Epistle of Saint Francis Xavier

Romans 10:10-18

Brethren: With the heart, we believe unto justice, but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith: Whosoever believeth in him, shall not be confounded. For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek, for the same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear, without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they be sent? as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, of them that bring glad tidings of good things! But all have not obeyed the Gospel. For Isaias saith: Lord, who hath believed our report? Faith, then, cometh by hearing: and hearing by the word of Christ. But I say: Have they not heard? Yea, verily, their sound hath gone into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the whole world.

Haydock

Verse 14 &c. Or how shall they believe, &c. He shews the necessity of preachers, and that all true preachers must be sent, and have their mission from God. — Who hath believed our report? Lit. our hearing? Some expound it thus: who hath believed the things we have heard from God, and which we have preached? The common interpretation is, who hath believed what he hath heard from us? Wi.

Verse 15. Unless they be sent. Here is an evident proof against all new teachers, who have all usurped to themselves the ministry, without any lawful mission, derived by succession from the apostles, to whom Christ said, (Jo. xx. 21.) As my Father hath sent me, I also send you. Ch. — The Almighty sends people to preach two different ways. The one is extraordinary by internal inspiration, as was that of the Baptist, and all the other prophets; in which case, however, extraordinary proofs must be given that they are sent by God; and the other is ordinary, which is derived from Christ, and from the apostles and their successors, whom he has appointed to be his vicegerents on earth. Estius.

Verse 18. But I say, have they not heard? He puts an objection, and by his answer shews the Jews are inexcusable in not believing, since the gospel has been preached all the world over, and in places where the Jews were, as it was foretold: and also because the Gentiles every where have believed; which even excites you Jews to jealousy against them, as Moses foretold: (Deut. xxxii. 21.) that is, when you now see, that the Gentiles, whom you despised so much, by believing in Christ, have received the gifts of the Holy Ghost, of working miracles, of speaking tongues, of prophecy, &c. Wi.

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