AFTER the Gospels, vvhich is a storie of Christ himselfe, and after the Actes of the
Apostles, Vvhich is a storie of Christes Church: novv folovv the Epistles of the Apostles,
vvhich they vvrote of such matters, as they had then occasion to vvrite of. For being the founders and
the Doctors of the Church, they did in their time, as the Doctors that succeeded them, did after
them; vvho from the beginning vnto this day, haue vvritten Epistles & Bookes against heresies,
euer as they arose▪ and of al other Ecclesiastical matters, as they had occasion ministred
vnto them. Of vvhich their doing the Apostles first gaue here the ensample: as also S. Luke
in the Actes of the Apostles, led the vvay to al the writers of the Ecclesiastical Historie
after him. For al though there be no comparison betvvene them for authoritie, for asmuch as
these are Cannonical Scripture, and so are not any vvritings of their successors: yet the
occasions and matters (as I haue said) are like.
Most of these Epistles are S. Paules Epistles: the rest are called * Catholicae Epistolae,
the Epistles Catholike. For S. Paul vvriteth not any Epistle to al (hovvbeit euery one of them is
for al the Church:) but some to particular Churches of the Gentils, as to the Romanes, to the
Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, to the
Thessalonians: some to particular persons, as to Timothee, to Tite (vvho vvere Bishops among the
Gentiles, to vvit, of Ephesus, and of Crete) and to Philémon, and then one to the Hebrevves, vvho
vvere the Ievves of Hierusalem and Iurie. But the Epistles of the other Apostles, that is, of S.
Iames, S. Peter, S. Iohn, and S. Iude, are not so intituled to any one Church or person (except S.
Iohns tvvo later short Epistles, vvhich yet might not be separated from his first, because they
vvere al of one Author) and therefore they are termed Catholike, that is, vniuersal. For
so vvriteth S. Iames: To the tvvelue tribes that are in dispersion, greeting▪ and S. Peter in his
first Epistle, thus: To the elect strāgers of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
Asia, & Bithynia. in his second, thus: To them that haue obteined equal faith vvith vs. likevvise
S. Iude: To them that are in God the father beloued, and in Iesus Christ preserued, and called.
S. Iohns first is vvithout title.
Novv, for the occasions of their vvriting, vvhereby vve shal perceiue the matters or arguments that
they handle: it must be remembred (as the Storie of that time in the Actes of the Apostles doth at
large declare) that the Church then beginning, vvas planted by the Apostles not onely in the
Ievves, but also in the Gentiles: yea and specially in the Gentiles. Vvhich thing offended the
Ievves many waies. For, they could not abide to see, so much as their owne Countrie to receiue
him for Cʜʀɪꜱᴛ, vvhom they had reiected and crucified: much lesse, to see, them preach him to the
Gentiles also, that offended euen those Ievves also, that beleeued him to be Christ. Hovvbeit such
of them as vvere Catholikes, and therefore not obstinat, vvere satisfied vvhen they vnderstood by
the Apostles that it vvas Gods pleasure, as Act. 11. vve reade. But others of the became
heretikes, & preached to the Christian Gentiles, that it vvas necessary for them to receiue also
the Ievves religion. Of such vve reade Act. 15. Vnles you be circumcised, you can not be saued.
And as these did so preach against the truth, so did the vnchristened Ievves not onely them selues
persecute, but also stirre vp the Idolatrous Gentiles euery vvhere to persecute the Christians:
by such obstinacie prouoking God to reprobate theire Nation: vvhich yet they thought vnpossible
to be done, because they vvere the seede of Abraham, and vvere circumcised, and had receiued the
Lavv by Moyses, for such carnal respects they trusted in themselues, as though God and Christ
vvere vnseparably bound vnto them: attributing also so much to their ovvne workes, (vvhich they
thought they did of them selues, being holpē with the knovvledge of their lavv,) that they
vvould not acknovvledge the death of Christ to be necessarie for their saluation: but looked
for such a Christ, as should be like other princes of this vvorld, and make them great men
temporally.
Herevpon did S. Paul vvrite his Epistles, to shevv both the vocation of the Gentiles, and the
reprobation of the Ievves. Moreouer, to admonish both the Christian Gentiles, not to receiue
Circumcision and other ceremonies of Moyses lavv, in no vvise: and the Ievves also, not to put
their trust in the same, but rather to vnderstand, that novv, Christ being come, they must cease.
Againe, to shevv the necessitie of Christs comming and of his death: that vvithout it, neither
the Gentiles could be saued: no nor the Ievves, by no vvorkes that they could doe of them selues,
although they vvere also holpen by the Lavv, telling them what vvas good & vvhat vvas bad: for
so much as al vvere sinners, and therfore also impotent or infirme: and the Lavv could not take
avvay sinne, and infirmitie, and giue strength to fulfil that vvhich it gaue knovvledge of▪ but
this vvas God onely able to doe, and for Christs sake onely vvould he doe it. Therfore it is
necessarie for al to beleeue in Christ, and to be made his members, being incorporat into his
Body vvhich is his Catholike Church. For so (although they neuer yet did good vvorke, but al
il) they shal haue remission of their sinnes, and nevv strength vvithal, to make them able to
fulfil the cōmaūdemēts of Gods lavv, yea & their vvorkes after this shal be so gracious in Gods
sight, that for them he vvil giue them lift euerlasting. This is the necessitie, this is also
the fruite of Christian Religion. And therfore be exhorteth al, both Gentils and Ievves, as to
receiue it humbly, so also to perseuêre in it constantly vnto the end, against al seduction of
heresie, and against al terror of persecution: and to vvalke al their time in good vvorkes, as
novv God hath made them able to doe.
The same doctrine doth the Catholike Church teach vnto this day most exactly: to vvit, that no
vvorkes of the vnbeleeuing or vnbaptized, vvhether they be Ievves or Gentiles, can saue them: no
nor of any Heretike, or Schismatike, although he be baptized, because he is not a member of
Christ: yea more then that, no vvorke of any that is not a liuely member of Christ, although
othervvise he be baptized, and continue vvithin his Church, yet because he is not in grace but
in mortal sinne, no vvorke that he doth, is meritorious or able to saue him.
This very same is S. Paules doctrine: he denieth to the vvorkes of such as haue not the Spirit of
Christ, al vertue to iustifie or to saue: neither requireth he a man to haue had knovvledge of
the Lavv, or to haue kept it afortime, as though othervvise he might not be saued by Christ: but
yet vvhen he is Christened, he requireth of necessitie, that he keepe Gods commaundements, by
auoiding of al sinne, and doing good vvorkes: and to such a mans good vvorkes he attributeth as
much vertue as any Catholike of this time.
Neuerthelesse there vvere certaine at that time (as also al the Heretikes of this our time) vvhom
S. Peter termeth vnlearned and vnstable, vvho reading S. Paules Epistles, did misconster his
meaning, as though he required not good vvorkes no more after Baptisme, then before Baptisme: but
held that onely Faith did iustifie and saue a man. Therevpon the other Apostles vvrote their
Epistles, as S. Augustine noteth in these vvordes: Therfore because this opinion (Ad salutem
obtinendam sufficere Solam fidem, that onely faith is sufficient to obteine saluation) was then
risen: the other Apostolical Epistles, of Peter, Iohn, Iames, Iude, do against it specially
direct theire intention: to auouch vehemently, fidem sine operibus nihil prodesse, that saith
vvithout vvorkes profiteth nothing, As also Paul him selfe did not define it to be quamlibet
fidem, qua in Deum creditur, whatsoeuer maner of faith, vvherevvith vve beleeue in God, but that
holesome & expresse Euangelical faith, vvhose vvorkes procede from loue, and the faith
(quoth he) that vvorketh by loue. vvherevpon that faith, vvhich some thinke to be sufficient
to saluation, he so affirmeth to profite nothing, that he saith. If I should haue al faith
so that I could remoue mountaines, and haue not charitie, I am nothing.
He therfore that vvill not erre in this point, nor in any other, reading either S. Paules
Epistles, or the rest of the holy Scriptures, must sticke fast to the doctrine of the Catholike
Church, vvhich Church S. Paul termeth the piller and ground of the truth: assuring him self
that if any thing there found to him as contrarie herevnto, he faileth of the right sense: and
bearing alvvaies in his minde the admonition of S. Peter, saying: As also our most deere
brother Paul according to the vvisedom giuen to him, hath vvritten to you: as also in al his
Epistles, speaking in them of these things, in the vvhich are certaine things hard to vnderstand,
vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue, as also the rest of the Scriptures, to theire ovvne
perdition. You therfore brethren, foreknovving, take heede lest ye be led amis by the error of
the vnvvise, and fall avvay from your ovvne stedfastnes.
THE TIME VVHEN THE EPISTLE TO
THE ROMANES WAS VVRITTEN.
and the argument thereof.
THE historie of S. Paul, vntil be came to Rome, S. Luke in the Actes of the Apostles vvrote
exactly: and though vvithout any mention of his Epistles, yet certaine it is, that some of
them he vvrote before he came there, to vvit, the •vvo vnto the Corinthians, and this to
the Romanes: & (* as it seemeth) before them al, the Epistle to the Galatians.
Vvherein yet because he maketh mention of the fouretenth yere after his conuersion, it
appeareth, that he preached so long vvithout any vvriting.
And this order may thus briefely be gathered. First he preached to the Galatians Act. 16:
and passing through Phrygia and the countrey of Galatia. Vvhereof he maketh mention
himselfe also, Gal. 1: Vve euangelized to you. and Gal. 4: I euangelized to you heretofore.
After vvhich the false Apostles came and persuaded them to receiue Circumcision. Vvherevpon
he saith Gal. 1: I maruel that thus so soone you are trāsferred from him that called you
to the grace of Christ, vnto an other Gospel. and vvisheth therfore Gal. 4. saying: And I
vvould I vvere vvith you novv. And accordingly he came vnto them aftervvard, as vve reade
Act. 18: Vvalking in order through the countrie of Galatia and phrygia, confirming al the
Disciples. At vvhich time also it seemeth, that he tooke order vvith them about those
contributions to helpe the neede of the Christians in Hierusalem, vvhereof he speaketh
1. Cor. 16: And concerning the collections that are made for the saincts, as I haue ordeined
to the Churches of Galatia, so doe you also. By vvhich vvordes also it is euident, that
the Corinthians had not at then made their gathering. But vvhen he vvrote the Second to
them (vvhere in the 11 Chapter he maketh mention of 14 yeres, not onely after his
Conuersion, as to the Galatians, but also after his Rapte, vvhich seemeth to haue bene vvhen
he vvas at Hierusalem Act. 9. foure yeres after his Conuersion, in a traunce, as he calleth
it Act. 22, 17) then vvere they readie. For so he saith 2. Cor. 8: You haue begone from the
yere past. and 2. Cor. 9: For the vvhich I doe glorie of you to the Macedonians: that also
Achaia is ready from the yere past. hovvbeit it folovveth theire: But I haue sent the
brethren, that (as I haue said) you may be ready: lest vvhen the Macedonians come vvith me,
and find you vnready, vve be ashamed. But vvhen he vvrote to the Romanes, then vvas he novv
come to Corinth for the purpose, and had receiued theire contribution, and vvas readie to
goe vvith it vnto Hierusalem. For so he saith Rom. 15. Novv therfore I vvil goe vnto
Hierusalem to minister to the saincts. For Macedonia and Achaia haue liked vvel to make
some cōtribution vpō the poore saincts that are in Hierusalem.
So then, the Epistle to the Romanes vvas not the first that he vvrote. But yet it is and
alvvaies vvas set first, because of the primacie of that Church, for vvhich cause also he
handleth in it, such matters as perteined not to them alone, but to the vniuersal Church,
and specially to al the Gentiles: to vvit, the very frame (as it vvere) of the Church of
Christ. Tanquam enima 1.13 pro ipso Domino legatione fungens, hoc est, prob 1.14 lapide
angulari, vtrumque populum tam ex Iudais quàm ex Gentibus connectis in Christo per vinculum
gratiae. so saith S. Augustine, giuing vs briefly the arguments. in english thus: As being
a legate for our Lord him self, that is, for the corner stone, he knitteth together in
Christ by the bād of Grace, both peoples, as vvel of the Ievves as of the Gentils. Shevving,
that neither of them had in their Gentilitie or Iudaisme any vvorkes to bragge of, or to
chalenge to them selues iustificatiō or saluation thereby, but rather sinnes they had to
be sorie for, and to humble themselues to the faith of Christ, that so they might haue
remission of them, and strength to doe meritorius vvorkes aftervvard. In vvhich sort,
because the Gentils did humble them selues, therefore had they found mercy, though they
neuer vvist of the Lavv of Moyses. But the Ievves, because they stoode vpon their ovvne
vvorkes, vvhich they did by their ovvne strength, vvith the knovvledge of the Lavv (being
therefore also called the vvorkes of the Lavv, ) & so would not humble themselues to
beleeue in Christ crucified, they missed of mercy, and became reprobate, excepting a few
Reliquiae that God of his goodnes had reserued to himself. Hovvbeit in the end, vvhen the
fulnes of the Gentils is come into the Church, then shal the fulnes of the Ievves also
open their eies, acknowledge their errour, and submit themselues to Christ and his Church,
in like maner. In the meane time, those that haue found the grace to be Christians, he
exhorteth to perseuerāce (as it vvas specially needeful in those times of persecutions)
and to leade their whole life now after Baptisme in good workes: and to be careful of
vnitie, bearing therefore one with an other, both Iew and Gentil, al that they may, and
geuing no offence to them that are weake. Thus he disputeth, and thus be exhorteth
through the whole Epistle: though, if we wil diuide it by that which is principal in ech
parte, vve may say, that vnto the 12 chapter is his disputation: and from thence to the
end, his exhortation.
Novv, in those points of faith, and in al others (as also in example of life) the
commendation that he giueth to the Church of Rome, is much to be noted. Your faith
is renoumed in the vvhole vvorld. and your obediēce is published into euery place.
I reioyce therfore in you. And againe: you haue obeied from the hart vnto that
forme of doctrine, vvhich hath been deliuered to you. And therevpon againe: I desire you
brethren, to marke them that make dissensions and scandals contrarie to the
doctrine vvhich you haue learned, and auoide them. For such doe not serue Christ our
Lord, but theire ovvne belly: and by svveete speaches ad benedictions seduce the harts of
innocents. Therfore to shunne Luther and Caluin, and al their crewes, vve haue iust
reason and good vvarrant. They make dissensions and scandals against the doctrine of the
Romane Church. Let no man therefore be seduced by their sugred vvordes.