Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsRomans 5
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read Romans 5 in the BibleRomans 5:2
Access through faith.
◦ Justification, implieth all grace and virtues received by Christ's merits, but the entrance and access to this grace and happy state is by faith, because faith is the ground and first foundation to build on, and port to enter into the rest. Which is the cause that our justification is attributed to faith, namely in this Epistle, though faith itself be of grace also.
- ◦ Justification attributed much to faith as to the foundation.
Romans 5:4
Probation hope.
◦ This refelleth the error also of the Protestants, that would have our hope to hold only on God's promises, and not a whit on our doings, Where we see that it standeth (and is strengthened also) upon patience and constancy, and good probation and trial of ourselves in adversities: and that so grounded upon God's promises and our own doings, it never confoundeth.
- ◦ Our hope is strengthened by well-doing.
Romans 5:5
Charity is poured.
◦ Charity also is given us in our first justification, and not only imputed unto us, but indeed inwardly poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who with and in his gifts & graces is bestowed upon us. For this Charity of God is not that which is in God, but that which he giveth us, as S. Augustine expoundeth it: li. de Sp. & lit. c. 32. Who referreth this place also to the grace of God given in the Sacrament of Confirmation, de Bapt. cont. Donat. li. 3. c. 16.
- ◦ Charity is a quality in us.
Romans 5:12
By one man sin entered.
By this place specially the Church of God defendeth and proveth [1] against the old Heretics the Pelagians, that denied children to have any original sin, or to be baptized for the remission thereof: [2] that in and by Adam all be conceived, born, and constituted sinners. Which no less maketh against the Calvinists also, that affirm, Christian men's children to be holy from their mother's womb. And the same reason which S. Augustine deduceth (li. 1. c. 8. 9. de pec. meritis.) out of this text, to prove against the said Pelagians, that the Apostle meaneth not of the general imitation of Adam in actual sins, serveth against Erasmus and others, inclining rather to that new exposition, than to the Church's and fathers' grave judgement herein. Conc. Milevitanum c. 2.
- 1 Conc. Tri. sess. 5. decr. de pec. orig.
- 2 All by Adam born in original sin.
Romans 5:14
Unto Moyses.
Even in the time of the Law of nature, when men knew not sin, and therefore it could not by man's judgement be imputed: and in the time of Moyses' Law, when the commandment taught them to know it, but gave them no strength nor grace to avoid it. sin did reign, and thereupon death and damnation, even till Moyses inclusive, that is to say, even till the end of his Law. And that not in them only which actually sinned, as Adam did, but in infants which never did actually offend, but only were born and conceived in sin, that is to say, having their natures defiled, destitute of justice, and averted from God in Adam, and by their descent from him: ◦ Christ only excepted, being conceived without man's seed, and his mother for his honour and by his special protection (as many godly devout men judge) preserved from the same.
- ◦ Christ only not conceived in sin, and (as it is thought) our B. Lady.
Romans 5:20
That sin might abound.
◦ That, here hath not the signification of causality, as though the Law were given for that cause to make sin abound: but it noteth the sequel, because that followed thereof, and so it came to pass, that by the prohibition of sin, sin increased: by occasion whereof, the force of Christ's grace is more amply and aboundantly bestowed in the new Testament.
- ◦ The Law did not cause more sin, though that were the sequel thereof.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
Romans 5:1
Let us have.
[1] Whether we read, Let us have peace, as diverse also of the Greek Doctors (Chrysost. Orig. Theodor. Oecum. Theophyl.) do, or, We have peace [2]: it maketh nothing for the vain security and infallible certainty which our Adversaries say, every man ought to have upon his presumed justification by faith, that himself is in God's favour, and sure to be saved: peace towards God, being here nothing else, but the sincere rest, tranquility and comfort of mind and conscience, upon the hope he hath, that he is reconciled to God. Sure it is that the Catholic faith, by which, and none other, men be justified, neither teacheth nor breedeth any such security of salvation. And therefore they have made to themselves another faith which they call Fiduciam, quite without the compass of the Creed and Scriptures.