be smitten with the terrour of Gods iudgement Therefore hee doth not onely conuince them of their iniquitie but also being cōuicted doth rouse them from their drowsinesse First of all hee condemneth all mankinde since the worlde began of ingratitude that in so excellent a workemanship they did not acknowledge the workemaster yea when they were constrained to acknowledge him they did not worthily honour his maiestie but prophaned violated the same with their vanitie So all men are proued giltie of impietie then the which there is no more detestable wickednesse And to the ende it might more plainely appeare that all men are fallen from the Lorde hee rehearseth the fylthie and abhominable woorkes whereunto euery where men are subiecte Which is a manifest argument that they haue degenerate frō God for as much as they are tokens of Gods wrath which appeare not but in the godlesse And because certaine of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles hauing couered theyr inward wickednesse with the cloake of outward holinesse did seeme vnreproueable of these impious workes And therefore were thought to bee exempted from the common condemnation the Apostle directeth his stile against that fained holinesse And because that visarde before men coulde not bee drawen from those pettie saints he reuoketh them vnto the iudgement of God whose eyes beholde the verie hidden thoughts Afterward hauing made a distribution he citeth the Iewes by themselues and the Gentiles also by themselues before the tribunall seate of God Hee taketh from the Gentiles that excuse of ignorance which they pretended For their conscience whereby they were sufficiently conuicted was vnto them in steede of a lawe Hee vrgeth the Iewes with that chiefly which they tooke for their defence namely with the written law wherof in as much they were proued to be transgressours they could not cleare themselues of iniquitie seeing the mouth of God had alreadie pronounced sentence against them Hee preuenteth also that obiection which might seeme to make for them videliz that the couenant of God which was vnto thē the marke of sanctification was violated vnlesse there were difference put betweene them and others Here first he teacheth that the title of the couenant made them nothing better then others seeing through their vnfaithfulnesse they were fallen from it Secondly least the constancie of gods promise should be in any part diminished he graunteth vnto them some prerogatiue by the couenant but such as consisteth in the mercy of God and not in their merite Then finally by the authoritie of the scripture he proueth al both Iewes and Gentiles to bee sinners where also he speaketh somwhat of the vse of the law Thus when he hath depriued all mankind both of the trust of their own vertue and also of the glory of righteousnes and throwen them downe with the seueritie of gods iudgement he commeth vnto that which he purposed namely that wee are iustified by faith shewing what faith that is and howe wee obteine thereby the righteousnesse of Christe Heerevnto hee addeth in the ende of the third Chapter a singuler sentence to beate downe the fiercenes of mans pride least he should aduaunce himself against the grace of God And also least the Iewes should hemme in the grace of God within the compasse of their nation he proueth by the way that it appertaineth to the Gentiles also In the 4. chap. he argueth frō an example which because it was cleere and therefore free from cauillations he putteth it downe to wit in Abraham who in as muche as hee is the father of the faithfull ought too bee in steede of a rule generall example Hauing therfore proued him to be iustified by faith he teacheth that the same way is to be holden of vs And heereupon hee inferreth by the comparing of contraries to followe that the righteousnesse of workes must vanish where place is giuen to the iustification of faith Which thing he proueth by the testimonie of Dauid who reposing all the blessednes of man in the mercy of God doth take this from works that they should make a man blessed After this hee handeleth that more at large whiche hee had briefly touched before namely that there is no cause why the Iewes shold aduance themselues aboue the gentiles who are partakers of the same felicitie with them seeyng the Scripture declareth righteousnesse to haue happened vnto Abraham when hee was vncircumcised In which place hee taketh occasion to intreate of the vse of circumcision After this he addeth that the promised saluation doth depend vpon the onely goodnes of God for if it depended vpon the law then could it neither bring peace vnto our consciences wherein it ought to be firmely rooted neyther were it like euer to come vnto his perfection Wherefore that it may be firme and sure in imbracing of it we are to consider the onely truth of God and not our selues and that after the example of Abraham who not considering himselfe did wholly set before him the power of God In the ende of the Chapter to the intent hee might more aptlye applye the alleadged example vnto the generall cause hee conferreth those thinges which on both sides are like In the fift Chapter after he hath touched the fruite effect of the righteousnes of faith he is almost wholly occupied in amplifications whiche serue to make the matter more cleere For by an argument taken from the greater he sheweth how great things we now being redeemed reconciled vnto God are to expect looke for at his hands through his loue which was so bountiful towards vs being sinners vtterly vndone cast away that he gaue vnto vs his onely begotten only beloued sonne After this he compareth sinne with righteousnes which commeth by free grace Christ with Adā death with life the law with grace Wherby he declareth that the infinite goodnes of God doth ouermatch our sins how great so euer they are In the sixte Chapter hee commeth vnto sanctification which we haue in Christ For our fleshe is prone assoone as it hath tasted a little of this grace to cocker wantonly his sins concupiscences as though it had now dispatched al. Therfore Paule on the contrary declareth here that we cannot bee partakers of righteousnes in Christ vnlesse also wee lay holde on sanctification Hee fetcheth his argument from Baptisme wherby we are admitted in the felowship of Christ therin we are buried together with Christ that being dead in our selues by his life wee might be raised vnto newnes of life Whereupon it ensueth that no man without regeneratiō can put on his righteousnes From hence he draweth exhortations vnto puritie and holines of life which necessarily ought to appeare in those who are translated from the power of sinne into the kingdome of righteousnes hauing cast away the wicked cockering of the flesh which seeketh a more licentious libertie of sinning in Christ Finally he doth briefly make mention of the abrogation of the law in abrogating wherof the new
Obiection for the woordes of the Scripture say no more that a man is iustified by faith and made blessed by the mercie of God then by workes Verily here as well the order of causes as the dispensation of the grace of God is to bee considered Answere For because what so euer is spoken either of the righteousnes or blessednes of workes it taketh no place vnles this sole righteousnes of faith goe before and onely fulfill all partes this must be reared vp and established that the other as fruite from a tree may growe and come forth of it 9 Came this blessednesse then vpon the circumcision only or vpon the vncircumcision also for wee say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnes 10 Howe was it then imputed when he was circumcised or vncircumcised not when he was circumcised but whē he was vncircumcised Because there is mention made of circumcision and vncircumcision onely some foolishly gather there is nothing els in question then that righteousnesse is not obtayned by the ceremonies of the lawe But wee are to note with what sorte of men Paul hath to deale For wee knowe that hypocrites whiles in generall they boast their meritorious workes yet they pretende a colour in externall workes The Iewes also which thorowe the grosse abuse of the lawe were alienated from true and perfect righteousnesse had their peculier reason Paul saide no man is blessed but he whom God by his free mercie reconcileth to himself whereby it foloweth all they are cursed whose works come into iudgement Now this principle is holden that mē are not iustified by their worthines but by the mercy of God But yet that is not inough except remission of sinnes go before al works of the which circumcision is the first whereby the people of the Iewes were ingraffed into the obedience of God Wherefore hee goeth on in shewing that also Wee are alwayes to beare this one thing in minde that circumcision is reckoned here as the inceptiue worke if I may so terme it of the legall righteousnesse How the Iewes gloried in circumcision For the Iewes did not glorie in it as in the pledge or seale of the grace of God but as in a meritorious obseruation or keeping of the lawe Therefore they preferred themselues before others as though they were more excellent then others in the sight of God Nowe wee see the controuersie is not of one rite but vnder one kind are all the workes of the lawe that is all workes to the which wages can be due comprehended And for this cause chiefly is circumcision named because it was the foundation of legall righteousnesse But Paul disputeth from the contrary if the righteousnesse of Abraham bee the remission of sinnes which he bodily taketh for a thing granted and the same remission of sinnes came vnto Abraham before circumcision then it followeth the remission of sinnes was not giuen in regard of merites going before Thou seest it is an argument drawē from the order of the causes and the effects For the cause is euer before his effecte But righteousnesse was in Abraham before circumcision 11 After hee receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith whiche was in the vncircumcision that hee might bee the father of all them doe beeleeue by vncircumcision wherein righteousnesse is also imputed vnto them 12 And the father of circumcision not vnto them onely which are of the circumcision but vnto them also that walk in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham which he had when he was vncircumcised 11 After hee receiued the signe By the way of anticipation or preuenting hee declareth Though circumcision iustified not yet was it not in vaine that though circumcision iustified not yet was it not in vayne or superfluous seeing it had another and the same a very excellent vse namely whose office was to seale the righteousnes of faith as it were to make it sure And yet in the meane while frō the ende it self he insinuateth vnto vs that it is not the cause of righteousnesse For it tendeth vnto the confirmation of the righteousnesse of fayth yea and of that verily which was had in vncircumcision therefore it derogateth or taketh nothing from it Moreouer heere wee haue a notable place concerning the common vse of Sacramentes The common vse of Sacramentes for they are as Paule witnesseth seales whereby both the promises of GOD are after a sort sealed in our heartes and the certitude of the grace of GOD established And although they profite nothing by them selues yet GOD who woulde haue them to bee instrumentes of his grace doeth make that they wante not a secrete grace and profite in the electe And although they are vnto the reprobate only dead vnprofitable figures yet they alwaies retaine their vertue nature for albeit our incredulitie depriue vs of their effecte yet it shaketh not neither extinguisheth the trueth of God Wherefore let vs stande sure that the holy Sacramentes are testimonies wherewithall God sealeth his grace in our heartes Touching the Sacramente of circumcision this is to bee saide in particular therein was a twofoulde grace represented GOD promised to Abraham a blessed seede wherein both hee and all the worlde should hope for health Heerevpon depended that promise I will bee thy GOD. Gen. 17.7 Therefore the free reconciliation in GOD was included in that signe and the analogie or proportion serued that the faithfull might respect the promised seede Againe God required integritie and holinesse of life by the Sacrament hee declared howe it might bee come vnto namely if in man that bee cutte off whatsoeuer commeth of the fleshe because the whole nature of man is corrupted By the externall signe therefore hee admonished Abraham that he shoulde spiritually circumcise the corruption of his flesh wherevnto also Moses alluded Deut. 10.16 And that he might shewe it was not the woorke of man but of God hee wold haue tender infants circumcised who for want of yeres cold not as yet execute that commaundement For that spirituall circumcision is an effect or worke of the celestiall power Moses hath spoken as you haue in Deut Deut. 30.6 The Lorde shall circumcise thy heart The Prophetes also afterwarde declared the verie same more clearely Finally as at this day baptisme so in olde time circumcision consisted of two partes namely that therein was testified as well newnesse of life As circumcisiō in old time so baptisme at this day is a signe of a twofold grace namely of the remission of sinnes and sanctification as the remission of sinnes but where as in the person of Abraham circumcision was after righteousnesse that houldeth not alwaye in the Sacraments as it appeareth in Isaac and his posterite but GOD woulde once at the beginning shewe foorth such an example least any shoulde tye saluation vnto the externall signes That hee might bee the father Note howe the circumcision of Abraham confirmeth
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
helpe forthwith Iudgement for tract iustice Gifte signifieth free pardon When to iudgement he opposeth gift the first signifieth rigor as the other signifieth free pardon For of seueritie or rigour commeth condemnation of pardon cōmeth absolution Or which is all one if God deale with vs according to iustice we are all vndone but hee iustifieth vs freely in Christ 17 For if through the offence of one death hath rained by one much more shal they which haue receiued the abūdāce of grace and gyfte of righteousnes raigne in life by Iesus Christ 17 For if through the offence of one Againe hee addeth a generall correction wherein he persisteth the rather because his purpose is not to prosecute euery part but to set down the speciall summe of the matter Before he said the power of grace had ouermatched the power of sinne Hereby he comforteth confirmeth the faithful withall he prouoketh exhorteth thē to reuerence the bountifulnes of God For this is the meaning of so studious a repetitiō that the grace of God might be cōmended according to the dignitie therof that men might be drawen frō trust in thēselues vnto Christ that we hauing obteined his grace might inioy full assurance whence at length springeth thankfulnes The sum is because Christ excelleth Adam the righteousnes of Christ ouercōmeth the sin of Adā the curse of Adā is ouerthrowen by the grace of Christ◠the death came of Adam is swallowed vp of the life is come of Christ But yet euen the members of this comparison do not answere one another For he shoulde haue said the benefit of life raigneth florisheth more by the abundance of grace in steed thereof he saith the faithfull shall raigne which is as much in value because the kingdome of the faithfull is in life also the kingdome of life is in the faithful A twofold difference betweene Christ Adam Furthermore it is necessarie to note here two differences betweene Christ and Adam which the Apostle hath not therfore omitted as though he thought them meet to be neglected but because concerning the present argument it was no matter to reckon them The first is that through the sinne of Adam we are not condemned by sole imputation as though the punishment of anothers faulte were exacted vppon vs but therefore susteyne wee the punishment of his sinne because wee are also guiltie of his crime Namely in as muche as our nature beeing corrupted in him is holden guiltie of iniquitie before GOD. But by the righteousnesse of Christe wee are restored in another sorte vnto saluation For it is not therefore imputed vnto vs as though it were within vs but because wee possesse Christ himself with all his graces giuen vnto vs by the bountifulnes of the father Therefore the gifte of righteousnes signifieth not a qualitie where with God indueth vs as some haue very wickedly expounded but the free imputation of righteousnes For the Apostle declareth what he ment by the word grace The second difference is that the benefite of Christe hath not redounded vnto all men as Adam hath plonged al his progenie in condēnation And the reason is at hand for seeing this malediction or curse with wee draw from Adam is deriued vnto vs by nature it is no maruayle though it comprehend the whole masse But veryly that we may come into participation of the grace of Christ wee must be graffed into him by faith Therefore to obtayne the miserable inheritaunce of sinne it is inough to be a man for it abideth in flesh and blood But to obtaine the righteousnes of Christ thou must needs be a faithfull man because that by faith his felowship is obtayned It is cōmunicated to infantes by a speciall maner for they haue the priuiledge of adoption in the couenant whereby they passe into the societie of Christ I speake of the children of the godly vnto whom the promise of grace is directed for others are not exempted from the common estate 18 Therefore as by the offence of one condemnatiō came vpon all men so by the iustification of one iustification of life is come vpon all men 18 This is an imperfect speech which may be made perfect if the words condemnation and iustification be read in the nominatiue case as sure they must bee resolued if you will haue the sence perfect And it is the generall conclusion of that comparisō which went before For now hauing omitted the mention of the interposed correction he knitteth vp that similitude as by the offence of one we are made sinners so the righteousnes of Christ is effectual to iustifie vs although he putteth not dikaiosunen That is the righteousnes of Christ but dikaioma that is the iustification of Christ that he might admonish how Christ is not iust priuately to himselfe but that righteousnes wherewithall hee was indewed doeth extende further How the righteousnesse of christ is common to al namely that bee might inriche the faithfull with the gift bestowed vpon him He maketh it a grace common to all because it is offered to all not that all men are partakers of it indeede For albeit Christe suffered for the sinnes of the whole worlde and bee indifferently through the goodnesse of God offered vnto all yet all doe not receiue him And those two wordes which hee vsed of late may be repeated in this sense as by the iudgement of God it came to passe that the sinne of one shoulde redownd to the condemnation of many so shal grace be effectual to the iustificatiō of many Iustificatiō of life in my iudgement is taken for absolution whiche restoreth life vnto vs as though hee called it a quickening iustification For thence commeth the hope of saluation if God bee mercifull vnto vs and of necessitie wee muste be iuste that wee may bee acceptable to him Therefore life commeth of iustification 19 For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many bee made iuste This is no superfluous speeche but a necessary declaration of the former sentence For it sheweth that we are so guiltie by the offence of one man that we are not innocent Hee said before we were damned but least any man should attribute vnto himselfe innocencie he woulde also adde that euery one is condemned because he is a sinner Moreouer when hee saith wee are iustified by the obedience of Christe heereby wee gather Christe in that hee satisfied the father to haue purchased righteousnesse for vs. Righteousnes is a qualitie in Christ and is made ours by imputation Whereupon it followeth the qualitie of righteousnesse is in Christe but that is imputed vnto vs whiche is proper to him And also hee openeth what kinde of righteousnesse the righteousnesse of Christe is when hee calleth it obedience where let vs note I pray you what we must bring into the sight of God if we wil be iustified by workes namely obedience of the lawe not such as is
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
the light of the Apostolicall doctrin reading of the holy scriptures Contrary to the minde of Chriso Who vehemenly exhorteth all christians Vpon the epi. to the Collos Hom. 9. and specially the laitie that they should get them Bibles or at the least the newe Testament Contrary to the minde of the holy Apostle who saith to the Colloss Let the worde of Christ dwel in you plēteously in al wisedom Colloss 3.16 Iohn 5.39 teaching admonishing your own selues c. Yea contrary to christ himself who saith search the scriptures c. And yet they blush not how contrary soeuer they be to the pure doctrin of Christ his apostles to boast thēselues for the only catholikes of the world successors of Christ his Apostles But this is no newe thing for vice hath alway delited in the cloake of vertue superstition in the name of religion and heretikes in the name of catholiks How truly this is said of the romish prelates at this day we shal not need to seeke far for profe onely it shall suffice to cōpare them in their nowe and newe professed doctrines with the ancient sincere doctrin was at the first taught and receiued amongst the olde and true Catholike romanes The sūme substance of which doctrine is registred by the holy ghost in this Epistle whereat they doe chiefly storme besides all other the writs of that good man because it doth in a speciall sort detect their Apostasey conuince their heresey bewray their superstitious hypocrisie Howbeit the Church of God is not more bound vnto the Lord for any portion of scripture then for this most excellent worthy epistle Wherein is cōteined a cleare compendious Epitome of Christian religion as may easily appeare by the places therein discussed namely of naturall knowledge ciuill duties the lawe of Moses the Gospel iustification originall sinne grace election predestination excaecation of the Iewes and their restitution of the sacrifice of Chistians of Magistrates and subiectes of bearing the weake and auoyding offence c. So that if a man vnderstand it he hath a certayne way open vnto him to the vnderstanding of the whole scripture VVherefore in my iudgement and I am not of that mind onely the godly can no where better bestowe their labour to their edification in true godlinesse then in reading studiyng yea and committing to memorie this notable Epistle VVhich is not therefore put in the first place as though it had bin written first neither as the Romaynes perhaps would haue it for the dignitie and worthines sake of the Romane Church wherunto it was dedicated but for the maiestie and excellencie of those things are handled in it specially for the doctrine of grace and iustification which is so plainely and diligently handled in certayne chapters that the whole epistle deserueth to be read euery day and learned without booke of the faythfull Yet heere I woulde haue all christians admonished seeing the Lord requireth humble and reuerent hearers of his word as it is written to him will I looke saith the Lord euen to him that is poore Esa 66.2 and of a contrite spirite and trembleth at my wordes that with meeke hearts and due reuerence they handle heare reade the holy scriptures of God alway remembring that watchworde of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2.14 Ioh. 3.4 the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirit of God c. And continually for profe therof bearing in minde the example of Nicodemus who by the dexteritie of wit and all the helpes of art were in him could not atteine vnto the meaning of the words of our sauiour Christ and that in a common principle of religion namely regeneration Wherefore let no man throughe vayne arrogancie contemne the labours of others neither through folish presumptiō trust too much to himselfe Vzziah king of Iuda reiecting the priests 2. Chro. 26 1◠teaching him that he should not offer incense cōtrary to the law of the Lord thinking that he knew the law better thē they al for his arrogancie and presumption was smitten with a leprosie But on the contrary the Eunuch of Ethiopia acknowledging his own weakenesse and ignorance Act. 8.27 saying Howe can I vnderstande except I had a guide and humbly crauing the helpe of Phillip receiued a blessing from the Lorde Thus hee scattereth the proude in the imagination of their hearts he putteth downe the mightie from their seate and exalteth the humble and meeke Hee filleth the hungrie with good things and the riche hee hath sent emptie away No maruaile then why so fewe at this day profite accordingly in reading the scriptures seeing the greatest part of people holy Commentaries and expositions of the godly beeing neglected hauing their eyes blinded with selfe loue comment vppon them according to their owne sense whereby both errours increase and are maintained and also the Oracles of God most vnreuerently prophaned Which thing as it commeth to passe in other bookes of sacred Scripture so principally in this Epistle wherein without all controuersie there are many thinges hard to bee vnderstoode which the vnlearned and those are vnstable may easily peruert to their owne destruction For preuenting of which euils it is meete not onely that godly and faithfull interpretations bee deliuered vnto the people but also that they be diligently exhorted reuerently too imbrace them as the good helpes of God giuen for their edification in pure and vndefiled religion and seriously to reade heare and marke them as the meanes whereby it pleaseth the Lorde to illuminate their mindes with the true knowledge of his heauenly mysteries alwaye keeping themselues with in the compasse of their capacitie Knowing that it is a good part of learning for a mā to vnderstand his owne ignorance for hence commeth the studie desire to bee taught And this is right honorable the onely cause hath moued mee to set foorth this translation vpon the Epistle to the Romanes whiche thing perhaps will seeme vnto many needlesse and vnnecessarie considering that the Commentaries of master Peter Martyr were alreadie in English vpon the same matter Howbeit if those men diligently weigh with thēselues how the Commentaries of the said reuerende father are higher then that easily they may be reached vnto of the simpler sort and larger then that they may hastily be read ouer of suche as are drawen away by other affayres I doubt not but they will soone graunt this my labour is not altogether needles and vnnecessarie For besides that none hath dealt more sincerely in expounding the holy scriptures and more faithfully in drawing foorth the true sense of deepe mysteries then M. Caluine hee hath this as peculier to himselfe alway to match his faithfull sinceritie with a plaine briefnesse So that men may without any great losse of time find that with him which would cost them much seeking in others And this is not onely a gaine of time but also a notable helpe for
vndoubtedly he saith that glorying is excluded because wee can bring nothing of our owne which is worthy to be approued or commended of God If merite be the matter of glorying whether you terme it de congruo which is apt fitte or conuenient That is called merite de congruo when a man of his own good motioÌ„ proceeding naturally from him meriteth the firste grace which they call grace preuenting Merite de condigno when man being holpen by the firste grace doth make himselfe worthy of eternall life or whether you call it de condigno that is worthie whereby man recoÌ„cileth God vnto himself here thou seest they are both ouerthrowen For here he speaketh of no diminishing or moderating but Paule verily leaueth no droppe of merite Moreouer if the glorying of workes be so taken away by faith the faith cannot purely be preached but in giuing all vnto the mercie of God man must needes bee spoyled of all prayse it followeth then that wee are not holpen by any woorkes to the obteyning of righteousnesse Of woorkes How doth the Apostle here deny our merits to be excluded by the lawe seeyng before he proued our damnation out of the lawe For if the lawe make vs subiecte to death what glorie shall wee gette out of it Or rather doeth it not couer vs beeyng depriued of all glorye with shame or reproche But then hee shewed howe our sinne is layd open by the detection of the Lawe because wee are all fallen from the obseruation of it And heere hee meaneth if righteousnesse were in the lawe of woorkes our glorying were not excluded but because it is of fayth onely therefore we cannâ— chalenge nothinge to our selues for fayth receyueth all from God it bringeth nothing but a humble confession of neede or want And the Antithesis or contrarietye of fayth and woorkes is to bee noted wherein without addition woorkes are put vniuersally Therefore he neyther intreateth of ceremonies onelye nor yet of the externall shew of woorkes but comprehendeth all the merites of woorkes which can be imagined The name Lawe is giuen vnto fayth improperly but yet this darkeneth not the sence of the Apostle For his meaning is that when wee are once come vnto the rule of faith then all the glorie of woorkes is ouerthrowen as if hee shoulde saye the righteousnesse of woorkes veryly is commended in the lawe but faith hath a lawe of his owne which leaueth no righteousnesse in workes whatsoeuer they be 28 We haue determined therefore Now he gathereth the principall proposition as though it were now out of all controuersie adding also an explication For iustification by faith is made very cleere whiles woorkes are excluded by name Therefore our aduersaries at this day labour nothing more then that faith might be intangled with the merite of workes They confesse a man is iustified by faith but not by sole faith Yea in verie deede they place the power of iustification in charity howsoeuer in wordes they giue it vnto fayth But Paule in this place doeth make iustification so free that he maketh it euident howe in no sort it can stand with any merite of workes I haue shewed before why he nameth the workes of the lawe and also I haue declared those to be ridiculous whiche restrayne it vnto ceremonies Their imagination also is childish which take the works of the lawe for externall or literal workes which are done without the spirite of Christ But rather the Epitheton is as much of value as if he had called them meritorious How S. Iames saith a man is not iustified by faith onely because he hath regard vnto the roward promised in the law Whereas Iames sayeth a man is not iustified by faith onely but by works it is nothing coÌ„trary to the former sentence The reconciliation depeÌ„deth chiefly vpon the state of that argument of the which Iames intreateth in that place For in that place the question is not howe menne get vnto them righteousnesse before God but how they approue themselues to be iust For hee refuteth Hypocrites who glorie vainely in the title of faith It is therefore a grosse fallacie not to obserue how the word iustifie or iustifying is otherwise taken with Iames then with Paule as they intreate of diuers things And also the word faith most certainly appeareth to be equiuocal id est of ambiguous and doubtfull signification This twofolde ambiguity or doubtfulnesse ought is haue byn noted It may be gathered out of the text that Iames would nothing els then that a man is not made or approued iust by a dead faith excepte hee confirme his righteousnesse by woorkes Of which matter see our institutions 29 Is God the God of the Iewes only and not of the Gentiles also Yea euen of the Gentiles also 30 Seing there is but one God who shall iustifie the circumcision by faith and the vncircumcision by faith 29 Is God the God of the c. The second proposition sheweth how that righteousnesse doth no more appertayne vnto the Iewes then vnto the Gentiles And it was very necessary that should be vrged to the end place might be made for the kingdom of Christ through the whole world He doeth not therefore aske simply or precisely whither God bee the maker of the Gentiles which was knowen to be out of all controuersie but whether he would shew himselfe a Sauiour to them also or no. For after he hath matched all mankynde together and hath brought them all vnder the same condition if there be any difference amongst them it is of God and not of themselues The righteousnes of God in Christ is not tyed to one nation which haue all things like or equall amongst them So that if it be true God woulde haue all the people of the earth to be partakers of his mercy theÌ„ saluation and righteousnes which is necessary to saluation is extended vnto all Wherefore â—nder the name of God heere is an insinuation of that mutuall relation which often commeth to our sight in Scripture Iere. 30.22 I wil be your God you shal be my people For that God for a time did choose vnto himself a peculiar people that taketh not away the beginning of nature namely that all meÌ„ were made according to the image of God brought vp in this world vnto the hope of blessed eternity 30 Who iustifieth When hee saith some are iustified by faith other some of faith he seemeth to be delighted with the variety of speech in declaring the same matter that he might by the way gyrde the folly of the Iewes who imagine a difference betweene them and the Gentiles In the cause of iustification there is no difference between the Iewes and Gentiles when as in the cause of iustification there is no difference at al. For if men be made partakers of this grace by faith onely and there is one faith in them both it is childishnesse to make a variance or diuersitie where there is so great
said not to haue sinned after the similitude of Adam because they had not as he had the will of God reueiled by a certan oracle For God had forbidden Adam to touch the fruite of knowledge of good and euill but to these he gaue no cōmandement besydes the witnes of their conscience The meaninge then of the Apostle is secretly to insinuate that through this diuersitie betwene Adam and his posteritie it commeth not to passe that they are exempted frome condemnation In the meane while vnder the vniuersall catalogue infantes also are comprehended Who is the figure of him that was to come This sentence is put instead of the other member For wee see one onely parte of the comparison expressed the other being by that vice in writing called anacoluthon that is a non sequele or consequent omitted A man may therefore take it as though it were written thus as by one man sinne entered into the whole worlde and by sinne death so by one man cōmeth righteousnes by righteousnes life And where as he saith Adā was a figure of Christ Howe Adam is a figure of Christ it is no marueile for euen in things most contrary there appereth alway some similitud because therfore as throgh the sin of Adā we are al lost so by the righteousnes of christ we are restored very aptly hath he called Adā a tipe of christ And note the Adā is not called a figure of sinne nor Christ of righteousnes as though they went only before vs by their example but that one is compared with the other least thou fall fouly with Origen and that into a pernicious errour For he disputeth Philosophically and prophanely of the corruptions of mankinde and doth not onely extenuate the grace of Christ but in a maner doth wholly destroy it Whereby Erasmus is by so much the lesse excusable who taketh so great paynes to excuse so grosse a dotage 15 But not as the offence so also the gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God gift of God in grace which is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many 15 But not as the offence Nowe followe corrections of the late comparison wherein notwithstanding the Apostle doeth not curiously discusse whatsoeuer dissimilitude there is betweene Christ and Adam but hee doeth occurre those errours whereinto men might otherwise easily fall And that is wanting to the exposition wee will adde For albeit hee oftentimes maketh mention of the difference yet maketh hee mention thereof no where but there is a defecte or at the least some eclipse whiche verily are faultes in speeche yet such as are not preiudiciall to the maiestie of the celestiall wisedome is deliuered vnto vs by the Apostle But rather it is brought to passe by the singuler prouidence of God that vnder a base stile these high mysteries should be deliuered vnto vs that our fayth might not depende vppon the power of humane eloquence but vppon the onely efficacie of the spirite And hee doeth not heere as yet precisely vnfoulde that maner of correction but simply hee teacheth there is a greater measure of grace purchased by Christ then of condemnation contracted by the first man Whereas some thinke the Apostle disputeth or frameth an argument here I know not whither all will approue of it or no. In deed it might that not vnaptly be inferred if the fall of Adam were of such force to the destructiō of many much more effectuall is the grace of God to the benefit of many seeing it is graunted that Christ is of far greater power to saue then Adam to destroy But because they can not be refuted if any will take it wtout an illation or conclusion for me they shall chuse whither sentence they wil. Albeit that which next foloweth cānot be coūted an illation or conclusion yet is it of the same nature Whereby it is like that Paul doth simply correct or by exceptiō moderate the which he said of the similitud of Christ Adā And note that here mo are not compared with many for the questiō is not of the multitud of men but he resoneth thus seeing the sin of Adā did destroy many the righteousnes of Christ hath no lesse power to saue many Where as he saith we perished by the offēce of one vnderstād it thus because corruptiō is descēded frō him to vs. For we do not so perish thorowe his fault as though we were wtout fault our selues Howe wee are said to perishe through the fall of Adam but because his sin is the cause of our sin Paul ascribeth our destructiō to him I cal that our sin is graffed in vs wherewith we are borne The grace of God and the gift of God in grace Trace properly is opposed against offence What is ment by grace what by the gift of grace the gift which proceedeth frō grace against death Therfore grace signifieth the mere goodnes of God or his free loue whereof he gaue a testimony in Christ that he might helpe our miserie And the gift is the fruit of mercie which hath come vnto vs namely reconciliation whereby we haue obteined life health righteousnes newnes of life whatsoeuer is like Whereby we see how sottishly the scholemen define grace whiles they wil haue it to be nothing els thē a quality infused into the harts of mē For grace properly is in God the effect of grace is in vs. And he saith the same grace was of one man Christ because the father hath made him the fountaine of whose fulnes all men must draw And so he teacheth there can not one droppe be found out of Christ neither is there any other remedy of our pouertie then that he powre into vs of his abundance 16 And not as by one which had sinned so the gift For iudgement came of one offence to condemnation but the gift is of many offences to iustification 16 This is a speciall reason of the correction that by one offence the guiltines was of force to the condemnation of vs al but grace or rather the free gift is effectual to iustification from many offences For it is a declaration of the last sentence because as yet he had not expressed howe or in what part Christ excelled Adam This difference being put downe it is apparant that they haue thought wickedly who haue taught that we recouer nothing els in Christ but that we should be deliuered from originall sin or corruption drawen from Adam What bee those many offences are done away by the benefit of Christ Adde that those same many offences from the which he testifieth wee are purged through the benefite of Christ are not onely to be vnderstood of those which euery one hath committed before baptisme but also of those by the which the godly do dayly draw guiltines vpon them and to the condemnation whereof they shoulde worthily be subiect except this grace did
if it be true that the grace of God doth help vs so much the more bountifully and largely as we haue beene ouerwhelmed with a greater weight of sinne there is nothing more expedient for vs then that wee being drowned in the depth of sinne shoulde oftentimes by newe offences prouoke the wrath of God Obiection For so at length we shall feele greater plentie of grace then the which nothing is more to be wished for As for the maner of refutation we shall see it afterwarde 2 God forbid Some think that the Apostle doeth onely by the way of a sharpe correction reprehende so vnreasonable a madnesse but by other places it doth appeare howe familier an answere this is with him yea in much disputation or many arguments as here also he wil shortly with great diligence refute the obiected obloquie yet first by this particle of one detesting he doth reiect it that he might admonishe the readers there is nothing more vnlike then that the grace of Christe the repayrer of our righteousnesse shoulde nourishe our vices The grace of Christ abolisheth sinne and therefore doth not nourish it Whiche are dead to sinne This is an argumen taken from the contrary For it is certaine that he which sinneth liueth to sinne but we are dead to sinne by the grace of Christ therefore is it false that that shoulde nourishe sinne which doth abolish it For thus the case standeth the faythfull are neuer reconciled vnto God without the gift of sanctification yea to this ende are wee iustified that after warde we might worship God in holinesse of life For Christe doth not otherwise washe vs with his blood and by his satisfaction reconcile God vnto vs then whiles hee maketh vs partakers of his spirite which reneweth vs into an holy lyfe It were therefore too preposterous an inuersion of the worke of God if by occasion of that grace which is offered vs in Christe sinne shoulde gather any strength For the medicine is not the nourishour of that it extinguisheth Finally we must remēber that I touched of late namely that Paule doth not here say what God doth finde vs to bee whiles he calleth vs into the societie of his sonne but what wee shoulde bee after he hath had mercy vpon vs and hath adopted vs freely For by a verbe of the future tēse he sheweth what manner of chaunge should followe righteousnesse 3. Know ye not that all wee which haue beene baptised into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death 4 Wee are buried then with hym by baptisme into his death that like as Chirste was raised vppe from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life 3 Know ye not He proueth the former sentence namely that Christ killeth sin in his by the effect of baptisme wherby we are incorporated into his faith For it is out of questiō that wee put on Christe in baptisme Then do we truly grow vp into the body of christ when his deathe bringeth foorthe fruit in vs. and with this condition are we baptised that we shoulde be one with him Now Paule taketh another principle namely that we do then indeede grow vp into the body of Christ when his death bringeth foorth his fruite in vs. Yea he teacheth that this participation of death is principally to be respected in baptisme For not onely purgation but also mortification and the dying of the old man is proposed there whereby it is manifest after we are receiued into the grace of Christ the efficacie of his death appeareth straight wayes Finally what this societie with the death of Christe auaileth it followeth straightwayes 4 Being buried then with him Now he beginneth to shew although he doe not plainely declare whereunto it apperteineth that we are baptized into the death of Christ namely that we being dead vnto our selues might become new men For from the participation of his death he passeth conueniently vnto the participation of life because these two hang together by an inseparable connexion Mortificatiō newnes of life go together namely the old man to bee abolished by the death of Christ that his resurrection might restore righteousnes and make vs new creatures And surely seeing Christ is giuen vs vnto life to what end shold we die with him except we might rise againe vnto a better life And therfore to no other ende hath he flaine that is mortal in vs but that he might truly quicken vs. Furthermore let vs note that the Apostle doth not simply heere exhort vs to imitate Christ as if he said the death of Christ is in steed of an example which all Christians ought to follow For he surely goeth higher deliuering doctrine out of the which afterward he draweth exhortatiō as it is easie And this is the doctrin that the death of Christe is effectuall to extinguish and banish the prauitie of the flesh and his resurrection to raise vp the newnes of a better nature and that by baptisme we are receiued into the participation of this grace This foundation being laide a man may very aptly exhort Christians that they striue to aunswere their calling Moreouer it forceth not that this vertue doeth not appeare in all those are baptized For Paule after his manner because he speaketh vnto the faythful conioyneth the substance effect with the external signe For we know that by their faith is established ratified whatsoeuer the Lord offereth by the visible pledge To be briefe he teacheth what is the veritie of baptisme rightly receiued So to the Galathians he testifieth Gal. 3.27 When the sacraments are effectuall pledges and when the◠be but bare signes that all they whosoeuer are baptised in Christ haue put on Christe For so a man must say so long as the institution of the Lord and the faith of the godly agree together For we neuer haue bare and idle signes but when our vnthankfulnes and wickednes hindereth the working of Gods bountifulnes By the glory of the father That is through his notable power whereby hee hath declared himselfe truely glorious and hath as it were manifested the greatnes of his glory So oftentimes in scripture is the power of God which hath shewed it selfe in the resurrection of Christ set foorth by some excellent title and not without cause for it is grealy materiall that by such expresse mention of the incomparable power of God not onely the faith of the last resurrection which far exceedeth the capacity of flesh but also other fruits which we receiue by the resurrection of Christ shold be highly extolled with vs. 5 For if we be graffed into the similitude of his death euē so also shall we be partakers of his resurrection 6 Knowing this that our olde man is crucified together with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that wee should not serue sinne any more 5 For if wee be graffed By plainer wordes hee prooueth the argument which he hath put
sinnes wherby God imputeth righteousnes vnto vs and the sanctification of the spirite by the which he frameth vs a new vnto good works I take the particle aduersatiue to bee put for a causall whiche hapneth often as though it were said because we are vnder grace therefore we are not vnder the law Now the sence shal be plaine For the Apostles minde is to cōfort vs that we faint not in the study of wel doing for that we feele as yet in our selues many imperfections For howsoeuer we be vexed with the sting of sinne yet it cannot subdue vs because we get the vpper hande through the spirite of God Moreouer being vnder grace we are free from the seuere exaction of the law Here furthermore the Apostle is to be vnderstood to take it for a thing graunted that all they who are destitute of the grace of God being bound vnto the yoke of the law are holden vnder condemnation And so on the contrary a man may argue that so long as mē are vnder the law they are subiect to the power of sinne 15 What then Because the wisedome of the flesh alway cryeth out against the mysteries of God he necessarily addeth this Preoccupation For seeing the law is the rule of righteousnes and was giuen to gouerne men we thinke that it beyng broken straightwayes all discipline falleth to the ground the barres are broken and finally there remayneth no choyse or difference of good and euill But herein we are deceiued that by the abrogation of the law we think that righteousnes is abolished which God commendeth vnto vs in the law We are not deliuered from the obedience of the commandemēts but from the curse of the law For this is not to bee drawen vnto the preceptes teaching a right forme of life whiche Christ confirmeth and establisheth rather then abrogateth And this verily is the proper solution that nothing els is taken away but the curse of the lawe whereunto all menne that are out of grace be subiect But Paule albeeit hee doeth not expressely shewe that yet indirectlye hee declareth it 16 God forbidde Knowe yee not It is not a bare reiection as some haue thought as though he had rather detest such a question then refute it For straight after followeth a confutation taken from the nature of contraries almost to this sence betweene the yoke of Christ and sinne there is more cōtrariety then that any can together beare them both If we sinn we deliuer our selues into the seruitude of sinne but on the cōtrary the faithfull are redeemed from the tyranny of sinne that they might serue Christ therefore it is impossible they should abyde bound vnto sinne But it shal be profitable more neerely to discusse the order of this argument as it is digested of Paule To whom you obey This relatiue hath the force of a Particle causall as it doth often come to passe Like as if one sayd there is no kynd of wickednes a paricide wil not doe who doubted not to commit the greatest mischiefe of al such a cruelty as in it selfe is almost abhorred of the very beastes And the reason of Paule is taken partly from the effects partly from the nature of Correlatiues For first if they obey he gathereth they are seruants because their obediēce testifieth that he hath power to command who bringeth them so into his obsequie This reason is taken from the effect of seruitude out of the which aryseth that other if yee be seruauntes Then agayne is the power of dominating in him Or of obedience Hee speaketh improperly For if he woulde haue made one part aunsweare another he should haue saide or of righteousnesse vnto life But seeyng the inuersion of the woordes did hinder nothing the sence of the matter hee choose rather by the name of obedience to expresse what righteousnesse is Wherin yet there is the figure Metonymia because obedience is taken for the commaundementes of GOD which are to bee obeyed Obedience put for the commandements are to be obeyed And whereas hee hath put downe this woorde obedience without anie addition thereby he declareth it is God onelie vnto whose authoritie consciences ought to be subiecte And therefore obedience yea though that name of God be not expressed neuerthelesse is referred vnto God for it cannot be manifold 17 But thankes bee vnto God This is the application of the similitude vnto the present cause wherein although they were onelie to haue beene admonished that they are not the seruants of sin he addeth a thankesgiuing first that he might teach how it is not of their owne merite but of the singuler mercie of God and also that by the thankesgiuing they might learne how great a benefite of God it is and so much the more might bee incouraged to detest sinne And he giueth thankes not in respect of that time wherein they were the seruauntes of sinne but for that deliueraunce followed Wherfore Paul giueth thankes whiles they ceassed to bee that they were before And this secrete comparison of the former estate with the present hath an Emphasis For the Apostle taketh vp the slaunderers of the grace of Christe whiles hee sheweth the that ceasing all mankinde is holden captiue vnder sinne but so soone as that sheweth it selfe the kingdome of sinne ceaseth Hereuppon we may gather that we are not therefore freed from the seruitude of the law that we should sinne because the lawe doeth not loose his dominion or power before the grace of God haue taken vs to it selfe that it might restore righteousnes in vs and therfore it is impossible we should be vnder sinne when the grace of God raigneth in vs. For we shewed before that vnder this woorde is conteyned the spirite of regeneration you haue obeyed from the hearte Here also Paule compareth by the way of contrarietie the secrete vertue of the spirite with the externall letter as though he saide Christ inwardly frameth our heartes better then if the lawe shoulde force them by threatning and terrifiyng And so is that obloquie done away namely if Christ deliuer vs from the subiection of the lawe he bringeth libertie of sinne To what end we are deliuered frō sinne in Christ Seeing he doth not deliuer his that they shoulde liue as they list or that they should triumph without modestie as loose horses through the fields but leadeth them vnto the best kinde of life Although Erasmus following the old interpreter chooseth rather to translate it forme I am constrained to leaue this word type which word Paul vseth except some peraduenture had rather turne it example For he seemeth vnto me to note the expresse image of that righteousnes which Christ graueth in our harts And that answereth to the prescript or determinate rule of the law wherunto all our actions ought to be formed that they leane not to the right or left hand 18 But beeing freed from sinne The meaning is it is absurde that any after he is deliuered out of
gather that the doctrine of the lawe is so agreeable vnto right iudgement that the faithfull refuse the transgression thereof as a brutishe thing And beecause Paul seemeth to confesse that hee taught otherwise then the lawe commaunded many interpreters haue been deceyued which haue thought that hee tooke vpon him the person of another hence came that common errour that some haue supposed the nature of an vnregenerate man to haue been described in this whole chapter But Paule vnder the transgression of the law includeth all the offences of the godly What is ment by transgressioÌ„ who neither shake off the feare of God nor studie of well doing Therefore denieth hee him selfe to doe that which the lawe commaundeth because hee doeth it not absolutely but in a maner fainteth in his indeuoure For what I woulde doe You maye not vnderstand this to haue bin alway in him as though he coulde neuer do any good but onely he complayneth that he could not doe that he coueted namely that he coulde not prosecute that was good with such alacritie as was meete because hee was holden in a maner bond againe that he fainted in that wherein he would not because hee was feeble through the infirmitie of the fleshe The godly minde therefore doeth not that good it woulde Howe the godly do not that they woulde because it standeth not with courage as were meete and it doth the euill it would not because it desireth to stande and falleth or at the least shaketh Howebeit this will and nill must bee referred vnto the spirite which ought to haue the principalitie in the faithfull Yea the fleshe hath his will but Paule calleth that will whiche hee coueted with the speciall affection of his heart and hee calleth that contrary to his will which did gaynestande the same Here verily we may gather that we said namely that Paul here intreateth of the faithful in whom that grace of the spirite florisheth which doth illustrate the consent of a sounde mind with the righteousnes of the law because the flesh can not hate sinne 15 And if I doe that I woulde not I consent to the lawe That is to say whiles my heart doeth recreate it selfe in the law and is delighted with the righteousnes thereof whiche thynge vndoubtedly commeth to passe when it hath the transgressing thereof therein it feeleth and acknowledgeth the goodnesse of the lawe so that wee are sufficiently conuicted yea euen by experience that no euill is to be imputed to the lawe Yea it woulde bee holesome vnto men if it happened vppon right and pure heartes And here wee are not to take consent for such as wee heare to bee in the wicked whose wordes are What kinde of consent to the lawe of God there is in the godly godles I see better thinges and I allowe of them I followe after woorse Item I will followe those thinges which are hurtfull and flee those thinges I thinke may profit For they doe it by compulsion because they subscribe to the righteousnesse of God from the which otherwise their will â—â—l together aduersant but the godly consenteth in deede with a most cheerefull desire of heart for that hee coueteth nothing more then to mount vp into heauen 17 Nowe it is no more I that worketh it This is not the speeche of one excusing him selfe as though he were without faulte as many triflers thinke they haue a good defence whereby they may couer their sinnes whiles they cast them vpon the flesh but it is a declaration howe far he dissenteth from his flesh in his spirituall affection For the faithfull are caried with such feruencie of spirit to obey God that they denie their fleshe Furthermore this place proueth that Paul disputeth not here of any other then of the godly whiche bee already regenerate For so long as man abideth like himselfe whatsoeuer hee bee hee is worthily counted corrupt But Paule heere denieth himselfe to bee altogether possessed of sinne yea hee exempteth him selfe frome the bondage thereof as if hee said that sinne remayned onely in some parte of his soule seeing hee doeth earnestly from his heart labour and striue vnto the righteousnes of God and in deede declareth himselfe to beare the lawe of God grauen within him 18 For I know that in mee that is in my fleshe there dwelleth no good thing For truely to will is present with me but I finde no meanes to perfourme that is good 19 For the good that I woulde that do I not but the euill that I woulde not that I doe 20 And if I doe that I would not now then I do it not but sinne that dwelleth in mee 18 For I knowe Hee sayth that ther dwelleth no good thing in him in respecte of nature Therefore it is as muche as if it were sayde in mee so farre forth as of my selfe For euen by the first woordes he condemneth him selfe wholly of corruption when hee confesseth there dwelleth no good thing in him then in the seconde place hee addeth a correction least he shoulde bee contumelious agaynst the grace of God whiche did also dwell in him but was no part of the fleshe And here againe hee confirmeth that he speaketh not of euery man but onely of the faythfull man who through the reliques of the fleshe and grace of the spirite is diuided in him selfe For to what purpose were this correction excepte some parte were free from faulte and therefore not carnall Vnder the name of fleshe hee alwayes comprehendeth all the gyftes of mans nature and also what so euer is in man besides the sanctification of the spirite As vnder the name spirite which hee is wont to oppose agaynst the fleshe he signifieth that part of the soule with being purged from corruption the spirite of God hath so fashioned it that the image of God doeth appeare in it Both these names therefore as wel of the flesh as the spirit agree vnto the soule The word fleshe agreeth vnto the soule but the one vnto that part of the soule which is regenerate the other vnto that which reteyneth stil his naturall affection To will is present with mee His meaning is not that he had nothing but an vneffectuall desire but he denyeth that the efficacie of the woorke aunsweared his will because the flesh hindered him that he could not exactly doe that he did And so also vnderstand that which followeth namely to do the euil he would not because the flesh of the godly doth not onely let them that they cannot runne speedily but also putteth many impedimentes in their way whereat they stumble They doe it not therefore We are said not to doe that whiche we doe not as we should because they performe it not with suche alacritye as were meete Wherefore this will he speaketh of is the readinesse of faith whyles the holy spirite doth so frame the godly that they are redie and studie to giue theyr members to obey the Lorde And because
God as the first cause Yea Paule sheweth that the faithfull loue not God before they be called of him as in another place he admonisheth that the Galathians were first knowen of God Gal. 4.9 before they knewe him Verily this of Paule is true that afflictions profite none to saluation but them loue God God preuenteth vs by his grace and we doe not preuent him by our loue yet that of Iohn is as true namely that then at length he is begunne to be loued of vs when he hath preuented vs by his free grace Finally the calling Paule speaketh of here is large For it must not be restrayned vnto the manifestation of election wherof mention shal be made shortly after but simply it is opposed to mans course as though Paule had said the faithful get not vnto themselues godlinesse by their owne motion but rather it is brought by the hande of God so farre as God hath chosen them to himselfe for his owne The woorde purpose doth plainely exclude whatsoeuer may be imagined to be brought of mē as though Paule denied the causes of our election to be sought for els where then in the secret pleasure of God which thing appeareth more clearly out of the 1. to the Ephe. 1. the 2. Tim. 1. Where also the Antithesis or contrarietie of this purpose Ephe. 1. 2. Tim. 1. and humane righteousnes is plainly expressed Yet it is not to be doubted but Paul did therfore here precisely say our saluatiō is founded vpō the election of God that he might thence make a passage vnto that which followeth straightwaies namely the afflictiōs which make vs like vnto Christ are destinated to vs by the same celestiall decree that hee might as it were by a certaine bonde of necessity linke our saluation with the bearing of the crosse 29 Because whom he foreknew Therefore by the order of election he declareth how all afflictions are nothing els then a meane whereby they are conformed vnto Christ ve◠17. which thing to be necessary he testified before Wherefore there is no cause why it should grieue vs or be bitter and heauy vnto vs to bee afflicted except we take in ill part the election of the Lord wherby we are foreordeined vnto life except we be vnwilling to represent in vs the image of the sonne of God whereby wee are prepared vnto the celestial glory And the foreknowledge of God wherof Paul here maketh mentiō What is meant by foreknowledge is not a bare foreknowledge as some vnskilful bodies doe foolishly imagine but adoption wherby he alway discerneth his sonnes from the reprobate In which sence Peter saith the faithfull were elected vnto the sanctification of spirite according to the foreknowledge of God Wherfore they I spake on gather foolishly that God hath elected no others then those he foresaw to bee worthie of his grace For Peter doth not flatter the faithfull as though euery one were elected for his merite but calling them vnto the eternall counsell of God doth put them beside all worthines And also in this place Paule repeateth by another worde that which he touched lately concerning purpose Whence it followeth that this knowledge dependeth vpon the good pleasure of God because God foreknew nothing out of himselfe touching those he would adopt but only signed whom he would elect The worde Proorizein which they trāslate predestinate is referred vnto the circumstance of this place because Paule only meaneth the God hath so decreed that whomsoeuer he hath adopted the same should carrie the image of Christ for he did not simply say that they might be conformed vnto Christ but to the image of Christ that he might shewe there is a liuely and manifest example in Christ which is set before al the sonnes of God to imitate Finally the summe is Christ is the paterne of all the sonnes of God that the free adoption wherein our saluation consisteth cannot be separated from this other decree wherein he hath allotted vs to beare the crosse because none can bee an heire of the kingdome of heauen who first is not made like vnto the only begottē sonne of God That he might be the first begotten or that he should be For both wayes the Greeke infinitiue Einai may be resolued yet I rather allow of the former Furthermore in that Christ is called the first begottten Paules mind is only to note this if Christ obteyne the prerogatiue amongst al the sonnes of God he is worthily giuen vnto vs for an example that we shoulde refuse nothing which he hath voutsafed to take vpon him Therefore that the celestiall father might by all meanes testifie the right dignity which he hath giuen vnto his sonne he wil haue all whō he hath adopted into the inheritance of his kingdome to be conformed or made like to his example For although there be in shew a diuers condition of the godly as there is some varietie betweene the members of a mans body yet is euery one coupled with his head Therfore as the first borne doth beare the name of the family so Christ is placed in an high degree not only that he might excel in honour among the faithful but also the vnder the common note of fraternity he might conteine al vnder him 30 And whom he hath predestinate them also he called Now that he might in a clearer sort proue how true it is that that conformation or conformitie and likelinesse with the humilitie of Christ is healthful to vs he vseth a gradation wherein he teacheth that the society of the crosse is so linked with our vocation iustification glorificatiō that they cānot be separated Howbeit that the readers might better vnderstād the meaning of the Apostle they are to remēber that I admonished before namely What the word predestinate noteth that the word predestinate noteth not election but the purpose or decree of God wherby he hath ordeined for his a crosse to be borne now teaching that the same are called hee signifieth that God doth not hold the close within himselfe whiche he hath determined of them but hath disclosed it that they might quietly and patiently vndertake the condition laid vpon them For here vocation or calling as the inferiour is distinguished from secret election Least any therefore shoulde obiect that no man knoweth what condition God hath appointed for him the Apostle saith God by his calling hath openly testified of his secrete counsell And this testimony consisteth not in the sole externall preaching but it hath the efficacie of the spirit coupled because the speech is of the elect whom God doth not onely speake vnto by voyce but also inwardly draweth Iustification might fitly be extended vnto the continuall tenour of the grace of God euen from the tyme of our calling vnto the houre of death but because Paule in the whole Epistle vseth this worde for the free imputation of righteousnes no necessitie doth compel to decline frō this sence For the
and horrible confusion doeth thrust it selfe in all abroade yet the saluation of manie abydeth shut vp vnder the seale of GOD. But least any vnder this pretence should cocker their slouthfulnes as many doe seeke lurking places for their vices from the secrete preseruatiō of God we must marke agayne Who are saue◠that they are said to be saued who abide soūd vndefiled in the faith of God And also the circumstance of iudgemēt is to bee noted namely that those are they abyde safe who haue not so muche as by outwarde dissimulation prostrated their bodies to the woorshippe of Idols For he doeth not only giue vnto them the puritie of mynde but also that they haue kepte their bodies vndefiled from all vncleannesse of superstition 5 Euen so then at this present time He applyeth the example vnto his time and to the end he might make al things like he calleth them a remnant namely in comparison of that greate number whose eyes were set vpon vngodlinesse Although together alluding vnto that testimonie of Esay he alleadged before he sheweth that yet in a miserable and confused desolation the faith of God shined because there remayned some remnant And that he might confirme that more surely he doeth precisely cāll those remnauntes who being left by the grace of God doe testifie that the election of God is immoueable as the Lorde saide to Elias when the whole people was fallen to Idolatrie that he had reserued those seuen thousand Whereby is gathered that through his benefite they were preserued frō perishing Neither doth he simply preach grace but now also he calleth vs vnto election that we might learne reuerently to depend vppon the secrete counsell of God One proposition therefore is that but a few are saued in comparison of the great number of them take vnto themselues the name of the people of God Another that those are saued whom he hath chosen without respect of merite For election of grace after the Hebrue manner is put for free election 6 If by grace now then not of workes This is an amplification taken from the comparing of contraries for suche is the case betweene the grace of God and the merite of workes that he which mainteyneth the one ouerthroweth the other Againe if no consideration of workes can be admitted in election which doth not obscure the free goodnes of God which he would haue so greatly commended vnto vs therein let those phrensie persons which make the dignitie which God foresaw in vs the cause of election see what they will answeare vnto Paule For whither you shall giue place vnto workes to come or past this sentence of Paule will alway crye out against you whiche sayth that grace leaueth no place for woorkes Paule doth not here dispute onely of our reconciliation with God neither of the meanes or next causes of our saluation but he ascendeth higher namely why God before the world was made some being reiected did onely choose other some And he denieth that God was brought hereunto by any other cause then his meere pleasure Looke howe much is giuen vnto workes in iustification so much is taken from grace For if any place be giuen vnto workes so much he proueth to bee taken from grace Whereby it followeth that the foreknowledge of workes is wickedly mixed with election For if God haue chosen some reiected other some as he foreknew them to be worthy or vnworthy of saluation now the merite or wages of works being put downe the sole grace of God shall not raigne but shall onely be in halfe parte cause of election For as Paule reasoned before in the iustification of Abraham where wage is payde there grace is not freely giuen so nowe he taketh an argument from the same fountaine if works come in to be a cause when God adopteth a certayne number of men vnto saluation then wage is due and therefore it is not a free benefite And although he speake here of election yet because it is a general reason which Paule vseth heere it ought to bee extended vnto the whole cause of our saluation that we might knowe it is so often sayde there is no merite of workes as our saluation is attributed to the grace of God or rather that we might beleeue the righteousnes of works is so often brought to nothing as grace is named 7 What then Israel hath not obtayned that he sought but the election hath obtained it the rest haue beene blynded 8 As it is written God hath geuen them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they shoulde not heare vnto this day 9 And Dauid saith let their table be made a snare and a net and a stumbling blocke euen for a recompence vnto them 10 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not and bow downe their backe alway 7 What then Because he was occupied here in a harde question he maketh a demand as though he doubted Yet by this kind of doubting he goeth about to make the answere which followeth more certaine for he insinuateth that no other cā be giuen And that is namely that Israel in seeking saluation laboured in vaine because he wēt about it by a preposterous study Although he make here no mention of the cause yet seeing he had expressed it before assuredly he woulde also haue it vnderstood in this place For his wordes are as much as if he said now it ought not to seeme straunge that Israel in striuing vnto righteousnesse hath profited nothing And thence is that brought to passe whiche he addeth straightwaies of election For if Israel hath obteined nothing by merite what haue others obteyned whose cause or condition was no better Whence commeth so great difference amongst equals Here who doth not see it is election only which maketh the difference And the signification of this word is doubtful For it seemeth vnto some to be taken collectiuely for the elect Election put for the elect themselues that the partes of the contrarietie may agree among themselues whose sentence I dislike not so that also they graunt vnto me that there is somewhat more in this worde then if he had saide the elect namely that he might inferre howe there was none other cause of obteyning then election as if he said not they who labour trusting to their merits but they whose saluation dependeth vppon the free election of God for he doth precisely compare that remnant whiche was saued by the grace of God with all Israel or the whole bodie of the people Whereby it followeth that the cause of saluation resteth not in men but in the meere good pleasure of God The rest haue beene blinded As the elect onely are deliuered from perishing by the grace of God so who so are not elected must needes remaine in blindnes For this is the meaning of Paul that touching the reprobate the beginning of ruine and condemnation is hence that they are forsaken of God The testimonies
power to raigne in vs for the vertue of sanctification ought to haue the superioritie ouer it that our life might testifie we are indeed the members of Christ Of late I admonished that this worde bodie is not to be taken for the flesh skinne and bones By body is meant the whole corrupted masse of man but if I may say so for the whole masse of man And that may be gathered more certainly out of this present place because another member which hee will adde straight wayes concerning the partes of the bodie is also extended vnto the soule And so Paule meaneth euen grosely the earthly man For the corruption of our nature causeth that we shew forth nothing worthy of our originall So God also whiles he complaineth that man is become fleshe or carnall as the bruite beastes leaueth nothing vnto him but that is earthly Gen. 6.3 Hereunto apperteineth that saying of Christ That which is borne of flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 For if any obiect that there is another consideration of the soule the aunsweare is at hande namely as wee are nowe degenerate our soules are so fastened to the earth and so addicted to our bodies that they are fallen from their dignitye or excellencie Furthermore the nature of man is called corporall because he being depriued of celestiall grace is onely a certayne deceiueable shadow or image And adde that this bodie is called mortall of Paule by contempt that he might teache howe the whole nature of man inclineth vnto death and destruction Nowe verily he calleth sinne that firste corruption abyding in our soules which draweth vs to sinne whence properly all euill deedes and abhominations flowe Betweene that and vs he putteth concupiscences in the middest that that might be in steed of a king concupiscences as statutes and commaundements 13 Giue not your members When sinne hath once gotten the dominion in our soule all our members are straight wayes giuen ouer into his obsequie or obedience Wherefore he describeth here the kingdome of sinne by the sequeles that hee might declare the better what we must doe if we will shake off his yoke And he borroweth his similitude from warfare whiles he calleth our members weapons like as if he saide as a souldier hath alwayes weapons in a readinesse to vse them as often as he shal be commaunded by his captaine and neuer vseth them but at his appointment so Christians ought to esteeme all their members to be weapons of the spirituall warfare We are the souldiers of Christ ought to haue nothing to doe with the campes of sinne If therefore they abuse any member of theirs vnto wickednesse they are woorthy to be blamed But by the othe of warfare they haue bound themselues to God and Christ by which othe they are tyed They ought therefore to haue nothing to doe with the campes of sinne They may see here by what right they can pretend the name of Christian whose whole members beeing as it were the brothell houses of Sathan are ready to commit all filthinesse On the contrarie nowe he biddeth vs giue our selues wholly to God namely that we restrayning our minde and heart from all wandering whereunto the lustes of the fleshe drawe vs might intende vppon the will of God onelie might be ready to receiue his commaundementes and prepared to obey his precepts that our members also might be destinated and consecrated to his pleasure that al the powers of our soule and body might fauour nothing but his glorie And the reason is added because it is not in vayne that the former life being done away the Lord hath created vs to a new after which actions deeds ought to follow 14 For sinne shal not haue dominion ouer you For you are not vnder the law but vnder grace 15 What then Shal we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid 16 Know ye not that to whom ye haue giuen your selues seruauntes to obey his seruantes yee are whom yee doe obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse 17 But thankes be to God that yee were the seruantes of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the heart the type of doctrine whereinto ye haue beene brought 18 And being freed from sinne ye are made the seruants of righteousnesse 14 For sinne shall not haue dominion It is not necessary to abide long in reciting and refuting those expositions which haue none or but litle shew of truth There is one which may more probably be suffered then the rest namely whiche taketh this worde vnder the lawe For to be subiect vnto the letter of the lawe which doth not renewe the mynde as againe to be vnder grace is as much as by the spirite of grace to bee freed frō euill concupiscēces But that exposition is not simply allowed of mee For if we take that sence whereunto shall that interogation tende which followeth straight wayes Shall wee sinne because wee are not vnder the lawe The Apostle woulde neuer haue subiected suche a question excepte bee had meant that we are freed from the rigour of the lawe that God might no more deale with vs according to extreeme iustice wherefore there is no doubt but his meaning is to shewe heere some deliueraunce from the bondage of the lawe of the Lorde But all contention layde aparte I will briefly declare what I thinke And first heere seemeth vnto mee to bee a consolation wherewith the faithfull are confirmed that they faynte not in the studie of holines through the feeling of their weakenesse Hee did exhort them that they shoulde apply all their powers vnto the obedience of righteousnesse But so long as they carrie about the relikes of the flesh they muste needes halte somewhat Therefore least they being ouercome with the knowledge of their infirmitie shoulde dispayre he preuenteth this in time comforting them in this that their workes are not to be examined according to the seuere rule of the law but their impuritie being remitted God doth fauourably mercifully accept of them The yoke of the law cannot be borne but it breaketh or crusheth those that beare it it remayneth therefore that the faithful flee vnto Christ and desire him to be their deliuerer And so he offereth himself For to this end tooke he vpon him the seruitude of the law wherunto otherwise he was not a debter that he might deliuer those were vnder the lawe as the Apostle saith vnto the Galathians Gal. 4.5 What is the meaning when it is said we are not vnder the law Therfore not to be vnder the law signifieth not only that by the dead letter is prescribed vnto vs that which maketh vs guilty because we are vnable to performe it but also that we are not subiect vnto the lawe as it requireth perfect righteousnes pronouncing death against all those transgresse it in anie part Vnder the name of grace we vnderstand likewise both partes of redemption that is the remission of