Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 3 · Subsection 16
Quest. 11. Of the meaning of the 5, 6, 7, 8. verses.
1. Now followeth the third obiection, issuing out of the former: for if Gods iustice and truth in keeping his promises doe appeare in remmitting the sinnes of the faithfull, that notwithstanding their sinnes, yet he is faithfull in performing his promises: then it would followe, that our vnrighteousnesse commendeth the iustice of God: and hereupon ensue three other inconueniences. 1. That God should be vnrighteous in punishing that which maketh for his glorie. 2. nay he should not be said, to be so much as a sinner, by whom the the glorie of God is promoted, v. 7. Why am I yet comdemned as a sinner. 3. and it would followe, that if by our sinnes the iustice of God were set forth, we should still commit sinne and doe euill, that good might come thereof, the setting forth of Gods glorie, Gorrhan.
2. Whereas the Apostle saith according to the Greeke text, I speake foreign, according to man, Origen seemeth to approoue and followe another reading: as though it should be foreign, against man: for the Greeke preposition foreign, with an accusatiue case signifieth according, but with a genitiue, against: and so he would ioyne it to the former words, is God vnrighteous, which inferreth, or inflicteth punishment against man. But there is an other word foreign, I speake, which should be quite cut off in this sense: beside this phrase, I speake according to man, is vsuall with the Apostle: which he vseth vponupon diuerse occasions. 1. to decline envie, when he is forced to speake of himselfe, and his owne doings, he thus speaketh according to the wisedome of men, 1. Cor. 15.31. 2. Cor. 11.16. 2. sometime he vseth this forme of speach, when he taketh somewhat from the common vse of men, for a more liuely demonstration of that, which he hath in hand, Rom. 6.19. 1. Cor. 9.8. 3. sometime according to man, is as much as according to the flesh, and after the guise of carnall men: and so the Apostle here speaketh in the person of a carnall man, Beza, annot.
3. But whereas, v. 7. the Apostle saith, why am I yet condemned as a sinner, the most interpreters agree to make it a part of the same obiection: that God should seeme vniust in punishing sinners by whom his glorie is set forth: Tolet maketh it rather an answear to the obiection: that S. Paul prooueth by two arguments, that God is not vnrighteous, one by his office, that he is iudge of the world, the other by the execution of his iustice, that if God were not iust, I should not be punished as a sinner: but the former words going immediately before, if the veritie of God, hath more abounded thorough my lie vntounto his glorie, sheweth that it is part of the obiection, which also is continued still in the verse following; And, &c. why doe we not euill, &c.
4. By veritie here v. 7. is not vnderstood, the veritie of doctrine; and by a lie, erroneous and false doctrine: as Origen here sheweth by diuerse particular instances, of the false positions of the Philosophers, how the veritie and truth of God, hath thereby more manifestly appeared: But by vertue rather the iustice of God and constancie in keeping his promises is vnderstood, and by a lie, the perfidiousnesse of men, whereof the Apostle spake before, v. 3.
5. Now to this obiection the Apostle maketh 4. answers. 1. he reiecteth this impious calumniation, as blasphemous, and absurd, thinking it worthie of no better answer, saying, God forbid. 2. he addeth a reason taken from Gods office: he is the iudge of the world both present and to come, who doth both gouerne the world in equitie, and shall as the supreame iudge giuegive vntounto euerie man according to his workes: he therefore cannot be vniust. 3. to the last part of the obiection he saith, first, that they doe blaspheme the Apostle, v. 8. in raising such a slaunder of him, as though he should teach any such doctrine, that men should doe euill, that good may come thereof. 4. then he saith, their damnation is iust: which words some doe vnderstand actiuely, that the Apostle condemned such positions; referring whose to the obiections: but it is better vnderstood passiuely of their persons, that for this their blasphemie, they deserue to be condemned of God, Pareus.
6. Thus the Apostle answeareth pithily, to these cauills and obiections, repelling them, that howsoeuer men may imagine, yet God is most iust in punishing of sinners, though thereby his glorie is set forth. So that thus much is insinuated in the Apostles answer: that it followeth not, that God should therefore forbeare the punishment of the wicked, because by their iniquitie, his iustice and goodnesse is more set forth, because it is not of their sinne, that any good commeth thereof, but of Gods goodnesse: they per se, by themselues are no causes of the setting forth of Gods glorie, but per accidens, by an accident: God thereby taketh occasion to manifest his iustice in their condigne punishment, as he did in the destruction of Pharaoh: his wisedome as he did vse the malice and envie of Iosephs brethren, to effect his purpose in bringing him to honour: his clemencie, in doing good to his Church, as by Iudas treacherie Christ was deliuered vp to death, for the redemption of the world: But therefore none of their sinnes were excused, because they had no such intent to set forth Gods glorie, but God who brought light of darknesse, was able by their works of darkenesse, to manifest the light of his truth, Pareus.
Like as when the Iudge condemneth a malefactor, his vprightnesse appeareth in his iust condemnation: and the greater the disease is, the more commendable is the skill of the Physitian in healing it: yet no thankes is due either to the malefactor, for the one, or to the diseased patient for the other, Mart. So likewise, that mans sinne setteth forth the goodnesse of God; it is not of the nature of sinne, sed ex infinita bonitate, sapientia, & potentia Dei, but of the infinite goodnesse, wisedome, and power of God, who can turne mens sinnes to his further glorie. Perer.
And further, here we are to distinguish betweene malum culpae, & malum poena, the euill of the offence, and the euill of punishment: the first simply and by it it selfe maketh not to Gods glorie: but the punishment of sinne, which is occasioned by sinne, God ordaineth for the declaration of his iustice, Lyran.