^10:10 For, with the heart, man believes unto justice: but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. [n. 830]
^10:11 For the Scripture says: whosoever believes in him shall not be confounded. [n. 833]
^10:12 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. [n. 834]
^10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
^10:14 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? [n. 835]
^10:15 And how shall they preach unless they be sent? [n. 837] As it is written: how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, of them preaching good things? [n. 839]
^10:16 But all do not obey the Gospel. For Isaiah says: Lord, who has believed our report? [n. 842]
^10:17 Faith therefore comes by hearing; and that which is heard, through the word of Christ. [n. 844]

830. After explaining that confession on the lips and faith in the heart work salvation, the Apostle proves what he had said, setting out an example of this in two points which Moses seems to mention, here he proves what he had said in the universal.

And concerning this he does three things.

First, he shows that by faith and confession of faith man obtains salvation;

second, he lays down the order of salvation, at how then shall they call on him;

third, he draws the conclusion, at faith therefore comes by hearing.

831. In regard to the first he does three things. First, he presents his proposition, saying: I am correct in saying that if you confess with your lips and believe in your heart, you will be saved; for, with the heart, man believes unto justice, i.e., he believes in order that he may obtain justice through faith: since we are justified through faith (Rom 5:1).

Notice that he says man believes with the heart, i.e., his will, because man cannot believe, unless he wills. For the intellect of the believer, unlike that of the philosopher, does not assent to the truth as though compelled by force of reason; rather, he is moved to assent by the will; therefore, knowing does not pertain to man’s justice, which is in the will, but believing: Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as justice (Gen 15:6).

But after he has been justified by faith, it is required that his faith work through love, in order to achieve salvation. Hence, he adds, but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation, i.e., to reach eternal salvation. But my salvation shall be forever (Isa 51:8).

832. Three kinds of confession are necessary for salvation.

First, the confession of one’s own iniquity: I said: I will confess my transgressions to the Lord (Ps 32:5), which is the confession of the repentant. The second is that by which a man confesses the goodness of God mercifully bestowing his benefits: sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things (Ps 98:11), and this is the confession of one giving thanks. The third is the confession of divine truth: everyone who confesses me before men, I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven (Matt 10:32), and this is the confession of the believer, about which the Apostle is now speaking.

This confession is necessary for salvation, depending on circumstances of place and time, namely when one’s faith is demanded, namely, by a persecutor of the faith, as when the faith is endangered by an alien belief. Prelates especially ought to preach the faith to their subjects. Therefore, the baptized are anointed on the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross, so that they will not be ashamed to confess Christ crucified: I am not ashamed of the Gospel (Rom 1:16). What is said about confessing the faith applies to all virtuous acts necessary for salvation according to circumstances of time and place, for the precepts commanding the performance of these acts oblige us always but not for every moment of the day.

833. Second, he proves his proposition with an authority when he says: for the Scripture, namely Isaiah, says: whosoever believes in him with living faith shall not be confounded (Isa 28:16), i.e., as lacking salvation: you who fears the Lord, believe him, and your reward shall not be made void (Sir 2:8).

But our text has: he who believes will not be in haste, as was said above.

834. Third, when he says, there is no distinction, he shows that this applies to all men, when Isaiah asserts this indefinitely.

First, he asserts what he intends, saying: it is the same to say all who believe, and there is no distinction, at least of the Jew and the Greek: here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised (Col 3:11).

Second, he proves this with two reasons. The first is based on the fact that the same is Lord of all. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the gentiles? (Rom 3:29). For God is the king of all the earth (Ps 46:8). Consequently, he provides for the salvation of all. The second is based on the fact that he is rich unto all that call upon him. For if his riches were not sufficient to supply for all, one might suppose that he could not provide for all believers. However, the riches of his goodness and mercy are inexhaustible. Or do you presume upon the riches of his goodness? (Rom 2:4); God, who is rich in mercy (Eph 2:4).

Third, he proves the same thing on the authority of Joel: everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:32). This is done by calling on him through love and devout worship: when he calls on me, I will answer him (Ps 91:15).

835. Then when he says, how then shall they call on him, he presents the order in which one is called to salvation, which is from faith.

In regard to this he does two things:

first, he shows that the later steps in this order cannot occur without the earlier;

second, he shows that after the earlier steps have been taken, the later do not necessarily follow, at but all do not obey the Gospel.

In regard to the first he does two things:

first, he presents the order of things required for salvation;

second, he supports what he had supposed, at as it is written.

836. First, therefore, he presents five things in order, beginning with the step which calls upon God, according to the authority of the prophet.

Therefore, he says, how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? As if to say: it is certainly true that unless faith is present, one cannot call on God to save him. This calling upon God pertains to confession with the lips, which proceeds from faith in the heart. I have believed, therefore have I spoken (Ps 115:10). We believed, and so we spoke (1 Cor 4:13).

837. Second, he moves from faith to hearing when he adds: or how shall they believe him of whom they have not heard? For one is said to believe things which are said to him by others and which he does not see: it is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world (John 4:42).

But hearing is twofold: one is internal, by which one hears from God revealing: let me hear what God the Lord will speak (Ps 85:8); the other is that by which someone hears another man speaking in his presence: while Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word (Acts 10:44).

The first kind of hearing does not pertain to all in common, but pertains properly to the grace of prophecy, which is a grace freely given to certain definite persons, but not to all: there are varieties of gifts (1 Cor 12:4).

But because he is now speaking of something that can pertain to all without distinction, as was said above, at for there is no distinction, it is the second kind of hearing that he has in mind. That is why he adds, and how shall they hear without a preacher? For outward hearing in the listener cannot occur without an action of the speaker. This is why the Lord commanded the disciples: go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature (Matt 28:19).

But preachers do not possess the truths of faith of themselves but from God: what I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you (Isa 21:10); for I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you (1 Cor 11:23). Therefore, he adds, and how shall they preach unless they be sent? As if to say: not worthily: I did not send the prophets, yet they ran (Jer 23:21).

838. But some are sent by the Lord in two ways.

In one way, immediately by God himself through internal inspiration: and now the Lord God has sent me and his Spirit (Jer 48:16). Sometimes the sign of this sending is the authority of Holy Scripture; hence, when John the Baptist was asked who he was, he invoked the authority of a prophet: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said (John 1:23). Sometimes it is the truth of what is announced. Hence, in contrast to this it is said: when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass, that is a word which the Lord has not spoken (Deut 18:22). Sometimes the sign of this sending is the working of a miracle. Hence it says in Exodus that when Moses said to the Lord: they will not believe me or listen to my voice (Exod 4:1), the Lord gave him power to perform signs.

Nevertheless, the last two are not sufficient proof of a divine mission, especially when someone says something contrary to the faith. For it says in Deuteronomy: if a prophet arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder comes to pass, and if he says, ‘let us go after other gods,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet (Deut 13:1ff.).

Second, some are sent by God mediately on the authority of prelates, who take God’s place: with him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the Gospel (2 Cor 8:18).

839. Then when he says, as it is written, he quotes an authority to prove what he had said about the need for preachers to be sent. He says, as it is written, namely, in Isaiah: how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, of them preaching good things (Isa 52:7). Here our text has: how beautiful on the mountain are the feet of those who preach and announce peace, announcing good. And something similar is found in Nahum: behold on the mountains the feet of those who evangelize and announce peace (Nah 1:15).

840. In these words, first, the procedure of the preachers is commended when he says, how beautiful are the feet. This can be interpreted in two ways: in one way, so that by feet is understood their procedure, namely, because they proceed according to due order, not usurping the office of preachers: how graceful are your feet in sandals, O queenly maiden (Song 7:1).

In another way, by feet are understood their affections which are right, as long as they announce God’s word not with the intention of praise or gain but for the salvation of men and the glory of God: their feet were straight (Ezek 1:7).

841. Second, he touches on the preacher’s subject matter, which is twofold.

For they preach things useful for the present life. These he designates when he says, the gospel of peace, which is of three kinds. First, they announce the peace which Christ made between men and God: God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, entrusting to us the word of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:19); let us have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1). Second, he announces peace to be had with all men: if possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all (Rom 12:18). Third, they announce the way a man can have peace within himself: much peace to them that love your law (Ps 119:165). Under these three are contained everything useful in this life for salvation with respect to God, to one’s neighbor, and to one’s self.

They also preach the things we hope to have in the other life. In regard to these he says, preaching good things: he will set him over all his goods (Luke 12:44).

842. Then when he says, but all do not obey the Gospel, he shows that the later steps do not always follow.

For although one cannot believe, unless he hears the word of the preacher, nevertheless, not everyone who hears believes; and this is what he says: but all do not obey the Gospel: not all have faith (2 Thess 3:2).

He says this to show that the outwardly spoken word of the preacher is not sufficient to cause faith, unless a man’s heart is attracted inwardly by the power of God speaking: everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me (John 6:45). Consequently, if men believe, it should not be attributed to the industry of the preacher.

It also shows that not all unbelievers are excused from sin, but those who do not hear: if I had not come and spoken to them they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin (John 15:22).

And this is more consonant with what the Apostle will say further on.

843. Second, he cites his authority for this, when he says, for Isaiah says: Lord, who has believed our report? As if to say: a few; you are among unbelievers and destroyers (Ezek 2:6); for I have become as one who gleans in autumn the grapes of the vintage (Mic 7:1). Isaiah said this because he foresaw the future unbelief of the Jews: with a great spirit he saw the last things (Sir 48:27).

And he says, our report, referring either to what they heard from God: we have heard a heard thing from the Lord, and sent messengers to the nations (Obad 5:1); or referring to what men heard from the apostles: they heard your words, and they did not do them (Ezek 33:32).

844. Then when he says, faith therefore comes by hearing, he draws his conclusion from the foregoing, saying: therefore, since they do not believe unless they hear: faith comes from hearing: as soon as they heard of me they obeyed me (Ps 18:44).

But if faith comes from hearing, how can it be a divinely infused virtue? For unto you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him (Phil 1:29).

The answer is that two things are required for faith: one is the inclining of the heart to believe; and this does not come from hearing, but from the gift of grace; the other is a decision about what to believe, and this comes from hearing. Thus, Cornelius, whose heart was inclined toward belief, needed Peter to be sent to him to point out what he should believe.

From that which he said—how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they be sent?—he concludes: that which is heard, namely by believers, is through the word of the preachers, which is the word of Christ, either because it is about Christ: we preach Christ (1 Cor 1:23), or because the preachers have been sent by Christ: for I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you (1 Cor 11:23).