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
mourninges and sighes we should ascend to our redemption For wee know not what to pray Aboue he spake of the testimonie of the spirite wherby we know God to be our father wherunto we trusting dare call vpon God as father nowe repeating agayne this second member of inuocation he saith we are taught of the same spirite howe he is to be called vpon and what is to be asked of him by prayers And very aptly hee hath annexed prayers to the carefull or heauie desires of the faithfull because God doeth not therefore afflict his with myseries that they shoulde inwardly deuour vp a hidden or secrete sorowe Wherfore the godly are afflicted but that by prayer they should exonerate and ease themselues and so exercise their faith And albeit I knowe there are diuers interpretations brought vpon this place yet the meaning of Paule seemeth vnto me to be simply thus that we are blinde in praying vnto God because although we feele our euils yet our mindes are more intricated and confounded then that they can rightly elect what is conuenient or expedient If any man except Obiection that there is a rule prescribed vnto vs in the word of God I answeare our affections neuerthelesse abide oppressed with darknes Answeare vntil the spirit direct them by his light But the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs. Although indeed or by the euent it appeareth not as yet that our prayers are hard of God neuerthelesse Paule gathereth that euen in the very studie of praying the presence of Gods grace already shyneth because no man of himselfe can conceiue holy and godly prayers Indeede the faithlesse babble prayers but with meere mocking of God because there is nothing in them either sincere or serious or rightly composed Wherefore the manner of praying wel must needes be caught of the spirite he therfore calleth those sighes vneuarrable wherinto we burst through the vehement motion of the spirite because they farre exceede the capacity of our wit And the spirit of God is saide to make intercession for vs not that indeed humbly kneeling it doth abase it selfe to pray or mourne How the spirits is said to make intercession for vs. but because it stirreth vp those prayers in our hearts wherewithall it is meete wee shoulde bee touched Secondly it doth so moue our hearts that with their feruencie they pearce vnto the very heauen And Paul spake so to the ende hee might more significantly attribute al that vnto the grace of the spirit Indeede we are bidden knocke but no man can of himselfe premeditate one sillable vnles by the secrete instinct of his spirite God knocke vpon vs and so open our hearts vnto him 27 But he that searcheth the heartes knoweth the cogitations This is a notable reason to confirme our faith or confidence that wee are hearde of God whiles wee praye by his spirite For hee knoweth familiarly our desires as the cogitations of his spirite And heere the proprietie of the woorde knowe is to be noted for it signifieth that God doth not consider those motions of the spirit as new and insolent or reiect them as absurde but acknowledge them and also graciously receiue them as knowen to him approued of him Therfore as Paule testified of late that God doth then helpe vs whiles hee doeth as it were bring vs into his owne bosome so now he addeth another consolation namely that our prayers whereof he is the moderatour are not in vayne The reason also is added straightwaies because in so doing he conformeth vs to his wil. Whereby it falleth out that that cannot be in vaine which is agreeing to his wil whereby althinges are gouerned Here also wee may learne that consent with the will of God is the chiefest thing in prayer which consent our owne desires holde not fast tied vnto them Wherefore if we would haue our prayers acceptable vnto God let vs beseeche him to moderate them according to his will 28 Also we know that al things work together for the best vnto them that loue God namely to them who are called Saints according to his purpose 29 For those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his sonne that he might bee the first borne amongst many brethren 30 And whom he hath predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom hee iustified them also he glorified 28 Also we know Out of the premisses he now concludeth that the miseries of this life are so farre from hindering our saluation that rather they further it Neither letteth it that he hath put the particle illatiue seeing it is no noualtie with him so to confound aduerbs although this conclusion doeth also conteyne a Preoccupation For here the sence of flesh exclaimeth that it appeareth not God doth heare our prayers seeing our afflictions proceed alway in the same course Therfore the Apostle preuenteth that saying although God doth not by and by helpe his yet he doeth not forsake them because by a wonderfull skill hee turneth those things to their saluation which seemed discommodities If any had rather read this sentence by it selfe as though Paule went about by a new argument to proue that aduersities which further our saluation are not heauily and grieuously to be borne I doe not gainstande it In the meane while the counsell of Paule is not bscure although the elect and reprobate are indifferently subiect to the like euils yet there is great difference because God instructing the faithfull by afflictions doth procure their saluation And wee are to remember that Paule speaketh not but of aduersities as though he sayd whatsoeuer things happen to the godly Aduersities by the prouidence of God are made commodious to the faithfulâ— they are so tempered from aboue that that which the world thinketh to be hurtfull the issue declareth it to be profitable For albeit that is true Augustine sayeth euen sinnes through the direction of Gods prouidence are so farre from hurting the Saintes that they serue rather to their health yet it apperteyneth not vnto this place where he intreateth of the crosse And note that he hath comprehended the summe of pietie vnder the loue of God as indeede the whole studie of righteousnes dependeth thereon To those who are called according to his purpose This parcell seemeth to be added by the way of correction least any should thinke that the faithfull because they loue God doe obteyne by their desert that they receiue such fruite by aduersities For we know when the matter of saluation is in hand men woulde gladlye beginne at them selues and fayne vnto themselues preparations whereby they may preuent the grace of God Therefore Paule teacheth that those whom he called the woorshippers of God were elected before of him For it is sure the order is therefore noted that we might know whereas all thinges fall out for the health of the Godly that dependeth vpon the free adoption of
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
the ende of this Gradation consider first Gradation is when the speecht is so distinguished by degrees that that which endeth one member beginneth the next that there was a mutuall coniunction betwixt the calling of the Gentiles and the ministerie of Paul which hee did performe and execute among them so that the approbation of the one did depende vpon the approbation of the other Now it behoued Paul to make the calling of the Gentiles manifest and without all doubt or question and also to shewe a reason of his ministerie least that he should seeme to publishe the grace of God amisse in that hee did withdrawe or take from the children of God the bread which was properly appointed for thē and giue it to dogs And therefore he doth both these thinges together But the coherencie agreement of his wordes will not de perfectly vnderstood before that euery particular part therof be expounded in order This his proceeding is as much in effect as if hee should say that both Iewes and Gentiles declare and shew that they beleeue in God by calling vpō his name because the true calling vpon the name of god cānot be except there were first a right knowledge of him Furthermore faith commeth by the word of God But the worde of God is preached in no place but by the speciall prouidence and appointment of God Therefore where the inuocatiō of God is there is also faith where faith is there was also first the seed of the word Where preaching is there is also the calling of God or there men are called of God Now where there is so effectuall and fruitfull a calling of God there is an euident and vnfallible tokē of god his loue Whereby it is apparāt that the Gentiles are not to be debarred or excluded the kingdome of God whom God hath admitted into the fellowship participation of saluation For as the preaching of the Gospel is the cause of their faith so God his sending is the cause of preaching whereby it pleased him to prouide for their saluatiō after this maner Now let vs examine particularly that which followeth 14 How shall they call c. Paules mind is to ioyne the inuocatiō of God with faith as indeed they are things neerely linked and ioyned together for hee who calleth vpon God doth as it were cōmit himself into the only hauen of saftie To flee vnto God in prayers is the safest hauen of all and that which is the most surest kind of refuge hee doeth like a sonne repose or lay himselfe as it were in the bosome of a most good and louing father that by his care hee may be protected by his indulgencie and loue he may bee cherished by his bountie he may be relieued by his vertue hee may be staied and vpholden Which thing no man can doe who before hath not so certaine a persuasion of god his fatherly loue toward him setled in his minde that hee dare boldly hope or looke for any thing at his handes Therefore it is necessarie that he who calleth vpon God should assure himselfe to receiue aide and helpe from him For Paule speaketh heere of that Inuocation which pleaseth God For hypocrites call vpon God but not to their saluation because they call vpon him without any sense or feeling of faith Wherby it is euident how foolish all the Schoole men bee who offer themselues doubtfully to God not being staied by faith Paul is of a quite contrary minde who taketh this as a principle graunted namely that we cannot pray aright vnlesse we be certainely perswaded of the successe Neither doth he set downe here an intricate or doubtfull faith but the certaintie or assurance which our mindes conceaue of his fatherly loue and goodnes whiles by the Gospel he reconcileth vs to himself adopteth vs for his sōnes By this confidence only we haue accesse to him as it is also to the Ephe. Ephesi 3.12 And on the other side gather y◠that only is true faith which of if self bringeth forth the inuocation of god For it cānot be but that he should continually aspire vnto the goodnes of God by all prayers or supplications who once hath tasted of the same How shall they beleeue in him of whom c. The summe sense of these wordes is this namely that wee are after a sorte dumbe vntil the promise of God open our mouth to pray Which order also he noteth in the prophet Zach. in these wordes I will say to them Zacha. 13.9 you are my people and they shall say to me thou art our god For it is not our parts to feigne and imagine what maner of God we list Therefore we must haue the true lawefull knowledge of him such as is set downe in his word And if any man shall suppose God to be good by his owne sense imagination God must be known and worshiped according to his woorde that shall be no sure and stable faith but a wauering and wandering imagination And therfore the word is necessarily required to the true knowledge of God Here he hath set down no other word then that which is preached because this is the ordinarie meanes which the Lord hath appointed for the dispensatiō therof But if any man shall heereby contende to proue that God could not otherwise then by the meanes of preaching infuse or power his knowledge into men we denie that to be the meaning of the Apostle who had respect onely to the ordinarie dispensation of God and woulde not prescribe any lawe or limitation to his grace 15 Howe shall they preach except they bee sent Hee meaneth that it is an argument and pledge of the loue of God when hee doeth vouchsafe any nation with the preaching of his Gospell and that there is no preacher thereof whome hee hath not stirred vp by his speciall prouidence and therefore there is no question but God doth visite that nation where his gospel is preached But because Paul doth not here handle the lawful calling of euery man to that function it should be needles to vse any long spech therof in this place Only it may suffice for to remēber thus much Namely The gospel commeth not by chaunce vnto any people that the Gospell doth not fall down and as it were by chaunce like raine out of the Cloudes but is brought by the handes and ministerie of men whether it is sent from aboue As it is written Howe beautifull c. Thus we ought to apply this testimonie of Esay Nahum to this present matter Esay 52.7 Nah. 1.17 The Lorde offering hope of deliueraunce to his people setteth foorth the comming of them who shoulde bring the gladsome tydinges thereof with a singular commendation Thereby therefore hee hath declared that the office or ministerie of the Apostles is to be had in no lesse price and estimation by which the tydings of eternall life is brought vnto vs. And therevpon it followeth that
be smitten with the terrour of Gods iudgement Therefore hee doth not onely conuince them of their iniquitie but also being cōuicted doth rouse them from their drowsinesse First of all hee condemneth all mankinde since the worlde began of ingratitude that in so excellent a workemanship they did not acknowledge the workemaster yea when they were constrained to acknowledge him they did not worthily honour his maiestie but prophaned violated the same with their vanitie So all men are proued giltie of impietie then the which there is no more detestable wickednesse And to the ende it might more plainely appeare that all men are fallen from the Lorde hee rehearseth the fylthie and abhominable woorkes whereunto euery where men are subiecte Which is a manifest argument that they haue degenerate frō God for as much as they are tokens of Gods wrath which appeare not but in the godlesse And because certaine of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles hauing couered theyr inward wickednesse with the cloake of outward holinesse did seeme vnreproueable of these impious workes And therefore were thought to bee exempted from the common condemnation the Apostle directeth his stile against that fained holinesse And because that visarde before men coulde not bee drawen from those pettie saints he reuoketh them vnto the iudgement of God whose eyes beholde the verie hidden thoughts Afterward hauing made a distribution he citeth the Iewes by themselues and the Gentiles also by themselues before the tribunall seate of God Hee taketh from the Gentiles that excuse of ignorance which they pretended For their conscience whereby they were sufficiently conuicted was vnto them in steede of a lawe Hee vrgeth the Iewes with that chiefly which they tooke for their defence namely with the written law wherof in as much they were proued to be transgressours they could not cleare themselues of iniquitie seeing the mouth of God had alreadie pronounced sentence against them Hee preuenteth also that obiection which might seeme to make for them videliz that the couenant of God which was vnto thē the marke of sanctification was violated vnlesse there were difference put betweene them and others Here first he teacheth that the title of the couenant made them nothing better then others seeing through their vnfaithfulnesse they were fallen from it Secondly least the constancie of gods promise should be in any part diminished he graunteth vnto them some prerogatiue by the couenant but such as consisteth in the mercy of God and not in their merite Then finally by the authoritie of the scripture he proueth al both Iewes and Gentiles to bee sinners where also he speaketh somwhat of the vse of the law Thus when he hath depriued all mankind both of the trust of their own vertue and also of the glory of righteousnes and throwen them downe with the seueritie of gods iudgement he commeth vnto that which he purposed namely that wee are iustified by faith shewing what faith that is and howe wee obteine thereby the righteousnesse of Christe Heerevnto hee addeth in the ende of the third Chapter a singuler sentence to beate downe the fiercenes of mans pride least he should aduaunce himself against the grace of God And also least the Iewes should hemme in the grace of God within the compasse of their nation he proueth by the way that it appertaineth to the Gentiles also In the 4. chap. he argueth frō an example which because it was cleere and therefore free from cauillations he putteth it downe to wit in Abraham who in as muche as hee is the father of the faithfull ought too bee in steede of a rule generall example Hauing therfore proued him to be iustified by faith he teacheth that the same way is to be holden of vs And heereupon hee inferreth by the comparing of contraries to followe that the righteousnesse of workes must vanish where place is giuen to the iustification of faith Which thing he proueth by the testimonie of Dauid who reposing all the blessednes of man in the mercy of God doth take this from works that they should make a man blessed After this hee handeleth that more at large whiche hee had briefly touched before namely that there is no cause why the Iewes shold aduance themselues aboue the gentiles who are partakers of the same felicitie with them seeyng the Scripture declareth righteousnesse to haue happened vnto Abraham when hee was vncircumcised In which place hee taketh occasion to intreate of the vse of circumcision After this he addeth that the promised saluation doth depend vpon the onely goodnes of God for if it depended vpon the law then could it neither bring peace vnto our consciences wherein it ought to be firmely rooted neyther were it like euer to come vnto his perfection Wherefore that it may be firme and sure in imbracing of it we are to consider the onely truth of God and not our selues and that after the example of Abraham who not considering himselfe did wholly set before him the power of God In the ende of the Chapter to the intent hee might more aptlye applye the alleadged example vnto the generall cause hee conferreth those thinges which on both sides are like In the fift Chapter after he hath touched the fruite effect of the righteousnes of faith he is almost wholly occupied in amplifications whiche serue to make the matter more cleere For by an argument taken from the greater he sheweth how great things we now being redeemed reconciled vnto God are to expect looke for at his hands through his loue which was so bountiful towards vs being sinners vtterly vndone cast away that he gaue vnto vs his onely begotten only beloued sonne After this he compareth sinne with righteousnes which commeth by free grace Christ with Adā death with life the law with grace Wherby he declareth that the infinite goodnes of God doth ouermatch our sins how great so euer they are In the sixte Chapter hee commeth vnto sanctification which we haue in Christ For our fleshe is prone assoone as it hath tasted a little of this grace to cocker wantonly his sins concupiscences as though it had now dispatched al. Therfore Paule on the contrary declareth here that we cannot bee partakers of righteousnes in Christ vnlesse also wee lay holde on sanctification Hee fetcheth his argument from Baptisme wherby we are admitted in the felowship of Christ therin we are buried together with Christ that being dead in our selues by his life wee might be raised vnto newnes of life Whereupon it ensueth that no man without regeneratiō can put on his righteousnes From hence he draweth exhortations vnto puritie and holines of life which necessarily ought to appeare in those who are translated from the power of sinne into the kingdome of righteousnes hauing cast away the wicked cockering of the flesh which seeketh a more licentious libertie of sinning in Christ Finally he doth briefly make mention of the abrogation of the law in abrogating wherof the new
Daniel because Daniel had mainteined his pure worship throughout the whole worlde Dan. 6.19 The commendation of good mē was vnto Paul in esteeming the faith of the Romanes like vnto the whole world For Infidels By the whole world is meant the number of the faithful whiche were scattered ouer the whole world to whō their faith was rather an abhominatiō could neither giue sincere nor probable testimony of it Therfore we vnderstād it that the faith of the Romanes was published in the whole world by the mouthes of all the faithfull who coulde both iudge and speake aright of it That this small and base company of mē was not knowen to the wicked no not to those were at Rome that is no matter seeing Paule passed by their iudgement as a thing of nought 9 For God is my witnes He sheweth his charitie by the effectes For vnlesse he had loued them greatly Paule sheweth his loue by the effectes he woulde not so carefully haue sollicited their health with the Lorde and specially he would not haue so earnestly desired to aduance the same by his owne labour Therfore that carefulnesse that desire are sure tokens of his loue for except they sprong from that they coulde neuer be And because he knew it was expedient for establishing credit to his preaching that the Romanes should be wel perswaded of his sinceritie he addeth an oth A necessary remedie as often as that talke which ought to be firme and out of all doubte is called into question For if an othe bee nothing else then a calling of GOD to witnesse for the confirmation of our talke they are verye foolishe whiche denye the Apostle to haue sworne in this place and yet notwithstanding hee transgressed not the commaundement of Christ Whereby appeareth that the meaning of Christ was not as the superstitious Anabaptistes dreame altogether to put downe othes An othe is not altogether vnlawfull but rather to call vs vnto the true obseruation of the lawe And the lawe permitteth an othe forbidding onely periurie and superfluous swearing Therefore if we will accordingly as wee shoulde sweare let vs follow the sobriety and reuerent discretion whiche appeared in the Apostles God is so called to witnes in an othe that he is called to be a reuenger if we deceiue 2. Cor. 1.23 And to the ende thou mayest vnderstand this rule know thou that GOD is so called to be a witnesse that hee is also called to bee a reuenger if wee doe deceiue Whiche thinge Paule expresseth in another place in these woordes Nowe I call God for a recorde vnto my soule Whom I woorshippe in spirite Because wicked men whiche delude God vse no lesse boldly then rashely to pretende his name Paule here commendeth his holinesse that hee might haue the more credite For who so doeth feare and reuerence God will abhorre to sweare falsly Moreouer he opposeth his spirite against outward hypocrisie And because many doe falsly boast themselues to be the worshippers of God Which is the true worship of God and in outwarde shewe appeare to be so he testifieth that he doeth woorship God from his heart It may be also hee had respect vnto the olde ceremonies in which onely the Iewes thought the woorshippe of God did consist Therefore he letteth to vnderstand that although he reteyned not that exercise yet neuerthelesse hee was a true worshipper of God Philip. 3.3 as he saith vnto the Philippians We are the true circumcision which serue God in the spirite and glorie not in the fleshe Therefore he reioyceth that hee woorshipped God in sincere pietie of mynde which is true religion and the lawfull worship of God It was expedient as I saide before to the ende his othe might haue the more certaintie that Paule should testifie his deuotion towardes God For periurie which the godly abhorre more then a thousand deathes Where true feare of God is there is also a reuerence of his name is but a sporte with the wicked For it cannot be but where there is a serious feare of God there shoulde also be such reuerence of his name It is therefore as much as if Paule shoulde say I knowe howe great reuerence and religious deuotion there ought to bee of an othe I therefore doe not call God to witnesse as the wicked vse to doe And so by his example hee teacheth vs A rule to be obserued in calling God to witnes that so often as wee swere wee shoulde giue such testimonie of holines that the name of God which wee vse in our talke might haue his weight Secondly hee proueth by the signe that hee worshipped not God hypocritically namely by his ministerie For that was a notable token that hee was a man giuen to the glory of God who hauing denyed himselfe refused not for the aduancing of the kingdome of God to susteine what daungers soeuer whether of reproche pouertie death or hatred Some vnderstand this clause as though he did therfore cōmend that worship wherwithal he said he worshipped God because it was according to the prescript rule of the Gospell Sure it is that the spirituall worship of God is commaunded in the Gospell But yet the former interpretation is muche more consonant namely that hee bequeathed his obedience to God in the preaching of the gospell Yet in the meane while hee distinguisheth himselfe from hypocrites who haue another purpose then to serue God Hypocrites seek not God in the administration of their office as ambition or some such like doth cause most of them and it is farre to seeke that all shoulde behaue themselues sincerely and faithfully in that office The summe is that Paule was occupied sincerely in the office of teaching because he applied that which by the way of circumstance hee had spoken of his pietie vnto the present cause The preaching of the gospel is a precious seruice vnto god But hence wee gather a profitable doctrine which ought greatly to incourage the ministers of the gospel when they heare that they doe a thankfull and precious seruice vnto God in preaching the gospell For what is it that shoulde hinder them when they know their labour so to please God and to bee approued with him that it is counted an excellent seruice of God Moreouer hee calleth it the gospell of the sonne of God because Christe is manifested in it beeing ordeined of the father vnto this that whiles he is glorified he shold againe glorifie the father That without ceasing Yet hee expresseth a greater heate of loue by his continuall praying For it was much alwayes to make mention of them when hee made his prayers vnto God And that wee may haue the sense more plaine I take this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in steede of a nowne as though it were said in all my prayers or as often as I come vnto God in prayers I make mention of you And hee speaketh not of euery inuocation of God but of those
doeth withall put this boldnes in our hearts that wee dare cal God our father And surely seeing it is the confidence of heart only that openeth our mouth When God is rightly prayed vnto except the spirite gaue testimonie to our hearts of the fatherly loue of God our tongues woulde bee dombe to vtter any prayers For that principle is alway to be holden God is not otherwise rightly prayed vnto vnles as in mouth we call him father so wee bee surely perswaded in our heartes that he is such one Whereunto the other also answereth namely that our fayth is not otherwise prooued then by the inuocation of God And therefore not without cause Paul calling vs vnto this proofe sheweth that then it appeareth howe seriously euery one beleeueth when they who haue imbraced the promise of grace exercise them selues in prayers And here those toyes of Sophisters touching morall coniecture are notablie refuted whiche is nothing els but vncertaynetie and doubtfulnesse of minde yea rather wandering and errour And also their obiection is answered where they demaunde howe a man may bee assured of the will of God Whence the certainetie of saluation proceedeth But this certaintie proceedeth not from mans brayne but is the testimonie of the spirite of God as hee handleth more at large in his former Epistle to the Corinthians whence also the fuller exposition of this place is to be gathered Therfore this sentence standeth sure that none can bee called the sonne of God who doeth not acknowledge him selfe to bee such one which knowledge is called science of Iohn to shew fourth the certaynetie thereof 1. Ioh. 5.19 17 If wee be children By an argument taken from that is annexed or from the consequent hee prooueth that saluation standeth herein if wee haue God for our father The inheritaunce is ordeined for the sonnes seeing then God hath adopted vs to himselfe for sonnes hee hath also ordeyned the inheritaunce for vs. Secondly hee sheweth what kinde of inheritaunce that is namely celestiall and therefore incorruptible and eternall such as was manifested in Christ By which manifestation both all vncertainetie is taken away and also the excellencie of the inheritaunce is commended which wee participate with the onely begotten sonne of God Albeit the purpose of Paule is as shortly after it shall better appeare highly to aduaunce the inheritaunce promised vnto vs that wee contenting our selues with it might manfully dispise the allurementes of the worlde and patiently beare what so euer troubles happen vnto vs in the worlde If so be that we suffer with him There are diuers interpretations of this place but I like this sence aboue all others Wee are the fellowe heires of Christ so that wee followe him the same way hee went vnto that inheritaunce And so where as he made mention of Christ his meaning is as it were by these degrees to passe vnto this cohortation the inheritaunce of God is therefore ours because by his grace wee are adopted to be his sonnes and least it should be doubtfull the possession thereof is alreadie deliuered vnto Christ whose partakers wee are made By passions sufferings the Lords ministreth vnto vs saluation thorow his free mercie And Christ came vnto it by the crosse therefore we must goe vnto it the same way Neither is that to bee feared which some stande in awe of least by this Paule did ascribe the cause of eternall glory to our laboures for this kinde of speech is not vnusuall in the scriptures but rather hee declareth the order which the Lorde followeth in ministring saluation vnto vs then the cause For before hee had sufficiently defended the free mercie of God against the merites of workes nowe whiles hee exhorteth vs vnto patience hee disputeth not whence saluation commeth to vs but howe the Lorde gouerneth his 18 For verely I thinke Although they doe not altogether amisse who take this by the way of correction yet I had rather referre it to the amplifying of the cohortation in steede of a preoccupation to this sence it ought not to bee grieuous vnto vs if wee must come vnto the celestialll glory by diuers afflictions seeing if they be compared with the greatnes of this glory they are nothing Hee hath put glorie to come Glory to come put for eternall glory for eternall glory as hee calleth those afflictions of the worlde whiche passe away suddainely Hereby it appeareth this place was ill vnderstoode of the schoolemen whence they haue gathered their destinction of congruo and condigno Neither doeth the Apostle compare the dignitie of them both but onely mitigateth the bitternesse of the crosse by the comparison of the greatnesse of glory and that to confirme the mindes of the faythfull in patience 19 For the feruent expectation of the creature expecteth for the reuelation of the sonnes of God 20 For the creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne will but for him who hath made it subiecte in hope 21 Because the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God also 22 For wee knowe that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauayleth in paine together vnto this present 19 For the feruent He teacheth that wee haue an example of the patience hee exhorteth vnto euen in the very dumbe creatures For to let passe the varietie of exposicions I vnderstande this place thus that there is no element neyther any part of the worlde which not being as it were touched with the feeling of the present euill intendeth not vpon the hope of the resurrection And he putteth downe two thinges namely that all creatures trauayle and yet are susteyned by hope Whereby also it appeareth how great the price of eternall glory is that it can prouoke draw al things into desire of it Furthermore this speech expectation expecteth although it be somewhat strange yet it hath a most conuenient sence for he signifieth thereby that the creatures being plunged in great anxietie and hanging in suspence with great desire do expect that day whiche shall openly declare the glory of the sonnes of God What is ment by the reuelatiō of the sonnes of God 1. Iohn 3.2 He calleth that the reuelation of the sonnes of God when we shall bee like vnto God as Iohn sayth for although we knowe we are his sonnes yet it hath not appeared And I haue kept the wordes of Paule because the translation of Erasmus seemeth vnto mee bolder then were meete namely vntill the sonnes of God bee manifest and yet it doeth not sufficiently expresse the mind of the Apostle For his meaning is not that the sonnes of God shal be manifested in the last day but then it shall appeare howe happie and blessed their estate is when they hauing put off corruption shal put on celestiall glory For he therefore attributed hope vnto the creatures that want sence that the faithfull might open their eyes to beholde the inuisible life
God as the first cause Yea Paule sheweth that the faithfull loue not God before they be called of him as in another place he admonisheth that the Galathians were first knowen of God Gal. 4.9 before they knewe him Verily this of Paule is true that afflictions profite none to saluation but them loue God God preuenteth vs by his grace and we doe not preuent him by our loue yet that of Iohn is as true namely that then at length he is begunne to be loued of vs when he hath preuented vs by his free grace Finally the calling Paule speaketh of here is large For it must not be restrayned vnto the manifestation of election wherof mention shal be made shortly after but simply it is opposed to mans course as though Paule had said the faithful get not vnto themselues godlinesse by their owne motion but rather it is brought by the hande of God so farre as God hath chosen them to himselfe for his owne The woorde purpose doth plainely exclude whatsoeuer may be imagined to be brought of mē as though Paule denied the causes of our election to be sought for els where then in the secret pleasure of God which thing appeareth more clearly out of the 1. to the Ephe. 1. the 2. Tim. 1. Where also the Antithesis or contrarietie of this purpose Ephe. 1. 2. Tim. 1. and humane righteousnes is plainly expressed Yet it is not to be doubted but Paul did therfore here precisely say our saluatiō is founded vpō the election of God that he might thence make a passage vnto that which followeth straightwaies namely the afflictiōs which make vs like vnto Christ are destinated to vs by the same celestiall decree that hee might as it were by a certaine bonde of necessity linke our saluation with the bearing of the crosse 29 Because whom he foreknew Therefore by the order of election he declareth how all afflictions are nothing els then a meane whereby they are conformed vnto Christ ve◠17. which thing to be necessary he testified before Wherefore there is no cause why it should grieue vs or be bitter and heauy vnto vs to bee afflicted except we take in ill part the election of the Lord wherby we are foreordeined vnto life except we be vnwilling to represent in vs the image of the sonne of God whereby wee are prepared vnto the celestial glory And the foreknowledge of God wherof Paul here maketh mentiō What is meant by foreknowledge is not a bare foreknowledge as some vnskilful bodies doe foolishly imagine but adoption wherby he alway discerneth his sonnes from the reprobate In which sence Peter saith the faithfull were elected vnto the sanctification of spirite according to the foreknowledge of God Wherfore they I spake on gather foolishly that God hath elected no others then those he foresaw to bee worthie of his grace For Peter doth not flatter the faithfull as though euery one were elected for his merite but calling them vnto the eternall counsell of God doth put them beside all worthines And also in this place Paule repeateth by another worde that which he touched lately concerning purpose Whence it followeth that this knowledge dependeth vpon the good pleasure of God because God foreknew nothing out of himselfe touching those he would adopt but only signed whom he would elect The worde Proorizein which they trāslate predestinate is referred vnto the circumstance of this place because Paule only meaneth the God hath so decreed that whomsoeuer he hath adopted the same should carrie the image of Christ for he did not simply say that they might be conformed vnto Christ but to the image of Christ that he might shewe there is a liuely and manifest example in Christ which is set before al the sonnes of God to imitate Finally the summe is Christ is the paterne of all the sonnes of God that the free adoption wherein our saluation consisteth cannot be separated from this other decree wherein he hath allotted vs to beare the crosse because none can bee an heire of the kingdome of heauen who first is not made like vnto the only begottē sonne of God That he might be the first begotten or that he should be For both wayes the Greeke infinitiue Einai may be resolued yet I rather allow of the former Furthermore in that Christ is called the first begottten Paules mind is only to note this if Christ obteyne the prerogatiue amongst al the sonnes of God he is worthily giuen vnto vs for an example that we shoulde refuse nothing which he hath voutsafed to take vpon him Therefore that the celestiall father might by all meanes testifie the right dignity which he hath giuen vnto his sonne he wil haue all whō he hath adopted into the inheritance of his kingdome to be conformed or made like to his example For although there be in shew a diuers condition of the godly as there is some varietie betweene the members of a mans body yet is euery one coupled with his head Therfore as the first borne doth beare the name of the family so Christ is placed in an high degree not only that he might excel in honour among the faithful but also the vnder the common note of fraternity he might conteine al vnder him 30 And whom he hath predestinate them also he called Now that he might in a clearer sort proue how true it is that that conformation or conformitie and likelinesse with the humilitie of Christ is healthful to vs he vseth a gradation wherein he teacheth that the society of the crosse is so linked with our vocation iustification glorificatiō that they cānot be separated Howbeit that the readers might better vnderstād the meaning of the Apostle they are to remēber that I admonished before namely What the word predestinate noteth that the word predestinate noteth not election but the purpose or decree of God wherby he hath ordeined for his a crosse to be borne now teaching that the same are called hee signifieth that God doth not hold the close within himselfe whiche he hath determined of them but hath disclosed it that they might quietly and patiently vndertake the condition laid vpon them For here vocation or calling as the inferiour is distinguished from secret election Least any therefore shoulde obiect that no man knoweth what condition God hath appointed for him the Apostle saith God by his calling hath openly testified of his secrete counsell And this testimony consisteth not in the sole externall preaching but it hath the efficacie of the spirit coupled because the speech is of the elect whom God doth not onely speake vnto by voyce but also inwardly draweth Iustification might fitly be extended vnto the continuall tenour of the grace of God euen from the tyme of our calling vnto the houre of death but because Paule in the whole Epistle vseth this worde for the free imputation of righteousnes no necessitie doth compel to decline frō this sence For the
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
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 self there also the election of God hath place Election therefore being put downe nowe the way in a maner is made vnto those thinges which hee hath purposed to say as well of the calling of the Gentiles as the reiection of the Iewes the one whereof for noualtie did seeme absurde the other altogether vnmeete or vnworthy Yet because this latter had more offence in it hee handleth the other being lesse odious in the first place He sayth therefore that the vessels of Gods mercie which he chuseth vnto the glorie of his name are taken euery where no lesse from among the Gentiles then the Iewes But in the relatiue whome although the reason of grammer bee not obserued by Paule yet his meaning is a passage as it were being made to adde that wee are those vesselles of Gods glory who are partly taken out from amongst the Iewes and partly from amongst the Gentiles Where by an argument taken from the vocation of God hee prooueth there is no difference of nation in election For if petigrey taken from the Gentiles was no impediment why God shoulde not also call vs it is apparaunt the Gentiles are not banished from the kingdome of God and the couenaunt of eternall saluation 25 As hee sayth also in Osee Nowe hee declareth that the calling of the Gentiles ought not to seeme newe as which was testified long before by the oracle of the prophete The sence is plaine inough but that there is somewhat to doe for applying the testimonie for none will denie but the Prophete speaketh there of the Israelites For the Lorde being offended at their wickednesse denounceth they shoulde no more afterwarde be his people After that hee addeth a consolation and of not beloued maketh them beloued of not a people a people And Paule goeth about to applie that vnto the Gentiles which is precisely spoken vnto the Israelites They who hitherto haue best vnfolded this knot haue thought that Paule woulde reason thus that which might be supposed an impediment to the Gentiles to hinder them from beeing partakers of saluation was also in the people of Israel as God therefore in old time did graciously receiue the Iewes into fauour whom he had cast off and banished euen so nowe he vseth the same bountifulnes towardes the Gentiles But because that interpretation although it may be suffered yet seemeth vnto me to be somewhat forced let the readers consider whither this be not more apt if we doe beleeue that consolation of the Prophet was not giuen to the Iewes onely but also to the Gentiles For it is no new or straunge thing among the Prophetes after they haue published the vengeance of God against the Iewes for their iniquities to turne themselues vnto the kingdome of Christe which was to bee dispersed ouer the whole worlde Neither did they that whithout reason For seeing the Iewes by their sinnes did so prouoke the wrath of God that they deserued to bee diuorced from him there remaineth no hope of saluation vnlesse they turne themselues vnto Christe by whome the couenant of grace is restored and as it was founded in him so now by his intercession it is renued And assuredly seeing Christe is the onely refuge in desperate affaires or suche as are past all hope no sounde consolation can bee brought vnto miserable sinners and suche as see the wrath of God hang ouer them but by setting Christe before their eyes Yea this as wee haue admonished is ordinary amongest the Prophetes when they haue humbled the people being pricked with the threatning of Gods vengeance to recall them vnto Christ the only sanctuarie of those haue no other refuge And where the kingdome of Christ is erected there also that heauenly Hierusalem is raysed vp into which the Citizens out of all partes of the worlde are gathered And that chiefly auayleth in the present oracle for when the Iewes were cast out of the family of God by that meanes they were brought into a vulgare or common estate and were made like vnto the Gentiles After the difference is taken away nowe the mercie of God hath place indifferently amongst all nations Whereby wee gather that the testimonie of the Prophete is fitly applyed vnto the present cause Wherein God after hee hath matched the Iewes with the Gentiles pronounceth that hee will gather a Church of them both that they whiche were no people might beginne to bee I will call them my people which is not my people This is sayde in respecte of the diuourcement whiche GOD had nowe made with the people depriuing them of all dignitie that they shoulde not excell the forraine nations And althoughe they whome God hath ordayned for sonnes vnto himselfe in his eternall counsell these are and are for euer sonnes yet the scripture many times reckoneth not among the sonnes of God but whose election is confirmed by calling Whereby also hee teacheth vs not to iudge and muche lesse to denounce of the election of GOD Howe farre was may denounce of the election of God but so farre foorth as it manifesteth it selfe by his tokens So likewise after that Paule had shewed vnto the Ephesians that their election and adoption was determined with God before the creation of the worlde a little after he testifieth they were sometime straungers from GOD Namely according to that time wherein the Lorde had not yet declared his loue towardes them although hee had imbraced them with eternall mercie Therefore in this place they are called not beloued to whome the Lorde rather testifieth his wrath then loue Finally vntill adoption reconcile men vnto God we know his wrath lyeth vpon all mankinde the feminine gender of the participle dependeth vpon the texte of the Prophete For hee had sayde that a daughter was borne vnto him whome hee called not beloued that vnder this type the people might knowe they were hated of God Nowe as reiection was the cause of hatred so the Prophete teacheth that the beginning of loue is when God doth adopt them who for a tyme were forreiners 27 And Esay cryeth Nowe he commeth vnto the seconde part whereat he woulde not begin leaste hee shoulde exasperate their mindes too much And this is not without skill that he bringeth in the prophet Esai crying and not speaking namely that he might make them more attentiue Furthermore the woordes of the Prophete are plaine to feare the Iewes least they should glory too much in the flesh For it is horrible to be hearde that of suche an infinite multitude a small number onely should be saued For although the Prophet after he hath described the destruction of the people least the faithfull shoulde thinke the couenaunt of God were vtterly wyped out putteth them in minde there is some hope of grace remayning yet he restrayneth that vnto a fewe But because the Prophet prophecied that of his time we are to see how Paul doeth rightly apply it to his purpose And thus it ought to be applied when the Lorde woulde deliuer his
yet is not hee that teacheth strayghtwayes indued with the gyft of exhorting Nowe no man prophesieth or teacheth or exhorteth but hee ministreth but it is sufficent if wee keepe that distinction which wee see in the giftes of God and knowe to bee meete for the order of the Church 8 He which giueth in singlenesse Out of these latter branches wee see playnely that here is declared vnto vs what is the lawfull vse of the giftes of God By giuers of the which hee speaketh here hee vnderstandeth not those which giue of their owne but Deacons who were appoynted for the distribution of the publique goddes of the Churche By those shewe mercie hee vnderstandeth widowes and other ministers who according to the custome of the olde Church were ordayned to see vnto the sicke For they are two diuers offices to minister necessarie thinges vnto the poore and to bestowe their labour in seeing to them Howebeit to the first hee assigneth simplicitie whereby without fraude and parcialitie they shoulde faythfully distribute those thinges are committed to them of these hee woulde haue obedience shewed with cheerefulnesse least by their morositie as it often commeth to passe they spoyle their offices of grace or graciousnesse For as nothing more comforteth him is sicke or afflicted by any other maner of way then when hee seeth the mindes of men chearefull and readie to helpe him so if hee see vnwillingnesse in their countenaunce of whom hee is holpen hee will take it to his reproche Although hee properly call those rulers to whome the ministration of the Churche was committed and they were Seniours who ruled and gouerned others and exercised the censure for manners yet that whiche hee sayth of them may generally bee applyed vnto all kinde of Superiours For it is no small care is required of those who are to prouide for the safetie of all neyther is a slender diligence looked for of them who ought to watche nyght and day for the health of all men Although the estate of that tyme sheweth that Paule did not speake of all Superiours because then there were no godly magistrates but of the Seniours who were the correctours of maners 9 Let loue bee without dissimulation auoyding that is euill and cleaning to that is good 10 Beeing readie to loue one another with a brotherly loue preuenting one another with honour 11 Not lither in businesse feruent in spirite seruing the tyme. 12 Reioycing in hope patiente in tribulation perseuering in prayer 13 Communicating to the necessitie of the Saintes following after hospitalitie 9 Let loue be without dissimulation Nowe he being about to speake of particular dueties verie fittely he beginneth at charitie which is the bonde of all perfeccion And concerning that hee commaundeth as it is often necessarie that all dissimulations laide a part it might proceede from pure synceritie of minde For it is a harde matter to say howe wise for the most parte all men are to counterfeyte Charitie It is no charity vnles it be syncere and without dissimulation whiche in deede they haue not For they doe not onely deceiue others but also them selues whyles they perswade them selues that they are beloued very well of them whom they themselues doe not onely neglect but also in trueth reiecte Therefore Paule heere denounceth that onely for Charitie whiche is voyde of all dissimulation and euerye man may easely beare witnesse hym selfe whither hee haue any thynge in the secrete of his heart that is agaynst Charitie These woordes of good and euill which followe straightwayes in the text haue not a general signification but hee hath put euill for that malicious iniquitie whereby men are hurt and good for that bountifulnesse whereby they are holpen And here is an vsuall antithesis of the scripture when vices are first forbidden and vertues then commanded In the participle Apostugountes that is auoyding or putting away I neyther haue followed Erasmus nor the olde interpreter who haue turned it hating but in my iudgement the meaning of Paule was to expresse somewhat more and the vehemencie in the worde auoyding or putting away doeth better answere the contrary member where hee doeth not onely bid that wee shoulde be bountifull but also cleaue vnto it 10 Being readie to loue one another Hee can not perswade himselfe that hee hath euer sayde inough in shewing the feruencie of that loue wherewith wee ought to embrace one another For hee both calleth it brotherly and the affection thereof storgen which of the Latines is called mutuall pitte amongst kinsfolkes And suche ought that to bee wherewith we imbrace the sonnes of God Which thing that it might come to passe hee addeth a precepte very necessary for the preseruing of good will or beneuolence that euery one for his part giue honour vnto his brethren For there is no more effectual poison to the estranging or alienating of the mindes of men then when any thinketh hee is dispised If by honour you vnderstande all kinde of duetie I am not greatly agaynst it howebeit I like the first interpretation better For as nothing is more contrarie vnto brotherly concorde then contumely growing of pryde when others beeing neglected euery one aduaunceth him selfe so modestye is the best nourse of loue whereby it commeth to passe that euery one honoureth others 11 Not lither in businesse This precept is giuen vs not onely because the life of Christians ought alway to consist in doing but because oftentimes our own profite being neglected wee ought to bestowe our labours vpon our brethren yea though they bee not alway good but often most vnworthie and vnthankfull Finally because in many dueties we ought to forgette our selues vnles we be earnest with our selues and diligently striue to shake off al slouthfulnesse we can neuer be truely prepared vnto the obedience of Christ And whereas it is added feruent in spirite He sheweth howe we may obteyne that we spake on before For our flesh like an Asse is alway lither or slouthful and therefore had neede of spurres and it is onely the feruencie of the spirite that correcteth our slouthfulnes therefore the study of doyng good requireth a zeale which the spirit of God kindeleth in our heartes Why then wil some say doth Paule exhort vnto this feruencie I answeare although it bee the gift of God yet it is the part of Christians that sluggishnes being shaken off they receiue that flame which is kindeled from aboue as it often commeth to passe that the motion of the spirite is choked and extinguished by our iniurie Hereunto also apperteineth the third that we may serue the time for as the course of this life is short so the oportunitie of doing good is soone past therefore wee ought more cheerefully make speede to the doing of our dutie So in another place Paule biddeth redeeme the time because the daies are euill The meaning may also be that we might know to apply our selues to the time wherin there is great force Howbeit Paule seemeth vnto
ought to succour the want of our brethren namely because for the vnitie of the bodie there is a common and mutuall consideration I haue not translated the pronoune tina because it often aboundeth with the grecians and it seemeth to diminishe the emphasey of this place Whereas wee haue turned to minister in Greeke is the participle ministring but that seemed more fitte to expresse the minde of Paul For hee excuseth that through iust occasion he was stayed that hee coulde not straightwayes with haste come vnto Rome 27 And their debters they are Euery man doth see that that which is here sayde of debt is not said so much for the cause of the Corinthians as of the Romanes For the Corinthians or Macedonians were no more indebted vnto the Iewes then the Romanes And he addeth the cause of this bonde namely that they had receiued the Gospell from them hee taketh an argument from the comparison of the lesse with the greater which he also vseth in another place Namely 1. Cor. 9.11 that that recompence ought not to be though vniust or grieuous vnto them who for spirituall thinges giue carnall which by many degrees are more base And this sheweth the dignitie of the Gospel that it doeth not onely denounce them bonde to the ministers thereof but also to all that nation from whom their ministers came And note the verbe Leitourgesai for to minister which signifieth to doe his office in the common wealth and to vndertake the burden of his calling sometime also it is vsed in respect of sacred thinges And I doubt not but Paule signifieth that it is a kinde of sacrifice when the faythfull giue of their owne to relieue the pouertie of their brethren For so they doe that duetie of charitie which they ought to doe and also they offer vnto God a sacrifice of a sweete sauour but properly in this place he did respect that mutuall right of compensation 28 When I shall haue sealed this fruite vnto them A dislike it not that some doe thinke heere is an allusion vnto the maner of the olde fathers who were wont to shutte vp with rings or signets those thinges they woulde haue safe In this sort Paul commendeth his fayth and integritie as though hee sayde he were a syncere keeper of the money committed to him no otherwise then if it were sealed vnto him By the name of fruite he seemeth to vnderstande the increase which he sayde of late to come vnto the Iewes by the sowing of the Gospel Like as the fielde doth nourish his dresser by bearing of fruite 29 And I knowe that when I shall come These wordes may be vnderstood two wayes 1. The first sence is that hee should finde at Rome a plentifull fruite of the Gospell for this is the blessing of the Gospel when it fructifieth by good woorkes For whereas some restraine them vnto almes I doe not like it 2 Or to the ende hee might make his comming vnto them more worthie to be wished for he sayth that hee hopeth it shoulde not be vnprofitable because it shoulde bring great increase vnto the Gospel which he calleth the fulnes of blessing for a ful blessing whereby he signifieth prosperous successe and increase And this blessing depended partly on his administration partly an their fayth so then he promiseth that his comming vnto them should not be in vayne vpon whom he should not loose the grace giuen to him but shoulde bestowe it well through that alacritie of minde was in them to receiue the Gospell The first expositiō is more receiued and also doth like me better namely that hee hoped to finde that he chiefly wished that is the Gospel to flourishe with them and to proceede by notable successes because they would excell in sanctitie and all kinde of vertues For he sheweth the cause of his desire namely that he hoped for some singuler ioy by the sight of them whom hee should see to flourishe with spirituall riches of the Gospell 30 And I beseech you brethren by our Lord Iesus Christ and by the loue of the spirite that ye striue together with me in your prayers to God for me 31 That I may bee deliuered from the vnbelieuers in Iudea and that my ministerie which I vndertake towardes Hierusalem may be acceptable to the saintes 32 That with ioy I may come vnto you by the will of God together with you may be comforted And the God of peace be with you all Amen 30 And I beseech you brethrrn By many places it is sufficiently knowen howe greatly Paul was hated in his owne nation for false slanders as though he taught a falling away from Moses He knewe howe much reproches coulde doe to oppresse the innocent and specially with those are caried with a rashe zeale Hereunto also came the testification of the spirite whereof he maketh mention in the Actes Act. 20.23 Whereby he was oftentimes forewarned that bondes and afflictions were at hand for him at Hierusalem Therefore the more danger hee sawe the more he was moued Hence came it he was so carefull to commende his health vnto the Churches neither let vs maruell that he was so carefull ouer his life wherein hee knewe so great danger of the Church to be handled Therefore the vehemencie is in this obtestation beareth witnesse howe greatly the godly minde was troubled whiles vnto the name of the Lorde he addeth the loue of the spirite whereby the Saintes ought to imbrace one another but yet in so great feare hee ceaseth not to goe on neyther doth hee so feare danger but he was readie to die willingly Howebeit hee armeth him selfe with the remedies giuen vnto him of God For he calleth for the helpe of the Church that being holpen by their prayers hee might thereby feele some comfort according to the promise of the Lorde Where two or three shall be gathered together in my name Mat. 18.20 Mat. 18.9 there am I in the middest of them and of whatsoeuer thing they shall consent in earth they shall obtayne it in heauen And least any shoulde thinke this were a remisse or light commendation he beseecheth them by Christ and the loue of the spirite And that is called the loue of the spirite What is the loue of the spirite Prayers is the only hauen of refuge for the seruants of God in distresse wherein Christ doth ioyne vs together because it is not of fleshe nor of the worlde but of the spirite which is the bonde of our vnitie Seeing then it is so great a benefit of God to bee holpen by the prayers of the faythfull that euen Paul himselfe an elect vessell of God thought it was not to bee neglected of him what intollerable bthernesse shall it be if wee wretches and men of no price doe contemne it Howebeit out of such places to take occasion to maynetayne intercessions vnto dead Saints is a token of too much impudencie That ye might striue with me Erasmus hath translated
Gods will is to be respected in all thinges cha 1. 10. Gods wil is the marke of the life of the faithful cha 14. 7. Good workes how they are crowned of God cha 2. 6. Good men mixt with euill cha 16. 11. Good thinges how they are to be prouided before men cha 12. 17. The Gospel what it is cha 1. 2. The Gospel contemptible in the eyes of the worlde cha 1. 16. The whole Gospel conteyned in Christ cha 1. 3. The Gospel for whom it is ordeined cha 1. 14. The Gospel the doctrine of saluation cha 1. 16. The Gospel was exhibited when Christ was incarnate cha 1. 2. Why the Gospel is called the Gospel of the sonne of God cha 1. 9. The Gospel is the ministery of reconciliation cha 5. 2. The Gospel is no new thing cha 16. 21. The Gospel subiect to false slaunders chap. 3. 8. The Gospel why it is called the Gospel of Paule cha 2. 16. The Gospel came not by chance cha 10. 15. The end of the Gospel cha 15. 16. The Gospel and the law compared cha 8. 15. To be vnder grace what it is cha 6. 14. Graffing threefold cha 11. 22. H HEart put for serious and sincere affection cha 10. 10. Heart put for vnderstanding cha 2. 15. Hardening how it is taken in the scripture cha 9. 18. Haters of God who they be cha 1. 28. The heauens preach the power of God cha 10. 18. Health of the faithful by what degrees it is promoted cha 8. 30. Hypocrites flatter themselues with a vayne trust cha 7. 9. Hypocrites waxe proude with prosperity cha 2. 4. Hypocrites doubt not to set their feigned worshippings against the truth cha 2. 8. Hypocrites must be drawen to the iudgement seate of GOD chap. 2. 29. Hypocrites in vaine cal vpon God cha 10. 14. Hypocrites secure cha 2. 1. Hypocrites haue a colour of zeale cha 10. 3. Hystory the mistres of life cha 4. 23. Honour put for al kind of duety cha 12. 10. Hope alwayes bringeth with it patience cha 8. 25. Hope is necessary for al the godly cha 12. 12. Hope how it is attributed to dead creatures cha 8. 19. Hospitality commended cha 12 13. Humilitie to be imbraced cha 12. 16. I IAcob why preferred before Esau cha 9. 3. Whence a true Iew is to be esteemed cha 2. 28. Iewes how they are the sonnes of promise cha 9. 6. Iewes are borne the heires of grace cha 3. 30. Iewes the first borne in the house of God cha 9. 4. cha 11. 26. Iewes why they were reiected cha 9. 30. Iewes how they are holy cha 11. 16. The cause of the Iewes their excecation cha 10. 19. The excellencie of the Iewes cha 9. 5. Iewes their vaine glorying cha 2. 17. Iewes their prerogatiues cha 9. 4. 5. Iewes their reiection whence it was cha 9. 30. Iewes and gentiles compared cha 3. 32. Iewes and gentiles made equal cha 11. 32. Impatiency must be brideled cha 7. 25. Impudency cha 1. 28. Inner man what it is cha 7. 22. Incredulity the greatest fault of the Iewes cha 11. 28. Ingratitude of men vnexcusable cha 1. 24. Ingratitude condemned cha 1. 18. Inheritaunce of the faithful cha 8. 17. Inhumanity for the most part followeth the ignorance of God cha 3. 10. Who are insociable cha 1. 18. Good intentions whither they carry men cha 10. 2. Infirmity of the law what it is cha 8. 3. Ioy of the faithful what it is cha 12. 12. At what time the Israelites began to bee called Iewes and of whom cha 2. 17. Iudas Machabeus the Author of the name Iew as it is supposed cha 2. 17. The iust iudgement of God cha 9. 2. Iudgement for euery reuengement of God cha 13. 3. Lightnes in iudgement condemned cha â—1 4. cha 14. 14. To iustifie what it meaneth with Paule cha 13. 33. Iustification for Absolution cha 5. 18. Of iustification three causes cha 3. 21. 24. K KIssing of the Paxe whence it came cha 16. 16. The vse of kissing in old time cha 16. 16. Knowledge of God graffed in the mindes of al men cha 11. 21. Gods truth for the true knowledge of God cha 1. 18. L LIberty gotten by Christ giueth not licence to sinne cha 6. 19. Liberty of the faithful what it is cha 6. 18. cha 7. 14. Lycurgus why he is called Sacrilegus of Ouid cha 2. 22. Life of the faithful what it ought to be cha 12. 11. Lightnes in iudgement condemned cha 11. 4. cha 14. 14. To liue vnto God what it is cha 6. 16. Life must be sought in the gospel cha 1. 17. Loue how it is the fulfilling of the law cha 13. 8. 10. Lactantius plane cha 10. 2. Law taken two wayes cha 10. 5. Law taken for the reuelation of Gods truth cha 13. 11. Law taken for the whole old Testament cha 3. 19. Law to what end it was giuen cha 3. 31. Law with al his partes respected Christ cha 10. 4. Law is the rule of a right life cha 6. 15. Law in what sence it is called spiritual cha 7. 10. 14. Law how it is abolished cha 6. 15. cha 7. 1. 2. Law how it is established by faith in Christ cha 3. 31. Law how it is fulfilled by loue cha 13. 8. Law how it giueth a deadly wound cha 7. 10. Law how it is deadly cha 7. 11. Law of faith what it is cha 3. 27. Law of righteousnes for the righteousnes of the law cha 9. 3. Law of workes what it is cha 3. 27. Law of sinne and death what it is cha 8. 2. Infirmity of the law what it is cha 8. 3. The name of the Law diuersly taken cha 7. 2. Law and marriage compared cha 7. 2. Law and Gospel compared cha 8. 15. Letter for external obseruation without inward deuotion cha 2. 28. Contrariety of the letter and the spirite cha 7. 6. Lust preposterous how execrable cha 1. 26. Loue of God is not to be sought out of Christ cha 8. 35. Loue of God towards vs bringeth victory cha 8. 37. M MAn why made of God cha 1. 19. Man twofold cha 7. 22. Man how he is called a liar cha 3. 4. Inner man what it is cha 7. 22. Old man what it is cha 6. 6. Mans wil euery way contrary to the wil of God cha 8. 7. cha 12. 2. That is sometime giuen vnto man which is Gods onely cha 11. 14. Magistrate to what end ordeined of the Lord cha 13. 3. An euil Magistrate is the scourge of God ibid. Magistrate a natural office cha 13. 3. Magistrates calling what it is cha 13. 4. Magistrates are debters to their subiects ibid. The principall Maxime of all Christian Philosophie cha 3. 4. Good men mixt with euil cha 16. 11. All men formed to the image of God cha 3. 29. Men know not how to pray vnto God cha 8. 26. Men as they are the sonnes of AdaÌ„ so the captiues of sinne cha 6. 6. Merite how it is mainteined of
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
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
their partes for he should rather haue opposed these two members betweene theÌ„selues Who shal accuse It is Christ that maketh intercession Then to haue added the other two Who shal condemne It is God that iustifieth For the absolution or deliuerance of God answereth condeÌ„nation and the defence or supportation of Christ answeareth accusation But Paul not without cause hath transposed theÌ„ another way going about to arme the sonnes of God from top to toe as they say with the confidence of God which might banish a farre off anxieties feares More emphatically therfore he gathereth that the sonnes of God are not subiect to accusation because God doeth iustifie then if he had sayde because Christe is their Patrone for so he expresseth better howe the way is farre shutte vppe to iudgement where the iudge doeth pronounce himselfe that he altogether exempteth him from guiltinesse whom the accusator woulde drawe vnto punishment And there is also the like reason of the second part of the Antithesis or contrarietie For he sheweth that the faithfull are farre from the perill of condemnation seeyng Christe by making satisfaction for their sinnes hath preuented the iudgement of God and by his intercession hath not onely abolished death but also put our sinnes out of rememeÌ„raunce that they come not into account The summe is that we are not onelye by the present remedies when we come vnto the iudgement seate of GOD to be deliuered from feare but God doeth helpe more that he might better prouide for our confidence Howbeit here we are to note that with I haue alwaies admonished of before this namely that to iustifie with Paule is nothing els then being loosed from the sentence of God What it is to iustifie to be counted for iust And it is no harde matter to proue that in this present place where Paule reasoneth from the putting downe of one contrary vnto the destruction of another if so that to absolue and to receiue for guilty be contrarie Therfore God will not admit any accusation against vs because he hath absolued vs from euerye offence For vndoubtedly the Diuel is the accuser of all the godly the lawe of God it selfe and also their owne conscience doth reproue them but all these preuayle nothing before that iudge who doth iustifie them Therefore no aduersarie can shake much lesse ouerthrow our saluation Furthermore he so nameth the elect that he doubteth nothing of himselfe to be in the number of them Here is a general rule prescribed And that not by speciall reuelation as certaine Sophisters faine but by the common sence of all the godly Let euerie one therfore of the godlie by the example of Paul apply that vnto himselfe which is here saide of the elect Otherwise if he did burie election in the secrete counsell of God this doctrine were not onely colde but should lye altogether dead But seeing we know that that is purposely here vttered which euery one of the godly ought to apply vnto himself out of question we are all of vs lead vnto the touchstone of our vocation that we be resolued we are the sonnes of God 34 Who shall condemne As none can preuayle by accusing when the iudge hath absolued so there remayneth no condemnation when the lawes are satisfied and nowe the penaltie is payde But Christ is the man who once hath suffered the punishment due vnto vs therby professing himselfe to vndertake our turnes that he might deliuer vs he therfore that hereafter wil condemne vs must call Christ himselfe againe vnto death And he is not only dead but by his resurrection hath appeared Victorer of death and hath triumphed ouer the power thereof And he addeth yet more namely that hee sitteth at the right hand of the father How Christ is said to fit on the right hand of the father Ephe. 1.20 wherby is meant that he obteyneth the Lordship and full authority of heauen and earth as it is said to the Ephesians Lastly he teacheth that he sitteth so that he is the perpetuall aduocate and intercessour for the defence of our saluation Whence it followeth that if any will condemne vs he doth not only make voyde the death of Christ but also fighteth against that incomparable power wherewith the father hath adorned him placing him in the highest degree with such power This so great boldnes which dare triumph against the deuil death sinn the gates of hell ought to rest in al godly hearts because our faith is no faith vnlesse we doe certainly perswade our selues that Christ is ours that the father is mercifull vnto vs in him Nothing therfore can be imagined more pestilent or more deadlie then the schoole doctrine of the vncertaintie of saluatioÌ„ Who maketh incercession for vs. It was necessary this shoulde bee plainly added least the diuine maiestie of Christ should make vs afraid Although therfore from his high throne he holdeth all thinges in subiection vnder his feete yet Paul giueth vnto him the person of a mediator Of whose countenance to be afrayde were absurd seeing he doth not only gently inuite vs vnto him How Christ is said to make intercessioÌ„ for vs but also appeareth an intercessour for vs before the father Finally we must not measure this intercession by carnall sence For he is not to be thought to beseech his father humbly vpoÌ„ his knees with his hands stretched out but because he appeareth stil with his death resurrection which are in steed of an eternal intercession haue the efficacie of liuely prayer that they may reconcile the father to vs and make him intreatable he is worthely said to make intercession for vs. 35 Who shal separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or hunger or nakednes or danger or sword 36 As it is written for thy sake we die daily we are counted as sheepe appoynted for the slaughter 37 But in al those thinges we ouercome by him who hath loued vs. 35 Who shal separate Now that securitie or boldnes is extended vnto inferiour thinges For he which is perswaded of the loue of God towardes him is able to stand in most grieuous afflictions which are therfore woont so greatly to torment men either because they thinke not they happeÌ„ by the prouideÌ„ce of God or they interprete theÌ„ to be tokeÌ„s of Gods wrath or that they thinke they are forsaken of God or that they looke for no ende or remeÌ„ber not there is a better life or some other such like But the mind which is purged from such errours shall easily be at rest and be quiet Finally this is the meaning of the words whatsoeuer happeneth we must stand in this faith namely that God who hath once loued vs will neuer cease to care for vs. For he doeth not simply say there is nothing can separate God from the loue of vs but he woulde that the knowledge and liuely sence of loue which he testifieth â—nto vs should so