Commentary on Romans, Dedication 2
Iohn Caluine vntounto Gryney a man very worthie to bee honoured, wiſheth proſperitie.
I Remember, that three yeeres agoe, when wee communed familierly betweene our ſelues, of the beſt kinde of expounding the Scripture, that reaſon which pleaſed you greatly, was alſo at the ſame time before all others approued of mee. For wee were both of this minde, that the principal point of an interpreter did conſiſt in a plaine briefnes. And truly ſeeing this is in a maner his whole charge, to ſhewe foorth the minde of the writer, whom he hath taken vponupon him to expounde: loooke by how muche hee leadeth the readers away from the ſame, by ſo much hee is wide of his marke, or rather after a ſorte wandereth out of his boundes. So wee wiſhed that amongſt them, which at this day ſeeke to further the ſtudie of diuinitie in this kinde of labour, there might ſome one bee found, that both ſtudied for facilitie or eaſineſſe, & alſo gaue his diligence not to trouble thoſe are deſirous of learning, aboue meaſure with long commentaries. And although I know all men are not of this minde: and they which are not of this minde, hauehave alſo their reaſons which induce them to iudge ſo: yet notwithſtanding I cannot bee drawen from the louelove of compendiouſnes. But ſeeing through that, varietie is graffed in the mindes of men, ſome thinges pleaſe ſome men better then otherſome: let eueryevery man heerin vſe his owne iudgement, ſo that no one man couet to bring all other men vnderunder his rules, So it ſhall come to paſſe, that neither we, who are more delighted with breuitie, ſhall refuſe, or contemne their labours, who are more copious and large in expounding the holy ſcriptures: and they againe ſhall beare with vsus, albeit they thinke wee are briefe and ſhort. I coulde not chooſe but make a tryall what good I might doe heerein to the church of god. Not as though I had alreadie obteined that, which then ſeemed beſt vntounto vsus: either thought when I beganne that I could obteine it: but I indeuoured, ſo to order my ſtile or forme of writing, that I might ſeeme to apply my minde towardes that example. How much I hauehave profited herein, becauſe it is not my part to iudge, I leaue that to you, and ſuche as you are, to be eſteemed. Sure I am many will condemne my pollicie, in that I durſt make a tryall, chiefly in this Epiſtle of Paule. For ſeeing ſo many men of excellent learning, before this hauehave taken great paines in the interpreting heereof, it is to bee ſuppoſed, there remaineth no place for others to better that they hauehave alreadie done. And I muſt needes confeſſe, that notwithſtanding I was perſuaded my worke woulde bee of ſome value, yet this cogitation at the firſt did terrifie mee, for I feared to incurre the reproch of raſhneſſe, if after ſo many cunning workemen I ſhould lay hand to this worke. There are many Commentaries vponupon this Epiſtle, both of the elder, and latter writers. And ſurely ſurely they coulde no where better hauehave beſtowed their labour: ſeeing if a man vnderſtand it, he hath a certaine way opened vntounto him, to the vnderſtanding of the whole Scripture. I will ſpeake nothing of the olde writers: who for their pietie, knowlege, ſanctimonie, and antiquitie, are of ſuch authoritie that wee ought to contemne nothing, which hath proceeded from them. And name by name to recite all thoſe that liue at this day were to no purpoſe. Therfore I wil declare my mind touching thoſe who hauehave beſtowed ſpeciall paines heerein. Philip Melancthon according to that ſinguler knowledge, induſtrie, and dexteritie, Whereby hee excelleth in all kinde of learning aboue thoſe whiche came foorth before him, hath giuen great light. But becauſe as it may ſeeme, his purpoſe was only to diſcuſſe the principall things: whiles hee ſtayeth in them, wittingly hee paſſeth by many thinges, which may greatly trouble a ſimple wit. After him commeth Bullinger, who alſo for his merites hath gotten great prayſe. For he had an eaſineſſe coupled with his learning, wherein hee greatly approued himſelfe.
Finally, Bucer hauing ſet foorth his trauailes, did (as a man would ſay) make vp the matter. For that man (as you know) beſides the hidden learning, & abundant knowledge of many things, beſides the ſharpnes of wit, great reading, & many other vertues, wherein hee is almoſt inferiour to none at this day, to be compared but with fewe, and excelleth many: is chiefly to bee commended in this, that none in our time hath vſed more exact diligence in expounding the ſcripture then he. Therefore as I doe confeſſe, it were a token of too impudent emulation, to contend with ſuch men, ſo it was neuer in my minde to take from them the leaſt part of prayſe. Let them hauehave that fauour and authoritie, which by the confeſſion of al good mē they hauehave deſerued. Yet notwithſtanding (as I hope) this wil be graunted vntounto me, that there was neuer at any time amongſt men any thing ſo abſolute, in poliſhing, garniſhing, or ſetting forth wherof, there was not place left for the diligence of thoſe came after. I dare ſay nothing of my ſelfe, but that I thought this my labor would not be vnprofitable: whereunto nothing els did euer moone mee, then the publique benefite of the Church. Moreouer, I well hoped that in a diuers kinde of writing, I ſhould not bee preſſed with anye ſpite of emulation, which thing I was chiefly to take heede of. Phillip hath obteined his purpoſe, which was to open the principall points, wherein whiles he beſtowed himſelfe, he let many things ſlip, which are not to be neglected, not forbidding others to declare thoſe alſo.
Bucer is both larger then that haſtily hee may bee read of thoſe, are tyed to other buſineſſe: and alſo higher, then that eaſily he cā be vnderſtood of the ſimple, & thoſe are not very circūſpect. For what argument ſoeuer hee taketh vppon him to intreate of (through that plentifull wit, wherein he paſſeth) he hath ſuch ſtore of matter, that hee knoweth not where to leaue of. Seeing therefore the one of them hath not purſued all, and the other is more large then that hee can bee read in ſhort time: mee thinke mine attempt hath no ſhew of emulation. Yet I doubted with my ſelf a good while, whether I were better make (as it were) certaine gliemings after them, and others, wherein I might gather thoſe thinges whiche I thought profitable for the meaner ſort: or els ſhold make an whole Comment, wherin of neceſſitie I muſt repeate many thinges, which eyther of all, or at the leaſt of ſome of them had beene ſaide before. But becauſe they many times varie amongeſt them ſelues, whiche thing, greatly troubleth the ſimple reader, who doubteth to whether of them he might the rather leane vntounto: I thought alſo it were not amiſse, if by ſhewing the beſt interpretation, I did eaſe them of the paines of iudging, who of themſelues are not ſufficiently able to iudge aright: ſpecially ſeeing I determined to compriſe al things ſo briefly, that the Readers ſhoulde not ſpende muche time, to reade thoſe things with mee, which are contained in others. Finally, I had great regard, that no man ſhoulde iuſtly complaine, there were many ſuperfluous things heere. Concerning the profitablenes heereof I will ſay nothing: and yet perhaps the godly, after they hauehave read, will confeſſe that they hauehave gotten more heereby, then modeſtie will ſuffer mee in wordes to promiſe. And whereas I doe ſometimes diſagree from others, or rather am ſomewhat contrary vntounto others, therein I am to bee excuſed. For verily the worde of God ought to bee of ſuch reuerence with vsus, that thorowe the diuerſitie of interpretations, it might not bee drawen aſunder of vsus, no not one hay…e breadth. For ſo the Maieſtie thereof is (I cānot tel how) diminiſhed, and ſo much the more if the ſame be not done with great choyſe, and ſobrietie. For if it bee a ſinne to pollute any thing that is dedicate vntounto God: ſurely he is not to be ſuffered, which doth vnreuerentlie handle that thing, which of all other thinges are in the earth is moſt holy.
Therefore it is abominable boldneſſe to vſe the ſcripture at our pleaſure, and to play with them, as with a tenis ball: which manye before this hauehave done. Yet a man might ſee at all times, howe that euen thoſe, who hauehave godly, religiouſly, and ſoberly handeled the myſteries of god, hauehave not alwayes agreed amongſt themſelues. For God at no time hath voutchſafed his ſeruants with ſo ſinguler a bleſſing, that eueryevery of them, ſhoulde bee indued with a full, perfect, and abſolute knowledge. And it is not to bee doubted but hee doth it partly to the end hee might humble vsus, and partly to reteine vsus in the ſtudie of brotherly communication. Wherfore ſeeing it is not to be looked for in this preſent life, albeit it were greatly to be wiſhed, that there were a perpetuall conſent amongſt vsus in expounding the places of ſcripture: we muſt doe our indeuour, that neither ſtirred with deſire of innouation, nor compelled through luſt of defaming others, or moued by any hatred, ne yet tickeled with anye ambition: but onelie conſtrained thereunto of neceſſitie, ſeeking nothing els then the publique profite of the Church, wee departe from the iudgementes of thoſe were before vsus: and againe that the ſame bee done …n the …poſitiō of the ſcripture: for concerning the points of religion, wher… chiefly God would hauehave his to bee of one minde leſſe libertie is to bee taken. The Readers ſhall eaſily finde in mee care of both theſe. But becauſe it is not ſeemely for mee either to iudge, or pronounce of my ſelfe, I doe willingly per…it this office to you: to whoſe iudgement if all men attribute much, there is nothing which I ought not to attribute, Wherein you are throughly knowen vntounto mee by familier conuerſation, which notwithſtanding it many times diminiſheth the reputation of others, it hath greatly augmented yours, which otherwiſe is famous with all the learned.
Farewell. At Argentine the 15. of the Calend. of Nouember. 1539.