A17643:810
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.
How shall they believe in him of whom &c. The sum & sense of these words is this: namely, that we are after a sort dumb until the promise of God open our mouth to pray. Which order also he noteth in the prophet Zach. in these words: I will say to them,1 you are my people, and they shall say to me, thou art our god. For it is not our parts to feign and imagine what manner of God we list. Therefore we must have the true & lawful knowledge of him, such as is set down in his word. And if any man shall suppose God to be good by his own sense & imagination,2 that shall be no sure and stable faith, but a wavering and wandering imagination. And therefore the word is necessarily required to the true knowledge of God. Here he hath set down no other word then that which is preached, because this is the ordinary means which the Lord hath appointed for the dispensation thereof: ⟨p. 141⟩But if any man shall hereby contend to prove that God could not otherwise then by the means of preaching, infuse, or power his knowledge into men, we deny that to be the meaning of the Apostle, who had respect only to the ordinary dispensation of God, and would not prescribe any law or limitation to his grace.
How shall they beleeue in him of whom &c. The summe & sense of these wordes is this: namely, that wee are after a sorte dumbe vntil the promise of God open our mouth to pray. Which order also he noteth in the prophet Zach. in these wordes: I will say to them,1 you are my people, and they shall say to me, thou art our god. For it is not our parts to feigne and imagine what maner of God we list. Therefore we must haue the true & lawefull knowledge of him, such as is set downe in his word. And if any man shall suppose God to be good by his owne sense & imagination,2 that shall be no sure and stable faith, but a wauering and wandering imagination. And therfore the word is necessarily required to the true knowledge of God. Here he hath set down no other word then yt which is preached, because this is ye ordinarie meanes which the Lord hath appointed for the dispensatiō therof: