liue in heauen as Christ liueth there but he maketh that new life which by regeneration we leade in earth conformable to his celestiall life And whereas he saith we must die to sinne after his example it is not so that it may be called the same death For we dye to sinne when sinne dieth in vs but it is otherwise in Christe who by dying did put sinne to flight Nowe verily whereas he saide before we beleeue there is a life shal bee common vnto vs by the worde beleeue hee sufficiently sheweth that he speaketh of the grace of Christ For if he had onely admonished vs of our duetie hee shoulde haue saide thus seeing wee are dead with Christ we must likewise liue with him And this worde beleeue noteth that the doctrine of faith is handled here which is grounded vpon the promises as though it were said Christians ought to resolue themselues that through the benefite of Christ they are so dead according to the flesh that the same Christ may cōtinue in thē newnesse of life vnto the ende The future tense in the verbe liue doth not apperteyne vnto the last resurrection but simply noteth the perpetuall course of a new life so long as we liue in this world 11 Euen so you esteeme your selues c. Now is added that definition of the analogie How we may dye euen whiles we liue which I touched For whereas he saide that Christ died once for sinne and liueth for euer vnto God applying both vnto vs he nowe admonisheth howe wee may dye in liuing namely when we renounce sinne But withall he omitteth not that parte namely when wee haue once imbraced the grace of Christ by faith although the mortification of the flesh be but begun in vs yet in this same is the life of sinne extinguished that in steed therof spiritual newnesse which is heauenly might dure for euer For except Christ did kil sinne in vs once euen vnto the end his grace should not be firme and stable the meaning therefore of the words is esteeme the case is thus with you as Christ died once that he might slea sinn so you must die once that ye may cease to sinne hereafter yea you must daily proceed in that mortification which is begun in you vntil sin be vtterly extinguished As christ was raysed vnto an incorruptible life so ye must be regenerat by the grace of God that ye may lead your whole life in holines righteousnes seeing this vertue of the holy spirit wherby ye are renued is eternal shal florish for euer I had rather keepe the words of Paule in Christ Iesus then with Erasmus to translate it by Christ for so the grafting is better expressed which maketh vs one with Christ 12 Let not sinne therefore raigne in our mortal bodye that ye might obeye it in the lustes thereof 13 And giue not your members weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues to God as liuinge from the dead and your members weapons of righteousnes vnto God 12 Let not sinne therefore raigne Nowe he beginneth an exhortation which voluntarily ariseth out of the doctrine which he deliuered of our communication with Christ albeit sinne abideth in vs yet is it absurd that it shoulde bee of
bondage should abide in the condition of seruitude for he ought to defende that state of libertie which he hath receiued It is not meete then that you should be brought agayne vnder the power of sinne frō the which you were deliuered by the manumising of Christe This argument is taken from the efficient cause There followeth also another taken from the finall cause namely to this ende are yee exempted from the seruitude of sinne that yee might passe into the kingdome of righteousnesse therefore ye ought to be altogether vnmindefull of sinne and to turne your whole minde vnto righteousnesse into the obedience whereof ye are brought And it is to bee noted that no man canne serue righteousnesse except by the power and benefite of God They onely can serue righteousnes whō Christ hath deliuered from the tyranny of sinne Ioh. 8.36 he be first deliuered from the power and tyrannie of sinne As Christ himselfe testifieth If the sonne shall make you free yee shall bee free in deede What then shall our preparations by the vertue of our free will be if the beginning of goodnesse depend vppon this manumission which the onely grace of God accomplisheth 19 I speake after the manner of manne because of the infirmitie of your fleshe as ye haue giuen your members seruaunts of vncleannesse and to iniquity into iniquity euen so now also giue your members seruaunts of righteousnes vnto sanctification 19 I speake c. He saith that he speaketh after the manner of man not in respect of the substance but in respect of the forme as Christ in the 3. of Iohn faith that hee offereth earthlye things Iohn 3.12 How Paule speaketh after the manner of man whiles notwithstanding he intreateth of heauenly mysteries but yet not so honourably as the dignity of thinges required because he would humble himselfe vnto the capacitie of the rude simple people And thus the Apostle speketh by the way of Preface that he might the better shewe that calumniation to be too grosse and wicked when the fredome gotte by Christe is thought to giue liberty of sinning And withall hee aduerticeth the faithful that nothing can be more absurde or rather filthie and shamefull then that the spirituall grace of Christ should be of lesse force with them then an earthly manumission or freedom As though he said by the comparing of righteousnesse and sin I can shew how much more feruently yee ought to bee drawen into the obsequie of that then euer yee obeyed this but yet that I might something pardon your weakenesse I omit that comparison Howbeit that I may deale with you very fauourably this I may by right require of you that at the least yee doe not imbrace righteousnes more coldly or negligently then yee haue serued sinne And therein is included a certayne kinde of silence or concealing when we wil haue more vnderstood then we expresse by words For he doth neuertheles exhort thē to obey righteousnesse so much the more studiously as it is more worthy thē sin to be serued although he seemeth not to require so much in words As yee haue giuen That is seeing before this al your mēbers were so ready to obey sin therby it easily appeared how miserably the prauity of your flesh did hold you captiue and bound Now therfore in like sort be prone and readye to be ruled of God and let not your courage be lesse nowe in doing of good then it was before in doyng of euill Hee doeth not obserue the order of the Antithesis to apply the partes on both sides as to the Thessalonians hee opposeth vncleannesse agaynst holinesse Yet his meaning is apparaunt First he setteth downe two kindes vncleannes 1. Thes 4.7 and iniquitie the first whereof is opposed to chastitie and sanctimonie the other hath respecte vnto iniuries whereby our neighbours are hurte Moreouer hee repeateth this woorde iniquitie twise in a diuers sense For in the first place it signifieth rapines deceiptes periuries and all kinde of iniuries Iniquity hath a twofold acception in the second place it signifieth the vniuersall corruption of life as if it were put thus yee haue giuen ouer your members to commit wicked woorkes that the kingdome of sinne might florishe in you I vnderstand righteousnesse to be put for the lawe and rule of a right life whose end is sanctification namely that the faithfull consecrate themselues in puritie to the worshippe of God 20 For when yee were the seruants of sinne yee were free from righteousnes 21 What fruite had yee then in those things wherof yee are now ashamed For their end is death 22 But nowe being freed from sinne and made the seruantes of God yee haue your fruite in holinesse and the end euerlasting life 23 For the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life in Christ Iesus our Lord. 20 For when yee were Yet he repeateth that contrariety betweene the yoke of sinne and righteousnesse whereof hee made mention before For sinne and righteousnesse are things so contrary that he which voweth himselfe to one must needes depart from the other And that he doth to the ende that whiles they are looked vppon eyther of them by them selues it might more easily appeare what a man is to looke for of them both For separation or distinction helpeth in the consideration of the nature of euery thing Therefore hee setteth sinne on one hande and righteousnesse on the other then hauing put a difference hee sheweth what doeth followe on both sides Let vs therefore remember that the Apostle doeth yet argue from contraries after this manner so long as yee were the seruaunts of sinne yee were free from righteousnesse nowe on the contrary yee must serue righteousnesse because yee are free from the yoke of sinne He calleth those free from righteousnes who are holden by no reyne of obedience to the studie of righteousnes Who are called free from righteousnesse This is the liberty or licentiousnes of the flesh which freeth vs so from God that it maketh vs the bondslaues of the diuel Miserable cursed then is that liberty which by an vnbrideled or rather by a mad fury triumpheth to destruction 21 What fruite therefore c. He could not anie way more substantially expresse his mynd then by appealing to their conscience and as it were in their person to be ashamed For the godly assoone as they beginne to be illuminated by the spirite of Christ and the preaching of the Gospell all the former parte of their life which they haue led out of Christ they doe willingly acknowledge to haue beene damnable and they are so farre from goyng about to excuse themselues that rather they are ashamed of them selues And also they doe alway call to mynde the remembraunce of their ignominy to the ende they being so ashamed might more truely and more readily bee humbled before the Lord. Neyther is it in vayne he saith Now yee are ashamed For he insinuateth
with howe blynde loue of our selues we are taken whiles we are plunged in the mistes of sinne that we esteeme not of so great vncleannesse in vs. It is onely the light of the Lorde which can open our eyes that they may see the corruption lurketh in our flesh Who is truely indued with the principles of Christian religion To conclude therfore he is indued with the principles of Christian philosophie who indeede is displeased with himselfe hath learned wel to be ashamed of his owne misery Finally by the cōsequent he sheweth yet more plainely how greatly they ought to be ashamed when they vnderstand that they were euē at the threshold of death destruction yea were already entered the gates of death if they had not beene drawen backe by the mercie of God A twofold end of sinne and righteousnes 22 You haue your fruite As before he put downe a twofolde ende of sinne so nowe of righteousnes Sinne in this life bringeth the tormentes of an euill conscience and after this life eternall death Of righteousnesse in this life wee reape for fruite sanctification in time to come wee hope for eternall life These thinges vnlesse wee were too sottishe ought to begette in vs a hatred and horrour of sinne and a loue and desire of righteousnesse And whereas some doe take this woorde Telos for tribute I thinke it is not the meaning of the Apostle For although it is true that we suffer the punishment of death for sinne yet that worde cannot agree to the other member wherunto it is applyed of Paule For life is not called the tribute of righteousnesse 23 For the wages of sinne There are some whiche thinke that heere is noted displeasauntly howe harde a wage is payde to sinners whiles Paule compareth death to cates which word with the Grecians sometime is taken for the dyet of souldiers But rather he seemeth indirectly to checke the blynd appetites of those who daungerously intangle themselues with the inticementes of sinne no otherwise then fishes with the hoke Howbeit it shal be more simply to take it for stipendes or wages For surely death is a very sufficient reward for the reprobate And it is the conclusion as it were the Epilogue of the former sentence And yet is it not in vayne that he repeateth the same thing in other wordes agayne for by doubling the terrour he woulde make sinne more detestable But the gift of God They are deceiued which translate this proposition thus What is meant by the gifte of God and what fruite the same bringeth worth in vs. life eternall is the gifte of God as though righteousnesse were the subiectum and gift of God predicatum Because that sence shoulde make nothing vnto the contraposition But as before he taught that sinne bringeth foorth nothing but death so now he addeth that this gifte of God namely our iustification and sanctification bringeth vnto vs the blessednesse of eternall life Or if you hadde rather as sinne is the cause of death so righteousnesse wherewith wee are indued by Christ hath restored eternall life vnto vs. In the meane while here we may most certainly gather that our saluation is wholly of the grace meere bountifulnesse of God He might otherwise haue said the wages of righteousnes is eternall life that one member might haue aunsweared another but he saw it was the gift of God whereby wee obteyne life and not our merite And that gifte also is not one nor single for wee beeynge clothed with the righteousnesse of the sonne are reconciled to God and by the vertue of the spirit renued into holinesse of life And therefore hee addeth in Christ Iesus our Lord that he might drawe vs from all opinion of our owne worthinesse CHAP. 7. 1 DOe yee not know brethren for I speake to them know the law that the lawe hath dominion ouer a man as long as he liueth 2 For the woman which is in subiection to a man is boūd by the law to the mā whiles he liueth but if the man be dead she is deliuered from the law of man 3 So then if while the man liueth she take another man she shal be called an adulteresse but if the man be dead shee is free from the law so that she is not an adulteresse though she take another man 4 So yee my brethren are dead also to the law by the bodie of Christ that yee should be vnto another euen vnto him that is raysed vp from the dead that wee should bring foorth fruite vnto God ALthough hee had sufficiently as in such breuity it could be vnfolded the question of the abrogation of the lawe yet because it was both a difficult question and of it selfe might bring foorth many others he doeth more copiously declare howe the lawe is abrogated from vs secondly he sheweth what profite wee get thereby because whiles it doeth holde vs bounde without Christ it canne doe nothing but condemne vs. And least any shoulde thereby accuse the lawe hee meeteth with the obiections of the flesh and refuteth them where hee excellently handeleth a notable place of the vse of the Lawe 1 Doe yee not knowe Let the generall proposition bee that the lawe was giuen to no other ende vnto men then that it should gouerne this present life To what end the law was giuen with those be dead it hath no place Whereunto afterward hee addeth a more speciall namely that we are dead vnto the law in the body of Christe Some other vnderstand that the dominion of the lawe abideth so long to binde vs as the vse thereof is in force But because this sentence is somwhat obscure and it doth not so properly agree vnto that speciall proposition followeth straightwayes I had rather follow those who take it to be spoken of the life of man and not of the life of the lawe And the interrogatiō verily hath more strength to set foorth the certaintie of the matter is spoken of For it sheweth that that is not strange or vnknowen to any of them but is indifferently graunted among all For I speake to them haue knowledge This parenthesis is to bee referred thither whither the proposition is referred as if he should say that he knew they were not so vnskilfull of the law as they could doubte of that And albeit both might be vnderstood of all lawes together yet is it better to vnderstand it of the lawe of God whiche is now in question Whereas some thinke the knowledge of the law is attributed vnto the Romanes because the best part of the worlde was vnder their Empire gouernement that is very childish For partly he speaketh vnto Iewes or other strangers partly vnto vulgare obscure men Yea he chiefly respecteth the Iewes with whom he had to do concerning the abrogation of the law And least they should thinke they were dealte withal very captiously he sheweth that he taketh a principle cōmon knowen to thē all wherof they
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
21. Adam a figure of Christ chap. 5. 14. Adams disobedience what harme it brought chap. 5. 19. Adoption of the Iewes chap. 9. 4. To expect adoption what it is chap. 8. 23. External adoration chap. 11. 4. Adulation must be auoyded chap 12. 28. cha 16. 18. Aedification necessary for the godly cha 14. 19. Affection twofold in the godly chap. 8. 23. cha 9. 2. cha 11. 19. Afflictions are furtherances of saluation to the godly cha 8. 28. Afflictions promote the glory of the faithful cha 5. 3. 5. Afflictions must be borne patiently cha 8. 29. 30. Afflictions of the godly momentany chap. 8. 1◠Afflictions the end of the faithfull chap. 5. 3. Ambition is to be taken heede of cha 13. 13. Anabaptistes condemne al swearing chap. 1. 9. Anathema what it is chap. 9. 3. Anguish what it is cha 8. 35. Anxiety what it is cha 8. 35. The Apostles vse great liberty in reciting the scripture chap. 3. 4. To be ashamed for to hasten cha 9. 33. Authoritie to be giuen vnto God onely cha 3. 10. The Authority of the sword confirmed chap 13. 4. B BAptisme hath succeeded circumcision chap. 4. 11. Baptisme doth not iustifie cha 2. 25. The end of baptisme cha 2. 25. Body put for that part of men is vnregenerate cha ◠10. The body must be kept vndefiled from al pollution of superstition cha 11. 4. The body of death what it is cha 7. 24. The body of sinne what it is cha 6. 12. Budaeus his place cha 9. 3. C CAlling with 〈◊〉 cha 8. 30. Calling of election cha 1. 6. To cal for to raise cha 4. 17. Effectual inner calling proper only to the elect cha 10. 16. The calling of the Gentiles witnessed by the Prophets cha 9. 25. Calling of the Gentiles like vnto a graffing cha 11. 18. Calumniations against the grace of God cha 6. 7. Catharites confuted cha 7. 25. The cause of the Iewes excetation cha 10. 19. The causes of the saluation of the faithful cha 8. 28. The certainty of Gods word whence it dependeth cha 3. 4. The certainty of saluatiō depēdeth vpō the goodnes of God cha 8. 32 Charity the bond of perfection cha 1◠19. Degrees of charity cha 16. 1. Children of righteousnes who they are cha 6. 20. Christ eternal God cha 1. 3. 4. Christ the aduocate and intercessour of the godly cha 8. 34. Christ why called Lord cha 10. 9. Christ the only paterne of the faithful cha 8. 29. Christ the sonne of God cha 1. 4. Christ the first begotten sonne of God cha 8. 29. Christ the end of the law cha 10. 4. Christ the brother of al the godly cha 8. 29. Christ a man cha 1. 3. Christ the iudge of the whole world cha 2. 16. Christ how he is a stone of offence cha 9. 32. Christ the minister of circumcision cha 15. 8. Christ onely our peace cha 5. 1. Christ how he hath purchased saluation for al cha 4. 25. Christ how he beseecheth the father for vs cha 8. 34. Christ how he dwelleth in vs cha 8. 10. Christ sent vnto vs filled with al heauenly treasures cha 8. 32. Christ wherefore he was sent cha 15. 8. Christ how he died to sinne cha 6. 10. Christ by his owne strength rose againe cha 1. 4. Christ his manifestation twofold cha 3. 21. Christ his death the beginning of our reconciliation with God cha 5. 10 Christ his death killeth sinne in the faithful cha 6. 4. Christ by death hath done away our sinnes cha 4. 25. The efficacie of Christ his death cha 6. 5. The communication of Christ his death twofold cha 6. 7. Two natures in Christ cha 9. 5. Christ his obedience cha 5. 19. Christ his office cha 1. 16. Christ his resurrection cha 1. 4. Christ his resurrection the worke of the power of God cha 6. 4. Christ his resurrection hath gotten the victorie for vs cha 10. 9 Christ his resurrection hath gotten righteousnes for vs cha 4. 25. The end of Christ his resurrection cha 10. 9. Christ his triumph cha 7. 4. Christ his zeale cha 15. 3. To put on Christ what it is cha 13. 14. Who are true Christians cha 8. 9. Christian life standeth in doing cha 12. 11. Christian priesthood what it is chap. 15. 16. The Church is nourished by the secret prouidence of God cha 11. 2 Circumcision twofold chap. 2. 28. Which is true circumcision cha 2. 25. Circumcision did not iustifie cha 2. 25. 28. The vse of circumcision chap. 4. 11. Collections for the poore cha 15. 25. Common for prophane cha 14. 14. Compassion may lawfully be in the godly euē for the reprobate cha 9. 2. Compassion necessary in the godly cha 12. 15. Communication of the faithful cha 12. 4. 15. Diuers complaints of the godly ful of desperation chap. 5. 3. A common wealth how it may be wel gouerned cha 13. 3. Compassion necessary in the godly cha 12. 15. Concupiscence is sinne cha 7. 7. Condemnation of mankind printed in al creatures chap. 8. 21. Whither confession be the cause of our saluation chap. 10. 10. Confession why it is put before faith chap. 10. 9. Coniecture which they cal moral is a schoole imagination chap. 4. 16. and 8. 16. 34. Coales of fire vpon the head of our enimy cha 1◠20. Conscience subiect to the commandement of God onely cha 6. 17. The conscience in steed of a thousand witnesses cha 2. 15. An euil conscience the heauiest torment cha 2. 15. With doubting conscience nothing ought to be done cha 14. 23. True consent what it is cha 15. 5. Conspiracy or consent out of God is miserable cha 15. 5. Contention for rebellion and stubbornnes cha 2. 8. Contention is condemned cha 1. 28. 13. ver 13. 14. 1. Who are contumelious cha 1. 28. The counsailes of the godly are sometime turned of the Lord. cha 1. 13. The consolation of the faithful cha 2. 5. 4. 13. 6. 14. 8. 1. 9. 33. and 10. 8. Continual prayer cha 12. 12. The contrariety of the letter and the spirit chap. 7. 6. The consolation of Pastors cha 1. 9. Contentious and vnprofitable questions must be auoyded cha 14. ◠Couetousnes condemned chap. 1. 28. Couenants why they differ from the promise cha 9. 4. A twofold cutting off cha 11. 22. Curiositie is to be auoyded cha 9. 14. 11. 23. D DAuid the image of Christ cha 11. 9. Day put for the brightnes of celestiall life cha 13. 12. The day of iudgement horrible chap. 2. 5. The day of iudgement must be looked for cha 2. 16. Dayes superstitiously obserued cha 14. 6. Death almost alway present to the seruants of God cha 8. 36. Death to what end it is to be wished for of the godly cha 7. 24. Death of sinne the life of man chap. 7. 9. Death the reward of the reprobate chap. 6. 23. The difference of right and wrong how it is graffed in the heartes of men chap. 2. 15. The
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
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
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
well our death as life is to be resigned to his wil. Heereunto hee addeth a notable reason because whither wee liue or die wee are his For thereuppon it followeth that hee hath power ouer life and death The vse of this doctrine is very large For so the Lordshippe of life and death is ascribed vnto GOD that euery man might the better beare his estate as the yoke imposed by him for it is meete hee shoulde assigne to euerye one his standing and course And so wee are not onelye forbidven rashely to take in hande this or that without the commaundement of God but also wee are commaunded to be patient in all griefes and losses If therefore at anye time the fleshe starte aside in aduersitie let vs remember that hee who is not free neither hath power ouer himselfe doeth peruerte right and order if hee depende not vppon the becke of his Lorde By this meanes also is deliuered vnto vs a rule to liue and dye so that if hee prolonge our life by continuall miseries and sorowes yet we couet not to departe before our time And againe if sodainely in the middest and flower of our age hee call vs away wee bee alway readie to departe 9 For Christ therefore died This is a confirmation of the reason went before For to the ende hee might prooue that wee are to die and liuâ— to the Lorde hee sayde wee are in the power of Christe whither wee liue or dye Nowe hee sheweth howe woorthily Christe challengeth vnto himselfe this power ouer vs seeyng hee hath purchased the same by so greate a price For by suffering death for our saluation he hath gotten vnto himselfe a dominion or Lordship ouer vs which cannot be destroyed by death by rising againe he hath receiued our whole life into his iurisdiction and garde therefore by his death and resurrection hee hath deserued that as well in death as in life we should serue to the glorie of his name Wheras it is said here he rose againe reuiued it is as much of value as if it were sayde that by his resurrection a newe state of life was obteyned to him And because that life wherein hee now liueth is not subiect to any mutation his kingdome also ouer vs is eternall 10 But why doest thou iudge thy brother Or also thou why doest thou despise thy brother For we shal al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ 11 For it is written I liue saith the Lorde and euerie knee shall bowe to mee and euerie tongue shal confesse vnto God 12 So then euerie one of vs shall giue account for himselfe vnto God 13 Let vs not therefore iudge one another any more but rather iudge this that no occasion of falling of offence be giuen to your brother 10 But why doest thou iudge Because hee had addicted the life and death of vs all vnto Christ thence he passeth to make mention of that iudgement whiche the father hath giuen to him together with the dominion of heauen and earth Whence hee gathereth that it is malapert boldnes if any manne vsurpe vnto him selfe iudgement ouer his brother seeyng by such licenciousnes that authoritie is pulled away from Christ whiche hee onely hath receiued of the father But first by the name of brother he brideleth this lust of iudging For if the Lorde haue ordeyned amongest vs the law or â—â—â—t of brotherly societie an equalitie must needes be obserued therefore euery one taking to himselfe the person of a iudge shal doe naughtily Secondly he reuoketh or calleth vs vnto that onelye iudge from whom no man cannot onely not take away his authoritie but also cannot escape his iudgement As it were therefore an absurd thinge amongest men if a guiltie person whiche were not woorthie to lie vppon the footestoole shoulde rushe vnto the seate of iudgement so absurde is it that a Christian manne shoulde take vnto him selfe libertie to iudge his brothers conscience Suche in effect is the argument of Iames saying Iames 4.10 he that iudgeth his brother iudgeth the lawe and hee that iudgeth the lawe is not a keeper of the lawe but a iudge And on the coÌ„trary quoth he there is one law giuer who caÌ„ saue destroy Tribunal is attributed vnto Christ for the faculty of iudging as the voyce of the Archangel wherby we shal be cited is called in another place a trumpe because as it were with his sound 1. Thes 4.16 he shal pearce the mindes and eares of all 11 For it is written I doe liue He seemeth vnto me to haue cited this testimony of the Prophet Esay Esay 45.23 not so much for the proofe of that sentence of the iudgement of Christ which was vndoubtedly beleeued of all Christians as to shew that that iudgement is to bee looked for of all with great humilitie and submission which the wordes themselues importe Th comming of Christ to iudgement ought huÌ„bly to be looked for of all men In his wordes going before he testified that Christ onely was iudge ouer all men now by the words of the Prophet he declareth that all fleshe ought to be humbled with the expectation of that iudgement whiche is noted by the bowing of knees Howbeit notwithstanding in that place of the prophet the Lord doth generally foreshew that it should come to passe that his glorie should he made manifest amongest all nations and his maiesty which then was amongest a fewe as it were lurked in a corner of the world shoulde shyne euerye where yet if wee looke into it more neerely it is apparaunt that the full accomplishment thereof is not nowe extaunt nor euer was in this worlde neither yet is to bee looked for in the ages to come God raigneth nowe no otherwise their by the Gospell neyther is his maiestie otherwise honoured aright then whiles the same beeyng knowen by his worde is reuerenced But the word of God hath alway had his enimies whiche haue frowardly resisted and his contemners which haue scoffed at it as a trifling and fabulous thing At this day there are many such and euermore withe Hereby appeareth that this prophecie is indeede begun in this life but is not perfected till that day of the last resurrection shall come wherein all the enimies of Christ shal be throwen downe that they may become the footestoole of his feete Furthermore euen that also coulde not be except the Lord sate in iudgement therefore hath he well applied this testimony vnto the tribunall of Christ It is also a notable place to establishe our faith concerning the eternall dietie of Christe For it is God that speaketh there and that God which hath once sayde Esay 42.8 that hee will not giue his honour to another Nowe then if that bee fulfilled in Christ which hee there challengeth to him selfe onelye without doubte hee doeth manifest him selfe in Christ And surely the veritie of that prophecie appeared then cleerely when Christe gathered vnto him selfe a people out of all
are prouoked to murmure against God yea euen to curse GOD. But when as the inwarde meekenesse which be infused by the spirite of God and consolation which is suggested by the same spirite hath succeeded in the place of stubburnesse or frowardnesse tribulations are instrumentes to begette patience whiche tribulations can procure nothinge in the obstinate but indignation and murmuringe 4 Pacience triall Iacob 1.3 Iames seemeth in the like gradation to followe a diuerse course because he saith triall or probation bringeth fourth patience What trial signifieth with Paul But the diuerse acception of the worde beeing vnderstoode will reconcile both places For Paul taketh tryall or probation for experience which the faithfull take of the sure protection of God whiles they trusting to his helpe ouercome all extremities namely whiles through patient sufferaunce they abide firme for so they prooue what valewe the power of God is whiche hee hath promised shoulde bee alwaye present with his Iames vseth the same worde for tribulation it selfe according to the common vse of the Scripture What trial signifieth with Iames. because by them God proueth and examineth his seruauntes wherevpon they are often called temptations Therefor concerning this presēt place then haue we profitted accordingly in patiēce or suffring whē we accoūt the same to haue cōsisted vnto vs by the power of God and so we gather hope that the grace of God shall neuer hereafter fayle vs which hath alwaye succoured vs our in necessitie Wherefore hee addeth that hope ariseth of tryall or probation for wee were vnthankefull if when wee haue receiued the benefites of God with the remembraunce of them wee did not afterwarde confirme our hope 5 Hope maketh not ashamed That is to say it hath a most sure ishewe of health Whereby appeareth wee are exercised of the Lorde in aduersities to this ende that our saluation might bee promoted by these degrees Then can not miseries which after a sort are helpers to blessednesse make vs miserable And so is that prooued hee saide namely that the godly haue matter of glorying in the middest of afflictions Because the loue of God I do not referre this onely vnto the worde went last before but vnto the whole sentence therefore I say we are prouoked or quickened by tribulations vnto patience and patience is an experiment vnto vs of the helpe of God whereby wee are the rather incouraged vnto hope for howe so euer wee bee pressed and seeme such as shoulde straightwayes bee ouerthrowen yet wee cease not to feele the fauour of God towardes vs which is a most fruitfull consolation and farre more ample then if all thinges happened prosperously Gods fauour is the welspring of all goodnesse For as when God is angrie that is miserie it selfe which in shewe seemeth to bee felicitie so when he is pleased sure it is that euen calamities shall haue a prosperous and happie successe Seeing all thinges must serue the will of the creator who according to his fatherly fauour towardes vs as Paule will repeate againe in the eyght chapter tempereth al the exercises of aduersities to our saluation This knowledge of the loue of God towardes vs is put into our heartes by the spirite of God For the good thinges whiche God hath prepared for his worshippers are hidden both from the eares and eyes and mindes of men it is the spirite onely whiche can reueile them And this participle shedde abroade Hath great emphasis for it signifieth the loue of God towardes vs to be so plentifully reueiled that it might fill our heartes And being so shedde abroade through all partes it doeth not onely mitigate sorrowe in aduersitie but as a sweete sauce it maketh tribulations amiable Moreouer he sayth this spirite is giuen namely bestowed vpon vs by the free goodnesse of God and not rendered vnto vs for our merites As Augustine noteth very well Loue here betokeneth that loue wherewith God loueth vs and not that loue wherewith wee loue him who notwithstanding is deceiued in the exposition of the loue of God he sayth wee suffer aduersitie constantly and are confirmed in hope because wee being regenerate by the holy spirite doe loue God This is veryly a godly saying but it commeth not neere the minde of Paule For loue here is not taken actiuely but passiuely And sure it is nothing els is taught of Paule then this to bee the true fountaine of all loue that the faythfull bee perswaded they are loued of God neither are they lightly drenched with this perswation but therewith they haue their mindes altogether imbrued 6 For Christ when wee were yet weake according to the time died for the vngodly 7 Doubtlesse one will scarse die for a righteousnes man but yet for a good man it may be that one dare die 8 But God confirmeth his loue towardes vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. 9 Much more then being nowe iustified by his blood we shal be saued from wrath through him 6 For Christ In translating I durst not take so muche vpon mee as to turne it according to the time wherein wee were weake which sence notwithstanding liked mee rather For here beginneth an argument from the greater to the lesse which hee prosecuteth afterwarde at large Albeit hee hath not framed the course of his speach so distinct but the disordered composition of the speach shall trouble the sence nothing If Christ quoth hee take pitie vpon the vngodly if he reconciled his enemies to his father if hee did this by the vertue of his death nowe muche more easely will hee saue them being iustified being restored to fauour hee will keepe them in the same chiefly seeing the efficacie of his life is nowe added vnto his death Some take the time of weaknesse for that time wherein Christe beganne firste to bee manifested to the worlde and they suppose those men who were vnder the erudition of the lawe to haue bene like vnto children But I referre it vnto euerie one of vs and saye it noteth the tyme What tyme is called the tyme of weaknes that goeth before euery mans reconciliation to God For as we are all borne the sonnes of wrathe so are we holden vnder that curse vntill we be made partakers of Christ And he calleth those infirme or weake which haue nothinge in them but it is corrupted For he termeth the same straightwayes after vngodly Neither is it any newe thing that this word infirmitie should be so taken So he calleth the priuie parts of the bodie 1. Cor. 12.22 2. Cor. 10.10 feeble And the presence of the bodie which hath no maiestie weake And this signification a litle after doeth often occurre Therefore when we were feeble that is neither worthie nor mete that God should respect vs at that tyme Christ died for the wicked because faith is the beginninge of pietie from the which they were all estraunged for whome he died which also taketh place in the old
Fathers who had obteined righteousnes before this death For they had that benefite from his death that was to come 7 For the iuste Reason forced me to sett downe this particle gar id est For rather affirmatiuely or by the waye of declaration then causatiuely This is the meaning of the sentence it is a very rare thing amongst men that any shoulde die for a iust man although that may nowe and then happen But let vs grannt that No such example of loue any where to bee found as was in Christ who died for the vngodly and his enemies yet can no man bee founde that will die for a wicked man That did Christ So it is an amplification taken from a comparison because no suche example of loue is extant amongst men as Christ shewed towardes vs. 8 And God confirmeth Seeing this verbe sunist esi is of a doubtfull signification it is more fitte in this place to bee taken for to confirme For the purpose of the Apostle is not to incitate vs vnto thankefulnesse but to establish the confidence and affiance of consciences Hee confirmeth That is he declareth his sure most constant loue towards vs in that for the vngodly sake he spared not Christ his sonne For herein his loue appeared that not being prouoked by loue of his owne free will he first loued vs as Iohn saith They are here called sinners as in many other places who are altogether corrupted and addicted to sinne as Iohn saith Iohn 3.16 God heareth not sinners That is such as are desperately Iohn 9.31 and wholly giuen to wickednes A woman that was a sinner that is of an vnhonest life And that appeareth better by the Antithesis whiche straightwayes followeth beyng iustified by his blood For seeyng hee opposeth these two betweene themselues Luke 7.37 and faythe they are iustified who are deliuered from the guiltinesse of sinne it is a consequent they are sinners who for their euill wookes are condemned The summe is if Christe by his death hath purchased righteousnesse vnto sinners Christ is no lesse able nor willing to defēd then he was to redeeme much more shall hee defend them beyng now iustified from destruction And in this last member hee applyeth the comparison of the lesse and greater vnto this doctrine For it were not enough that saluation was once purchased for vs except Christe did conserue the same safe and firme vnto the ende And that is it the Apostle goeth about nowe namely that it is not to be feared least Christ should breake of the course of his grace in the middle rase For since he hath reconciled vs to the father such is our condition that hee will shewe foorth his fauour more effectually towardes vs and dayly increase the same 10 For if when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall wee be saued by his life This is an exposition of the former sentence with an amplification taken frome the comparison of life and death Wee were enemies quoth hee when Christe tooke vpon him the mediation to reconcile the father Nowe we are friendes through his reconciliation if that coulde bee brought to passe by his death his life shall be of greater power and more effectuall So then we haue notable testimonies which may cōfirme the confidence of saluation in our heartes His meaning is wee were reconciled to GOD by the death of Christe because it was the sacrifice of reconciliation whereby GOD was reconciled to the worlde as I haue declared in the fourth Chapter But here the Apostle seemeth to be contrary vnto himselfe For if the death of Christ were the pledge of the loue of God towards vs Obiection It followeth that euen then we were acceptable to him Answeare but now he saith we were enimies I aunsweare because God hateth sinne we also are odious vnto him as we are sinners but as in his secret counsayle he electeth vs into the body of Christ he ceaseth to hate vs. But the restoring into fauour is vnknowne vnto vs vntill we perceiue it by faith Therefore in respect of our selues we are alway enimies vntil the death of Christ come betweene to reconcile God And this difference of a twofold respect is to be noted For otherwise we know not the free mercy of God then if we be perswaded that he spared not his onely begotten sonne because he loued vs at suche time as there was enmitie betweene him and vs Againe wee doe not sufficiently feele the benefite brought vnto vs by the death of Christe except this be vnto vs the beginning of our reconciliation with God that wee being perswaded the satisfaction being perfourmed hee is nowe fauourable to vs who before was iustly angrie with vs. So when acceptation into grace is ascribed to the death of Christe the meaning is that then the guiltinesse is taken away whereunto wee are otherwise subiect 11 And not this onely but also wee reioyce in God through our Lorde Iesus Christe by whome we are nowe reconciled 11 And not this onely Nowe he scaleth vnto the highest steppe of reioycing For whiles wee glory that God is ours what so euer good thinge may eyther bee imagined or wished doeth followe and flowe out of this fountayne For God is not onely the chiefest of all good thinges but he conteineth the summe and euery part in him selfe God in whom all good things are included is made ours by faith and hee is made ours by Christ Hither then doe wee come by the benefite of fayth that nothing bee wanting vnto vs touching felicitie And it is not without cause hee so often repeateth reconciliation First that wee might learne to fixe our eyes vpon the death of Christ as often as wee speake of our saluation Secondly that we may knowe that our confidence is no where t is to be reposed then in the forgiuenesse of sinnes 12 Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the world and by sinne death and so death went ouer all men in as much as all haue sinned 13 For vnto the lawe sinne was in the world but sinne is not imputed while there is no lawe 14 But death raigned from Adam vnto Moses euen ouer them that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of him that was to come 12 Wherefore as Now hee beginneth to exaggerate the same doctrine by a comparison taken from contraryes For if Christ came therefore that he might deliuer vs from that calamitie into the which Adam fell and did precipitate all his posteritie with him we can no way better see what we haue in Christ then when it is shewed vnto vs what wee lost in Adam although all thinges are not a like on both partes Therefore Paul addeth a correction which shall be seene in his place and wee also if there be any diuersitie shall note it It is a vice in writing when that
in the doctrine of the lawe from their childehoode coulde not put away the reuerence of dayes whiche they had learned from the beginning and whereunto they had accustomed themselues all their whole life neither durst they touch those meates whiche they abhorred so long That they were indued with such opinions it was of infirmitie for they would haue thought otherwayes if they had attained vnto the certaine and cleere knowledge of Christian liberty But in that they restrayned them selues from that which they thought to be vnlawfull for them that was a token of godlines euen as it had beene a signe of boldnes and contempt if they had tasted any thing against their conscience Here therfore the Apostle teacheth a most excellent moderation when hee commaundeth euery man to be fully assured of his counsell whereby hee giueth to vnderstande Nothing should be done with a doubting or wauering conscience there ought to bee in Christians suche a studie and care of true obedience that they enterprise nothinge which they thinke not or rather are sure doth please God And it is altogether to be obserued that this is the beginning of a right life if men depend vpon the wil of God suffer not themselues through a doubtfull and wauering minde to mooue a finger breadth because it cānot be auoyded but our rashnes must needs straightwayes burst foorth into contempt when we dare steppe further then we are perswaded may be lawful for vs. But if any man obiecte Obiection that errour is alway doubtfull and therefore such certaintie as Paule requireth can not be sounde in the weake the aunsweare is ready Answere namely that such are to be pardoned if they keepe them selues within their compasse For the meaning of Paule is nothing els but to restraine the immoderate liberty whereby very many at a venture thrust themselues into matters doubtfull and vnknowen So then Paule requireth this choyse that the will of God might goe before all our actions 6 Hee that regardeth the day c. For as much as Paul knewe certainely that the obseruation of dayes proceeded from the not knowing of Christ it is not credible that hee did whollye defende suche a corruption and yet the woordes seeme to importe that hee sinneth not whiche obserueth the day For nothing can be acceptable vnto God except it be good Therefore that thou maist vnderstande Paules meaning it is necessarie to put a difference betweene that opinion whiche anie hath conceiued of obseruing dayes and the obseruation it selfe whereunto hee byndeth himselfe For the opinion is superstitious neither doeth Paule denie that who vnder the name of infirmitie hath already condemned it and will by and by condemne it more plainelie But whereas hee who is holden with that superstition dare not violate the solemnitie of the daye that is approoued of God because hee dare doe nothing with a doubtfull conscience For what shoulde the Iewe doe who as yet hath not profited so muche that hee shoulde bee deliuered from the religious obseruation of dayes Hee hath the woorde of God wherein the obseruation of dayes is commended vnto him A necessitie is layde vppon him by the lawe the taking away of that necessitie is not yet perfectlye knowen vnto him There remaineth therefore nothing els but that hee expecting a larger reuelation shoulde keepe himselfe within the compasse of his capacitie and not to vse the benefite of lybertie before hee haue imbraced the same by faith The verye same is to bee vnderstoode of him that refrayneth himselfe from vncleane meates For if in the perplexitie of minde hee should eate that were not to receiue a benefite at the hande of GOD but rather a maleperte thrusting of his hande into thinges forbidden Let him therefore vse other thinges whiche hee supposeth are graunted to him and let him followe the measure of his owne vnderstanding So shall hee giue thankes to the Lorde whiche hee cannot doe except hee bee perswaded that he is fedde by the benefite of God Therefore hee is not to bee despised as though by this his sobrietie and Godlie fearefulnesse hee offended the Lorde Neyther shall anye absurditye followe if wee saye the modestie of a weake man is approued or allowed of the Lorde not of merite but of grace or fauour Howbeit because of late he required the certaintie of minde least euery one shoulde rashly take vppon him the keeping of this or that at his pleasure we are to consider if he doe not here rather exhort then affirme because this waye the Text shall runne better namely let euerie manne knowe the grounde or reason of that he doth for hee must giue account at the tribunall seate of God For whether a man eate meate or absteine he ought in both to haue respecte vnto GOD. And certainely there is nothing more apt as well to restrayne the libertie of iudging as to correct superstitions then to cite vs before the tribunall seate of God and therefore Paule very wisely doth propose a Iudge before euerye one vnto whose will they ought to referre or examine whatsoeuer they doe Neyther doth the affirmatiue speeche let this acception because straightway after he addeth that no man liueth or dieth to himselfe where he reciteth not what men can doe but commaundeth what they ought to doe And note that he saith we then eate and absteine to the Lord when we giue thankes Wherfore both the vse of meates also abstinence is impure without thankesgiuing It is onely the name of God which whiles it is called vppon doeth sanctifie vs and ours 7 For none of vs liueth to himselfe and none of vs dieth to himselfe 8 For whither we liue we liue to the Lord or whither we die we die to the Lorde whither wee liue or die wee are the Lords 9 For therefore Christ both died rose againe reuiued that he might be Lord of quicke and dead 7 For none of vs liueth c. Nowe hee confirmeth the former sentence by a reason taken from the whole vnto a parte The wil of God ought to be the onely rule of mans life namely that it is no maruaile though the particuler actions of our life ought to respect the Lorde seeyng our life it selfe is wholly to be bestowed to his glorie For then verily is the life of a Christian man framed aright when hee hath the will of GOD for his marke And if that thou art bound to examine by his will whatsoeuer than doest then is it altogether sinne to take anye thing in hande whiche thou thinkest maye displease him yea whiche thou art not assured may please him To liue vnto the Lorde doeth not signifie here as in the sixte Chapter to bee ledde by his spirite Rom. 6.8 What it is to liue vnto the Lorde but to apply himselfe to his will and becke and to dispose all those thinges he hath vnto his glorie And we are not onely to liue vnto the Lorde but also to die that is as