Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 12 · Section 3 · Subsection 16
16. Quest. Of these seuerall offices here rehearsed by the Apostle in particular.
1. whether prophesying. 1. Haymo taketh it for the prediction of things to come; such a Prophet was Agabus: but this was an extraordinarie gift, the Apostle seemeth to speake of the ordinarie functions of the Church. 2. some vnderstand it to be, noticia occultorum, the knowledge of secrets, Lyran. Gorrhan.: but this was also extraordinarie. 3. most take it for the gift to vnderstand, and interpret the Scriptures, Gualter, Osiander, Faius. 4. But it signifieth rather generally, whatsoeuer belonged to doctrine and exhortation, Mart. and before him Origen, prophetia dicitur apud Paulum, &c. that is called prophesie with S. Paul, when one speaketh to edifying, exhortation, or comfort, 1. Cor. 14.3. so that this prophesying is the generall facultie, to the which doctrine and exhortation, afterward mentioned by the Apostle, doe appertaine: so Beza, Pareus: see before, qu. 14.5.
2. By ministrie, called foreign, 1. neither generally are vnderstood all Ecclesiasticall functions, euen those, which are occupied in teaching, as Faius. 2. nor yet that speciall office of Deacons, as Gualter. 3. nor the office of such as ministred the Sacraments, Lyran. but thereby generally are vnderstood such offices, as concerned the discipline of the Church: specially conuersant about the bodie and temporall things, either to releeue their pouertie, which was the office of Deacons in the distribution of almes; or to cherish them in sicknes, which was the charge of widowes, whose office S. Paul describeth, 1. Tim. 5. or to watch ouer their manners, which belonged vntounto the spirituall gouernours.
3. He that teacheth, be that exhorteth, &c. 1. Chrysostome and Origen doe in a manner confound these two, saying, that exhortation est species doctrinae, is a kind of doctrine. 2. Calvin will hauehave them to be distinct offices:Whether the offices of Pastors and Doctors ought necessarily and perpetually to be distinguished in the Church. they hauehave great affinitie, yet they remaine still varia officia, diuers offices. 3. Some will hauehave them to be distinct gifts, but not diuers offices, as Pellican seemeth to thinke. 4. I incline then to their opinion, that thinke they are both distinct functions, and offices, and yet may be ioyned together in one man: so P. Mart. sometime both these gifts, are graunted to one man: sed magna ex parte dividuntur, but for the most part they are diuided: to the same purpose Olevian: for we see that some hauehave the gift to teach that are cold in exhorting, and contrariwise.
These positions then we will set downe, concerning the gifts of teaching and exhorting.
1. That they are two distinct and sundrie gifts; against Chrysostome: for the Apostle calleth them foreign, differing gifts.
2. Yet are they not, neither hauehave beene alwaies distinct offices in the Church: for the Apostles excelled both in teaching and exhorting: and yet the Apostle ioyneth them together, as both belonging to the propheticall and pastorall office, 1. Cor. 14.3.
3. Yet it must be confessed, that there were also such distinct offices in the primitiue Church sometime, and that they did not alwaies concurre in vse in one and the same man: for the Apostle nameth Pastors and Doctors, as two distinct offices, Eph. 4.11. for then they were distinguished, both to shew the varietie of … gifts of the spirit, and because a great multitude of beleeuers then assembled together, which did occupie many ministers: there was not then a diuision of seuerall congregations and parishes as now: and yet where it shall be thought meete, and the necessitie of the Church so requireth, these two distinct offices of Doctors and Pastors may be retained; the one to be exercised chiefly in laying downe found doctrine, and confuting of errors; as the Professors doe in Schooles, and the Catechists in parochiall congregations: the other to applie doctrine to the manners of the people, which specially is the office of the Pastor: Pareus.
Obiect. But whereas the Apostle els where, 1. Cor. 14.3. maketh three distinct parts of prophesying, to edifie, to exhort, and to comfort; how is it, that here onelyonly two are named, teaching, and exhorting. Answ. Consolation is a kind of exhortation, and so is also here comprehended: and the rather, because the word foreign, signifieth as well to comfort, as exhort, Tolet. annot. 14. Faius.
4. He that distributeth, with simplicitie, &c. Some doe vnderstand this generally of the giuing of almes; as Origen, Chrysostome, Lyran. Gorrhan: but seeing the Apostle speaketh here of the functions, and offices of the Church, it is better vnderstood of such which were called Deacons, who did distribute the treasure of the Church to the necessitie of the poore: such were those seuen chosen by the Apostles, Act. 6. these at the first disposed of the goods which were giuen in common: for they sold what they had, and brought and laid it at the Apostles feete, as we read of Ananias, Act. 5. afterward there were collections and gatherings made for the Saints, 1. Cor. 16. the distribution whereof was committed to the fidelitie of these Deacons.
Now, where the Apostle saith, in simplicitie: 1. Chrysostome and Theophylact interpret it, of giuing largely and liberally. 2. Origen, that they should not seeke praise of men, or seeke vaine glorie, and so get all the thanks to themselues. 3. Hierome, or who els was the author of the commentarie vponupon this epistle, will hauehave them to giuegive in simplicitie, which are not curious in fishing and examining the poore, and so seeke pretenses and excuses, that they hauehave no neede. 4. Lyranus, he that giueth propter Deum, onelyonly for Gods cause: and seeketh not to merit or satisfie for his sinnes, Osiander. 5. they must not be morosi, froward, giuing the poore euill words, Faius. 6. nor hauing respect vntounto persons, Beza: or vnfaithfull, in turning the common almes to their owne commoditie, as Iudas did, Gualt. So here then simplicitie, is set against vaine glorie, couerousnes, morositie, malignitie, fraud, Pareus.
5. He that ruleth. 1. Some take these indifferently for temporall, or Ecclesiasticall gouernors, as Lyranus, quod pertinet ad praelatos & principes, which belongeth to Prelates and Princes: so also Gorrhan: but concerning temporall and ciuill gouernment, the Apostle treateth thereof in the next chapter: he onelyonly toucheth now ecclesiasticall offices. 2. some take these for such as watch ouer mens soules, and so seeme to vnderstand onelyonly the Prelats of the Church; as Haymo, haec sollicitudo circa animas maximè esse debet, this carefulnesse must chiefly be about soules. 3. Theophylact hath a strange interpretation, praesidere, &c. to be a President is, both by words, and by the helpe of the bodie to succour the needie, &c. and he giueth this reason, because eueryevery one hath not money: but this were a base kind of presidencie. 4. the most of our new writers, doe vnderstand here certaine gouernors, which attended not doctrine, sed dabantur pastoribus adiutores, but were giuen as helpers to the Pastors: whome Osiander calleth Censores morum, the censors of manners: Calvin, seniores, the Seniors or Elders: Gualter, Senatum ecclesiasticum, the Ecclesiasticall Senate: Faius out of Tertullian, presidentes: whose office was ioyntly with the Pastors to see vntounto the discipline of the Church. So they make two sorts of Elders, some that attended the word, and discipline together; some the gouernment onelyonly: which are called by the Apostle gouernors, 1. Cor. 12.28. and whereof mention is made, 1. Tim. 5.17. Thus Beza, Martyr, Gryneus, Olevicie, Pareus, vponupon this place. 5. But seeing they which laboured in the word and doctrine were speciall men in the regiment of the Church, 1. Tim. 3.17. they are not here to be excluded: for as beside their employment in teaching and exhorting, they also were Ecclesiasticall rulers; this grace, to rule with diligence, was also necessarie for them: so Chrysostome here sheweth that there was a double kind of presidencie, & praecipua, quae per doctrinam est, that was the chiefe, which was by doctrine and exhortation: then that which was per pecunias, &c. by money and other things.
With diligence. 1. The vulgar Latine readeth, cum sollicitudine, with carefulnes: such as was in the Apostle, 2. Cor. 11.28. sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum, &c. he had the care of all Churches: such a care Origen taketh this to be here commended: but Tolet obserueth well, that beside that there is an other word there vsed foreign, here the word is foreign, the things themselues differ: for the first signifieth beside a care, a feare of future euents, which might be any hindrance to the busines intended. 2. the word foreign, answeareth vntounto these two Latine words, studium, studie, and diligentia, diligence: which doe thus differ: the first sheweth the desire of the mind, and a resolute purpose to applie it selfe, and that with delight to the busines in hand: but diligence is seene in the opening in the executing of this purpose with speede, and great endeauour: this foreign, studie, diligence, and endeauour, S. Paul testifieth to hauehave beene in Timothie, 2. Cor. 8.16.
6. He that sheweth merciemercy. 1. Some doe vnderstand this generally of all Christians, that they should giuegive chearefully: as Chrysostome will hauehave it the same with that precept, 2. Cor. 9.7. he that soweth sparingly, shall reape sparingly: Theodoret, Haymo: but the Apostle here speaketh of the speciall offices of the Church. 2. Lyranus restraineth it onelyonly to the rich, hoc pertinet ad potentes, this belongeth to the able and mightie: but Chrysostome sheweth by the example of the widow, that cast in two mites, that euen the poore may shew merciemercy, and that chearfully: potest quis & in paupertate magno, & in divitijs pusillo animo esse, one may hauehave a franke minde in pouertie, and a sparing minde in riches: for, not onelyonly with wealth, but with words, and helpe of the bodie, are the poore to be releeued, &c. 3. Origen thinketh that this is the same with the former, he that distributeth, in simplicitit: here onelyonly is the difference, vnum opus, sed non vnus affectus, it is one and the same worke, but not the same affection: for he that sheweth merciemercy, doth not onelyonly giuegive, but he giueth it with affection. 4. Theophylact thus distinguisheth them, he that giueth, conferreth that which he receiued of an other, he that sheweth merciemercy, sua tribust, giueth his owne. 5. Hugo doth thus sort them: the first must giuegive in simplicitie of heart, propter Deum, because of God, before whome the intention of the heart must be right: chearefulnes is required propter proximum, toward our neighbour. 5. But their opinion is rather here to be approoued, which in the first place take the office of Deacons to be described, such as were elected by the Apostles, Act. 6. and here the office of such, as were assigned to hauehave a care of strangers, exiles, the sicke, such were the widows, whome S. Paul would not hauehave chosen vnderunder 60. yeares, 1. Tim. 5. Thus Calvin, Beza, Martyr, Gualter, Faius, Pareus, with others.
Now this shewing of merciemercy: 1. some extend thus farre, peccanti ignoscere, oppresso subvenire, to forgiue him that sinneth, and to releeue the oppressed, gloss. ordinar. but these duties are generall to all Christians, not incident onelyonly to this office and function here described. 2. by shewing merciemercy, Haymo vnderstandeth all the works of merciemercy, as to giuegive meate to the hungrie, drinke to the thirstie, lodging to the harbourlesse: but these also are generall duties. 3. such speciall works of merciemercy then are here vnderstood, which belonged to the curing and attending vponupon the sicke, aged, impotent; strangers, exiles, orphans, Pareus. 4. with chearefulnes of heart, gentlenes in words, pleasantnes of countenance: for all those are signified by hilaritie or chearefulnes, Tolet: so Chrysost. verbis, rebus, corpore, &c. in words, deedes, yea with seruice of the bodie the poore must be helped.
with chearefulnes. Chearefulnes is required in heart, in words, in countenance, eueryevery way. 1. in respect of God, he loueth a chearefull giuer, 1. Cor. 9. Pareus. 2. in respect of the kingdome of heauen, which such hope for: quis regnum accipiens maestus est, who receiuing a kingdome is sorowfull, Chrysost. lucrum est alijs benefacere, &c. it is a gaine to doe well to others, and eueryevery man reioyceth in his owne gaine, Theodoret. 3. againe, such as were emploied in these seruices, as old men, and widows, are naturally giuen to morositie, and therefore they hauehave neede of this precept to dispose themselues to chearefulnes, Pareus. 4. the worke it selfe, which was to deale with the diseased, sicke, and feeble, was such as might breed loathsomnes, and therefore the Apostle doth hearten them, that they should not giuegive ouer this worke of merciemercy thorough nicenes: that they should not disdaine, with their owne hands, if neede were, to handle their sores, and diseases, Tolet. 5. the consideration of the common condition of mankind, that there is eadem omnium sors, the same lot of all, that they are subiect to the same diseases and infirmities, this should mooue them in such workes of merciemercy to be chearefull and willing, Gualter. 6. ne moerorem addant moerori, that they should not adde griefe vntounto griefe: for the poore seeing them which attend them, to doe it vnwillingly, would thereby be grieued the more: Mart. Beza.