Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 1 · Section 3 · Subsection 68 – Subsection 69
68. Quest. How one sinne is punished by an other, vponupon these words, And receiued in themselues such recompence of their error, &c. v. 27.
1. There are some sinnes, which are as punishments of former sinnes, which are non tormenta peccantium, sed incrementa vitiorum, not so much the torment of sinners, as the encreasing of sinne, as Augustine saith. And here we may make a foure-fold distinction of sinnes: 1. some are not onelyonly sinnes, but the causes also of sinnes following: lib. 25. Moral. cap. 17.as Gregorie giueth instance, of one giuen vntounto riot and excesse in eating and drinking, which causeth him through the lustines of his flesh to commit adulterie: here his Epicures life is both a sinne, and the cause of an other sinne, namely adulterie. 2. Some sinnes are both the cause of an other sinne following, and the punishment of a former: as if the adulterer proceed further to commit murther: here adulterie is the punishment of his gluttonie, and the cause of murther. 3. And there is a sinne, which is the punishment of a former sinne, though it bring forth no new sinne: as murther here is the punishment of adulterie. 4. Some sinnes are neither the causes, nor punishment of other sinnes, but simply sinnes in themselues: as namely when any one repenteth of his sinne, and proceedeth no further.
2. But here it will be obiected, that eueryevery sinne is voluntarie, but the punishment of sinne is involuntarie: how then can sinne be a punishment: and eueryevery punishment of sinne is iust, and so of God, but sinne is vniust, and not of God, therefore not a punishment? To this obiection diuers answers are made:
1. The master of the sentences, lib. 2. distinct. 36. giueth this solution, that sinne is said to be a punishment, not as it is a fault committed by the will: but in respect of the effect which it worketh in the soule, which is the corrupting of the minde, and making it guiltie of damnation. But in this sense, eueryevery sinne should be a punishment of sinne: because the minde is thus corrupted, and made guiltie euen by the first sinnes, which one committeth.
2. Therefore Thomas Aquinas addeth further, that sinne in respect of the nature thereof, because it is voluntarie, is not a punishment, but in respect of the cause, which is the subtraction or remoouing of the grace of God, whereby he falleth into further sinne. And further he explaneth the matter thus: that sinne is a punishment 3. waies, either in respect of somewhat going before, as the absence, or subtracting of the grace of God, or somewhat which accompanieth sinne, either in the minde, as the corrupting and polluting of it: or without, as crosses and troubles, which are sent for sinne: or els in respect of somewhat ensuing and following, as the torment of conscience. But all these, the subtracting of grace, outward trouble, and remorse of conscience, may concurre in the first sinnes, which are not the punishment of any precedent sinnes: therfore a further reason hereof is to be found out.
3. Wherfore, God in punishing one sinne by an other, is to be considered as a iust Iudge, that not onelyonly by subtracting his grace, as Pererius: not by giuing Sathan power ouer sinners, to draw them further into sinne, as Hyperius: but by the secret working of his iustice, in ordering and directing all things according to his will, he so disposeth and effecteth, that the wicked are giuen ouer to greater impietie and iniquitie, to commit sinne with greedines: so then this foreign, recompence, hath neither reference vntounto the sinners themselues; who regard herein nothing but their owne inordinate pleasure, not yet vntounto Sathans worke, who intendeth nothing but the contumely of God, and the destruction of the vngodly: but it is referred vntounto God, who in punishing sinne by sinne, onelyonly respecteth the due course of his iustice, in thus recompencing their former error. God then is no way accessarie to their sinnes, but concurreth as a iust Iudge in punishing their former sinnes with greater following: Pareus. Faius here noteth well a difference betweene the word foreign, which the Apostle here vseth, which signifieth a iust and full recompence, answering and correspondent vntounto the merit of their sinne: which word is onelyonly vsed of euill works: but foreign, a reward, is giuen vntounto good works, as be conferred of grace, not answering vntounto any merit before going.
3. As thus it hath beene shewed how sinne is the punishment of sinne, so also one sinne may be the cause of an other: and that either directly, or indirectly: directly, when as a man by one sinne is inclined to commit an other: and that three waies, 1. in respect of the ende, as when one through couetousnes committeth murther, to enioy an others wealth: 2. or by suggesting the matter of an other sinne, as gluttonie bringeth forth adulterie: 3. or in respect of the efficient and moouing cause, as when one by practise and continuance in sinne is growne into an habit of sinning, which still stirreth him vp to heape sinne to sinne: Indirectly one sinne causeth an other, by remoouing that which should keepe one from sinne, as namely when the sinne first committed, excludeth the grace of God, whereby one should be preserued from sinne. Thom. prim. secund. qu. 80. art. 2.
69. Quest. How the Gentiles are said, not to regard to know God, v. 28.
1. Origen thinketh, that the Apostle setteth downe here three kinds of impieties against God: first, of them which worshipped idols, to v. 23. which was the generall sinne of the Gentiles: secondly, of those which worshipped the creature rather then the creator, v. 25. such were the Philosophers and Astronomers, which were skilfull in the obseruation of naturall things: thirdly, he thinketh heretikes here to be noted, that regard not to know God. But the Apostle seemeth still to continue in the same argument, setting forth the sinnes of the Gentiles: that as before he shewed, how they polluted and defiled themselues: so now he describeth other sinnes as fruits of their idolatrie, namely such as are committed against others.
2. These words, they regarded not to know God: 1. some thus interpret, that they thought God to hauehave no knowledge, or no great care of such things, as they committed, gloss. ordin. Gorrham. and so before them Ambrose: but the words must be much forced and strained to make this sense, as though the Apostle should say, they regarded not, that God knew. 2. Some thinke the Apostles meaning is, that they had not Gods feare before their eyes, that knowing him, they much regarded not, what was pleasing or displeasing vntounto him. Haymo. But the Gentiles had not the true knowledge of God, for they neglected the meanes, which should hauehave brought them to know him. 3. Some giuegive this sense, neglexerunt, &c. they neglected, Tolet. non curarunt, they had no care to know God, Vatab. they did not seeke to know God according to that naturall light and direction, which they had. 4. But there is more signified here, then a negligence: rather spreverunt, they despised to know and acknowledge God: Faius: they scorned and derided the true knowledge of God, and preferred their owne vaine inuentions: And so Chrysostome noteth, that the Apostle saith not, as they knew not God, but regarded not to know God: so that it was corrupts iudicij, of a corrupt iudgement, not a sinne of ignorance, that they refused the knowledge of God. The Apostle then sheweth, voluntariam caecitatem, their wilfull blindnes, Pareus: it seemed not good vntounto them, as Beza: or they iudged it not good, as the Syrian translator, to know God: it was a voluntarie election in them to preferre their superstitions before the knowledge of God. And Erasmus, whome P. Martyr therein approoueth, noteth here a difference betweene foreign, knowledge, and foreign, acknowledgement: the latter word is here vsed: though they had some knowledge of God, yet they did not acknowledge him to be God, as in glorifying him, & giuing thanks vntounto him, as the Apostle said before, v. 21.