vvere circumcised and had receiued the Lavv by Moyses for such carnal respects they trusted in themselues as though God and Christ vvere vnseparably bound vnto them attributing also so much to their ovvne workes vvhich they thought they did of them selues being holpeÌ„ with the knovvledge of their lavv that they vvould not acknovvledge the death of Christ to be necessarie for their saluation but looked for such a Christ as should be like other princes of this vvorld and make them great men temporally Herevpon did S. Paul vvrite his Epistles to shevv both the vocation of the Gentiles and the reprobation of the Ievves Moreouer to admonish both the Christian Gentiles not to receiue Circumcision and other ceremonies of Moyses lavv in no vvise and the Ievves also not to put their trust in the same but rather to vnderstand that novv Christ being come they must cease Againe to shevv the necessitie of Christs comming and of his death that vvithout it neither the Gentiles could be saued no nor the Ievves by no vvorkes that they could doe of them selues although they vvere also holpen by the Lavv telling them what vvas good vvhat vvas bad for so much as al vvere sinners and therfore also impotent or infirme and the Lavv could not take avvay sinne and infirmitie and giue strength to fulfil that vvhich it gaue knovvledge of but this vvas God onely able to doe and for Christs sake onely vvould he doe it Therfore it is necessarie for al to beleeue in Christ and to be made his members being incorporat into his Body vvhich is his Catholike Church For so although they neuer yet did good vvorke but al il they shal haue remission of their sinnes and nevv strength vvithal to make them able to fulfil the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts of Gods lavv yea their vvorkes after this shal be so gracious in Gods sight that for them he vvil giue them lift euerlasting This is the necessitie this is also the fruite of Christian Religion And therfore be exhorteth al both Gentils and Ievves as to receiue it humbly so also to perseuêre in it constantly vnto the end against al seduction of heresie and against al terror of persecution and to vvalke al their time in good vvorkes as novv God hath made them able to doe The same doctrine doth the Catholike Church teach vnto this day most exactly to vvit that no vvorkes of the vnbeleeuing or vnbaptized vvhether they be Ievves or Gentiles can saue them no nor of any Heretike or Schismatike although he be baptized because he is not a member of Christ yea more then that no vvorke of any that is not a liuely member of Christ although othervvise he be baptized and continue vvithin his Church yet because he is not in grace but in mortal sinne no vvorke that he doth is meritorious or able to saue him This very same is S. Paules doctrine he denieth to the vvorkes of such as haue not the Spirit of Christ al vertue to iustifie or to saue neither requireth he a man to haue had knovvledge of the Lavv or to haue kept it afortime as though othervvise he might not be saued by Christ but yet vvhen he is Christened he requireth of necessitie that he keepe Gods commaundements by auoiding of al sinne and doing good vvorkes and to such a mans good vvorkes he attributeth as much vertue as any Catholike of this time Neuerthelesse there vvere certaine at that time as also al the Heretikes of this our time vvhom S. Peter termeth vnlearned and vnstable vvho reading S. Paules Epistles did misconster his meaning as though he required not good vvorkes no more after Baptisme then before Baptisme but held that onely Faith did iustifie and saue a man Therevpon the other Apostles vvrote their Epistles as S. Augustine noteth in these vvordes Therfore because this opinion Ad salutem obtinendam sufficere Solam sidem that onely faith is sufficient to obteine saluation was then risen the other Apostolical Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames Iude do against it specially direct theire intention to auouch vehemently fidem sine operibus nihil prodesse that saith vvithout vvorkes profiteth nothing As also Paul him selfe did not define it to be quamlibet fidem qua in Deum creditur whatsoeuer maner of faith vvherevvith vve beleeue in God but that holesome expresse Euangelical faith vvhose vvorkes procede from loue and the faith quoth he that vvorketh by loue vvherevpon that faith vvhich some thinke to be sufficient to saluation he so affirmeth to profite nothing that he saith If I should haue al faith so that I could remoue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing He therfore that vvill not erre in this point nor in any other reading either S. Paules Epistles or the rest of the holy Scriptures must sticke fast to the doctrine of the Catholike Church vvhich Church S. Paul termeth the piller and ground of the truth assuring him self that if any thing there found to him as contrarie herevnto he faileth of the right sense and bearing alvvaies in his minde the admonition of S. Peter saying As also our most deere brother Paul according to the vvisedom giuen to him hath vvritten to you as also in al his Epistles speaking in them of these things in the vvhich are certaine things hard to vnderstand vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the Scriptures to theire ovvne perdition You therfore brethren foreknovving take heede lest ye be led amis by the error of the vnvvise and fall avvay from your ovvne stedfastnes THE TIME VVHEN THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANES VVAS VVRITTEN and the Argument thereof THE historie of S. Paul vntil be came to Rome S. Luke in the Actes of the Apostles vvrote exactly and though vvithout any mention of his Epistles yet certaine it is that some of them he vvrote before he came there to vvit the â—vvo vnto the Corinthians and this to the Romanes * as it seemeth before them al the Epistle to the Galatians Vvherein yet because he maketh mention of the fouretenth yere after his conuersion it appeareth that he preached so long vvithout any vvriting And this order may thus briefely be gathered First he preached to the Galatians Act. 16 and passing through Phrygia and the countrey of Galatia Vvhereof he maketh mention himselfe also Gal. 1 Vve euangelized to you and Gal. 4 I euangelized to you heretofore After vvhich the false Apostles came and persuaded them to receiue Circumcision Vvherevpon he saith Gal. 1 I maruel that thus so soone you are traÌ„sferred from him that called you to the grace of Christ vnto an other Gospel and vvisheth therfore Gal. 4. saying And I vvould I vvere vvith you novv And accordingly he came vnto them aftervvard as vve reade Act. 18 Vvalking in order through the countrie of Galatia and phrygia confirming al the Disciples At vvhich time also it seemeth that he tooke order vvith them about those contributions
things therfore vvhatsoeuer you vvil that men doe to you doe you also to them For this is the Lavv and the Prophets ✠verse 13 Enter ye by the narrovv gate because brode is the gate and large is the vvay that leadeth to perdition and many there be that enter by it ✠verse 14 Hovv narrovv is the gate and straite is the vvay that leadeth to life and fevv there are that finde it ✠verse 15 Take ye great heede of false Prophets vvhich come to you in the ″ clothing of sheepe but invvardly are rauening vvolues ✠verse 16 ″ By their fruites you shal knovv them Do men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistels ✠verse 17 Euen so euery good tree yeldeth good fruites and the euil tree yeldeth euil fruites ✠verse 18 A good tree can not yeld euil fruites neither an euil tree yeld good fruites ✠verse 19 Euery tree that yeldeth not good fruite shal be cut dovvne and shal be cast into fyre ✠verse 20 Therfore by their fruites you shal knovv them ✠verse 21 Not euery one that sayth to me ″ Lord Lord shal enter into the Kingdom of heauen but he that doeth the vvil of my father vvhich is in heauen he shal enter into the kingdom of heauen ⊢ ✠verse 22 Many shal say to me in that day Lord Lord haue not vve prophecied in they name and in thy name cast out diuels and in thy name vvrought many miracles ✠verse 23 And then I vvil cōfesse vnto them That I neuer knevv you depart from me you that vvorke iniquitie ✠verse 24 Euery one therfore that heareth these my vvordes and doeth them shal be likened to a vvise man that built his house vpon a rocke ✠verse 25 and the rayne fel and the fluddes came the vvindes blevve and they beate agaynst that house and it fel not for it vvas founded vpon a rocke ✠verse 26 And euery one that heareth these my vvordes doeth them not shal be like a foolish man that built his house vpon the sand ✠verse 27 and the rayne fel and the fluddes came and the vvindes blevve and they beate agaynst that house and it fel the fall therof vvas great ✠verse 28 And it came to passe vvhen IESVS had fully ended these vvordes the multitutde vvere in admiration vpon his doctrine ✠verse 29 For he vvas teaching them as hauing povver and not as their Scribes and Pharisees ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VII 1. Iudge not It is not Christian part to iudge il of mens actes which be in them selues good and may procede of good meaning or of mans inward meanings and intentions which we can not see of which fault they must beware that are to suspicious and giuen to deeme alwayes the worst of other men But to say that Iudas or an Heretike euidently knowen to die obstinatly in heresie is damned and in al other playne and manifest cases to iudge is not forbidden 6. Holy to dogges No holy Sacrament and specially that of our Sauiours blessed body must be geuen wittingly to the vnworthy that is to them that haue not by confession of al mortal sinnes examined and proued them selues See the Annot. 1. Cor. 11 27. 28. 29. ◠Euery one that asketh Al things that we aske necessarie to saluation with humilitie attention continuance and other dewe circunstances God wil vndoubtedly graunt when it is best for vs. 15. Clothing of sheepe Extraordinarie apparance of zeale and holines is the sheepes cote in some Heretikes but these of this time weare not that garment much being men of vnsatiable sinne This is rather their garment common to them with al other Heretikes to crake much of the word of the Lord and by pretensed allegations and * sweete wordes of benediction and specially by promise of knowledge light and libertie of the Gospel to seduce the simple and the sinful 16. Fruites These are the fruites which Heretikes are knowen by diuision from the whole Churche diuision among them selues taking to them selues new names and new malsters inconstancie in doctrine disobedience both to others and namely to spiritual officers loue and liking of them selues pride and intolerable vaunting of their owne knowledge aboue al the holy Doctors corruption falsification and quite denying of the parts of Scriptures that specially make agaynst them and these be common to al Heretikes lightly Othersome are more peculiar to these of our time as Incestuous mariages of vowed persons Spoile of Churches Sacrilege and profanation of al holy things and many other special poynts of doctrine directly tending to the corruption of good life in al states 21. Lord Lord. These men haue faith otherwise they could not inuocate Lord Lord Ro. 10. But here we see that to beleeue is not ynough and that not only infidelitie is sinne as Luther teacheth Yea Catholikes also that worke true miracles in the name of our Lord and by neuer so great fayth yet without the workes of iustice shal not be saued 1. Cor. 13. Agayne consider here who they are that haue so often in their mouth The Lord the Lord and how litle it shal auaile them that set so litle by good workes and contemne Christian iustice CHAP. VIII Immediatly after his Sermon to confirme his doctrine with a miracle he cureth a Leper 5 But aboue him and al other Iewes he cōmendeth the faith of the Centurion who was a Gentil and foretelleth by that occasion the vocation of the Gentiles and reprobation of the Iewes 14 la Peters house he sheweth great grace 18 In the way to the sea he speaketh with two of folowing him 23 and vpon the sea commaundeth the tempest 28 and beyond the sea he manifesteth the deuils malice agaynst man in an heard of svvine verse 1 AND vvhen he vvas come dovvne from the mountaine great multitudes folovved him ✠verse 2 And * behold a leper came and adored him saying Lord if thou vvilt thou canst make me cleane ✠verse 3 And IESVS stretching forth his hand touched him saying I vvil be thou made cleane And forthvvith his leprosy vvas made cleane ✠verse 4 And IESVS sayth to him See thou tel no body but goe * shevv thy self to the ″ priest offer the ″ gift vvhich Moyses commaunded for a testimonie to them ✠verse 5 And * vvhen he vvas entred into Capharnaum there came to him a Centurion beseeching him ✠verse 6 saying Lord my boy lieth at home sicke of the palsey is sore tormēted ✠verse 7 And IESVS sayth to him I vvil come cure him ✠verse 8 And the Centurion making ansvver sayd Lord ″ I am not vvorthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe but only say the vvord and my boy shal be healed ✠verse 9 For I also am a man subiect to authoritie hauing vnder me souldiars and I say to this goe and he goeth and to an other come
to helpe the neede of the Christians in Hierusalem vvhereof he speaketh 1. Cor. 16 And concerning the collections that are made for the saincts as I haue ordeined to the Churches of Galatia so doe you also By vvhich vvordes also it is euident that the Corinthians had not at then made their gathering But vvhen he vvrote the Second to them vvhere in the 11 Chapter he maketh mention of 14 yeres not onely after his Conuersion as to the Galatians but also after his Rapte vvhich seemeth to haue bene vvhen he vvas at Hierusalem Act. 9. foure yeres after his Conuersion in a traunce as he calleth it Act. 22 17 then vvere they readie For so he saith 2. Cor. 8 You haue begone from the yere past and 2. Cor. 9 For the vvhich I doe glorie of you to the Macedonians that also Achaia is ready from the yere past hovvbeit it folovveth theire But I haue sent the brethren that as I haue said you may be ready lest vvhen the Macedonians come vvith me and find you vnready vve be ashamed But vvhen he vvrote to the Romanes then vvas he novv come to Corinth for the purpose and had receiued theire contribution and vvas readie to goe vvith it vnto Hierusalem For so he saith Rom. 15. Novv therfore I vvil goe vnto Hierusalem to minister to the saincts For Macedonia and Achaia haue liked vvel to make some coÌ„tribution vpoÌ„ the poore saincts that are in Hierusalem So then the Epistle to the Romanes vvas not the first that he vvrote But yet it is and alvvaies vvas set first because of the primacie of that Church for vvhich cause also he handleth in it such matters as perteined not to them alone but to the vniuersal Church and specially to al the Gentiles to vvit the very frame as it vvere of the Church of Christ Tanquam enim pro ipso Domino legatione fungens hoc est pro lapide angulari vtrumque populum tam ex Iudais quà m ex Gentibus connectis in Christo per vinculum gratiae so saith S. Augustine giuing vs briefly the arguments in english thus As being a legate for our Lord him self that is for the corner stone he knitteth together in Christ by the baÌ„d of Grace both peoples as vvel of the Ievves as of the Gentils Shevving that neither of them had in their Gentilitie or Iudaisme any vvorkes to bragge of or to chalenge to them selues iustificatioÌ„ or saluation thereby but rather sinnes they had to be sorie for and to humble themselues to the faith of Christ that so they might haue remission of them and strength to doe meritorius vvorkes aftervvard In vvhich sort because the Gentils did humble them selues therefore had they found mercy though they neuer vvist of the Lavv of Moyses But the Ievves because they stoode vpon their ovvne vvorkes vvhich they did by their ovvne strength vvith the knovvledge of the Lavv being therefore also called the vvorkes of the Lavv so would not humble themselues to beleeue in Christ crucified they missed of mercy and became reprobate excepting a few Reliquiae that God of his goodnes had reserued to himself Hovvbeit in the end vvhen the fulnes of the Gentils is come into the Church then shal the fulnes of the Ievves also open their eies acknowledge their errour and submit themselues to Christ and his Church in like maner In the meane time those that haue found the grace to be Christians he exhorteth to perseueraÌ„ce as it vvas specially needeful in those times of persecutions and to leade their whole life now after Baptisme in good workes and to be careful of vnitie bearing therefore one with an other both Iew and Gentil al that they may and geuing no offence to them that are weake Thus he disputeth and thus be exhorteth through the whole Epistle though if we wil diuide it by that which is principal in ech parte vve may say that vnto the 12 chapter is his disputation and from thence to the end his exhortation Novv in those points of faith and in al others as also in example of life the commendation that he giueth to the Church of Rome is much to be noted Your faith is renoumed in the vvhole vvorld and your obedieÌ„ce is published into euery place I reioyce therfore in you And againe you haue obeied from the hart vnto that forme of doctrine vvhich hath been deliuered to you And therevpon againe I desire you brethren to marke them that make dissensions and scandals contrarie to the doctrine vvhich you haue learned and auoide them For such doe not serue Christ our Lord but theire ovvne belly and by svveete speaches ad benedictions seduce the harts of innocents Therfore to shunne Luther and Caluin and al their crewes vve haue iust reason and good vvarrant They make dissensions and scandals against the doctrine of the Romane Church Let no man therefore be seduced by their sugred vvordes THE EPISTLE OF PAVL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANES CHAP. I. The foundation of his Apostleship being laid 〈◊〉 he highly commendeth the Romanes and protesteth his affection tovvardes them and so coÌ„ming to the matter saith our Christian Catholike doctrine that teacheth al to beleeue to be the vvay to saluation 118 because the Gentiles first of al could not be saued by their Philosophie vvhereby they knevv God for so much as they did not serue him but Idolâ—â— he therfore iustly permitting them to fall into al kind of most damnable sinne verse 1 PAVL the seruant of IESVS CHRIST called to be an Apostle * separated into the Gospel of God ✠verse 2 vvhich before he had promised by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures ✠verse 3 of his sonne vvho vvas made to him of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh ✠verse 4 vvho vvas predestinate the sonne of God in povver according to the spirit of sanctification by the resurrectioÌ„ of our Lord IESVS CHRIST from the dead ✠verse 5 by vvhom vve haue receiued grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith in al Nations for the name of him ✠verse 6 among vvhom are you also the called of IESVS CHRIST ⊢ ✠verse 7 to al that are at Rome the beloued of God called to be saincts Grace to you and peace from God our father and our Lord IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 8 First I giue thankes to my God through IESVS CHRIST for al you because ″ your faith is renoumed in the vvhole vvorld ✠verse 9 For God is my vvitnes vvhom I serue ″ in my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne that vvithout intermission I make ″ a memorie of you ✠verse 10 alvvaies in my praiers beseeching if by any meanes I may sometime at the length haue a prosperous iourney by the vvil of God to come vnto you ✠verse 11 For I desire to see you that I may imparte vnto you some spiritual grace to confirme you âœ
that abhorrest idols thou doest sacrilege ✠verse 23 that doest glorie in the Lavv thou by preuatication of the Lavv doest dishonour God ✠verse 24 For the name of God through you is blasphemed among the Gentiles as it is vvriten ✠verse 25 Circumcision in deede profiteth if thou obserue the Lavv but if thou be a preuaricátour of the Lavv thy circumcision is become prepuce ✠verse 26 If then the prepuce ″ keepe the iustices of the Lavv shal not his prepuce be reputed for circumcision ✠verse 27 and shal not that vvhich of nature is prepuce fulfilling the Lavv iudge thee that by the letter and circumcision art a preuaricátour of the Lavv ✠verse 28 For not he that is in open shevv is a Ievv not that vvhich is in open shevv in the flesh is circumcision ✠verse 29 but he that is in secrete is a Ievv and the circumcision of the hart ″ in spirit not in the letter vvhose praise is not of men but of God ANNOTATIONS CHAP. II. 1. Thou that iudgest Such as by publike authoritie either spiritual or temporal haue to punish offenders be not forbidden to iudge or condemne any for their offenses though them selues be sometimes guilty in their conscience of the same or greater yet may it be matter of aggrauating sinnes before God vvhen they vvil not repent of those offenses them selues for the vvhich they punish others but if they be open offenders them selues in the same sort for vvhich they iudge other they giue scandal and thereby aggrauate their sinnes very much Proprely here he forbiddeth to charge an other falsely or truely vvith these crimes vvhereof him self is as farre guilty or more then the other as the Ievves specially did the Gentils to vvhom he speaketh here 4. Doest thou contemne This proueth that God offereth his grace and mercie to many and by long patience and sufferance expecteth their repētance differring their punishment of purpose that they may amend and that he is not delighted in their perdition nor is the cause of their sinne but contrarievvise that they harden their ovvne hartes and of their ovvne free vvil relect his grace and contemne his benignitie 6. According to his vvorkes Though the holy Apostles special purpose be in this Epistle to commend vnto the Gentiles that trusted so much in their moral vvorkes the faith in Christ yet lest any man should thinke or gather vntruely of his vvordes that Christian mens vvorkes vvere not meritorious or the cause of Saluation he expresly vvriteth that God giueth as vvel euerlasting life and glorie to men for and according to their good vvorkes as he giueth damnation for the contrarie vvorkes And hovv so euer Heretikes fondly flee from the euidence of these places yet S. Augustine saith Life euerlasting to be rendered for good vvorkes according to this manifest Scripture God shal render to euery man according to his vvorkes 13. Not the hearers This same sentence agreable also to Christes vvordes Mat. ◠21 is the very ground of S. Iames disputation that not faith alone but good vvorkes also do iustifie Therfore S. Paul hovvsoeuer some peruersly conster his vvordes in other place meaneth the same that S. Iames. And here * he speaketh not properly of the first iustification vvhen an Infidel or il man is made iust vvho had no acceptable vvorkes before to be iustified by of vvhich kind he specially meaneth in other places of this Epistle but he speaketh of the second iustification or increase of former iustice vvhich he that is in Gods grace daily procedeth in by doing al kind of good vvorkes vvhich be iustices and for doing of vvhich he is iust in deede before God and of this kinde doth S. Iames namely treate Vvhich is directly against the Heretikes of this time vvho not only attribute nothing to the vvorkes done in sinne and infidelitie but esteeme nothing at al of al Christian mens vvorkes tovvard iustification and saluation condemning them as vncleane sinful hy pocritical Pharisaical vvhich is directly against these other Scripture and plaine blaspheming of Christ and his grace by vvhose spirit and cooperation vve doe them 13. Shal be iustified Of al other Articles deceitfully handled by Heretikes they vse most guile in this of Iustification and specially by the equiuocation of certaine vvordes vvhich is proper to al contentious vvranglers and namely in this vvord Iustifie Vvhich because they finde sometime to signifie the acquiting of a guilty man of some crime vvhere of he is in deede guilty for vvhich he ought to be condemned as by mans iudgement either of ignorance or of purpose often a very malefactor is deemed or declared and pronounced innocent they falsly make it so signifie in this place and the like vvheresoeuer man is said to be iustified of God for his vvorkes or othervvise as though it vvere said that God iustifieth man that is to say imputeth to him the iustice of Christ though he be not in deede iust or of fauour reputeth him as iust vvhen in deede he is vvicked impious and vniust Vvhich is a most blasphemous doctrine against God making him either ignorant vvho is iust and so to erre in his iudgement or not good that can loue and saue him vvhom he knovveth to be euill And a maruelous pitieful blindnes it is in the Churches Aduersaries that they should thinke it more to Gods glorie and more to the commendation of Christes iustice merites and mercie to call and count an il man so continuing for iust then by his grace and mercie to make him of an il one iust in deede and so truely to iustifie him or as the vvord doth here signifie to esteeme and approue for iust in deede him that by his grace keepeth his lavv and commaundements For that the keepers or doers of the commaundements be iust and so reputed it is plaine by the correspondence to the former vvordes Not the hearers are iust but the doers Vvherevpon S. Augustine de Sp. lit c. 26. to ◠hath these vvordes When it is said The doers of the Lavv shal be iustified vvhat other thing is said then The iust shal be iustified for the doers of the Lavv verily are iust 26. Keepe the iustices If a Gentile either novv since Christ by his grace and faith or any other before Christ not of the stocke of Abraham through the Spirit of God keepe the iustices of the Lavv he is iust no lesse then if he had been outvvardl◠circumcised and shal condemne the circumcised Ievv not keeping the Lavv vvithout vvhich his outvvard Sacrament can not serue him but shal be much to his condemnation that hauing the Lavv and peculiar Sacraments of God he did not keepe the Lavv nor invvardly exercise that in his hart vvhich the outvvard signe did import And al this is no more but to insinuate that true iustice is not in faith only or knovvledge of the
Lavv or in the name either of Ievv or Christian but in doing good vvorkes and keeping the Lavv by Gods grace 29. In spirit not letter The outvvard ceremonies Sacraments threates and commaundements of God in the Lavv are called the letter the invvard vvorking of God in mens hart and enduing him vvith faith hope and charitie and vvith loue liking vvil and abilitie to keepe his commaundements by the grace and merites of Christ are called the spirit In vvhich sense the carnal Ievv vvas a Ievv according to the letter and he vvas circumcised after the letter but the true beleeuing Gentil obseruing by Gods grace in hart and in Gods sight that vvhich vvas meant by that carnal signe is a Ievv according to the spirit and iustified by God Of the spirit and letter S. Augustine made a famous vvorke very necessarie for the vnderstanding of this Epistle CHAP. III. He graunteth that the Ievves did passe the Heathen Gentils in Gods benefits 9 but not in their ovvne vvorkes concluding that he hath shevved both Ievv and Gentil to be sinners 18 and therfore inferring that there must be some other vvay to Saluation indifferent to both vvhich is to beleeue in IESVS CHRIST that for his sake their sinnes may be forgiuen them verse 1 WHAT preeminence then hath the Ievv or what is the profit of circumcision ✠verse 2 Much by al meanes First surely because the vvordes of God vvere coÌ„mitted to them ✠verse 3 for vvhat if certaine of them haue not beleeued Hath their incredulitie made the faith of God frustrate ✠verse 4 God forbid but * God is true * euery man a lyer as it is vvritten That thou maiest be iustified in thy vvordes and ouercome vvhen thou art iudged ✠verse 5 But ″ if our iniquitie commend the iustice of God vvhat shal vve say Is God vniust that executeth vvrath I speake according to man ✠verse 6 God forbid othervvise hovv shal God iudge this vvorld ✠verse 7 For if the veritie of God hath abounded in my lie vnto his glorie vvhy am I also yet iudged as a sinner ✠verse 8 and not as vve are blasphemed and as some report vs to say let vs doe euil that there may come good vvhose damnation is iust ✠verse 9 Vvhat then do vve excel them No not so For vve haue argued the Ievves and the Greekes al to be vnder sinne ✠verse 10 as it is vvritten That ″ there is not any man iust ✠verse 11 there is not that vnderstandeth there is not that seeketh after God ✠verse 12 Al haue declined they are become vnprofitable together there is not that doeth good there is not so much as one ✠verse 13 Their throte is an open sepulchre vvith their tonges they dealt deceitefully The venim of aspes vnder their lippes ✠verse 14 Vvhose mouth is ful of malediction and bitternes ✠verse 15 Their feete svvift to shede bloud ✠verse 16 Destruction and infelicitie in their vvaies ✠verse 17 and the vvay of peace they haue not knovven ✠verse 18 There is no feare of God before their eies ✠verse 19 And vve knovv that vvhatsoeuer the Lavv speaketh to them it speaketh that are in the Lavv that euery mouth may be stopped and al the vvorld may be made subiect to God ✠verse 20 because * ″ by the vvorkes of the Lavv no flesh shal be iustified before him For by the Lavv is the knovvledge of sinne ✠verse 21 But novv vvithout the Lavv ″ the iustice of God is manifested testified by the lavv and the Prophets ✠verse 22 And the iustice of God by faith of IESVS CHRIST vnto al and vpoÌ„ al that beleeue in him For there is no distinction ✠verse 23 For al haue sinned and doe neede the glorie of God ✠verse 24 Iustified gratis by his grace by the redemption that is in CHRIST IESVS ✠verse 25 vvhom God hath proposed a propitiation ' by faith in his bloud to the shevving of his iustice for the remission of former sinnes ✠verse 26 in the toleration of God to the shevving of his iustice in this time that he may be iust and iustifying him that is of the faith of IESVS CHRIST ✠verse 27 Vvhere is then thy boasting it is excluded by vvhat lavv of deedes No but by the lavv of faith ✠verse 28 For vve account a man to be iustified ″ by faith vvithout the vvorkes of the Lavv. ✠verse 29 Is he God of the Ievves only is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also ✠verse 30 For it is one God that iustifieth circumcision by faith and prepuce by faith ✠verse 31 Do vve then destroy the Lavv by faith God forbid but vve do establish the Lavv. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 5. If your iniquitie No maruel that many novv a daâ—es deduce false and detestable conclusions out of this Apostles high and hard vvritings seeing that S. Peter noted it in his daies and him self here confesseth that his preaching and speaches vvere then falsely misconstrued as though he â—ad taught that the Ievves and Gentils il life and incredulity had been directly the cause of Gods more mercie and that therfore sinne commeth of God to the aduancement of his glorie and consequently that men might or should doe il that good might ensue thereof Vvhich blasphemous constructions they tooke of these and the like vvordes vvhere sinne abounded there did grace more abound and The Lavv entered in that sinne might abound and our our of the Psalme 50. That thou maiest be iustified in thy vvordes and ouercome vvhen thou art iuâ—ged As though he meant that men do sinne to the end that God may be iustified And at al these and the like places of the Apostle though forevvarned by S. Peter and by the Apostles ovvne defense and Protestation that he neuer meant such horrible things yet the vvicked also of this time do stumble and fall But the true meaning is in al such places that God can and doth vvhen it pleaseth him conuert those sinnes vvhich man committeth against him and his commaundements to his glorie though the sinnes them selues stand not vvith his vvil intention nor honour but be directly against the same and therfore may not be committed that any good may fall for vvhat good so euer accidentally falleth it procedeth not of the sinne but of Gods mercie that can pardon and of his omnipotencie that can turne il to good And therfore against those earnal interpretations S. Paul very carefully diligently giueth reason also in this place v. 6 that it is impossible because God could not iustly punish any man nor sit in iudgement at the later day for sinne vvithout plaine iniurie if either him self vvould haue sinne committed or man might doe it to his glorie Therfore let al sincere readers of the Scriptures and specially of S.
and diuers other in holy vvrite proue that he merited for him self according to al learned mens iudgement As Apoc 5. The lambe that vvas slaine is vvorthie to receiue povver and Diuinitie And Heb. 2. We see IESVS for the passion of death crowned vvith glorie and honour See S. Augustine vpoÌ„ these vvordes of the Psalme 109. propterea exaltabit caput 10. Name of IESVS By the like vvickednes they charge the faithful people for capping or kneeling vvhen they heare the name of IESVS as though they vvorshipped not our Lord God therein but the syllables or letters or other material elemeÌ„ts vvhereof the vvord vvritten or spoken consisteth and al this by sophistications to dravv the people from due honour and deuotion tovvard CHRIST IESVS vvhich is Satans drift by putting scruples into poore simple mens mindes about his Sacraments his Saincts his Crosse his name his image such like to abolish al true religioÌ„ out of the vvorld and to make them plaine Atheists But the Church knovveth Satans cogitations and therfore by the Scriptures and reason vvarranteth and teacheth al her children to do reuerence vvhen so euer IESVS is named because Catholikes do not honour these things nor count them holy for their matter colour sound and syllables but for the respect and relation they haue to ouâ— Sauiour bringing vs to the remembrance and apprehension of Christ by sight hearing or vse of the same signes els vvhy make vve not reuerence at the name of Iesus the sonne of â—irach as vvel as of IESVS CHRIST And it is a pitieful case to see these prophane subtelties of Heretikes to take place in religion vvhich vvere ridiculous in al other trade of life Vvhen vve heare our Prince or Soueraine named vve may vvithout these scruples doe obeisance but tovvardes Christ it must be superstitious 12. With feare and trembling Against the vaine presumption of Heretikes that make men secure of their predestination and saluation he vvilleth the Philippians to vvorke their saluation vvith feare and trembling according to that other Scripture Blessed is the man that alvvaies iâ— fearful Prouerb 28 v. 14. 13. Worketh in you Of this thus saith S. Augustine Not because the Apostle saith it is God that vvorketh in you both to vvil and vvorke must vve thinke he taketh avvay our free vvill For if it vvere so then vvould he not a litle before haue vvilled them to vvorke their ovvne saluation vvith feare and trembling For vvhen they be commaunded to vvorke their free vvil is called vpon but vvith trembling and feare is added lâ—st by attributing their vvel vvorking to them selues they might be proud of their good deedes as though they vvere of them selues August de gratia lib. arbit c. 9. 17. The sacrifice The obedience of faith and matryrdom be so acceptable actes to God vvhen they be voluntarily referred to his honour that by a metaphore they be called sacrifice and pleasant hostes to God CHAP. III. He vvarnâ—th them of the False-apostles * shevving that him self had much more to bragge of in Iudaisme then they but that he maketh price of nothing but only of Christ and of Christian iustice and of suffering vvith him 12 vvherein yet he acknovvledgeth his imperfection 17 exhorting them to beare Christes Crosse vvith him and not to imitate those bellygods verse 1 FROM hence forth my brethren reioyce in our Lord. To vvrite the same things vnto you to me surely it is not tedious and to you it is necessarie ✠verse 2 See the dogges see the euil vvorkers see the concisioÌ„ ✠verse 3 For vve are the circumcision vvhich in spirit serue God and vve glorie in Christ IESVS and not hauing confidence in the flesh ✠verse 4 albeit I also haue confidence in the flesh ✠If any other man seeme to haue confidence in the flesh I more ✠verse 5 circumcised the eight day of the stocke of Israël of the tribe of Beniamin * an Hebrevv of Hebrevves * according to the Lavv a Pharisee ✠verse 6 according to emulation persecuting the Church of God according to the iustice that is in the Lavv conuersing vvithout blame ✠verse 7 But the things that vvere gaines to me those haue I esteemed for Christ detriments ✠verse 8 Yea but I esteeme al things to be detriment for the passing knovvledge of IESVS Christ my Lord for vvhom I haue made al things as detriment and do esteeme them as dung that I may gaine Christ ✠verse 9 and may be found in him not hauing ″ my iustice vvhich is of the Lavv but that vvhich is of the faith of Christ vvhich is of God iustice in faith ✠verse 10 to knovv him and the vertue of his resurrection and the societie of his passions configured to his death ✠verse 11 if by any meanes I may come to the resurrection vvhich is from the dead ✠verse 12 ″ Not that novv I haue receiued or novv am perfect but I pursue if I may comprehend vvherein I am also comprehended of Christ IESVS ⊢ ✠verse 13 Brethren I do not account that I haue comprehended Yet one thing forgetting the things that are behinde but stretching forth my self to those that are before ✠verse 14 I pursue to the marke to the price of the supernal vocation of God in Christ IESVS ✠verse 15 Let vs therfore as many as are perfect be thus minded and if you be any ″ othervvise minded this also God hath reuealed ' to you ✠verse 16 Neuerthelesse vvherevnto we are come that vve be of the same minde let vs continue in the same rule ✠verse 17 Be folovvers of me brethren obserue them that vvalke so as you haue our forme ✠verse 18 For * many vvalke vvhom often I told you of and novv vveeping also I tel you the enemies of the crosse of Christ ✠verse 19 vvhose end is destruction vvhose God is the belly and their glorie in their confusion vvhich minde vvorldly things ✠verse 20 But our conuersation is in heauen vvhence also vve expect the Sauiour our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 21 vvho vvil reforme the body of our humilitie configured to the body of his glorie according to the operation vvhereby also he is able to subdue al things to him self ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 9. My iustice Diuers Lutherans in their translations do shamfully mangle this sentence by transposing the vvordes and false poluting of the partes hereof to make it haue this sense that the Apostle vvould haue no iustice of his ovvne but onely that iustice vvhich is in Christ Vvhich is a false and heretical sense of the vvordes and not meant by S. Paul vvho calleth that a mans ovvne Iustice vvhich he chalengeth by the vvorkes of the Lavv or nature vvithout the grace of Christ and that Gods iustice as S. Augustine expoundeth this place not vvhich is in God or by vvhich God is
booke to be Canonical Scripture But Caluin and his companions disagreing vvith their Maisters confesse it to be holy Scripture but their shiftes and fond gloses for ansvver of so plaine places be as impudent as the denying of the Epistle vvas in the other vvho vvould neuer haue denied the booke thereby to shevv them selues Heretikes if they had thought those vulgar euasions that the Zuinglians and Caluinists do vse vvhereof they vvere not ignorant could haue serued In both sortes the Christian Reader may see that al the Heretikes vaunting of expresse Scriptures the vvord of God is no more but to delude the vvorld vvhereas in deede be the Scriptures neuer so plaine against them they must either be vvrested to sound as they say or els they must be no Scriptures at all And to see Luther Caluin Beza their fellovves sitte as it vvere in iudgement of the Scriptures to allovv or disallovv at their pleasures it is the most notorious example of Heretical pride miserie that can be See their prefaces and censures vpon this Canonical Epistle the Apocalypse the Machabees and other 21. Abraham vvas he not iustified by vvorkes It is much to be noted that S. Augustine in his booke de fide operibus c. 14. vvriteth that the heresie of onely faith iustifying or sauing vvas an old Heresie euen in the Apostles time gathered by the false interpretation of some of S. Paules profound disputation in the Epistle to the Romans vvherein he commended so highly the faith in Christ that they thought good vvorkes vvere not auilable adding further that the other three Apostles Iames Iohn and Iude did of purpose vvrite so much of good vvorkes to correct the said errour of onely faith gathered by the misconstruction of S. Paules vvordes Yea vvhen S. Peter Ep. 2 c. 3. vvarneth the faithful that many things be hard in S. Paules vvritings and of light vnlearned men mistaken to their perdition the said S. Augustine affirmeth that he meant of his disputation concerning faith vvhich so many Heretikes did mistake to condemne good vvorkes And in the preface of his commentarie vpon the 31 Psalme he vvarneth al men that this deduction vpon S. Paules speache Abraham vvas iustified by faith therfore vvorkes be not necessarie to saluation is the right vvay to the gulfe of Hel and damnation And lastly vvhich is in it self very plaine that vve may see this Apostle did purposely thus commend vnto vs the necessitie of good vvorkes and the inanity aud insufficiencie of onely faith to correct the errour of such as misconstrued S. Paules vvordes for the same the said holy Doctor noteth that of purpose he tooke the very same example of Abraham vvhom S. Paul said to be iustified by faith and declareth that he vvas iustified by good vvorkes specifying the good vvorke for vvhich he vvas iustified and blessed of God to vvitte his obedience and immolation of his onely sonne But hovv S. Paul saith that Abraham vvas iustified by faith see the Annotations vpon that place Ro. 4. v. 1. 22. Faith did vvorke vvith Some Heretikes hold that good vvorkes are pernicious to saluation and iustification other that though they be not hurtful but required yet they be no causes or vvorkers of saluation much lesse meritorious but are as effectes and fruites issuing necessarily out of faith Both vvhich fictions falshods and flightes from the plaine truth of Gods vvord are refuted by these vvordes vvhen the Apostle saith That faith vvorketh together vvith good vvorkes making faith to be a coadiutor or cooperator vvith vvorkes and so both ioyntly concurring as causes and vvorkers of iustification yea aftervvard he maketh vvorkes the more principal cause vvhen he resembleth faith to the body and vvorkes to the spirit or life of man 23. The frend of God By this also an other false and friuolous euasion of the Heretikes is ouertaken vvhen they feine that the Apostle here vvhen he saith vvorkes do iustifie meaneth that they shew vs iust before men and auaile not to our iustice before God For the Apostle euidently declareth that Abraham by his vvorkes vvas made or truely called the freend of God and therfore vvas not as the Heretikes say by his vvorkes approued iust before man onely 24. Not by faith onely This proposition or speache is directly opposite or contradictorie to that vvhich the Heretikes hold For the Apostle saith Man is iustified by good workes and not by faith only but the Heretikes say Man is not iustified by good vvorkes but by faith only Neither can they pretend that there is the like contradiction or contrarietie betwixt S. Iames speache and S. Paules for though S. Paul say man is iustified by faith yet he neuer saith by faith onely nor euer meaneth by that faith vvhich is alone but alvvaies by that faith vvhich vvorketh by charitie as he expoundeth him self Though concerning vvorkes also there is a difference betwixt the first iustification vvhereof S. Paul specially speaketh and the second iustification vvhereof S. Iames doth more specially treate Of vvhich thing els vvhere there is ynough said The fathers in deede vse sometimes this exclusiue sola onely but in far other sense then the Protestants For some of them thereby exclude only the vvorkes of Moyses law against the Iewes some the vvorkes of nature and moral vertues vvithout the grace or knowledge of Christ against the Gentiles some the necessitie of external good vvorkes vvhere the parties lacke time and meanes to doe them as in the case of the penitent theefe some the false opinions sectes and religions contrarie to the Catholike faith against Heretikes and miscreants some exclude reason sense and arguing in matters of faith and mysterie against such as vvil beleeue nothing but that they see or vnderstand some the merite of vvorkes done in sinne before the first iustification some the arrogant Pharisaical vaunting of mans ovvne proper vvorkes and iustice against such as referre not their actions and good deedes to Gods grace To these purposes the holy Doctors say sometimes that only faith saueth and serueth but neuer as the Protestants vvould haue it to exclude from iustification and saluation the cooperation of mans free vvil dispositions and preparations of our hartes by praiers penance and sacraments the vertues of hope and charitie the purpose of vvel-vvorking and of the obseruation of Gods commaundements much lesse the vvorkes and merites of the children of God proceding of grace and charitie after they be iustified and are now in his fauour vvhich are not only dispositions and preparations to iustice but the meritorious cause of greater iustice and of saluation 25. Rahab This Apostle alleageth the good vvorkes of Rahab by vvhich she vvas iustified and S. Paul 11 Hebr. saith she vvas iustified by faith Vvhich are not contrarie one to the other for both is true that she vvas saued by faith as one faith and that she vvas saued by her vvorkes as the