ought to succour the want of our brethren namely because for the vnitie of the bodie there is a common and mutuall consideration I haue not translated the pronoune tina because it often aboundeth with the grecians and it seemeth to diminishe the emphasey of this place Whereas wee haue turned to minister in Greeke is the participle ministring but that seemed more fitte to expresse the minde of Paul For hee excuseth that through iust occasion he was stayed that hee coulde not straightwayes with haste come vnto Rome 27 And their debters they are Euery man doth see that that which is here sayde of debt is not said so much for the cause of the Corinthians as of the Romanes For the Corinthians or Macedonians were no more indebted vnto the Iewes then the Romanes And he addeth the cause of this bonde namely that they had receiued the Gospell from them hee taketh an argument from the comparison of the lesse with the greater which he also vseth in another place Namely 1. Cor. 9.11 that that recompence ought not to be though vniust or grieuous vnto them who for spirituall thinges giue carnall which by many degrees are more base And this sheweth the dignitie of the Gospel that it doeth not onely denounce them bonde to the ministers thereof but also to all that nation from whom their ministers came And note the verbe Leitourgesai for to minister which signifieth to doe his office in the common wealth and to vndertake the burden of his calling sometime also it is vsed in respect of sacred thinges And I doubt not but Paule signifieth that it is a kinde of sacrifice when the faythfull giue of their owne to relieue the pouertie of their brethren For so they doe that duetie of charitie which they ought to doe and also they offer vnto God a sacrifice of a sweete sauour but properly in this place he did respect that mutuall right of compensation 28 When I shall haue sealed this fruite vnto them A dislike it not that some doe thinke heere is an allusion vnto the maner of the olde fathers who were wont to shutte vp with rings or signets those thinges they woulde haue safe In this sort Paul commendeth his fayth and integritie as though hee sayde he were a syncere keeper of the money committed to him no otherwise then if it were sealed vnto him By the name of fruite he seemeth to vnderstande the increase which he sayde of late to come vnto the Iewes by the sowing of the Gospel Like as the fielde doth nourish his dresser by bearing of fruite 29 And I knowe that when I shall come These wordes may be vnderstood two wayes 1. The first sence is that hee should finde at Rome a plentifull fruite of the Gospell for this is the blessing of the Gospel when it fructifieth by good woorkes For whereas some restraine them vnto almes I doe not like it 2 Or to the ende hee might make his comming vnto them more worthie to be wished for he sayth that hee hopeth it shoulde not be vnprofitable because it shoulde bring great increase vnto the Gospel which he calleth the fulnes of blessing for a ful blessing whereby he signifieth prosperous successe and increase And this blessing depended partly on his administration partly an their fayth so then he promiseth that his comming vnto them should not be in vayne vpon whom he should not loose the grace giuen to him but shoulde bestowe it well through that alacritie of minde was in them to receiue the Gospell The first expositiō is more receiued and also doth like me better namely that hee hoped to finde that he chiefly wished that is the Gospel to flourishe with them and to proceede by notable successes because they would excell in sanctitie and all kinde of vertues For he sheweth the cause of his desire namely that he hoped for some singuler ioy by the sight of them whom hee should see to flourishe with spirituall riches of the Gospell 30 And I beseech you brethren by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the loue of the spirite that ye striue together with me in your prayers to God for me 31 That I may bee deliuered from the vnbelieuers in Iudea and that my ministerie which I vndertake towardes Hierusalem may be acceptable to the saintes 32 That with ioy I may come vnto you by the will of God together with you may be comforted And the God of peace be with you all Amen 30 And I beseech you brethrrn By many places it is sufficiently knowen howe greatly Paul was hated in his owne nation for false slanders as though he taught a falling away from Moses He knewe howe much reproches coulde doe to oppresse the innocent and specially with those are caried with a rashe zeale Hereunto also came the testification of the spirite whereof he maketh mention in the Actes Act. 20.23 Whereby he was oftentimes forewarned that bondes and afflictions were at hand for him at Hierusalem Therefore the more danger hee sawe the more he was moued Hence came it he was so carefull to commende his health vnto the Churches neither let vs maruell that he was so carefull ouer his life wherein hee knewe so great danger of the Church to be handled Therefore the vehemencie is in this obtestation beareth witnesse howe greatly the godly minde was troubled whiles vnto the name of the Lorde he addeth the loue of the spirite whereby the Saintes ought to imbrace one another but yet in so great feare hee ceaseth not to goe on neyther doth hee so feare danger but he was readie to die willingly Howebeit hee armeth him selfe with the remedies giuen vnto him of God For he calleth for the helpe of the Church that being holpen by their prayers hee might thereby feele some comfort according to the promise of the Lorde Where two or three shall be gathered together in my name Mat. 18.20 Mat. 18.9 there am I in the middest of them and of whatsoeuer thing they shall consent in earth they shall obtayne it in heauen And least any shoulde thinke this were a remisse or light commendation he beseecheth them by Christ and the loue of the spirite And that is called the loue of the spirite What is the loue of the spirite Prayers is the only hauen of refuge for the seruants of God in distresse wherein Christ doth ioyne vs together because it is not of fleshe nor of the worlde but of the spirite which is the bonde of our vnitie Seeing then it is so great a benefit of God to bee holpen by the prayers of the faythfull that euen Paul himselfe an elect vessell of God thought it was not to bee neglected of him what intollerable bthernesse shall it be if wee wretches and men of no price doe contemne it Howebeit out of such places to take occasion to maynetayne intercessions vnto dead Saints is a token of too much impudencie That ye might striue with me Erasmus hath translated
our faith concerning free righteousnesse for it is a sealing of the righteousnesse of faith that to vs also whiche doe beleeue righteousnesse might bee imputed And so verie artificially Paule returneth those thinges vpon the aduersaries which might bee obiected of them For if the trueth and vertue of circumcision bee founde in vncircumcision there is no cause why the Iewes shoulde so greately aduaunce them selues aboue the Gentiles But seeing a doubt might arise whether wee also after the example of Abraham are not to confirme the same righteousnesse by the seale of circumcision Obiection why did the Apostle omitte it Answere Namely because hee thought the question to haue beene sufficiently answered by his woordes For seeing this sentence is admitted that circumcision serueth onely to seale the grace of GOD it followeth that at this day it were superfluous for vs who haue another Sacramente ordayned of the Lorde in place thereof Because therefore where baptisme is there is no vse nowe of circumcision hee woulde not to no purpose dispute of that whereof was no question at all to witte why the righteousnesse of faith shoulde not be sealed in the Gentiles by circumcision if they shoulde bee like vnto Abraham To beleeue by vncircumcision Is that the Gentiles beeing content with their estate are not to interpose the seale of circumcision And so this preposition dia by is put in steade of en in 12 Not to them which are c. This woorde are or bee in this place is taken for to bee reckoned or counted For hee checketh the carnall sonnes of Abraham who hauing nothinge but externall circumcision did boldelye glorye in it As for the other which is the principall they neglected it namely that they shoulde imitate the fayth of Abraham by whiche onely he obteyned health The circumcised Iewes were not otherwise iustified then as they beleeued the promise of grace Hereby may appeare how seriously he discerneth faith from the Sacrament not onely least anye should content him selfe with this without the other meaning with the Sacrament without fayth as though it were sufficient to iustification but also that the same fayth onely might fulfill all partes For whiles hee confesseth the Iewes whiche are circumcised to be iustified he doth precisely except so that they after the example of Abraham abyde in fayth onely For what shoulde be the meaning of faith in vncircumcision but that hee might shewe faith onely without any helpe elsewhere to be sufficient It is therefore to bee taken heede of least any man by deuiding or parting in halfes mixte together two causes of iustification By the same argument the schoole diuinitie is conuicted touching the difference of the Sacraments of the old and new testament for frō those they take away the power of iustifiyng to these they giue it But if Paule reason orderly whiles he proueth that circumcision iustifieth not because Abraham was iustified by faith the same reason is also of strength with vs that we may denie men to be iustified by baptisme seeing they are iustified by the same faith by the whiche Abraham was iustified 13 For the promise that hee should bee the heire of the world was not giuen to Abraham and his seede by the law but by the righteousnesse of faith 13 For the promise c. Nowe hee doeth more clearely repeate that antithesin or contrarietie of the lawe and faith with he touched before with also is diligently to bee noted because if faith borrow nothing of the Lawe that it might iustifie thence we vnderstande it hath rsepect vnto nothing but the mercie of God Furthermore the imagination of those which would haue this to bee spoken of ceremonies is easely refuted because if workes brought any thing vnto iustification then hee shoulde rather haue sayde not by the written lawe but by the lawe of nature But Paule doth not oppose spiritual holinesse of life against ceremonies but faith and his righteousnesse The summe therefore is the inheritaunce was promised to Abraham not because he had deserued it by keeping the law but because by fayth he had obteined righteousnesse And surely as Paule straightwayes declareth then doe the consciences of men inioye perfect peace when they feele that to be freely giuen them which is not due vnto thē by right Saluation in Christ apperteyneth no lesse vnto the Gentiles then vnto the Iewes Hereuppon also it followeth that the benefite is no lesse common to the Gentiles then to the Iewes the cause of which benefit doth equally appertayne vnto both For if mens saluation be founded vpon the onely goodnesse of God they restrayne and hynder the course thereof as much as in them lyeth who exclude the Gentiles from it That hee might bee the heyre of the worlde Seeyng eternall saluation is nowe in hand the Apostle seemeth out of season to carry the readers vnto the world But generally vnder this worde he comprehendeth the instauration or restoring which was looked for in Christ What is meant by the worde world Indeede restitution of life was the principall yet it behooued that the decayed state of the whole worlde shoulde be repayred Therfore the Apostle calleth Christ the heyre of all the goodes of God Heb. 1.2 Because the adoption which we obtayne through his grace hath restored vnto vs the possession of that inheritaunce from the which we fell in Adam And because vnder the type of the land of Chanaan not onlye the hope of eternall life was proposed vnto Abraham but also the full and perfect blessing of God the Apostle very aptly teacheth that the dominion of the worlde was promised vnto him The godly in this present life haue a certaine taste hereof because howsoeuer they are at diuers times pynched with pouertye yet for that with a quiet conscience they participate those thinges which God hath created to their vse Pouertie letteth not but the faithfull may be called the heyres of the world and with his fauour and will inioye the earthly blessinges as pledges and earnest pennyes of eternall life pouerty is no let vnto them wherefore they shoulde not acknowledge heauen earth and the Sea to belong vnto them The wicked albeit they heape vppe the riches of the worlde they canne call nothing theirs but rather they get them by stealth because they vse them with the curse of God And it is great comforte to the godlye in their pouerty that though they liue poorely yet they steale nothing from any but they receyue theyr lawfull commons or allowaunce at the hande of their heauenlye father vntil they see the full possession of their inheritaunce when all creatures shall serue for their glorye For to this ende both earth and heauen shal be renewed that according to theyr measure they might partly serue to illustrate the kingdome of God 14 For if they whiche are of the lawe bee heyres fayth is made voyde and the promise is made of none effect 15 For the Lawe causeth wrath for where
swelleth with the false confidence of works hath this peace nor the secure sinner who being drunke with the pleasure of vices is not disquited For although neither of these seeme to haue open warre as hee that is smitten with the feeling of sinne yet because they come not truly to the iudgement of God they haue not peace with him For vnsensiblenesse of conscience is as a man woulde say a certaine departing from God Therefore peace towardes God is opposed against the drunken securitie of the flesh because this is the first thing of al that euery one might awake himself to giue account of his life and none can stande without feare before God but he which trusteth to the free reconciliation for as long as God is a Iudge all men must needes be terrified and troubled which is a strong argument that our aduersaries doe nothing but babble vnder a shadowe when they ascribe righteousnes to works For this conclusion of Paule dependeth vpon that principle namely that the miserable consciences of men doe alway shake vnlesse they rest in the grace of Christ 2 By whom we haue accesse Our reconciliation with god standeth vpon Christe For hee onely is the beloued sonne wee all by nature are the sonnes of wrath But this grace is communicated to vs by the Gospel because it is the ministerie of reconciliation through whose benefit wee are after a sorte brought into the kingdome of GOD. Excellently therefore hath Paul set before our eyes a sure pledge of the fauour of God in Christe whereby hee might the better drawe vs from the confidence of woorkes And also teaching by the name of accesse We preuent not the mercie of God by our merites that the beginning of saluation is of Christ hee excludeth those preparations whereby foolishe men thinke they doe preuent the mercie of God as though hee sayd Christ doeth not come vnto vs and help vs for our merites Straightwayes after he addeth that it is through the tenour of the same grace that saluation abideth firme and sure vnto vs whereby he signifieth that perseuerance standeth not in our owne vertue or industrie but in Christ Although also when hee saith wee stande Perseuerance is of Christ hee sheweth howe deepe rootes the Gospell ought to take in the heartes of the godly that they beeing strengthened by the veritie thereof may stande firme against all the engines or deuises of Sathan and the fleshe And by this woorde standing he signifieth that faith is not a wauering perswation or that continueth for one day but stedie and deepely setled in the mindes of men that it might perseuere the whole life Hee therefore that is driuen by some suddē motion to beleeue hath not faith so that he may be reckoned amongst the faithfull but hee which constantly and that I may say so with a firme foote abideth in that place which is ordeined to him of the Lorde that hee may alway cleaue to Christ And wee glorie vnder the hope Hence the hope of life to come Whence ioye hope of life to come ariseth both ariseth and dareth to reioyce namely that we leane vppon the grace of God as vpon a foundation For the meaning of Paul is notwithstanding the faithfull are nowe straungers vpon earth yet by their faith they surmount the heauens that they may quietly nourishe in their bosome the inheritaunce to come And so two pestilent doctrines of the Sophisters are vtterly ouerthrowen One wherein they bidde Christians in comprehending or vnderstanding the grace of God towardes them to be content with a morall coniecture Two pestilent doctrines ouerthrowen Another wherein they affirme all men to be vncertaine of their finall perseuerance But vnlesse there bee both presently a certaine knowledge and also in respecte of that is to come a constant and firme perswation who durst bee so bolde as to glorie the hope of the glorie of God hath appeared to vs by the Gospell which testifieth that we are partakers of the heauenly nature For when we shall see God face to face 2. Pet. 1.4 1. Ioh. 3 2. wee shall be like vnto him 3 Neither that onely but wee reioyce yea euen in afflictions knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience 4 And patience tryall or probation and tryall or probation hope 5 And hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our heartes by the holy ghost which is giuen vnto vs. 3 Neither that onely Least any shoulde by the waye of scoffing obiect that yet neuerthelesse christians with their glory or reioycing are marueylously vexed and worne with miseries in this life which condition is farre from felicitie Hee preuenteth that obiection And sheweth how the godly are not only nothing hindered by calamities that they shoulde not be blessed but also that their glorie is thereby furthered Afflictions doe not only not hinder but also they further the glory of the godly To prooue that hee reasoneth from the effecte and hee vseth a notable gradation whereby at length hee concludeth that all the miseries whatsoeuer wee suffer turne to our health and profite Where as hee sayeth the Saintes reioyce in tribulations it is not so to bee vnderstoode as though they neyther feared nor did shunne aduersities or were not pinched with the bitternesse of them when they happen for there can bee no patience where there is no feeling of bitternesse but because in the middest of their sorrowe and mourning they are not without great consolation for seeing what so euer they suffer they count it to bee disposed by the hande of their most gracious father to their profite they are worthyly saide to glory For wheresoeuer there is an aduauncing of health there wanteth no matter of glorying Heere then wee are taught what is the ende of our tribulations if wee will shewe our selues the sonnes of God For they ought to inure vs vnto patience and except they doe so the worke of God through our corruption is made voyde and of none effecte For whence prooueth hee that aduersities hinder not the glory of the godly but because in bearing them patiently they feele the help of God which nourisheth and confirmeth their hope therefore it is sure they profite but ill which learne not patience Neither doeth it let that there are extant in the Scriptures certaine complayntes of the godly full of desperation For God sometimes for a while doeth so vrge and represse his that scarsely they can breath or thinke vpon consolation but strayghtwayes he bringeth againe vnto life those whom hee had almost ouerwhelmed in the miste of death So that is alway fulfilled in them whiche Paule saith Wee are afflicted on euery side 2. Cor. 4.8 yet are wee not in distresse in pouertie yet not ouercome of pouertie wee are persecuted but not forsaken Cast downe but wee perishe not Tribulation patience How tribulatiō bringeth forth patience That commeth not of the nature of tribulation whereby wee see some men
although it lie yet hid vnder a deformed habite 20 For the creature is subiect to vanitie Hee declareth the ende of the expectation by the contrarie For because the creatures nowe subiect to corruption can not bee renewed before the sonnes of God be wholly restored therefore they coueting their instauratiō or renewing respect the manifestation of the celestiall kingdome Hee sayth they are subiecte to vanitie because they abide not in firme and sure estate but as fraile and vnstable Howe the creatures are subiect to vanitie they passe away with swift course For there is no doubt but hee setteth vanitie agaynst the perfection of nature Not of it owne will Seeing there is no sence in such creatures will here assuredly is to bee taken for naturall inclination whereby the whole nature of thinges is caried to his conseruation and perfection What so euer therefore is holden vnder corruption it is against the will of nature Prosopopeia is when we giue that to thinges without life which is proper to liuing things c. But by the figure prosopopeia he bringeth in all the partes of the worlde as though they were indued with sence that wee might the rather bee ashamed of our sottishenesse vnlesse the ruinous staggering of the worlde whiche wee see doe lifte vs vp higher But for him Hee propoundeth an example of obedience in all creatures and addeth that the same proceedeth of hope because hence commeth the alacritie of the sunne mone and all the starres to runne their perpetuall course hence commeth the sedulous obsequie of the earth to bring foorth fruites hence commeth it the ayre is neuer weried with mouing hēce commeth the readie power of the waters to flowe because God hath giuen euery thinge his charge and hath not onely by precise commaundement charged what he woulde haue done but also inwardly hath put hope of renouation For in that wofull dissipation which followed the fall of Adam the whole frame of the world should fall euery moment and all the parts thereof should fainte except some certayn secret stabilitie proceeding els where did stay them It were therefore too absurde that the earnest of the spirite shoulde bee of lesse force in the sonnes of God then a secrete instinct in dead creatures Howe so euer then the creatures doe naturally incline another way yet because it pleaseth God to make them subiect vnto vanitie they obey his commaundement and because hee hath giuen them hope of a better condition therein they nourishe them selues differring their desire vntill the incorruption promised to them hee reueiled It is by the figure prosopopeia that hee nowe attributeth hope vnto them as before to will and nill 21 Because the creature also Hee sheweth howe the creature in hope is made subiect vnto vanitie namely because it shall come to passe that at length it shall bee deliuered as Esay testifieth and yet Peter also more clearely confirmeth And here verily it is meete for vs to consider what a horrible curse wee haue deserued The condemnation of mankind is grauen in heauen earth all creatures seeing al the harmelesse creatures from earth to heauen haue suffered punishment for our sinnes For in that they labour vnder corruption that commeth to passe thorowe our fault so the condemnation of mankinde is grauen in heauen earth and all the creatures Agayne hereby appeareth vnto howe excellent glorie the sonnes of God shall come for the amplifiyng and setting forth whereof all creatures shall bee renewed Finally hee meaneth not that the creatures shall bee partakers of the same glory with the sonnes of God but in their kinde they shall bee partakers of a better state because GOD will restore the worlde nowe fallen with mankinde into perfection But what kinde of integritie shall bee as well in beasts as in plantes and mettalles it is not meete curiously to searche neither is it lawfull because the chiefest part of corruption is vtter decay Certayne subtile but scarce sober men demaunde whither all kinde of beastes shall be unmortall but if these speculations may haue loose reines whither will they carrye vs Therefore let vs bee content with this simple doctrine that there shall be such a temperature and such a decent order that nothing shall appeare eyther deformed or ruinous 22 For wee knowe Hee repeateth the same sentence agayne that hee might make a passage vnto vs although that is nowe sayde hath the force and forme of a conclusion For in that the creatures are subiect vnto corruption and that not by a naturall appetite but by the ordinaunce of God Secondly in that they haue hope in time to come to put of corruption it followeth they mourne as a woman trauayling vntyll they be deliuered And it is a most apte and fitte similitude that wee might knowe this mourning whereof hee speaketh is not vaine nor deade because at length it shall bring foorth a ioyfull and happie fruite The summe is the creatures neyther are contente with the presente state neyther yet so trauayle that they should fall away without remedie but they trauaile because there abideth for them a renewing into a better state And when he saith they mourne together How the creatures mourne together he doth not meane they are tied amōgst thēselues by a mutual anxiety but he ioyneth thē for cōpanions to vs. The particle hitherto or vnto this present serueth to mitigate the tediousnes of the daily languore For if the creatures haue continued so many ages in their mourning how inexcusable shal our tendernes or rather cowardlines be if in the short course of a frayle life we faynt 23 And not onely the creature but we also whiche haue the first beginnings of the spirite euen wee doe mourne in our selues wayting for the adoption the redemption of our bodies 24 For we are saued by hope but hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that which he seeth 25 But if we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it 23 And not onely There are some who thinke the Apostles mind here is to exaggerate the dignity of our blessednes to come because al things wish for it with feruent desire not only the vnreasonable creatures but we also who are regenerate by the spirit of God Which sētence truely may be defēded Yet it seemeth vnto me to be a comparison of the greater the lesser as though he sayd the excellencie of our glorie to come is of so great price to the elements also wanting sence and reason that they burne with a certaine desire of it much more ought we who are illuminated by the spirite of God both by firmenesse of faith and contention of studie aspire and striue vnto so passing a good thing And he requireth a twofold affection in the faithfull namely that they being pressed with the feeling of the present myserie mourne A twofold affection required in the faithfull Secondly that neuerthelesse they doe
me to set that against intermission ceasing or leauing off which he commaundeth of seruing the time Furthermore because in many old copies Curio is read which worde although at the first sight it seemeth strange I dare not altogether reiect If so bee the reading be accepted I doubt not but the minde of Paule is to referre all those duties are done to our brethren and whatsoeuer serueth to the mainteynance of charitie to the worship of God that hee might make the faythfull more willing 12 Reioycing in hope These three are both ioyned together amongst them selues and also in a maner they seeme to appertein vnto that Seruing the tyme. For hee doth best applie himself vnto the time and vseth the occasion to run on couragiously who putteth his ioy in the hope of the life to come and beareth tribulations patiently Howesoeuer it be for it is no great matter whither you ioyne them together or seperate them first he forbiddeth vs to set our heartes vpon the present good things and in earth and earthly thinges to seeke our ioy as though our felicitie were there but he biddeth vs erect our mindes to heauē where we may inioye perfect and ful ioy If our reioycing shal be conteyned in the hope of the life to come thereuppon shall patience growe in aduersitie because no abiding or suffering of sorow can oppresse that ioy Therefore these two depende one of another ioy conceiued of hope and patience in aduersitie For no man will cheerefully and with a quiet mind submit himselfe to beare the crosse but he who hath learned to seeke for his felicitie out of the world that with the consolation of hope he may mitigate Ioy conceiued of the life to com and patience coupled together and qualifie the bitternes of the Crosse But because both these are farre aboue our strength we must bee earnest in prayer and beseech GOD continually that he suffer not our harts to faint fall to the ground or to be broken with aduersitie Finally Paul doth not only prouok vs to prayers but plainly requireth perseuerance of vs because wee haue a continuall warfare and dayly new conflicts arise to the bearing whereof yea euen the strongest are vnmeete vnlesse they nowe then gather new strength Howbeit that we faint not the best remedie is the continuance of prayer 13 Seruing the necessities of the Saincts c. Hee returneth vnto the duties of charitie the chiefest wherof is to do good vnto those of whome wee looke for no recompence Because therfore it almost cōmeth to passe that they chiefly are despised who aboue others are oppressed with pouerty stand in need of help for that is thought to be lost which is bestowed vpon thē God in a speciall maner commendeth them vnto vs. For then we are truly charitable in deede when we helpe our poore brethren for no other cause then to exercise our bountifulnesse Now hospitalitie is not the last kinde of charitie that is beneuolence liberalitie which is shewed towardes straungers because they chiefly are destitute of al things and are farre from their friends We see then that euery one ought by so much the more to be cared for of vs as they are commōly more neglected of men Note also the proprietie of speech in that he saith we must communicate to the necessities of the saintes whereby he insinuateth that wee ought so to relieue the want of our brethren as though wee succoured our selues And hee commaundeth specially to helpe the saintes The faithful are specially to be succoured For although our charitie ought to extende it selfe vnto all men yet it ought with a singular affection to imbrace those are of the houshoulde of fayth who are ioyned vnto vs in a neerer maner 14 Blesse them which persecute you Blesse I say and curse not 15 Reioyce with them that reioyce weepe with them that weepe 16 Be of like affection one towardes another not thinking arrogantly of your selues but applying your selues to base thinges Bee not wise in your owne opinions 14 Blesse them c. Once I woulde haue the reader admonished of this that in euery precept hee doe not curiouslye seeke for a precise order but to bee content heere to haue scattered preceptes whereby he may bee prepared vnto all the parts of a holy life and those also drawen out of that principle which the Apostle put downe in the beginning of the chapter Straightwayes hee will giue charge of not requiting iniuries doone Heere nowe hee requireth somewhat that is more harde namely that we wishe no harme to our enemies but howesoeuer they vexe vs and deale vncurteously with vs to wishe vnto them all prosperitie and to pray vnto God for the same Which meekenesse as it is more difficulte so it is more seriously to be laboured for For the Lorde commaundeth nothing wherein hee requireth not our obedience Neyther is any excuse to be admitted if we be voyde of that sence whereby the Lorde woulde haue vs to differ from the wicked and children of this worlde In deede I confesse it is a harde thing and altogether contrarie to the nature of man howebeit nothing is so harde but it is ouercome by the power of GOD whiche shall neuer bee wanting to vs if wee be not negligent to call for it And although thou canst scarsly find one which hath profited so muche in the lawe of GOD that hee can fulfill this precepte yet none can boaste hym selfe to bee the sonne of GOD or glorie in the name of a Christian who hath not partly put on this minde and dayly fighteth with the contrary affection I sayde this was harder then to remitte vengeance when any is hurt For some although they withholde their handes and are not themselues carried with the furie of hurting yet they coulde wishe that destruction or damage might otherwayes happen to their enemies Yea and if they bee so calme that they wish no harme yet scarcely one in an hundreth will wishe him to bee safe of whom he hath receiued iniury Yea a good part burst forth into cursynges But God by his woorde doeth not onely bridle our handes from euill woorkes but also tameth the bitter affections of our heart And not that onely◠but also woulde haue vs careful for the health of those who by hunting vs wrongfully bring destruction vpon them selues Erasmus was deceiued in the woorde Eulogein because hee obserued not that it was opposed against cursings Our patience must appeare not only in not wishing euill but also in wishing good to our enimies and maledictions For Paule in both of them woulde haue God to bee a witnesse of our patience howe not onely wee bridle the furie of our wrath in our wishes but also by praying for their remission we testifie that we are sory for them whiles they perish wilfully 15 Reioyce with them reioyce c. In the thirde place hee putteth a generall sentence that the faythfull imbracing one another with