The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 48

Tlew; they affect us fowerfully, and, though unseen by the bodily eyee, become clear to the eyes of the sou , II. THl!l PARADOX APPLIED TO THEOLOGY. 1. The work, of Mtwre =i/Mt a miglity Power. 'rhl.e world, eo wonderfully framed, exhibiting such unity in diversity, furniebes to the attentive mind abundant tracee of a Force which has been at work other than ourselves. The declarations of past investigators, such as Buddha, Plato, Oicero, are amply confirmed by scientists to-day, who confese themselves in the presence of a glorioue, awful Force, whose laws are to be ascertained and obeyed. 'l'he attempt is made to resolve demonstrably all phenomena into manifestations of the one indivisible force. Such thinkers we may claim as buttref!Sing the declaration of the text that the invisible power of God is clearly seen, being understood throu"h his works. Those regularities they call "laws" are hie habits; those numerous an~logiee indicate the one mind influencing similarly all realms. Note especially that epic of natural theology, the Book of Job. 2. This Power discermd. to be ,werlasting. There is the proper word in the text to denote "endless dmation "-that which is always existent. ~ The Power which originated the universe is needed to BUStain it. Evolution is perpetual creation, whereby "things that are seen were not made of things that do appear." Man has from of old contrasted his brief life with the everlasting mountains, the perpetual hills. Astronomy is making us familiar with the countless millenniums of God's lifetime, and geology reveals the measureless ages through which his power bas been working. The doctrine of the conservation of force, which Tyndall calls "the gift of science to the nineteenth century," echoes the same truth, that though the animals die, and even the bills crumble and decay, yet the Power 'l>hicb made them continues; they assume other shapes and do other work. Herbert Spencer writes of the "infinite and eternal energy whence all things proceed and by which they are sustained." 3. Such power r,weals Divinity. The "Divinity" of the Revised Version is preferable, since here the apostle is speaking, not of the incommunicable essence of God, as in Col. ii. 9, but of his nature as distinguished from our mortal humanity. The works of God show that he can originate life; man can only proJ>aocrate it. .And reflection proves that this power of God acts in favour of righteousness and in punishment of wickedness. He stands forth as the Holy One. We do not forget the dark problems of life nor the abysses of creation, but we must beware lest we underrate the clearness with which he has written his autograph on the laws of nature, and on his chief product-man. Froude says, " This is the one lesson of history-the moral law is written on the tablets of eternity••.. Justice and truth alone endure and live. Injustice and falsehood may be long-lived, but doomsday comes a.t last to them." Ill. THE INEVITABLE CONOLUSION, THAT, MD.-'B IBBELIGIOt;S, SD."'FtiL PRACTICES BEING INEXCUSABLE, THEY NEED JUST BUCH A GOSPEL AS ClmlsTIANITY PBOCLlil[S. Such a revelation ought to have prevented all ungodliness. A chief sin is to ignore God, as the greatest civil crime is treason a.,,crainst the ruler of the state. Not to worship and thank him is flat rebellion at court. How clearly the apostle implies that darkened views of the Creator, degrading his attributes, lead men first to b~e ingratitude, and then to indulge, unchecked and unashamed, the worst fleshly desires 1 .And these flames of ungodly passion, no longer subdued by the rains of he,wenly pity leap up into a fierce conflagration, by which the doomed are destroyed. Yet he whc formed the world and placed man upon it, has remembered man's frailty-has pro,ided an .Advocate for the defenceless criminal, 11. city of refuge for the despairing murderer. It cannot be an escape through our own merits, or justification by works; but by 11 transcendent exhibition of Divine power in its noblest garb of love, stooping to bear our sins, and to make his righteousness ours, through our contrite, humble, joyful acceptance of his mercy 11.nd help.-S. R. .A. Vere. 22-26.-Downward evolution. No ch11.rge more acutely stings a man than that of being considered senseless; he would rather be deemed a knave than a f00l. The apostle shows that man, whom God created upright that he might behold God ruid heavenly things, hns oontinunlly gnzed at the eRrth, 11.ud become prone like the beasts. 'l'hus bending, he hns wrnppod his soul in shadow, l\lld his religion, instead of • bleasiug, has proved a oW'se,  THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TITE ROMANS. [on. 1. 1-82,