THE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PAVL TO THE ROMANES.

CHAP. I.

1 He first sheweth on what authoritie his Apostleship standeth. 15 Then he commendeth the Gospel, 16 by which God setteth out his power to those that are saued 17 by faith, 21 but were guiltie of wicked vnthankfulnesse to God: 26 For which his wrath was worthily powred on them, 39 so that they ranne headlong into all kinds of sinne.

1. Pavl ¹ a ^{2 3} seruant of Iesus Christ called to be an ⁴ Apostle, ^{5 6} put apart to preache the Gospel of God,

2. (Which he had promised afore by his Prophetes in the holy Scriptures)

3. ⁷ Concerning his ⁸ Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord (which was ⁹ made of the seede of Dauid ¹⁰ according to the flesh,

4. And ¹¹ declared ¹² mightily to be the Sonne of God, touching the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead)

5. ¹³ By whom we haue receiued ¹⁴ grace and Apostleship (that ¹⁵ obedience might be giuen vnto the faith) for his ¹⁶ Name among al the Gentiles,

6. Among whom ye be also the ¹⁷ called of Iesus Christ:

7. To all you that be at Rome beloued of God, called to be Saints: ¹⁸ Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lorde Iesus Christ.

8. ¹⁹ First I thanke my God through Iesus Christ for you all, because your faith is ²⁰ published throughout the ²¹ whole world.

9. For God is my witnesse (whom I serue in my ²² spirit in the ²³ Gospel of his Sonne) that without ceasing I make mention of you

10. Alwayes in my prayers, beseeching that by some meanes, one time or other I might haue a prosperous iourney by the will of God, to come vnto you.

11. For I long to see you, that I might bestowe among you some spirituall gift, that you might be strengthened:

12. That is, that ²⁴ I might be comforted together with you, through our mutuall faith, both yours and mine.

13. Now my brethren, I would that ye should not be ignorant, how that I haue oftentimes purposed to come vnto you (but haue bene let hitherto) that I might haue some fruite also among you, as I haue among the other Gentiles.

14. I am detter both to the Grecians, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise men and vnto the vnwise.

15. Therefore, as much as in me is, I am readie to preach the Gospel to you also that are at ²⁵ Rome.

16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: ²⁶ for it is the ²⁷ power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth, to the Iewe first, and also to the ²⁸ Grecian.

17. ²⁹ For by it the righteousnesse of God is reueiled from ³⁰ faith to faith: ³¹ as it is written, ³² The iust shall liue by faith.

18. ³³ For the wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against ³⁴ all vngodlinesse, and vnrighteousnesse of men, which withhold the ³⁵ trueth in vnrighteousnesse.

19. ³⁶ Forasmuch as that, which may be knowen of God, is manifest in ³⁷ them: for God hath shewed it vnto them.

20. For the inuisible things of him, that is, his eternal power and Godhead, are seene by the creation of the worlde, being ³⁸ considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without excuse:

21. Because that when they knewe God, they ³⁹ glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull, but became ⁴⁰ vaine in their thoughtes, and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse.

22. When they ⁴¹ professed themselues to be wise, they became fooles.

23. For they turned the glorie of the ⁴² incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man, and of birdes, and foure footed beastes, and of creeping things.

24. ⁴³ Wherefore ⁴⁴ also God ⁴⁵ gaue them vp to their hearts lusts, vnto vncleannesse, to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues:

25. Which turned the trueth of God vnto a lie, and worshipped and serued the creature, forsaking the Creator, which is blessed for euer, Amen.

26. For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections: for euen their women did change the naturall vse into that which is against nature.

27. And likewise also the men left the naturall vse of the woman, and burned in their lust one toward another, and man with man wrought filthinesse, and receiued in themselues such ⁴⁶ recompence of their errour, as was meete.

28. ⁴⁷ For as they regarded not to acknowledge God, euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a ⁴⁸ reprobate minde, to doe those things which are not conuenient,

29. Being full of all vnrighteousnesse, fornication, wickednes, couetousnes, maliciousnes, full of enuie, of murther, of debate, of deceit, taking all things in the euill part, whisperers,

30. Backbiters, haters of God, doers of wrong, proude, boasters, inuenters of euil things, disobedient to parents,

31. Without vnderstanding, ⁴⁹ couenant breakers, without naturall affection, such as can neuer be appeased, mercilesse.

32. Which men, though they knew the ⁵⁰ Lawe of God, how that they which commit such things are worthie of death, yet not onely do the same, but also ⁵¹ fauour them that doe them.

NOTES

1. The first part of the Epistle conteining a most profitable preface vnto verse 16.

2. He mouing the Romanes to giue diligent eare vnto him, in that he sheweth that he commeth not in his owne name, but as Gods messenger vnto the Gentiles, entreateth with them of the waightiest matter that is, promised long since of God, by many fit witnesses, and nowe at the length perfourmed in deede.

3. A Minister, for this word, Seruant, is not taken in this place as set against this word, Freeman, but declareth his ministerie and office.

4. Whereas he said before in a generall terme, that he was a minister, nowe he commeth to a more speciall name, and sayth he is an Apostle, and that he tooke not vpon him this office of his owne head, but being called of God, and therefore in this his writing to the Romanes, doeth nothing but his duetie.

5. Actes. 13.1.

6. Appointed of God to preache the Gospel.

7. By declaring the summe of the doctrine of the Gospel, he stirreth vp the Romanes to good consideration of the matter whereof he entreateth: So then he sheweth that Christ (who is the very substance and summe of the Gospel) is the onely Sonne of God the Father, who as touching his humanitie, is made of the seede of Dauid, but touching his diuine and spirituall nature, whereby he sanctified himselfe, is begotten of the Father from euerlasting, as by his mightie resurrection manifestly appeareth.

8. This is a plaine testimonie of the person of Christ, that he is but one, and of his two natures, and their properties.

9. Which tooke flesh of the Virgin, Dauids daughter.

10. As he is man: for this worde, Flesh, by the figure Synecdoche, is taken for man.

11. Shewed and made manifest.

12. The diuine and mightie power is set against the weakenesse of the flesh, for that ouercame death.

13. Of whom.

14. This marueilous liberall and gracious gift, which is giuen me, the least of all the Saintes, to preach, etc. Ephes.3.8.

15. That men through faith might obey God.

16. For his Names sake.

17. Which through Gods goodnesse, are Christes.

18. Gods free good will: by peace, the Hebrewes meane a prosperous successe in all things.

19. He procureth their fauourable patience, in that he reckoneth vp their true commendation, and his true Apostolique good will toward them, confirmed by taking God himselfe to witnesse.

20. Because your faith is such, that it is commended in all Churches.

21. In all Churches.

22. Very willingly and with all my heart.

23. In preaching his sonne.

24. Though Paul were neuer so excellent, yet by teaching the Church, he might be instructed by it.

25. He meaneth all them that dwelt in Rome, though some of them were not Romaines, Looke the end of the epistle.

26. The seconde part of the Epistle vnto the beginning of the 9.chap. Nowe the whole ende and purpose of the disputation is this: that is to say, to shewe that there is but one way to atteine vnto saluation (which is set forth vnto vs of God in the Gospel, without any difference of nations) and that is Iesus Christ apprehended by faith.

27. God his mightie and effectuall instrument to saue men by.

28. When this word, Grecian, is set against this word, Iewe, then doeth it signifie a Gentile.

29. The confirmation of the former proposition: we are taught in the Gospel, that we are iustified before God by faith which encreaseth daily: and therfore also saued.

30. From faith which encreaseth daily.

31. The proofe as well of the first as the second proposition, out of Abakuk, who attributeth and giueth vnto faith, both iustice and life before God.

32. Abak.2.4.

33. An other confirmation of that principal question: All men being considered in them selues, or without Christ, are guiltie both of vngodlinesse and also vnrighteousnesse, and therfore are subiect to condemnation: Therfore must they needes seeke righteousnes in some other.

34. Against all kinds of vngodlines.

35. By trueth Paul meaneth all the light that is left in man since his still, not as though they being led thereby were able to come into fauour with God, but that their owne reason might condemne them of wickednes both against God and man.

36. Their vngodlines he proueth hereby, that although all men haue a most cleare and euident glasse wherein to behold the euerlasting and almightie nature of God, euen in his creatures, yet haue they fallen away from those principles to most foolish and fond deuises of their owne braines, in constituting and appointing the seruice of God.

37. In their hearts.

38. Thou seest not God, and yet thou acknowledgest him as God by his workes, Cicero.

39. They did not honour him with that honour and seruice, which was meete for his euerlasting power and Godhead.

40. As if he said, became so mad of themselues.

41. Or, thought them selues.

42. For the true God they tooke another.

43. The vnrighteousnes of men he setteth forth first in this, that euen against nature following their lustes, they defiled themselues one with another, by the iust iudgement of God.

44. The contempt of religion is the fountaine of all mischiefe.

45. As a iust Iudge.

46. A meete rewarde for their deserts.

47. He prooueth the vnrighteousnesse of man by a large rehearsall of many kindes of wickednesse, from which (if not from all, yet at the least from manie of them) no man is altogether free.

48. Into a mad and frowarde minde, whereby it commeth to passe, that the conscience being once put out, and hauing almost no more remorse of sinne, men runne headlong into all kinde of mischiefe.

49. Vnmindefull of their couenants and bargaines.

50. By the lawe of God hee meaneth that which the Philosophers called the Lawe of nature, and the Lawyers themselues termed the Lawe of Nations.

51. Are fellowes and partakers with them in their wickednesse, and beside that, commende them which doe amisse.