A commentarie vpon the most diuine Epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes Containing for matter, the degeneration of our nature by Adams Fall; and the restauration thereof, by the grace of Christ. Together with the perfection of faith, and the imbecillity of workes, in the cause of iustification of elect sinners before God. For forme and maner of handling, it hath the coherence and method, the summe and scope, the interpretations & doctrines the reasons and vses, of most texts. All which, are set downe very familiarly and compendiously, in forme of a dialogue, betweene Tlmotheus [sic] and Silas, by Thomas Wilson, one of the six preachers in the cathedrall church of Canterbury.

DIAL. VI.

Verse 8. 9. 10.

But vnto them that are contentious, and disobey the trueth, and obey vnrighteousnesse, shall be indignation and wrath, tri∣bulation and anguish shall bee vpon the soule of euery one that doth euill: of the Iew first, and also of the Groecian: but vnto e∣uery one that doth good, shall be glory, honour, and peace, to the Iew first, and also to the Groecian.

Tim.

WHat is the coherence, drift, summe and parts of this Text?

Sil,

For coherence, either here is men∣tioned the other part of distributiue iustice, the punishment due to wicked workers, & the reward also of good works repeated the more to excite and allure men with hope therof to be constant in well doing: or else the persons to whom recompence shal be giuen of the iust iudge, as they haue beene set forth by their qualities, so now by their na∣tion they are described, either Iewes or Grecians; that is, all the Gentiles which were not subiect to Moses law. The drift is to shew God to be righteous in his iudgement, be∣cause he rendreth to euery one, the due belonging to thē, whither it be wel or ill. The sum is, that howsoeuer haply

there be not retribution made to euery person here in this world, according to their doing, because the good are of∣ten oppressed, and oppressours not onely goe scot free, but prosper: yet certainly there will come a day wherein this confusion and troubled face of thinges shall bee redressed and righted; when euery one shall haue as they haue done. For the parts, first, there is a description of the paynes due to euill persons, in foure words; whereof two (indignati∣on and wrath) do containe the cause of their punishment; Gods hot displeasure kindled by sinne: the other two tri∣bulation and anguish, note the extreame affliction of the vngodly, begun here, continued and perfected in hel; else∣where signified by death, destruction, gnawing worme, gnashing of teeth, darknesse, chaines, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, &c. Secondly, the reward of the godly is parted into three members; glo∣ry, honour, peace, which is the most quiet and peaceable possession of all good things in heauen.

Tim.

What doe ye note in the diuision of people, into Iewes and Graecians?

Sil.

Scripture vsually diuideth nations into Iewes and Gentiles, or Iewes and Greekes; because the Hebrews held all people beside themselues to be Greekes, and these ac∣counting all beside themselues to be barbarous; hence the Greekes are subdiuided into Greekes and Barbarians. See Rom. 1. 14. 16. Rom. 10. 12. Iewes are first named be∣cause of their prerogatiue to bee Gods people: also they excelled others in the knowledge of God; and therefore were more seuerely to bee punished for their disobeying the trueth. Hence it is, that as they were first for the order and preheminence of estate; so they are first placed here in the order of punishment, for abusing so great dignity and vnderstanding. Also it is to bee obserued that heere the Apostle beginneth to wrap the Iewes in the selfe same reproofe with the Gentiles, because hee intendeth directly and more specially to reprehend them, vnto whome ther∣fore easily by little and little hee slideth, turning his speech by name to them alone hereafter at the verse 17. When he

sayth, Behold thou art called a Iew &c. And in that he wold not spare his own kindred but named them first, he shewes himselfe vnpartiall.