liar forbearance of God toward them, so far from being an evidence that God would ultimately spare them, would, by being abused, greatly ag- gravate their condemnation. " After thy hardness," &c. i. e. ' through, or on account ofthj hard and impenitent heart ;' see Eph. 1 : 5, 7. 3 ; 3, &c. The word rendered to treasure is used not only in reference to the hoarding up of things which are considered valuable, but also in the sense of accumulating or increasing one's stock of any thing good or bad ; see Amos 3 : 10. " Treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath;" literally in the day, i. e. upon the day ; ' wrath on that day of wrath;' see v. 16. The abuse of God's mercies will cause an accumu- lation of the grounds of punishment on the day of judgment. This day is often called the day of wrath ; the day of vengeance, because then shall the wrath of God be most conspicuously displayed. "That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness," Zeph. 1 : 15. This is the day on which God's displeasure against all " ungodliness and unrighteousness," by whomsoever committed, shall be most signally displayed ; and when God's righteous judgment, and the fact that it is righteous, shall be most clearly revealed. These verses, therefore, contain a third important principle laid down by the apostle. The goodness of God can never secure impunity to sinners ; and its abuse will be sure to aggravate their guilt and punishment.
(6) Who will render to every man according to his deeds. In this and the following verses, to the 11th, the important truth is taught, that the ground of the judgment of God is the works of men, not their relations or professions. Stress must be laid upon both members of the verse ; God will render to every one, Jew as well as Gentile, according to his works, in opposition to any other ground of judgment.
(7) To them, who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life. The principle which is stated generally in the preceding verse is applied to the two great classes of men in this and the one following. ' God will render to every man according to his deeds ; to the good he will render life ; to the wicked tribulation and anguish.' This verse contains the description of the cha- racter and reward of the righteous. They are those whose affections and objects of pursuit are in heaven, "who seek glory and honour and im- mortality ;" and who seek these things ' by well doing,' by the perse- vering performance of all duty. To such, God will render eternal life. It is not to the Jew as Jew, nor to Gentile as the Gentile, any more than it is to the Catholic, the Episcopalian, or the Presbyterian, as such, but to the good as good, whether belonging to one class or the other, that eternal life is to be awarded.
The word rendered patient continuance means often patience under afflictions, and also constancy, perseverance. Luke 8: 15, "who bring forth fruit with constancy ;" see 1 Thess. 1 : 3, the phrase " constancy of hope," for perseverance in hope j so in this verse " constancy of good