Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 12 · Section 4
4. Places of Doctrine.
1. Doctr. To ascribe all vntounto Gods merciemercy and grace doth not hinder exhortations.
v. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God, &c. Though S. Paul ascribe our saluation to Gods merciemercy, as he said before, c. 9. It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth merciemercy: yet the Apostle notwithstanding ceaseth not to exhort: and the reason is, because our saluation is not wrought without meanes, as preaching, admonition, exhortation, and such like: and therefore these meanes may be vsed, and yet the foundation of Gods merciemercy in sauing vsus, shall remaine vnshaken, Martyr: M. Calvin saith further, nullis praeceptis pia mens sic ad obsequium Dei formatur, &c. a deuout mind is not by any precepts so much framed to the obedience of God, as by a serious meditation of his merciemercy; as the Apostle saith, Tit. 2.11. The grace of God, &c. teacheth vsus to denie vngodlines.
2. Doctr. Of the threefold will of God.
v. 2. What is the good will of God, acceptable and perfect. Paulus Burgens. addit. 2, hath this distinction of the will of God, which is taken here for voluntas signi, his signified or reuealed will, that is the will of God for the thing willed: which is prohibitionis, praecepti, consilij, in forbidding, commanding, or counselling: as if a man abstaine from euill which is forbidden, therein he doth well: but if he doe also the thing commanded, now he doth also that which is pleasing vntounto God: if further he proceed vntounto the counsels, then he is perfect: as our Sauiour said, Matth. 19.21. to the young man, If thou wilt be perfect, goe and sell all thou hast, &c. This distinction may be admitted with this caution; if counsels be vnderstood of things indifferent, as for a man wholly to leaue the world, and to giuegive all or halfe to the poore, as Zacheus did, and such like, not to merit thereby, but to shew our obedience and thankfulnes to God: in such there must be needs acknowledged, a greater degree of perfection.
3. Doctr. Against curious questionists.
v. 3. The Apostle forbiddeth foreign, to vnderstand aboue or beyond that which is meet to be vnderstood: which may be vrged against curious and vnnecessarie questions of matters concerning religion: such it seemeth the Church was much troubled with in S. Pauls time, in so much that in sixe seuerall places in his two Epistles to Timothie, he giueth him charge touching such contentious questions, and vaine disputations, 1. Ep. 1.4. c. 4.7. c. 6.5.20. 2. Ep. 1.16.23. where he styleth such needlesse questions, with the tearme of old wiues fables, vaine disputations, prophane bablings, foolish and vnlearned questions. Much like was that curious and needlesse endeauour of the schoole-Diuines in reducing all Diuinitie to intricate questions, and idle and vaine speculations: wherein I condemne not their commendable paines, in the debating of doubtfull points fit to be discussed, but in finding out new tricks and deuises, and excogitating distinctions to obscure and corrupt the truth.
4. Doctr. That no man must forsake his Ecclesiasticall function, nor aspire aboue his reach.
Pet. Martyr applieth the former text against those, which in times past did refuse, or forsake the Ecclesiasticall functions, to the which, they were called, who vnderunder pretense that they had not gifts sufficient, but indeede either for feare of the troubles incident to those places, or for louelove of their own ease, or pleasure, did draw their necks out of the collar: these he saith, non sapere vt oportet, they did not vnderstand as they ought. But in these daies there is an other extreame, which is admitted, when men doe presume ambitiously vntounto places aboue their reach, and for the which they are in respect of gifts vnmeete: neither doe these sapere vt oportet: they are not wise vntounto sobtietie, neither doe keepe themselues within their line and compasse.
5. Doctr. That the holy Ghost is God.
v. 3. As God hath dealt to eueryevery man, &c. That which here is ascribed vntounto God is elsewhere said to be the worke of the spirit, 1. Cor. 12.11. All these things worketh the selfe same spirit, distributing to eueryevery one as he will: seeing then it is God that distributeth these seuerall gifts and graces, and it is the Spirit that so distributeth them, it doth necessarily follow, that the Spirit is God.
6. Doctr. The Scriptures are the rule of faith, from the which we must not swarue.
v. 6. Prophesie according to the analogie, or proportion of faith, &c. This proportion or rule of faith, is to be taken onelyonly from the Scriptures; as our Sauiour biddeth vsus search the Scriptures, Ioh. 5.39: to them, as the line of truth, must we hauehave recourse, in all our teaching and preaching, not one iot to decline the same: as the Prophet Isai saith, c. 8.20. to the law, to the testimonie: if they speake not according to this word, there is no truth in them: so Hierome saith, quod non discendit de monte Scripturarum eadem facilitate contemnitur qua approbatur, that which floweth not downe from the mountaine of the Scriptures, is as easilie refused as approoued, &c. in c. 23. Matth.
Doct. 7. That Christian religion expelleth not humane affections, but onelyonly directeth them.
v. 9. Hate that which is euill, &c. A Christian may retaine hatred, but it must be exercised against that which is euill: it is not then as the Stoicks were of opinion, that in a wise man there are no passions or affections: there are without question, but tempered, and qualified by grace: that like as in an harpe, when time and tune is applyed, to the instrument consisting of wood, or some such like thing, and strings, there is made pleasant harmonie: so humane affections ruled by grace doe make a sweete consent.
Doct. 8. Of the order and degrees in the Church and commonwealth.
v. 10. In giuing honour goe one before another: Among Christians then, there are which must giuegive honour, and some are to be honoured: Christ will hauehave order kept in his Church, God is not the author of confusion, 1. Cor. 14.33. the inferiours must yeeld honour to the superiours: the scholars to the teachers, the people to their pastor, they which are ruled to their governours: this maketh against the Anabaptisticall confusion, which taketh away the ciuill superioritie of one aboue another.
Doct. 9. That the Church of God shall neuer want enemies to persecute it.
v. 14. Blesse them which persecute you, &c. Then the godly shall neuer want persecutors to exercise their patience: there are two things which the world hateth, vnitie and pietie, and all persecutions in the world, are either for the truth or godlinesse sake: wherefore seeing such is the lot of the Church of God in this world, they must arme themselues with patience, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 10.36. You had neede of patience, that after you hauehave done the will of God, yee might receiue the promise.
Doct. 10. How, and wherein we should louelove our enemies.
v. 19. Auenge not your selues, &c. We must thus be affected toward our enemies. 1. in louing them as Christ loued vsus, when yet we were enemies, Rom. 5.10. 2. in procuring their conversion, as Ananias did Sauls, Act. 9. 3. in praying for them, as Stephen did for the Iewes. 4. in taking heede of giuing them offence: for which cause Iacob went away from Esau, Gen. 27. 5. in bearing their wrongs, as the Apostles did, Act. 5. 6. in molifying them with gentle words, as Abigail did Dauid, 1. Sam. 25. 7. in ministring necessarie things vntounto them, as Elisha did to the armie of the Syrians, 1. King. 6. 8. in shewing compassion in their miseries, as Dauid mourned for Saul. 9. in receiuing them to merciemercy, when they returne to grace, as Ioseph did his brethren.