Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans

6 If by grace now then not of works. This is an amplification taken from the comparing of contraries: for such is the case between the grace of God, and the merit of works, that he which maintaineth the one, overthroweth the other. Again, if no consideration of works can be admitted in election, which doth not obscure the free goodness of God, which he would have so greatly commended unto us therein: let those frenzy persons, which make the dignity which God foresaw in us, the cause of election, see what they will answer unto Paul. For whither you shall give place unto works to come or past, this sentence of Paul will alway cry out against you, which saith ⟨p. 148⟩that grace leaveth no place for works. Paul doth not here dispute only of our reconciliation with God, neither of the means or next causes of our salvation, but he ascendeth higher,, namely, why God before the world was made, some being rejected, did only choose other some. And he denieth that God was brought hereunto by any other cause, then his mere pleasure.¹ For if any place be given unto works so much he proveth to be taken from grace. Whereby it followeth, that the foreknowledge of works is wickedly mixed with election. For if God have chosen some, & rejected other some, as he foreknew them to be worthy or unworthy of salvation: now the merit or wages of works being put down, the sole grace of God shall not reign, but shall only be in half part, cause of election. For as Paul reasoned before in the justification of Abraham, where wage is paid, there grace is not freely given: so now he taketh an argument from the same fountain, if works come in to be a cause, when God adopteth a certain number of men unto salvation, then wage is due: and therefore it is not a free benefit. And although he speak here of election: yet because it is a general reason which Paul useth here, it ought to be extended unto the whole cause of our salvation: that we might know, it is so often said there is no merit of works, as our salvation is attributed to the grace of God: or rather that we might believe the righteousness of works is so often brought to nothing, as grace is named.

6 If by grace now then not of workes. This is an amplification taken from the comparing of contraries: for suche is the case betweene the grace of God, and the merite of workes, that he which mainteyneth the one, ouerthroweth the other. Againe, if no consideration of workes can be admitted in election, which doth not obscure ye free goodnes of God, which he would haue so greatly commended vnto vs therein: let those phrensie persons, which make ye dignitie which God foresaw in vs, ye cause of election, see what they will answeare vnto Paule. For whither you shall giue place vnto workes to come or past, this sentence of Paule will alway crye out against you, whiche sayth