A17643:403
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 Until the law. This parenthesis containeth a preoccupation. For because it seemeth not there is any transgression without the law: it might be doubted whither there were any sin before the Law. That there was after the law there is no doubt: only the question was of the time went before the law. Therefore he answereth, that albeit God had not as yet denounced sentence by the written law, yet was mankind under the curse, yea and that from his mothers womb: and therefore much less were they absolved from the condemnation of sin, who lived wickedly before the publishing of the law. For there was alway a God to whom worship was due,1 and there was alway some rule of righteousness. This interpretation is so plain and clear, that it doth sufficiently of it self refel all contrary interpretations. But sin is not imputed. Without the reprehension of the law we are in a manner a sleep in our sins, And although we are not ignorant that we do evil, yet as much as in us is, we overwhelm the knowledge of evil offering it self: at the least we put it out through sudden forgetfulness, but whiles the law reproveth & checketh us, as it were pulling us by the ear, it doth awaken us, so that now & then we return to think upon the judgement of God. Therefore the Apostle noteth how perverse men are, when they are not stirred up by the law, namely ⟨p. 66⟩the difference of good and evil for the most part being driven away, securely and sweetly to pamper themselves as though there were no judgement of God. Otherwise, that iniquities have bin imputed unto men of God, the punishment of Cain, the flood where in all the world was destroyed, the destruction of Sodom, the plagues fell upon Pharaoh and Abimelech for Abraham, lastly, the evils came upon Egypt do prove, that men also amongst themselves have charged one another with sin, it is manifest by so many complaints & expostulations, wherein one accuseth another of iniquity: again, by their apologies wherein they studiously go about to clear their deeds. Finally that every man was guilty of evil & good in his own conscience, there be many examples with prove. But for the most part they did so wink at their evil facts, that they would impute nothing unto themselves for sin, but that they were constrained. Therefore when he denieth sin to be imputed without the law,2 he speaketh by the way of comparison: