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
if it be true that the grace of God doth help vs so much the more bountifully and largely as we haue beene ouerwhelmed with a greater weight of sinne there is nothing more expedient for vs then that wee being drowned in the depth of sinne shoulde oftentimes by newe offences prouoke the wrath of God Obiection For so at length we shall feele greater plentie of grace then the which nothing is more to be wished for As for the maner of refutation we shall see it afterwarde 2 God forbid Some think that the Apostle doeth onely by the way of a sharpe correction reprehende so vnreasonable a madnesse but by other places it doth appeare howe familier an answere this is with him yea in much disputation or many arguments as here also he wil shortly with great diligence refute the obiected obloquie yet first by this particle of one detesting he doth reiect it that he might admonishe the readers there is nothing more vnlike then that the grace of Christe the repayrer of our righteousnesse shoulde nourishe our vices The grace of Christ abolisheth sinne and therefore doth not nourish it Whiche are dead to sinne This is an argumen taken from the contrary For it is certaine that he which sinneth liueth to sinne but we are dead to sinne by the grace of Christ therefore is it false that that shoulde nourishe sinne which doth abolish it For thus the case standeth the faythfull are neuer reconciled vnto God without the gift of sanctification yea to this ende are wee iustified that after warde we might worship God in holinesse of life For Christe doth not otherwise washe vs with his blood and by his satisfaction reconcile God vnto vs then whiles hee maketh vs partakers of his spirite which reneweth vs into an holy lyfe It were therefore too preposterous an inuersion of the worke of God if by occasion of that grace which is offered vs in Christe sinne shoulde gather any strength For the medicine is not the nourishour of that it extinguisheth Finally we must remēber that I touched of late namely that Paule doth not here say what God doth finde vs to bee whiles he calleth vs into the societie of his sonne but what wee shoulde bee after he hath had mercy vpon vs and hath adopted vs freely For by a verbe of the future tēse he sheweth what manner of chaunge should followe righteousnesse 3. Know ye not that all wee which haue beene baptised into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death 4 Wee are buried then with hym by baptisme into his death that like as Chirste was raised vppe from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life 3 Know ye not He proueth the former sentence namely that Christ killeth sin in his by the effect of baptisme wherby we are incorporated into his faith For it is out of questiō that wee put on Christe in baptisme Then do we truly grow vp into the body of christ when his deathe bringeth foorthe fruit in vs. and with this condition are we baptised that we shoulde be one with him Now Paule taketh another principle namely that we do then indeede grow vp into the body of Christ when his death bringeth foorth his fruite in vs. Yea he teacheth that this participation of death is principally to be respected in baptisme For not onely purgation but also mortification and the dying of the old man is proposed there whereby it is manifest after we are receiued into the grace of Christ the efficacie of his death appeareth straight wayes Finally what this societie with the death of Christe auaileth it followeth straightwayes 4 Being buried then with him Now he beginneth to shew although he doe not plainely declare whereunto it apperteineth that we are baptized into the death of Christ namely that we being dead vnto our selues might become new men For from the participation of his death he passeth conueniently vnto the participation of life because these two hang together by an inseparable connexion Mortificatiō newnes of life go together namely the old man to bee abolished by the death of Christ that his resurrection might restore righteousnes and make vs new creatures And surely seeing Christ is giuen vs vnto life to what end shold we die with him except we might rise againe vnto a better life And therfore to no other ende hath he flaine that is mortal in vs but that he might truly quicken vs. Furthermore let vs note that the Apostle doth not simply heere exhort vs to imitate Christ as if he said the death of Christ is in steed of an example which all Christians ought to follow For he surely goeth higher deliuering doctrine out of the which afterward he draweth exhortatiō as it is easie And this is the doctrin that the death of Christe is effectuall to extinguish and banish the prauitie of the flesh and his resurrection to raise vp the newnes of a better nature and that by baptisme we are receiued into the participation of this grace This foundation being laide a man may very aptly exhort Christians that they striue to aunswere their calling Moreouer it forceth not that this vertue doeth not appeare in all those are baptized For Paule after his manner because he speaketh vnto the faythful conioyneth the substance effect with the external signe For we know that by their faith is established ratified whatsoeuer the Lord offereth by the visible pledge To be briefe he teacheth what is the veritie of baptisme rightly receiued So to the Galathians he testifieth Gal. 3.27 When the sacraments are effectuall pledges and when the◠be but bare signes that all they whosoeuer are baptised in Christ haue put on Christe For so a man must say so long as the institution of the Lord and the faith of the godly agree together For we neuer haue bare and idle signes but when our vnthankfulnes and wickednes hindereth the working of Gods bountifulnes By the glory of the father That is through his notable power whereby hee hath declared himselfe truely glorious and hath as it were manifested the greatnes of his glory So oftentimes in scripture is the power of God which hath shewed it selfe in the resurrection of Christ set foorth by some excellent title and not without cause for it is grealy materiall that by such expresse mention of the incomparable power of God not onely the faith of the last resurrection which far exceedeth the capacity of flesh but also other fruits which we receiue by the resurrection of Christ shold be highly extolled with vs. 5 For if we be graffed into the similitude of his death euē so also shall we be partakers of his resurrection 6 Knowing this that our olde man is crucified together with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that wee should not serue sinne any more 5 For if wee be graffed By plainer wordes hee prooueth the argument which he hath put
well our death as life is to be resigned to his wil. Heereunto hee addeth a notable reason because whither wee liue or die wee are his For thereuppon it followeth that hee hath power ouer life and death The vse of this doctrine is very large For so the Lordshippe of life and death is ascribed vnto GOD that euery man might the better beare his estate as the yoke imposed by him for it is meete hee shoulde assigne to euerye one his standing and course And so wee are not onelye forbidven rashely to take in hande this or that without the commaundement of God but also wee are commaunded to be patient in all griefes and losses If therefore at anye time the fleshe starte aside in aduersitie let vs remember that hee who is not free neither hath power ouer himselfe doeth peruerte right and order if hee depende not vppon the becke of his Lorde By this meanes also is deliuered vnto vs a rule to liue and dye so that if hee prolonge our life by continuall miseries and sorowes yet we couet not to departe before our time And againe if sodainely in the middest and flower of our age hee call vs away wee bee alway readie to departe 9 For Christ therefore died This is a confirmation of the reason went before For to the ende hee might prooue that wee are to die and liuâ— to the Lorde hee sayde wee are in the power of Christe whither wee liue or dye Nowe hee sheweth howe woorthily Christe challengeth vnto himselfe this power ouer vs seeyng hee hath purchased the same by so greate a price For by suffering death for our saluation he hath gotten vnto himselfe a dominion or Lordship ouer vs which cannot be destroyed by death by rising againe he hath receiued our whole life into his iurisdiction and garde therefore by his death and resurrection hee hath deserued that as well in death as in life we should serue to the glorie of his name Wheras it is said here he rose againe reuiued it is as much of value as if it were sayde that by his resurrection a newe state of life was obteyned to him And because that life wherein hee now liueth is not subiect to any mutation his kingdome also ouer vs is eternall 10 But why doest thou iudge thy brother Or also thou why doest thou despise thy brother For we shal al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ 11 For it is written I liue saith the Lorde and euerie knee shall bowe to mee and euerie tongue shal confesse vnto God 12 So then euerie one of vs shall giue account for himselfe vnto God 13 Let vs not therefore iudge one another any more but rather iudge this that no occasion of falling of offence be giuen to your brother 10 But why doest thou iudge Because hee had addicted the life and death of vs all vnto Christ thence he passeth to make mention of that iudgement whiche the father hath giuen to him together with the dominion of heauen and earth Whence hee gathereth that it is malapert boldnes if any manne vsurpe vnto him selfe iudgement ouer his brother seeyng by such licenciousnes that authoritie is pulled away from Christ whiche hee onely hath receiued of the father But first by the name of brother he brideleth this lust of iudging For if the Lorde haue ordeyned amongest vs the law or â—â—â—t of brotherly societie an equalitie must needes be obserued therefore euery one taking to himselfe the person of a iudge shal doe naughtily Secondly he reuoketh or calleth vs vnto that onelye iudge from whom no man cannot onely not take away his authoritie but also cannot escape his iudgement As it were therefore an absurd thinge amongest men if a guiltie person whiche were not woorthie to lie vppon the footestoole shoulde rushe vnto the seate of iudgement so absurde is it that a Christian manne shoulde take vnto him selfe libertie to iudge his brothers conscience Suche in effect is the argument of Iames saying Iames 4.10 he that iudgeth his brother iudgeth the lawe and hee that iudgeth the lawe is not a keeper of the lawe but a iudge And on the coÌ„trary quoth he there is one law giuer who caÌ„ saue destroy Tribunal is attributed vnto Christ for the faculty of iudging as the voyce of the Archangel wherby we shal be cited is called in another place a trumpe because as it were with his sound 1. Thes 4.16 he shal pearce the mindes and eares of all 11 For it is written I doe liue He seemeth vnto me to haue cited this testimony of the Prophet Esay Esay 45.23 not so much for the proofe of that sentence of the iudgement of Christ which was vndoubtedly beleeued of all Christians as to shew that that iudgement is to bee looked for of all with great humilitie and submission which the wordes themselues importe Th comming of Christ to iudgement ought huÌ„bly to be looked for of all men In his wordes going before he testified that Christ onely was iudge ouer all men now by the words of the Prophet he declareth that all fleshe ought to be humbled with the expectation of that iudgement whiche is noted by the bowing of knees Howbeit notwithstanding in that place of the prophet the Lord doth generally foreshew that it should come to passe that his glorie should he made manifest amongest all nations and his maiesty which then was amongest a fewe as it were lurked in a corner of the world shoulde shyne euerye where yet if wee looke into it more neerely it is apparaunt that the full accomplishment thereof is not nowe extaunt nor euer was in this worlde neither yet is to bee looked for in the ages to come God raigneth nowe no otherwise their by the Gospell neyther is his maiestie otherwise honoured aright then whiles the same beeyng knowen by his worde is reuerenced But the word of God hath alway had his enimies whiche haue frowardly resisted and his contemners which haue scoffed at it as a trifling and fabulous thing At this day there are many such and euermore withe Hereby appeareth that this prophecie is indeede begun in this life but is not perfected till that day of the last resurrection shall come wherein all the enimies of Christ shal be throwen downe that they may become the footestoole of his feete Furthermore euen that also coulde not be except the Lord sate in iudgement therefore hath he well applied this testimony vnto the tribunall of Christ It is also a notable place to establishe our faith concerning the eternall dietie of Christe For it is God that speaketh there and that God which hath once sayde Esay 42.8 that hee will not giue his honour to another Nowe then if that bee fulfilled in Christ which hee there challengeth to him selfe onelye without doubte hee doeth manifest him selfe in Christ And surely the veritie of that prophecie appeared then cleerely when Christe gathered vnto him selfe a people out of all
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
power to raigne in vs for the vertue of sanctification ought to haue the superioritie ouer it that our life might testifie we are indeed the members of Christ Of late I admonished that this worde bodie is not to be taken for the flesh skinne and bones By body is meant the whole corrupted masse of man but if I may say so for the whole masse of man And that may be gathered more certainly out of this present place because another member which hee will adde straight wayes concerning the partes of the bodie is also extended vnto the soule And so Paule meaneth euen grosely the earthly man For the corruption of our nature causeth that we shew forth nothing worthy of our originall So God also whiles he complaineth that man is become fleshe or carnall as the bruite beastes leaueth nothing vnto him but that is earthly Gen. 6.3 Hereunto apperteineth that saying of Christ That which is borne of flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 For if any obiect that there is another consideration of the soule the aunsweare is at hande namely as wee are nowe degenerate our soules are so fastened to the earth and so addicted to our bodies that they are fallen from their dignitye or excellencie Furthermore the nature of man is called corporall because he being depriued of celestiall grace is onely a certayne deceiueable shadow or image And adde that this bodie is called mortall of Paule by contempt that he might teache howe the whole nature of man inclineth vnto death and destruction Nowe verily he calleth sinne that firste corruption abyding in our soules which draweth vs to sinne whence properly all euill deedes and abhominations flowe Betweene that and vs he putteth concupiscences in the middest that that might be in steed of a king concupiscences as statutes and commaundements 13 Giue not your members When sinne hath once gotten the dominion in our soule all our members are straight wayes giuen ouer into his obsequie or obedience Wherefore he describeth here the kingdome of sinne by the sequeles that hee might declare the better what we must doe if we will shake off his yoke And he borroweth his similitude from warfare whiles he calleth our members weapons like as if he saide as a souldier hath alwayes weapons in a readinesse to vse them as often as he shal be commaunded by his captaine and neuer vseth them but at his appointment so Christians ought to esteeme all their members to be weapons of the spirituall warfare We are the souldiers of Christ ought to haue nothing to doe with the campes of sinne If therefore they abuse any member of theirs vnto wickednesse they are woorthy to be blamed But by the othe of warfare they haue bound themselues to God and Christ by which othe they are tyed They ought therefore to haue nothing to doe with the campes of sinne They may see here by what right they can pretend the name of Christian whose whole members beeing as it were the brothell houses of Sathan are ready to commit all filthinesse On the contrarie nowe he biddeth vs giue our selues wholly to God namely that we restrayning our minde and heart from all wandering whereunto the lustes of the fleshe drawe vs might intende vppon the will of God onelie might be ready to receiue his commaundementes and prepared to obey his precepts that our members also might be destinated and consecrated to his pleasure that al the powers of our soule and body might fauour nothing but his glorie And the reason is added because it is not in vayne that the former life being done away the Lord hath created vs to a new after which actions deeds ought to follow 14 For sinne shal not haue dominion ouer you For you are not vnder the law but vnder grace 15 What then Shal we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid 16 Know ye not that to whom ye haue giuen your selues seruauntes to obey his seruantes yee are whom yee doe obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse 17 But thankes be to God that yee were the seruantes of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the heart the type of doctrine whereinto ye haue beene brought 18 And being freed from sinne ye are made the seruants of righteousnesse 14 For sinne shall not haue dominion It is not necessary to abide long in reciting and refuting those expositions which haue none or but litle shew of truth There is one which may more probably be suffered then the rest namely whiche taketh this worde vnder the lawe For to be subiect vnto the letter of the lawe which doth not renewe the mynde as againe to be vnder grace is as much as by the spirite of grace to bee freed frō euill concupiscēces But that exposition is not simply allowed of mee For if we take that sence whereunto shall that interogation tende which followeth straight wayes Shall wee sinne because wee are not vnder the lawe The Apostle woulde neuer haue subiected suche a question excepte bee had meant that we are freed from the rigour of the lawe that God might no more deale with vs according to extreeme iustice wherefore there is no doubt but his meaning is to shewe heere some deliueraunce from the bondage of the lawe of the Lorde But all contention layde aparte I will briefly declare what I thinke And first heere seemeth vnto mee to bee a consolation wherewith the faithfull are confirmed that they faynte not in the studie of holines through the feeling of their weakenesse Hee did exhort them that they shoulde apply all their powers vnto the obedience of righteousnesse But so long as they carrie about the relikes of the flesh they muste needes halte somewhat Therefore least they being ouercome with the knowledge of their infirmitie shoulde dispayre he preuenteth this in time comforting them in this that their workes are not to be examined according to the seuere rule of the law but their impuritie being remitted God doth fauourably mercifully accept of them The yoke of the law cannot be borne but it breaketh or crusheth those that beare it it remayneth therefore that the faithful flee vnto Christ and desire him to be their deliuerer And so he offereth himself For to this end tooke he vpon him the seruitude of the law wherunto otherwise he was not a debter that he might deliuer those were vnder the lawe as the Apostle saith vnto the Galathians Gal. 4.5 What is the meaning when it is said we are not vnder the law Therfore not to be vnder the law signifieth not only that by the dead letter is prescribed vnto vs that which maketh vs guilty because we are vnable to performe it but also that we are not subiect vnto the lawe as it requireth perfect righteousnes pronouncing death against all those transgresse it in anie part Vnder the name of grace we vnderstand likewise both partes of redemption that is the remission of
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
pretendeth he meant no harme And this pretence at this day holdeth a great many that they apply not their studie to search out the truth of God because they thinke that to bee excusable whatsoeuer they transgresse of ignorance without set malice yea with a good intention But there is none of vs can excuse the Iewes that they crucified Christe that they cruelly raged against the Apostles that they went about to destroy and extinguish the Gospel and yet they had the same defence wherin wee glory securely Therefore let those vaine hastings or wranglings of good intention goe If wee seeke the Lord from our heart let vs follow the way by the which there is accesse vnto him For it is better As Augustine saith yea euen to halt in the way then to runne stoutly out of the way If we would be religious let vs remember that is true which Lactantius teacheth namely that is true religion which is ioined with the word of God And againe when we see them to perish who through good intention wander in darknes let vs think we are worthie of a thousand deaths if we being illuminated of God do wittingly willingly wander from his way 3 For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God Behold how through rash zeale they erred namely that they went about to erect their own righteousnes which foolish trust came of the ignorance of Gods righteousnes Mark the antithesin or contrarietie of the righteousnes of God and men first we see they are opposed one against the other as things contrary which cannot stand together whereby it foloweth that the righteousnes of God is ouerthrowne so soone as men establish their owne righteousnes Secondly to the ende the Antitheta or contrarieties might answer one the other What righteousnes is called the righteousnes of God and what the righteousnes of men out of question that is called the righteousnes of God which is the gift of God as againe that is called the righteousnesse of men which they seeke in or of themselues or which they trust that they bring vnto god Therefore he is not subiect to the righteousnes of God who wil bee iustified in himselfe because the first steppe to obteine the righteousnes of God is to resigne or forsake his own righteousnes for to what end is it to seeke for righteousnes elswhere but because necessitie doth constraine vs and we haue declared in another place how men put on the righteousnes of God by faith namely because the righteousnes of Christe is imputed vnto thē Finally Paul doth greatly disgrace that pride wherwith hypocrites are puffed vp howsoeuer it be couered with a faire face of zeale whiles he saith the yoke of god beeing as it were shaken off they are all aduersaries and rebels against the righteousnes of God 4 For Christe is the ende of the law The worde fulfilling seemeth vnto me not to serue amisse in this place as Erasmus also hath translated it perfection but because the other reading is receiued by the consent almost of all men and the same also agreeth well the readers for my part shal be at libertie to reteine it By this reason the Apostle meeteth with an obiection which might bee moued against him For the Iewes might seeme to haue kept the right way because they applyed or gaue themselues to the righteousnesse of the lawe It stoode him in hande to refute this false opinion whiche thing hee doth heere For hee sheweth that hee is a preposterous interpreter of the lawe who seeketh to bee iustified by the works thereof because the law was giuen to this end that it might lead vs by the hand to another righteousnesse Yea whatsoeuer the lawe teacheth whatsoeuer it commandeth whatsoeuer it promiseth it hath Christe alway for his marke so then all the partes thereof are to bee directed vnto him And that cannot bee vnlesse we being spoyled of all righteousnes confounded with the knowlege of sinne doe seeke for free righteousnesse of him onely Whereby it foloweth that the corrupt abuse of the law is iustly reprehended in the Iewes who lewdly of their helpe made their hinderance yea it appeareth they did shamefully lame the lawe of God who hauing reiected the life or soule thereof did take to them the dead body of the letter For albeit the lawe of righteousnesse doth promise a rewarde to his obseruers yet after it hath brought all vnder giltinesse it substituteth a new righteousnesse in Christe which is not gotten by the merite of woorkes but beeing freely giuen is receiued by faith So the righteousnesse of faith as wee sawe in the first Chapter hath testimonie of the lawe And wee haue heere a notable place that the lawe in all his partes respecteth Christe and therefore no man can haue the true vnderstanding thereof who doth not still seeke to come vnto this marke 5 For Moses describeth the righteousnesse whiche is of the lawe that the man which doth these thinges shall liue in them 6 But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thyne hearte who shall ascende into heauen That is to bringe Christe from aboue 7 Or who shall descende into the deepe that is to bring Christe againe from the dead 8 But what saith it The woorde is neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hearte this is the worde of faith whiche we preach 9 For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued 10 For with the hearte man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation 6 For Moses describeth c. That it might appeare how greatly the righteousnesse of faith and the rigteousnes of works are contrary one to the other he compareth them together For by comparison the repugnancie which is betweene thinges contrary appeareth better And hee dealeth Why paul rather alleageth the testimony of Moses then the Prophetes not with the oracles of the Prophetes but with the testimonie of Moses for this onely cause that the Iewes might vnderstand there was not a law giuen by Moses which should hold them in the confidence of works but which should rather lead thē vnto Christ For although hee shoulde haue alleadged the Prophets for witnesses of his sentence yet this doubt had remained why the lawe did prescribe another forme of righteousnesse Hee therefore notably remoueth this scruple whiles he confirmeth the righteousnes of faith euen by the doctrine of the lawe Furthermore whereas Paule maketh the lawe consent with faith and yet opposeth the righteousnesse of that The law hath a twofold acception against the righteousnesse of this the reason thereof must be knowen The lawe hath a twofolde acception For sometime it signifieth all that doctrine was deliuered by Moses sometimes but that part which was proper to his ministerie namely which is conteined in precepts rewardes and punishments For Moses generally had
dispaired of neyther were there any hope of repentaunce lefte And heere hee woorthily denyeth the saluation of the Iewes to be past hope or that they are so cast off of the Lord that there is no restitution to be looked for or that the couenant of grace is vtterly extinguished which God once made with them seeing there remained alway in that nation a blessed seede That his meaning is thus to bee vnderstoode it appeareth by this namely that before he ioyned most sure ruine vnto excecation now maketh hope of rising againe which two cold not agree in one Then they are fallen fallen to destruction who were obstinately offended at Christ yet the nation is not so fallen that it should follow of necessitie who so is a Iewe he is lost or fallen away from God But their fal is saluatiō to the Gentiles The Apostle in this place noteth two thinges namely that the fall of the Iewes turned to the saluation of the Gentiles but to this end that they might be kindled with a certaine ielousie so bethinke thēselues of repentance Surely he respected the testimonie of Moses which he had already cited where the Lorde threatneth Israel that as he was prouoked of them through false Gods vnto emulation so also by the lawe of retaliation he would prouoke them with a foolish people The word that is vsed there noteth the affection of emulation and ielousie namely that we burne when we see another preferred before vs. Then if the counsaile of the Lord be that Israel should be prouoked vnto emulation Israel is not therefore fallen that hee should be throwen into eternall destruction but that the blessing of God The Iewes are not therefore reiected that they should vtterly perishe which was contemned of them might come vnto the gentiles to the end that they also at length might bee stirred to seeke the Lorde from whom they are fallen But there is no cause why the readers shoulde greatly weary themselues in applying the testimonie for Paule doth not vrge the proper sēce of the worde but only alludeth vnto the vulgare and knowen manner For as emulation prouoketh the wife being reiected from her husband for her fault that she should studie to reconcile herselfe so now he saith it may come to passe that when the Iewes shall see the Gentiles placed in their roome they beeing touched with the sorow of their diuorcement should seeke for reconciliation 12 Wherfore if the fall of them Because he had taught that after the Iewes were diuorced the gētiles entred in their steed least he should make the saluation of the Iewes odious vnto the gētiles as though the saluatiō of the gētiles stood vpō the destructiō of the Iewes he preuēteth the false opinion putteth downe the cōtrary sētence namely that nothing serueth more to promote the saluation of the gētiles then if the grace of God did floorish and aboūd greatly with the Iewes Which thing that he might proue he vseth an argument frō the lesse If their fall could raise vp the Gentiles and their diminishing inritch them how muche more shall their fulnes For that was done against nature but this shoulde come to passe by the order of nature Neither doth it hinder this reason that the word of God came vnto the Gentiles If the Iewes receiued the gospel it should be so farre from hindering that it should greatly further the faith of the Gentiles after the Iewes by refusing of it had as it were vomited it For if they had receiued it their faith had brought muche more fruite then their infidelitie brought by this occasion For so both the trueth of God had beene confirmed because it had appeared to be fulfilled in them and they also by doctrine had brought many whom by their stubbornesse they rather turned away And he had spoken more properly if he had opposed rising of the gētiles against the fal of the Iewes Which I therfore note least any should seeke here for the elegancie of speech or be offended at the rudenes of speech For these are spoken not to frame the tongue but the heart 13 For I say to you Gentiles He proueth by a notable reason that the Gentiles shal loose nothing if the Iewes returned againe into fauour with God For he sheweth that the saluation of them both is so ioyned together that by one and the same worke it may be promoted For thus he speaketh vnto the Gentiles notwithstanding I am an Apostle peculiarly appointed for you and therefore ought in a speciall sort procure your saluation committed vnto me and as it were all other thinges layde apart to seeke that onely yet I shal doe my duetie faithfully if I can winne any vnto Christ of mine owne nation And that shall be to the glorie of my mynisterie and so for your wealth For whatsoeuer did serue to set foorth the mynisterie of Paule it was an ornament to the Gentiles whose saluation was the end thereof And here also he vseth the verbe Parazelosai to prouoke That the Gentiles might seeke for the euent of Moses prophesie such as he describeth Deut. 32.22 when they should vnderstand it to be profitable for them 14 Might saue How the minister is said to saue Here note how the minister of the worde is said in his manner to saue those whom he hath brought vnto the obedience of faith For the dispensation of our saluation must be so moderated that we know al the vertue and efficacie therof to be in God and giue vnto him due praise yet that we knowe also preaching is an instrument to bring to passe the saluation of the faithful which although it can profite nothing without the spirit of God yet the same spirite woorking inwardly it doeth mightily shew foorth his vertue 15 For if the reiection Some doe lewdely corrupt this place which many count to be obscure in my iudgemēt it ought to be so vnderstood that it is another argument taken from the comparing of the lesse and greater to this sence if the casting off of the Iewes could doe so much that it should giue cause to the reconciling of the gentiles of how much more force shall their receiuing be Ought it not euen to raise from the dead For Paul persisteth stil in this that the gentiles haue no cause of enuie as though the Iewes being receiued into fauour their estate should be the worse He reasoneth therfore that seeing God hath woonderfully brought life out of death and darknes out of light it is much more to be looked for that the raysing againe of a people as it were cleane dead should quicken the gentiles Neither letteth that which some alleadge namely that reconciliation differeth not from resurrection as we do here vnderstand resurrection namely whereby we are translated from the kingdome of death into the kingdome of life For although the thing be one yet there is lesse and more weight in the wordes which sufficeth to the force of