A17643:842
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.
2 God hath not. It is a negative answer, and with a moderation. For the Apostle, in denying precisely the people to be rejected, had bin contrary to himself. But by adding a correction, he teacheth that it is such a kind of rejection, as the promise of God is not thereby made void. So the answer is distributed into two parts, namely, that God hath not, contrary to the faith of his covenant, rejected the whole progeny of Abraham: neither yet is the effect of the adoption extant in all the sons of the flesh, because the secret election goeth before. So the general rejection could not make, but some seed might be saved: for the visible body of the people was so rejected, that no member should fall away from the spiritual body of Christ.1 If any demand, whither circumcision were not a common pledge of the grace of God to all the Jews, so that they ought all of them to be counted amongst the people of God: the answer is at hand, because the external calling by it self, is uneffectuall without faith, that honour is justly taken from the faithless,2 which they refuse being offered. So there remaineth a special people, in whom God showeth a testimony of his constancy: and Paul bringeth the original of constancy, from the secret election. For here God is not said to respect faith, but to stand to his purpose, that he might not reject that people, whom he knew before.
2 God hath not. It is a negatiue answeare, and with a moderation. For the Apostle, in denying precisely the people to be reiected, had byn contrary to himself. But by adding a correction, he teacheth yt it is such a kind of reiection, as the promise of God is not thereby made voyde. So the aunsweare is distributed into two parts, namely, that God hath not, contrarie to the faith of his couenaunt, reiected the whole progenie of Abraham: neither yet is the effect of the adoption extant in all the sonnes of the flesh, because the secret eleccion goeth before. So the general reiection could not make, but some seede might be saued: for the visible bodie of the people was so reiected, yt no member should fall awaye from the spirituall bodie of Christ.1 If anye demaunde, whither circumcision were not a common pledge of the grace of God to all the Iewes, so that they ought all of thē to be counted amongst the people of God: the answere is at hād, because the externall calling by it selfe, is vneffectuall without faith, that honour is iustly taken from the faithlesse,