Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans

4 Who art thou that judgest another mans servant. &c. As thou shouldest deal uncivilly, ye proudly amongest men, if thou wouldest bring another mans servant under thy rules, and examine all his deeds by the live of thy will: so thou takest too much upon thee, if thou condemn any thing in the servant of God, because it pleaseth not thee. For it is not thy part to prescribe him what he should do, or what he should not do: neither need he to live according to thy rule. And whereas he taketh from us the faculty of judging, it appertaineth as well unto the person as unto the deeds.

4 Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant. &c. As thou shouldest deale vnciuilly, yee proudely amongest men, if thou wouldest bring another mans seruaunt vnder thy rules, and examine all his deedes by the liue of thy will: so thou takest too much vppon thee, if thou condemne any thing in the seruant of God, because it pleaseth not thee. For it is not thy parte to prescribe him what hee shoulde doe, or what hee shoulde not doe: neyther neede hee to liue according to thy rule. And whereas hee taketh from vs the facultie of iudging, it apperteyneth as well vnto the person as vnto the deedes.

Wherein yet there is great diversity. For the man whatsoever he be, we ought to leave him to the judgement of God. As for his deeds we may not determine of them according to our own ⟨p. 179⟩estimation: but according to the word of God. For that judgement which is taken from the word of God is neither mans judgement, nor unfit. Paul therefore here would drive us from all temerous and rash judgement,¹ whereinto they fall which dare judge of the deeds of men besides the word of God. He standeth or falleth to his own Lord. As though he said, the Lord properly hath this authority to reprove or accept that the servant doeth: therefore he is injurious to the Lord, who so goeth about to take this authority unto him. Whereas he addeth, yea, he shall stand. Thereby he commandeth us not only to abstain from condemning, but also exhorteth unto courtesy and humanity, that we should alway hope well of him, in whom we discern any portion of true godliness. Seeing GOD hath put us in hope, that he will fully confirm them, and bring them on to perfection, in whom he hath begun the work of his grace. For in that he reasoneth from the power of GOD, he doeth it not simply, as though he said, God can do it, if he would: but he joineth the will of God with his power, as the manner of the Scripture is. And yet he defineth not here, any perpetuity: as though they must needs stand unto the end, whom God hath once erected: but only admonisheth, that we should hope well, and that our judgements should lean this way: as he also teacheth in another place, saying,