Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans

Now in the gospel the benefit of Christs death and resurrection is communicated unto us; then there is no cause that we should seek further for any thing. Therefore that it might appear the righteousness of faith is abundantly sufficient unto salvation, he teacheth that those two members, which only are necessary unto salvation, are contained in it. Who then shall ascend into heaven? Is as much as if he said, who knoweth whether that inheritance of eternal and celestial life abideth for us? Who shall descend into the deep? As if thou said, who knoweth whether eternal death of the soul also follow the death of the body? Both which doubts he teacheth to be taken away by the righteousness of faith: For the one should bring Christ down from heaven,¹ the other from death should bring him back again. For the ascension of Christ into heaven, ought so to establish our faith of eternal life, that he in a manner draweth Christ himself out of the possession of the heavens, that doubteth whether the inheritance of heaven, be prepared for the faithful, in whose name and cause he is entered in thither. Likewise, seeing he took upon him the great horrors of Hell, that he might deliver us thence, to call it into question, whether the faithful ⟨image 151⟩be still subject to this misery, is to make his death void, and in a manner to deny it.

Nowe in the gospell the benefite of Christes death and resurrection is communicated vnto vs; then there is no cause that wee shoulde seeke further for any thing. Therefore that it myght appeare the righteousnesse of faith is aboundantly sufficient vnto saluation, hee teacheth that those two members, which onely are necessary vnto saluation, are conteined in it. Who then shall ascend into heauen? Is as much as if he said, who knoweth whether that inheritance of eternall and celestiall life abideth for vs? Who shall descend into the deepe? As if thou said, who knoweth whether eternall death of the soule also follow the death of the bodie? Both which doubtes hee teacheth to bee taken away by the righteousnesse of faith: For the one should bring Christ downe from heauen,¹ the other frō death should bring him backe againe. For the ascention of Christe into heauen, ought so to establish our faith of eternall life, that hee in a maner draweth Christe himselfe out of the possession of the heauens, that doubteth whether the inheritance of heauen, bee prepared for the faithfull, in whose name and cause hee is entred in thyther. Likewise, seeing hee tooke vpon hym the great horrours of Hell, that hee myghte deliuer vs thence, to call it into question, whether the faythfull