Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 8 · Section 3 · Subsection 27 – Subsection 30
Quest. 27. What creatures the Apostle here speaketh of.
1. Origen in one exposition, by the creature vnderstandeth the soule of man, which it subdued to vanitie, by reason that it is enclosed in the bodie, and is constrained to serue vntounto the necessities thereof: and else where he hath yet a more straunge conceit, which is mentioned before, qu. 27.3. that the soules hauing an existance before the bodies, are subdued to vanitie beeing ioyned to the bodies: But the Apostle by the creature vnderstandeth a distinct thing from man, and therefore not the soule: as he inferreth v. 25. not onelyonly the creature, but we also, &c.
2. Origen hath another application, by the creature vnderstanding the Angels and Ar… angels, which are set ouer nations, and are presidents of battels and other affaires: and so are subiect to vanitie, in respect of the temporall affaires of this life, wherein they are emploied: and P. Mar. sheweth how in a tolerable sense, the angels may be said to be subiect to vanity, in respect of their employments about things of the world: Theodoret and Ambrose, doe vnderstand part to be spoken of the sensible and visible creatures vntounto the 22. v. where because the Apostle addeth a terme of vniuersalitie, eueryevery creature groneth, here they also include the Angels, who as they are said to reioyce ouer them that repent, so they are greeued at the vngodly: But Augustine reiecteth this interpretation, vponupon this reason, because the Apostle saith that the creature is subiect to vanitie, and shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, and groneth: which things, de excellentibus illis virtutibus credere nefas est, to beleeue of those excellent vertues and powers were a wicked thing: yet Augustine endeth with a quaere, whether these things may in any good sense be vnderstood of the Angels, as they doe helpe our infirmitie, and so may be said to be like affected with vsus: Augustine in hanc epistol. numer. 50. But Thomas absolutely refuseth this interpretation vponupon this reason, because in the next world the Saints shall be like the Angels: and therefore the Angels cannot in any sense be said to be subiect to vanitie, or to grone: seeing we, when we shall be like the Angels, shall be exempted and free from all such things.
3. A third exposition there is: by the creature to vnderstand man, and either the righteous and iust man onelyonly, or man in generall both righteous and vnrighteous: the first sense followeth Gregorie, nolens seruit mutabilitati corruptionis, he against his will is subiect to this mutable, and corruptable estate, wayting with patience vntill the time come, when he shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption: Greg. lib. 4. moral. whom Caietanus and Catharinus follow: So also Hugo Card. Gorrhan: But the Apostle saying afterward, and not onelyonly the creature, but we also, which hauehave the first fruits of the spirit, doe sigh in our selues: so that the Apostle distinguisheth the creature wherof he speaketh from the sonnes of God, which hauehave the first fruits of the spirit: neither will it satisfie, to say, that the Apostle maketh two degrees of righteous and iust men, one that hath attained a more excellent degree, which hauehave receiued the first fruits of the spirit, and are called the sonnes of God: such as the Apostles were: the other, which are not so perfect, yet they also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, as well as the other, Haymo: for the Apostle by the Sonnes of God generally vnderstandeth all the faithfull, so many as shall be heires of saluation, as he inferreth, v. 17. If children, then also heires.
4. Augustine vnderstandeth by euerie creature, man in generall, that partaketh with the nature of euerie creature, he hath vnderstanding with the Angels, sense with bruit beasts, and hath a vegetatiue life with plants: and man as he is taken naturally, shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, that is, such as doe not yet beleeue, shall be called to the faith, and they shall also be the sonnes of God: to this purpose Augustine lib. 83. quest. c. reuealing of the sonnes of God, as the Apostle saith here of the creature, v. 19.
5. The most generall and receiued interpretation is, by the creature, to vnderstand corporalia & irrationalia, things corporall & vnreasonable, comprehending the heauen and stars with the earth together with living creatures of all sorts, trees, and plants: Thus Ambrose vponupon this place, & epist. ad Horontion: to him consent, M. Calvin, interpreting this place depecudibus & plantis, of beasts and plants with other creatures, so also Pet. Martyr, Faius, Pererius: But this exception may be taken against this sense: because the bruit creatures which now onelyonly serue for our necessarie vse shall not be partakers of the glorie of the Sonnes of God, there shall then be no vse of them, probabile est abolendas esse, it is probable, that they shall be abolished.
6. Therefore it remaineth that we vnderstand here by the creature onelyonly in animata insensata, the things without life and sense, as the heauens and elements, and the earth with the things therein: Chrysostome, so Oecumenius also vnderstandeth sensu carentem creaturum, the creature that wanteth sense: so Beza saith, that by the creature is signified mundi machina coelesti & elementari regione constans, the frame of the world consisting of the celestiall and elementarie region: so also Rollach, Bucanus loc. 37. quest. 8. Pareus seemeth also to include the bruit beasts, yet he thinketh they shall be abolished: Tolet also vnderstandeth sensibiles vniversi partes, the sensible parts of the whole world, the heauens, the starres, the elements, and earth: of the same opinion with Chrysostome, are Ireneus lib. 5. c. 36. and Hilarius lib. 12. de Trinitat. And in this sense all things will agree: that these creatures are subiect to vanitie, and doe as it were groane vnderunder the bondage of corruption, and shall be restored to the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God: the onelyonly doubt is, because afterward v. 22. the Apostle addeth a particle of vniuersalitie, euerie creature, and so it should seeme, that the Apostle excludeth no creatures at all: But why the Apostle there saith, euerie creature, shall be shewed qu. 33. following.
Quest. 28. Of the servitude of corruption, whereunto the creature is subiect, and wherefore.
1. Their observation is somewhat curious: that take this to be the vanitie and mutabilitie to the which the heauens are subiect: because whereas in the beginning the Sunne was to keepe his course in the equinoctiall onelyonly, (for then there should hauehave beene a continuall spring, and indifferent temper without either parching heate or pinching cold) now the Sonne hath changed his course, and runneth in the oblique circle of the Zodiake, &c. But this is not so, for seeing the Sunne and Moone were appointed in the creation, to distinguish the seasons and times of the yeare, this could not be, if the Sunne in following the declining circle of the Zodiake by approaching and remoouing, did not make some inequalitie of daies and difference of seasons, Faius.
2. Chrysostome sheweth, how the earth is now cursed to bring forth thistles, and the heauens also shall waxe old, as doth a garment, Psal. 102. and shall be changed into a better mould: whereunto further may be added, that the Sunne and Moone hauehave their eclipses, the skie is cast ouer with clouds: the starres with euill influences doe infect the ayre: the ayre is oftentimes vnholsome and pestiferous: the earth is stricken with barrennes and becommeth vnfruitfull, Pareus: adde hereunto that demonstration of the Preacher. Eccles. 1. how he giueth instance of the vanitie of all things in the Sunne: that riseth and setteth, and runneth about where he beganne, the winds goe in a circuite from the South to North, and thither againe, so the riuers runne into the Sea, and out of the Sea to their springs and fountaines againe: And thus the creatures are in continuall labour, as Elihu saith to Iob, c. 37.11. He maketh the clouds to labour, or he wearieth the clouds to water the earth.
3. Pet. Martyr yet more distinctly sheweth the vanitie of the creatures, whereunto they are made subiect for our cause, in these fowre things. 1. they are in continuall labour to serue mans necessitie. 2. they are often punished together with man, as is euident in the destruction of the old world, and in the destruction of Sodome. 3. they hauehave a certaine sympathie and fellow-feeling of mans miserie. 4. and most of all they are constrained to minister their seruice to the wicked desires of the vngodly; as the Sunne to giuegive his light, and the earth her fruit: as the Lord saith, Hoshea 2.8.9. because they bestowed their wine and corne vponupon Baal, that he will take away the corne, and the wine, which he lent them.
4. Chrysostome here answeareth an obiection, whether any iniurie be offred to the creature, for beeing thus subdued to vanitie: nequaquam, quia propter me facta est, no, because it was made for me, and therefore suffreth with me, and with me together shall be restrained.
Quest. 29. Whether the heauens and earth are corruptible, and shall perish in the ende of the world.
1. We doe first detest the opinion of the heathen Philosophers, which held that the heauens were of an incorruptible nature: such were they whom Peter noteth, that obiected thus: where is the promise of his comming, for since the fathers died, all things continue alike from the creation, 2. Pet. 3.4. this opinion is contrarie to the Scripture, which euidently testifieth that the heauens shall perish, Psal. 102. and shall be consumed with fire, 2. Pet. 3.7. for there is no visible thing created, which had a beginning, but also shall hauehave an ende.
2. But yet we refuse their opinion likewise, that held the heauens to be so corruptible, as that they shall vtterly be abolished: which seemeth to be the sentence of Chrysostome: for he saith that the inhabitants of the earth, non eandem cum coelo & terra patientur internetionem, shall not hauehave the same ende and destruction which the heauens and earth shall hauehave, which he interpreteth omnimodam perditionem, a thorough and absolute perdition and destruction, &c. of the same opinion seeme to be most of the Greeke fathers, Theodoret, Theophylact, Oecumenius vponupon this place: likewise Basil homil. 1. in Hyperium, Gregor. Nyssen. lib. de creation, homin. c. 4. And whereas some Scriptures are alleadged, which seeme to fauour this opinion, as Psal. 102.27. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure, and Luke 21. Heauen and earth shall passe. 2. Pet. 3.10. The heauens shall passe away with a noise, and the elements shall melt with heat: to these places it may be answeared, that the heauens shall not vtterly perish, but shall be changed, as it followeth, Psal. 102.27. As a vesture shalt thou change them: and they shall passe away, as Gregorie saith, per eam quam nunc habent imaginem, by that image of corruption which nowe they hauehave: and to the same purpose he citeth the Apostle, figura (foreign,) huius mundi, &c. the figure or fashion of this world passeth, 1. Cor. 7.37. And the fire shall serue onelyonly to purge the elements and earth, not vtterly consume them to nothing.
3. Wherefore the founder opinion is, as Gregorie satih, the heauens both shall pase away, and yet shall remaine: ab ea, quam nunc habet specie per ignem tergetur, it shall be stripped by fire of that fashion, which now it hath, ea tamen in sua natura servatur, it shall be preserued in it owne nature: the substance shall not be abolished: and this he prooueth by that text, The earth remaineth for euer: not as some reade, The earth remaineth not for euer, Ecclest. 1.3. Gregor. lib. 17. moral. c. 5. Hierome prooueth as much by that place Isay. 30. The Moone shall shine as the Sunne, &c. non interitum significat pristinorum, sed commutationem in melius, it signifieth not the destruction of the old, but a change for the better: Hierome vponupon the 65. chapter of Isay: Pareus prooueth the same out of Peter, who competeth the destruction of the world by water and by fire together, 2. Pet. 3.7. as then the world was not destroyed vtterly by water but changed, so it shall be by fire also: Pererius numer. 74. doth collect as much by S. Pauls words here, that they shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption into the libertie, &c. but if the heauens and earth that shall be deliuered be not the same, but newe heauens, then not the same but other heauens shall be restored vntounto that glorious libertie.
Quest. 30. How the creature shall be deliuered, &c. into the glorious libertie.
1. Theodoret referreth it to the time when the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God shall be manifested: and so Ambrose readeth in libertate, they shall be deliuered into the libertie: that is, when the Sonnes of God shall receiue their libertie: but the Greeke text will not beare this sense: the word is not foreign, in, but foreign, into.
2. Chrysostome interpreteth, propter libertatem, they shall be deliuered because of the libertie of the sonnes of God, as though it shewed the cause of this deliuerance.
3. But more is expressed, that they shall be deliuered into, &c. they shall not onelyonly be freed and exempted from their corruptible state, but they also shall put on an incorruptible state, and in their kind be partakers of the glorie of the sonnes of God: as Chrysostome also saith, propter te male habet corruptibilis facta, rursus propter te incorruptibilis erit, because of thee it became corruptible, and for thy sake againe it shall be incorruptible.
4. Some thinke, that they shall onelyonly be deliuered in beeing exempted from corruption by the vtter abolishing of them; when the creature ceaseth to be any more, it shall be deliuered from corruption: ex Pareo: but not to be at all, is worse, then to hauehave a beeing though in some miserie, therefore this were no deliuerance, but a more corruptible estate, still to remaine corrupted, and abolished for euer: and the Apostle saith not onelyonly that they shall be deliuered from, &c. but into the libertie: as they shall put off the one, so they shall put on the other.
5. They which here comprehend also the brute beasts, and other creatures hauing sense and life, doe thus qualifie these words, non consortes futuros, &c. that the creatures shall not be partakers of the glorie of the sonnes of God, sed suo modo, &c. but in their kind, they shall be fellowes with them in that glorious state: Calvin: But it is not probable that such kind of creatures beeing now appointed onelyonly for the necessities of this life, for the foode, cloathing, and other seruices of man, which then shall be at end, shall then be restored to any such glorie: Wherefore we insist vponupon the 3. interpretation, that these creatures which the Apostle speaketh of, shall also be glorified with the Saints: there shall be new heauens, and a new earth, Apocal. 21.1. and the heauens shall be decked and adorned with starres: the Moone shall shine as the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne shall be seuenfold, Isay. 30.26. and the earth with trees and plantes, Apocal, 22.3. but to what end and vse the heauens and earth shall then serue, it is not reuealed vntounto vsus in Scripture, and it were curiositie for vsus to determine: yet it shall not be amisse to adde somewhat of this mysterie.