Quest. 41. How the lawe is said to haue entred thereupon, ver. 20.

1. The occasion of these words is not so much to shewe, that sinne raigned in the world euen after the lawe, as it was in the world before the lawe, from Adam to Moses, v. 14. but the Apostle hauing shewed at large, how we are deliuered from sinne and death brought in by Adam, onely by Christ, he preuenteth the obiection of the Iewes: for it might haue beene replyed, wherefore then serued the lawe, if there were no remedie against sinne there∣by? the Apostle then answeareth, that the lawe was so farre from sauing men from their sinnes, that they were thereby the more encreased thus: Chrysostome and Pet. Martyr, with others.

2. But this is not to be vnderstood of the lawe of nature, as Origen, who to decline the imputation of the lawe, laid vpon it by wicked Marcion, that it was giuen to an euill ende to encrease sinne, will haue the Apostle to speake of the lawe of nature: for the Apostle ma∣king mention of the lawe before, v. 13. vnderstandeth the written lawe, as he expoundeth v. 14. where he expressely speaketh of Moses: neither was the lawe of nature giuen to that ende, to encrease sinne, no more then the morall lawe was, but sinne entred occasionaliter, by occasion onely of the lawe, as shall be shewed in the next question.

3. The lawe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, entred thereupon. 1. the Latine interpreter readeth, subintra∣vit, it entred in by the way: as though it had entred in secretly, so also Erasmus, and Gor∣rhan giueth the reason, because it was giuen but vnto one people, and secretly in the desert: but the lawe beeing so publikely deliuered, in such great power and signes, could not be said secretly to enter. 2. Origen giueth this sense, that the lawe of the members entred sub obtentu legis naturalis, vnder the pretext and colour of the lawe of nature, it entred, as it were by stealth, but the Apostle speaketh not here of the lawe of nature as is shewed before. 3. Chrysostome (whom Tolet followeth) thus interpreteth, the lawe is said to haue entred by the way, vt ostenderet vsum illius temporarium, to shewe that the vse thereof was but for a time: but this is a perpetuall vse of the lawe, to manifest and reueale sinne: though indeed the vse of the ceremoniall lawe were but to continue for a time.

4. Some thinke the lawe is said to haue entred as vnder hand, post effuscationem 〈◊〉 naturalis, after the lawe of nature was obscured: so Ambrose, Lyran. but though the lawe of nature had not beene obscured, yet the written lawe should haue beene giuen: by 〈◊〉 which men should haue beene prepared to receiue the Gospell, Tolet. annot. 26. therefore it is said to haue entred thereto or thereupon: that is, beside that naturall corruption and de∣priuation of nature in Adam, the lawe also was giuen accessit ad morbum illium, it came vp∣on, or was added vnto that naturall disease, that sinne thereby beeing more encreased might more commend the riches of Gods mercie in Christ, Beza. Pareus.