Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 6 · Section 6
6. Morall obseruations.
Observ. 1. Of perseuerance.
v. 4. So we also walke in newnes of life. Origen hence well collecteth, that this newnes of life, semel facta non sufficiat, once done, sufficeth not: ipsa novitas innovanda est, this newnes must still be renewed from day to day, as the Apostle saith, 2. Cor. 4.16. our inward man is renewed daily; for as that which waxeth old, is eueryevery day oulder and oulder, so that which is new must continually be renewed, otherwise it ceaseth to be new: so that we must walke on still, perseuere, and encrease in this newnes of life.
Observ. 2. Of the continuall strife with sinne.
v. 13. Neither giuegive your members weapons. The Apostle vsing this phrase of weapons, sheweth, that there is a warre in vsus: some fight for sinne, and make their members weapons and instruments thereof: but the children of God must fight and striue against sinne, and hold vp their weapons against the tyrannie and dominion thereof: this combate between the spirit and the flesh, the faithfull alwaies find in themselues: as the Apostle saith, Gala. 5.17. The flesh coueteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these two are contrarie, so that ye cannot doe those things, which ye would.
Observ. 3. Our obedience must be from the heart.
v. 17. But ye hauehave obeyed from the heart, &c. Origen here againe obserueth, that we must yeeld our obedience vntounto righteousnesse, not in words onelyonly, and outward shew, but inwardly from the heart: I am afraid, saith he, that there be many of vsus, qui verbis vndeemur obedire iustitiae, which in words seeme to obey righteousnesse, but in our hearts serue sinne, &c. As the Apostle saith of some, 2. Tim. 3.…. hauing a shew of godlines, but hauehave denied the power thereof.
Observ. 4. Of freedome from sinne.
v. 18. Beeing made free from sinne, &c. Chrysostome here sheweth, that it is in vaine for a man to hauehave beene baptised, and taken vponupon him the profession of Christianitie, if he be not freed from the kingdome of sinne, and doe ouerrule the lusts thereof: quid proderit purpura regis esse vestitum, &c. si non adsit, qui iubenti pareat, &c. what doth is profite to put on the kingly purple robe, if there be no man to command: as is a king without subiects, so is a Christian that hath put on Christ in baptisme, and hath no command ouer his passions and lusts.
Observ. 5. We must serue righteousnesse, as before we serued sinne.
v. 19. As you hauehave giuen your members, &c. Origen hath here this profitable note: that although we should serue righteousnesse much more, then we serued sinne, yet the Apostle saith in effect, eadem postulo, similia requiro, I require but the same, and the like things: dud… currebant pedes, &c. of late your feete did runne to the temples of Idols, now let them runne to the Church of God; your hands was stretched forth to oppresse men, let them be stretched forth to the poore; your eyes wandred to gaze vponupon women, now let them looke vponupon the poore; your eares were delighted with vaine sounds, now let them be turned to heare the word of God: your tongue which was exercised in cursing, now let it be occupied in praising and blessing of God, &c.
Observ. 6. Against oppression.
v. 19. To iniquitie to commit iniquitie, &c. Chrysostome here taketh occasion to enueigh against those, which for louelove of money oppressed the poore, which sin, after his rethoricall manner, he thus amplifieth. 1. he maketh them worse then theeues that rob by the high way: for they doe it in feare, and in secret places, these audaciously fill cities with their crueltie. 2. they are worse then murtherers, homicida simul ac subito gladio percutit, the murtherer killeth at once, but he which casteth the poore in prison, and there suffereth him to lie and rot, pro vna mille mortes infert, for one death inflicteth many. 3. Canem summopere curans, &c. this oppressor is verie carefull for his dog, sed propter canem, &c. but for his dog he neglecteth man, for whom Christ died. 4. He is worse then bruit beasts, illa siquidem cognata diligunt, &c. for they louelove their like, but one man despiseth an other. 5. they set more by their houses in decking and adorning them, then by their owne soules: while thou makest thy house faire and beautifull, animā interim desolatam habes, thou hast a desolate and forelorne soule: if thy maide should be brauely set forth, and thy wise attired nothing like, thou wouldest be offended; yet thou neglectest thy soule, and furnishest thy house and other meaner things, & it grieueth thee not. 6. and here he reprooueth such curiositie by the example of the Philosopher, who comming into a neate and shining house, finding no place to spit vponupon, spit in the owners face, thereby deriding his nicenes and curiositie: to this purpose Chrysostome in his morals vponupon this chapter.
Observ. 7. Of the shame that commeth by sinne.
v. 21. What fruit had ye in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? There are some of that impudencie, that they are not ashamed of their sinne: such Ieremie compareth to the vnshamefast whore, Ierem. 3.3. Thou hads a whores forehead, thou wouldest not be ashamed: there is another sort, which are ashamed of their sinne, but it is an vnprofitable shame, it bringeth them not to repentance: such Ieremie compareth to the theefe, that is ashamed, when he is found, Ierem. 2.26. but for all that he will not leaue his theft: of the first sort were the Sodomites, that were impudent and shamelesse, in their sinne: of the second Cain, that was ashamed, but repented not: there is a third sort, that are ashamed, and this their shame bringeth them to repentance: as Ierem. 31.19. after I conuerted, I repented, &c. I s…ote vponupon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea euen confounded, &c. Such was the shame which Dauid had for his sinne committed, Psal. 51.3. I know mine iniquities, and my sinne is euer before me: sinne then, obiective, by way of an obiect worketh shame, but effective, by way of the effect, by the working of the spirit it leadeth by the remembrance thereof to repentance.
Observ. 8. That we must examine our selues.
v. 21. What fruit had ye, &c. Origen here noteth, vnde nos ipsos discutere debemus per f…rgula, &c. whereupon we must examine our selues in eueryevery thing we doe, whether therin we serue sinne, or righteousnesse, &c. there is not any act, wherein we serue the one or the other: so the Apostle saith, 2. Cor. 13.5. examine your selues, know ye not your owne selues, how that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse ye be reprobates, &c.?