Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 12 · Section 3 · Subsection 19
19. Quest. The duties and properties of our louelove toward God.
v. 11. Feruent in spirit. 1. some vnderstand by the spirit, charitie kindled in the heart by the spirit, Tolet, Faius: and so interpret it of the duties of louelove toward our brethren: but zeale and feruencie of spirit especially is seene in matters toward God; his glorie and honour is the obiect of our zeale, and feruencie of spirit. 2. Lyranus by spirit, vnderstandeth the minde and affection, but referreth it to the former precepts of louelove toward our brethren. 3. Origen interpreteth spirit, to be the holy spirit of God; we which liue sub lege spiritus, vnderunder the law of the spirit: and referreth it wholly vntounto our dutie toward God; in fervore spiritus, calore fidei cuncta peragamus, let vsus doe all by the feruencie of the spirit, and heat of faith. 4. Basil maketh the obiect also of this feruencie, to be the doing of the will of God; but by the feruencie of spirit, he vnderstandeth, ardens studium, an ardent desire and continuall diligence to doe the will of God, in the louelove of Christ; regul. brev. resp. 259. 5. But whereas the spirit may be taken both waies, for the holy spirit, and for the minde of man, Peter Martyr thinketh that both here may be vnderstood; so also Oleviane, si spiritus Dei zelum in cordibus accenderit, if the spirit of God doe kindle zeale in our hearts: and that is Chrysostomes meaning, when he saith, si vtramque hanc flammam adeptus fueris, if thou hast obtained both these flames, &c. that is, the spirit of God inflaming the soule with charitie.
Seruing the Lord: because there is great affinitie betweene these two words in the Greeke tongue, foreign, time, and foreign, Lord; there are which preferre the first reading. 1. Ambrose giueth this sense, that men should applie themselues wisely to the time, and not …ashly and vnaduisedly, without due respect of time and place, eueryevery where, and vponupon eueryevery occasion to vtter our conscience: thus Paul serued the time, when he circvmcised Timothie, but Titus he would not be induced to circumcise: and Ambrose giueth this reason, why he misliketh the former reading; because, hauing deliuered so many precepts before, wherein God is serued, it had beene superfluous for the Apostle to adde this: But Tolet taketh away this reason, because in those daies of persecution, it was necessarie to exhort the brethren to cleaue vntounto God, and to professe his worship notwithstanding trouble and persecution: this sense of Ambrose followeth Calvin, that they must accommodare se tempori, accommodate themselues to the time: and Pellican, sciat se attemperare omnibus hor…s, eueryevery one must know how to temper himselfe for eueryevery season: so also Gualter, who expoundeth this place by that, Eccles. 3. 1. that there is a time for all things. 2. Some following the same reading, expound it of the occasion and opportunitie, that we ought to take to doe good, Martyr. 3. Erasmus also giueth this sense, that we must beare patiently, si quid pro tempore acciderit, incommodi, if any thing fall out for the time incommodiously. 4. Origen hath an other interpretation, that because the time is short they that hauehave, should be as though they had not: as the Apostle saith in the same sense, Eph. 5. redeeming the time, because the daies are euill. But Beza giueth this reason, why this reading can not be receiued at all; because no such phrase is found in the Scripture, to serue the time in any such sense: temporizers, and time-seruers rather are reprooued in Scripture, then commanded.
The other reading then is the better, which Chrysostome, Theophylact, Haymo follow, the Syrian interpreter, Hierome, epist. ad Marce…. Lyranus, Beza, Tolet, Olevian, Faius, Pareus, with others. And according to this reading, 1. Chrysostome maketh this to depend vponupon the former precepts, because what is done toward our brother redoundeth to God, and he will reward it. 2. Pareus thinketh it concerneth the masters and Lords of the world, that they should consider that they hauehave also a Lord in heauen; but this is too particular. 3. Haymo maketh it an absolute precept, that we should serue the Lord, not be seruants to vice, or our owne pleasure. 4. Gryneus thinketh this sentence containeth an opposition betweene the seruice of the Gentiles, which was yeelded vntounto idols, and the seruice of Christians which must be giuen vntounto God. 5. Faius taketh it to containe a secret reason, why we should serue God, because he is our Lord; and to the Lord belongeth seruice. 6. Tolet thinketh that the Apostle had relation to those times, when the Christian saith was persecutoribus exposita, exposed to persecution: and therefore the Apostle exhorteth to the seruice of God, and franke profession thereof, notwithstanding those troubles. 7. But I approoue rather Beza his collection, which thinketh this is added to the former precepts of Christian charitie, vt à monitis Philosophorum distinguantur, to distinguish them from the precepts of Philosophers, &c. the ende whereof was vaine-glorie: but these duties must be performed by Christians to the glorie of God: so Pareus, in omnibus Dei gloriam spectemus, we should in eueryevery thing looke vntounto Gods glorie: so Lyranus, hoc fiat principaliter propter Deum, this should be done principally for God.