A17643:220
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.
4 Let it not be so: but let God be true and every man a liar: as it is written, that thou mayest be justified in thy sayings, and overcome when thou art judged.
4 Let it not bee so: but let God bee true and euery man a lyer: as it is written, that thou mayest bee iustified in thy sayinges, and ouercome when thou art iudged.
3 For what if some, &c. As before, whiles he respected the Jews, glorying in the bare sign that he did not grant unto them so much as a spark of glory: so now whiles he considereth the nature of the sign, he testifieth that the virtue thereof is not abolished, no not through their vanity. Because therefore he seemed above to import, that if there were any grace in the sign of circumcision, it were all perished through the unthankfulness of the Jews.
3 For what if some, &c. As before, whiles hee respected the Iewes, glorying in the bare signe yt hee did not graunt vnto them so much as a sparke of glory: so nowe whiles hee considereth the nature of the signe, hee testifieth that the vertue therof is not abolished, no not through their vanitie. Because therfore hee seemed aboue to import, that if there were any grace in the signe of circumcision, it were all perished through the vnthankefulnes of the Iewes.
Now again, by the way of exception or subjection, he demandeth what is to be thought thereof. And here is a kind of silence or concealing: because he expresseth less then he would have to be understood: for he might truly have said, that a great part of the people had cast from them the covenant of the Lord: but because it had been marvellous bitter in the ears of the Jews, that he might mitigate the roughness thereof, he only nameth some. Shall their incredulity, &c. Catargein, properly is to make void, and of none effect: which signification is most apt for this present sentence. For Paul entreateth not only whether the incredulity of men can let the verity of God, that it should not remain firm and stable in it self: but whether it can hinder the effect and accomplishment thereof amongest men. The meaning therefore is, seeing the most of the Jews were covenant breakers, whether through their unfaithfulness the covenant of God be so abrogated, that it should show forth no fruit amongest them? he answereth, that it cannot come to pass through the pravity of men, that the verity or truth of God should not have his constancy.