Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsRomans 8
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read Romans 8 in the BibleRomans 8:18
Condign.
Our Adversaries ground hereon, that the works or sufferances of this life be not meritorious or worthy of life everlasting, where the Apostle saith no such thing, no more than he saith that Christ's Passions be not meritorious of his glory, which I think they dare not much avouch in our Saviour's actions. [1] He expresseth only, that the very afflictions of their own nature, which we suffer with or for him, be but short, momentary & of no account in comparison of the recompense which we shall have in heaven, no more indeed were Christ's pains of their own nature, compared to his glory, any whit comparable: yet they were meritorious or worthy of heaven, & so be ours. And therefore to express the said comparison, here he saith, They are not condign [2] to the glory. He saith not, of the glory, as the Heretics falsely translate [3]: though the Scripture speaketh so also, when it signifieth only a comparison, as Prov. 3. in the Greek, Omne pretiosum non est [4] illa dignum. S. Augustine, illi dignum. S. Hierom, non valet huic comparari. that is, No precious thing is worthy of wisdom, or to be compared with it. See the like Eccle. 26, 20. Tob. 9, 2. But when the Apostle will express that they are condign, worthy, or meritorious of the glory, he saith plainly, [5] That our tribulation which presently is momentary and light, worketh above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory in us. The value of Christ's actions riseth not of the length or greatness of them in themselves, though so also they passed all men's doings: but of the worthiness of the person. [6] And so the value of ours also riseth of the grace of our adoption, which maketh those actions that of their natures be not meritorious nor answerable to the joys of heaven in themselves, to be worthy of heaven. And they might as well prove that the works of sin do not demerit damnation. For, sin indeed for the quantity and nature of the work, is not answerable in pleasure to the pain of Hell: but because it hath a departing or an aversion from God, be it never so short, it deserveth damnation, because it always proceedeth from the enemy of God, as good works that be meritorious, proceed from the child of God.
- 1 16 17 18
- 2
- 3 Heretical translation.
- 4 * ἄξιον ἀυτῆς
- 5 2. Cor. 4, 17.
- 6 Whence the merit of works riseth.
Romans 8:24
By hope saved
◦ That which in other places he attributeth to faith, is here attributed to hope. For whensoever there be many causes of one thing, the holy writers (as matter is ministered and occasion given by the doctrine then handled) sometimes refer it to one of the causes, sometime to another: not by naming one alone, to exclude the other, as our Adversaries captiously and ignorantly do argue: but at diverse times and in sundry places to express that, which in every discourse could not, nor needed not to be uttered. In some discourse, faith is to be recommended; in others, charity: in another, hope: sometimes, alms, mercy: elsewhere, other virtues. One while, Every one that believeth, is born of God. 1. Io. 5. 1. Another while, Every one that loveth, is born of God. 1. Io. 4, 7. Sometimes, faith purifieth man's heart. Act. 15, 9. And another time, Charity remitteth sins. 1. Pet. 4, 8. Of faith it is said, The just liveth by faith. Ro. 1, 17. Of charity, We know that we are transferred from death to life, because we love &c. 1. Io. 3, 14.
- ◦ As sometime faith only is named, so elsewhere only hope, and only charity, as the cause of our salvation.
Romans 8:27
The Spirit desireth.
◦ Arius and Macedonius old Heretics had their places to contend upon, against the Church's sense, as our new Masters now have. They abused this text to prove the Holy Ghost not to be God, because he needed not to pray or ask, but he might command if he were God. Therefore S. Augustine expoundeth it thus, The Spirit prayeth, that is, causeth and teacheth us to pray, and what to pray or ask. August. de anima & eius orig. li. 4. c. 9. & ep. 121. c. 15.
- ◦ Scripture abused against the Godhead of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 8:30
Whom he hath predestinated.
[1] God's eternal foresight, love, purpose, predestination, and election of his dear children, and in time their calling, justifying, glorifying by Christ, as all other acts and intentions of his divine will and providence towards their salvation, ought to be reverenced of all men with dreadful humility, and not to be sought out or disputed on with presumptuous boldness and audacity. For it is the gulf that many proud persons, both in this age and always, have by God's just judgement perished in, founding thereon most horrible blasphemies against God's mercy, nature, and goodness, and diverse damnable errors against man's free-will, and against all good life and religion. This high conclusion is here set down for us, that we may learn to know of whom we ought to depend in all our life; by whom we expect our salvation, by whose providence all our graces, gifts, and works do stand: by what an everlasting gracious determination, our redemption, which is in Christ Jesus, was designed: & to give God incessable thanks for our vocation and preferment to the state we be in, before the Jews, who deserved no better than they, before the light of his mercy shining upon us accepted us, and rejected them [2]. But this said eminent truth of God's eternal predestination standeth (as we are bound to believe under pain of damnation, whether we understand how or no) & so S. Augustine in all his divine works written of the same (De gratia & lib. arb. de corrept. & gratia. Ad articulos falso impositos.) defendeth, declareth, proveth, and convinceth, that it doth stand (I say) with man's free-will and the true liberty of his actions, and forceth no man to be either ill or good, to sin or virtue, to salvation or damnation, nor taketh away the means or nature of merits, and cooperation with God to our own and other men's salvation.
- 1
- 2 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
- 2 God's predestination taketh not away free-will.
Romans 8:38
I am sure.
This speech is common in S. Paul according to the Latin translation, when he had no other assured knowledge but by hope: as Ro. 15, 14. 2. Tim. 1, 5. Heb. 6, 9: Where the Greek word [1] signifieth only a probable persuasion. And therefore except he mean of himself by special revelation, or of the predestinate in general [2], (in which two cases it may stand for the certitude of faith or infallible knowledge) otherwise that every particular man should be assured infallibly that himself should be justified, and not that only, but sure also never to sin, or to have the gift of perseverance, and certain knowledge of his predestination: that is a most damnable false illusion and presumption, condemned by the Fathers of the holy Councel of Trent. Sess. 6. c. 9. 12. 13.
- 1
- 1 πέπεισμαι, Confido. Hiero. q. 9. ad Algas.
- 2 * ad gloriam, πρὸς τὴν δόξαν.
- 2 No man ordinarily is sure of his salvation, but only in hope.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
Romans 8:17
Yet if we suffer.
◦ Christ's pains or passions have not so satisfied for all, that Christian men be discharged of their particular suffering or satisfying for each man's own part: neither be our pains nothing worth to the attainment of heaven, because Christ hath done enough. But quite contrary: he was by his passion exalted to the glory of heaven: therefore we by compassion or partaking with him in the like passions, shall attain to be fellows with him in his kingdom.