Commentary on Romans

17. Quest. Of the meaning of these words, Declared to be the Son of God in power.

1. Some read, predestinate to be the Son of God: which they expound diversely. 1. Ambrose giveth this sense, he was predestinate, not to be the Son of God, for he was from the beginning, sed vt manifestetur, but to be manifested in the flesh. But then had S. Paul spoken very imperfectly and doubtfully, saying only, predestinate to be the Son of God, without any other addition. 2. Augustine joineth it with the last clause, by the resurrection of the dead: he was predestinate to be the first and chief of those, which should rise from the dead, August. in 1. ad Roman. But by this exposition the order of the words is transposed. 3. Anselmus, and so also Lyranus thus expound, that Christ as the Son of God, could not be predestinate, being coeternal with his father: sed vnio illa facta est à dei praedestinatione, but that union between the human and divine nature came to pass according to God's predestination. But this devise Tolet overthroweth by this argument; that it cannot be said, that Christ as man was predestinate to be the Son of God: for, when we say Christ, we affirm him to be God: as we cannot say, a man is predestinate to have a soul: for he cannot be a man without a soul: ad quod aliquid praedestinatur, est extra ipsam, quod praedestinatur, that whereunto anything is predestinate, is another thing beside that which is predestinate: Christ then cannot be predestinate to be the Son of God, because Christ is always the Son of God: therefore not Christ, but the human nature of Christ was predestinate to be united to the divine. 4. Tolet understandeth this predestination, not of the priority of time, but of order: that Christ was predestinate, that is, prae omnibus declaratus filius, before all declared to be the Son of God, for he only is the true natural Son of God. But predestination is not taken in that sense: and this being admitted, that Christ was preordained to be the Son of God, then he was ordained: but that cannot be said, seeing he was always the Son of God. And all these expositions do fail in mistaking the Greek word, which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ordained or defined, not preordained.

2. Origen mistaketh the word predestinate, and therefore readeth simply without the preposition, destinate, or appointed: for praedestinatur, quod non est, destinatur, quod est: that is predestinate which is not, that is destined which is. But Origen's distinction holdeth not: for even Christ, in respect of his office, though not as God, is said by the Apostle, to be ordained before the foundation of the world. 1. Pet. 1.20.

3. There is then a third exposition, which is best of all: to interpret the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , declared, demonstrated, as Chrysost. Theophyl. Tertullian. adverse. Propeam. so also Erasmus, Beza, with most of our new writers: so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth not only to decree, define, but to demonstrate, prove, declare: and this sense is most agreeable to the words following, according to the spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection, &c. that is, in his divine nature showing it self by Christ's raising of himself from the dead, he was declared to be the son of God.

4. And touching the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in power, it neither is to be restrained to the miracles and signs, which Christ wrought, as Chrysostom, for that expresseth not the full meaning of the Apostle: nor yet is it to be referred to the word declared, that he was mightily declared, though that be true also, Genevens. but rather unto the last words, the Son of God: he was declared to be the Son of God, omnipotent, of the same power and majesty with his Father. Beza, Pareus, Gorrham.

18. Quest. Of these words, according to the spirit of sanctification, v. 4.

1. Some do here understand by the spirit of sanctification, the holy Ghost, the third person in Trinity: and in this sense it is diversely applied. 1. Some refer it to the clause before of Christ's birth, he was made according to the seed of David after the flesh, &c. by the spirit of sanctification, because he was conceived by the holy Ghost. gloss. ordinar. 2. Some do join it with the 1. v. put apart for the Gospel of God, &c. by the spirit of sanctification: but the order of the Apostles words, will admit neither of these interpretations. 3. Chrysostom expoundeth it of the gifts of the spirit, which Christ distributed at the sending of the holy Ghost: so also Tolet understandeth it of the virtue and operation of the spirit, whereby the Apostles wrought wonders and signs. But the phrase will not bear this exposition, which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , according to the spirit, not by the spirit, which are two diverse things, as Beza noteth: if any of these interpretations be received, the Apostle would have said, by the spirit, not, according to the spirit. 4. Gorrham showeth how Christ was declared to be the Son of God, by the spirit of sanctification, these 7. ways: 1. because he was conceived by the holy Ghost, 2. he was replenished with the gifts of the spirit, 3. manifested by the spirit, when it descended upon him in the likeness of a dove, 4. he was glorified by the spirit, John. 16.14. 5. he breathed the spirit upon his disciples, 6. he sent the holy Ghost upon his Apostles, 7. he giveth his spirit to all that believe in him: Eph. 1.13. Ye were sealed by the holy spirit of promise.

2. Origen by the spirit, understandeth the soul and spirit of man: but that manifested Christ to be man, not the Son of God.

3. But by the spirit of sanctification, is not here meant the holy spirit, the third person of the Trinity: but the divine nature of Christ. And whereas Tolet objecteth, nec divi • i ••• in Scriptura vnquam tali voice significatio, that the divine nature is never signified by this manner of speech; it is evident, that where S. Paul saith, 2. Tim. 3.16. justified in the spirit: and Heb. 9.14, he offered himself through the eternal spirit, that the divine nature is here understood: which is said to sanctify, because of the effects: by his divine spirit he sanctifieth his own body 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hypostatically: and his mystical body the Church 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 powerfully, or effectually. This to be the meaning, is evident by the opposition, between the flesh and the spirit: as he was made according to the flesh, so he was the Son of God according to the spirit. Beza, Pareus. And before them Ambrose so expoundeth, which was the Son of God, according to the sanctifying spirit: that is, secundum Deum, qui spiritus est, & sine dubio sanctus, according unto God, who is a spirit, and without all doubt, holy.

19. Quest. Of those words, by the resurrection of the dead.

1. Because it is said, of the dead, not from the dead, Origen understandeth it of those which were raised with Christ in his resurrection: But his power was more seen in raising himself, which never any did beside, then in raising others: which even the Prophets did, though not by the like power.

2. Augustine following the vulgar Latin, which readeth, the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord ; applieth it unto the faithful, which are called the dead of the Lord Christ, to distinguish them from the infidels which were dead: in exposition, inchoat. But the words following, of Jesus Christ our Lord, are rather referred to the beginning of the third verse, concerning his Son, &c. (and then all the rest followeth, enclosed in a parenthesis, which was made of the seed of David, &c.) even Jesus Christ our Lord. Chrysostom thus readeth, because Jesus Christ rose from the dead: but the Greek construction will not bear it, Jesus Christ being put in the genitive case, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

3. Tolet interpreteth, post resurrectionem, after the resurrection, when as Christ by the manifold graces of the spirit, declared himself to be the Son of God: but then it should be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , after the resurrection, whereas the words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by the resurrection.

4. Some by the dead, understand such as were raised by the first resurrection from the dead works of sin, unto newness of life: Hugo Cardin. but that had not been so evident a sign of the divine power.

5. Wherefore, by the resurrection of the dead, the resurrection of Christ from the dead, is signified: for in Scripture the resurrection of the dead, is so taken for the resurrection from the dead, as 1. Cor. 15.42. Hebr. 6.2. Beza, Perexius: and Pareus observeth well, that the preposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is omitted, because it was used before, that it should not be twice repeated: so he saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : by the resurrection of the dead, for from the dead. By this his glorious resurrection Christ manifested himself to be God in the flesh: as John. 5.26. As the Father hath life in himself, so he hath given unto the Son to have life in himself: and again, John. 9.19. Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up again. Thus Chrysostom expoundeth this place, ex resurrection, per quam mortis evici • tyrannidem, by the resurrection, whereby he overcame the tyranny of death: likewise Oecumenius understandeth the resurrection, qua ipse Dominus Jesus exurrexit, whereby the Lord Jesus himself rose again.

Quest. 20. Of these words, v. 5. By whom we have received grace and Apostleship.

1. By whom, that is as Origen, Ambrose, Lyranus expound, per Christum Mediatorem, by Christ the mediator of God and man: and make this the sense, that he was called of God to be an Apostle by the mediation of Christ: But Chrysostom better understandeth Christ here as the principal author of his calling: which is indifferently sometime ascribed unto Christ, sometime unto the holy Ghost: as Act. 13.2. The holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul. And hereby S. Paul showeth a difference between his calling, and of others, that he was immediately constituted an Apostle by Christ himself, and not by men, Beza annot.

2. By grace and Apostleship. 1. Theodoret understandeth two distinct things, by grace the gifts of the holy Ghost, wherewith he was furnished, and by Apostleship, his vocation it self: so also Lyranus, concedens dignitatem apostolicam, simul dat gratiam ad exequendum, granting unto him the Apostolic dignity, he also giveth grace to execute it. 2. Origen interpreteth grace to be the fruit of patience, whereby he endured so many labors in the Gospel. 3. Ambrose taketh it to be the grace of remission of sins, common withal other faithful, so also Gorrham. 4. some understand gratiam conuersionis, the grace of his conversion, Tolet. Pareus. 5. Gryneus of the gift, in fructu Evangelizandi, of preaching the gospel with profit and good success. 6. But hereby better is understood, the grace of his Apostleship: as S. Paul himself expoundeth, Ephes. 3.8. Even unto me the least of all Saints, is this grace given, that I should preach anong the Gentiles, &c. Beza. so also Chrysostom and Oecumenius understand it of his Apostleship, which he received not by his merits or worthiness, but by the grace of God: as he saith, 1. Cor. 15.8. I am the least of all the Apostles, which am not worthy to be called an Apostle, &c. but by the grace of God, I am that I am, Gwalther. And though it be said grace and Apostleship: yet it followeth not, as Tolet objecteth, that they should be two distinct things but the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and, is put by way of exposition, grace, that is Apostleship, Beza. or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Apostolatus, the grace or gift of the Apostleship, Faius. and so it is taken pr • Apostolatu gratis collati, for his Apostleship freely bestowed or conferred, Hyperius.

3. In his name, or for his name. 1. Ambrose expoundeth it, vice eius, in his stead: as the Apostle saith, 2. Cor. 5.20. We are embassabours for Christ: so also Pareus. 2. Chrysostom readeth de nomine eius, of his name, that is, that they might believe in his name, and so Hyperius taketh it for the matter of his preaching, that he should publish the benefits received by Christ: and therefore Act. 9.15. Christ saith to Ananias, He is a chosen vessel to bear my name among the Gentiles, Beza. Faius. 3. But it rather showeth the ende of S. Paul's preaching: for his name, that is, pro Christi gloria, to set forth the glory and praise of Christ, Gwalther. Lyranus. yet both these last interpretations may well stand together.

Quest. 21. Of the persons, whom the Apostle saluteth, to all you that be at Rome, &c.

There are three parts of this salutation: he describeth them 1. by the place, to all at Rome. 2. by the cause and fountain of their vocation and calling: beloved of God. 3. the end, called to be Saints, that they should be holy: he writeth not generally to all at Rome, but with a restraint, he writeth fidelibus, non alijs, to the faithful, not to any other, Gorrham, and writeth unto all the faithful, without any respect of persons, sieve essent ex primatibus, & consulibus, whether they were of the chief men or consuls, or private and poor men, Chrysost. and he writeth not only to those which were Romans by nation, but even unto the strangers at Rome also which were converted to the faith, so that they are deceived, which think that this epistle was written in the Roman tongue, because it is written to the Romans: there were Grecians, and of other nations at Rome, in so much that Juvenal calleth it Graecam vrbem, a Greek city, because of the abundance of strangers there, Erasmus.

2. Beloved of God. 1. because God loved us before any merits of ours, gloss. ordinar. 2. there is a twofold love of God, vna predestinationis, one of predestination, as it is said, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated: alia presentis iustificationis, another of present justification: as it is also said in the Proverbs, c. 8.17. I love them, that love me: of the former the Apostle speaketh in this place, Hugo Cardin. delectis per praedestinationem, beloved in God's predestination, Gorrham. 3. herein God's love is unlike unto man's: for man loveth upon some cause, or desert going before: but God loved us without any desert of ours, Tolet. so then the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , beloved, is here taken passively, not actively, not for the lovers of God, but for them which are beloved of God, Aretius.

3. Called Saints. 1. Chrysostom here noteth, that thrice S. Paul hath used this word, called, of himself, v. 1. and t • ice of the Romans, v. 6.7. which he doth not superfluously, but volent illis, beneficij admouere, willing to put thē in mind of the benefit, that they should ascribe all to the calling of God: and that S. Paul being called writeth to those that are called, he prepareth them to hear him: seeing he was ab eodem vocatus, called by the same, by whom they were called, Aretius. 2. they are called Saints, that is, called, •• sint sancti, to be Saints, Tolet. and hereby the Apostle maketh a difference between their former state wherein they lived, which was unholy and impure, and the condition to the which they were now called to be holy, Aretius: and hereby is taken away the difference between the Jews and the Gentiles, that the Jews should not exalt themselves a • the only holy people: but the Gentiles also were called to the same glorious condition of holiness, Erasm. here the name of Saints, non perfectionem denotat, doth not note a perfection, but signifieth him which was consecrate unto God, Gwalther. he is counted holy, qui affectu tenet sanctitatem, which retaineth holiness in his affection, though he have some imperfections: And though there might be some hypocrites and carnal professors among them, yet respicit ad meliorem par • em, he hath respect to the better part of the Church. Aretius.

Quest. 22. What the Apostle understandeth by grace and peace. ver. 7.

In these words is contained the salutation it self: wherein two things are expressed. 1. what the Apostle wisheth unto them, and from whom.

1. Grace and peace. 1. Origen here noteth, that this benediction of the Apostle was nothing inferior unto those blessings pronounced by the Patriarchs, as the blessing of Noah. upon Sem and Japheth: and Melchisedekes benediction upon Abraham: because Paul also blessed by the spirit: as he saith, 1. Cor. 7.40. I think that I also have the spirit of God: But it is not usual in the Old Testament to use this blessing of grace: and the reason may be this, because the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, John. 1.17. Hyperius. 2. By grace, Ambrose understandeth remission of sins; by peace, reconcillation with God: Lyranus, gracia in praesenti, gloria in futuro, grace in this life present, and glory in the next: Hugo, gratias agant Deo, pacem habeant cum proximo, that they should give thanks to God, and have peace with their neighbors: Tolet by grace understandeth donum animae, &c. a gift of the mind, whereby a man is made acceptable unto God: but there is no gift conferred upon the soul, that can make it acceptable unto God, but the grace and favor of God in Christ: therefore by grace rather is signified the grace and favor of God, whereupon followeth the collation of all other graces beside, and by peace, prosperous success, but especially the tranquility of mind, which is the special fruit of justification by faith, Rom. 5.1. Gryneus: and so this benediction answereth to the salutation of the Angels, Luk. 2.14. Peace in earth, toward men good will: for the mercy and gracious favor of God, is the fountain of our peace.

2. From God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. the Greek construction is doubtful, whether we understand thus the Father of us and of our Lord Jesus Christ, or refer the last clause to the first preposition, and from the Lord Jesus Christ: whereupon Fransiscus David a Samosetian heretic taketh advantage, that Paul doth not wish grace from Jesus Christ, but from the father only: But this cavil is easily removed, for John. 2.2. the preposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from, is repeated, from God the father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, and so must it be taken here, Pareus. 2. Some distinguish these two thus, that grace is wished from God the father, as the author of grace, and peace from Jesus Christ, who is our reconciler, Aretius. But Haymo misliketh that, and would have this grace and peace indifferently to be conferred and equally, by God the father, and the Lord Jesus. 3. Tertullian giveth this reason, why the title of God is given unto the father, of Lord unto Christ, least the Gentiles might hereby have taken occasion to think of the plurality of gods: but when the Apostle speaketh of Christ alone, he saith, who is God over all, blessed forever, Rom. 9.5. Tertullian. adverse. Praxeam. But the reason rather is this, why Christ is called Lord, because the father hath committed unto him all authority: for he is called the Lord which hath plenary power, and authority: and yet the father is so called God, as that the Son is not excluded: and the Son is also Lord, as that the father be also included: and this name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Lord, answereth to the Hebrew, Jehovah, which showeth that Christ is very God with his father, Aretius. 4. but further the question is moved, why there is no mention here made of the holy Ghost: Haymo answereth, that intelligitur in donis suis, he is understood in his gifts, because grace and peace are also the gifts of the holy Ghost: so also gloss. ordinar. But the better answer is, that seeing these graces do equally flowe from the whole Trinity, the Apostle by naming the father and the Son, includeth also the holy Ghost: and sometime he expresseth them all, as 2. Cor. 13.13. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all.

Quest. 23. Of Paul's giving of thanks for the faith of the Romans, which was published abroad, v. 8.

1. In this thanksgiving four things are observed, to whom he giveth thanks, to God, by whom, thorough Christ, for whom, for you all, and for what, because their faith was published through the world: And this wise beginning S. Paul maketh, thus insinuating himself, that his admonition afterward might seem to proceed from a loving mind, Tolet.

2. I thank my God. 1. he saith my God, not theirs, to signify that their faith was imperfect: as Ambrose, for in the words following he setteth forth an ample commendation of their faith. 2. some think he so saith, because he acknowledged this benefit, that the Romans believed, to be as conferred upon himself, Tolet. 3. But the manner of the Saints is so to speak, as David doth often in the Psalms, ex privato sensu diuinae bonitatis, of a private and more lively sense and feeling which they have of the goodness of God: and in respect of some singular gifts, which they have received, Marty. so also Chrysostom: id magno facit affectu, he doth it with a great affection: And so the Prophets and other holy men, cum qui communis est omnium Deus, sibt proprium facientes, making the common God of all peculiar to themselves: even as the Lord did call himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, tanquam seorsim illorum tantum esset, as though he were severally their God only.

3. Thorough Jesus Christ. He offereth thanks throrough Christ: 1. the meaning whereof is not, as Ambrose, to give thanks for a benefit received by Christ. 2. but as Origen, per Christum tanquam sacerdotem, he offereth this sacrifice of thanks by Christ, as the high Priest, by whom all our oblations are acceptable unto God: for we must take the same way in giving of thanks, which the father doth in conferring graces: that as he bestoweth his graces upon us in Christ, so in him again, we should return our thanks, Aretius.

4. For you all: 1. not as in their stead, as David desired to die for Jonathan, but because of them, that they had received such an excellent gift of faith: 2. the Apostle, sui oblitus, forgetteth himself, and giveth thanks for the Church, Pareus. 3. he giveth thanks for them all, incipientibus, proficientibus, perfectis, for the beginners, for them which profited and proceeded, and for them which were perfect, Gorrham.

Quest. 24. How the faith of the Romans was published through the world.

1. Origen by the whole world, understandeth the Angels in heaven, which did rejoice for the conversion of men in earth: but this savoreth of his accustomed curious speculations: the like phrase the Apostle useth of the Thessalonians, 1. epist. 1.8. Your faith spread abroad in all quarters: he meaneth then the world of men, not of Angels. 2. Jerome maketh this the sense: because the same faith which the Romans had received, was preached by the Apostles in all the world: but the Apostle here doth give a special commendation of the faith of the Romans. 3. therefore here an hyperbole, or rather a Synecdoche, is to be admitted, that many parts of the world are taken for all: because the more known parts of the world were now subject to the Romans: so S. Luke saith, c. 2.1. There came a commandment from Augustus Caesar, that all the world should be taxed, Pareus. And Chrysostom giveth this reason: Rome was quasi in quodam orbis vertice collocata, placed as in the top of the world, whence it might be seen and discerned of all the earth.

Quest. 25. Of the singular faith of the Romans.

1. First their faith was commendable and famous, for the worthiness and excellency thereof: both for the soundness of doctrine, which they had received, as S. Paul testifieth, c. 16.17. I beseech you, observe those, which cause division and dissention among you, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and beside their knowledge was joined with goodness and fervent love: as he again saith, c. 15.12. I am persuaded of you, that ye are full of goodness, and filled with all knowledge, and that ye are able to admonish one another. 2. Again they had many lets and impediments, which made their faith the more famous. 1. diuitijs & delicijs corrupti erant, they were corrupt with riches and other delicates, and so were hindered from believing. 2. qui praedicabant erant piscatores, they which preached the Gospel were fishermen, and Jews, which nation was odious unto the Gentiles. 3. they taught to worship a man that was crucified. 4. vitam exagebant austeriorem, they exacted a more strict and austere kind of life, Chrysostom. 5. unto this may be added that the most grievous persecution of the faith was at Rome, and the Christians there were as under the paw of the lion, and so in greatest danger: yet notwithstanding, all these lets and impediments they received the Christian saith. 3. And further the Roman Church is commended in respect of the founders thereof, and the planters of their faith, which was first founded by S. Paul, and then by Peter, who both lived and preached there, and there ended their life: from thence also it is thought that John the Evangelist was banished into the Isle Patmos: Chrysostom therefore thus saith of Rome, ob id maxim Romam praedico beatam, &c. I do chiefly for this count Rome happy: because Peter and Paul, did so love it, that they taught the faith of Christ there, and finished their life among them, hom. vlt. in epist. ad Roman. 4. But concerning the last commendation of the Romans faith, which Pererius produceth, that the Church of Rome, inviolatam & intaminatam conservauit, &c. hath kept inviolably, and pure the faith received from the Apostles: that it is manifestly false, shall afterward be shown in the places of controversy.

Quest. 29. Whether the Church of Rome were first founded by S. Peter.

1. It is the received opinion of the Romanists, that Peter was the first founder of the Roman faith: for the proof whereof they allege certain authorities, as of Eusebius, who writeth that in the 2. year of Claudius Peter came to Rome, and there confounded Simon Magus, and preached the faith to the Romans: at which time they entreated Mark to write the Gospel as they had heard it from S. Peters mouth, Euseb. 2. histor. Ecclesiast. c. 13.14. likewise Chrysostom, affirmeth the same that Peter preached at Rome first, qui praedicabant erant piscatores, they that preached were fishers, ex Perer. Bellarmine to the same purpose also produceth Epiphanius, Orosius, Leo, with others, that the faith was first planted by Peter at Rome, lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. c. 1.

2. Contra. 1. Concerning Peters coming to Rome there is great uncertainty: Jerome and Eusebius, say it was in the 2. year of Claudius: But Beda in 15. c. Actor. affirmeth it to have been in the 4. year of Claudius: Onuphrius assigneth the 3. year of Claudius, in Chronic. Damasus saith, that he came to Rome in the beginning of Nero's Empire, and sat there 25. years, whereas Nero reigned but 14. years in all: and he further affirmeth that Peters disputation and combat with Simon Magus, was in the presence of Neto the Emperor, which Eusebius reporteth to have been under Claudius. 2. Chrysostom speaketh of the preaching of fishermen, but not of the first preaching at Rome: the Apostles being fishermen, and of no note in the world first began to preach the Gospel in the world: not only Peter, but Andrew his brother also, and James and John were fishermen: he may as well prove hence, these to have been founders of the Roman Church, as well as S. Peter. 3. Epiphanius as Bellarmine citeth him haeres. 27. saith, primi in Roma fuerunt Petrus & Paulus, the first in Rome were Peter and Paul, &c. he giveth no priority to Peter before Paul. 4. Orosius saith, l. 7. c. 7. Exordio regni Claudij, &c. in the beginning of the reign of Claudius, Peter came to Rome, at{que} exinde Christiani Roma esse coeperunt, and that from that time Christians began to be in Rome, &c. But it shall be shown afterward, that there were Christians in Rome before Claudius reign: and the same Orosius maketh mention of a decree made by the Senate in Tiberius reign, exterminandos esse ex vrbe Christianos, that the Christians should be expelled out of Rome. 5. Leo writeth thus, serm. 1. de natal. Apostolor. Cum Apostli imbuendum Euangelio mundum, &c. when the Apostles had undertaken, parting the earth among them, to season the world with the Gospel, beatissimus Petrus, &c. ad arcem Romani destinatur imperij, blessed Peter was appointed to the chief place of the Roman Empire, &c. But this is contrary to that which S. Paul writeth, Galat. 2.7. that the Gospel over the uncircumcision was committed to Paul, as the Gospel over the circumcision was committed to Peter: Then is it evident that S. Peters lot fell out among those of the circumcision.

3. Now it shall be shown that S. Peter could not be the first founder of the Roman Church. 1. S. Paul in his salutation, Rom. 16.7. maketh mention of Andronicus and Iunia, which were in Christ before him: they were converted to the faith before S. Paul: but he was converted the 2. year after Christ's passion, about the 20. year of Tiberius: from which time to the second year of Claudius, when Peter is held first to have come to Rome were about 9. years, there remained 3. of Tiberius reign, 4. of Caligula, and 2. of Claudius. It is evident then that 9. years, before Peter came to Rome, Paul was converted, and before Paul's conversion, there were some at Rome which had received the Christian faith. 2. Vellenus whom Bellarmine confuteth, allegeth out of Orosius lib. 7. that there were Christians in Rome in the reign of Tiberius: when there was a decree made by the Senate, that the Christians should be banished from Rome: Bellarmine answereth, that the meaning of the decree was, vt non reciperetur vllo modo Christiana religio, that the Christian religion should not by any means be received into the city: But the words are exterminandos esse ex vrbe Christianos, that the Christians should be exterminate or expelled out of Rome: they could not have been expelled, if they had not been there before. 3. Clemens in his recognitions, and Dorotheus in Synops. do affirm, that Barnabas was the first, that preached at Rome, and converted them to the saith: which report Bellarmine and Pererius hold to be but a fable: neither will we contend for the truth thereof: for S. Paul is as like to have been the first planter of the saith there, as Barnabas: But by this is appeareth even out of these writers, which the Romanists make account of, when they may serve their turn, that it was not held of any certainty that S. Peter first preached the faith at Rome. 4. Further, seeing the Gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to Paul, of the circumcision to Peter, it is not like that Peter would intrude himself within S. Paul's division: who if he had so soon come to Rome, and planted a Church there, whose example the rest of the Gentiles, depending upon the Romans, would have followed, he rather should have been the Apostle of the uncircumcision then S. Paul. 5. Wherefore it is not probable, that the Roman Church was first planted by S. Peters preaching: neither yet was Paul the first that there preached: for as yet he had not been at Rome when he wrote this epistle: Therefore it is most like, that some other of the disciples, and believers first laid the foundation of faith, at Rome, which afterward was built further by the Apostles, Faius. And herein I mislike not the opinion of Hugo Card. andierant à quibusdam fidelibus qui Roman • venerant Hierosolynsis, they had heard of certain faithful, which came to Rome from Jerusalem: to the same purpose Gorrbam: quidem acceperant fideru à Petra & hierant been edocti, quidam à Indais disciputis, & bi non pleur, some had received these faith of Peter, and they were well taught, some of the Jews being disciples, and they were not fully instructed, &c. They are of opinion, that the Romans first received their faith by certain disciples, that came unto them: though afterward they were more fully instructed by Peter.

Quest. 27. The place, Act. 28.21. reconciled.

1. Whereas the Jews say there unto Paul, We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither came any of the brethren, &c. the question here moved is, how these dwelling at Rome could thus say unto Paul whereas this epistle had been written long before. 2. Hereunto the answer is, that those Jews, were not Christians or believers, and so not of the number of the brethren to whom S. Paul had written this Epistle, namely to such as were Saints by calling: but such as had not yet received the Gospel: for they say, concerning this sect we know, that everywhere it is spoken against, Parens. and beside, whereas S. Paul had declared unto them, how the Jews had resisted him, and constrained him to appeal unto Caesar, they make answer, that they had received no letters concerning such things as had happened unto him.

Quest. 28. Whether this be an oath, God is my witness, v. 9.

Although the usual form of an oath be not here kept: as when men swear by the name of God, of Jesus, using the preposition, per, by, yet it is evident the Apostle here doth take a solemn oath: as it may appear by these reasons. 1. first by the definition of an oath, which is a calling of God to witness, of that which we say: as the Apostle here doth, so that to say, God is my witness, is as much as if he should say, I swear by God, Tolet. 2. Augustine giveth instance of other places where the Apostle useth the like oath, as Galat. 1.20. The things which I write unto you, I witness before God, that I lie not: and 2. Cor. 11.31. The God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lie not: like unto these oaths is this which the Apostle taketh here: Augustine. lib. 1. de sermon. Dora. and Beda upon this place.

29. Quest. Whether it be lawful to swear, and upon what occasion.

1. That it is lawful to swear, thus it appeareth. 1. Christ came not to dissolve the law, Matth. 5.17. now the law not only permitteth, but commandeth to swear, where cause is, Deut. 6.13. and 10.20. 2. the Lord himself sweareth, Psal. 110.4. Heb. 6.17. therefore it is not sin to swear. 3. the holy Fathers and Patriarchs used to take an oath, where it was lawfully required: as Abraham, Gen. 21.24. Jacob, Genes. 31.53. David, 1 • Sam. 24.23.

2. But it will be thus on the contrary objected. 1. Christ saith, Swear not at all, neither by heaven for it is the throne of God, &c. Answear. Christ forbiddeth not to swear by God, but not by creatures, as by the heaven, the earth, by the Temple, by the head. 2. where he saith, let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay. Christ forbiddeth not the lawful use of an oath, when there is just cause: but the often and unnecessary using of it in common talk: where then, it concerneth the salvation, or edification of our brethren, it is lawful to take an oath: as it was requisite that the Romans should be well persuaded of S. Paul's affection toward them, who had yet never seen them, as Chrysostom saith, quouiam neminem hominum animi sui testem sistere poterat, &c. because he could not set forth any man to be a witness of his mind, he calleth upon God, who searcheth the heart.

3. It will be again objected, that in the Newe Testament an oath is not lawful, as it was in the old, Basil. in Psalm. 14. Answear. The abuse of an oath was unlawful both in the Old Testament and in the Newe: But to take an oath lawfully is as well permitted to the Church of Christ now, as it was to the Church of the Jews: As the Prophet Isaiah prophesieth of the Newe Church, that they shall swear by Jehovah, Isaiah. 19.18. and c. 43.23. Ierem. 4.3.

Quest. 30. How Paul is said, to serve in the spirit.

1. Chrysostom by the spirit understandeth the holy Ghost, omnia spiritus sancti imputat virtuti, he ascribeth all to the virtue of the holy spirit, nothing to his own diligence: But in that he saith (in my spirit) this interpretation is avoided: Paul would not so call the holy Ghost, my spirit. 2. Theodoret by spirit thinketh to be meant the gift and grace given unto Paul, whereby he was furnished for his Apostleship: whereof he spake before, v. 5. by whom we have received grace and Apostleship: so also Oecumenius, he is said to serve him in tradito sibi dono, in the gift given unto him: but so much is expressed in the words following, In the Gospel of his son: that showeth his ministry and employment in the Gospel. 3. some give this sense, whom I serve in the spirit, that is not in the flesh, non in carnalibus observantijs, not in carnal observations, such as were the ceremonies of the law, gloss. interlin. so also Aretius, I serve God, non vt hypocritae ceremonijs, not as hypocrites with ceremonies: but the mentioning of the Gospel following, excludeth all legal ceremonies. 4. Origen here maketh a distinction between the soul and the spirit, which he taketh for the superior and higher part of the soul, wherein he served God: Ambrose also by the spirit understandeth the mind: which is true, that inwardly he served Christ in his spirit and mind, but the fain not considered in the natural condition thereof, as Origen seemeth to have relation thereunto, but renewed and regenerate by grace., 5. S. Paul then by his spirit, understandeth his ardent and earnest affection, wherein he served God, most earnestly and zealously in the ministry of the Gospel, Beza. The like saying the Apostle hath, 2. Tim. 1.3. I thank God, whom I serve from mine Elders with a pure conscience: he served God with an upright and innocent heart, not in show and ostentation: and in this sense our Savior saith, John. 4.24. They that worship God, must worship him in spirit and in truth. Martyr.

31. Quest. v. 10. What prosperous journey the Apostle meaneth.

v. 10. That I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God. 1. Paul simply prayeth not for a prosperous journey, but according to the will of God: there is a prosperity, not according to the will of God, as the wise man saith, Prov. 1.32. The prosperity of fools destroyeth them, Gorrham. But, the Apostle esteemeth not of such prosperous things, quae sine voluntate dei eveniunt, which come to pass without the will of God. Haymo. 2. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifieth, that I may have a journey given me according to my mind, Erasm. in which desire, the Apostle non deprecatur omnia pericula, doth not pray against all perils and dangers: for he suffered shipwreck, and endured other casualties in his journey to Rome: but he counted it a prosperous journey, which howsoever might bring him unto them, to bestow some spiritual gift upon them. Aretius. Such a prosperous journey was that, which S. Paul took into Macedonia, where though he suffered imprisonment, and were beaten with rods, yet his journey prospered, in respect of the good success, which he had in preaching of the Gospel. Martyr. 3. And this desire of Paul to see the Romans might be one cause, of his appeal, which he made to Rome, Act. 25. Lyranus.

32. Quest. Whether S. Paul needed to be mutually strengthened by the faith of the Romans.

v. 12. That I might be comforted through our mutual faith, both yours and mine. 1. Chrysostom thinketh, that Paul spake not this, quod ipse illorum opus habeat auxilio, as though he had need of their help, seeing he was a pillar of the Church: but that he so saith to qualify his former speech, v. 11. because he had said, that I might bestow upon you some spiritual gift to strengthen you. 2. But although the Apostles modesty appear herein, that joineth himself with them, as having need of their mutual comfort, yet in truth he professeth himself not to be so perfect, as though he needed no helps: non ponit se in supremo gradu, he doth not place himself in the highest degree: for he other where doth acknowledge his imperfection both in knowledge, 1. Cor. 13. and in the gifts of regeneration, Rom. 7. Pareus: like as a minister coming to visit one that is sick to comfort him, may be comforted again by him: Olevian. to this purpose P. Martyr. 3. This mutual consolation, Theophytact understandeth of the alleviating of their afflictions by their mutual comforts: Tolet with others, of the mutual joy, which they should have one in an others mutual faith, Lyranus: that they should be comforted by faith, which was common to him and them, for there is but one faith. But, as Chrysostom saith, here this consolation may be taken pro fider incremento, for the increase of faith: for the faithful mutuis exhortationibus in fide proficiunt, by mutual exhortations do profit in faith. Pareus. 4. And although S. Paul had given such excellent commendation before of their faith, yet they might notwithstanding have need to be strengthened: as Peter, when he began to sink in the waters, had faith, when he cried to Christ, Save me, or else I perish: yet Christ saith unto him, Why didst thou doubt, O thou of little faith? his faith had need to be increased. 5. So here are three reasons of the Apostles desire to see them: 1. that he might bestow upon them some spiritual gift: 2. to confirm and strengthen them: 3. to be mutually comforted with them. Aretius.

33. Quest. Of the impediments whereby S. Paul was letted to come unto the Romans.

v. 13. I have oftentimes purposed to come unto you, but have been let hitherto. 1. Chrysostom thinketh he was hindered and letted by the Lord: and so also Theophylact, Dei iussis prohibeor, I am inhibited by the commandment of God: as Origen giveth instance of that place, Act. 16.7. where Paul was not suffered by the spirit to go into Bithynia. 2. But Basil thinketh he was hindered by Satan: as the Apostle saith, he was letted by Satan to come unto the Thessalonians, 1. Thessalon. 2.18. where is to be considered a double difference between God's hindering and Satan's: first Satan may hinder the outward actions, but the inward purpose and desire he cannot let: but God can stay both: secondly, when Satan hindereth, it is by God's permission, for otherwise he could do nothing, but God often hindereth without the ministry of Satan at all. Now in this place the first opinion is more agreeable, because he entreated of God by prayer, that he might have a prosperous journey: therefore it seemeth that he letted him, unto whom he prayed, that he might have opportunity given him. Tolet. 3. Origen joineth both together, that he might be hindered first in the Lord's purpose, and then impediments might be cast in his way by Satan: so also Pareus, Genevens. and Aretius: But for the former reason, the first opinion is rather to be received.

4. It being resolved upon, that God stayed S. Paul's coming, yet there is some diversity concerning the causes, why the Lord should thus let him •• . Sedulius thinketh, that God saw not the hearts of the Romans yet prepared to believe: and therefore the Lord sent Paul then, and not before, quando praesc •• t eos credit • nos, when he foresaw, that they would believe: But Sedulius is herein deceived, thinking that it was in the Romans free-will to prepare their own hearts to believe: whereas every good gift is of God; Sam. 1.17. And if it were in man's power to believe, everyone might attain unto faith, that would: but the Apostle saith, 2. Thess. 3.2. all men have not saith. And again, seeing the Apostle giveth such commendation of the Romans saith, there is no doubt but God had prepared their hearts. 2. Hugo thinketh, that Saint Paul was prohibited propter peccata Romanorum, because of the sins of the Romans: This indeed sometimes is a let, as Paul and Barnabas did shake off the dust of their feet against the Jews, and would no more preach unto them, because of their obstinacy, and willful refusal, Act. 13.51. Hyperius: But this seemeth not to have been the cause here, seeing the Apostle giveth such commendation of their faith, v. 8. and of their goodness, c. 15.14. and obedience to the faith, c. 16.19. 3. There are also external lets and impediments, as his bonds, imprisonment, persecution, Tolet. and he suffered by the way shipwreck, and other casualties, Aretius. 4. But the most likely reason, why the Lord stayed S. Paul's coming to Rome, was the necessity of other Churches, which the Lord would have first established. Gregory teacheth this reason, lib. 21. Moral. c. 13. that God therefore letted him, that he might more profit those Churches where he remained: and S. Paul himself rendereth this reason, Rom. 15.20. Therefore I have been oft let to come unto you, but now seeing I have no more place in these quarters, and also have been desirous many years again to come unto, you, &c. his employment in other Churches, deferred his coming to Rome: Beza. annot.

34. Quest. Why S. Paul expresseth not the cause in particular, which letted him.

1. Gwalther giveth this reason, why the Apostle having diverse lets, as namely new occasions continually offered in preaching the Gospel, and beside his persecutions and afflictions, and manifold troubles, yet he maketh mention of none of these, quia de his non poterat sine iactantiae suspicione, because he could not speak of these things, without suspicion of boasting.

2. But I rather approve Chrysostom's reason, non scrutatur Dominipropositum, the Apostle doth not search into God's purpose, why such an Apostle was kept so long from such a famous city, when there was great hope of winning many unto Christ: it was sufficient that he was letted, he is not curious to know the cause, teaching us thereby, ne factorum rationem vnquam à Deo exigamus, that we never require a reason of God's works.

3. And indeed God's secret counsel herein is diverse ways unsearchable: 1. in respect of the teachers: why sometime God sendeth many, sometime few, why some, and not others, why some are true pastors, some wolves, some true teachers, some false. 2. in regard of them, which be taught, why God sendeth preachers to one place, and not unto another: why Christ wrought miracles in Chorazin and Bethsaida, not in Tyrus and Sidon, to bring them to repentance, Matth. 11.21. 3. and for the places, why the Spirit suffered not Paul to preach in Asia and Bithynta, Act. 16.6, 7. And why in our days, in some certain cities, as at Constance God suffered the preaching of his Gospel to be intermitted. 4. for the time, why the Gospel is preached in some age, and not in another, and some enjoy it long, some but a short time. 5. for the manner, why sometime the Gospel is preached obscurely, and darkly, sometime openly and manifestly, why some preach it of envy, some of sincerities. All these considerations do set forth unto us how the judgments of God are hid, and unsearchable. Gryneus.

4. And by this reason may the like objection be answered, why the Apostle was letted, seeing his purpose was good, that he might have some fruit among them: Because the Apostle being the Lord's minister, was not to prescribe the times and occasions fittest for the work of the Gospel, but to depend upon God therein, who best knew, how to sort out the best time for every purpose.

Quest. 35. Whether S. Paul's desire to go to Rome, being therein letted, were contrary to God's will, and so sinned therein.

1. S. Paul's desire was not absolute, but conditional, if it were the will of God, for so he saith, that I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 2. But here we must consider of the will of God, as it is secret and hid, and as it is manifest and revealed: against the will of God revealed, all desires and attempts cannot be without sin: against his secret will, somewhat may be desired, and yet without sin, so there be •• subordination of our wills to the will of God: as Augustine showeth, how sometime homo bona volutitate souls, quod Deus non vult, a man with a good mind willeth that, which God willeth not, as a good child desireth his fathers life, whom the Lord will have to die: So David prayed for his child's life of a fatherly affection, when yet God purposed that the infant should die: And again, saith Augustine, it may be, vt homo velit voluntate mala, quod Deus vult bona, that a man may wish and will that with an evil mind, which God willeth well: As an evil child may desire his fathers death, which the Lord also purposeth, August Enchirid. c. 101. So Paul in desiring here that, which God willed not, to come unto the Romans, yet sinned not: both because God's will therein was not revealed unto him, and beside he interposeth a condition, if it were God's will. ex Pareo.

Quest. 36. How S. Paul was a debtor unto all, v. 14.

v. 14. I am a debtor. 1. The Apostle showeth a thresold desire that he had to the Romans, first to come unto them, then to set them, and now to preach unto them: which he amplyfieth by three reasons. 1. from his own office and calling. 2. from the virtue and power of the Gospel, v. 16. 3. on God's behalf: the righteousness of God was revealed; &c. Gorrham.

2. This debt some take to be the gift of tongues, which the Apostle had received, in which behalf he was a debtor to all nations, speaking with the tongues of them all, Origen, Theodoret: But the other Apostles also had received the gift of tongues, as well as Paul: therefore in that sense they were debtors as S. Paul was.

3. Oleviane here maketh mention of a threefold debt. 1. of nature, as Isaiah. 58.7. hide not thyself from thine own flesh: everyone is bound to succor his brother, as being his own flesh. 2. the second bond of our debt is in regard of our redemption, that we should willingly minister unto them for whom Christ died. 3. the third debt is in respect of our vocation and calling: which the Apostle here hath relation unto.

4. So then Chrysostom and Ambrose do well expound this debt of S. Paul's Apostolic calling, so also Lyranus. Pareus, with others. As he saith, there was a necessity laid upon him, and woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel, 1. Cor. 9.17.

5. But he is a debtor first unto God, who is the creditor of whom he received all those graces which he had: and therefore he was to dispose and employ them according to the will and Law of the Creator, Faius: who sent him unto the Gentiles, Act. 13.3. Separate me Paul and Barnabas, &c. which debt the Apostle is willing to discharge, Hugo. and because he could not yet come in person to preach unto them, he dischargeth his debt by writing, Bucer.

6. And he useth this term of debtor, least that he might be thought to be a busy body, and noted of arrogancy for writing unto the Romans, Mart.

Quest. 37. Whom S. Paul understandeth by the Grecians and Barbarians.

1. Sometime the Apostle distinguisheth the nations into Jews and Greeks, v. 16. sometime into Jews and Gentiles, as Rom. 3.29. sometime he reckoneth up altogether, the Grecian, the Jew, Barbarian, Scythian, Coloss. 3.12. here he divideth all other nations beside the Jews, into Greeks and Barbarians: the Jews he mentioneth not, quia magister Gentium, because he was the teacher or master of the Gentiles. gloss. 2. The Romans are comprehended under the Grecians, because from them they received their laws, and the knowledge of arts, Martyr. 3. Whereas he addeth, both to the wise men, and unwise, some take it for an exposition of the former, by the Greeks understanding the wise, and by the Barbarians the unwise: Anselm, Calvin, Pareus. But Chrysostom and Theodoret, Gorrh. so also Beza annot. Faius, do better refer it unto particular men among the Greeks and Barbarians: for there were among either of them some wise, some unwise. 4. Anselm by the wise, understandeth righteous men, by the unwise, sinners: some, believers, and unbelievers: But Chrysostom and Theodoret better interpret those to be wise men among the Gentiles, which had human wisdom and knowledge: those to be unwise, which were ignorant and unlearned. 5. By this the Apostle showeth, that their human wisdom, was not sufficient to bring them to the knowledge of God. And Chrysostom here well noteth, how Plato a wise Philosopher, thrice coming into Sicilia, could not convert one Tyrant, but went away without any success: but Paul a tent-maker, did not only convert Sicilia and Italy, but run thorough (preaching) almost the whole world 6. S. Paul here answereth a secret objection: it might have been said unto him, You may not spend so much time among the Grecians, they are a people wise enough therefore he saith, that not only the unwise, but even the most learned among them, had need to be instructed in the Gospel. Tolet. 7. And Paul illud inculcat ob Iudeos, doth urge this because of the Jews, who thought that the preaching of the Gospel did only belong unto them. Erasm. 8. Celsus, against whom Origen did write, did object this place to discredit the Gospel, because it was offered to the unlearned: whereas he taketh that to be the most excellent doctrine, that can be perceived only of the wise and learned. But herein rather appeareth the dignity and excellency of the Gospel, which propoundeth the way of salvation unto all of what degree soever. Faius. And God's wisdom herein showeth it self, that the Gospel being preached to the wise and unwise: both the one might be humbled, when they see themselves to be fellow-scholars even with the unlearned; whom they taught before: and that the ignorant and simple should not despair, but that they also may come to the knowledge of salvation. Calvin. 9. And seeing the Apostle nameth the wise and unwise, not the rich or poor, noble, unnoble: because he speaketh of the knowledge of the Gospel, which might seem not so necessary for them, which were wise and learned. Tolet. 10. And here is set forth a double commendation of the Gospel: both from the excellency thereof, which was worthy the searching even of the wise and learned Grecians: and à facilitate, from the facility thereof; because the very unlearned might be also capable of it. Aretius.

38. Quest. How Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel, v. 16.

1. It might have been objected unto Paul: The Gospel is everywhere scorned and derided among the Gentiles, and everywhere it is spoken against: therefore the Apostle professeth, that he is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, though it seem never so contemptible unto the world. Olevian. 2. And as he was not ashamed to preach the Gospel himself, so he insinuateth unto them, that they should not be ashamed to hear it. Mart. 3. Chrysostom moveth a question, why S. Paul saith not here, that he is not only not ashamed, but rejoiceth also in the Gospel of Christ: as he saith, Gal. 6.14. God forbid; that I should rejoice, but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: And thus he answereth, that because the Romans were lifted up in their mind, because of their honor, riches, and estimation in the world, and Paul preached Christ Jesus, who was crucified, and counted as nothing in the world: he therefore first of all would win them not to be ashamed of the Gospel: and then they would come also to glory in it, &c. But S. Paul in effect, faith as much, as I glory in the Gospel: minus dicitur, plus intelligitur, less is spoken, and more understood: Pareus, Mart. Faius. for the reason following, for it is the power of God, &c. showeth that he did even glory in it. 4. But whereas two things might have hindered Paul, shame, and fear, of the two which, fear seemeth to be the greatest pull-back: for shame is de amissione honoris, but for the loss of honor, fear is de amissione vitae, for the loss of life: S. Paul yet saith rather he is not ashamed, then he feareth not: both because his not fearing, had commended himself, but his not being ashamed, commendeth the Gospel, as not being a vile and contemptible things: as also persecution was not yet generally moved among the Christians, which the Apostle needed to fear, but yet it was generally contemned. Tolet.

39. What the Gospel or Evangel signifieth.

1. Evangel um, the Evangel, is sometime taken for the sacrifice, which used to be offered unto the gods among the heathen, for the bringing of good news and tidings: in which sense Cicero taketh it, â suaves epistolas quibus Evangelaum de beri fateor: ad Attic. O sweet epistles, which I count worthy of an Evangel: that is, of such an offering or sacrifice. 2. It signifieth, the bringing of any good news, or tidings: as Ior. 20.15. Cursed be the man, that brought my father tidings, saying, A man child is borne unto thee: the word is bessar, which the Septuagint do translate by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to bring good news. 3. This word is appropriated to signify the glad tidings of our redemption purchased by Christ: as the Angels say unto the shepherds, Luk. 2.10. Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy: the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : and Rom. 10.15. Beautiful are the feet of them, which bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things: where the fain word is used in the Greek, but in Isa. 52.7. from whence that testimony is taken, the word is bissar, which betokeneth the bringing of good news or tidings: sometimes formore evidence, the word good, is added: as 2. Sam. 18.27. besarah tobah, good tidings.

40. Quest. Of the definition of the Gospel, It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.

This definition consisteth of three parts, 1. of the efficient cause, the power of God, 2. the ende, to salvation, 3. the form, to everyone that believeth.

1. It is the power of God. 1. The power of God is diverse: there is his creating power, whereby he made the world: but this power is that which is joined with his love and favor in Christ, whereby he wrought the redemption of man: which is so much greater then the other, because when he made the world, none resisted him: but Satan opposeth himself in the work of our redemption. Faius. 2. There is a power also of God unto perdition, and damnation: but this is his power unto salvation Chrysost. Origen. 3. But how is the Gospel the power of God, seeing it setteth forth the humility of Christ in his sufferings, death, and passion? Answ. These were infirmitates voluntary assumptae, infirmities which our blessed Savior did voluntarily take upon him: and therein he most of all shown his power, in destroying the kingdom of Satan by such means, Hugo. 4. Neither do we here understand the essential power of God, but his organical power, Pareus: or by a metonymy, the declaration of his power, whereby the preaching of the Gospel is made effectual. Faius.

2. Unto salvation. 1. This salvation consisteth presently in the remission of sins, and afterward in the inheritance of eternal life: not like the salvation, which is promised by men, as by Magistrates to their subjects, by Physicians to their patients: but it is the everlasting salvation of our souls. Mart. 2. Though outwardly the Gospel appear vile and contemptible, yet it hath a secret virtue, to work unto eternal life: As there be certain natural things, which make no show outwardly, yet inwardly are full of virtue: as pepper feeleth outwardly as cold, but it is hot in operation: Theodor, as a pill which the Physician giveth, though it seem nothing, yet it is, of great efficacy to expel diseases, Tolet. 3. The Gospel worketh to some unto condemnation: it is the savor of death unto death: but that is not properly the effect of the Gospel, which is given unto salvation, but by reason of men's incredulity: so the Gospel, not by it own proper effect, but accidentally worketh unto condemnation. Mar • .

3. To everyone that believeth. 1. The Gospel is offered unto all, but it only profiteth unto salvation unto those that believe: like as a medicine, is only effectual to those that receive it, Pareus. 2. Christ is the efficient cause of salvation: but faith, is organon appre •• sivum, &c. the apprehending instrument: like as the light is the cause of our seeing, but the eye also must be rightly disposed, which is the organs of seeing. Aretius. 3. Neither is this understood of every belief; believers are not here taken for such, as to whom the history of the Gospel is only known, but such as are sealed by the spirit of grace, and are assured they are the sons of God, and cry, Abba, father, Rom. 8.15. Gryneus. 4. And thus the Apostie falleth into the very chief argument and scope of this whole Epistle; that we are justified by faith, and not by the works of the law. Gwalther.

41. Quest. Of the difference between the Law and the Gospel.

1. In that the Gospel requireth belief unto salvation, therein it differeth from the law: whose righteousness is this, not to believe, but to do those things, which are therein commanded, as the Apostle showeth, Rom. 10.5. Mart. 2. The Gospel is the power of God, that is effectual, mighty, lively in operation: but the law is weak and impotent, Rom. 8.3. it was weak because of the flesh. 3. The Gospel unto salvation, but the law is the ministry of condemnation, 2. Cor. 3.9. 4. The Law was given only to the people of Israel: but the Gospel is proposed to all, both Jew and Gentile. 5. The Law consisted in observatione ceremoniarum, & externa cultu, in the observation of ceremonies, and external worship: the Gospel in interiori cultu fidei, in the inward worship by faith: so that the law was lex puerorum, the law of children, which were kept under it as a schoolmaster: but the Gospel is lex virorum, the law of men come to ripe age. August. lib. de spirit. & lit. 6. They differ also in the manner, that which was covertly and darkly shadowed in the law, is manifestly and apertly set forth in the Gospel. 7. In the time they differ: the law promised things to come, the Gospel presently performed that which was in the law promised: is Ignatius epist. ad Philadelp. quod supra legem pracipuum habet Euangelium? nempe praese • tiam adventus Salvatoris: what hath the Gospel above the law? even the presence of Christ's aduent, and coming.

42. Quest. Why the Jews are named before the Grecians, v. 16.

To the Jew first, and also to the Grecian, &c. 1. Here by the Grecians generally all the Gentiles are understood: because they of all other nations seemed to be the wisest, and therefore special instance is given in them, that they also have need of the preaching of the Gospel: Tolet. and at that time almost all nations used the Greek tongue, and therefore they are called by the name of Grecians, Gwalther, especially when they are set against the Jews, Beza. 2. Chrysostom thinketh, that the Jew is named first, not for any other excellency or prerogative, sed in hoc solo honoratur, quod primus illam accepit, but he is honored only in this, because he first had the Gospel preached: so he giveth only unto the Jew the priority of other. 3. Origen thinketh that the Jew is set first, because that like as the Grecian preferred himself before the Barbarian, because of their laws and civil life, whereas the Barbarians lived without law: so the Jew hath preeminence before the Grecian, because they received their laws from God. 4. Lyranus giveth this reason, the Jews had a better preparation unto the Gospel by the knowledge of the law and the Prophets, then the Grecians, who only had the light of nature, and the knowledge of the creatures, 5. But the Jew hath a preeminence before the Gentile in respect of the prerogative, which was given them of God: unto their fathers were the promises made, and of them was descended the Messiah according to the flesh: so that this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , first, doth not so much signify ordinem temporis, the order of time, as ordinem dignitatis, the order of dignity: as when Christ saith, Seek ye first the kingdom of God, Matth. 6.33. that is, chiefly and most of all. Tolet. Pareus. This order our blessed Savior observed both in himself, saying he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel: and gave the like charge, when he sent out his Apostles, that they should not go the way of the Gentiles, Matth. 10.5. yea and at his ascension, he appointed his Apostles to be his witnesses first in Judea. Jerusalem, Samaria, and then to the uttermost part of the earth, Act. 1.8. This order the Apostles accordingly kept, Act. 13.46. It was necessary, that the word of God should first have him spoken unto you.

43. Quest. v. 17. The justice or righteousness of God is revealed: what justice the Apostle meaneth.

1. There is a justice of God, wherein he is righteous and just in himself: as Psal. 11.7: The righteous Lord loveth righteousness: but this the Apostle speaketh not of: the essential justice of God is not communicated to us by faith. 2. There is a justice distributive in God, whereby he rendereth unto every man according to his works: Origen understandeth this justice of God: but this is not the justice, whereby a man is justified to salvation: for if the Lord should mark what is done amiss, no man should be able to abide it, Psal. 130.3. 3. The justice of God signifieth his verity and truth in keeping his promises: so Gorrham taketh it here: true it is, that God graciously performeth whatsoever is promised in Christ, but yet his mercy must go before in promising. 4. Theodoret understandeth the perfect justice of Christ, whereby he satisfied the wrath of God for our sins, and accomplished our redemption: and this perfect justice of Christ is revealed in the Gospel: but the Apostle speaketh evidently of such justice, whereby a man is justified before God, which is not that perfect justice inherent in Christ, but the applying thereof unto us by faith. 5. Therefore Chrysostom's exposition is the best, who Homil. 3. taketh this for that justice, which is communicated and infused unto us by that justice of Christ: and so Augustine understandeth that justice, not whereby God is just in himself, seâ qua hominem induit, cum eum iustificat, but wherewith he endueth man; when he instifieth him, lib. de spirit. & liter. cap. 9. of this the Apostle speaketh, chap. 3.28. We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law. 6. But this justice is not an habit infused into the mind, whereby a man is made apt to exercise good works, as Pererius saith, that this justice comprehendeth two things, remissionem peccatorum, the remission of sins, & animi rectitudinem, &c. and the uprightness of the mind, whereby it is now acceptable unto God, and is exercised in good works: for the Apostle saith of this justice of God, that it is Made manifest without the law, by the faith of Jesus, &c. c. 3.21. But this infused habit, which is charity and the exercising of good works, is not revealed without the law: for the law requireth and commandeth charity: This justice then consisteth only in the remission of sins, and in imputing unto us the righteousness of Christ by faith, c.4.5. Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth not sin, Pareus. 7. It is called the justice of God, both because it is given us from God, not procured by our own works: and for that we thereby are made righteous, not before men, but in the sight of God, Tolet. 8. And this justice is sometime called the righteousness of God, Phil. 3.9. because he is the author thereof: sometime of Christ, he is our righteousness, 1. Cor. 1.30. because by his obedience we are justified: sometime of faith, Philip. 3.9. because faith is the instrument whereby Christ's righteousness is applied unto us, Gryneus.

Quest. 44. Of the meaning of these words, v. 17. is revealed from faith to faith.

1. Is revealed. 1. Which showeth a double preeminence of the Gospel: in respect of the matter: it showeth such things, as cannot be otherwise known then by revelation from God, whereas the law of the Jews, and the Philosophy of the Gentiles treateth of common, and known things: and for the manner: that which was obscurely set forth in the law, is plainly declared in the Gospel, Pareus. 2. and it is so revealed, that it is not only made known, but indeed exhibited, Beza. 3. And herein a difference also is shown, that the Gospel is revealed unto some, namely to such as believe, but not unto others: it is hid to them which are lost, 2. Cor. 4.3. Hyper.

2. From faith to faith. 1. Origen and Chrysostom, do thus expound, ex fide veteris Testamenti in fidem noui, from the faith of the Old Testament, to the faith of the Newe. 2. Ambrose, ex fide promittentis Dei in fidem hominis credentis, from the faith of God promising, to the faith of man believing: so also Aretius, Gwalther. Martyr. 3. Augustine, ex fide praedicantium in fidem audientium, from the faith of the preachers, to the faith of the hearers, 4. Anselm, from the faith of one article, to the faith of the rest: but it can be no true faith, unless it believe all the articles. 5. Theodoret, ex fide praesentium, in fidem futuruum, from the faith of things present, to the faith of things to come, as of the resurrection, life everlasting: But unless these things be soundly believed, there can be no faith at all. 6. ex fide informi, in fidem formatam, from an imperfect faith without charity unto a perfect faith: but the Apostle speaketh not at all of any such dead faith without charity, for that faith cannot justify. 7. There remain then these two expositions, that this be understood rather of the increase of faith: we must proceed from faith beginning, to faith increasing:: as the like phrase is used, Psal. 84.7. they go from strength to strength, Beza; Hyper. Gwalther. and John 1.16. Of his fullness have we all received grace for grace. Thus Clemens Alexandrin. expoundeth, stronsat. 3. Apostolus vnicam tantum fidem annuntiat, •• but of one faith, which by increasing cometh to perfection. 8. And this meaning it hath withal: from faith to faith, to signify, that altogether by faith man is justified, and only by faith, Pareus, Faius, so also Thomas, nulle tempore cuiquam, nisi per fidem salus conti •• , that at no time salvation was attained unto by any but by faith.

3. And by faith here is not understood, 1. either obedience of life, to live as God hath commanded: for faith is here opposed to works: 2. nor yet a bare and naked assent unto the Gospel that it is true: for such an historical faith even the devils have. 3. but it is taken for a full assurance, and confidence of the heart, Heb. 10.22. Let us draw near with a true heart, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the assurance of faith: by such a faith are we justified, Beza, Pareus.

Quest. 45. Whether the Apostle doth rightly cite this place out of the Prophet, The just by faith shall live, for the words.

1. Object. The Hebrew word used by the Prophet, Habuc. 2.4. is beomunatho, in his truth or integrity, but the Apostle translateth it, faith. Answ. The Septuag. do translate this word by the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , faith, and so the Hebrew word cemunah, signifieth not only truth, integrity, but faith.

2. Object. In the original it is by his faith, which notwithstanding the Septuag. do thus interpret, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by my faith: the reason whereof Jerome coniectureth to be this, they might mistake the letter vau, for iod, which only differ in the length: now Synomachus readeth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by his faith, according to the Hebrew: But S. Paul neither here, nor Galat. 3.11. doth translate the Hebrew pronoun: but translateth only, the just liveth by faith: to this it may be answered, 1. Jerome saith, non erat ei cura de vorbis, cum sensus esset in tuto, he had no care of the words, retaining the sense. 2. And beside, loquens eodem spiritu, quo Prophetae, sensum sumit, speaking by the same spirit, that the Prophets spake by, he taketh the sense, using his own words, gloss. ordinar. 3. These pronounes are easily understood in the Greek tongue, though they be not expressed, Beza: 4. And without the pronoun, the place as the the Apostle allegeth, is sufficient to prove his purpose, that the just liveth by faith, Pareus.

3. But the Latin translator here readeth amiss, vivit, liveth, in the present tense, whereas it is put in the future, in the original, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , shall live.

4. And the order of the words is to be considered: the just by faith shall live, not the just shall live by faith, for this reading presupposeth, that first he is just, and then liveth by faith: whereas he is first just by faith, before he can live unto God, Mart. Faius, Innius in Paral.

5. And here by the way a slip of Chrysostom's may be noted, who directly nameth in his commentary the Prophet Zephaniah, whereas this testimony is taken from Habacuke: which may be observed, to show that those ancient fathers, though they were excellent men, yet were but men, and might sometime forget themselves: As Ambrose handling that place a little before, to the Jew first, thinketh, that the Jews were so called of Judas Macchabeus. whereas long before they were called by that name, as is evident, 2. king. 25. Ierem. 40. Esther 1.3. Mart. This is no note, to derogate from the credit of the fathers: but to show a difference between their writings and the holy Scriptures: which are free from the least error of forgetfulness.

Quest. 46. Whether S. Paul, in citing this saying followeth the Prophets sense.

1. Some think, that the Prophet there historically speaketh of the deliverance of the people from the captivity of Nebuchadnezzar, and therefore exhorteth the faithful, that with patience they would expect the promised deliverance, by which faith, they should live, and be thereby refreshed and comforted: but typically thereby is signified the deliverance by Christ; and so this sentence is accordingly applied: which typical application the Apostle followeth: of this opinion is Gwalther.

2. Pareus thinketh, that the Prophet doth indeed comfort the people in captivity, which was to come, but not only: the Prophet doth lead the minds of the godly to an higher matter, to consider of their everlasting deliverance by Christ: so he thinketh, that both senses, of their temporal and spiritual deliverance, are comprehended in this sentence.

3. But this is rather the literal and proper sense of the Prophet, specially to commend unto the faithful, their faith and belief in the Messiah to come. Thus Eusebius expoundeth 1.6, de demonst. c. 14. and Jerome saith, manifesta in his verbis de Christi aduentus prophetis est, there is a manifest prophesy in these words of the coming of Christ: And the Apostle so evidently applieth it, Heb. 10.35. Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward, &c. v. 37. For yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, v. 28. now the just by faith shall live, Perer. Hyper.

4. But it will be objected, that this sense agreeth not with the Prophets purpose, who c. 1. complaineth of the enemies and oppressors of the people of God, and therefore the vision, which the Prophet received c. 2. was to Minister comfort again the present afflictions of God's Church. Ans. It is the manner, which the Lord observeth in the visions and prophesies by occasion of temporal deliverances to raise up the minds of his people to look for their everlasting deliverer: as Psal. 72. under the type of Solomon, the kingdom of the Messiah is properly described: and Dan. 9. the Prophet prayeth for the deliverance of his people out of the captivity of Babel, and he receiveth that prophesy of the 70. weeks concerning the Messiah who should deliver them from their sins. And so in this place, the Prophet praying for the deliverance of the people from their oppressors, receiveth a vision concerning the Messiah, in whom whosoever believeth, shall live forever, Pererius.

5. Theodoret thinketh that this saying of the Prophet concerned not those times then present, but was a prophesy of the times of Christ, that then the just by faith should live: so also Irenaeus lib. 4. c. 67. But the Apostle otherwise applieth it, Galat. 3.11. that neither under the law, nor under the Gospel, any were justified by the law, but by saith: for his words there are general, And that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident, for the just shall live by faith.

6. Ambrose, and so likewise Chrysostom, because the word is put in the future tense, shall live, do understand this not of this present life, but of eternal life to come: But it is evident, that S. Paul Galat. 3.11. understandeth this life of justification: and so the Apostle calleth justification by faith the life of the soul, Galat. 2.20. I live by faith of the Son of God: and the future tense with the Hebrews, indifferently is oftentimes put for the present: yet the Apostle so understandeth the present life of the soul by faith and grace, as that he excludeth not the other sense concerning eternal life: as he applieth this sentence of the Prophet to the second coming of Christ, Heb. 10.37. Tolet.

7. Now whereas Moses saith, as S. Paul citeth him, Rom. 10.5. The man that doth these things shall live, the Prophet may seem to be contrary unto him, saying, the just by faith shall live: but they are easily reconciled: Moses speaketh of the justice of the law, which none could attain unto, the Prophet of the justice of the Gospel, which the faithful obtain by faith in Christ, Mart.

8. Thus the Apostle setteth down the chief benefits which we have by faith, salvation, v. 16. it is the power of God to salvation: justice or righteousness, the just by faith: life, shall live, Matyr.

Quest. 47. How the wrath of God is said to be revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness, ver. 18.

1. This clause is a probation of the former, that there is no way whereby one is justified before God, but by faith, which the Apostle proveth by the contrary: because either by works or faith must men he justified: but not by works, as he proveth first in this chapter by particular induction in the Gentiles, that their works deserved nothing but God's wrath: and in the Jews, c. 2. This is the reason of the connection of this verse with the former, Beza, Aretius, Mart. And the causes, why the Apostle thus beginneth to reprove the Gentiles are these. 1. S. Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles, and therefore he first dealeth with them. 2. because the quality and nature of faith, and of the grace of God, cannot be well understood, unless we first look into our selves, and consider the vileness of our own works. 2. And because such is man's pride by nature, vt opera sua maximifaciat, that he setteth much by his own works: therefore the Apostle doth first begin to beat down the pride of man. 3. It is the manner of the Prophets and of our Blessed Savior in their prophesies and sermons, to begin with the Law, and then to proceed to the promises of the Gospel, Hyper.

2. By the wrath of God is signified, declaratio irae Dei, the declaration of the wrath of God, Aretius: there is in God no motion or perturbation, as in man: wrath according to the Hebrew phrase, is taken for revenge or punishment, Erasmus.

3. Reuealed. 1. three ways is the wrath of God revealed against sin. 1. by the light of nature: for every man's conscience accuseth, or excuseth him: 2. by the Gospel, which threateneth everlasting punishment to the wicked and unbelievers. 3. and by daily experience, which showeth that God is angry with the sins of the world, Pareus. 2. God doth by daily experience testify his wrath against the ungodly of the world, and even at this time when the Apostle thus wrote, the world was plagued with war, famine, and other grievous calamities, for the contempt of the Gospel, Gwalther. 3. but this revelation also may be applied to the Gospel, wherein is revealed the wrath of God against sinners: as Mat. 3. John the Baptist preached, Now is the axe laid to the root of the tree: and our Blessed Savior saith, Luk. 13.3. unless ye repent, ye shall likewise perish. 4. under the law also the wrath of God was declared against the ungodly, as in the destruction of Sodom, and of the Egyptians in the red Sea: but the wrath of God did then only show it self in such external and temporary punishments: But the gospel doth threaten everlasting condemnation: as Matth. 10.28. fear not them, which kill the body, but rather fear him, who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell, Perer. And the Law did only in theft, generally condemn all infidelity: but the Gospel in hypothesi, in particular condemneth incredulity and unbelief in Christ, Pareus. And then it being a time of ignorance, the judgments of God, though they were in the world, yet were not marked and observed, but now they are evident to all men, Aretius.

4. From heaven. 1. Ambrose expoundeth, ipsos coelos demonstrare, &c. that the heavens do declare the wrath of God against sinners, and shall be their accusers, who refused to worship God which made the heavens: so sometime the Lord calleth the heavens and earth to be witnesses against men, Isa. 2.1. Gryneus. 2. Origen giveth this sense, quia spirituales nequitiae in coelestibus sunt, because the spiritual wickednesses, (that is, the evil spirits) are above in the celestial places, who are ministers of God's judgments upon the wicked. 3. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Oecumenius, refer it to the revelation of the last and final judgment from heaven, at the second coming of Christ. 4. Cajetan and gloss. ordinar. thus understand it, quia Euangelium de toelo est, because the Gospel is from heaven, wherein this wrath of God is revealed. 5. Some hereby understand the universality of God's judgments, that they shall be upon all men under heaven, wheresoever they are, Per. 6. Some refer it to the manifest appearance of God's judgments from heaven, tanquam e sublimi loco, as out of an high place in the sight of all, Faius: so manifest that no man can deny it, Beza. 7. But the best sense is, that men should not think, these plagues sent upon the world, to be ordinary and natural, (though God therein may use natural and secondary causes) sed à Deo inflicta, but that they are inflicted of God, Martyr. Pareus.

5. Upon all ungodliness. 1. Origen restraineth this clause: that though the wrath of God, be said to be revealed against all impiety, non tamen in omnes homines, yet not against all men, but only against those among the Gentiles, which had the knowledge of the truth: such were their wise men and Philosophers. 2. But Tolet by diverse reasons showeth, that all the Gentiles are here comprehended, whether the wise or unwise. 1. by the generality of the words, against all impiety and unrighteousness. 2. because they all had the knowledge of God by the creatures. 3. v. 26. the Apostle maketh mention of their women, whom he would not have counted among the Philosophers and wiser sort. 4. the Apostles intent is to prove, that all the Gentiles were under the wrath of God, and therefore also the knowledge of the Gospel, and of faith in Christ, was necessary unto all, both the wise and unwise. 3. but as Tolet here reasoneth well: so yet herein he is deceived: he thinketh as this sentence concerneth all the Gentiles, so the former, that the just shall live by faith, he taketh to be meant only of the Jews: whereas v. 17. the Apostle made evident mention both of Jew and Grecian, that the Gospel was the power of God to salvation, to every of them that believed, Faius.

6. All impiety and unrighteousness. 1. Tolet following Theodoret, thinketh that these two are applied to idolatry: which is both impiety, because it denieth unto God his worship, and injustice, in giving that which is due unto God, unto idols. 2. But the usual interpretation is better: which Origen also hath, impiet as peccare in Deum est, iniquit as in homines, impiety is to sin against God, iniquity against men: so also Chrysostom, non de dogmatis tantum dicit, sed de vita, he speaketh not only of the errors of doctrine, but of the sins of the life, &c. So impiety comprehendeth the transgressions against the first table: unrighteousness, against the second, Pareus. 3. some by all impiety, &c. understand all impious and unrighteous persons, Perer. rather it signifieth, super omnes impietatis partes, &c. upon all the partes of impiety, and unrighteousness, Gorrham. whereof these two reasons may be yielded, 1. that none should be excepted: though they seemed never so righteous they might have some impiety in them, Beza. 2. and to show the object of God's wrath, which was not properly men, but the impiety and vnrightousenesse of men, Pareus.

Quest. 48. What it is to withhold the truth in unrighteousness, v. 18.

1. Anselm understandeth this of those, qui veritatem id est Dei scientiam habent, tamen male vivunt, which have the truth, that is the knowledge of God, but yet do live ill.

2. Basil of those, qui donis Dei ad proprias voluntates abutuntur, which having the gifts of God, do abuse them to their own pleasure: But the first restraineth this word verity, or truth, as though it only concerned the knowledge of divine things: whereas there is a truth also in moral duties: the second seemeth only to include those which sin maliciously, and of set purpose: whereas all the Gentiles were guilty of this in detayning the truth in unrighteousness.

3. Oecumenius expoundeth it of those which did know the truth in themselves, and did keep it in, ne alys splendeat, that it should not appear unto others: But in this sense only the Philosophers and wise men among the heathen should be touched, whereas S. Paul showeth what was the condition of all the Gentiles in general.

4. Augustine, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Hayme, do specially apply it to the knowledge of God, which the Gentiles had by the creatures, and abused it, in leaving the Creator, and worshipping the creature, quod per opera Dei cognovisti, per opera hominum perdidisti, that which thou knewest by the works of God, thou hast lost by the handieworke of men, August. serm. 55. de verbo Domini secund. John. And Chrysostom thus resembleth it, like as one having the kings treasure committed unto him, to bestow in the kings affairs, should spend it upon harlots, and other Iewde persons: so also Tolet. Perer. But in this sense the Apostles reason should be too much restrained: who spake before of all impiety and unrighteousness, both against God and man.

5. By truth, then we here better understand, veras notitias de Deo colendo, & proximo diligendo, the true notice both of worshipping God, and loving our neighbor: such as the Gentiles had by the knowledge of nature: which notice of the truth, they by their own concupiscence, and unrighteousness abused, and did contrary things to this their knowledge, both in their duties toward God, and their neighbors, Pareus, Martyr, Hyperius. And here the Apostle useth a sic similitude taken from Tyrants, who oppress the innocent, and imprison them: so the Gentiles did as it were imprison the truth which they had by nature, in their own corrupt affections: which were as setters & gives unto the truth, which would have shown it self, but was kept under.

6. But seeing the truth is powerful and prevalent: why should it be kept under more at one time, then at another? Ans. The truth is always powerful: but the difference is not in the truth it self, but in the instrument which we use in apprehending it: our natural strength is of small force, but when the grace of God assisteth us: then the truth breaketh forth, and can be no longer kept under. Martyr.

49. Quest. What the Apostle meaneth by these words, v. 19. That which may be know of God, is manifest in them, &c.

1. The Apostle here preventeth an objection: for whereas he had said, that the Gentiles did hold the truth in unrighteousness, it might be objected, that they had not the knowledge of the truth at all: the Apostle therefore showeth, that they had the knowledge of God by the light of nature, and by the sight of the creatures: Pareus. 2. Chrysostom, Oecumenius, likewise Ambrose, Augustine, this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that which may be known of God, they restrain unto the knowledge of the creatures, making the next verse, an exposition of this, the invisible things, &c. are seen by the creation: But the Apostle evidently distinguisheth this knowledge from that: for this is said to be manifest in them, the other is without them: here therefore he meaneth, that natural light, and those principles of truth, both concerning God, that he is, and, what he is, and touching moral equity, which are by nature imprinted in the mind: Pareus, Mart. cognitionem sui naturaliter inseuit & exterius per opera adiuvit, God both hath naturally graft in man a knowledge of himself, and he doth help the same by his works without: Gorrham.

3. That which may be known. 1. which is not set against the knowledge of the essence of God, which cannot be comprehended of any creature: as gloss. ordinar. but against those things, which are not known without revelation, as the mystery of the Trinity, of the incarnation of Christ, the redemption of the world: that therefore is here understood, quod ductu rationis nosci • ile est, which may be known by natural reason: as that God is, that he is but one, Gorrham: and his essential attributes, as his goodness, wisdom, power, Lyranus.

4. Is manifest in them. 1. not among them, as Perer. nor in them, that is, in the crearutes, Hugo: but in them, that is, in their hearts: Anselm. as the Apostle interpreteth, c. 2.15. Pareus, Beza. 2. not that indeed, God was thus manifested and made known unto them, but they had the way and means given them by nature, whereby they might have attained to the true knowledge of God, Tolet. 3. P. Martyr by in them, understandeth the Philosophers, to whom this natural knowledge of God was revealed, which they kept hid among themselves, and would not make it common to others: as appeareth in an epistle, which Aristotle sent unto Alexander: wherein he writeth, that his physickes were so set forth (that is, in such obscure manner) as though they were not set forth at all: But it is evident, that S. Paul convinceth here all the Gentiles in general, that they hold the truth in unrighteousness, as is shown before, qu. 48.5.

4. For God hath shown it unto them. 1. Ambrose expoundeth it thus, faciendo opus, per quod possit agnosci, that God manifested it by the works which he did, whereby he might be known: so also Hugo, manifesta •• it per creaturas, he did manifest it by the creatures: but the Apostle here speaketh evidently of a manifestation in them, not without them. 2. And he saith, he hath manifested, not revel • e • , ne lumen gratiae immiserat, that it should not be taken for the illumination of grace, Perer ! or that he did manifest it, per inspirationem, by inspiration, gloss. interlin. 3. Some understand it of the natural infusion of those principles and notions of God imprinted in the mind, Martyr, Pareus: But these seem to be two distinct things, to be manifest in them, and God hath manifested to them. 4. Therefore hereby the Apostle signifieth thus much: that beside that natural instinct and light of the mind, God did concur withal: as Augustine saith, not only natural reason did hereunto profit, sed Deus continuo adiuvit, ne sola natura sufficere videretur: but God did also continually help, that nature alone should not seem to be sufficient: ex glos. ord. so they had divinū concursum mediante lumine naturali, they had concurring the divine help together with this natural light, Perer. Catharinus thinketh that God did per Angelos illuminare, illuminate their minds by the operation of the Angels: But the Apostle saith, that God, not Angels, did manifest it unto them. This then is added, least any man should solis rationis viribus, to the strength only of reason ascribe whatsoever knowledge of God, Gwalther. for though men have this natural instinct, yet by the corruption of their nature, and by the subtlety of Satan, it might be so obscured, that it should help them very little: and therefore it was necessary, that the divine assistance, should concur together, with this natural direction.

Quest. 50. Of the ways and means whereby the Lord doth manifest himself unto men.

These ways and means of the manifesting of God, are 1. reduced to these three kinds: they are either such as are in this life, either natural by the creatures, and the instinct of nature, or supernatural by faith, and these are imperfect: And there is another manifestation of God, in the next life, which is called visio beatifica, the blessed sight of God: when we shall see him as he is, Tolet. 2. Now the means, whereby God is manifested in this life, are diverse. 1. per naturalem rationem, by natural reason. 2. per creaturarum considerationem, by the consideration of the creatures. 3. per Scripturarum inspectionem, by the inspection of the Scriptures. 4. per gratiae infusionem, by the infusion of grace. 5. per angelicam reuelationem, by Angelical revelation. 6. per humanam eruditionem. by human instruction. 7. per miraculorum operationem, by human operation, Gorrham. 3. But the natural means of manifestation, which the Apostle speaketh of here, are thus distinguished: they are either within us, or without us: within us, there are 1. the natural principles, which are imprinted in the mind, both touching divine things, as that there is a God, that he is omnipotent, eternal, good and gracious: and concerning moral duties. 2. The natural reason of man's mind, whereby he discourseth, and concludeth unto himself, that there is a God by his effects and works in the world. 3. There is also diuinus concursus, a divine concurring of God, in helping our natural weakness, and in giving efficacy unto these natural faculties and powers: the natural means without us, are the knowledge, sight, observation, and experience of God's creatures, whereby the invisible things of God are made known unto us: which the Apostle showeth in the next verse.

51. Quest. What invisible things of God the Apostle speaketh of, and how they are made known unto us.

v. 20. The invisible things of him, &c. 1. Origen's conceit here hath no probability, who by these invisible things, understandeth the Angels: for 1. the Apostle saith, the invisible things of him, that is of God, as he said before, v. 19. that, which may be known of God. 2. and he doth distinguish here manifestly between the invisible things of God, and the works of God: seeing then the Angels are comprehended in the works of God, they are not these invisible things. Tolet. 3. Theodoret by these invisible things, understandeth the creation of the world, the divine providence, his justice, and government of the world. 4. Lyranus by these invisible things, interpreteth the essential attributes of God: and so he maketh it a distinct thing from the eternal power and Godhead, which afterward the Apostle mentioneth: whereas the Apostle interpreteth himself, the invisible things of God, that is, his eternal power and Godhead. 5. Gorrham the invisible things of God interpreteth, inuisibilis Deus, the invisible God: but there is great difference between God, and the things of God. 6. Therefore the Apostle doth best show his own meaning: the invisible things of God, that is, his eternal power, and deity: wherein notwithstanding all his other attributes, his wisdom, justice, goodness, are understood: Pareus: for as Calvin noteth, his deity nisi cum singulis Dei virtutibus nequit consistere, cannot stand but with the singular virtues of God. But Tolet objecteth, that the word quo{que}, also, is here a note, non declarationis, sed adiectionis, not of declaration, but of addition. Contra. Though the vulgar Latin so translate quoque, also; yet in the original the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is as much as nempe, or videlicet, that is to say, as Vatablus, and the Syrian interpreter read: so likewise Beza.

2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from the world created. These words are diversely expounded: for whereas 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth both the very act of creating of the world, and the creature it self that was made, as Erasmus noteth, hereupon these diverse interpretations are given. 1. Some read, by the creation of the world, Beza, Genevens. and Aretius thus distinguisheth, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is tota mundi fabrica, the whole frame of the world taken together: but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the works afterward mentioned, are the special works, as the stars, the elements, and such like. But if by the creation, the works themselves created should be understood, then the Apostle should seem superfluously afterward, to make mention, of the works are understood by the works: Perer. Tolet. and beside, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is put in the genitive, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the dative, and therefore they cannot be joined appositiuely together by way of declaration. Pareus. 2. The Latin translator readeth, à creatura, of the creature, which Anselm and the ordinary gloss following, understand of man: in which sense it is taken, Mark. 16.15. preach the Gospel to every creature. And man is so called the creature by a certain excellency, because he hath some agreement with every creature: he is in a place, as other bodies, he hath sense, as beasts, and understanding as Angels: But as Tolet well noteth, the other word, which is joined with creature, of the world, excludeth this particular sense and application unto man. 3. Therefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is here better taken for the world created: and is referred unto the time, à mundo condito, since the world was created, Pareus: à fundamentis mundi, from the foundation of the world, as the Syrian interpreter: for so the preposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from, is taken, as Matth. 13.35. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from the foundation of the world, Tolet: so that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here signifieth, not the act of the creation: for it is taken for the world created afterward in this epistle, Rom. 8.20. nor yet for the creatures simply: but for the state of the world, when it was created: from the world created, à constitutione mundi, from the constitution of the world, as Chrysostom is translated.

3. Being understood by his works. Non corporea, vel imaginaria vision, sed intellectuali, not by a corporeal or imaginary vision, are they seen, but by an intellectual: gloss. interlin. as the cause is understood by the effect: Lyranus. like as by an image representing one that is absent, we are brought to the knowledge and remembrance of him, so God is seen in his works. Perer.

4. To wit, his eternal power and Godhead. 1. Some by the invisible things of God, understand the person of God the father, by the virtue or power, the person of the Son, by the deity the holy Ghost: which interpretation Theophylact mentioneth here only: Gorrham seemeth to follow it: But this reason maketh against it, that the mystery of the Trinity is to high a matter to be searched out by the light of nature: that knowledge cometh only by revelation. Perer. 2. These three things then are here understood, the eternity, power, and divine majesty of God, the knowledge whereof man is lead unto in part by his natural instinct. Perer. 3. And under the deity or Godhead, are understood the rest of his attributes, his wisdom, goodness, justice, which are seen in the administration of the world, whereby his Godhead, which is in it self incomprehensible, is known, as by the effects: Pareus.

52. Quest. Of the knowledge which the Philosophers had of God, and by what means they attained unto it.

1. Theodoret rehearseth five ways whereby the Philosophers were brought to the knowledge of the Creator. 1. by the contemplation of the heavens and the stars, and their orderly motion. 2. by the consideration of the elements, the fire, the air, the water, the earth. 3. by the admirable frame and workmanship of man's body. 4. by the operation of man's hands, and by the manifold arts invented by man. 5. by the dominion, which man hath over the creatures. Theodor. in serm. de provid. But some Philosophers had their special and peculiar reasons beside, which induced them to think there was a God.

2. Socrates especially considered the providence of God, in providing so bountifully for man: as he bringeth Euthydemus by this particular induction to acknowledge, that God hath special care of man: as he hath given him the light and day to guide him, the night for him to rest in, the fire to warm him, the fruits of the earth to nourish him: And whereas Euthydemus objected, that these things were common unto men with brute beasts, Socrates showeth, that even the beasts themselves also are for man's use: and beside God hath given more excellent gifts unto man, then to any other creature, as understanding, memory, speech: wherein God's special care appeareth more to man, then toward any other creature. This was Socrates inducement. ex Grynaeo.

3. The Platonists did find out God, by comparing the Godhead with other things: first they were persuaded, that God was not a body, secondly they held God to be immutable, and so they sought not God in the soul of man, or among the mutable spirits: and therefore they held God to be, an infinite, and immutable essence beyond them all: to this purpose August. lib. 8. de civ. Dei. c. 6. And further they rose up thus by degrees to find out the Godhead: first, they held spiritual things, to be better then corporal: then the things that had life, they preferred before those that had no life: and of the things that had life, them that had sense and motion: and of these they held to be most perfect the things that were endued with reason: and of the things having reason, such as were intellectual spirits, such as are the Angels: and among those, he to be most perfect, that was totus actus, only in act, void of all passive quality, which is God: for the other spirits do consist partly in act, partly in a possibility, as they may not be: But it is impossible that God should not be: and thus by these steppes did they ascend to the contemplation of the divine nature. Faius.

4. Aristotle was persuaded that there was a God, and that all things consisted by the divine power, because it was haereditaria fama omnium mortalium, an hereditary opinion of all mortal men: lib. 12. Metaphys. c. 6, 7. lib. 7. Ethicor. c. 13. thereupon he calleth God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the habitation of God: Pareus: Perer. disputat. 14.

5. Galen by the contemplation of the creatures, and of the excellent workmanship of the world, did find out the wisdom, power, and goodness of God: for thus he writeth, lib. 3. de vsu partium, as Beza annot. and Gryneus out of him translateth, Sacrum istum sermonum, vti verum hymnum, conditori nostro componā, &c. This sacred speech, as a right hymn, I will compose to our Creator: and this I hold to be the true worship of him, not to offer unto him, many sacrifices of bulls, or burn ointment and incense: but if I both know him myself, and declare him unto others, how great his wisdom, power, and goodness is: for in that he would have all these things made, and envied us not any of those good things, this is a clear demonstration of his goodness: in that he would find out a way, how to adorn all those things, it was his great wisdom: and in that he would bring to pass and effect, whatsoever he had decreed, therein he shown his power. And by these means the Philosophers attained by their natural light to some knowledge of God.

53. Quest. How other Scriptures, that deny all knowledge of God unto the wicked, agree with this place of Saint Paul.

1. Object. The Apostle saith here, that the things which might be known of God, were manifest unto them: how then is it said in the Psal. 53.1. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God: and, Isa. 1.3. The ox knoweth his owner, &c. but Israel hath not known me: and it is said of all in general, John. 1.18. No man hath seen God: and yet more evidently the Apostle thus writeth, 1. Cor. 1.21. Seeing the world by wisdom knew not God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Answ. 1. Caietane giveth this solution, that the Apostle saith not, none of the world knew not God, sed mundus (communiter) non cognovit, the world generally knew him not: though the wiser sort among them, as the Philosophers knew him: yet they in respect of the rest of the world, were as none: But the Apostle doth exclude even the wise from the true knowledge of God, as he saith in the same place, 1. Cor. 1.20. Where is the wise, &c. hath not God made the wisdom of this world foolishness?

2. Pareus thus answereth, Impijs negatur cognitio Dei efficax & salutaris, quae ex verbo discitur, the effectual and saving knowledge of God is denied unto the wicked, which is learned out of the word: but an unfruitful and idle knowledge they may have: Tit. 1.16. They profess that they know God, but by works they deny him. But the Apostle speaketh not here of the knowledge of God by his word: the world by wisdom knew not God in the wisdom of God: but of the natural knowledge, which the heathen might have had of God: for as Theodoret well noteth, the Apostle showeth three kinds of wisdom, two are natural, the wisdom of man by the light of reason, the other the wisdom of God shining in the creatures: these two the Apostle speaketh of here: the third kind is the wisdom of God in his Son Christ, which afterward the Apostle also expresseth, v. 24. We preach Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

3. P. Martyr maketh this answer, that there were some among the heathen, which by nature were persuaded there was a God, but afterward, they did not yield unto him, that which was proper unto God: as the Epicures denied unto God the government of the world, but made him as an idle beholder of the actions of men, being no agent himself: And some likewise grew to that impudency, that they sought by subtle reasons to prove, that there was no God. But though this be true, which P. Martyr affirmeth, yet it is too particular to include the whole meaning of the Apostle: for he saith generally of the heathen, that the world knew not God, not only certain sects of Philosophers among them, but all the Gentiles generally.

4. Pareus hath another answer, that this natural light could not bring them to the knowledge of God, because it was obscured and darkened by sin, and so imperfect thorough the natural corruption of man. But this doth not fully satisfy neither: for though by man's fall this natural knowledge is decayed, yet there was sufficient remaining, if the Gentiles had not abused it: at the least, as the Apostle saith, that they might have groped after God, in some sort to have known him.

5. This solution then remaineth, that there is a twofold natural knowledge, one is only speculative, consisting in a bare and naked contemplation of God, bringing forth no fruit: the other is practical, when men according to that light which they have of God, do fear him, and worship him: the first kind of knowledge of God the heathen only had, as the Apostle showeth, Rom. 1.21. When they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations: for the heathen, notwithstanding this natural direction which they had, generally did fall unto idolatry, and so dishonored that God, whom they knew by his creatures, Mart. Perer.

54. Quest. Of the meaning of these words, That they should be inexcusable, v. 20.

1. Some thus translate the Greek words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ad hac vt sint, to this ende, that they may be inexcusable: Beza: Pareus: to the intent, that they be inexcusable, Genevens. And Beza thinketh that God for this cause would have the light to shine in darkness, vt homines nihil possent praetexere, that man should use no pretext or excuse. But it is hard, to say that God for this ende gave the light of nature unto men, to take away all defense and excuse from them: whereas God's intent was, that man should thereby come unto the knowledge of the Creator.

2. Origen, Chrysostom, do understand this consecutivo, by way of consequent: that this followed as a consequent upon their abusing of that natural knowledge, which was given them: And Theophylact maketh it like unto that saying in the Psalm. 51.4. Against thee have I sinned, &c. that thou mayest be just when thou speakest: it was not the ende, but a consequent: so also Erasmus: and Faius, est consequence cognitionis illius, it was a consequent of that knowledge: But the Apostle seemeth to signify more then so, Tolet.

3. Aretius, because he cannot think that to this ende were these helps given them, to make them inexcusable, taketh this to be a new argument, against justification by works: that whereby the Gentiles were made inexcusable, cannot justify them: but by their works they were made inexcusable: Ergo. But the Apostle speaketh here of the light of nature, which the Gentiles used, not of their works, which follow in the next verse.

4. Wherefore, the meaning of the Apostle is this, that this was not the proper end & use of this natural knowledge, to make them inexcusable: but it is vsus accidentarius, an accidental use; which happeneth thorough men's ingratitude, that abusing this natural knowledge, which yet remaineth in man after his fall, they thereby are deprived of all excuse or pretext of ignorance, Pareus: so also Gwalther, quod gentium vitio factum est, Deo per accidens tribuitur. that which came to pass by the fault of the heathen, is attributed unto God accidentally: this sense is well expressed in the vulgar Latin, it a vt sint, &c. so that they are inexcusable: as our common English translation also readeth.

55. Quest. Whether there is any natural knowledge of God in man.

1. Pererius here reporteth the opinion of some Schoolmen, whom he calleth Nominals, Deum non posse naturali ration, &c. that God cannot demonstratively be proved by natural reason: dispute. 16. And Pareus maketh mention, dub. 16. of one Osterodius, who directly affirmeth, that man hath no knowledge of God by nature, or by the contemplation of the creatures, but only by outward fame and hear-say: his reasons are these:

1. Because many in India and Brazil, are found utterly ignorant of God, because they have not heard, that there is a God.

2. If there were any such natural knowledge, all should have it, but even among the Philosophers some were found, which denied that there was any God.

3. The Apostle speaketh of the works of the new creation, namely of his miraculous works, v. 20. whereby God is known.

Contra. 1. The very Indians are not without knowledge of God, though they abuse it: for some of them worship the Devil for their god. 2. Those Philosophers of malice, not of ignorance, denied that there was a God. 3. The Apostle speaketh evidently of such works, as were manifest and made known to all men: so were not Christ's miraculous works, they came not to the knowledge of all the world.

2. Now, that there is some knowledge of God even by nature, is evident by the Apostle in this place. 1. he saith, that God hath manifested unto them, that which naturally may be known of him: and that the invisible things of God are seen and understood by his works, v. 20. Pareus. 2. For how else should all men be inexcusable, if they had not by nature some knowledge of God: whereas many have not otherwise heard of God? Perer. 3. Cicero an heathen man confesseth, lib. 2. de natura Deorum, quid potest esse tam apertum, &c. quàm esse aliquod numen praestant • ssimae mentis, qua haec regántur, what is so manifest, when we look up to the heavens, &c. as that there is some divine nature most excellent, whereby all those things are governed? 4. This was the end, wherefore God erected the world, that thereby man might learn to know his Creator. 5. And if man naturally had not knowledge of God, then naturally he were not bound to love God above ll: for how naturally can be love and honor him, whom he acknowledgeth not? Perer.

56. Quest. Whether the natural knowledge, which the Heathen had of God, was sufficient unto salvation.

1. It was never doubted of among Christians, whether a man by his natural strength, without God's supernatural grace, might be justified before God, and so attain unto everlasting life:for this were to ascribe all unto man's free will, & to deny the grace of God: But this hath been called into question, whether that this natural knowledge of God, without any supernatural instruction or revelation, had not been sufficient (concerning knowledge) unto salvation.

Chrysostom affirmeth, hom. 37. in Matth. that of those which died before the coming of Christ, fides Christi, qui nondum venerat, non petebatur, the faith of Christ, which was not yet come, was not required, &c. likewise Justin. Apolog. 2. qui cum ration olim vixerunt, Christianos esse appellandos, &c. they which lived in time past according to the rule of reason, are to be called Christians, although they knew not Christ: such as were among the Grecians, Socrates, Heraclitus, with others. Clemens Alexandrin. lib. 6. stromat. saith, that they which were before Christ, were made just either by the law of Moses, or by Philosophy, but they wanted only faith in Christ: and therefore they expected the coming of Christ and his Apostles in hell, eorum{que} ibi praedicatione Christi fidem percepisse, and there by their preaching they attained unto faith, and so were saved. And further these reasons may be alleged for this opinion, that this natural knowledge was sufficient:

1. God requireth not things impossible: but it had been impossible for the Gentiles, beside their natural knowledge, to attain unto faith, which cometh by hearing the word, which they had not.

2. To know that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him, had been sufficient, Heb. 11.6, but this they might have attained unto by nature.

3. The Gentiles by their natural knowledge of God, might have been able to lead their life aright, and to direct their actions both toward God, and man: and therefore it might have been sufficient.

Contra. 1. Though it be impossible to attain unto faith without the ordinary means, yet it is not to be doubted, but that, if the Gentiles had thankfully acknowledged their Creator, and not abused their natural knowledge, God would have given them further instruction:as he did afterward in sending the Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the world.

2. To believe that God is, and a rewarder of them that seek him, is the work of faith: and not of natural knowledge, as the Apostle there showeth.

3. Some moral civil duties the light of nature might have directed them unto, but to order their ways aright toward God and men, their natural direction had not sufficed without the grace of God: for then some might have been found among them, who had attained unto this sufficiency, by their natural light only.

2. Now on the contrary side: that beside our natural knowledge, faith in Christ is necessary, and that without it there is no salvation, thus it appeareth by the Scriptures. 1. Christ saith, John. 14.6. I am the way, the truth, and the life: and John. 10.9. I am the door: so that none can enter into life, but by this way and door: he is the lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, John. 1.29. he is the Mediator between God and man, 1. Tim. 2.5. And S. Peter saith, Act. 4.12. that among men there is given none other name under heaven, whereby we must be saved: all these places do evidently testify, that without the knowledge of Christ there is no salvation. 2. Further the necessity of faith also appeareth. 1. because by faith we are justified:as the Apostle allegeth here out of the Prophet, the just shall live by faith, and without justification there is no salvation: 2. invocation and calling upon the name of God, is necessary: but they cannot call upon him, upon whom they have not believed, Rom. 10.14. 3. without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. and where God is not pleased, there can be no salvation. 4. the knowledge of life to come, and of those things which God hath prepared for them which love him, is necessary unto salvation: But those things are apprehended by faith, Which is the evidence of things, which are not seen, Heb. 11.1.

3. Therefore, the former assertions of Chrysostom, Justinus, Clemens, are unsound:unless they be understood to speak of perfect, distinct, and complete faith, which was reserved for the times of the Gospel, that such an exact faith was not required of the fathers: otherwise the Scripture generally imposeth necessity of belief in Christ, in some degree and measure, upon all: Angustines judgment herein is much to be preferred, who thus writeth, quod scriptum est, non esse aliud nomen sub coelo, &c. that which is written, there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved, &c. since that time prevailed for the salvation of mankind, when in Adam all mankind was corrupted, &c. epist. 157. ad Optat.

57. Quest. Whether any of the Philosophers were saved by that natural knowledge, which they had of God.

1. Catharinus a Popish writer, thinketh that where S. Paul saith here of the Gentiles, when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, that he speaketh not of all the Philosophers: a better opinion may be conceived of Socrates and Plato: it is an hard censure, to send all the Philosophers unto hell: Erasmus opinion also is well known, who inclineth to think that Cicero was saved, praefat. in Tusculan. question.

2. For the deciding of this question: 1. It cannot safely be affirmed, that all the Philosophers and other of the better sort among the heathen were all damned: for God might have mercy on some of them, and bring them unto repentance, and impart unto them some more clear light and knowledge of salvation, then nature could afford: it is therefore hard to set down, what ende everyone had: God might show mercy in the very instant of the passage of the soul: And we find that there were some among the nations, that were strangers from the people of God, that had the knowledge of his ways: as Job with his friends, who lived among the Gentiles, had the knowledge of the true God: the like might be found else-where.

2. Concerning, Socrates and Plato, and other the like in particular, whatsoever their ende was, which is secret and hid unto us, yet by their sayings and doings it cannot be gathered, that they had the true knowledge of God, or attained unto salvation. First, Socrates, though he privately among his friends seemed to mislike of the heathen gods, and acknowledged one only God, yet publicly he worshipped their gods and sacrificed unto them, as both Xenophon and Plato excuse him, and free him from that imputation, that he contemned the gods of the Grecians: likewise Plato, though he sometime seem to magnify the one God the Creator of all things, yet he alloweth sacrifices done unto the heathen gods, and commendeth Socrates for rendering his vows unto them, and that he commanded a cock to be sacrificed unto Aesculapius: to this purpose Euseb. lib. 13. de praepar. Evang. c. 8. & 11. the like Tertullian reporteth of Socrates in Apologes. who in contempt of the heathen gods used to swear by a goat, or a dog, yet in the end caused a cock to be sacrificed to Aesculapius: Chrysostom affirmeth the same of Socrates, that he sacrificed to Aesculapius, and of Plato, that he allowed the fables of the Poets of the gods. hom. 3. in 1. c. ad Rom.

Seneca, who in his book de superstit. which is now perished, but cited by August. lib. 6. de civit. Dei. cap. 10. though he much enueighed against the heathen idols, showing how they worshipped their gods in the form of beasts, and fishes, and other shapes, thus writing, numina vocant, quae si spiritu accepto subito occurrerent, monstra haberentur, they call them gods, which if they had spirit and life, & should suddenly meet us, would be thought to be monsters: yet in the ende he resolveth, that all this rabble of the gods is to be worshipped, yet so, that we think, cultum magis ad morem, quam ad rem pertinere, that this worship rather is for fashion, then in truth: thus, as Augustine inferreth, this grave Philosopher, colebat quod reprehendebat, agebat, quod arguebat, adored that which he reprehended, and acted that which he misliked. Much better is the example of that ancient and reverend old man Eleazar, who being persuaded by his friends to dissemble as though he did eat swine's flesh, and so to save his life: answered, non dignum est aetati nostrae fingere, it is not beseeming our age to dissemble, 2. Macchab. c. 6.

Hermes Trismegistus, that wise Philosopher among the Egyptians, who did teach many things truly of God, in so much that some called him the Egyptian Moses, yet he spake very absurdly and impiously touching the idols of the heathen, as Augustine setteth it down, lib. 8. de civit. dei. c. 23. that simulachra sunt velut corpora Deorum, &c. that the images were as the bodies of the gods: and he foretelleth, and that with grief, that the time should come, when the worship of idols should fail among the Egyptians: wherein he seemeth to note those times, when as by the preaching of Christ's Gospel, idolatry should be banished: wherein he showeth himself an enemy and adversary to Christ. If this were the behavior of the most famous Philosophers, who contrary to their own judgment worshipped idols, what is to be thought of the rest? and what argument can we have of their salvation, who both lived, and died for ought we know, in so gross idolatry? Therefore howsoever God might have mercy upon some of them upon their repentance, yet it is most certain, that they being without the faith of Christ, could not be partakers of life everlasting. Faius.

Quest. 58. Seeing that the natural knowledge, which the heathen had was not sufficient unto salvation, how are they thereby made inexcusable?

1. Pareus dub. 16. answereth that they to whom sufficient knowledge and strength is denied to attain unto salvation, may have some excuse of their ignorance and weakness, if these 4. conditions be observed. 1. that this their ignorance and imbecility cometh not by their own default. 2. if that light of nature which they had, they had followed, and not willfully depraved. 3. if they had accknowledged their own wants, and had desired to have the same supplied by the grace of God. 4. if God had been any ways bound to have given them further graces to help their ignorance and imbecility: But none of these things could be pretended by the heathen: for their ignorance and weakness came upon them by their own apostasy, and falling away from God: and that light which they had they depraved: neither did they acknowledge their infirmity, but became vain and foolish in the opinion of their own strength: neither is God debtor or bound unto any, but bestoweth his graces freely.

2. Pererius dispute. 16. insisteth only upon the first part of this answer, showing that there is a double kind of ignorance, vna est causa culpae, one kind of ignorance is that which is the cause of fault or sin, and this excuseth: there is another, cuius causa culpa est, the cause whereof is our fault, and this excuseth not: and such was the ignorance of the heathen, which was caused by their own willful neglecting and abusing of the light of nature given unto them.

3. Peter Martyr hath yet a further answer: he distinguisheth between the ignorance of the heathen, and their imbecility or weakness: this the heathen would not have pretended, because they ascribed all unto freewill, and therefore they would not have complained of want of strength: the Apostle then toucheth that, which was most likely to have been objected by thē, namely, their ignorance: & showeth how even in that behalf they were also inexcusable, &c. But seeing as is shown before, evē their natural knowledge was insufficient to salvation, the same doubt remaineth still: therefore those two other exceptions concerning their imbecility, which P. Martyr mentioneth, as that it happened by their own default, and that they did not practice that little knowledge which they had, but abused it, may also be admitted, touching their ignorance, as before Pareus answered sufficiently.

4. Hereunto further may be added, that distinction of ignorance, which Gryneus borroweth from Augustine, not eueris one, which is ignorant is excused, sed is solùm, qui non habuit vnde disceret, but he only, that had not whence to learn. And therefore S. Paul excuseth himself by his ignorance, that he persecuted Christ, I did it ignorantly thorough unbelief, 1. Tim. 1.13. But such was not the ignorance of God, which the Gentiles had, having natural means offered unto them, which they depraved and abused.

Quest. 59. v. 21. How the Gentiles are said to have known God, and yet glorified him not as God.

1. Some think that in Scripture, that ignorance, which is caused by a man's own fault when he may have knowledge, if he will himself, it is called by the name of science and knowledge in Scripture, as John. 7.28. Christ saith to the Jews, ye both know me and whence I am: because they might have known if they would: Justin. resp. 140. ad 44. Gentium: so also Photios and Sedulius. But this is not the Apostles meaning here: for he saith not, when they might have known God, but when they knew God, they therefore had some knowledge of him.

2. Some think that they had the true knowledge of God, but they against this knowledge maliciously, and against their own conscience, worshipped other gods: so Ambrose, Anselm. But 1. it cannot be shown, that any of the Philosophers, no not they which come nearest unto the truth, had the true knowledge of God, for even Socrates, Plato, Seneca, allowed the worship of the heathen gods, and practiced it, as is before shown, qu. 57. and if any of them thought, that the images were no gods, yet those which they worshipped, were either devils or Angels, as Athanas. showeth, orat. cont. idol. 2. the Apostle here saith that they became vain in their imaginations, which showeth, that they were without the true knowledge of God: Anselm answereth, that they had once the true knowledge of God and afterward lost it: But the Apostle saith otherwise, that they did withhold the truth in unrighteousness, v. 18. they lost not that knowledge of the truth which they had, but suppressed it and kept it under, with their vain imaginations.

3. Origen seemeth to think, that they were utterly void of all true knowledge of God, dum formas & imagines requirunt in Des, in semetipsis imaginem Dei perdiderunt, while they imagined forms and images to be in God, they lost in themselves the image of God: for there were some Philosophers which held God to be a spirit without any form or image.

4. Some, whereas it is said, John. 1. the world knew him not, and yet here the Apostle saith, when they knew God, &c. give this solution, that the world knew, the only God, but not the Son, Gorrham. But the Apostle speaketh here only of such knowledge of God, as naturally may be attained unto: but the knowledge of the Trinity exceedeth the strength of nature.

5. Wherefore, the Apostle is thus to be understood, that they knew the true God in part, but not perfectly: they held some truths concerning the divine nature, but they mingled many untruths and falsities therewith: they acknowledged a God, but they either denied his providence, and power, or they communicated the duine honor unto others which were not gods: and thus they knew him, and yet knew him not: In this sense Christ said to his Apostles, John. 14.4. Whether I go, ye know, and the way ye know, and yet Thomas saith immediately, Lord, we know not whether thou goest, how then can we know the way? So they knew Christ, because they saw him, and he was among them: but yet they knew him not perfectly, his power they as yet did not fully understand: So the Gentiles knew God in some sort, but such an one as he was, they did not know.

Augustine to this purpose giveth instance in one of their chief Philosophers, Hermes Trismigestus, how he confesseth many things of the true God the maker of the world: tamen obscuritate cordis ad ista delabitur, &c, yet by the darkness of his heart he falleth to say, that he would have men subject unto those gods, which are made by men: Beda ex Augustine. so they kept the truth as the same Augustine. saith, in doctrina multis falsitatibus permixta, in doctrine mingled with many falsehoods.

And though some among the heathen did hold certain true principles of God, yet there were others more gross and foolish, and were utterly ignorant of the divine nature: taking the fire, wind, stars, and such like to be governors of the world: as it is in the book of wisdom, c. 13.1, 2. see before of this matter, quest. 52.

Quest. 60. v. 21. How the Gentiles did not glorify God, neither were thankful, but became vain.

1. Did not glorify him as God: this word to glorify, is taken two ways: either to conceive an honorable opinion of God, and to magnify him, and set forth his praise: as John. 11.4. this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God, may be glorified thereby: or it signifieth the worship due unto God, as Isaiah. 43.23. Neither hast thou honored (or glorified) me with thy sacrifices: Theodoret, so likewise Chrysostom and Origen, seem to take it in the first sense: that the Gentiles did not conceive so reverent an opinion of God, in feigning him to be like unto the images of creatures: so also P. Martyr. Gregor. hom. 11. in Ezech. thus understandeth it: they did not glorify God, non impenderunt ei cultum debitum, they did not give unto him his due worship: Ambrose, Anselm, Sedulius, do expound the former of the latter: they glorified not God, in not giving him thanks, but the Apostle set these two down, as two distinct things: not to glorify God, and not to give him thanks: Therefore, by this word, to glorify, is better comprehended, both the inward reverent opinion of God, of his justice, mercy, eternity, power, goodness, as also the outward worship due unto him, Calvin. Pareus. So the Gentiles did offend in both these: they neither honored God as they ought, worshipping him and reposing their trust and confidence in him: neither did they return him thanks for the benefits received, but referred all unto fortune, some to the stars, some to their own providence.

2. They became vain in their imaginations. 1. Erasmus giveth this sense, they were deceived in their expectation, because they took themselves to be wise, yet proved very fools: but this the Apostle expresseth afterward in particular. 2. some take it in Aristotle's sense: that is called vain, which is not brought to the due effect: as the end of this their knowledge was, that God should be honored: which end they attained not unto, Martyr. but indeed they neither had the true knowledge of God, nor yet propounded unto thenselves any such end.

3. Some refer it to the errors of the Philosophers, because they did resemble the Godhead by vain images: Theodoret, Chrysost. Tolet: but this seemeth to be to particular: they had many vanities beside: and this the Apostle allegeth afterward, as a proof of their foolishness, v. 23.

4. Augustine, whom Anselm followeth, understandeth it of their pride: the knowledge which they had, suis cogitationibus tribuebant, they attributed to their own thoughts, and reason: but their vanity was more general, it comprehended other things beside.

5. Therefore hereby are understood all the vain opinions and inventions which the heathen, trusting to their own wit and invention, coy • ed concerning the divine nature: as 1. some denied there was any God, as the Epicures. 2. some doubted thereof, as Protagoras, Diagoras. 3. some affirmed that there was a divine power, but they made many gods: and them either incorporeal, as the spirits, so the Platonists. 4. or some also made material and corporal gods, as the Greeks and Romans made men departed gods: the Egyptians other creatures, as oxen, geese, crocodiles, yea herbs, as onions, leckes. 5. Some acknowledged one God, as Plato, Aristotle: but either denied his providence in all things done under the moon, as the Peripatetikes: or tied him unto second, and inferior causes, as the Stoics: this is the vanity, which the Apostle speaketh of: And as this was their vanity in their judgment and opinion, so were they deceived in their hope and expectation: they thought by such means to appease their gods, to procure favor, to obtain good things: but the contrary fell out.

3. Their foolish heart was full of darkness. 1. by the heart is understood the mind, their very vndestanding was darkened, Faius. the natural reason in them was obscured, Gorrham. 2. this was a just punishment upon them, because they abused that knowledge, which was given unto them: their own pride and overweening of themselves besotted them, that whereas they thought themselves wise, they became fools, iusto Dei iudicio propter super • iam, their foolish heart was obscured thorough their pride, Lyranus. 3. that whereas they boasted of the name and title of wisemen: as the Grecians much gloried in their seven wise men: as the Romans had their wise men also, Numa, Cato, Cicero, yet they were all fools: for as fools delight in toys, and let pass things of greater substance and importance: so they worshipped images instead of the true God, which the Apostle in the next verse giveth as a reason of their foolishness: yea Socrates, who was counted one of their wisest Philosophers, desired his friends, being now ready to die, to offer for him a cock unto Aesculapius, which he had vowed, Pareus.

4. Some interpret thus, that while they held themselves wise in temporal things, stultifacti sunt in spiritualibus, they became fools in spiritual things: Lyranus. But their understanding was darkened even in moral duties: as Cato gave his wife unto Hortensius, desiring her, and took her again, when he was dead. Lycurgus exposed virgins naked in their plays and public spectacles, he commended theft, if it were secret: and many such absurd things even in civil duties were committed by their wisest men, Gryneus.

5. Augustine, whom Hugo Cardinal. followeth, doth somewhat curiously distinguish these three. 1. they became vain in their imaginations, this he applieth to th ••• , which do measure the divine nature according to their corporal sense, imagining him to have parts and members like unto man, which was the error of the Anthropomorphites. 2. their foolish heart was full of darkness, this he understandeth of them, which ascribe unto God the qualities and affections of the soul of man, as anger, grief, forgetfulness, remembrance. 3. when they thought themselves wise, they became fools, this he doth interpret of those which do imagine such things of God, which neither can be found in him, nor in any other creature, neither in the body, nor in the soul of man.

6. But this description of the error and blindness of the Gentiles is better referred generally to their foolish and carnal devises, and pretexes whereby they obscured the truth both in divine & human duties: as they alleged for their images, that they did not worship the image or idol, but the thing represented thereby, and that as a man cannot have access unto the Prince, but by his courriers: so there must be mediators to bring us unto God: Thus they became foolish in their imaginations, for God is not like unto man, that he need to be informed by others: Thus they became fools, leaving the true substance of God's worship, and following after shadows and shows: as the Apostle saith; Col. 2.23 which things have indeed a show of wisdom, &c. but substance they had none, Martyr.

Quest. 61. How the Gentiles changed the glory of God into the image of men and beasts, v. 23.

1. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God. 1. The glory of God is either absolute in himself, which can no ways be changed: or it is considered with relation to us, as the worship and honor which is yielded by the Creatures unto the Creator: this is changed by men, when they give the honor due unto God, unto creatures, Pareus. So that indeed they could not deprive God of his glory, sed audaciae accusantur, but they are accused of great presumption, that as much as in them lay they attempted to rob God of his honor, Martyr. 2. God is said to be incorruptible, because he only of himself is free from all corruption and change: the Angels are incorruptible, yet not originally, but by the will of God, Pareus, infaelix mutatio, this was an unhappy change of the true glory of God, into a similitude, of the very God, into an image, and of the incorruptible, into that which is corruptible, Gorrham. 3. this they did two ways: first in ascribing divine honor to such things, as by nature were not gods, as the Egyptians did worship beasts and other creatures for their gods: then in seeming to honor the true God by the images of men and beasts, Pareus. 4. Some take the words in this sense, as though they should think that the godhead was like unto these things, as S. Paul toucheth that error, Act. 17.29. We ought not to think that the Godhead is like to gold or silver, &c. But the meaning rather is, that they give the divine honor due unto God, unto the images of men and beasts: for the Apostle seemeth here to allude to that place, Psal. 106.16. they turned their glory into the similitude of a bullock, &c. yet the Israelites did not think God to be like unto a calf or bullock, Tolet. now whereas in the Psalm, it is said, their glory, but here the glory of God, the reason is, because gloria eorum Deus, God was their glory: for there can be no greater honor unto a nation, then the true worship of God, Mart. 5. The Apostle here doth diverse ways exaggerate this gross idolatry of the heathen. 1. maxim ridiculum est, &c. it was ridiculous that they took upon them to change the glory of God: 2. then quod in tam absurda mutarunt, that they changed it into such absurd things, Chrysostom. 3. he saith not, they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into a corruptible man: but into the similitude of the image, &c. not natural, but such as was fashioned and framed by the hands of man, Gorrham, Tolet. 6. And whereas some of the Philosophers were not so gross to think, that the very images of wood, gold, or silver, were the gods, but that the God's were represented in them: yet both the one and the other did worship them for gods, as Athanas. showeth, orat. cont. idolat. and Augustine saith well, quis orat intuens simulachrum, qui non sic afficiatur, vt ab eo se exandirs putet, &c. who prayeth looking toward an image, is not so affected, as though he thought it heard him, and hopeth to have performed by it, that which he desireth: whereupon men addicted to such superstitions, do turn their back upon the Sun, and power out their prayers before the image of the Sun, August. tractat. in Psal. 123. ex Beda.

62. Quest. Of the diverse kinds of idolatry among the heathen in worshipping the images of men and beasts, v. 23.

1. Varro a famous antiquarie among the Romans, who wrote the 41. books of antiquities, whereof 25. are of human matters, 16. of them of divine, he maketh three kinds of Theology or heathenish divinity: one fabulous and poetical, wherein the Poets do fain many indecent things of the gods, as that they committed theft, adultery: that some of them had their beginning out of the thigh, some out of the head of Jupiter: there was also a natural Theology, which the Philosophers handled: as whether the gods were eternal, what their beginning was, whether of the fire, as Heraclitus, or they consisted of numbers, as Pythagoras, or ex atomis, of small motes, as the Epicures: the third was civil Theology, which belonged to the Priests, as what gods ought to be worshipped, and with what ceremonies and sacrifices: this was for cities, the second for the world, the first for the theater or stage: to this purpose Varro. But Thomas showeth how in this place, the Apostle condemneth all these kinds: the Civil, which consisted in the adoration of images, in these words, they turned the glory of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of the image, &c. the fabulous and poetical, in these words, v. 25. which turned the truth of God into a lie: and the natural, observed by the Philosophers, he condemneth in saying, v. 25. they served the Creature, forsaking the Creator. Thom. in hunc locum.

2. Plutarke 6. c. lib. 1. de plurit. Philosoph. divideth the heathen idolatry into 7. kinds, 1. they observed the heavens, and stars, and when they saw that by their motion and influence the things below were much guided, they gave unto them the name of gods. 2. they made some profitable and wholesome gods, as Jupiter, Iono, Mercury. 3. some unprofitable as Mars, Saturn, the Furies, whom they appeased with sacrifices. 4. they gave the fourth place unto the passions and affections of the mind, as to love, venerie, desire. 5. then they made goddesses of the virtues, as of Justice, Fortitude, and such like. 6. Then follow the poetical fictions, as Hesiodus generation of the gods. 7. They ascribed divine honor unto those, that had bestowed any benefits, or found out any profitable invention for men, as Hercules, Castor, Pollux, Bacchus.

3. And of all other people the Romans exceeded in the variety of idolatry: Tertullian in apologet. citeth Varro, that he brought in 300. Iuppiters, and of other kinds they had an infinite number of gods: whereof Augustine giveth this reason, Roma quanto major facta est, sicut nauis nautas, tanto plures adhibendos esse Deos putavit, &c. Rome the greater it waxed, as a great ship requireth more mariners, so they thought to use many gods, as though a few gods sufficed not for their greatness, lib. 3. de ciuit. c. 12. Leo addeth further, cum pene omnibus dominaretur gentibus omnium pene serutebat errorbus, when as they bare rule over all nations, they became slaves to all their errors, serm. 1. de Natal. Pet. & Paul. and they in policy did worship the gods of all other nations, ad dilatationem imperij, for the enlarging of their dominion: thinking thereby the rather to insinuate themselves, Lyranus.

Quest. 63. Of the gross idolatry of the heathen in worshipping the images of men, and of beasts, v. 23.

1. Of the image of a corruptible man, &c. 1. In the book of wisdom two reasons are yielded of the adoration of images, nimius amor amicorum, & nimius timor tyrannorum, too great love of friends, and too great fear of tyrants: of the one they made images to remember them, of the other to flatter them, Gorrham. 2. The Assyrians were the first that worshipped the image of a man, namely of Belus the father of, Ninus, whom the Babylonians called Bell, the Sidonians Baal, the Jews Beelzebub, the Philistines Zebet, Haymo., 3. The Romans after the coming of Aeneas into Italy, worshipped also the images of men, as Jupiter, Romulus, ex gloss. ordinar. 4. And they worshipped not only men of desert, but lewd persons: as the Romans made Larentia, a common strumpet one of their goddesses: Simon Magus they inaugured with the title of a god, Tertullian. in Apologet.

2. And of birds, and fourefoosed beasts, and of creeping things. 1. Herein appeared the great folly of the heathen, who beside the adoration of images of men, gave divine honeur unto creatures: the Romans worshipped a goose, the Egyptians the hawk, and the Crocodile, and other beasts beside, Haymo. and the Philistines Dagon in the form of a fish: and Ambrose saith the Pagans had Coracina sacra, their sacred ravens solemnities. 2. But the Egyptians exceeded all other nations in these abhominable fooleries as Diodorus Sicalus expresseth at large, lib. 2. c. 4. which narration of his may be sorted out to these particulars. 1. First, their gross superstition appeared in the adoration of diverse kinds of beasts and fowls, as at Memphis they worshipped the god Apis in the likeness of a pide coy • e, in Midatu a goat: at the lake Mirides the crocodile, and a lion in the city Leonce. Besides they adored dogs, and cats, wolves, vultures, water ratts, which were enemies to the crocodiles and gnawed a sunder their bowels: 2. Those their beasts and birds which they held sacred, they kept very carefully in places near unto their Temples, and appointed keepeth for them, providing them divine meat, soft beds, and beside they used to wash and bath them with sweet water and spices. 3. if any chance to kill any of them, he was put to death for it: they spare none, for at such time as Ptolemy was received into amity and society with the Romans, there chanced one of the Romans to kill one of them, who notwithstanding the mediation of the king himself and the nobles, could not escape the hands of the people. 4. if any of them die in an house, there is great mourning and lamentation made, and they bestow great cost upon the burials: in Ptolomeus Lagus time, who succeeded Alexander, there died at Memphis an old ox, in the burying whereof the keeper bestowed 50. talents, which he borrowed of Ptolemy, and Diodorus in the same place reporteth of some • that had employed an 100. talents that way.

3. This kind of Egyptian Idolatry the Romans also learned, after the overcoming of Alexandria, gloss. ordinar. Tertullian objecteth to the Romans, iumenta omnia coeli à vobis, vos{que} omnium pane pecudum & bestiarum esse cultores, that they worshipped all kind of cattle and beasts: Valerius Maximus hath a memorable history, lib. 1. c. 8. how they brought a serpent in honor of Aesculapius from Epidaurus, which came of it own accord into one of their ships, and there lay folded together one part within another, and so was brought to Rome: which narration if it be true, it was either the devil in the likeness of a serpent: or the devil used the serpent, as his instrument: The reason hereof, why that Satan useth Serpents to work by and to deceive men, Augustine rendereth to be this: haec permittuntur, ad primi facti memoriam commendandam, &c. those things are permitted unto Satan to deceive and delude men, by serpents; as in causing them to move at the enchantment of men: to call to mind the first fact of Satan in seducing our first Parents by a Serpent, lib. 11. de Genes. ad liter. c. 28. Pherecydes Syrus writeth that the spirits were cast down from heaven by Jupiter, the Prince whereof was called Ophioneus, that is, serpentinus, serpentine, ex Lodov. Viv. in lib. August. de ciuit. dei.

4. Thus were the heathen blinded, that as Ambrose in this place saith, eorum quae praua sunt, & inimica homini, similitudini, &c. that they gave the honor of God, even unto evil things such as were enemies unto man. They might pretend, that in worshipping Serpents, and such other deadly things enemies to man, they adored the divine wrath and revenge of God, who useth those creatures as his instruments, to punish men by, Mart. But this is a foolish pretence: the like may the men of Calecut allege for worshipping of the devil, ne noceat, that he should not hurt them: they should rather have turned themselves unto God, as the only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , turner aside of all such evils.

5. This gross idolatry of the heathen in worshipping the images of creeping things, and beasts with such like, did not contain it self among the heathen only: But the Israelites also learned to follow the Gentiles: as Ezekiel was commanded to dignity an hole thorough the wall, whereby he came into a secret place, where he found the similitude of creeping things, and abhominable beasts painted upon the wall, and the Elders of Israel standing before them with their censers, Ezech. 8.10.11.

6. But whereas the heathen commonly pretended this excuse, that they did not hold such things, as they worshipped to be gods: but they in them worshipped God: as Symmachus objected in his oration, wherein he craved of the Emperors Valentinian and Theodosius, the restitution of the Roman gods: that the heathen had respect but unto one only God, sed ad illum per diversa itinera pergunt, but they have diverse ways to bring them unto that God: this frivolous excuse is here taken away by the Apostle, who saith, that the heathen changed the glory of the corruptible God, into the similitude of those things. And Augustine further hereunto maketh this answer, quod illic facit ara, si non illud habent pio numine, what do their altars there before their images, if they take them not to be their gods. And whereas Symmachus pretendeth many ways to lead unto one and the same God, the Scripture teacheth us, that as there is but one God, so there is but one way, which he hath prescribed us whereby to come unto him: as our blessed Savior saith, John. 14. I am the way, the truth, and the life: we cannot come unto God who is the fountain of life, but by Christ, who is the way. This and other objections made by Symmachus, are answered as large by Ambrose, epist. 30.

7. Of this kind of idolatry, was that heathenish devise of the Astronomers, in imagining the image of beasts and souls among the stars: which was Satan's subtlety, to bring man, vt se submitteret ijs rebus, &c. to submit himself to those things, which he was made Lord and governor of P. Martyr.

Quest. 64. How God is said to have delivered them to their own hearts lusts, v. 24.

1. Some do expound this only by way of permission, tradidit, nihil aliud est, quam permisit, he delivered or gave them up, that is suffered them: so Chrysostom, Origen, Oecumenius with others: Chrysostom useth two similitudes: like as if a captain should withdraw himself from his soldiers, and so in the time of battle they fall into their enemies hand: the captain might be said to deliver them unto their enemies: likewise a king hath a son that is given to riot, whom he cannot reclayme, he leaveth him to himself, that by experience he may see his own folly: Theodoret also to the same purpose useth this similitude, that God leaveth men to themselves, tanquam cymbam abs{que} rectore, as aship left without a pilote: Theophylact likeneth God herein to a Pysician, who having to deal with an unruly patient, that will not obey his precepts taketh no more care of him: likewise Ambrose thus expoundeth, tradere est permittere, non incitare, to deliver up is to permit, not to i •• ite, or stir up. Damascene. lib. 4. de fide orthodox. c. 20. showeth, that it is the use of Scripture to call the permission of God, his action, that he is said to do that, which he only permitteth and suffereth: yea Pererius here addeth further, that the permission of God sometime nomine praecepti appellatur, is called by the name of precept: as, whereas Christ saith according to Matthew, c. 19.8. Moses suffered you for the hardness of your heart, to put away your wives ; according to S. Mark, c. 10.3. he saith, What did Moses command you?

Setus in his commentary maketh two kinds of permission: est vna generalis, there is one general, when any man is suffered to sin, but this permission is not called a delivering up: altera est singularis quaedam & valde formidabilis, there is another a singular and most fearful kind of permission, when God for the punishment of former sins, suffereth one to be blinded, and hardened in his sin: which kind of permission the Apostle speaketh of here. Of this opinion generally are the Romanists, that this delivering up is understood of permission; as Lyranus with the ordinary gloss. Varablus, Tolet. the Rhemists.

Contra. 1. To make God only a sufferer or permitter of things to be done, doth admit a double inconvenience: first they make God an idle beholder of men's actions, like as Homer bringeth in Jupiter feasting and spotting himself in Ethiopia, while the Grecians did take Troy: and again, they make God accessory and consenting unto evil: for like as the father, or master of the house, if he should suffer his servants to live riotously, and give themselves to all licentiousness, though he do not encourage them to it, yet in not hindering them, he seemeth to give consent: the like inconvenience also would follow, if God should be a permitter or sufferer only of such things to be done. Pareus.

2. But it will be here objected, that if God suffer not sin to be done in the world, it could not be: how then is not he accessory to that, which he doth not hinder? Answ. God is here otherwise to be considered, then as man: we cannot suffer any evil to be done before us, which is in our power to hinder, but we must be guilty of it: But the Lord is always most just: evil should not be done in the world, if it did not stand with God's will and pleasure; who notwithstanding is therein just, and good, as Augustine saith, probando patientiam dat locum. poenitentiae, nolens aliquem perire, &c. the Lord therein showeth his patience in giving way unto repentance, because he would not have any perish, &c. and so he concludeth, Deus non facit voluntates malas, sed vtitur ijs, vt voluerit, cum aliquid inique velle non possit, though God make not men's wills evil, yet he useth them, as it pleaseth him, and yet he willeth not anything unjustly. August. contr. Julian. lib. 5. c. 3.

3. Chrysostom's similitudes are not fit: for the captain which leaveth his army, is a betraier of them, and the very cause of their delivering up: but so is not God the author of evil: and the father cannot turn his son from his licentious life: but God is able to turn the heart. Martyr.

4. Seeing the Scripture ascribeth unto God manifest action, as shall appear afterward: as he is said to have hardened Pharaohs heart, and to bid Shimei curse David, and such like, it is a forcing of Scripture to apply that unto a bare permission, which showeth an active and working power. Pareus.

2. An other way, how God is said to deliver them up, is by the subtraction, and withdrawing of his grace: as he which taketh away the prop or pillar, that beareth up a great stone or weight, may be said to be the cause of the fall thereof: Thomas. Thus Gregory expoundeth: God is said to harden the heart, quando cor reprobum per gratiam non emollit, when he doth not mollify with his grace a reprobate heart: So also Augustine, Deus non indurat cor impertiendo malitiam, sed non largiendo gratiam, &c. God doth not harden the heart, by imparting unto it malice, but in not giving unto it grace: So also Thomas upon this place: God directly doth not deliver over men to uncleanness by inclining the affections, sed indirecte tradit in peccatum, in quantum subtrahit gratiam, but he doth indirectly deliver them to sin, by withdrawing his grace. This interpretation may safely be admitted, but yet it seemeth not fully to express the meaning of the Apostles phrase: for delivering up, signifieth more then a subtraction only, or depriving one of grace.

3. Some do expound the Apostle thus, that God is said to harden the heart, and to deliver up unto co • c • piscence, and such like, by ministering occasion, which is perverted by the wicked unto evil: for as unto those that love God, all things are turned to the best, so unto those that hate God, all things make for their ruin and destruction: thus the miracles and wonders wrought in Egypt, and the messages which Moses brought from God unto Pharaoh, were a means to harden Pharaohs heart, not so intended by God, but so perverted by Pharaohs malice. Thus God is said to do those things, because by occasion of such things as the Lord doth, other things fall out: In this sense it is said, that he which loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul, not that he intendeth directly the death of his soul, but because he doth such things, as procure the death of his soul: So the Lord bestowed many benefits, and temporal blessings upon the heathen, which they abused to covetousness, and wantonness, in following of their own lusts. This interpretation followeth Pet. Martyr, and Pererius. But this seemeth to be no fit exposition: God delivered them up, that is, they abusing the blessings of God unto wantonness, delivered themselves up: for the Apostle here showeth, that this delivering of them up, was inflicted as a punishment upon the Gentiles for their idolatry: and therefore God must be considered here as a just Judge, who had an hand in this their punishment, otherwise, then by ministering occasion only.

4. Some do thus interpret, tradidit illos Deus. id est, delictum in Dominum, God delivered them up, that is, their sin committed against God delivered them: as we say, perdidit illum pecunia, his money was his destruction, whereas it was not the money, but the abuse of the money which hurt him: so caeten. Graec. which Stapleton followeth. But Faius here well answereth, that, here money is considered 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by way of passion, it is a thing used, as an instrument, it hath no action: but an active power is here given unto God.

5. The blasphemous Manichees were here driven to this strait, because they would free God from being any way accessory to evil, that they made two gods, one good the father of Christ, and the author of the New Testament, the other evil, the author of the old: and that God it was, which is said to have hardened Pharaohs heart, and to bid Shimei curse David: and of this god, they understood S. Paul to speak, 2. Cor. 4.4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds: But the Manichees do here manifestly contradict the Apostle, who saith, Eph. 4.6. There is one God, and father of all, &c. who is above all: there are not then more God's then one. And in that other place, by the god of this world, the Apostle meaneth Satan, who is the prince of the darkness of this world, who is so called, because he is so held to be of the infidels. Some think that God may as well be said to blind the minds of infidels, as here to deliver them up to their own concupiscence: as P. Mart. following Augustine: But the Scripture useth not so to speak of God: the God of this world, is all one, as to say, the prince of the world, which name Christ giveth unto Satan, John. 14.30.

6. Wherefore, there is more to be considered in these actions, of hardening the heart, & delivering up unto a reprobate sense, then bare permission only, & subtraction of grace: these we refuse not: so that permission be here understood, as joined with God's will: for otherwise to think that God permitteth anything, which he cannot hinder, were great blasphemy, Faius: yet God hath a further stroke in these actions, then by permission only, and withholding of his grace. 1. Augustine doubteth not to affirm, that not only the good wills and minds of men, which God maketh good of evil, are in God's hand, but also the evil minds and wills of men, are so in God's power, vt eos quo voluerit, quando voluerit, factat inclinari, that the same God causeth to be inclined, which way he will, and when he will: and he giveth instance in diverse places of Scripture; as how God is said to have hardened Pharaohs heart, that he bid Shimei curse David, non iubendo dixit, sed eius voluntatem proprio suo vitio malam in hoc peccatam iusto suo indicio inclinavit, not that he in deed bad him, but by his just judgment he inclined his will, being evil of it self, into this sin: so it is said, 2. Chron. 25.20. But Amaziah would not hear for it was of God, that he might deliver them into his hand, &c, likewise Ezek. 14.9. if the Prophet be deceived, when he hath spoken a thing, the Lord hath deceived that Prophet: upon these and other such places, Augustine thus inferreth: that it is manifest, operari Deum in cordibus hominum, ad inclinandus sorum voluntates, quacun{que} voluerit, &c. that God worketh in the hearts of men to incline their wills, which way he will, either unto good for his mercy sake, or unto evil, according to their desert: indicio suo aliquando aperto, aliquando occulto, semper nutem iusto, by his judgment sometime open, sometime hid, but always just: thus August. lib. 5. contr. Julian. c. 3. All these places alleged show, that God in such actions, is to be considered as an agent, and yet is free from the imputation of any evil.

2. Which that it may more fully appear, these considerations following are here necessary. 1. we must distinguish, between the motion of the mind, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and the disorder or euilnes of the motion, Pareus: and there are two things in sin, actio, & defectus, the action it self, and the defect or fault: the action is of God, but not the other, Mart. so Hugo Cardinal. Deus non incitat ad malas notiones, in quantum sunt mala, &c. God doth not stir up unto evil actions, as they are evil, but as they are actions. 2. Beside, sins are considered three ways: first as they are transgressions of the law of God: then as they are causes of other sins: in neither of these respects doth sin any way stand with the will and pleasure of God: thirdly, as they are poena praecedentium scelerum, punishments of sins before-going: and so they are of God: so then, as there is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a disordered motion in sin, God no way is accessory unto them: but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the infliction of them as a punishment, proceedeth from the just judgment of God, Pareus. 3. As God is to be considered, as a just Judge in punishing sin by sin, so likewise as a wise foreseer, and provident worker and contriuer of all things, to effect his good pleasure: so then we affirm, Deum iusto suo iudicio ordinare, &c. God doth so ordain in his just judgment, that men be delivered up to their own concupiscence: as the Judge delivereth male factors over to the tormentor, or hangman, Calvin. carnifex agit vi, & authoritate iudicis, &c. the tormentor worketh by the authority of the Judge: yet carnisicis opus, cum imperio iudicis non confundo, I confound not the work of the hangman with the commandment of the Judge, saith Beza: So it is true, as Faius here saith, Deus arcano suo iudicio effecit, &c. God so wrought by his secret judgment, that they which were already estranged from him, magis averterentur, should yet be estranged more.

But it will be thus objected against this resolution. 1. Julianus the Pelagian thus cavilled, If this concupiscence, unto the which the Gentiles were delivered up, were a punishment of sin, then it is good and commendable. Ans. It followeth not, for by the same reason the devil should deserve commendation, because he is the executer of God's revenge, and punishment. 2. He objecteth, that they were left by the patience of God, not per po •• tiam compulsi, not compelled by his power. Ans. 1. God showeth herein both his patience and his power, as the Apostle showeth, Rom. 9.22. What if God would, to show his wrath, and make his power known, suffer with long patience, the vessels of his wrath prepared to destruction, &c. 2. yet although God herein show his power and secret judgment, in punishing them with their own concupiscence, yet he forceth not their wills, but being evil of themselves, he giveth them over further to all impiety. 3. Object. The Apostle saith, Eph. 4.19. Which being past feeling, have given themselves unto wantonness, &c. they then give themselves over, God giveth them not up. Ans. It followeth not: for both God doth deliver them up, as a just Judge, and Satan as a minister of God's vengeance: and they themselves, as willingly precipitating themselves into all uncleanness: So God delivered up his Son unto death, and the Jews also: in one and the same action, God is just, and man guilty: quia in vna re quam fecerunt, causa non est vna ob quam fecerunt, because in one ende the same thing which they did, there was not one cause, for the which they did it. August. See more of this question, Hexapl. in Exod. c. 11. qu. 15. to qu. 28. where it is discussed at large.

65. Quest. How the Gentiles are said to defile their bodies in themselves, v. 24.

1. Chrysostom thus interpreteth, propria corpora inter seipsus debonestar • solitos, that they were accustomed to defile their bodies between themselves: so also Erasmus, Vatablus, and Beza: Theophylact readeth, à seipsis, of themselves: but in the original it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in themselves: as the vulgar Latin translateth: so also Calv. Pareus. 2. Some retaining this reading, by in themselves, understand that kind of pollution and uncleanness, which men commit with themselves, & not with any other person, Ansel. Garr: or there are three kinds of sins of uncleanness against na • ure: either the same party with himself worketh uncleanness: or with another person, of the same sex, but of the same kind, as man with man, or with another kind, as man with beast: the first of these is signified here, Lyranus. 3. Some think that the Apostle speaketh of such uncleanness, which was committed by themselves one with another, Osiander. but that is spoken afterward. 4. Tolet taketh this to be understood, not of sins against nature, but of adultery, fornication, and such like: that first they fell into peccata simplicia, into simple sins, then as they exceeded in idolatry, so they fell into more gross sins. 5. But this is better understood generally of all kind of pollution, and uncleanness, natural, or unnatural, which was committed in themselves, that is, against their own bodies: for other sins are committed without the body, but the sin of uncleanness defileth the body, and such do sin against their own bodies: as the Apostle showeth, 1. Cor. 6.28. And so Augustine distinguisheth between flagitium, and facinus: the first is that which one committeth against himself in defiling his own body, and soul: the other is in hurting of another, Pareus. 6. And this was the just recompense of retalion, that as they had dishonored God, so they should dishonor themselves: and like as they had turned God into the similitude of beasts, and beasts into gods; so they themselves should be given over to beastly affections. Faius.

66. Quest. How they worshipped the creature, rather then the Creator.

1. So readeth the vulgar Latin, and the Syrian translator: but upon this reading it would follow, that they worshipped the Creator, but not so much as the creature: and the same inconvenience followeth to read, above the Creator, Chrysost. Vatabl. but the word in the original is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifieth, beside the Creator: as Cyprian well giveth the sense, relicto Creatore, the Creator being forsaken, lib. 3. contr. Iudaeos, c. 10. and Hilary, praeter •• Creatore, the Crea • or being omitted: so also Beza. 2. Tolet here noteth, that they committed two things in their idolatrous worship, vnum ad intellectum, alterum ad voluntatem spectat, one concerneth the understanding, in the error of their mind: they changed the truth of God, the true worship of God into a lie, that is, a lying image: the other was in their will and affection, in worshipping the creature. But Gryneus addeth a third degree, which was in their action: for he distinguisheth these two, they worshipped, and served, the first he applieth unto the inward veneration and worship, the other to their outward service. 3. By the creature, is not only here understood such things as were, and had an existence in the nature of things, as the Sun, the Moon, the stars, but they did also worship 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , such things as had no being: which were of three sorts, either such as never were in the world, but were imagined gods and goddesses, as Venus, Pallas, Herculius, Febris, and such like: or such as were sometime in the world, but were now dead, and not in the world, as Hercules, Romulus; so Faius: and they worshipped some things of d • uers shapes, which never were, nor could be in the world: as Jupiter of Libya had a rams head, and Anubis of Egypt a dogs head: the Faunes and Satyrs had goats feet, the Na • ades and Trit ••• , had a mixed shape of men, and fishes: Aretius: by the creature then is understood, whatsoever beside the Creator, which they worshipped.

4. Whereas the Apostle addeth, which is blessed forever: Chrysostom well noteth, null • ill ex hac impietate da •• no afficitur, &c. that God, notwithstanding this contumely offered him by idolaters sustanied no loss thereby, he still remained blessed forever: and that it is said forever, a difference is shown between the honor of God, which remaineth invio • able forever, and the honor of idols, which remaineth but for a time, Gorrh.

67. Quest. Of the unnatural sins of the heathen.

26. For this cause God gave them up, &c. 1. Aretius taketh this to be but an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 further explanation of that which the Apostle had spoken of before: but it is rather an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an exaggeration rather, and amplifications for it is more to be given over, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unto passions, then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , unto the lusts of the heart: for they differ in three things, 1. the passion here signifieth a 〈◊〉 defeat of the mind, which could not be removed, whereas the lust of the heart was not yet perfected, Faius. 2. by the lust is signified their unclean desires, but here the Apostle also speaketh of their unclean acts, Pareus: 3. and before the Apostle touched such uncleanness, as defiled the body: but now they are given over unto such vile affections as also defile the mind, depraving it of the use of reason, Tolet.

2. How the women did change the natural use, may seem strange: Theophylact thinketh it was obscaenum aliquid, quod nec dici fas est, some obscene thing, that is not to be uttered. Lyranus, so also Tolet, and before them Ambrose and Anselmo, understand it de commistione foeminarum inter se, of the commixtion of women among themselves, as the men were defiled between themselves. But rather here the natural use is to be referred unto the organe and instrument of generation: when the women did prostitute themselves, the • en exercising praeposterum & sterilem venerem, preposterous and sterilous venerie, Osiander. Sodomiticos concubitus, or they companied with men, as Sodomites, Pareus: and as Augustine saith, when the males abused ex parte corporis, quae non ad generandum instituta est, that part of the body in the female, which was not appointed for generation: so the Syrian translator, re quae non est ex natura vsae sunt, they used the thing both which was not of nature, &c.

3. So likewise the men with men wrought filthiness: actively, in forcing upon other unnatural acts of uncleanness: and passively, in suffering others to do it: this was the sin of Sodom, for the which they were destroyed. Socrates is noted among the Philosophers for masculine venerie, which Plato condemneth. And the Apostle may seem to have special relation here unto the abominable uncleanness of the Romans, and specially 〈◊〉 , who was a monstrous beast for such sins against nature, Pareus. Chrysostom 〈◊〉 elegantly showeth, how whereas by God's ordinance, in lawful copulation by marriage, two became one flesh, both sexes were ioned together in one: by this Sodomitical vn ••• nnes, the same flesh is divided into two, the men with men working uncleanness with women, and so serve instead of two sexes.

68. Quest. How one sin is punished by another, upon these words, And received in themselves such recompense of their error, &c. v. 27.

1. There are some sins, which are as punishments of former sins, which are non tormenta peccantium, sed incrementa vitiorum, not so much the torment of sinners, as the increasing of sin, as Augustine saith. And here we may make a four-fold distinction of sins: 1. some are not only sins, but the causes also of sins following: as Gregory giveth instance, of one given unto riot and excess in eating and drinking, which causeth him through the lustines of his flesh to commit adultery: here his Epicures life is both a sin, and the cause of another sin, namely adultery. 2. Some sins are both the cause of another sin following, and the punishment of a former: as if the adulterer proceed further to commit murder: here adultery is the punishment of his gluttony, and the cause of murder. 3. And there is a sin, which is the punishment of a former sin, though it bring forth no new sin: as murder here is the punishment of adultery. 4. Some sins are neither the causes, nor punishment of other sins, but simply sins in themselves: as namely when any one repenteth of his sin, and proceedeth no further.

2. But here it will be objected, that every sin is voluntary, but the punishment of sin is involuntarie: how then can sin be a punishment: and every punishment of sin is just, and so of God, but sin is unjust, and not of God, therefore not a punishment? To this objection diverse answers are made:

1. The master of the sentences, lib. 2. distinct. 36. giveth this solution, that sin is said to be a punishment, not as it is a fault committed by the will: but in respect of the effect which it worketh in the soul, which is the corrupting of the mind, and making it guilty of damnation. But in this sense, every sin should be a punishment of sin: because the mind is thus corrupted, and made guilty even by the first sins, which one committeth.

2. Therefore Thomas Aquinas addeth further, that sin in respect of the nature thereof, because it is voluntary, is not a punishment, but in respect of the cause, which is the subtraction or removing of the grace of God, whereby he falleth into further sin. And further he explaneth the matter thus: that sin is a punishment 3. ways, either in respect of somewhat going before, as the absence, or subtracting of the grace of God, or somewhat which accompanieth sin, either in the mind, as the corrupting and polluting of it: or without, as crosses and troubles, which are sent for sin: or else in respect of somewhat ensuing and following, as the torment of conscience. But all these, the subtracting of grace, outward trouble, and remorse of conscience, may concur in the first sins, which are not the punishment of any precedent sins: therefore a further reason hereof is to be found out.

3. Wherefore, God in punishing one sin by another, is to be considered as a just Judge, that not only by subtracting his grace, as Pererius: not by giving Satan power over sinners, to draw them further into sin, as Hyperius: but by the secret working of his justice, in ordering and directing all things according to his will, he so disposeth and effecteth, that the wicked are given over to greater impiety and iniquity, to commit sin with greediness: so then this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , recompense, hath neither reference unto the sinners themselves; who regard herein nothing but their own inordinate pleasure, not yet unto Satan's work, who intendeth nothing but the contumely of God, and the destruction of the ungodly: but it is referred unto God, who in punishing sin by sin, only respecteth the due course of his justice, in thus recompensing their former error. God then is no way accessory to their sins, but concurreth as a just Judge in punishing their former sins with greater following: Pareus. Faius here noteth well a difference between the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which the Apostle here useth, which signifieth a just and full recompense, answering and correspondent unto the merit of their sin: which word is only used of evil works: but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a reward, is given unto good works, as be conferred of grace, not answering unto any merit before going.

3. As thus it hath been shown how sin is the punishment of sin, so also one sin may be the cause of another: and that either directly, or indirectly: directly, when as a man by one sin is inclined to commit another: and that three ways, 1. in respect of the ende, as when one through covetousness committeth murder, to enjoy an others wealth: 2. or by suggesting the matter of another sin, as gluttony bringeth forth adultery: 3. or in respect of the efficient and moving cause, as when one by practice and continuance in sin is grown into an habit of sinning, which still stirreth him up to heap sin to sin: Indirectly one sin causeth another, by removing that which should keep one from sin, as namely when the sin first committed, excludeth the grace of God, whereby one should be preserved from sin. Thom. prim. secund. qu. 80. art. 2.

69. Quest. How the Gentiles are said, not to regard to know God, v. 28.

1. Origen thinketh, that the Apostle setteth down here three kinds of impieties against God: first, of them which worshipped idols, to v. 23. which was the general sin of the Gentiles: secondly, of those which worshipped the creature rather then the creator, v. 25. such were the Philosophers and Astronomers, which were skillful in the observation of natural things: thirdly, he thinketh heretics here to be noted, that regard not to know God. But the Apostle seemeth still to continue in the same argument, setting forth the sins of the Gentiles: that as before he shown, how they polluted and defiled themselves: so now he describeth other sins as fruits of their idolatry, namely such as are committed against others.

2. These words, they regarded not to know God: 1. some thus interpret, that they thought God to have no knowledge, or no great care of such things, as they committed, gloss. ordin. Gorrham. and so before them Ambrose: but the words must be much forced and strained to make this sense, as though the Apostle should say, they regarded not, that God knew. 2. Some think the Apostles meaning is, that they had not God's fear before their eyes, that knowing him, they much regarded not, what was pleasing or displeasing unto him. Haymo. But the Gentiles had not the true knowledge of God, for they neglected the means, which should have brought them to know him. 3. Some give this sense, neglexerunt, &c. they neglected, Tolet. non curarunt, they had no care to know God, Vatab. they did not seek to know God according to that natural light and direction, which they had. 4. But there is more signified here, then a negligence: rather spreverunt, they despised to know and acknowledge God: Faius: they scorned and derided the true knowledge of God, and preferred their own vain inventions: And so Chrysostom noteth, that the Apostle saith not, as they knew not God, but regarded not to know God: so that it was corrupts iudicij, of a corrupt judgment, not a sin of ignorance, that they refused the knowledge of God. The Apostle then showeth, voluntariam caecitatem, their willful blindness, Pareus: it seemed not good unto them, as Beza: or they judged it not good, as the Syrian translator, to know God: it was a voluntary election in them to prefer their superstitions before the knowledge of God. And Erasmus, whom P. Martyr therein approveth, noteth here a difference between 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , knowledge, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , acknowledgement: the latter word is here used: though they had some knowledge of God, yet they did not acknowledge him to be God, as in glorifying him, & giving thanks unto him, as the Apostle said before, v. 21.

Quest. 70. What it is to be delivered up to a reprobate mind.

1. Some understand this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , reprobate, passively, that is, quod omnibus displicet, which displeaseth and is reproved of all: Eras. mentem improbandam, a mind to be reproved or disallowed, Sa. but this expresseth not the whole meaning: their reprobate mind, was not so called so much in respect of others, as of themselves.

2. Some take it passively in respect of God: that they were as reprobates, that is, rejected and reprobate of God: But all the Gentiles, which followed these sins were not reprobates, Beza. many of them afterward were washed from their sins, and sanctified in the name of Christ, 1. Cor. 6.11.

3. Therefore this word ( reprobate ) is rather here taken actively: for a mind void of all judgment,