the others For al the afflictions and euill dealynges of menne against the children of God are nothyng Therefore I rather agree to their sentence that make these wordes a confirmation of the former cōfort then to some that saie thei are a maner of correction because that he lighteneth the heauinesse of the Crosse in comparyng with it the greatnesse of the glorie And that he might the better arme the myndes of the faithfull with pacience he compteth all troubles and afflictions whatsoeuer whiche sodainly passe awaie nothyng in respect of the ioyes of the life to come Where by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is futura he meaneth aeterna so that by the glorie to come is meante the eternall glorie The third argumente is a Maiori all thynges looke for the accomplishyng of this comfort therefore muche more man 19. verse And here wee are taught pacience to abide the good will and pleasure of the Lorde because there is no elimente nor any part of the worlde whiche doeth not feele this present miserie and yet suffer in hope of the resurrection So then euery creature doeth with reuerence euen bareheaded and with greate diligence craue at the handes of God to bee dissolued and to receiue those greate fruites and blessing of eternall life after thei haue put of their corruption but some will saie that beastes haue no hope that is true but hope is ascribed vnto them that wee might more earnestly seeke the kyngdome of God and with open eyes looke for the comfortes whiche shall neuer end whiche are mentioned by the reuealyng of the sonnes of God and he sheweth reasons in the nexte twoo verses of the firste parte of this comparison for saieth he the Creatures suffer with vs euen againste the course of their nature neither can thei come to their former estate but shall still dye and be corrupte vntill the soonnes of God be restored bothe in bodie and soule to that perfectiō whiche was lost in Adā But note firste here that this whiche is called will is a naturall inclination wher by all reasonable Creatures desire their perfection And here is a notable figure called Prosopopeia whereby he maketh the senselesse creatures to labour and to will or nill and further to shewe their obedience and in hope to bee restored for the Sunne and the Starres fulfill their courses and sure motions the Ayre the Water yea euen the beast of the feelde and all creatures doe diligently their dueties and yet all this is in hope to putte of their olde corruption and to bee restored into a better estate as the children of God shal bee but not to bee partakers of their ioyes Now that wee haue seen our corruption to bee suche that euen all creatures yea the verie heauens are polluted thereby in the nexte verse repeatyng first the suffering of the treatures he sheweth the greatnesse of the libertie and ioyes by a similitude of a womans grownyng in childbed whose sorrowe is greate yet when a man childe is borne she receiueth suche a comfort that all her sorrowes are forgotten So after wee haue wallowed with synne and haue polluted all creatures yet beeyng called of God our sorrowes are no more frutelesse then the woman whiche reioyseth for thei are taken awaie quite and our synnes are blotted out Now in the 23. verse he commeth to the latter parte of the comparison and exhorteth by the example of these creatures whiche daiely wishe for our reuelation to bee more circumspect and to looke more narrowlie vnto our selues that where we are burdened with synne wee maie sighe and grone and yet paciently looke for the mercies of God as also to strengthen our selues by the lookyng for of this blessednesse that wee maie so prepare our myndes to ouercome all present sorowes and miseries for that we are the first fruites of the Spirite by Christe who assuryng vs by the testimonie of his Spirite euen in vs of our redemption doe boldely chalenge the benefite of Gods eternall decree whereby he electeth vs before the beginnyng of the worlde as it is in the Gospell and therefore sent his soonne to paie the price of our redemption whiche cannot profite vs except the fruites therof should appeare in our heauenly renuyng and regeneration The fowerth argumente is of the nature of Hope in the 24. and 25. verses for this comfort is especially wrought by faithe whiche faithe maketh vs to hope assuredly that after we haue finished our course wee shall attaine the croune and therefore he saieth that hope is not reposed in those thynges whiche we see or hādle but in those whiche wee assuredly looke for and then he sheweth that hope is pacient long sufferyng nowe this pacience so strengtheneth vs that in the middest of tribulations wee doe not dispaire neither thinke muche of the differryng of a benefite And why Truely because the health of the faithfull is hid frō them because the health of the faithfull is laied vp in hope neither is hope at any tyme without pacience and therefore by paciēce is the health of the faithfull made perfecte Now least that any man should either faint vnder the burden of the crosse or chalenge to muche to hym self if he hath been aided by the Spirite of God he sheweth the meanes wherby the Spirite bryngeth to this Grace Faithe and Hope 26.27 verses Where we learne thus muche that the Spirite doeth euen as it were a greate burden beare our infirmittes whiche beeyng by the Apostle put in the Plurall number sheweth the continuaunce of this goodnesse least we should faint when wee were after a greater measure afflicted Furthermore wee see a newe goodnesse added to the former assistance of the Spirite that it doeth not onely arme and strengthen our infirmities and seale vs vp to eternall healthe but euen daiely putteth into our hartes and mouthes that forme and order of praier by whiche wee are to craue the goodnesse of our heauenly Father And least wee should bee dismaied when wee praiyng after our owne phantasies be not heard he saieth in this 26. verse that the Spirite doeth praie for vs that is doeth cause vs to shake of our former negligences and to prepare our selues to praier yea that wee maie doe this with a zeale he doeth as it were put into our hartes wordes and sighthes whiche the Father acknowledgyng to come from his owne Spirite whiche dwelleth in vs dooeth heare our praiers directed by that Spirite and doeth easely graunte our requestes The fifte argumente is of the ende of our afflictions 28. verse thus he saieth seeyng wee our selues haue paste the pikes of these afflictions and feele a ioye in our spirites wee doe not thinke but doe knowe and assuredly perswade our selues that this comforte so proued before belōgeth to vs and al thinges are so tempered from aboue that that whiche the worlde thinketh to
¶ An exposition of the whole eight Chapiter to the Romaines expounded by Ihon Hedlambe Preacher and Minister to the Congregation at Braughin and student of Diuinitie in Peter house at Cambridge before Maister Doctour Squire and the whole Ministerie assembled at the laste Synode holden at Ware in Lent laste past 1579. Wherein is perfectly proued our iustification to bee by faithe onely to the beatyng doune and ouerthrowyng of all erronious and false opinions to the contrarie Seen and allowed ¶ Imprinted at London by Robert VValley 1579. To the right woorshipfull maister Thomas Meade one of the Queenes Maisties Iustices of her common Plees at Westminster Ihon Hedlambe wisheth long life with the increase of godlinesse and felicitie THat the good and godlie order of that man of God the right worship full our godlie Archdeacon maister Doctor Squier maie be knowē vnto your worshipp for whō I with the reste of my brethren and fellowe Ministers of the Churche of God are to giue GOD moste hartie thankes for that it pleased GOD to sende suche a faithfull distributer of his woorde to raigne ouer vs Who bothe with godly zeale setteth forthe the truthe and also with greate mildnesse encourageth vs to goe foreward in the same It was his good pleasurs to appointe me though moste vnworthie at his laste Sinode at Ware to open as GOD would blesse me and directe me at that tyme vnto my fellowe Ministers those notes which according to my small capacitie I had collected vpon the viij Chapiter to the Romaines after whiche my rude discourse beeyng ended he did so comfort me to go foreward as was greatly to my ioye and cōsolation in the Lorde wherefore as dutie bindeth me praiyng the Lorde long to cōtinue this our churche of England with hym and many suche faithfull Ministers to God his glorie and their and our greate comfortes not beyng able to speake that he deserueth neither to vtter that in hym whiche my harte doeth conceiue I referre it to your worship others godlie and learned Wherefore now returnyng my baise stile to write vnto your worship as the diuine Philosopher Plato right worshipful did oftē tymes giue thankes to the Angell of his birthe for three thinges first that he was a man and not a beast Secondly that he was a Grecian not a barbarian thirdly that he was borne in the daies of Socrates whiche rhankfulnesse that Heathen Philosopher euen to that God he knewe not and that for worldly transitorie thinges hath pricked me forward though not forgetfull yet vnable to fulfill any part of my dueties to be hartely thankfull to the Father of mercie God of all power whom I truly knowe through Christe Iesus for that he hath created me like vnto hymself sinne onely excepted hath not onely brought me to the pleasant spryng of the hie Helicon but also hath sent me suche a Mecenas who as he is able so is he willyng to further those my studies and labours wherunto God hath called me And seyng right worshipfull that you are that fauorer of my labours in Christ Iesus for whom I am not onely to pray to God but also through his assistaunce in and by my self to shewe some effectes and tokens of my thankfull mynde and knowleging bothe with what loue you embrace the truthe of God his woorde and what fauour you beare to the Ministers of the same as also what delight you take in reading of the same and mixyng the studies therof with other your labours professed I haue here sent vnto your worshippe a breef discourse of the whole viij Chapiter to the Romaines whiche although I haue neither so well pollished drawen suche lineamētes nor added such coulers as other both could and would haue dooen if thei had been appointed to haue spoken in that place Yet as GOD at that tyme did giue me grace and vtteraunce and for the measure of that Spirite whiche he lent me I did breefly bothe in deuidyng and expounding so labour as the shortnesse of tyme wherein I had warnyng and was to speake permitted me whiche my labours if thei be accepted and approued by your worship I trust I shall God his grace assistyng me take suche like or greater paines in some other place of Scripture to the building vp of the walles of the decaied Hierusalem and to the beatyng doune of the kingdome of Sathan bothe in other and also in my self Thus desiryng the God of mercie who raised againe frō death the great Shepherd of his flocke euen Iesus Christe the righteous alwaies to preserue and prospere your worship and yours bothe to his Churche and also to this our common wealthe Thus with due remembraunce of my bounden dueties I cease to trouble your worshippe from Braughin this xxj of Maie 1579. Your worshipps moste bounden in the Lorde duryng life Ihon Hedlambe ¶ The Printer to the gentle Reader WHereas it hath pleased God gētle reader through his holie spirite to moue and directe the author hereof to set doune here for thy comfort an exposition of the whole 8. Chapiter to the Romaines These are to desire thee with humilitie and diligence to read the same and also for the better vnderstandyng thereof to reade ouer the eight Chapiter not doubtyng but that in readyng hereof thou shalte receiue comforte through Gods holie Spirite praiyng vnto hym that he will directe the hartes myndes and pennes of all readers and writers that all their actions maie bee to God his glorie and to the edifiyng of the readers and hearers whiche God graunt for his mercie sake Thus fare thou well in the lorde who euer blesse vs Amen ¶ Octauum caput ad Romanos IT is not as I suppose vnknowen vnto any of you right worshipfull welbeloued brethren and felowe ministers of Gods holie Misteries how and in what order the blessed Apostle S. Paule disputeth against that people whiche in his daies did vexe the Churche with the deuelishe and abhominable doctrine of saluation by their own workes and santification by the vanities of mans braine and yet I haue thought it good at this present breefly to open the whole methode of the same bothe because I feare there bee some here who either haue not perfectly heard or learned the same and other that haue not distinctly taught it as also that I maie by the assistance of Gods spirit and your gentle pacience more plainly set open before you the whole contents of this present scripture to the aduansement of Gods truthe to the true vnderstandyng of his worde and the health of all our soules c. This whole Epistle maie well be deuided into twoo especiall partes the first is of doctrine especially I saie especially because that in the disputation of Doctrine he handeleth other thynges by the waie The seconde of manners And in that first parte whiche is doctrine he disputeth at large of iustification by faythe in the first 8. Chapters And the 9.10.11 Chapters he bestoweth in the confirming of
bee hurtfull is by the grace afore shewed profitable vnto vs But how Truely euen by the eternall purpose of God who loued vs before we loued hym yea whom we could not haue loued if he had not called vs Neither is this callyng onely mente of the election but also of the continuall direction of all our woorkes whiche are moderated by the hande of God and therefore it is shewed that all thynges whatsoeuer come of his good will power and pleasure There followeth now in the 29. and 30. verses a figure whiche is called clymax gradatio whiche goeth from one woorde to an other and adorneth all whiche beginnyng with the order of our election he saieth that all the afflictions of the godlie are meanes whereby thei are made sure to Christe whiche he before proued to bee verie necessarie The gradation is whom he knewe those he predestinate or decreed of hym self for so the woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 maie well be translated whom he predestinate those he called whom he called those he iustified and by all whiche he openeth the dueties and rewardes of Christianitie For if wee bee compared with Christe who is the elder Soonne then are wee also so to frame our selues that wee maie bee conformable to his Image And labouryng thus in these wee knowe that with our vocation iustification and glorie is ioyned the fellowshipp of the crosse whiche cannot be separated The sixt and laste argument is a Maiori in the 32. and 33. verses where he hauing acknowledged the infinite power and vnspeakable mercie of God bursteth out into these wordes what shall we saie then Shall wee euen seeyng the goodnesse of God increaste Distrust because wee are wrapte in miseries No but rather let vs thinke thus God is with vs and therefore these can not ouerthrowe vs Now this is the greatest staie for a Christian to haue God with hym but how shall I whiche see my self beset with synnes take holde of this goodnesse There is no good in my self I am a detter to God and therefore dare not offer my self to hym In these conflictes saie thus to thyne owne conscieÌ„ce God is my father therefore I am not to doubt of his beneficence he hath giuen Christe Iesus to bee slaine for mine infirmities whiche is the greatest benefite whiche either is or shal bee and will not he together with hym giue me all thynges yes assuredly and therefore I will in boldnesse offer my self before him in the name of his and my Christe and conclude with the Apostle in the verses followyng that beyng assured by these his promises and grounding my faithe yea staiyng my self that neither Hell Deuill persecution anguishe thynges presente and thynges to come can separate me from the loue of Christe Iesus who for his mercies sake graunt that wee maie stedfastly beleeue his promises without presumption beare afflictions without desperation grounde our faithe and hope vppon his woorde without waueryng haue true comforte in his Death without rashenesse confirmed to vs by the fellowship wee haue with Christ by hope of his mercies and all other assurances here set doune Amen Reade the 8. 2. Principall thinges The expositioÌ„ of the 1. verse Three thinges to be marked Magi. Sententiarum libro 4 distinctio 16. Roma 6.23 Ezech. 18 2â— Kyng 20.2 â—sai 38.1 Sam. 24.10 Sam. 12.13.16 â—nas 3.5 â—at 26.75 â—ct 2.37 2. Daungen opiniones The family loue and su like Cor. 5.10 â—he expositioÌ„â—f the 2. verse Esai 44.3 Ioel. 2.25 Ezech. 36.25 Act. 2.4 A doubt propounded and aunswered by the third ver The doubt The aunswere Gen. 3.15 Gen. 17.2 The error of the Manaches Marcionits confuted Rom. 1.3 Math. 2.16 Math. 6.28 Luke 9.58 Esai 53.4.5 2. Cor. 5.21 The expositioÌ„ of the 4. verse The expositioÌ„ of the 5.6.7.8 verses What is to liue after the spirite and after the fleshe Writing vpon the same place The effectes of the spirite and of the fleshe The 8. verse whiche is the conclusion of the former verses An argumeÌ„t The exposition of the 9.10 11. verse The power of the spirite Note here the conclusion of the 9.10.11 verses Ephe. 4.30 The exposition of the 13. verse â— similitude The exposition of the 14. verse The exposiâ—on of the 15. and 16. verse A greate coâ—fort of the spirite ArgumeÌ„tes Argument â—he expositiâ—n of the 17. â—erse A double comforte 2. Argument The exposition of the 18. verse Argument The exposition of the 19. verse The exposition of the 20.21 verse Note Prosopopeia The exposition of the 22. verse A similitude Hebru 10.17 verse The exposition of the 23. verse Iohn 3.16 Actes 13.28 4. Argument The exposition of the 24. and 25. verse What hope is Col. 3. verse 3. As the famile of loue doth chalenge The exposition of the 6. and 27. verse A newe goodnesse Math. 6.9 Luke 11.2 Ihon. 14.26 Zachar. 12.10 Argument The exposition of the 28. verse Gal. 4.9 Ephe. 1.5 Tim 1.9 The expositioÌ„ of the 29. and 30. verse Clymax or gradatio The dewties and rewardes of Christianitie 6. Argument The expositioÌ„ of the 32. and 33. verse 5. The conclusion with the 6. verses folloing A praier