62 ROMANS 3 : 1—8.

and admits that the Jews have great advantages over all other people, v 2. The second objection is, that God having promised to be the God of the Jews, their unfaithfulness, even if admitted, does not release him from his engagements, or make his promise of no effect, v. 3. Paul, in an- swer, admits that the faithfulness of God must not be called in question, let what will happen, vs. 4, 5 ; but he shows that the principle on which the Jews expected exemption from punishment, viz. because their un- righteousness commended the righteousness of God, is false. This he proves by showing first, that if their principle was correct, God could not punish any one. Gentile or Jew, vs. 5, 6, 7 ; and secondly, that it would lead to the absurdity, that it is right to do evil that good may come, v. 8.