reason which is seene to hold in a mans bodie ought to bee also in the societie of the faithfull by that similitude hee proueth how necessary it is for euery one to consider what is conuenient for his nature capacity and calling Furthermore this similitude hath diuers parts chiefly after this maner it is to be applied vnto the present cause that as the meÌ„bers of one body haue distinct offices and all thinges distinct The applicatioÌ„ of the similitude taken from the members of a mans bodie for no member either holdeth all offices together or taketh vnto him the offices of others so hath God giuen vnto vs diuers giftes by which discretion or diuersitie he hath ordeined what order hee woulde haue to bee kept amongest vs that euery one should gouerne himselfe according to the measure of his gift and should not intrude himselfe into the offices of others neither shoulde one couet to haue all thinges together but being content with his state should willingly abstain from vsurping other meÌ„s turnes Howbeit when in expresse words he noteth that communion which is amongst vs withal he insinuateth how great diligence there ought to bee in euery one to bestow those gifts they inioy to the common profite of the body 6 Wee hauing gifts Paul doth not simplie now preach of the mainteining of brotherly loue amongest vs but he commendeth modestie which is the moderatour of our whole life The diuersitie and in equalitie of gifts is the bond of mutuall communication Euery man coueteth to haue so much that he might not stand need of any help of his brethren but this is the bond of mutuall communication whiles no man hath sufficient for himself but is coÌ„strained to borrow of others I confesse therefore that the societie of the godly cannot stand but whiles euery one being conteÌ„t with his owne measure doth impart vnto his brethren of those giftes â—ee hath receiued and againe doth suffer himselfe to bee holpen by other mens giftes But Paule his meaning was chiefly to beate downe that pride whiche hee knewe to bee grafted in men and least any man shoulde bee greeued that al things are not giuen vnto him hee admonisheth that not without the good counsaile of God euery one hath his part giuen vnto him because it is necessary for the common benefite of the body that none shoulde bee so furnished with the fulnesse of giftes least he shoulde securely despise his brethren Heere then wee haue the principall scope whereunto the Apostle tendeth namely that all thinges are not meete for all men but the giftes of God are so disposed that euery one might haue his finite portion and euery one ought so to intende in bestowing his giftes to the edification of the Church that no man hauing left his owne function shoulde take vpon him another mans For by this decent order as it were due proportion the incolumitie of the church is saued when euery man doth so bestow that he hath receiued to the common profite of others that hee doth not hinder others Hee which peruerteth this order fighteth against God by whose ordinance it is ordeined For the difference of giftes did not spring from the will of men but because it hath pleased the Lorde so to dispose his grace Whether Prophesie Nowe by bringing in certaine particulers for example he sheweth howe euery man ought to be occupied in his gifte as in keeping his station For euery gift hath his ende proposed from the which to decline is to corrupte the giftes themselues And whereas the speech is somewhat confused wee may so compose it that the conclusion begin here Hee therefore which hath the gift of prophesiyng let him examine it to the proportion of faith hee that hath an office let him vse it to administration hee that hath doctrine let him vse it to teache c. They who shall beholde this marke shall conueniently keep themselues within their boundes Howbeit this place is diuersly taken For there bee some which by prophesiyng vnderstande the facultie of diuination whiche was of force about the beginning of the Gospell in the Churche as it pleased the Lorde then to set foorth the dignitie and excellencie of his Churche by all meanes And they thinke that that which is added according to the porportion is to be referred vnto all the branches But I had rather followe them who extende this woorde further namely vnto a peculiar gifte of reuelation that a man doe rightly and learnedly play the parte of an interpreter in opening the will of God Therefore prophecying at this day amongest Christians is almost nothing els What prophesiyng is amongst christians theÌ„ a right vnderstanding of the scripture and singuler gift of expounding the same since all the olde prophesies and oracles of God haue been finished in Christ and his Gospell For in this sence Paule hath put it when hee sayth I woulde yee coulde speake with tongues 1 Cor. 24. â— but rather that yee did prophesie Wee knowe in part and wee prophesie in part And it appeareth not that Paules meaning is heere 1. Cor. 13.9 onely to recite those marueylous graces whereby Christ adorned his gospel at the first but rather we see that ordinary graces only such as abide continually in the Church are reckoned Neyther doe I thinke that reason to bee firme which is obiected namely that the Apostle neede not to haue sayde that to those who by the spirite of God coulde not call Christ Anathema For seeing in another place hee testifieth that the spirite of the Prophete is subiect to the Prophete 2. Cor. 14.32 and he biddeth him that spake first to holde his peace if any reuelation bee made to another that sitteth by after the same maner hee may here admonishe those who prophesie in the Churche that they shoulde applie their prophesiyngs to the rule of fayth least at any time they erre from the line Faith put for the principles of religion Vnder the name of fayth hee signifieth the first principles of religion whereunto what so euer doctrine is founde not agreeing euen thereby it is condemned for false In the other braunches there is lesse difficultie Hee that is quoth hee ordayned a minister let him discharge his duetie by ministring that hee may be answearable to his name As straightwayes hee commendeth vnto teachers vnder the name of doctrine sounde edification in this sence hee that excelleth in doctrine let him know that the ende thereof is that the Church be truely taught and let him studie this one thing that hee may make the Church wiser by his doctrine For hee is a doctor or teacher who formeth or instructeth the Churche by the woorde of trueth Hee that excelleth in the gift of exhorting let him regarde this ende that he may exhort effectually And although these offices haue great affinitie yea and also connection betweene them selues yet they cease not therefore to bee diuers No man can exhort without doctine
rest in Israel He therfore taketh the conclusion as proued which yet he wil afterward open by a necessarie discourse Whereas besides the title of an Israelite hee calleth himselfe the seede of Abraham and also expresseth his tribe it is to the ende hee might be counted for a naturall Israelite Phil. 3.4 As to the Philippians whereas some thinke it to serue vnto the commendation of the mercy of God that Paul came of the tribe of Beniamin which was almost cut off that seemeth to bee forced and farre fetched 2 God hath not It is a negatiue answeare and with a moderation For the Apostle in denying precisely the people to be reiected had byn contrary to himself But by adding a correction he teacheth that it is such a kind of reiection as the promise of God is not thereby made voyde So the aunsweare is distributed into two parts namely that God hath not contrarie to the faith of his couenaunt reiected the whole progenie of Abraham neither yet is the effect of the adoption extant in all the sonnes of the flesh because the secret eleccion goeth before So the general reiection could not make but some seede might be saued for the visible bodie of the people was so reiected that no member should fall awaye from the spirituall bodie of Christ Obiection If anye demaunde whither circumcision were not a common pledge of the grace of God to all the Iewes so that they ought all of thē to be counted amongst the people of God the answere is at hād because the externall calling by it selfe is vneffectuall without faith that honour is iustly taken from the faithlesse Answeare which they refuse being offered So there remayneth a speciall people in whom God sheweth a testimonie of his cōstancy and Paul bringeth the original of constancie from the secret electiō For here God is not saide to respect faith but to stand to his purpose that hee might not reiect that people whom he knewe before And heere againe that is to bee noted whiche I admonished before namely that by the worde foreknow Foreknowledge in God is not taken for a bare naked knowledge of a thing to be is not vnderstoode a certaine I knowe not what speculation or beholding whereby God did foreknowe what euerie one woulde bee but his good pleasure wherby he choose those vnto himselfe for sonnes who because they were not yet borne coulde not insinuate themselues into his fauour So to the Galathians he saith they were knowen of God Gal. 4.9 because he preuented thē with his fauour that he might cal them to the knowledge of Christ Now we vnderstand although the vniuersal calling doeth not bring foorth fruite yet the faith of God is not fallen away but alway he cōserueth a Church so long as the elect remayne aliue for albeit God doeth indifferently inuite the whole people vnto him yet he doth not inwardly draw any but such as he knoweth to be his hath giuen to his sonne whom also he will keepe faithfully vnto the ende Know you not Seeing there were so few who of the Iewes beleeued in Christ it could hardly be but by the smalnesse of the number they should gather that the whole stock of Abraham was reiected And this cogitation also would creepe in namely that in so deformed a ruine there appeared no signe of Gods grace For seeing adoption was the sacred bond whereby the sonnes of Abraham beeing gathered vnder the faith of God were reteined in the same except the same had fallen away it is no way like that the people could haue beene so miserably and vnhappily scattered That Paule might turne away this offence he vseth a very fit example For he sheweth howe in the time of Elias there was such a waste so that now there was no appearance of a Churche and yet when there appeared no footstep of the grace of God the Church of God did lie so hidde as it were in a graue that the same was woonderfully preserued It followeth therefore they doe naught who esteeme the Church by their sence The Church must not be esteemed according to our sence And surely if that excellent Prophete who was indued with such plentie of the spirite when he would by his owne iudgement esteeme the people of God were so deceiued what shall befall vs whose greatest sharpnesse if we be compared with him is but meere dulnesse Wherfore let vs decree nothing here rashly but rather let this abide fast in our heartes that there is a Church nourished by the secrete prouidence of God when there appeareth none to our eyes And withall let vs remember that they deale foolishly and proudly who define the number of the elect according to the measure of their sence For God hath a meane vnknowen to vs easie to himselfe whereby he doeth woonderfully keepe his elect when al things seeme lost And let the Readers marke this that Paule doeth here and els where diligently compare the state of his time with the olde condition of the Church which maketh greatly to the confirmation of our faith whiles we consider nothing doeth happen vnto vs at this day which the holye fathers haue not had experience of in olde time For we know how harde an engine newnes is to trouble weak minds touching the parcel in Elias in the translation I haue reteined the phrase of Paule because it may signifie as much as in the historie or in the things done by Elias although I thinke rather that Paul spake so according to the manner of the Hebrues In Elias for in the historie of Elias because Beth which answeareth the greeke En is often taken for de of How hee maketh request vnto God against Israel This surely was an argumēt how much Elias esteemed of the Lord that he doubted not for his glorie to constitute himselfe an aduersarie of his owne nation and to wish the vtter ruine thereof because he thought the religion and worshippe of God was perished in it But therein he was deceiued that he condemned the whole nation himselfe only excepted of the impietie which he would haue had so seuerely punished Furthermore in the same place which Paul citeth there is no imprecatiō or wishing but a bare cōplayning 1. Re. 19.10 But because he so complaineth that he dispaireth of the whole people no doubt but so he did bequeath them to destruction Let vs note thē what Elias preached namely that when impietie had euery where preuayled and in a manner ouerspread the whole land hee thought he had beene left alone 4 I haue reserued to my selfe Howsoeuer you take a finite number for an infinite assuredly the Lorde would note a great multitude Seeing therfore the grace of God preuayled so much in thinges most desperate 1. Reg. 19.18 let vs not lightly condemne all those whose pietie doth not appeare openly vnto vs. And withall let this bee thorowly printed in vs that although vngodlinesse rage euery where
the kingdome of Christe which is not included in the Iewes but cōprehendeth the whole worlde In the same maner to the Galathiās he calleth the church consisting together of Iewes gentiles the Israel of God by that Gal. 6.16 opposing the people gathered from the dispersion to the carnal sonnes of Abrahā who were fallen away from his faith as it is written By this testimonie of Esay he doth not confirme the whole sentence but one member onely namely that the sonnes of Abraham are partakers of redemption For if any take it that Christ was promised and offered to them but because they did refuse him they were depriued of his grace the wordes of the Prophete expresse more namely that there is some number left which after it repenteth shall inioy the grace of deliueraunce And yet Paule citeth not worde for worde that is reade with Esai Esai 59.20 the redeemer quoth hee shall come to Sion and they which shall repent from iniquitie in Iacob saith the Lorde But it becommeth not vs to be too curious herein For this is to bee regarded howe fitly the Apostles apply vnto their purpose whatsoeuer probations they bring out of the old testament seeing they coueted nothing els then as it were by the finger to point out that the readers might he led vnto the fountaine Furthermore although in this prophecie deliuerance be promised vnto the spirituall people of God vnder whom the gentiles are conteyned yet because the Iewes are the first begotten that whiche the Prophete denounceth must needs be chiefly fulfilled in them For in that the Scripture calleth all the people of God Israelites that is ascribed to the excellencie of that nation which God preferred before all others Secondly he saieth that he which shall redeeme shall come namely vnto Sion hauing respecte vnto the olde couenaunt Hee addeth also that hee shall bee redeemed in Iacob whiche shall turne from his transgression In which words God doth plainely chalenge vnto himselfe a certaine seede that the redemption might be effectual in the elect and peculiar nation Esay 59.20 And albeit the phrase of speech which the Prophet vseth did serue better to the purpose namely Shall come to Syon Yet Paule made no religion in the matter to follow the commō receiued translation where it is said the redeemer shall come out of the hill of Syon And there is also like reason of the seconde parte Hee shall turne iniquities from Iacob For Paule thought it sufficient onely to respect this because the proper office of Christe is to reconcile vnto God a people that is a reuolter from the Lorde and couenant breaker that vndoubtedly there was some conuersion to bee hoped for least they should all perish together 27 And this is my couenant vnto them when I shall take away their sinnes Notwithstanding Paule had brieflie touched in the former prophesie of Esai the office of the messias yet that hee might aduertise the Iewes what they were principally to hope for of him hee purposely addeth these fewe wordes out of Ieremie to the same ende Iere. 31.33 Heb. 8.8 10.16 For in the former place is not reade that a newe couenant shoulde come This also appertayneth to the confirmation of the cause hee hath in hande For that which hee spake of the conuersion of the people in so obstinate a stubbornnesse might seeme incredible Therefore hee remoueth this impediment by saying the newe couenant consisteth in the free remission of sinnes For it may be gathered out of the words of the prophete that God hath no more to do with an Apostata people but so far as he shall as well remit the crime of their faithlesnesse as other sinnes 28 As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the election they are beloued for their fathers sake 29 For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance 30 For you also were faithlesse towardes God but now haue obteined mercie through their vnbeliefe 31 So they nowe are become vnbeleeuers because yee haue obteined mercy that they also may obteyne mercie 32 For God hath shut all vnder beleefe that hee might haue mercy on all 28 As concerning the Gospel Hee sheweth howe that which was euill in the Iewes did not serue to the ende that they should therefore be contemned of the Gentiles vnbeliefe was the chiefe crime in them And Paule sheweth they were so for a time through the prouidence of God blinded that a way might be made for the gospel vnto the Gentiles and yet they not for euer excluded from the grace of God Hee confesseth therefore that presently they were alienated from God by occasion of the gospell that this way that saluation which was laide vp with them might come vnto the Gentiles and yet God not vnmindfull of that couenant whiche hee made with their fathers and wherein hee testified that in his eternall counsaile hee loued that nation And this hee proueth by a notable sentence namely that the grace and calling of God cannot bee voide For this is the meaning of these wordes The giftes and calling of God are without repentance Hee hath put gifts and calling by the figure Hypallage for the benefite of calling neither ought this to bee vnderstood of euery particuler calling Paul in this disputatiō speaketh of the general calling of a whole nation and not of the particular calling of euery one but of that whereby God adopted the posteritie of Abraham into couenant seeing the disputation was specially of this as a little before vnder the name of election hee noted the secrete counsaile of God whereby the Iewes were distinguished from the Gentiles For this is to be obserued that the question is not of the priuate election of euery one but of the common adoption of an whole nation which for a time in outward appearance might seeme to bee fallen but not cut downe by the rootes Because the Iewes were fallen from theyr prerogatiue and saluation promised thē that there might be some hope of the remnant Paul proueth that the counsaile of GOD standeth firme and immutable whereby hee vouchsafed once to choose them vnto himselfe for a peculier people If then it cannot bee that the Lorde should fall from that couenant which hee established with Abraham I will bee the God of thy seede hee hath not vtterly taken his fauour from the people of the Iewes Gen. 17.7 hee doth not oppose the Gospel to election as though they were contrary one to the other for whome God hath chosen those hee calleth but because the Gospell was sodenly besides the expectation of the worlde published to the Gentiles hee worthily compareth this grace with that olde election of the Iewes which so many ages before was manifested Election therefore is named of antiquitie because in that part of the world is past God did chose vnto himselfe one people Hee saith for the fathers not as though they gaue any cause of loue but
to the worde of GOD yet nowe it is so fallen from that beginning that there is no lesse differēce then betweene some holy place of chastitie and a stewes 3 Salute Prisca and Aquila Those testimonies whiche hee giueth heere vnto many doe partly tend to this ende that whiles they are had in honour who are honest and worthie both honestie it selfe might bee honoured and they might haue authoritie with such as coulde and woulde profite more then others partly that they mighte answere to their former life neither myght they faint in the course of godlinesse or their godly zeale quaile It is a singuler honour which hee giueth here to Prisca and Aquila specially in a woman Whereby the modestie of the holy man the rather appeareth who neither thinketh scorne to haue nor yet is ashamed to acknowledge a woman for his companion in the worke of the Lorde And this was the wife of Aquila himselfe Act. 18.1 whom Luke calleth Priscilla 4 To whom no◠I onely Because prisca and Aquila did not spare their owne life for the defence of the life of Paule hee testifieth that hee himselfe priuately doth giue them thankes yet hee addeth that thankes also are giuen vnto them of all the Churches that by this example he might also mooue the Romanes And worthily was the life of one man so deare and precious to al the Gentiles for it was an incomparable treasure wherefore it is no maruaile though all Churches of the Gentiles thought them selues bounde to his preseruers That which hee addeth of the Church in their house is worth the noting For hee coulde not more honourably adorne their familie then with the title of the Churche For I doe not like the worde congregation whiche Erasmus hath translated for it is euident that Paule by the way of honour hath vsed the sacred name of the Church 5 Who is the first fruites This is an allusion vnto the ceremonies of the lawe For because men are sanctified vnto God by faith they which obteine the first place in the oblation are fitly called the first fruits Furthermore as euery one was the formest It is no small honour when God choseth any for first fruites in respect of time called vnto the faith so Paul doth giue vnto him the prerogatiue of honour But this hath place whiles the end answereth the beginning And surely it is a singuler honour when God vouchsafeth to chose any for first fruites For by the continuance of time there commeth a greater and more ample proofe or tryall of faith whiles they which first begun are not wearie of running well He testifieth againe his thankfulnesse whiles he maketh mention of those things Marie did for him And it is sure hee ascribeth these prayses that hee might make them more commendable to the Romans whom he praised 7 Salute Andronicus Although Paul is wont to make no great account of kinred and other thinges appertaining to the fleshe yet because that consanguinitie which Iunia and Andronicus had with him might greatly help that they might bee the more easily knowen hee doth not neglect that prayse also There is more force in the second speech of praise whiles he nameth them his fellow captiues because amongest the ornaments of Christian warfare bondes are not reckoned in the last place Whiles in the third place hee nameth Apostles The name Apostle largly taken he taketh not this worde in his proper and vsuall signification But he extendeth it further namely vnto all those which doe not onely instruct one Church but for the publishing of the Gospell euery where doe bestowe their labour They therefore who by cariyng the doctrine of saluation hither and thither did plant churches are generally in this place called Apostles For other where he restraineth it vnto that principal order which Christ at the beginning ordeined in his twelue Disciples Otherwise it were absurd that so great dignitie should be ascribed vnto them amongest few Now because they had by faith imbraced the Gospel before Paule he doubteth not in that respect to preferre them before himselfe 11 Who are of the friendes of Narcissus It had been a thing too bad that Peter shold be omitted in so long a catologue if he had been then at Rome But he must needes haue bin there if wee beleeue the Romanes Howbeit if in doubtfull thinges there is nothing better then to followe a probable coniecture no man of indifferent iudgement will beleeue that is true they affirme For he had neuer bin omitted of Paule But it is worth the noting that none of those glorious and honourable titles are harde heere by the which it might be gathered that noble men were christians for whōsoeuer Paule reckoneth they were obscure vnnoble at Rome I take the Narcissus whō Paul nameth here to be the freeman of Claudius a man famous for many mischieuous naughtie deedes Whereby the goodnes of God is more wonderful which pearced into that impure house abounding withall wickednes not that Narcissus himselfe was conuerted vnto christ but this was a great matter that a house as it were like vnto hell should be visited with the grace of Christe And seeing they did worship Christ sincerely who liued vnder a huge Lion vnder a most cruell spoyler and corrupt man there is no cause why seruants should tary for their masters but euery one should follow Christ for himselfe Yea the exception added by Paule doth declare that his familie was diuided so that there were but a few which beleeued 16 Salute one another in an holy kisse It is euerye where apparant by the scriptures that a kisse was an vsuall common tokē of good will amongst the Iewes Perhaps lesse vsuall amongst the Romanes neither was it altogether strange amongst thē saue that it was not lawefull to kisse women other then their kinswomē only Howebeit that grewe into a custome with thē in old time that Christians before the communication of the Supper did kisse one another to testifie their good will by that signe thē afterward they gaue almes that they might cōfirm that in deed effect Whence the kissing of the pare proceeded which they represented by a kisse as appeareth out of a certaine homilie of Chrysostome Hence came that ryte which is at this day among the Papistes of kissing the Paxe making oblation The one whereof is meere superstition with out fruite the other serueth to no ende but to full vp the coueteousnes of the Priests if yet it may be filled Neuertheles paule seemeth not here precisely to exact a ceremonie but onely exhorteth them to maintaine brotherly loue which hee discerneth frō prophane friendships of the world which for the most part are either hypocritical or are brought to passe by naughtie deeds or are reteined by euill meanes and they neuer tend to a right ende And wishing health as much as in hym laye from the churches he studieth to bind all the members of Christe among them selues