Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans

What a foolish toy is it then, to allege legal promises, to establish the righteousness of works? For a sure curse abideth for us and them: so far is it off that salvation should come thence unto us. The more abominable is the sottishness of Papists, who think it sufficient to prove merits, by bare promises. It is not in vain (quoth they) that God hath promised life to his worshippers: but in the mean while they see not, that it is therefore promised, that the sense of their transgressions, might put into all men the fear of death: & so they being forced by their own want, might learn to flee unto Christ.

What a foolish toy is it then, to alleadge legal promises, to establishe the righteousnesse of woorkes? For a sure curse abydeth for vs and thē: so farre is it off that saluation should come thence vnto vs. The more abhominable is the sottishnes of Papistes, who thinke it sufficient to proue merits, by bare promises. It is not in vayne (quoth they) that God hath promised life to his worshippers: but in the meane while they see not, that it is therefore promised, that the sence of their transgressions, might put into al men ye feare of death: & so they being forced by their owne want, might learne to flee vnto Christ.

6 But the righteousness which is of faith.) This place is such as may greatly trouble the Reader: and that for two causes. For both it seemeth to be improperly wrested of Paul, and also the words seem to be changed into another sense. But concerning the words we shall see what is to be said of them: First let us consider the application. For it is a place of Deuteronomy, where (as in the former place) Moses speaketh of the doctrine of the law:¹ and Paul draweth it unto the promises of the Gospel. This knot may be well untied, thus, Moses in that place showeth the facility or easiness of coming unto life, because the will of God was not now hid nor set a far off from the Jews, ⟨image 150⟩but was laid before their eyes. If he spake of the law only, it had been a frivolous argument: seeing the law of God, being put before our eyes, is nothing more easy to be done, then if it were set a far off. Therefore he noteth not the law only, but in general all the doctrine of God, which comprehendeth under it the Gospel. For the word of the law by it self, is never in our heart: no not the least syllable thereof, until it be put in, by the faith of the Gospel. Secondly, yea even after regeneration, the word of the law shall not properly be said to be in our heart: because it requireth perfection, from the which the faithful themselves are far off. But the word of the Gospel hath his seat in the heart, although it filleth not the heart: for it offereth pardon for the imperfection and want. And Moses altogether in that Chapter (as also in the fourth) studieth to commend unto the people the singular love of God, because he had received them into his tuition and government: which commendation could not be taken from the bare law. Neither letteth it, that Moses preacheth there of reforming the life unto the rule of the law: for the spirit of regeneration is coupled with the righteousness of faith. Therefore he collecteth the one out of the other: because the observation of the law, is of the faith of Christ. Neither is it to be doubted but this sentence dependeth upon that principle, the Lord shall circumcise thine heart: which he had put down a little before in the same Chapter.