beholden them all in order hee could not finde one iuste It followeth therefore that this mischief went ouer all mankinde seeing nothing is hid from the sight of God He speaketh verily in the ende of the Psalme of the redemption of Israell But straightwayes we shall shewe in what manner holy men and how farrefoorth they are exempted from this condition In the other Psalmes hee complaineth of the wickednesse of his enemies where vnder himselfe and his hee portraieth a certaine type of the kingdome of Christ wherefore vnder his aduersaries all those are represented vnto vs which being estraunged from Christ are not lead by his spirit Esay doth expresly note Israel Therfore his accusatiō doth the more agree vnto the gētiles What then There is no questiō but the nature of mē is described vnder these termes that thereby wee might see what man is being left vnto him selfe in as much as Scripture testifieth all to bee such which are not regenerate by the grace of God How the godly are exempted from the commō condition of mē The condition of holy men were nothing better but that the same prauitie or naughtinesse is corrected in them Yet to the ende they myght remember howe they differ nothing from others by nature in the reliques of their fleshe wherewith they are still compassed they feele the seedes of those thinges which woulde continually bring foorth fruite in them except mortification did let them which they ought to ascribe vnto the mercie of the Lorde and not vnto their nature And finally whereas all the faultes are heere reckoned doe not appeare in euery one this letteth not but they may rightly and truely bee contayned or compacted vnder the nature of man as we haue already noted Chap. 1.26 19 We knowe that whatsoeuer the Lawe saith it saith it to them which are vnder the Lawe that euery mouth might be stopped and all the worlde bee culpable before God 20 Therefore by the workes of the Lawe shall no flesh be iustified in his sight for by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne 19 Wee knowe Hauing left the Gentiles hee doeth precisely applie those speeches vnto the Iewes in subduing of whom there was much more a doe because they being no lesse voyde of righteousnesse then the Gentiles did couer themselues with the cloake of the couenant of God as though this were sufficient holinesse for them that they were distinguished from the residue of the worlde by the election of God And truely hee bringeth foorth those euasions which he knewe well the Iewes had at hande For whatsoeuer was spoken sinisterly in the Lawe against all mankinde they were wont to returne it vpon the Gentiles as though they were exempted from the common sort And surely so they were but that they fell from their degree Therefore least some false imagination of their owne priuate worthynesse shoulde hinder them and 〈◊〉 they shoulde restrayne those thinges vnto the Gentiles 〈◊〉 whiche doe no lesse appertayne vnto themselues Paule heer◠preuenteth that and by an argument taken from the ende of the Scripture hee sheweth that they are not only in the same conditiō with the common sort of men but that that iudgment is peculiarly denounced of them And hereby wee see the diligence of the Apostle in refelling obiections Paul applieth the former testimonies of scripture against the Iewes For to whome is the lawe giuen or to whose instruction ought it to serue if not to the Iewes In that therefore it maketh mention of others that it doeth as it were by the way or as they say lightly but to his owne schollers it doeth principally apply his doctrine In the lawe Hee saith the Iewes are those to whom the Lawe was appointed whereby it followeth that it doeth properly appertaine vnto them and vnder the lawe hee vnderstandeth also the Prophetes and so comprehendeth the whole olde Testament That euery mouth might be stopped That is that all euasion and power of excusing might bee taken away Howe mans mouth is said to stopped It is a Metaphore taken from iudgementes where hee that is guiltie if hee haue any thing that may serue iustly to his defence asketh leaue to speake that hee might cleare him selfe of those thinges are laide against him but if his owne conscience condemne him hee holdeth his peace and saying nothing expecteth his condemnation being euen nowe by his silence condemned The same sence hath that saying of Iob Iob. 39.37 I will lay my hande vpon my mouth For hee sayeth although hee wanted not some kinde of excuse yet not going about to iustifie him selfe hee woulde yeelde vnto the sentence of God The next clause conteyneth an exposition For his mouth is stopped who is so holden wrapped in iudgement that hee can no way escape otherwise to be silent before the face of God is to be afraide of his maiestie and as it were astonished with his brightnesse to become euen speechles 20 Because by the workes of the lawe It is a great question yea euen amongst the learned what workes bee called the workes of the lawe whiles some extende them vnto the obseruation of the whole lawe other some restrayne them vnto the ceremonies onely The annexing of this worde lawe did mooue Chrisostome Origen and Hierome to bee of the first opinion for in that addition they thought there was◠peculier aduisement that the speeche shoulde not bee vnderstoode of all woorkes generally But this doubt is easily loosed For seeing woorkes are so farre foorth iust in the sight of the Lorde as wee doe studie by them to giue vnto him woorshippe and obedience to the ende hee might more precisely take from all woorkes the force vertue or strength of iustification hee hath named those woorkes whiche specially myght iustifie if there were any that coulde iustifie Workes of the law are named by a kind of excellencie as who should say if they iustifie not then no workes iustifie For it is the lawe that hath the promises without the which our woorkes are of no valewe before God Thou seest therefore the cause why Paule expressed the workes of the lawe Namely because by the law there is a rewarde appointed vnto woorkes Neyther were the very Scholemen ignoraunt hereof amongst whome it is an olde and common saying that workes are not meritorious in respect of any internall or reall worthinesse but for the couenant And although they are deceiued for that they see not our woorkes alwayes to bee defiled with vices which doe take from them merite yet that principle is true namely that the rewarde of workes dependeth vpon the voluntary promise of the lawe Therefore Paul wisely and very well doeth not dispute of bare woorkes but precisely and namely hee alleageth the keeping of the lawe of the which properly the question was As for those thinges which are brought in of other learned men for the defence of that sentence they are weaker then were meete By the naming of circumcision they
whē I require you to obey I require nothing els but that which all Christians ought to performe by the law of charitie For if you woulde haue the godly to bee safe which thing not to will were cruell you must studie that lawes and iudgementes may bee of strength and the gouernours of the lawes by whose benefite peace redoundeth to al may haue an obedient people Therefore he violateth charitie if any bring in anarchia libertie such as when there is no magistrate euery man doth his pleasure after which doth straightwaies follow a perturbation of al things For he that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe The counsaile of Paule is to reuoke all the commandementes of the law vnto loue that we may know how we then rightly obey the commandements when we keepe charitie and this that we refuse no labour which may make to the keeping of charitie So he confirmeth very well that he commaunded touching the obedience is to be giuen to magistrates wherein the greatest part of charitie both consist But here many are troubled and cannot wel vnfold themselues out of this difficultie namely that Paul saith the law is fulfilled if we loue our neighbour for so there is no mention of the worship of God which ought not to bee omitted But Paule hath not respect vnto the whole lawe hee speaketh here only of those duties which are commanded vs of the lawe towards our neighbour And surely that is true the whole law is fulfilled when we loue our neighbours because true loue towards men proceedeth not but from the loue of God and is a testimonie as wel as an effect thereof Yet Paule here maketh mention onely of the seconde table for the question was onely of that as though he had saide he hath done his dutie towardes all the worlde which loueth his neighbour as himselfe That cauill of Sophisters is childish which goe about to draw iustification of workes out of this sentence For Paule saith not what men do or doe not but hee speaketh vnder a condition which thou shalt no where finde to be fulfilled And when wee say men are not iustified by workes we denis not but the keeping of the law is true righteousnesse but because no man doeth nor hath performed it we say all men are excluded from it and therefore the onely refuge is in the grace of Christ 9 For that thou shalt not commit adulterie Hence it cannot be gathered what commandements are in the second table seeing in the end also he addeth and if there be any other commandement For he omitted the commandement of honoring parentes And it may seeme very absurd that that should be omitted which chiefly apperteined to the purpose But what if therefore he did omit it least he should obscure his argument but as I dare not affirme that so I see nothing wāting heere that might serue to his purpose namely seeing God would nothing els by all his commandments then that he might instruct vs vnto charitie and how by all meanes we are to striue thereunto And yet the quiet reader will easily confesse that Paule would proue by comparisons how the whole law tendeth to this that mutuall charitie might be maintained amongst vs and this is to bee vnderstood which he omitted that obediēce towards magistrate◠is not the last part of nourishing peace conseruing brotherly loue 10 Loue worketh no ill to his neighbour He sheweth by the effect that vnder charitie are conteined all things which are deliuered in all those precepts For he that is indued with true charitie will neuer studie to hurt his brother What els doth the whole law forbid then that we should do no iniurie to our neighbour Furthermore this must be applied vnto the present purpose for seeing Magistrates are the gouernours of peace equitie who so coueteth that euery man may haue his owne would haue all men liue in safetie he must defend as much as lyeth in him the estates of Magistrates The enemies of gouernment giue libertie of hurting Whereas he repeateth againe that loue is the fulfilling of the law vnderstand it as before of that parte of the law which respecteth the societie of mē For the first table of the lawe which is concerning the worship of God is not touched here 11 And this also seeing wee know the season because it is time that we should now awake out of sleepe for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued 12 The night is past the day is come nigh Let vs therefore cast away the deedes of darkenesse and let vs put on the armour of light 13 Let vs walke honestly as in the day not in ryoting drunkennes neither in chambering and wantonnesse neither in strife and enuing 14 But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and make no prouision for the flesh to fulfyll the lustes thereof 11 And this also Now he taketh in hand another place of exhortation namely because the beames of eternall life haue begunne to shine vnto vs as it were in the morning we must do that which they are wont to do that walk in the middest of the light and in the sight of men For they take diligent heed least they cōmit any filthie vnseemely thing because if they fall they see they are subiect to too many witnesses but we which alway stand in the sight of god angels whō Christ the true sonne of righteousnesse inuiteth to his sight ought much rather take heed of all vncleannes The meaning therfore of the words is this Seeing we know it is fit time that we shold awake out of sleepe let vs cast off whatsoeuer is of the night let vs shake off al the works of darknes seeing the darknes it self is now driuen away studying the workes of light let vs walke as it is meete in the day time The wordes are interposed must be included in a parēthesis Moreouer because here is an allegorie it is necessary to note what euery part doth signifie By night he vnderstandeth the ignorāce of God wherein who so are holden they erre sleepe as it were in the night For the faithlesse labour of these two euils because they are blinde sottish or dull And this sottishnes or masednes he setteth forth a litle after by sleepe What is meant by night and by light which is as he saith the image of death By light he vnderstandeth the reuelatiō of the truth of God by the which the sonne of righteousnes Christ appeareth to vs. He vseth this speech to awake for to be armed and prepared to doe those things which the Lord requireth of vs. Workes of darknesse are put for filthie and wicked workes because as hee saith the night is without shame The armour of light for honest sober and chast workes such as the day is wont to serue vnto And he vseth rather this worde armour then workes because wee must fight for the Lorde But this parcell in the beginning of the
A Commentarie vpon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romanes written in Latine by M. Iohn Caluin and newely translated into Englishe by Christopher Rosdell preacher Whereunto is added a necessarie table for the better and more readie finding out of certayne principall matters conteyned in this worke Collos 3.16 Let the worde of Christ dwel in you plenteouslie in all wisedome Imprinted at London for Iohn Harison and George Bishop 1583. To the right honourable and his verie good L. Sir Edwarde Seimer knight Baron Beauchampe and Earle of Hertforde Christopher Rosdell wisheth grace and peace from God c. THE Church right honorable and my good Lorde hath neuer doubted at any time of the author of this epistle but as the inscription therof plainely testifieth so the godly haue alway constantly beleeued that it was written by that greate doctor and worthy Apostle Paul Of whose prayse though Chrisostome and diuers others haue said very much yet if it bee compared with his desert it is eyther nothing or els but a litle Act. 9.15 For with what praises shall we sufficiently set him forth whome the Lord himself immediatly after his conuersiō so highly commended Calling him a chosen vessell to beare his name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel 2. Cor. 12.2 with what speeches shall we accordingly aduance him whome the Lorde lift vp vnto the thirde heauen And with what ornamentes shall wee decke him whome the Lorde did so richely adorne by kinred of the race of Abraham by person naturally vehement indued with singuler dexteritie and of a noble courage by callinge an Apostle of Iesus Christe immediatly called of the Lord vnto the ministery of the Gospel As he testifieth to the Galath Saying Gal. 1.1 Paule an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ God the father c. immediatly taught from aboue As it is written Gal. 1.11 Now I certifie you brethren that the Gospell which was preached of me was not after men For neyther receiued I it of man neither was I taught it but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ By the visible gift of the holy Ghost inuested into his ministerie Apostleship And finally by great signes wonders confirmed in the same Act. 9.3 Act. 19.6 By which things as the dignitie autoritie of the holie man is confirmed vnto vs so all men are taught with what reuerence they should heare and receiue what so euer hath proceeded frō him For seeing hee speaketh vnto vs in that stead of christ bringeth a celestial doctrin such as is mixed with no error we ought to heare belieue him as the voice of God from heauen Knowing assuredly that hee is of the number of those of whome it is saide he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me c. And therefore they commit most horrible blasphemie against God whose impudent mouthes are open against the apostolicall authoritie of so excellent an instrument of the Lord. But no doubt suche miscreates rebellious wretches doe feele the efficacie light of his apostolicall doctrine whereby their wicked studies are manifested reproued according to the saying of Christ because their deedes are euill they hate the light seeing they hate it but yet can not extinguish it they do what they can to discredite it Yea and that which of all others is most abominable they goe about by peruerting holy Scriptures to mayntayne and defend their diuelish doctrine Whence it commeth that by abusing the testimonie of of Peter they labour to perswade the vnlearned that the Epistles of Paule are harde to bee vnderstoode and obscure Yea such as minister causes of errores vnto the vnskilfull and therefore are not to bee read of the common forte but rather to bee restrayned and forbidden The woordes of Peter are these And suppose that the long suffering of our Lorde is saluation 2. Pet. 3.15 euen as our beloued brother Paule according vnto the wisedome giuen vnto him wrote to you as one that in all his Epistles speaketh of these things amōgst the which some things are hard to be vnderstoode which they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as they doe all other scriptures vnto their owne destruction Which woordes doe so muche make for the commendation of the Epistles of Paul that they must needes be very impudent and blinded with extreeme malice which wrest them to the obscuring of his doctrine For first these woordes giue vnto Paul a celestiall and heauenly wisedome Secondly they testifie that he wrote his Epistles according to the same wisedom and that he wrote the same things to the same faithful people to whom Peter himselfe wrote But it is added amongst the which some things are hard to be vnderstood VVhat then shall all the writings of Paule bee taken away from the people Church of God because of the difficultie hardnes of some certayne places or rather were it not meete those obscure places shoulde bee faithfully sincerely expounded that the simple might vnderstand thē By the same reason let the epistles of Peter also be inhibited taken away for in them there are many things hard to be vnderstood As may appeare in his first epi. cha 3. 4. And in his 2 epist 2. But they are wrested quoth they of the vnlearned and vnstable Wherefore it were better they were taken from the vnlearned reserued onely for the reading of the learned By the same reason also all holy scripture may bee taken away For Peter testifieth of them that they are peruerted of the vnlearned those are vnstable What more reason is there why the vse of holy scripture should bee forbidden all men because some by peruerting of them haue fallen to destruction thē that the vse of fire water should be debarred al mē because many haue perished by thē Did the apostle write his epistles to the Bishops other ministers of Christ only not rather to all faythful christiās were at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Collossa Philippos Macedonia c Did he write of suche things only as apperteined vnto the learned and not rather of such things as are necessarie to be knowen of all and concerne the saluation of all if he wrote to the learned only why saith he to all that be at Rome and not rather to you learned Christians be at Rome If he wrote of such things as concerne the learned only yet wrot the gospel or glad tidings of saluatiō in Christ why saith he Rom. 1.5 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth c. But if both the holy man directed his writings vnto all also the thinges conteyned in them doe appertein vnto all why rob they the vulgar common people or laitie as they terme them of that the holy ghost hath giuen vnto thē I meane
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
very well for he saith he was declared in power or mightily because there appeared in him such power as was proper vnto God and prooued him most certainly to be God This power appeared in his resurrection as in another place the same Paule after he hath acknowledged ◠Cor. 13.4 that the infirmitie of the fleshe appeared in his death commendeth the vertue of the spirite in his resurrection Yet this glory is not knowen to vs vntill the same spirite seale it in our heartes And that Paule together with that wonderful power of the spirite which Christ shewed foorth in rising from the dead doth also vnderstand that testimony which euery faithfull man feeleth in his heart may be seene by this that he doth expresse sanctification by name as if he should say the spirit as it sanctifieth doth establish and ratifie that experiment of his power which it once declared For the Scripture vseth oftē to adorne the spirit of God with such titles as may serue for the present purpose So it is called of the Lord the spirite of trueth of that effect Ioh. 14.17 whereof he spake in that place Moreouer a celestiall power is saide to haue appeared in the resurrection of Christ because he rose agayne by his owne strength as he testified manye times saying destroy this temple and in three dayes I will rayse it vp againe Ioh. 2.9 Ioh. 10.18 No man taketh my life from me For he conquered death to whom he gaue place according to the infirmitie of the flesh not by externall helpe gotten by intreaty but by the heauenly operation of his owne spirite 5 By whom wee haue receiued c. Hauing ended the description of the Gospel which for the commendation of his office he inserted nowe he commeth to speake of his calling for it stoode him greatly vpon to make the same approued with the Romaines Paule not called to be an Apostle for his worthinesse Whereas he nameth grace and Apostleship one from the other it is an Hyppallage for free Apostleship or grace of Apostleship whereby he signifieth that it was wholly thorow the bountifulnesse of God and not of his worthinesse that he was called vnto so high an office For although in the sight of the world it hath nothing besides perils labours hatred and infamy yet with God and his Saintes it is of singuler and great dignity Or if you had rather say thus I haue receiued fauour that I should be an Apostle it is all one Where it is sayd In his name c. Ambrose expoundeth it that in the steede of Christ he was appoynted vnto the Gospel according to that saying we are Embassadours for Christ 2. Cor. 5.20 Yet me thinke their opinion is more sound which take name for knowledge because the Gospell is preached to this end 1. Iohn 3.23 that we might beleeue in the name of the sonne of God And Paule himselfe is called a chosen vessel to beare the name of Christ amongest the Gentiles Acts 9 13. In his name therfore is as much as if he should say that I might make knowne what Christ is Into the obedience of faith c. That is to say wee haue receyued commaundement to beare the Gospell vnto all nations whereunto they may become obedient by faith From the end of his calling he aduertiseth the Romaynes agayne of his office as if he should say it is my part to execute that which is geuen me in charge that is to preach the worde and it is your partes to obey the worde with all obedience They are contumelious against God and iniurious to themselues that reiect the Gospel vnlesse you will make that calling frustrate which the Lorde hath geuen vnto me Whereby we may gather that they doe stubbornly gainstand the power of God and peruert his ordinance who vnreuerently and disdaynfully refuse the preaching of the Gospel whose ende is to bring vs into the obedience of God Here also the nature of faith is to bee obserued which is therfore adorned with the tytle of obedience because the Lorde doth call vs by the Gospel and we aunsweare to his calling by fayth As on the contrary infidelity is the cause of all disobedience against God I choose rather to translate it into the obedience of faith then to obey faith because this latter cannot be sayde but improperly and figuratiuely albeyt it is once read in the Acts. For properly it is faith Acts 6.7 whereby we obey the Gospel Amongest all the Gentiles amongest whom c. It was not ynough that he was appoynted an Apostle except his ministery should haue respect vnto the making of Disciples Therefore he addeth that his Apostleship did extend vnto all the Gentiles Though all the Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles yet Paule specially Straight wayes after he calleth himselfe more playnely the Apostle of the Romaines whilest he sayeth the Romaines were comprehended in the number of the Gentiles to whom he was giuen to be a minister Moreouer the Apostles haue this commaundement common vnto them that they should preache the Gospel in all the worlde neyther were they appoynted ouer certayne Churches as Pastours and Bishops are And Paule besides the generall charge of his function Apostolical by a special ordinance was appoynted a minister to preache the Gospel amongest the Gentiles Acts 16.6 Neyther hindereth that any whit that he was forbidden to goe through Macedonia and preach the word in Mysia which was done not that certayne boūds should be limitted vnto him but that for the present time he was to hasten other where for the haruest was not yet ripe there 6 Called of Iesus Christ Hee geueth a reason which is somewhat neerer scilicet because the Lorde had already shewed in them an experiment wherby he declared that he called thē to the fellowship of the Gospel Whereupon it followed if they would haue their calling to stand they ought not to reiect the ministery of Paule who was chosen by the same election of the Lorde Therefore I vnderstand this short sentence called of Iesus Christ by the way of a declaration as though this worde namely or to say came betweene For he signifieth that they are partakers of Christ by calling Whom God hath chosen in Christ those hee hath committed to his tuition For they which shal be the heires of eternal life are both chosen of the heauenly father in Christ also being elected are committed to his custody tuition as of a shepheard To all you which are at Rome By an excellent order hee sheweth what is prayse worthy in vs. First that the Lorde of his bountifulnesse hath receiued vs into fauour and loue Secondly What is commendable in vs and when the same commendation taketh place in vs. that he hath called vs. Thirdly that he hath called vs vnto holinesse which commendation then taketh place if we become answerable to our calling Here ariseth vnto
praiers whereunto whiles the saints will bestow themselues The godly haue vsed set and solemne prayers all cares being set a part they giue their whole studie to them For oftentimes he mighte vpon the sodaine burst foorth into this or that wishe and yet the Romans not in his remembrance But as often as hee did purposely and as it were with meditation pray vnto God amongest others hee was also mindefull of them Therefore hee speaketh of peculiar prayers whereunto the Saints doe purposely dispose them selues as wee see the Lorde himselfe in suche prayers to haue sought for a solitarie place And withall he giueth to vnderstand howe often or rather howe continually hee was occupied in them whiles hee saith hee prayed without ceasing Beseeching that by some meanes Because it is not like that from our heart wee seeke his profite whome wee are not readie to further with our helpe after hee hath declared his carefulnesse in procuring their saluation nowe hee addeth another argument whereby he testified before God his loue towardes them namely in beseeching that he might helpe them Wherefore that you may haue the full sense reade these words as though the worde yea were interposed Yea beseeching that by some meanes And when hee saith a prosperous iourney by the will of the Lorde hee declareth that hee doth not only looke for the prosperitie of life from the fauour of the Lorde Al things ought to be counted prosperous which please God but euen thereupon to esteeme his iourney prosperous if it bee approued of the Lorde according to which rule all our desires ought to be ordered For I desire to see you c. Hee might after a sort being absent haue confirmed their faith with his doctrine but because counsaile is alwayes better taken of one present therefore he coueted rather to bee with them face to face And he sheweth the ende of his counsaile to signifie vnto them that he would not take vpon him so wearisome a iourney for his owne but for their profite By spirituall giftes hee vnderstandeth eyther the giftes of doctrine or exhortation or prophesie whiche hee knewe he had receyued of the grace of God Here hee hath notably set forth the lawfull vse of those giftes vnder the word The right vse of Gods graces communicating or bestowing For to that ende are diuers gifts giuen peculiarly to euery one that all might graciously one help another and one make another partaker of those thinges which are giuen to euery one of this afterward To strengthen you Hee qualifieth that which hee sayde of communication Rom. 12.3 1. Cor. 12.11 least hee shoulde seeme to count them such as were yet to bee instructed in the first elementes as though they were not yet rightly entred in Christ Therefore he saith that he coueteth to helpe them in that respect wherein they may yet be holpen which haue profited greatly For all of vs haue need to be confirmed Ephe. 4.13 till Christ be made perfect in vs. And not beyng content to haue spoken so modestly he addeth ouer and besides a castigation or correction wherein hee sheweth that he did not so take vpon him the office of teaching but that also hee coueted to learne againe of them As if he shoulde say I desire so to confirme you according to the measure of grace giuen vnto me that my faith also by your example may be incouraged and so we may profite one another amongst our selues Beholde into howe great moderation this godly man submitteth him selfe that he refuseth not to seeke for confirmation of those were but rawe schollers Neither speaketh hee dissemblingly None is inriched with suche plentie of Gods graces but hee may some time reape profite by the simplest For there is none in the Church of Christ so voyde of giftes that hee can not profite vs somewhat but our malignitie and pride hinder vs that wee doe not receiue any such commoditie Wee are so high minded and dronken with foolishe glorie that dispising others and setting them at nought euery man thinketh him selfe to be sufficient inough for him self I had rather reade it with Bucer by the way of exhortation then of consolation because so it agreeth better with the premisses 13 Nowe my brethren I woulde not that you shoulde be ignoraunt howe that I haue often times purposed to come vnto you but haue been let hitherto that I might haue some fruite also among you as I haue among the other Gentiles 14 I am debter both to the Grecians and Barbarians both to the wise men and to the vnwise 15 Therefore as much as in me is I am readie to preach the Gospell to you also that are at Rome Whereas hitherto he had testified that hee did continually desire of God that he might at some time see them The counsailes and purposes yea euen of the godly are many times interrupted because that might seeme to bee but a vayne thing vnlesse hee woulde take occasion offered nowe he certified them in that point for hee sayth there was no want of will but of opportunitie because he was often interrupted of his purpose Where we learne that the Lorde many times ouerthroweth the counsailes of his Saintes that he might humble them and by such humbling teache them to haue respecte vnto his prouidence that they might depende vpon it although the Saintes who deliberate nothing without the will of God are not properly driuen from their counsailes For that is wicked boldnesse without regarde of God to determine vpon thinges to come as who shoulde say they were in our power whiche boldenesse Iames reproueth sharpely Iacob 4.13 Whereas he saith he was letted thou mayest not otherwise take it then that the Lorde did lay before him more vrgent busines of the Church The godly esteeme not impediments as the godles doe which he coulde not leaue without great dāmage to the Churche Thus that impedimentes of the godly and faithles differ that these thinke them selues then at length to be letted when by the violent hande of the Lorde they are so hemmed in that they can not sturre them selues the other are content to take some lawefull reason for an impediment neither doe they permit them selues to attempt any thing eyther besides their office or contrary to edification That I might haue some fruite Vndoubtedly he speaketh of that fruite to the gathering whereof the Apostles were sent of the Lorde Io. 15.16 I haue chosen you that ye might go and bring foorth fruite and your fruite might remaine Which fruite albeit hee gathered it not for himselfe Gods glorie the felicitie of the godly are ioyned together but for the Lord yet he calleth it his because there is nothing more proper vnto the godly then that which aduaunceth the glory of the Lorde wherevnto all their felicitie is coupled And he saith hee had receiued fruite amongst other nations to the ende the Romanes might be in hope his comming vnto
them should not be vnprofitable Gods glorie the felicitie of the godly are ioyned together which so many nations had proued to be fruitfull 14 Grecians and Barbarians Whom hee vnderstandeth by Grecians and Barbarians hee sheweth by an exposition when he nameth the same in other tytles wise menne and vnwise for the whiche Erasmus turneth it learned and vnlearned but I had rather keepe the woordes of Paule He reasoneth therefore from his office that he is not to be counted arrogant because he thought him selfe partely able to teache the Romanes howe soeuer they excelled in learning prudencie and knowledge of thinges For it pleased the Lord to send him also vnto the wise Two thinges are here to be considered First that the Gospel is appoynted and offered by the commaundement of God vnto the wise Wise meÌ„ must heare learne the Gospel to the ende that the Lorde might subiecte vnto him all the wisedome of this worlde and might cause all wittinesse all kynde of science and highnesse of artes giue place vnto the simplicity of this doctrine And so muche the more because they are brought into an order with idiotes and are so tamed that they canne nowe abyde those to bee their schoole fellowes vnder the Schoolemayster Christe Vnlearned men are neither to be feared away nor yet to flee away of themselues from the schoole of Christ whom before they woulde not haue suffered to haue beene their schollers Secondly the vnlearned neyther are to be driuen from this schoole neyther are they through vayne feare of themselues to flee away from it For if Paule were indebted to them and is to bee thought to haue beene a faithfull debtor vndoubtedlye hee perfourmed that whiche he ought Wherefore heere they shall finde whereof they may bee capable to inioye it Here also all Teachers haue a rule which they may followe namely that modestly and courteously they humble them selues to the vnlearned and idiotes Hereuppon it shall come to passe Preachers must so apply themselues to the capacity of the foolish that they cocker not their foolishnesse that they may beare more patiently many trifles and deuour almost innumerable contempts wherof otherwise they might be ouercome Yet withall let them remember that they are so bound vnto the foolishe that they are not by ouer much cockering to mainteyne their foolishnesse 15 Therefore as muche as in meee is Now he concludeth that which hee spake before of his desire Namely that in as muche as he sawe it was his office to sowe the Gospell amongest them that he might reape fruite vnto the Lorde he coueted to answeare the calling of God so farre foorth as the Lord would permit 16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iewe first and also to the Grecian 17 For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith as it is written the iust shall liue by faith 16 I am not ashamed This is a Preoccupation or preuenting of the aduersaries obiections wherein he foresheweth that he cared not for the scoffinges of the wicked wherein also by the waye hee maketh vnto him selfe a passage vnto the setting foorth of the dignitie of the Gospel least it should be contemptible to the Romanes Whiles he saith he is not ashamed thereby he giueth to vnderstande that it is contemptible in the sight of the worlde Wicked men scoffe and despise the Gospel but the godly esteeme it as the instrument where in god sheweth forth his power vnto saluation And so he prepareth them now to the bearing of the reproche of the crosse of Christ least they shoulde esteeme lesse of the Gospel whiles they see it subiecte to the scoffinges and reproches of the wicked but on the contrary hee sheweth in howe great price it is with the godly First if the power of God ought to bee in high estimation with vs that shyneth in the Gospel If the goodnesse of God be woorthie to be sought for and loued of vs the Gospell is an instrument of that goodnesse woorthy therfore is it to bee reuerenced and honoured if the power of God bee to be reuerenced and as it is an instrument of our saluation it is to be loued of vs. And obserue howe muche Paule attributeth vnto the ministery of the worde when he testifieth that therein God sheweth foorth his power vnto saluation for he speaketh not here of any secrete reuelation but of the vocall preaching of the Gospel Whereuppon it followeth that they doe as it were purposelye refuse the power of GOD and repell farre from them his hande of deliueraunce which withdraw themselues from the hearing of the woorde But because it woorketh not effectually in all but onely where the spirite the inwarde teacher lighteneth their heartes therefore he addeth to euerie one that beleeueth Indeede the Gospell is offered all menne to saluation but the power thereof appeareth not euerie where And whereas it is the sauour of death vnto the wicked That the gospel is the sauoure of death to the wicked it is of their malice not of the nature of the gospel that commeth not so muche of the nature of the Gospel as of their malignitie and wickednesse By declaring one saluation he cutteth off all other confidence from whiche onely and sole saluation whiles the wicked withdrawe them selues they haue a certayne manifestation of their destruction in the Gospell Therefore seeyng the Gospel doeth indifferently call all men vnto saluation it is properly called the doctrine of saluation For Christe is offered in it whose proper office is to saue that was lost And those whiche refuse to be saued by him shall finde him a Iudge Yet euerye where in the Scriptures this woorde saluation is simplye opposed against destruction Therfore when it is named wee are to regarde what thing is spoken of Seeyng therefore the Gospell doeth deliuer from the destruction and curse of eternall death the saluation thereof is life eternall To the Iewe firste and also to the Grecian Eternall life is the saluation of the gospel Vnder the name of Grecians nowe he conteyneth all the Gentiles as may appeare by his diuision wherein hee hath comprehended all menne vnder two members And it is like that he chose this nation of Grecians chiefely to sette out other nations by them because it was first after the Iewes admitted into the communion or felowshippe of the couenaunte of the Gospell Secondly because bothe for nighnesse and famousnesse of tongue the Grecians were best knowen to the Iewes Synecdoche is when by one â—â—ny or by a part the whole or by a speaciall the general is vnderstoode It is therefore the figure Synecdoche wherein generallye hee conioyneth the Gentiles to the Iewes in the participation of the Gospell yet notwithstanding hee putteth not the Iewes downe from their degree and order in as muche as they were
sinne of preposterous luste Whereby appeareth they were not onely giuen ouer too beastlye lustes but also became woorse then beastes when they ouerthrewe the whole order of nature Secondly hee reckoneth a greate Catalogue of vices whiche haue both beene extant in all ages and at that time raigned euerye where moste licentiously Neither hindereth this one whitte that euerye one was not laden with suche a heape of vices For in reproouinge the generall corruption of menne it is sufficient if euerye one bee compelled to acknowledge some mole or blemishe Thus therefore it is to bee taken that Paule doeth heere brieflye touch those vices whiche both were common in all ages and also were speciallye to bee seene in that age For it is maruellous howe common that filthinesse was which the bruite beastes abhorre as for the other vices they were vulgare Secondlye that hee reciteth suche a Catalogue of vices as all mankynde is comprehended in it Though al men be not theeues or murtherers c. Yet euerye man is polluted with some vice For although all menne be not murtherers or theeues or adulterers yet there is no manne that is not founde to bee polluted with some vice vnto vile affections He calleth those vile affections whiche euen in the opinion of menne are most vile or shamefull And serue to the dishonour of God 27 And receiued in themselues suche recompence of their errour For they whiche of their owne malignitie closed their eyes againste the offered light of God that they might not see is glory deserued to bee blinded that they might forget themselues and not see what were conuenient for them Moreouer they deserued to haue their sight dimmed at noone day who were not ashamed as much as in thē was to extinguish the glory of God which only doth lighten vs. 28 As they regarded not to knowe God In the iudgements of God there is a proportion between the sinne and the punishment In these wordes wee are to obserue a resemblance or comparison which notably sheweth the equall relation of the sinne and the punishmente Because they regarded not to abide in the knowledge of God whiche only directeth our mindes vnto true wisedome the Lorde gaue vnto them a peruerse minde which nowe can alowe of nothing Whereas hee saith they approued not it is as much as if hee shoulde say they followed not the knowledge of God with such studie as they ought but rather purposely they turned their cogitation from God Hee signifieth therefore that through their wicked election they preferred their owne vanities before God and so that errour wherewith they were deceiued was voluntarie To doe those things which are not conuenient Because hitherto he hath mentioned onely that one execrable example which though it were common amongst many yet it was not common vnto all hee beginneth to recken suche vices as no man coulde bee founde to bee free of For albeit as it is saide they appeare not all at once in euery one yet all men knowe themselues to bee giltie of some of thē that euery man for his owne part might bee reproued of manifest prauitie First of all whereas he calleth them not conuenient vnderstande that they abhorred from all iudgemente of reason and were farre from the duties of men For hee declareth the tokens of a confounded minde that without all difference men addicted themselues to those vices which common sense ought to haue refused Moreouer they labour in vaine whiche goe aboute to reduce these vices into an order that one mighte bee drawen out of another seeing that was not the purpose of Paule but to set them downe as euery one came firste to his remembraunce What euery of them signifieth let vs briefly runne ouer them Vnderstande iniustice when the right of humanitie is violated amongest men in not giuing to euerie one that is his Ponerian according to the sentence of Ammonius I haue turned lewdnesse or vngraciousnesse For hee teacheth Poneron id est a lewde naughtie or vngracious fellowe to bee Drasticon Cacou id est a doer or worker of mischief Lewdnsse therefore or vngraciousnesse is a practised or exercised kinde of wickednesse or a more loose license of committing naughtines As for maliciousnesse it is that prauitie and crokednesse of the minde whiche striueth to doe harme to our neighbours Where Paule hath the woorde Porneian I haue put this woorde luste yet I am not againste it if any man had rather translate it fornication for it signifieth as well the inwarde luste as the externall action The wordes couetousnesse enuie and murther haue no doubtfull signification Vnder strife or contention hee comprehendeth as well brawlings as fightinges and seditious motions Cacoetheia For the whiche wee haue put downe peruersitie to say famous and notable lewdenesse when a man by custome and an euill vse is hardened in corrupt manners Theostugeis are no doubte haters of God For there is no reason why it shoulde bee heere put passiuely that is hated of God seeing Paule in this place goeth aboute by euident vices to prooue the giltinesse of men Those therefore are noted which hate God whose righteousnesse they seeme to gainstande with their wickednesse Whisperers and backebiters are thus distinguished that those namely Whisperers do by priuie accusations breake the friendship of good men inflame their mindes to hatred defame the innocent and sowe discorde c. These to say backbiters through a certaine ingraffed malignitie spare the name of no man and as though they were vexed with the phrensie of euill speaking they slaunder togeather both those haue deserued and those haue not I haue translated Hubristas euill doers because the latine authours are wont to call notable iniuries as are robberies theftes burninges witchraftes which Paule woulde note in this place by the name of euill deedes I call those contumelious whome Paule calleth Huperephanous for so the Greeke woord signifieth Hence commeth the name because such beeing as it were set on high contemptuously despise the lower sort neither can they abide any equalitie Those are proude or hautie which doe swell with the vaine winde of superioritie Those are called insociable or suche as will not bee kept in the duetie of ciuill obedience and fellowship whiche through iniquities reuoulte from the conseruing of mans societie or in whome there is no sinceritie or constancie of faith as though you shoulde say truice breakers Without naturall affection who haue put off euen the first affections of nature towardes theirs Because hee putteth the defect of mercy amongst the tokens of mans corrupted nature Heerevpon Augustine gathereth against the stoickes that mercy is a Christian vertue Who when they knewe the righteousnesse of God And albeit this place is diuersly handeled yet this doeth seeme to mee the truest interpretation that men haue left nothing mighte serue vnto the vnbrideled licentiousnesse of sinning because all difference of good and euill beeing taken away they approued both in themselues and others To flatter
before men but accused them by the iudgement of their conscience And by this he counted that vndoubtedly to be prooued whiche hee went about namely Hypocrits must be sharply reproued els they will not awake out of their securitie that if they descended into them selues and admitted the examination of Gods iudgemente they coulde not denye their iniquitie Neyther is that without great neede that with suche seueritie and sharpenesse hee reprooueth this counterfeyte holinesse For this sorte of men with wonderfull securitie truste in them selues vnlesse this vayne confidence be violently shaken from them Let vs remember therefore that this is the beste way to conuince hypocisie if it bee awaked from his drunkennesse and drawen into the light of Gods iudgement That thou shalt escape The argument is drawen from the lesser For if wicked deedes must bee subicet to the iudgement of man much more to the iudgement of GOD who is the onely iudge of all thinges It is verilye through an heauenly instinct that men are carried to condemne wickednesse but this is onely an obscure and small shadowe of his iudgement They therefore whiche will not let others escape their iudgement are greatly deceiued to thinke they can escape Gods iudgement Neither is it without speciall force that he expresseth agayne the name of man that he might compare man with God 4 Or despisest thou the riches c. I doe not thinke with many that there is here a Dilemma Dilemma is an argument that conuinceth euery way but a Preoccupation For because Hypocrites for the most part are puffed vp with the prosperous successe of thinges as though by their good works they had merited the clemencie of the Lorde and so they are more hardened in the contempt of God the Apostle meeteth with their arrogancie and by an argument taken from the contrary cause hee sheweth there is nothing shoulde moue them to thinke by reason of their externall prosperitie that GOD is pleased with them seeing the purpose of God in doing good is farre otherwise namely that he might conuert sinners vnto him Therefore where the feare of God raigneth not Without the feare of God security in prosperity is a contempt of Gods goodnes securitie in prosperous affayres is a contempt and mockerie of his incomprehensible goodnesse Whereuppon it ensueth that they shall suffer more grieuous punishmentes whome GOD hath spared in this life because vnto their other wickednesse this hath beene added that they haue refused the fatherly calling of GOD. And although all the benefites of God are so many testimonies of his fatherly goodnesse yet because hee often respecteth a diuerse ende the godlesse do wickedly to flatter themselues in their prosperitie as though they were beloued of him whiles hee nourisheth them tenderly and bountifully not knowing that the bountifulnesse c. For GOD by his leuitie declareth himselfe vnto vs that it is hee vnto whome wee ought to bee conuerted if wee desire to bee well and together hee cheereth vp the confidence of looking for mercye If we vse not the bountifulnesse of GOD to this ende wee abuse it Although it is not alwayes to bee taken after the same manner For whiles the Lorde doeth deale fauourablye with his seruauntes Diuersity betweene the ende why God bestoweth his blessinges vpon the godly and godlesse and blesse them with earthly blessinges by suche testimonies hee declareth his beneuolence and also teacheth them to seeke for the summe of all good thinges in him Whiles he dealeth with the transgressours of the lawe in the same sorte by this bountifulnesse hee goeth about to mollifie their stubbornesse and yet hee declareth not himselfe to be pleased with them but rather calleth them to repentance And if anye obiect Obiection that the Lorde singeth vnto deafe men so long as hee doeth not inwardly touche the heart it is to be aunsweared that nothing can be blamed here but our prauitie Moreouer Answere in the wordes of Paule I had rather say hee leadeth then hee inuiteth because that is more significant And yet notwithstanding I doe not take it for to driue or force but for to leade by the hand 5 But thou after thine hardnesse c. When we are once hardened agaynst the admonitions of the Lorde impenitencie doeth followe and those whiche haue no care to repent doe manifestlye tempt the Lorde This is a notable place where we are to learne as I touched before EueÌ„ those thinges which by their owne nature are good serue to the destrucion of the wicked that the wicked doe not onely so long as they liue heere daylye more and more heape vp the wrath of God againste them but also that it shall serue to their condemnation whatsoeuer of the giftes of God they vse continually For they shall giue accounte of all And then shall appeare that it shall bee imputed vnto them for extreeme wickednesse that through the bountifulnesse of GOD whereby they shoulde haue beene bettered they were made worse Let vs therefore take heede leaste by the vnlawefull abuse of good thinges wee lay vype for our selues this vnhappie treasure In the day of wrath So it is woorde for woorde But for Eis Hemeran against the day or into the day For the godlesse nowe gather againste themselues the indignation of God The day of iudgment is the day of wrath to the wicked but the day of redemption to the godly the force whereof shall then power it selfe vppon their heade they heape vp secrete destruction whiche then shall bee taken out of the treasures of God The day of the last iudgement is called the day of wrath so long as the speach concerneth the wicked for to the faithfull it is the day of redemption So likewise are all other visitations of the Lorde alwayes sette foorth in horrible and fearefull manner agaynst the wicked but on the contrarie sweete and pleasant to the Godly Therefore as often as the Scripture maketh mention of the nearenesse of the Lorde it biddeth the Godlie reioyce and be gladde and whiles it respecteth the reprobate it doeth nothing else but smite with terrour and feare That daye sayeth Sophonye Soph. 1.15 shall bee a daye of wrath a daye of tribulation and anguishe a daye of obscuritie and darkenesse a daye of cloudes and blackenesse Ioel 2.2 The like you haue in Ioel. And Amos also cryeth out woe vnto you that desire the daye of the Lorde Amos 5.18 what haue you to doe with it That daye of the Lorde is darkenesse and not light More ouer when Paule addeth the woorde declaration hee giueth to vnderstand what daye of wrath that is namely when the Lorde shall make his iudgement knowen of whiche iudgement albeeyt hee daylye giue certayne tokens The cleare manifestation of Gods iudgemeÌ„t reserued til the last day yet hee conserueth and keepeth the cleare and full declaration thereof vnto that day For then shall the bookes bee ope◠〈◊〉 â—n shall the Lambes bee
separated from the goates and 〈◊〉 â—ll the corne bee purged from the tares 6 Who shal giue to euery man c. Because he hath to doe with blynd saints who thinke the wickednes of the heart to be well couered so that it be spread ouer with certayne I know not what shewes of vayne workes he setteth downe true righteousnesse of woorkes which shall haue place before God least they shoulde thinke it were sufficient to please him if they brought words trifles only or leaues God in coÌ„demning the reprobate payeth them that they haue deserued Moreouer there is no such difficultie in this sentence as commonly there is thought to be For if God by iust reuengement shall punishe the wickednesse of the reprobate he shall recompence them that they haue deserued Agayne because he sanctifieth them whom in time to come he purposeth to glorifie in them also he will crowne good workes but not according to merite Good woorkes crowned but not according to merite For merite is not proued by the reward For that cannot be prooued by this sentence which sentence although it shew what rewarde good workes shall haue yet notwithstanding it sheweth not what they merite are woorth or deserue nor yet what rewarde is due vnto them It is a foolishe sequele to prooue merite by the rewarde 7 To them truely whiche according to perseueraunce worde for word it is patience by whiche worde there is somewhat more expressed For perseuerance is when one constantly abydeth in well doyng without wearinesse pacience also is required in the Sayntes whereby although they are oppressed with diuers tentations yet they faynt not SataÌ„ interrupteth the course of godlinesse For Sathan suffereth them not with free passage to come vnto the Lorde but laboureth by innumerable offences to hynder them and turne them out of the right way And whereas hee sayeth that the faithfull by persisting in good woorkes doe seeke glory and honour his meaning is not that they aspire any whither then vnto the Lorde or to seeke any thing aboue him or more excellent then he but they can not seeke him but also they must contende to come vnto the blessednesse of his kingdome The Lord giueth eternall life vnto them who by well doing meditate vppon immortalitie a description whereof is conteyned vnder the circumlocution of these woordes The meaning therefore is that the Lorde will giue vnto those eternall life who studying to doe good workes meditate vpon immortalitie 8 But to those are contentious The speech is somewhat confused First because the tenor forme or fashion of the talke is broken For the course of speeche required that the second part of comparison shoulde cleaue vnto the first after this sort the Lorde will giue eternall life to those which by perseuerance in good workes seeke glory honour and immortalitie but to the contentious and disobedient eternall death Then should bee added the illation or conclusion namely that there is prepared for those glory honour and incorruption but for these there is laide vppe wrath and affliction Secondly because these woordes indignation wrath tribulation and anguishe are applied vnto two diuers members In the scriptures we must seeke for spirituall wisedome and not for eloqueÌ„ce yet this troubleth not the sense of the speache which ought to suffise vs in the writinges of the Apostles For out of others wee must seeke for eloquence heere is spirituall wisedome to be sought for vnder a base and simple stile of wordes Contention heere is put for rebellion and stiffeneckednesse because Paul hath to doe with hypocrites who through grosse and rechlesse cockering make a mockerie of God Vnder the name of trueth is simply vnderstoode the rule of Gods will which is the onely lanterne of trueth For this is a common thing to al the wicked that they had rather subiect theÌ„ selues in seruice to iniquitie then take vpon theÌ„ the yoke of God And what obedieÌ„ce so euer they pretende yet they cease not stubburnely to murmure and striue against the woorde of God For as they which are openly wicked Betweene the seruice of God and sinne there is no meane so that if we serue not God then do we serue sinne scoffe at this trueth so the hypocrites doubt not to oppose their counterfeite seruinges and worshippinges against it Moreouer the Apostle heereby putteth in minde that such stubburne people doe serue iniquitie For there is no meane whereby they shoulde not presently fall into the seruitude of sinne who will not be ruled by the lawe of the Lorde And this also is a iust rewarde of franticke licenciousnesse that they are made the bondslaues of sinne who thought it much to obey God Indignation and wrath The property of the wordes hath caused mee to turne it thus For Thumos with the Grecians signifieth that which Cicero teacheth Excandescentiam to note with the latines â—usc 4. namely a sudden inflammation of wrath In the others I followe Erasmus And note that of the foure which are reconed the two latter are as it were effectes of the former For they which perceiue or feele God to bee against them and angrie with them forthwith are confounded Neuerthelesse when hee might briefly in two woordes haue shewed as well the blessednesse of the godly as the destruction of the reprobate he amplyfieth them both in many woordes To the ende hee might better and more effectually mooue men with the feare of Gods wrath and stirre vp the desire of obtayning grace by Christ For we neuer feare the iudgement of God sufficiently vnlesse it bee by a liuely description as it were set before our eyes Neyther do wee seriously burne with the desire of the life to come except wee be stirred vp by manie prouokements 9 To the Iewe first I doubt not but he simplie opposeth the Gentile to the Iewe. For whom he nowe calleth Grecians straight wayes hee calleth the same Gentiles And the Iewes are first in the action of this cause for that they specially had the promises and threatnings of the lawe as if hee shoulde say this is the vniuersall lawe of Gods iudgement which shall begin at the Iewes and comprehend the whole worlde 11 For there is no respect of persons with God 12 Whosoeuer haue sinned without lawe shall also perishe without lawe and who so haue sinned in the lawe shall be iudged by the lawe 13 For not the hearers of the lawe are righteous before God but the doers of the lawe shal be iustified 11 For there is no respect of persons Hitherto hee hath drawen all men generally giltie vnto iudgement nowe he beginneth here to reproue the Iewes by themselues and the Gentiles by themselues And withall he teacheth that that diuersitie or difference which separateth the one from the other letteth not but both of them without difference may bee subiect to eternall death The Gentiles pretended excuse by ignoraunce the Iewes gloried in the title of the Lawe from the Gentiles hee
ouercome of the vertue of trueth that they coulde not but needes they must approue it For why should they institute religions but because they iudge that God is to bee worshipped why shoulde they bee ashamed of adulterie and theft but that they thinke them both euill vnaduisedly therefore is the power of our will drawen out of this place Paul speaketh not of the keeping but of the knowledge of the lawe Hearte for the intelect or vnderstanding as though Paule shoulde say the obseruation of the lawe were subiect to our power seeing hee speaketh not of the power of fulfilling the Lawe but of knowledge Neither is this woorde heart taken for the seate of the affections but for the intellect onely or vnderstanding as Deut. The Lorde hath not giuen thee a heart to vnderstande Also in an other place Deut. 29.4 O foolishe men and slowe of heart to beleeue Furthermore Luk. 24.25 neither is it hereby to be gathered that there is in men a full knowledge of the Lawe Imperfect knowledge in the Gentiles but onely that there are certaine seedes of iustice abiding in their witte such as these bee that all Gentiles in differently institute religions by lawes punish adulterie theftes and murder that they commende a good faith in bargaines and contractes For so they declare howe they are not ignoraunt that God is to be worshipped adulterie theft and murder are euill and honestie is commendable Neither is it meteriall what kind of god they imagine to be or how many gods they make it is sufficient that they vnderstande there is a God and that the same is to be honoured and worshipped It forceth not whether they permitte the concupiscence of another mans wife and possession or any other thing whether they can bridle the affections of wrath and hatred For that whiche they knewe was euill for them to doe the same was not lawfull for them to couette Their owne conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughtes c. Hee coulde not haue vrged them more straitly then with the testimonie of their owne conscience which is in steede of a thousande witnesses By the conscience of good deeds men support and comfort themselues they who in their conscience knowe they haue done euill are tormented and troubled in themselues As there is nothing more comfortable then the testimonie of a good conscience so on the contrary nothing more horrible then the testimonie of an euill conscience Whence these speaches of the Ethnickes came a good conscience is a large and noble theater but an euill is a most vile tormenter and more cruelly driueth the wicked frō poste to piller then any furie of hell There is therefore a certaine naturall knowledge of the lawe whiche sheweth this to be good and to bee followed after and that to bee abhorred And marke howe notably he discribeth the conscience when hee saith the reasons come into our minde whereby wee defende that is well done againe whiche accuse and reprooue vs of those thinges are euill done And these reasons of accusing and defending he deferreth vnto the day of the Lord not as though they shall then first appeare for they doe continually euen in this life vrge vs and exercise their office but because they shall then also preuaile least any should contēne them as friuelous and such as did vanish away And he hath put in the day for vnto the day as he did before 16 Wherein God shall iudge the secretes of men It is a very apt description of the iudgement seruing for the present place that they might knowe which willingly hide themselues in the darknes of vnsensiblenesse or dulnesse of minde that those inwarde cogitations which nowe are altogether hidde in the depth of their heartes shall then come forth into light As in an other place whiles he will shewe vnto the Corinthians of how smal force mans iudgement is which consisteth in external shewes he biddeth them tarrie till the Lorde come who will lighten the secretes of darknes and open the hidden thinges of the heart Which thinge when wee heare 1. Cor. 4.5 let vs remember that we are admonished if we will be in deede approoued of our iudge that then wee studie to come vnto that synceritie of minde He addeth according to my Gospell signifiyng that hee pronounceth such doctrine as euen mans reason naturally graffed in him doeth yeelde vnto How the gospell is called the Gospel of Paul And he calleth it his Gospel in respect of his ministerie For otherwise God onely hath authoritie to giue the Gospell onely the dispensation is committed to the Apostles Moreouer it is no marueile though part of the Gospell be called the messenger and solemne publishing of the iudgment to come For if the effect and accomplishment of those thinges hee promiseth be differed vntill the full declaration of the celestiall kingdome it must needes bee conioyned with the last iudgement Againe Christ can not bee preached but to the rising of some and the fall of other some both which apperteyne vnto the day of iudgement Concerning this parcell by Iesus Christ although it seeme otherwayes to some yet I referre it vnto the iudgement God will execute his iudgement by Christ after this maner that the Lorde shall execute his iudgement by Christ For hee is appointed of the Father to be iudge of the quicke and the dead Which the apostles alwayes count amongst the chiefest pointes of the Gospell and so the sentence shall bee more perfect which otherwise shoulde bee lame 17 Beholde thou art called a Iewe and restest in the law and gloriest in God 18 And knowest his will and allowest the thinges that are excellent in that thou art instructed by the lawe 19 And perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darknes 20 An instructer of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowlege and of the trueth of the lawe 21 Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest a man shoulde not steale doest thou steale 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adulterie doest thou commit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols committest thou sacrilege 23 Thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the lawe dishonourest thou God 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written 17 Beholde thou art a Iewe. In certayne olde copies is read Eide if verily which if it were so muche receiued shoulde be more allowed of me But because the greatest part of bookes is against it and the sence may stand otherwise I keepe the olde reading especially seeing it is but a small matter of one particle Now therefore hauing dispatched the cause of the Gentiles he returneth vnto the Iewes and to the ende he might more vehemently beate downe all their vanitie he graunteth vnto them all those thinges wherewithall they were proude and puffed
is a speciall Maxime of Christian Phylosophie The later is taken out of the Psalmes where Dauid confesseth Psal 116.11 there neyther commeth anye certainetye from manne neyther is there anye in him This place is notable and conteyneth verye necessarye consolation for suche is the peruersitie of menne in refusing or contemning the worde of GOD that the certainty thereof shoulde often come into questiō except it came to our remembrance that the trueth of God dependeth not vppon mans veritye But howe agreeth this with that was sayde immediatelye before namelye that the faith of men whiche may receyue the promise Obiection is required that the promise of GOD might bee effectuall For fayth is contrarye vnto lyinge It seemeth to bee an harde question yet it is easily resolued to witte that the Lorde by the lyes of men whiche otherwise are hynderaunces vnto his trueth will yet fynde vnto him selfe a waye where there is no waye that hee may ouercome Answeare by correcting in his elect that incredulitie is graffed in our nature and by subiecting into his obedience suche as doe seeme to bee vnruly Finally nowe the disputation is of the corruption of nature and nor of the grace of God which is the remedy of the said corruption That thou mightest be iustified The meaning is it is so farre off that the truth of God should be destroyed by our lie and vnfaithfulnesse Psal 51. ◠that thereby it is made more apparant and manifest As Dauid testifieth saying that therefore because hee was a sinner God was alwaye a iust and righteous iudge what soeuer he decreed against him and that he shoulde ouercome all the reproches of the wicked which would murmure against his righteousnesse By sayings are meant iudgementes By the sayinges of God Dauid vnderstandeth iudgementes which he bringeth foorth against vs. For whereas they commonly expound it of the promises that is too muche wrested Therefore this particle that is not only finall neither noteth a consequence farre fetched but is of as much value as an illation Inferring or bringing in to this sence I haue sinned against thee therefore thou maist by right punish me And that Paul hath alleadged the place of Dauid in his proper and naturall sence the obiection added a little after doth proue how shall the righteousnesse of God abyde perfect if our iniquity sette it foorth For in vayne as I haue partly shewed a little before and out of season should Paule stay the readers vpon this doubt except Dauid did vnderstand that God by his wonderfull prouidence doeth get prayse vnto his righteousnesse Though the iniquities of men by their owne nature serue to the dishonour of God subuersion of his truth Yet by his wonderfull prouidence he getteth vnto himselfe glorie thence and therby establisheth his trueth euen out of the iniquities of men The second member after the Hebrew is thus and thou in iudging pure which speech importeth nothing else then that God is woorthy of prayse in all his iudgements howsoeuer the wicked exclayme and odiously goe about by their complayninges to ouerwhelme his glory But Paule followed the Greeke translation which serued better for the present purpose For we know the Apostles in recyting the wordes of the Scripture to be more franke free or bold because they counted it sufficient if they applyed them vnto the matter Wherefore they stoode not so muche vppon the wordes Vnto the presente place therefore this shal be the application if all the sinnes of mortall men must serue to the setting forth of the glorie of the Lord he is specially glorified by his truth it followeth that the vanitie of men serueth rather to the establishing then subuerting of his truth And albeit this worde Crinesthai may bee taken as well actiuely as passiuely yet I doubt not but the Grecians haue translated it passiuelye besides the meaning of the Prophet 5 Now if our vnrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God what shall wee say is God vnrighteous whiche addeth wrath I speake as a man 6 Let it not bee so For nowe shall GOD iudge the worlde 7 For if the veritie of God hath more aboūded through my lye vnto his glory why am I yet condemned as a sinner 8 And not rather as wee are blamed and as some affirme that wee say let vs doe euill that good may come whose damnation is iust 5 Now if our vnrighteousnesse Although this is a digression from the principall cause yet was it necessarie the Apostle shoulde adde it This obiection is answered in the latter end of the 6. verie least hee shoulde seeme to haue giuen vnto the wicked that occasion of speaking euill which he knew to be voluntarilye sought for of them For seeing they were readie to take euery occasion that might make to the diffamation of the Gospell they had in the testimonie of Dauid whiche they might catche to the framing of their false detraction If God seeke nothing els at the handes of men then to be glorified of them Wherefore doth hee punishe them when they offend seeing by their offence they glorifie him Vndoubtedly hee is angrie without cause if hee take occasion at that to bee angry whereby hee is glorified Neither is it to bee doubted but this surmised accusation was vulgare and very common Paule speaketh not here his owne persuasion but taketh on him the person of the wicked as shall straightwayes bee saide againe Therefore Paule might not passe it ouer obscurely And least any shoulde thinke hee speaketh heere according to the perswasion or censure of his owne minde he◠first sheweth howe he taketh on him the person of the wicked And withal hee nippeth or sharply reproueth mans reason whose propertie he noteth to bee alwayes to chat and prate against the wisedome of God For he saith not I speake as the wicked but I speake as a man And it is certainely so seeing all the mysteries of God are strange or absurde vnto the fleshe it is so bolde that it doubteth not to rise vp against thē and which of them it cannot conceiue those it wantonly pursueth Whereby wee are admonished if we will become capable of the misteries of God first of all we must labour that our owne sense or sensuall iudgement beeing laide aparte wee may yeelde and giue our selues wholy ouer into the obedience of the worde This woorde wrath which is vsed for iudgement here hath respect vnto the punishment as if he had saide is god vnrighteous in punishing iniquities which set forth his righteousnesse 6 Let it not bee so In staunching this blasphemie hee aunswereth not directly vnto the obiection But firste beginneth at the abhorring thereof least Christian religion shoulde seeme to bring so great absurdities with it And that is some what more then if hee had simply refuted it For hee giueth to vnderstande thereby that this wicked saying is worthie to be abhorred and not to bee hearde Straightwayes hee addeth but as they
our faith concerning free righteousnesse for it is a sealing of the righteousnesse of faith that to vs also whiche doe beleeue righteousnesse might bee imputed And so verie artificially Paule returneth those thinges vpon the aduersaries which might bee obiected of them For if the trueth and vertue of circumcision bee founde in vncircumcision there is no cause why the Iewes shoulde so greately aduaunce them selues aboue the Gentiles But seeing a doubt might arise whether wee also after the example of Abraham are not to confirme the same righteousnesse by the seale of circumcision Obiection why did the Apostle omitte it Answere Namely because hee thought the question to haue beene sufficiently answered by his woordes For seeing this sentence is admitted that circumcision serueth onely to seale the grace of GOD it followeth that at this day it were superfluous for vs who haue another Sacramente ordayned of the Lorde in place thereof Because therefore where baptisme is there is no vse nowe of circumcision hee woulde not to no purpose dispute of that whereof was no question at all to witte why the righteousnesse of faith shoulde not be sealed in the Gentiles by circumcision if they shoulde bee like vnto Abraham To beleeue by vncircumcision Is that the Gentiles beeing content with their estate are not to interpose the seale of circumcision And so this preposition dia by is put in steade of en in 12 Not to them which are c. This woorde are or bee in this place is taken for to bee reckoned or counted For hee checketh the carnall sonnes of Abraham who hauing nothinge but externall circumcision did boldelye glorye in it As for the other which is the principall they neglected it namely that they shoulde imitate the fayth of Abraham by whiche onely he obteyned health The circumcised Iewes were not otherwise iustified then as they beleeued the promise of grace Hereby may appeare how seriously he discerneth faith from the Sacrament not onely least anye should content him selfe with this without the other meaning with the Sacrament without fayth as though it were sufficient to iustification but also that the same fayth onely might fulfill all partes For whiles hee confesseth the Iewes whiche are circumcised to be iustified he doth precisely except so that they after the example of Abraham abyde in fayth onely For what shoulde be the meaning of faith in vncircumcision but that hee might shewe faith onely without any helpe elsewhere to be sufficient It is therefore to bee taken heede of least any man by deuiding or parting in halfes mixte together two causes of iustification By the same argument the schoole diuinitie is conuicted touching the difference of the Sacraments of the old and new testament for frō those they take away the power of iustifiyng to these they giue it But if Paule reason orderly whiles he proueth that circumcision iustifieth not because Abraham was iustified by faith the same reason is also of strength with vs that we may denie men to be iustified by baptisme seeing they are iustified by the same faith by the whiche Abraham was iustified 13 For the promise that hee should bee the heire of the world was not giuen to Abraham and his seede by the law but by the righteousnesse of faith 13 For the promise c. Nowe hee doeth more clearely repeate that antithesin or contrarietie of the lawe and faith with he touched before with also is diligently to bee noted because if faith borrow nothing of the Lawe that it might iustifie thence we vnderstande it hath rsepect vnto nothing but the mercie of God Furthermore the imagination of those which would haue this to bee spoken of ceremonies is easely refuted because if workes brought any thing vnto iustification then hee shoulde rather haue sayde not by the written lawe but by the lawe of nature But Paule doth not oppose spiritual holinesse of life against ceremonies but faith and his righteousnesse The summe therefore is the inheritaunce was promised to Abraham not because he had deserued it by keeping the law but because by fayth he had obteined righteousnesse And surely as Paule straightwayes declareth then doe the consciences of men inioye perfect peace when they feele that to be freely giuen them which is not due vnto thē by right Saluation in Christ apperteyneth no lesse vnto the Gentiles then vnto the Iewes Hereuppon also it followeth that the benefite is no lesse common to the Gentiles then to the Iewes the cause of which benefit doth equally appertayne vnto both For if mens saluation be founded vpon the onely goodnesse of God they restrayne and hynder the course thereof as much as in them lyeth who exclude the Gentiles from it That hee might bee the heyre of the worlde Seeyng eternall saluation is nowe in hand the Apostle seemeth out of season to carry the readers vnto the world But generally vnder this worde he comprehendeth the instauration or restoring which was looked for in Christ What is meant by the worde world Indeede restitution of life was the principall yet it behooued that the decayed state of the whole worlde shoulde be repayred Therfore the Apostle calleth Christ the heyre of all the goodes of God Heb. 1.2 Because the adoption which we obtayne through his grace hath restored vnto vs the possession of that inheritaunce from the which we fell in Adam And because vnder the type of the land of Chanaan not onlye the hope of eternall life was proposed vnto Abraham but also the full and perfect blessing of God the Apostle very aptly teacheth that the dominion of the worlde was promised vnto him The godly in this present life haue a certaine taste hereof because howsoeuer they are at diuers times pynched with pouertye yet for that with a quiet conscience they participate those thinges which God hath created to their vse Pouertie letteth not but the faithfull may be called the heyres of the world and with his fauour and will inioye the earthly blessinges as pledges and earnest pennyes of eternall life pouerty is no let vnto them wherefore they shoulde not acknowledge heauen earth and the Sea to belong vnto them The wicked albeit they heape vppe the riches of the worlde they canne call nothing theirs but rather they get them by stealth because they vse them with the curse of God And it is great comforte to the godlye in their pouerty that though they liue poorely yet they steale nothing from any but they receyue theyr lawfull commons or allowaunce at the hande of their heauenlye father vntil they see the full possession of their inheritaunce when all creatures shall serue for their glorye For to this ende both earth and heauen shal be renewed that according to theyr measure they might partly serue to illustrate the kingdome of God 14 For if they whiche are of the lawe bee heyres fayth is made voyde and the promise is made of none effect 15 For the Lawe causeth wrath for where
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
that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee which raysed Christe from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because of his spirite that dwelleth in you 9 Nowe yee are not in the fleshe By a supposition he applieth the generall sentence vnto them to whome hee wrote not onely to the ende that directing his talke as proper vnto them hee might the more vehemently moue them but also that by the definition late put downe they might certainely gather howe they are of the number of those from whome Christe hath taken the curse of the lawe Yet withall shewing of what force the spirite of God is in the elect and what fruit it bringeth forth hee exhorteth them vnto newenesse of life If so be that the spirite of God This is a correction very fitly applyed whereby they are stirred vp to examine themselues more neerely A note to knowe the true sonnes of God from the children of the world least they pretende the name of Christe in vaine And this is a most sure note whereby the sonnes of God are discerned from the children of the worlde if by the spirit of God they be regenerate vnto innocencie and holinesse Although it seemeth his purpose was not so much to correct hypocrisie as to suggest matter of glorying against those were preposterously zealous ouer the lawe who esteemed more of the dead letter then of the inwarde vertue of the spirite which quickeneth the lawe Furthermore this place teacheth that Paule by the name of spirite meant not the minde or vnderstanding whiche of the Patrones of free will is called the more excellent part of the soule but the heauenly gift For hee expoundeth those to bee spirituall not which obey reason by their owne motion but whom God gouerneth by his spirite Who and howe they are called spirituall Neither yet are they said to bee according to the spirite as though they were full of the spirite of God which thing hath happened to none yet but because they haue the spirite of God abiding in them howesoeuer they feele some relique of the flesh remaining in them And it cannot meaning the spirite cannot remaine except it haue the superioritie For we are to note that a man is named of the chiefest part in him But if any haue not the spirite of Christe Hee addeth this that he might shewe howe necessarie the deniall of the fleshe is in christians The kingdome of the spirite is the abolishing of the fleshe in whome the spirite of Christe raigneth not they doe not appertaine vnto Christe Then they are not Christians that serue the fleshe For they who pull Christ away from his spirite make him like vnto a dead image or carkasse And alway wee are to remember that counsaile of the Apostle namelye that free remission of sinnes cannot bee separated from the spirite of regeneration because this were as a man woulde saye to rent Christe in peeces Which thing if it be true it is maruaile that wee are charged by the aduersaries of the Gospell with arrogancie that wee dare acknowledge the spirite of Christe dwelling in vs. For eyther wee muste denie Christe or confesse that wee are Christians by his spirite Surely it is horrible to heare that men are so fallen from the woorde of the Lorde that they doe not onely boast themselues to bee Christians without the spirite of God but also they scoffe at the faith of others But this is the Philosophie of Papists Nowe verily let the Readers marke heere that the spirite is indifferently sometime called the spirite of God the father somtime of Christe not onely because all the fulnesse thereof is shed vpon Christe How the spirite of God is also called the spirite of Christe as hee is our mediatour and head that from thence might redownde to euery one of vs his portion but also because the same spirite is common to the father and the sonne who haue one essence add the same eternall dietie Yet because wee haue no communication with God but through Christe the Apostle very wisely descendeth from the father who seemeth to be further of vnto Christe 10 And if Christe bee in you That which before he said of the spirite now hee saith of Christe whereby is declared the maner of Christes dwelling in vs. For as by his spirite he consecrateth vs for temples to himselfe so by the same spirit he dwelleth in vs and now he doth more cleerely open that which wee touched before How Christe dwelleth in vs. namely that the sonnes of God are counted spirituall not in respect of a full and absolute perfection but onely for the newnesse of life is begun in them And here is a preoccupation whereby he preuenteth that doubt which might otherwise vexe vs. For howsoeuer the spirit possesseth one part of vs yet we see another parte to be holden styll of death Therefore hee answereth that in the spirite of Christe there is a vertue of quickening which is of power to swallow vp our mortalitie Whereupō he inferreth how we are paciently to expect till the reliques of sin be vtterly abolished Furthermore the Readers haue bin alredy admonished that by the word spirit they vnderstand not our soule but the spirite of regeneration which spirite Paule calleth life not onely because it liueth and florisheth in vs but because by his strength it quickeneth vs vntill at the length our mortall flesh being extinguished it doth perfectly renewe vs as on the contrarie the worde body signifieth that grosse masse which is not yet cleansed by the spirite of GOD from the dregges of the earth which sauour of nothing but that is grosse For otherwise to attribute vnto the body the guiltinesse of sinne were absurde Againe the soule is so farre from beeing life that it liueth not it selfe Then the meaning of Paul is although sin doth iudge vs vnto death so farre foorth as there remaineth yet in vs the corruption of the first nature yet is the spirite of God the conquerour neither doeth this hinder any whit namely that wee are onely indued with the firste fruites because euen one sparkle thereof is the seede of life 11 If I say the spirite This is a confirmation of the last sentence being taken from the efficient cause after this maner if by the power of the spirite of God Christe were raysed and the spirite keepeth his power for euer Then it shall also shewe foorth the same power in vs. And hee taketh it for a thing graunted namely that a proofe of that power whiche apperteineth vnto the body of the whole Church was declared in the person of Christe And because hee maketh God the authour of the resurrection hee assigneth vnto him the quickening spirite Who raysed by a circumlocution hee describeth God which did agree better for the present purpose then if had simply named him In like maner hee ascribeth the glory of Christe raysed vnto the father for that was more effectuall to proue the thing
floorish in our heartes that it might alway shine in the mist of afflictions For as the cloudes although they darken the cleare sight of the sonne yet doe not altogether depriue vs of his shine euen so God in aduersities sendeth through cloudes the beames of his grace least anie tentation should ouerwhelme vs with dispaire yea our faith being supported by the promises of God as by winges ought through all impedimentes which are in the way to pearce vp into the heauens Indeede it is true that aduersities are tokens of Gods wrath if they be esteemed by themselues but when pardon and reconciliation is gone before we are to be resolued that although God doeth chasten yet he wil neuer forget his mercy Verily he admonisheth what wee haue deserued but withall he testifieth that he hath a care of our saluation whiles he prouoketh vs vnto repentaunce And he calleth it the loue of Christ Because the father in a manner doeth open his bowelles vnto vs in him Seeing then the loue of God is not to bee sought for out of Christ woorthily doeth Paule call vs hither that in the beames of the grace of Christ our faith might beholde the cleere countenaunce of the Father The summe is that this faith ought not to bee shaken with anie aduersitie for God beeing gracious vnto vs nothing is against vs. Whereas some take the loue of Christ passiuely for that loue wherewith hee is loued of vs as though Paule armed vs vnto inuincible fortitude this imagination is easily refuted by the whole course of Paules speeche and straight way also Paule will remooue all doubt heerein by defining this loue more clearely Tribulation or anguishe or persecution The Pronowne masculine which he put downe of late conteineth a secrete Emphasis or force For when hee might haue saide in the newter gender what shall separate vs hee chose rather to attribute the person vnto the dombe creatures that hee might commit into the fight with vs so many champions as there bee kinds of temptations which assault our fayth How tribulation anguish and persecution differ Furthermore these three differ amongest themselues thus that tribulation comprehendeth euery kinde of griefe and discommoditie but anguish is an inward passion namely whiles extremities driue vs vnto our wits ende Such was the angush of Abraham Lot whiles the one was constrained to offer his wife the other his daughters because they beeing hard bestead and wrapped in on euery side coulde not tell what to doe Persecution properly noteth tyrannicall violence whereby the sonnes of God are vnworthily vexed of the wicked And although Paul denieth the sonnes to be destressed or to bee brought into narrow straites yet hee is not contrary to himself 2. Cor. 4. ◠because he doth not simply make them free from paynefull care but he vnderstandeth they are deliuered as also the examples of Abraham and Lot declare 36 As it is written Psal 44 2◠This testimonie bringeth great weight vnto the cause For he insinuateth howe wee ought to bee so farre off from falling away through the feare of death that this is almost fatall to the seruauntes of God to haue death as it were alway present before their eyes It is probable or like that the miserable oppression of the people vnder the tyrannie of Antiochus is described in that Psalme because it is precisely expressed that they raged against the worshippers of God so cruelly for no other cause then for the hatred of true godlinesse There is also added a notable protestation that yet they fell not away from the couenaunt of God which thing I suppose was chiefly noted of Paule neither doth it let that the Saintes there complayne of calamitie which then pressed them otherwise then it was wont For seeing they first hauing testified their innocencie then shewe how they were oppressed with so many euils an argument is conueniently taken thence namely that it is no newe thing if the Lorde permit the godly without deserte to bee cruelly intreated of the wicked And it is out of question that the same commeth not to passe but for their profite seeing the scripture teacheth that it is farre from the righteousnes of God Gen. 18.23 to destroy the iust with the vniust but rather it is meete to requite affliction to those doe afflict and deliueraunce to those are afflicted 2. Thes 1.6 7 Secondly they affirme that they suffer for the Lorde and Christ denounceth them blessed that suffer for righteousnes sake Mat. 5.10 And whereas they say they die dayly thereby they signifie that death doth so hang ouer their heades that such a life differeth nothing in a maner from death 37 We ouercome by him That is Wee wrestle forth alway and escape I haue reteyned the word which Paul vseth superuincing thogh it be not so cōmon with the latins For sometimes it happeneth that the faythfull seeme to be ouercome and to lie forlorne the Lorde doth not onely so exercise them but also so humble them Yet this ishue is alway giuen that they obteyne the victorie Neuertheles to the ende they might consider whence this inuincible strength is he repeateth that agayne which he sayde before For he doth not onely teach that God because he loueth vs therefore putteth his hande vnder vs to stay vs but also he confirmeth that same sentence of the loue of Christ And this one woorde doeth sufficiently declare that the Apostle speaketh not of the feruencie of that loue wherewith wee loue God but of the fatherly loue of God and Christ towardes vs the perswasion wherof being throughly printed in our heartes it wil alway drawe vs from the gates of hell into the light of life will be of sufficient strength to support vs. 38 For I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor angell nor principalitie nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come 39 Nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus That he might the rather confirme vs in those things whiche are felt nowe hee bursteth also into hyperbolicall or excessiue speeches Whatsoeuer quoth hee is in life or death which may seeme to be able to seperate vs from God shall prevaile nothing Yea the Angels themselues if they go about to ouerthrowe this foundation shall not hurt vs. Neither doth it withstande that angels are ministring spirites Heb. 1.4 ordeyned for the health of the electe For Paul here reasoneth from that which is impossible as he doeth also to the Galathians Where in wee may obserue howe all thinges ought to be vile vnto vs Gal. 1.4 in respect of the glorie of God seeing it is lawfull for the maintenaunce of his trueth not to care yea euen for the angels By the names of principalities and powers angels are also signified being so called because they are the special instruments of Gods power Why angels are called principalities and
blessing Gen. 48.18 that his name myght bee called vppon ouer them To whom perteineth the adoption The whole speech of Paule is directed vnto this marke Howesoeuer the Iewes by their fallyng away haue made a wicked diuorcement with God yet is not the light of the grace of God vtterly extinguished in them as hee also sayde in the thirde Chapter although they were vnbeleeuers and truice breakers Rom. 3.3 yet is not the faith of God made voyde by their vnbeliefe Not onely because hee hath reserued out of the whole multitude a remnant vnto himselfe but because by the right of inheritance the name of the Churche did yet abide with them And albeit they had nowe depriued them selues of all these ornamentes so that it profited them nothing to be called the sonnes of Abraham yet because it was dangerous least through their fault the maiesty of the gospell shoulde become vile amongst the Gentiles Paule considereth not what they deserued but with many vailes hee couereth their filthines and shame vntil the Gentiles were perswaded the Gospel came vnto them from the celestiall fountayne out of the priuie chappell of God out of an elect nation For the Lorde all other nations being let passe had selected them for a peculiar people to himselfe and had adopted them for sonnes as he often testifieth by Moses and the Prophetes And not contente simplie to call them sonnes sometime hee calleth them his first begotten Exod. 4.22 sometime his darlings In Exod. The Lorde sayth thus Israell is my first begotten sonne let my sonne goe that hee may serue me I am become a father to Israell and Ephraim is my first born Ier. 31.9 Also in the same place Is not Ephraim my deare sonne Is he not my pleasant childe Therefore my bowels are troubled ouer him yet I wil haue compassion on him By which wordes hee doeth not onely set foorth his fauour towardes Israel but rather sheweth the force of adoption vnder the which the promise of the celestiall inheritance is conteined Glory signifieth that excellencie whereunto the Lord had aduanced that people aboue al other nations and that both by many diuers other meanes and also because he dwelt in the middest of them For besides many signes of his presence he gaue a singuler testimonie therof in the arke whence he both gaue answeres and also did heare his people 1. Sam. 4.22 that he might shew forth his power in helping them For which cause it was called the glory of God Because here he hath distinguished couenants from promises let vs not this difference that wee count that a conuenant which is conceiued by plaine and solemne wordes and hath a mutual promise namely the couenant made with Abraham but promises they be which soeuer occurre here there in the scriptures For when God had once made his couenant with the old people hee ceased not now and then to offer his grace by newe promises Whereby it followeth that the promises are referred vnto the couenant as vnto their onely head euen as the speciall helpes of God whereby hee testifieth his fauour towardes the faithfull doe flowe out of the onely fountaine of election And because the law was nothing els but a renuing of that couenant which renuing might the better establish the remembrance thereof it seemeth that law giuing here in this place ought peculiarly to be restrained vnto iudgements For that also is a singuler ornament of the people of the Iewes that they had God for their lawgiuer Deut. 4.32 For if some glory in Solon and some in Lycurgus howe much more iustly may they glory in the Lorde of whom you may reade Deut. 4. By worship hee vnderstandeth that part of the lawe wherein the lawfull maner of worshipping God is prescribed as are the rites and ceremonies For they ought to bee esteemed lawfull by the rule of God Without the which whatsoeuer mē deuise is but meere prophaning of religion 5 of whom are the fathers For this also is of some value to descend from the saints and men beloued of God seeing God hath promised to the holy fathers mercy towardes their children euen vnto a thousand generations and chiefly in the wordes made to Abraham Isaac and Iacob Gen. 17.4 And in another place Neither skilleth it that this by it selfe is vaine and vnprofitable if it bee separated from the feare of God holines of life For the same we see also in worship glory both euery where in the Prophetes and specially in Esay Esai 1 11. 60.1 Howebeit because God vouchsafeth these being ioyned with the studie of pietie with som degree of honour he hath worthily reckoned them amongest the prerogatiues of the Iewes For therefore are they called the heires of the promises because they descended of the fathers of whom Christe is c. They which referre this vnto the fathers Acts. 3. as though Paules minde were onely to say that Christe descended of the fathers they haue no reason for it For his meaning is by this commēdacion namely that Christ came of them to knit vp the excellencie of the people of the Iewes For it is not a thing lightly to bee esteemed namely to be ioyned in carnall kinred with the Redemer of the worlde For if hee honoured all mankinde when he coupleth himselfe to vs by communicating our nature much more did he honour them with whom hee woulde haue a neerer bond of coniunction Although it is alway so to bee taken that if this blessing of kinred bee separated from pietie it is so farre from profiting that rather it turneth to their greater condemnation Furthermore here we haue a notable place that the two natures are so distinguished in Christe Two distinct natures in Christe that they are vnited together into the person of Christ For whereas hee saith Christe came of the Iewes thereby he declareth his true humanitie The parcel according to the fleshe whiche is added doeth note that hee had some what more excellente then fleshe where is a plaine distinction betweene his humanitie and diuinitie And hee ioyneth both together when he saith the same Christe which was borne of the Iewes according to the fleshe is God blessed for euer Wee muste also note that this speech doth not agree vnto any other then the onely and eternall God 1. Tim. 1.17 For in another place hee preacheth one onely God to whome all honour and glory is due They who deuide this member from the other texte that they might take from Christe so manifest a testimonie of his Dietie doe too impudently goe about to make darkenesse at none day For the wordes are cleare enough Christe of the Iewes according to the flesh who is God blessed for euer And I doubt not but Paul who had a hard fight an vrgēt offence did purposely erect his minde vnto the eternall glory of Christ yea and that not so much for his owne priuate cause as that
vnto all He calleth those the sonnes of the fleshe in whom there is nothing more excellent then carnall progenie as he calleth those the sonnes of promise who are peculierly sealed of the Lord. 9 For this is the worde of promise He addeth another testimonie in the explication whereof wee may see with what diligence and dexteritie he handeleth the scripture When the Lorde quoth hee saide hee would come Gen 18.10 and Sara should beare a sonne to Abraham thereby hee insinuated that his blessing was not yet extant but was yet to come Howbeit Ismael was nowe alreadie borne when that was spoken Therefore the blessing of God was out of Ismaell And let vs also by the way note with what circumspection he proceedeth heere least hee should exasperate the Iewes For first the cause beeing suppressed hee doth simply declare the matter then secondarily he openeth the fountaine 10 Neither hee onely but Rebecca also when shee had conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac 11 For yer the children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by works but by him that calleth 12 It was saide vnto her the elder shall serue the younger 13 As it is written Iacob haue I loued and haue hated Esau 10 Neither hee onely In this Chapter there are certain broken sentences as this is but Rebeeca also which had conceaued by one our father Isaac For hee endeth in the middest thereof before he come vnto the principall verbe Yet the meaning is that this diuersitie touching the inheritance of the promise may not onely bee seene in the sonnes of Abraham but also there is a farre more euident example thereof in Iacob and Esau For in the former some might alleadge the conditiō was not equall because one was the sonne of an handmaid But these were both of one wombe and twinnes yet was one reiected and the other receiued of the Lorde Whereby appeareth that the fulfilling of the promise doth not indifferently fall out a like in all the sonnes of the fleshe And because Paule did respect the persons to whome God made his counsayle knowen I choose rather to vnderstande the masculine Pronowne The special election was not only reuealed to Abraham but also to Rebecca then the Newter as Erasmus hath doone For the meaning is that the speciall election was not onely reuealed vnto Abraham but also afterward to Rebecca whiles shee did beare two twinnes in her wombe 11 For yer the children were borne Nowe hee beginneth to ascend higher namely to shewe the reason of this diuersitie which hee teacheth doth not consist in any thing els then the election of God For hitherto hee had touched in fewe wordes that there was a difference amongest the carnall sonnes of Abraham namely notwithstanding they were all by cirumcision adopted into the fellowship of the couenant yet the grace of God was not effectuall in them all and that they therfore are the sonnes of the promise who inioy the benefites of God But whence that came he had either not spokē of it or els he had obscurely insinuated it But nowe he doth plainely referre the whole cause vnto the election of God and the same free and such as doth not depend vpon men that in the saluation of the godly nothing might be sought for aboue the goodnesse of God and in the destruction of the reprobate nothing aboue his iust seueritie The first proposition Let this therefore be the first proposition as the blessing of the couenant doth separate the people of Israel from all other nations so also the election of God discerneth the men of that nation whiles he predestinateth some vnto saluation and other some vnto condemnation The 2. proposition is that there is no other foundation of that election then the meere goodnes of God and also mercie since the fall of Adam The second proposition which mercie not for any consideration of woorkes at all imbraceth whom it pleaseth The third proposition that the Lord in this his free election is at libertie and loose from that necessitie The third proposition that he should indifferently impart the same grace vnto all But rather whom he will he passeth ouer and whom he will he chooseth All these thinges doeth Paule comprise briefly in one sentence then afterward he will prosecute the rest Finally in these wordes when they were not yet borne or had done good or euill he declareth that God in putting of a difference could not haue respect to the woorkes which were not yet And they which reason to the contrarie saying that doth not let but the election of God may discerne betweene men according to their merites because God doth foresee by the works to come who wil be worthy or vnworthy of his grace doe not see more then the Apostle but fal in that principle of religion which ought to be very well knowen to all Christians namely that God could see nothing in the corrupt nature of man such as was in Esau and Iacob whereby he might be moued to doe good Therefore when he saith that both of them had then done neither good nor euil it is also to be added which he presumeth namely that both of them were the sonnes of Adam by nature sinners indued with no crumme of righteousnesse Neither doe I therefore stand so long in expounding these as though the minde of the Apostle were doubtfull but because the Sophisters not being cōtent with the simplicitie therof goe about by their friuolous distinctions to creepe out hence my meaning was to shew that Paule was not ignoraunt of those thinges they bring but that they rather are blinde in the first principles of religiō Moreouer although the corruption of nature which is dispersed ouer all mankynde before it come as they say into action is auayleable enough vnto condemnation wherby followeth that Esau was woorthely reiected because naturally he was the sonne of wrath yet least anye doubt should remayne as though through respect of any fault or sinne his condition was the woorse it was necessary as well sinnes as vertues should be excluded Surely true it is that the next cause of reprobation is for that wee are all accursed in Adam yet to the end we might learne to rest in the bare and simple will of God Paule dyd lead vs aside from the consideration thereof for so long vntill hee had established this doctrine namely that God hath a sufficient iust cause of election and reprobation in his owne will or pleasure That the purpose of God c. Almost in euery woorde hee vrgeth the free election of God for if works had place he should haue said that the reward of God might stande by workes But hee opposeth the purpose of God which is conteined that I might say so in his onely pleasure And least there shoulde remaine any doubt therof by adding the other parcel according to election
he hath remoued all doubt And then the third clause not of workes but of the caller Nowe then let vs apply our mindes more neerely vnto this text If the purpose of God according to election be thereby established that before the brethren were borne had done either good or euill the one is reiected the other is chosen then if any would go about to attribute to their works the cause of differeÌ„ce the purpose of God shold so be ouerthroweÌ„ Now whereas he addeth Our election is grounded onely vpon the goodnes of god not of workes but of the caller Hee signifieth not of the behalfe of workes but of calling only For he goeth about to exclude all consideration of works Wherfore we haue all the stablenes of our election concluded in the onely purpose of God merites are worth nothing here which serue for nothing but vnto death no dignitie is regarded for ther is none but the onely goodnes of God raigneth And therefore the doctrine is false contrary to the word of God namely that God doth chose or reiect as hee foreseeth euery man worthie or vnworthie of his grace 12 The elder shall serue the younger Beholde how the Lord putteth a difference betweene the sonnes of Isaac yet beeing in their mothers wombe When the Lord called Iacob to that birthright was due by the order of nature to Esau therby he gaue a type of another matter For this is the answere of the heauenly oracle wherby it followeth that his pleasure was to shewe vnto the younger speciall fauour which he denied vnto the elder And although this did appertein vnto the law of birth right yet therin as in the type of a greater matter was the will of God declared And that may easily be seen if we doe consider how litle according to the flesh the birthright profited Iacob For therefore hee was both in great danger also for the auoiding of that danger he was forced to flee from his house countrie and was vncourteously intreated in exilement and when he returned trembling doubtful of life he prostrateth himfelfe at the feete of his brother humbly he beseecheth him to forgiue him his offence doth not liue but by his pardon Where is his Lordship ouer his brother of whom he is constrained by prayer to aske life Therefore there was some greater matter then the birthright which the Lord promised by his oracle 13 As it is written Yet he confirmeth by a surer testimonie how greatly that oracle giuen to Rebecca did auaile to the presente cause namely that by the Lordship of Iacob bondage of Esau the spirituall condition of theÌ„ both was testified Secondarily that Iacob obteined this grace by the goodnes of God and no merit of his Therefore this testimonie of the Prophet declareth why the Lord gaue vnto Iacob the birthright And it is takeÌ„ out of Malachie where the Lord vpbraiding the vnthankfulnes of the Iewes first maketh mention of his goodnes towards theÌ„ Malac. 1. I haue loued you quoth he and he addeth whence the beginning of loue proceeded was not Esau the brother of Iacob As though hee said what prerogatiue had he why I should preferre him before his brother none at all For there was an equall right sauing that by the law of nature this which was the younger ought to haue been subiect to him that was the elder yet haue I chosen hym refused this being moued thereunto by my mercy only and by no dignitie of workes And now I had adopted you to be my people that I might still prosecute the same loue towardes the seede of Iacob but I haue reiected the Edomites the progenie of Esau Therefore ye are so much the worse whom the remembrance of so great fauour cannot prouoke to the worship of my maiestie And although the earthly blessings are there also mentioned which god bestowed vpon the Israelites yet we must not otherwise take theÌ„ then pledges of his beneuolence For where the wrath of God is there foloweth death but where his loue is there followeth life 14 What shall we say then is there any vnrighteousnesse with God God forbid 15 For hee saith to Moses I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and will shew compassion on whome I will shewe compassion 16 So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy 17 For the scripture saith to Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I stirred thee vp that I might shewe my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth 18 Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will whome he will hee hardeneth 14 What shall wee say then Fleshe cannot heare that wisedome of God but straightwayes it is troubled with tumultuous questions and in a sort striueth to bring God to a count Therefore wee see the Apostle so often as hee handeleth any high mysterie answereth many inconueniences wherewithall hee knewe the mindes of men otherwise to bee occupied And chiefly when men heare that of predestination whiche the scripture deliuereth they are tangled with many trifles For the predestination of God is truly a Labyrinth whence the wit of man can no way vnwinde it selfe but such is the importunate curiositte of man that the more dangerous the inquisitioÌ„ of any thing is the more boldly he rusheth thither so when talke is of predestination because he caÌ„not bridle himself Predestination is not therefore vtterly to be neglected because it is a hard daÌ„gerous question by his rashnes hee doth straightwaies as it were drowne himself in the depth of the sea What remedie then haue the godly should they flee all remembrance of predestinatioÌ„ no not so For seeing the holy ghost hath taught nothing but that which is necessary for vs to know assuredly the knowledge thereof shal be profitable if it keep it self within the word of God Let this theÌ„ be a sure obseruatioÌ„ with vs that we seek to know nothing of it but that the scripture teacheth where the Lord shutteth his holy mouth let vs also stop the way to our mindes of going further But because wee are men into whose mindes those foolish questions doe naturally come let vs heare of Paul how we may meet with theÌ„ Is there any vnrighteousnes with god This is a moÌ„strous furie of mans wit that rather it chargeth god of vnrighteousnes theÌ„ it wil reproue itselfe of câ—citie neither wold paul fetch things far of wherw t he might trouble the readers but at it were hee taketh away that wicked doubt which straitwayes creepeth in vpon many so soone as they heare that God doth determine of euery one according to his pleasure Furthermore this is that kind of vnrighteousnesse which flesh imagineth that one being neglected God doth respect another That Paul might loose this knot he deuideth the whole cause into two members in the former whereof he intreateth of the elect in the
filthie or rotten cauillation to abuse the sentence of Paule namely that it is not the willer or runner onely because the grace of God helpeth Whom Augustine hath not onely soundly but wittilye refuted for if the will of man be therefore denied to be the cause of election because it is not the onely cause but in part then thus it may be saide againe that it is not of mercy but of the willer and runner For where there is a mutuall woorkyng there shall also bee a mutuall praise But assuredlie this last saying doeth fall with the weight of his owne absurditie The saluation of the elect standeth wholy and onely vpon the mercy of God let vs therefore determine that the saluation of those whome it pleaseth God to saue is so ascribed vnto the mercy of God that nothing is left vnto the industrie of man Neither hath it much more colour that some would haue those recited together in the person of the wicked For howe shall it hang together to wrest those places of Scripture where the righteousnesse of God is defended to vpbraide vnto him tyrannie Againe is it like seeing the refutation was readie and easie that Paule without speeche woulde suffer the Scripture to bee so grossely abused But these starting holes they haue soughte who dyd measure this incomparable mysterie of GOD by theyr owne sense It was a rougher doctrine for their daintie and tender eares then that they coulde thinke it meete for an Apostle But they ought rather to haue bended their own stifneckednesse to the obsequie of the spirite that they might not haue been so much addicted to their own grosse imaginations 17 For the scripture saith c. Nowe hee commeth vnto the seconde member of the reiection of the wicked Wherin because there seemeth to bee somewhat more absurditie so muche the more diligently hee goeth about to make manifeste howe God in reiecting whome hee will is not onely irreprehensible or without blame Exod. 9.16 but also wonderfull in his wisedome and equitie Hee therefore taketh his testimonie out of Exodus Where the Lorde saith it was hee that stirred vp Pharaoh to that ende that whiles he went about stubbornely to resist the power of GOD hee beeing ouercome and subdued might be for an example how inuincible the arme of God is to the bearing wherof much lesse to the breaking wherof no humaine strength is sufficient Beholde the paterne that the Lord would shewe in Pharaoh Two things to be considered in Pharaoh Wherefore two thinges are to bee considered here the predestination of Pharaoh to destruction which is verely referred vnto the iust but yet secrete counsayle of God Secondly the ende thereof which is that the name of God might be celebrated and to that ende doth Paule chiefly staye vpon it For if this hardening be such for the which the name of GOD deserueth to bee declared that hee shoulde bee charged with vnrighteousnesse is abhomination It is an argument taken from the places of contraries But because manie interpreters whiles they go about to qualifie this place also they doe corrupt it first it is to bee noted that for the worde stirred vp In Hebrewe it is I haue ordeyned thee where the Lorde going about to declare that the stubbornnesse of Pharaoh was no let to him that hee might not deliuer his people affirmeth that his furie was not onely foreseene of him and that hee had meanes prepared to brydle it but also that hee had purposely so ordeyned it and verely to that ende that hee might shewe foorth a more euident testimonie of his power Some therefore doe turne it amisse namely that Pharaoh was reserued to a tyme seeing rather hee speaketh of the beginning For seeing many thinges else where occurre vnto men whiche hinder their counsayles and let the course of their actions God saith Pharaoh came from him and that this person was layde vpon him Vnto which sentēce the word raise or stirre vp notably agreeth Finally least any should imagin that Pharaoh was moued from aboue by a certaine vniuersall and confused motion that hee might rushe into that furie the speciall cause or ende is noted as if it were sayde that God did not onely know what Pharoah woulde do but also purposely appointed him to this vse Where by it followeth that it is in vayne nowe to striue with him as though hee were bounde to giue a reason or account seeing hee doeth willingly come forth himselfe and preuenteth this obiection denouncing that the reprobate in whom hee will haue his name celebrated come from the secret fountain of his prouidēce 18 Therefore he hath mercie on whom he will Heere followeth the conclusion of both members which can not any way bee vnderstoode in the person of any other then of the Apostle because straightwayes he addeth a communication with the aduersary when he beginneth to bring foorth such things as may be obiected of the contrary part Therfore it is not to be doubted but Paule speaketh these of his owne sence as we haue admonished a little before namely that God according to his pleasure voutsafeth whom he seeth good of mercy and draweth foorth the seuerity of iudgement against whom he list For this hee goeth about to bring to passe amongest vs that concerning the diuersitie is betweene the elect and reprobate our mind might bee content with this namely that it hath so pleased God to illuminate some vnto saluation and blind othersome vnto death and not seeke for any cause aboue his will For we must stande vpon these particles of whom hee will and whom hee will Beyond that which he doeth not suffer vs to passe But the worde harden To harden how it is taken when in the Scriptures it is attributed to GOD it doth not onely signifie as certaine tempering moderatours woulde haue it a permission or suffering but also the action of Gods wrath For all externall thinges which make to the excecation of the reprobate are the instruments of his wrath And Satan him selfe which inwardly worketh effectually is so farre foorth his minister that he worketh not but at his commaundement Therefore that friuolous euasion or refuge which the schoole men haue of foreknowledge doth fall downe For Paule doth not onely say that the ruine of the wicked is foreseene of the Lorde but is ordeined by his counsaile and will as Salomon also teacheth Prou. 16.4 that the destruction of the wicked was not onely foreknowne but that the wicked ones themselues were purposely created that they might perish 19 Thou wilt say then vnto mee why doeth hee yet complayne who hath resisted his will 20 But O man what art thou that pleadest or shouldest pleade in iudgement with GOD shall the thinge formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made mee so 21 Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessel to honour and another vessell to dishonour 19 Thou wilt say then vnto mee
people out of the captiuitie of Babylon hee woulde the benefite of his deliueraunce shoulde come vnto a very few of so great a multitude whiche might iustly be called the remnant of that destruction in respect of the multitude of people which he suffered to perish in exilement Nowe that same carnall restitution did figure the true instauration of the Church of God which is accōplished in Christ Yea it was onely the beginning thereof That therefore which happened then must needes more certainly be fulfilled nowe in the progresse and perfection of the deliuerance 25 For hee making his account short The diuersitie of interpretations being omitted this seemeth vnto me the natural sense the Lord will both so shorten and cut off his people that that which shall remaine may seeme as it were a certaine consumption that is the forme or print of a wonderfull great ruine Yet this fewnesse which shall remaine of the cōsumption or wasting shal be the worke of the Lords righteousnes or which I like better shal serue to testify the righteousnes of god through the whole world Because worde generally in Scripture signifieth a thing worde consummated or perfected is put for consummation or perfection Where many interpreters haue grossly erred whiles they goe about to reason too subtillie For they haue imagined that the doctrine of the Gospell is so called because the ceremonies beeing cutte off it is a briefe abridgement of the lawe Although it ought rather to be called a consumption Where also not onely there but in Esai and Ezechiel the interpreter hath erred Esay 10.22 28.22 Ezec. 11.13 where it is sayde Ah ah Lorde God wilt thou make a consummation of the remnantes of Israell when the Prophetes woulde say wilt thou destroy euen the remnauntes vnto vtter destruction and that commeth to passe thrugh the ambiguitie or doubtfulnes of the Hebrewe worde For seeing the woorde Chalah may signifie as well to ende and finish as to consume this difference hath not been sufficiently obserued in his place Neither hath Esay worde for worde so spoken but he hath put two substantiue nownes namely consumption and definition or deciding and ending so that the desire or seeking after Hebraisme in the Greeke interpreter is marueylous vnreasonable For to what purpose is it to inwrappe a sentence by it selfe cleare in an obscure figuratiue speech Adde also that Esai speaketh heere excessiuely whiles by consumption hee meaneth extenuation or diminishing suche as is wont to be in some famous destruction 29 And as Esay had sayde before Hee bringeth another testimonie out of the first chapter where the Prophete bewayleth the destruction of Israel in his time And if that hath been once done it is no newe example For the people of Israel hath no prerogatiue but from their parentes or auncetours who notwithstanding were handled in such sorte that the Prophete complayneth they are so afflicted that they were but a litle from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrhe Yet this difference there was that a fewe were reserued for a seede to rayse vp the name least it shoulde perishe vtterly and by eternall forgetfulnesse be wiped out For it behooued God alway to be so mindefull of his promise that in the middest of his most seuere iudgementes he might leaue some place for mercie 30 What shall wee say then that the Gentiles which followed not righteousnes haue attayned vnto righteousnes euen the righteousnesse which is of faith 31 But Israell in following the law of righteousnes hath not attained vnto the lawe of righteousnes 32 Wherefore because they sought it not by fayth but as it were by woorkes For they haue stumbled at the stumbling stone 33 As it is written beholde I lay a stumbling stone in Sion and a rocke of offence and euery one that beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed 30 What shall wee say then Nowe that hee might take from the Iewes all occasion of murmuring agaynst God hee beginneth to shewe those causes may bee comprehended by mans capacitie why the nation of the Iewes was so reiected But they doe leudly and inuerte order who goe about to sette and erecte these causes aboue the secrete predestination of God which hee taught before to bee taken for the first or highest cause Howebeit as that is aboue all causes so the corruption and wickednesse of the vngodly doeth giue place and matter to the iudgementes of God And because hee had to deale in a difficulte cause he vseth a communication and demaundeth as though he doubted what might bee sayde heere That the Gentiles whiche followed not righteousnesse Nothing was thought more absurde or vnlike then that the Gentiles who hauing no care of righteousnesse wallowed in the pleasures of their fleshe being called into the participation of saluation shoulde obtayne righteousnesse and the Iewes on the contrary who seriously gaue diligence to the woorkes of the lawe shoulde bee put beside all rewarde of righteousnes Paule so vttereth that in bare woordes which was a marueylous paradoxe or straunge thinge that by a reason added hee tempereth what so euer sharpenesse or roughnesse was in it namely that that righteousnesse the Gentiles attayned vnto doth consist in fayth and therefore doeth depende vpon the mercie of the Lorde and not on mans owne woorthinesse And that that studie of the lawe was in the Iewes was preposterous because they sought to bee iustified by woorkes and so they laboured to attayne vnto that whereunto man can not come Yea they also were offended at Christ by whom onely wee haue enteraunce to obtayne righteousnesse But the purpose of the Apostle in this former member is to aduance the meere grace of God that no other cause shoulde bee sought for in the calling of the Gentiles then this namely that hee vouchsaued to imbrace them being vnworthie of his fauour There is no saluation without righteousnesse Hee speaketh of righteousnesse by name without the which saluation commeth not but whiles hee sayth it proceeded from faith hee giueth to vnderstande that the righteousnesse of the Gentiles doth consist in free reconciliation For if any imagine they were therfore iustified because by fayth they had gotten the spirit of regeneration he is farre wide from the mind of Paul For it could not be true that they obtayned that they sought not vnlesse the Lorde freely imbraced them straynge and wandering offered them righteousnesse whereof in as much as they knewe it not there coulde flourishe no studie amongst them But also it is to bee noted that the Gentiles did not otherwise obteine righteousnesse by fayth but because God preuented theyr fayth by his grace For if by fayth they had first attayned vnto righteousnesse this nowe had been to followe it Therefore fayth it selfe was a portion of grace 31 Israel in following righteousnesse Paul doth frankly denounce that which was incredible to bespoken namely that it was no maruell if the Iewes by following righteousnesse earnestly profited nothing because by running out of
pretendeth he meant no harme And this pretence at this day holdeth a great many that they apply not their studie to search out the truth of God because they thinke that to bee excusable whatsoeuer they transgresse of ignorance without set malice yea with a good intention But there is none of vs can excuse the Iewes that they crucified Christe that they cruelly raged against the Apostles that they went about to destroy and extinguish the Gospel and yet they had the same defence wherin wee glory securely Therefore let those vaine hastings or wranglings of good intention goe If wee seeke the Lord from our heart let vs follow the way by the which there is accesse vnto him For it is better As Augustine saith yea euen to halt in the way then to runne stoutly out of the way If we would be religious let vs remember that is true which Lactantius teacheth namely that is true religion which is ioined with the word of God And againe when we see them to perish who through good intention wander in darknes let vs think we are worthie of a thousand deaths if we being illuminated of God do wittingly willingly wander from his way 3 For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God Behold how through rash zeale they erred namely that they went about to erect their own righteousnes which foolish trust came of the ignorance of Gods righteousnes Mark the antithesin or contrarietie of the righteousnes of God and men first we see they are opposed one against the other as things contrary which cannot stand together whereby it foloweth that the righteousnes of God is ouerthrowne so soone as men establish their owne righteousnes Secondly to the ende the Antitheta or contrarieties might answer one the other What righteousnes is called the righteousnes of God and what the righteousnes of men out of question that is called the righteousnes of God which is the gift of God as againe that is called the righteousnesse of men which they seeke in or of themselues or which they trust that they bring vnto god Therefore he is not subiect to the righteousnes of God who wil bee iustified in himselfe because the first steppe to obteine the righteousnes of God is to resigne or forsake his own righteousnes for to what end is it to seeke for righteousnes elswhere but because necessitie doth constraine vs and we haue declared in another place how men put on the righteousnes of God by faith namely because the righteousnes of Christe is imputed vnto thē Finally Paul doth greatly disgrace that pride wherwith hypocrites are puffed vp howsoeuer it be couered with a faire face of zeale whiles he saith the yoke of god beeing as it were shaken off they are all aduersaries and rebels against the righteousnes of God 4 For Christe is the ende of the law The worde fulfilling seemeth vnto me not to serue amisse in this place as Erasmus also hath translated it perfection but because the other reading is receiued by the consent almost of all men and the same also agreeth well the readers for my part shal be at libertie to reteine it By this reason the Apostle meeteth with an obiection which might bee moued against him For the Iewes might seeme to haue kept the right way because they applyed or gaue themselues to the righteousnesse of the lawe It stoode him in hande to refute this false opinion whiche thing hee doth heere For hee sheweth that hee is a preposterous interpreter of the lawe who seeketh to bee iustified by the works thereof because the law was giuen to this end that it might lead vs by the hand to another righteousnesse Yea whatsoeuer the lawe teacheth whatsoeuer it commandeth whatsoeuer it promiseth it hath Christe alway for his marke so then all the partes thereof are to bee directed vnto him And that cannot bee vnlesse we being spoyled of all righteousnes confounded with the knowlege of sinne doe seeke for free righteousnesse of him onely Whereby it foloweth that the corrupt abuse of the law is iustly reprehended in the Iewes who lewdly of their helpe made their hinderance yea it appeareth they did shamefully lame the lawe of God who hauing reiected the life or soule thereof did take to them the dead body of the letter For albeit the lawe of righteousnesse doth promise a rewarde to his obseruers yet after it hath brought all vnder giltinesse it substituteth a new righteousnesse in Christe which is not gotten by the merite of woorkes but beeing freely giuen is receiued by faith So the righteousnesse of faith as wee sawe in the first Chapter hath testimonie of the lawe And wee haue heere a notable place that the lawe in all his partes respecteth Christe and therefore no man can haue the true vnderstanding thereof who doth not still seeke to come vnto this marke 5 For Moses describeth the righteousnesse whiche is of the lawe that the man which doth these thinges shall liue in them 6 But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thyne hearte who shall ascende into heauen That is to bringe Christe from aboue 7 Or who shall descende into the deepe that is to bring Christe againe from the dead 8 But what saith it The woorde is neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hearte this is the worde of faith whiche we preach 9 For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued 10 For with the hearte man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation 6 For Moses describeth c. That it might appeare how greatly the righteousnesse of faith and the rigteousnes of works are contrary one to the other he compareth them together For by comparison the repugnancie which is betweene thinges contrary appeareth better And hee dealeth Why paul rather alleageth the testimony of Moses then the Prophetes not with the oracles of the Prophetes but with the testimonie of Moses for this onely cause that the Iewes might vnderstand there was not a law giuen by Moses which should hold them in the confidence of works but which should rather lead thē vnto Christ For although hee shoulde haue alleadged the Prophets for witnesses of his sentence yet this doubt had remained why the lawe did prescribe another forme of righteousnesse Hee therefore notably remoueth this scruple whiles he confirmeth the righteousnes of faith euen by the doctrine of the lawe Furthermore whereas Paule maketh the lawe consent with faith and yet opposeth the righteousnesse of that The law hath a twofold acception against the righteousnesse of this the reason thereof must be knowen The lawe hath a twofolde acception For sometime it signifieth all that doctrine was deliuered by Moses sometimes but that part which was proper to his ministerie namely which is conteined in precepts rewardes and punishments For Moses generally had
this office that he might instruct the people in the true rule of godlinesse Which thing if it be true it behoued him to preach repentance and faith but faith is not taught vnlesse the promises of Gods mercy and the same free promises be propounded or set before the people therefore it behoued him to bee a Preacher of the gospell which thing hee did faithfully as appeareth by diuers places And to the ende he might informe the people vnto repentance it was his part to teach what maner of life were acceptable to God that he hath comprised in the precepts of the lawe Now to the ende hee might put into the mindes of the people a loue of righteousnes and againe inserte a hatred of sinne promises and threatnings were to bee added whiche might declare how there are rewardes laid vp for the iust and horrible punishments for the wicked Now also it was the dutie of the people to coÌ„sider by how many wayes they were accursed and howe farre they were from that that they could merite God by their workes so they being in dispaire of their owne righteousnes might flee vnto the hauen of Gods goodnesse and that is vnto Christe himselfe This was the ende of Moses ministerie And now because the promises of the gospell are onely read heere and there in Moses and the same also verie obscurely but the precepts and rewardes appointed for the keepers of the lawe appeare eftsoones worthily is this office properly and peculiarly giuen vnto Moses to teach what true righteousnes of workes is secondarily to shewe what reward remaineth for the obseruation and what punishment for the transgression thereof In this respect Moses himselfe is compared with Christe in Iohn where it is saide The lawe was giuen by Moses grace and truth is fulfilled by Christe And so often as the lawe is taken so stricktly Iohn 1.17 Moses is couertly opposed vnto Christe and therefore wee are then to consider what the lawe conteineth in it selfe beyng separate from the gospell That therfore which is saide heere of the righteousnesse of the lawe must be referred not vnto the whole office of Moses but vnto this part which peculiarly in a maner was committed vnto him Nowe I come vnto the wordes For Moses describeth Paule hath Graphei in latine scribit in english he writeth Apheresis is yâ— taking away of a letter or sillable from the beginning of a word Leuit. 18.5 but it is the figure Aphaeresis for the word describit id est hee describeth And the place is taken out of Leuiticus where the Lorde promiseth eternall life to them shal keepe his lawe For thou seest that Paule also hath so taken it not of a temporall or transitory life onely which pleaseth a manie And Paule reasoneth thus from that place seeyng no man can obteyne righteousnesse prescribed in the lawe but he that fulfilleth exactly euery part thereof and all men haue alway beene farre from that perfection in vayne doth any seeke for saluation this way Israel therefore did amisse which thought he coulde obtayne the righteousnesse of the lawe from the which we are all excluded See howe he argueth from the promise it selfe that it profiteth vs nothing namely because of the impossible condition What a foolish toy is it then to alleadge legal promises to establishe the righteousnesse of woorkes For a sure curse abydeth for vs and theÌ„ so farre is it off that saluation should come thence vnto vs. The more abhominable is the sottishnes of Papistes who thinke it sufficient to proue merits by bare promises It is not in vayne quoth they that God hath promised life to his worshippers but in the meane while they see not that it is therefore promised that the sence of their transgressions might put into al men the feare of death so they being forced by their owne want might learne to flee vnto Christ 6 But the righteousnes whiche is of faith This place is suche as maye greatelye trouble the Reader and that for two causes For both it seemeth to bee improperly wrested of Paule and also the wordes seeme to be chaunged into another sence But concerning the words we shall see what is to be said of them First let vs consider the application For it is a place of Deuteronomie where as in the former place Moses speaketh of the doctrine of the lawe Deut. 30.12 and Paule draweth it vnto the promises of the Gospell This knotte maye bee well vntied thus Moses in that place sheweth the facilitye or easinesse of comminge vnto life because the wil of God was not nowe hidde nor sette a farre off from the Iewes but was layd before their eyes If he spake of the law onely it had beene a friuolous argument seeing the law of God being put before our eyes is nothing more easie to be done then if it were set a farre off Therefore he noteth not the lawe onely but in generall all the doctrine of God which comprehendeth vnder it the Gospell For the worde of the law by it selfe is neuer in our heart no not the least sillable thereof vntil it be put in by the faith of the Gospel Secondly yea euen after regeneration the worde of the lawe shall not properly bee saide to be in our heart because it requireth perfection from the which the faithfull themselues are farre off But the worde of the Gospel hath his seate in the heart although it filleth not the heart for it offereth pardon for the imperfection and want And Moses altogether in that Chapter as also in the fourth studieth to commende vnto the people the singuler loue of God because he had receiued them into his tuition and gouernment whiche commendation could not be taken from the bare lawe Neither letteth it that Moses preacheth there of reforming the life vnto the rule of the lawe for the spirit of regeneration is coupled with the righteousnesse of faith Therefore he collecteth the one out of the other because the obseruation of the lawe is of the faith of Christ Neither is it to be doubted but this sentence dependeth vpoÌ„ that principle the Lord shal circumcise thine heart which he had put downe a little before in the same Chapter Wherefore they are easily refuted who say that Moses intreateth there of good workes Indeede I confesse that to be true but I deny it to be absurd that the obseruation of the law should be drawen from this fountaine that is â—â—om the righteousnes of faith Nowe the opening of the words is to be sought for Say not in thy heart who shal ascende c. Moses nameth heauen the Sea as places furthest off hard for a man to come vnto But Paule as though there were some spirituall mystery hidden vnder these wordes draweth them vnto the death and resurrection of Christ If any alleadge that this interpretation is too muche wrested and too subtile let him know the minde of the Apostle was not curiously or exactly to
handle the place of Moses but onely to apply it vnto the treatise of the present cause He doeth not therefore recite sillable by sillable what is in Moses but he vseth a polishing whereby hee applyeth the testimonie of Moses more neerely to his purpose Hee spake of pâ—aces are not to bee come vnto Paule hath expressed those places whiche are most of all hidden from our eyes and yet are to bee â—eeâ—e of our faith Wherefore if you take these to be spoken by the way of amplification or polishing thou canst not say that Paule hath violently and vnaptly wrested the woodes of Moses but rather thou wilt confesse that without any damage to the sense hee hath notably alluded vnto the wordes heauen and Sea Now let vs expound the wordes of Paule simply Because the assurance of our saluation dependeth vpon two principles namely whiles wee vnderstande that life is purchased for vs and death conquered to vs. With both which he teacheth our faith is supported by the word of the Gospell For Christe by dying hath swallowed vp death by rysing againe he hath gotten life in his power Nowe in the gospell the benefite of Christes death and resurrection is communicated vnto vs then there is no cause that wee shoulde seeke further for any thing Therefore that it myght appeare the righteousnesse of faith is aboundantly sufficient vnto saluation hee teacheth that those two members which onely are necessary vnto saluation are conteined in it Who then shall ascend into heauen Is as much as if he said who knoweth whether that inheritance of eternall and celestiall life abideth for vs Who shall descend into the deepe As if thou said who knoweth whether eternall death of the soule also follow the death of the bodie Both which doubtes hee teacheth to bee taken away by the righteousnesse of faith For the one should bring Christ downe from heauen Christ in his humane nature hath taken possesion of the heauens for the faithfull the other froÌ„ death should bring him backe againe For the ascention of Christe into heauen ought so to establish our faith of eternall life that hee in a maner draweth Christe himselfe out of the possession of the heauens that doubteth whether the inheritance of heauen bee prepared for the faithfull in whose name and cause hee is entred in thyther Likewise seeing hee tooke vpon hym the great horrours of Hell that hee myghte deliuer vs thence to call it into question whether the faythfull be still subiect to this miserie is to make his death voide and in a maner to denie it 8 But what saith it That negatiue speech which the Apostle hath hitherto vsed did serue to take away the impediments of faith it remaineth therefore that he declare the maner of obteining righteousnesse vnto the which ende this affirmation is added And whereas there is an interrogation interposed when they might all haue beene spoken together in on course of speeche that is done to procure attention And also his meaning is to shewe what a great difference there is betweene the righteousnes of the law and the Gospel seeing that sheweth it selfe a farre off it doth driue away all men from comming vnto it but this offering it selfe at hand doth familiarly inuite vs vnto the fruition of it The word is neere thee First of all this is to bee noted that least the mindes of men beeing carried away by vaine circumstances shoulde erre from saluation the boundes of the worde are prescribed vnto them within the whiche they ought to keepe themselues For it is as if hee shoulde commaund them to bee contente with the worde onely and admonish them that in this glasse the secretes of heauen are to bee seene which would both dasill theyr eyes with their brightnes astonishe their eares and also make the mynd it self amased Therefore the godly receiue an excellent consolation out of this place touchyng the certaynetie of the worde namely that they may as safely rest therein as in the most present beholdyng of things or as in any thyng is present and in hande Secondly it is to bee noted that suche a worde is propounded by Moses wherein wee haue firme and sure trust of saluation This is the worde of faith Iustly doth Paule take that for the doctrine of the lawe doth not pacyfie and quiet the conscience neyther doeth it minister vnto the conscience those thinges wherewith it ought to bee content Yet in the meane whyle hee excludeth not the other partes of the worde no not the precepts of the lawe but his mynde is to put downe remission of sinnes for righteousnesse and that without suche exact obedyence as the lawe requireth Therefore the worde of the gospell wherein wee are not commaunded to merite righteousnesse by workes but to imbrace it by faith being freely offered sufficeth to pacifie mens consciences and establish their saluation And the worde of faith by the figure Metonymia is put for the worde of promise that is for the gospel because it hath a relation with faith For the contrarietie whereby the law is discerned from the gospell muste bee vnderstood And out of this note of distinction we gather as the lawe requireth workes so the gospell requireth nothing els but that men bring faith to receiue the grace of God This parcell whiche wee preache is therefore added least any shoulde suspect Paule to dissent from Moses For hee testifieth that in the ministerie of the Gospell hee agreeth with Moses seeing he also did not place our felicitie any other where then in the free promise of Gods grace 9 So that if thou confesse This also is rather an allusion then a proper and naturall interpretation For it is like that Moses by the figure Synecdoche did vse the worde mouth Synecdoche is when by one thing another is vnderstood for face or countenance But it was not vnseemely for the Apostle to allude vnto the worde mouth to this sense when the Lorde publisheth his worde before our face assuredly hee calleth vs vnto the confession thereof For wheresoeuer the woorde of the Lorde is there it ought to fructifie and the fruite is the confession of the mouth Whereas hee putteth confession before faith it is the figure Anastrophe very vsuall in the Scriptures For the order had beene better Anastrophe is an inuersion of wordes when that is first should be last c. if faith of the hearte being put in the first place confessioÌ„ of the mouth which proceedeth thence had beene added And he doth confesse the Lorde Iesus aright who adorneth him with his vertue acknowledging him to bee such one as hee is giuen of the father and described in the Gospell And whereas resurrection onely is named wee must not so take it as though his death were in no place but because Christ by rysing again made vp our saluation For albeit our redemption and satisfaction was accomplished by his death by the which we are reconciled vnto God yet the victorie
the ende of this Gradation consider first Gradation is when the speecht is so distinguished by degrees that that which endeth one member beginneth the next that there was a mutuall coniunction betwixt the calling of the Gentiles and the ministerie of Paul which hee did performe and execute among them so that the approbation of the one did depende vpon the approbation of the other Now it behoued Paul to make the calling of the Gentiles manifest and without all doubt or question and also to shewe a reason of his ministerie least that he should seeme to publishe the grace of God amisse in that hee did withdrawe or take from the children of God the bread which was properly appointed for thē and giue it to dogs And therefore he doth both these thinges together But the coherencie agreement of his wordes will not de perfectly vnderstood before that euery particular part therof be expounded in order This his proceeding is as much in effect as if hee should say that both Iewes and Gentiles declare and shew that they beleeue in God by calling vpō his name because the true calling vpon the name of god cānot be except there were first a right knowledge of him Furthermore faith commeth by the word of God But the worde of God is preached in no place but by the speciall prouidence and appointment of God Therefore where the inuocatiō of God is there is also faith where faith is there was also first the seed of the word Where preaching is there is also the calling of God or there men are called of God Now where there is so effectuall and fruitfull a calling of God there is an euident and vnfallible tokē of god his loue Whereby it is apparāt that the Gentiles are not to be debarred or excluded the kingdome of God whom God hath admitted into the fellowship participation of saluation For as the preaching of the Gospel is the cause of their faith so God his sending is the cause of preaching whereby it pleased him to prouide for their saluatiō after this maner Now let vs examine particularly that which followeth 14 How shall they call c. Paules mind is to ioyne the inuocatiō of God with faith as indeed they are things neerely linked and ioyned together for hee who calleth vpon God doth as it were cōmit himself into the only hauen of saftie To flee vnto God in prayers is the safest hauen of all and that which is the most surest kind of refuge hee doeth like a sonne repose or lay himselfe as it were in the bosome of a most good and louing father that by his care hee may be protected by his indulgencie and loue he may bee cherished by his bountie he may be relieued by his vertue hee may be staied and vpholden Which thing no man can doe who before hath not so certaine a persuasion of god his fatherly loue toward him setled in his minde that hee dare boldly hope or looke for any thing at his handes Therefore it is necessarie that he who calleth vpon God should assure himselfe to receiue aide and helpe from him For Paule speaketh heere of that Inuocation which pleaseth God For hypocrites call vpon God but not to their saluation because they call vpon him without any sense or feeling of faith Wherby it is euident how foolish all the Schoole men bee who offer themselues doubtfully to God not being staied by faith Paul is of a quite contrary minde who taketh this as a principle graunted namely that we cannot pray aright vnlesse we be certainely perswaded of the successe Neither doth he set downe here an intricate or doubtfull faith but the certaintie or assurance which our mindes conceaue of his fatherly loue and goodnes whiles by the Gospel he reconcileth vs to himself adopteth vs for his sōnes By this confidence only we haue accesse to him as it is also to the Ephe. Ephesi 3.12 And on the other side gather y◠that only is true faith which of if self bringeth forth the inuocation of god For it cānot be but that he should continually aspire vnto the goodnes of God by all prayers or supplications who once hath tasted of the same How shall they beleeue in him of whom c. The summe sense of these wordes is this namely that wee are after a sorte dumbe vntil the promise of God open our mouth to pray Which order also he noteth in the prophet Zach. in these wordes I will say to them Zacha. 13.9 you are my people and they shall say to me thou art our god For it is not our parts to feigne and imagine what maner of God we list Therefore we must haue the true lawefull knowledge of him such as is set downe in his word And if any man shall suppose God to be good by his owne sense imagination God must be known and worshiped according to his woorde that shall be no sure and stable faith but a wauering and wandering imagination And therfore the word is necessarily required to the true knowledge of God Here he hath set down no other word then that which is preached because this is the ordinarie meanes which the Lord hath appointed for the dispensatiō therof But if any man shall heereby contende to proue that God could not otherwise then by the meanes of preaching infuse or power his knowledge into men we denie that to be the meaning of the Apostle who had respect onely to the ordinarie dispensation of God and woulde not prescribe any lawe or limitation to his grace 15 Howe shall they preach except they bee sent Hee meaneth that it is an argument and pledge of the loue of God when hee doeth vouchsafe any nation with the preaching of his Gospell and that there is no preacher thereof whome hee hath not stirred vp by his speciall prouidence and therefore there is no question but God doth visite that nation where his gospel is preached But because Paul doth not here handle the lawful calling of euery man to that function it should be needles to vse any long spech therof in this place Only it may suffice for to remēber thus much Namely The gospel commeth not by chaunce vnto any people that the Gospell doth not fall down and as it were by chaunce like raine out of the Cloudes but is brought by the handes and ministerie of men whether it is sent from aboue As it is written Howe beautifull c. Thus we ought to apply this testimonie of Esay Nahum to this present matter Esay 52.7 Nah. 1.17 The Lorde offering hope of deliueraunce to his people setteth foorth the comming of them who shoulde bring the gladsome tydinges thereof with a singular commendation Thereby therefore hee hath declared that the office or ministerie of the Apostles is to be had in no lesse price and estimation by which the tydings of eternall life is brought vnto vs. And therevpon it followeth that
it commeth from God for as much as there is nothing to be desired or prayse worthy in this worlde which doth not proceede and come from his hande Heere also we learne howe greatly the preaching of the Gospell is to be desired and howe highly it is to bee esteemed of all good men which is commended in suche sorte by the mouth of God Neyther is it to bee doubted but that God speaketh gloriously of the incomparable price of this treasure that all mens mindes may be awaked and stirred vp to seeke for the same greedily By this woorde feete vnderstande in this place their comming by the figure metonymia 16 But all haue not obeyed the Gospell This perteyneth nothing to that argument which Paul prosecuteth and followeth in this gradation And therefore hee doeth not repeate it in the conclusion which foloweth strayghtwayes but yet it was very necessarie expedient for Paul to ioyne this also in steed of a preoccupation least that where as it was sayde that the worde doeth alway ordinarily goe before fayth euen as the seede is before the corne any man shoulde reason or drawe an argument from the contrary part and inferre that fayth must needs follow wheresoeuer the woorde is For so might Israel glory who neuer wanted the worde Though ordinarily the woorde doeth alway go before fayth yet fayth doth not alway follow where the worde is Iere. 53.1 Iohn 12.38 Therefore it was meete and requisit for him to declare this in his way or passage that many are called who are not chosen And heriteth a place out of Esai and Iohn where the Prophete beeing about to publishe that excellent oracle of the death and kingdome of Christ Doth first with admiration and wonder speake of the pawcitie and fewnesse of beleeuers which in spirite appeared such to him as forced him to cry out Lorde who hath beleeued our reporte that is to say the woordes which wee haue preached For where as the Hebrewe woorde shemugnah signifieth speech passiuely the Grecians haue expounded it acoen and the Latines sermonem albeit improperly yet not in any obscure or doubtfull sence Nowe wee see why this exception was added by the way to witte that no man shoulde thinke fayth doeth necessaryly followe wheresoeuer the preathing of the woorde doeth flourishe Notwithstanding hee noteth the reason afterwarde when hee addeth To whome is the arme of the Lorde reuealed For hee signifieth that there appeareth no profite or fruite of the woorde but whilest God doth shine vpon vs by the bryghtnesse of his spirite and so is the inwarde calling distinguished from the outwarde voyce of man Which inwarde calling is onely effectuall and proper to the elect Whereby it is euident howe foolyshly some men reason that all are indifferently elected and chosen because the doctrine of saluation is vniuersall and God doeth indifferently inuite all men vnto him For the generalitie of the promise alone of it selfe and by it selfe doth not make saluation common and generall to all But rather this peculiar reuelation whereof the prophete maketh mention restrayneth and tyeth it onely to the elect 17 Therefore fayth commeth by hearing c. By the conclusion wee see what Paule did respect in framing that his gradatiō Namely to shew that wheresoeuer faith is there God hath alreadie giuen a manifest and euident signe of his elecion Secondly that he hath powred out his blessinge by the ministration of the Gospel that he might lighten the mindes of men by fayth and by the same fayth also might prepare them to call vpon his name wherein saluation is promised to all And that by this meanes it was testified howe the Gentiles were admitted by him into the felowship of the eternal inheritāce And this a worthie and excellent place concerning the vertue and efficatie of preaching because he doeth testifie that fayth proceedeth and springeth from it Hee confessed truely of late that of it selfe it profiteth nothing but where it pleaseth the Lorde to worke this is the instrument of his power And truely both the voyce of man is vnable by his owne vertue to pearce into the soule and also 〈◊〉 who is mortall woulde bee too proude if hee were said to haue power to regenerate vs and also the light of fayth is a more high and excellent thing then that it can be giuen and bestowed by man And yet all this doth not hinder but God may worke effectually by the voyce of man so that hee may beget in vs fayth by his ministerie Furthermore wee must note that fayth is not grounded vpon any other doctrine then vpon the worde of God for Paule doth not say that fayth doeth proceede from euery doctrine Fayth is grounded vpon the word of God onely but hee restrayneth it by expresse wordes to the worde of God which restraynte were absurde if faith might leane or stay itselfe vpon the decrees of men Therefore all the inuention of man muste cease when as the certayntie of fayth is handled by this meanes also doth that papistical dreame and fancie of intricate and intangled fayth fall flatte to the grounde whiche seuereth and destracteth fayth from the word And much more that execrable and cursed blasphemie which woulde haue the authoritie of the woorde to hang wauering and doubtfull till such time as the authoritie of the Church doth stay and establish it 18 But I demaunde haue they not hearde yea truly their sounde is gone into all the earth and their wordes into the endes of the worlde 19 But I demaunde hath not Israel knowen first Moses sayth I will prouoke you to enuie by a nation that is not my nation and I will anger you by a foolishe nation 20 And Esay is bolde and sayth I was founde of them who sought mee not I was made knowen to them who did not aske after mee 21 But of Israel he saith I haue stretched out my handes dayly to a proude and rebellious people 18 But I say haue they not heard c. Seeing that by preaching the mindes of men are indewed with the knowledge of God whiche of it selfe breedeth and bringeth forth the inuocation and calling vpon the same God It remayned to bee examined whether the trueth of God were euer declared and preached to the Gentiles or no. For in that Paule turned to the Gentiles vpon the sudden there was no small offence taken at this his sudden change and alteration Therefore hee asketh this question whether God had neuer directed and sent his voice before to the Gentiles and performed the duetie of a teacher towarde the whole world Furthermore to the intent hee might shewe howe the schoole is generally free and open to all into the whiche God doeth gather to him schollers from euery place hee citeth the testimonie of the prophete which in appearaunce doeth seeme to make little to the matter for the Prophete speaketh not there of the Apostles but of the dumbe woorkes of God In whiche hee sayth the glory of God
shineth so euidently Psalme 19.5 as that they may bee sayde to haue their certayne tongue to declare the vertues of God This place of Paule hath caused the auncient writers to expounde that whole Psalme allegorically whose steppes the posteritie hath also followed So that without contradiction or controuersie the sonne compared to a bridegrome going out of his chamber was Christians the Apostles were vnderstood by the heauens They who were more religious and behaued them selues more modestly in the interpretation of the scripture do think that it was properly spoken of the building frame of the heauens and that Paule did transferre it to the Apostles by way of allusion But because I finde that the seruants of God handled the scriptures euery where with more reuerence Allusion is wheÌ„ we in respect the saying or writing of another that we also borrow some words thence or els touch them in our own words and that they wauered not hither and thither so licenciously I cannot be perswaded that Paul abused this place in such sort Therefore I take this his allegation in the proper naturall sence or meaning of the prophet so that the argument may be this namely that God hath made his dietie manifest to the Gentiles euen froÌ„ the beginning of the world albeit not by the preaching of meÌ„ yet by the testimonie of his creatures For although the Gospel was not theÌ„ hard of among them yet notwithstanding the whole frame and workmanship of heauen earth did speake did glorifie their authour by their preaching It appeareth therefore that God euen at the time wherin he contayned kept the grace of his couenant with in the people of Israel did not withdraw his knowledge in such sort from the Gentiles but that hee did alway shewe them some sparke and light thereof In deede he made him selfe more neerely knowne and manifeste to his chosen people so that the Iewes might be worthily compared to domesticall hearers whoÌ„ he taught familiarly by his holy mouth Notwithstanding because he did also speake vnto the Gentiles a far off by the voice of the heaueÌ„s by this preaÌ„ble or foresigh the shewed that he would al so make himself known at the length to the Gentiles And yet I knowe not why the greek interpreter hath translated the hebrew word kauam phâ—hoggon a sounde For the hebrewe worde signinifieth a line sometime in building and sometime in wryting But concerning this present plans seeing it is sure that the same thing is repeated twise it seemeth vnto me that the heauens are brought in declaring both by writing speech the power of God to all mankind For by the word going forth the Prophet doth admonish vs that that doctrin whereof the heauens are the preachers and publishers is not shutte vp within the narrowe and straight compasse of one land or region but doeth sounde out into the vttermost partes or quarters of the world 19 But I demaunde hath not Israel knowne c. This obiection of the contrary part is taken from the comparison of the lesser and greater Paul hath reasoned that the Gentiles are not to be debarred and excluded from the knowledge of God seeing that God from the beginning albeit obscurely and by shadowes hath manifested himselfe vnto them or at the least hath giuen them some taste of his trueth What then shall wee say of Israell who was lightened with a farre other light of doctrine For howe commeth it to passe that prophane men and such as were strangers shoulde runne to the light beeing shewed them a farre off but the holy stocke of Abraham shoulde refuse the light being familiarly and playnely seene For wee must alway reteyne that distinction what nation is so renowned or famous that it hath their Gods approching so neere vnto them Deut. 4.8 as thy God at this day commeth neere to thee Therefore it is not from the purpose and impertinent to the matter to aske this question why the knowledge of God did not consequently ensue and followe the doctrine of the lawe with which Israel was indewed First Moses saith c. By the testimonie of Moses hee prooueth that if God shoulde prefer the Gentiles before the Iewes yet there were no absurditie therein The place is taken out of that famous Canticle in Deuteronomie Deut. 32..21 where God vpbrayding the Iewes with their vnfaythfulnesse doeth denounce and threaten this vengeance agaynst them namely that hee will prouoke them to emulation by taking the Gentiles into his couenant because that they were reuolted and fallen away to false gods You haue sayth hee dispised reiected mee transferred giuen my right honor to Idols and I to be reuenged of this iniurie in like maner will bring the Gentiles into your place and will translate that vnto them which hitherto I haue giuen vnto you And that coulde not bee done without the denouncing of the Iewes For heere vpon sprang the emulation of which Moses maketh mention that God did appoint or take to him selfe a nation whiche were no natioÌ„ did raise vp a new people of nothing who should possesse the place froÌ„ whence the Iewes were cast remoued euen as they the true God being forsaken did giue ouer them selues to Idols And although at the comming of Christ they were not fallen to that grosse and exernall Idolatrie it maketh nothing for their excuse seeing they had prophaned the whole worship of God by their inuentioÌ„s yea at the last they denied God the father reueyled vnto them in his onely begotten sonne Christ which is the highest and extreamest kinde of impietie Marke that these words a foolishe nation and no nation are the same in effect because without the hope of eternall life there is no essence or being of man properly Finally the beginning and originall of life proceedeth from the light of fayth Therefore the spirituall essence or being proceedeth from newe creation in whiche sence Paule calleth the faythfull the worke of God by the which they are regenerate by his spirite and reformed to his owne image or likenesse Nowe by this worde foolishe wee gather all thinges to be meere vanitie in which men bee wise without the woorde of GOD. 20 But Esaias is bolde and sayeth Because this prophesie is somewhat more playne and cleare to the intent hee might procure greater attention hee foresheweth that it is full of boldenesse as if hee shoulde say the prophete did not speake figuratiuely or doubtingly but in playne and euident woordes did auouch the calling of the Gentiles And that which Paule by inserting or interposing of a fewe wordes hath seperated in this place is to be founde ioyntly together in the Prophete Esai Esai 65.12 where the Lorde denounceth that the time shall come wherein hee will translate his grace to the Gentiles and presently hee addeth the reason namely that he was wearie of the contumacie and rebellion of Israel which now by ouer long continuance was become
dispaired of neyther were there any hope of repentaunce lefte And heere hee woorthily denyeth the saluation of the Iewes to be past hope or that they are so cast off of the Lord that there is no restitution to be looked for or that the couenant of grace is vtterly extinguished which God once made with them seeing there remained alway in that nation a blessed seede That his meaning is thus to bee vnderstoode it appeareth by this namely that before he ioyned most sure ruine vnto excecation now maketh hope of rising againe which two cold not agree in one Then they are fallen fallen to destruction who were obstinately offended at Christ yet the nation is not so fallen that it should follow of necessitie who so is a Iewe he is lost or fallen away from God But their fal is saluatiō to the Gentiles The Apostle in this place noteth two thinges namely that the fall of the Iewes turned to the saluation of the Gentiles but to this end that they might be kindled with a certaine ielousie so bethinke thēselues of repentance Surely he respected the testimonie of Moses which he had already cited where the Lorde threatneth Israel that as he was prouoked of them through false Gods vnto emulation so also by the lawe of retaliation he would prouoke them with a foolish people The word that is vsed there noteth the affection of emulation and ielousie namely that we burne when we see another preferred before vs. Then if the counsaile of the Lord be that Israel should be prouoked vnto emulation Israel is not therefore fallen that hee should be throwen into eternall destruction but that the blessing of God The Iewes are not therefore reiected that they should vtterly perishe which was contemned of them might come vnto the gentiles to the end that they also at length might bee stirred to seeke the Lorde from whom they are fallen But there is no cause why the readers shoulde greatly weary themselues in applying the testimonie for Paule doth not vrge the proper sēce of the worde but only alludeth vnto the vulgare and knowen manner For as emulation prouoketh the wife being reiected from her husband for her fault that she should studie to reconcile herselfe so now he saith it may come to passe that when the Iewes shall see the Gentiles placed in their roome they beeing touched with the sorow of their diuorcement should seeke for reconciliation 12 Wherfore if the fall of them Because he had taught that after the Iewes were diuorced the gētiles entred in their steed least he should make the saluation of the Iewes odious vnto the gētiles as though the saluatiō of the gētiles stood vpō the destructiō of the Iewes he preuēteth the false opinion putteth downe the cōtrary sētence namely that nothing serueth more to promote the saluation of the gētiles then if the grace of God did floorish and aboūd greatly with the Iewes Which thing that he might proue he vseth an argument frō the lesse If their fall could raise vp the Gentiles and their diminishing inritch them how muche more shall their fulnes For that was done against nature but this shoulde come to passe by the order of nature Neither doth it hinder this reason that the word of God came vnto the Gentiles If the Iewes receiued the gospel it should be so farre from hindering that it should greatly further the faith of the Gentiles after the Iewes by refusing of it had as it were vomited it For if they had receiued it their faith had brought muche more fruite then their infidelitie brought by this occasion For so both the trueth of God had beene confirmed because it had appeared to be fulfilled in them and they also by doctrine had brought many whom by their stubbornesse they rather turned away And he had spoken more properly if he had opposed rising of the gētiles against the fal of the Iewes Which I therfore note least any should seeke here for the elegancie of speech or be offended at the rudenes of speech For these are spoken not to frame the tongue but the heart 13 For I say to you Gentiles He proueth by a notable reason that the Gentiles shal loose nothing if the Iewes returned againe into fauour with God For he sheweth that the saluation of them both is so ioyned together that by one and the same worke it may be promoted For thus he speaketh vnto the Gentiles notwithstanding I am an Apostle peculiarly appointed for you and therefore ought in a speciall sort procure your saluation committed vnto me and as it were all other thinges layde apart to seeke that onely yet I shal doe my duetie faithfully if I can winne any vnto Christ of mine owne nation And that shall be to the glorie of my mynisterie and so for your wealth For whatsoeuer did serue to set foorth the mynisterie of Paule it was an ornament to the Gentiles whose saluation was the end thereof And here also he vseth the verbe Parazelosai to prouoke That the Gentiles might seeke for the euent of Moses prophesie such as he describeth Deut. 32.22 when they should vnderstand it to be profitable for them 14 Might saue How the minister is said to saue Here note how the minister of the worde is said in his manner to saue those whom he hath brought vnto the obedience of faith For the dispensation of our saluation must be so moderated that we know al the vertue and efficacie therof to be in God and giue vnto him due praise yet that we knowe also preaching is an instrument to bring to passe the saluation of the faithful which although it can profite nothing without the spirit of God yet the same spirite woorking inwardly it doeth mightily shew foorth his vertue 15 For if the reiection Some doe lewdely corrupt this place which many count to be obscure in my iudgemēt it ought to be so vnderstood that it is another argument taken from the comparing of the lesse and greater to this sence if the casting off of the Iewes could doe so much that it should giue cause to the reconciling of the gentiles of how much more force shall their receiuing be Ought it not euen to raise from the dead For Paul persisteth stil in this that the gentiles haue no cause of enuie as though the Iewes being receiued into fauour their estate should be the worse He reasoneth therfore that seeing God hath woonderfully brought life out of death and darknes out of light it is much more to be looked for that the raysing againe of a people as it were cleane dead should quicken the gentiles Neither letteth that which some alleadge namely that reconciliation differeth not from resurrection as we do here vnderstand resurrection namely whereby we are translated from the kingdome of death into the kingdome of life For although the thing be one yet there is lesse and more weight in the wordes which sufficeth to the force of
the kingdome of Christe which is not included in the Iewes but cōprehendeth the whole worlde In the same maner to the Galathiās he calleth the church consisting together of Iewes gentiles the Israel of God by that Gal. 6.16 opposing the people gathered from the dispersion to the carnal sonnes of Abrahā who were fallen away from his faith as it is written By this testimonie of Esay he doth not confirme the whole sentence but one member onely namely that the sonnes of Abraham are partakers of redemption For if any take it that Christ was promised and offered to them but because they did refuse him they were depriued of his grace the wordes of the Prophete expresse more namely that there is some number left which after it repenteth shall inioy the grace of deliueraunce And yet Paule citeth not worde for worde that is reade with Esai Esai 59.20 the redeemer quoth hee shall come to Sion and they which shall repent from iniquitie in Iacob saith the Lorde But it becommeth not vs to be too curious herein For this is to bee regarded howe fitly the Apostles apply vnto their purpose whatsoeuer probations they bring out of the old testament seeing they coueted nothing els then as it were by the finger to point out that the readers might he led vnto the fountaine Furthermore although in this prophecie deliuerance be promised vnto the spirituall people of God vnder whom the gentiles are conteyned yet because the Iewes are the first begotten that whiche the Prophete denounceth must needs be chiefly fulfilled in them For in that the Scripture calleth all the people of God Israelites that is ascribed to the excellencie of that nation which God preferred before all others Secondly he saieth that he which shall redeeme shall come namely vnto Sion hauing respecte vnto the olde couenaunt Hee addeth also that hee shall bee redeemed in Iacob whiche shall turne from his transgression In which words God doth plainely chalenge vnto himselfe a certaine seede that the redemption might be effectual in the elect and peculiar nation Esay 59.20 And albeit the phrase of speech which the Prophet vseth did serue better to the purpose namely Shall come to Syon Yet Paule made no religion in the matter to follow the commō receiued translation where it is said the redeemer shall come out of the hill of Syon And there is also like reason of the seconde parte Hee shall turne iniquities from Iacob For Paule thought it sufficient onely to respect this because the proper office of Christe is to reconcile vnto God a people that is a reuolter from the Lorde and couenant breaker that vndoubtedly there was some conuersion to bee hoped for least they should all perish together 27 And this is my couenant vnto them when I shall take away their sinnes Notwithstanding Paule had brieflie touched in the former prophesie of Esai the office of the messias yet that hee might aduertise the Iewes what they were principally to hope for of him hee purposely addeth these fewe wordes out of Ieremie to the same ende Iere. 31.33 Heb. 8.8 10.16 For in the former place is not reade that a newe couenant shoulde come This also appertayneth to the confirmation of the cause hee hath in hande For that which hee spake of the conuersion of the people in so obstinate a stubbornnesse might seeme incredible Therefore hee remoueth this impediment by saying the newe couenant consisteth in the free remission of sinnes For it may be gathered out of the words of the prophete that God hath no more to do with an Apostata people but so far as he shall as well remit the crime of their faithlesnesse as other sinnes 28 As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the election they are beloued for their fathers sake 29 For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance 30 For you also were faithlesse towardes God but now haue obteined mercie through their vnbeliefe 31 So they nowe are become vnbeleeuers because yee haue obteined mercy that they also may obteyne mercie 32 For God hath shut all vnder beleefe that hee might haue mercy on all 28 As concerning the Gospel Hee sheweth howe that which was euill in the Iewes did not serue to the ende that they should therefore be contemned of the Gentiles vnbeliefe was the chiefe crime in them And Paule sheweth they were so for a time through the prouidence of God blinded that a way might be made for the gospel vnto the Gentiles and yet they not for euer excluded from the grace of God Hee confesseth therefore that presently they were alienated from God by occasion of the gospell that this way that saluation which was laide vp with them might come vnto the Gentiles and yet God not vnmindfull of that couenant whiche hee made with their fathers and wherein hee testified that in his eternall counsaile hee loued that nation And this hee proueth by a notable sentence namely that the grace and calling of God cannot bee voide For this is the meaning of these wordes The giftes and calling of God are without repentance Hee hath put gifts and calling by the figure Hypallage for the benefite of calling neither ought this to bee vnderstood of euery particuler calling Paul in this disputatiō speaketh of the general calling of a whole nation and not of the particular calling of euery one but of that whereby God adopted the posteritie of Abraham into couenant seeing the disputation was specially of this as a little before vnder the name of election hee noted the secrete counsaile of God whereby the Iewes were distinguished from the Gentiles For this is to be obserued that the question is not of the priuate election of euery one but of the common adoption of an whole nation which for a time in outward appearance might seeme to bee fallen but not cut downe by the rootes Because the Iewes were fallen from theyr prerogatiue and saluation promised thē that there might be some hope of the remnant Paul proueth that the counsaile of GOD standeth firme and immutable whereby hee vouchsafed once to choose them vnto himselfe for a peculier people If then it cannot bee that the Lorde should fall from that couenant which hee established with Abraham I will bee the God of thy seede hee hath not vtterly taken his fauour from the people of the Iewes Gen. 17.7 hee doth not oppose the Gospel to election as though they were contrary one to the other for whome God hath chosen those hee calleth but because the Gospell was sodenly besides the expectation of the worlde published to the Gentiles hee worthily compareth this grace with that olde election of the Iewes which so many ages before was manifested Election therefore is named of antiquitie because in that part of the world is past God did chose vnto himselfe one people Hee saith for the fathers not as though they gaue any cause of loue but
for that the grace of GOD descended from them to the posteritie according to the forme of the couenaunt Thy God and of thy seede Howe the gentiles haue obteined mercy by the vnbeleef it is alreadie declared namely God beeing angrie with the Iewes for their infidelitie conuerteth his fauour vnto the Gentiles And wheras it is straight wayes added they became incredulous for the mercy shewed to the Gentiles it is something harde yet there is no absurditie in it How it is saide the Iewes became vnbeleeuers through the mercy shewed to the gentiles because Paule doth not set downe the cause of their excecation or blinding but onely sheweth that that was taken from the Iewes which GOD translated to the Gentiles Furthermore least the Gentiles shoulde thinke that they obteyned that by the merite of theyr faith which the Iewes loste through their incredulitie there is onely mention made of mercy The summe therefore is because God woulde shewe mercy vpon the Gentiles by this occasion the Iewes were depriued of the light of faith 32 For God hath shut vp c. A notable sentence wherby he declareth there is no cause why they shoulde dispaire of others which haue some hope of saluatiō for whatsoeuer they are now they were as al others are so thē if through the only mercy of god they haue escaped forth frō vnbeliefe they ought to leaue place vnto the same mercy for others also For as cōcerning gyltines he maketh the Iewes equal with the gētiles that both of them might vnderstand the way to saluation is open to others as well as vnto them For there is one only mercy of God which saueth that may offer it selfe vnto them both This sentence therfore answeareth that testimony of Ose which he cited before Ose 9.25 I wil call that my people was no people Moreouer his meaning is not that God doth so blind al men as though their incredulity were to be imputed to him but by his prouidence he hath so disposed it that all should be guilty of incredulity and so he might haue them subiect to his iudgement to this end verily that all merits being buried saluation might be of his only goodnes Here therefore Paul intendeth two thinges First that there is nothing in anie man wherefore he should be preferred before others besides the meere grace of God And secondly that God in the dispensation of his grace is not let but hee may bestow the same vppon whom hee wil. There is an Emphasis in this word mercy for it signifieth that God is tied to none therefore doth saue all freely because all are in like sort lost Furthermore their dotage is too grosse who gather from hence that all shal be saued For Paul meaneth simply that as well Iewes as gentiles are saued no other way then by the mercy of God least he shoulde leaue vnto any some matter of complaint And sure it is this mercy is offered indifferently vnto all but which seeke it by faith 33 O the deepenes of the riches wisedom knowledge of God how incomprehensible are his iudgementes and his wayes past finding out 34 For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord Or who hath beene of his counsaile 35 Or who hath giuen to him first and it shal be restored him againe 36 Because all things are of him and by him and for him To him be glorie for euer Amen 33 O the deepenesse Here first of all the Apostle bursteth foorth into a speech which voluntarily ariseth from the consideration of the workes of God with the faithfull Secondarily he doth by the way restrayne the boldnes of impietie which is wont to murmure against the iudgements of God Therefore when we heare O the deepenes It cannot be saide how auaileable this admiration ought to be to beate downe the temeritie of the fleshe For after he had disputed out of the worde and spirite of the Lorde at length being ouercome with the highnesse of so great a secrete he can doe nothing but woonder and crie out that these riches of the wisedome of God are deeper then our reason is able to pearce into them If therfore at any time we enter into talke of the secret counsels of God let this bridle bee put alway before our wit and tongue that when we haue spoken soberly within the bounds of the word of God at length our disputation end with an admiration Neither ought we to be ashamed if we be no wiser then he who being rapt euen into the third heauen had seene secrets not to be opened vnto man yet here could finde no other end then so to humble himselfe Whereas some resolue the words of Paule thus O the deepe riches and wisedome and knowledge of God as though the nowne deepe were put for a common Epitheton expounding riches for liberality it seemeth vnto me to be wrested Therefore I doubt not but he extolleth the deepe riches of wisedome and knowledge in God Howe incomprehensible By diuers words according to the vsual iteration of the Hebrues he expresseth the same thing For hauing spoken of iudgements Way is put for the reason or maner of Gods iudgement he addeth wayes for the rules or reason of doing or order of gouerning of his iudgementes And still he persisteth in his exclamation wherein the more hee extolleth the highnes of the secrets of God the more hee frayeth vs from the curiositie of searching Let vs learne therefore to searche after nothing in the Lord but which he hath reuealed by his scriptures for otherwise we enter into a labyrinth whēce there is no easie passage for it is to be noted that heere the question is not of euery the mysteries of God but of those which being layde vppe within himselfe he wil haue onely to be wondered at reuerenced of vs 34 For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde Here hee beginneth as it were by laying hands on them to bridle the boldnesse of men least they shoulde murmure against the iudgements of God and that hee doeth by two reasons The first is that all men are altogether blinde to consider the predestination of God by their owne sense and to dispute of a thing that is vnknowne is temeritie and wickednesse The second reason is that wee haue no cause to complaine of God seeing no man can say that God is a debter vnto him but on the contrary all men are bounde vnto him for his bountifulnesse Let euery one therefore remember to keepe his minde within this compasse least in seeking after predestination he be carried aboue the reuealed will of God seeing we heare that man can iudge no more heerein then the blinde in darknesse Whiche neuerthelesse maketh not to shake the certaintie of faith whiche ariseth not of the dexteritie of mans wisedome but of the onely illumination of the spirite What moderatiō must be vsed in speaking of the mysteries of God For euen Paule himselfe in another place after
to fall frō diuersitie of opinions vnto brawlings cōtentions the Apostle sheweth how they which vary so in opinions might liue quietly amongst thēselues And he prescribeth the best way namely that they which are strōg bestow their labour to support the weake they which haue profited more to beare with the ruder sort For if God make vs strong aboue others he doth it not that we should oppresse the weake neither is it the point of Christian wisedome to be insolent aboue measure to contēne others In this sort therfore he directeth his talke towards those are more skilful already cōfirmed who are by so much the more bound to helpe their neighbours as they haue receiued a larger gifte of the Lord. Not vnto doubtfulnes of disputation The speech is defectiue because the word shoulde make vp the sence is wanting yet it is sure the Apostle would nothing els then that the weaker sort should not be wearied with vnmeet disputatiōs The proposition he now handleth is to be kept in memory For because many of the Iewes did cleaue yet vnto the shadowes of the law he cōfesseth it was fault worthy in thē yet he requesteth it might be borne withall for a time for to vrge them more hardly were to hazarde their faith Hee calleth then those questions contentions which either trouble or plūge with doubts the mynd not yet sufficiētly established Although it were meet to extende this further namely vnto intricate curious questions whereby weake consciences without edification are disquieted troubled Therefore we must regard what questions euery one is fit to beare and our doctrine must bee tempered for the capacitie of euery one 2 Hee that beleeueth c. Amongest diuers readings what Erasmus hath followed I see not For he hath made the sentence lame which otherwise is perfect in the words of Paul and hath improperlye for an article Relatiue put Alius quidē credit to wit one verily beleeueth neither ought it to seeme hard or wrested that I take the Infinitiue for the Imperatiue because this kinde of speech is verie vsuall with Paule He calleth those therefore beleeuers who are indued with the assuraunce of conscience to these he granteth the indifferent vse of all thinges In the meane while hee that is weake eateth hearbes and absteyneth from those thinges whose vse hee thinketh not lawfull for him If the common reading be better liked the sence shal bee It is not right that hee whiche freelie eateth all meates because hee beleeueth hee may doe it should examine those are yet weake and tender in faith by the same rule To translate them sicke as some haue done is ridiculous 3 He which eateth let him not despise Wisely and fitly he meeteth with the faultes on both sides For they which are strōg haue this fault that they despise and also deride as superstitious persons those are scrupulous in things of no great importance on the contrarie these can scarsely stay themselues from rashe iudgement that they shoulde not condemne that which they imbrace or conceiue not whatsoeuer therfore they see to be done against their own opiniō they coūt that for euil Therfore he dissuadeth those from contempt and these from too much frowardnes And the reason whiche hee addeth because it apperteineth vnto both sortes of men it is to be applied vnto both members Whē you see saith he a man lightened with knowledge thou hast testimony inough that he is receiued of the Lord if thou dost then eyther contemne or condemne him thou doest reiect him whom the Lorde hath receiued 4 Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant c. As thou shouldest deale vnciuilly yee proudely amongest men if thou wouldest bring another mans seruaunt vnder thy rules and examine all his deedes by the liue of thy will so thou takest too much vppon thee if thou condemne any thing in the seruant of God because it pleaseth not thee For it is not thy parte to prescribe him what hee shoulde doe or what hee shoulde not doe neyther neede hee to liue according to thy rule And whereas hee taketh from vs the facultie of iudging it apperteyneth as well vnto the person as vnto the deedes Wherein yet there is greate diuersitie For the manne whatsoeuer he be we ought to leaue him to the iudgement of God As for his deeds we may not determine of thē according to our own estimation but according to the woorde of God For that iudgement which is taken from the woorde of God is neyther mans iudgement nor vnfit Paule therefore heere would driue vs from all temerous and rashe iudgement How we should iudge of the deedes of men whereinto they fall whiche dare iudge of the deedes of men besides the word of God Hee standeth or falleth to his owne Lorde As though hee sayde the Lorde properly hath this authoritie to reprooue or accept that the seruaunt doeth therefore hee is iniurious to the Lorde who so goeth aboute to take this authoritie vnto him Whereas hee addeth yea hee shall stande Thereby hee commaundeth vs not onelye to absteyne from condemning but also exhorteth vnto curtesie and humanitie that wee shoulde alway hope well of him in whom wee decerne any portion of true godlinesse Seeing GOD hath put vs in hope that he will fully confirme them and bring them on to perfection in whom he hath begun the woorke of his grace For in that he reasoneth from the power of GOD hee doeth it not simplye as though hee saide God can doe it if hee woulde but he ioyneth the will of God with his power as the manner of the Scripture is And yet hee defineth not here anye perpetuitie as though they must needes stande vnto the ende whom God hath once erected but onely admonisheth that wee should hope well and that our iudgementes shoulde leane this waye as hee also teacheth in another place saying Phil. 1.6 he whiche hath begunne in you a good woorke will performe it to the ende To bee shorte Paule sheweth to what side the iudgementes of such men ought to sway in whom charitie doeth floorishe or abound 5 This man verily esteemeth one day aboue another day another man counteth all dayes alike Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde 6 He that regardeth the day to the Lord he regardeth it and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he regardeth it not Hee that eateth eateth to the Lorde for hee giueth God thankes and he that absteineth absteineth to the Lord giueth God thankes 5 This man verily Hee spake a little before of religion in the choyse of meates now he bringeth in another example of the difference of dayes both which proceeded frō Iudaisme For seeing that the Lord in his law had made a difference betweene meates and pronounced some vncleane whose vse hee forbad and seeing also hee had ordeined certayne festiuall and solemne dayes commaunding the same to be obserued the Iewes who had beene brought vp
well our death as life is to be resigned to his wil. Heereunto hee addeth a notable reason because whither wee liue or die wee are his For thereuppon it followeth that hee hath power ouer life and death The vse of this doctrine is very large For so the Lordshippe of life and death is ascribed vnto GOD that euery man might the better beare his estate as the yoke imposed by him for it is meete hee shoulde assigne to euerye one his standing and course And so wee are not onelye forbidven rashely to take in hande this or that without the commaundement of God but also wee are commaunded to be patient in all griefes and losses If therefore at anye time the fleshe starte aside in aduersitie let vs remember that hee who is not free neither hath power ouer himselfe doeth peruerte right and order if hee depende not vppon the becke of his Lorde By this meanes also is deliuered vnto vs a rule to liue and dye so that if hee prolonge our life by continuall miseries and sorowes yet we couet not to departe before our time And againe if sodainely in the middest and flower of our age hee call vs away wee bee alway readie to departe 9 For Christ therefore died This is a confirmation of the reason went before For to the ende hee might prooue that wee are to die and liuâ— to the Lorde hee sayde wee are in the power of Christe whither wee liue or dye Nowe hee sheweth howe woorthily Christe challengeth vnto himselfe this power ouer vs seeyng hee hath purchased the same by so greate a price For by suffering death for our saluation he hath gotten vnto himselfe a dominion or Lordship ouer vs which cannot be destroyed by death by rising againe he hath receiued our whole life into his iurisdiction and garde therefore by his death and resurrection hee hath deserued that as well in death as in life we should serue to the glorie of his name Wheras it is said here he rose againe reuiued it is as much of value as if it were sayde that by his resurrection a newe state of life was obteyned to him And because that life wherein hee now liueth is not subiect to any mutation his kingdome also ouer vs is eternall 10 But why doest thou iudge thy brother Or also thou why doest thou despise thy brother For we shal al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ 11 For it is written I liue saith the Lorde and euerie knee shall bowe to mee and euerie tongue shal confesse vnto God 12 So then euerie one of vs shall giue account for himselfe vnto God 13 Let vs not therefore iudge one another any more but rather iudge this that no occasion of falling of offence be giuen to your brother 10 But why doest thou iudge Because hee had addicted the life and death of vs all vnto Christ thence he passeth to make mention of that iudgement whiche the father hath giuen to him together with the dominion of heauen and earth Whence hee gathereth that it is malapert boldnes if any manne vsurpe vnto him selfe iudgement ouer his brother seeyng by such licenciousnes that authoritie is pulled away from Christ whiche hee onely hath receiued of the father But first by the name of brother he brideleth this lust of iudging For if the Lorde haue ordeyned amongest vs the law or â—â—â—t of brotherly societie an equalitie must needes be obserued therefore euery one taking to himselfe the person of a iudge shal doe naughtily Secondly he reuoketh or calleth vs vnto that onelye iudge from whom no man cannot onely not take away his authoritie but also cannot escape his iudgement As it were therefore an absurd thinge amongest men if a guiltie person whiche were not woorthie to lie vppon the footestoole shoulde rushe vnto the seate of iudgement so absurde is it that a Christian manne shoulde take vnto him selfe libertie to iudge his brothers conscience Suche in effect is the argument of Iames saying Iames 4.10 he that iudgeth his brother iudgeth the lawe and hee that iudgeth the lawe is not a keeper of the lawe but a iudge And on the coÌ„trary quoth he there is one law giuer who caÌ„ saue destroy Tribunal is attributed vnto Christ for the faculty of iudging as the voyce of the Archangel wherby we shal be cited is called in another place a trumpe because as it were with his sound 1. Thes 4.16 he shal pearce the mindes and eares of all 11 For it is written I doe liue He seemeth vnto me to haue cited this testimony of the Prophet Esay Esay 45.23 not so much for the proofe of that sentence of the iudgement of Christ which was vndoubtedly beleeued of all Christians as to shew that that iudgement is to bee looked for of all with great humilitie and submission which the wordes themselues importe Th comming of Christ to iudgement ought huÌ„bly to be looked for of all men In his wordes going before he testified that Christ onely was iudge ouer all men now by the words of the Prophet he declareth that all fleshe ought to be humbled with the expectation of that iudgement whiche is noted by the bowing of knees Howbeit notwithstanding in that place of the prophet the Lord doth generally foreshew that it should come to passe that his glorie should he made manifest amongest all nations and his maiesty which then was amongest a fewe as it were lurked in a corner of the world shoulde shyne euerye where yet if wee looke into it more neerely it is apparaunt that the full accomplishment thereof is not nowe extaunt nor euer was in this worlde neither yet is to bee looked for in the ages to come God raigneth nowe no otherwise their by the Gospell neyther is his maiestie otherwise honoured aright then whiles the same beeyng knowen by his worde is reuerenced But the word of God hath alway had his enimies whiche haue frowardly resisted and his contemners which haue scoffed at it as a trifling and fabulous thing At this day there are many such and euermore withe Hereby appeareth that this prophecie is indeede begun in this life but is not perfected till that day of the last resurrection shall come wherein all the enimies of Christ shal be throwen downe that they may become the footestoole of his feete Furthermore euen that also coulde not be except the Lord sate in iudgement therefore hath he well applied this testimony vnto the tribunall of Christ It is also a notable place to establishe our faith concerning the eternall dietie of Christe For it is God that speaketh there and that God which hath once sayde Esay 42.8 that hee will not giue his honour to another Nowe then if that bee fulfilled in Christ which hee there challengeth to him selfe onelye without doubte hee doeth manifest him selfe in Christ And surely the veritie of that prophecie appeared then cleerely when Christe gathered vnto him selfe a people out of all
the worlde and brought them into the woorshippe of his power Phil. 2.9 and obedience of his Gospell Whereunto Paul had respect when hee sayde that God gaue a name to his Christ whereat euery knee shoulde bowe And it shall then fully appeare when he shall get vppon his seate to iudge both the quicke and the dead as all iudgement in heauen and earth is giuen vnto him of the Father In the wordes of the Prophete is euery tongue shal sweare vnto me but seeing an othe is a part of the worship of God though Paul haue heere shall confesse the sence varieth nothing For the meaning of the Lord was simply to affirme that all men should not only acknowledge his power but also by mouth external gesture of the body which he hath noted by the bowing of knees shew foorth the confession of obedience 12 So then euery one This conclusion calleth vs backe vnto humilitie and submission Whereuppon also he inferreth straightwayes that we should not iudge one another because it is not lawfull for vs to take vppon vs the authoritie of iudging seeing of necessitie wee must not onely be iudged our selues but also must giue an account To iudge hath a twofold acception in the first place it is put for to â—â—condemne in the second for to be wary or circumspact And out of the diuers signification of the worde iudging or to iudge He hath excellently drawen a contrary acception or signification form the first place he forbiddeth vs to iudge by condemning in the second place hee commaundeth that all the iudgement of reason shoulde bee applied to the auoyding of offence For by the way he reproueth those peeuish carpers who bend al their dexterity and sharpnes of wit vnto this that they may haue something to finde faulte withall in the life of their brethren And therfore be commandeth that they rather haue regard vnto warines or circumspection because oftentimes through their negligence they either precipitate or force their brethren into some offence 14 I know and am perswaded in the Lord Iesus that there is nothing coÌ„mon of it selfe but he that thinketh it to be coÌ„mon to him it is common or vncleane 15 But if thy brother be grieued for thy meate now walkest not thou charitably Destroy not him through thy meat for whom Christ died 16 Let not your commoditie be euill spoken of 17 For the kingdome of God is not meate drinke but righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost 18 For who so in these things serueth Christ is acceptable to God and approued of men 14 I knowe c. That hee might preuent the obiection of suche as had profited so farre in the Gospel that they put no difference betweene meates he doth first set downe what is to bee thought of meates as they are to be considered in themselues What is simply to be thought of meates themselues secondly he addeth what offence may grow in the circumstance of the vse of them He pronounceth therfore that to aright and pure conscience no meate is impure and that there is no impediment why we may not purely vse the same if ignoraunce and errour did not let vs because if anye man imagine an vncleannesse in his meate he cannot freely vse the same But a little after hee addeth that wee are not onely to respecte the meates themselues but also our brethren before whom we eate For we are not to count the vse of Gods benefites so common that it shoulde not bee subiect vnto charitie His wordes therefore are as muche in value as if hee sayde I know all meats are cleane and therefore I leaue them free vnto thee I suffer thy conscience to bee loose from all scrupell finally I doe not simplye driue thee from the meates themselues but the regard of meats beeyng layde a parte I woulde not haue thy neighbour to be neglected of thee In this place he calleth that common which is prophane and which is without al difference vsed of the wicked that it might bee opposed against those thinges whiche are peculiarly sanctified for the vse of faithfull people He sayeth that he knoweth and is perswaded of the puritie of all meates that he might put it out of all question Hee addeth in the Lorde Iesus because through his benefite and grace wee obteyne this that all creatures are sanctified vnto vs of the Lorde whiche creatures were otherwise cursed in Adam And withall his meaning is to set the libertie giuen of Christ against the seruitude of the lawe least they shoulde thinke they were holden with that obseruation from the which Christe had freed them In the exception putte downe by the Apostle wee are taughte there is nothing so pure but it may bee contaminated by an impure conscience For it is onely faith and godlinesse whiche sanctifieth all thinges vnto vs. And the faythlesse as they are inwardelye vncleane so they defile whatsoeuer they touch Tit. 1.15 15 If thy brother be grieued Nowe he declareth by how manie waies the offence of our brethren may corrupt the vse of good thinges And the first reason is that charitie is violated if for so light a cause our brother bee grieued for it is contrarie vnto charitie Reasons why we should not offend out brethren by meats to giue any an occasion of sorrowe A second reason that whiles the weake conscience is wounded the price of the blood of Christ is wasted for the most abiect brother is redeemed by the blood of Christ and therefore it is not meete hee should be destroyed for satisfiyng the belly And we are too shamefully giuen to our lustes if we preferre meate a most vile thing before Christ The third reason is that if the libertie purchased vnto vs by Christ be good we ought to doe our indeuour that it be not euil spoken of worthily dispraysed of men which commeth to passe wheÌ„ we vse the giftes of God out of season These reasons therefore ought to moue vs that we run not rashly into offences for our libertie 17 For the kingdome of God is not Now on the contrary he teacheth that we may without dammage absteine from the vse of our libertie because the kingdome of God doeth not consist in those thinges For those which serue either to erect or confirme the kingdome of God are no way to be omitted whatsoeuer offences may followe thereon If so be then that for charities sake a man may cease from the vse of meates Gods honour not hindered Christes kingdome not preiudiced and religion or pietie not violated they are not to be suffered who for meates sake trouble the Church He vseth the same arguments to the Corinthians saying meate for the bellie 1. Cor. 6.13 and the belly for meates but God shall destroy them both for neither if wee eate shall wee haue the more In whiche woordes his meaning is 1. Cor. 8. â— briefly to shewe that meate and drinke are thinges lesse
worth then that for their sakes the course of the Gospel shoulde bee hindered But righteousnesse and peace Hee hath by the way opposed these against meate and drinke not as though hee reckoned all those thinges whereon the kingdome of Christe consist The kingdom of Christ consisteth in spirituall thinges but that he might declare how it standeth vpon spirituall thinges Albeit to say the trueth he hath comprehended the summe in few wordes namely that wee beeing cleere in our selues might be at peace with the Lorde and possesse true ioye of conscience yea and that by the holie Ghoste dwelling in vs. Yet notwithstanding as I saide hee hath applied these fewe to the present argument for he that is made partaker of true righteousnesse hee inioyeth a most excellent and inestimable benefite namely the quiet ioy of conscience For hee who hath peace with God what canne hee desire more Whereas hee ioyneth peace with ioye hee seemeth vnto mee to expresse the manner of that spirituall ioye for howesoeuer the reprobate droupe or lifte vppe them selues yet the conscience is not otherwise pacified and quieted then whiles a manne feeleth that GOD is reconciled and mercifull to him neyther indeede is there any sounde or true ioye but whiche proceedeth from that peace And although it is necessarie when mention is made of so greate thinges to preache the spirite for the Authour of them yet in this place hee woulde secretely oppose the spirite agaynst externall thinges that wee might knowe howe without the vse of meates those thinges apperteyne vnto the kingdome of GOD maye abyde perfecte and sounde vnto vs. 19 For who so by these This reason is taken from the consequent for it cannot be when a man is accepted of God approoued of men but the kingdome of God shoulde liue floorishe in him Who so with a quiet and peaceable conscience serueth Christ in righteousnes approoueth himselfe as well before men as God Whersoeuer then is righteousnesse peace and spiritual ioy there is the perfect kingdome of God so then it standeth not vpon corporall thinges Furthermore he saith that that man is acceptable to God who obeyeth his will And testifieth that the same man is also approued of men because they cannot but giue testimonie to that vertue they see with their eyes Not that the wicked doe alway spare the sonnes of God yea rather when there is none occasion they poure out reproches against them with faigned calumniations slaunder them vnwoorthily finally by misconstruing their good deedes they turne them to reproche But Paule speaketh heere of sincere iudgement which is mixed with no morositie hatred nor superstition 19 Therefore let vs followe after such thinges as concerne peace and mutuall edification 20 Doe not destroy the woorke of God for meate All thinges indeede are pure but it is euil for him that eateth with offence 21 It is good not to eate flesh nor to drinke wine nor to doe any other thing wherby thy brother may fal or be offended or be made weake 19 Therefore let vs. He doth what he can to reuoke vs from the bare consideration of meates vnto those greater thinges which ought to haue the first place in all our actions and so to ouerrule them For we must eate to liue and liue to serue the Lorde And hee serueth the Lorde who through beneuolence and curtesie edifieth his neighbour For vnder these two namely concorde and edification almoste all the dueties of charitie are conteyned And least that shoulde bee little esteemed hee repeateth that sentence whiche hee had put downe namely that corruptible meate is a thing vnworthie for whose cause the building of the Lorde should bee destroyed For wheresoeuer there is but a sparkle of godlinesse there a man may see the work of God whiche they ouerthrow who through their importunitie trouble the conscience that is yet weake And it is to bee noted that edification is therefore ioyned vnto peace because sometime they doe too much cocker one another so that they hurt greatly by theyr obsequie Wherefore there is choyse to bee kept in the studie of obeying and profit is to bee considered that wee may willingly graunt vnto our brother whatsoeuer serueth to the furthering of his saluation As Paul admonisheth in another place all thinges are lawfull to me 1. Cor. 10.28 but all thinges are not expedient and straightwaies after hee addeth the reason because all thinges doe not edifie And it is not in vaine that he repeateth againe not for meate signifiyng that hee requireth not an abstinence wherein there might bee a hassarde or losse of Godlinesse as hee saide of late although wee doe not freely eate euerie meate but abstaine from the vse of certaine meates for our brethren sakes yet the kingdome of God abideth perfect 20 All thinges indeede are pure Where as he saith all thinges are pure that is by the way of concession or graunting and whereas hee addeth but it is euill to the man that eateth with offence That is by the way of exception as though he said in deede the meate is good but the offence is euill For meates are giuen vs that wee might eate them without the breach of charitie hee therefore defileth the vse of pure meate who in eating of it violateth charitie Therupon he inferreth that it is good to abstaine from all thinges which may turne to the offence of our brethren And he putteth downe three words in order to fall to be offended to be weakened To this sense Let no cause of falling be giuen to your brethren yea nor of offence nor of infirmitie For to be weakened is lesse then to stumble or be offended and to be offended is lesse then to fall Hee is saide to be weakened into whose conscience there is put some wauering or doubting to be offended What it is to be weakened to be offended and to fall whose conscience is shaken with some greater perturbation to fall who in a maner is alienated from the studie of religion 22 Thou hast faith haue it with thy selfe before God Hee is blessed who iudgeth not himselfe in that whiche hee examineth 23 Hee which iudgeth if hee eate is condemned because hee eateth not of faith For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne 22 Thou hast faith That hee might conclude hee sheweth wherein the commoditie of Christian libertie doth consist whereby appeareth that they doe falsly brag of libertie who can not gouerne themselues in the vse of it He saith therfore that the knowledge of libertie seeing it is of faith doth properly respect God so then he who is indued with such certaintie he must cōtent himselfe with the peace of conscience before God neither is it necessary to come into possession before men It followeth then that of set purpose it commeth to passe if we offend our brethren in eating flesh because no necessitie inforceth vs thereto Besides this it may easily appeare how wickedly this place is wrested of many who
is expedient but what they couet to theyr own destruction Thou must not therefore studie to please suche as like nothing but that is euill 3 For Christe pleased not himselfe If it bee meete the seruant should refuse nothing that the master taketh vpon hym it were very absurd that wee would couet to exempt our selues from this necessitie of bearing the infirmities of others wherunto Christ whom we reioyce to be our king and Lord submitted himselfe For he hauing omitted the regard of himselfe did giue himselfe wholy hereunto For in him is truly verified what soeuer the Prophet saith Psal 69.10 And amongest other things Psalm 69.10 hee also putteth this downe that the zeale of the Lorde hath euen eaten him vp And the rebukes of them that rebuked the Lorde fell vpon him Whereby he signifieth that he burned with such zeale of the glory of God was taken with suche desire of aduancing his kingdome that hauing forgotten himselfe hee was as it were swallowed vp of this onely cogitation that hee had so consecrated himselfe vnto the Lord that it did greeue him at the heart so often as he sawe the wicked prophane his holy name Although that second part of the rebukes of god may haue 2. acceptiōs either that he was no lesse grieued with the reproches which the wicked did commit against God then if he himself had borne thē in his owne person or that it vexed him no lesse to see God iniuriously dealt withall by others then if hee had been the authour of it himselfe And if Christe raigne in vs as hee muste needes raigne in all his faithfull this sense or affection shal also florish in our heartes that whatsoeuer derogateth the glory of god shall grieue vs no lesse then if it were resident in our selues Now then let them goe whose whole hearts delight is to get great honours of them who blasphems the name of God treade Christe vnder foote both contumeliously rent and also persecute with sword and fire his gospel Surely it is not safe to bee so greatly honoured of them of whome Christ is not only contemded but also contumeliously handeled 4 For whatsoeuer things are written afore hand they are written for our learning that through pacience and comfort of the scriptures we might haue hope 5 And the God of pacience and consolation giue vnto you that yee may altogether thinke one thing according to Iesus Christe 6 That with one minde and one mouth yee may glorifie God and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ 4 For whatsoeuer things This is the application of the exāple least any should think this to be too far fetched that he shold exhort vs to the imitation of Christ Yea verily quoth he there is nothing in the Scriptures whiche may not serue to your learning and institution of your life A notable place wherin whiles wee vnderstande there is no vayne or vnprofitable thing conteined in the oracles of God withall we are also taught to profite in the reading of the Scripture vnto pietie and holinesse of life Whatsoeuer then is set downe in Scripture let vs labour to learne it For it were contumely against the holie spirite if we shoulde thinke hee hath taught any thing whiche were not materiall for vs to knowe secondly whatsoeuer is taught there let vs know it doth tende to the increase of godlinesse The vse of the old Testament is not done away from Christians And although hee speake of the old Testament yet is the same to bee vnderstoode also of the writinges of the Apostles For if the spirite of God hee euery where like it selfe there is no doubte but now by the Apostles as in olde time by the Prophetes hee hath tempered his doctrine to the edification of his Furthermore by this place phanaticall spirites are notably ouerthrowen who bragge that the olde Testament is done away and belongeth not at all to Christians For with what face canne they turne Christians from those thinges which Paul testifieth to be ordeined of God vnto their saluation And whereas hee addeth that through patience and comforte of the scriptures wee might haue hope it comprehendeth not all the partes of that profite whiche is to be gathered by the worde of God but briefly noteth the chiefe ende For heereunto specially serue the Scriptures that they might erect the mindes of men Being prepared vnto patience and strengthened by consolations vnto the hope of eternall life and keepe them in the meditation thereof The worde exhortation for the which others translate consolation is not disliked of me but that consolation agreeth better with patience because this ariseth out of that For then are we prepared to beare aduersities patiently when the Lorde doth temper them with consolation For the patience of the godly is not that hardnesse which the Philosophers cōmaund but that meeknes wherby we doe willingly submit our selues to God whiles the taste of his goodnes fatherly loue doeth make all thinges sweete vnto vs. The same nourisheth and susteineth hope in vs that it faile not How God is called the God of patience 5 And the God of patience God is so called of the effects which before were attributed to the scriptures albeit in a verye good manner yet in a diuers For God onely is the authour of patience and consolation because by his spirite he infuseth them both into our heartes howebeit hee vseth his worde as an instrumēt therunto For first he teacheth which is true consolatiō and which is true patience then he inspireth and grafteth that doctrine in our mindes Furthermore after he had admonished exhorted the Romaines to their duetie nowe hee turneth vnto prayer Because hee knewe verie wel it was to no purpose to intreate of the duty of any man vnlesse God did inwardly accomplish that by his spirit which he spake by the mouth of a man The summe of his prayer is that he would bring their minds into a true consent would cause them truely to agree amongest themselues And withal he sheweth of what sort this bond of vnitie is while he would they should consent according to Christ For that is a miserable conspiracie which is out of God and that is out of God which alienateth vs from his truth And to the end he might the rather make the consent is in Christ commendable hee sheweth how necessarie it is seeing God is not truely glorified of vs vnlesse all our heartes and tongues consent to his praise It is to no purpose therefore that anie shoulde boast that hee will glorifie GOD after his maner for God so esteemeth the vnitie of his seruantes that he will not haue his glorie sounded amongest dissentions and contentions This one consideration ought sufficiently to bridle the vnruly riot of contending and brawling which at this daye beareth too greate a swaye in the mindes of many 7 Therefore receiue one another as Christ hath receiued you to the glorie of God 8 And I say that