He exhorteth vs, now after Baptisme, to liue no more in sinne, but to walke in good workes:
because there we died to the one, and rose againe to the other 14. (grace also giuing vs
sufficient strength) 16. and were made free to the one, and seruants to the other; 21. and
specially because of the fruit here, and the end afterward, both of the one and of the other.
1. WHAT shal we say then? Shal we continue in sinne that grace may abound?
2. God forbid. For we that are dead to sinne, how shal we yet liue therein?
3. ⋮
The Epistle vpon the 6. Sunday after Pentecost.
Are you ignorant that al
We that are baptized.
Not only faith.
That which before he chalenged from the Law of Moyses, to faith,
is now attributed to Baptisme, which is the first Sacrament of our faith and the entrance to Christian
religion. Whereby it is plaine that he meaneth not only faith to iustifie, but the Sacraments also, and al
Christian religion, which he calleth the Law of spirit, grace, and faith.
we which are baptized in Christ Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, in his
death we are baptized?
4. For
✟
Remission of sinnes, new life, sanctification, and iustification, are giuen
by Baptisme, because it resembleth in vs and applieth to vs Christes death
and resurrection, and engraffeth vs into him.
we are buried together with him by Baptisme into death: that as Christ is
risen from the dead by the glorie of the Father, so we also may walke in newnesse of life.
5. For if we be become complanted to the similitude of his death we shal be also of
his resurrection.
6. Knowing this, that our
Old man, body of sinne.
The old man, & the new.
Our corrupt state subiect to sinne and concupiscence, comming to vs
from Adam, is called the Old man: as our person reformed in & by Christ, is named the New man.
And the lump and masse of sinnes which then ruled, is called the corps or body of sinne.
old man is crucified with him, that the body of sinne may
be
✟
Castalion noteth that Beza falsly translateth eneruetur, for,
destruatur: weakned, for, destroied.
destroied, to the end that we may serue sinne no longer.
7. For he that is dead, is iustified from sinne.
8. And if we be dead with Christ, we beleeue that we shal liue also together with Christ.
9. Knowing that Christ rising againe from the dead, now dieth no more, death shal no
more haue dominion ouer him.
10. For that he died,
To sinne he died.
Dying to sinne.
Living to God.
Christ died to sinne, when by his death he destroied sinne: We die to sinne, in
that we be discharged of the power thereof, which before was as it were the life of our persons, and
commanded al the parts and faculties of our soule and body: as contrarie-wise we liue to God, when his
grace ruleth and worketh in vs, as the soule doth rule our mortal bodies.
to sinne he died once: but that he liueth, he liueth to God.
11. So thinke you also, that you are dead to sinne, but aliue to God in Christ
Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ our Lord.
12. Let not sinne therfore
Sinne reigne.
How concupiscence is called sinne.
Concupiscence is here named sinne, because it is the effect, occasion, and
matter of sinne, and is as it were a disease or infirmitie in vs, inclining vs to il, remaining also after
Baptisme according to the substance or matter thereof: but it is not properly a sinne, nor forbidden by
commandement, til it reigne in vs, and we obey and follow the desires thereof. August. li. de nupt. &
concupisc. c. 23. Cont. 2. epist. Pelag. li. 1. c. 13. Conc. Trident. Sess. 5. decret. de pec. orig.
reigne in your mortal body, that you obey the concupiscences
thereof.
13. But neither doe ye exhibit your members instruments of iniquitie vnto sinne: but
exhibit your selues to God as of dead men, aliue; and your members instruments of iustice to God.
14. For sinne shal not haue dominion ouer you. For you are not vnder the Law, but
vnder grace.
15. What then? shal we sinne, because we are not vnder the Law, but vnder grace? God
forbid.
16.
*
Iohn 8,34.
2. Peter 2,19.
Know you not that to whom you exhibit your selues seruants to obey, you are the
seruants of him whom you obey, whether it be of sinne, to death, or of obedience, to iustice.
17. But thankes be to God, that you were the seruants of sinne, but
✟
Here againe is signified, that our discharge from the bondage of sinne, is by
the Christian faith, & by obedience to the whole doctrine of Christ's
religion: in that the Apostle attributeth this their deliuerance from sinne,
to their humble receiuing of the Catholike faith.
haue obeied from
the hart, vnto that
Forme of doctrine.
The doctrine of our first Apostles.
At the first conuersion of euery Nation to the Catholike faith, there is a
forme & rule of beleefe set down, vnto which when the people is once put by their Apostles, they must
neuer by any persuasion of men alter the same, nor take of man or Angel, any new doctrine or Analogie
of faith, as the Protestants cal it.
forme of doctrine, into the which you haue been deliuered.
18. ⋮
The Epistle vpon the 7. Sunday after Pentecost.
And being made free from sinne, you were made seruants to iustice.
19. I speake an humane thing, because of the infirmitie of your flesh. For as you
haue exhibited your members to serue vncleannesse and iniquitie, vnto iniquitie; so now exhibit
your members to serue iustice,
✟
He signifieth that as when they were subiect to sinne by continual & often
working wickednes, they increased their iniquitie: that so
also now being iustified, they may & should by external works of iustice,
increase their iustice and sanctification.
vnto sanctification.
20. For when you were seruants of sinne, you were free to iustice.
21. What fruit therfore had you then in those things, for which now you are ashamed?
For the end of them is death.
22. But now being made free from sinne, and become seruants to God, you haue your fruit
vnto sanctification, but the end, life euerlasting.
23. For the stipends of sinne, death. But
The grace of God, life euerlasting.
Life euerlasting a stipend, and yet grace.
The sequele of speach required, that as he said, death
or damnation is the stipend of sinne, so life euerlasting is the stipend of iustice; and so it is, and in the
same sense he spake in the last chapter: that as sinne reigned to death, so grace may reigne by iustice to life
euerlasting. But here he changed the sentence somwhat, calling life euerlasting grace, rather then
reward: because the merits by which we attaine vnto life, be al of God's guift and grace. August. Ep. 105.
ad Sixtum.
the grace of God, life euerlasting in Christ
Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ our Lord.