A17643:40
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.
The Argument of the Epistle to the Romans.The Argument of the Epistle to the Romanes.
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.
In the fifth Chapter, after he hath touched the fruit & effect of the righteousness of faith, he is almost wholly occupied in amplifications, which serve to make the matter more clear. For by an argument taken from the greater, he showeth how great things, we now being redeemed, & reconciled unto God, are to expect & look for at his hands through his love: which was so bountiful towards us being sinners, utterly undone. & cast away, that he gave unto us his only begotten, & only beloved son. After this he compareth sin with ⟨image 11⟩righteousness which cometh by free grace, Christ with Adam, death with life, the law with grace. Whereby he declareth that the infinite goodness of God doth overmatch our sins, how great so ever they are.
In the fift Chapter, after he hath touched the fruite & effect of the righteousnes of faith, he is almost wholly occupied in amplifications, whiche serue to make the matter more cleere. For by an argument taken from the greater, he sheweth how great things, we now being redeemed, & reconciled vnto God, are to expect & looke for at his hands through his loue: which was so bountiful towards vs being sinners, vtterly vndone. & cast away, that he gaue vnto vs his onely begotten, & only beloued sonne. After this he compareth sinne with ⟨image 11⟩righteousnes which commeth by free grace, Christ with Adā, death with life, the law with grace. Wherby he declareth that the infinite goodnes of God doth ouermatch our sins, how great so euer they are.
In the sixth Chapter, he cometh unto sanctification which we have in Christ. For our flesh is prone, as soon as it hath tasted a little of this grace, to cocker wantonly his sins, & concupiscences, as though it had now dispatched all. Therefore Paul on the contrary declareth here, that we cannot be partakers of righteousness in Christ, unless also we lay hold on sanctification. He fetcheth his argument from Baptism, whereby we are admitted in the fellowship of Christ: therein we are buried together with Christ, that being dead in our selves, by his life we might be raised unto newness of life. Whereupon it ensueth, that no man without regeneration, can put on his righteousness. From hence he draweth exhortations unto purity, and holiness of life, which necessarily ought to appear in those who are translated from the power of sin, into the kingdom of righteousness, having cast away the wicked cockering of the flesh, which seeketh a more licentious liberty of sinning in Christ. Finally, he doth briefly make mention of the abrogation of the law, in abrogating whereof the new testament is made manifest, where, besides the forgetting of sin, the holy spirit is promised.