Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 9 · Section 3 · Subsection 22
Quest. 22. What the Apostle meaneth, by the same lumpe or masse, v. 21.
1. Some by the same masse vnderstand the sinne of idolatrie, wherewith the Israelites were infected in Egypt, as well as the Egyptians, and yet the Lord out of this masse saued the Israelites and destoyed the Egyptians: But Pet. Martyr refuseth this interpretation. 1. because that which is generally deliuered by the Apostle, they restraine to particular kind… of men. 2. the Apostle treateth not of the punishments inflicted by God vponupon some rather then others, the reason whereof is euident in the diuersitie of mens workes: but he speaketh of the decree and purpose of God from the beginning.
2. Method. l. de resurrect. as he is cited by Oecumen. vnderstandeth this lumpe or mass… of the elements, out of the which the Lord shall frame the bodies of men in the resurrectio… some to rise to honour, some to dishonor: But there is great difference between the decree o… election & reprobation whereof he treateth here, and the executiō thereof in the resurrecti…
3. The most doe vnderstand the masse of corruption; when as all mankind by the transgression of Adam was polluted, and enthralled vnderunder sinne: so Augustine, Vter que electus & reprobus, ex eadem massa tota damnata originaliter, &c. Both the elect and reprobate are originally out of the same masse of damnation, yet God as a potter out of the same masse, maketh one vessell to honour, an other to dishonour, &c. decivitat. Dei, lib. 15. c. 1. Pet. Martyr also consenteth, consideravit hominem Paulus post peccatum, Paul here considereth man after his fall, as beeing most vile and abiect both in bodie and minde, &c. likewise Pareus vnderstandeth here, massam corruptam, the masse of corruption, because by this meanes the iustice of God better appeareth in iudging the reprobate and shewing merciemercy on the elect, dub. 17. Bellarmine also lib. 2. de amiss. grat. will hauehave by this masse vnderstood, genus humanum peccato corruptum, whole mankind beeing corrupt by sinne.
Beza refuseth this interpretation vponupon these reasons. 1. because in this sense the Lord cannot be said to make vessels of dishonour, but rather to leaue them in their naturall corruption, beeing alreadie vessels of dishonour. 2. if God should first behold men as corrupt by sinne, before he decreed and determined what should become of them, this might be some imputation to his wisedome, as first creating men before he had appointed how to dispose of them. 3. and in this sense, the reason of Gods iustice were euident, in leauing men alreadie corrupt, so that there would be no place for that obiection of Gods iniustice, here propounded by the Apostle.
4. Therefore Beza with whom Faius concurreth, doth by this masse vnderstand the first creation of man out of the dust of the earth: as the verie terme of clay, which the Apostle vseth sheweth, out of the which Adam was taken.
5. But I thinke, that by this masse we may more safely vnderstand, generally, the same originall and beginning of man, whether in the creation, before sinne yet entred, or in his corrupt state: for if it should be restrained onelyonly to the latter, it were a limitation of Gods power, as though he had not absolute right to dispose of his creature, as it pleased him, without respect vntounto sinne: neither yet must the latter be excluded, because the Prophet taketh clay in that sense, for mankind as it now standeth in the state of corruption, Isa. 45.9. shewing that God may dispose of men in this world, according to his good pleasure: And Pareus, though he resolue, dub. 17. that this masse is better taken for the state of corruption, yet in his annotation vponupon the 22. v. he comprehendeth both: that God hath power ex eadem massa damnata, imo ex nondum creata, out of the same damned masse, yea out of the same masse, not yet created to make some after one fashion, some after another: for the Apostle in alleadging this similitude of the potter doth not so much shewe what God doth, as what he may doe: euen as the potter hath absolute power to dispose of his clay, to make thereof what vessels he thinketh good: so God out of the same masse or matter, whether it be considered in mans creation or transgression, may diuersly dispose of his creatures, they hauing all one and the same beginning, as the vessels out of the same clay.