Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 1 · Section 5

Commentary on Romans · Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 1 · Section 5

p. 885. Places of controversie.

1. Controv. Against the Manichees, which refuse Moses and the Prophets.

v. 2. Which he had promised before by the Prophets. Out of this place August. lib. 5. cont. haeres. as he is cited by Beda, conuinceth the Manichees: I (saith the Maniche) neither receiue Moses not the Prophets, & quid ais de Apostolo Paulo, &c. what saiest thou then to the Apostle Paul, who in the beginning of his epistle to the Romanes, thus writeth, Paul a seruant, &c. put a part for the Gospel of God, which he had promised before by his Prophets, &c. then he inferreth thus, audis, quia evangelium per Apostolos non exhiberetur, …i ante per Prophet as promitteretur, you heare that the Gospel should not hauehave beene exhited by the Apostles, vnlesse it had beene promised before by the Prophets.

2. Controv. Against election by the foresight of workes.

v. 1. Set apart for the Gospel of Christ. Origen, and Sedulius following him, thinke that Paul was separated in the counsell of God, and ordained to be the Apostle of the Gentiles, because God did foresee his merits, and labour, which he should take in the Gospel: the same is the opinion of the Rhemists, who affirme, that Christ doth not appoint any by his absolute election, without respect vntounto their workes: annotat. Hebr. 5. sect. 9. But Tolet. a champion of their owne, confuteth this position, by that place of S. Paul, Gal. 1.15. But when it pleased God, (which had seperated me from my mothers wombe, and called me by his grace,) to reueale his Sonne vntounto me: he ascribeth this his separation to the good pleasure and grace of God, not to any merit foreseene in himselfe. P. Martyr addeth further, that if election were grounded vponupon such foresight of workes, it had not beene so hard a matter to find out the reason, why the Lord electeth some, and not others: and the Apostle needed not thus to hauehave stopped the mouthes of those, which complaine of Gods righteousnes, O man who art thou, which pleadest against God, &c. And the Apostle in the same place euidently saith, It is not in him that willeth, or in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth merciemercy. This doctrine of the free grace of God in electing his seruants, hath a double vse: 1. to make them confident and bold, that seeing they are elected of God, nothing can hinder or ouerturne their election, whatsouer befalleth them in this life: 2. as also to humble them, that they should not ascribe their election to any workes of their owne, but to the meere grace of God.

3. Controv. Against the Nestorians and Vbiquitaries.

v. 3. Made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh. The Sonne of God, not the Sonne of man, is said to be made of the seede of Dauid, and yet with this limitation, according to his flesh, that is, his humane nature: where first the heresie of the Nestorians is confuted, who denied that Marie was foreign, the mother of God: seeing the Apostle doth euidently affirme, that the Sonne of God was made of the seede of Dauid: so that because of the vnion of the two natures, the humane and diuine in one person, that is ascribed to the whole person, which is proper but vntounto one of his natures: as the Sonne of God is saide to be borne and become man, and to hauehave died for vsus: and so the Sonne of man is said to hauehave descended from heauen, the Sonne of man which is in heauen, Ioh. 3.13. which was onelyonly true of his diuine nature, yet is spoken of his whole person, which there receiueth denomination of his humane nature. 2. Beside, as the Nestorians admit no communication at all of the properties, which belong to each nature, but doe so diuide and distinguish the natures, as if they made two persons; so the Vbiquitaries make a confused commixtion and communitie, really attributing to one nature, that which is proper to the other, as though to ascribe any thing to the whole person, were secundum vtram que neturam tribuere, according vntounto both natures to attribute it: because Christs deitie is eueryevery where, and it is true of Christs whole person, that homo Christus, the man Christ is eueryevery where: yet it followeth not that his humanitie should be eueryevery where: so then we conclude against the Nestorians, that Christus totus non dimiàtus, that Christ whole not halfe, was made of the seede of Dauid; and against the other, that yet non secundum totum sus, not according vntounto his whole nature, but his humanitie onelyonly.

p. 894. Controv. Against the heresie of one Georgius Eniedinus, a Samosatenian heretike in Transilvania.

v. 3. According to the flesh: whereas we vnderstand this place of the Apostle of the two generations of Christ, his humane, in that he is said to be made of the seede of Dauid after the flesh, his diuine, in that he was declared to be the Sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification: this forenamed heretike affirmeth, that Christ is said to be made of the seede of Dauid in respect of his carnall generation, which is vulgar and common to all, and that he is by his spirituall natiuitie the Son of God, as other faithfull are. Eniedin. expl. loc. p. 226.

1. Concerning the first part of his wicked assertion, that this clause according to the flesh, doth here signifie the vulgar and common kind of natiuitie, he would prooue it by the like places: as, Rom. 9.3. he calleth the Iewes his kinsmen according to the flesh: and 1. Cor. 10.18. Israel after the flesh, &c.

Contra. 1. It is not true, that this clause, according to the flesh, (no not in these places giuen in instance) doth shew the common and vulgar generation: but there is implied a difference and distinction betweene, kinred according to the flesh, and in the spirit: and of Israel after the flesh, and Israel after the spirit: for otherwise in respect of their common natiuitie all Israel was after the flesh: whereas some were the children of Abraham after the flesh, some were the children of promise, Rom. 9.8. 2. The miraculous and singular birth of Christ is not insinuated onelyonly by these words, according to the flesh. but in that he is saide to be made, not borne, for the word is foreign, not foreign, it sheweth the extraordinarie making of his flesh, as the Apostle saith in the same phrase, Galat. 4.4. that he was made of a woman. And this is of purpose obserued by diuers of the fathers, to set forth the miraculous conception of Christ: as by Tertullian. lib. in praxeam. Iren. lib. 3. c. 32. advers. haeres. Vigilius in Eutychet. l. 5. August. l. 2. de Trin. c. 5. whereby is conuinced the heresie of Hebian revived by this Transilvanian, that Christs flesh was conceiued by humane seede.

2. He thus obiecteth concerning the other generation of Christ. 1. that eueryevery faithfull man likewise hath two natiuities, one according to the flesh, an other according to the spirit:as Ioh. 1.13. which are not borne of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: Isaack is said to be borne according to the spirit, Rom. 9.8. yet hereupon it followeth not, that they had two natures, diuine and humane.

Contra. There is great difference betweene the two generations of the faithfull, and of Christ: 1. for when they are said to be borne of the flesh and of the spirit, not two natures are thereby signified, but two beginnings of their diuers births: but Christ is man according to his owne flesh, and declared to be the Sonne of God, according to his owne sanctifying spirit: he is not saide to be borne of the spirit, but to be declared to be the Sonne of God according to the spirit: which sheweth not a diuers generation onelyonly, but a diuers nature. 3. other faithfull are the Sonnes of God by adoption and grace, Rom. 8.15. Ye hauehave receiued the spirit of adoption, whereby we crie, Abba, Father: But Christ is the true naturall Sonne of God: Ioh. 1.18. The onelyonly begotten Sonne, which is in the bosome of his father: Heb. 1.3. The brightnes of his glorie, and the ingraued forme of his person.

2. Obiect. Christ is no otherwise the Sonne of God, then because the Father sanctified him, and sent him into the world: Ioh. 10.36. Say ye of him, whome the Father hath sanctified into the world, thou blasphemest, because I said I am the Sonne of God? And thus others also are the Sonnes of God, because they are sanctified by his spirit.

Contra. Christ maketh not his sanctification a cause of his Sonneship, but he reasoneth from the effects, which are set forth by an argument from the lesse to the greater: that if the Scripture calleth civill Magistrates the Sonnes of God, in respect of their office; much more may Christ call himselfe the Sonne of God, whome the Father had sanctified to be the Redeemer of the world, and to be the chiefe gouernour thereof.

3. Obiect. By the spirit of sanctification, the diuine nature of Christ can not be signified: for Christ is thereby sanctified, but that which sanctifieth, is diuers frō that which is sanctified and the Apostle giueth this to be the cause of Christs beeing the Sonne of God, namely his resurrection: But his diuine nature rather should be the cause, if it were here signified.

Contra. 1. It is true that which sanctifieth is diuers from that which is sanctified … and Christs humane nature, which is sanctified, is diuers from his diuine, which sanctifieth. 2. neither is the resurrection giuen as a cause of his beeing the Sonne of God, but of his manifesting to be the Sonne: there is one cause of the beeing of a thing, an other of the manifestation. ex Paraeo.

p. 905. Controv. Against the Marcionites, that Christ had a true bodie.

v. 3. Made of the seede of Dauid. Then the Marcionites heresie is hereby conuinced, which imagine Christ to hauehave an inuisible bodie, that could not be seene or touched, though it were present: from whose heresie they much differ not, which include the bodie of Christ in the sacrament, vnderunder the formes of bread and wine, neither giuing vntounto it place, nor disposition of parts, nor making it visible or palpable: their heresie also is noted, that affirme Christ to hauehave brought his bodie downe from heauen with him: or to hauehave passed through his mothers wombe, as water through a conduit: for he was made of the seede of Dauid. Gryneus.

6. Controv. Against the Apollinarists, that Christ had no humane soule.

v. 3. Made of the seede of Dauid. If Christ had a true humane bodie, made with parts, organes, and instruments, of life and sense, as other men hauehave, then it followeth also that he was endued with an humane soule: which though it be not here comprehended vnderunder the name of flesh, yet it followeth by necessarie consequence, that hauing an humane bodie, he likewise receiued of God a reasonable soule: as he himselfe saith, Matth. 26.38. My soule is heauie vntounto death: his diuine spirit was not subiect to griefe or heauines. This ouerthroweth the heresie of the Apollinarists, which denied Christ to hauehave an humane soule, but affirmed, that his flesh was animated by his diuine nature.

7. Controv. That the Romane faith is not the same now, which was commended by the Apostle.

v. 8. Your faith is published through the whole world. Pererius among other commendations of the Romane faith, alleadgeth this, That the Romane Church hath kept inviolablely the faith once receiued by the Apostles, and therefore the fathers, Ireneus, Tertullian, Opsatus, by this argument vsed to confute heretikes, because they dissented from the faith of the Church of Rome. The Rhemists also alleadge diuers testimonies of the fathers in the commendation of the Romane faith, as of Cyprian, who saith, whose faith was praised, to whom misbeleefe can hauehave no accesse, epist. 55. nu. 6. likewise Hierome, the Romane faith commended by the Apostles mouth, will receiue no such deceits, nor can be changed possibly, though as Angel taught otherwise, beeing sensed by S. Pauls authoritie, adv. Ruffin. l. 3. c. 4.

Contra. 1. The meaning of these fathers is not, to giuegive such priuiledge vntounto the Romane Church, as that it should neuer faile in faith: for Cyprian, though in error himselfe, chargeth Stephanus Bishop of Rome with error: and Hierome sheweth that Liberius Bishop of Rome fell into heresie: catalog. and he himselfe reprooueth the custome of the Church of Rome; and preferreth the custome of the Catholike Church in all the world… Evagrio. 2. But they giuegive this commendation of the Romane faith, which was commended by the Apostle, which while the Church of Rome held, as it did vntill those times, it could not possibly erre. Now beeing fallen from that faith, more then any Christian Church in the world, it hath lost this commendation which S. Paul gaue of the faith of the Romanes: therefore as P. Martyr well saith, dolendae magis sunt vices Romana Ecclesia, &c. this change of the Church of Rome is much to be lamented, which beeing sometime so highly commended by the Apostle, is now become the seat of Antichrist: as at Ierusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, which were sometime famous Churches, the Mahometarie profession is now receiued: and the Christians that are there, are addicted to infinite superstitions.

8. Controv. That the Pope is not vniuersall Bishop.

v. 5. By whome we hauehave receiued grace and Apostleship, &c. among all the Gentiles: hence the Romanists may pretend the Popes vniuersall Pastorship ouer all the world, because he succeedeth the Apostles.

Contra. 1. Other Bishops also as well as the Pope succeeded the Apostles, therefore they also may chalenge as well as he, to be vniuersall Bishops. 2. But neither they nor he doe succeede the Apostles in their speciall calling to be Apostles, but in their generall ministerie in office, in beeing Pastours and Bishops. 3. The Pope chalengeth to be Peters successour, not Pauls: but Peter was the Apostle of the circumcision, not of the vncircumcised Gentiles. 4. Gregorie the 1. Bishop of Rome condemneth the title of vniuersall Bishop, and thus wrote concerning Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople, who affected that title, lib. 6. p. 91epist. 30. Ego fideliter dico, quia quisquis se vniuersalem sacerdotem vocat, vel vocari desidevat, in electione sua Antichristū praecurrit, &c. I speak confidently, that whosoeuer calleth himselfe vniuersal Priest, or desireth to be so called, in his pride forerunneth Antichrist: likewise in the Africane Councell it was thus decreed: the Bishop of the first Sea shall not be called the Prince of Praists, or the chiefe Priest, but onelyonly Bishop of the first Sea: Vniuersalis autem nec etiam Romanus pontifex appelletur, &c. But no not the Bishop of Rome shall be called Vniversall. distinct. 100. primae sedis.

Controv. 9. Against the Popish distinction, between foreign, to worship, and foreign, to serue, ver. 9. Whom I serue in my spirit.

1. The Romanists make this difference: they take the first to signifie religious worship due onelyonly vntounto God, the other to betoken seruice which is giuen vntounto Saints and men, Bel. lib. 1. de Sanctor. beatitud. c. 12. Erasmus much dissenteth not, sauing that he vnderstandeth foreign, to be worship, which is giuen Diuis aut Deo, to Saints or God.

Contra. That these words are indiffently taken for the same, is euident both by the Scripture, and prophane writings. 1. as the Apostle here saith, foreign, whom I worship, so in other places he vseth the word, foreign, to serue, Act. 10.19. Rom. 7.6. and 12.11. Ephes. 6.7. Philip. 2.22. Pareus. And as foreign, to serue, is giuen vntounto God, so foreign, which they would hauehave onelyonly to signifie to worship, is vsed of men: as in Leviticus 23.7. where it is said, thou shalt doe no seruile worke, the words are, as the Septuag. translate, foreign: likewise Deuter. 28.48. where it is said thou shalt serue thine enemies, the word is foreign: 2. likewise these words are in forren writers taken in the same sense, as Pet. Martyr sheweth out of Suidas, that at the first, foreign, was the same with foreign, but that the first word afterward was taken to be of the same sense with foreign, to worship: So also Xenophon lib. 3. Cyropaid. bringeth in the husband thus speaking vntounto Cyrus concerning his wife, that he had rather giuegive his life, then she should serue, the word is foreign: Beza also sheweth the same out of Pindarus in Olymp. od. 1. foreign, a reward for seruice: So that the vanitie of this distinction sufficiently appeareth: the word foreign, is derived of the particle foreign, which is added for more vehemencie, and the word foreign, which signifieth to tremble: because it is the vse of seruants to be much afraide and tremble at the presence of their Masters: Erasmus. This diuise then will not serue their turne, to coine two kinds of religious seruice by this curious distinction, one peculiar vntounto God, the other vntounto Saints.

Controv. 10. That God onelyonly is spiritually to be serued and worshipped.

v. 9. Whome I serue in the spirit: God onelyonly is so to be serued, as our Blessed Sauiour saith, Matth. 4.10. thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue: Origen saith, lib. 1. in epist. ad Roman. Nos nullam creaturam, sed patrem, filium, & spiritum sanctum adoramus & colimus, we worship no creature but the father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, &c. Therefore if no creature is to be worshipped, much lesse an image, which is the work of mans hands: if not the liuing are to be adored, much lesse the dead. But here this obiection will be mooued, if no creature is to be worshipped how then doe we adore Christ? Chrysostome answeareth, Nemo veneraturus regem dicit illi exuas purpuram, &c. no man comming to doe reuerence to the king, saith put off thy robes: So Christ beeing cloathed with our flesh, is worshipped in and with our humanitie, which is vnited vntounto his Godhead in one person: yet the originall and first cause of this adoration giuen vntounto Christs humanitie, proceedeth from his diuine nature: adoration then beeing due vntounto the person of Christ, is yeelded vntounto him both God and man, Martyr.

Controv. 11. Of the vaine vse of popish pilgrimages.

v. 13. That I might hauehave some fruit: Paul desireth to see Rome, to the intent, that he might receiue some fruit by them, and they by him: this was the ende of this his iourney and peregrination: Much vnlike herein were the pilgrimages which in times past, and now in many countreys are made to Rome, Ierusalem, and other places: which are onelyonly of a superstitious meaning, to offer before some idol, and to performe their vowes: But the end of the travaile & comming together of Christians should be for their mutuall edifying, Mar.

p. 92Controv. 12. None to be barred from the knowledge of Gods word.

v. 14. I am detter both to the Grecians and Barbarians: seeing there was no nation so barbarous, to whom the Apostle was not willing to impart the knowledge of the Gospell, the Romanists are euidently conuinced of error, that will not admit their lay people generally to the reading of the Scripture: If the gospel of saluation must be communicated to all, then the Scriptures also, which containe the knowledge of saluation, should be common to all, Hyperius: the booke … the lawe was appointed to be read in the hearing of the people that they might learne and feare God, Deuter. 31.12. see more Synops. Centur. 1. error. 3.

Controv. 13. Against diuerse hereticall assertions of Socinus touching the iustice of God.

v. 17. For by it the iustice of God is reuealed: because in this place the iustice of God is taken for his benignitie and merciemercy shewed by Christ in the Gospell, Socinus, that blasphemous heretike, taketh occasion thus to broach his errors. 1. he saith, that iustice beeing vndestood of God, is neuer in Scripture set opposite to Gods merciemercy: but the contrarie is euident, Psal 5.6. thou shalt destroy them that speake lies: here the Prophet speaketh of Gods reuenging iustice: and in the next verse he compareth it with Gods merciemercy, But I will come into thine house in the multitude of thy mercies. 2. he affirmeth, that, that which is opposed to Gods merciemercy, is not called the iustice of God, but wrath, indignation, seueritie: which is euidently refelled, v. 31. they knowing the iustice of God, that they which commit such things are worthie of death: here the vengeance of God vponupon sinners, is called foreign, iustice. And yet more euidently, Psal. 145.17. the Lord is iust in all his wayes, and mercifull in all his workes, here the iustice and merciemercy of God are compared together. 3. further he saith, that this iustice of God, as it is set against his merciemercy, is of two sorts: there is one, whereby he punisheth the wicked and obstinate sinners, an other, whereby he chasteneth euen those, that are not altogether impenitent. But herein is his error, he maketh them two kinds of iustice, which are but diuerse degrees of one and the same iustice: for when God sheweth seueritie in punishing the wicked, therein he exerciseth his strict and rigorous iustice: and when he chastiseth sometime his owne children, for their amendment, he vseth the same iustice, but in an other degree, tempering his iustice, with merciemercy and fauour, Pareus.

Controv. 14 Against inherent iustice.

v. 17. The iustice of God is reuealed: the Rhemistes apply this place against imputatiue iustice, alleadging out of Augustine how it must be vnderstood of that iustice, not which God hath in himselfe, sed qua induit hominem, but wherewith he endueth man when he iustifieth him.

Contra. 1. They doe not well translate the word induit, which signifieth here not to endue, but to cloath with: and so man beeing iustified by faith is cloathed with Christs righteousnesse: he is not iustified by any inherent righteousnesse in himselfe, but by an imputed righteousnesse, Rom. 4.6. 2. And the Apostle doth expound himselfe, Rom. 3.22. shewing that the iustice of God is by the faith of Iesus: and Philip. 3.9. the Apostle renounceth his owne righteousnesse, that he might hauehave the righteousnesse of God through faith.

Controv. 15. That the Sacraments doe not conferre grace.

Kemnitius out of this place, v. 16. the Gospel is the power of God to saluation, inferreth, that the Sacraments doe no otherwise iustifie then the word preached, that is, excitando fidem, by exciting and stirring vp our faith: as in this sense, the Gospell is said to be Gods power to saluation.

Bellarmine answeareth, 1. that the Gospel is not here taken for the preaching of the Gospel, but for the historie of the Gospel, as of Christs incarnation, and passion: 2. if it be taken in the other sense, it followeth not because the preaching of the word iustifieth onelyonly, by stirring vp faith, that therefore the Sacraments iustifie the same way, Bellar. lib. 2. de effect. sacram. c. 11. ration. 4.

Contra. 1. The Apostle speaketh not onelyonly of the historicall narration of the Gospel, but of preaching and publishing the same, as it appeareth both by the words before going, v. 15. I am readie to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome: and by the words following, p. 93it is the power of God to saluation to euerie on that beleeueth: but they cannot beleeue vnlesse they heare, neither can they heare without preaching. 2. the argument thus followeth from the greater to the lesse, if that which is more principall in the worke of our saluation, doe iustifie no otherwise then instrumentally, in stirring vp faith, namely the preaching of the word, then that which is lesse principall, cannot iustifie more: but the word and preaching of the Gospell, is the more principall: for they beget faith, which the Sacraments onelyonly confirme and seale: therefore the Sacraments doe not iustifie men, us by conferferring of grace by the worke wrought.

Controv. 16. That faith onelyonly iustifieth.

v. 17. The iust by faith shall liue: out of this place, where the verie iustice, life, and actiuitie of the soule is ascribed to faith, we doe conclude that a man is iustified onelyonly by faith: for all is ascribed vntounto faith: Now the Romanists, seeing this place of the Apostle to be so pregnant for iustification by faith onelyonly, seeke diuerse shifts, to obscure the truth of this testimonie.

1. Costerus Euchirid. 170. saith, that these words, the iust shall liue by faith, hauehave no other meaning but this, iustum secundum fidei norman vitam dirigere, that the iust doth direct his life according to the rule of faith.

Contra. 1. He doth not place the words aright, for thus are the words to be ioyned together, the iust by faith shall liue, so that by faith, hath rather connexion, with the first word, the iust, then with the last, shall liue. 2. the Apostle by life, here vnderstandeth euerlasting saluation, not our conuersion here: as is said before, v. 16. that the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euerie one that beleeueth: faith then bringeth to euerlasting saluation.

2. The Rhemists hauehave this shift, that faith together with workes must be here vnderstood to iustifie: the Apostle saith not, the iust shall liue by faith onelyonly: to this purpose also Bellarmine, lib. 1. de iustificat. c. 20.

Contra. 1. If the whole life of the soule depended not vponupon faith, but partly vponupon faith, partly vponupon workes: then it might as well be said, the iust shall liue by workes: which were an absurd speach, and not farre from blasphemie. 2. the Apostle c. 3.28. excludeth works, concluding that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe: then to liue by faith, is to liue onelyonly by faith, as we are iustified onelyonly by faith without workes. 3. Nowe although the iust liue by faith, and not by workes, yet faith liueth by workes: it must be a liuely and effectuall faith working by louelove, by the which the iust man liueth: and not a dead faith.

3. Pererius here slyeth to their old distinction of iustification: the first which is by faith, the second is perfited by workes: so faith is said to iustifie a man, because it is exordium, fundamentum, radix iustificationis, the beginning, foundation, and roote of iustification, Perer. d…sput 8. in 1. ad Roman. sect. 46.

Contra. 1. That which he calleth the second iustification, is properly, satisfaction, which is the fruit of iustification: as the Apostle saith, Rom. 6.22. beeing now freed from sinne, and made seruants vntounto God, you hauehave your fruit in holines, and the end euerlasting life: where the whole state of the faithfull man is diuided into these three parts, his iustification and freedome from sinne, which is by faith, the fruit of his iustification which is holynesse, and the ende or reward, which is euerlasting life. 2. to liue by faith, sheweth that not the beginning but the perfection of our life is by faith, and by nothing but faith, as the Apostle saith, the iustice of God is reuealed from faith to faith: faith is the beginning and end of this iustice: there is no time, wherein saluation is giuen vntounto any but by faith, as Thomas expoundeth: see before quest. 42.

4. Bellarmine hath an other deuise, he maketh this the meaning; the iust shall liue by faith, that is, ex fide patienter expectare, quae Deus promisit, by faith he doth patiently expect those things which God hath promised: So he would hauehave it vnderstood, rather of patient wayting and expecting, then of iustifying. lib. 2. de effect. sacram. c. 9.

Contra. This patient expecting of Gods promises is indeede a fruit of iustifying faith, for it is the ground of things hoped for: and he that is iustified by faith, hath this grace also of patient expectation: but to liue by faith comprehendeth more. 2. and that by this phrase, to liue by faith, the Apostle vnderstandeth to be iustified by faith, is euident Gal. 2.20. Thus I liue, not I now, but Christ liueth in me, and in that I now liue in the flesh, I liue by the faith if the Sonne of God, &c. 3. And whereas Bellarmine further obiecteth, that the Prophets p. 94meaning, from whom the Apostle taketh this saying, is none other, but to note their patience, that waited for the Lords promises: it hath beene shewed before, qu. 44. that the Apostle keepeth the Prophets sense, and doth most fitly apply this sentence to iustification by faith.

5. But the Romanists against iustification by faith onelyonly, thus obiect. 1. It seemeth a verie absurd thing, to make men beleeue, that they shall be iustified by faith onelyonly, without either satisfaction for their sinnes, or the workes of righteousnesse: by this meanes, nothing could be easier, then by faith to be saued. 2. And this doctrine will make men presumptuous, that they will care for no good workes: and so there should be no more vse either of precepts to exhort them vntounto the workes of pietie, nor of threatnings to terrifie them from sinne.

Contra. 1. Though that faith neede no satisfaction for sinne in our selues, nor good workes as helping vntounto iustification: yet it apprehendeth the satisfaction made by Christs suffering for our sinnes: and workes are also necessarie as testimonies of our faith, though not as helpes of our iustification: neither is such a faith, liuely and effectuall so easie a thing, seeing man hath no power of himselfe to attaine vntounto it, vnlesse God doe giuegive it: and to beleeue in Christ, as a Christian ought, is found to be the hardest thing in the whole world. 2. Neither is this a doctrine of presumption, nor yet doth it make voide, precepts and comminations: for faith though it require not workes as causes and helpes to saluation, yet it cannot be without them as fruits and effects: so that the lawe of faith establisheth the lawe of workes: as the Apostle sheweth, c. 3.31. doe we then make the lawe of none effect through faith? God forbid, yea we establish the lawe. Pareus.

Controv. 17. How the Gospel is the power of God to saluation to everie one that beleeueth, v. 16.

This, and such like places, which ascribe iustification and saluation to faith, as Ioh. 3.16. that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish: Act. 13.39. by him euerie one, that beleeueth is iustified: Bellarmine would thus elude. 1. he saith, that these Scriptures must be vnderstood negatiuely, that without faith none are iustified: not that onelyonly by faith they are iustified. 2. then by all are vnderstood, all nations, that there is no difference between Iew, and Gentile, but that one common way to saluation is propounded to them all. 3. And it beeing applyed to euerie particular man, the meaning is, that not faith of it selfe alone, but with other things, as hope, charitie, iustifieth, Bellar. lib. 1. de iustifie. c. 22.

Contra. 1. Yes these sayings hold affirmatiuely, that faith is sufficient vntounto saluation: for our Sauiour saith, Iohn 5. he that beleeueth, &c. hath euerlasting life, and is passed from death to life: that which giueth a man a present assurance, and reall possession of euerlasting life, is alone availeable to saluation. 2. True it is, that none of what nation soeuer are excluded, but euerie one that beleeueth wheresoeuer, is iustified: this confirmeth the doctrine of iustification by faith, that there is no other way to saluation either for Iewe or Gentile. 3. And if the Gospell be the power of God to saluation to euerie one that beleeueth: then it followeth that euerie one that beleeueth is saued, where els were the power of God to saluation, if it were not effectuall to saue? if then this power be in faith to saluation, if it could not saue without the supply of other helpes, this power should be turned into weakenesse: that which is powerfull to saluation, is sufficient to saluation: Gods power worketh perfectly it hath no want, nor requireth any helpe: but in faith is the power of God to saluation, Ergo, &c.

Controv. 18. Of the difference between the Lawe and the Gospel.

v. 18. The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlines: Bellarmine hence inferreth, that comminations and terrors, are as proper and peculiar to the Gospell, as to the lawe, lib. 4. de iustificat. c. 2.

Contra. True it is, that the Gospel also hath many comminations against sinners: and as by the Gospel the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith, v. 17. so the wrath of God is also reuealed thereby against all vnrighteousnesse: but this is not the proper effect of the Gospel, but accidentally: for the Gospell by the vnthankfulnesse of them which beleeue it not, beeing ordained for their saluation, is turned vntounto their condemnation: And whereas the Lawe in generall condemneth all infidelitie and vnbeleefe, the Gospell peculiarly condemneth vnbeleefe in Christ, Pareus. See further hereof, Synops. Centur. 4. er. 60.

p. 95Controv. 19. Whether by naturall meanes the Gentiles might hauehave attained to the knowledge of the onelyonly true God, without the speciall assistance of Gods grace.

1. Bellarmine affirmeth the contrarie, Deum esse, & vnum esse, cognosci posse lumine rationis abs que speciali gratiae auxilio, that it may be knowne that God is, and that he is but one by the light of nature, without the speciall helpe of grace: and he insisteth vponupon this place of the Apostle, v. 20. thereout vrging these two arguments. 1. because the Apostle saith, the invisible things of the world are seene not by reuelation, but by creation. 2. and seeing the Gentiles are hereby made inexcusable, because they notwithstanding this naturall knowledge of God, committed idolatrie, it sheweth, that they knew God by the creatures, or els they might hauehave excused themselues by pretense of their ignorance, Bel. lib. 4. de grat. c. 2.

Contra. 1. Though we consent not to their opinion, who hold, that nothing at all can be knowen of God, without his speciall assistance: as Petrus ab Aliaco affirmeth in 1. sent. qu. 3. which opinion see before confuted, qu. 54. for many things touching the Godhead, as his goodnesse, wisedome, power, are seene in the creation. 2. yet it cannot be prooued, that the Gentiles did, or could attaine vntounto such a manifest knowledge of the onelyonly true God, onelyonly by the light of nature, without Gods further assistance: And this is an euident argument hereof, because neuer any of the Gentiles, de facto, in fact did attaine vntounto such knowledge of God by the light of nature. 3. And concerning the reasons vrged: S. Paul sheweth, that the invisible things of God were to be seene in the Creatures: not that the Gentiles did therein see them, but they might hauehave seene them, if they had not bin wilfully blind: and they were made inexcusable, because they could not pleade simple ignorance, but their owne wilfulnesse was the cause of their ignorance, which tooke from them all excuse: see hereof before, qu. 52.54.57. So that Augustines resolution is good: that the creatures doe indeede crie with a loud voice, ipse fecit nos, God made vsus, sed surdis canere, &c. but they thus speake vntounto deafe men, vnlesse God shew further merciemercy: see further Synops. Centur. 4. err. 38.

Controv. 20. Against some Philosophers, that the world is not eternall.

v. 20. The invisible things of God, to wit, his eternall power and Godhead are seene, &c. If Gods eternitie is seene by the workes which he made, then that which is made is not eternall. 1. that which is made must hauehave one by whom it was made: he then that made the world, was before the world: then as by the things made, the maker is found to be eternall; so the things made, which had a beginning, are concluded not to be eternall. 2. beside, where things are contrarie one vntounto another, there is no eternitie, now in the world there are things contrarie, as actions, passions, generation, corruption: seeing then the world consisteth of corruptible partes, the whole must be also subiect to corruption: Then is the opinion of Aristotle vaine and false, that held the world to be eternall, and of Plinie, which calleth the world God, and of Hermeas the Stoike, that imagined a coeternitie of matter with God, whereof he made the world: ex Faio.

Controv. 21. Against the adoration, and setting vp of images in Churches and places of prayer, ver. 23. they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the s…imilitude of an image.

Though the vse generally of all images be not condemned among Christians, as the Turkes hold it vnlawfull to make the similitude of any thing: for there may be a ciuill and historicall vse of pictures and images: yet it is dangerous to set them vp in the publike places of Gods seruice, either to fall downe and worship before them, as the Romanists doe, or to retaine them for a supposed ornament, as the Lutherans: The reasons against all such publike vse of imagerie, are these.

1. It is the direct commandement of God, that he would hauehave no image made to represent him by, Deut. 4.15. Take heede, that ye corrupt not your selues, or make you a grauen image or representation of any figure, whether it be male or female, the likenesse of any beast, or the likenesse of any feathered foule, &c. the same prohibition is expressed in the second commandement of the Morall Law, which is perpetuall, and bindeth for euer, Pare.

2. Herein pseudo-Christians doe conforme themselues to the Gentiles, by whom imagerie was brought in, and herein they doe oppose themselues to the decision of the Turkes p. 96and Iewes: for as the Gentiles did vse the pictures and images of beasts, which they ioyned to their idols, so is it among the Romanists: as they make Iohn Baptist with a lambe in his lappe, Vendeline with oxen, Antonie with hogges, Eustachius with buckes and dogs, Gallus with a beare, Gertrude with mise, Martine and George vponupon horsebacke: These were the verie superstitious fashions of the heathen, Gualter.

3. Nay the verie Gentiles at the first did a long time forbeare the superstitious vse of images: Plutarke writeth in the life of Numa Pompilius, that he would suffer no images to be in Churches, because he thought it not fit to make God like vntounto man, or any other thing, who is an invisible spirit: and so the Romanes continued without images for the space 170. yeares: Varro also thus writeth hereof: that they which first brought in images, metum ciuitatibus ademerunt, & errorem addiderunt, did take away the feare and awe of the gods from cities, and brought in error: And if the first vse had remained, castius dij obseruarentur, the gods should more chastly and sincerely hauehave beene worshipped still: to this purpose Augustine reporteth the words of Varro, lib. 4. de ciuit. dei. c. 31.

4. The daily offence and hinderance that commeth by images set vp in the Churches sheweth the inconueniencie of them: for they drawe away mens minds from true deuotion, and their eyes are first set to gaze vponupon such obiects: therefore the Lacedemonians forbad, that any images should be set vp in their Counsell house, least that by the sight thereof, their mindes might be drawne away from the busines of the commonwealth, which they came together to consult about: Augustine also giueth this reason, concion. 2. in Psal. 103. because by the verie place some honour is giuen to images, when they are set vp in Churches, Martyr.

5. The first that are found to hauehave made account of images among Christians for any religious vse, was Marcellina the companion of the heretike Carpocrates, who priuately had the images of Christ, Paul, Homer, Pythagoras, which she vsed to burne incense vntounto: Augustin. lib. de haeres. ad Quodvult Deum: But among the auncient Christians the publike vse of images in places of prayer was condemned: Epiphanius comming to a Church in the diocesse of the Bishop of Ierusalem, there seeing a picture in a cloath, caused it to be cut in peices: and he writ an epistle vntounto the Bishop of Ierusalem, that he should not suffer any such thing to be done in his Churches: which epistle Hierome translated into Latin…, therein shewing his consent with him: In the Elibetan Councell, can. 36. it was decreed that no pictures should be made vponupon the walls of the Churches: Leo Isauricus had a Councell at Constantinople, wherein images were condemned, yet after this they were restoared by Irene the Empresse, and Tharasuos patriarke of Constantinople in the 2. Nicene synode: And about the same time Carolus the great held a Councell in Germanie, where the decrees of the said Nicene synode were abrogated: ex Martyr.

Now on the contrarie it will be thus obiected for the vse of images: 1. The Lord in diuerse visions did shewe himselfe in certaine representations, as Dan. 7. like an auncient man, and Matth. 3. the holy Ghost appeared in the likenesse of a doue.

Answ. 1. That which God did grant vntounto certaine persons, vponupon some certaine and speciall occasions must not be drawne into a generall rule: neither is it lawfull to leaue a generall precept, vnlesse some speciall prohibition can be shewed, Pareus. 2. So the Lord in Scripture is likened vntounto a lion: they may as well inferre thereupon, that they may so picture him, Gualter. 3. And there is great difference, betweene the writing of Scripture, and a picture: for the Scripture speaking of such visions and representations, expoundeth it selfe, and sheweth the meaning thereof: but a picture is dumbe and idle: Martyr. 4. and though such visions may be historically represented, yet it followeth not, that they should be set vp for any religious vse, Faius.

2. Obiect. Many miracles hauehave bin done before images, as Eusebius maketh mention of a brasen image of Christ at Cesarea, and there was an other image of a woman by, touching the hemme of his garment: vnderunder the which grew an herbe, that after it came vp so high as the skirts of the image, had a soueraigne power against all diseases.

Answer. 1. This image (the historie beeing admitted) was not set vp in any religious place, but openly in the citie, as a monument of that miraculous worke. 2. God might in the beginning of Christianitie shew such miracles, as Peters shadow healed the sicke, for the confirmation of the Christian faith: which miracles are now ceased. 3. this miracle beeing admitted, yet euen such images, when they are abused to idolatrie, may notwithstanding p. 97be broken downe: as the brasen serpent had a speciall vertue, to heale the biting of serpents in them that looked vponupon it, yet notwithstanding H…z. Isiah brake it doune, when it began to be abused to superstition.

2. Obiect. God hath punished such as offered any contumelic or disgrace to such images, as beeing the signes of God: as Socrates writeth, lib. 7. tripartit. histor. how Iulian remooued the said image of Christ at Cesarea, and caused his owne to be set vp instead thereof, but it was cast downe by lightening: and when the heathen had drawne the other image in disgrace round about the streetes, the Christians tooke it vp, and preserued it, &c.

Ans. 1. Images set vp for such idolatrous and superstitious vses, are no signes of God: and therefore the honour giuen vntounto such is a contumelic and dishonour vntounto God: for the will of him that giueth honour is not the rule of honour, but of him that is honoured. 2. yet euen the disgrace and despight offered to such false signes of God, redoundeth sometime vntounto God, when they are done with an intention to dishonour God, Pareus: as Iulian did disgrace that image vponupon his hatred to Christ, and therefore the Lord did therein shew his power: see further against the adoration of images, Hexap. in Exod. c. 20. Command. 2. Controv. 4.

22. Controv. Of the corrupt reading of the vulgar Latine translation, v. 32.

The Latin translation thus standeth, Who, when they knew the iustice of God, did not vnderstand, that they which doe such things, are wortie of death, not onelyonly they which doe them, but they also which consent vntounto the doers, &c. whereas according to the originall, the words are thus truly translated, The which knowing the iustice of God, how that they which commit such things are worthie of death, not onelyonly doe the same, but hauehave pleasure in them, &c. B. or fauour those that doe them. So that the Latin translation faileth, 1. both in the words: for these words, did not vnderstand, and they which doe them, are not in the originall: 2. as also in the sense: for according vntounto the Greeke reading, the Apostle maketh it a more heinous thing to fauour and patronize euill doers, then to be a doer of euill: but after the other reading, the latter is the greater: 3. beside after the vulgar Latin, the words include a contradiction: for when they knew the iustice of God, how could they chuse, but vnderstand it: 4. Chrysostome, Oecumenius, Theophylact, doe read and interpret this place according vntounto the Greeke text.

Bellarmine here answereth: 1. that some Greeke copies had had these word, foreign they vnderstood not: as appeareth in Origens commentarie, and Titlemannus affirmeth, that he had seene an ancient Greeke copie with those words. 2. it is a greater sinne to doe euill, as to commit murther, then onelyonly to consent. 3. they might hauehave a theoricall knowledge, and yet faile in practise, and so not vnderstand in effect. 4. Cyprian, Ambrose, Sedulius, Hayme, Anselme, doe read here according to the vulgar Latine, so we may set one auncient writer against an other: to this purpose Bellarm. lib. 3. de verb. Dei. c. 14.

Contra. 1. Though some Greeke copies might hauehave those words, yet the most, and the most auncient hauehave them not: as is euident by the Greeke commentaries: and the Syrian translator followeth the Greeke text, as it is now extant. 2. The Apostle speaketh not of a bare consent vntounto euill, but of fauouring, patronizing, and taking pleasure in them, which is more then to doe euill: for this one may doe of infirmitie, the other proceedeth of a setled malice. 3. the vnderstanding is in the iudgement of the minde, not in the practise: and therefore to know a thing, and yet not to know or vnderstand it, includes a contradiction. 4. the Greeke authors and commentaries are more to be respected in this case, for the finding out of the best reading in the Greeke, then the Latine writers.

23. Controv. Against the Popish distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes.

v. 32. Worthie of death. Hence the Rhemists inferre, that some sinnes are mortall, that is, worthie of damnation, some veniall, that is, pardonable of their owne nature, and not worthie of damnation.

Contra. 1. This distinction is contrarie to the Scripture, which saith, the wages of sinne is death, Rom. 6.23. no sinne is excepted: and whosoeuer continueth not in all things written in the law, is vnderunder the curse, Gal. 3.10. And if any sinne were veniall in it owne nature, it would follow, that Christ died not for all sinnes: for those sinnes, which are pardonable p. 98in themselues, neede not Christs pardon. 2. Indeede there are degrees of sinne, and some are worthie of greater condemnation then others, and are more easily pardoned, yet in Gods iustice eueryevery sinne deserueth death: which are through Gods merciemercy made veniall both the lesse and greater sinnes: so that one and the same sinne may be mortall to the impenitent, and yet veniall to the penitent beleeuer.