Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans

For every where you may see excecation and hardening to be mentioned, as the scourges of God, whereby he punished the offences of the wicked already ⟨p. 149⟩committed. But Paul here contendeth to prove by them, that they are blinded, not who have already deserved it, by their wickedness, but which were reprobated of God, before the creation of the world. This knot thou mayest thus briefly loose, that the original of wickedness, which so provoketh the fury of God, is the perversity of nature, forsaken of God. Wherefore not without cause hath Paul cited these testimonies of eternal reprobation, which proceedeth thence as the fruit from the tree, and river from the fountain. Surely the godless for their sins, by the just judgement of God are punished with cecity: but if we demand the fountain of their perishing, we must have recourse thither, that they being accursed of God, can get and bring nothing by all their deeds, sayings, and counsels, then malediction and curse. Yet the cause of eternal reprobation is so secret, that nothing else remaineth for us,¹ then to wonder at the incomprehensible counsel of God, as at length we shall see by the conclusion. And they do foolishly, who as soon as there is speech of the next causes, under pretence of them, go about to cover this first cause, which is hidden from our sense: as though God had not freely before the fall of Adam determined what he thought good of all mankind, because he doth condemn his corrupt and wicked seed, secondarily because he doth recompense to every one particularly, the reward of their wickedness which they have deserved.

For euery where you may see excecation and hardening to be mentioned, as the scourges of God, whereby he punished the offences of the wicked alreadie ⟨p. 149⟩committed. But Paule here contendeth to proue by them, that they are blinded, not who haue already deserued it, by their wickednes, but which were reprobated of God, before the creatiō of the world. This knot thou maist thus briefly loose, that the originall of wickednes, which so prouoketh the furie of God, is the peruersity of nature, forsaken of God. Wherefore not without cause hath Paule cited these testimonies of eternal reprobation, which proceedeth thence as the fruite from the tree, and riuer from the fountaine. Surely the godlesse for their sinnes, by the iust iudgement of God are punished with cecitie: but if wee demaunde the fountaine of their perishing, we must haue recourse thither, that they being accursed of God, can get and bring nothing by all their deedes, sayinges, and counsailes, then malediction and curse. Yet the cause of eternal reprobation is so secret, that nothing els remayneth for vs,