Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 1 · Section 4
4. Places of doctrine.
v. 1. Paul a seruant of Iesus Christ. 1. Doct. Of diuerse kindes of seruice.Christs seruice is perfect freedome: there are three kinds of seruice: 1. the seruice of God, which is either generall belonging to all Christians, which is the seruice of their profession, whereof the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 6.19. or speciall, which is in that vocation, to the which any are called: whereof see Matth. 25.14. Luk. 12.43. 2. Ciuill seruice, which may very well stand with the seruice of God: see 1. Cor. 7.11. 3. there is the seruice of sinne, Rom. 8.16. and seruice to please men, Gal. 1.10. and this seruice is contrarie to the seruice of God. Pareus.
Called to be an Apostle. 2. Doct of diuerse kinde… of callings.There are two kinds of calling: one is vntounto saluation, the other is to some office in this life. The first is either externall, which is generall to all by the light of nature, and knowledge of the creatures: especiall, by the preaching of the word: or internall by the inward working of Gods spirit, which is peculiar to the elect. The calling to some function in this life, is either priuate, as of men, to their seuerall vocations: or publike, which is either Ciuill, of Magistrates in the time of peace, leaders and Captaines in the time of warre: or Ecclesiasticall, which is either immediate from God, as of the Prophets and Apostles: or mediate by men, which is either ordinarie, such as is the ordination of Bishops and Ministers now: or extraordinarie by lot, as was the election of Matthias, Act. 1.
To be an Apostle. 3. Doct. Of the difference betweene Apostles and other Pastors.There is a threefold difference betweene Apostles and other Pastors. 1. They were immediatly called of Christ: the other mediately are appointed by men, 2. in respect of their doctrine and writings, both the authoritie thereof, they are free from error, and are part of the Canonicall Scripture: but so are not the doctrine and writings of the other, they must be subiect to the writings of the Apostles: as also their doctrine was confirmed and ratified by miracles. Mart. 3. in their authoritie and office, the Apostles were not tied vntounto any place, but were sent to preach to the whole world: but Pastours now hauehave their particular and speciall Churches. Pareus.
Set apart. 4. Doct. The Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost one God.God the father set apart Paul to be an Apostle, Gal. 1.1. and Iesus Christ, Act. 9. and the holy Ghost, Act. 13.2. these three then are one God: for it belongeth onelyonly vntounto God to send Prophets, and Apostles, and Pastors to his Church: therefore all such are condemned, whome the Lord hath not sent. Ierem. 14.15.
Gospel of God: 5. Doct. Christ God.which is afterward vers. 16. and chap. 15.19. and in other places called the Gospel of Christ: which is an euident testimonie of Christs eternall Godhead. Pareus.
v. 2. Which he had promised before, &c. 6. Doct. Of the Gospel, and the nature thereof.Concerning the Gospel of Christ, 1. Euangelium, the Evangel, signifieth a ioyfull message of the grace of Christ: 2. though the Gospel be diuers in circumstance; for there is Gospel promised by the Prophets, and the Gospel performed by Christs comming, yet it is one and the same in substance: 3. the efficient and author thereof is God, it is called the Gospel of God: the materiall cause is Iesus Christ, God and man: the formall, the declaration and manifestation of him to be the Sonne of God, v. 4. the end, is to saluation, v. 16. the effects, obedience to the faith, v. 5.
v. 3. concerning his Sonne: 7. Doct. Christ God and man.here the person of Christ is described to be both God and man: Man as he was borne of the seede of Dauid: and he was also declared to be the Sonne of God. Piscator.
According to the flesh. 8. Doct. Of the vnion of Christ …In that the Sonne of God is said to be made of the seede of Dauid after the flesh, it sheweth against the Nestorian heretikes, that there are not two Sonnes but one Sonne, the same both God and man: and that according to the flesh he was made, there the propertie of his natures is still reserued; against the Eutychians, and Suenkefeldians, which destroied the vnitie of Christs humane nature.
By reason of this vnion of the diuine and humane nature of Christ,9. Doct. Of the … of the properties of Christs diuine and humane nature. that which was done in one of his natures, is ascribed to his whole person: and here we are to consider of a threefold communion of the properties of Christs diuine and humane natures one vntounto the other. 1. some things are really common to both his whole person, and natures: as such things which belong to the office of the Redeemer, as to sanctifie, quicken, glorifie, to raigne, to be adored: which things were performed in both his natures. 2. some things are communicated really to his whole person, which yet properly belong onelyonly to one of his natures: as Christ the Sonne of God in whole person is said to be made of the seede of Dauid, but yet in respect onelyonly of his humanitie; according to the flesh: these two communions there is no question made of. 3. a third communion there is deuised by the Vbiquitaries, whereby they really communicate the properties of one nature to an other: as the flesh of Christ by reason of the vnion of the Godhead, they call omnipotent, knowing all things, eueryevery where present. Pareus.
v. 8. I thanke my God, &c. 1. Here two kinds of prayer are expressed, inuocation,10. Doct. Of prayer, how it ought to be made. which is a requesting of some grace or benefit from God, and giuing thanks for some benefit receiued. 2. the requisite things in prayer are here shewed, 1. that our praiers must be made to God, not to any creature, I thanke my God. 2. we must pray with confidence, my God. 3. by Christ our Mediatour. 4. not for our selues onelyonly, but our brethren. Pareus.
v. 9. God is my witnes. Hence the lawfulnes of a lawfull oath among Christians,11. Doct. It is lawfull to take an oath. is warranted by the Apostles example against the Anabaptists. Piscator.
v. 10. That by some meanes, &c. 12. Doct. Meanes must be ioyned with prayer.The Apostle then though he praied for a prosperous iourney, yet neglected not the meanes: against the Messalian heretikes, who ascribed all vntounto praier, and in the meane time would doe nothing themselues.
Here also the doctrine of Gods prouidence is to be considered,13. Doct. Gods prouidence worketh by contrarie meanes. who many times worketh euen by contrarie meanes: for S. Paul his bonds and imprisonment, which might hauehave seemed like to hinder his iourney to Rome, yet were meanes to bring him thither by his appeale. Olevian.
v. 17. As it is written. The Apostles alleadged Scripture,14. Doct. How the Apostles alleadged Scriptures. not to confirme their doctrine, for they were foreign, of themselues worthie to be credited, but to shew the consent of the Prophets for the confirmation of others: But the Pastors of the Church doe now alleadge Scripture for warrant of their doctrine. Pareus.
v. 19. That which may be knowne of God. The knowledge of God is generall,15. Doct. Of the diuers kind… of the knowledge of God. either internall by the light of nature: or externall by the view of the creatures: or speciall, which is peculiar to the Church, which is either externall, common to the whole visible Church, as by the preaching of his word: or internall, by the inward operation of the spirit, which is proper onelyonly to the Elect.
v. 23. They turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude, &c. 16. Doct. Of the diuers kindes of Idolatrie.An idol is whatsoeuer beeing not God, is worshipped for God, either inwardly or outwardly: Idolatrie is of two sorts: direct, or indirect: the first, when the creature is worshipped, the Creator beeing omitted: and it is of two sorts, internall, when men set vp such an idole in their hearts: or externall, when diuine worship is giuen outwardly to a false god, as the heathen worshipped the Sunne, Moone, and starres: or to the image of a false god: indirect idolatrie, when the true God is worshipped, but not after a due manner, such as he hath prescribed: Pareus.