of the fleshe is not brideled but rather it increaseth Whereby it followeth that the kingdome of righteousnesse is not established till Christe haue freed vs from the lawe And withall Paule admonisheth what workes doe become vs beeyng loosed from the lawe So long therefore as a man is holden vnder the yoke of the lawe by sinning continually he can bring nothing vnto himselfe but death If the seruice of the lawe begetteth sinne onely then deliuerance which is contrary must tende vnto righteousnesse if that lead vnto death then this vnto life But let vs consider the very wordes of Paul Whiles he goeth about to describe that time wherein wee were vnder the dominion of the lawe hee saith we were in the fleshe Whereby we vnderstand that all they which are vnder the law reape nothing els thereby then that without fruite and efficacie their eares are beaten with the externall breath thereof seeing they are inwardly destitute of the spirite of God Therefore they must needes abide altogether corrupt peruerse vntill a better remedie come to heale their disease And note the vsuall phrase of the Scripture to bee in the flesh for What it is to be in the flesh to be indued onely with the gifts of nature without that speciall grace wherew t God vouchsafeth his elect Furthermore if this whole state of life be corrupt it is apparant that naturally there is no part of our soule sound neither is there any other power of free wil but that it may send foorth euyll affections as dartes into euery part Affections of sinnes which are by the lawe That is the lawe did stir vp euill affections in vs which did declare their efficacie in all our members For there is no parte which did not serue the euill affections This is the worke of the lawe namely to inflame our heartes the more that they shoulde burst foorth into such lustes if that inwarde master of the spirite bee not present But obserue here that the lawe is matched with the corrupt nature of man whose peruersitie and lust the more it is restrained by the barres of the lawe the more furiously it bursteth foorth He addeth againe so long as the affections of the fleshe were ruled vnder the law they brought foorth fruite vnto death that they might shew how the lawe by it selfe killeth whereby it followeth that they are foolish who so greatly couet after that seruice bringeth death 6 But now wee are freed from the lawe Hee pursueth his argument from contraries if the bande of the lawe did so little preuaile to bridle the fleshe that it was rather an increment of sinne then of necessitie must we be loosed that we may cease to sinne If then wee bee freed from the bondage of the lawe that we might serue God they doe wickedly whiche take from hence libertie of sinning And they speake wickedly which say by this meanes the raines are loosed to concupiscence Note therefore wee are then loosed from the lawe when God doth indue vs being freed from the seuere exaction and curse thereof with his spirite that wee might walke in his wayes Beeing dead to it This parte conteyneth a reason or rather sheweth the maner whereby we are deliuered namely whiles the law is so farre foorth abrogated from vs that we be not oppressed with the burden thereof or least that the seuere rigour thereof ouerwhelme vs in the Curse In the newnesse of the spirite Hee opposeth the spirite against the letter because before that our will by the holy Ghoste be formed vnto the will of God we haue nothing in the lawe but the outward letter Why newnesse is ascribed vnto the spirite which in deede brideleth our externall actions but it restraineth not the furie of our concupiscence at all Hee attributeth newenesse vnto the spirite because it succeedeth in the steede of the olde man as the Letter is called old which perisheth by the regeneration of the spirite 7 What shall we say then is the lawe sinne God forbid But I knewe not sinne but by the lawe For I had not knowen concupiscence except the lawe had saide thou shalte not lust 8 But sinne tooke an occasion by the commandement wrought in me al maner of concupiscence 7 What shall wee say then Because it was saide wee must be deliuered from the lawe that we might serue God in the newnesse of spirit this fault did seeme to be in the law as though it did driue vs vnto sinne But seeing that is very absurd the Apostle did very well to take in hand to refute it When hee demaundeth therfore whether the law be sin his meaning is whether it beget sin so that the fault thereof ought to bee imputed to the law Sinne remaineth in vs not in the lawe But I knew not sin Then doth sinne abide in vs and not in the law because the cause of sin is the wicked cōcupiscence of our flesh we come into the knowledge therof by the knowledge of the righteousnes of God which is declared vnto vs in the law But you are not to vnderstād it as though there were no difference at al betweene righte wrong without the law But the either we are too blinde in seeing our corruption or els whiles wee flatter our selues wee are altogether secure as also it followeth For I had not knowen concupiscence This is therefore a declaration of the former sentence wherein he sheweth that that ignoraunce of sinne whereof hee spake did stande in this that men marked not their concupiscence And purposely he persisteth in one kynde wherein chiefly Hypocrisie raygneth whereunto retchlesse pampering and securitie is alway annexed For men are neuer so depriued of iudgement but externall woorkes keepe with them their difference Yea they are forced also to condemne wicked counsels and such like deuises which they cannot doe but they must needes giue vnto a right will that prayse is due vnto it But the faulte of concupiscence is more hidden and more deepely layde vppe whereby it commeth to passe that it neuer commeth into question so long as men iudge according to their sence For he doth not boast himselfe to haue beene voyde of it but hee did so flatter himselfe that hee made no account of that sinne lurking in his heart For seeyng he was deceiued for a tyme when hee thought that righteousnesse coulde not be hindered by concupiscence then at length he perceyued he was a sinner when he saw concupiscence of the which no man is voyde to be forbidden by the Lawe Augustine sayeth that Paule vnder this worde conteyneth the whole lawe whiche so that we vnderstande it well is true For when Moses sheweth of what things we are to take heede least wee offend or hurt our neighbour he addeth thou shalt not lust which is to bee referred vnto all those preceptes went before There is doubt but in the former commaundementes he had condemned whatsoeuer wicked affections our hearts conceiue Concupiscence without
deteineth a man in the letter of the law maketh him subiect vnto death On the contrary he calleth the law of sin death What is meant by the law of sin the dominion of the flesh and tyrannie of death which proceedeth thence The law of God is as it were placed in the midst which law teacheth righteousnes but giueth it not yea rather it bindeth vs in stronger bonds vnto the seruitude of sin death Therefore the meaning is where as the law of God condemneth men that commeth to passe because so long as they abide vnder the bonde of the lawe they are pressed with the bondage of sin and so are gilty of death But the spirit of Christ whiles by correcting the inordinat lusts of the flesh Obiection he abolisheth the law of sin in vs doth also deliuer vs from the giltines of death If any should obiect that then the forgiuenesse wherby our offences are buried Answeare doth depend vpon regeneration the answere is easie namely that the cause is not here set downe of Paule but the maner only is deliuered wherby we are loosed from giltinesse And Paule denieth vs to obteine that by the doctrine of the lawe but whiles we are renewed by the spirite of God wee are also iustified by free forgiuenes that the curse of sinne might no more lie vpon vs. This sentence therfore is as much as if Paul had said the grace of regeneration is neuer separated trom the imputation of righteousnesse I dare not take the law of sin death with some for the loue of god because it seemeth to bee a hard speech For although by increasing sinne it beget death yet Paule did purposely aboue withdrawe from this despite or roughnesse of speeche Although nothing the more I consent to their opinion who vnderstand the law of sin for the concupiscence of the flesh as though Paul said he had cōquered it For shortly after it shal as I hope sufficiētly appeare that he speaketh of free forgiuenesse which doth bring vnto vs a perfect peace with God I had rather keepe the name of law then with Erasmus to translate it right or power because Paule did not without cause allude vnto the lawe of God 3 For that which was impossible to the law Nowe followeth the polishing and setting foorth of the confirmation namely that the Lorde hath by his free mercy iustified vs in Christe which thing was impossible for the law But because this is a very notable sentence let vs examine euery part thereof That hee intreateth here of free iustification or of remission wherby god reconcileth vs to himselfe The doctrine of remission free mercy is restrained vnto those who ioyne repentance vnto faith it may be gathered by that last clause where hee addeth who walke according to the spirite and not according to the fleshe For if Paule went about to teach how by the spirite of regeneration we are instructed or furnished to conquere sinne to what end were this addition But it was very expedient that after he had promised free remission vnto the faithful then this doctrine should be restrayned vnto those who ioyne repentance vnto faith and abuse not the mercy of God vnto the licenciousnes of the flesh Secondarily heere is to be noted the rendring of the cause For the Apostle sheweth how the grace of Christ doth absolue vs from giltines Now concerning the wordes impossible to the lawe out of questiō is takē for a defect or impotencie as though it were said there was a remedie founde of God whereby the impossibilitie of the lawe was taken away As for the particle en O which Erasmus hath turned that part wherein because I thinke it to be causall I choose rather to translate it because And albeit perhaps you shall not finde such a phrase of speech with good authours of the Greeke tongue yet because the Apostles do euery where vse Hebrewe phrases this interpretation ought not to seeme hard Certainly the sound Readers will graunt that the cause of defect was expressed here as we shal declare again a little after Now whiles Erasmus putteth down of himself the principall verbe in my iudgement the text doth runne verye well o-otherwise The Coniunction Kai and hath deceiued Erasmus that he should insert or thrust in the verbe Praestitit that is hee hath perfourmed But I think it was put for amplification sake except any perhaps like the coniecture of the Greeke gloser better who ioyneth this member and of sinne to that goeth before namely God sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh for sinne Howebeit I haue followed that which I haue thought to bee the naturall sense of Paule Nowe I come vnto the thing it selfe Paule affirmeth plainely that our sinnes were therefore done away by the death of Christ because it was impossible for the lawe to make vs righteous Whereupon it followeth there is more commaunded in the lawe then we are able to perfourme because if wee were able to perfourme the lawe it were in vaine to seeke for remedie els where Wherefore it is absurde that mans strength shoulde bee measured by the precepts of the lawe as though God in requiring that is iuste had regarded what and howe greate our strengthe were Because it was weake least any shoulde thinke the law were charged vnreuerently with weakenesse or should restraine this vnto ceremonies Why the lawe cannot iustifie Paule hath precisely expressed that that defect is not through the fault of the lawe but through the corruptiō of our flesh For we must cōfesse if any did absolutely satisfie the lawe of God he were righteous before God So then hee denieth not the law to be able to iustifie vs in respect of doctrine as which conteineth the perfect rule of righteousnesse but because our fleshe doeth not compasse that righteousnesse the whole strength of the lawe falleth or vanisheth away So their errour or rather dotage is refuted who thinke the power of iustifiyng is taken away onely from ceremonies when Paul plainely putting the fault in vs declareth that hee doth finde no faulte in the doctrine Furthermore vnderstand the infirmitie or weakenesse of the lawe as the Apostle is wont to vse the woorde astheneias not onely for a little weakenesse but for impotencie that hee might signifie howe the law hath no force at all to iustifie Thou seest then we are vtterly excluded from the righteousnes of workes and therefore must flee vnto the righteousnesse of Christ because there can be none in our selues Which thing is chiefly necessarie to be knowen for we shall neuer be cloathed with the righteousnes of Christ except first we know assuredly that we haue no righteousnes of our owne The name flesh is put alway in the same signification namely for our selues Therefore the corruption of our nature maketh the lawe of God vnprofitable to vs because whiles it sheweth the way of life it doth not reduce vs backe Howe God hath
restored vs to righteousnes by his sonne who are running headlong vnto death God by sending his sonne Nowe he sheweth the maner how the celestiall father hath restored vs to righteousnesse by his sonne namely because he hath condemned sinne in the flesh of Christ that is the handwriting being as it were cancelled he hath done away the giltines which did hold vs bound before the Lord. For the condemnation of sin hath brought vs into righteousnes because the giltines being put away we are absolued that God might repute vs iust But first he saith that Christ was sent that he might admonish vs how righteousnes is not resident in vs seeing it is to be sought for in another and in vaine doe men trust to theyr merites who are not otherwise iustified then by prayer or intreatie or els because the borrowe righteousnes of that satisfaction which Christ fulfilled in his flesh and he saith that Christ came in the similitude of sinfull flesh because albeit the flesh of Christ was stained with no blots yet to the sighte it seemed sinneful so far foorth as he susteined that punishment was due to our sinnes And certainly vpon the same flesh as subiect vnto him death did shew all the partes of his power And because it behooued our high priest by his own experience to learn what it is to succour the weak Christ would vndertake our infirmities that he might be the redier vnto mutual passion in whiche part also there appeared a certain image of sinfull nature Yea of sin I haue said a while agoe that this was expounded by some of the cause or end why God did send his sonne namely that he might make satisfaction for sin Chrysostome diuers after him vnderstande it somwhat more hardly namely that sin was condemned of sin because it slewe Christ vniustly vnworthily Indeed I confesse because he being iust and innocent vndertooke punishment for sinners by this meanes was the price of redemption paid Sinne taken for the sacrifice of sinne yet I cannot be brought to thinke the word sinne to be put heere in any other sense then for a sacrifice of satisfaction whiche of the Hebrews is called Asham as the Grecians cal Catharma a Sacrifice whereunto malediction or curse is annexed So the same Paul saith Christ who knew not sin became sin for vs that wee might be made the righteousnes of God in him And the preposition Peri of or for is taken here causally as though Paul had said vpon that sacrifice or els for the burden of sin whiche was laid vpon Christ sin was cast downe from his power that now it might not haue vs in subiection For he saith that sin was condēned metaphorically as they who are cast in a matter loose their processe because God dealeth no more against those giltie persons who are cleered by the sacrifice of Christe If wee say the kingdome of sinne wherewithall wee were oppressed was abrogated it is all one Therefore Christ tooke vnto him that was ours that hee might power vpon vs that was his For hauing taken vpon him our curse hee hath indued vs with his blessing Here Paul addeth in the flesh that our confidence might bee more sure whiles we see sinne was conquered abolished euen in our owne nature for so it cōmeth to passe that our nature is truely made partaker of that victorie which thing hee also declareth straightwayes 4 That the righteousnes of the lawe might bee fulfilled They who gather out of this place that those are renued by the spirite of Chrste doe fulfill the lawe they bring in a fayned matter altogether wide from the meaning of Paule for the faithfull so long as they wander in this worlde neuer come vnto that perfection that the righteousnesse of the lawe shoulde bee full and perfect in them Therefore this must needes be referred vnto grace because whiles the obediēce of Christ is imputed to vs the lawe is satisfied that wee might bee accounted for iuste For the perfection which the lawe required was therefore exhibited in the fleshe that the rigour thereof should no more be of force to condemne vs But because Christe doth communicate his righteousnes to none but whom he hath coupled to himselfe by the bond of his spirite Regeneration is added againe leaste Christe shoulde bee thought to bee the minister of sinne Righteousnes by faith in Christe is coupled with sanctification as many are ready to drawe that vnto the lasciuiousnesse of the flesh whatsoeuer is saide of the fatherly mercy of God and some do wickedly slaunder this doctrine as though it extinguished the studie of a right life 5 For they who are after the fleshe studie or cogitate those thinges which are of the fleshe and they which are after the spirite the thinges which are of the spirit 6 The wisedome or cogitation verily of the fleshe is death but the wisedome or cogitation of the spirite is life and peace 7 Seeing the wisedome or cogitation of the flesh is enmitie against God For it is not subiect to the law of God neyther can it be 8 They therefore whiche are in the fleshe can not please God 5 For they who are after the fleshe Hee bringeth in this difference of the fleshe and the spirite not onely by an argument taken from the contrarie to prooue that he sayde before namely that the grace of Christ doth not appertaine vnto any but those who beyng renewed by the spirite doe giue them selues vnto innocencie but also that with due consolation hee might cheere vp the faithful least whiles they are priuie in them selues vnto many infirmities they should dispaire For seeing none are deliuered from the curse but they who lead a spiritual life it might seeme that hope of saluation were cut off from all menne For what man shal be found in the worlde furnished with an Angelicall puritie so that he hath nothing to doe with the flesh It was necessarie to adde this definition what it is to be in the fleshe and to walke according to the fleshe At the first Paule doth not distinguishe so precisely but yet as wee shall see in the processe his purpose is to put the faithfull in good hope albeit they are yet tyed to their flesh so be that they loose not the reynes to the lustes thereof but suffer them selues to bee ruled by the holie spirite When he saith that the carnall doe care for or meditate the thinges of the fleshe hee testifieth that he counteth not those for carnall Who are carnall who aspire vnto heauenlye righteousnesse but who are altogether addicted to the world Therefore I haue put downe the word cogitate which comprehendeth more in steed of to be wise or vnderstand that the reader might know that they are excluded from the sonnes of God who beeyng giuen to the inticementes of the fleshe applye their mindes and studies to wicked lustes Nowe in the seconde member he exhorteth the faithfull to hope well if they feele
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
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
testamēt is made manifest where besides the forgetting of sin the holy spirite is promised In the 7. Chapter he entreth into a most necessary disputatiō of the vse of the lawe whiche hee had lightly by the waye touched before giuing a reason why wee are loosed from the law because that by it self it had no power but vnto condemnation And least this should turne to the reproch of the law he doth mightily cleare the lawe from all reproches For he sheweth that through our fault it came to passe that the lawe which was giuen for life was made the matter of death Declaring also howe sinne is encreased by it From hence hee passeth to the description of the fight between the spirite and the flesh which fight the children of God feele in themselues so long as they are shut within the prison of this mortall body for they beare the reliques of concupiscence wherby they are continually drawen partly from the obedience of the law The eight chapter is full of consolations least the consciences of the faythfull being feared with that disobedience which he reprooued before or rather imperfect obedience should be ouerthrowne But least that the wicked should take occasiō herby to flatter thēselues first he sheweth that this benefit doth not appertein vnto any but vnto the regenerate in whō the spirit of God liueth is of force Therefore he vnfoldeth two things the first that all those which are graffed into the Lord Christ by his spirit are freed frō the danger feare of condemnation howsoeuer they are yet laden with sinnes Secondly that they which yet remain in the flesh without the spirit of sanctification are not partakers of this so great a benefit thē afterward he declareth howe great the certainetie of our trust is seeing the spirit of God by his testimony doth driue away all douting and wauering Moreouer by an anticipation or preuenting he sheweth that the assurance of eternall life cānot be interrupted or disturbed through the presēt miseries whereunto for the time of this mortall life we are subiect but rather by such exercises our saluation is furthered vnto the excellencie whereof if all the present miseries bee compared they are nothing This thing he confirmeth by the example of Christ Who as he is the first begotten obteining the principalitie in the house of God so he is the first paterne whereunto we ought all of vs to be conformed And therfore as vnto a thing most safe and sure hee addeth a notable triumphe wherein he triumpheth couragiously against the power and engines of Satan And for as much as many were greatly mooued when they sawe the Iewes which were the principall keepers and heires of the couenat to dispise Christ for thereby they gathered that eyther the couenant was translated from the posteritie of Abraham whiche contemned the keeping of the couenant or els this was not the promised Sauiour whiche prouided not better for the people of the Iewes he beginneth to meet with this obiection in the entrāce into the nienth chapter Hauing therefore first of all testified his goodwill towardes his countreymen the Iewes that they might not think hee spake any thing of malice and also hauing mentioned those ornaments whereby they excelled others he descendeth easily to the taking away of that offence which did arise of their cecitie or blindnes And deuideth the sonnes of Abraham into two sortes that he might declare how that all those which are borne of him according to the fleshe are not to bee reckoned in his seed to participate the grace of the couenant And on the contrary those which are not borne of his seed to be counted for sonnes if they be ingraffed by faith Wherof he proposeth an example in Iacob and Esau Therefore he calleth vs here vnto the election of God vpon the which this whole matter must necessarily consist and depend Againe seeing this election leaneth only vpon the mercie of God in vayne is the cause thereof sought for in the worthines of men Reprobation is contrary which notwithstanding it is most iust yet is there no cause aboue the will of God About the end of the chapter hee declareth by the testimonies of the Prophetes both the calling of the Gentiles and also the reprobation of the Iewes In the tenth chapter hauing begunne agayne with the testification of his good will towards the Iewes he sheweth that the vaine trust of workes was the cause of their ruine And least they shoulde pretende excuse by the lawe hee preuenteth that declaring howe by the lawe wee are also led as it were by the hande vnto the righteousnesse of faith Adding that this righteousnesse through the bountifulnesse of God is indifferently offered vnto all nations but yet to be apprehended of those onely whom God hath lightened with his speciall grace And whereas moe Gentiles then Iewes are partakers of that blessing he sheweth that that also was forespoken of by Moses and Esai The one whereof prophesied playnely of the calling of the Gentiles and the other of the hardening of the Iewes Here yet remayned a questiō whither the couenant of god put not some difference between the seede of Abraham other nations Whiles he goeth about to satisfie this question first he admonisheth that the worke of God is not to be boūd vnto the sight of the eye seeing many times the elect passe our vnderstanding Euen as in olde tyme Elias was deceiued who thought that religion was vtterly perished among the Israelites when as yet there were seuen thousande aliue Secondly that we are not to be troubled with the multitude of vnbeleeuers whiche wee see abhorre the Gospel At the length hee affirmeth that the couenant of God abideth yea euen in the posteritie of Abraham according to the fleshe but yet in those whom God according to his free election hath predestinated Then he conuerteth his talk vnto the Gentiles least they growing too proude through their adoption shoulde lift vp themselues against the Iewes as reprobates when in the meane time they excell thē in nothing but in the fauourable acceptation of the Lorde which ought rather to bee vnto them a cause of humilitie And the same also is not vtterly departed from the seede of Abraham for the Iewes at the length by the fayth of the Gentiles shall bee prouoked vnto emulation that so GOD may gather vnto him all his Israel The three Chapters following conteyne preceptes or instructions touching manners but they are diuersly distinguished The twelfth Chapter conteyneth generall preceptes concerning a christian life The thirteenth chapter for the most part is spent in establishing the authoritie of Magistrats Whereby wee may make a most certayn collection that there were then some vnquiet persons which thought christian libertie coulde not stande vnlesse the ciuill power were ouerthrowne But least Paul shoulde seeme to impose any thing vpon the Church besides the dueties of charitie hee sheweth that this obedience is also conteyned vnder charitie After this hee
holye spirite There is another communication of the death of Christ whereof as the Apostle speaketh often els where so to the Cor. namely 2. Cor. 4. the bearing of the crosse after which followeth the participation of eternall life 8. For if we bee dead This he repeateth to no other end then that he might adde a declaration which followeth afterwarde that Christ beyng once raysed from the dead dyeth no more Whereby hee teacheth that this newnesse of life must be folowed after of Christians their whole life For if they ought to represent in themselues by the mortification of the fleshe the image of Christ and life of the spirite How mortification must be once for all that must be done once for all but this must continue still Not as though the fleshe were mortified in vs in a moment as we said of late but because wee must not reuolt or goe backe in mortifiyng the fleshe For if wee turne backe vnto our filthines we deny Christ of whom we cannot be partakers but by newnes of life euen as he leadeth a life incorruptible 9 Death hath no more power ouer him Hee seemeth to insinuate that death did once conquere or rule ouer Christe And verily when hee gaue himselfe to death for vs hee did in a sort subiect him selfe vnto the power of death yet with that condition that it was impossible for him to bee holden bounde with the sorowes of it to be ouercome or swallowed vp of it Therefore in yeelding vnto the power of death for a moment Christ for a while yeelded vnto death he swallowed vp death for euer Albeit in speaking more simplye the power of death is referred vnto the voluntary condition of death to whom resurrection hath set an ende The meaning is Christ who nowe quickeneth the faithfull with his spirite or inspireth life into them by his secrete power from heauen was exempted from the power of death when he rose agayne that he might deliuer all his from the same 10 He dyed to sinne once Whereas he said that we after the example of Christ are loosed for euer from the yoke of death now he applyeth it vnto his purpose namely that we are no longer subiect vnto the tyranny of sinne and that he declareth by the finall cause of the death of Christ in as much as hee dyed that he might extinguishe sinne Furthermore in the phrase of speech is to bee noted what is proper vnto Christ For he saith not hee is dead vnto sinne that he might cease to sinne like as it must be sayd if the talke be of vs but because hee dyed for sinne that offering himselfe the price of our redemption hee might bring the power and authoritie of sinne vnto naught And he saith that he dyed once not onely because eternall redemption beeyng purchased by his only one sacrifice purgation of sinne being made by his blood he hath sanctified the faithfull for euer but also that we might be aunswearable by a mutuall resemblance or similitude For albeit death spirituall hath his continuall proceedinges in vs yet are we properly saide to die once whiles Christ by his blood reconciling vs to the father Heb. 10.14 doth also by the vertue of his spirite regenerate vs. In that he liueth Whither you expound it with God or in God all commeth to one sence For his meaning is he now liueth a life subiect to no mortalitie in the immortall incorruptible kingdome of God The figure of Christ his celestiall life ought to appeare in the regeneration of the godly the figure whereof ought to appeare in the regeneration of the godly Here we are to keepe in minde the word similitude For hee saith not we shall liue in heauen as Christ liueth there but he maketh that new life which by regeneration we leade in earth conformable to his celestiall life And whereas he saith we must die to sinne after his example it is not so that it may be called the same death For we dye to sinne when sinne dieth in vs but it is otherwise in Christe who by dying did put sinne to flight Nowe verily whereas he saide before we beleeue there is a life shal bee common vnto vs by the worde beleeue hee sufficiently sheweth that he speaketh of the grace of Christ For if he had onely admonished vs of our duetie hee shoulde haue saide thus seeing wee are dead with Christ we must likewise liue with him And this worde beleeue noteth that the doctrine of faith is handled here which is grounded vpon the promises as though it were said Christians ought to resolue themselues that through the benefite of Christ they are so dead according to the flesh that the same Christ may cōtinue in thē newnesse of life vnto the ende The future tense in the verbe liue doth not apperteyne vnto the last resurrection but simply noteth the perpetuall course of a new life so long as we liue in this world 11 Euen so you esteeme your selues c. Now is added that definition of the analogie How we may dye euen whiles we liue which I touched For whereas he saide that Christ died once for sinne and liueth for euer vnto God applying both vnto vs he nowe admonisheth howe wee may dye in liuing namely when we renounce sinne But withall he omitteth not that parte namely when wee haue once imbraced the grace of Christ by faith although the mortification of the flesh be but begun in vs yet in this same is the life of sinne extinguished that in steed therof spiritual newnesse which is heauenly might dure for euer For except Christ did kil sinne in vs once euen vnto the end his grace should not be firme and stable the meaning therefore of the words is esteeme the case is thus with you as Christ died once that he might slea sinn so you must die once that ye may cease to sinne hereafter yea you must daily proceed in that mortification which is begun in you vntil sin be vtterly extinguished As christ was raysed vnto an incorruptible life so ye must be regenerat by the grace of God that ye may lead your whole life in holines righteousnes seeing this vertue of the holy spirit wherby ye are renued is eternal shal florish for euer I had rather keepe the words of Paule in Christ Iesus then with Erasmus to translate it by Christ for so the grafting is better expressed which maketh vs one with Christ 12 Let not sinne therefore raigne in our mortal bodye that ye might obeye it in the lustes thereof 13 And giue not your members weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues to God as liuinge from the dead and your members weapons of righteousnes vnto God 12 Let not sinne therefore raigne Nowe he beginneth an exhortation which voluntarily ariseth out of the doctrine which he deliuered of our communication with Christ albeit sinne abideth in vs yet is it absurd that it shoulde bee of
wanting but I carnall man can doe nothing but striue against it And that interpretation of Origen which notwithstang before this time it hath pleased many is vnworthie to be refuted Hee saith the lawe is called spirituall of Paule because the Scripture is not litterally to bee vnderstoode What is this vnto the present cause sould vnder sinne By this parcell he sheweth what fleshe is of it selfe For by nature man is no lesse the bondeslaue of sinne What men are by nature then those bondemen are bought with money whom their masters abuse at their pleasure like Oxen or Asses wee are so vtterly mastered vnder the power of sinne that our whole minde heart and all our actions bende towardes sinne I doe alway except coaction for voluntarily we sinne because it were no sinne excepte it were voluntarie But wee are so addicted vnto sinne that wee can doe nothing freely but sinne because that corruption ruleth in vs draweth vs hereunto Wherefore this similitude importeth not as they say a coacted or forced astriction or tying but a voluntary obsequie whereunto the ingraffed seruitude addicteth vs. 15 For that which I doe I knowe not Nowe hee descendeth vnto a more particular example of a regenerate man in whom both those thinges hee intendeth doe more clearely appeare namely howe great discorde there is betweene the lawe of God and mans nature and howe the lawe doeth not of it selfe bring death For truely seeing the carnall man with all the inclination of his minde doeth rushe into the lust of sinning hee seemeth to sinne with such free election that hee might moderate himselfe if hee woulde as this pernitious opinion hath almost preuayled with all men namely that a man by his owne naturall strength without the help of Gods grace is able to electe whither hee will But verely whiles the will of a faithfull man is ledde vnto good by the spirite of God thereby appeareth plainely the corruption of nature which obstinately resisteth and striueth to the contrary Therefore thou haste in a regenerate man a very fit example whereby thou mayest knowe howe contrary the righteousnesse of the lawe is to our nature Hence also the declaration of the other member is more aptly drawen then from the bare consideration of mans nature For the lawe because it bringeth foorth nothing but death in that man whiche is altogether carnall is there more easily charged for it is doubtfull whence the faulte proceedeth In the regenerate man it bringeth forth holesome fruites whereby appeareth that the fleshe onely is in the cause that it quickneth not so farre is it from generating death of it selfe That this disputation therefore maye both more faithfully and more certainely bee vnderstoode We begin not to striue against sin before we be indewed with the spirite of sanctification wee must note that this conflicte of the which the Apostle speaketh is not in any man before he be sanctified by the spirite of God For man being left to his owne nature is wholly caried without resistance vnto concupiscences for although the wicked are tormented with the sting of their consciēce can not so flatter themselues in their vyces but that they haue some taste of bitternesse yet thou canst not gather thereby that they eyther hate euill or loue that is good Onely the Lorde doeth suffer them to bee so tormented that he might partly shewe vnto them his iudgement not that hee might put into them eyther a loue of righteousnesse or hatred of sinne This difference therefore there is betweene them and the faithfull that they meaning the wicked are neuer so blinded A difference between the sting of sinne in the wicked the feeling of sinne in the godly and hardened in their mindes but if they be admonished of their abhominations in the iudgement of their owne conscience they condemne them For knowledge is not vtterly extinguished in them but they reteine a difference of right and wrong Sometime also through the feeling of their sinne they are so shaken with horrour that euen in this life they sustaine a kinde a damnation Neuerthelesse they like sinne with their whole heart and therfore without any true resistaunce of the affection they giue them selues vnto it For those stinges of conscience wherewith all they are stonge arise rather of the contradiction of iudgement then the contrary affection of the will On the contrarie the godly in whome the regeneration of GOD is begunne are so diuided that with a speciall desire of the heart they feruently aspire vnto GOD they couette celestiall righteousnesse and hate sinne but agayne by the reliques of their fleshe they are drawen towardes the earth Therefore whiles they are thus destracted they fight against their nature and their nature fighteth against them And they doe not onely condemne their sinnes because they are forced thereunto by the iudgement of reason but because from the very heart they abhorre them and are diipleased with them This is that Christian warrefare betweene the fleshe and the spirite of the whiche Paule speaketh to the Galathians Gal. 5.17 And therefore is it well sayde that the carnall man with the whole consente and agreement of minde doeth rushe into sinne and that the diuision or struggling then first beginneth when hee is called of the Lorde and sanctified by his spirite For regeneration is onely begunne in this life the remnante of the fleshe which remayneth doeth alwaye followe his corrupte affections and so mooueth warre agaynst the spirite The vnlearned whiche consider not whereaboute the Apostle goeth or what kinde of dispensation hee holdeth do thinke that the nature of man is heere described And certainly suche a description of humane witte there is amongest the Philosophers Howebeit the scripture setteth downe a more deepe philosophie because since the tyme that Adam was spoyled of the image of God it sawe nothing to remaine in the heart of man besides peruersitie or frowardnesse So Sophisters when they go about to define free wil or to estimate of what value the strength of nature is sease vpon this place howebeit Paule as I saide doeth not heere propounde the bare nature of man but vnder his owne person Paule describeth what and howe great the infirmitie of the faithfull is Augustine was some time in this common errour yet when hee had more nerely sifted the place hee did not onelie retract that which hee had taught amisse but in his first booke vnto Boniface by manie strong arguments hee prooueth that it can not otherwayes bee vnderstoode but of the regenerate And wee will doe our indeuoure that the readers may clearely see it is so I knowe not His meaning is that he did not acknowledge those woorkes whiche hee did committe through the infirmitie of the fleshe for his because hee did detest them Therefore it is not amisse that Erasmus hath vsed the worde approue but because that might bee ambiguous I chose rather to reteine the worde knowe or vnderstande Whereby wee
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
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
Papistes cha 10. 5. Merite cannot be proued by reward cha 2. 6. Merite and faith are vtterly contrary cha 9. 32. Mans merite ouerthrowen cha 2. 6. 3. 27. 4. 2. 5. 5. 8. 18. 9. 31. Mercy a Christian vertue chap. 1. 28. Renewing of the minde necessary cha 12. 2. Minister of the worde how he is saide to saue cha 11. 14. Ministery of the word commended 1. 16. 10. 15. 11. 14. The vse of miracles cha 15. 18. Mortification necessary in the godly cha 6. 8. Moses preached the Gospel cha 10. 5. Moses how he wished to be put out of the booke of life cha 9. 4. Moses his proper and peculier office cha 10. 5. Moses and Paul consent notably cha 10. 8. Mouth for face and countenance cha 10. 9. N. THe name of the law diuersly taken cha 7. 2. The nature of faith cha 1. 5. 17. Nunnes whence they came cha 16. 1. O THe obedience of the Romaines cha 16. 19. Obiections of the wicked cha 3. 7. 9. 19. Offences must be auoyded cha 3. 8. cha 6. 1. 9. 1. 14. 10. 2. The office of an Apostle cha 1. 1. The office of Pastors cha 3. 10. 15. 16. The old man what it is cha 6. 6. The old and new Testament compared cha 3. 26. Whither the old Testament apperteine vnto Christians cha 15. 4. Opportunitie must be taken cha 2. 4. 12. 11. An othe what it is cha 1. 9. An othe not altogether vnlawful ibidem Ouids place chap. 7. 16. P Papal Bishops not the successours of the Apostles chap. 1. 1. Papists brag themselues for Christians without the spirite of Christ chap. 8. 9. Papists contend there is no sinne in the regenerate chap. 7. 7. Papistes whence they proue their merites cha 10. 5. The patience of the faithful what it should be chap. 15. 4. What patience is to be praysed cha 15. 4. Patience an inseparable companion of faith chap. 8. 25. Patience how it woorketh triall chap. 5. 4. Patience necessarily followeth hope cha 8. 25. Patience necessarie for the faithful cha 2. 7. 8 18. 12. 19. Paule a true Apostle of Christ chap. 1. 1. Paule prayed continually cha 1. 9. Paule a true worshipper of God cha 1 9. Paule a true Israelite cha 11. 1. Paule subiect to diuers reproches cha 15. 30. The perfection of the faythful what it is chap. 7. 25 and 8. 5. Popish satisfactions ouerthrowen chap. 4. 6. Prayer continual chap. 12. 12. Prayer necessary for the Godly cha 15. 31. What prayers be acceptable to God cha 8. 27. True prayer what it is cha 8. 27. and 10. 14. Prayer vnto dead Saints whence it is established cha 15. 30. Preaching of the Gospel ought to be greatly esteemed cha 10. 15. Preaching of the Gospel an acceptable seruice to God cha 1. 9. Preposterous lust how execrable it is cha 1. 26. Pretertence for the presentence chap. 8. 30. Pretertence for the future cha 10 20. The prerogatiue of the faithful cha 1. 8. Pride must be auoyded chap. 12. 16. The profitinges of the faithful cha 1. 17. Who are proude cha 1. 28. R REading of Scripture necessary for the Godly cha 15. 4. Reasonable seruice chap. 12. 1. Relation betweene faith and the promise cha 4. ◠Renewing of the mynde cha 12. 2. Regeneration is perfected by degrees in the faithful chap. 6. 7. 7. 15. 8. 10. Religion that it may be true must coupled with the word cha 10. 2. The cause of reprobation is hiddē in the secret coūsel of god cha 11 7. The cause of reprobation is to be sought for in the purpose of God cha 9. 14. What is the next cause of reprobation cha 9. 11. Reprobates vessels of wrath prepared to destruction cha 9. 22. 23. Reprobates bequeathed to destruction cha 9 18. A reprobate sence cha 11. 8. Reuenging forbidden cha 12. 19. Righteousnes of faith what it is cha 10. 9. Righteousnes put for the rule of a right life cha 6. 19. Righteousnes for the remission of sinnes cha 4. 6. S SAcramentes cha 4. 11. The sacrifice of the faithful cha 12. 1. Sacriledge what it is cha 2. 22. Saluation dependeth vpon the meere goodnes of God cha 9. 14. 1. 6. Saluation proper to the Iewes by the couenant cha 15. 8. Saluation of the godly not perfected without patience cha 8. 25. The first cause of saluation cha 8. 28. Why part of our saluation is attributed vnto confession cha 10. 10. Certainty of saluation whence it dependeth cha 8. 32. Certainty of saluation consisteth vpon 2. pointes cha 10. 6. Sanctification a fruite of righteousnes cha 6. 22. Sanctitie put for dignitie cha 11. 16. The Saints are specially to be holpen cha 12. 13. Saraes laughter faultie cha 4. 20. Sathan the Prince of this worlde Satan the minister of Gods wrath cha 1. 24. 9. 18. Satan is ouercome of the faithful cha 16. 19. The seate of faith is the heart cha 10. 10. To seeke God is to hope in him cha 1. 5. 12. Seruetus blasphemies errours refuted cha 1. ◠To be vnder sinne what it is cha 3. 9. What simplicitie is to be praised cha 16. 19. Schoolemen when the fault is forgiuen reteine the punishment cha 4. ◠Shame sometime profitable cha 6. 21. The true scope of the faithful cha 2. 7. Slouthfulnes must be auoyded chap. 8. 22. 9. 16. Sobriety necessarie in the godly chap. 13. 14. Sonnes of the flesh who they are cha 9. 8. Sonnes of God who they are cha 9. 25. Sonnes of the promise who they are cha ◠8. Soule taken for the whole man cha 13. 1. Spirit for the spiritual end of ceremonies chap. 2. 28. Spirit for that part of man is regenerate ca. 7. 18. The spirite how it maketh intercession for vs cha 8. 26. The spirit of compunction what it is cha 11 8. The spirit of sanctification what it is cha 1. 4. The spirit of bondage what it is cha 8. 15. Spirit and letter opposite cha 7. 6. The operation of the spirit manifold cha 8. 14. The helpe of the spirite how necessary cha 8. 26. Spiritual riches cha 8. 32. Spiritual walking what it is cha 8. 1. Strife must be auoyded cha 13. 3. Sufferings of ignominy cha 1. 26 To sweare by the name of God what it is cha 9. 1. T THankesgiuing cha 14. 6. 16. 21. Tribulation what it is cha 8. 35. Tribulation how it worketh patience cha 5. 3. Tributes why they are payde vnto Princes cha 13. 6. Truth for the rule of Gods will cha 2. 8. The truth of Gods iudgement wherein it consisteth cha 2. 1. To serue the time what it is cha 12. 11. V W The victory of the faithful cha 8. 37. 12. 21. 16. 19. Vntil how it is taken cha 11. 25. The warfare of the faithful cha 6. 13. 12. 12. Weakenesse of faith twofold cha 4. 19. Weake taken for wicked and vnworthy cha 5. 6. The weake in faith must bee considered chap. 14. 1. Way put for the reason or manner of doing cha 11. 33. Weapons of light what they be chap. 13 11. Whisperers what they be chap. 1. 28. Whoredome condemned chap. 1. 28. The wicked are made woorse by the bountifulnes of God cha 2. 5. The wicked alway flee the yoke of God cha 2. 8. The wicked appoynted for destruction cha 9. 2. Wickednes what it is cha 1. 28. To be wise vnto sobrietie what it is cha 12. 13. The word of faith for the Gospel 1. 8. and 10. 8. Workes of darknes cha 13. 11. Workes iustifie not cha 2. 13. World how it is taken chap. 12. 2. True worship of God what it is cha 1. ver 9. The worship of God put for ceremonies and rites cha 9. 4. ⧠Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawson for John Harrison and George Bishop 1583.
addeth those preceptes for the instruction of our life whiche hee had not mentioned before In the nexte chapter hee taketh on him an exhortation which was very necessarie for the present tyme. For there were some who through obstinate superstition beeing addicted to the obseruations of Moses could not without great offence suffer the neglect of them Agayne there were othersome who being confirmed touching the abrogation or taking away of them whiles they went about to remooue superstition purposely shewed foorth a contempte of them Both parties offended throughe vntemperatures For the superstitious condemned the others as contemners of the Lawe of GOD and they agayne without discretion despised the simplicitie of the others Therefore the Apostle putteth downe for them both a conuenient moderation calling those were stronge from pride and disdayne and those were superstitious of infyrmitie and weaknesse from their too muche frowardnesse Moreouer hee prescribeth a notable fourme of Christian libertie that it might consiste within the boundes of Charitie and edifycation hee giueth those are weake wholesome counsayle whiles hee forbiddeth them to attempt any thing agaynst their conscience The fifteenth Chapter beginneth with a repetition of the geenerall sentence as the winding vp of the whole disputation that those are stronge myght bestowe their strength to confyrme the weake And because there was a perpetuall strife betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles about the ceremonies of Moses the materiall cause of pride beeing taken out of the way hee endeth all the quarrell betweene them For hee teacheth them that the saluation of them both doth depende vpon the onelie mercie of GOD whereunto they leaning ought to lay downe all pride and wherin they being coupled together in the hope of one inheritance ought euerye way to imbrace one another Lastly he coueting to make a digression vnto the commendation of his Apostleship which brought great authoritie to his doctrine taketh occasion thereof whiles he exscuseth and craueth pardon for his rashnesse that he was so bolde to take vpon him the office of a teacher among them Furthermore hee putteth them in great hope of his commming whiche thing hee saith in the beginning of this Epistle hee had in vaine hitherto gone aboute and prooued and this hee doeth adding the cause which presently did hinder him Namely that the Churches of Macedonia Achaia had committed to his charge the carriage of that almes vnto Hierusalem which they had giuen to relieue the poore brethren there The last Chapter standeth wholly almost vppon salutations but that it being heere and there tempered with certayne preceptes not to be contemned is concluded with an excellent prayer ⧠A Commentarie of Ioh. Caluin vpon the Epistle of Paule to the Romanes The first Chapter 1 PAule a seruaunt of Iesus Christ called to be an Apostle put a part to preach the Gospel of God 2 Which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures 3 Concerning his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde which was made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh 4 And declared mightely to be the sonne of God touching the spirite of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead 5 By whom we haue receiued grace and Apostleship that obedience might be giuen vnto the faith in his name among the Gentiles 6 Among whom yee be also the called of Iesus Christ 7 To all you that be at Rome beloued of God called to be Saintes grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ The Commentarie of Ioh. Caluin PAul I would speak nothing at al of the name of Paul seeyng it is a thing of no such weight that wee should stand long vpon it and nothing can be brought whiche hath not been spoken of other interpreters before but that with small labour I may satisfie some without any great contempt of others this question shal bee dispatched in few wordes Those which thinke the Apostle did take vnto him this name as a testimony of his victory ouer Sergius that vnder cōsul Acts 13.7.9 whom ye conuerted vnto Christ they are confuted of Luke himselfe who sheweth that he was so called before that time neither doe I thinke it like that this name should be giuen vnto him euer since he was cōuerted vnto Christ Which thing I suppose pleased Augustine only that thereby he might take occasion of disputing wittingly whiles he saith that of a proude Saule hee was made an humble disciple of Christ The opinion of Origē is more probable Paule had two names who iudgeth him to haue had two names For it is not vnlike that this name Saule beyng a name of his auncestours was giuen vnto him of his parents to declare his religion and kinred the other name Paul to haue beene added for to testifie the title of the citie of Rome both because they neither would haue this honour obscured in him whiche then was greatly esteemed neither made they such reckoning of it that it should extinguishe the remembraunce of the stocke of Israel That he vseth the name of Paul oftener in his Epistles this may seeme to be the cause it was more famous and more vsed in the Churches vnto the which he wrote it was more gracious in the Romaine Empyre though lesse knowne in his owne kinred For it behooued him to haue great care to auoyde that vayne suspicion and hatred wherin the very name of a Iewe was at that time with the Romaines and Prouincials and to beware hee increased not the madnes of his Countriemen and to take heed to him selfe A Seruaunt of Iesus c. Hee adorneth himselfe with these titles Paule two wayes getteth authority to his doctrine that hee might gette authoritie vnto his doctrine And that he doth two wayes first whiles hee affirmeth his calling vnto the Apostleship Secondly when hee teacheth that the same calling is not strange from the Churche of Rome For it was both very expedient that he should be an Apostle by the calling of God and also knowen to bee appoynted to the Church of Rome Therefore he saith that he was a minister of Christ and called vnto the office of an Apostle whereby he signifieth that he did not rashly intrude himself thither Straight way after he saith he was separated or put apart that hee might the better proue he was no vulgare or common fellowe but an excellent Apostle of the Lorde In which signification he had also before descended from the generall vnto that was more speciall seeyng that the Apostleshippe is a kynde of ministerye For who so occupieth the function of teaching is to be counted amongest the seruauntes of Christ But Apostles by degree of honour are most excellent amongest all others This selection or putting a part whereof he speaketh doth declare both the end and vse of the Apostleship For his mynde is briefly to shewe to what end he was called vnto this function Therfore whereas he saith he was a seruaunt of Christ that
very well for he saith he was declared in power or mightily because there appeared in him such power as was proper vnto God and prooued him most certainly to be God This power appeared in his resurrection as in another place the same Paule after he hath acknowledged ◠Cor. 13.4 that the infirmitie of the fleshe appeared in his death commendeth the vertue of the spirite in his resurrection Yet this glory is not knowen to vs vntill the same spirite seale it in our heartes And that Paule together with that wonderful power of the spirite which Christ shewed foorth in rising from the dead doth also vnderstand that testimony which euery faithfull man feeleth in his heart may be seene by this that he doth expresse sanctification by name as if he should say the spirit as it sanctifieth doth establish and ratifie that experiment of his power which it once declared For the Scripture vseth oftē to adorne the spirit of God with such titles as may serue for the present purpose So it is called of the Lord the spirite of trueth of that effect Ioh. 14.17 whereof he spake in that place Moreouer a celestiall power is saide to haue appeared in the resurrection of Christ because he rose agayne by his owne strength as he testified manye times saying destroy this temple and in three dayes I will rayse it vp againe Ioh. 2.9 Ioh. 10.18 No man taketh my life from me For he conquered death to whom he gaue place according to the infirmitie of the flesh not by externall helpe gotten by intreaty but by the heauenly operation of his owne spirite 5 By whom wee haue receiued c. Hauing ended the description of the Gospel which for the commendation of his office he inserted nowe he commeth to speake of his calling for it stoode him greatly vpon to make the same approued with the Romaines Paule not called to be an Apostle for his worthinesse Whereas he nameth grace and Apostleship one from the other it is an Hyppallage for free Apostleship or grace of Apostleship whereby he signifieth that it was wholly thorow the bountifulnesse of God and not of his worthinesse that he was called vnto so high an office For although in the sight of the world it hath nothing besides perils labours hatred and infamy yet with God and his Saintes it is of singuler and great dignity Or if you had rather say thus I haue receiued fauour that I should be an Apostle it is all one Where it is sayd In his name c. Ambrose expoundeth it that in the steede of Christ he was appoynted vnto the Gospel according to that saying we are Embassadours for Christ 2. Cor. 5.20 Yet me thinke their opinion is more sound which take name for knowledge because the Gospell is preached to this end 1. Iohn 3.23 that we might beleeue in the name of the sonne of God And Paule himselfe is called a chosen vessel to beare the name of Christ amongest the Gentiles Acts 9 13. In his name therfore is as much as if he should say that I might make knowne what Christ is Into the obedience of faith c. That is to say wee haue receyued commaundement to beare the Gospell vnto all nations whereunto they may become obedient by faith From the end of his calling he aduertiseth the Romaynes agayne of his office as if he should say it is my part to execute that which is geuen me in charge that is to preach the worde and it is your partes to obey the worde with all obedience They are contumelious against God and iniurious to themselues that reiect the Gospel vnlesse you will make that calling frustrate which the Lorde hath geuen vnto me Whereby we may gather that they doe stubbornly gainstand the power of God and peruert his ordinance who vnreuerently and disdaynfully refuse the preaching of the Gospel whose ende is to bring vs into the obedience of God Here also the nature of faith is to bee obserued which is therfore adorned with the tytle of obedience because the Lorde doth call vs by the Gospel and we aunsweare to his calling by fayth As on the contrary infidelity is the cause of all disobedience against God I choose rather to translate it into the obedience of faith then to obey faith because this latter cannot be sayde but improperly and figuratiuely albeyt it is once read in the Acts. For properly it is faith Acts 6.7 whereby we obey the Gospel Amongest all the Gentiles amongest whom c. It was not ynough that he was appoynted an Apostle except his ministery should haue respect vnto the making of Disciples Therefore he addeth that his Apostleship did extend vnto all the Gentiles Though all the Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles yet Paule specially Straight wayes after he calleth himselfe more playnely the Apostle of the Romaines whilest he sayeth the Romaines were comprehended in the number of the Gentiles to whom he was giuen to be a minister Moreouer the Apostles haue this commaundement common vnto them that they should preache the Gospel in all the worlde neyther were they appoynted ouer certayne Churches as Pastours and Bishops are And Paule besides the generall charge of his function Apostolical by a special ordinance was appoynted a minister to preache the Gospel amongest the Gentiles Acts 16.6 Neyther hindereth that any whit that he was forbidden to goe through Macedonia and preach the word in Mysia which was done not that certayne boūds should be limitted vnto him but that for the present time he was to hasten other where for the haruest was not yet ripe there 6 Called of Iesus Christ Hee geueth a reason which is somewhat neerer scilicet because the Lorde had already shewed in them an experiment wherby he declared that he called thē to the fellowship of the Gospel Whereupon it followed if they would haue their calling to stand they ought not to reiect the ministery of Paule who was chosen by the same election of the Lorde Therefore I vnderstand this short sentence called of Iesus Christ by the way of a declaration as though this worde namely or to say came betweene For he signifieth that they are partakers of Christ by calling Whom God hath chosen in Christ those hee hath committed to his tuition For they which shal be the heires of eternal life are both chosen of the heauenly father in Christ also being elected are committed to his custody tuition as of a shepheard To all you which are at Rome By an excellent order hee sheweth what is prayse worthy in vs. First that the Lorde of his bountifulnesse hath receiued vs into fauour and loue Secondly What is commendable in vs and when the same commendation taketh place in vs. that he hath called vs. Thirdly that he hath called vs vnto holinesse which commendation then taketh place if we become answerable to our calling Here ariseth vnto
if they had had no lawe at all so wee must beware least at this day it be turned agaynst vs. And surely it is too true in a great many who whiles they boast themselues to haue a certaine singuler knowledge as though the Gospell were not a rule of life they are giuen ouer vnto all kinde of vncleannesse Let vs not therefore dally so securely with the Lorde let vs remember what iudgement hangeth ouer such pratlers who shew forth the worde of God onely in iangling 22 Thou which abhorrest idols Verie aptely he opposeth sacriledge to idolatrie as a thing of the same kinde For sacriledge Sacrilege what it is simply is a prophanation of the diuine maiestie Which sinne was not vnknowen vnto the heathen Poets For this cause Ouide chargeth Lycurgus with sacrilege Metamorph. 3. For contemning the solemne feastes of Bacchus and in Fastis he calleth those Sacrilegas manus id est Wicked handes which violated the maiestie of Venus But seeing the Gentises gaue the maiestie of their gods vnto idols they counted that onely for sacrilege if any did steale that was dedicated to their Temples wherein they thought all religion consisted So at this daye where superstition raigneth in steade of the woorde of God they acknowledge no other sacrilege then the stealing of the riches of temples because with them there is no God but in idols no religion but in riot and pompe And here wee are admonished first that we flatter not our selues when wee haue obserued some part of the Lawe and contemne the residewe Two things to be noted Secondly that we glorie not so for externall idolatrie remoued that in the meane while wee haue no care to banishe and expell from vs that impietie lieth hidde in our myndes 23 Thou which gloriest in the lawe c. Although euery transgressour putteth God to reproche seeing all men are borne to this ende that they shoulde woorshippe him in righteousnesse and holinesse yet hee doeth iustly charge the Iewes herein with a speciall fault They in a speciall sort dishonour God who pretende his name and keepe not his lawe For whiles they preached God to bee their Lawgiuer and had no care to order their liues according to his rule they declared that the maiestie of their God which they so easely contemned was of no great count with them After which sorte at this day those defame Christ by the transgression of the Gospell who vainely talke of his doctrine whiche in the meane while by their licentious and lustfull life they treade vnder foote 24 For the name of God Ezech. 36 23◠Esay 52.5 I thinke this testimonie ratther to be taken out of Ezech. then out of Esay seeing with Esay there are no vpbraidings against the people whereof all that Chapter of Ezechiel is full Some thinke it is an argument taken from the lesse to the greater to this sence if the Prophete not without cause reprooued the Iewes of his time that for their captiuitie the glorie and power of God was despised amongst the Gentiles as though God had not been able to conserue the people which hee had taken into his protection much more are you a reproche and dishonour vnto God by whose maners his religion being estimated it is euill spoken of Which sentence as I doe not disproue The reproches of men fall vpō the name of God whom they professe so I wishe rather to haue one more sincere as though it were sayde wee see that all the reproches of the people of Israel doe fall vpon the name of God because seeing they are counted and called the people of God they beare the name of God grauen as it were in their foreheade whereby it must needes come to passe amongst men that that God in whose name they boast them selues shoulde be after a sort defamed by their filthinesse And this is a marueylous vnwoorthie thing that they whiche haue their glorie from GOD shoulde bee a reproche vnto his sacred name for at the least they ought to requite him otherwise 25 Circumcision verily profiteth if thou doest keepe the Lawe but if thou shalt bee a transgressour of the Lawe thy circumcision is turned into vncircumcision 26 If therefore vncircumcision shall keepe the righteousnes of the Lawe shall not his vncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision 27 And the vncircumcision which is by nature if it keep the lawe shall iudge thee which by the letter and circumcision art a transgressour of the Lawe 28 For hee is not a Iewe that is one openly neither is that circumcision which is outwarde in the fleshe 29 But he is a Iewe which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 25 Circumcision verily profiteth By a preoccupation he remoueth those thinges whiche the Iewes on the contrarie might take againe for the defence of their cause For if circumcision were a seale of the couenant of the Lorde whereby the Lorde chose Abraham and his seede for a peculiar people vnto him selfe they were thought to glorie therein not in vayne but because the trueth of the signe being omitted they aboade in the externall forme hee answereth that there is no cause why they shoulde arrogate any thing vnto them selues of the bare signe Wherein the veritie of circumcision consisted The veritie of circumcision did consist in the spirituall promise which required faith The Iewes neglected both as well the promise as faith Foolishe therefore was their confidence Wherby it commeth to passe that hee omitteth heere the principall vse of circumcision namely whiles he applyeth his talke vnto their grosse errour as hee doeth with the Galathians And that is diligently to bee noted For if hee shoulde intreate of the whole nature and propertie of circumcision it were absurde that there should be no mention of grace free promise But in both places he speaketh according to the circumstāce of the cause hee handleth Paul speaketh here of circumcision according to their opinion therefore he toucheth onely that part whiche was in controuersie They thought that circumcision of it selfe was a woorke sufficiente vnto the obteyning of righteousnes Therefore that he might speake according to their opinion he answereth that if the worke be respected in circumcision this is the condition of it that hee which is circumcised giue himselfe to worship God wholy and perfectly the worke therefore of circumsion is perfection And thus wee may speake of our baptisme If any trusting in the only confidence of the water of baptisme doth thinke himselfe to bee iustified as though hee had nowe gotten holinesse by that worke the ende of baptisme is to bee obiected namely that by that the Lorde doth call vs vnto holynesse of life Heere shoulde the promise and grace whiche baptisme doth testifie and seale vnto vs be passed ouer in silence because we are to deale with those who being content with the vaine shadowe
of baptisme they care not nor consider not that which is the principall in it And this verily you are to note in Paule when hee speaketh of signes or Sacramentes to the faithfull and not by contention or concrouersie that his manner is to conioyne them with the efficacie and accomplishmente of their promises when hee hath to deale with ouerthwart and foolish interpreters of the signes or sacraments then omitting to meÌ„tioÌ„ the proper true nature of the signes or sacrameÌ„ts he directeth his whole stile against their corrupt interpretatioÌ„ And many because they see Paul bringeth circumcision rather then any other worke of the lawe doe thinke that hee taketh away righteousnesse from the ceremonies only But it is farre otherwise For this thing is wont alwayes to follow that they which dare set their merites against the righteousnesse of God glory more in externall obseruations then in sounde vertues For who so is truely touched and moued with the feare of God dare neuer lift vp his eyes to heauen for the more hee shall striue vnto true righteousnesse the better hee shall see howe farre he is from it As for the Pharisees who thinke it enough to shadowe their holinesse with externall hypocrisie it is no maruel though they so easily flatter themselues Therefore Paule when hee had left the Iewes nothing but this poore shift that they should boast them themselues to be iustified by circumcision he nowe also taketh from them this vaine visour 26 If therefore vncircumcision c. This is a most strong argument Euery thing is inferiour to his ende and is set vnder it Circumcision hath respect vnto the lawe therefore it ought to be inferiour to it It is more therefore to keepe the lawe then circuÌ„cision which for the cause therof was ordeined WherupoÌ„ it followeth that the vncircumcised if hee keepe the lawe doeth farre excell the Iewe being a transgressour of the law with his barraine and vnprofitable circumcision And so albeit by nature he is polluted yet by the obseruatioÌ„ or keeping of the law he shal bee sanctified that his vncircumcision may bee imputed vnto him in steede of circumcision This worde vncircumcision in the seconde place is to be vnderstoode properly in his proper signification In the first place improperly for the gentiles the thing for the person Paule speaketh here by supposition Furthermore heere no man ought curiously to trouble himselfe with searching of what keepers of the law this may be constered which Paule saith seeing none suche can bee found For simplie he had this in his minde by the way of supposition or supposing if there were founde any Gentile whiche did obserue the lawe that his righteousnesse in vncircumcision is of more value then the circumcision of the Iewe without righteousnesse Therfore I referre that which followeth he which by nature is vncircumcised shall iudge the circumcised not vnto the persons Mat. 12.41.42 Luke 11.31 but vnto the example as that The Queene of the South shall come c. IteÌ„ the men of Niniuie shall rise in iudgement c. For euen the wordes of Paule leade vs vnto this sense The Gentile quoth he being a keeper of the lawe shall iudge thee being a transgressour althogh he is vncircumcised and thou hast the literall circumcision Hypallage is when words are vnderstood contrariwise 27 The letter and circumcision By the figure hypallage for circumcision literall Neither meaneth he that they therfore violate the law because they haue the letter of circumcisioÌ„ but because together with that their externall ceremonie they cease not to pollute the spirituall worship of God namely piety righteousnesse iudgement and veritie which thinges notwithstanding are the principall things of the lawe 28 For he is not a Iewe c. The meaning is that a true Iew is not to be iudged either by the progenie of the fleshe or title of profession A true Iewe true circumcision is internal or by the the externall Sacrament or signe Neither doth that circumcision which maketh a Iewe consist only in outwarde figure or shewe but both of them are internall or inwarde That which hee addeth of true circumcision is taken from diuerse places of Scripture yea from their common doctrine because the people are euery where commaunded to circumcise their hearte and the Lorde promiseth that he wil doe it For the foreskinne was cut off not as a little corruption of one part but as the corruption of the whole nature Therefore circumcision is the mortification of the whole fleshe Letter signifieth the external obseruation Spirite the ende of the ceremonie Whereas hee addeth that it is in the spirite and not in the letter Vnderstand it thus he calleth the externall obseruatioÌ„ without pieâ—ie the letter by the spirite he meaneth the end of the ceremonie which is spirituall For seeing the whole weight or substance of signes and rites depend vpon their ende the ende beeing taken away the letter only remaineth which by it selfe is vnprofitable And this is the reason of the speeche because where the worde of God is preached whatsoeuer it commaundeth except it bee receiued of men with a sincere affection of the hearte it abideth in the letter that is in the colde or faint letter but if it pearse into the minde it is in a manner transformed into the spirite He alludeth vnto the difference of the old and newe testameÌ„t which Ieremie noteth Ier. 31.33 where the Lorde pronounceth that his couenant shal bee firme and stable after that it is grauen in their inwarde partes Paul also in another place had respect heereunto where he comparing the lawe with the Gospel calleth the lawe the letter which is not onely dead but also killeth 1. Cor. 3.6 but the Gospell hee adorneth with the title spirite Furthermore too grosse hath the foolishnesse of those beene which haue made of the letter a two folde sense and of the spirite Allegories 29 Whos 's praise is not of men Because the eyes of men onely behold the thinges are apparant he deneieth it to be suffient to be commendable in mans opinion which often is deceiued by the externall shew but the eyes of God must be satisfied which behold the very deepest secretes of the hart So he draweth hypocrites againe which smooth themselues with false persuasions vnto the tribunal seat of God CHAP. 3. 1 WHat is therefore the prerogatiue of the Iewe or what is the profite of circumcision 2 Much euery way and first of all because the oracles of God were committed vnto them ALthough Paule hath notably proued that bare circumcision doeth profite the Iewes nothing yet in as much as hee coulde not denie but there was some difference betwene the Gentiles and the Iewes which was pointed out or sealed of the Lorde by that Sacrament and it was an absurde thing to make that difference or diuersitie voide and of none effect whereof the Lorde was the authour it remained therefore he shoulde vnfolde
promiseth life to those do that it commaundeth But the lawe commaundeth not an externall shewe of woorkes onely but the syncere loue of God Therefore it followeth no merite of workes can bee admitted in the righteousnesse of faith Whereby appeareth it is but a friuelous cauill that wee are iustified in Christ because wee are renewed by the spirite as wee are the members of Christ that wee are iustified by faith because by faith wee are graffed into the bodie of Christ that wee are iustified freely because GOD doeth finde nothing in vs but sinne For therefore are wee iustified in Christe because out of our selues therefore by faith because wee must needes depende vpon his mercie and free promises therefore freely beecause GOD doeth reconcile vs vnto him selfe by buriyng our sinnes Righteousnes by the remission of sinnes is not to be tied to the beginning of righteousnes Neither can that bee tyed vnto the beginning of righteousnesse as they dreame For that definition Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen had place in Dauid when hee had long exercised him selfe in the woorshippe of GOD and Abraham thirtie yeeres after hee was called although hee were a singuler example of holinesse yet had hee no woorkes wherein to glorye with GOD and therefore it is imputed vnto him for righteousnesse that hee beleeued the promise And when Paule sayeth GOD iustifieth men by not imputing their sinnes hee reciteth that Sermon which ought dayly to bee rehearsed in the Church And that part of the conscience which is troubled in respect of woorkes is not of the continuaunce of one day but ought to laste the whole life whereby it followeth No beginning proceeding or perfection of righteousnes but in Christ onely wee are not otherwise iustified euen vntill the day of death but because wee haue respecte vnto Christe onely in whome GOD hath adopted vs and nowe holdeth vs acceptable Heereby also their cauill is refelled who charge vs of falsehood beecause wee affirme it to bee had out of the Scripture that wee are iustified by faith onely when as the particle exclusiue is no where extant in Scripture But if iustification bee both without the lawe and without vs why shall it not bee imputed vnto mercie onely if it bee of mercie onely then of fayth onely This particle nowe may simply bee taken aduersatiuely that it bee not referred vnto tyme as wee often say nowe for but yet If you had rather referre it vnto time whiche I doe willingly admitte leaste hee shoulde seeme to seeke any euasion yet notwithstanding the onely abrogation of ceremonies shall not bee vnderstoode because the purpose of the Apostle is onely by comparison to illustrate the grace wherein wee excell the fathers Therefore the sence shall be after Christ was exhibited in the fleshe the righteousnesse of faith was reueiled by the preaching of the Gospell Whereby yet it followeth not that it lay hidde before the comming of Christ A twofold manifestation of the grace of God For a twofolde manifestation is heere to bee considered the former is of the olde Testament which consisted in the woord and sacramentes the seconde of the newe Testament which besides the ceremonies and promises conteineth the fulnesse or filling vp in Christ whereinto also is added a more absolute clearenesse by the Gospell hauing witnesse He addeth this least in the dispensation of free righteousnesse the Gospell shoulde seeme to bee contrary to the lawe Therefore as hee denied the righteousnesse of faith to stande in neede of the helpe of the lawe The law giueth testimonie vnto the righteousnes of faith so nowe hee affirmeth it to bee confirmed by the testimonie of the Lawe And if the lawe beare witnesse vnto free righteousnesse it is apparaunt the lawe was not giuen therefore that it might teache men to get vnto them selues righteousnesse by woorkes Then they peruert the lawe who wrest it vnto that ende Moreouer if thou doest desire the proofe of this sentence prosecute in order the summe of Moses doctrine and thou shalt finde howe man at the beginning being cast from the kingdome of God had no other restitution then in the Euangelicall promises touching the blessed seede wherein the breaking of the Serpentes head is forspoken And wherein a blessing is promised or denounced to all nations In the commaundementes thou shalt finde the demonstration of thine iniquitie by the sacrifices and oblations thou shalt learne howe the satisfaction and purgation thereof is in Christ onely If you come vnto the Prophetes in them you shall finde most plentifull promises of free grace Concerning which matter see our institutions I say the righteousnesse of God What maner of righteousnesse the righteousnes of faith is In fewe wordes hee declareth what maner of righteousnesse this is namely that it resteth or abideth in Christ and is apprehended by fayth Although whiles hee inferreth agayne the name of God he seemeth to make God the authour and not onely an approuer of that righteousnesse of the which he entreateth as though hee shoulde say it commeth from him onely or it hath his originall from heauen and is made manifest to vs in Christ Therefore when we reason of this righteousnes we must proceede this way First the cause of our righteousnes must not be referred vnto the iudgement of menne but vnto the tribunall of God where no righteousnesse is accounted of but the perfect and absolute obedience of the lawe which thing may easily appeare by the promises and threatninges And if that no man can be founde that hath attayned vnto suche exact holines it followeth all are voyde of righteousnesse in them selues Then must Christ needes helpe who as he is onely iust Righteousnes is a real vertue in Christ and apprehended of vs by faith Gods mercy the efficient cause Christ the material cause and faith the instrumental cause of our righteousnes so by transferring his righteousnesse vnto vs he maketh vs righteous Nowe thou seest how the righteousnesse of fayth is the righteousnesse of Christ That we may therefore bee iustified the efficient cause is the mercy of God Christ is the matter or materiall cause the worde and fayth is the instrument or instrumentall cause Wherefore fayth is sayd to iustifie because it is the instrument to receyue Christ in whom righteousnes is communicated vnto vs. After that we are made partakers of Christ not onely we our selues are iust but our woorkes are reputed iuste before God namely because whatsoeuer imperfection is in them it is abolished or taken away by the blood of Christ The promises which are conditionall by the same grace also are fulfilled vnto vs in as much as God doeth rewarde our works as perfect because the deffect or imperfectiō of them is couered thorow free pardon To all and vpon all For amplification sake hee hath repeated the same thing by diuers formes of speaking to the end he might the rather expresse that we haue hearde namely that both sole faith is
if it be true that the grace of God doth help vs so much the more bountifully and largely as we haue beene ouerwhelmed with a greater weight of sinne there is nothing more expedient for vs then that wee being drowned in the depth of sinne shoulde oftentimes by newe offences prouoke the wrath of God Obiection For so at length we shall feele greater plentie of grace then the which nothing is more to be wished for As for the maner of refutation we shall see it afterwarde 2 God forbid Some think that the Apostle doeth onely by the way of a sharpe correction reprehende so vnreasonable a madnesse but by other places it doth appeare howe familier an answere this is with him yea in much disputation or many arguments as here also he wil shortly with great diligence refute the obiected obloquie yet first by this particle of one detesting he doth reiect it that he might admonishe the readers there is nothing more vnlike then that the grace of Christe the repayrer of our righteousnesse shoulde nourishe our vices The grace of Christ abolisheth sinne and therefore doth not nourish it Whiche are dead to sinne This is an argumen taken from the contrary For it is certaine that he which sinneth liueth to sinne but we are dead to sinne by the grace of Christ therefore is it false that that shoulde nourishe sinne which doth abolish it For thus the case standeth the faythfull are neuer reconciled vnto God without the gift of sanctification yea to this ende are wee iustified that after warde we might worship God in holinesse of life For Christe doth not otherwise washe vs with his blood and by his satisfaction reconcile God vnto vs then whiles hee maketh vs partakers of his spirite which reneweth vs into an holy lyfe It were therefore too preposterous an inuersion of the worke of God if by occasion of that grace which is offered vs in Christe sinne shoulde gather any strength For the medicine is not the nourishour of that it extinguisheth Finally we must remēber that I touched of late namely that Paule doth not here say what God doth finde vs to bee whiles he calleth vs into the societie of his sonne but what wee shoulde bee after he hath had mercy vpon vs and hath adopted vs freely For by a verbe of the future tēse he sheweth what manner of chaunge should followe righteousnesse 3. Know ye not that all wee which haue beene baptised into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death 4 Wee are buried then with hym by baptisme into his death that like as Chirste was raised vppe from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life 3 Know ye not He proueth the former sentence namely that Christ killeth sin in his by the effect of baptisme wherby we are incorporated into his faith For it is out of questiō that wee put on Christe in baptisme Then do we truly grow vp into the body of christ when his deathe bringeth foorthe fruit in vs. and with this condition are we baptised that we shoulde be one with him Now Paule taketh another principle namely that we do then indeede grow vp into the body of Christ when his death bringeth foorth his fruite in vs. Yea he teacheth that this participation of death is principally to be respected in baptisme For not onely purgation but also mortification and the dying of the old man is proposed there whereby it is manifest after we are receiued into the grace of Christ the efficacie of his death appeareth straight wayes Finally what this societie with the death of Christe auaileth it followeth straightwayes 4 Being buried then with him Now he beginneth to shew although he doe not plainely declare whereunto it apperteineth that we are baptized into the death of Christ namely that we being dead vnto our selues might become new men For from the participation of his death he passeth conueniently vnto the participation of life because these two hang together by an inseparable connexion Mortificatiō newnes of life go together namely the old man to bee abolished by the death of Christ that his resurrection might restore righteousnes and make vs new creatures And surely seeing Christ is giuen vs vnto life to what end shold we die with him except we might rise againe vnto a better life And therfore to no other ende hath he flaine that is mortal in vs but that he might truly quicken vs. Furthermore let vs note that the Apostle doth not simply heere exhort vs to imitate Christ as if he said the death of Christ is in steed of an example which all Christians ought to follow For he surely goeth higher deliuering doctrine out of the which afterward he draweth exhortatiō as it is easie And this is the doctrin that the death of Christe is effectuall to extinguish and banish the prauitie of the flesh and his resurrection to raise vp the newnes of a better nature and that by baptisme we are receiued into the participation of this grace This foundation being laide a man may very aptly exhort Christians that they striue to aunswere their calling Moreouer it forceth not that this vertue doeth not appeare in all those are baptized For Paule after his manner because he speaketh vnto the faythful conioyneth the substance effect with the external signe For we know that by their faith is established ratified whatsoeuer the Lord offereth by the visible pledge To be briefe he teacheth what is the veritie of baptisme rightly receiued So to the Galathians he testifieth Gal. 3.27 When the sacraments are effectuall pledges and when the◠be but bare signes that all they whosoeuer are baptised in Christ haue put on Christe For so a man must say so long as the institution of the Lord and the faith of the godly agree together For we neuer haue bare and idle signes but when our vnthankfulnes and wickednes hindereth the working of Gods bountifulnes By the glory of the father That is through his notable power whereby hee hath declared himselfe truely glorious and hath as it were manifested the greatnes of his glory So oftentimes in scripture is the power of God which hath shewed it selfe in the resurrection of Christ set foorth by some excellent title and not without cause for it is grealy materiall that by such expresse mention of the incomparable power of God not onely the faith of the last resurrection which far exceedeth the capacity of flesh but also other fruits which we receiue by the resurrection of Christ shold be highly extolled with vs. 5 For if we be graffed into the similitude of his death euē so also shall we be partakers of his resurrection 6 Knowing this that our olde man is crucified together with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that wee should not serue sinne any more 5 For if wee be graffed By plainer wordes hee prooueth the argument which he hath put
downe before For the similitude he bringeth in taketh away al ambiguitie because grafting doth not onely note the conformitie of example but a secret coniunction whereby wee growe vppe together with him so that hee quickening vs with his spirite powreth his vertue into vs. Therefore as a graft hath the condition of life and deathe common together with the tree in the which it is grafted so it is reason wee shoulde no lesse bee partakers of the life then of the death of Christe For if wee bee grafted into the similitude of the death of Christe and that is not without his resurrection then no more shal our death be without a resurrection But the wordes may haue a two folde exposition either that wee are grafted in Christ into the similitude of his death or simply we are grafted into his similitude The first acception would require the greek Datiue homoiomati that is to the similitud to be referred to the shewing of the maner And I denie not but that hath a fuller sense yet because the other agreeth better to the simplicitie of the worde I haue thought good to preferre it Albeit it is but a small matter seeing both come to one sense Phil. 2.7 Chrysostome thinketh Paule said the similitude of death for death as in another place How wee are grafted into the similitude of the death of Christ beeing made in the similitude of men But me thinke I see some greater Emphasis in this worde For besides that it auaileth to inferre the resurrection it seemeth to tende vnto this not that wee shoulde die like Christe by a naturall death but that wee haue this congruencie with his death that as he dyed in the fleshe which hee receiued of vs so wee shoulde die in our selues that wee may liue in him Then is it not the same death but the like for the resemblance or proportion betweene the death of this present life and spiritual renouation is to bee noted Graffed This worde is very significantâ— for it declareth plainely that the Apostle doth not exhort onely but rather deliuereth the doctrine of the benefite of Christe For he requireth not any thinge of vs which is to be done by our studie or industrie Wherein the similitude of grafting holdeth not but he preacheth that grafting which is done by the hand of God Neither is it conuenient a man shold goe about to apply the metephor or coÌ„parisoÌ„ to euery part For betwene the graftinge of trees and this oure spirituall graftinge there will straightwayes appeare a diuersitie for in that the graft dothe drawe his nourishment from the roote but yet reteineth his naturall propertie of bearing fruite but in this insertion or grafting of ours wee doe not onely drawe the iuice and strength of life from Christe but also wee passe from our nature into his Howbeit the mynde of the Apostle is to note nothing els then that efficacie of the death of Christe which sheweth it selfe in the mortification of our fleshe and that of his resurrection to renew in vs a better nature of the spirit 6 That our olde man It is called the olde man as the old testament is so called in respect of the new For it beginneth to be olde when our regeneration being begunne How it is called the old man it is by litle and litle destroyed and he meaneth the whole nature which we bring out of our mothers wombe which is so vncapable of the kingdom of God tâ—â— must needs perish so farre foorth as we may be restored into 〈◊〉 life He saith this old man is fastened to the crosse of Christ because through his vertue it is slayne And he hath precisely alluded vnto the Crosse that he might expressely shew How the old maÌ„ is crucified how we haue not mortification else where then by the participation of his death For I doe not agree vnto them who vnderstand that he said rather crucified then dead because it liueth yet and floorisheth on some part That is verily a true saying yet it agreeth but litle with the present place The body of sinne What is meant by the body of sin which he addeth a litle after signifieth not the flesh and bones but the masse of sinne and corruption For manne beeing lefte to his owne nature is a masse contracted of sinne Hee noteth the end of this abolishing when he saith That wee shoulde not serue sinne any more Whereby it followeth that so long as we are the sonnes of Adam and nothing els but men we are so subiect vnto sinne that wee canne doe nothing els but sinne but beyng grafted into Christ we are deliuered from this miserable necessitye not that by and by we cease altogether to sinne but that at lengthe wee become Victorers in the fight 7 For hee that is dead is iustified from sinne 8 For if so that we be dead with Christ wee beleeue that wee shall also liue him 9 Knowing that Christe beeyng raysed from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more power ouer him 10 For in that he dyed he died to sinne once but in that he liueth he liueth vnto God 11 So yee also esteeme your selues dead verily vnto sinne but liuing vnto God in Christ Iesus our Lord. 7. For he that is dead This is an argument taken from the property or effect of death For if death put downe all the actions of life we which are dead must needes cease from the actions of that life which actions it exercised whiles the same life coÌ„tinued For iustified vnderstand freed and deliuerâ—â—â—â—om seruitude or bondage For as he is loosed from the bâ—â—â— of accusation who is freed from the sentence of the Iudge so death loosing vs from this life doth free vs from all the actions therof Furthermore albeit there is no where amongest men suche an example extaunt yet there is no cause why thou shouldest thinke this that is sayde here eyther to be a vayne imagination or shouldest despayre because thou findest not thy selfe in the number of those who haue vtterly crucified the flesh For this worke of God is not perfected the same day it is begun in vs but it increaseth by little and little by daily increments as by degrees is brought to perfection The fruite of our communicatioÌ„ with the death of Christ is that the fleshe with his concupiscences be mortified To be briefe then take it thus if thou art a Christian there must appeare in thee the signe of thy communication with the death of Christ whose fruite is that the flesh be crucified with all his concupiscences Howbeit thou mayest not therefore counte this communication as none because as yet thou doest feele some reliques of the fleshe to liue in thee but thou art continually to studie for the augmentation thereof vntill thou arte come vnto the marke For it is well if our fleshe be continually mortified and we haue profited wel when the flesh beyng subdued hath yeelded to the
sinnes wherby God imputeth righteousnes vnto vs and the sanctification of the spirite by the which he frameth vs a new vnto good works I take the particle aduersatiue to bee put for a causall whiche hapneth often as though it were said because we are vnder grace therefore we are not vnder the law Now the sence shal be plaine For the Apostles minde is to cōfort vs that we faint not in the study of wel doing for that we feele as yet in our selues many imperfections For howsoeuer we be vexed with the sting of sinne yet it cannot subdue vs because we get the vpper hande through the spirite of God Moreouer being vnder grace we are free from the seuere exaction of the law Here furthermore the Apostle is to be vnderstood to take it for a thing graunted that all they who are destitute of the grace of God being bound vnto the yoke of the law are holden vnder condemnation And so on the contrary a man may argue that so long as mē are vnder the law they are subiect to the power of sinne 15 What then Because the wisedome of the flesh alway cryeth out against the mysteries of God he necessarily addeth this Preoccupation For seeing the law is the rule of righteousnes and was giuen to gouerne men we thinke that it beyng broken straightwayes all discipline falleth to the ground the barres are broken and finally there remayneth no choyse or difference of good and euill But herein we are deceiued that by the abrogation of the law we think that righteousnes is abolished which God commendeth vnto vs in the law We are not deliuered from the obedience of the commandemēts but from the curse of the law For this is not to bee drawen vnto the preceptes teaching a right forme of life whiche Christ confirmeth and establisheth rather then abrogateth And this verily is the proper solution that nothing els is taken away but the curse of the lawe whereunto all menne that are out of grace be subiect But Paule albeeit hee doeth not expressely shewe that yet indirectlye hee declareth it 16 God forbidde Knowe yee not It is not a bare reiection as some haue thought as though he had rather detest such a question then refute it For straight after followeth a confutation taken from the nature of contraries almost to this sence betweene the yoke of Christ and sinne there is more cōtrariety then that any can together beare them both If we sinn we deliuer our selues into the seruitude of sinne but on the cōtrary the faithfull are redeemed from the tyranny of sinne that they might serue Christ therefore it is impossible they should abyde bound vnto sinne But it shal be profitable more neerely to discusse the order of this argument as it is digested of Paule To whom you obey This relatiue hath the force of a Particle causall as it doth often come to passe Like as if one sayd there is no kynd of wickednes a paricide wil not doe who doubted not to commit the greatest mischiefe of al such a cruelty as in it selfe is almost abhorred of the very beastes And the reason of Paule is taken partly from the effects partly from the nature of Correlatiues For first if they obey he gathereth they are seruants because their obediēce testifieth that he hath power to command who bringeth them so into his obsequie This reason is taken from the effect of seruitude out of the which aryseth that other if yee be seruauntes Then agayne is the power of dominating in him Or of obedience Hee speaketh improperly For if he woulde haue made one part aunsweare another he should haue saide or of righteousnesse vnto life But seeyng the inuersion of the woordes did hinder nothing the sence of the matter hee choose rather by the name of obedience to expresse what righteousnesse is Wherin yet there is the figure Metonymia because obedience is taken for the commaundementes of GOD which are to bee obeyed Obedience put for the commandements are to be obeyed And whereas hee hath put downe this woorde obedience without anie addition thereby he declareth it is God onelie vnto whose authoritie consciences ought to be subiecte And therefore obedience yea though that name of God be not expressed neuerthelesse is referred vnto God for it cannot be manifold 17 But thankes bee vnto God This is the application of the similitude vnto the present cause wherein although they were onelie to haue beene admonished that they are not the seruants of sin he addeth a thankesgiuing first that he might teach how it is not of their owne merite but of the singuler mercie of God and also that by the thankesgiuing they might learne how great a benefite of God it is and so much the more might bee incouraged to detest sinne And he giueth thankes not in respect of that time wherein they were the seruauntes of sinne but for that deliueraunce followed Wherfore Paul giueth thankes whiles they ceassed to bee that they were before And this secrete comparison of the former estate with the present hath an Emphasis For the Apostle taketh vp the slaunderers of the grace of Christe whiles hee sheweth the that ceasing all mankinde is holden captiue vnder sinne but so soone as that sheweth it selfe the kingdome of sinne ceaseth Hereuppon we may gather that we are not therefore freed from the seruitude of the law that we should sinne because the lawe doeth not loose his dominion or power before the grace of God haue taken vs to it selfe that it might restore righteousnes in vs and therfore it is impossible we should be vnder sinne when the grace of God raigneth in vs. For we shewed before that vnder this woorde is conteyned the spirite of regeneration you haue obeyed from the hearte Here also Paule compareth by the way of contrarietie the secrete vertue of the spirite with the externall letter as though he saide Christ inwardly frameth our heartes better then if the lawe shoulde force them by threatning and terrifiyng And so is that obloquie done away namely if Christ deliuer vs from the subiection of the lawe he bringeth libertie of sinne To what end we are deliuered frō sinne in Christ Seeing he doth not deliuer his that they shoulde liue as they list or that they should triumph without modestie as loose horses through the fields but leadeth them vnto the best kinde of life Although Erasmus following the old interpreter chooseth rather to translate it forme I am constrained to leaue this word type which word Paul vseth except some peraduenture had rather turne it example For he seemeth vnto me to note the expresse image of that righteousnes which Christ graueth in our harts And that answereth to the prescript or determinate rule of the law wherunto all our actions ought to be formed that they leane not to the right or left hand 18 But beeing freed from sinne The meaning is it is absurde that any after he is deliuered out of
could not be ignorāt who were brought vp frō their infancie in the doctrine of the law 2 For the woman which is in subiection to the man He bringeth a similitude whereby hee proueth that we are so freed from the lawe that it hath properly by right no power ouer vs any more And albeit he coulde haue proued it by other reasons yet because the example of matrimonie serued very well to set out the matter in steed of a confirmation he hath inserted a similitude taken from thence Howbeit least it shoulde trouble any man that the members compared one with another do not agree at all we are to be admonished that the minde of the Apostle was purposely by a little inuersion to auoide the spite of a more rigorous or seuere worde Hee should haue sayde that he might haue framed his similitude in order the woman after the death of her husbande is loosed from the bonde of matrimonie the lawe which is in steede of an husband to vs is dead vnto vs. Therefore wee are free from the power thereof But least he shoulde offend the Iewes with the asperitie of the word if hee had said that the lawe was dead hee vsed a digression or deflection saying we are dead to the law He seemeth vnto many to argue from the lesser to the greater yet because I feare least that bee more wrested I rather allowe the former interpretation which is more simple The whole argument therefore is to be directed into this order The woman is bound vnto her husband by the lawe so long as hee liueth so that shee cannot take another but after the death of her husband shee is loosed from the bonde of that lawe so that she may marry whom shee will Then followeth the application The lawe was as it were our husbande vnder whose yooke we were holden till it was dead vnto vs. After the death of the lawe Christe took vs that is ioyned vs being freed from the law vnto himselfe Therefore wee beeing ioyned vnto Christ risen from the dead ought to cleaue vnto him only and as the life of Christ after his resurrection is eternall so after this there shall be no diuorcement Moreouer the word law is not alway here put in one and the same sence The word lawe diuersly taken but somtimes it signifieth the mutual right of wedlocke sometimes the authoritie of the husband to whom the wife is subiect sometimes the doctrine of Moses And we are to remember that Paule doth here touch that part only which is proper vnto the ministerie of Moses For as concerning the tenne commandements wherein God hath deliuered what is right hath ordered our life wee are not to dreame of any abrogation of the lawe because the will of God ought to stand for euer Therefore we are diligently to remember that this deliuerance is not from that righteousnes is taught in the law but from the seuere exaction of the law and that curse proceedeth thence Thē the rule of life which the law prescribeth is not abrogated but that qualitie which is opposed to the liberty purchased by Christ namely whiles it requireth absolute perfection because we perfourme it not it holdeth vs bounde vnder the gilt of eternal death But because his meaning was not heere to decide what the right of matrimonie is he was not greatly carefull to reckō vp the causes which make a woman free from her husband Vnaptly therefore should sure doctrine in that respect be sought for here 4 By the body of Christ First of all Christ hauing erected the banner of his crosse did triumph ouer sin which could not be vnlesse the hand writing were canceled wherin we were boūd That hand writing is the law which whiles it standeth in force maketh vs debters vnto sin therefore is called the strength of sin From the power therfore of this hand writing we are deliuered in the body of Christ whiles it is fastened to his crosse How the law is the strength of sinne But the Apostle goeth further namely saying that the bond of the law was loosed Not that we shold liue according to our minds as a widow woman is left to her own mind whiles she is a widdow but we are now bound to another husband yea from hande to hand as they say we are passed from the law vnto Christ In the meane while he mitigateth the austeritie of the sentence whē he saith that Christ deliuered vs from the yoke of the law that he might graft vs into his own body For although Christe did voluntarily subiect himself vnto the law for a time yet is it not meete the law should haue dominion ouer him Furthermore that libertie which is proper to him he cōmunicateth also to his members Therefore it is no maruel if he deliuer those from the yooke of the law whom he coupleth vnto himself by a sacred connexion that they might be one body with him His who was raised frō the dead We haue alredy said that Christ is put in the place of the law least any libertie shold be imagined wtout him or least any should dare to make a diuorcement from the law The life purchased by Christ is eternall not being yet dead to himself Now he vseth this circumlocutiō to note the eterniti of that life which christ hath purchased by his resurrectiō that Christians might know this copulatiō is perpetual Finally hee speaketh more cleerely of the spirituall matrimonie of Christe with his church to the Ephe. That we might bring forth fruit to god Ephe. 6. Hee alway addeth the finall cause least any vnder this pretence that Christe hath deliuered vs from the seruitude of the lawe shoulde cocker the flesh and the lustes thereof For hee offered vs with himselfe in sacrifice to the father and to this ende he regenerateth vs What fruites we should bring foorth in Christ that wee might fructifie to God in newenesse of life And wee knowe what fruites our heauenly father requireth of vs namely holinesse and righteousnesse Neither is it preiudiciall to our libertie if we serue God Yea if wee wil inioy so excellent a benefite of Christ afterward we are not but to studie howe the glory of God may be aduanced for whiche cause Christ hath taken vs otherwise we abide stil not only the seruants of the lawe but of sinne and death 5 For when we were in the fleshe the affections of sinnes which are by the lawe wroughte in our members to bring foorth fruite vnto death 6 But now we are deliuered from the law being dead vnto it wherein we were holden that we should serue in newnes of the spirite and not in oldnesse of the letter 5 For when we were By the contrarie hee sheweth yet more plainely howe ill those that are zealous of the law deale to deteine the faithfull yet vnder the power thereof For so long as the litterall doctrine of the lawe ruleth and beareth swaye the lasciuiousnesse
is wandering and full of errours yea vntill the lawe doeth shewe vnto vs the way of a right life wee can doe nothing but wander Yet because then wee beginne to feele our errour when the Lorde doeth reproue vs a loude Worthily saith Paule that when sin is discouered then wee are ledde foorth of the way So then the woorde Ex apatan that is to leade out of the way is not to bee vnderstood of the thing it selfe but of knowledge namely How we are said by occasion of the law to be led forth of the way for that by the lawe it is apparnt howe much wee haue declined from the right course therefore of necessitie it was to bee translated hath ledde out of the way because hereby sinners who went on securely before began to haue a loathing and disliking of them selues whiles after the filthinesse of sinne was reueiled by the lawe they vnderstoode howe they made hast vnto death Finally hee inferreth agayne the name of occasion that wee might knowe howe the lawe by it selfe is not deadly but that commeth otherwise and is as a man woulde say forraine or such as commeth by some other meanes 12 Wherefore the lawe is holy Some thinke there is a repetition doubling in woordes lawe and commandement to whom I doe so consent that I iudge there is included a great Emphasis or force To say the lawe it selfe and what so euer is commaunded in the lawe that is all holy and therefore is greatly to be reuerenced it is iuste and therefore not to be charged with any vnrighteousnes it is good and therefore pure and cleane from all corruption So hee cleareth the lawe of all accusations least any shoulde ascribe that to the lawe whiche were not good iust and holy 13 Was that then which is good made death vnto mee God forbid Yea sinne that it might appeare sinne wrought death in me by that which is good that sinne might bee out of measure sinnefull by the commandement 13 Was that then which is good Hitherto hee hath so cleared the lawe from all calumniations that yet notwithstanding it remained doubtfull whither it were the cause of death or no. Yea here are mens mindes wonderfully plonged how it may be that we shold reape nothing but death of so singular a benefit of god Now therfore he answereth that obiection denying that death is of the lawe although through occasion thereof it is brought vpon vs by sinne And albeit this answere seemeth to be contrary vnto that which hee sayde before namely that the commaundement which was ordeined vnto life was founde death vnto him yet in deede there is no contrarietie For before he meant that by our wickednesse it commeth to passe that wee abuse the lawe to our destruction otherwise then the nature of it doeth beare The law is not the materiall cause of deah 2. Cor. 3.7 and heere he denieth it to bee the matter of death that death shoulde bee imputed to it In the seconde to the Corinthians hee speaketh more freely of the lawe where hee calleth it the administration of death Howe be it that hee doeth as it is wont to bee in the heate of disputation not respecting the nature of the lawe but the opinion of the aduersaries Yea sinne vnder the correction of others I thinke it is to bee reade as I haue put it downe and therefore I suppose this to be the sence sinne in a maner is iustified before it be detected by the law but when by occasion of the law it is reueiled then truely it taketh the name of sinne and so much the more mischieuous and that I may saye so sinnefull it appeareth then because it conuerteth the goodnesse of the law being peruerted to our destruction For that must needes bee a very poysonable thing which causeth that which otherwise by his owne nature is holesome to be hurtfull The meaning is that it was meete the outragiousnesse of sinne shoulde be discouered by the lawe for except sinne did as they say burst forth by an outragious and enormious excesse it shoulde not bee acknowledged for sinne This excesse doeth powre out it selfe more violently whiles it conuerteth life into death Therefore then is all excuse taken away 14 For we know that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne 15 For I knowe not that which I doe For what I would that do I not but what I woulde not that do I. 16 If I doe then that I woulde not I consent to the lawe of God that it is good 17 Nowe then it is no more I that doth it but the sinne that dwelleth in me 14 For we knowe Nowe hee beginneth more neerely to campare the lawe with the nature of man that it might more clearely appeare whence the fault of death proceedeth Secondly hee propoundeth an example of a regenerate man in whom the reliques of the fleshe doe so dissent from the law of the Lord that yet the spirite doeth willingly obey the same lawe But first of all as wee saide hee setteth downe a bare comparison of mans nature and the lawe Seeing there is no greater variance in the worlde then of the spirite and the fleshe the lawe is spirituall man is carnall What concorde then hath the nature of man with the lawe namely suche as the light hath with darkenesse How the lawe is called spirituall Furthermore whereas he calleth the lawe spirituall thereby hee doeth not onely signifie that it requireth the inwarde affections of the heart as many expounde it but according to the nature of an antithesis it hath a signification contrary to the worde carnall The former interpreters wee spake of expounde it thus the lawe is spirituall that is it doth not onely binde our handes and feete in respect of externall actions but also is imposed vpon the affections of the heart and requireth the sincere feare of God But heere is expressed an antithesis or contrarietie betweene the fleshe and the spirite Finally by the text it may sufficiently appeare and partly it hath been alreadie declared that vnder the name of fleshe is comprehended what so euer men bring with them out of their mothers wombe And men being taken for such as they are borne and for such as they be so long as they reteyne their owne witte are called fleshe for as they are corrupt so they neither sauoure nor breathe any thing but that is grosse and earthly Spirite put for the renewing of our corrupt nature On the contrary the spirite is called the renewing of our corrupt nature whiles God reformeth vs to his image And hence commeth that kind of speech because that newnes which is wrought in vs is the gift of the spirite Wherefore the integritie of the doctrine of the lawe is set against the corruption of mans nature The meaning therefore is the lawe requireth a certaine celestiall and angelicall righteousnes wherein there shoulde appeare no blot to whose cleannesse nothing ought to be
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
for that the grace of GOD descended from them to the posteritie according to the forme of the couenaunt Thy God and of thy seede Howe the gentiles haue obteined mercy by the vnbeleef it is alreadie declared namely God beeing angrie with the Iewes for their infidelitie conuerteth his fauour vnto the Gentiles And wheras it is straight wayes added they became incredulous for the mercy shewed to the Gentiles it is something harde yet there is no absurditie in it How it is saide the Iewes became vnbeleeuers through the mercy shewed to the gentiles because Paule doth not set downe the cause of their excecation or blinding but onely sheweth that that was taken from the Iewes which GOD translated to the Gentiles Furthermore least the Gentiles shoulde thinke that they obteyned that by the merite of theyr faith which the Iewes loste through their incredulitie there is onely mention made of mercy The summe therefore is because God woulde shewe mercy vpon the Gentiles by this occasion the Iewes were depriued of the light of faith 32 For God hath shut vp c. A notable sentence wherby he declareth there is no cause why they shoulde dispaire of others which haue some hope of saluatiō for whatsoeuer they are now they were as al others are so thē if through the only mercy of god they haue escaped forth frō vnbeliefe they ought to leaue place vnto the same mercy for others also For as cōcerning gyltines he maketh the Iewes equal with the gētiles that both of them might vnderstand the way to saluation is open to others as well as vnto them For there is one only mercy of God which saueth that may offer it selfe vnto them both This sentence therfore answeareth that testimony of Ose which he cited before Ose 9.25 I wil call that my people was no people Moreouer his meaning is not that God doth so blind al men as though their incredulity were to be imputed to him but by his prouidence he hath so disposed it that all should be guilty of incredulity and so he might haue them subiect to his iudgement to this end verily that all merits being buried saluation might be of his only goodnes Here therefore Paul intendeth two thinges First that there is nothing in anie man wherefore he should be preferred before others besides the meere grace of God And secondly that God in the dispensation of his grace is not let but hee may bestow the same vppon whom hee wil. There is an Emphasis in this word mercy for it signifieth that God is tied to none therefore doth saue all freely because all are in like sort lost Furthermore their dotage is too grosse who gather from hence that all shal be saued For Paul meaneth simply that as well Iewes as gentiles are saued no other way then by the mercy of God least he shoulde leaue vnto any some matter of complaint And sure it is this mercy is offered indifferently vnto all but which seeke it by faith 33 O the deepenes of the riches wisedom knowledge of God how incomprehensible are his iudgementes and his wayes past finding out 34 For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord Or who hath beene of his counsaile 35 Or who hath giuen to him first and it shal be restored him againe 36 Because all things are of him and by him and for him To him be glorie for euer Amen 33 O the deepenesse Here first of all the Apostle bursteth foorth into a speech which voluntarily ariseth from the consideration of the workes of God with the faithfull Secondarily he doth by the way restrayne the boldnes of impietie which is wont to murmure against the iudgements of God Therefore when we heare O the deepenes It cannot be saide how auaileable this admiration ought to be to beate downe the temeritie of the fleshe For after he had disputed out of the worde and spirite of the Lorde at length being ouercome with the highnesse of so great a secrete he can doe nothing but woonder and crie out that these riches of the wisedome of God are deeper then our reason is able to pearce into them If therfore at any time we enter into talke of the secret counsels of God let this bridle bee put alway before our wit and tongue that when we haue spoken soberly within the bounds of the word of God at length our disputation end with an admiration Neither ought we to be ashamed if we be no wiser then he who being rapt euen into the third heauen had seene secrets not to be opened vnto man yet here could finde no other end then so to humble himselfe Whereas some resolue the words of Paule thus O the deepe riches and wisedome and knowledge of God as though the nowne deepe were put for a common Epitheton expounding riches for liberality it seemeth vnto me to be wrested Therefore I doubt not but he extolleth the deepe riches of wisedome and knowledge in God Howe incomprehensible By diuers words according to the vsual iteration of the Hebrues he expresseth the same thing For hauing spoken of iudgements Way is put for the reason or maner of Gods iudgement he addeth wayes for the rules or reason of doing or order of gouerning of his iudgementes And still he persisteth in his exclamation wherein the more hee extolleth the highnes of the secrets of God the more hee frayeth vs from the curiositie of searching Let vs learne therefore to searche after nothing in the Lord but which he hath reuealed by his scriptures for otherwise we enter into a labyrinth whēce there is no easie passage for it is to be noted that heere the question is not of euery the mysteries of God but of those which being layde vppe within himselfe he wil haue onely to be wondered at reuerenced of vs 34 For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde Here hee beginneth as it were by laying hands on them to bridle the boldnesse of men least they shoulde murmure against the iudgements of God and that hee doeth by two reasons The first is that all men are altogether blinde to consider the predestination of God by their owne sense and to dispute of a thing that is vnknowne is temeritie and wickednesse The second reason is that wee haue no cause to complaine of God seeing no man can say that God is a debter vnto him but on the contrary all men are bounde vnto him for his bountifulnesse Let euery one therefore remember to keepe his minde within this compasse least in seeking after predestination he be carried aboue the reuealed will of God seeing we heare that man can iudge no more heerein then the blinde in darknesse Whiche neuerthelesse maketh not to shake the certaintie of faith whiche ariseth not of the dexteritie of mans wisedome but of the onely illumination of the spirite What moderatiō must be vsed in speaking of the mysteries of God For euen Paule himselfe in another place after
yet is not hee that teacheth strayghtwayes indued with the gyft of exhorting Nowe no man prophesieth or teacheth or exhorteth but hee ministreth but it is sufficent if wee keepe that distinction which wee see in the giftes of God and knowe to bee meete for the order of the Church 8 He which giueth in singlenesse Out of these latter branches wee see playnely that here is declared vnto vs what is the lawfull vse of the giftes of God By giuers of the which hee speaketh here hee vnderstandeth not those which giue of their owne but Deacons who were appoynted for the distribution of the publique goddes of the Churche By those shewe mercie hee vnderstandeth widowes and other ministers who according to the custome of the olde Church were ordayned to see vnto the sicke For they are two diuers offices to minister necessarie thinges vnto the poore and to bestowe their labour in seeing to them Howebeit to the first hee assigneth simplicitie whereby without fraude and parcialitie they shoulde faythfully distribute those thinges are committed to them of these hee woulde haue obedience shewed with cheerefulnesse least by their morositie as it often commeth to passe they spoyle their offices of grace or graciousnesse For as nothing more comforteth him is sicke or afflicted by any other maner of way then when hee seeth the mindes of men chearefull and readie to helpe him so if hee see vnwillingnesse in their countenaunce of whom hee is holpen hee will take it to his reproche Although hee properly call those rulers to whome the ministration of the Churche was committed and they were Seniours who ruled and gouerned others and exercised the censure for manners yet that whiche hee sayth of them may generally bee applyed vnto all kinde of Superiours For it is no small care is required of those who are to prouide for the safetie of all neyther is a slender diligence looked for of them who ought to watche nyght and day for the health of all men Although the estate of that tyme sheweth that Paule did not speake of all Superiours because then there were no godly magistrates but of the Seniours who were the correctours of maners 9 Let loue bee without dissimulation auoyding that is euill and cleaning to that is good 10 Beeing readie to loue one another with a brotherly loue preuenting one another with honour 11 Not lither in businesse feruent in spirite seruing the tyme. 12 Reioycing in hope patiente in tribulation perseuering in prayer 13 Communicating to the necessitie of the Saintes following after hospitalitie 9 Let loue be without dissimulation Nowe he being about to speake of particular dueties verie fittely he beginneth at charitie which is the bonde of all perfeccion And concerning that hee commaundeth as it is often necessarie that all dissimulations laide a part it might proceede from pure synceritie of minde For it is a harde matter to say howe wise for the most parte all men are to counterfeyte Charitie It is no charity vnles it be syncere and without dissimulation whiche in deede they haue not For they doe not onely deceiue others but also them selues whyles they perswade them selues that they are beloued very well of them whom they themselues doe not onely neglect but also in trueth reiecte Therefore Paule heere denounceth that onely for Charitie whiche is voyde of all dissimulation and euerye man may easely beare witnesse hym selfe whither hee haue any thynge in the secrete of his heart that is agaynst Charitie These woordes of good and euill which followe straightwayes in the text haue not a general signification but hee hath put euill for that malicious iniquitie whereby men are hurt and good for that bountifulnesse whereby they are holpen And here is an vsuall antithesis of the scripture when vices are first forbidden and vertues then commanded In the participle Apostugountes that is auoyding or putting away I neyther haue followed Erasmus nor the olde interpreter who haue turned it hating but in my iudgement the meaning of Paule was to expresse somewhat more and the vehemencie in the worde auoyding or putting away doeth better answere the contrary member where hee doeth not onely bid that wee shoulde be bountifull but also cleaue vnto it 10 Being readie to loue one another Hee can not perswade himselfe that hee hath euer sayde inough in shewing the feruencie of that loue wherewith wee ought to embrace one another For hee both calleth it brotherly and the affection thereof storgen which of the Latines is called mutuall pitte amongst kinsfolkes And suche ought that to bee wherewith we imbrace the sonnes of God Which thing that it might come to passe hee addeth a precepte very necessary for the preseruing of good will or beneuolence that euery one for his part giue honour vnto his brethren For there is no more effectual poison to the estranging or alienating of the mindes of men then when any thinketh hee is dispised If by honour you vnderstande all kinde of duetie I am not greatly agaynst it howebeit I like the first interpretation better For as nothing is more contrarie vnto brotherly concorde then contumely growing of pryde when others beeing neglected euery one aduaunceth him selfe so modestye is the best nourse of loue whereby it commeth to passe that euery one honoureth others 11 Not lither in businesse This precept is giuen vs not onely because the life of Christians ought alway to consist in doing but because oftentimes our own profite being neglected wee ought to bestowe our labours vpon our brethren yea though they bee not alway good but often most vnworthie and vnthankfull Finally because in many dueties we ought to forgette our selues vnles we be earnest with our selues and diligently striue to shake off al slouthfulnesse we can neuer be truely prepared vnto the obedience of Christ And whereas it is added feruent in spirite He sheweth howe we may obteyne that we spake on before For our flesh like an Asse is alway lither or slouthful and therefore had neede of spurres and it is onely the feruencie of the spirite that correcteth our slouthfulnes therefore the study of doyng good requireth a zeale which the spirit of God kindeleth in our heartes Why then wil some say doth Paule exhort vnto this feruencie I answeare although it bee the gift of God yet it is the part of Christians that sluggishnes being shaken off they receiue that flame which is kindeled from aboue as it often commeth to passe that the motion of the spirite is choked and extinguished by our iniurie Hereunto also apperteineth the third that we may serue the time for as the course of this life is short so the oportunitie of doing good is soone past therefore wee ought more cheerefully make speede to the doing of our dutie So in another place Paule biddeth redeeme the time because the daies are euill The meaning may also be that we might know to apply our selues to the time wherin there is great force Howbeit Paule seemeth vnto
ought to succour the want of our brethren namely because for the vnitie of the bodie there is a common and mutuall consideration I haue not translated the pronoune tina because it often aboundeth with the grecians and it seemeth to diminishe the emphasey of this place Whereas wee haue turned to minister in Greeke is the participle ministring but that seemed more fitte to expresse the minde of Paul For hee excuseth that through iust occasion he was stayed that hee coulde not straightwayes with haste come vnto Rome 27 And their debters they are Euery man doth see that that which is here sayde of debt is not said so much for the cause of the Corinthians as of the Romanes For the Corinthians or Macedonians were no more indebted vnto the Iewes then the Romanes And he addeth the cause of this bonde namely that they had receiued the Gospell from them hee taketh an argument from the comparison of the lesse with the greater which he also vseth in another place Namely 1. Cor. 9.11 that that recompence ought not to be though vniust or grieuous vnto them who for spirituall thinges giue carnall which by many degrees are more base And this sheweth the dignitie of the Gospel that it doeth not onely denounce them bonde to the ministers thereof but also to all that nation from whom their ministers came And note the verbe Leitourgesai for to minister which signifieth to doe his office in the common wealth and to vndertake the burden of his calling sometime also it is vsed in respect of sacred thinges And I doubt not but Paule signifieth that it is a kinde of sacrifice when the faythfull giue of their owne to relieue the pouertie of their brethren For so they doe that duetie of charitie which they ought to doe and also they offer vnto God a sacrifice of a sweete sauour but properly in this place he did respect that mutuall right of compensation 28 When I shall haue sealed this fruite vnto them A dislike it not that some doe thinke heere is an allusion vnto the maner of the olde fathers who were wont to shutte vp with rings or signets those thinges they woulde haue safe In this sort Paul commendeth his fayth and integritie as though hee sayde he were a syncere keeper of the money committed to him no otherwise then if it were sealed vnto him By the name of fruite he seemeth to vnderstande the increase which he sayde of late to come vnto the Iewes by the sowing of the Gospel Like as the fielde doth nourish his dresser by bearing of fruite 29 And I knowe that when I shall come These wordes may be vnderstood two wayes 1. The first sence is that hee should finde at Rome a plentifull fruite of the Gospell for this is the blessing of the Gospel when it fructifieth by good woorkes For whereas some restraine them vnto almes I doe not like it 2 Or to the ende hee might make his comming vnto them more worthie to be wished for he sayth that hee hopeth it shoulde not be vnprofitable because it shoulde bring great increase vnto the Gospel which he calleth the fulnes of blessing for a ful blessing whereby he signifieth prosperous successe and increase And this blessing depended partly on his administration partly an their fayth so then he promiseth that his comming vnto them should not be in vayne vpon whom he should not loose the grace giuen to him but shoulde bestowe it well through that alacritie of minde was in them to receiue the Gospell The first expositiō is more receiued and also doth like me better namely that hee hoped to finde that he chiefly wished that is the Gospel to flourishe with them and to proceede by notable successes because they would excell in sanctitie and all kinde of vertues For he sheweth the cause of his desire namely that he hoped for some singuler ioy by the sight of them whom hee should see to flourishe with spirituall riches of the Gospell 30 And I beseech you brethren by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the loue of the spirite that ye striue together with me in your prayers to God for me 31 That I may bee deliuered from the vnbelieuers in Iudea and that my ministerie which I vndertake towardes Hierusalem may be acceptable to the saintes 32 That with ioy I may come vnto you by the will of God together with you may be comforted And the God of peace be with you all Amen 30 And I beseech you brethrrn By many places it is sufficiently knowen howe greatly Paul was hated in his owne nation for false slanders as though he taught a falling away from Moses He knewe howe much reproches coulde doe to oppresse the innocent and specially with those are caried with a rashe zeale Hereunto also came the testification of the spirite whereof he maketh mention in the Actes Act. 20.23 Whereby he was oftentimes forewarned that bondes and afflictions were at hand for him at Hierusalem Therefore the more danger hee sawe the more he was moued Hence came it he was so carefull to commende his health vnto the Churches neither let vs maruell that he was so carefull ouer his life wherein hee knewe so great danger of the Church to be handled Therefore the vehemencie is in this obtestation beareth witnesse howe greatly the godly minde was troubled whiles vnto the name of the Lorde he addeth the loue of the spirite whereby the Saintes ought to imbrace one another but yet in so great feare hee ceaseth not to goe on neyther doth hee so feare danger but he was readie to die willingly Howebeit hee armeth him selfe with the remedies giuen vnto him of God For he calleth for the helpe of the Church that being holpen by their prayers hee might thereby feele some comfort according to the promise of the Lorde Where two or three shall be gathered together in my name Mat. 18.20 Mat. 18.9 there am I in the middest of them and of whatsoeuer thing they shall consent in earth they shall obtayne it in heauen And least any shoulde thinke this were a remisse or light commendation he beseecheth them by Christ and the loue of the spirite And that is called the loue of the spirite What is the loue of the spirite Prayers is the only hauen of refuge for the seruants of God in distresse wherein Christ doth ioyne vs together because it is not of fleshe nor of the worlde but of the spirite which is the bonde of our vnitie Seeing then it is so great a benefit of God to bee holpen by the prayers of the faythfull that euen Paul himselfe an elect vessell of God thought it was not to bee neglected of him what intollerable bthernesse shall it be if wee wretches and men of no price doe contemne it Howebeit out of such places to take occasion to maynetayne intercessions vnto dead Saints is a token of too much impudencie That ye might striue with me Erasmus hath translated
be smitten with the terrour of Gods iudgement Therefore hee doth not onely conuince them of their iniquitie but also being cōuicted doth rouse them from their drowsinesse First of all hee condemneth all mankinde since the worlde began of ingratitude that in so excellent a workemanship they did not acknowledge the workemaster yea when they were constrained to acknowledge him they did not worthily honour his maiestie but prophaned violated the same with their vanitie So all men are proued giltie of impietie then the which there is no more detestable wickednesse And to the ende it might more plainely appeare that all men are fallen from the Lorde hee rehearseth the fylthie and abhominable woorkes whereunto euery where men are subiecte Which is a manifest argument that they haue degenerate frō God for as much as they are tokens of Gods wrath which appeare not but in the godlesse And because certaine of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles hauing couered theyr inward wickednesse with the cloake of outward holinesse did seeme vnreproueable of these impious workes And therefore were thought to bee exempted from the common condemnation the Apostle directeth his stile against that fained holinesse And because that visarde before men coulde not bee drawen from those pettie saints he reuoketh them vnto the iudgement of God whose eyes beholde the verie hidden thoughts Afterward hauing made a distribution he citeth the Iewes by themselues and the Gentiles also by themselues before the tribunall seate of God Hee taketh from the Gentiles that excuse of ignorance which they pretended For their conscience whereby they were sufficiently conuicted was vnto them in steede of a lawe Hee vrgeth the Iewes with that chiefly which they tooke for their defence namely with the written law wherof in as much they were proued to be transgressours they could not cleare themselues of iniquitie seeing the mouth of God had alreadie pronounced sentence against them Hee preuenteth also that obiection which might seeme to make for them videliz that the couenant of God which was vnto thē the marke of sanctification was violated vnlesse there were difference put betweene them and others Here first he teacheth that the title of the couenant made them nothing better then others seeing through their vnfaithfulnesse they were fallen from it Secondly least the constancie of gods promise should be in any part diminished he graunteth vnto them some prerogatiue by the couenant but such as consisteth in the mercy of God and not in their merite Then finally by the authoritie of the scripture he proueth al both Iewes and Gentiles to bee sinners where also he speaketh somwhat of the vse of the law Thus when he hath depriued all mankind both of the trust of their own vertue and also of the glory of righteousnes and throwen them downe with the seueritie of gods iudgement he commeth vnto that which he purposed namely that wee are iustified by faith shewing what faith that is and howe wee obteine thereby the righteousnesse of Christe Heerevnto hee addeth in the ende of the third Chapter a singuler sentence to beate downe the fiercenes of mans pride least he should aduaunce himself against the grace of God And also least the Iewes should hemme in the grace of God within the compasse of their nation he proueth by the way that it appertaineth to the Gentiles also In the 4. chap. he argueth frō an example which because it was cleere and therefore free from cauillations he putteth it downe to wit in Abraham who in as muche as hee is the father of the faithfull ought too bee in steede of a rule generall example Hauing therfore proued him to be iustified by faith he teacheth that the same way is to be holden of vs And heereupon hee inferreth by the comparing of contraries to followe that the righteousnesse of workes must vanish where place is giuen to the iustification of faith Which thing he proueth by the testimonie of Dauid who reposing all the blessednes of man in the mercy of God doth take this from works that they should make a man blessed After this hee handeleth that more at large whiche hee had briefly touched before namely that there is no cause why the Iewes shold aduance themselues aboue the gentiles who are partakers of the same felicitie with them seeyng the Scripture declareth righteousnesse to haue happened vnto Abraham when hee was vncircumcised In which place hee taketh occasion to intreate of the vse of circumcision After this he addeth that the promised saluation doth depend vpon the onely goodnes of God for if it depended vpon the law then could it neither bring peace vnto our consciences wherein it ought to be firmely rooted neyther were it like euer to come vnto his perfection Wherefore that it may be firme and sure in imbracing of it we are to consider the onely truth of God and not our selues and that after the example of Abraham who not considering himselfe did wholly set before him the power of God In the ende of the Chapter to the intent hee might more aptlye applye the alleadged example vnto the generall cause hee conferreth those thinges which on both sides are like In the fift Chapter after he hath touched the fruite effect of the righteousnes of faith he is almost wholly occupied in amplifications whiche serue to make the matter more cleere For by an argument taken from the greater he sheweth how great things we now being redeemed reconciled vnto God are to expect looke for at his hands through his loue which was so bountiful towards vs being sinners vtterly vndone cast away that he gaue vnto vs his onely begotten only beloued sonne After this he compareth sinne with righteousnes which commeth by free grace Christ with Adā death with life the law with grace Wherby he declareth that the infinite goodnes of God doth ouermatch our sins how great so euer they are In the sixte Chapter hee commeth vnto sanctification which we haue in Christ For our fleshe is prone assoone as it hath tasted a little of this grace to cocker wantonly his sins concupiscences as though it had now dispatched al. Therfore Paule on the contrary declareth here that we cannot bee partakers of righteousnes in Christ vnlesse also wee lay holde on sanctification Hee fetcheth his argument from Baptisme wherby we are admitted in the felowship of Christ therin we are buried together with Christ that being dead in our selues by his life wee might be raised vnto newnes of life Whereupon it ensueth that no man without regeneratiō can put on his righteousnes From hence he draweth exhortations vnto puritie and holines of life which necessarily ought to appeare in those who are translated from the power of sinne into the kingdome of righteousnes hauing cast away the wicked cockering of the flesh which seeketh a more licentious libertie of sinning in Christ Finally he doth briefly make mention of the abrogation of the law in abrogating wherof the new
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
onely as the Sorbonites which take this worde for the inferiour parte of the soule but of the minde which is the most excellent parte of vs and whereunto the Philosophers ascribe the principalitie For they cal it Hegemonicon that is the prince or principall spirite and reason is faigned to be a very wise Queene Howebeit Paule doth throwe her out of her throne and so bringeth her to nothing whiles hee teacheth that wee must bee renewed in minde For howsoeuer we flatter our selues yet that sentence of Christ is true that man muste bee borne againe which will enter into the kingdome of God Seeing both in minde and heart we are altogether voide of the righteousnesse of God That yee might proue what is the will of God Heere thou hast the end wherefore wee ought to put on a newe minde namely that both our owne and all other mens counsailes and desires beeing reiected wee might intende vpon the onely will of God the knowledge whereof is true wisedome And if the renouation of the mynde be necessary vnto this that wee might proue what is the will of God Heereby it appeareth howe contrary it is vnto God The Epithetons are added doe serue vnto the commendation thereof that wee might striue thereunto with greater alacritie And surely to bring our peruersitie into an order it is necessary that the true praise of righteousnesse and perfection bee ascribed vnto the will of God The worlde persuadeth it selfe that those workes it hath done are good Paule hee cryeth out on the contrary that wee must examine by the commaundementes of God what is right and good The worlde delighteth it selfe and taketh great pleasure in his owne inuentions but Paul affirmeth that nothing pleaseth God saue that whiche hee commaundeth The worlde that it might finde perfection slydeth from the worde of God vnto newe inuentions Paule putting perfection in the will of God sheweth howe they are deluded with a false imagination if any passe that marke 3 For I say by the grace which is giuen vnto mee to euery one of you let no man stande high in his owne conceipte aboue that which is meete for him but let him bee wise vnto sobrietie as God hath giuen to euery man the measure of faith 3 For I say by the grace If thou doest thinke that the particle causall is not superfluous then this sentence shall agree well with the former For seeing nowe hee woulde haue our whole studie consist in seeking for the will of God the next thing was to drawe vs from vaine curiositie Yet seeing the particle causall is often superfluous with Paule thou mayest take it for a simple affirmation for so also the sense will stande very well But before hee commaunde hee saith hee hath authoritie giuen him to the ende they might hearken vnto him no lesse then vnto the voyce of God himselfe for his woordes are as muche in value as if hee saide I speake not of my selfe but beeing an imbassadour of GOD I bryng vnto you the commaundenientes hee hath inioyned mee Grace puc for Apostleship By grace as before hee meaneth his Apostleshyp whereby hee commendeth the goodnesse of GOD therein and withall insinuateth that hee did not temerously intrude himselfe but that he was chosen by the calling of God So then hee getting vnto himselfe authoritie by this preface doth binde the Romanes with a necessitie of obeyng vnlesse they woulde contemne GOD in the person of his minister Then followeth the precept whereby hee both draweth vs from the searching of those thinges whiche doe nothing but trouble mens mindes for they doe not edifie and also forbiddeth least any shoulde take more vppon him then his capacitie and calling will beare And withall admonisheth that wee onely thinke and meditate those thinges which may make vs sober and modest For so I had rather vnderstande it then accordyng to that Erasmus doth translate it that no man thinke proudly of himselfe Both because this sense is somewhat further fetcht and that other agreeth better to the text This sentence Besides that is meete for him to vnderstand Declareth what hee meant by the former woorde Huperphronein that is to bee insolent or thinke aboue measure of himselfe namely that we exceede the measure of wisedome or being wise if we busie our selues about those things of the which it is not meete wee shoulde be carefull To be wise vnto sobrietie is to be giuen vnto those studies wherby thou perceiuest thou mayest learne and be taught modestie As God hath giuen euery man Vnicuique vt diuisit deus Here is the figure called Anastrophe or inuersion of words for as to euery man God hath giuen And here veryly is the maner of that sober wisedome hee spake of expressed For seeing there is a diuerse distrybution of graces then euery man proposeth vnto himselfe the best meane or measure of wisedome or beeing wise What it is to be wise vnto sobrietie when hee keepeth himselfe within the compasse of that grace or gift of faith which is giuen vnto him So then there is a superfluous seeking of wisedome not onely in superfluous things things vnprofitable to bee knowne but also in those the knowledge whereof otherwise is profitable when wee respect not what is giuen vnto vs but temerously and boldly exceede the measure of our vnderstāding which importunitie God will not suffer vnreuenged For wee may see oftentimes with what trifles they are carryed about who through foolish ambition lift vp themselues beyonde those boundes are set for them The substance is this is a part of our reasonable sacrifice when euery one by a gentle and tractable spirite doeth yeelde himselfe to be ruled ordered of God Finally whē he opposeth faith against humane iudgement hee restraineth vs from our owne likinges and withall purposely addeth the measure that the faithfull should also humbly keepe themselues within the compasse of theyr defect 4 For as in one bodie we haue many members and all members haue not the same office 5 So wee beeing many are one bodie in Christ the members one of another 6 Seeing that wee haue diuers giftes according to the grace giuen vnto vs whether prophesie according to the proportion of faith 7 Or ministration in his ministerie or hee which teacheth in doctrine 8 Or hee which exhorteth in exhortation or hee which giueth in simplicitie or hee that ruleth in diligence or hee that hath mercy in cheerefulnesse 4 For as in one bodie Now hee confirmeth that same which hee said before of limiting the wisdome of euery one according to the measure of faith by the calling of al the faithful For we are called of this condition that we should as it were grow vp into one body seeing Christe hath ordeined that societie and connection amongest all the faithfull whiche is amongest the members of a mans body and because men coulde not come into such an vnitie by themselues he is made the bonde of that coniunction Seeing then that