fleshe marke also how the Apostle propoundeth and proueth the second For where in the ninth verse he setteth doune the Propositions I toulde you before whiche weare They whiche are in Christe haue the Spirite You are in hym The conclusion is in the twelfth verse the coniunction of the Trinitie is suche that no reasonable man can denie the one to bee so anexed to the other that wheare mercy is shewed in the one there grace aboundeth by the other The assumption he proueth by the effects of our graftinge into Christe by whome although he acknowledgeth all thinges to come Yet in this principally he comforteth them that beside the benefite thei receiue and enioye in this life euen then when their fleshe lieth in the Grounde For so I expounde Corpus for the one parte of the body onely their Spirite shall liue in peace and the Bodie whiche as yet is not purified from corruption shall receiue life by the grace giuen by him in whome they are ingrafted An other proofe of the assumption is in the 11. verse and it is of the effectes and working of the holy Ghoste as if a man would saie truly it is an hard thing to fleshe and bloud to thinke a bodie burned eaten with the foules of the Ayer or consumed with the same to meete againe and to bee ioyned together parte to parte and then the whole to the soule yet if suche an one whosoeuer looke too the power of the Spirite and acknowledge Iesus Christe to haue risen by the same Spirite and then acknowledge him selfe to be a member of Christes bodie he shall easely discerne this and se that the power of the Spirite is not diminished but that it is the same whiche it was from the beginning and too whome euery creature shall giue in accompte and before whome euen the Sea shall bringe all the bodies it hath swallowed the Beastes and foules all that they haue deuoured and eaten and the Sonne shall restore those Bodies it hath consumed But as this power is not denyed to Christe although it be here by wordes giuen to the Father but is made common with them bothe so is this action of the holie Ghost not all togeather to be referred to the last rising whiche shal be doune in the twinkling of an eye but euen to the daiely helpes that this spirite ministereth to vs whereby he prepareth vs to bee fitte members of his Soonne Christe and to bee made meete heires of his kyngdome by the bloud of his sonne Now then the conclusion is in the 12. verse whiche sheweth that wee renounce the fleshe when we suffer Gods Spirite to rule our actions and wholie depende vppon his prouidence and if wee doe so then we are in Christ that is we liue accordyng to his will and walke in his cōmaundementes as it is saied to the Ephesians if wee liue in the Spirite then wee walke in the Spirite And although we see that this conclusion thus gathered doeth shewe a truthe yet the Apostle proueth it by certaine disagreyng argumentes whiche I will touche in a woorde or twoo because the effect of them was sett doune before The first therefore containeth a sharpe threatenyng againste the wicked and a comfort to the godlie this threatenyng he placeth here to bee as a pricke in their bodies to stirre them vp to call for grace and not to put their trust in them selues or to thinke that thei may be saued without the righteousnesse therof for if thei dooe so thei shall surely dye And why truely because thei transgresse the Commaundement and no maruell For if a mortall Prince appoint a Lawe to bee kepte and decree that the breache thereof shal be punished with Death if he apprehende any transgressor he shall dye without mercie And shall a man deale so with his brother and shall not the Lorde deale more seuerely with his owne handie woorke if it rebell and saie why hast thou doen thus and thus to me The cōfort he promiseth to all those whiche giue their indeuour to woorke the will of God and to deny the will of the flesh although thei cannot doe it as thei should The seconde proofe of his conclusion is that thei are the soonnes of God if soonnes Then fellowe heires and alwaie so directed by the Spirite whiche thynges he proueth in the 15. verse by the effectes of the spirite and in the 16. by the testimonies of the same spirite the effectes are the suretie of truste in whiche all the faithfull beleeue and the takyng awaie of feare and waueryng acknowledgyng our selues not to come to mounte Sinai where all thyng were terrible and the people as striken with death fell doune and cried that the Lorde should not speake vnto them where Moises hymself was afraid but we are come to Sion to the heauenly Hierusalem where wee haue the Mediatour of the newe Testamente And where the Spirite of God assuryng vs of his clemencie causeth our spirite to cal vppon hym and to take hym as our heauenly Father whiche we durst not to doe without suche assuraunce and this is that Spirite whose vniuersall actions sustain all Creatures whose particular actions giue all other blessinges whiche are vnto vs seales and pledges of euerlastyng life and heauenly inheritaunce ¶ The seconde part THus I haue spoken of the first parte of of this Chapiter which was a conclusion and as God hath giuen me knowledge and vtterance I haue in sinceritie of the worde shewed the true meanyng and order of the Apostle whiche I meane to doe God willyng in this laste parte whiche is a consolation drawen of sixe argumentes inferryng a godlie and comfortable conclusion of this firste parte of the doctrine of this Epistle The first argumente is drawen of the fellowshippe wee haue with Christe 17. verse we are the sonnes of God as he is and beyng sonnes we are made free partakers of our Fathers treasures and are appointed to haue our inheritaunce with hym with the condition followyng that we walke not accordyng to our owne appetite but prepare our selues to bear his crosse whiche if we doe not then is there no hope for vs. And here wee haue a double comforte that euen in the beginnyng of this Crosse and in the sufferyng of afflictions we haue Christe to be an equall sufferer with vs Secondly that as wee now suffer with him so shall we liue with hym euerlastyngly Neither is this doctrine to be kepte close because that some hereby would affirme the abilitie of workes for we knowe that woorkes doe not sette doune any cause of saluation but the meanes and waies by whiche we are appointed to come thereunto The seconde argumente is a comparatis that is as the learned knowe twoo simple argumentes compared together to the settyng forthe of the one 18. verse He compareth thinges present with thinges to come and setteth doune the vanitie of thynges present in respect of
¶ 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
to repaire the decaied Image of our former perfection and to referre all our worldly practizes or actions whatsoeuer to bee ruled and squared by the written worde This did Paule feele and therefore he doeth triumphe ouer synne ouer concupiscence and affections of the old man whatsoeuer But I tolde you that this confirmation was more clearly sette forthe in the thirde verse with a doubt there propounded and an aunswere followyng in the same The doubt riseth thus it was said before that the lawe of the Spirite abandoneth synne and ouercommyng setteth vs free from Death Here it is saied that the Lawe is weake or as the Greeke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth impossible to redeeme or to free from synne so that it remaineth that the lawe is onely a shewer of our faultes and a condemner of our synnes And least any should thinke that he condemned the Lawe he setteth doune the cause of the inhabilitie or weakenesse namely the corruption of our fleshe as though he should saie the doctrine of the Lawe is able to iustifie because it containeth a moste exact and perfecte rule of iustice but because no fleshe cā come vnto that iustice the whole force and strength of the Lawe is perished and taken awaie but because wee see that our corruption maketh the Lawe of God vnprofitable vnto vs and that though it shewe the waie of life yet it is not able to keepe backe vs from runnyng headlong into destruction Let vs come to the aunsweryng of this doubt by the argumente as I tolde you er aduersis that is of contraries whiche cannot agree for the mercies preached in the Gospell are opposed or set against the seueritie of the Lawe and the righteousnesse by the newe man in takyng our fleshe to the corruption of the fleshe of the olde Adam whiche had spoiled all mankinde of the benefite of eternall life if it had not pleased God to haue sent this present and onely remedie Now that Christ was perfect man wee reade that he was the seede of Abraham and afterwardes of the seede of Iacob So that then the curssed opinion of the Manaches maie not be receiued whiche would haue hym to be a phantasticall bodie neither as Marcion faineth a heauenly bodie for neither in a heauenly bodie or bare shewe of a manne is the blessyng promised but in the seede of Abraham to come out of the loynes of Dauid whiche Paule affirmeth that he was made of the seede of Dauid after the fleshe And in an other place that he sprange of the Iewes yea and the Lorde hym self called hym self not onely by the name of a man but also by this name the soonne of Man like vnto man in all thynges except synne onely whiche he wanted not because he was borne of a woman without the knowledge of a man as some vainly and childishly thinke but because he was sanctified by the Spirite that his birthe might bee pure euen as it should haue been before the fall of Adam and in al the scripture these wordes Puritie of Christe doe note vnto vs the true Nature of man in hym that he died onely for our synnes it is manifest but especially in that of Esaie surely he hath borne our synnes and caried our infirmities c. And in the laste verse in the same Chapiter he was accompted emong the transgressours and he bare the synnes of many and that is moste euident that Christ whiche knew no synne is become synne for vs that we might be partakers of his righteousnesse And that we maie more assure our selues Paule setteth doune that this was dooen in our fleshe whiche when wee see wee maie acknowledge our nature to be partaker of his victorie And that the fruites before set doune pertaine onely to the godly I reason this out of the fourth verse None haue the forsaied frutes but suche as fulfill the whole law or suche as being ingrafted in Christ are made perfecte by him But they that chalenge the fauore of God to their owne wantonnesse or thinke euill of the doctrine of Saluation by faithe doe neither fulfill the lawe for by it they are condemned Neither are they ingrafted but cut of from Christe And that lest the rigoure of the lawe might preuaile any more against them to condemnation For the whole substance or extremitie of the lawe is in Christe fulfilled that we might bee found iust before god For if once sanctification be imputed vnto vs with iustification then is the whole forme of the law made perfect This parte is playnlier set doune in the next fower verses First of argumentes that disagree in the matter as to walke after the fleshe and after the Spirite to seeke for carnall and Spirituall thinges Neither is the Apostle heare to bee vnderstood as before for he maketh not a flatt opposition but hee comforteth euen the beginners in religion For vnto whome he seemed to haue denyed the feloshippe of Christe because they walke not absolutly after the spirite and weare giltie to themselues of many infirmities for this is to liue after the spirite to giue ouer our selues to the gouernance of the Spirite and againe to liue after the flesh is too imagin too themselues an Epicurisme and to giue open tokens that they are excluded from the Children of God and haue giuen themselues ouer to hunt after their hartes desire and to féede their owne affections And therefore Maister Caluine hath trāslated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is sapere cogitare that hee might more manefestly declare their earnest zeale in seking carnall thinges which shewe them to be without all hope of regeneracion Now this parte is sett out by certaine effectes of bothe as the following of the fleshe is death enemitie with God and disobedience but the following of the spirite is life and peace And that to followe the wil of the fleshe is death the olde law declareth whiche willeth euery man too take heed of the lustes which bring transgressions of the law which causeth death It is enmitie with God because it causeth him to enter daiely into iudgement and to scourge vs for the breache of his statutes It causeth disobedience because it is vnwilling to bee bridled or kepte vnder but alwaies rebelleth and seeketh meanes whereby to displease god In this wisedome of the fleshe walked Cain Saule Ahab and all other the wicked whiche either wilfully broke the flat commaundement or otherwise most shamefully transgressed In the eight verse I toulde you was contayned a conclusion of the effectes whiche sheweth that the reason of the Apostle gathered together is this Those that giue themselues vp to followe the fleshe and to worke vncleannes with greedinesse cannot please god Those that liue after the fleshe are suche therefore they cannot please God. Seing then that this conclusion gathereth so well the reason of the first disagreyng argument whiche was to walke after the
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