Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 2 · Section 3 · Subsection 13 – Subsection 4
Quest. 13. Of the true reading of the 7. verse.
1. Some doe thus read, To them which by continuance in well doing, seeke eternall life, he shall render, glorie, honour, immortalitie: thus Oecumenius, Ambrose, Gregorie, lib. 28. moral, c. 6. Haymo. Pererius. But in this reading there is a manifest inverting of the order of the words: which stand thus in the originall: to them which by patience in well doing seeke glorie, honour, immortalitie, eternall life: that is, God will giuegive eternall life vntounto such: whereas then the sense may be found out, without any such inversion, the best way is to keep the due order of the words. 2. some doe thus reade: to them which by patience (the glorie of good workes, honour, immortalitie) seeke eternall life: Beza, Gryneus, Aretius: that is, God will giuegive the glorie, honour, immortalitie, due vntounto their good workes, vntounto them which continue to the ende, in seeking eternall life; this reading agreeth with the former in transposing of the words: sauing that they ioyne, good workes to the words following, glorie, honour, &c. which is better annexed to the former word, patience and perseuerance: as appeareth, v. 10. To euerie one that doth good, shall be glorie, honour, &c. where these words glorie, honour, are seuered from the former: as it must be so here also. 3. Therefore the best reading of these words is this: To them which by perseuerance in well doing, seeke glorie, honour, immortalitie, eternall life: that is, God shall render eternall life vntounto such: the word render must be supplyed out of the former verse, who will render vntounto euerie man, &c. and the word is beter ioyned, with eternall life, then with the former words, glorie, honour, immortalitie: because the words neede not be transposed, or put out of their place in this reading, as in both the former: Thus Origen, Chrysostome, Theophylact, doe interpret this place: and the Syrian interpreter, Calvin, Pareus, Faius, with others.
Quest. 14. What the Apostle meaneth, by patience of good workes, v. 7.
1. Some referre this patience vntounto God, whereof the Apostle spake before ver. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience, &c. and they giuegive this sense: that they which abuse not the patience of God, but thereby are stirred vp vntounto good workes, shall hauehave eternall life: thus Ambrose. But this exposition cannot stand: for the Apostle vseth here a diuerse word foreign, patience, perseuerance, from the former, v. 4. which is foreign long-suffering, forbearing: and there the Lord spake of the sinners and impenitent, which abused Gods longanimitie, but here of the faithfull that continue in well doing. 2. some vnderstand the patience of men, whereby they endure affliction, which might otherwise turne them aside from well doing, Ansel. and Caietan much to the same purpose vnderstandeth here patience of good workes, not obiectiue, by way of obiect, for the obiect of patience is euill, and not good: but causaliter, causually, because good workes giuegive occasion of persecution, which many times followeth good workes. 3. but the word here vsed foreign, doth as well signifie perseuerance and continuance, as patience: the meaning then is, that they which perseuere and continue in good workes: So S. Luke saith, c. 21.19. By your patience possesse your soules: which Matthewe rehearseth thus, c. 24.13. He that endureth to the ende shall be saued: likewise the Apostle to the same purpose, Heb. 10.36. Ye had neede of patience, that after ye hauehave done the will of God, ye may receiue the promise: the Apostle there vseth the same word foreign. And in this sense Hierome taketh patience here in his commentarie vponupon this place, so also Pareus, Beza, with others.