their strength is not sufficient Paule saith hee founde not that were to bee wished namely the effecte of a good desire Heereunto apperteineth the confession that next followeth namely that hee did not the good hee woulde but rather the euyll which hee woulde not namely because the faithfull howsoeuer they bee right minded yet beeing priuie to theyr owne infirmitie they esteeme no worke to proceede from them without faulte For seeing Paule intreateth not heere of a fewe faultes of the Godly but in generall noteth the whole course of their life wee gather that their best woorkes are alwaye stayned with some blot of sinne so that no reward is to be hoped for but so farre forth as God doeth pardon them Finally hee repeateth that sentence namely that so farre forth as hee is indued with celestiall light hee is a faithfull witnesse and subscriber to the righteousnesse of the lawe Whereby it followeth that if wee had the pure integritie of nature the lawe shoulde not bee deadly vnto vs for the lawe is not aduersante to that man who being of a sounde minde abhorreth from sinne Howebeit health is of the celestiall Phisition 21 I finde then by the lawe that when I woulde doe good euil is present with me 22 For I consent to the law of God concerning the inner man 23 But I see another lawe in my members rebelling agaynst the lawe of my mynde and leadinge mee captiue vnto the Lawe of sinne whiche is in my members 21 I finde then Here Paule imagineth a fourefolde lawe Namely 1. the law of God which onely is properly so called because it is the rule of righteousnesse whereby our life is fashioned aright A fourefold law 2. Hereunto he addeth the law of the minde so learning the readinesse of a faithfull minde to obey the law of the Lorde because it is a certaine confirming of vs to the lawe of God 3. On the contrary side he opposeth the lawe of vnrighteousnesse and by a certaine allusion he so calleth the dominion whiche iniquitie hath as well in a man not yet regenerate as in the fleshe of a regenerate man For the lawes of Tyraunts how wicked soeuer they bee yet abusiuely are called lawes 4. Vnto this law of sinne hee maketh the lawe of members answere that is the concupiscence resting in our members For that consent it hath with iniquitie Concerning the first member because many interpreters take the name lawe in his proper sense they vnderstande Cata or Dia and so doth Erasmus translate it by the lawe As thoug Paul had saide by the instruction and direction of the lawe he founde out that corruption was graffed in him But that thou mayest vnderstande or adde nothing the sentence shall runne well thus the faythfull whiles they goe about to doe good they find a certayne tyrannicall lawe in them selues because there â—s graffed in their marrowe and bones a corruption contrarye and rebelling the lawe of God 22 For I consent to the lawe of God Heere then thou seest what manner of diuision there is in godly myndes whence ariseth that battayle of the fleshe and the spirite whiche Augustine in a certaine place doeth notablie call the Christian warfare The lawe of God calleth man vnto the rule of righteousnes iniquitie which is as it were a tyrannicall lawe of Sathan pricketh forwarde vnto wickednesse The spirite carieth vnto the obedience of the lawe of GOD the fleshe draweth backe vnto the contrary part Man thus distracted with diuers desires is now in a maner diuided of one made two men but because the spirite ought to holde the principalitie hee iudgeth and estimateth himselfe chiefly by that part Therfore Paul saith hee was bounde captiue of his flesh because whereas hee is yet tickled and moued with euill concupiscences that is a coaction in respect of the spirituall desire which altogether resisteth But the acception of the inner man and members is diligently to bee noted which whiles many did mistake they haue fallen vpon this rocke Therefore the inner man is not simply taken for the soule but for that spirituall parte of the soule whiche is regenerate of God the worde members signifieth the other part that remayneth What is ment by members howe the spirit hath the name of inner man For as the soule is the more excellent parte of man and the bodie the inferiour so is the spirite more excellent then the fleshe By this reason therefore because the spirite occupieth the place of soule in man and the fleshe that is the corrupt and contaminated soule the place of bodie spirite hath the name of inner man and fleshe the name of members The outward man is taken in another sense the seconde to the Corinth But the circumstaunce of the present place necessarily requireth that interpretation I haue put downe and it is called inner by the way of excellencie because it possesseth the heart and hidden affections seeing the appetites of the fleshe are wandering and as it were out of man Or surely it is like as if a man shoulde compare heauen with earth For Paule by the way of contempte vnder the name of members noteth what so euer appeareth in man that he might the better declare howe the secrete renouation is hidden and couered from our sences saue so farre forth as it is apprehended by fayth Nowe then seeing the lawe of the minde without question signifieth an affection rightly composed and set in order it appeareth that this place is wickedly wrested vnto men not regenerate For Paul teacheth that suche are without minde because their minde or soule degenerateth from reason 24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death 25 I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Then I my selfe in my minde serue the Lawe of God but in my fleshe the law of sinne 24 O wretched man Hee windeth vp the disputation with a vehement exclamation whereby hee teacheth that wee are not onely to striue with our fleshe but with continuall sighing to bewayle both with our selues and before God our vnhappinesse And hee demaundeth not by whom hee might be deliuered as though hee doubted as vnbeleeuers doe who holde not that there is one onely deliuered But it is the voyce of one panting and almost fanting because hee doeth not sufficiently see present helpe And therefore hath he vsed the word take or deliuer that hee might shewe howe there is required vnto this deliueraunce a speciall power of God By the body of death Hee meaneth the masse of sinne What is ment by the body of death or heape whereon man is compacted sauing that in him there remained onely certayne reliques with whose bondes hee was holden captiue The pronowne this or of this which I with Erasmus haue referred vnto bodie may also fitly bee applied vnto death but almost in the same sence because the minde of Paule is to shewe that the eyes of the sonnes of God are opened that they
might prudently discerne from the lawe of God the corruption of their nature and death which proceedeth thence Howe bee it the name body is all one with the name externall man and members for Paul noteth this to bee the originall of sinne that man is fallen from the lawe of his creation and so is become carnall and earthly For although hee doe yet excell bruite beastes yet his true dignitie is taken from him and that which remayneth is filled with innumerable corruptions so that his soule as it is degenerate Gen. 6.3 may be said to be chāged into a body So god saith with Moses my spirit shall striue no more with mā because he is but flesh where by the way of reproch he compareth man being spoyled of his spirituall dignitie vnto brute beastes And this place of Paul serueth notably to beate downe all the glory of fleshe For it teacheth that the most perfect men of all so long as the dwell in their fleshe are addicted vnto miserie because they are subiect vnto death yea whiles they doe diligently examine them selues they finde nothing in their nature but miserie Furthermore least they shoulde cocker their dulnesse by his example Paule prouoketh them vnto carefull morninges and commaundeth them so long as they wander in earth to desire death as the onely remedie of their euill And this is the right ende of coueting or desiring death Why and howe the godly may wish for death For oftentimes desperation driueth prophane men vnto the same desire but rather for the lothsomnesse of this present life then for the wearinesse of their sinne they doe wickedly wishe for death Adde also that the faithfull albeit they leuell at the true marke yet they are not caried with an vnbridled or outragious passion to wishe for death but submitte themselues to the will of God to whom we ought to liue and die Wherefore they doe not rage with indignation agaynst God but they do humbly lay their griefes in his bosome for they doe not so stay or rest in the cogitations of their miseries but being mindefull of the grace receiued they temper their sorrowe with mirth as it followeth 25 I thanke God Hee therefore addeth this thankesgiuing straightwayes least any shoulde thinke hee murmured stubbornely against God in his complaint For wee know how easie it is yea euen in iust dolour or sorrowe to fall vnto murmouring or impatiencie Notwithstanding therefore Paule bewayling his estate did feruently couet death yet he confesseth him selfe to rest in the grace of God For it is not meete that the Saintes whiles they examine their owne imperfections shoulde forgette what they haue receyued of God Finally this cogitation sufficeth to bridle impatiēcie and nourish peace namely that they are receiued into the custodie of God to the ende they shoulde neuer perish and euen nowe feele them selues indued with the first fruites of the spirite which assureth them of the eternal inheritaunce And albeit they do not yet inioy the promised glory of heauen yet they being content with that measure which they haue obtayned neuer want matter of ioy Then I my selfe A briefe conclusion wherein hee teacheth that the faythfull neuer come vnto the marke of righteousnesse We neuer come vnto the marke of righteousnes so long as wee liue in the flesh so long as they dwell in their fleshe but they are in the way vntill they haue put off the bodie By minde hee vnderstandeth not that reasonable part of the soule whiche the Philosophers make so muche on but whiche is illuminated with the spirite of God to vnderstande and will aright For there is not onely mention made of the vnderstanding but also the serious desire of heart is ioyned To conclude by this exception hee confesseth that he is in such sort addicted vnto God that yet creeping vpon the earth hee is defiled with many corruptions This is a notable place to conuince These professed themselues to bee pure that pernicious doctrine of the Catharites or Nouatian heritikes which some tumultuous spirites goe about to renewe againe at this day CHAPTER 8. 1 NOwe then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite 2 For the lawe of the spirite of life in Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the lawe of sinne and death 3 For that which was impossible to the lawe because it was weake through the fleshe God by sending his sonne in the similitude of sinnefull fleshe yea hee hath condemned sin of sinne in the fleshe 4 That the rigeteousnesse of the lawe myght bee fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite NOwe then there is no. Hauing set downe that conflict which the godly haue with their flesh hee returneth vnto a very necessary cōsolation for them whereof he made mention before namely that although they are yet beset on euerie side with sinne neuerthelesse they are exempted from the power of death and from all curse so bee it they walke not in the fleshe but in the spirite For hee ioyneth three thinges together imperfection which is alway in the faithfull the mercy of God in pardoning and forgiuing the same regeneration of the spirite and this last verily is added least any vpon a vaine opinion should boast himselfe as though hee were freed from the curse whiles in the meane time he doth securely cocker his fleshe As the carnall man therefore doth in vaine flatter himselfe if hee being retchlesse to refourme his life vnder the pretence of this grace promise to himselfe impunitie so the trembling consciences of the godly haue an inuincible safegarde that whiles they abide in Christe they knowe they are without all danger of condemnation Nowe it behoueth vs to examine the wordes Who walke according to the spirite hee counteth those to walke according to the spirite not which haue altogether put off all the senses of flesh so that in their whole life there appeareth nothing besides a celestiall perfection but which doe so diligently labour in taming the fleshe that the studie of pietie may appeare to raigne in them hee denieth such to walke according to the fleshe because wheresoeuer the sincere feare of God florisheth it taketh the dominion away from the fleshe albeit it doth not abolishe all the corruptions thereof 2 For the lawe of the spirite of life This is a confirmation of the former sentence for the vnderstanding wherof the signification of the wordes is to be obserued What is meant by the law of the spirit He calleth the lawe of the spirite improperly the spirite of God which sprinckleth our soules with the blood of Christ not only that it might cleanse them from the blot of sinne in respect of giltinesse but also sanctifie them vnto true puritie He addeth that it quickeneth for the Genetiue case after the maner of the Hebrewes is taken for an Epitheton whereupon it followeth that who so
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
verse namely and this also is to bee read by it selfe For it dependeth vpon the former doctrine as in latine we say adhaec vel pretereà Moreouer or furthermore He saith the time or season is knowē to the faithfull because the day of Gods calling and visitation requireth newe life and newe maners as for exposition sake he addeth afterwarde it is time to arise For it is not Chronos but Kairos by which worde is noted the occasion or fit time For nowe is our saluation neerer This place is diuersty wrested of the interpretours many referre the worde beleeued vnto the tyme of the law as though Paul said the Iewes beleeued before Christ came which interpretation I refuse as hard and coacted And surely to restraine a generall doctrine to some small part of the Church were absurde In all that congregation whereunto he wrote what one Iewe was there Then this speech shoulde not agree vnto the Romanes Moreouer the comparison of night and day in my iudgement taketh away this doubt This therefore seemeth vnto mee to be the simple meaning now is our saluation neerer then when we began to beleeue that it might bee referred vnto the time which went before faith For seeing this aduerbe hath an indifferent significatiō this proposition of the Apostle seemeth much more conuenient as appeareth by that which followeth 12 The night is past the day approcheth neere This is the occasion he made mention of a litle before For albeit the faithfull as yet are not receiued into the ful light yet very well hee cōparath the knowledge of the life to come which shineth vnto vs by the gospel vnto the morning Day here as in many other places is not put for the light of faith otherwise he wold not say it draweth neere but it is present yea now it shineth as in the midst of his course but for that brightnesse of the celestiall life whose beginnings are now seene in the gospell The summe is as by the spring of the day we gather that the full light of the sunne is at hand euen so as soone as God beginneth to call vs we gather that we ought to intend vpon the comming of Christe Hee saith the night is past because we are not so ouerwhelmed with a thick mist as the faithles are in whom there appeareth no sparkle of life but the hope of resurrection is set before our eyes by the Gospel Yea the light of faith whereby we know the brightnesse of the celestial glorie is at hand ought to stirre vs vp that wee freeze not heere vppon this earth But a little after where hee biddeth vs walke as vppon the day light hee keepeth not the same metaphore because hee compareth the present state wherein Christ shineth vnto vs to the day But by diuers waies he goeth about to exhort sometimes vnto the meditation of the life to come sometimes vnto the reuerence of the sight of God 13 Not in rioting and drunkennes He hath put downe here three sortes of vices of the which he hath noted euery one by two names to wit intemperancie excesse in liuing or in diet carnal lust and that vncleannesse is ioyned to it enuie and strife If these vices haue suche filthinesse in them that euen carnall men are ashamed to commit them in the sight of menne it is meete wee should alway absteyne from them whiche walke in the sight of God yea then when we are sequestred from the sight of men In the third pare although contention goeth before emulation yet there is no doubt but the mind of Paule is to admonish that contentions and strifes proceede foorth of this fountaine for whiles euery one seeketh to excel enuieth another And ambition is the cause of both euils 14 But put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ This Metaphor is very vsuall in the Scripture in those thinges which make eyther to the adorning or deforming of man both whiche is seene in apparrell For a filthie torne garment dishonesteth a man a handsome and cleane garment doeth greatly beautifie him To put on Christ heere signifieth to be euerie way defended by vertue of his spirite whereby we are made apt vnto all the parts of sanctitie or holinesse For so the image of God is restored in vs which is the only ornament of the soule For Paule hath respect vnto the ende of our calling because GOD adopting vs doeth graffe vs into the bodie of his onelye begotten sonne and verily vppon this condition that we putting from vs our former life may become newe men in him Wherefore in another place also he saith the faithfull put on Christ in baptisme Make no prouision for the flesh So long as we carry our flesh about we cannot altogether cast away the care thereof Gal. 3.27 for our conuersation is so in heauen that wee may soiourne in earth Therefore the thinges apperteyning to the bodie are to bee cared for How we should vse the thinges of this world yet no otherwise then helpes for our peregrination not that we should forget our countrie Yea prophane men haue said a few thinges suffice nature yet the appetites of men are insatiable He therfore which coueteth to fulfill the lusts of his fleshe must needes not onelie exceede but be drowned into a huge and deepe gulfe Paule labouring to restraine the concupiscences of men admonisheth that this is the cause of al intemperance whē no man is content with the sober and lawfull vse of thinges therefore hath hee prescribed this order that wee may serue the necessitie of our fleshe and not pamper the luste thereof So shall it come to passe that wee maye vse this worlde as not vsing it Chap. 14. 1 HIm that is weake in faith receiue not vnto doubtfulnes of disputation 2 He that beleeueth let him eate euery meate but he that is weake eateth hearbes 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not let not him which eateth not condemne him whiche eateth for the Lord hath receiued him 4 Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant He standeth or falleth to his owne Lorde Yea he shal stand for God is able to make him stande HIm that is weake Now he passeth vnto a precept very necessarie for Ecclesiastical instruction that they whiche haue profited more in the doctrine of Christ might apply thē selues to the ruder sort and bestow their strēgth to support their weaknes For amongst the people of God there are some weaklings who vnles they be handled with great curtesie gentlenes they are discouraged at length reuolt frō religiō Which thing euen at that time chiefly as it is like did happē seeing the churches were mixed of Iewes Gentiles of whom some hauing byn long accustomed with the obseruations of the law of Moses nousled therin frō their infancy were not easily drawen frō thē othersome seeing they had learned no such thing did reiect the yoke they were not acquainted withall And because man is prone
gather that the doctrine of the lawe is so agreeable vnto right iudgement that the faithfull refuse the transgression thereof as a brutishe thing And beecause Paul seemeth to confesse that hee taught otherwise then the lawe commaunded many interpreters haue been deceyued which haue thought that hee tooke vpon him the person of another hence came that common errour that some haue supposed the nature of an vnregenerate man to haue been described in this whole chapter But Paule vnder the transgression of the law includeth all the offences of the godly What is ment by transgressioÌ„ who neither shake off the feare of God nor studie of well doing Therefore denieth hee him selfe to doe that which the lawe commaundeth because hee doeth it not absolutely but in a maner fainteth in his indeuoure For what I woulde doe You maye not vnderstand this to haue bin alway in him as though he coulde neuer do any good but onely he complayneth that he could not doe that he coueted namely that he coulde not prosecute that was good with such alacritie as was meete because hee was holden in a maner bond againe that he fainted in that wherein he would not because hee was feeble through the infirmitie of the fleshe The godly minde therefore doeth not that good it woulde Howe the godly do not that they woulde because it standeth not with courage as were meete and it doth the euill it would not because it desireth to stande and falleth or at the least shaketh Howebeit this will and nill must bee referred vnto the spirite which ought to haue the principalitie in the faithfull Yea the fleshe hath his will but Paule calleth that will whiche hee coueted with the speciall affection of his heart and hee calleth that contrary to his will which did gaynestande the same Here verily we may gather that we said namely that Paul here intreateth of the faithful in whom that grace of the spirite florisheth which doth illustrate the consent of a sounde mind with the righteousnes of the law because the flesh can not hate sinne 15 And if I doe that I woulde not I consent to the lawe That is to say whiles my heart doeth recreate it selfe in the law and is delighted with the righteousnes thereof whiche thynge vndoubtedly commeth to passe when it hath the transgressing thereof therein it feeleth and acknowledgeth the goodnesse of the lawe so that wee are sufficiently conuicted yea euen by experience that no euill is to be imputed to the lawe Yea it woulde bee holesome vnto men if it happened vppon right and pure heartes And here wee are not to take consent for such as wee heare to bee in the wicked whose wordes are What kinde of consent to the lawe of God there is in the godly godles I see better thinges and I allowe of them I followe after woorse Item I will followe those thinges which are hurtfull and flee those thinges I thinke may profit For they doe it by compulsion because they subscribe to the righteousnesse of God from the which otherwise their will â—â—l together aduersant but the godly consenteth in deede with a most cheerefull desire of heart for that hee coueteth nothing more then to mount vp into heauen 17 Nowe it is no more I that worketh it This is not the speeche of one excusing him selfe as though he were without faulte as many triflers thinke they haue a good defence whereby they may couer their sinnes whiles they cast them vpon the flesh but it is a declaration howe far he dissenteth from his flesh in his spirituall affection For the faithfull are caried with such feruencie of spirit to obey God that they denie their fleshe Furthermore this place proueth that Paul disputeth not here of any other then of the godly whiche bee already regenerate For so long as man abideth like himselfe whatsoeuer hee bee hee is worthily counted corrupt But Paule heere denieth himselfe to bee altogether possessed of sinne yea hee exempteth him selfe frome the bondage thereof as if hee said that sinne remayned onely in some parte of his soule seeing hee doeth earnestly from his heart labour and striue vnto the righteousnes of God and in deede declareth himselfe to beare the lawe of God grauen within him 18 For I know that in mee that is in my fleshe there dwelleth no good thing For truely to will is present with me but I finde no meanes to perfourme that is good 19 For the good that I woulde that do I not but the euill that I woulde not that I doe 20 And if I doe that I would not now then I do it not but sinne that dwelleth in mee 18 For I knowe Hee sayth that ther dwelleth no good thing in him in respecte of nature Therefore it is as muche as if it were sayde in mee so farre forth as of my selfe For euen by the first woordes he condemneth him selfe wholly of corruption when hee confesseth there dwelleth no good thing in him then in the seconde place hee addeth a correction least he shoulde bee contumelious agaynst the grace of God whiche did also dwell in him but was no part of the fleshe And here againe hee confirmeth that he speaketh not of euery man but onely of the faythfull man who through the reliques of the fleshe and grace of the spirite is diuided in him selfe For to what purpose were this correction excepte some parte were free from faulte and therefore not carnall Vnder the name of fleshe hee alwayes comprehendeth all the gyftes of mans nature and also what so euer is in man besides the sanctification of the spirite As vnder the name spirite which hee is wont to oppose agaynst the fleshe he signifieth that part of the soule with being purged from corruption the spirite of God hath so fashioned it that the image of God doeth appeare in it Both these names therefore as wel of the flesh as the spirit agree vnto the soule The word fleshe agreeth vnto the soule but the one vnto that part of the soule which is regenerate the other vnto that which reteyneth stil his naturall affection To will is present with mee His meaning is not that he had nothing but an vneffectuall desire but he denyeth that the efficacie of the woorke aunsweared his will because the flesh hindered him that he could not exactly doe that he did And so also vnderstand that which followeth namely to do the euil he would not because the flesh of the godly doth not onely let them that they cannot runne speedily but also putteth many impedimentes in their way whereat they stumble They doe it not therefore We are said not to doe that whiche we doe not as we should because they performe it not with suche alacritye as were meete Wherefore this will he speaketh of is the readinesse of faith whyles the holy spirite doth so frame the godly that they are redie and studie to giue theyr members to obey the Lorde And because
he intended then if he had attributed it vnto Christ himselfe For it might haue beene obiected Christe was able by his owne vertue to rayse vppe himselfe which no man can doe But when hee saith that God raysed vp Christe by his spirite whiche hee hath also giuen vnto you nothing canne bee brought againste it seeing thereby hee doeth put vs in sure hope of the resurrection Iohn 10.18 Seeing Christe rose by his own power how then is his resurrection ascribed to the father And for all this there is nothing derogated from that sentence of Iohn namely I haue power to lay downe my soule and to take it againe Surely Christe did rise of himfelfe and by his owne power but as hee is wont to transfer vnto the father whatsoeuer heauenly vertue is in hym so the Apostle not vnproperly hath translated that vnto the father which was a moste proper worke in Christ Finally by mortall bodies he vnderstandeth whatsoeuer remayneth yet in vs subiect vnto death as his common custome is by this name to call the grosser part of vs. Whence we gather that hee speaketh not of the last resurrection which shall bee in a moment but of that continuall operation of the spirite whereby it mortifieth by little and little the reliques of the fleshe and renueth a celestiall life in vs. 12 Therefore brethren wee are debters not to the fleshe that wee should liue after the flesh 13 For if you liue after the flesh yee shall die but if by the spirite yee mortifie the deedes of the fleshe yee shall liue 14 For who so are lead by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God 12 Therefore brethren This is the conclusion of the premisses For if wee bee to renounce the fleshe then ought wee haue nothing to doe with it Againe if the spirite oughte to raigne in vs not to be at his becke were absurde The speeche of Paule heere is vnperfect because hee omitteth one member of the antithesis or contrarietie namely that wee are debters vnto the spirite howebeit the sense is cleere enough And this conclusion hath the force of an exhortation as hee is alwaye wont to drawe exhortation out of doctrine So in another place Ephe. 4.30 hee admonisheth vs that wee greeue not the holy spirite of God whereby wee are sealed vnto the day of redemption And againe if wee liue in the spirite let vs also walke in the spirite Gal. 5.25 When wee may be said to liue according to the spirite And that commeth to passe whiles we renounce our carnall concupiscences that we might as it were binde our selues in seruice to the righteousnesse of God For verily in this sorte wee oughte to reason and not as some blasphemous persons who prate saying let vs bee secure because there is no power in vs. But this is as it were to fight againste God if through contempt and negligence wee extinguish his grace offered to vs. 13 For if yee liue after the fleshe Hee addeth a commination or threatning that hee might the rather shake off from them all drowsinesse whereby also they are notably refuted who bragge of iustification by faith without the spirite of Christ Although in their owne conscience they are sufficiently reprooued because there is no trust in God where there is not also a loue of righteousnesse Indeede it is true that wee are iustified by the sole mercy of God in Christ but this also is as true and certaine that all they are iustified are called of the Lorde that they shoulde liue worthie their calling Let the faithfull therefore learne to imbrace Christe not only vnto righteousnesse but also vnto sanctification as hee was giuen vnto vs to both these ends leaste through their lame faith they rent him in peeces But if by the spirite yee mortifie the deeds of the fleshe Hee so tempereth his spéech that hee cause not the godly to dispaire who feele yet in themselues many infirmities For howsoeuer wee bee yet subiect vnto sinne We must not kill our bodies but sudue the lustes of them neuerthe lesse hee promiseth life vnto vs so that we studie to mortifie the fleshe Neither doth hee require exactly the destruction of the fleshe but onelie chargeth vs to studie to came the lustes thereof 14 For who so are lead by the spirite of God This is a confirmation of that went immediately before For heere hee teacheth that they are counted amongest the sonnes of God who are ruled by his spirite because by this marke God acknoweledgeth them to be his Who are the sonnes of God By this meanes the vaine ostentation of hypocrites is doone away who vsurpe the title without the thing and the faithfull are incouraged vnto moste sure confidence of their saluation The summe is they are the sonnes of GOD who so are lead by the spirite of GOD But all the sounes of GOD are heires of eternal life Therefore they ought to bee sure of eternall life who so are lead by the spirit of God And the middle proposition or assumption as they call it is omitted because it was out of all question Neuerthelesse wee are to note that there is a manifold leading of the spirite For there is an vniuersall whereby all the creatures are supported and moued The leading of the spirite is diuers there are also peculier in men and the same are diuers But heere hee vnderstandeth sanctification where with God vouchsafeth none but his electe whiles hee doeth separate them apart to hym selfe for sonns 15 For yee haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare againe but yee haue receiued the spirite of adoption whereby wee cry Abba father 16 The same spirite beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God 17 If wee be sonnes wee are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christe if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee maye also bee glorified with him 18 For I counte the afflictions of this presente time not to bee comparable to the glory to come which shall bee reuealed vnto vs. Nowe hee confirmeth that certaintie of truste or confidence wherein of late hee byd the faithfull stay themselues and that by an argument taken from an especiall effect of the spirit because it is not therefore giuen vs that it might tosse vs with trembling To what ende the spirite of god is giuen vs or presse vs with anxietie but rather that all perturbation beeing quenched setting our mindes in a quiet state it might stirre vs vnto assured and free inuocation of God So then hee doth not onely prosecute the argument hee touched before but also standeth more in that other member which he had annexed namely of the fatherly mercy of God whereby hee forgiueth his the infirmitie of the flesh and those faultes which yet remaine in them Hee teacheth that the confidence hereof is assured vnto vs by the spirite of adoption which woulde not bid vs bee bolde in
drawe and deriue all duties so heere Paule setteth downe the originall whence all the parâ—es of holinesse followe namely that wee are redeemed of the Lorde to this ende that we shoulde consecrate our selues and all our members to him But it is necessary to examine euery part 1 I beseech you by the mercies of God Wee knowe that godlesse men doe exceedingly abuse vnto the dissolutenes of the flesh whatsoeuer is spoken in the scripture of the goodnes of God Againe Hypocrites as though the grace of God extinguished the studie of a godlie life and opened the doore of boldnesse to sinne they doe maliciously as much as in them is obscure the knowledge of it But this contestation or beseeching doth teach that men can neuer seriously woorshippe God nor be sufficiently prouoked vnto his feare and obedience vntill they knowe howe much they are indebted vnto his mercie The Papistes count it enough if by terrour they wrest from men a certayne I knowe not what forced obedience But Paule that hee might bynd vs vnto God not with a seruile feare but with a voluntarie and cheerefull loue of righteousnesse allureth vs by the sweetnes of his grace wherein our saluation is conteyned and withall he chargeth vs with ingratitude vnlesse hauing experience of so bountifull and liberal a Father we studie againe to dedicate our selues wholly to him And so much the more efficacie hath Paule in this his exhortation as he excelleth all others in setting foorth the grace of GOD. For that heart must needs be harder then iron which through the doctrine he taught aboue is not inflamed with the loue of God whose bountifulnesse towardes him hee feeleth to be so plentiful Where then are they which thinke that all exhortations vnto honestie of life are taken away if the saluation of men be reposed in the onelye grace of God seeing a godly heart is not so much prepared vnto the obedience of God by anie preceptes or others as by the serious meditating vppon the goodnesse of GOD towardes him Heere also we may see the lenity of the Apostles spirit who had rather deale with the faithful by admonitions and friendly beseechinges then by seuere commaundementes because he knewe he shoulde profite more this way with those are tractable That yee giue your bodies This is then the entrance of the right course vnto good woorkes if we vnderstande that we are consecrated to the Lorde For thereupon it followeth that we must cease to liue to our selues to the ende all the actions of our life might tende to his obedience Therefore here are two thinges to be considered First that we are the Lords Two things to be considered secondly that therfore we ought to be holye because it is vnseemely for the holinesse of God that any thing should be offered to him which was not first consecrated to him This beeing put downe it followeth wee must meditate of holinesse all our life long yea it is a kinde of sacriledge if wee fall to vncleannesse because it is nothing els then to prophane a sanctified thing And euery where a maruellous proprietie of wordes is kept First hee saith our bodie must be offered in sacrifice vnto GOD whereby hee insinuateth that wee are not nowe in our owne power but altogether brought into the power of God Which cannot otherwise come to passe vnlesse we renounce our selues and so denie our selues Secondly by adding of Epithetons he declareth what kinde of sacrifice that must bee For by calling it liuing hee signifieth we are offered to the Lorde of this condition that our former life beeyng killed in vs we might be raysed vp vnto newnes of life Vnder the name of sanctitie or holinesse he noteth that of the whiche wee saide it is proper to the sacrifice for then it is a sacrifice indeede when sanctification goeth before The thirde Epitheton when hee admonisheth that our life is then framed aright when we direct this our sacrifice vnto the pleasure of the Lorde And also it bringeth vnto vs a rare consolation in that he teacheth our studie is pleasing and acceptable to God when we resigne our selues ouer to innocencie and holinesse By bodies hee meaneth not onely bones and skinne but the whole masse whereon we consist and he hath vsed that woorde whereby hee might best by the figure Synecdoche set foorth all our partes For the members of the bodie are instrumentes to execute our actions by Otherwise he requireth of vs not onelye integritie of bodie but also of spirite as he doth to the Thessa 1. Thes 5.23 Whereas he biddeth offer or present therein is an allusion vnto the sacrifices of Moses whiche are offered at the Altare as in the sight of GOD howebeit hee declareth howe readye wee ought to bee to receiue the commaundementes of GOD that without all delaye wee may obeye them Whereby wee gather that all they doe nothing els but erre and wander miserably whose purpose is not to worshippe the Lorde 〈…〉 Heere also wee see what Sacrifices Paule commendeth to the Christian Church For beeing reconciled by the onely sacrifice of Christe through his grace wee are al made priestes to dedicate our selues and all that is ours to the glory of God There remaineth no sacrifice of reconciliation and it were great contumelie done against the crosse of Christe to erect any Your reasonable seruice I thinke this clause was added the better to explicate and confirme that went before as though it were said if you minde from your heart to serue God giue your selues for a sacrifice to god for this is the right seruice of God froÌ„ the which who so departeth are but peruerse worshippers If God be then worshipped aright when we examine all thinges to his rule let all faygned worshippings goe which hee doth worthily abhorre because he esteemeth more of obedience theÌ„ sacrifice In deed the inuentions of men please them and they bragge as Paule saith in another place a vaine shewe of wisedome But we heare what the heauenly iudge denounceth of the contrarie by the mouth of Paule For by calling that a reasonable seruice which hee commaundeth whatsoeuer wee goe about without the rule of his woorde hee reiecteth as foolish sottish and temerous enterprices 2 And fashion not your selues to this worlde World put for the wisdome maners of men This worde worlde albeit it hath many significations here is taken for the wisedome and manners of men whereunto not without cause hee forbiddeth vs to bee conformed For seeing the whole worlde is set on mischiefe it is meete wee shoulde put off whatsouer is humane or belonging to the old man if wee will truly put on Christe And least that bee doubted on hee sheweth it by the contrarie when hee biddeth vs bee transformed into the newnesse of minde For these are vsuall contrarieties of the Scripture whereby a thing is more cleerely expressed And note heere what kinde of innouation is required of vs namely not of the fleshe
themselues to bee lifted vppe by the spirite vnto the meditation of righteousnesse For wheresoeuer the spirite raigneth it is a signe of the grace of GOD bringinge saluation seeing that the grace of God hath no place there where the spirite beyng extinguished the kingdome of the flesh flourisheth But here I doe briefly make mention of that whereof I admonished before namely in the fleshe or after the fleshe is as muche as to bee voyde of the gift of regeneration And suche are all they who abide as the common speech is meere natural men 6 The wisedome or cogitation verilie of the flesh Erasmus hath put affection the olde interpreter wisedome But seeing it is sure that the woorde To Phronema is that with Paule Gen. 6.5 which Moses calleth the imagination of the heart and in this worde all the sences of the soule from reason and vnderstanding vnto the very affections are comprehended the name cogitation seemeth vnto me to serue better And although Paule hath vsed the particle causall Gar for yet I doubte not but he doth simply confirme For here is a kynde of concession or graunting because after that he had briefly defined what it is to be in the flesh now hee addeth what end remayneth For all those are giuen to the flesh What end abydeth for such as are still carnall And so on the contrarie hee sheweth howe they are not capable of the grace of Christe whosoeuer abide in the flesh who all their life long make haste and are carried vnto death And it is anotable place wherby we may learne how by the course of nature we rush headlong into death because we conceiue nothing of our selues but that whiche is deadly And straightwaies he hath opposed the contrary member that he might teach if any part of vs tend vnto life then the spirite sheweth foorth his vertue because there commeth no sparkle of life from our flesh He calleth the cogitation or wisedome of the spirite How the cogitation of the spirite is called life life because it quickeneth or leadeth vnto life And vnder the name of peace after the manner of the Hebrewes he noteth all the partes of felicitie For whatsoeuer the spirite of God worketh in vs it appertayneth to our blessednesse yet it followeth not that any should therefore ascribe saluation vnto works For although God doth begin our saluation in vs at the length doeth accomplishe it by fashioning vs to his likenesse yet the onely cause is his good pleasure whereby hee maketh vs partakers of Christ 7 Seeyng the cogitation or wisedome of the flesh Now hee addeth a confirmation of that he put downe before namely that nothing proceedeth from the studies of our fleshe but death because they fight fiercely with the will of God And the will of God is the rule of rigteousnesse whereupon it followeth that that is vniuste whatsoeuer disagreeth from the same and if it bee vniuste then is it also deadly Nowe then God beeing against it and offended in vayne doth any looke for life For after his wrath must needes foorth with followe death which is the reuengement of his wrath Mans carnall will is in all things contrary to the will of God And heere let vs obserue that the will of man is in all thinges contrary to the will of God For looke by howe muche crokednesse differeth from straightnesse so much muste we needes differ from God For it is not subiect to the lawe of God An exposition of the former sentence for it declareth howe all the meditations of the fleshe warre againste the will of God because the wyll of God is not els where to bee sought for then where hee hath reuealed it For in the lawe hee sheweth what doeth please him they therefore that will rightlye examine howe rightly they agree with God let them apply all their counsayles and studies vnto this rule For although nothing bee doone in the worlde but by the direction of the secrete prouidence of God yet vnder pretence of this to say that nothing is done but God doth allowe of it is intollerable blasphemie where about certaine phrensie persons cauill at this day For to seeke the difference of right wrong whiche the lawe hath distinctly and playnely set before our eyes in a deepe Labyrinth what madnesse were it We must contēe our selues with the reuealed wil of God in deede as I saide the Lorde hath his secrete counsayle whereby at his pleasure he disposeth all thinges but because it is incomprehensible to vs let vs knowe that wee are restrained from too curious searching after it In the meane while let this abide firme that nothyng pleaseth hym but righteousnesse neither can right iudgement bee gyuen of our workes but by the the lawe wherein God hath vnfeignedly testified both what doeth please or displease him Neither can it Beholde here the power of free will There is not free will in the naturall man which sophisters cannot sufficiently aduaunce Vndoubtedly Paule doth heere in plaine wordes affirme that which they with full mouth doe detest namely that it is impossible for vs to subiecte our affections vnto the obedience of the lawe They bragge that our hearte is plyaunt vnto both partes so it bee holpen by the instinct of the spirite and that in vs there is a free election of good or euill the spirite doeth onely helpe but it is ours to choose or refuse They faine also good motions whereby of our owne accorde wee are prepared Paule on the contrary saith our hearte is full of hardnesse and vntamed stubbornesse so that it is neuer moued naturally to vndertake the yooke of God and hee disputeth not of one or two affections but speaking indefinitely doth cast all those motions arise out of vs into this bundle Let that Ethnicall Philosophie therefore of freewill be farre from a christian minde Let euery man as in truth hee is acknowledge himselfe to bee the seruant of sinne that beeing manumised by the grace of Christ he may be free and it is altogether folly to glory in another liberty 8 They therefore whiche are in the fleshe It is not without cause that I haue expounded the particle aduersatiue de by the causall For verily the Apostle gathereth out of the premisses that they who deliuer ouer themselues to be lead by the lustes of the fleshe Who haue nothing to do with Christe are all of them abhominable to God And hitherto hee hath confirmed that sentence namely that all they haue nothing to doe with Christ which walke not after the spirite because they are voide of an heauenly life 9 Nowe yee are not in the fleshe but in the spirite if so bee the spirite of GOD dwell in you for if any haue not the spirite of Christe the same is not his 10 And if Christe bee in you the body verily is dead because of sinne but the spirite is life for righteousnesse sake 11 If I say the spirit of hym
prayer A twofold spirit except it assured vs of free remission And to the end he might that rather set out that matter he setteth down a twofold spirite one he calleth the spirite of bondage which we may cōceiue by the law◠the other of adoptiō which is by the gospel He saith that was giuen in olde time vnto feare Heb. 12.18 and this at this day vnto assuraunce By such comparison of contraries the certaintie of our saluation is as thou seest made more manifest The authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes when hee saith wee are not come vnto the mount Sinai where all thinges were so terrible that the people being ouerthrowen as it were with the present sentence of death did pray they might not bee spoken vnto yea Moses him selfe confessed hee was afrayde but we are come vnto Sion the hill of the Lorde and his citie the celestiall Hierusalem where is the mediatour of the newe Testament Iesus By the aduerbe agayne wee gather that the law is heere compared with the Gospell because the sonne of God by his comming brought vnto vs this inestimable benefite that the seruile condition of the lawe should no more binde vs. Yet thou mayest not gather hereby eyther that none had the spirite of adoption before the comming of Christ or that who so receiued the lawe were seruauntes and not sonnes For he doth rather compare the ministerie of the lawe with the dispensation of the Gospell then persons with persons In deede I confesse that the faithfull are admonished here howe muche more liberally God hath nowe dealte with them then hee did in olde time with the fathers vnder the olde Testament yet hee respecteth the externall dispensation in respecte whereof onely wee excell because howesoeuer the sayth of Abraham Moses and Dauid was more excellent then ours yet for as muche as God in a maner kept them vnder a schoolemistresse they were not yet come vnto that libertie which is opened vnto vs. And also it is to bee noted that I haue purposely because of false Apostles put an antithesis or contrarietie betweene the litterall disciples of the lawe and the faithfull whome Christ the heauenly maister doeth not onely speake vnto with sounde of mouth but also inwardely doeth teache effectually by his spirite And although the couenaunt of grace is conteined in the lawe yet he remoueth it thence because opposing the Gospell hee considereth nothing but that which was proper to the lawe namely to bidde and forbidde and by the denouncing of death to bridle sinners and so hee giueth vnto the lawe What was proper to the lawe that qualitie whereby it differeth from the Gospell Or if any had rather hee propoundeth the bare lawe as God therein couenanteth with vs in respect of workes Thus therfore we are to thinke of the persons amongst the people of the Iewes whē the law was published also after it was published the godly were illuminated with the same spirit of faith therfore the hope of eternall inheritance whereof the spirite is a pledge seale was sealed in their heart Here onely is the difference that the spirite is powred out more aboundantly plentifully in the kingdome of Christ But if thou hast regarde vnto the dispensation of doctrine saluation shall seeme to haue been then for a suertie first manifested when Christ was exhibited in the flesh with such obscuritie were all thinges couered vnder the old Testament in comparison of that light is vnder the Gospell Furthermore if the lawe be considered in it selfe it can do nothing but binde men that are subiect to miserable seruitude with the horrour of death because it promiseth no good thing but with condition and it denounceth death against all transgressours Wherefore as vnder the lawe there was the spirite of bondage which pressed the conscience with feare so vnder the Gospell there is the spirite of adoption whiche cheereth our soules with the testimonie of our saluation And obserue that feare is ioyned to bondage because it can not otherwise be but the law should with wonderful disquietnes vexe and torment our soules so long as it exerciseth his power How feare is ioyned with bondage Wherefore there is no other remedie for the quieting of them then whiles God forgiuing our offences doeth fauour vs as a father his children By whome wee crye Abba Hee hath therefore changed the person that hee might expresse the state of all the godly as though hee sayde yee haue receiued the spirite whereby you as well as wee and the residue of all the faithfull doe crye And the figure mimesis here vsed of the Apostle is very significante Mimesis which is when one taketh on him the person of another for in the person of the faithfull hee pronounceth the name of father The doubling of the name by diuers woordes contayneth an amplification For Paule giueth to vnderstande that the mercie of God is nowe so published through the whole worlde that he is indifferently prayed vnto in all tongues as Augustine noteth Therefore his meaning was to expresse the consent amongst all nations Whereuppon it followeth that nowe there is no difference betweene Iewe and Gentile seeing they are knit together amongst them selues The Prophete Esay speaketh otherwise saying that the tongue of Chanaan shoulde bee common vnto all yet all one sence Esai 19.18 because he respecteth not the externall fourme of speeche but the consent of heart in woorshipping God and the same and simple studie in professing his true and pure woorshippe The woorde crie is put to expresse the constancie as if hee sayde wee pray not doubtingly What is ment by crying vnto God but boldely wee lift vp our voyce vnto heauen In deede the faythfull vnder the lawe did call God father but not with such sure confidence seeing the vayle did driue them farre from the sanctuarie but nowe when an entraunce is opened vnto vs by the blood of Christ wee may familiarly and as it were with full mouth glorie that wee are the sonnes of God from whence this crye proceedeth Finally by this the prophesie of Osee is fulfilled I will say vnto them you are my people and they shall answer agayne thou art our God Ose 2.23 For the more cleare the promise is so muche more boldenesse is there in prayer 16 For the spirite Hee doeth not simplie say the spirite of GOD is a witnesse to our spirite but hee vseth a compounde verbe which may bee translated to witnesse togeather if contestation were not somewhat els with the latines But Paul meaneth that the spirit of God doth giue vnto vs such testimonie that by the direction and gouernance thereof our spirite is assured the adoption of God is firme For our minde of it selfe except the testimonie of the spirite went before coulde not bring vnto vs this confidence Moreouer here is an exposition of the former sentence For whiles the spirite testifieth that we are the sonnes of God it
God as the first cause Yea Paule sheweth that the faithfull loue not God before they be called of him as in another place he admonisheth that the Galathians were first knowen of God Gal. 4.9 before they knewe him Verily this of Paule is true that afflictions profite none to saluation but them loue God God preuenteth vs by his grace and we doe not preuent him by our loue yet that of Iohn is as true namely that then at length he is begunne to be loued of vs when he hath preuented vs by his free grace Finally the calling Paule speaketh of here is large For it must not be restrayned vnto the manifestation of election wherof mention shal be made shortly after but simply it is opposed to mans course as though Paule had said the faithful get not vnto themselues godlinesse by their owne motion but rather it is brought by the hande of God so farre as God hath chosen them to himselfe for his owne The woorde purpose doth plainely exclude whatsoeuer may be imagined to be brought of mē as though Paule denied the causes of our election to be sought for els where then in the secret pleasure of God which thing appeareth more clearly out of the 1. to the Ephe. 1. the 2. Tim. 1. Where also the Antithesis or contrarietie of this purpose Ephe. 1. 2. Tim. 1. and humane righteousnes is plainly expressed Yet it is not to be doubted but Paul did therfore here precisely say our saluatiō is founded vpō the election of God that he might thence make a passage vnto that which followeth straightwaies namely the afflictiōs which make vs like vnto Christ are destinated to vs by the same celestiall decree that hee might as it were by a certaine bonde of necessity linke our saluation with the bearing of the crosse 29 Because whom he foreknew Therefore by the order of election he declareth how all afflictions are nothing els then a meane whereby they are conformed vnto Christ ve◠17. which thing to be necessary he testified before Wherefore there is no cause why it should grieue vs or be bitter and heauy vnto vs to bee afflicted except we take in ill part the election of the Lord wherby we are foreordeined vnto life except we be vnwilling to represent in vs the image of the sonne of God whereby wee are prepared vnto the celestial glory And the foreknowledge of God wherof Paul here maketh mentiō What is meant by foreknowledge is not a bare foreknowledge as some vnskilful bodies doe foolishly imagine but adoption wherby he alway discerneth his sonnes from the reprobate In which sence Peter saith the faithfull were elected vnto the sanctification of spirite according to the foreknowledge of God Wherfore they I spake on gather foolishly that God hath elected no others then those he foresaw to bee worthie of his grace For Peter doth not flatter the faithfull as though euery one were elected for his merite but calling them vnto the eternall counsell of God doth put them beside all worthines And also in this place Paule repeateth by another worde that which he touched lately concerning purpose Whence it followeth that this knowledge dependeth vpon the good pleasure of God because God foreknew nothing out of himselfe touching those he would adopt but only signed whom he would elect The worde Proorizein which they trāslate predestinate is referred vnto the circumstance of this place because Paule only meaneth the God hath so decreed that whomsoeuer he hath adopted the same should carrie the image of Christ for he did not simply say that they might be conformed vnto Christ but to the image of Christ that he might shewe there is a liuely and manifest example in Christ which is set before al the sonnes of God to imitate Finally the summe is Christ is the paterne of all the sonnes of God that the free adoption wherein our saluation consisteth cannot be separated from this other decree wherein he hath allotted vs to beare the crosse because none can bee an heire of the kingdome of heauen who first is not made like vnto the only begottē sonne of God That he might be the first begotten or that he should be For both wayes the Greeke infinitiue Einai may be resolued yet I rather allow of the former Furthermore in that Christ is called the first begottten Paules mind is only to note this if Christ obteyne the prerogatiue amongst al the sonnes of God he is worthily giuen vnto vs for an example that we shoulde refuse nothing which he hath voutsafed to take vpon him Therefore that the celestiall father might by all meanes testifie the right dignity which he hath giuen vnto his sonne he wil haue all whō he hath adopted into the inheritance of his kingdome to be conformed or made like to his example For although there be in shew a diuers condition of the godly as there is some varietie betweene the members of a mans body yet is euery one coupled with his head Therfore as the first borne doth beare the name of the family so Christ is placed in an high degree not only that he might excel in honour among the faithful but also the vnder the common note of fraternity he might conteine al vnder him 30 And whom he hath predestinate them also he called Now that he might in a clearer sort proue how true it is that that conformation or conformitie and likelinesse with the humilitie of Christ is healthful to vs he vseth a gradation wherein he teacheth that the society of the crosse is so linked with our vocation iustification glorificatiō that they cānot be separated Howbeit that the readers might better vnderstād the meaning of the Apostle they are to remēber that I admonished before namely What the word predestinate noteth that the word predestinate noteth not election but the purpose or decree of God wherby he hath ordeined for his a crosse to be borne now teaching that the same are called hee signifieth that God doth not hold the close within himselfe whiche he hath determined of them but hath disclosed it that they might quietly and patiently vndertake the condition laid vpon them For here vocation or calling as the inferiour is distinguished from secret election Least any therefore shoulde obiect that no man knoweth what condition God hath appointed for him the Apostle saith God by his calling hath openly testified of his secrete counsell And this testimony consisteth not in the sole externall preaching but it hath the efficacie of the spirit coupled because the speech is of the elect whom God doth not onely speake vnto by voyce but also inwardly draweth Iustification might fitly be extended vnto the continuall tenour of the grace of God euen from the tyme of our calling vnto the houre of death but because Paule in the whole Epistle vseth this worde for the free imputation of righteousnes no necessitie doth compel to decline frō this sence For the
hee hath testified that all the mysteries of God doe farre exceede the capacitie of our vnderstanding straightwayes addeth that the faithfull vnderstande the minde of the Lorde because they haue not receiued the spirite of this worlde but the spirite whiche is giuen them of God by the which they are taught of his goodnesse which otherwise is incomprehensible Therfore as wee are not able by our owne strength to finde out the secretes of God so by the grace of the holy spirite wee haue accesse into the sure and cleere knowledge of them Nowe if it bee our partes to followe the spirite our guide wheresoeuer the same leaueth vs there we are to stay as it were stande still If any couet to know more then hee hath reuealed hee shall be ouer come with the brightnesse of that inaccessable light Esay 40.13 1. Cor. 2.06 That distinction which I brought of late betweene the secrete counsaile of God and his reuealed will in the scripture is to bee remembred For albeit all the doctrine of the scripture in highnesse exceede the wit of man yet is not the way thereunto shut vp against the faithfull which doe reuerently and soberly followe the spirite for their guide But there is another consideration of his secrete counsaile the depth and height whereof cannot by searching be come vnto 35 Who hath giuen to him first Another reason whereby the righteousnes of God is mightily defended against all the accusations of the wicked For if no man hath by his merites bounde God vnto him then none can iustly expostulate with him because hee hath not receiued a rewarde For hee that will force any to doe him good must needes shewe his merites wherby he hath deserued so at his hands This is then the meaning of the words of Paul God cannot otherwise be charged with vnrighteousnesse vnlesse it bee saide that hee giueth not to euery one their owne but it is euident that none is defrauded of his right by hym seeing hee is bounde to no man for what man can boast of any worke of his whereby hee hath merited his fauour And this place is worthie to bee noted wherein wee are taught that it is not in our power by our good workes to prouoke the Lorde to saue vs but hee preuenteth vs beeing vnworthie by his meere goodnesse For hee doth not onely shewe what men are wonte to doe but what they are any way able to doe If so bee that we would diligently examine our selues wee shoulde not only finde that God is not indebted to vs but that wee altogether are subiect to his iudgement so that we haue not only deserued no fauour at his hands but also are more then worthie of eternall death And Paule doth not onely gather that hee is no debter vnto vs because of our corrupt and contaminated nature but also though man were perfect yet he denieth that hee coulde bring any thinge at all before GOD whereby he might winne his fauour for so soone as man beginneth to bee euen by the righte of creation hee is so bounde vnto his Creator that hee hath nothing of his owne In vaine therefore shall wee goe about to take from him his right that hee may not freely according to his pleasure deale with his owne woorkemanship as though there were a mutuall regarde of some thing receiued and bestowed 36 because all things are of him and by him This is a confirmation of the former sentence For hee sheweth it is farre off that wee shoulde bee able to glory in any good thing of our owne against God seeing wee were created by him of nothing and in him haue our present beeyng Hereeby hee gathereth it to be meete that our being shoulde bee directed to his glory For howe vnorderly a dealing were it that the creatures which hee hath made and conserueth shoulde bee otherwayes imployed then to the setting out of his glory I know this particle eis auton to be taken sometimes for en auto yet abusiuely But seeing the proper signification serueth best to the present argument it is better to reteine it then to flee vnto that which is improper The summe is that the whole order of nature is euerted and ouerthrowne if the same GOD whiche is the beginning of all thinges bee not also the ende To him bee glory Nowe hee doeth boldly take vnto him the proposition as though it were proued for an infallible proposition namely that the glory of God ought euery way abyde immoueable For it shall bee a colde sentence if you take it generally but the force consisteth vppon the circumstance of the place namely that God doth challenge vnto himselfe an absolute authoritie and that in the estate of mankinde and all the worlde nothing is to bee sought for but his glory Whereupon it insueth that those cogitations are absurde and farre from reason yea they are mad whatsoeuer they be tend to the diminishing of his glory CHAP. 12. 1 THerefore I beseeche you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue your bodies a liuely Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto GOD which is your reasonable seruice 2 And fashion not your selues to this worlde but be ye changed in the renuing of your minde that yee may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect AFter that Paul hath handeled those thinges at the which it was meet he shoulde begin in the erecting the kingdome of God namely that righteousnesse is to bee sought for of God onely that saluation muste come vnto vs by his onely mercie that the summe of al good things is laide vp for vs and dayly offered in Christe onely Nowe very aptly he passeth vnto the reformation of manners Seeing by that healthfull knowledge of God and Christe the soule is as it were regenerate into a celestiall life and by godly exhortations and precepts the life it selfe is after a sorte framed and fashioned For in vaine doest thou goe about to shewe the practise or studie of composing and ordering the life if first thou doest not shew vnto men that the original of all righteousnesse is in God and Christ which is to raise them frō the dead And this is the principall differēce of the Gospell and Philosophie For albeit the Philosophers doe intreate of manners very excellentlie and with great commendation of wit yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer beautie appeareth in their precepts it is like a fayre building of an house without a foundation because the principles being omitted they propound a maymed doctrine not vnlike a bodie without a head Neither is the maner of teaching vsed in Poperie much vnlike For although by the way they make mention of the faith of Christe and the grace of the holy spirite yet it is apparant how they come neerer vnto prophane philosophers then vnto Christ and his Apostles And as the Philosophers before they put down lawes touching maners intreat first of the end of goodnes and searche out the originall of vertues whence afterwarde they
Prieste in the ministerie of the Gospell who offereth in sacrifice the people which he winneth vnto God and in this maner hee worketh or laboureth in the sacred mysteries of the Gospell And this assuredly is the priesthoode of a Christian Pastor by bringing men into the obedience of the Gospel to offer them as it were in sacrifice vnto God and not as the Papists haue hitherto proudly bragged by the offering vp of Christ to reconcile men vnto God Neither yet doth he here simply cal ecclesiastical pastors priests as by a perpetuall title but Paul going about to commend the dignitie and efficacie of the ministerie by occasion hath vsed this metaphore Let this therefore bee the ende vnto the preachers of the Gospel in their function namely to offer vnto God the soules of men being purified by fayth That which Erasmus afterwarde put downe by the way of correction namely sacrificing the Gospell is not onely improper but also doth darken the sence For the Gospell is rather like a swoorde wherewith the minister sacrificeth men vnto God for offerings Hee addeth that such oblations are acceptable vnto God which maketh not onely to the comnendation of the ministerie but also to the singuler comfort of them who yeelde them selues to be consecrated Nowe as the olde sacrifices were dedicated to God by externall sanctifications and washings so also these oblations are consecrated to the Lord by the spirite of sanctification by the vertue of whose power inwardly working they are seperated from this worlde For although the puritie of the soule doth arise from the faith of the worde yet because the voice of man by it selfe is vneffectuall and dead the office of purifiyng is truely and properly giuen to the spirite 17 I haue therefore wherein to glory by Christe Iesus in those things which apperteine vnto God 18 For I dare not speake any thing of those things which Christ hath not wrought by mee into the obedience of the Gentiles in worde and deede 19 In the power of signes and wonders in the power of the spirite of God so that from Hierusalem and all the coastes rounde about vnto Illyricum I haue caused the Gospell of Christ to abound 20 Yea so I enforced my selfe to preach the Gospell not where Christ was named least I should build on another maÌ„s foundation 21 But as it is written to whome hee was not spoken of they shall see and they which harde not shall vnderstande 17 I haue therefore After hee had in a generall sorte commended his calling that the Romanes might knowe hee was a true and vndoubted Apostle of Christ nowe hee addeth testimonies whereby hee prooueth that hee did not onely take vpon him the office of an Apostle being laide vppon him by the ordinaunce of God but also did notablie adorne the same And also he putteth in mind of his fidelitie which hee performed in discharging that function For it is too small purpose that wee are ordeyned vnlesse wee answere our calling and discharge our duetie Neyther doeth hee that with a desire to get glorie but because nothing was to bee omitted which might procure grace and authoritie to his doctrine with the Romanes Therefore he glorieth in God not in him selfe because he respecteth nothing els then that God might be truely praysed And whereas hee speaketh onely negatiuely it is verily a signe of modestie but it serueth to winne credite vnto those thinges whiche he goeth about to maintayne as if he sayde the trueth it self doeth minister vnto me so much matter of glorie that I neede not to seek for false and forrain prayses I am content with true prayses Perhappes also his meaning was to preuent sinister reports which hee knewe to bee scattered abroade by euill persons and therefore he foresheweth that hee will not speake but of things well knowen â—8 Into the obedience of the Gentiles This parcell noteth what his purpose is namely that hee might make his ministerie to be esteemed of with the Romanes least his doctrine should be without profite By the signes therefore he sheweth that God by the presence of his power did giue testimony to his preaching and in a manner did seale his Apostleshippe so that nowe none ought to doubt but hee was ordeined and sent of the Lorde The signes are woorde woorke and miracles whereby appeareth that the name woorke conteyneth more then myracles At length hee concludeth in the power of the spirite whereby hee signifieth that these coulde not bee done but by the spyrit To be briefe hee affirmeth that as well in teaching as doing he had a power vertue in preaching Christ wherein the woonderfull power of God appeared secondly he sayeth myracles were added which were as seales for the surer knowledge of that thing First hee putteth woorde and worke then hee expressethe one kinde namely the power of working myracles So also it is taken with Luke Luke 24.19 where hee saith Christe was mightie in worde and deede Also with Iohn where Christ himselfe sendeth the Iewes vnto his works Iohn 5.36 where they might haue testimonie of his Dietie Neither doth he simply name myracles but doth adorn them with two tytles And whereas hee saith The power of signes and wonders Acts. 2.23 Peter in the Actes hath vertues and signes and wonders And surely they are testimonies of Gods power to awake men that beeing astonied at the power of God they might wonder at hym and also worship him neither are they without signification but they stirre vs vp to vnderstande somewhat of GOD. The true vse of miracles This is a notable place of the vse of myracles nemely that they shoulde get vnto God amongst men reuerence and obedince So thou readest in Marke Mar. 16.20 Act. 14.3 that the Lord confirmed his doctrine by myracles that followed So Luke saith that the Lorde gaue testimonie to the worde of his grace by myracles It is manifest therefore that those myracles whiche seeke the glory of creatures and not of God which bring credite vnto lies and not vnto the worde of God are of the diuell I referre the power of the spirite of God which he hath put in the thirde place vnto them both 19 That from Hierusalem euen vnto Illyricum He addeth also a testimonie frome the effect because that successe which did followe his preaching did passe all mans strength For who could gather so many Churches vnto Christe vnlesse he were holpen by the power of God From Ierusalem vnto Illyricum quoth hee I haue spread abroade the Gospel neither haue I done that by a directe course hasting vnto the end but euery where about going through all those regions are betweene But the verbe Pepleromenai whiche according to some wee haue translated to fill doeth signfie to make perfecte and supplye that is wanting Whereuppon Pleroma is called of the Grecians as well perfection as a supplement or fulfilling I doe willingly expounde it thus that hee dispersed the preaching of the Gospell as