separated from the goates and 〈◊〉 â—ll the corne bee purged from the tares 6 Who shal giue to euery man c. Because he hath to doe with blynd saints who thinke the wickednes of the heart to be well couered so that it be spread ouer with certayne I know not what shewes of vayne workes he setteth downe true righteousnesse of woorkes which shall haue place before God least they shoulde thinke it were sufficient to please him if they brought words trifles only or leaues God in coÌ„demning the reprobate payeth them that they haue deserued Moreouer there is no such difficultie in this sentence as commonly there is thought to be For if God by iust reuengement shall punishe the wickednesse of the reprobate he shall recompence them that they haue deserued Agayne because he sanctifieth them whom in time to come he purposeth to glorifie in them also he will crowne good workes but not according to merite Good woorkes crowned but not according to merite For merite is not proued by the reward For that cannot be prooued by this sentence which sentence although it shew what rewarde good workes shall haue yet notwithstanding it sheweth not what they merite are woorth or deserue nor yet what rewarde is due vnto them It is a foolishe sequele to prooue merite by the rewarde 7 To them truely whiche according to perseueraunce worde for word it is patience by whiche worde there is somewhat more expressed For perseuerance is when one constantly abydeth in well doyng without wearinesse pacience also is required in the Sayntes whereby although they are oppressed with diuers tentations yet they faynt not SataÌ„ interrupteth the course of godlinesse For Sathan suffereth them not with free passage to come vnto the Lorde but laboureth by innumerable offences to hynder them and turne them out of the right way And whereas hee sayeth that the faithfull by persisting in good woorkes doe seeke glory and honour his meaning is not that they aspire any whither then vnto the Lorde or to seeke any thing aboue him or more excellent then he but they can not seeke him but also they must contende to come vnto the blessednesse of his kingdome The Lord giueth eternall life vnto them who by well doing meditate vppon immortalitie a description whereof is conteyned vnder the circumlocution of these woordes The meaning therefore is that the Lorde will giue vnto those eternall life who studying to doe good workes meditate vpon immortalitie 8 But to those are contentious The speech is somewhat confused First because the tenor forme or fashion of the talke is broken For the course of speeche required that the second part of comparison shoulde cleaue vnto the first after this sort the Lorde will giue eternall life to those which by perseuerance in good workes seeke glory honour and immortalitie but to the contentious and disobedient eternall death Then should bee added the illation or conclusion namely that there is prepared for those glory honour and incorruption but for these there is laide vppe wrath and affliction Secondly because these woordes indignation wrath tribulation and anguishe are applied vnto two diuers members In the scriptures we must seeke for spirituall wisedome and not for eloqueÌ„ce yet this troubleth not the sense of the speache which ought to suffise vs in the writinges of the Apostles For out of others wee must seeke for eloquence heere is spirituall wisedome to be sought for vnder a base and simple stile of wordes Contention heere is put for rebellion and stiffeneckednesse because Paul hath to doe with hypocrites who through grosse and rechlesse cockering make a mockerie of God Vnder the name of trueth is simply vnderstoode the rule of Gods will which is the onely lanterne of trueth For this is a common thing to al the wicked that they had rather subiect theÌ„ selues in seruice to iniquitie then take vpon theÌ„ the yoke of God And what obedieÌ„ce so euer they pretende yet they cease not stubburnely to murmure and striue against the woorde of God For as they which are openly wicked Betweene the seruice of God and sinne there is no meane so that if we serue not God then do we serue sinne scoffe at this trueth so the hypocrites doubt not to oppose their counterfeite seruinges and worshippinges against it Moreouer the Apostle heereby putteth in minde that such stubburne people doe serue iniquitie For there is no meane whereby they shoulde not presently fall into the seruitude of sinne who will not be ruled by the lawe of the Lorde And this also is a iust rewarde of franticke licenciousnesse that they are made the bondslaues of sinne who thought it much to obey God Indignation and wrath The property of the wordes hath caused mee to turne it thus For Thumos with the Grecians signifieth that which Cicero teacheth Excandescentiam to note with the latines â—usc 4. namely a sudden inflammation of wrath In the others I followe Erasmus And note that of the foure which are reconed the two latter are as it were effectes of the former For they which perceiue or feele God to bee against them and angrie with them forthwith are confounded Neuerthelesse when hee might briefly in two woordes haue shewed as well the blessednesse of the godly as the destruction of the reprobate he amplyfieth them both in many woordes To the ende hee might better and more effectually mooue men with the feare of Gods wrath and stirre vp the desire of obtayning grace by Christ For we neuer feare the iudgement of God sufficiently vnlesse it bee by a liuely description as it were set before our eyes Neyther do wee seriously burne with the desire of the life to come except wee be stirred vp by manie prouokements 9 To the Iewe first I doubt not but he simplie opposeth the Gentile to the Iewe. For whom he nowe calleth Grecians straight wayes hee calleth the same Gentiles And the Iewes are first in the action of this cause for that they specially had the promises and threatnings of the lawe as if hee shoulde say this is the vniuersall lawe of Gods iudgement which shall begin at the Iewes and comprehend the whole worlde 11 For there is no respect of persons with God 12 Whosoeuer haue sinned without lawe shall also perishe without lawe and who so haue sinned in the lawe shall be iudged by the lawe 13 For not the hearers of the lawe are righteous before God but the doers of the lawe shal be iustified 11 For there is no respect of persons Hitherto hee hath drawen all men generally giltie vnto iudgement nowe he beginneth here to reproue the Iewes by themselues and the Gentiles by themselues And withall he teacheth that that diuersitie or difference which separateth the one from the other letteth not but both of them without difference may bee subiect to eternall death The Gentiles pretended excuse by ignoraunce the Iewes gloried in the title of the Lawe from the Gentiles hee
perfecte in som one part or other but which is euery way perfect For if the iust man fall all his former righteousnesse is not remembred Here also wee are to learne that they are peruersly ledd in pleasing God who of themselues deuise what they may thrust vpon him For then wee worship him best when wee followe that which he hath commaunded vs and giue obedience to his worde Let them goe now who boldly claime vnto themselues the righteousnes of works which is not otherwise then when the law is fully and perfectly kept Likewise wee gather that they are deceiued who brag before god those works they haue inuented thēselues which he esteemeth no better then dounge For obedience is better then sacrifices 20 Moreouer the lawe entred that the offence shoulde abound for where sinne abounded grace super abounded 21 That as sinne raigned by death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. 20 Moreouer the law entred This question dependeth of that he said before namely that sin was before the law were published for that being once heard this followed straightwaies to what end then was the law needfull Wherfore of necessitie this difficultie was to be vnfolden but because then it was not meet to make any longer digression hee differred it vnto this place And now also by the way he doth dispatch it The law was partly giuen that men might the better see their own destruction saying the law entred that sin might abound He doth not here shew the whole office vse of the law but toucheth one onely parte which serued for the present purpose For he teacheth that to the end the grace of God might haue place it was expedient men should better see their owne destruction They were verily before the lawe castawaies yet because they did seeme vnto thēselues to swim in their owne destruction they are thrust downe into the deepe that their deliuerance might be the more excellent whiles beyond all mans iudgement they escape thence Neither was it absurd that the law should partly be giuen for this cause that men alreadie once condemned it might twise condemne for there is nothing more iust then that men by all meanes might be brought yea being conuicted might be drawen to feele their euils That sinne might abound It is knowen howe some after Augustine are wont to expoūd this place namely that cōcupiscence is so much the more prouoked whiles it is restrained by the barres of the law because it is naturall vnto man to striue after that is forbidden But I vnderstand no other augmētatiō to be noted here then of knowledge and obstinacie For by the lawe sinne is laide open before the eyes of man that he might be compelled to see condēnation prepared for him So sin occupieth the conscience which otherwise being cast behinde them men made no account of Moreouer he which before did simply passe the bounds of iustice now a law being giuen is a despiser of the authoritie of GOD since the time that the will of God was knowen vnto him which he according to his lust hath shamefully contēned How sinne is increased by the lawe Whereupon it followeth that sin is increased by the law because then the autority maiestie of the lawmaker is despised Grace also hath superabounded After that sin had holden men being ouerwhelmed therewith then grace did helpe For this he teacheth that the greatnes of grace was by so much the more apparant as that when sin aboundede it did powre out it selfe so aboundantly Why condemnation is set before vs in the lawe that it did not onely ouermatch that deluge of sinne but also swallow it vp And here we are to learne that cōdemnation is not therfore set before vs in the law that we should abide in it but that our own miserie being sufficiently acknowledged Esa 61.1 we might be lift vp vnto Christ who is sent to be a Phisition to the sicke a deliuerer of the captiue a cōforter of the afflicted a sauiour of the oppressed 20 That as sin raigned in death As sin is called the sting of death because death hath no power against man Death hath no autoritie at all ouer mā but by sin therfore sin executeth his autoritie by death but for the cause of sin so sin executeth his power by death Therefore is it said to exercise his authority by death In the latter parte of this verse there is the figure Synchesis that is when the order is euerye way confused and yet it is not superfluous The antithesis had been simple if he had said thus that righteousnes might raigne by Christ But Paule not being content to haue opposed cōtraries to contraries addeth grace to the end he might print more deepely in memory that it is not of our merite but wholy of the bountifulnesse of God Before hee saide that death raigned Now he ascribeth the kingdome vnto sin but whose end and effect is death And he saith in the pretertence it raigned not that it hath nowe ceased to raigne in those that are borne onely of flesh and blood but he distinguisheth so betweene Christ Adam that he assigneth to either of them his time As sone therefore as the grace of Christ beginneth to florish in euery one the kingdome of sinne and death ceaseth CHAP. 6. 1 VVHat shall wee say then shall we abide in sinne that grace may abound 2 God forbid for howe shall wee which are dead to sin liue any longer therein WHat shall wee say then In this whole Chapter the Apostle declareth that they doe wickedly rente Christe asunder who imagine free righteousnes to bee giuen of him vnto vs without newnes of life Although he goeth further obiecting that then it seemeth there is place giuen vnto grace if men bee plunged in sinne For wee knowe there is nothing more readie then that fleshe shoulde euery way flatter it selfe and that Satan shoulde deuise reproches wherewith he might slaunder the docrine of grace which thing to doe is no harde matter for him The dotrine of grace must not therefore be suppressed because many take occasion of licentiousnes at it For seeing that is most strange vnto mans reason whatsoeuer is preached of Christe it ought to bee no maruaile if the flesh after it hath hard the iustificatiō of faith doe so often as it were dash vpon diuers rockes Howbeit wee must goe on for Christ is not therefore to be suppressed because he is vnto many a stone of offence and rocke of stumbling For looke by what way he shal be vnto the ruine of the wicked the same way againe hee shal bee to the rising of the godly And yet notwithstanding we are alway to occurre vnreasonable questions least the docrine of Christ shoulde seeme to drawe with it any absurditie Moreouer the Apostle now pursueth that obiection whiche commonly is obiected against the doctrine of the grace of God namely
bondage should abide in the condition of seruitude for he ought to defende that state of libertie which he hath receiued It is not meete then that you should be brought agayne vnder the power of sinne frō the which you were deliuered by the manumising of Christe This argument is taken from the efficient cause There followeth also another taken from the finall cause namely to this ende are yee exempted from the seruitude of sinne that yee might passe into the kingdome of righteousnesse therefore ye ought to be altogether vnmindefull of sinne and to turne your whole minde vnto righteousnesse into the obedience whereof ye are brought And it is to bee noted that no man canne serue righteousnesse except by the power and benefite of God They onely can serue righteousnes whō Christ hath deliuered from the tyranny of sinne Ioh. 8.36 he be first deliuered from the power and tyrannie of sinne As Christ himselfe testifieth If the sonne shall make you free yee shall bee free in deede What then shall our preparations by the vertue of our free will be if the beginning of goodnesse depend vppon this manumission which the onely grace of God accomplisheth 19 I speake after the manner of manne because of the infirmitie of your fleshe as ye haue giuen your members seruaunts of vncleannesse and to iniquity into iniquity euen so now also giue your members seruaunts of righteousnes vnto sanctification 19 I speake c. He saith that he speaketh after the manner of man not in respect of the substance but in respect of the forme as Christ in the 3. of Iohn faith that hee offereth earthlye things Iohn 3.12 How Paule speaketh after the manner of man whiles notwithstanding he intreateth of heauenly mysteries but yet not so honourably as the dignity of thinges required because he would humble himselfe vnto the capacitie of the rude simple people And thus the Apostle speketh by the way of Preface that he might the better shewe that calumniation to be too grosse and wicked when the fredome gotte by Christe is thought to giue liberty of sinning And withall hee aduerticeth the faithful that nothing can be more absurde or rather filthie and shamefull then that the spirituall grace of Christ should be of lesse force with them then an earthly manumission or freedom As though he said by the comparing of righteousnesse and sin I can shew how much more feruently yee ought to bee drawen into the obsequie of that then euer yee obeyed this but yet that I might something pardon your weakenesse I omit that comparison Howbeit that I may deale with you very fauourably this I may by right require of you that at the least yee doe not imbrace righteousnes more coldly or negligently then yee haue serued sinne And therein is included a certayne kinde of silence or concealing when we wil haue more vnderstood then we expresse by words For he doth neuertheles exhort thē to obey righteousnesse so much the more studiously as it is more worthy thē sin to be serued although he seemeth not to require so much in words As yee haue giuen That is seeing before this al your mēbers were so ready to obey sin therby it easily appeared how miserably the prauity of your flesh did hold you captiue and bound Now therfore in like sort be prone and readye to be ruled of God and let not your courage be lesse nowe in doing of good then it was before in doyng of euill Hee doeth not obserue the order of the Antithesis to apply the partes on both sides as to the Thessalonians hee opposeth vncleannesse agaynst holinesse Yet his meaning is apparaunt First he setteth downe two kindes vncleannes 1. Thes 4.7 and iniquitie the first whereof is opposed to chastitie and sanctimonie the other hath respecte vnto iniuries whereby our neighbours are hurte Moreouer hee repeateth this woorde iniquitie twise in a diuers sense For in the first place it signifieth rapines deceiptes periuries and all kinde of iniuries Iniquity hath a twofold acception in the second place it signifieth the vniuersall corruption of life as if it were put thus yee haue giuen ouer your members to commit wicked woorkes that the kingdome of sinne might florishe in you I vnderstand righteousnesse to be put for the lawe and rule of a right life whose end is sanctification namely that the faithfull consecrate themselues in puritie to the worshippe of God 20 For when yee were the seruants of sinne yee were free from righteousnes 21 What fruite had yee then in those things wherof yee are now ashamed For their end is death 22 But nowe being freed from sinne and made the seruantes of God yee haue your fruite in holinesse and the end euerlasting life 23 For the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life in Christ Iesus our Lord. 20 For when yee were Yet he repeateth that contrariety betweene the yoke of sinne and righteousnesse whereof hee made mention before For sinne and righteousnesse are things so contrary that he which voweth himselfe to one must needes depart from the other And that he doth to the ende that whiles they are looked vppon eyther of them by them selues it might more easily appeare what a man is to looke for of them both For separation or distinction helpeth in the consideration of the nature of euery thing Therefore hee setteth sinne on one hande and righteousnesse on the other then hauing put a difference hee sheweth what doeth followe on both sides Let vs therefore remember that the Apostle doeth yet argue from contraries after this manner so long as yee were the seruaunts of sinne yee were free from righteousnesse nowe on the contrary yee must serue righteousnesse because yee are free from the yoke of sinne He calleth those free from righteousnes who are holden by no reyne of obedience to the studie of righteousnes Who are called free from righteousnesse This is the liberty or licentiousnes of the flesh which freeth vs so from God that it maketh vs the bondslaues of the diuel Miserable cursed then is that liberty which by an vnbrideled or rather by a mad fury triumpheth to destruction 21 What fruite therefore c. He could not anie way more substantially expresse his mynd then by appealing to their conscience and as it were in their person to be ashamed For the godly assoone as they beginne to be illuminated by the spirite of Christ and the preaching of the Gospell all the former parte of their life which they haue led out of Christ they doe willingly acknowledge to haue beene damnable and they are so farre from goyng about to excuse themselues that rather they are ashamed of them selues And also they doe alway call to mynde the remembraunce of their ignominy to the ende they being so ashamed might more truely and more readily bee humbled before the Lord. Neyther is it in vayne he saith Now yee are ashamed For he insinuateth
Therefore in it onelye is saluation to bee founde And hee bringeth for the first argument of condemnation that when the frame of the worlde and this comely composition of Elementes ought to haue beene a spurre vnto man that hee shoulde glorifie GOD no manne was founde to doe his duetie Whereby appeareth howe all menne are guyltye of sacriledge and wicked and abhominable ingratitude Some menne thinke this to bee the firste proposition or generall sentence that Paule might beginne his Sermon at Repentaunce but my mynde is that the disputation beginneth heere And that the state of the cause was sette downe in the former proposition For the purpose of Paule is to shewe where saluation is to bee sought for And hee hath alreadye pronounced that wee doe not otherwise obtayne it then by the Gospell But because fleshe doeth not willinglye humble it selfe thus farre that it might assigne the prayse of saluation to the onelye grace of GOD Seeing al men are guilty of eternall death in themselues who so wil be saued must seeke for life else where Paule prooueth the whole worlde to bee guiltye of eternall death Whereuppon it ensueth that wee must seeke for life else where seeyng wee are all loste and vtterlye cast awaye in our selues Howe bee it the woordes beeyng diligentlye weighed will helpe greatelye to the vnderstanding of the tenour of the proposition Some putte a difference betweene impietye and vnrighteousnesse after this sorte by the firste woorde they vnderstand the violating of the woorshippe of GOD by the second the violating of that equitye shoulde be amongst men But because the Apostle immediatly after referreth that vnrighteousnesse vnto the neglect of religion we wil vnderstand both as one and the same Secondlye all impietye of menne Hypallage is when in speeche the order of things is turned by the figure Hypallage for the impietie of all men or whereof all menne are guiltye One thing to witte vnthankfulnesse against God is sette foorth by two names because wee offende therein two wayes It is called Asebeia id est impiety or vngodlines as a dishonouring of God It is called Adigeia â—d est vnrighteousnes or iniustice because man in taking vnto him selfe that is Gods hath vniustly robbed GOD of his honour Wrath an humane affection after the manner of the Scripture How God is said to be angrie is put for the reueÌ„gement of God because GOD when hee punisheth seemeth in our opinion to bee angrye Therefore it doeth not signifye any motion in GOD but onelye hath respecte vnto the sence of the sinner that is punished When hee sayeth that the same is reuealed from heauen although this particle from heauen bee taken of some in steede of an Epitheton as though it were sayde of the Celestiall GOD yet I thinke there is more efficacie in it after this sence whether soeuer a manne looke about him he shall finde no health for so farre and wyde as the heauens are the wrath of God is powred out into the whole worlde The trueth of God signifieth the true knowledge of GOD. Gods truth is withholdeÌ„ wheÌ„ his true knowledge is suppressed or obscured To withholde it is to suppresse or obscure it whereby they are as it were accused of thefte Where wee translate it vniustlye Paule hath in vnrighteousnesse which phrase of the Hebrewes is all one but wee studie to bee playne 19 For as muche as that whiche may bee knowen of God Thus hee tearmeth that whiche is lawefull or expedient for vs to knowe of GOD. And hee vnderstandeth all that whiche appertayneth to the setting foorth of the glorye of the Lorde or whiche is all one whatsoeuer might mooue or stirre vs to glorifie God By whiche woorde hee signifyeth that GOD can not bee conceyued of vs God cannot be knowen as he is but only so farre as it hath pleased him to make himself knowen howe greate hee is but there is a certayne measure within the whiche men ought to keepe them selues euen as God applyeth to our capacitye what so euer hee testifieth of him selfe Those dote therefore whosoeuer they bee contende to knowe what God is because it is not vayne that the Spirite the Teacher of true wisedome doeth call vs vnto To gnoston to saye whiche maye bee knowen of God And howe it maye bee knowen hee will shewe straight way in that which followeth For the greater Emphasis hee sayeth rather in them then simply them For although the Apostle doeth euery where vse the Phrases of the Hebrewe tongue wherein Beth is often superfluous yet heere it is thought hee woulde shewe suche a manifestation of God whereby they might bee vrged more neerelye then that they coulde make anye euasion as vndoubtedly euery one of vs doeth feele it grauen in his heart Whereas he sayeth God hath shewed it the meaning is that man was therefore made that he might be a beholder of the frame of the world and that therefore were eyes giuen vnto him that by the beholding of so goodly a spectacle The beholding of Gods workemanship in the creation should leade vs vnto God he might be carried vnto the author him selfe 20 For the inuisible thinges of him God by himselfe is inuisible but because his Maiestie shyneth in all his workes and creatures men ought in them to acknowledge him For they doe playnlye shewe foorth their woorkemaister In whiche respect the Apostle to the Hebrewes calleth the worlde a glasse or spectacle of inuisible thinges Hee reckoneth not particulerly what thinges maye bee considered in God By the glasse of Gods creatures we may come eueÌ„ to the knowledge of his eternall power Godhead but he teacheth that wee may by that glasse come euen vnto the knowledge of his eternall power and Godhead For it behooueth him who is the authour of all thinges to bee without beginning and of him selfe When wee are come thither nowe the Godhead sheweth it selfe which cannot consist but with euerye the vertues of God seeing they are all comprehended vnder it To the intent that they shoulde bee without excuse Heereby it doeth easilye appeare what menne gette by this demonstration namelye that they can alleadge no excuse beefore the iudgement of GOD but they are iustlye condemned Let this distinction therefore stande the demonstration of God whereby hee maketh his glorie apparaunt in his creatures The reuelation of God in his creatures hath a two fold consideration in respecte of the brightnesse thereof is cleere enough but in respecte of our caâ—â—citie is not so sufficient Yet wee are not so blynde that wee canne pretende ignoraunce to quite vs from the blame of naughtinesse or peruersitie First wee conceyue with our selues there is a God Secondly that the same whosoeuer hee bee is to bee woorshipped But heere our reason fayleth before it canne obtayne eyther who is GOD Heb. 11.3 It is the light of faith wheâ—eby we profit aright in the creation of the world or what hee is Wherefore the
with howe blynde loue of our selues we are taken whiles we are plunged in the mistes of sinne that we esteeme not of so great vncleannesse in vs. It is onely the light of the Lorde which can open our eyes that they may see the corruption lurketh in our flesh Who is truely indued with the principles of Christian religion To conclude therfore he is indued with the principles of Christian philosophie who indeede is displeased with himselfe hath learned wel to be ashamed of his owne misery Finally by the cōsequent he sheweth yet more plainely how greatly they ought to be ashamed when they vnderstand that they were euē at the threshold of death destruction yea were already entered the gates of death if they had not beene drawen backe by the mercie of God A twofold end of sinne and righteousnes 22 You haue your fruite As before he put downe a twofolde ende of sinne so nowe of righteousnes Sinne in this life bringeth the tormentes of an euill conscience and after this life eternall death Of righteousnesse in this life wee reape for fruite sanctification in time to come wee hope for eternall life These thinges vnlesse wee were too sottishe ought to begette in vs a hatred and horrour of sinne and a loue and desire of righteousnesse And whereas some doe take this woorde Telos for tribute I thinke it is not the meaning of the Apostle For although it is true that we suffer the punishment of death for sinne yet that worde cannot agree to the other member wherunto it is applyed of Paule For life is not called the tribute of righteousnesse 23 For the wages of sinne There are some whiche thinke that heere is noted displeasauntly howe harde a wage is payde to sinners whiles Paule compareth death to cates which word with the Grecians sometime is taken for the dyet of souldiers But rather he seemeth indirectly to checke the blynd appetites of those who daungerously intangle themselues with the inticementes of sinne no otherwise then fishes with the hoke Howbeit it shal be more simply to take it for stipendes or wages For surely death is a very sufficient reward for the reprobate And it is the conclusion as it were the Epilogue of the former sentence And yet is it not in vayne that he repeateth the same thing in other wordes agayne for by doubling the terrour he woulde make sinne more detestable But the gift of God They are deceiued which translate this proposition thus What is meant by the gifte of God and what fruite the same bringeth worth in vs. life eternall is the gifte of God as though righteousnesse were the subiectum and gift of God predicatum Because that sence shoulde make nothing vnto the contraposition But as before he taught that sinne bringeth foorth nothing but death so now he addeth that this gifte of God namely our iustification and sanctification bringeth vnto vs the blessednesse of eternall life Or if you hadde rather as sinne is the cause of death so righteousnesse wherewith wee are indued by Christ hath restored eternall life vnto vs. In the meane while here we may most certainly gather that our saluation is wholly of the grace meere bountifulnesse of God He might otherwise haue said the wages of righteousnes is eternall life that one member might haue aunsweared another but he saw it was the gift of God whereby wee obteyne life and not our merite And that gifte also is not one nor single for wee beeynge clothed with the righteousnesse of the sonne are reconciled to God and by the vertue of the spirit renued into holinesse of life And therefore hee addeth in Christ Iesus our Lord that he might drawe vs from all opinion of our owne worthinesse CHAP. 7. 1 DOe yee not know brethren for I speake to them know the law that the lawe hath dominion ouer a man as long as he liueth 2 For the woman which is in subiection to a man is boūd by the law to the mā whiles he liueth but if the man be dead she is deliuered from the law of man 3 So then if while the man liueth she take another man she shal be called an adulteresse but if the man be dead shee is free from the law so that she is not an adulteresse though she take another man 4 So yee my brethren are dead also to the law by the bodie of Christ that yee should be vnto another euen vnto him that is raysed vp from the dead that wee should bring foorth fruite vnto God ALthough hee had sufficiently as in such breuity it could be vnfolded the question of the abrogation of the lawe yet because it was both a difficult question and of it selfe might bring foorth many others he doeth more copiously declare howe the lawe is abrogated from vs secondly he sheweth what profite wee get thereby because whiles it doeth holde vs bounde without Christ it canne doe nothing but condemne vs. And least any shoulde thereby accuse the lawe hee meeteth with the obiections of the flesh and refuteth them where hee excellently handeleth a notable place of the vse of the Lawe 1 Doe yee not knowe Let the generall proposition bee that the lawe was giuen to no other ende vnto men then that it should gouerne this present life To what end the law was giuen with those be dead it hath no place Whereunto afterward hee addeth a more speciall namely that we are dead vnto the law in the body of Christe Some other vnderstand that the dominion of the lawe abideth so long to binde vs as the vse thereof is in force But because this sentence is somwhat obscure and it doth not so properly agree vnto that speciall proposition followeth straightwayes I had rather follow those who take it to be spoken of the life of man and not of the life of the lawe And the interrogatiō verily hath more strength to set foorth the certaintie of the matter is spoken of For it sheweth that that is not strange or vnknowen to any of them but is indifferently graunted among all For I speake to them haue knowledge This parenthesis is to bee referred thither whither the proposition is referred as if he should say that he knew they were not so vnskilfull of the law as they could doubte of that And albeit both might be vnderstood of all lawes together yet is it better to vnderstand it of the lawe of God whiche is now in question Whereas some thinke the knowledge of the law is attributed vnto the Romanes because the best part of the worlde was vnder their Empire gouernement that is very childish For partly he speaketh vnto Iewes or other strangers partly vnto vulgare obscure men Yea he chiefly respecteth the Iewes with whom he had to do concerning the abrogation of the law And least they should thinke they were dealte withal very captiously he sheweth that he taketh a principle cōmon knowen to thē all wherof they
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
consent is sinne but there is great difference between a set will and affections whereby we are tickled Therefore by this last precept God requireth such integrity of vs that no corrupt lust should moue vs vnto euil howsoeuer it be that we cōsent not vnto it And for this cause it was I saide Paule did mount higher then the common capacity of man is able to reache For politike lawes cry that they punishe the counselles and not the euentes and the Philosophers more subtilly place both vices and vertues in the mynde but God by this precept pearceth vnto the concupiscence which is more secrete then the will And therefore men did not count it for sinne Neyther was it onelye pardoned of the Philosophers but at this day the Papistes contend mightely that it is not sinne in the regenerate But Paule saith he found out his guiltinesse by this lurking disease whereupon it followeth that they are not excusable who so are sicke of it but so farre foorth as GOD doeth pardon the faulte A twofolde concupiscence In the meane while wee are to holde that distinction betweene euill lustes which come vnto consent and concupiscence which only so tickleth and mooueth the heartes that it stayeth in the middle way 8 But sin tooke an occasion So then whatsoeuer is euil it ariseth of sinne the corruption of the flesh the occasion only is in the law And although he may be supposed to speake of that prouocation only whereby through the law our lust is so stirred vp that it bursteth forth into greater madnes yet I refer it chiefly vnto knowledge as though it were saide it discouered in me all concupiscence which whiles it lay hidden seemed in a manner to be none And yet I denie not but the flesh is more vehemētly prouoked vnto cōcupiscēce by the law so this way it cōmeth into light which thing might also happen vnto Paule But that which I sayd of manifestation agreeth rather vnto the text For straightwaies he addeth For without the law sinne is dead 9 And I liued sometime without law But when the commandement came sinne reuiued 10 But I died and that commandement which was ordeyned vnto life was found vnto me to be vnto death 11 For sinne taking an occasion by the commandemēt led me out of the way and by that killed me 12 Wherefore the law is holye the commaundement holy and iust and good For without the law Here he doth plainely expresse the meaning of the former words For it is as much as if he said that knowledge of sinne without the law is buried And it is the generall sentence wherunto he doth by and by apply his example Wherfore I maruell what the interpreters meant to translate it in the preterimperfectence as though Paule spake of himselfe seeing it is apparant that his mind was to begin at an vniuersal proposition and afterward to open the matter by his example 9 And I liued sometime wthout lawe His meaning is to insinuate that there was a time wherin to him or with him sinne was dead For it is not to be vnderstood that he was at any time lawlesse but this word I liued is very significant because the absēce of the lawe made that he liued that is being puffed vp with the cōfidence of his owne righteousnes he chalenged life vnto himselfe when neuerthelesse he was dead That the sentence may be more cleare resolue it thus when somtime I was without law I liued And I said that this word was significant because in faining himselfe righteous hee claymed vnto himselfe life also This then is the meaning when I sinned without knowledge of the lawe sinne was so drowned that I did not obserue it and that it seemed almost to be dead On the other side I because I did not see that I was a sinner did please my selfe in my selfe thinking that I had life at home with my selfe For the death of sinne is the life of man againe the life of sinne is the death of man But the question is what time that was 2. Cor. 3.14 how paul being brought vp of a childe in the doctrine of the law is saide to haue liued sometime without law wherein by the ignorance of the lawe or as hee sayth by the absence of the lawe hee did confidently claime life vnto him selfe For sure it is hee was brought vp of a childe in the doctrine of the lawe But that was a litterall Diuinitie which doth not humble his Disciples For as he saith in another place the vaile was interposed that the Iewes coulde not see the light of life in the lawe So he also so long as he beyng voyd of the spirite of Christe had his eyes couered did please himself in the externall shew of righteousnesse Hee therefore counteth the lawe absent which though it were present before his eyes yet did not smite him with a perfecte sence of the iudgement of the Lorde Thus are the eyes of hypocrites couered with a vayle that they see not howe much this precept requireth wherein wee are forbidden of concupiscence But when the commaundement came So nowe on the contrary hee counteth the lawe then to come when it began truely to be vnderstoode The lawe therefore did as a man woulde say rayse sinne from the dead because it discouered vnto Paule with howe muche corruption the inwarde partes of his heart abounded and also did flea him And let vs alway remember that he speaketh of a secure confidence wherein hypocrites rest whiles they flatter themselues because they wincke at their sinnes 10 Was found vnto me c. Two thinges are said here 1. namely that the commaundement sheweth vnto vs the way of life in the righteousnesse of God therfore was giuen that we obseruing the law of the Lord The law in it selfe is the way of life But that none are saued by the law the cause is for that none doth keepe it might obteyne eternall life if the prauity of vs all did not hinder it 2. But because there is none of vs that keepeth the law but rather we are altogether carried headlong into that kinde of life from the which it doth call vs it can bring nothing els but death Thus we are to distinguish betweene the nature of the lawe and our corruption Whereby it followeth that wheras the law doth wound vs vnto death that is accidentical as if an incurable disease should be stirred vp the more by an wholesome medicine Indeed I confesse it is an insepararable accident and therefore the lawe in another place in respect of the Gospell is called the minister of death but yet this abideth firme 1. Cor. 3.7 that it is not hurtfull vnto vs of his own nature but because our corruption doth prouoke and cause his curse 11 hath lead mee out of the way Verily true it is although the will of God bee hidden from vs and no doctrine doth shine vnto vs the whole life of men
handle the place of Moses but onely to apply it vnto the treatise of the present cause He doeth not therefore recite sillable by sillable what is in Moses but he vseth a polishing whereby hee applyeth the testimonie of Moses more neerely to his purpose Hee spake of pâ—aces are not to bee come vnto Paule hath expressed those places whiche are most of all hidden from our eyes and yet are to bee â—eeâ—e of our faith Wherefore if you take these to be spoken by the way of amplification or polishing thou canst not say that Paule hath violently and vnaptly wrested the woodes of Moses but rather thou wilt confesse that without any damage to the sense hee hath notably alluded vnto the wordes heauen and Sea Now let vs expound the wordes of Paule simply Because the assurance of our saluation dependeth vpon two principles namely whiles wee vnderstande that life is purchased for vs and death conquered to vs. With both which he teacheth our faith is supported by the word of the Gospell For Christe by dying hath swallowed vp death by rysing againe he hath gotten life in his power Nowe in the gospell the benefite of Christes death and resurrection is communicated vnto vs then there is no cause that wee shoulde seeke further for any thing Therefore that it myght appeare the righteousnesse of faith is aboundantly sufficient vnto saluation hee teacheth that those two members which onely are necessary vnto saluation are conteined in it Who then shall ascend into heauen Is as much as if he said who knoweth whether that inheritance of eternall and celestiall life abideth for vs Who shall descend into the deepe As if thou said who knoweth whether eternall death of the soule also follow the death of the bodie Both which doubtes hee teacheth to bee taken away by the righteousnesse of faith For the one should bring Christ downe from heauen Christ in his humane nature hath taken possesion of the heauens for the faithfull the other froÌ„ death should bring him backe againe For the ascention of Christe into heauen ought so to establish our faith of eternall life that hee in a maner draweth Christe himselfe out of the possession of the heauens that doubteth whether the inheritance of heauen bee prepared for the faithfull in whose name and cause hee is entred in thyther Likewise seeing hee tooke vpon hym the great horrours of Hell that hee myghte deliuer vs thence to call it into question whether the faythfull be still subiect to this miserie is to make his death voide and in a maner to denie it 8 But what saith it That negatiue speech which the Apostle hath hitherto vsed did serue to take away the impediments of faith it remaineth therefore that he declare the maner of obteining righteousnesse vnto the which ende this affirmation is added And whereas there is an interrogation interposed when they might all haue beene spoken together in on course of speeche that is done to procure attention And also his meaning is to shewe what a great difference there is betweene the righteousnes of the law and the Gospel seeing that sheweth it selfe a farre off it doth driue away all men from comming vnto it but this offering it selfe at hand doth familiarly inuite vs vnto the fruition of it The word is neere thee First of all this is to bee noted that least the mindes of men beeing carried away by vaine circumstances shoulde erre from saluation the boundes of the worde are prescribed vnto them within the whiche they ought to keepe themselues For it is as if hee shoulde commaund them to bee contente with the worde onely and admonish them that in this glasse the secretes of heauen are to bee seene which would both dasill theyr eyes with their brightnes astonishe their eares and also make the mynd it self amased Therefore the godly receiue an excellent consolation out of this place touchyng the certaynetie of the worde namely that they may as safely rest therein as in the most present beholdyng of things or as in any thyng is present and in hande Secondly it is to bee noted that suche a worde is propounded by Moses wherein wee haue firme and sure trust of saluation This is the worde of faith Iustly doth Paule take that for the doctrine of the lawe doth not pacyfie and quiet the conscience neyther doeth it minister vnto the conscience those thinges wherewith it ought to bee content Yet in the meane whyle hee excludeth not the other partes of the worde no not the precepts of the lawe but his mynde is to put downe remission of sinnes for righteousnesse and that without suche exact obedyence as the lawe requireth Therefore the worde of the gospell wherein wee are not commaunded to merite righteousnesse by workes but to imbrace it by faith being freely offered sufficeth to pacifie mens consciences and establish their saluation And the worde of faith by the figure Metonymia is put for the worde of promise that is for the gospel because it hath a relation with faith For the contrarietie whereby the law is discerned from the gospell muste bee vnderstood And out of this note of distinction we gather as the lawe requireth workes so the gospell requireth nothing els but that men bring faith to receiue the grace of God This parcell whiche wee preache is therefore added least any shoulde suspect Paule to dissent from Moses For hee testifieth that in the ministerie of the Gospell hee agreeth with Moses seeing he also did not place our felicitie any other where then in the free promise of Gods grace 9 So that if thou confesse This also is rather an allusion then a proper and naturall interpretation For it is like that Moses by the figure Synecdoche did vse the worde mouth Synecdoche is when by one thing another is vnderstood for face or countenance But it was not vnseemely for the Apostle to allude vnto the worde mouth to this sense when the Lorde publisheth his worde before our face assuredly hee calleth vs vnto the confession thereof For wheresoeuer the woorde of the Lorde is there it ought to fructifie and the fruite is the confession of the mouth Whereas hee putteth confession before faith it is the figure Anastrophe very vsuall in the Scriptures For the order had beene better Anastrophe is an inuersion of wordes when that is first should be last c. if faith of the hearte being put in the first place confessioÌ„ of the mouth which proceedeth thence had beene added And he doth confesse the Lorde Iesus aright who adorneth him with his vertue acknowledging him to bee such one as hee is giuen of the father and described in the Gospell And whereas resurrection onely is named wee must not so take it as though his death were in no place but because Christ by rysing again made vp our saluation For albeit our redemption and satisfaction was accomplished by his death by the which we are reconciled vnto God yet the victorie
them should not be vnprofitable Gods glorie the felicitie of the godly are ioyned together which so many nations had proued to be fruitfull 14 Grecians and Barbarians Whom hee vnderstandeth by Grecians and Barbarians hee sheweth by an exposition when he nameth the same in other tytles wise menne and vnwise for the whiche Erasmus turneth it learned and vnlearned but I had rather keepe the woordes of Paule He reasoneth therefore from his office that he is not to be counted arrogant because he thought him selfe partely able to teache the Romanes howe soeuer they excelled in learning prudencie and knowledge of thinges For it pleased the Lord to send him also vnto the wise Two thinges are here to be considered First that the Gospel is appoynted and offered by the commaundement of God vnto the wise Wise meÌ„ must heare learne the Gospel to the ende that the Lorde might subiecte vnto him all the wisedome of this worlde and might cause all wittinesse all kynde of science and highnesse of artes giue place vnto the simplicity of this doctrine And so muche the more because they are brought into an order with idiotes and are so tamed that they canne nowe abyde those to bee their schoole fellowes vnder the Schoolemayster Christe Vnlearned men are neither to be feared away nor yet to flee away of themselues from the schoole of Christ whom before they woulde not haue suffered to haue beene their schollers Secondly the vnlearned neyther are to be driuen from this schoole neyther are they through vayne feare of themselues to flee away from it For if Paule were indebted to them and is to bee thought to haue beene a faithfull debtor vndoubtedlye hee perfourmed that whiche he ought Wherefore heere they shall finde whereof they may bee capable to inioye it Here also all Teachers haue a rule which they may followe namely that modestly and courteously they humble them selues to the vnlearned and idiotes Hereuppon it shall come to passe Preachers must so apply themselues to the capacity of the foolish that they cocker not their foolishnesse that they may beare more patiently many trifles and deuour almost innumerable contempts wherof otherwise they might be ouercome Yet withall let them remember that they are so bound vnto the foolishe that they are not by ouer much cockering to mainteyne their foolishnesse 15 Therefore as muche as in meee is Now he concludeth that which hee spake before of his desire Namely that in as muche as he sawe it was his office to sowe the Gospell amongest them that he might reape fruite vnto the Lorde he coueted to answeare the calling of God so farre foorth as the Lord would permit 16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iewe first and also to the Grecian 17 For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith as it is written the iust shall liue by faith 16 I am not ashamed This is a Preoccupation or preuenting of the aduersaries obiections wherein he foresheweth that he cared not for the scoffinges of the wicked wherein also by the waye hee maketh vnto him selfe a passage vnto the setting foorth of the dignitie of the Gospel least it should be contemptible to the Romanes Whiles he saith he is not ashamed thereby he giueth to vnderstande that it is contemptible in the sight of the worlde Wicked men scoffe and despise the Gospel but the godly esteeme it as the instrument where in god sheweth forth his power vnto saluation And so he prepareth them now to the bearing of the reproche of the crosse of Christ least they shoulde esteeme lesse of the Gospel whiles they see it subiecte to the scoffinges and reproches of the wicked but on the contrary hee sheweth in howe great price it is with the godly First if the power of God ought to bee in high estimation with vs that shyneth in the Gospel If the goodnesse of God be woorthie to be sought for and loued of vs the Gospell is an instrument of that goodnesse woorthy therfore is it to bee reuerenced and honoured if the power of God bee to be reuerenced and as it is an instrument of our saluation it is to be loued of vs. And obserue howe muche Paule attributeth vnto the ministery of the worde when he testifieth that therein God sheweth foorth his power vnto saluation for he speaketh not here of any secrete reuelation but of the vocall preaching of the Gospel Whereuppon it followeth that they doe as it were purposelye refuse the power of GOD and repell farre from them his hande of deliueraunce which withdraw themselues from the hearing of the woorde But because it woorketh not effectually in all but onely where the spirite the inwarde teacher lighteneth their heartes therefore he addeth to euerie one that beleeueth Indeede the Gospell is offered all menne to saluation but the power thereof appeareth not euerie where And whereas it is the sauour of death vnto the wicked That the gospel is the sauoure of death to the wicked it is of their malice not of the nature of the gospel that commeth not so muche of the nature of the Gospel as of their malignitie and wickednesse By declaring one saluation he cutteth off all other confidence from whiche onely and sole saluation whiles the wicked withdrawe them selues they haue a certayne manifestation of their destruction in the Gospell Therefore seeyng the Gospel doeth indifferently call all men vnto saluation it is properly called the doctrine of saluation For Christe is offered in it whose proper office is to saue that was lost And those whiche refuse to be saued by him shall finde him a Iudge Yet euerye where in the Scriptures this woorde saluation is simplye opposed against destruction Therfore when it is named wee are to regarde what thing is spoken of Seeyng therefore the Gospell doeth deliuer from the destruction and curse of eternall death the saluation thereof is life eternall To the Iewe firste and also to the Grecian Eternall life is the saluation of the gospel Vnder the name of Grecians nowe he conteyneth all the Gentiles as may appeare by his diuision wherein hee hath comprehended all menne vnder two members And it is like that he chose this nation of Grecians chiefely to sette out other nations by them because it was first after the Iewes admitted into the communion or felowshippe of the couenaunte of the Gospell Secondly because bothe for nighnesse and famousnesse of tongue the Grecians were best knowen to the Iewes Synecdoche is when by one â—â—ny or by a part the whole or by a speaciall the general is vnderstoode It is therefore the figure Synecdoche wherein generallye hee conioyneth the Gentiles to the Iewes in the participation of the Gospell yet notwithstanding hee putteth not the Iewes downe from their degree and order in as muche as they were
Fathers who had obteined righteousnes before this death For they had that benefite from his death that was to come 7 For the iuste Reason forced me to sett downe this particle gar id est For rather affirmatiuely or by the waye of declaration then causatiuely This is the meaning of the sentence it is a very rare thing amongst men that any shoulde die for a iust man although that may nowe and then happen But let vs grannt that No such example of loue any where to bee found as was in Christ who died for the vngodly and his enemies yet can no man bee founde that will die for a wicked man That did Christ So it is an amplification taken from a comparison because no suche example of loue is extant amongst men as Christ shewed towardes vs. 8 And God confirmeth Seeing this verbe sunist esi is of a doubtfull signification it is more fitte in this place to bee taken for to confirme For the purpose of the Apostle is not to incitate vs vnto thankefulnesse but to establish the confidence and affiance of consciences Hee confirmeth That is he declareth his sure most constant loue towards vs in that for the vngodly sake he spared not Christ his sonne For herein his loue appeared that not being prouoked by loue of his owne free will he first loued vs as Iohn saith They are here called sinners as in many other places who are altogether corrupted and addicted to sinne as Iohn saith Iohn 3.16 God heareth not sinners That is such as are desperately Iohn 9.31 and wholly giuen to wickednes A woman that was a sinner that is of an vnhonest life And that appeareth better by the Antithesis whiche straightwayes followeth beyng iustified by his blood For seeyng hee opposeth these two betweene themselues Luke 7.37 and faythe they are iustified who are deliuered from the guiltinesse of sinne it is a consequent they are sinners who for their euill wookes are condemned The summe is if Christe by his death hath purchased righteousnesse vnto sinners Christ is no lesse able nor willing to defēd then he was to redeeme much more shall hee defend them beyng now iustified from destruction And in this last member hee applyeth the comparison of the lesse and greater vnto this doctrine For it were not enough that saluation was once purchased for vs except Christe did conserue the same safe and firme vnto the ende And that is it the Apostle goeth about nowe namely that it is not to be feared least Christ should breake of the course of his grace in the middle rase For since he hath reconciled vs to the father such is our condition that hee will shewe foorth his fauour more effectually towardes vs and dayly increase the same 10 For if when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall wee be saued by his life This is an exposition of the former sentence with an amplification taken frome the comparison of life and death Wee were enemies quoth hee when Christe tooke vpon him the mediation to reconcile the father Nowe we are friendes through his reconciliation if that coulde bee brought to passe by his death his life shall be of greater power and more effectuall So then we haue notable testimonies which may cōfirme the confidence of saluation in our heartes His meaning is wee were reconciled to GOD by the death of Christe because it was the sacrifice of reconciliation whereby GOD was reconciled to the worlde as I haue declared in the fourth Chapter But here the Apostle seemeth to be contrary vnto himselfe For if the death of Christ were the pledge of the loue of God towards vs Obiection It followeth that euen then we were acceptable to him Answeare but now he saith we were enimies I aunsweare because God hateth sinne we also are odious vnto him as we are sinners but as in his secret counsayle he electeth vs into the body of Christ he ceaseth to hate vs. But the restoring into fauour is vnknowne vnto vs vntill we perceiue it by faith Therefore in respect of our selues we are alway enimies vntil the death of Christ come betweene to reconcile God And this difference of a twofold respect is to be noted For otherwise we know not the free mercy of God then if we be perswaded that he spared not his onely begotten sonne because he loued vs at suche time as there was enmitie betweene him and vs Againe wee doe not sufficiently feele the benefite brought vnto vs by the death of Christe except this be vnto vs the beginning of our reconciliation with God that wee being perswaded the satisfaction being perfourmed hee is nowe fauourable to vs who before was iustly angrie with vs. So when acceptation into grace is ascribed to the death of Christe the meaning is that then the guiltinesse is taken away whereunto wee are otherwise subiect 11 And not this onely but also wee reioyce in God through our Lorde Iesus Christe by whome we are nowe reconciled 11 And not this onely Nowe he scaleth vnto the highest steppe of reioycing For whiles wee glory that God is ours what so euer good thinge may eyther bee imagined or wished doeth followe and flowe out of this fountayne For God is not onely the chiefest of all good thinges but he conteineth the summe and euery part in him selfe God in whom all good things are included is made ours by faith and hee is made ours by Christ Hither then doe wee come by the benefite of fayth that nothing bee wanting vnto vs touching felicitie And it is not without cause hee so often repeateth reconciliation First that wee might learne to fixe our eyes vpon the death of Christ as often as wee speake of our saluation Secondly that we may knowe that our confidence is no where t is to be reposed then in the forgiuenesse of sinnes 12 Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the world and by sinne death and so death went ouer all men in as much as all haue sinned 13 For vnto the lawe sinne was in the world but sinne is not imputed while there is no lawe 14 But death raigned from Adam vnto Moses euen ouer them that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of him that was to come 12 Wherefore as Now hee beginneth to exaggerate the same doctrine by a comparison taken from contraryes For if Christ came therefore that he might deliuer vs from that calamitie into the which Adam fell and did precipitate all his posteritie with him we can no way better see what we haue in Christ then when it is shewed vnto vs what wee lost in Adam although all thinges are not a like on both partes Therefore Paul addeth a correction which shall be seene in his place and wee also if there be any diuersitie shall note it It is a vice in writing when that
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
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
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
prayer A twofold spirit except it assured vs of free remission And to the end he might that rather set out that matter he setteth down a twofold spirite one he calleth the spirite of bondage which we may cōceiue by the law◠the other of adoptiō which is by the gospel He saith that was giuen in olde time vnto feare Heb. 12.18 and this at this day vnto assuraunce By such comparison of contraries the certaintie of our saluation is as thou seest made more manifest The authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes when hee saith wee are not come vnto the mount Sinai where all thinges were so terrible that the people being ouerthrowen as it were with the present sentence of death did pray they might not bee spoken vnto yea Moses him selfe confessed hee was afrayde but we are come vnto Sion the hill of the Lorde and his citie the celestiall Hierusalem where is the mediatour of the newe Testament Iesus By the aduerbe agayne wee gather that the law is heere compared with the Gospell because the sonne of God by his comming brought vnto vs this inestimable benefite that the seruile condition of the lawe should no more binde vs. Yet thou mayest not gather hereby eyther that none had the spirite of adoption before the comming of Christ or that who so receiued the lawe were seruauntes and not sonnes For he doth rather compare the ministerie of the lawe with the dispensation of the Gospell then persons with persons In deede I confesse that the faithfull are admonished here howe muche more liberally God hath nowe dealte with them then hee did in olde time with the fathers vnder the olde Testament yet hee respecteth the externall dispensation in respecte whereof onely wee excell because howesoeuer the sayth of Abraham Moses and Dauid was more excellent then ours yet for as muche as God in a maner kept them vnder a schoolemistresse they were not yet come vnto that libertie which is opened vnto vs. And also it is to bee noted that I haue purposely because of false Apostles put an antithesis or contrarietie betweene the litterall disciples of the lawe and the faithfull whome Christ the heauenly maister doeth not onely speake vnto with sounde of mouth but also inwardely doeth teache effectually by his spirite And although the couenaunt of grace is conteined in the lawe yet he remoueth it thence because opposing the Gospell hee considereth nothing but that which was proper to the lawe namely to bidde and forbidde and by the denouncing of death to bridle sinners and so hee giueth vnto the lawe What was proper to the lawe that qualitie whereby it differeth from the Gospell Or if any had rather hee propoundeth the bare lawe as God therein couenanteth with vs in respect of workes Thus therfore we are to thinke of the persons amongst the people of the Iewes whē the law was published also after it was published the godly were illuminated with the same spirit of faith therfore the hope of eternall inheritance whereof the spirite is a pledge seale was sealed in their heart Here onely is the difference that the spirite is powred out more aboundantly plentifully in the kingdome of Christ But if thou hast regarde vnto the dispensation of doctrine saluation shall seeme to haue been then for a suertie first manifested when Christ was exhibited in the flesh with such obscuritie were all thinges couered vnder the old Testament in comparison of that light is vnder the Gospell Furthermore if the lawe be considered in it selfe it can do nothing but binde men that are subiect to miserable seruitude with the horrour of death because it promiseth no good thing but with condition and it denounceth death against all transgressours Wherefore as vnder the lawe there was the spirite of bondage which pressed the conscience with feare so vnder the Gospell there is the spirite of adoption whiche cheereth our soules with the testimonie of our saluation And obserue that feare is ioyned to bondage because it can not otherwise be but the law should with wonderful disquietnes vexe and torment our soules so long as it exerciseth his power How feare is ioyned with bondage Wherefore there is no other remedie for the quieting of them then whiles God forgiuing our offences doeth fauour vs as a father his children By whome wee crye Abba Hee hath therefore changed the person that hee might expresse the state of all the godly as though hee sayde yee haue receiued the spirite whereby you as well as wee and the residue of all the faithfull doe crye And the figure mimesis here vsed of the Apostle is very significante Mimesis which is when one taketh on him the person of another for in the person of the faithfull hee pronounceth the name of father The doubling of the name by diuers woordes contayneth an amplification For Paule giueth to vnderstande that the mercie of God is nowe so published through the whole worlde that he is indifferently prayed vnto in all tongues as Augustine noteth Therefore his meaning was to expresse the consent amongst all nations Whereuppon it followeth that nowe there is no difference betweene Iewe and Gentile seeing they are knit together amongst them selues The Prophete Esay speaketh otherwise saying that the tongue of Chanaan shoulde bee common vnto all yet all one sence Esai 19.18 because he respecteth not the externall fourme of speeche but the consent of heart in woorshipping God and the same and simple studie in professing his true and pure woorshippe The woorde crie is put to expresse the constancie as if hee sayde wee pray not doubtingly What is ment by crying vnto God but boldely wee lift vp our voyce vnto heauen In deede the faythfull vnder the lawe did call God father but not with such sure confidence seeing the vayle did driue them farre from the sanctuarie but nowe when an entraunce is opened vnto vs by the blood of Christ wee may familiarly and as it were with full mouth glorie that wee are the sonnes of God from whence this crye proceedeth Finally by this the prophesie of Osee is fulfilled I will say vnto them you are my people and they shall answer agayne thou art our God Ose 2.23 For the more cleare the promise is so muche more boldenesse is there in prayer 16 For the spirite Hee doeth not simplie say the spirite of GOD is a witnesse to our spirite but hee vseth a compounde verbe which may bee translated to witnesse togeather if contestation were not somewhat els with the latines But Paul meaneth that the spirit of God doth giue vnto vs such testimonie that by the direction and gouernance thereof our spirite is assured the adoption of God is firme For our minde of it selfe except the testimonie of the spirite went before coulde not bring vnto vs this confidence Moreouer here is an exposition of the former sentence For whiles the spirite testifieth that we are the sonnes of God it
counsel of Paule is this that there is a more pretious reward offered then that we ought to refuse afflictions For what is more to be wished for then to be reconciled to God that our miseries be no more tokens of malediction or curse neither tend to our destruction Therfore he addeth straightwayes that the same are glorified who are now pressed with the crosse so that their miseries and reproches damage them nothing at all Although glorification is not yet exhibited but in our head yet because we doe in a manner see in him now the inheritaunce of eternall life his glorie bringeth such assuraunce of our glory to vs that woorthely our hope is matched or compared to present possession And adde that Paule according to the phrase of the Hebrue tongue hath vsed the pretertence in the verbes for the present tence Surely it is out of question that a continuall actioÌ„ is noted The godly loose as iot of glory whiles they are humbled to this sence whom God now after his owne counsel exerciseth with aduersitie those he also calleth and iustifieth into the hope of saluation so that they loose no iot of glorie whiles they are humbled For albeit the present miseries doe deforme it before the world yet before God and his Angels it alwaies appeareth perfect This therfore is the meaning of Paul by this gradation that the afflictions of the faithfull whereby they are humbled doe not apperteyne to any other ende then that they hauing obteyned the glorie of the celestiall kingdome might come vnto the glorie of the resurrection of Christ with whom they are nowe crucified 31 What shall we say then to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs 32 Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shal he not with him giue vs al things also 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth 34 Who shal condemne It is Christ which is dead Yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. 31 What shall wee say then Nowe the matter being sufficiently proued he bursteth foorth into exclamations wherby he declareth with what magnanimity of mind the faithful ought to be indued whiles aduersities presse them vnto desperation And in these wordes he teacheth howe that inuincible fortitude which ouer commeth all tentations consisteth in the fatherly fauour of God For wee knowe that iudgement is woont no otherwise to be giuen of the loue or hatred of God then by the consideration of the present state Therefore when thinges fall out vnhappily sorow possessing our mindes it driueth away all confidence and consolation but Paul crieth out that the beginning must be further sought forth therfore they reasoÌ„ preposterously who stay vpon the sorowful spectacle of our warfare Indeed I confesse the scourges of God in themselues What the scourges of God are in themselues by themselues are worthily couÌ„ted signes of Gods wrath but because they are blessed in Christ Paule coÌ„mandeth the Saints before al things to lay holde of the fatherly loue of God that trusting to this shéelde they may boldly triumph ouer all euill For this is a brasen wall vnto vs that by the fauour of God wee shoulde bee secure against all daungers Yet his meaning is not that wee shoulde haue no aduersity but he promiseth victory against all sorts of enimies If God be on our side This is the chiefe and surely the onely stay that supporteth vs in all temptations For excepte God be gracious vnto vs although all thinges laugh vppon vs yet no certayne trust can be conceiued And on the contrarye his onely fauour is a sufficient solace in all sorowe The fauour of God the onely fountaine of all consolation and a strong defence against all tempests of aduersities And hereunto apperteyne so many testimonies of scripture where the saints trusting to the only power of God dare despise whatsoeuer thing commeth against them in this world If I shal walke in the middest of the shadow of death Psal 23.4 Psal 11.1 Psal 3.7 I wil not feare euil because thou arte with mee I trust in the Lorde what shal flesh doe vnto me I will not be afraid of a thousande of people that haue compassed me round about For there is no power vnder heauen or aboue heaueÌ„ which caÌ„ resist the arme of the lord Therfore he being our defendour no harme at al is to be feared Wherfore he declareth true trust in God who being content with his protection feareth nothing so that he should dispaiâ—e surely the faithful are ofteÌ„times shakeÌ„ but are neuer vtterly cast downe Finally hither tendeth the counsel of the Apostle namely that a godly mind ought to stand vpon the inward testimony of the spirit and not depend vpon externall thinges 32 Who spared not his owne sonne Because it standeth vs greatly vpon to be so thorowly perswaded of the fatherly loue of God that we may persist in this glorying therfore Paul bringeth foorth the price of our reconciliatioÌ„ to the end he might proue that God doth fauour vs. And surely this is a notable rich experiment of inestimable loue that the father hath not refused to bestow his sonne vpoÌ„ our saluation From theÌ„ce therfore Paul draweth an argument from the greater to the lesse seing hee had nothing more notable or precious or excellent then him vndoubtedly he wil neglect nothing which he foreseeth may be profitable for vs. This place ought to admonishe and awake vs to consider what Christ bringeth with him to vs to beholde his riches for as he is the pledge of the vnspeakeable loue of God towards vs so he is not sent bare or voyd vnto vs but being filled with all heauenly treasures To deliuer for to giue vnto death least they whiche possesse him should want anie thing that might make to perfect felicitie And to deliuer heere signifieth to giue vnto death 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge The first chiefest consolation whiche the godly haue in aduersity is that they be certainly perswaded of the fatherly loue of God because heÌ„ce commeth both the certaintie of saluation and the quiet peace of conscience wherby aduersities are made sweet or at the least the bitternes of sorow is mitigated Therfore a more apt exhortation vnto patience caÌ„not be brought then when we vnderstand that God is gracious vnto vs. And therefore Paule maketh this confidence the beginning of consolation whereby it behooueth the faithful to be strengthened against all aduersities And because mans saluatioÌ„ is first wounded by accusation then ouerthrowen by condemnation he taketh away the daunger of accusation in the first place For there is one God before whose tribunall seate we must all stand Seeing then he iustifieth vs there remayneth no place for accusation Indeed the Antitheses seeme not to be exactly digested into
floorish in our heartes that it might alway shine in the mist of afflictions For as the cloudes although they darken the cleare sight of the sonne yet doe not altogether depriue vs of his shine euen so God in aduersities sendeth through cloudes the beames of his grace least anie tentation should ouerwhelme vs with dispaire yea our faith being supported by the promises of God as by winges ought through all impedimentes which are in the way to pearce vp into the heauens Indeede it is true that aduersities are tokens of Gods wrath if they be esteemed by themselues but when pardon and reconciliation is gone before we are to be resolued that although God doeth chasten yet he wil neuer forget his mercy Verily he admonisheth what wee haue deserued but withall he testifieth that he hath a care of our saluation whiles he prouoketh vs vnto repentaunce And he calleth it the loue of Christ Because the father in a manner doeth open his bowelles vnto vs in him Seeing then the loue of God is not to bee sought for out of Christ woorthily doeth Paule call vs hither that in the beames of the grace of Christ our faith might beholde the cleere countenaunce of the Father The summe is that this faith ought not to bee shaken with anie aduersitie for God beeing gracious vnto vs nothing is against vs. Whereas some take the loue of Christ passiuely for that loue wherewith hee is loued of vs as though Paule armed vs vnto inuincible fortitude this imagination is easily refuted by the whole course of Paules speeche and straight way also Paule will remooue all doubt heerein by defining this loue more clearely Tribulation or anguishe or persecution The Pronowne masculine which he put downe of late conteineth a secrete Emphasis or force For when hee might haue saide in the newter gender what shall separate vs hee chose rather to attribute the person vnto the dombe creatures that hee might commit into the fight with vs so many champions as there bee kinds of temptations which assault our fayth How tribulation anguish and persecution differ Furthermore these three differ amongest themselues thus that tribulation comprehendeth euery kinde of griefe and discommoditie but anguish is an inward passion namely whiles extremities driue vs vnto our wits ende Such was the angush of Abraham Lot whiles the one was constrained to offer his wife the other his daughters because they beeing hard bestead and wrapped in on euery side coulde not tell what to doe Persecution properly noteth tyrannicall violence whereby the sonnes of God are vnworthily vexed of the wicked And although Paul denieth the sonnes to be destressed or to bee brought into narrow straites yet hee is not contrary to himself 2. Cor. 4. ◠because he doth not simply make them free from paynefull care but he vnderstandeth they are deliuered as also the examples of Abraham and Lot declare 36 As it is written Psal 44 2◠This testimonie bringeth great weight vnto the cause For he insinuateth howe wee ought to bee so farre off from falling away through the feare of death that this is almost fatall to the seruauntes of God to haue death as it were alway present before their eyes It is probable or like that the miserable oppression of the people vnder the tyrannie of Antiochus is described in that Psalme because it is precisely expressed that they raged against the worshippers of God so cruelly for no other cause then for the hatred of true godlinesse There is also added a notable protestation that yet they fell not away from the couenaunt of God which thing I suppose was chiefly noted of Paule neither doth it let that the Saintes there complayne of calamitie which then pressed them otherwise then it was wont For seeing they first hauing testified their innocencie then shewe how they were oppressed with so many euils an argument is conueniently taken thence namely that it is no newe thing if the Lorde permit the godly without deserte to bee cruelly intreated of the wicked And it is out of question that the same commeth not to passe but for their profite seeing the scripture teacheth that it is farre from the righteousnes of God Gen. 18.23 to destroy the iust with the vniust but rather it is meete to requite affliction to those doe afflict and deliueraunce to those are afflicted 2. Thes 1.6 7 Secondly they affirme that they suffer for the Lorde and Christ denounceth them blessed that suffer for righteousnes sake Mat. 5.10 And whereas they say they die dayly thereby they signifie that death doth so hang ouer their heades that such a life differeth nothing in a maner from death 37 We ouercome by him That is Wee wrestle forth alway and escape I haue reteyned the word which Paul vseth superuincing thogh it be not so cōmon with the latins For sometimes it happeneth that the faythfull seeme to be ouercome and to lie forlorne the Lorde doth not onely so exercise them but also so humble them Yet this ishue is alway giuen that they obteyne the victorie Neuertheles to the ende they might consider whence this inuincible strength is he repeateth that agayne which he sayde before For he doth not onely teach that God because he loueth vs therefore putteth his hande vnder vs to stay vs but also he confirmeth that same sentence of the loue of Christ And this one woorde doeth sufficiently declare that the Apostle speaketh not of the feruencie of that loue wherewith wee loue God but of the fatherly loue of God and Christ towardes vs the perswasion wherof being throughly printed in our heartes it wil alway drawe vs from the gates of hell into the light of life will be of sufficient strength to support vs. 38 For I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor angell nor principalitie nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come 39 Nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus That he might the rather confirme vs in those things whiche are felt nowe hee bursteth also into hyperbolicall or excessiue speeches Whatsoeuer quoth hee is in life or death which may seeme to be able to seperate vs from God shall prevaile nothing Yea the Angels themselues if they go about to ouerthrowe this foundation shall not hurt vs. Neither doth it withstande that angels are ministring spirites Heb. 1.4 ordeyned for the health of the electe For Paul here reasoneth from that which is impossible as he doeth also to the Galathians Where in wee may obserue howe all thinges ought to be vile vnto vs Gal. 1.4 in respect of the glorie of God seeing it is lawfull for the maintenaunce of his trueth not to care yea euen for the angels By the names of principalities and powers angels are also signified being so called because they are the special instruments of Gods power Why angels are called principalities and
powers And these two wordes are added to the ende that if the worde Angels were not significant inough by these some what more might bee expressed Except you had rather vnderstande it thus neither angels and whatsoeuer high powers there are which is a kinde of speech when wee talke of things that are vnknowen to vs and exceeding our capacitie 38 Neither things present nor things to come Althogh he speaketh hyperbolically or excessiuely yet in deede he affirmeth that by no continuance of time it can come to passe that we shoulde be seperated from the grace of God which was necessarie to haue been added because we are not onely to fight with the sorrowe which we feele of the present euilles but also with feare and carefulnes wherewithal the daungers to come do vexe vs. The meaning therefore is that wee are not to feare least the continuaunce of myseries how long so euer it be should put out the faith of adoption This doth plainly impugne the scholemen who babble that no man is sure to perseuer vnto the ende but by the benefite of speciall reuelation which they make to bee moste rare By which doctrine faith is wholly destroyed which in truth is none vnles it be extended vnto death and also after death But we on the contrary must beleeue that he who hath begunne in vs a good worke will performe it vntill the day of the Lord Iesus 39 Which is in Christ That is Mat. 3.17 whereof Christ is the bonde For he is the beloued sonne of God in whom the father is well pleased Wherefore if we cleaue vnto God by him we may assure our selues of the immutable and vncessant loue of God towards vs. Finally here he speaketh more distinctly then he did of late placing the fountayne of loue in the father and affirming that it floweth from Christ vnto vs. CHAPTER 9. 1 I Say the trueth in Christ I lie not myne owne conscience bearing mee witnesse together with the holy spirite 2 That I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrowe in my heart 3 I woulde wishe my selfe to bee accursed or abandoned from Christ for my brethren I say my kinsmen according to the fleshe 4 Who are the Israelites to whom perteyneth the adoption and glory and testamentes and the giuing of the law the seruice of God and the promises 5 Of whom are the fathers and of whome Christe is according to the flesh who is God ouer all blessed for euer Amen IN this Chapter hee beginneth to meete with those offences whiche myght turne away the heartes of men from Christ namely that the Iewes for whom hee was ordeyned by the couenaunt of the lawe did not onely refuse or contemne him but for the most part did abhorre him For hereupon one of these two were thought to follow eyther that the promises of God were not true or else that that Iesus whom Paul preached was not the anointed of the Lorde which was peculiarly promised to the Iewes Both which douts Paul doth notablie vnfoulde in that which followeth How be it he doth so handle this place that he doth bridle him selfe from all bitternes against the Iewes least he shold exasperate their minds yet he yeldeth not one hâ—ire breadth vnto them to the damage of the Gospel For hee so giueth to them their ornamentes that he derogateth nothing at all from Christ But hee passeth as it were so abruptly to make mention thereof that there appeareth no ioyning or hanging together of speech and yet hee so beginneth a newe matter as though hee had touched it before This he therefore doeth because hauing finished the treatise of doctrine when hee turneth his minde vnto the Iewes being astonied at their incredulitie as at a wonder hee bursteth foorth into a suddayne protestation no otherwise then if hee woulde intreate of a thinge handled before seeing there was none in whose minde this cogitation woulde not voluntarily arise if this be the doctrine of the lawe and the Prophetes howe commeth it then to passe that the Iewes do so stubbournely refuse it Adde that it was a thing euery where knowne whatsoeuer hitherto hee had saide of the lawe of Moses and the grace of Christ to haue been more detested of the Iewes then that by their consent the fayth of the Gentiles shoulde bee holpen Wherefore it was needefull this offence shoulde be taken out of the way least it shoulde hinder the course of the Gospell 1 I speake the trueth in Christ Because this opinion was presumed amongest the most part that Paule was as it were a sworne enemie of his nation so that he was greatly suspected also of those were of the housholde of fayth as though he taught a falling away from Moses before hee beginne to dispute of the purposed matter he vseth a preface to prepare the mindes of the readers vnto him where hee cleareth himselfe of that false suspition of euill will towardes the Iewes And because the thing was not vnworthie of an othe and hee also sawe his affirmation woulde scarsly be beleeued agaynst the alreadie conceiued preiudice he testifieth by an othe that hee speaketh the truth By which example and such like as I admonished in the first chapter wee ought to learne what othes be lawfull Paul cleareth himself concerning the Iewes namely which cause that trueth to be belieued which is both profitable to bee knowen and also woulde not otherwise bee beleeued This particle in Christ is as muche as according to Christe Whereas hee addeth I lie not thereby hee signifieth that hee speaketh without deceipte or guile My conscience bearing mee witnesse By these woordes hee calleth his conscience before the iudgement of God because he bringeth in the spirite to beare witnesse of his meaning For to this purpose he hath interposed the name of spirite that he might the rather prooue howe hee being voyde and cleare of all corrupt emulation did handle the cause of Christ at the direction and moderation of the spirite of Christ Often tymes it commeth to passe that a man being blinded with the affection of fleshe although he deceiue not yet wittingly and willingly hee doth obscure the light of the truth And this is properly to sweare by the name of God What it is to sweare by the name of God to call him for witnesse to the confirmation of doubtfull matters and also to binde our selues to his iudgement if we lie 2 That I haue great heauinesse It is not without great cunning that he hath so broken off his speech not as yet shewing whereof he spake For it was not yet tyme to expresse plainly the perdition of the people of the Iewes Adde also that hereby hee insinuateth greater vehemencie of sorrow because vnperfect speeches for the most part doe greatly set foorth the affections But straightwayes hee will declare the cause of his sorrowe when hee hath more fully testified his sinceritie Furthermore that the destruction of the Iewes which he knewe to come to
passe by the will and prouidence of God did so greatly grieue him hereby wee are taught that the obedince which wee giue to the prouidence of God letteth not but we may mourne at the fall of wicked men whereunto yet neuerthelesse wee know they were ordayned by the iust iudgement of God For the same mind may receiue this twofold affection How the godly may mourne euen for the destruction of the reprobrate that whiles it respecteth God it can willingly abide they shoulde perishe whom hee hath determined to destroy but when it hath turned his cogitation vnto men it sorroweth at their euill They therefore are farre deceiued who require in godlymen a sencelesnes voidenes of affection least they shoulde repugne the ordinaunce of God Anathema What it meaneth and howe Paul wished it for the Iewes 3 For I would wishe He coulde not expresse any greater vehemencie of loue then by protestation or declaration For this is perfect loue when one refuseth not yea euen to die for the health of his frinde But the particle that is added doeth declare that he speaketh not onely of a transitorie destruction but of eternall death And he alluded vnto the signification of Anathema when he sayde from Christ For it is called of segragating or seperating And what is it to be segregated or seperated from Christ but to be excluded from all hope of saluation it was therefore an argument of most feruent loue that Paule doubted not to wishe that condemnation to himselfe which hee sawe to hange ouer the heades of the Iewes that hee might deliuer them Neyther letteth it that hee knewe his saluation was grounded vppon the election of God which can by no meanes fall away For these feruent affections as they are caried headlong so they respect or consider nothing els but that they tende vnto Therefore Paule did not ioyne the election of God with his wishe but the remembrance of that being past by hee was wholly fixed vpon the saluation of the Iewes Nowe where as many doubt whether it were a lawfull desire that doubt may thus be vnfoulded namely that this is the perpetuallimitte of loue that it may proceed euen vnto death So that then if we loue in God and not out of God our loue shall neuer bee too much And such was this of Paule For whiles hee sawe his nation to bee indewed with so manye giftes of God hee loued the giftes of God in them and them for the giftes sake And also was verie sory that these graces shoulde perishe hence came it that his minde being as it were confounded hee burst forth into this extreme wishe So I receiue not their opinion who thinke Paule sayde these in respect of God onely and not in respect of men agayne neyther doe I consent vnto those who without consideration of God say that Paul gaue so much vnto the loue of men but I ioyne the loue of men with the studie of the glory of God And yet I haue not declared that which was the principall namely that the Iewes are here considered as they are decked with their ornamentes whereby they were distinguished from mankind For God by his couenant had so highly aduaunced them that if they fel the fayth and truth of God should fayle or decay in the world For the couenant had been voyde whose stablenes is sayd to indure Psal 12.1 so long as the Sun and Moone shall shine in heauen So that it were more absurde the same shoulde be abolished then that the whole worlde shoulde be turned vyside downe Wherefore it is not a simple and bare comparing of men for although it were better one member shoulde perishe then the whole bodie yet Paule therefore esteemeth the Iewes so highly because he giueth vnto them the person and as they commonly say the quality of elect people Which thing also appeareth better out of the text as we shall see straightwayes in his place These wordes I say my kinsmen according to the fleshe although they signifie no new thing yet they auayle muche vnto amplification For first least any should thinke hee doth willingly or voluntarily seeke a cause of debate with the Iewes he signifieth that he hath not so put off the sence of humanity but he is moued at this so horrible a destruction of his owne flesh Againe seeing the Gospel whereof he was a preacher must needs come forth of Sion it is not without cause that he doth so largely inferre the commendation of his kinred For this exception according to the fleshe in my iudgement is not added as els where for to extenuate but rather to cause trust or confidēce For although the Iewes had reiected Paule yet he dissembleth not that hee was borne of that nation in whose roote the election yet florished though the braunches were withered That whiche Budaeus saith of the woorde Anathema is contrary to the sentence of Chrisostome who maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all one 4 Who are the Israelites Here now he plainely sheweth the cause why the destruction of the people of the Iewes did so greatly grieue him that he was readie to redeeme them with his owne destruction namely because they were Israelites For the Pronowne relatiue is put in steede of an Aduerb causall So this anguishe grieued Moses when hee desired that he might be put out of the booke of life that the holie and elect seede of Abrahā might not vtterly perish Therefore besides humane affection Exod. 32.2 he noteth other reasons and the same also greater or weightier whiche ought to make him fauour the Iewes namely that the Lord had so aduanced them as it were by a certaine prerogatiue that they were separated frō the cōmon sort of men And these speeches of dignitie are testimonies of loue For we vse not to speake so fauourablie but of those whom we loue And although through their ingratitude they made themselues vnwoorthy who should be esteemed of according to these giftes yet Paule ceasseth not euen therfore to reuerence them Whereby he teacheth The good gifts of God can neuer be so defiled by the wicked but they are alway praise worthie that the wicked cannot so defile the good giftes of God but they are alway woorthy to bee praysed and had in admiration although vnto those doe abuse them there come nothing thereby but the greater obloquie And as we are not by hating the wicked to contemne the giftes of God in thē so on the contrarie we are to beware least by our fauourable esteeming and praysing of the giftes in them we puffe them vp much more also that our prayses carrie not a shew of adulation But let vs imitate Paule who graunteth vnto the Iewes their ornaments in such sort that afterward hee declareth all to bee nothing without Christ Finally he doth not in vain put this amongest their prayses that they were Israelites For Iacob prayed for that in steede of an excellent
it commeth from God for as much as there is nothing to be desired or prayse worthy in this worlde which doth not proceede and come from his hande Heere also we learne howe greatly the preaching of the Gospell is to be desired and howe highly it is to bee esteemed of all good men which is commended in suche sorte by the mouth of God Neyther is it to bee doubted but that God speaketh gloriously of the incomparable price of this treasure that all mens mindes may be awaked and stirred vp to seeke for the same greedily By this woorde feete vnderstande in this place their comming by the figure metonymia 16 But all haue not obeyed the Gospell This perteyneth nothing to that argument which Paul prosecuteth and followeth in this gradation And therefore hee doeth not repeate it in the conclusion which foloweth strayghtwayes but yet it was very necessarie expedient for Paul to ioyne this also in steed of a preoccupation least that where as it was sayde that the worde doeth alway ordinarily goe before fayth euen as the seede is before the corne any man shoulde reason or drawe an argument from the contrary part and inferre that fayth must needs follow wheresoeuer the woorde is For so might Israel glory who neuer wanted the worde Though ordinarily the woorde doeth alway go before fayth yet fayth doth not alway follow where the worde is Iere. 53.1 Iohn 12.38 Therefore it was meete and requisit for him to declare this in his way or passage that many are called who are not chosen And heriteth a place out of Esai and Iohn where the Prophete beeing about to publishe that excellent oracle of the death and kingdome of Christ Doth first with admiration and wonder speake of the pawcitie and fewnesse of beleeuers which in spirite appeared such to him as forced him to cry out Lorde who hath beleeued our reporte that is to say the woordes which wee haue preached For where as the Hebrewe woorde shemugnah signifieth speech passiuely the Grecians haue expounded it acoen and the Latines sermonem albeit improperly yet not in any obscure or doubtfull sence Nowe wee see why this exception was added by the way to witte that no man shoulde thinke fayth doeth necessaryly followe wheresoeuer the preathing of the woorde doeth flourishe Notwithstanding hee noteth the reason afterwarde when hee addeth To whome is the arme of the Lorde reuealed For hee signifieth that there appeareth no profite or fruite of the woorde but whilest God doth shine vpon vs by the bryghtnesse of his spirite and so is the inwarde calling distinguished from the outwarde voyce of man Which inwarde calling is onely effectuall and proper to the elect Whereby it is euident howe foolyshly some men reason that all are indifferently elected and chosen because the doctrine of saluation is vniuersall and God doeth indifferently inuite all men vnto him For the generalitie of the promise alone of it selfe and by it selfe doth not make saluation common and generall to all But rather this peculiar reuelation whereof the prophete maketh mention restrayneth and tyeth it onely to the elect 17 Therefore fayth commeth by hearing c. By the conclusion wee see what Paule did respect in framing that his gradatiō Namely to shew that wheresoeuer faith is there God hath alreadie giuen a manifest and euident signe of his elecion Secondly that he hath powred out his blessinge by the ministration of the Gospel that he might lighten the mindes of men by fayth and by the same fayth also might prepare them to call vpon his name wherein saluation is promised to all And that by this meanes it was testified howe the Gentiles were admitted by him into the felowship of the eternal inheritāce And this a worthie and excellent place concerning the vertue and efficatie of preaching because he doeth testifie that fayth proceedeth and springeth from it Hee confessed truely of late that of it selfe it profiteth nothing but where it pleaseth the Lorde to worke this is the instrument of his power And truely both the voyce of man is vnable by his owne vertue to pearce into the soule and also 〈◊〉 who is mortall woulde bee too proude if hee were said to haue power to regenerate vs and also the light of fayth is a more high and excellent thing then that it can be giuen and bestowed by man And yet all this doth not hinder but God may worke effectually by the voyce of man so that hee may beget in vs fayth by his ministerie Furthermore wee must note that fayth is not grounded vpon any other doctrine then vpon the worde of God for Paule doth not say that fayth doeth proceede from euery doctrine Fayth is grounded vpon the word of God onely but hee restrayneth it by expresse wordes to the worde of God which restraynte were absurde if faith might leane or stay itselfe vpon the decrees of men Therefore all the inuention of man muste cease when as the certayntie of fayth is handled by this meanes also doth that papistical dreame and fancie of intricate and intangled fayth fall flatte to the grounde whiche seuereth and destracteth fayth from the word And much more that execrable and cursed blasphemie which woulde haue the authoritie of the woorde to hang wauering and doubtfull till such time as the authoritie of the Church doth stay and establish it 18 But I demaunde haue they not hearde yea truly their sounde is gone into all the earth and their wordes into the endes of the worlde 19 But I demaunde hath not Israel knowen first Moses sayth I will prouoke you to enuie by a nation that is not my nation and I will anger you by a foolishe nation 20 And Esay is bolde and sayth I was founde of them who sought mee not I was made knowen to them who did not aske after mee 21 But of Israel he saith I haue stretched out my handes dayly to a proude and rebellious people 18 But I say haue they not heard c. Seeing that by preaching the mindes of men are indewed with the knowledge of God whiche of it selfe breedeth and bringeth forth the inuocation and calling vpon the same God It remayned to bee examined whether the trueth of God were euer declared and preached to the Gentiles or no. For in that Paule turned to the Gentiles vpon the sudden there was no small offence taken at this his sudden change and alteration Therefore hee asketh this question whether God had neuer directed and sent his voice before to the Gentiles and performed the duetie of a teacher towarde the whole world Furthermore to the intent hee might shewe howe the schoole is generally free and open to all into the whiche God doeth gather to him schollers from euery place hee citeth the testimonie of the prophete which in appearaunce doeth seeme to make little to the matter for the Prophete speaketh not there of the Apostles but of the dumbe woorkes of God In whiche hee sayth the glory of God
hee hath testified that all the mysteries of God doe farre exceede the capacitie of our vnderstanding straightwayes addeth that the faithfull vnderstande the minde of the Lorde because they haue not receiued the spirite of this worlde but the spirite whiche is giuen them of God by the which they are taught of his goodnesse which otherwise is incomprehensible Therfore as wee are not able by our owne strength to finde out the secretes of God so by the grace of the holy spirite wee haue accesse into the sure and cleere knowledge of them Nowe if it bee our partes to followe the spirite our guide wheresoeuer the same leaueth vs there we are to stay as it were stande still If any couet to know more then hee hath reuealed hee shall be ouer come with the brightnesse of that inaccessable light Esay 40.13 1. Cor. 2.06 That distinction which I brought of late betweene the secrete counsaile of God and his reuealed will in the scripture is to bee remembred For albeit all the doctrine of the scripture in highnesse exceede the wit of man yet is not the way thereunto shut vp against the faithfull which doe reuerently and soberly followe the spirite for their guide But there is another consideration of his secrete counsaile the depth and height whereof cannot by searching be come vnto 35 Who hath giuen to him first Another reason whereby the righteousnes of God is mightily defended against all the accusations of the wicked For if no man hath by his merites bounde God vnto him then none can iustly expostulate with him because hee hath not receiued a rewarde For hee that will force any to doe him good must needes shewe his merites wherby he hath deserued so at his hands This is then the meaning of the words of Paul God cannot otherwise be charged with vnrighteousnesse vnlesse it bee saide that hee giueth not to euery one their owne but it is euident that none is defrauded of his right by hym seeing hee is bounde to no man for what man can boast of any worke of his whereby hee hath merited his fauour And this place is worthie to bee noted wherein wee are taught that it is not in our power by our good workes to prouoke the Lorde to saue vs but hee preuenteth vs beeing vnworthie by his meere goodnesse For hee doth not onely shewe what men are wonte to doe but what they are any way able to doe If so bee that we would diligently examine our selues wee shoulde not only finde that God is not indebted to vs but that wee altogether are subiect to his iudgement so that we haue not only deserued no fauour at his hands but also are more then worthie of eternall death And Paule doth not onely gather that hee is no debter vnto vs because of our corrupt and contaminated nature but also though man were perfect yet he denieth that hee coulde bring any thinge at all before GOD whereby he might winne his fauour for so soone as man beginneth to bee euen by the righte of creation hee is so bounde vnto his Creator that hee hath nothing of his owne In vaine therefore shall wee goe about to take from him his right that hee may not freely according to his pleasure deale with his owne woorkemanship as though there were a mutuall regarde of some thing receiued and bestowed 36 because all things are of him and by him This is a confirmation of the former sentence For hee sheweth it is farre off that wee shoulde bee able to glory in any good thing of our owne against God seeing wee were created by him of nothing and in him haue our present beeyng Hereeby hee gathereth it to be meete that our being shoulde bee directed to his glory For howe vnorderly a dealing were it that the creatures which hee hath made and conserueth shoulde bee otherwayes imployed then to the setting out of his glory I know this particle eis auton to be taken sometimes for en auto yet abusiuely But seeing the proper signification serueth best to the present argument it is better to reteine it then to flee vnto that which is improper The summe is that the whole order of nature is euerted and ouerthrowne if the same GOD whiche is the beginning of all thinges bee not also the ende To him bee glory Nowe hee doeth boldly take vnto him the proposition as though it were proued for an infallible proposition namely that the glory of God ought euery way abyde immoueable For it shall bee a colde sentence if you take it generally but the force consisteth vppon the circumstance of the place namely that God doth challenge vnto himselfe an absolute authoritie and that in the estate of mankinde and all the worlde nothing is to bee sought for but his glory Whereupon it insueth that those cogitations are absurde and farre from reason yea they are mad whatsoeuer they be tend to the diminishing of his glory CHAP. 12. 1 THerefore I beseeche you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue your bodies a liuely Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto GOD which is your reasonable seruice 2 And fashion not your selues to this worlde but be ye changed in the renuing of your minde that yee may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect AFter that Paul hath handeled those thinges at the which it was meet he shoulde begin in the erecting the kingdome of God namely that righteousnesse is to bee sought for of God onely that saluation muste come vnto vs by his onely mercie that the summe of al good things is laide vp for vs and dayly offered in Christe onely Nowe very aptly he passeth vnto the reformation of manners Seeing by that healthfull knowledge of God and Christe the soule is as it were regenerate into a celestiall life and by godly exhortations and precepts the life it selfe is after a sorte framed and fashioned For in vaine doest thou goe about to shewe the practise or studie of composing and ordering the life if first thou doest not shew vnto men that the original of all righteousnesse is in God and Christ which is to raise them frō the dead And this is the principall differēce of the Gospell and Philosophie For albeit the Philosophers doe intreate of manners very excellentlie and with great commendation of wit yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer beautie appeareth in their precepts it is like a fayre building of an house without a foundation because the principles being omitted they propound a maymed doctrine not vnlike a bodie without a head Neither is the maner of teaching vsed in Poperie much vnlike For although by the way they make mention of the faith of Christe and the grace of the holy spirite yet it is apparant how they come neerer vnto prophane philosophers then vnto Christ and his Apostles And as the Philosophers before they put down lawes touching maners intreat first of the end of goodnes and searche out the originall of vertues whence afterwarde they
whē I require you to obey I require nothing els but that which all Christians ought to performe by the law of charitie For if you woulde haue the godly to bee safe which thing not to will were cruell you must studie that lawes and iudgementes may bee of strength and the gouernours of the lawes by whose benefite peace redoundeth to al may haue an obedient people Therefore he violateth charitie if any bring in anarchia libertie such as when there is no magistrate euery man doth his pleasure after which doth straightwaies follow a perturbation of al things For he that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe The counsaile of Paule is to reuoke all the commandementes of the law vnto loue that we may know how we then rightly obey the commandements when we keepe charitie and this that we refuse no labour which may make to the keeping of charitie So he confirmeth very well that he commaunded touching the obedience is to be giuen to magistrates wherein the greatest part of charitie both consist But here many are troubled and cannot wel vnfold themselues out of this difficultie namely that Paul saith the law is fulfilled if we loue our neighbour for so there is no mention of the worship of God which ought not to bee omitted But Paule hath not respect vnto the whole lawe hee speaketh here only of those duties which are commanded vs of the lawe towards our neighbour And surely that is true the whole law is fulfilled when we loue our neighbours because true loue towards men proceedeth not but from the loue of God and is a testimonie as wel as an effect thereof Yet Paule here maketh mention onely of the seconde table for the question was onely of that as though he had saide he hath done his dutie towardes all the worlde which loueth his neighbour as himselfe That cauill of Sophisters is childish which goe about to draw iustification of workes out of this sentence For Paule saith not what men do or doe not but hee speaketh vnder a condition which thou shalt no where finde to be fulfilled And when wee say men are not iustified by workes we denis not but the keeping of the law is true righteousnesse but because no man doeth nor hath performed it we say all men are excluded from it and therefore the onely refuge is in the grace of Christ 9 For that thou shalt not commit adulterie Hence it cannot be gathered what commandements are in the second table seeing in the end also he addeth and if there be any other commandement For he omitted the commandement of honoring parentes And it may seeme very absurd that that should be omitted which chiefly apperteined to the purpose But what if therefore he did omit it least he should obscure his argument but as I dare not affirme that so I see nothing wāting heere that might serue to his purpose namely seeing God would nothing els by all his commandments then that he might instruct vs vnto charitie and how by all meanes we are to striue thereunto And yet the quiet reader will easily confesse that Paule would proue by comparisons how the whole law tendeth to this that mutuall charitie might be maintained amongst vs and this is to bee vnderstood which he omitted that obediēce towards magistrate◠is not the last part of nourishing peace conseruing brotherly loue 10 Loue worketh no ill to his neighbour He sheweth by the effect that vnder charitie are conteined all things which are deliuered in all those precepts For he that is indued with true charitie will neuer studie to hurt his brother What els doth the whole law forbid then that we should do no iniurie to our neighbour Furthermore this must be applied vnto the present purpose for seeing Magistrates are the gouernours of peace equitie who so coueteth that euery man may haue his owne would haue all men liue in safetie he must defend as much as lyeth in him the estates of Magistrates The enemies of gouernment giue libertie of hurting Whereas he repeateth againe that loue is the fulfilling of the law vnderstand it as before of that parte of the law which respecteth the societie of mē For the first table of the lawe which is concerning the worship of God is not touched here 11 And this also seeing wee know the season because it is time that we should now awake out of sleepe for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued 12 The night is past the day is come nigh Let vs therefore cast away the deedes of darkenesse and let vs put on the armour of light 13 Let vs walke honestly as in the day not in ryoting drunkennes neither in chambering and wantonnesse neither in strife and enuing 14 But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and make no prouision for the flesh to fulfyll the lustes thereof 11 And this also Now he taketh in hand another place of exhortation namely because the beames of eternall life haue begunne to shine vnto vs as it were in the morning we must do that which they are wont to do that walk in the middest of the light and in the sight of men For they take diligent heed least they cōmit any filthie vnseemely thing because if they fall they see they are subiect to too many witnesses but we which alway stand in the sight of god angels whō Christ the true sonne of righteousnesse inuiteth to his sight ought much rather take heed of all vncleannes The meaning therfore of the words is this Seeing we know it is fit time that we shold awake out of sleepe let vs cast off whatsoeuer is of the night let vs shake off al the works of darknes seeing the darknes it self is now driuen away studying the workes of light let vs walke as it is meete in the day time The wordes are interposed must be included in a parēthesis Moreouer because here is an allegorie it is necessary to note what euery part doth signifie By night he vnderstandeth the ignorāce of God wherein who so are holden they erre sleepe as it were in the night For the faithlesse labour of these two euils because they are blinde sottish or dull And this sottishnes or masednes he setteth forth a litle after by sleepe What is meant by night and by light which is as he saith the image of death By light he vnderstandeth the reuelatiō of the truth of God by the which the sonne of righteousnes Christ appeareth to vs. He vseth this speech to awake for to be armed and prepared to doe those things which the Lord requireth of vs. Workes of darknesse are put for filthie and wicked workes because as hee saith the night is without shame The armour of light for honest sober and chast workes such as the day is wont to serue vnto And he vseth rather this worde armour then workes because wee must fight for the Lorde But this parcell in the beginning of the