Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 6
6. Morall observations.
v. 3. Shall their vnbeleefe make the faith of God of none effect, 1. Obser. Some mens vnbeleefe hurteth not the faith of others.&c. Origen hereupon hath this note, infidelitas eorum qui vel non accedunt ad fidem, &c. their vnbeleefe which either come not to the faith, or fall away from it when they laugh vsus to scorne in our fasting, almes deeds, and other workes of faith, fidem quae in nobis est, non evacuant, doe not euacuate or make voide the faith in vsus: our faith and pietie is not hindred by other mans incredulitie, and prophanenesse.
And in that the Apostle doth here preuent the cauills and obiections of the Iewes,2. Obser. He that teacheth the truth must meet with the obiections of the aduersaries. it teacheth that the minister of Gods word should so set forth the doctrine of the truth, whether in Church or Schooles, as that he may meet with all contrarie obiections made against the truth: both to satisfie the mindes of them that are desirous to learne, to deliver them from all scruple and doubting, and to stoppe the mouth of gainesayers, Pareus in v. 1.
v. 4. Yea let God be true. Seeing God is alwaies found true of his promise,3. Observ. We must trust God of his word. but men are liars and deceitfull, we are taught that in all our trialls and tentations we should certainly ground vponupon the promises of God; and not be carried away or swayed by the promises or threats of men, to let goe our confidence in Gods promises: as Dauid in all his afflictions, when he was chased vp and downe, and persecuted of Saul, staied himselfe vponupon the truth of Gods promises.
v. 4. That thou mightest be iustified: 4. Observ. Not to accuse God but our selues.When as God doth correct vsus his children for our sinnes, or otherwise exerciseth his iudgements in the world, we should not seeme to accuse God or murmure against him, but confesse God in all his works and iudgements to be iust, and our selues to be sinners, as Dan. 9.8. to vsus appertaineth open shame, 5. Obser. Ministers must not giuegive ouer though in some their labour be in vaine.&c. yet compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord.
v. 3. What though some did not beleeue: As the Oracles of God committed to the Iewes, yet were not in vaine, though some beleeued not: so the Minister of Gods word must not be discouraged, and giuegive ouer his calling, because he seeth in some his labour to take small effect, Martyr: for euen our Blessed Sauiour, in that his most heauenly sermon of the eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, was forsaken and left of many of his hearers, yet many of his disciples went away, in so much that he said vntounto the twelue, Will ye also goe away? Ioh. 6.67.
v. 9. Are we more excellent: 6. Obser. How the Minister sometime in his discretion must make himselfe as one of the number.The Apostle, that his reprehension might appeare more easie and tolerable, ioyneth himselfe in the companie and maketh himselfe one of the number: and indeed he was a part and member of Israel: So the Prophets doe often ioyne thereselues with the rest of the people, as partaking with their sinnes, as Dan. 9.5. We hauehave sinned, and committed iniquitie: for like as the praise and commendation of the good and vertuous, extendeth it selfe vntounto all the congregation, wherein there are notwithstanding some carnall men, and hypocrites; so the sinnes of the congregation doe euen touch and some way defile the godly: because that they liuing among the wicked might offend in their connivence, in not reproouing the sinnes of others, as they ought, or in not giuing themselues such good example of life, as they should, or some other kind of way might be touched.
v. 21. By the Lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne: 7. Observ. The lawe first to be preached.Then is the lawe first to be preached to make men to knowe themselues, and to acknowledge their sinnes: this was the course that Iohn Baptist tooke to preach repentance to the people, and to bring them to confesse their sinnes, and so to prepare a way for the Gospell of Christ: for like as a wound cannot well be cured, vnlesse first it be searched to the bottome: so the heart must first be humbled before it can be truely capable of the comforts of the Gospel.
v. 31. Doe we then make the Lawe of God of none effect, 8. Observ. That the doctrine of iustification by faith onelyonly is not enemie to good works.&c. As the adversaries in S. Pauls time blamed his doctrine concerning iustification by faith onelyonly, as an enemie to the Lawe and good workes, whereas the Apostle alwaies ioyneth sanctification with iustification, workes with faith, though he exclude workes in the act it selfe of our iustification: So the aduersaries of the grace of God in these dayes the Papists and Romanists, doe slaunder the doctrine of the Gospel, which vrgeth iustification by faith onelyonly, as though it should beate downe and hinder the exercise of good workes: But we say with the Apostle, that by this doctrine of onelyonly, faith we doe not destroy the law, but indeed establish it, in as much as we hold faith without workes to be a dead, and fruitlesse faith: we do not separate work from faith, though we exclude them from iustification: faith which iustifieth cannot be without workes, yet it iustifieth without workes: it alone iustifieth, yet it must not be alone.