Commentary on Romans, Title page – Dedication 1
A Commentarie vponupon the Epiſtle of Saint Paul to the Romanes, written in Latine by M.
Iohn Caluin, and newely tranſlated into Engliſhe by Chriſtopher Roſdell preacher.
Whereunto is added a neceſſarie table for the better and more readie finding out of certayne principall matters conteyned in this worke.
Colloſ. 3.16. Let the worde of Chriſt dwel in you plenteouſlie in all wiſedome.
Imprinted at London for Iohn Hariſon and George Biſhop. 1583.
To the right honourable, and his verie good L. Sir Edwarde Seimer knight, Baron Beauchampe, and Earle of Hertforde, Chriſtopher Rosdell wiſheth grace, and peace from God, &c.
THE Church (right honorable and my good Lorde) hath neuer doubted at any time of the author of this epiſtle: but as the inſcription therof plainely teſtifieth, ſo the godly hauehave alway conſtantly beleeued, that it was written by that greate doctor, and worthy Apoſtle Paul. Of whoſe prayſe though Chriſoſtome and diuers others hauehave ſaid very much: yet if it bee compared with his deſert, it is eyther nothing or els but a litle.Act. 9.15. For with what praiſes ſhall we ſufficiently ſet him forth, whome the Lord himſelf immediatly after his conuerſiō ſo highly commended: Calling him a choſen veſſell to beare his name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Iſrael?2. Cor. 12.2. with what ſpeeches ſhall we accordingly aduance him, whome the Lorde lift vp vntounto the thirde heauen?
And with what ornamentes ſhall wee decke him, whome the Lorde did ſo richely adorne? by kinred of the race of Abraham, by perſon naturally vehement, indued with ſinguler dexteritie, and of a noble courage, by callinge an Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſte, immediatly called of the Lord vntounto the miniſtery of the Goſpel. As he teſtifieth to the Galath. Saying,Gal. 1.1. Paule an Apoſtle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Ieſus Chriſt, & God the father) &c. immediatly taught from aboue. As it is written,Gal. 1.11. Now I certifie you, brethren, that the Goſpell which was preached of me was not after men. For neyther receiued I it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the reuelation of Ieſus Chriſt. By the viſible gift of the holy Ghoſt inueſted into his miniſterie & Apoſtleſhip. And finally by great ſignes & wonders confirmed in the ſame.Act. 9.3. Act. 19.6. By which things as the dignitie & autoritie of the holie man is confirmed vntounto vsus, ſo all men are taught with what reuerence they ſhould heare and receiue what ſo euer hath proceeded frō him. For ſeeing hee ſpeaketh vntounto vsus in yt ſtead of chriſt, bringeth a celeſtial doctrin, & ſuch as is mixed with no error, we ought to heare & belieue him as the voice of God from heauen. Knowing aſſuredly that hee is of the number of thoſe of whome it is ſaide, he that heareth you heareth me, and he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me, &c. And therefore they commit moſt horrible blaſphemie againſt God, whoſe impudent mouthes are open againſt the apoſtolicall authoritie of ſo excellent an inſtrument of the Lord. But no doubt ſuche miſcreates & rebellious wretches, doe feele the efficacie & light of his apoſtolicall doctrine, whereby their wicked ſtudies are manifeſted & reproued, according to the ſaying of Chriſt, becauſe their deedes are euill, they hate the light, & ſeeing they hate it, but yet can not extinguiſh it, they do what they can to diſcredite it. Yea and that which of all others is moſt abominable, they goe about by peruerting holy Scriptures to mayntayne and defend their diueliſh doctrine.
Whence it commeth, that by abuſing the teſtimonie of of Peter, they labour to perſwade the vnlearned, that the Epiſtles of Paule are harde to bee vnderſtoode and obſcure: Yea ſuch as miniſter cauſes of errores vntounto the vnſkilfull, and therefore are not to bee read of the common forte, but rather to bee reſtrayned, and forbidden. The woordes of Peter are theſe: And ſuppoſe that the long ſuffering of our Lorde is ſaluation,2. Pet. 3.15. euen as our beloued brother Paule according vntounto the wiſedome giuen vntounto him wrote to you, as one that in all his Epiſtles ſpeaketh of theſe things: amōgſt the which ſome things are hard to be vnderſtoode, which they that are vnlearned and vnſtable, peruert as they doe all other ſcriptures vntounto their owne deſtruction. Which woordes doe ſo muche make for the commendation of the Epiſtles of Paul, that they muſt needes be very impudent, and blinded with extreeme malice, which wreſt them to the obſcuring of his doctrine. For firſt theſe woordes giuegive vntounto Paul a celeſtiall and heauenly wiſedome. Secondly they teſtifie that he wrote his Epiſtles according to the ſame wiſedom, and that he wrote the ſame things, & to ye ſame faithful people to whom Peter himſelfe wrote. But it is added, amongſt the which ſome things are hard to be vnderſtood. VVhat then? ſhall all the writings of Paule bee taken away from the people & Church of God, becauſe of the difficultie & hardnes of ſome certayne places? or rather were it not meete thoſe obſcure places ſhoulde bee faithfully, & ſincerely expounded, that the ſimple might vnderſtand thē. By the ſame reaſon let the epiſtles of Peter alſo be inhibited & taken away, for in them there are many things hard to be vnderſtood. As may appeare in his firſt epi. cha. 3. & 4. And in his 2 epiſt. 2. But they are wreſted (quoth they) of the vnlearned and vnſtable.
Wherefore it were better they were taken from the vnlearned, & reſerued onelyonly for the reading of the learned. By the ſame reaſon alſo all holy ſcripture may bee taken away. For Peter teſtifieth of them, that they are peruerted of the vnlearned, & thoſe are vnſtable. What more reaſon is there why the vſe of holy ſcripture ſhould bee forbidden all men, becauſe ſome by peruerting of them hauehave fallen to deſtruction, thē that the vſe of fire & water ſhould be debarred al mē, becauſe many hauehave periſhed by thē. Did the apoſtle write his epiſtles to the Biſhops & other miniſters of Chriſt only, & not rather to all faythful chriſtiās were at Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Epheſus, Colloſſa, Philippos, Macedonia, &c? Did he write of ſuche things only as apperteined vntounto the learned, and not rather of ſuch things as are neceſſarie to be knowen of all, and concerne the ſaluation of all? if he wrote to the learned only, why ſaith he? to all that be at Rome, and not rather to you learned Chriſtians be at Rome. If he wrote of ſuch things as concerne the learned only (& yet wrot the goſpel or glad tidings of ſaluatiō in Chriſt) why ſaith he?Rom. 1.5. I am not aſhamed of the Goſpel of Chriſt: for it is the power of God vntounto ſaluation to eueryevery one that beleeueth, &c. But if both the holy man directed his writings vntounto all, & alſo the thinges conteyned in them doe appertein vntounto all, why rob they the vulgar & common people or laitie (as they terme them) of that the holy ghoſt hath giuen vntounto thē? I meane the light of the Apoſtolicall doctrin & reading of the holy ſcriptures. Contrary to the minde of Chriſo. Who vehemenly exhorteth all chriſtians,VponUpon the epi. to the Colloſ. Hom. 9. and ſpecially the laitie, that they ſhould get them Bibles, or at the leaſt the newe Teſtament. Contrary to the minde of the holy Apoſtle, who ſaith, to the Colloſſ. Let the worde of Chriſt dwel in you plēteouſly in al wiſedom,Colloſſ. 3.16. Iohn. 5.39. teaching & admoniſhing your own ſelues &c. Yea contrary to chriſt himſelf, who ſaith ſearch the ſcriptures, &c. And yet they bluſh not, (how contrary ſoeuer they be to the pure doctrin of Chriſt & his apoſtles) to boaſt thēſelues for the only catholikes of the world, & ſucceſſors of Chriſt & his Apoſtles. But this is no newe thing, for vice hath alway delited in the cloake of vertue, ſuperſtition in the name of religion, and heretikes in the name of catholiks. How truly this is ſaid of the romiſh prelates at this day, we ſhal not need to ſeeke far for profe: onelyonly it ſhall ſuffice to cō pare them in their nowe and newe profeſſed doctrines with the ancient & ſincere doctrin was at the firſt taught and receiued amongſt the olde and true Catholike romanes.
The ſūme & ſubſtance of which doctrine is regiſtred by the holy ghoſt in this Epiſtle: whereat they doe chiefly ſtorme beſides all other the writs of that good man, becauſe it doth in a ſpeciall ſort, detect their Apoſtaſey, conuince their hereſey, & bewray their ſuperſtitious hypocriſie. Howbeit the Church of God is not more bound vntounto the Lord for any portion of ſcripture, then for this moſt excellent & worthy epiſtle.
Wherein is cōteined a cleare & compendious Epitome of Chriſtian religion, as may eaſily appeare by the places therein diſcuſſed: namely, of naturall knowledge, ciuill duties, the lawe of Moſes, the Goſpel, iuſtification, originall ſinne, grace, election, predeſtination, excaecation of the Iewes, and their reſtitution, of the ſacrifice of Chiſtians, of Magiſtrates, and ſubiectes, of bearing the weake, and auoyding offence, &c. So that if a man vnderſtand it, he hath a certayne way open vntounto him, to the vnderſtanding of the whole ſcripture. VVherefore in my iudgement (and I am not of that mind onelyonly) the godly can no where better beſtowe their labour to their edification in true godlineſſe, then in reading, ſtudiyng, yea and committing to memorie this notable Epiſtle.
VVhichWhich is not therefore put in the firſt place as though it had bin written firſt, neither (as the Romaynes perhaps would hauehave it) for the dignitie and worthines ſake of the Romane Church, wherunto it was dedicated: but for the maieſtie, and excellencie of thoſe things are handled in it, ſpecially for the doctrine of grace and iuſtification: which is ſo plainely and diligently handled in certayne chapters, that the whole epiſtle deſerueth to be read eueryevery day, and learned without booke of the faythfull. Yet heere I woulde hauehave all chriſtians admoniſhed, ſeeing the Lord requireth humble and reuerent hearers of his word, as it is written, to him will I looke (ſaith the Lord) euen to him that is poore,Eſa. 66.2. and of a contrite ſpirite, and trembleth at my wordes: that with meeke hearts and due reuerence they handle, heare, & reade the holy ſcriptures of God, alway remembring that watchworde of the Apoſtle,1. Cor. 2.14 Ioh. 3.4. the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the ſpirit of God. &c. And continually for profe therof bearing in minde the example of Nicodemus, who by the dexteritie of wit, and all the helpes of art were in him, could not atteine vntounto the meaning of the words of our ſauiour Chriſt, and that in a common principle of religion, namely regeneration. Wherefore let no man throughe vayne arrogancie contemne the labours of others, neither through foliſh preſumptiō truſt too much to himſelfe.
Vzziah king of Iuda reiecting the prieſts,2. Chro. 26.1… teaching him that he ſhould not offer incenſe cōtrary to the law of the Lord, & thinking that he knew the law better thē they al, for his arrogancie and preſumption was ſmitten with a leproſie. But on the contrary the Eunuch of Ethiopia, acknowledging his own weakeneſſe and ignorance,Act. 8.27. ſaying, Howe can I vnderſtande, except I had a guide, and humbly crauing the helpe of Phillip, receiued a bleſſing from the Lorde. Thus hee ſcattereth the proude in the imagination of their hearts, he putteth downe the mightie from their ſeate, and exalteth the humble and meeke. Hee filleth the hungrie with good things: and the riche hee hath ſent emptie away. No maruaile then why ſo fewe at this day profite accordingly in reading the ſcriptures, ſeeing the greateſt part of people, holy Commentaries and expoſitions of the godly beeing neglected, hauing their eyes blinded with ſelfe louelove, comment vppon them according to their owne ſenſe, whereby both errours increaſe and are maintained, and alſo the Oracles of God moſt vnreuerently prophaned. Which thing as it commeth to paſſe in other bookes of ſacred Scripture, ſo principally in this Epiſtle, wherein without all controuerſie there are many thinges hard to bee vnderſtoode, which the vnlearned and thoſe are vnſtable may eaſily peruert to their owne deſtruction. For preuenting of which euils it is meete not onelyonly that godly and faithfull interpretations bee deliuered vntounto the people, but alſo that they be diligently exhorted, reuerently too imbrace them, as the good helpes of God giuen for their edification in pure and vndefiled religion: and ſeriouſly to reade, heare, and marke them, as the meanes whereby it pleaſeth the Lorde to illuminate their mindes with the true knowledge of his heauenly myſteries, alwaye keeping themſelues with in the compaſſe of their capacitie. Knowing that it is a good part of learning for a mā to vnderſtand his owne ignorance, for hence commeth the ſtudie & deſire to bee taught. And this is (right honorable) the onelyonly cauſe hath moued mee to ſet foorth this tranſlation vponupon the Epiſtle to the Romanes: whiche thing perhaps will ſeeme vntounto many needleſſe and vnneceſſarie, conſidering that the Commentaries of maſter Peter Martyr were alreadie in Engliſh vponupon the ſame matter. Howbeit if thoſe men diligently weigh with thē ſelues, how the Commentaries of the ſaid reuerende father are higher then that eaſily, they may be reached vntounto of the ſimpler ſort, and larger then that they may haſtily be read ouer of ſuche as are drawen away by other affayres, I doubt not but they will ſoone graunt this my labour is not altogether needles and vnneceſſarie. For beſides that none hath dealt more ſincerely in expounding the holy ſcriptures, and more faithfully in drawing foorth the true ſenſe of deepe myſteries, then M. Caluine, hee hath this as peculier to himſelfe, alway to match his faithfull ſinceritie with a plaine briefneſſe. So that men may without any great loſſe of time find that with him which would coſt them much ſeeking in others. And this is not onelyonly a gaine of time, but alſo a notable helpe for memorie, As it is ſaid.
Quicquid praecipies,Horace eſto breuis, vt citò dicta,
Percipiant animi dociles, teneant que fideles.
Finally, the reaſons which hauehave moued mee to dedicate this my ſimple worke vntounto your honorable Lordſhip, are in number three. Firſt, that godly zeale in religion, and tender care for the vulgare people (in ſuche places as apperteine to your Lordſhips patronage) that they ſhould not be clogged with an Idoll, nor deſtitute of a guide, which I hauehave alway ſince my firſt comming into your Lordſhips acquaintance noted in you. For who is more meete to bee a Patrone vntounto that, which tendeth vntounto the profite of the common ſort, then hee who wiſheth nothing more, and ſtudieth nothing ſo much. Secondly, that knowledge of the latine tongue, wherewithall, amongeſt other qualities whiche make you truly honorable, God hath richly indued you. And whereby you are able to iudge what ſinceritie & faithfulnes, I hauehave vſed in this kinde of labour. Thirdly, that bountifulnes and liberalitie which your Lordſhip hath lately ſhewed towards mee: which preſſeth mee eueryevery way (ſeeing I am by no meanes able to make ſatisfaction) to ſhewe my ſelfe thankefull. And I knowe your Lordſhip doth not looke for any other recompence.
Wherefore humbly crauing pardon for my boldenes, and earneſtly beſeeching your honour to accepte in good part my poore Newyeeres gift, as a pledge of my good will towardes you. VVhichWhich notwithſtanding it commeth ſomewhat after the time, yet I truſt not out of ſeaſon. I commit you to the tuition of him who hath loued vsus, and waſhed vsus from our ſinnes in his blood, and hath made vsus kings and prieſtes vntounto God euen his father. At London the 11. of Ianuarie. 1583.
Your Lorſhips faithfull ſeruant to command in Chriſt, Chriſtopher Roſdel.