A17643:169
Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans
A commentary upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans, written in Latin by M. John Calvin, and newly translated into English by Christopher Rosdell preacher. Whereunto is added a necessary table for the better and more ready finding out of certain principal matters contained in this workA commentarie vpon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romanes, written in Latine by M. Iohn Caluin, and newely translated into Englishe by Christopher Rosdell preacher. Whereunto is added a necessarie table for the better and more readie finding out of certayne principall matters conteyned in this worke
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for John Harison and George Bishop, 1583London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Iohn Harison and George Bishop, 1583
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
13 For not the hearers of the law, are righteous before God: but the doers of the law shall be justified.
13 For not the hearers of the lawe, are righteous before God: but the doers of the lawe shalbe iustified.
11 For there is no respect of persons. Hitherto he hath drawn all men generally, guilty unto judgement: now he beginneth here to reprove the Jews by themselves, and the Gentiles by themselves: And withal he teacheth that that diversity or difference which separateth the one from the other letteth not, but both of them without difference may be subject to eternal death. The Gentiles pretended excuse by ignorance: the Jews gloried in the title of the Law, from the Gentiles he taketh all excuse and hafting, and the Jews he spoileth of their false and vain boasting. It is therefore a certain division or distribution of all mankind into two members. For God had severed the Jews from other nations: and as for all other nations they were in one and the like case. Now he showeth that that diversity hindereth nothing, whereby they should not both be entangled & wrapped in the same guiltiness. But the word person is used in the Scripture,1 for all external things, which are wont to be had in any price or estimation. When thou readest therefore that God is no accepter of persons, understand, that he respecteth the purity and inward innocency of the heart: and regardeth not those things,2 which men make great reckoning of: Namely, kindred, country, dignity, riches, and such like: so that acception is here taken for an election, or separation of one nation from another, or between nation and nation. And if any hereupon do cavil, that the election of God therefore is not free: It may be answered, that there is a two fold acception of man before God. The first,3 whereby of his mere goodness he chooseth us, being called from nothing: seeing there is nothing in our nature that might be liked of him. The second, whereby when he hath regenerate us, he also embraceth us with his gifts that are in us: and loveth that image of his Son, which he doeth acknowledge in us.